Buzzlighter

Buzzlighter [COLL], The Dance of the Metropolitan Muse
For some reason I expected dancy techno, but this is definitely a pop/alternative/rock collection. The first three tracks are slow alternative/country sounding; then the album becomes more generally alternative/rock. Hard to review since the songs seem so different from each other—there’s some really fun stuff, and I’ve starred the ones I like, but by all means play the others if you like them.

*1. (3:37) slow and melodramatic; starts with Morse code, then vibrating organ and piano and accordion, violin, and earnest male vocals
*2. (4:09) enthusiastic midtempo, drunk country sound; somewhat dissonant and hazy twangy guitars, and thumping percussion and male voices w/ distant female harmony.
*3. (3:42) driven downtempo, acoustic guitars and cello and british-tinged wistful male vocals
4. (3:09) driving uptempo surfy, buzzy guitars and vocals
5. (4:21) loud midtempo strummy buzzy electric guitars; “alternative,” a nice sound
6. (1:57) loud, aggressive more “classic rock” sound
*7. (4:11) chugging midtempo; almost countryish rock sound; nice harmonies in the chorus
8. (3:49) a fast, determined walk; driving percussion, dramatic male vocals
*9. (3:27) harmonica and contented acoustic strumming with bass and piano; caustic, sarcastic male vocals
*10. (4:22) instrumental; simple, retro somehow nice and lonely synth/techno melody, with traditional instruments in background. I like it.
11. (2:57) strutting brassy electric guitar sound; kind of slow-angry-confused
*12.(3:56) countryish, folky, vaguely doo-wop waltz tempo, acoustic instruments, plaintive vocals with pretty, complex harmonies!
13. (2:56) enthusiastic rock and roll; yelling vocals and feel-good harmony chorus
14. (3:53) reminds me of the movie Empire Records. That early 90s feelgood alternative sound. Loud guitars, happily goofy chorus: “you make me go—Cuckoo!” so silly I have to like it!
15. (3:24) loud head-bouncing electric guitars with cheerfully strummy acoustics, intricate lyrics
16. (3:36) bell-like electric guitars, lots of cowbell, alternative/rock
17. (3:51) traveling rock, with spacy guitar sounds and long confident chords
18. (3:28) muted midtempo; dark burbling spacy bass noises, out of tune vocal harmonies; eventually, dark buzzy guitar
19. (1:54) sounds almost like weird al’s voice! Beastie boys-style spoken vocals, pleading for optimism, over strummy acoustic guitars and bass and easy beat.
20. (3:33) Latin-y percussion and bass and funky acoustic guitar, easygoing nasal vocals
21. (2:47) slow swingy and countryish, vibrating slow surfy guitars
22. (3:43) buzzy narrated story over saucy buzzy guitar; kind of strident. Structured to simulate a carnival ride, suggested by the song’s subject and title.