For your pleasure, vol #3

The Strokes, First Impressions of Earth



The first six songs are everything you'd expect: wry, vulgar, contradictory admissions of narcissism, enlivened by the ever-more-sophisticated guitar work (or what do I know, maybe they're just mixed flatteringly) of Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond, Jr. Right after Julian's "Street Hassle" homage/parody "Ask Me Anything," in which he confesses that he's got nothing to say, the album's got, well, nothing to say. Julian sold his megaphone for this?

Bryan Ferry, "Help Me"



This obscurity from The Fly soundtrack features production and instrumental work from co-writer Nile Rodgers. Rather depressing – the most supple rhythm guitarist of all time, intimidated by the God of Love in a way that Bill Murray never was. If you like tremulous Boys & Girls-era Ferry, check this out.


Kelley Polar, Love Songs of the Hanging Gardens



Indie art-dance, with classical pretensions and correct referents, what else is new. The squelchy synth-bass and meta-narratives are hummable, but Polar ain't Scritti Politti.