One of my most heavily anticipated albums of the year, Rules by the Whitest Boy Alive came as a welcome surprise. An album that didn’t break barriers for the group, yet comes across as one of the most polished and perfected albums so far in 2009. Much like it’s 2006 predecessor Dreams, this album has some of the best bass hooks and strategically placed synth keys I’ve heard on record.
The album plays off those two elements, from the beginning of each track, to the end. “Intentions,” one of my favorite tracks on the album, begins with ten or fifteen seconds of just keys, slowly building and gaining pace. As echoing and yet amazingly funk as the bass hook starting off “Time bomb,” the synths and bass parts really feed off each other and create an extremely mellow and immersive feeling for the listener.
Setting themselves apart from the other bands that try and do the same thing, Whitest Boy Alive possess one of the finest voices in all the music game. And mixed together with sparse guitar chords, the lyrics shine. The vocalist, Erland Oye, also a part of Kings of Convenience, has a certain aesthetic about him that reminds of me Jens Lekman. The music is stunning and powerful, but the vocals demand most of the energy whether to digest the uniqueness of it, or just to immerse yourself even deeper than the crazy instrumentals already take you.
I always see Whitest Boy Alive talked about as a dance group, but I’ve never understood it. Neither Dreams nor Rules have been over the top club bangers or anything of the sort, maybe it’s the calm vocals that bring the group down a notch, who knows. Sure there are heavy, and I mean heavy bass lines streaming across the entire album along with the synth as well, but I find myself tapping my toe along to it much more than jumping off the futon to cut some rug. I’ve always found Whitest Boy Alive to be calming, and beyond pleasing, perfect for any weather. Poignant lyrics to boot.
Rules has lived up to all hype I had for it, weary that it might not live up to the amazing Dreams, I can easily assure any fan of the first album that this one will blow you away. Culminating in one of the best singles of the year, “Islands,” the Whitest Boy Alive will surprise anybody out there looking to get into some new music. It’s a shame that these guys don’t receive more press, what they do is not only their own, but it’s mastered to a T.
Get more info about the album, written by singer Erland Oye. Or BUY THE ALBUM through Erland’s record label Bubbles.
9 out of 10
Check ‘Em Out MP3: The Whitest Boy Alive – “Timebomb”
The Who – Live At Leeds (Deluxe Edition): Honestly I don’t even know where to begin when it comes to this album. I remember buying it in the store years ago, and it cost me just about thirty-five dollars. It may be the best money I’ve ever spent on an album. This album truly shows the pure rock fury of The Who. If you have ever had a doubt in your life as to the legitimacy of The Who, please listen to this album. The original album was released with just 35 minutes of the 120, and this album has all of it. This is one of the greatest live albums of all time, no doubt in my mind. Every single member of The Who sounds precise and musically sound. This also might be the heaviest material you will ever here from The Who. From the rapid fire boulder crashing drums of Keith Moon to the lion roaring vocals of Roger Daltrey this album is everything a live album should be and more… 
If there was ever an album to be described as epic, and in the actual definition of the word, not “epic” as in “cool”, this is that album. Hands down. Whether it’s a good or a bad thing, I can’t truly decide yet. Far and away the most sprawling and expansive album I’ve nearly ever heard, Spirit Animal is a rare treat for all those instrumentalist fans out there. It’s like a modern day Phish or Grateful Dead, minus the drugs and bad music, and with more synthesizers and keyboards. The shortest track runs seven minutes, three of them over 11 minutes, and plenty of tunage in between.
I don’t think I talk enough about how happy Minneapolis Hip-Hop makes me. For the last 15 years there has been Hip-Hop pouring out of the great city of Minneapolis from the 
MIND INVERSION 