Elliott Smith
“An Introduction to Elliott Smith”
Kill Rock Stars
Released: Nov. 2
9.6/10

It’s been seven years since the world lost beloved singer-songwriter, Elliott Smith, and for most current twentysomethings, he was gone before they had moved past 50 Cent and Evanescence.

Smith should rightfully go down as one of the best songwriters of his generation, and the whole world would have been acquainted with him if drugs, alcohol and depression hadn’t taken him away so early.

In just 10 years, Smith was able to make his mark, and a career retrospective disc captures the early magic of what he was doing. “An Introduction” is largely absent of his material from “Figure 8” and “XO,” showcasing his beginnings (“Roman Candle”), rising (“Either/Or”) and swan songs (“From a Basement on the Hill”).

The 14-track compilation is brilliantly paced and well put together, scattering through his catalog instead of following chronologically. A good sampling of his greatest hits (“Needle in the Hay,” “Angeles” and an early version of “Miss Misery”) anchor the album, but the leadoff entry, “Ballad of Big Nothing,” and “The Biggest Lie” feel all the richer given the aging of time.

The album’s title feels appropriate; there’s an emptiness to greatest hits albums, and “An Introduction” is as satisfying as they come.

— Joshua Boydston, psychology junior

The Parting Gifts
“Strychnine Dandelions”
In The Red
Released: Nov. 9
8.0/10

The Parting Gifts — consisting of Greg Cartwright (Oblivians) and Coco Hames (The Ettes) — does its best to rejuvenate the loud, loose and fun sound of the ’60s and ’70s with its capable debut, bringing about a few oldies enthusiasts to flesh things out.

Much like a less kitschy Eagles of Death Metal, The Parting Gifts sound more earnest in its attempted resurrection of The Animals and The Zombies, busting out grizzled ballads (“Strange Disposition” and “Born to be Blue”) and peppy anthems (“Keep Walking”).

Modern garage rock influences bust out in the mutinous “Don’t Stop” and equally rebellious “Don’t Hurt Me Now,” but guest spots from Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) and Patrick Keeler (The Racounteurs, The Greenhornes) keep it grounded in the past.

At times, “Strychnine Dandelions” feels muffled and trite, but brilliantly balanced and studied tracks like “Bound to Let Me Down” keep things rocking.

— JB

Girls
“Broken Dreams Club” EP
True Panther Sounds
Releases: Nov. 22
8.5/10

Girls was all the buzz of 2009; indie bloggers and hipsters alike fell in love with the band’s romantic, jangly lo-fi anthems, and its debut — bolstered by beloved singles “Hellhole Ratrace” and “Lust For Life” — landed on nearly every year-end “best-of” list.

2010 has been relatively quiet by comparison, but Girls has emerged with a (potentially) new direction as evidenced by its new “Broken Dreams Club” EP. In contrast with the fuzzed-out quaintness of “Album,” the EP largely feels more measured and glossy, shying away from the lo-fi production for something more traditionally appealing.

Surprisingly, the product remains strong, if losing some of the charm of its raw predecessor.

The leadoff, “Oh So Protective One,” sounds like an entirely different band; the beach bum malaise is still there, but it’s now being channeled through a Beach Boys-meet-mariachi band filter.

The title track falls somewhere in the sleepy mid-’90s state of indie rock, ambling through a desert of tumbleweeds with Western guitar drifts and muted horns. “Substance” follows suit, though a bit more upbeat.

“Alright” bridges the gap between the new sheen and dusty old, playing with improved musicianship and equipment while not losing its quirkiness.

But it’s “Heartbreaker” — which could easily assume the slot occupied by “Lust For Life” on 2010 lists — that really delivers. The single does its best to move forward while looking back. The occasional tambourine flashes and cheery guitar chords drift like clouds, and lead singer Christopher Owens is particularly on point, both melodically and emotionally.

“Broken Dreams Club” is a testament to the enigma of proper recording; sometimes, you lose the magic and romance of the first take, but hounding over a song has the potential to create that many more sparks.

— JB

Ben Folds
“Lonely Avenue"
Nonesuch
Released: Sept. 28
8.0/10

No one can quite drop an F-bomb like Ben Folds. He proved his adeptness at this skill with his song “Rockin’ the Suburbs," from the album with the same name. If you haven’t heard the song, he screams the profanity for a good seven seconds straight. Folds' talent for tasteful F-bomb placement hasn’t waned on his latest album, “Lonely Avenue," a collaboration with English novelist Nick Hornby, the writer of “High Fidelity," “About a Boy” and the screenplay for the recent movie “An Education." Hornby

penned the lyrics for the songs on the album and e-mailed them to Folds, a longtime friend, who created the music to go along with the lyrics.

With “Lonely Avenue," Folds returns to the type of storytelling that made “Rockin’ the Suburbs” such an interesting album. Each song contains a message that is presented through a story. The message is often humorous, as is the case in “Working Day," where Folds sings, “Some guy on the net thinks I suck, and he should know, he’s got his own blog," and “Levi Johnston Blues”, in which he reflects upon the state of a good 'ol boy thrust into the limelight — “I'm a f****** redneck, I live to hang out with the boys, play some hockey, do some fishin' and kill some moose.”

Although penned by Hornby, some of the songs seem to take on autobiographical elements that mirror Folds' own life. In “Belinda," the theme of being a “one-hit wonder” is explored, with Folds hilariously singing, “There’s a lot of fortysomethings who wouldn’t be in the world without it.”

Folds’ troubled love life also seems to come into play with “Amanda," where he declares, “Who could look at me, and see someone that might be worth redeeming, head and heart, and soul f****** up, who could be bothered, really?”

Other difficult subjects are dealt with on “Lonely Avenue." “Claire’s Ninth” explores the modern commonplace occurrence of divorce by stating, “What's wrong with two birthdays? It’s cool at school. Her friends, they all have two birthdays," and “Picture Window” deals with a girl whose mother is in the hospital and she refuses to let the New Year’s Eve festivities she sees from her window cheer her up, “There's a big picture window in their room on the ward, with a view of a parliament hill. But the view offers more joy than they can afford. When there's this much pain to kill.”

What is great about Folds and Hornby in “Lonely Avenue” is their ability to express anger and frustration with very common human experiences ( sickness, divorce, frustration in love), as well as highlight and poke fun at the often absurd situations that happen in this world (the sudden stardom of Levi Johnston, the prideful blogger) in a way that is intelligent, poignant and leaves the listener feeling like they just listened to poetry.

— Janna Gentry, English Junior