Quick Hits, Vol. 12 (Kaiser Chiefs, Guided by Voices, Alex G., Philip Selway, Beck's Song Reader)

Kaiser Chiefs - Education, Education, Education & War.  Fun album of poppy rock in the Franz Ferdinand mold.  This tune, Coming Home, is excellent.

With 2.3 million views, I am not the only one who digs that tune.  Must have been featured on an ABC dramedy recently.  "Roses" sounds like an attempt at the Flaming Lips.  "Cannons" is a rousing tune that repeats the album title in preparing for battle against the VIPs of the world.  The rest of the album is more of the same upbeat and driving, slightly punky, very English-sounding rock, and is very enjoyable.

Guided by Voices - The Best of Guided by Voices.  This is a band that the American Band Championship Belt post led me to.  I've heard of them for years but never given them a chance - this is solid indie rock.  Sounds like a bridge between the Replacements and Nirvana. 2001's "Glad Girls" is their most listened to song:

Just slightly poppier than the 90's grunge movement, but I still feel like these tunes would have sounded right in line on the Singles soundtrack.  I like it.  I'll have to dig in past the greatest hits and see what happens.

Alex G - DSU.  Kind of funny, for the first few songs, I didn't realize that the album had transitioned from Guided by Voices over to Alex G.  I remember Rolling Stone's review on this album, calling his music "dorm-room jams."  They definitely sound lo-fi, but I think they are great anyway.  If he really is playing all of the instruments and writing all of the lyrics himself, it is a damn impressive debut. "Harvey" is short, but is a keeper.

Overall, the album is very relaxed, but well put together.  Seems right for an earnest make-out session in your dorm room.  Someone give it a try and let me know how it goes for you.

Philip Selway - Weatherhouse.  I have no clue where this one came from.  Rolling Stone must have given it an interesting review.  Super chill-ville tunes.  Most popular on Spotify is "Coming up for Air:

Nice enough.  Album is kind of Radiohead-esque, but without the freakouts.  Nothing too exciting for me.

Beck and Friends - Beck's Song Reader.  (I think the actual title might just be Warby Parker Presents Song Reader Beck, if you read the album cover).  In case you missed it, in 2012, Beck put out a book of sheet music and lyrics as an "album" release.  http://www.amazon.com/Song-Reader-Beck/dp/193807338X.  He never recorded the music (that I know of), but the sheet music inspired a huge pile of people, famous and playing-in-the-bedroom-13-year-olds, to take a shot at recording his tunes.
Anyway, a handful of tracks are really good.  Norah Jones with a bluesy, fun "It's Just Noise," Jeff Tweedy, fun., Lord Huron (who I always forget about but need to listen to again), Laura Marling, and even Beck's take on his own "Jacob's Ladder."  Jack White does a good countrified version of "I'm Down."  Pretty cool mismash of styles, makes you realize how well-crafted Beck's songs can be. And then there is Jack Black's We All Wear Cloaks, which is super weird, and I'm not sure it would have even been a good song if Beck had performed it.  Fun project.