Dry Notes: January 2011

Tuesday, January 25

Review: Cold War Kids - 'Mine Is Yours'

Mine Is Yours, out today on Downtown Records.

as seen in the Daily Nebraskan
Cold War Kids has released their most pop-sounding album yet with "Mine Is Yours," out today on Downtown Records.

And I say ‘most pop-sounding' with no meaning of flattery.

The band seems to have put down their eccentricity for that polished studio sound with their third album, alluding to the modern rock of Kings of Leon and the like.

The problem is they fall short of fulfilling this modern rock sound by a few too many cliché choruses.

"Mine Is Yours" might not be so bad for a new Cold War Kids listener, but if you're aware of the originality of their previous album efforts, namely their 2006 debut "Robbers & Cowards," you have to wonder what the hell happened.

Review: Tennis - 'Cape Dory'

Cape Dory, out today on Fat Possum Records

as seen in the Daily Nebraskan
Denver band Tennis has never made sailing sound so easy on the ear.

Husband and wife Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore's debut album "Cape Dory," out today, stands as a documentation of an eight-month sailing trip they took along the Atlantic coast.

"It was very fortuitous," said Riley in an interview with the Daily Nebraskan last October. "Alaina and I didn't really know that our styles of play would go together so well."

And "go together" they do.

With Moore singing and playing keys and Riley on the guitar, Tennis presents their sound compiled of velvety female vocals, droning keyboard compositions and surfy guitar reverberation, leaving no one high and dry.

[Cursive performing Domestica w/ Lightening Bug] [today, 9 p.m.]
[Waiting Room, Omaha] [SOLD OUT]

as seen in the Daily Nebraskan
Cursive bassist Matt Maginn could feel fond tinges from years past upon playing their decade-old "Domestica" album for a New Year's Eve show in Chicago.

"It wasn't too far off, just because it was a real tight, packed room, and the sound was a little difficult, and people were distracting because they were falling all over the place and jumping," said Maginn. "It was kinda fun cause it reminds me of basement shows and stuff like that where things are just a little more chaotic."

All that was missing was the Omaha friend and fan base. So bringing that same show to their hometown wasn't a hard decision to make. And with a sold out crowd, their Omaha show may be apt to meet the chaos of their Chicago show.

Cursive will be playing all their "Domestica" tracks, beginning to end, at the Waiting Room in Omaha tonight. They'll also be playing old favorites from other albums, as well as some new songs.

Favorite songs of 2010: Guest picks

Dailyer Nebraskan entertainment editor Dylan Bliss was nice enough to share his top songs of 2010. Listen to his radio show 'Before Dawn' on 89.3 KZUM in Lincoln or online at kzum.org every Tuesday 4-6 a.m.