Death Cab For Cutie - The Open Door EP

It's not that special, but the sessions which birthed these five, quick songs sure were.

Death Cab For Cutie's Open Door EP is hardly a companion piece to the group's masterwork--Narrow Stairs--released a year ago. These leftovers from that fine album are just a hit and run hiccup.

If you're a Death Cab fanatic, go ahead--dive in. You won't not like it. But your time could be more economically spent chewing on Narrow Stairs than popping this sugar pill down your throat.

But I'm not complaining. "Little Bribes" is the most rollicking Death Cab song ever. Ever! And the demo of "Talking Bird" is even more gorgeously pensive than the cut that ended up on Narrow Stairs. And the tracks in between are top quality too. These are good Death Cab songs.

But after an album as strong as Stairs was, these songs are just a tickle. Hardly enough to tide anyone over until indie pop's prime princes put out their next long player--which I'm feverishly awaiting.

In the mean time, I must say I prefer Plans' companion release--Directions--more. It was a DVD of of art-house music videos for each song off Plans...and each by a different indie director.

For a taste...Here's "Little Brides" live from Philly's World Cafe Live a month ago.

Bob Dylan - Together Through Life

In comics, Wolverine is known as "the best there is at what he does." In music, that's Bob Dylan. He's our self-regenerating, feral-raged, uncaged animal, who has withstood every chaos he's faced. And he pretty much does what he wants.

So there's no such thing as 'bad' when it comes to a new Dylan album, but Together Through Life doesn't nearly hit the marks his recent batch of acclaimed hits have (Time Out of Mind, Love & Theft, Modern Times).

But since it's Dylan, it ain't stale either. It's just a decidedly more sobering affair, particularly thanks to the Los Lobos guy (David Hidalgo) steaming all 10 songs up with his accordion. And sure, the accordian is a fitting accessory to these songs, but it's Dylan's warped, soul-stained crackle that keeps these songs breathing.

The album has a few bright moments, like the bluesy dirge "My Wife's Home Town." But in the end, this isn't a must-have Dylan album. And considering how many must-have albums this ol' coot has coughed up, time and time again, you'd be a snot to tell him to hang it up.

But seriously, Bob. Let's forget the tunes a while and get to that next edition of your autobiography, Chronicles II. That's where you've really switched on your brightest later life lights.

Silversun Pickups - Swoon

Swoon sounds like it could be the best record of 1995.

And that's a really cool thing to say about a record released in 2009.

Forget these gnarred-out alternarock acts of the nineties struggling to resurrect themselves from their peed on ashes (see reunions of: Jane's Addiction, Creed, Blink182, Limp Bizkit, Smashing Pumpkins, No Doubt). The Silversun Pickups got the right idea--beat those old fogies at their own game.

Like their debut Carnavas, this album is the sonic result of what happens when you rub silk and rust together. The crunch of My Bloody Valentine and the neo-psychadelia of The Verve has never been so neatly and sweetly entangled. But the Pickups sound tighter, more refined, this time--resulting in something as 1995 as it is a brave new world.

I also learned, the hard way, that this album is PERFECT to jam to while walking drenched through Manhatten's East Side without an umbrella.

For a taste, here's the video to lead single, "Panic Switch."