6 - Tuesday, April 2, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 6 - Tuesday, April 2, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Nothing new in latest boy-band LP New Kids on the Cold War Kids lose steam on'Lonelyhearts' Block return with business as usual By GREGORY HICKS Daily Arts Writer New Kids on the Block's sixth studio album doesn't disappoint - assuming that disappointment implies some sort of initial C- expectation. The group fell 10 hard, and not even in refer- New Kids on ence to its peak the Block in 1989. Since Open Road its fifth studio album release, Interscope and NKOTB parted ways, leaving the boy band rela- tively hopeless for acquiring reputable writers and produc- ers (hence making themselves the executive producers of the album). Its 2008 comeback, The Block, boasted many noteworthy pro- ducers, including RedOne, Polow da Don, Timbaland, T-Pain, Akon and Ne-Yo, while 10's most nota- ble credit is Deekay, who is far from a celebrated producer. The record was only moderately suc- cessful - unsurprising, given the 14-year hiatus between studio albums - but created a smooth, suave sound that attracted a great deal of attention, given the big names that the album pre- sented. Equally depressing is 10's lack of collaborations, once again, in contrast to its previous studio album. The Block pulled together top-notch contemporary art- ists like Lady Gaga, Ne-Yo, Akon, The Pussycat Dolls, Timbaland and New Edition. 10 barely man- aged to pull together the boy band itself. Melody, production and lyr- THE BLOCK Is it still a boy band if they all own minivans? ics are as basic as can be. Each track is a hollow-shell version of the typical boy band music of the early 1990s - as if each track is a cheap variation on "Don't Want You Back" and "It's Gotta Be You" by the Backstreet Boys. We get it. She's either bad for you, or you just can't live without her. The track titles are as uninter- esting as the corresponding lyrics (bonus points for coherency, at least). Nearly every track is based from some common song phrase (e.g. "Take My Breath Away," "We Own Tonight," "Now or Never") and, once again, hosts generic phrases. "I wouldn't have noth- ing without you / girl you are my world / cause baby you know I love you." Not exactly breathtak- ing lyrics from "Take My Breath Away." Maybe you just had to be there. Even the title is low-effort. Naming act album after the number of albums an artist has released is overdone and tacky, not to mention that in this case, it's not entirelytruthful. NKOTB has released six studio albums, so this "10" comes from includ- ing the release of Christmas albums, compilation albums and albums released with the Back- street Boys. Evidently it wanted to sport a number worthy of almost 30 years in the industry. Frankly, NKOTB is not a group that's meant to perse- vere in the music industry. An assemblage of 40-year-olds hardly constitutes a "boy" band, let alone the New "Kids" on the Block. Same goes for you, Back- street "Boys." It's a wonder that this album even exists, given the minimal effort thrown into it. Donnie Wahlberg could learn quite a bit from his brother, Mark, about moving on from a juvenile music career. This album will appear on the setlist of the just-announced "Package Tour," featuring Boys II Men and 98 Degrees. It's the complete "package" of boy band has-beens. By SHAMIK GANGULY Daily Arts Writer There's a clear turning point in the studio efforts of Cold War Kids.At first, its members focused on writing outside of B - the studio as a band. Dear Miss Since 2010, Lonelearts however, they've given Cold War Kids more power Downto to producers to influence the band's writing and direction. For a band so creative and so suc- cessful in conveying its ideas, this change in tactics might be a bad choice. The consequences are apparent in their new release, Dear MissLonelyhearts. The first two albums released by Cold War Kids feature a pow- erful, chaotic, pianos-falling- from-the-sky compositional style, heavy in rhythm and tension. Soaring above the noise are lead singer Nathan Willett's pierc- ing, soulful vocals, and the con- trast between an angry, crashing rhythm section and a heart-ach- ing, bluesy melody makes a com- pelling mixture that's hard not to listen to again and again. Cold War Kids' last album, Mine Is Yours, comes from a part- nership with producer Jacquire King and marks the band's first attempt to mold its ideas to the influence and direction of a pro- ducer. The changes that surfaced inMineIs Yoursacontinue to devel- op in Lonelyhearts, which shows a softening in the group's rhythm section. Fresh dissonance gives way to simpler, more conventional and more digestible compositions. The band takes fewer liberties with tempo and harmony and essentially leaves it to the vocals to capture interest. The instru- ments form more of a background accompaniment than a driving force. Synt appear ing a d once m bass, gt That E well wi a subtl buton' lead sy: dy and; Phase," 1980s g really p hs make a noticeable moment unsurprising and less ance in Lonelyhearts, add- effective. "Tuxedos" features a Dimension to a band that slap echo so strong that it dis- ade exclusive use of piano, tracts from the purpose of the uitar and drums. On "Lost vocals and draws all attention to asy," smooth synths mesh the effect. th the vocals and provide This overuse of effects on the e harmony for the chorus, album could be an attempt to fill 'Bottled Affection," anairy a void created by a loss of soul nth clashes with the melo- in Nathan Willett's voice - or, annoys the ear. On "Loner it could have caused the void. synths build a cheesy Whether by smothering, artistic roove that the band can't choice or lack of personal invest- 'ull off. ment, the lead singer has lost some of his biting emotion. He just can't establish the same per- oi it with onnectionwiththelistener that was once so compelling. hat reverb. This excess of criticism for the album comes more from disap- pointment than dislike. Dear Miss Lonelyhearts still showcases soul- io effects also overwhelm ful earworms in "Miracle Mile," tearts throughout. Every "Lost That Easy" and "Jailbirds," takes heavy use of reverb, and when compared to other me to the point that the material being released today, ounds distant and muddy. these songs deserve success on mes, like at the end of the charts. The main problem tnd Trembling," the track is that a fan with expectations verb as a transition or fade just won't be satisfied with the but the overall prominence momentum and strength of the rb in the record makes this record as awhole. "I can't go with all the cameras around." C t Stud Lonelyh track r and so band s Someti "Fear a uses re effect, 1 of revet I Call: #734-418-4115 Email: dailydisplay@gmail.com RELEASE DATE-Tuesday, April 2,2013 Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis ACROSS 2 Prefixwith 32Ponders 48 Egg-shaped 1 "SNL"-likeshow cumulus 33 Male sib 49 Harborwall filmed in Canada 3 See 16-Across 34 "Egad!" in an IM 50 Eight-time All-Star 5"DoctorWho" 4Self-portraitist 35Oppositeof Tonyofthe '60s- network with a bandaged pales- 70s Minnesota 8 Rafters shoot ear 38 Long in the tooth Twins them 5 Bodybuilder's 41 Tommy Dorsey 51 Sisterof La Toya 14 Pre-Euro Italian "guns" hit tune 52 Waming signs coin 6_-Seltzer 43 Less clumsy 53 Elemental 15 Nest egg letters 7 Desert safari 45 Sullen particle 16 With 3-Down, beast 47 Intemet slang 54 Arizona native way west for 8 Pink-cheeked based on a 55Twinkle-toed many American 9 Dada pioneer common typo 58 Rev.'s message pleneers Jean t17 .-braq War:'80s 10 JGulf: Arabian ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: conflict waterway A 18 Crooner Perry's 11 Reason given for ad? calling in sick A L 0 E A R E A I N L E T 20 Self-righteous sort 12 Roundedroof S A I N T M A R K S C A L P 21 Manicurist's aid 13Winter whiteness K I S S U P E o S A Y 22 Rage inwardly 19 Pizarro's gold R A F T C U S P S 23 Space pilot Han's 24 Broad-brimmed ARSON A R G U E I Q S abirt? bat 25 Throgh 250haste REEDS BEE A G U A 26 Classic racecars priestesses of B RED ARENA N E A L 27 Lighthouse light ancient Rome O U R S LI IS T S NOR T 30Nouveau _T 27"_app~titr' R N S DECAL M O N E Y 33 U2 frontman's bit 28Fairy tale start S U G A R P E T E of naughtiness? 29 Dozes C A T T Y A L A R M S 36 Back in the day 30 Like one who 37 Bedevil can't put a book A N K L E APR I L F1010 L 39 PC monitor type down DREAD REAL A L S O 40 Cartoon 31tComposer JARS DAMS R E S T possum's Stravinsky xwordeditor@aol.com 04/02113 !STERLING 411 LOFTS has limited summer only bed spaces available start- ingat599 alt inclusive. 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