Albums of the Week

Albums of the Week is a recurring feature at Pomp Culture where we will select three albums for our readers to check out. To listen to any of the Albums of the Week just click on the links provided in the sidebar. Live streams of each album can be played in iTunes, Winamp, or Windows Media Player. There is also a link to purchase music by the artists on Amazon, which I strongly encourage if you find something you like.


Something Old - "Scary Monsters" by David Bowie
Released: 1980
Label: RCA
Genre: Rock/New Wave

Submitted by: Governor X

With a career about to enter its 42nd year and genre changes too numerous to mention, it's impossible to pinpoint any one Bowie album as his best. It's better to break them down into periods. For 80's pop star Bowie, it doesn't get any better than Scary Monsters. The thin white duke wastes no time easing you into things, beginning the CD with Japanese vocals on It's No Game (Part 1) and roaring through the next forty minutes with a sound never truly heard before or since on tracks like Scary Monsters, Teenage Wildlife, and Scream Like a Baby. Fittingly, to close, the CD comes full circle with It's No Game (Part 2), a much slower version of the opening track that sounds like an entirely different song.

Tracks to stay tuned in for: All of it.


Something New - "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust" by Sigur Rós
Released: 2008
Label: EMI
Genre: Post-rock

Submitted by: Brant Brown

This 2008 release by Sigur Ros could be considered their most commercially accessible album. It is, dare I say, more upbeat than any of their previous efforts. That is not to say however that the band's signature indulgences do not exist here. While three of the first four songs have a strong rhythmic infusion and are just plain catchy, lead singer Jón Þór Birgisson's hauntingly poetic vocals regain the spotlight on the tracks Festival and Ára Bátur. Festival in particular delves into the rich sorrow that Birgisson has made a staple in Sigur Ros's catalogue, only to rally after the 4:30 mark and turn into a rousing overture of triumph. A solid effort as usual for the Icelandic group, with a strong presence on many "Best of '08" lists.

Tracks to stay tuned in for: Festival, Ára Bátur, Inní Mér Syngur Vitleysingur


Something Different - "Sacred Cow" by Geggy Tah
Released: 1996
Label: Luaka Bop
Genre: Alternative

Submitted by: The Hundley

It would be fair to call Geggy Tah a one-hit wonder. "Whoever You Are" was released as a single in 1996 and reached #16 on the Billboard Charts and got some decent play on MTV with the accompanying video that looked like a driver's ed film. Thankfully that song got me curious enough to buy the whole album. Sacred Cow showcases the band's ability to play all different types of music - everything from rock to jazz to funk. Tom Jordan's vocals really shine as he's able to sing in many different styles, often times creating a separate melody for the songs. 75% of the album is nothing you'd be likely to hear on the radio, but that doesn't make it any less interesting.

Tracks to stay tuned in for: Whoever You Are, Don't Close the Door, Gina, Sacred Cow

Like what you hear? Please feel free to leave a comment or drop us a line at pompculture@gmail.com.