Wonderland, Steve Aoki’s first full-length album, was released in early January and consists of many boldly combined styles of electronic music. Like much of Aoki’s previous work, the album features collaborations with numerous other artists, from LMFAO and NERVO to Travis Barker and Kid Cudi. This is interesting at times, such as when former members of punk bands The Exploited and Die Kreuzen appear on “The Kids Will Have Their Say,” but for the most part it sounds like more of an appeal to fans of radio-friendly pop than an attempt to improve the overall quality of the music. Most of the famous singers appearing on the album give mediocre performances, and are at best backdrops for Steve Aoki’s driving synths. Still, excessive vocals are nowhere near enough to ruin the record, and the blend of house, dubstep, and just about every other sub-genre imaginable is enough that the instrumentals make up for these somewhat dull moments.
Chimes of Freedom is a 76-song compilation album that collects a stunningly diverse group of artists to perform Bob Dylan tributes. Nearly all of the recordings on the album were previously unreleased, and the majority of the money earned from its sales will go toward funding the human rights campaigning of Amnesty International. Featuring artists like Adele, Miley Cyrus, My Chemical Romance, the Dave Matthews Band and Sugarland, the album is nearly impossible for anyone to dislike entirely. Timeless songs like “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “All Along the Watchtower,” and even a bizarre minimalist performance by Ke$ha of “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright,” are all included on Chimes of Freedom, which can be enjoyed both by longtime fans of Bob Dylan and by younger listeners who have never heard of him. People who didn’t like Miley Cyrus before aren’t likely to change their minds after hearing her play “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go,” and people who don’t like Jackson Browne will probably still be bored by him, but overall the album has something for everyone and is undeniably full of great performances of well-written songs.
Named for the Florence Reece song, Ani DiFranco’s album ¿Which Side Are You On? is clearly reflective of the times in which it was recorded. The first two songs are fairly laid back, personal and optimistic, but once the album makes it to the title track it dives into the refreshing anger at social injustice that has fueled some of DiFranco’s best work. Songs like “Splinter” and the simply titled “J” are relatively subdued musically, but their lyrical criticism of unsustainable lifestyles is cutting. Musically, ¿Which Side Are You On? is interesting enough for its experimental folk rock sound, but overall the album’s greatest strength lies in Ani DiFranco’s lyrical ability to blend disillusioned cynicism with optimism and calls to improve the world.