Duds of 2008: Part One

Here are a handful of albums that hardly deserve a full-length review. Duds consist of albums that have received a rating of two stars or less.

Robotique Majestique (2008, Trashy Moped) Ghostland Observatory's third studio album. **

They’re certainly not Daft Punk, in fact, they’re hardly anyone. The dry beats and empty sounds of Robotique Majestique are only worsened by the strange ambient synths. The high-pitched vocals add another layer of strangeness to the mix. Overall, the songs are hollow-sounding and boring. Pathetique.

A Twist in My Story (2008, Glass Note) Secondhand Serenade's second studio album. *

Firsthand bullshit.

Keep It Simple (2008, Lost Highway) Van Morrison's thirty-fourth studio album. **

Van Morrison deserves an immense amount of respect and reverence. His early works, most notably Astral Weeks, Moondance, and Tupelo Honey stand among some of the greatest albums ever. That being said, Van Morrison sounds like an old fellow here, and instead of still offering fresh and exciting views like Dylan still can, he has instead put out a by-the-numbers, formulaic jazz-rock/blues-rock album.