CD Reviews: Coheed goes Postal [Service]

The English Panther - The English Panther
My Brother's Blood Machine - The Prize Fighter Inferno

Since I can't get to a show this week (unless there's some kind of Jordanian metal underground that nobody's ever heard of and they have shows...) I thought I would review the latest two side projects from Travis and Claudio of Coheed & Cambria fame.
My Brother's Blood Machine came out a few months ago on Equal Vision records, because they just can't get enough of Coheed side projects. I'd heard a few of the songs before, since Claudio's been messing around with TPFI for a few years now. What became 'The Missing McCloud Boys' was on an Equal Vision sampler that I got at a show in 2003. Anyway, some of it is remarkably similar to the Death Cab for Cutie electropop side project The Postal Service - from the opening keyboard strains on 'The Going Price for Home' to the dancey drum machine on 'The Margretville Dance' it sounds like you might have heard this before (after a Coheed show...that's why I bought The Postal Service album in the first place - Pete always plays 'District Sleeps Alone' after Coheed shows). It's good though - and it's Coheed related since the character of The Prize Fighter is the brother of Coheed. Or something. 5/5
Since Travis and I have very similar taste in music and I loved The Fire Deuce (although I don't think I actually reviewed it here on this blog before, I now give it 5/5), I immediately downloaded The English Panther as soon as myspace told me to. And TEP does not disappoint, though it's nothing like The Fire Deuce (which was Travis singing like his dad and backed by 3). TEP tracks are mostly acoustic with banjo and lap-steel featuring Travis singing (but not singing like TFD) Anyway, I think 'Live to Tell' is probably one of the greatest tracks I've ever heard (it's definitely the best banjo Madonna cover you're going to find) and the rest of the songs are good too. 5/5