Thursday, October 27 2011
Various Artists: Golden Beirut: New Sounds From Lebanon
An eclectic and oddly put-together mixtape from an eclectic region, Golden Beirut is a very good cross-section of certain musical trends that are occurring in contemporary Lebanon.
Friday, March 18 2011
Various Artists: Those Shocking, Shaking Days
This compilation is a vibrant celebration of rebellious sound displaying the glut of funky, resonant music coming out of Indonesia during the fertile and tense '70s.
Friday, March 11 2011
Various Artists: Imaginational Anthems Vol. 4: New Possibilities
The fourth volume of Tompkins Square's excellent Imaginational Anthems series shines the light on some of the brighest folk guitarists in the UK and US.
Tuesday, January 4 2011
Various Artists: G.I. Disco
The music belongs to the technology of the time. It is filled with funky, bass-heavy synthesizer sounds, electronic drum beats, and scratchy rhythm guitar lines. Like the fashions of the period, there’s a flashy cheesiness to it.
Friday, October 29 2010
Various Artists: Bloody War, Songs 1924-1939
Be forewarned: This is old-timey music remastered from scratchy recordings. Its historic value outweighs audio fidelity. But that doesn’t mean the performers lack talent as players, singers, and songwriters.
Monday, July 26 2010
Various Artists: South Africa
Framed by Putumayo, the Rainbow Nation sounds unified. South Africa presents, not so much a country, as a massive group hug.
Tuesday, June 9 2009
Various Artists: Revolution
Revolution starts with an admirable idea, but unfortunately doesn’t live up to its promise.
Monday, May 11 2009
Various Artists: The Soul of Hip-Hop
Classic Stax hits aside, collections like this can spoil a specific experience that most hip-hop heads treasure.
Tuesday, May 5 2009
Various Artists: Enjoy the Silence
No, it's not a Depeche Mode tribute. It's a compilation from the Japanese ambient label, Mule Electronic.
Friday, May 1 2009
Various Artists: Acid Dreams
This 1980 compilation of '60s garage rock and pre-punk snarl is still a nice package that hasn't lost any of it's luster over time, but a better quality copy would be nice.
