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Recent Music ReviewsFriday, November 20 2009Sufjan Stevens: Run Rabbit Run + The BQE (CD/DVD)Two wonderfully orchestral, conceptual albums: Osso re-arranging Sufjan, the other Sufjan re-arranging the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Caution: May require ritlin. Joan Baez: How Sweet the SoundA long-awaited survey of the life and times of a cultural icon. Robyn Hitchcock: I Often Dream of Trains in New York [DVD]Good performances of great songs, but there's nothing to see here, people. Lowlights: Further/FreeLowlights may operate on a well-worn country road, but they cut their own route there. Jupiter One: SunshowerJupiter One's second album has some great songs, but it also gets mired in mediocre '70s-style pop here and there. Sondre Lerche: Heartbeat RadioThe radio plays on and on. The heartbeat flat-lines. Thursday, November 19 2009
Real Estate: Real EstateCynics be damned: however the hype machine happens to play this one out, Real Estate have overcome the critics and released one of the most refreshing, satisfying and richly rewarding albums of 2009. Rakim: The Seventh SealA disappointing and ultimately average display from one of hip-hop's greatest artists. And, even worse, it's Rakim who is mostly to blame. Ola Podrida: Belly of the LionAll through the record, David Wingo succeeds at creating affecting, gauzy rooms of sound. Although once in a while, a song gets lost in them. Q-Tip: Kamaal the AbstractFor all the talk of it as experimental, Kamaal the Abstract satisfies and soothes more than it challenges or questions. Stars of Track and Field: A Time for LionsStars' new record is a departure -- into U2 and Coldplay territory The Band of Heathens: One Foot in the EtherThere’s some Drive-By Truckers, Little Feat, and Flying Burrito Brothers, but what’s interesting is how the band so effortlessly take these influences and twist them to their advantages. Catie Curtis: Hello, StrangerVeteran folk-rock songstress brings in a team of bluegrass heavyweights for a smooth-sounding, hit-and-miss hodgepodge of covers and a handful of her own old originals. Wednesday, November 18 2009
Annie: Don’t StopDon't Stop exudes polish, depth, and the sense that Annie is moving confidently forward as a pop artist of the first order. Dunkelbunt: Raindrops and ElephantsThe Austrian producer pulls out all the stops and has a truly worldwide party. Cheers! Hank Williams: Hank Williams Revealed: The Unreleased RecordingsThis, the second three-disc set in a series, features recordings from the Mother's Best radio programs. People Under the Stairs: Carried AwayFun-loving hip-hop is rarely as good as People Under the Stairs' seventh album, Carried Away. Joakim: Milky WaysFrance's clown prince of the disco continues to make hard left turns into the darker realms of his love for outsider rock on his finest album to date. fun.: Aim and IgniteAim and Ignite lands somewhere between Queen, the Mars Volta, and the soundtrack from Hairspray, and so is pretty original to say the least. Unfortunately, it drowns under its own weight. Various Artists: Shadow Music of ThailandThe transition into Thai has given the Anglo-American music a penetrating note, as if high-pitched percussive instruments are being quickly struck and pieces of metal are being clashed. Tuesday, November 17 2009
50 Cent: Before I Self DestructOne might think that the worst outcome for an artist like 50 Cent would be to alienate enough people to render himself completely alone in the music industry. Beak>: Beak>Progressive experiments of time and sound? Must come out of Bristol, then. Rammstein: Liebe Ist Für Alle DaAfter three very good albums Rammstein simplify things on their newest, and the payoff is huge. Mulatu Astatke: New York, Addis, London; The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975Astatke has a great capacity for intelligent play, the James Joyce kind of innovation that isn't afraid to be slangy and entertaining at the same time that it chases a serious purpose. Cherry Poppin’ Daddies: Skaboy JFK: the Skankin’ Hits of the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies/SusquehannaSkaboy JFK collects the band's ska from the last 20 years, while Susquehanna is a more diverse, and accurate, representation of the band and its many influences. Elvis Perkins in Dearland: The Doomsday EPThe folk-rock EP features two takes on the same "dirge". The 69 Eyes: Back in BloodFinnish vampire rockers' new effort is an album that should find fans beyond the Helsinki undead community. Monday, November 16 2009
Them Crooked Vultures: Them Crooked VulturesRaw, unadulterated rock and roll from rock A-listers Dave Grohl, Josh Homme , and Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones. The Wingdale Community Singers: Spirit DuplicatorAn album that will grow on you like moss, and stick to you like white on rice. Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine: The Audacity of HypeWas it too much to expect an updated version of the revolutionary rhetoric? Sparklehorse + Fennesz: In the Fishtank 15Sparklehorse's collaboration with Fennesz makes for a particularly dreamy and ambient installment of the In the Fishtank series. Nicolay: City Lights Vol. 2: ShibuyaNicolay takes it to another level on this, his latest City Lights volume. A misstep here or there, sure, but it's a damn good offering from one of music's best producers. Phonograph: OKNOIndie Brooklynites stretch to make their own Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The songs can't quite compete, but the record proves that the Wilco Effect continues to produce a vibrant American scene. Eugene McGuinness: Eugene McGuinnessThe Brit troubadour has evidently developed a penchant for the past, which stifles the forward-thinking bent of his debut. Friday, November 13 2009
Dolly Parton: DollyThe most comprehensive portrait of her significant body of work yet, Dolly is the perfect opportunity to consider the rich bounty of stories and ideas that live in her songs. Broadcast and the Focus Group: Investigate Witch Cults of the Radio AgeThis a massive paranormal grimoire of sound that future generations may mistake for the audio book to the Necronomicon. DOOM: Unexpected GuestsDOOM deserves credit for turning this compilation into more of an album than just a collection. Horace Andy and Alpha: Two Phazed PeopleWith the help of Alpha’s confident, well-crafted beats, Horace Andy proves that he is still in integral part of the music world. Turbo Fruits: Echo KidThis is party music about girls and getting high or getting up or getting down or getting "some mo'". But that doesn't mean the music is always so simple. DD/MM/YYYY: Black CircleToronto five-piece continue to submit their two cents into the the post of noisy, jagged post-punk with their second full-length. Laura Nyro: Mother’s SpiritualExamining the re-release of Nyro's overlooked Mother's Spiritual reveals that there is still much to appreciate. Thursday, November 12 2009
Katatonia: Night is the New DayAfter 18 years of growth, Katatonia's music has finally matured fully, and the end result is spectacular. Will Stratton: No WonderFollowing his quiet stunner of a debut album, this 22-year-old folk artist just proved that lightning, indeed, can strike the same place twice. Rosie Flores: Girl of the CenturyFlores has added a few valuable numbers to her discography and a bunch of sassy standards that suggest once again that she will be happiest strapping on an electric guitar and rocking out on a stage. Various Artists: Fire in My Bones: Raw Rare & Otherworldly African American Gospel (1944-2007)Bizarro-world gospel music that will make you re-think the genre. Squirrel Nut Zippers: Lost at SeaLost at Sea is fun enough, but it mainly serves as a placeholder until the band's new material sees the light of day. Ray Charles: The Genius Hits the RoadAnother expanded edition of Brother Ray’s 1960 album of themed travel songs. Like most journeys, highs and lows abound. Hecker: Acid in the Style of David TudorA massive scatological machinal mess, squirting rust and oil all over this island of misfit sounds. Wednesday, November 11 2009
Wale: Attention DeficitInsecurity, bulimia, infidelity, intra-racial discrimination, self-loathing and coked out, aspirational celebrities: welcome to Wale's coming out party. The Cribs: Ignore the IgnorantIgnore the Ignorant might be a technically better album than earlier Cribs efforts, but it’s a hell of lot less fun. LCD Soundsystem: 45:33 RemixesThe music has not only been remixed, but has also had its original purpose radically reconfigured. Carolyn Mark and NQ Arbuckle: Let’s Just Stay HereHopefully this collaboration will be more than just a one-shot deal, for Mark and NQ Arbuckle really bring home the goods. Kate Miller-Heidke: CuriouserMiller-Heidke’s album cover may give rise to many worried questions, but her music speaks for itself. Bell Horses: The Loves Last TimeFor better or worse, Bell Horses debut of melancholy electro-pop goes down like water and acts like a sleeping pill. J. Holiday: Round 2A a pleasant, but ultimately unremarkable, black pop album. Tuesday, November 10 2009
Tori Amos: Midwinter GracesImagine the surprise to find that a holiday album is Amos' best work in years. Asobi Seksu: RewolfAsobi Seksu's new album of acoustic reworkings of old material is not a startling musical reinvention, but it does allow the group to emphasize its melodies and songcraft. Rickie Lee Jones: Balm in GileadRickie Lee Jones's 11th album shows inspiration, but only fitfully. Modeselektor: Body Language Vol.8Thom Yorke's favorite German DJ duo takes us on a tour through 2009's best dubstep-influenced hits and a few other loose ends. The Blakes: SouvenirOn their second major release, this Seattle-based garage-rock trio clean up their dirt-dragged riff rock and demonstrate an impressive knowledge of their musical roots. Matt Wilson Quartet: That’s Gonna Leave a MarkA bouncing, joyous offering from a jazz drummer chock-a-block with wit. Black Mold: Snow Blindness is Crystal AntzSongwriter Chad VanGaalen makes an album of brief instrumental tracks using a wide variety of synthesizers and occasional acoustic instruments. His keen ear for melody keeps this record grounded and listenable. Monday, November 9 2009Ray Davies and the Crouch End Chorus: The Kinks Choral CollectionBecause the more thoughtful songs outnumber the straight-forward rockers, and the harder songs are camped up, the album works as a whole. Efterklang and the Danish National Chamber Orchestra: Performing ParadesEfterklang, a Danish band, teams up with the national chamber orchestra for this CD/DVD performance of their latest album Lisa Germano: Magic NeighborMore than the backdrop to fiction, this seems a very individual soundtrack to lives lived with questions and conflicts: human beings as living musicals. On Fillmore: Extended VacationThere's something to be said for the power of their dreamy mood, but for all the searching On Fillmore does here, when they return to the light, it turns out the dark didn't hide as many treasures as they'd hoped. Anjulie: AnjulieFor all its misfires and blemishes, Anjulie is by no means a bad album. It's just that the limitations of Anjulie's vocal range wear you out early on. Various Artists: Si, Para Usted: The Funky Beats of Revolutionary Cuba Vol.2A theme like the one Zacks has chosen gives crate-digging an exceptional purpose, putting a non-Cuban audience in touch with music that might otherwise be lost to them, giving a shape to an idea that might otherwise sound like a non-sequitur. Friday, November 6 2009
Say Anything: Say AnythingMax Bemis and co. have returned with one of the most self-referential albums to ever grace the emo-rock canon, and lo' and behold, it's one of Bemis' best. Wolfmother: Cosmic EggThis is not a new castle, but it's a fairly impressive renovation of the existing foundations. The Swell Season: Strict JoyThe duo from Once return with a fine new album. It's mostly about how their real-life relationship fell apart, but with strong songwriting and gorgeous singing. Neon Indian: Psychic ChasmsSynth pop, effects-heavy rock, and dreamlike euphoria are the driving forces behind Neon Indian’s pleasurable and bright look at pop psychedelia. Karen O and the Kids: Where The Wild Things AreKaren O’s lively soundtrack sounds best where the wild things aren’t: in the most straightforward bits of childlike indie-pop. Slaraffenland: We’re on Your SideThis slightly unclassifiable Danish quintet are good to have on your side, like a friend whose support is rock-solid if uneffusive. Gloria Jones: Share My LoveWith generous remastering by Reel Music, the luster of Share My Love is ever-glistening. A rare gem from the Motown catalog finally gets its due. Thursday, November 5 2009Molina and Johnson: Molina and JohnsonFew get more lonesome on record than Will Johnson (Centro-matic) and Jason Molina (Magnolia Electric Co.). Vince Guaraldi: The Definitive Vince GuaraldiAn individual at Coca-Cola's ad agency proposes the idea of a Charlie Brown Christmas Special, with music by Vince Guaraldi. And a new American institution was born... Spiral Stairs: The Real FeelScott Kannberg's solo debut is aesthetically assured but ultimately a little empty. Sliimy: Paint Your FaceElectric pop confections by a twee Frenchman that sings like an English woman. Cale Parks: To Swift MarsTo Swift Mars samples the ‘80s pop zeitgeist to various effect, but is strongest in its least nostalgic moments. Jim Byrnes: My Walking StickThe American-born Canadian actor/blues musician's songs are as textured as his vocals. Wednesday, November 4 2009
Morrissey: SwordsMorrissey's uneasy expression on the cover notwithstanding, Swords is a worthy collection of 18 b-sides from his last three studio albums. Various Artists: Light on the South SideSounds like golden outtakes from lost sessions where James Brown's backing band got together with Booker T and the MGs at the Stax studios with an insanely talented batch of unknown singers. Brilliant Colors: IntroducingIntroducing might make a case for Brilliant Colors being a knock-off group, a carbon copy of the Vivian Girls with subtle differences. But Brilliant Colors are a good carbon copy. Mayer Hawthorne: A Strange ArrangementIt's that classic biblical tale: little known DJ from suburban Michigan takes on soul god from Motown. And the winner is... AA Bondy: When the Devil’s LooseBondy fuses imagery of moonlit nights and limitless oceans with religious mysticism to evoke a beauty in nihilism. The Cave Singers: Welcome JoyThe Cave Singers attain an unheralded harmony between the back porch and the road on their sophomore masterpiece. Roman Candle: Oh Tall Tree in the EarHere are 11 refreshingly earnest and brazenly straightforward anthems that both rattle your floor and stick in your head. To this reviewer's ears, Roman Candle happily play non-hyphenated, non-adjective-ized Rock and Roll. Tuesday, November 3 2009
Julian Casablancas: Phrazes for the YoungThe singer-songwriter of the Strokes has finally released his solo debut. The wait was worth it. Idlewild: Post Electric BluesFormer Scottish noiseniks get better with age on their sixth album -- available as a free download. Lackthereof: A Lackthereof Retrospective or I Was a Christian Emo TwentysomethingThis compilation offers more than its title suggests, even making an emo Christian compelling. The Black Heart Procession: SixStill bleak after all these years, the Black Heart Procession has failed to, well, proceed much. Jamie T: Kings & QueensI’m sorry, I know England loves this guy, but something about him rings false. David Mead: Almost and AlwaysGentle-rock softy crafts a pop-standards beauty for the Paul Anka lover in your home. Amy Speace: The Killer in MeYes, Amy Speace is another girl with a guitar. But on this album, she proves that she's more than fierce enough to rock the scowl that she bares on its front cover. |
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