Giant Drag, Hearts & Unicorns
I don’t know much about Giant Drag. I know they made a really fun record of the kind you know they’ll never duplicate. Some albums are very much a snapshot of a band at the time it was made. Furthermore, some are a snapshot of a young, sloppy, devil-may-care band making music for themselves, and the results of that can be magical... but you also know that they’ll mature, they’ll become better musicians, they’ll have bad times, and they will never make anything like that record again. Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Deftones spring to mind as examples. It’s not that their ensuing work was bad, it’s just that there was a particular kind of energy and an excitement in the beginning that simply cannot be sustained. Hearts & Unicorns is that kind of album. Unapologetically wacky, but also serious. It’s a good time.
Giant Drag, “Kevin Is Gay”
Idle Warship, Habits of the Heart
Habits of the Heart is the first official album by Idle Warship. Talib Kweli and Res have been Idle Warship for many years, touring, releasing a song here and there online, but never managing to release an album. In 2009 they got a full mixtape out, and in 2011, finally, a proper album. A lot of hip hop team-ups these days just sound like the artists heard the music, wrote some lyrics, and some one put their vocals over the music. So true collaborations like this, where the players interact, riff off each other, play characters together in the songs, and basically justify their pairing is rare and rewarding. The production is varied and adventurous. A handful of friends stop by to contribute (Including the always delightful Jean Grae). And Talib & Res do what they do best, together. It’s a great listen.
Idle Warship, “Laser Beams”
Mos Def, The Ecstatic
The Mighty Mos Def lived up to that name on The Ecstatic, an energized, engaging collection of songs. After the spectacular Blackstar album with Talib Kweli and the very good solo debut Black On Both Sides, Mos seemed to lose interest in rap. His second album was the billionth experiment in rap-rock that didn’t really pay off in the early 2000s. His 3rd album was a complete mess that neither he nor his record label supported. And during all that, he got much more into acting. I more or less thought it was over. So then The Ecstatic comes around and bowls me over. Mos sounds really passionate again, the mumbling delivery he adopted on his recent work disappeared. He was clearly fired up and ready to work again. The spirit (and voice and music) of Fela Kuti is all over this album, especially the undeniable groove of “Quiet Dog.” But for me, the highlight is the stunning “Casa Bey,” wherein Mos lets fly with some extremely complex lyrical timing over long samples of Banda Black Rio’s lively “Casa Forte.” Mos apparently liked the song a lot, too, having since taken the new stage name Yasiin Bey. This record completely restored my faith in Yasiin, and I cannot wait to hear the new Black Star album.
Mos Def, “Casa Bey”
Sleater-Kinney, Sleater-Kinney
The first Sleater-Kinney album and the last one have very little in common. Most bands that started out in some version of the hardcore movement (For S-K, the “Riot Grrrrl” branch) and managed to stay together for more than a couple of years underwent a pretty dramatic change. A lot of them went metal (and even hair metal). Black Flag infamously started making music intentionally trying to upset their fans. Sleater-Kinney slowly transformed into a fine sort of power pop band. I think most people with a passing familiarity with them wouldn’t even associate them with the kind of jagged, raw aggression on their self-titled album. But yo, it’s pretty great if you’re into that sort of thing. I am a fan of all the phases of the band’s career, but the pure energy and sloppy can-do attitude of this album is right up my alley.
Sleater-Kinney, “The Day I Went Away”
Surfer Blood, Tarot Classics EP
This one caught me off guard. I liked Surfer Blood’s debut album well enough. In this weird lo fi, surf rock kind of thing going on, they were least likely to ruin it with a bunch of fake lo fi distortion and nonsense. But this? This little EP just bowled me over. Super catchy, perfect songs, great playing, everything clicks. Left me wishing it was longer. It’s not revolutionary or life changing or any such lofty thing, it’s just really enjoyable music. That’s more than enough for me.
Surfer Blood, “Miranda”
There you go.
--D
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