Music From Space

02/20 - 02/24.

2012-02-20T14:45:00.003-06:00

Batman Forever soundtrack

I have a weird fascination with this record. It functions as a remarkably inclusive snapshot of music in 1995. Really! Consider the track list:

U2, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"

PJ Harvey, "One Time Too Many"

Brandy, "Where Are You Now?"

Seal, "Kiss from a Rose"

Massive Attack with Tracy Thorn, "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game"

Eddie Reader, "Nobody Lives Without Love"

Mazzy Star, "Tell Me Now"

The Offspring, "Smash It Up"

Nick Cave, "There Is a Light"

Method Man, "The Riddler"

Michael Hutchence, "The Passenger"

The Devlins, "Crossing the River"

Sunny Day Real Estate, "8"

The Flaming Lips, "Bad Days"

So, you got U2, enjoying the beginning of their renaissance at the time, whose song from this record was a big hit. You have Seal contributing one of the most successful pop songs of the year (maybe the decade). You have then very popular Brandy singing a song written and played on by then very popular Lenny Kravitz. 1995’s radio is well represented.

Digging a little deeper, Offspring’s cover of The Damned represent the mid-90s punk revival. Massive Attack’s Smokey Robinson cover represents the flourishing trip hop scene, with guest vocalist Tracey Thorn, whose main gig, Everything But The Girl, had one of the biggest “alternative” hits of the year. Speaking of alternative music, Mazzy Star is another big name from the era, joined by relative newcomers The Flaming Lips and stalwarts PJ Harvey and Nick Cave. Hip hop is underrepresented with just a Method Man song, but in 1995, Method Man was the breakout star of the relatively new Wu-Tang Clan, and rapidly becoming one of the biggest rappers in the country. Even Sunny Day Real Estate is in there, representing the nascent emocore movement. Who would possibly expect Sunny Day Real Estate to appear on the soundtrack to a Batman movie?

If you had to make a time capsule of the musical landscape of 1995, your work is done immediately. Just make a copy of this.

U2, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"

Aesop Rock, Bazooka Tooth

Aesop Rock’s 2nd album for Def Jux really upped the ante. Behind that weird cover by the fantastic illustrator Tomer Hanuka (I love it when people I like work together) are some of the densest, most dizzying productions Ace has ever been associated with, and lyrics that rise to the occasion. Coming off the decidedly less chaotic (but no less great) sounds of the sample heavy Labor Days and the more minimal Float, this thing was the sonic equivalent of an explosion. It was so weird and offkilter that it apparently caused some tension between Aesop and then-labelmate Vast Aire, even. Aesop backed off of the schizophrenic sound and pacing of this album on subsequent material, but controversies aside, it’s a truly engaging record that demands many listens to get its full measure.

Aesop Rock, “No Jumper Cables”

Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend

I think the people have turned on these guys. But when this album came out, it was a bright spot in a bland period for music that year. Not much going on, and along comes this bright, catchy thing. It wasn’t the most exciting, the most innovative, the most meaningful record, and I coulda done with a lot less lyrical content specific to going to college in Boston, but it was fun to listen to. Sometimes, that’s enough.

Vampire Weekend, “M79”

Craig Finn, Clear Heart Full Eyes

Speaking of fun to listen to... not so much, this. It’s actually much more different from The Hold Steady, Finn’s regular gig, than I expected. The instrumentation and arrangements of the songs are far removed from the... I sort of want to say “classicist rock” sound of their albums. Stripped down, with doses of country and folk styling and a much more spare production feel, it also features a different lyrical content than The Hold Steady. Finn’s stories obsessed with drug and alcohol abuse, initially a hold over from his previous group, Lifter Puller, have given way to a lyrical focus more on a nostalgic devotion to rock music itself on recent records, but none of that is really present on Clear Heart Full Eyes. The material presented here feels at once more personal and autobiographical but also abstracted. For example, religious imagery has been a staple of his work, and an obsession with Jesus winds through the songs, but in a way that makes it hard to tell if Finn even believes in Jesus in the first place. It's the lyrics that prove the album's undoing for me. There is a lot of repetition in the 11 track running time, and while repetition isn't bad in and of itself, in this case it makes the album feel kind of slight. The repeated themes and phrases from song to song don't help this feeling of running in circles. All in all, a frustrating listen.

Craig Finn, “No Future”

Dirty Projectors + Bjork, Mount Wittenberg Orca

This wacky team-up is based on a live performance by the two entities of a set of music written by Dirty Projectors mastermind David Longstreth in 2009. If you know much about The Dirty Projectors and Bjork, it's basically everything you expect. They can't resist adding Bjork's voice to the exquisite chorus that has become The Dirty Projectors' most powerful weapon a few times, and the results are delightful. But, of course, she also steps forward for lead vocals often, and in that role she operates much like she always does. Longstreth also handles leads vocals a few times, while at other times the chorus of Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian and Haley Dekle take center stage. The things they can do together remain spectacular. Certainly less accessible than The Dirty Projectors' last album, but probably more accessible than recent material from Bjork, Mount Wittenberg Orca is an exciting experiment.

Dirty Projectors + Bjork, “On And Ever Onward”

There you go.

--D

2012-02-12T22:19:00.000-06:00

02/13 – 02/17:

Glass Rock, Baby Baby Baby

Glass Rock is a band I found purely at random one time on eMusic. Glass Rock emerged from two other bands, Tall Firs and Soft Location, combining forces. This is their 2nd album. On their first, they had a real talent for creating mood and atmosphere, but the actual songs didn’t stand out as much as they could. Here, they’ve kept all that mysterious feeling and applied it to songs with a little more unique personality, and it’s a fine upgrade. The album’s highlight, a song in two parts called “Documentary,” begins as a sparse, intimate tune before leaping into a full-band, full-sound take that is the best song they’ve recorded so far. Glass Rock is music for after hours, winding down after a crazy night.

Glass Rock, “Runaway”

Himanshu, Nehru Jackets

Every one in Das Racist promised new mixtapes this year, and Heems is the 2nd one out of the gate with Nehru Jackets. The whole thing is produced by longtime friend Mike Finito, and was released in association with New York non-profit SEVA, whose members appear on the album rapping and singing in Punjabi. There’s also guest appearances from the usual suspects like Kool AD, Lakutis, Danny Brown, Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, Despot, Fat Tony, and Big Baby Ghandi. But it’s still Heems’ show, and while it might sound like he could get lost in the tide of guest stars and participants, he certainly doesn’t. He brings the ethos that has made Das Racist one of the most interesting forces in hip hop to bear here. That is, he has completely ridiculous songs like “Jason Bourne” (it’s about Jason Bourne) and “Computers” (It’s about liking computers) at one extreme, and then he has songs that are anything but ridiculous like “NYC Cops,” basically just a powerful list of atrocities committed by that police department, and “Juveniles Detained in Guantanamo Bay,” which is about what it says it is, at the other. He’s smart and silly in equal measure, and it makes for a lively listen.

Nehru Jackets is as much a showcase for Mike Finito as it is for Heems. His productions are fantastic throughout, and can be traditional boom bap or draw from some pretty surprising sources (Hip hop beats made from PJ Harvey and Kate Bush songs? Yes, please). Together, they created easily the most entertaining album I’ve heard so far this year, and they didn’t even charge for it. You can get it here.

Heems, “Jason Bourne”

Ani Difranco, Which Side Are You On?

I feel weird to suggest that having a baby had a profound effect on Ani Difranco's music, but it really seems like the case. I certainly understand how having a child would change your attitudes or priorities, but I would expect that to manifest in the lyrics, in new things to sing about. But the change in her music isn't just what she sings, it's how she sings, how she composes, how she thinks of her albums.

She's only released 2 records since becoming a mom, and just like Red Letter Year, this one is a scattershot effort, dipping into a new musical genre on every track, generally happy and hopeful instead of your traditional Ani moody and worried and angry. Her post-baby music isn't afraid to have big production values and over-the-top arrangements, to carene from sound to sound in a way that pre-baby Ani never would've done. Her music could be very different from album to album, but not from song to song. Every album was a pretty unified musical statement. Post-baby Ani seems to be going with every impulse that comes her way. It makes for enjoyable songs, and surprising, but not necessarily great, albums. Which Side Are You On? isn't quite as bubbly and happy as Red Letter Year, but... the difference is pretty negligible. The title track feels a bit like a rehash of a political song on her final pre-baby album, the mostly soul crushing, heartbroken Reprieve... only polished up and made less depressing. Even when she's singing a song about politics, women's roles in society, subjects that have always been close to her heart, she just seems so much less... worried about it. It's a weird transformation, indeed. She's released music as a young woman and a mature woman, in straight and homosexual relationships, married and divorced, under Presidents she liked and Presidents she hated, but nothing seems to have had the impact on her entire way of thinking and working that her child has.

Maybe it just boils down to the opening lyrics of the swinging, horn-and-fuzzed-out-guitar-driven "If Yr Not:" "If you're not getting happy as you get older, you're fuckin' up."

Ani Difranco, “Which Side Are You On?”

Protest The Hero, Kezia

Protest the Hero’s first album was ambitious, invigorating, and spectacular. Mixing metal, prog, punk and even folk influences, presenting a surprisingly effective concept album, and showing off serious musical chops, it’s as strong a debut as you could ask for from a band. In later releases, they would pare down the stylistic mishmash and get to really exploring a prog-metal sound, but here it seems that no idea is out of bounds, and that kind of reckless abandon is infectious.

Protest The Hero, “Heretics & Killers”

D'Angelo, Voodoo

As I write this (Faaaar in the paaaast), I just saw footage from D’Angelo playing in Paris, and it sure is nice to hope he’s finally worked out all his stuff and decided to get back to making music. This album was one of the strongest in the sea of amazing Soulquarians-related releases in the late 90s and early 2000s. Packed with layers, nuances and surprises, with intentionally vague vocals that demand a replay, this album was a puzzle waiting to be put together, and it was rewarding to do so. I guess a lot of peoples’ experience with it begins and ends with the “Untitled” video (Which caused a co-worker of mine at the time to begin excitedly referring to D’Angelo as “The buck-naked-est man!!”), but that’s just scratching the surface of what this album had to offer. Questlove seems pretty confident that it will finally get a follow up this year. I can’t wait.

D’Angelo, “Devil’s Pie”

Lazerbeak, Lava Bangers

Lazerbeak, one of the producers of the mighty Doomtree collective, releases his first beat tape. This package apparently brings together a variety of work that never quite made it onto past Doomtree releases, which have been turned into a continuous mix by DJ Plain Ol’ Bill. Beak’s productions come in a dizzying variety when working with his Doomtree compatriots, from somber, spare tunes to songs that can tear the house down, but here he mostly focuses on keeping the party going. I love instrumental hip hop (All hail DJ Shadow’s early work in that area, and Doomtree member Paper Tiger, too), beat tapes usually don’t get much play from me. Because, as good as the music may be, it tends to sound like what it is, what it was designed for: background music for vocals that never come. Much credit to Lazerbeak, then, for making these 20 tracks as entertaining and exciting on their own as they would be with vocals. I can’t even imagine them with vocals, in fact, so well do they work as presented. Doomtree wins again.

Lazerbeak, “Walk It Out”

Rancid, Rancid 2000

Rancid chose to follow their most experimental album with their most hardcore, taking a large portion of their fanbase by surprise and making me the happiest clam. Rancid 2000 found them operating at blistering speed, producing their most frenetic and intense music to date. But even in that arena, they were able to bring plenty of variety (something aided by having 3 very different singers in the band). From vicious assaults to nigh-on pop tunes that just happen to be really fast, there’s all kinds of material whipping past you in this record’s brief running time, and it is glorious. My favorite of their albums, no question.

Rancid, “Don Giovanni/Disgruntled/Loki”

There you go.

--D

02/06 – 02/10:

2012-02-05T22:00:00.000-06:00

Mehuggah, Obzen

Art is subjective, and descriptions of art are even worse, and descriptions of the notoriously sub-sub-sub-sub-genred heavy metal world, even moreso. The labyrinth of what you’re supposed to call heavy metal bands, how you’re supposed to describe them, is so ridiculous that I’ve never even felt qualified to talk about it. I would say that Obzen is one of the heaviest albums I’ve ever heard. Maybe some one with a higher heavy metal acumen would find that laughable, I don’t know. It’s just all relative. Obzen isn’t the most “evil” or the darkest metal album, but its power lies in its relentless, factory-like precision. Not a moment’s respite is offered from their assault until the very last song. Whether you’re listening to black metal, death metal, hardcore or metalcore, or even previous Meshuggah albums, there’s usually a reprieve. A change in tone or attitude, a soaring guitar solo, a spooky atmosphereic part, some kind of interlude, some kind of brief moments surfacing before plunging back into the ocean, but not here. Obzen just starts pummeling you and doesn’t stop until several minutes into closer “Dancers To A Discordant System.” It’s really something. And it’s not to say that there’s no variety on it. Opener “Combustion” lives up to its name, delivering the fastest song they’ve recorded in years. “Bleed” is almost 8 minutes of spectacular, robot-like precision. There’s many different approaches on display. But none of them let up for even a second.

Meshuggah, “Combustion”

Trap Them, Darker Handcraft

Trap Them’s 3rd full-length was produced by Converge’s Kurt Ballou. I can’t imagine that’s the only reason it sounds a lot more like Converge than past Trap Them albums, but I’m sure it contributed. Darker Handcraft continues the theoretical plot that has woven through every Trap Them album and EP (and even a 7” split), but just as they’ve remained dedicated to their concept, they’ve remained pretty dedicated to not really explaining it. Every song on every release is named with a day (Track one of the new album is “Day 46: Damage Prose”), but starting with their 2nd album, the days aren’t even in order. It doesn’t really matter. It’s enough to just get your adrenaline pumping with their super-fast, super-aggressive mix of punk and metal and enjoy the ride, and Darker Handcraft certainly delivers on that front. Also, the chorus to “The Facts” seems like an answer to the chorus of the classic Misfits song “Where Eagles Dare.” Who knows why, but that’s pretty awesome.

Trap Them, “The Facts”

Opeth, Heritage

Mikael has often joked that, going in to record the first Opeth album in 1995, he thought he was going to be a minstrel, playing a lute and singing ridiculously pretentious songs. Heritage, shockingly enough, seems to be as close as he’s gotten to getting his wish.

Opeth has quietly stopped being a metal band.

It still sounds like Opeth. The unique sound they’ve cultivated over the years is still identifiable. But in the prog rock influences, in some of the acoustic passages, and in the guitar solos. There’s no metal anything to be heard. I’ve listened to this over and over and I’m still not sure what I think of it, exactly. I’ve come to the decision the production bugs me more than the lack of metal, especially when it comes to drums. The bass drum sounds muffled and is actually hard to hear sometimes, and the rest of the drums sound pretty flat. But, beyond the production, there’s a sort of... over the top feeling to a lot of it. Almost like they’re trying too hard. I’m not sure what I’m even trying to say. It’s just so proggy and so noodly sometimes. Sometimes it’s not. They were wise to make “The Devil’s Orchard” the lead single, as it’s the most “Opeth sounding” song on the album. For the most part, I think I have favorite moments instead of songs. It’s a hard thing to adjust to.

Mikael Akerfeldt has been doing this for 20 years. No one can be metal forver. You either evolve into something else or become an embarrassing cartoon of yourself like Ozzy. In the DVD accompanying this release, Mikael said he thought that going in this direction would mean he “still had something to offer.” He also said he wasn’t ruling out metal elements in the future, and that he hoped not to repeat Heritage on the next album. Who knows, their next one may win me right back over. Their 11th album is the first one that didn’t completely enthrall me. That’s still a pretty spectacular track record. And I’m going to keep listening... trying to figure it out...

Opeth, “The Devil’s Orchard”

St. Vincent, Actor

It’s weird listening to this album in the wake of Strange Mercy. Actor captivated me. The complex layers and layers, the atmosphere and emotion (both extremely emotional and extremely reserved, from song to song, moment to moment, but always to dramatic effect), and of course Annie Clark’s phenomenal voice lilting over it all. It was a lot to take in, and a delight to revisit often. But I have to say, Strange Mercy basically blew it out of the water. I became sort of obsessed with it, listening to it all the time. Strange Mercy took everything I liked about Actor, amped it up and added a new focus on Clark’s jagged, funky guitar playing. This was the first time I’d listened to Actor since Strange Mercy came out, and it just didn’t seem to pack the punch of old. Maybe that’ll change as I gain distance from the new record.

St. Vincent, “Marrow”

There you go.

--D

01/30 – 02/03:

2012-01-29T22:00:00.000-06:00

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

01/23 – 01/27:

2012-01-22T22:00:00.000-06:00

Ava Luna, Services/3rd Avenue Island

In 2010, Ava Luna released a 4-track EP called Services that I fell in love with. In 2011, Services got combined with 8 new songs and released as this. It’s a frustrating experience. I expect a band to grow and change. I have no interest in seeing a group do the same song over and over like Nickelback. And Ava Luna did seem to be wearing their influences on their sleeve on Services, instantly bringing to mind thoughts of The Dirty Projectors and TV On the Radio, among others. But the material on 3rd Avenue Island is such a stark contrast to the older songs that putting them together seems like a disservice to both. The transition from the dreamy, romantic material of Services to the more harsh, avant garde-sounding 3rd Avenue Island is awkward, to say the least. The stylistic progression would still be jarring regardless, but to try to make the two very different bodies of work a single statement was a mistake.

The 3rd Avenue Island material is indeed a huge shift in tone. It’s more dissonant, more ambiguous. It begins with what could only be called an outburst of sound, really in “We Were Young,” and goes on to try out all sorts of new sounds that leave the simple, seductive Services in the past. The biggest problem with the new material is the number thing. Services ended with a playful little song called “Eight Nine (Won’t You Be Mine?).” The song sounded almost like a playground rhyme invented for jumprope. It was fun and cute. 3rd Avenue Island turns that into a motif, adding “Six Seven (I Want To Hide Away),” "Four Five (I Will Survive),” and “(Do Me No Wrong) While I Am Gone” (which doesn’t have 1-2-3 in the title, but features them prominently in the lyrics) in that order. And the concept, whatever it is, doesn’t seem to connect the songs in any way except repeating the numbers in question, and seems to become more labored with each track.The non-stop repetition of “four-five, four-five” in that track’s backing vocals makes it hands down the least enjoyable track on the record, in fact. But more than that, it’s not even a rhyme scheme in the other songs like it was in the original, and most of the new songs in the set are pretty discordant and dark they have nothing to do with the first one. This gimmick went a long way to hurting my enjoyment of the record on repeat listens. I hate to come down so hard on it. I do like the new songs in spots, even the number songs. Ava Luna has a new album coming soon, and its lead single is wonderful, and I hope it will be more satisfying.

Ava Luna, “Clips”

Kool AD, The Palm Wine Drinkard mixtape

Oh, man, two downer reviews in a row. I’m pretty good at picking albums I’ll like before I buy/download/whatever them, and I’m pretty good at just not listening to the few things I don’t end up liking. But this was on while I worked... It’s your boy, Kool AD from Das Racist, and he’s back with a mixtape of... weird... spare stuff, apparently. Victor seems the more gifted rapper in Das Racist, and has some truly great verses to prove it. But you wouldn’t know it from listening to The Palm Wine Drinkard, a random assortment of weird mash-ups, repeated mantras and intrumentals that borrows its name from an acclaimed Nigerian novel. There’s not an actual verse of new lyrics on the whole thing. It begins with the intrumental to Outkast’s “Spottiottidopalicious” with various movie clips played over it before moving into songs where he just repeats a catcphrase or two over and over, prototypical early versions of Das Racist songs “Booty In The Air” and “You Can Sell Anything” with all the verses (And Heems) missing, two random cuts from his previous project, Boy Crisis, and some instrumentals he made. Nonsense is a big part of Das Racist’s appeal. That they can be completely absurd and smart at the same time. The smart part doesn’t really show up on this, though. It’s not entirely without merit. The Boy Crisis songs are both good, and “Fun” and “Flyin Through The Air Inna Air Plane” are pretty funny, if still very slight. But when you consider all his great music over the last few years, and that less than a week after this came out, Vic released a completely insane, nearly 10-minute tour de force called “Dum Diary” on youtube... you really have to wonder what he was thinking with this. I'd provide you a link to download it, but it was on Megaupload, and the Feds hamfistedly brought them down last week, so I can't. Meanwhile, I’m just going to link “Dum Diary,” because it’s awesome.

Kool AD, “Dum Diary”

Raekwon, Unexpected Victory

Released on January 1 just like The Palm Wine Drinkard, Rae gets the new year started off right. Unexpected Victory kicks off with some huge, dramatic production, but it meanders through more traditional Wu-style darkness, some stripped down raw beats, and a variety of other approaches as Rae and a list of guest stars do what they do best. Rae seems to be using this tape as a vehicle to promote Toronto rapper JD Era, recently signed to Rae’s Ice H20 label, as Era gets plenty of time on 5 tracks. He also shines a spotlight on newcomer Altrina Renae, and shares songs with stalwarts like CL Smooth, Styles P, and Busta Rhymes, among others. Raekwon himself is in fine form, consistently delivering the gritty storytelling fans demand of him. Raekwon mixtapes can sometimes be much more casual affairs than his official albums, but this one’s epic feel goes against that trend.Grab it here and check it out!

Raekwon with JD Era, “Just A Toast”

Amon Amarth, Surtur Rising

The latest fine offering of Norse myth-infused metal from the Norwegian heavyweights. This album is a natural progression from previous record Twilight Of the Thunder God in both style and subject matter. To my ear, they've been becoming more accessible recently, or as accessible as you can be in the mythological death metal biz, anyway, but unlike some people, I wouldn't call that a bad thing.

Amon Amarth, “War Of The Gods”

There you go.

--D

01/16 – 01/20:

2012-01-15T22:00:00.000-06:00

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Soul Time!

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings with the 11th hour jolt to my 2011 playlist! It’s rare for a good album to come out in the last few weeks of the year. It is traditionally seen as a time when labels dump product they know no one will buy. So I have no idea why the amazing sort-of-4th album by Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings came out at the tail end of 2011, but it was a fine Christmas gift for us. Comprised of mostly unreleased songs from the group’s live Soul Revue, Soul Time! is a funky powerhouse from the dependable soul music traditionalists. While previous album I Learned the Hard Way pulled slightly away from their winning mix of funky influences and into a more traditional R&B direction (Which still sounded like nothing else in modern soul music), this release brings the heat back in a big way, as Jones and her band burn their way through twelve funk workouts that would make James Brown proud. You can’t lose with this one.

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, “What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes?”

Tegan & Sara, The Con Demos

Another late entry into the 2011 music world, this album is just what it says. T&S had been offering this material at their live shows for some time, but for those of us unlucky enough to miss them on their last tour, it got an official wide release near the close of the year. It’s a fascinating collection. Some of the songs are fully formed even in their demo phase, sounding more or less as they did on the final album, while others are dramatically different in these early versions. It’s every song that made the album in the same sequence, so you can compare and contrast as much as you like. It’s a cool peak behind the curtain.

Tegan & Sara, “The Con (Demo)”

Clutch, Robot Hive/Exodus

The 2nd part of a mini-renaissance for Clutch, Robot Hive formalized the inclusion of a generous portion of blues into the band’s established heavy groove sound. Coming only a year after the spectacular Blast Tyrant, if anything, Robot Hive trumps it in so many ways. Both albums present a Clutch that seems more fired up and excited than they had in some time, but Robot Hive also finds them at their most adventurous, trying all sorts of stylistic experiments and succeeding every time. From the 70s rock influence in “The Incomparable Mr. Flannery” to the strange sideshow sound of “Circus Maximus” to the truly magnificent “Gravel Road,” which morphs from straight up blues song to raging Clutch perfection, they do it all here. I don’t think they have a more varied and surprising album in their catalog, and that makes it one of the most rewarding.

Clutch, “Gravel Road”

Jean Grae, This Week

Jean’s release of the new single “U+Me+Everyone We Know” prompted me to put this on. While she’s been making a lot of waves in the last couple of years with killer punchlines, battle raps and her singular personality, “U+Me” recalls the sometimes more introspective, serious Jean of This Week. There’s still plenty of braggadocio and humor on This Week, but as a loose concept album portraying a week in her life, the lyrics cover basically every emotional experience you can have in seven days. She has since found her way to much more exciting production to rap over, but its her lyricism and her honesty that make This Week work.

Jean Grae, “Supa Luv”

There you go.

--D

01/09 – 01/13:

2012-01-09T11:03:00.000-06:00

El-P, I'll Sleep When You're Dead

El’s first solo outing, Fantastic Damage, was one of the densest productions you could find in hip hop. For his 2nd album, he smoothed it out a little bit. The paranoid, dark tone that is the backbone of his style remains in place, but the tracks have a little more room to breathe and simmer in the atmosphere. With a fantastic and varied guest list, consistent and memorable production and great songs, this album may not have been as frantic, but was at least as powerful.

El-P, “Smithereens”

Lakutis, I'm In The Forest EP

Lakutis, Das Racist’s associate who had a few scene-stealing verses in songs like “Amazing” and “Swate,” makes his solo debut with this free EP. The production, much of it by other DR associate Big Baby Gandhi, is frenetic and paranoid, and perfectly suited to Lakutis’ manic delivery. With rap catchphrases like “I’m a death shark,” “Oops,” and “I’m dead,” Lakutis is pretty out of the ordinary, but who else is going to clue you into the Seven Spiders of Hip Hop? Face it: you need Lakutis in your life. Get the EP here.

Lakutis, “Death Shark”

Prince, Sign O' The Times

Something very specific inspired me to listen to this, but that was a month ago, and I can’t remember what it was now. I think I heard a cover or sample from it or something. Ah, well, any excuse to listen to the sprawling masterpiece of Prince’s career is a good one. I find it curious that Sign O’ The Times doesn’t have “the hits.” Much like Stevie Wonder’s Music Of My Mind or The Rolling Stones Exile On Main Street, it’s a classic, well-regarded album, possibly the artist’s crowning achievement, but if you only know Prince from listening to the radio (presumably back when listening to the radio wasn’t such a bad idea), you might not know anything on it. I seem to recall “Hot Thing” being on the radio, maybe. Regardless, this is every Prince you ever liked. Sexy dance music Prince, subdued romantic ballad Prince, overdramatic Prince, and goofy, “what the hell is he doing?” Prince, all the aspects of his body of work are represented in fine form on Sign O’ The Times. One time he was on Muppets Tonight, that lesser known successor to The Muppet Show, as “The Artist...” and did “Starfish & Coffee” with Muppets. Hard to top that.

Prince, “The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker” (It’s nigh impossible to find a studio version of any Prince song on youtube. I just gave up)

Electric Six, Heartbeats & Brainwaves

The release of a new Electric Six album is cause for celebration. It is, in fact, the soundtrack to its own celebration. Heartbeats & Brainwaves is a more synth-driven album, taking the dance rock we’ve come to depend on and turning down the “rock” part a little. The result is more akin to 2nd album Senior Smoke than most of their catalog: glorious, bombastic, even catchier than usual. And lyrically, Dick Valentine really brought it this time, delivering some of the Six’s more absurd, delightful songs to date in songs like “Gridlock!,” “It Gets Hot,” and “Food Dog.” Electric Six songs that get really excited about mundane events tend to be homeruns, and “Free Samples” is no exception. It’s about getting free samples. Even moody opener “Psychic Visions” offers plenty of fun. The whole album is a great time from start to finish. The first three Electric Six albums are far and away the best, and a big part of that for me is they all sound different. The first is really rock oriented, the second more dance-based, and the third stretched out and tried some new genres. After that, until last year’s Zodiac, they’d mostly settled into a reliable, Fire-esque, dance rock sound. But Zodiac began and Heartbeats & Brainwaves continues a new era of experimentation, and I am all for it. Electric Six are on top of their game right now.

Electric Six, “Gridlock!”

Not a lot this week. Not a lot most weeks for awhile here, as I was in a mad rush to finish comics during December. But there you go.

--D

01/02 – 01/06:

2012-01-04T10:13:00.001-06:00

Okkervil River, I Am Very Far

A game changer for the band, I Am Very Far is a breath of fresh air I didn’t even know I wanted. I loved the sound on their previous two records immensely, but Okkervil River’s willingness to try drastically different new sounds here, and their success in doing so, is electrifying. Like all of their albums, it’s a powerful, moving, multi-layered experience, but the music has a brand-new bombast and grand new production that are appealing in a whole new way. A welcome surprise.

Okkervil River, “The Valley”

Mike Patton, Mondo Cane

Mike Patton isn’t known for being predictable, but a full album of 50s & 60s Italian pop performed with a full orchestra and a choir in Italian is about as far from what you’d expect from the man as possible. Even more surprising is that it’s one of the very best albums he’s ever released, alone or with any of the thousands of bands he seems to be in. Patton’s amazingly adaptive voice is truly on display here, going from crooning ballads to crazy screaming and never disserving the material. It’s a great album.

Mondo Cane, “Ore D’Amore”

Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli, Djangology

The final recordings by the famous duo who more or less invented “gypsy jazz,” Djangology is a tour de force of standards from their days in the Quintet du Hot Club de France and other compositions. Released as a double album several years after the fact, it was actually recorded in a series of sessions with Aurelio de Carolis on drums, Carlo Pecori on bass, and Gianni Safred on piano. Django was forced to invent his own style of guitar playing due to a childhood injury that resulted in the partial paralysis of two fingers, but that unique, inimitable style made him famous, and even played a part in saving his life when he lived in occupied France in WWII. Grapelli was no slouch, either, a gifted violinist who went on to play with everyone from Duke Ellington to Pink Floyd in his long career. But it was their work together with their Hot Club that made their names, and which birthed most of the songs on this collection. Django is one of my all-time favorite jazz performers, and this mammoth 23-track collection truly makes for a fine crash course in Djangology.

Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grappelli, “Minor Swing”

Spoon, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga

My favorite Spoon album. Honestly, probably the only Spoon album I genuinely love. They’ve tended to be more miss than hit for me over the years, but this one had a strangely more accessible quality to me. It felt more organic and honest, and really grabbed me like nothing they’d done and nothing they’ve done since.

Spoon, “The Underdog”

Yup
--D

2011: It's Over!

2011-12-26T02:00:00.002-06:00

Yes, another year draws to a close. Not the most active or exciting on my iPod, I must say, but plenty of great records came out. In lieu of a long-winded year in review thing no one would really care about, I've decided to just list my favorite albums, roughly in order, and I made a Spotify playlist featuring as many of them as the service provided. Sadly, that meant a lot of great mixtapes and some surprising commercial releases couldn't be represented (You gotta get No Kings by Doomtree. It's not on the playlist, but trust me, it should be), but I worked with what I had. Anyway, here's the list:

Royal Bangs, Flux Outside

Thao & Mirah, Thao & Mirah

St. Vincent, Strange Mercy

TV on the Radio, Nine Types of Light

Mastodon, The Hunter

Doomtree, No Kings

Wild Flag, Wild Flag

Talib Kweli, Gutter Rainbows

Hail Mary Mallon, Are You Gonna Eat That?

Electric Six, Heartbeats And Brainwaves

Pharoahe Monch, WAR

The Kills, Blood Pressures

Opeth, Heritage

Das Racist, Relax

Sims, Bad Time Zoo

TesseracT, One

Raekwon, Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang

Surfer Blood, Tarot Classics

Protest the Hero, Scurrilous

East of the Wall, The Apologist

Jean Grae, Cookies Or Comas mixtape

Booker T., The Road From Memphis
Okkervil River, I Am Very Far

Mike Doughty, Yes And Also Yes

Tom Waits, Bad As Me

Betty Wright & The Roots, Betty Wright: The Movie

Dessa, Castor, The Twin

Zola Jesus, Conatus

The Roots, Undun

The Cool Kids, When Fish Ride Bicycles

Atmosphere, The Family Sign

Des Ark, Don't Rock The Boat, Sink the Fucker!

Those Darlins, Screws Get Loose

G. Love, Fixin' To Die

Slaughterhouse, Slaughterhouse EP

In Flames, Sounds of A Playground Fading

9th Wonder, The Wonder Years

Glassjaw, Our Color Green: The Singles

Lushlife, No More Golden Days mixtape

††† (Crosses), EP†

Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee, Part 2

Laws & Paul McCartney, Yesterday's Future mixtape

Joell Ortiz, Free Agent

Kassa Overall, The Stargate Mixtape

Kittie, I've Failed You

Money Making Jam Boys, The Prestige mixtape

GAYNGS, AFFILYATED

Warm Brew, Warm Brew EP

Party Animal, You Can't Win EP

Amon Amarth, Surtur Rising

Idle Warship, Habits of the Heart
Los Campesinos!, Hello, Sadness

Of Montreal, The Controllersphere EP
dredg, Chuckles & Mr. Squeezy
The Lonely Island, Turtleneck & Chain

Lakutis, I'm In The Forest EP

TECLA, Thank$giving

Amanda Diva, Madame Monochrome

Tapes N' Tapes, Outside

PJ Harvey, Let England Shake

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, Tao of the Dead

J. Period, John Legend & The Roots, Wake Up Radio! mixtape
Pucifer, Conditions of My Parole
Andrew WK, Party All Goddamn Night EP
Sir Michael Rocks, The Rocks Report mixtape

Wugazi, 13 Chambers mixtape

Trophy Scars, Never Born, Never Dead
Kool AD, Hyphy Ballads EP

Sims & Laserbeak, Wild Life EP

Tori Amos, Night of Hunters

Tegan & Sara, Get Along

Chip Tha Ripper & Chuck Inglish, Gift Raps mixtape
Smoking Popes, This Is Only A Test
King, The Story EP

Skyzoo, The Great Debater mixtape

Rapsody, Thank H.E.R. mixtape

Truck North, Quicktape

Actual Proof, The Talented Tenth mixtape

Sha Stimuli, The Break Up 2: The Proposal mixtape

Big Baby Ghandi, Big Fucking Baby mixtape

And here's the playlist:

2011: It Happened

Good-Bye, 2011. Happy 2012, everybody! Hope you have a good year.

Yup.
--D

12/12 - 12/16:

2011-12-12T15:50:00.000-06:00

Andrew WK, I Get Wet

When Andrew WK first hit the scene, at the tail end of the last era of music where some one as weird as him had the slightest chance of getting on radio & TV, I don’t think most people knew what to make of him. I sure didn’t. I went from thinking he was dead serious and hating him to thinking he was dead serious and thinking he was hilarious to not really knowing how serious he was and loving him. As he’s refined her persona as some kind of party messiah, trying to bring his message of happiness, personal fulfillment and, above all, partying to every person on the planet, as truly insane conspiracy theories about him have cropped up, as his music has strayed further and further from the sort of “party metal” on this album, as he’s become a successful club owner and children’s TV personality, I’ve been fascinated. But there’s still a certain charm and appeal to the extremely simple, blunt, no frills party attack on I Get Wet. A fast paced, bludgeoning wall of sound somehow turned into fun time music, some of the most bizarre lyrics I’ve ever heard, and the party theme make for an unlikely mixture, but it’s still pretty fun to listen to.

Andrew WK, “She Is Beautiful”

Glassjaw, Our Color Green: The Singles

Glassjaw hasn’t released an album since 2004. In that time, the band was on “hiatus,” the few times they gathered, a lot of members were missing or shuffled. Daryl concentrated on Head Automatica and many other projects, Beck focused on his music merch store and other projects, and everyone else seemed to quietly go do something else. But then, in 2010, they randomly reappeared, toured, and released a handful of extremely limited singles, collected here. The material, which is said to be several years old, is significantly heavier than 2004’s Worship & Tribute. Maybe heavier than anything they ever did. But it still sounds like Glassjaw, their own unique spin on emotionally charged heavy music. I didn’t realize just how much I missed Glassjaw until I got some new songs to listen to. I hope it’s not too long before they release something new.

Glassjaw, “All Good Junkies Go To Heaven”

Lakutis, I'm In The Forest EP

Lakutis, Das Racist’s associate who had a few scene-stealing verses in songs like “Amazing” and “Swate,” makes his solo debut with this free EP. The production, much of it by other DR associate Big Baby Gandhi, is frenetic and paranoid, and perfectly suited to Lakutis’ manic delivery. With rap catchphrases like “I’m a death shark,” “Oops,” and “I’m dead,” Lakutis is pretty out of the ordinary, but who else is going to clue you into the Seven Spiders of Hip Hop? Face it: you need Lakutis in your life. Get the EP here.

Lakutis, “Death Shark”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-WU4l3XqaE

TECLA, Thank$giving

Speaking of Das Racist affiliates, TECLA also recently put out a free project, and its definitely worth your time. She shares the tracks with Kassa Overall, Das Racist, Lakutis and others, ping ponging back and forth between serious songs about her life, sexual identity and family and bizarre material like a song in which Kassa Overall and Iron Solomon get in an insult contest and a song based on “Rhythm is a Dancer.” Production and samples vary dramatically, keeping you on your toes. I think my favorite was “Al Green Type Love,” constructed from pieces of several Green classics and featuring TECLA singing part of Biz Markie’s “Just A Friend.” It’s a really unpredictable, enjoyable listen, and it’s free! I couldn’t find a video for this.

Soul Coughing, Ruby Vhroom

Soul Coughing is conflicting these days. I love Soul Coughing. Have since the first time I heard them. When they broke up, I dutifully followed Mike Doughty into an ever-evolving solo career (See reviews of some of his solo records elsewhere on this blog). His solo material is pretty different, but I feel great affection for both. So it was with some shock and confusion that I read about what a miserable nightmare being in Soul Coughing was for Doughty, in an interview in the back of an issue of Casanova, of all places (An excellent, excellent comic book by Matt Fraction, Gabriel Ba & Fabio Moon!). As a big fan and supporter of Doughty’s, now I have trouble listening to the old Soul Coughing material without feeling kind of bad... but... I still really like it. Ruby Vhroom was the group’s first album, and a great debut. It had a quirky atmosphere, a lot of variety, and a pretty unique sound. I still get a lot of out it. But... now with a tinge of discomfort. Awkward.

Soul Coughing, “Screenwriter’s Blues”

The Roots, Undun

Ah, The Roots. Never made a bad album. Have been on an unbelievable winning streak since 2006, making four of their finest albums in a row, in addition to great albums supporting John Legend and Betty White. Undun is a powerful concept album about a young man’s entrance into and violent exit from a life of crime. It’s a new level of lush production for the band, and it holds together beautifully even though the story is told out of sequence. It’s vague enough to let some listeners just put it on, but deep enough to let others really examine it. Appearances by such guests as Phonte, Bilal, Truck North, Porn and indispensable unofficial Root Dice Raw are put to great use, enhancing the feel of the record rather than playing characters or anything like that. It’s another masterpiece in an increasingly surprising string of masterpieces. No one is this good this consistently.But yo. I have to be honest. The Roots are really starting to bum me out. When I got into the game, taking my late pass with my copy of Things Fall Apart, they were a very different group. I went back and bought the whole back catalog (Even Organix), and found that they did a great job of mixing serious and fun music into their albums. But, while their dedication to and mastery of the craft has only improved since then, they’ve made only a handful of fun songs in the last five years. Specifically, “Here I Come” from Game Theory, “75 Bars” and “Rising Up” from Rising Down, “How I Got Over,” “Web 20/20” and “Hustla” from How I Got Over, and, I guess, “Kool On” from Undun. When Game Theory came out, with its intentionally oppressive atmosphere and political and social commentary, I was blown away by it. I have continued to find each album to be a masterful collection of songs. But the light has almost gone out of them. Roots albums tend to be really heavy affairs these days, and I must confess, I kinda miss the old days of “Rock You,” “Dynamite!” or even “Datskat!!!” Cheer up, Roots. Please?

The Roots, “Make My”

Yup.
--D

11/28 – 12/02:

2011-12-05T15:03:00.001-06:00

Betty Wright & The Roots, Betty Wright: The Movie

You really have to hand it to the Roots. Between their group work and Questlove’s pursuits outside the group, it feels like they’ve had a huge impact on music in the last decade especially, from Questlove’s involvement with Chappelle’s Show to their appearance as Jay-Z’s Mtv Unplugged band, to Questlove’s production of other artists to their album with John Legend to their key contributions to a long and diverse list of events, they seem to be everywhere. But even so, this album is pretty surprising. Betty Wright hasn’t released an album in 10 years, for one thing. But she did put out a single last year, and she lost a Grammy to The Roots & John Legend. And, oddly enough, their meeting that night lead to some performances and that lead to this record. Wright hasn’t lost a step, either. Betty Wright: The Movie is a worthy successor to her legendary, often-sampled ‘70s material, with the Roots creating a sound for her that is timeless and timely all at once. Other admirers like Snoop Dogg, Lil’ Wayne and Wright protege Joss Stone make solid contributions, as well. But the focus is squarely on Wright. Her still-powerful voice, the variety of subjects she takes on in her songs, and her conviction in singing them. Whether upbeat or somber, a perfect love song or a warning about domestic violence (A live version of the above-mentioned 2010 single “Go” on that touchy subject is included on some versions of this album), Betty Wright sounds as great as ever. I had no idea this was even coming out, but bought it without even listening to it when I saw it. I was not disappointed.

Betty Wright & The Roots, “In the Middle of the Game”

Childish Gambino, Camp

I was never wowed by Donald Glover’s hip hop music, and it bummed me out. I’ve been a fan since some one showed me the Derrick Comedy sketch “Girls Are Not To Be Trusted” several years ago, and have been excited to watch him go on to more and more success. I enjoy his work as an actor, writer and comedian, but when it came to music, it wasn’t working for me. Even in a genre almost defined by bragging, his lyrics seemed entirely too proud of themselves. Like even he couldn’t believe how clever his rhymes were. And those rhymes were, generally, either about buying sweaters, how everyone wishes they were him, or how his life sucks and he wants to die. There was no consistency, no authorial voice, and no topics I particularly cared to hear about. And to top it all off, he rapped in this high-pitched nasal whine that sounded like a petulant toddler. I tried to like him, but I couldn’t.

So when the homie Chris Coleman told me to give Camp a try, I did it to be nice. And I was stunned by it. The last thing I gave a shot was the Culdesac album. Maybe the change on Camp is less jarring if you’ve been keeping up with his subsequent releases, but wow. His voice is almost completely different. The “look-how-clever-I-am” smugness is gone, even when he’s doing typical rap bragging. And some of the songs get pretty deep, dealing with issues of racial identity and social isolation, but with nothing of the weird “I hate myself and I want to die” hysterics that turned up on Culdesac. These things are approached thoughtfully and honestly, and make for damn good listening. I mean, there’s songs about ho’s and gettin’ money and stuff, too, but more often than not, the lyrics are very engaging. And the production, which Glover is also heavily invovled in, is top-notch, fresh and engaging. This is a completely different artist from the last time I heard Childish Gambino, and I’m glad to hear it.

Donald Glover got the name “Childish Gambino” from one of those Wu-Tang Name Generators that were floating around the internet a decade ago. I got “Bastard Bastard Harbour Master.” Even when it comes to random Wu-Tang names, Donald Glover is doing better than me.

Childish Gambino, “Bonfire”

Los Campesinos!, Hello Sadness

Los Campesinos! are back, and more grown up than ever. On their 4th full-length (Although, for some reason, they don’t count We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed, so they say 3rd), a lot has changed. 3 members of the 7-person group have left and been replaced, including semi-co-lead-vocalist/keyboardist Aleks, replaced by other lead vocalist Gareth’s sister, Kim (Kinda awkward for some of their material, I’d assume). But personnel changes aren’t all. Gareth’s singing suddenly sounds a lot more confident and practiced. Whereas previous material was delivered with a snotty snarl connecting them to a long history of British punk music, Gareth sounds like he’s grown up some, vocally. And for the most part, so does every other aspect of the band. The lyrics are less likely to be snarky one-liners and seem more raw and honest, and the music follows suit. The youthful bombast, the speed, the chanted backing vocals seem to have all quietly bowed out of the band’s sound. It is overall a much more somber affair, even on songs that aren’t sad. Which, I guess, is right in the title, but still a pretty jarring set of changes from all previous material. But, it still works. Even at their loudest and most sarcastic, the band always had a heart-on-their-sleeve openness that endeared them to the listener, and with a somewhat more mature approach, that connection becomes stronger. It leaves me wondering where they’re headed in the future. But I think it’s safe to say Los Campesinos! may not be a band that requires an exclamation point anymore.

Los Campesinos!, “By Your Hand”

Soundgarden, Badmotorfinger

There was a time, a time called middle school, where this album was entirely beyond me. I’d heard “Blackhole Sun” 4000000 times like everyone else, and enjoyed Superunknown, and in typical me fashion, went looking for more albums. And I had no idea what to do with this. I hadn’t really cultivated a taste for anything too heavy metal, and this was so far removed from the standard grunge fare of Superunknown that it totally broadsided me. In retorspect, what a strange transformation that must have been for existing fans. And in the present, with a much, much (much!) broader musical palate, I think this is my favorite Soundgarden album. But it took awhile to get there.

Soundgarden, “Rusty Cage”

Art Brut, Bang Bang Rock & Roll

I will confess I’ve had diminishing returns on each subsequent Art Brut album. Some bands’ initial appeal is their wildness. The music is brash, raw, sloppy, and all the better for it. And no matter what, there’s no way they could realistically keep that up. Deftones and Yeah Yeah Yeahs are probably some of the best examples in my library, but Art Brut is definitely up there.I’ve enjoyed further releases and all, but the unpredictable, crazed, hilarious sound on Bang Bang Rock & Roll is exactly the kind of music that can’t stay the same. In terms of maturity, skill, production preferences, and just the artistic need to grow, no band is going to stay in a place where they can make songs like “Formed A Band,” “My Little Brother,” “Good Weekend” and “Modern Art” for long. But that special place early on where a band can just go for broke produces some of my favorite music.

Art Brut, “Modern Art”

Bob Dylan, Blonde On Blonde

The monolith. The one most people will say is his masterpiece. The epic double album that once and for all severed his ties with his past, the peak of a truly stunning 5-year artistic progression, some of the weirdest, densest popular music ever recorded at the time, and even putting all that aside, just a great collection of songs.

I have come to realize over the years that, if I think something that isn’t necessarily meant to be funny is, indeed, funny when I’m first exposed to it, I will eventually come to genuinely love it. Dylan might be the earliest example I can think of, but there’s also Andrew WK, most genres of metal, a mid-life re-evaluation of Billy Ocean, and several other examples in my musical development. When I was but a lad, no later than 7th grade, my friend’s Dad got randomly hooked on the song “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.” Even then, I had developed a reputation as music-obsessed, so I was asked where he could find a good version of that song, but I was like 13, what did I know about “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door?” He eventually purchased the 1989 live album Dylan & The Dead. This... was a mistake. Such a mistake that he didn’t know what to make of it. But they played the album for me, and I cackled like a madman. This was Dylan at his most-parodied. The impression people do of Bob Dylan is generally how he sounded in the 80s. Especially nasal, nearly incomprehensible shouting, and nowhere in his 50 year career did he sound more like some one doing a bad impression of himself than this live album. I couldn’t for the life of me tell you what he was saying in basically any of these performances of some of his most famous pieces, but I thought it was hysterical. I dubbed a copy of the CD, even (OMG piracy!). Bob Dylan = funny. Filed that away, went on with my life.

I was a freshman in college before I thought of Bob again. I was making the long drive to my comic shop and Blonde On Blonde’s “Stuck Inside of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again” came on the radio. I thought of Dylan & The Dead, and I laughed, and I kind of heard it as the parody Dylan voice instead of actually listening to it. But it’s a really long song, and as it kept going, and I stopped laughing at my memories and started really listening to it, I became more and more intrigued. Generally speaking, when we get to this part of a story, I’m about to become obsessed. By the end of the night, I’d researched his entire discography on the still fledgling late-90s internet and decided I should start with Blonde On Blonde. Within a few months, I’d own the vast majority of his recorded work, and be a true believin’ convert. In the coming years, I’d eagerly snap up each new record, see him in concert in 2002 (Shouts to Maile for front-row tickets!), buy his book, buy books about him, watch the Scorsese documentary etc, etc, etc. I became a dyed in the wool Dylan fanatic. But none of that probably would’ve happened if I didn’t spend a few hours laughing uncontrollably at Dylan & The Dead as a kid. It’s a funny ol’ world.

Bob Dylan, “Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again”

Yup.

--D

11/21 – 11/25:

2011-12-05T14:52:00.001-06:00

Das Racist, Shut Up, Dude

The first DR mixtape still has some of my favorite songs on it, but over all, it’s truly impressive to me how quickly they evolved and improved. The strength of this body of work was a pleasant surprise after the goofiness of “Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell,” but like most mixtapes, it ran a little long, and the stuff they’ve done since has only gotten stronger. Still, though, “Who’s That Brown?” “Chicken & Meat,” “Rainbow in the Dark,” their take on the beat to the Ghostface classic “Nutmeg,” there’s great stuff on here.

Das Racist, “Rainbow In The Dark”

Royal Bangs, Flux Outside

Royal Bangs offer up a 3rd helping of electrifying, hard-to-categorize music on Flux Outside, their 3rd record. The band has really found their sound by now, and while I have trouble describing exactly what that is, I can't get enough of it. One of my favorite albums of 2011, no question.

Royal Bangs, “Back Then It Was Different”

Fiona Apple, When The Pawn...

Still my favorite of her albums. This is another one that seemed to constantly be on in some one’s apartment or car for months. More coherent than her first (and, sadly, 3rd) album, moody but not too moody, it makes a good soundtrack for a surprising number of situations.

Fiona Apple, “Fast As You Can”

Thao & Mirah, Thao & Mirah

From the first listen, this was in contention for my album of the year. Folk singers Thao & Mirah bring their very different approaches to a true collaboration, each bringing 5 songs to the table and working with the other to push them in directions they wouldn’t choose on their own. They are aided and abetted by Merril Garbus of the frustratingly-named tUnE-yArDs (Welcome to the internet circa 1999) as producer, who wrote album opener “Eleven” to finish the recording session. This is deeply infectuous music, bringing the skittery, energetic sound of Thao and the dreamy, intimate music of Mirah together together in an unlikely but engrossing set of songs (Garbus’ influence on the sound and in the percussion is so prevalent, powerful and welcome that the record should probably have been called Thao & Mirah & Merril.) Every track is a winner. Can’t recommend this album enough.

Thao & Mirah, “Teeth”

Hail Mary Mallon, Are You Gonna Eat That?

Hail Mary Mallon is Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz. This is quite a record. Aes and Rob trade typically complex, engaging verses over some unique and inventive production. The three seem to inspire each other to keep upping the ante, and the album crackles with energy throughout.

Hail Mary Mallon, “Breakdance Beach”

TV on the Radio, Nine Type Of Light

Nine Types of Light continues TVOTR’s fascinating, rewarding evolution. After revealing a new level of complexity and emotional resonance their (quite good) previous material didn’t even hint at on Return To Cookie Mountain, they made about as close to a straight up rock record as their sound will allow with Dear Science, and now Nine Types of Light sort of synthesizes all of those experiences. By turns fragile, haunting, defiant and energetic, Nine Types of Light is a broader album, seemingly less focused on a cohesive atmosphere or mission statement and more on just recording great songs. The sequencing makes the album something of an emotional rollercoaster, giving you pensive, introspective music before hitting you with a banger or two and then receding into the ether again. It’s another homerun from one of the most reliable bands of the 21st century.

TV On the Radio, “No Future Shock”

Yup.
--D

11/14 – 11/18:

2011-11-16T13:37:00.001-06:00

Tom Waits, Bad As Me

A new Tom Waits album is a rare treat these days, some 6 years after his last studio album. But Bad As Me is worth the wait. It almost plays like a career retrospective, with songs evoking his early, almost unrecognizable barroom ballads all the way through his transformation into a truly bizarre musical treasure and through previous album Real Gone, which was just about as unhinged as he could get. But not in that order, of course. Fine guests like Keith Richards, Charlie Musselwhite and Les Claypool are along for the ride, and everyone sounds energized and excited. It’s as if some one made a greatest hits album with all-new material on it. I can’t stop listening to it.

Tom Waits,“Satisfied”

Idle Warship, Habits of the Heart

Metaphorically, of course. I am not that kind of person, really, so I listened to this, too, 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 this year, 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, 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”

PJ Harvey, Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

PJ Harvey calls this her attempt at a pop album. I’m not sure anyone in the pop world would ever see it that way, but the huge production, bright tones and slick songwriting probably do amount to her most accessible album. A duet about a troubled romance with Thom Yorke provides the album’s secret weapon, but there’s not a bad song in the bunch.

PJ Harvey with Thom Yorke, “This Mess We’re In”

Some One Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Pershing

Perfect pop rock. That’s what you can expect from this band. Don’t let their long silly name fool you, they write a fun, infectious, lushly-produced song like nobody’s business. This album is my favorite of theirs.

Some One Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, “Modern Mystery”

Los Campesinos!, Hold On Now, Youngster...

I was really impressed by this album when it came out, and it still holds up. The relentless energy, the wall of sound, the sarcastic, often hilarious lyrics, the exuberant backing vocals, the whole package just clicked for me instantly. That they released a whole second album that was just as good mere months later is insane.

Los Campesinos!, “Death To Los Campesinos!”

11/07 – 11/11:

2011-11-10T15:16:00.001-06:00

Mastodon, The Hunter

This should have been on the list for several past weeks. Not sure how I forgot it. Anyway, Mastodon. While all four previous Mastodon records have been increasingly complicated concept albums, The Hunter finds them breaking with tradition and having more fun than they ever have in the past. The songs range in subject matter from simple to intentionally very silly, and this new freedom seems to suit them. The music on this album may not be heavy enough to suit some older fans, but it’s still pretty chaotic for the most part. Perhaps tellingly, songs like “Blasteroid,” “Spectrelight,” and “All the Heavy Lifting” would fit right in on the older albums some fans think the band has forsaken with more distortion and different vocals. For all the cries of change, Mastodon is mostly still writing the same way. There are major departures, such as the bizarre epic “Creature Lives” or “Curl of the Burl,” basically a love letter to 70s rock, but the biggest change in their music is actually vocal. The aforementioned “Blasteroid” features some of their best clean singing to date with real harmonies. The addition of drummer Brann’s fine singing voice on the previous album proved a winner, and he takes up vocal duties on several tracks here. Basically, this is the sound of a band getting older. They haven’t abandoned their sound, they’ve just refining it and expanding it to include more things they like. To ask them for anything else after over a decade together would be unrealistic.

Mastodon, “Black Tongue”

Surfer Blood, Tarot Classics

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”

East of the Wall, The Apologist

East of the Wall make a particular kind of metal that seems much more emotionally involved, but I don’t mean to imply it’s screamo or emo or whatever. More like Isis or Burst or Gojira. their music is heavy and bombastic, but it also has really gentle passages. The vocals switch from a really pleasant clean voice to a powerful bellow on a dime. But whether a quiet moment or any explosion, their songs feel more personal than the average metal experience to me.

East of the Wall, “Linear Failure”

Lushlife, No More Golden Days mixtape

Philly rapper & producer Lushlife came to my attention via a feature from Heems on this mixtape, which also features Money Making Jam Boys STS & Dice Raw. I’m glad I found it, because this is great stuff. His choice of songs to rap over is inspired, his flow is confident and engaging, and his lyrics are interesting. What more can you ask for? And it’s a free download, too!

Lushlife with Andrew Cedermark, “The Romance of the Telescope”

Clutch, Strange Cousins From the West

Every time in their history Clutch as made me worry that they were getting stuck in a rut or too comfortable, their next album has proven me wrong. So it was with Strange Cousins From the West. Following From Beale Street To Oblivion, which seemed tame and familiar next to its predecessors (And featured oddly flat production, which didn’t help) with the exception of the Earth-shattering “Electric Worry,” this album brought it all back. It took some chances, tried some new things, tried some new instruments, even, and generally featured much more engaging songs. The mysterious departure of keyboardist Mick Schaur, who had so enhanced much of their recent work, is unfortunate, but Clutch was a 4-piece longer than they weren’t, so it’s not too jarring over all. Some of my favorite Clutch songs now come from this album, especially “Struck Down,” “50,000 Unstoppable Watts” and “Abraham Lincoln.”

Clutch, “50,000 Unstoppable Watts”

Misfits, Earth AD

The 3rd and final real Misfits album (But only the 2nd one released when they were together) is the reason people associate them with hardcore instead of punk. Taking the gloriously sloppy monster movie cheese of their previous material and hitting the gas, it’s a fitting end to the only incarnation of the band worth hearing.

Misfits, “Die, Die My Darling”

TesseracT, One

I bought this in a hurry as an 11th hour choice for something to listen to on a long car trip. I like having new music to examine in that situation, but this year seems really slow for music releases, and I had nothing at the time. Plus, my metal in-take is at something like an all-time low this year. So, as it turns out, TesseracT is pretty cool. Combining the kind of sprawling, epic atmosphere and build-up of a band like Isis with passages that sound remarkably like Meshuggah, this album is all about mood. The singer has a good clean voice and a good shouting voice. He mostly relies on the clean voice, and it works for the music. There’s a 6-track concept piece in the middle that makes up the bulk of the album. It’s a good listen, and rewards repeat visits as the recurring motifs and concepts become more apparent.

TesseracT, "Deception, Concealing Fate Part 2”

Yup.
--D

10/31 -- 11/04:

2011-10-30T22:59:00.000-05:00

Danger Doom, The Mouse & The Mask

It’s kind of hard to believe this album is so good. I happily snapped it up when it came out... Danger Mouse was really at the top of his game at the time, and MF DOOM was (and is) one of the most unstoppable, unpredictable rappers in the biz... but the angle of the two doing an album for Cartoon Network was pretty strange. But it worked out really well. DOOM’s solo work already spends plenty of time sampling cartoons, but here they actually have permission, and the two craft a spectacular, dense, dizzyingly fun hip hop album that just happens to feature interludes by (And a few songs about) characters from the original (Infinitely superior) Adult Swim line-up like Space Ghost, Sealab, Harvey Birdman and, of course, Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Toss in perfectly chosen guest spots from Talib Kweli and Ghostface (Oh, if only the long-promised DOOM/Ghostface collaboration album had happened), and you really can’t lose.

Danger Doom with Ghostface, “The Mask”

Electric Six, Heartbeats & Brainwaves

The release of a new Electric Six album is cause for celebration. It is, in fact, the soundtrack to its own celebration. Heartbeats & Brainwaves is a more synth-driven album, taking the dance rock we’ve come to depend on and turning down the “rock” part a little. The result is more akin to 2nd album Senior Smoke than most of their catalog: glorious, bombastic, even catchier than usual. And lyrically, Dick Valentine really brought it this time, delivering some of the Six’s more absurd, delightful songs to date in songs like “Gridlock!,” “It Gets Hot,” and “Food Dog.” Electric Six songs that get really excited about mundane events tend to be homeruns, and “Free Samples” is no exception. It’s about getting free samples. Even moody opener “Psychic Visions” offers plenty of fun. The whole album is a great time from start to finish. The first three Electric Six albums are far and away the best, and a big part of that for me is they all sound different. The first is really rock oriented, the second more dance-based, and the third stretched out and tried some new genres. After that, until last year’s Zodiac, they’d mostly settled into a reliable, Fire-esque, dance rock sound. But Zodiac began and Heartbeats & Brainwaves continues a new era of experimentation, and I am all for it. Electric Six are on top of their game right now.

Electric Six, “Gridlock!”

Puscifer, Conditions of My Parole

Puscifer is the name Maynard James Keenan uses for his “solo” material. The name originated in a Mr. Show sketch Keenan and Tool bandmate Adam Jones cameoed in. I find it interesting, though, that Puscifer, the music project, does seem to just be a name. As a band, it/he doesn’t have a defined style or approach. Generally speaking, most bands have a pretty well-defined sound or niche (Tool) and if you want to do something even a little bit different, you go somewhere else (A Perfect Circle). Puscifer, though, just seems to the name Keenan applies to whatever he’s been doing lately, and he likes it that way.

The first thing I heard under that name was a playfully spooky song on the soundtrack to that paragon of cinematic excellence, Underworld, in 2003. I really, really liked that song. When a Puscifer full-length made its way to the public in 2007, I was excited. It was totally different. From that song in 2003, from any band Keenan was in, anything. It was hard not to hear it as Keenan baiting the rabid fans of his day job. The man has a pretty good range as a singer, and refused to sing in any of it, affecting this gravelly voice the whole record. And that voice bopped its way across weird funky jams, dark electronic music, and even what seemed to be an unironic reading of a Christian sermon. The obsessive Tool fans who pore over and ascribe meaning to every syllable of every song would be hard-pressed to delve too deeply into ludicrous faux-R&B lyrics like, “This lovely lady got the thickness/Can I get a witness?/Miss Betty Booty got the thickness/Can I get a hell yeah?” from “Queen B” or my personal favorite, the chorus to “Drunk With Power,” “Where all my honey gone?/Pooh Bear be cryin’.” Even the name of the album, “V” is for Vagina, seemed to be daring his fans to take him seriously.

After remix albums (“V” is for Viagra and “D” is for Dubby), a short EP of new songs and remixes (“C” is for (Insert Sophomoric Genetalia Reference Here)) and the soundtrack to the documentary on his winery (Blood Into Wine) featuring still more remixes and some rarities, Keenan is back with the second true Puscifer album, Conditions of My Parole, and has once again gone off in another direction. It’s less gleefully silly than “V”, and yet, still has its silly moments, and they stick out more here due to their rarity. And it even seems like it could be a concept album, as themes and locations are repeated in several songs, whether ridiculous or dead-serious. Some songs have the darker, more serious tone of Keenan’s work with other groups (“Telling Ghosts”), some have a much more gentle feel (“Monsoons”), others still are just plain goofy (The title track). The weird R&B stylings of the first album are gone, replaced by a greater focus on electronics, and Keenan is back to his familiar singing voice. Not much on here suggests a kinship with the first album. But I guess that’s just part of the deal with Puscifer. As an album, I think it’s less cohesive than “V,” but also a more satisfying listen, all told. The songs are each engaging in their own way even if they don’t present a very unified sound.

Puscifer, “Green Valley”

Every Time I Die, Gutter Phenomenon

ETID’s 3rd album is where things really started to gel. Keith dropped the last of the “screamo” style from his vocals, the Southern Rock influences creeping around the edges of Hot Damn! take a much more prominent place, and the songwriting feels more focused than ever. Even though the material doesn’t have the crazed mathcore-style complexity of Last Night In Town, it still feels like the band’s most precise album. Almost every lyric on the album is a memorable one-liner. they even came up with something akin to radio ready song in “The New Black.” All this and a perfect cameo by Daryl Palumbo make this one of the band’s finest hours.

Every Time I Die, “The New Black”

Das Racist, Relax

After a flood of free music in the last couple of years, DR is finally asking you to buy something. And I think it’s well worth doing so. They’ve changed things up on Relax. It’s easy to say they did it to make the album more palatable to a wider audience, but given the rapid evolution they’ve gone through from “Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell”s viral success to now, it could easily just be what they’re into these days. Regardless, there’s more singing, some songs you could call “club friendly,” but also really insane songs that seem as far from commercial as possible, and one of those, “Michael Jackson,” is the lead single. “Shut Up, Man” is a particular highlight, with a searing verse from producer El-P and a title seemingly designed to be the last word on the previous phase of their career. “Rainbow in the Dark” from the first mixtape is the only old song to make an appearance, although theoretical club banger “Booty In The Air” uses the same beat and a brief passage of lyrics from ancient artifact “Different Schools.” Overall, I think it’s a fine introduction to the group for the commerical music biz. Next up: free solo mixtapes from every member to released on the same day in January.

Das Racist, “Relax”

Stevie Wonder, Song Review

You’re not going to catch me listening to too many hits packages. As this ridiculous feature demonstrates, I am pretty dedicated to the concept of the album. But come on. The first disc alone of Song Review is some of the best songs ever made by anybody, all in one place. We throw the word “genius” around all the time these days. Hyperbole is just how people talk. But man-oh-man, Stevie Wonder. His honesty, his openness. Even at its most complex, his music always seems unpretentious and real. Whether partying with the best of them, dealing with complex social issues, or making you cry, the man can and will make you feel it right along with him, every time. Listening to many of his very best songs one after the other is a rollercoaster ride well worth taking.

Stevie Wonder, “I Was Made To Love Her”

Yup.
--D

10/24 – 10/28:

2011-10-24T14:46:00.001-05:00

Opeth, Heritage

Still trying to figure it out!

Opeth, “Famine”

Electric Six, Heartbeats & Brainwaves

The release of a new Electric Six album is cause for celebration. It is, in fact, the soundtrack to its own celebration. Heartbeats & Brainwaves is a more synth-driven album, taking the dance rock we’ve come to depend on and turning down the “rock” part a little. The result is more akin to 2nd album Senior Smoke than most of their catalog: glorious, bombastic, even catchier than usual. And lyrically, Dick Valentine really brought it this time, delivering some of the Six’s more absurd, delightful songs to date in songs like “Gridlock!,” “It Gets Hot,” and “Food Dog.” Electric Six songs that get really excited about mundane events tend to be homeruns, and “Free Samples” is no exception. It’s about getting free samples. Even moody opener “Psychic Visions” offers plenty of fun. The whole album is a great time from start to finish. The first three Electric Six albums are far and away the best, and a big part of that for me is they all sound different. The first is really rock oriented, the second more dance-based, and the third stretched out and tried some new genres. After that, until last year’s Zodiac, they’d mostly settled into a reliable, Fire-esque, dance rock sound. But Zodiac began and Heartbeats & Brainwaves continues a new era of experimentation, and I am all for it. Electric Six are on top of their game right now.

Electric Six, “It Gets Hot”

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Living With The Living

Upon its release, I thought this album was the apex of Ted Leo’s career. Always known for his sharp, catchy songs with great lyrics, this one trumped everything that preceded it. Of course, he would follow it with The Brutalist Bricks, which was even better, but I didn’t know that at the time. From fiery anti-war rhetoric on “Bomb. Repeat. Bomb” to a more gentle groove on “La Costa Brava” and everything in between (Ok, technically, nothing is between them, as one follows the other on the album, but you know what I mean!), every song is a winner.

Ted Leo, “Who Do You Love?”

Screaming Females, Baby Teeth

The raw, glorious debut of a band that’s only gotten better and better since. Screaming Females recorded and released this one completely on their own, without even a small label behind them. The band’s tight interplay and unique songwriting are already present, but they’re still experimenting with stylistic elements. Screaming Females would go on do to less screaming and rock a little harder in the future, but this is as fine an opening statement as you could ask for.

Screaming Females, “Foul Mouth”

Yup.
--D

10/17 – 10/21:

2011-10-16T22:00:00.000-05:00

Dessa, Castor, The Twin

Castor and Pollox are, of course, the twins who became the constellation Gemini in Greek mythology, and the name of this album was chosen very deliberately. It is a collection of existing Dessa songs taken from her fine album A Badly Broken Code, her False Hopes EP, and various other Doomtree-related productions on which she featured (And one new song). But these versions are rearranged for live instruments, and played with a band and other singers. Dessa has performed a couple of shows like this, and they went so well they decided to make an album. Some of the arrangements are departures, while others mirror the originals pretty closely. Even though it’s nearly all songs you’ve heard before, the live aspect makes it feel very cohesive and even fresh somehow. It’s an interesting, successful experiment.

Rather than finding a song off this album, I’m linking you to a whole concert performed with live instruments from back in March. This was one of the first performances to inspire this album, and several performers featured here also worked on the record. It’s very good.

Zola Jesus, Conatus

Nika Danilova, the young lady who performs as Zola Jesus, grew up wanting to be an opera singer. Somewhere along the way, due to being too much of a perfectionist to be happy with her singing, she detoured into spooky pop music territory, and began recording music in her apartment. She may have abandoned (or just postponed) her interest in opera, but the high stakes and outsized emotions of her beloved musical style are still all over her work as Zola Jesus. Her first album and a slew of EPs to follow were in a decidedly goth-influenced mode. Dark, but dark in a big, expansive way, especially on her Stridulum EP last year. With Conatus, her second true full-length, she peels back the darkness a little, and even adds some danceable beats, but the outlook is still prrrrrretty serious. She still trades in fragile, intense, usually sad songs, but somehow they’re usually not as bleak this time around. The new layers and textures are welcome additions, and make it hard to guess where she might go next.

Zola Jesus, “Vessel”

Wild Flag, Wild Flag

The 21st century has been an interesting era for “supergroups.” They happen so often now, and some of them feature such obscure people, that the term is getting a bit worn out. But the collaborations and often surprising combinations of personnel never stop being interesting. There’s Future of the Left, The Company Band, Them Crooked Vultures, Spylacopa, The Dead Weather, The Damned Things, King Hobo, Slaughterhouse, Money Making Jam Boys, Gayngs, Hail Mary Mallon, Thao & Mirah, Blak Rok and United Nations, to name just a few of the team-ups and supergroups I’ve sampled in the past few years alone. Even Jay-Z & Kanye did a whole album together. This seems like an era of collaboration.

And now comes Wild Flag.To make Wild Flag, mix two parts Sleater-Kinney (Carrie Brownstein & Janet Weiss), one part Helium (Mary Timony) and one part the Minders (Rebecca Cole), and serve an electrifying album of no frills, no nonsense rock’n’roll music. In an era where rock music has retreated to the fringe, where most bands are playing hipster music or metal or some other more obscure sub-sub-sub-genre in an ultimately fruitless effort to reinvent the wheel, this kind of more traditional approach actually feels rare, fresh and exciting. Wild Flag comes roaring out of the gate with the spectacular “Romance.” “Romance” may be too good, in fact. It’s so powerful, catchy and anthemic that the songs that follow never quite manage to recapture its energy. But don’t that that the wrong way. There’s not a dull moment on the record, it’s a great time from start to finish. They just maybe shouldn’t have opened with their knockout punch.

Wild Flag, “Romance”

Mike Doughty, Yes And Also Yes

Half the fun of a new Mike Doughty album is just seeing what it will sound like. Sometimes, he applies a big, clean production with many instruments to his compositions, other times he strips it down to the bare essentials. While his basic approach to songwriting may not change drastically from album to album, you never know what those songs will actually sound like. Previous album Sad Man Happy Man was a very basic affair, but Yes And Also Yes finds him swinging in the other direction again. Not super-slick, AC Top 40 production like his sort-of-solo-debut Haughty Melodic, but a fuller sound with some interesting percussion and clear, crisp production. This album seems a little more melancholy than usual, but no less enjoyable as a result. Not outright sad, but a somber mood certainly seems to power songs likes the gentle “Russell,” the lovely duet with Rosanne Cash, “Holiday (What Do You Want?),” and even upbeat numbers like “Na Na Nothing” and “Strike The Motion.” The overall effect is a very cohesive set of songs and a fine listen.

Mike Doughty, “Na Na Nothing”

Andrew WK, Mother of Mankind

Last year's truly bizarre collection of outtakes spanning Andrew WK's three albums is, unsurprisingly, a mixed bag. Some really insane, essential songs, some really not-so-good songs, and some obviously unfinished ideas. But when it's good... it's weird.

Andrew WK, “I will Find God”

Yup.--D

10/10 -- 10/14:

2011-10-09T22:00:00.000-05:00

The changeds made to Blogger made last week's post come out all jumbled. I caught it this week.

Tori Amos, Night of Hunters

Tori Amos and I came together in about the oddest way possible. I saw a couple seconds of the video for her single “God” on a commercial on MTV, and it seemed cool. I assume it said her name, it must have. Then I saw her in one of those ads for Columbia House or BMG, and filed that away. “Tori Amos.” I’m gonna check her out some day. I had a memory like a steel trap as a young man, and it served me well, in this instance. Then a visit to an old friend in Florida revealed she had Tori’s first album, Little Earthquakes, and dubbed it to a cassette for me (ask you parents what a “cassette” is). This act of terrible, terrible music piracy was the beginning of me spending an obscene amount of money on Tori Amos albums, rare import singles, books, video cassettes (ask them!) and DVDs.Tori made her bones on shockingly honest, confessional songs of the type that an angsty teenager could really latch on to. But you can’t just keep reading people the same pages of your diary, and over the years, her work became more abstract. Abstraction gave way to full-blown concept albums... some more successful than others. So, now, Night of Hunters. It’s got maybe the most baffling, intricate concept yet. It’s got her daughter (Already 11, somehow, my goodness) singing on about half songs as different characters and her niece singing on one. It’s an entirely acoustic “21st century song cycle” comprised of compositions inspired by classical works by the likes of Bach, Chopin, Mendelssohn, and Schubert. It’s got all kinds of baggage. But it works surprisingly well. There’s maybe a bit too much of the kids. Not because they’re bad, but just because this is a Tori Amos album, not Tori and the Family Amos. But between the acoustic rule, featuring Tori on piano and a small assortment of string players, and the challenge of working from classics, this album actually pushes Tori to really focus on her vocals and piano playing in a way she hasn’t in a long, long time. Much like Midwinter Graces, her strange and satisfying "Holiday" album from 2009, it keeps her out of what has become her comfort zone, and it really seems to bring out the best in her. And clocking in at 14 tracks, it feels positively short compared to her other 21st century work. She came to the decision somewhere along the line that all those b-sides and rarities her fans hunt for should just be on the album, and as a result, her records could become endurance challenges. Night of Hunters doesn’t wear out its welcome.Which isn’t to say it’s perfect. It may have fewer songs, but two of them approach ten minutes, and as mentioned above, the kids can feel a little intrusive. The sing-songy title phrase of “Cactus Practice” being repeated so often would get old anyway, but having Natasha alternate in and out of it makes it a little twee, frankly. Natasha has a surprisingly rich voice, especially for being so young, but I don’t think it meshes too well with her mother’s for a duet. Natasha’s voice is more in the Adele mode, smokey, a little rough around the edges, while Tori’s is as ethereal as ever.It’s not the electric thrill of putting on from the choirgirl hotel for the first time, or going to Best Buy with Dawn to pick up copies of Strange Little Girls, but digging into Night of Hunters is still a fun experience. After all these years, Tori is still producing music that I find engaging, and I am glad.

Tori Amos, “Shattering Sea”

Opeth, Heritage

A newer addition to my personal catalog than Tori Amos, Opeth quickly shot to prominence. I was turned onto them right before their “breakthrough” album, Blackwater Park. It may have brought them more fame than ever, but it was already their 5th album. I had homework to do. Opeth immediately caught my ear due to the immense variety in their work. Their music often switches from grinding death metal to baroque acoustic passages and back again in the course of a single song. Their songs owe more to classical music and prog rock than pop or rock tradition, usually eschewing verse/chorus/verse structure for more adventurous songs that unfold their movements like a symphony. They’re a band that can give me the adrenaline rush of metal and the moving beauty of Nick Drake in a single song. There’s nothing like them out there.The only constant throughout the years is singer/guitarist Mikael Akerfeldt. He’s the only remaining original member, and at this point, every other position has seen at least two people fill it. He has always been the principle songwriter, so the band has somehow managed to sound consistent throughout all the lineup changes. The lineup going into Heritage was perhaps the strongest Opeth ever, with Martin Mendez on bass (2nd-longest-serving member, having joined the band in 1997), Per Wieberg on keys (since 2004), the amazing Martin Axenrot on drums (2006) and Fredrick Akesson taking up guitar duties just in time to share leads and solos with Akerfeldt recording Watershed in 2007.Mikael has often joked that, going in to record the first Opeth album in 1995, he thought he was going to be a minstrel, playing a lute and singing ridiculously pretentious songs. Heritage, shockingly enough, seems to be as close as he’s gotten to getting his wish.Opeth has quietly stopped being a metal band.It still sounds like Opeth. The unique sound they’ve cultivated over the years is still identifiable. But in the prog rock influences, in some of the acoustic passages, and in the guitar solos. There’s no metal anything to be heard. I’ve listened to this over and over and I’m still not sure what I think of it, exactly. I’ve come to the decision the production bugs me more than the lack of metal, especially when it comes to drums. The bass drum sounds muffled and is actually hard to hear sometimes, and the rest of the drums sound pretty flat. But, beyond the production, there’s a sort of... over the top feeling to a lot of it. Almost like they’re trying too hard. I’m not sure what I’m even trying to say. It’s just so proggy and so noodly sometimes. Sometimes it’s not. They were wise to make “The Devil’s Orchard” the lead single, as it’s the most “Opeth sounding” song on the album. For the most part, I think I have favorite moments instead of songs. It’s a hard thing to adjust to.Mikael Akerfeldt has been doing this for 20 years. No one can be metal forver. You either evolve into something else or become an embarrassing cartoon of yourself like Ozzy. In the DVD accompanying this release, Mikael said he thought that going in this direction would mean he “still had something to offer.” He also said he wasn’t ruling out metal elements in the future, and that he hoped not to repeat Heritage on the next album. Who knows, their next one may win me right back over. Their 11th album is the first one that didn’t completely enthrall me. That’s still a pretty spectacular track record. And I’m going to keep listening... trying to figure it out...

Opeth, “The Devil’s Orchard”

Now, Now, Neighbors EP

The band formerly known as Now, Now Every Children made a splash a few years ago and then disappeared. Turns out, theirs is age old story of label problems and contract disputes. But late last year, they began making a comeback from those unfortunate events with the Neighbors EP, and it basically picks up right where they left off. “Giants,” Roommates” and the title song are a bit more immediate than past songs, faster and more direct, but the dreamy atmosphere and cryptic lyrics are still in fine form. The slower, meandering “Jesus Camp” and the fragile opening instrumental “Rebuild” round out the album. Acoustic versions of “Giants” and “Neighbors” are also included. The EP is a fine reassurance that the band is still kicking, and I hope it’s followed by a longer work in the near future.

Now, Now, “Neighbors”

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Nocturama

When Nocturama came out in 2003, a friend of mine went crazy for it. A long-time Nick Cave fan like me, he told me Nick Cave was back! Coming as it did after 2001’s weirdly uncharacteristic, mopey No More Shall We Part and the also uncharacteristically calm The Boatman’s Call from 1997, this was big news, indeed. Turns out, though, my friend Scott got so (Justifiably) excited about the rock’n’roll frenzy of “Dead Man In My Bed” and the sprawling, 15-minute freakout “Babe, I’m On Fire” (An attempt, they band said to offend as many people as possible) that they made him temporarily forget the rest of the album he’d just listened to was another serving of mopey, decidedly down tempo ballads. Not to say that any of those albums are bad, per se. They just mark a weirdly quiet period in Cave’s otherwise bombastic, deranged career. But Nocturama was still a more engaging collection than its predecessor, and presaged something of a Renaissance on material to come. And, yeah, regardless of anything else, “Dead Man In My Bed” and “Babe, I’m On Fire” are a whole lot of fun.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, “Dead Man In My Bed”Yup.--D

10/03 – 10/07

2011-10-04T15:48:00.000-05:00

Opeth, Ghost ReveriesOpeth’s 8th album seems the most accessible, but try as I might, I’ve never been able to articulate why. The songs are still epic, regularly surpassing ten minutes. The music is still their unique mix of death metal and acoustic passages. But even though the songs are long and intricate, they somehow feel more immediate to me, more visceral. I put on Opeth albums to appreciate all the time, but this is about the only one I put on to rock out. I don’t know. It’s good!Opeth, “Ghost of Perdition”9th Wonder, The Wonder YearsThe long delayed “official solo debut” of ubiquitous producer 9th Wonder, The Wonder Years has about 6 million guest vocalists on it. 9th produces the whole package, bringing his signature soul sound to give the album unity, and appear as his rapper alias “9thmatic” on the opening track, but the vocals are almost entirely by well known associates like Raekwon, Phonte, and MURS as well as various artists from 9th’s It’s A Wonderful World Music Group like Skyzoo, Rapsody, Actual Proof and Thee Tom Hardy. It’s a breezy, feel-good affair. The remix of Erykah Badu’s “20 Feet Tall,” now featuring Rapsody, cleverly lays a faster beat under Badu’s original vocal, changing the timing of her delivering without actually changing anything. It’s a good time.9th Wonder with Khrysis, “Make It Big”Turquoise Jeep, Keep The Jeep Ridin’I’m surprised this hasn’t made it to one of these yet. Turquoise Jeep has managed to remain surprisingly mysterious for this day and age. Their videos have become viral hits, they’ve begun to tour, the joke has turned kind of serious, and they won’t even say where they’re from (But I’m guessing Atlanta). They wear ridiculous costumes, fake bears, wigs, masks. Rapper Flynt Flossy and producer Tummiscratch Beats could be some one you know, even, so complete is their disguise. But whatever’s going on behind the scenes, they’re pretty funny, and they know how to make a particular kind of perfectly absurd video. Keep The Jeep Ridin’ is a collection of songs by all the participants, and you can almost hear how the group evolved. From the gleefully amateur recording and awkward rhyming by Flossy and singer Whatchamacallit on “Strechty Pants” to the additions of rapper Young Humma on “Fried or Fertilized” and singer Pretty Raheem on “Wifey Boo”, to the very important addition of Tummiscratch Beats making their songs sound much more real, to the seemingly recent addition of singer Slick Mahoney, the newest songs sound more and polished and believable. Mahoney’s “Go Grab My Belt” is hilarious, but I wouldn’t think twice if I heard it on the radio. It’s a perfect parody of the kind of songs people release dead serious these days. Pretty Raheem never even seems like he’s trying to be funny in his lyrics, and yet he’s the most outlandish one in their videos with his brightly colored hair. Turquoise Jeep is a complicated joke, but it’s a really good one.Yung Humma with Flynt Flossy, “Lemme Smang It”Flight of the Conchords, I Told You I Was FreakyI’ve been enjoying The Conchords’ unique perspective since all I could watch was a bunch of concert videos on youtube. Since their mainstream explosion via TV, their songwriting hasn’t suffered a bit. If anything, I think the versions of their old material that made it into season one of their show weren’t as good, but the new material for seasons two is a worthy follow-up to their classic songs. With quite a few more hip hop-influenced songs than I expected, as well as other, somewhat less surprising experiments, they build on what’s come before and explore new territory without straying too far from the oddly sweet formula that got them where they are today.Flight of the Conchords, “Carol Brown”Evil Cowards, Love PigsEvil Cowards is a side project of Mr. Dick Valentine, singer/mastermind for Electric Six. Released in early 2008, it was better, funnier, and more engaging than the last couple Electric Six albums, and preceded their fine return to form on KILL by only about six months. Evil Cowards isn’t all that different from E6. More of a focus on electronic music and production, but the guitars are still there, and most importantly, the hilarious lyrics and deadpan delivery are still there. But several of these songs allow Valentine to get really weird in ways he doesn’t in his day job, and the results are fantastic. “Classon Ave. Robots” is one of my favorite songs from any project Valentine has ever been a part of, alongside “I’m Not Scared of Flying Saucers,” “You Really Like Me,” and “Love Pigs.” There’s allegedly a new Evil Cowards album coming soon, and I can’t wait.Evil Cowards, “I’m Not Scared of Flying Saucers” and "Sex Wars, Many clips from this live show, in which they mostly lip sync the album while doing ridiculous dance routines, are on youtube. You should watch them.

09/26 – 09/30:

2011-09-28T13:49:00.001-05:00

Pixies, Trompe le MondePixies swan song was a sort of return to the unpreditcable explosion of their earlier material. But while it can be as frenetic and intense as their first couple records, the actual sounds producing that feeling are markedly different, expanding the abrasive rock music with layers of sounds cultivated over their whole career. Kim Deal didn’t write anything on it, a big signal that this would be their last album. It’s a weird ol’ record. I think it was a fitting end to the group.Pixies, “Planet of Sound”Das Racist, RelaxAfter a flood of free music in the last couple of years, DR is finally asking you to buy something. And I think it’s well worth doing so. They’ve changed things up on Relax. It’s easy to say they did it to make the album more palatable to a wider audience, but given the rapid evolution they’ve gone through from “Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell”s viral success to now, it could easily just be what they’re into these days. Regardless, there’s more singing, some songs you could call “club friendly,” but also really insane songs that seem as far from commercial as possible, and one of those, “Michael Jackson,” is the lead single. “Shut Up, Man” is a particular highlight, with a searing verse from producer El-P and a title seemingly designed to be the last word on the previous phase of their career. “Rainbow in the Dark” from the first mixtape is the only old song to make an appearance, although theoretical club banger “Booty In The Air” uses the same beat and a brief passage of lyrics from ancient artifact “Different Schools.” Overall, I think it’s a fine introduction to the group for the commercial music biz. Next up: free solo mixtapes from every member to released on the same day in January.Das Racist with El-P, “Shut Up, Man”St. Vincent, Strange MercyThe new St. Vincent is weirdly funky. It’s still got the dense-yet-ethereal, fragile beauty of her previous work, still surprisingly dark lyrics for the sound, but there’s some serious groove winding through a lot of these songs. In her own weird way, of course. There’s some surprisingly ripping guitar work, too. This album is a fine example of an artist building on the strengths of past work while trying new things. Full success!St. Vincent, “Cruel”Deftones, Diamond EyesQuite the emotional album, this one. Deftones bassist Chi Cheng remains in a coma, years after the car accident that nearly killed him, derailed Eros, the album the band was recording at the time, and left the rest of the band in turmoil. Nothing in the lyrics of this album references those experiences directly, but the sound, emotions and passion on display leave little doubt as to what was on their mind when they were writing. All those factors combine into the band’s most inspired work in a decade, too. The band’s penchant for both raw aggression and shimmering moments of beauty both feel more honest and intense than they have in years. It’s a whirlwind listen, especially if you know the context.Deftones, “Diamond Eyes”Lush, LovelifeLush is a band that I appreciate more now than I did at the time. At the time, I was a teenage goofball and all into various grunge and post-grunge items. Obviously, that’s not all I was listening to, but it was my primary focus. Lush was a good band, I bought their music, but they weren’t a major factor. 15 years later, I like them more than a lot of the bands I spent more time with back then.Lush, “Ladykillers”Tori Amos, Little EarthquakesOk, not just grunge things, I was super into Tori Amos, too. I still like her, although she’s kinda gone off the rails in the last decade. But her intense, personal music was pretty hard not to get wrapped up in as a younger person. I hadn’t heard this in awhile. For whatever reason, my go-to Tori record tends to be from the choir girl hotel. I forget what prompted me to listen to it. But: still good.Tori Amos, “Winter”Yup.--D

09/19 – 09/23:

2011-09-19T13:55:00.002-05:00

Jean Grae, Cookies Or Comas mixtapeJean Grae is ready to take over, I think. She stole the show in her guest turns on Talib Kweli and Pharoahe Monch’s albums, she did it again on the Rapsody mixtape, and now her own mixtape is finally out. Allegedly a warm-up exercise for her upcoming 4th official album Cake or Death, Cookies Or Comas is strong enough to be an official album itself. Jean’s wordplay only gets more and more sophisticated, and she continues to walk the tightropes that make her so engaging, balancing between serious and funny, between classic hip hop braggodocio and personal stories. She does it all admirably, and I’m hoping this is the year she finally gets the credit she deserves for it. Hear for yourself, it’s a free download here.Jean Grae, “I Rock On”Kassa Overall, The Stargate MixtapeKassa Overall is signed to Das Racist’s Greedhead label, and if he’s any indication of the type of talent they’ll be representing, Greedhead is going to be a label to watch. A unique figure, Kassa is a classically trained drummer who performs with jazz groups, a hip hop producer, and a rapper. This mixtape finds him going in over beats the production team Stargate originally made for various big name artists like Katy Perry and Jennifer Lopez. His songs can be playful, silly, or deadly serious, and his rapping is assured and engaging throughout. I was impressed, and you can be too, as it is a free download. Kassa Overall with Kool AD & Katy Perry, “Firework Remix”Metallica, Ride the LightningIn spite of first making the decision to start making terrible, terrible music, then becoming the enemy of their own fanbase in the Napster thing and then confirming your long-held suspicions that Lars & James are insufferable idiots in the documentary Some Kind of Monster, sometimes... just sometimes... it’s nice go to back and listen to the old stuff. There's a reason they became the biggest band in their genre before going all terrible, after all. They were pretty good.Metallica, "Fight Fire With Fire"TV On the Radio, Nine Types of LightNine Types of Light continues TVOTR’s fascinating, rewarding evolution. After revealing a new level of complexity and emotional resonance their (quite good) previous material didn’t even hint at on Return To Cookie Mountain, they made about as close to a straight up rock record as their sound will allow with Dear Science, and now Nine Types of Light sort of synthesizes all of those experiences. By turns fragile, haunting, defiant and energetic, Nine Types of Light is a broader album, seemingly less focused on a cohesive atmosphere or mission statement and more on just recording great songs. The sequencing makes the album something of an emotional rollercoaster, giving you pensive, introspective music before hitting you with a banger or two and then receding into the ether again. It’s another homerun from one of the most reliable bands of the 21st century.TV On the Radio, "No Future Shock"Yup.--D

09/12 – 09/16:

2011-09-19T10:51:00.001-05:00

Sims & Laserbeak, Wildlife EPWildlife is a collection of leftovers from Sims & Laserbeak’s fine album Bad Time Zoo, and a case of the cast offs being just as engaging as the songs that made the album. It features two songs pre-order customers got back then (It pays to support indie artists) and 3 others. “Here I Stand,” I was surprised to learn, recycles the beat from “Do Not Stay” by POS on Doomtree’s False Hopes XV release, but the vocals & lyrics are all-new. It’s a great listen, and best of all it’s free! Sims & Laserbeark, “The Lighthouse”Tom Waits, Mule VariationsPound for pound, I think my favorite Tom Waits album. It’s really hard to choose, and I think Waits may be another rare artist for me where songs outweigh albums, but yes. It has some of his strangest songs, some of his most beautiful songs, some of his best ideas. Whether he’s stomping out a song like “Big In Japan” or “Filipino Box Spring Hog,” breaking your heart with “The House Where Nobody Lives” or “Georgie Lee,” or building yo back up with “Hold On” or “Come On Up To The House,” or just being really, really weird on “Eyeball Kid” or “What’s He Building In There,” this album has some of the finest examples of everything you want from post-Swordfishtrombones-era Waits. Probably not a good starting point for the uninitiated, but probably soon to be a favorite once they get to it.Tom Waits, “Big In Japan”Mike Doughty, Yes and Also YesHalf the fun of a new Mike Doughty album is just seeing what it will sound like. Sometimes, he applies a big, clean production with many instruments to his compositions, other times he strips it down to the bare essentials. While his basic approach to songwriting may not change drastically from album to album, you never know what those songs will actually sound like. Previous album Sad Man Happy Man was a very basic affair, but Yes And Also Yes finds him swinging in the other direction again. Not super-slick, AC Top 40 production like his sort-of-solo-debut Haughty Melodic, but a fuller sound with some interesting percussion and clear, crisp production. This album seems a little more melancholy than usual, but no less enjoyable as a result. Not outright sad, but a somber mood certainly seems to power songs likes the gentle “Russell,” the lovely duet with Rosanne Cash, “Holiday (What Do You Want?),” and even upbeat numbers like “Na Na Nothing” and “Strike The Motion.” The overall effect is a very cohesive set of songs and a fine listen.Mike Doughty with Rosanne Cash, “Holiday (What Do You Want?)”Kittie, I’ve Failed YouKittie has had an interesting career trajectory. When they hit the scene at the height of the nu metal craze, I think their gender and age propelled them to greater infamy than they otherwise would’ve had. A quartet of teenage girls playing heavy music? Whether they wanted to be or not, they were a novelty act. And the music, with its simple nu metal riffs, basic drumming and rather humorous “growling” vocals... “quaint” is a word. So it was pretty shocking when their second album was a ferocious death metal-esque assault. Morgan’s vocals were suddenly vicious and reminiscent of Zao, the musicianship was markedly improved, their songs were dark and brutal... it was like a totally different group. As the nu metal thing faded away, Kittie pressed on, refining their sound, trying new things, seeming to change members every year or two. By their 4th album, they were adding a sort of classicist metal sound, with really catchy riffs and solos and Morgan singing clean vocals much more often, but still retaining the extreme metal sound they’d become known for. But 5th album In The Black seemed like they weren’t sure what to be anymore. The classicist element was still present, but they seemed less excited by it, it and the record still seesawed between that approach and the more brutal sound, and the whole affair just felt lost.Album number six finds them evolving yet again. Some unique new guitar sounds are accompanied by Morgan not just returning to more shouted vocals, but sounding harsher than ever. Easily their most aggressive album to date, it’s also their most cohesive album in years and their most ambitious, with more complex songwriting, more personal lyrical content, and a two-part mini-epic in the middle. Once again, they’ve taken me by surprise, and I’m pretty happy about it.Kittie, “We Are The Lamb”Yup.--D

09/05 – 09/09:

2011-09-07T14:40:00.000-05:00

Ani Difrano, Knuckle Down

Ani seemed to be casting about in the mid-2000s. She disbanded her long time band after feeling it was getting too comfortable and released a really uneven album of acoustic solo material and spoken word called Educated Guess. This was the follow up, and it set the ship right. Ani let some of her fellow musicians back into the room, and shared production credits with the always-reliable Joe Henry, and the result is one of her strongest albums. It’s a pretty melancholy experience for the most part, but well-crafted and confident, without a weak song in the pack. “Parameters” is the record’s eerie centerpiece, slowly uncoiling a sense of dread while keeping the details of its breaking and entering story vague enough that you’re not entirely sure what you were just told, whether it was metaphor or anecdote... but you’d like to hear it again. The last track, “Recoil,” almost comes off like an offer of support after you and Ani have gone through the experience of the record together. It may not be the most happy-go-lucky record you’ve ever heard, but it’s a powerful and rewarding listen.

Ani Difranco, “Parameters” (Ignore the weird video)

Electric Six, Switzerland

Electric Six’s 3rd album, if you forced me to choose, could be my favorite. In spite of opening with a headscratching, uncharacteristically sad song, it gets off to a rollicking start with “I Buy the Drugs” and maintains it. The songs come in the familiar E6 dance rock style (“Infected Girls,” “Pulling The Plug On The Party”), but also branch out into new ideas and genres (“Pink Flamingos,” “I Wish This Song Was Louder”), and everything works. Even the aforementioned bizarre opener, “The Band In Hell,” has its charms once you get used to it. It’s fun, it’s funny, it’s their last album without a single weak point.

Electric Six, “Infected Girls”

G. Love & Special Sauce, G. Love & Special Sauce

The first G. Love & Special Sauce album is guaranteed to put me in a better mood. Their free-wheeling, laid back mix of blues and hip hop has never been better than it is here. I love the big energy songs liked “Cold Beverages” as much as the slow rolling numbers like “Blues Music.” It’s a great time.

G. Love & Special Sauce, “Baby’s Got Sauce”

Janelle Monae, The Archandroid

Janelle Monae is as close as pop music is gonna get to an actual artist for the forseeable future. I say it that way because I’m not sure she truly qualifies as pop, but she’s getting more airplay than basically worth listening to, so she’s something of a pop star. Monae is definitely an artist, though. Her ambitious vision of a series of concept EPs about a robot on the run in a dystopian future inspired in part by the movie Metrolopolis is way more complicated than... well, anything else on the radio. That she is able to make infectious, danceable music in a variety of styles without compromising her vision is admirable, that she uses her far-fetched concept to comment on today’s society like the best sci fi is engaging, and there’s no denying she’s got a great voice and a unique style. The music that comprises The Archandroid was actually intended to be parts 2 & 3 of her opus, following the independently released beginning Metropolis: The Chase Suite, but when she signed to Bad Boy (What on Earth is that about??), they convinced her to combine them into a full album. On the one hand, the album is still the default format, but in this age of single-song downloads and short attention spans, I wonder if she might not have been on to something with the EP concept. Ah, well. The music is what matters, and it’s completely worth listening to.

Janelle Monae, “Cold War”

Yup.
--D

08/29 – 09/02:

2011-08-29T14:12:00.000-05:00

Mastodon, Call of the Mastodon

This is a collection of material released before Mastodon’s first proper album. It’s a somewhat different band here. They even had a dedicated singer instead of Brent and Troy trading off like they do now, although his vocal style and theirs are very similar. This material sounds far more unhinged than they did on Remission, and certainly much more extreme than they’ve become in recent years. It’s an interesting time capsule.

Mastodon, “Deep Sea Creature”

Sparta, Austere EP

Yeah, talking about that Mars Volta album awhile back inspired this. I still like this material. It reminds me of middle period At the Drive-In. Not as aggressive as the album that broke them (Both in terms of publicity and band member relations, ha). It’s not exactly like that old ATDI stuff, it’s got a little of its own flavor, especially the remix track at the end. It’s familiar and different at the same time, making it a pretty good time.

Sparta, “Mye”

Noun, Holy Hell

Noun is the solo project of Marissa Paternoster, the singer/guitarist of Screaming Females. Noun and Screaming Females came into being around the same time, but the latter takes up most of her time, obviously. The songs of Noun vary dramatically in style and tone, from slow, dirge-y kind of songs to rockers that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Screaming Females album.

Noun, “Holy Hell”

The Dillinger Escape Plan, Miss Machine

I think this is the DEP album I listen to least-often, and I don’t know why. I really like it. That’s not true, actually, Irony Is A Dead Scene get sin my ears even less frequently (Even though I love Mike Patton. What’s the deal there?) It just doesn’t seem to be what I reach for. I either go back to their older sound or their two newest albums. This is where they really started to mutate, though. A lot of purist-types won’t listen to anything from here on out, but whatever, that’s dumb. I like early DEP, but if they kept doing just that forever, you (and they) would be so bored. Miss Machine saw them start trying a lot of new things while maintaining that crazy-yet-precise mathcore thing. “Unretrofied” is even a first run at an “evil pop song” (An idea I think they perfected on Ire Works’ “Black Bubblegum”). They’re all over the map here, and it makes for an adventurous, surprising listen. I should listen to it more often.

The Dillinger Escape Plan, “Unretrofied”

Kool AD, Hyphy Ballads EP

Another day, another Kool AD release. That guy seems to have a million things going at once. Kool AD (or Victor Vasquez or Kool Kwiet Emerson or whatever else) is an unpredictable rapper. Sometimes he writes mind-bending, stream of consciousness, free associating rhymes as clever as they are complicated. Sometimes it sounds like he’s just messing around. He’ll often hit both extremes in the same song. Hyphy Ballads falls mostly in the latter category. It’s fun, funny stuff, but seems sort of tossed off compared to other things he’s done. But he chooses to end it with an extended clip from a Malcolm X speech about doing what must be done to achieve what’s best for your people. It’s a pretty random coda to the material.

Kool AD, “Hyphy Ballads”

Misfits, Static Age

The first album that never really got released until decades later. Most of the material saw release in some form or other in the intervening years, including some of their most-known songs, but it’s cool to listen to the record in its intended running order and whatnot.

Misfits, “Attitude”

Buddy Guy, Sweet Tea

A strange, singular moment in Buddy Guy’s lengthy catalog, Sweet Tea is one of my favorite blues records of the modern era sort of against all odds. I have a pretty purist attitude toward the blues. Not because I’m a snob or something, I don’t think, but it’s more that the blues, as a genre, can be very limited. You know, the structure, timing, even subject matter are almost dictated for the artist by the genre. And as such, more than many other music styles, it feels like the best stuff has certainly already been done a long time ago. You can’t top Charlie Patton, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Robert Johnson, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Blind Lemon Jefferson, etc. They defined what “the blues” means. They were actually living the things that have become mandatory genre cliches today. You can only follow in their footsteps. If you deviate too far, you’re not even making blues anymore, in the strictest sense.

That said, Sweet Tea is a weird album. It has this sound both monolithic and paranoid. Huge and dangerous. It embraces technology in a way I usually don’t like in blues music, fairly drenched in reverb and effects and technical wizardry to create a very specific mood and tone, and man, does it work. This album feels so heavy. Heavier than metal music. The drums are explosions, the guitars come shredding out of the ether like a monster in a horror movie, while Buddy wails over it all. He takes all kinds of material and fits it into this format easily. Love songs, ruminations on aging and death, an Otis Redding cover, you name it, he’ll make it work. It’s so strange, not just in the context of blues music or what I like in blues music, even, but in Buddy’s own history. He never made a record like it before or since. I just happened to hear it working in a record store back when it came out, and I’m really glad I did.

Buddy Guy, “Baby Please Don’t Leave Me”

Yup.
--D

08/22 – 08/26:

2011-08-22T16:38:00.000-05:00

Bob Dylan, New Morning

Inspired to listen to this by The Big Lebowski, wherein, as you probably know, the song “The Man In Me” is featured twice to great effect. I love New Morning. It’s an odd album from an odd period for Dylan. It would seem he was really struggling to figure out what he wanted to do post-crash, pre-divorce. New Morning was preceded by a new folk album out of the blue, a country album, and an infamous and reviled cover album/rarities collection. All this is right after his most famous work. He seemed to be casting about, and would continue to seem that way on a few more records before being galvanized by heartache on Blood On The Tracks. But not being one of his instant classics doesn’t diminish New Morning at all. It has a playful, relaxed atmosphere, the sense of just making music for the fun of making music rarely heard on anything he did before 2001. The songs can be quietly moving (“Time Passes Slowly,” “Father Of Night”), it can be rocking (“New Morning,” “One More Weekend”), it can be downright funny (“Day of the Locusts,” Went to See The Gypsy ”), but most of the time, it coasts along on a playful vibe. You can hear him smiling as he sings “Winterlude,” the scatted backing vocals and crazy lyrics of “If Dogs Run Free” are clearly a lot of fun to make. It’s just a good time to listen to.

Bob Dylan, “Day of the Locusts”

Marvin Gaye, What's Going On?

I don’t quite remember what got me on it, but I kinda went on a Marvin Gaye binge this week. I listened to everything I own, including this, one of his most famous works. It’s cliche to say something like this, but it’s tragic how the criticisms and questions leveled at society on this album are still so relevant. Marvin’s concerns about everything from the economy to a broken political system and even the environment are all still unanswered decades on. But the genius, of course, is that all these heavy topics are considered in lush, funky, imminently danceable songs that blend together seamlessly as the album progresses. If that great music gets you thinking along the way, it’s a win-win situation.

Marvin Gaye, “What’s Happening, Brother?”

Paul Weller, Wake Up the Nation

Three of my favorite songwriters in a row. Paul Weller, of course, is the main writer, voice & guitar behind The Jam and Style Council, and in the early 90s, he began a solo career that has been long and meandering, flirting with a variety of different sounds and styles. This is his most recent solo work, a bit of a return to his earliest days. Fiery, political, mostly uptempo, it’s the kind of album he hadn’t really committed to in decades (Though he flirted with a similar vibe back on As Is Now in 2005). And it’s a fun listen.

Paul Weller, “Moonshine”

Portishead, Dummy

Ah, Portishead. Fond memories. When their concert film came out, it was on constant rotation in a friend’s apartment for what seemed like months. But that was years after this, their debut. The moody, mysterious feel of this album is really unstoppable. Even after hearing it countless times, I still get pulled in. The way it all seems to ebb and flow, from moments of quiet vulnerability to moments of power and back, right up to the amazing emotional moment in “Glory Box” (You know the one!), it’s a satisfying experience.

Portishead, “Glory Box”

Lacuna Coil, Unleashed Memories

The second album from the goth/metal/whatever-they-are group. I like it, but not as much as albums 1 & 3. But I’ll take it any day over what they’re doing these days. Boy-oh-boy... It’s hard when a band makes such a left turn. But back on this album, they were still doing the tightrope walk between aggressive riffs and more ethereal melodies, a model Evanscence would do a shameless, bland copy of and become a huge success with just a few years later.

Lacuna Coil, “Wave Of Anguish”

Boy Crisis, Tulipomania

Once upon a time, the future Kool AD of Das Racist almost made his way into the mainstream music biz as the singer for a dance-rock band called Boy Crisis. Founded at the same art college where he met his Das Racist co-conspirator Heems, Boy Crisis has the sound of a band like, say, Franz Ferdinand, but even then, Victor’s lyrics were humorous and unique, and really make the group stand out. Their record deal never quite worked out, and Victor ended up being a rapper, but for awhile there, things were looking very different for him.

Boy Crisis, “The Fountain of Youth”

The Dirty Shame, Smog Cutter Love Story

Before there was Electric Six, there was The Wildbunch. While members have come and gone from Dick Valentine’s bands over the years, his style and songwriting have remained recognizable and the difference between The Wildbunch and Electric Six, style-wise, is negligible. But for a brief period, The Wildbunch ended, and unsure of where things were going, Valentine recorded an album as The Dirty Shame. It’s considerably gloomier than The Wildbunch or Electric Six, although future E6 song “Vengeance And Fashion” makes its first appearance here. It’s rather fascinating to hear Valentine’s absurdist style poured into sad songs. Not that all of them are sad, but... well, most of them are. It’s a strange listen, and an interesting bridge in his career.

The Dirty Shame, “Chinese Restaurant”

Yup.
---D

08/15 – 08/19:

2011-08-15T13:29:00.000-05:00

+++ (Crosses), EP+

This is a new band from Chino Moreno from Deftones and Shaun Lopez from Far. Chino’s love of bands like Depeche Mode and The Cure is evident here, but this material is actually less an homage to that era than his previous non-Deftones project, Team Sleep. Spooky and atmospheric, this short burst of music is pretty entertaining stuff. The group released it for free download, which you can get here.

+++, “This Is A Trick”

Kool Keith & TomC3, Project Polaroid

2006 was a big year for Kool Keith. He released an album as the sinister space man Mr. Nogatco, the highly controversial Return of Dr. Octagon came out, he participated in the collaborative project The 7th Veil, and he teamed with TOMC3 to release Project Polaroid. All the projects have merit, even the Dr. Octagon one, but Project Polaroid was easily the standout. It’s one of the strongest things Keith has done in recent memory. TOM’s production is varied and surprising, and Keith seems more interesting in writing than he has in ages. It’s got samples from what sounds like a Stark Trek read-along record and the movie One Hour Photo, and raps about hanging out with basically every famous person ever. It’s a lot of fun.

Project Polaroid, “Talk To The Romans”

Soilwork, A Predator's Portrait

Soilwork’s 3rd album was a turning point, the moment they began to find their own sound. Still heavier by and large than later releases, it really upped the melodic content of their music, and the keyboards found a lot more to do in building mood and supplying texture. It’s a little slower than their previous breakneck, At the Gates-inspired sound, but still pretty fast on the whole. I’d say their finest hour was the next album, Natural Born Chaos, but this is easily the next-best thing.

Soilwork, “Like The Average Stalker”

Down, Down II: A Bustle In Your Hedgerow

Down, a sort of metal supergroup featuring members of Pantera, Crowbar and Corrosion of Conformity, but the music they make is more in the classic metal tradition of Black Sabbath. More of an evil blues sound than what you’d think of as “metal” in this day and age. And it’s a great sound, clearly brought to life by people who love what they’re doing. They wrote & recorded this album sequestered in a barn for a month, and every image that conjures is represented here. The music feels loose, light (or as light as music with dark themes can feel), earthy and fun.

Down, “There’s Something On My Side”

Tig Notaro, Good One

A comedy album! They happen sometimes. I really like Tig Notaro, and this album doesn’t disappoint. Her laid back, intimate delivery makes the stories she tells feel more like hanging out at a friend’s house than watching a show... except that you happen to have a really funny friend. This album does have its drawbacks, though, or drawback, I should say: pantomime. Inevitable in a comedy show, this set seems pretty heavy on things you have to see to be on CD. Bits that include setups like, “I just picture walking into the bathroom and seeing this:......” or “The video shows me going like this:.....” several times leave the poor listener wondering what everyone’s laughing at. Luckily, most of the material manages ot be very funny in spite of this. She begins with several quick bits before settling into her infamous 15 minute Taylor Dane story and then doing a just-as-long bit with audience participation. It’s a great set.

Tig Notaro, “No Moleste”

...And You Will Know Us By the Trail Of Dead, So Divided

Trail of Dead two weeks in a row. How about that? This is the record where things got a little too out there. Really pretentious, really scatterbrained. Almost seems like every song could be from a different album. And yet, a lot of the songs are pretty good! The somber title track, the bizarrely Cure-sounding “Sunken Dreams,” the searing “Stand In Silence”... The out there stuff can be pretty good, too, as on “Naked Sun,” a simple rocker, or the Beatles-esque “Eight Day Hell,” where you could almost be listening to another band. But that kind of constant stylistic shift makes this album seem so unfocused and haphazard. One of the few records that might work better as singles than as a whole.

...And You Will Know Us By the Trail Of Dead, “So Divided”

Yup.
---D

08/08 – 08/12:

2011-08-10T14:55:00.000-05:00

Thao & Mirah, Thao & Mirah

From the first listen, this was in contention for my album of the year. Folk singers Thao & Mirah bring their very different approaches to a true collaboration, each bringing 5 songs to the table and working with the other to push them in directions they wouldn’t choose on their own. They are aided and abetted by Merril Garbus of the frustratingly-named tUnE-yArDs (Welcome to the internet circa 1999) as producer, who wrote album opener “Eleven” to finish the recording session. This is deeply infectuous music, bringing the skittery, energetic sound of Thao and the dreamy, intimate music of Mirah together together in an unlikely but engrossing set of songs (Garbus’ influence on the sound and in the percussion is so prevalent, powerful and welcome that the record should probably have been called Thao & Mirah & Merril.) Every track is a winner. Can’t recommend this album enough.

Thao & Mirah, “Eleven”

Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

Hey, I’m happy to say I like this. To the 5 Burroughs didn’t do much for me. The obsession with old school hip hop seemed a big misstep. Both because the Beasties had previously been characterized by their willingness to experiment and try new things, making a regression like that seem really weird, and also because it was so dependent on samples from better songs. The best part of every song was the sample from a song as much as 20 years old (Even the guitar riff from Dead Boys’ “Sonic Reducer” in “Open Letter To NYC”). This, tho’, is not that. This has a quirky new sound to it. While in a sense it’s still something of a look back, at least it’s a look back to more adventurous fare. They play their instruments again, there’s a punk song again, there’s an instrumental. And the production is interesting, sounding as if they may have jammed on their instruments and then chopped up the sessions and made beats out of them. However it was made, I found it much more engaging and interesting than its predecessor, and that’s good news.

Beastie Boys, “Make Some Noise”

The Jam, Sound Effects

I am, obviously, an album person. But if there’s any band that I think of in terms of songs rather than albums, it’s The Jam. They have so many fantastic songs, but I don’t think they have a truly great album. Sound Effects, for example, has the spectacular “Pretty Green” to set things off, as well as hit singles “Start!” and “That’s Entertainment,” and the great album tracks “Set the House Ablaze” and “Scraping Away.” But everything else on it... it’s not bad. I don’t dislike any of the songs. But they don’t really live up to those highlights, and the best song of that era of their career, “Going Underground,” isn’t even on the record. Or any record. The Jam have at least 6 essential songs that never got on any of their albums. They’re one of the hardest bands to collect and appreciate I’ve encountered. The only band I’ve ever recommended starting with the greatest hits package, which has all those elusive singles and most of their best songs. Still, though... “Pretty Green” is amazing, one of the best songs in their discography, and you won’t find it on a hits collection. You just have to dive in.

The Jam, “Pretty Green”

The Mars Volta, De-Loused in the Comatorium

The last time I really enjoyed Mars Volta. Over the years, The Mars Volta and Sparta have mostly proven why they all worked better as At the Drive-In. Sparta is too poppy and bland, and The Mars Volta is so pretentious I want to shake them. “No one wants to hear the same vocal getting slower and slower for 5 minutes! No one wants 4 and a half minutes of bird noises before the music starts! Just make a song!” Together, they balanced each other’s unfortunate tendencies and found common ground in the middle. But when the break-up was still relatively fresh, they both definitely did their best work (Literally. The 3-song EP that preceded this, Tremulant, was superior, as Sparta’s debut EP, Austere, was superior to their first album). I can still enjoy this album with very few caveats. It’s sprawling and epic, and the bloat that would plague them in the future is hiding right at the edges, but hasn’t taken control yet. But I must confess, it’s hard for me to listen to it without mostly thinking about where they came from and where they went instead of focusing on the music at hand.

The Mars Volta, “Intertiatic ESP”

Clutch, Strange Cousins From the West

Every time in their history Clutch as made me worry that they were getting stuck in a rut or too comfortable, their next album has proven me wrong. So it was with Strange Cousins From the West. Following From Beale Street To Oblivion, which seemed tame and familiar next to its predecessors (And featured oddly flat production, which didn’t help) with the exception of the Earth-shattering “Electric Worry,” this album brought it all back. It took some chances, tried some new things, tried some new instruments, even, and generally featured much more engaging songs. The mysterious departure of keyboardist Mick Schaur, who had so enhanced much of their recent work, is unfortunate, but Clutch was a 4-piece longer than they weren’t, so it’s not too jarring over all. Some of my favorite Clutch songs now come from this album, especially “Struck Down,” “50,000 Unstoppable Watts” and “Abraham Lincoln.”

Clutch, “50,000 Unstoppable Watts”

TesseracT, One

I bought this in a hurry as an 11th hour choice for something to listen to on a long car trip. I like having new music to examine in that situation, but this year seems really slow for music releases, and I had nothing at the time. Plus, my metal in-take is at something like an all-time low this year. So, as it turns out, TesseracT is pretty cool. Combining the kind of sprawling, epic atmosphere and build-up of a band like Isis with passages that sound remarkably like Meshuggah, this album is all about mood. The singer has a good clean voice and a good shouting voice. He mostly relies on the clean voice, and it works for the music. There’s a 6-track concept piece in the middle that makes up the bulk of the album. It’s a good listen, and rewards repeat visits as the recurring motifs and concepts become more apparent.

TesseracT, "Deception, Concealing Fate Part 2”

Party Animal, You Can't Win EP
Party Animal is a new hardcore punk band from Das Racist’s Kool A.D., and, uh, some other guys. It can be hard to know what’s going on in a situation like this, really. I got the link off the mysterious Das Racist Illuminati Tumblr, and the band apparently hasn’t existed very long. But, whoever they are, they make early 80s-style hardcore like it’s supposed to sound: fast, sloppy, poorly recorded, and (I hate this word, but it’s true) irreverent. From originals like “You Can Fuck The System But the System’s Gonna Fuck You,” “Oil (I Love Society)” and my personal favorite, “Beer Truck On Fire,” to ridiculous covers of “Let’s Dance” and “When Doves Cry,” the EP blasts right by you before you know it and demands to be heard again. I’ve begun to think Kool A.D. can do anything. Download the EP for free here.

Party Animal, “You Can Fuck The System But the System’s Gonna Fuck You”

Smoking Popes, Destination Failure

I still love this album so much. Smoking Popes’ blend of punk and a more classical vocal land lyrical approach really won me over with the ubiquitous “Need You Around” in the mid-90s, and the album from whence it came, Born to Quit (Their second), was great. But I think it was here that they really made their masterpiece. The vocals never sounded better, the music never sounded fuller, the lyrics were perfect from top to bottom... This is a fine, fine album. The band would later quietly release a covers album before disbanding, only to make a come back a couple years ago that hasn’t quite recaptured the magic of the old days. But I’m glad they’re back, all the same, and even if they never did anything again, we’d always have this one.

Smoking Popes, “Megan”

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Worlds Apart

The follow-up to what is probably the band’s finest hour, Source Tags & Codes, Worlds Apart starts to get a little weird. Stylistically and tonally, it’s kind of all over the place, expanding on the band’s penchant for songs with a huge roraring section following by a quite, contemplative part only to roar back to life when you least expect it, but also trying new things and, frankly, seeming a bit lost. But it still has its moments, and those moments come pretty often, such as ballad “Let It Dive,” rocker (or as close as they get to rockers) “Will You Smile Again?” and the strange, infectious , sing-songy title track.

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, “The Rest Will Follow”

Yup.
--D

08/01 – 08/05:

2011-08-05T13:29:00.000-05:00

Wugazi, 13 Chambers

Wugazi is an epic mash-up of Fugazi and Wu-Tang songs by Swiss Andy and Doomtree’s Cecil Otter. They say they spent over a year combing the Fugazi catalog for songs and song parts that would fit various Wu-Tang acapellas. The music spans Fugazi’s career, while the vocals come from Wu-Tang group albums, solo albums, Gravediggaz, anything Wu-related that would work. Ian and Guy still get to sing a little, too. The results are pretty seamless and surprisingly effective. And best of all, it’s a free download! Get it here.

Wugazi, “Another Chessboxin’ Argument”

The National, Boxer

Among the finest albums of 2007, the best album of The National’s career, one of the most cohesive, coherent, mesmerizing albums I’ve ever heard by anybody... I still can’t get enough of this one years later. The mood it establishes and maintains is so perfect, and all the more impressive for how different the songs can be. Everything seems in opposition, from how the dreamy compositions get paired with high-energy drum parts to how the tender singing hides the often bizarre nature of the lyrics, and yet it all comes together perfectly. Instantly one of my all-time favorite albums.

The National, “Mistaken For Strangers”

Brother Ali, Truth Is Here EP

Truth Is Here, named for a lyric from a song on 2007’s The Undisputed Truth that isn’t even on this EP, is a transitional record in some ways. By the time his last full-length, Us, came out, Brother Ali’s worldview and attitude seem to have shifted dramatically. He seemed less angry, more inclusive, more interesting in sharing the stories of people of all walks of life than raging at the system. But here, that transformation is in progress. Elements of the albums that surround it are present at the same time. The fiery rhetoric mixed with the real life stories, the “Us against the world” attitude beginning to take over. It’s interesting as a time capsule, but it’s also a just a great listen. Every song crackles with energy, from politically-motivated scorchers to more tender romantic fare. It may only have 9 tracks, but it makes every single one count.

Brother Ali, “Baby Don’t Go”

Interpol, Turn on the Bright Lights

In retrospect, this album, as influential and popular as it was, seems like a fluke. Interpol still stayed interesting to varying degrees on subsequent outings, but never came near their debut again. Almost every song is super-catchy in spite of perhaps not making a lot of sense, it has a great tone throughout... It’s still an exciting listen. It’s just too bad it wasn’t a sign of things to come.

Interpol, “Obstacle 1”

The Dead Weather, Horehound

This album sounds like a bunch of friends playing music for fun. In the best way possible. That those friends happen to be from lot of famous bands isn’t really the important thing, though it was certainly what got the band its hype. Its sloppy, fuzzed out, swaggering, blues-drenched romps hit me right between the eyes. It’s not revolutionary, it’s not cutting edge, it’s just a great time. It’s got more attitude and visceral appeal than any of the bands its members hail from, frankly. I never noticed... never even considered... how risque Bob Dylan’s “New Pony” was until I heard Allison Mossheart sing it. Its one of the most fun albums I’ve heard in years.

The Dead Weather, “Treat Me Like Your Mother”

Every Time I Die, Gutter Phenomenon

The very moment in which the Every Time I Die sound coalesced. I like their previous albums, with Hot Damn! probably being my favorite over all, but it was here that they seemed to figure out what they wanted to be doing. It’s tighter than Hot Damn!, less mathcore-ish than Last Night In Town, but still heavy, introduces Keith’s post-screamo vocal style, and lets the Southern rock influence in in a major way for the first time. It all just comes together to make a really enjoyable album, and the blueprint for the ones to follow.

Every Time I Die, “Kill the Music”

Trophy Scars, Never Born, Never Dead

Trophy Scars is yet another band discovered at random on eMusic because of the interesting cover on their 2009 album, Bad Luck. Bad Luck drew me in with one of the more easy to follow concepts I’d ever heard on a concept album. Never Born, Never Dead is also a concept album, seemingly about two lovers searching for each other as they are reincarnated over and over. The music is moody and appropriate to the theme, and singer Jerry Jones’ unorthodox vcoal approach still does it for me. It’s a fine record.

Trophy Scars, “Never Dead”

B. Dolan, Fallen House, Sunken Cities

B. Dolan is a rapper on Sage Francis’ Strange Famous label. His 2nd official full-length, Fallen House, Sunken Cities is a dense, paranoid, electrifying listen. His style changes from song to song as the beat and the material requires, and the material can require quite a lot. Veering from metaphoric social commentary to the story of a vampire hunter to a riveting, intense rumination on the death of Marvin Gaye and more, Dolan’s lyrical choices are as diverse as they are engrossing. Production is handled by Alias, and is versatile and engaging throughout. Dolan is currently working on a 2nd volume of his House of Bees mixtape, and I cannot wait to hear it.

B. Dolan, “The Hunter”

Yup.
--D

07/25 – 07/29:

2011-07-28T16:02:00.000-05:00

Tegan & Sara, The Con

For my money, the absolute pinnacle of their career so far. I get the feeling most fans stick with So Jealous, and that’s fine, but for me, this is where it all comes together. The songwriting, the performances, the production, it’s all top-notch. The dynamic of their albums as Tegan & Sara’s writing styles get further ad further apart is really fascinating. Tegan’s more straight ahead rock songs paired with Sara’s more quirky compositions creates a great balance, and both of them can write an extremely catchy pop song when they’re in the mood. They make a great team while rarely operating as a team. And The Con is the best example of that so far, to me.

Tegan & Sara, “The Con”

The Roots, Game Theory

The Roots have 10 full-length studio albums. That seems sort of crazy to me, having been there waiting when most of them came out. Seems like it wasn’t so long ago I was playing Things Fall Apart over and over. Even crazier, there’s not a bad album among them. The Roots are one of the most reliably great bands in the world. But if there’s a weak spot in their catalog, both fans and band members seem to agree it is The Tipping Point. And as such, what they were going to do after it was something I was very curious to hear. But nothing could’ve prepared me for this album. they didn’t just bounce back, they surpassed anything they’d done to date. It was the most powerful, tightly-focused, cohesive album they’d ever made at that time (It’s hard to say whether the follow-up Rising Down matches or beats it for cohesion, and How I Got Over is almost certainly their most moving album at this point). It’s dark, much darker than anything that preceded it, but not hopeless. It reflected the times in which it was made. Between searing political and social commentary and a truly powerful tribute to J. Dilla’s untimely death, it made a huge impact on first listen. I still get sucked right into it any time I listen.

The Roots, “In The Music/Here I Come/Don’t Feel Right Medley”

Bob Dylan, Shot of Love

Shot of Love is a lot of things. The tail end of Dylan’s strange and mysterious Born Again period, the first album on which he began to employ the vocal style most people are doing when they do an impression of him, one of only two truly great albums he produced in the 80s (The other is Oh, Mercy). It’s the one I return to most often from his 80s output, certainly. Bob may have been drifting away from his newfound Christian faith, but he was still as fired up as he’s ever been on this album, replacing the extremely religious and preachy style of Saved with something more like a Christian-tinged social commentary. It’s a great listen.

Bob Dylan, “Shot of Love”

Veil of Maya, [id]

Veil of Maya’s 3rd album sounds a lot like their 2nd album, I am forced to admit. But I liked the 2nd album, so I guess that’s ok? It’s ok-ish. And there’s a song about Lost constructed by using the numbers from Lost for time signatures. That’s pretty fun.

Veil of Maya, “Unbreakable”

Prince, 3121

It’s not the best of Prince’s modern output (I’d probably give that distinction to Planet Earth), but it’s not bad. “Black Sweat” is awesome, and there’s some great moments both fiery (“Guitar”), quiet (“Satisfied”) and even sort of hearkening back to his glory days (The synths on “Lolita,” for example). But Prince’s main problem since about the mid-90s -- transparent, misguided pandering to a young black audience that largely doesn’t actually care anymore-- plus his other problem since the 90s, glut, and his newer problem --his modern religiosity making it really difficult for the guy who makes the sexy songs to make sexy songs-- combine to drags him down often. He’s still capable of great songs, but I’m not sure he’ll ever make a great album again.

Prince, “Te Amo Corazon”

The Cool Kids, When Fish Ride Bicycles

Hey, speaking of great albums... I was not sure I’d even get this. I loved The Cool Kids’ debut, The Bake Sale, which they claimed was just a warm-up EP at the time, but stood alone long enough to become their first record by default... but subsequent work hasn’t wowed me. In lieu of that oft-promised debut album, they released a couple of mixtapes, and they were pretty unimpressive, frankly. The fun and experimentation that made The Bake Sale so appealing seemed to have drained out of them. And, as relatively young artists when they started, that didn’t seem so surprising. Such situations always make me think of how De La Soul seemed to use their 2nd album to viciously turn on everything they stood for on the first album. But, lo and behold, the wonderfully titled When Fish Ride Bicycles is a grand return to what made The Bake Sale great. The production is constantly surprising and exciting, the lyrics are clever and fun, and the boys are certainly back.

Cool Kids with Ghostface, “Penny Hardaway”

Yup.
--D

07/18 – 07/22:

2011-07-18T09:58:00.000-05:00

Des Ark, Don't Rock the Boat, Sink the Fucker!

A very interesting record. A study in contrast and contradiction. Emotionally gripping. Pretty much tailor made for my ears. Des Ark put funny titles on serious music. They play fragile, haunting melodies that give way to raucous rock music and then recede again, like a wave. The vocals seem intentionally obscured much of the time, delivering extremely personal stories in a hushed whisper or buried in the mix, which only make the frequent huge choruses and chants that more powerful, while making the listener turn it up and play the record again immediately. The whole album must be taken together, with recurring themes both musical and lyrical and the end of one song blurring into the beginning of another. This is a record that really engages you.

Des Ark, “Bonne Chance, Asshole”

In Flames, Sounds of a Playground Fading

The 10th studio album by the melodic death metal pioneers comes right after Des Ark in my playlist of all the albums I’ve bought in 2011, and it fits surprisingly well. It’s dark, but not in what you might call a traditionally metal way. If anything, the songs seem to be about... well, the end. In Flames founder Jesper Strömblad left the band before this record to work on his alcohol addiction, so the strangely effecting lyrics about leaving and the end could be about that. But much of it, with lyrics like “The same road for far too long/Was it meant to be, we are losing identity/Faith has been denied, Let's not pretend/This Is this the first time, we just don't belong” and a moody spoken word interlude about saying good-bye and “vanishing through the Jester’s Door” (The Jester has been a prominent symbol in the band since their 2nd album), could really be taken as saying good-bye. Musically, they manage to keep things familiar without Jesper while still trying out some new ideas, too, some more successful than others. The album’s closer is the least-metal thing a metal band’s ever done, and I’m including Opeth’s acoustic album. Previous album A Sense of Purpose suffered from really middling production, making the whole affair feel flat and unfinished, but they’ve righted the ship on that front, with this album featuring lush production. Is this the end of our heroes? I guess we’ll find out.

In Flames, “Deliver Us”

Paper Tiger, Made Like Us

Paper Tiger, one of the producers for the unstoppable Doomtree collective, absolutely enthralled me on his full-length debut last year. Heavily reminiscent of DJ Shadow in his prime, the haunting soundscapes and dark ruminations he conjures here are fantastic.

Paper Tiger, "2nd Day Back"

Mastodon, Remission
Mastodon’s first proper album, the “fire” album in their series loosely based on the elements, their heaviest full-length, there’s a lot going on on this record. It’s a fun listen, and interesting in that it balances between crazy high-energy explosions and quieter instrumental exploration. They never made a record quite like it again.

Mastodon, “March of the Fire Ants”

Beck, Midnite Vultures

I realized somewhere along the line that Beck, to me = funny. From Mellow Gold and the Stereopathetic Soul Manure collection, that’s primarily what I got out of his music, and that’s what held my attention. However, Beck’s not very funny anymore. And it’s not a commentary on his music or anything, it’s just... I came for funny, and I usually get thoughtful hip hop-tinged indie rock, or crushingly sad singer/songwriter type stuff, or hybrids thereof. But, to borrow a phrase from Mojo Nixon, for one weird, glorious second, in and amongst this more serious fare, there was Midnite Vultures, the most absurd, hilarious thing in his whole catalog. And lo, it was good. It’s probably my most-listened Beck album.

Beck, “Hollywood Freaks”

White Gold, The Best I Can Give Is 2%

Once upon a time, in the far-off year of 2007, The California Milk Processor Board was looking for a new spin on the “Got Milk?” Campaign, and decided to try to create an off-beat viral sensation. So begins the tale of White Gold, a fictional rock star who was given a milk-filled guitar, his ability to rock, and his spectacular hair by “a crazy angel.” The Best I Can Give Is 2% is a 2008 EP of songs by “White Gold,” actually written and performed by Electric Six’s Dick Valentine and The Colonel. some of them were adapted into TV spots and music videos with an LA actor & musician playing the role of White Gold, but lip synching to Valentine’s vocal recordings. The songs are hilarious, some of the best material in recent Electric Six history, made even funnier because they stay on message throughout. Whether spinning wild tales about how milk can help you get women, have better hair, fall asleep and even help women with PMS, the songs are as laugh-out-loud funny as they are informative. It’s a weird, weird project, but worth listening to.

White Gold, “Tame the Tiger”

Yup.
--D

07/11 -- 07/15:

2011-07-11T10:11:00.000-05:00

It’s a short week, as I have been kind of sucked in by Turntable.fm and didn’t get to listen to many albums. Next week’s soundtrack is probably not going to be very long, either... :)

The (International) Noise Conspiracy, A New Morning... Changing Weather

The high point of the band’s career. More fully-realized and bombastic than their first album, and man, I have no idea what they were thinking with their third. But this is fun, energized, politically-motivated rock music, with some surprising musical flourishes along the way. It’s a great listen.

The (International) Noise Conspiracy, “Bigger Cages, Longer Chains”

Los Campesinos!, Hold On Now, Youngster.

I was really impressed by this album when it came out, and it still holds up. The relentless energy, the wall of sound, the sarcastic, often hilarious lyrics, the exuberant backing vocals, the whole package just clicked for me instantly. That they released a whole second album that was just as good mere months later is insane.

Los Campesinos!, “Death To Los Campesinos!”

Pixies, Come On, Pilgrim

Almost had a “titled with commas” theme going. The Pixies’ debut EP isn’t the record I listen to most often, I must say, but that’s not really a comment on its quality or anything. I am perhaps the lone listener who seems to go back to Bossanova most often. Why? I don’t know, really. But I like their whole catalog. I like that each record has a pretty unique feel and sound. Most bands try to evolve in their careers, but The Pixies really tried a lot of things in their time together. This messy explosion of an EP was just the tip of the iceberg.

Pixies, “Levitate Me”

Jean Grae, Cookies Or Comas mixtape

The first repeat appearance since I started doing this. How prestigious! Scroll down to last week for info on this one.

Jean Grae with Pharoahe Monch, “Killing ‘Em”

Yup.

--D

07/04--07/08:

2011-07-04T00:32:00.000-05:00

TV On the Radio, Return to Cookie Mountain

I guess this was their “breakthrough” album? It was the first one I heard, I shant pretend to be an extra-cool early adopter. But, me being me, the fragile beauty and rich textures of it made me quickly hunt down all previous material and read up on the group. I read a long feature on them and on the making of the record. It talked about how recording Return to Cookie Mountain was a surprisingly communal experience, with friends and fellow musicians constantly in and out, listening, contributing, giving advice, and even the reporter himself pulled in to record backing vocals at one point. They’ve continued to impress, with Dear Science, (The comma is in the title) taking the top spot for me and Nine Types of Light another really strong contender. I am a fan, is what I’m saying.

TV On The Radio, “Wolf Like Me”

Public Enemy, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Still a powerful listen, in spite of the years. Really, when you think of the state of mainstream hip hop right now, if anything, it becomes more powerful. Once upon a time, there was a hugely successful rap group with a radical political message who helped force Arizona to acknowledge the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Be kinda nice if the labels had the guts to support similarly-minded artists today. The only weak spot in their message is their anti-anti-sampling pitch. Chuck D has been ahead of the curve on music trends for as long as he’s been a public figure, but he was really wrong on that issue.

Public Enemy, “Don’t Believe The Hype”

Holly Miranda, The Magician's Private Library

Speaking of TV on the Radio, I picked this up primarily on the strength of TVOTR’s Dave Sitek in the producer’s chair. He leaves an unmistakable fingerprint, whether with his day job, doing Tom Waits covers with Scarlett Johansson, producing for Wale, doing his own thing as Maximum Balloon, or here. But with Holly Miranda, his presence and personal musical leaning don’t completely overshadow hers. While The Magician’s Private Library shares some sonic qualities with Sitek’s many works, it has plenty moments that clearly belong wholly to Miranda. It’s a dreamlike, mystical listen, running the gamut from playful to sorrowful, and really good late night quiet time music. I think I listened to some of this playing Ninja Gaiden 2 after I’d finished drawing. That was less appropriate.

Holly Miranda, “Waves”

John Coltrane, Giant Steps

Honestly, probably my favorite Coltrane. Maybe I should champion more ambitious material like A Love Supreme and more challenging material like Ascension (and I do), but music, even jazz, doesn’t always have to be about pushing the envelope. Sometimes, a legendary figure just doing what he does best alongside some of his best collaborators is enough. And it’s sort of hard now to appreciate what a radical change Giant Steps was at the time. Coltrane basically reinvented what improvisational jazz could be on this record.

John Coltrane, “Naima”

Rapsody, Thank HER Now mixtape

Rapsody is backsody with another 9th Wonder-shepherded collection. Her delivery seems to get a little sharper each time we hear from her, and a fine collection of guests (including Raekwon, Phonte Gallo, Jean Grae, Laws, and Mac Miller) keep things surprising. My major issue would be, at 20 tracks, it is a bit long. There’s such a thing as too much fun. But fun’s fun and free’s free, so don’t let that stop you from checking this out. You can download it here.

Rapsody with Mac Miller, “Extra Extra”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3bBT43ZSiM

Jean Grae, Cookies Or Comas mixtape

Jean Grae is ready to take over, I think. She stole the show in her guest turns on Talib Kweli and Pharoahe Monch’s albums, she did it again on the Rapsody mixtape, and now her own mixtape is finally out. Allegedly a warm-up exercise for her upcoming 4th official album Cake or Death, Cookies Or Comas is strong enough to be an official album itself. Jean’s wordplay only gets more and more sophisticated, and she continues to walk the tightropes that make her so engaging, balancing between serious and funny, between classic hip hop braggodocio and personal stories. She does it all admirably, and I’m hoping this is the year she finally gets the credit she deserves for it. Hear for yourself, it’s a free download here.

Jean Grae, “You Don’t Like It”

Warm Brew, Warm Brew EP

Wrapping up the free mixtape portion of our show this week is Warm Brew, whose EP I stumbled upon and gave a shot while getting Jean’s mixtape. Warm Brew are a young crew out of CA, rapping fun, laid back flows over classic soul samples. It’s a breath of fresh air, frankly, compared to a lot of their peers, and they know it, if their lyrics are any indication. It’s short, it’s good, it’s free. You should get it.

Warm Brew, “Go To School”

The Dillinger Escape Plan, Option Paralysis

This week’s final moments were rendered to the tune of DEP’s modern masterpiece. They’ve changed and evolved so much in their career that it’s hard to even compare their older material to their newest, but Option Paralysis is at least the best album since Greg Pucciatto became their singer. Maybe their best album, period. It places so many experiments, musical exploration and the classic energy DEP fans expect in a blender. The centerpiece, “Widower,” kind of sums it all up. Alternately shockingly tender and brutal, it merges so many musical ideas and styles, and is a powerful listen. Just like the album as a whole.

Dillinger Escape Plan, “Widower”

Yup.

--D

06/27 – 07/01:

2011-06-26T19:08:00.000-05:00

Tom Waits, Bawlers

The middle disc of his 3-disc rarities set, the mellow one. The appearance of this particular kind of Tom Waits album generally means it was like 11pm and I was winding down. And this is great music for that time of day.

Tom Waits, “Little Man”

Ghostface Killah, Apollo Kids

Ghost has peaks and valleys in his output, but this one is definitely a peak. One of the strongest albums in a catalog with several absolute classics.

Ghostface Killah, “2getha Baby”

Aesop Rock, Daylight EP

This is perhaps my favorite Aesop Rock release. I’m not sure why, exactly. I love the interplay between “Daylight” and “Nightlight.” I just love every song on it, I guess. Aesop hasn’t released a bad record yet, but this seems to be the one I come back to the most often.

Aesop Rock, “Daylight”

Mike Patton, Mondo Cane

Mike Patton isn’t known for being predictable, but a full album of 50s & 60s Italian pop performed with a full orchestra and a choir in Italian is about as far from what you’d expect from the man as possible. Even more surprising is that it’s one of the very best albums he’s ever released, alone or with any of the thousands of bands he seems to be in. Patton’s amazingly adaptive voice is truly on display here, going from crooning ballads to crazy screaming and never disserving the material. It’s a great album.

Mike Patton, "Deep Deep Down"

Lightnin' Hopkins, Mojo Hand

One of my very favorite blues performers. Hopkins never really compromised his sound as the world of the blues changed around him. He never really went pop, he kept playing the music that was true to him, and carved out an important place in the music of the 20th century.

Lightnin’ Hopkins, “Gin Bottle Blues”

Ani Difranco, Reveling

The more upbeat half of the 2-disc Revelling/Reckoning set from 2001. I guess this was the beginning of the end of my favorite period in her discography, where she was playing with more and more musicians and really exploring. She began to pull back and, I guess, “get back to basics” a few years later (And then flipped right back in the other direction most recently), but I loved that full-band sound.

Ani Difranco, “O.K.”

Future of the Left, Curses!

When Mclusky broke up, I was sad. When 2 /3s of their members merged with members of the also recently broken up band Jarcrew to become Future Of the Left, I was de-saddened. Future of the Left picks up where Mclusky left off, frantic, sarcastic, explosive music, but the new band sounds much cleaner, more streamlined and more precise than the old. It all works out splendidly on this, their debut album.

Future of the Left, “Manchasm”

Cannibal Ox, The Cold Vein

One of the most emotionally engaging hip hop albums I’ve ever heard. Dark, atmospheric, paranoid, every song a raw nerve getting pinched. It’s not party time music, but it’s quite an experience.

Cannibal Ox, “Iron Galaxy”

Faith No More, The Real Thing

Sometimes I wonder what it was like to be a Faith No More fan when Mike Patton came aboard. There’s no argument that Patton is a far more exciting and accomplished vocalist than the departing Chuck Mosley, but at the same time, he was what Faith No More vocals were supposed to sound like for two whole records. Like a lot of people, I guess, I’d heard “We Care A Lot” and thought it was funny, but didn’t really pay much attention to the band until “Epic.” But I bet there’s people out there that really resent the addition of Patton. Maybe swore off the band over it. And that’s hilarious.

Faith No More, “The Real Thing”

Yup.
--D

06/20 – 06/24:

2011-06-20T10:21:00.000-05:00

Kylesa, Spiral Shadow

The latest Kylesa album found them pushing in new directions while managing not to disappoint fans looking for more of their signature sound. Kind of a tightrope act, but they pulled it off with ease. Just see if this song, the album opener, doesn’t get your blood pumping.

Kylesa, “Tired Climb”

Bajofondo, Mar Dulce

The 2nd fantastic album by the collective lead by Oscar winning composer Gustavo Santaolalla Combining electronic music, more modern "dance" and pop, a core of tango, a slow ballad with Elvis Costello singing... you never know what they're gonna do.

Bajofondo, “Tuve Sol”

St. Vincent, Actor

I am pretty excited to hear the new album from St. Vincent later this year. For now, the dreamy, hypnotic soundscapes of her most recent album will have to tide me over.

St. Vincent, “Actor Out Of Work”

Baroness, Blue Record

I don’t know if Baroness has a new album coming out soon, but I hope so. In a category similar to Kyelsa in creating a complex, unique take on heavy music. Probably what you’d call a “thinking man’s metal band” if you were into labels like that.

Baroness, “Swollen And Halo”

Jimmy Smith, Root Down

The album that spawned the Beastie Boys song of the same name. It’s a live recording, and the performances are spectacular.

Jimmy Smith, “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R99VnAwZepM”

MF Doom is Viktor Vaughan, Vaudeville Villainy

Doom has never made it easy to follow him. For awhile it was a challenge to even find him, as he released albums as Viktor Vaughan, King Geedorah, as part of Monster Island Czars and as half of Madvillain and Dangerdoom. But for those willing to keep up, the rewards are plentiful. This might just be my favorite Doom album.

Viktor Vaughan, “Mr. Clean”

Skyzoo, The Great Debater mixtape

Skyzoo is a talented rapper and lyricist, but I’m afraid he’s been reading his own hype too much. His latest mixtape is an album-length victory lap. The question isn’t what each song will be about, but how each song will talk about how great he is. A woman with a terribly fake accent so she sounds more important discussing how important he is? Perhaps by entreating the listener to throw him a parade? Maybe by insinuating that you are very special if you’re one of the few people smart enough to even decipher his complex self-compliments? Maybe by telling a prospective mate how lucky she much she would appreciate having him in her life. Whatever the method, just know, no one loves Skyzoo more than Skyzoo. Ego and braggadocio are staples of hip hop, of course, but the way he presents it here is just too much for me. It’s a shame. I’ve never had a complaint about his work before. The song below is probably the best piece on the mixtape, which you can download here.

Skyzoo, “The Definitive Prayer”

Laws, Yesterday's Future mixtape

Laws, on the other hand, scores a homerun and wins the game with his latest mixtape, a Paul McCartney tribute/collaboration in the vein of projects like Rhymefest’s Man in the Mirror mixtape. Laws rhymes over McCartney samples, uses clever cuts to duet with McCartney and pays tribute to McCartney all at the same time, while still finding plenty of room for honest, introspective lyrics on a variety of topics. It’s a great record and it’s free! How can you lose?

Laws & Paul McCartney, “Dear Boy”

Rainer Maria, Long Knives Drawn

Probably my favorite album by the indie trio. Pretty no nonsense rock music that wears its heart on its sleeve.

Rainer Maria, “Ears Ring”

Yup.

--D

06/17:

2011-06-12T22:43:00.001-05:00

The Clash, Give 'Em Enough Rope

The second Clash album. I can never say if I like this one or the first one the best. But it’s definitely one of them. I know I’m supposed to like London Calling the best, but I like the no frills punk energy of the first two albums more than the serious social commentary and first steps into world music of the most famous album. Not that I don’t like London Calling, I certainly do, but I tend to gravitate toward the high energy stuff when given a choice in almost any case.

The Clash, “Cheapskates”

Eternia & MoSS, At Last

Eternia is white, female and Canadian, so the deck is stacked pretty heavily against her in the hip hop world, but she doesn’t seem to know it. She attacks every track with vigor and style, and more than holds her own alongside formidable guests like Termanology and Joell Ortiz (The latter being one of my favorite writers and performers in hip hop today, so to say she fits right in in a song with him is high praise from me). Eternia’s songs run the gamut from powerful and emotional to pure hip hop bravado, and it all sounds awesome. MoSS’s production is spectacular throughout.

Eternia & MoSS, “Good-bye”

Booker T. Jones, The Road From Memphis

The Booker T. of the mythic Booker T. & The MGs is back with his first album in years. When last we heard from him, he’d left his signature organ behind to do an album of electric guitar-based music, which was pretty surprising, but here he gloriously returns to his instrument and his first love, Memphis. The material on display here is varied and exciting, from original instrumental funk workouts to instrumental covers of popular songs (Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” and Lauryn Hill’s “Everything Is Everything”), and well as vocal songs with indie darlings Jim James of My Morning Jacket and Matt Berninger of The National, the inimitable voice of Sharon Jones, the legendary Lou Reed, and Jones himself even takes a turn at the mic. With The Roots for a backing band, this is a fantastic collection of talent, and they produce an album worthy of their abilities.

Booker T. Jones with Sharon Jones & Matt Berninger, “Representing Memphis”

Converge, Axe To Fall

Without fail, no matter how many times I hear it, when Axe To Fall’s opening track, “Dark Horse,” comes on the Kool Keith lyric, “Man, I could throw a 100,000 pound walrus through the wall!” always comes to mind. The unbridled fury and energy pouring out of the speakers on this album provides enough adrenaline to make it possible. Impossibly, this album (their 8th) feels even more insane and intense than the material that preceded it. It’s better than coffee.

Converge, “Dark Horse”

Slaughterhouse, Slaughterhouse EP

The hip hop supergroup comprised of Royce Da 5’9”, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz & Crooked I put out an EP early this year, a little primer before they sign to Shady. Good stuff.

Slaughterhouse, “Move On”

Amanda Diva, Madame Monochrome EP

The multi-talented Amanda Diva is back with her strongest body of work to date as a rapper & singer. You can download it on a “pay what you want” basis from this link.

Amanda Diva, “Catch Me”

Hail Mary Mallon, Are You Gonna Eat That?

Hail Mary Mallon is Aesop Rock, Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz. This is quite a record. Aes and Rob trade typically complex, engaging verses over some unique and inventive production. the three seem to inspire each other to keep upping the ante, and the album crackles with energy throughout.

Hail Mary Mallon, “Meter Feeder”

Das Racist, Unreleased, Rare & Remixed

An exhaustive, fan-made collection of... well, unreleased, rare & remixed songs by Das Racist, it’s right there in the title. Some of these have turned out to be some of my favorite songs by the group. A good thing to have on hand while waiting for the release of their first proper album, Relax. You can get it for free here.

Das Racist featuring Homeboy Sandman, “I’m Up On That”

In Flames, Colony

All told, probably my favorite album by the Gotheburg death metal stalwarts. A little more polished than their earliest work, without having gone completely off the rails like their later work.

In Flames, “Ordinary Story”

Yup.

--D

06/10:

2011-06-05T22:05:00.001-05:00

Noun, Holy Hell

Noun is the solo project of Marissa Paternoster, the singer/guitarist of Screaming Females. Noun and Screaming Females came into being around the same time, but the latter takes up most of her time, obviously. The songs of Noun vary dramatically in style and tone, from slow, dirge-y kind of songs to rockers that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Screaming Females album.

Noun, “Holy Hell”

Lush, Lovelife

I liked Lush alright in their 90s heyday, but came to realize how great they were much later, upon reflection. The bigger names in “alternative” may have been catching my ear at the time, but I listen to Lush a lot more frequently now than, say, Pearl Jam.

Lush, “Ladykillers”

The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street

The regulation version, rather than that fancy reissue that came out awhile back. I’d like to hear that, though. A dense album, it took a lot of listens to really appreciate. Maybe not as accessible as some of their other work, but it’s not regarded as one of their best if not the best for nothing.

The Rolling Stones, “Loving Cup”

The Bloodsugars, BQEP

One of many bands I stumbled across on eMusic one Tuesday evening. They have a fun, unpretentious rock’n’roll sound of a type that isn’t terribly common these days. The song below employs the familiar Motown drum fill, which always makes me smile.

The Bloodsugars, “Cinderella”

Solomon Burke, Don't Give Up On Me

The rare big comeback record from a classic artist that is absolutely fresh, vital, and exciting. Produced by Joe Henry and featuring songs written by Henry, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Brian Wilson, Van Morrison, Nick Lowe, and the below song written by Tom Waits, my personal favorite. Pairing Burke’s powerful voice and unmistakable style with some of the best songwriters of the 20th century made for a knock-out album. From the playful blues of Dylan’s “Stepchild” to the searing “None Of Us Are Free” with the Blind Boys of Alabama, every song is essential.

Solomon Burke, “Diamond In Your Mind”

Charley Patton, Founder of the Delta Blues

An NPR story about floods and music and Charley Patton made me put this on. All it takes to get me to listen to something is a good reference. Patton was a singular voice of early blues, one of the genre’s first celebrities and, as the title of this collection suggests, one of the founders of the Delta sound. His voice is captivating, filled with gravitas, and he tells his stories with passion and conviction. He was an innovator on the guitar, originating a lot of the techniques and tricks later performers would make common place, with a fiery performance style. Known for his songs about the great flood of the 1920s (which is why he came up in the NPR story), his music can be harrowing and tragic. Or, as below, it can be pretty silly.

Charley Patton, “Shake It And Break It”

Bob Dylan, Love & Theft

Hey, speaking of Bob Dylan... Love & Theft is my favorite of his recent work, and features a tribute to Charley Patton. Sometimes it’s all connected! The beginning of the “American troubadour” period he’s clearly still enjoying: recycling, repurposing and reinvigorating ancient folk music for a new era. It’s not unlike the way he and his contemporaries in the 60s folk scene worked, but where an early 60s Dylan song might’ve taken the tune of an Irish folk song and added new words, the songs he’s recorded in the 21st century are much more complex than that. Dylan blends so many references, lyrics, melodies and concepts from obscure tunes, you’d have to be a music scholar to catch it all, cobbling together new songs from the bones of the old. And it’s fun, mostly. I don’t think Dylan has ever sounded like he’s having as much as he has on the cycle of records that began with this one.

Bob Dylan, “Cry Awhile”

Clutch, Pure Rock Fury

Sometimes a band sees that they need to try a new direction and take drastic measures. For Clutch, that meant shelving the near-complete Slow Hole To China album in 2000 and beginning work on what would be their 5th album, Pure Rock Fury. They had gotten perhaps too comfortable with their sound (A notion supported by the tracks that saw later release on their rarities collection, also called Slow Hole to China), caught it, and challenged themselves to try some new things. This album featured a lot of new tricks, from taking advantage of stereo mixing like few bands have since the 70s to mixing live & studio recordings in a single track, but it also featured the band sounding completely revitalized, harder than they had been in awhile, and ready for action.

Clutch, “Pure Rock Fury”

Yup.

--D

06/03:

2011-06-03T22:07:00.001-05:00

Thao, Know Better Learn Faster

The greatness of Thao & Mirah’s record has me going back to their previous material. Thao’s second album is a bit more upbeat than her first, in spite of being more about sad times. That kind of contrast is always right up my alley.

Thao, “When We Swam”

UNKLE, Psyence Fiction

For a minute in the late 90s, when DJ Shadow was at the top of his game and techno music was inexplicably popular, he and Mo’Wax Records boss James Lavelle were UNKLE, a project that combined Shadow’s trademark atmospherics with a different musical approach and a diverse list of guest vocalists ranging from Kool G. Rap to Thom Yorke. Lavelle has soldiered on as UNKLE since, but it’s never the same without Shadow.

UNKLE, “Main Title Theme”

The Lonely Island, Turtleneck & Chain

It’s not as funny as the previous album, but it’s certainly got its moments. As with last time, a lot of memorable songs from SNL digital shorts mixed with songs that will probably become memorable digital shorts. Once again, I think my favorite song is one that’s a bit off kilter compared to the album as a whole, “Attracted To Us” with Beck (It was “Boombox” on Incredibad). Its less aggressive joke comes off as really effective amongst the more in-your-face songs.

The Lonely Island, “The Creep”

Okkervil River, I Am Very Far

A game changer for the band, I Am Very Far is a breath of fresh air I didn’t even know I wanted. I loved the sound on their previous two records immensely, but Okkervil River’s willingness to try drastically different new sounds here, and their success in doing so, is electrifying. Like all of their albums, it’s a powerful, moving, multi-layered experience, but the music has a brand-new bombast and grand new production that are appealing in a whole new way. A welcome surprise.

Okkervil River, “Wake And Be Fine”

El-P, Fantastic Damage

The best word for El-P’s first solo album is the best word for most everything he does: intense. Whether it’s his dense, 21st century Bomb Squad production, his complicated rhymes or his dead-serious delivery, El is not playing around. And yet his work contains moments of humor that don’t seem out of place or forced. It’s complicated, dark music, and yet somehow doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously. Being able to walk that tightrope has made El-P one of my favorite performers in hip hop.

El-P, “Deep Space 9mm”

Royal Bangs, Let It Beep

I liked Royal Bangs’ first album, We Breed Champions. It was here, on album #2, that I came to love Royal Bangs. These songs sound like a struggle between traditional instrumentation and fuzzed out technology, as squalling noise supports, enhances, and briefly seems ready to overpower the live instruments. But that tension is the key to the album’s power and appeal for me.

Royal Bangs, “War Bells”

Yup.

--D

05/27:

2011-05-22T22:27:00.000-05:00

Screaming Females, Castle Talk

Screaming Females opened for Ted Leo & The Pharmacists when I saw them in 2010. I had never heard of them. I left that venue a believer. I bought then most-recent album Power Move on site, hunted everything else down in the intervening weeks and was pretty excited when Castle Talk made its appearance later that year. It did not disappoint. Straight up rock music (all-too rare these days) by some great players, with the distinctive voice of singer/guitar Marissa Paternoster to seal the deal. Paternoster is also a dynamite guitar player, but wisely keeps her ability to play thrilling, tumultuous solos in check as a secret weapon rather than filling every moment. It’s a killer album by a great band that keeps getting better.

Screaming Females, “Wild”

Okkervil River, The Stand-Ins

Okkveril River’s two-album experience, The Stage Names and The Stand-Ins, is a wonderful thing. Will Sheff’s is the kind of layered, clever songwriting that ranks up there with some of my all-time favorites, and the performances are as varied as they are memorable.

Okkervil River, “Lost Coastlines”

Beastie Boys, Hot Sauce Committee, Part Two

Hey, I’m happy to say I like this. To the 5 Burroughs didn’t do much for me. The obsession with old school hip hop seemed a big misstep. Both because the Beasties had previously been characterized by their willingness to experiment and try new things, making a regression like that seem really weird, and also because it was so dependent on samples from better songs. The best part of every song was the sample from a song as much as 20 years old (Even the guitar riff from Dead Boys’ “Sonic Reducer” in “Open Letter To NYC”). This, tho’, is not that. This has a quirky new sound to it. While in a sense it’s still something of a look back, at least it’s a look back to more adventurous fare. They play their instruments again, there’s a punk song again, there’s an instrumental. And the production is interesting, sounding as if they may have jammed on their instruments and then chopped up the sessions and made beats out of them. However it was made, I found it much more engaging and interesting than its predecessor, and that’s good news.

Beastie Boys, “Make Some Noise”

Dredg, Chuckles & Mr. Squeezy

I really don’t know what this band is doing anymore. They’ve evolved considerably over the years, but I must admit I’m baffled by this latest incarnation. Working with Dan the Automator, they’ve issued a record based much more in instrumentation you wouldn’t expect, reigning in past guitar pyrotechnics in favor of the dreamy, atmospheric production that has always been on the edges of their work, but never the focus. And the title and lyrical content... Dredg is a band I would call “pretentious” (Their last record was called The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion, for cryin’ out loud), though not in a way I couldn’t enjoy. And now they have an album called Chuckles & Mr. Squeezy. I just don’t know what’s happening anymore. But, whatever it is, it’s not bad, really.

Dredg, “The Thought Of Losing You”

Clutch, The Elephant Riders

The essential 3rd album. Originally planned as a concept album about an alternate history US Civil War fought with zeppelins and elephants, the final album has no overriding concept, but a lot of the imagery remains.

Clutch, “The Soapmakers”

DJ Shadow, ...Endtroducing

Generally speaking, when this album appears on this list (As it has often in the past), it was late in the evening and I was trying to relax. This album was amazing when it came out and my estimation of it has only risen since. The atmosphere is spectacular. And unlike most people with the word “DJ” in their names in the late 90s, the music feels organic, moving and powerful.

DJ Shadow, “Building Steam With A Grain of Salt”

The National, High Violet

The follow-up to Boxer, one of my favorite albums of the last ten years for sure, is moodier and mopier. Lead single “Bloodbuzz Ohio” is the only song to really carry on the catchy-yet-low-key feel of that album. But High Violet has its own charms, with a more expansive sound and darker tone. Also: this video is incredible.

The National, “Conversation 16”

Yup.

--D

05/20:

2011-05-15T22:19:00.001-05:00

Of Montreal, Thecontrollersphere EP
On 2007’s Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, a typically impenetrable set of Kevin Barnes’ freaked out lyrics simply repeated “Skeletal lamping. The controllersphere. False priest. The controllersphere.” As the next two Of Montreal albums rolled out with the names Skeletal Lamping and False Priest, tho’, it still didn’t make sense, but at least it became interesting. And now here is Thecontrollersphere, just an EP this time, and yet its short running time offers more interesting twists and turns than either of the albums preceding it. Skeletal Lamping was too manic, song snippets instead of songs, while False Priest felt surprisingly complacent and formulaic for such a weird band. Thecontrollersphere is more akin to the adventurous, surprising, but still polished sound of Hissing Fauna..., and a welcome sign from a group that was wearing out its welcome.

Of Montreal, "L'age D'or"

Thao & Mirah, Thao & Mirah
From the first listen, this was in contention for my album of the year. Folk singers Thao & Mirah bring their very different approaches to a true collaboration, each bringing 5 songs to the table and working with the other to push them in directions they wouldn’t choose on their own. They are aided and abetted by Merril Garbus of the frustratingly-named tUnE-yArDs (Welcome to the internet circa 1999) as producer, who wrote album opener “Eleven” to finish the recording session. This is deeply infectuous music, bringing the skittery, energetic sound of Thao and the dreamy, intimate music of Mirah together together in an unlikely but engrossing set of songs (Garbus’ influence on the sound and in the percussion is so prevalent, powerful and welcome that the record should probably have been called Thao & Mirah & Merril.) Every track is a winner. Can’t recommend this album enough.

Thao & Mirah, "Teeth"

Bob Dylan, Desire
I mentioned it a few weeks ago, and that’s probably why I listened to it. Desire is such a rich album. It’s Dylan doing everything people love him for in a way not quite like anything he’d done to date. Social commentary, story-songs, honest autobiography, it’s all in there, in one of the most cohesive sets of songs the singer ever produced.

Bob Dylan, "Romance In Durango (Live)"

Electric Six, Switzerland

The spectacular 3rd album by the comedy rock group, and a surprisingly adventurous one. E6 are that rare breed of comical music wherein the music is serious and good but the lyrics happen to be funny. The joke goes a lot farther when the song is actually worth listening to.

Electric Six, "Infected Girls"

Beastie Boys, Ill Communication
I like the new record, but it’s hard not to miss the Beastie Boys that were trying all kinds of approaches to music and not obsessed with the 80s.

Beastie Boys, "Root Down"

Veil of Maya, The Common Man's Collapse

Second album by the metalcore band. Metalcore gets a bad rap, and a lot of the bands deserve it, but I think these guys are an exception. Metalcore is to metal what hip hop was to soul music. It’s all the cool breakdowns strung together. Which can make for songs that just sound like a bunch of parts, but I think Veil of Maya pull it off.

Veil of Maya, "It's Not Safe to Swim Today"

Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1

A go to feel-good record for me. It’s fun, funny, breezy music from a bunch of seasoned veterans. It just brights my day.

Traveling Wilburys, "Handle With Care"

Yup.

--D

05/09 -- 05/13.

2011-05-08T22:44:00.003-05:00

Frightened Rabbit, The Midnight Organ Fight
Still my favorite of their albums, in no small part because of the fantastic wordplay. I believe this is my favorite set of lyrics on the album, if not my favorite song as a whole.

Frightened Rabbit, "Good Arms vs. Bad Arms"

Bad Brains, Bad Brains
I Against I is considered the masterpiece, but I have to give it to the self-titled album. Pure, uncompromising energy, even in the reggae songs.

Bad Brains, "Attitude"

Now, Now, Neighbors EP
Now, Now (formerly Now, Now Every Children) is a band I randomly discovered browsing new releases one night and latched on to. From what I understand, they had some trouble with their former record label, but they reemerged last year with a fine EP of great new tunes. Their songs have wonderful atmosphere, vast and mysterious even as they perform a pretty great rock song.

Now, Now, "Giants"

Now, Now, Every Children, Cars
This came after the EP and I just let it run. Their first full-length, the material that got me hooked. They have two earlier, also cool EPs. The below video is for the EP version of my favorite song on this album. It's slightly different, but still great.

Now, Now, Every Children, "Friends With My Sister"

Mirah, (a)spera
The 2009 album is probably her most cohesive. It really maintains a tone and feeling, whether on slower songs or an up-tempo number like the one below. I've come to like it the most out of all the albums in her quality catalog. Every song is a winner, but I think this is my favorite.

Mirah, "Country of The Future"

Andrew WK, Mother of Mankind
Last year's truly bizarre collection of outtakes spanning Andrew WK's three albums is, unsurprisingly, a mixed bag. Some really insane, essential songs, some really not-so-good songs, and some obviously unfinished ideas. But when it's good... it's weird.

Andrew WK, “I'm A Vagabond”

Marvin Gaye, Trouble Man
Marvin's less-known entry to the even less-known film from the blaxploitation craze of the 70s, it's very interesting to hear the legendary singer's mostly instrumental compositions here. Even most of the vocals on the album are non-verbal, using his voice as an instrument instead of singing words (with two notable exceptions). Also, the hero of the movie was called Mr. T (no relation), which gives you the chance to chuckle as Marvin sings, “Don't mess with Mr. T!” near the end.

Marvin Gaye, "Trouble Man"

Beastie Boys, License to Ill
I was revisiting segments of their career in anticipation of the new album. Still goofy fun.

Beastie Boys, "It's The New Style"

Yup.

--D

Soundtrack for 05/02 -- 05/06.

2011-05-01T22:06:00.001-05:00

05/02 – 05/06:
Paper Tiger, Made Like Us

Paper Tiger, one of the producers for the unstoppable Doomtree collective, absolutely enthralled me on his full-length debut last year. Heavily reminiscent of DJ Shadow in his prime, the haunting soundscapes and dark ruminations he conjures here are fantastic.

Paper Tiger, "2nd Day Back"

Atmosphere, The Family Sign
The rare rap group that seems to be aging gracefully, Atmosphere are back with an album that builds on the developments of their last outing. Slug's skills as a storyteller have gotten sharper even as his subject matter has gotten more mature (and not in the movie rating way, in the real life way). The inclusion of live instrumentation by members of their touring band really gives the album a unified sound. Most of it is pretty dark, but there are points of light, like single "She's Enough," which is remarkable not only for being so much happier than most of the album, but for being a happy relationship song from the notoriously disgruntled Slug.

Atmosphere, "She's Enough"

PJ Harvey, To Bring You My Love
Ah, 1997. Or was it 1996? Not being too hip as a teenager, it was "Down By the Water" making it to radio & Mtv that first brought PJ to my attention. But I'm a quick study when it comes to music, and soon had all the back catalog. I love that every PJ Harvey record sounds different. I really respect her desire to continually try new things. But I'll always have a real soft spot for this one.

PJ Harvey, "Down By the Water"

Candiria, 300 Percent Density
The last album before their van accident which had the baffling side effect of making them go in a weird, radio-friendly direction (and then break up), 300 Percent Density is probably the apex of Candiria's career. Fully integrating their love of hardcore, jazz, hip hop, and electronic music, it's everything that made them great.

Candiria, "Without Water"

Fear Factory, Demanufacture
Still the best Fear Factory album. Still one of my go-to records when I need to get my energy up.

Fear Factory, "Zero Signal"

Meshuggah, Obzen
The most recent Meshuggah record is still amazing. It sounds like it was being played by a factory, so complex and precise is the music presented. A very angry factory.

Meshuggah, "Combustion"

Tom Jones, Reloaded
One of the very few hits packages in my record collection. I'm not sure I (or anybody?) needs a vast selection of Tom Jones, but you got to have the classics. "Delilah" has always made me chuckle. It's such a weird song, and a weird song to be sung by him, and he just went for it.

Tom Jones, "Delilah"

Yup.

--D

Soundtrack for 04/25 -- 04/29.

2011-04-24T22:11:00.008-05:00

04/25 – 04/29:

Head Automatica, Decadence
The deut record from Glassjaw frontman Daryl Palumbo's side project with Dan the Automator couldn't have been more different than the band that made him... well, somewhat famous, I guess. But there's certainly nothing wrong with that, as it remains a vital serving of super-catchy dance rock music.

Head Automatica, "Beating Heart Baby"

Skyzoo, Live From the Tape Deck

Last year's outing from Skyzoo, his 3rd official album not counting a slew of mixtapes (Is that line even worth drawing anymore?) is still most welcome on my iPod.

Skyzoo, "Speakers On Blast"

Bob Dylan, Bringing It All Back Home
If I absolutely had to pick a favorite Dylan album... I guess it'd be Blonde on Blonde. If I had to pick a second favorite, though... it might be Desire, actually. But if I had to pick a third, yeah man, Bringing It All Back Home. I think this is the first one I ever got when I first began getting into Dylan, but I was accumulating his stuff so quickly it's hard to remember.

Bob Dylan, "Subterranean Homesick Blues"

Gang Starr, Step Into the Arena
The legendary second album, the one where they truly found their sound and style. Wall-to-wall classics.

Gang Starr, "Check The Technique"

TV On the Radio, Nine Types of Light
I was very sad to learn of the death of TVOTR bassist Gerard Smith. TV on the Radio is still a relatively young band, but they've never made an album I didn't love, and it's a shame that he won't be a part of their continued evolution. Nine Types of Light wasn't what I expected on first listen, but it only took two listens for me to fall completely in love with it.

TV On the Radio, "Will Do"

Gojira, The Way of All Flesh
The French metal band stretched in a few new directions on this one, all to great success as far as I'm concerned, perhaps most drastically on the song below. Their concern and outrage over environmental issues has never been delivered so bluntly.

Gojira, "Toxic Garbage Island"

Protest the Hero, Scurrilous
The third album by the Canadian prog-metal group leans heavier on the prog side than they have to date, which is odd since it's also their first with no trace of a concept. It also features the first set of lyrics penned by singer Rody Walker. Not my favorite of their albums, but still plenty to like. The first three tracks are the best.

Protest the Hero, "C'est La Vie"

Pharoahe Monch, W.A.R.
I talked about this one last week, and "Clap" still seems to be the only song from this great album on youtube, so here's the extended concept video for it.

Pharoahe Monch, "Clap"

Amon Amarth, Surtur Rising
Also touched on last week, but this is a chance to post their hilarious cover of System of A Down's "Aerials," included like a bizarre punchline at the end of the album.

Amon Amarth, "Aerials"

Yup.

--D

Sountrack for 4/18 - 4/22.

2011-04-17T16:30:00.002-05:00

Pharoahe Monche, W.A.R. - We Are Renegades may just be Pharoahe Monch's finest album, a powerful collection of songs with engrossing lyrics, dynamic production and killer guest spots from the likes of Styles P, Phonte, Jean Grae, Royce da 5'9" and more. I believe this is my favorite hip hop record of the year so far.

Pharoahe Monche, "Clap"

Amon Amarth, Surtur Rising - Another fine offering of Norse myth-infused metal from the Norwegian heavyweights. This album is a natural progression from previous record Twilight Of the Thunder God in both style and subject matter. To my ear, they've been becoming more accessible recently, or as accessible as you can be in the mythological death metal biz, anyway, but unlike some people, I wouldn't call that a bad thing.

Amon Amarth, "War of the Gods"

Royal Bangs, Flux Outside - Royal Bangs offer up a 3rd helping of electrifying, hard-to-categorize music on "Flux Outside," their 3rd record. The band has really found their sound by now, and while I have trouble describing exactly what that is, I can't get enough of it.

Royal Bands, "Fireball"

(I normally try to keep it to the recorded versions, but their performance on Letterman was so perfect, it's at least as good as the record.)

King, The Story EP - This EP came highly recommended by Erykah Badu on Twitter, and she didn't steer me wrong. Short but sweet, it's laid back, dreamy atmosphere and lush production are hypnotic.

King, "The Story"

Those Darlins, Screws Get Loose - Those Darlins, whose last record memorably featured a song about getting drunk and eating a whole chicken, are back with a sloppy, goofy, fuzzed out rock'n'roll record full of songs like this:

Those Darlins, "Be Your Bro"

The Kills, Blood Pressures - I wondered what The Kills would sound like when Allison Mossheart finally took a break from playing around with The Dead Weather. The answer is different, but not "like the Dead Weather" different. And often extremely catchy in a way neither band had really tried before. It's an interesting new direction.

The Kills, "Satellite"

Ballzack, Yeah Indeed - New Orleans rapper Ballzack combined his usual silliness with slick bounce production in his third album. Ballzack and his cohort, Odoms, do that rare thing not unlike the Electric Six or Das Racist, where no matter how weird or silly the lyrics are, they're serious about it, and the music is not a joke. The effort is his strongest yet.

Ballzack, "A Rainbow In Marrero"

Odoms, Let Me Atom - Odoms' solo debut was more focused on a theme than the Ballzack records he previously featured on, and that theme is something obviously close to my heart: Goofy space-related stories.

Odoms, "Keeping Up With the Jetsons"

Doogie, Yeahbrahcadabrah - Doogie is a rapping puppet operated by Odoms, with music written by Odoms and Ballzack. Clearly, I was on a kick that night.

Doogie, "Yeahbrahcadabrah"

Yup.

--D

Hi!

2011-04-17T16:07:00.000-05:00

I decided to use this old blog I had lying around to write a little about the albums in each week's soundtrack list. Maybe I'll even have time to actually do this!