moimoi
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Post by moimoi on May 29, 2016 11:45:10 GMT -5
...for anyone who wants to post their thoughts and enlighten the public.
I do little album reviews for my fellow DJs at CHIRP (we're required to do one per month), so I'll be posting mine here. Other submissions are welcome in any format - whether it's something you submitted for a blog/zine or just your own writing exercise. I'm pretty sure what we share will be at least as good - probably far less irritating - than the music reviews at AVC.
My latest:
Holy Fuck (on air say “Holy F”) / Congrats / Last Gang, Innovative Leisure / 2016
Holy ‘Ef’ is back after a six-year hiatus sounding refreshed and not-at-all out of ideas despite spending half a decade on other bands and projects (Graham Walsh produced METZ, Viet Cong, and Alvvays; Brian Borcherdt played with the indie rock band Dusted). Chimes Broken (1) starts strong and sets down the hypnotic, dark-edged groove to follow with lead single Tom Tom (2). Neon Dad (5) is the most conventionally melodic and song-like track, with a summery chill-wave vibe that brings to mind early Neon Indian. House of Glass (6) gives you dissonant funk with a bit of cutting and scratching that would transition nicely from hip hop. Similarly, Sabbatics (7) would pair well with math rock or noise. RIYL: Underworld, Chemical Brothers, Crystal Castles, Clams Casino
Recommended: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
Radiation City / Synesthetica / Tender Loving Empire / 2016
Recorded amidst relationship strife between founding couple Lizzy Ellison (vocal, keyboard) and Cameron Spies (guitar) and lineup changes, Rad City’s third full-length starts with the surprisingly ebullient “Oil Show” (1), followed by the ELO stomp of “Juicy” (2). “Come and Go” (4) is like a charming space-age duet between Pet Sounds-era Brian Wilson and Lesley Gore. Lead single “Milky White” (5) is slight, in my opinion, and the sparkling production by John Vanderslice and Jeremy Sherrer (Modest Mouse, Gossip) is a bit overdone on some tracks, resulting in pleasant, but repetitive, filler. “Sugar Broom” (6) and “Separate” (7) evoke a sunnier Broadcast and the closer “Fancy Cherries” (9) is dream pop worthy of M83. In fact, the whole sound might be described as Beach House on anti-depressants.
RIYL: Call & Response, Stars, Dum Dum Girls, STRFKR, St. Vincent
Recommended: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9
Peter Hook & The Light / So This is Permanence / Tender Loving Empire / 2016
It's always interesting when an artist revisits their earlier work, having grown and evolved to bring new understanding to songs from a distinct time and place. On the 35th Anniversary of Ian Curtis’s suicide, Peter Hook and his band, The Light—featuring his son Jack Bates on bass and Hook himself on vocals—performed the entire Joy Division catalog at Christ Church, Macclesfield, where it all began. Naturally, there is a reverence to the performance, especially since Hooky's voice more closely resembles Ian Curtis than Bernard Sumner’s, but this sometimes veers too far into imitation. Given the wealth of strong material on this 3-disc set, I would stay away from iconic songs and focus on more unexpected interpretations and discoveries. The collection starts strong, with very good bass work from Hook’s son on Warsaw (disc 1, track 3) and a stirring Day of the Lords (disc 1, track 16). Happy Mondays vocalist Rowetta is featured on Insight (disc 1, track 18) and Atmosphere (disc 2, track 10). By Interzone (disc 2, track 2) Hook has warmed up and sounds like he’s having fun, with a spunky take on Isolation (disc 2, track 12) halfway between Joy Division and New Order and a ferocious Means to an End (disc 2, track 15) that seems directed at his former bandmates. Ceremony (disc 3, track 7) is explicitly “for Barney and Steve” and along with These Days (disc 3, track 4) it pinpoints the evolutionary transition between the two progenitors of timeless UK postpunk.
Recommended:
DISC 1 – 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 13, 16
DISC 2 – 2, 8, 9, 12, 15, 17
DISC 3 – 3, 4, 7
Ilhan Ersahin’s Istanbul Sessions / Istanbul Underground / Nublu / 2015
Known for his work with the trip-hop project Wax Poetic, Swedish-Turkish saxophonist Ilhan Ersahin has been fusing unique jazz sounds since the nineties at Nublu, his Lower East Side nightclub and record label of the same name. His latest project finds him backed by a trio of Turkish musicians on drums and bass, offering urbane, sophisticated acid jazz grooves that are also often sultry and downtempo. “Sariyer” (2) could come from the score of Austin Powers or the Pink Panther, while “Senin Icin Geldim” (6) is probably the sexiest track. The track “1981” (10) sounds like an instrumental version of an unknown new wave song and the contrapuntal rhythm of “Londres” (4) would make a nice compliment to post-rock like Tortoise or The Sea & Cake. The album’s closer, “Tarzanca” (11) is the most arabesque, with traditional drums (called kudüm and davul) accompanying the high tones of Ersahin’s sax, which sometimes mimic the zurna, a traditional middle-eastern brass instrument.
Recommended: 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11
FCC: clean
Fictionist / FICTIONIST / self-released / 2014
Provost, Utah-based Fictionist is a band on the bubble. Listening to these ten tracks from their third album, produced independently after being dropped by Atlantic, one wonders why they aren't all over commercial radio, alongside touring buddies Imagine Dragons and Neon Trees. Their sound, while extremely-radio friendly, is less grating than those bands and pretty much every track here would sound pleasant on a summer mix tape. Vocalist Stuart Maxfield has a pleasant tone somewhere between Peter Gabriel and Dan Rossen. The production is outstanding but some of the lyrics are a bit simple and it's nothing innovative, which might be what's holding them back. RIYL: Ra Ra Riot, Band of Horses
Recommended: 1, 2, 3, 6
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jun 18, 2016 1:29:07 GMT -5
Another one for an older release:
The One AM Radio / Heaven Is Attached By a Slender Thread / Dangerbird / 2011
On his fourth album, Hrishikesh Hirway’s One AM Radio project moves yet further from the ‘bedroom electronica’ of 2007’s This Too Will Pass and earlier releases toward a warmer, indie-pop sound. Recorded in Los Angeles, he is aided by three new bandmates and guest contributions from Daniel Hart (St. Vincent’s violinist) and label mate Baths on the final two tracks, Ticking Heart (10) and Weathering (The News) (11). Despite the presence of collaborators and the sunnier sound, Hirway sticks to his familiar themes of detachment and wistful longing, embodied by the line, “everybody bores me; everyone but you” (7). Hirway’s tremulous, breathy singing recalls Sam Prekop and bandmate Fontaine Cole contributes Postal Service-style vocals to In a City Without Seasons (4). The two keep ennui from setting in on Credible Threats (8) with “bum ba-dum” backing vocals and subtle strings. RIYL: Washed Out, The Postal Service, Stars, The Sea & Cake
Recommended Tracks: 1, 3, 4, 8
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jul 31, 2016 23:14:59 GMT -5
This is probably my favorite album to come out so far this year:
Jamila Woods / HEAVN / Closed Sessions / 2016
Best-known for guesting on Chance the Rapper’s “Sunday Candy” and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’s “White Privilege Pt. 2”, Jamila Woods is an edgy and introspective songstress in the vein of Erykah Badu or Lauryn Hill. And though her voice resembles the former, her politics are softer and her message is delivered with simple sincerity. Album opener “Bubbles” (1) is a good introduction to Woods’ sonic experimentation and subject matter, leading into “VERY BLK” (2), which applies a familiar school-yard chant to the topic of police brutality. Title track “HEAVN” (4) is a clever interpolation of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” showing the range of influences brought to the album by local producers including Kweku Collins and Saba. Similarly, “Breadcrumbs” (10) rides on top of a delightful Stereolab sample and showcases Donnie Trumpet, another guest from the SAVEMONEY crew. Lead single “Blk Girl Soldier” (7) is an empowering ‘banger’ that namechecks a litany of black female activists and “LSD” (6) is a heartfelt ode to our city with a guest verse by Chance the Rapper. This is an album that does Chicago proud and makes one proud to be a Chicagoan. Fun fact: Woods is the Associate Artistic Director of Young Chicago Authors, the non-profit organization behind the Louder Than a Bomb youth poetry slam festival.
Recommended tracks: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12 FCC: 9
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Sept 24, 2016 22:32:15 GMT -5
I do wish other people would start posting stuff...
Alexis Taylor / Piano / Moshi Moshi / 2016
Right from the title, Hot Chip frontman Alexis Taylor lets you know what to expect from his third solo album: slow piano ballads ideal for bedsitting and contemplating loss (the album was partially inspired by the suicide of a close friend, violinist Vince Sipprell, and references the breakup of Taylor's parents). Like Neil Tennant, Taylor's tenor voice is usually employed to bring depth and intelligence to the dancefloor. Here, his unadorned crooning conjures the trembling vulnerability of Roy Orbison. The single "I'm Ready" (1) sets the tone with lyrics like "Nothing to protect me / No one to defend me / I have always been / Just prepared." 'Deliberate' best describes Taylor's approach, whether he is reworking a Hot Chip track--the better-than-the original "So Much Farther to Go" (2)--or covering Crystal Gayle (8). "Repair Man" is a swaying torch song and "Just for a Little While" is the saddest, most affecting track, given that it was penned by the deceased's brother for him to perform.
Recommended: 1, 2, 7, 8, 10
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Oct 2, 2016 20:10:57 GMT -5
Fudge / Lady Parts / Lex / 2016
Fudge is a dense, but tasty collaboration between affable oddball emcee Michael Christmas and Prefuse 73 (born Guillermo Scott Herren), the willfully obscure hip hop DJ/producer more likely to pop up on productions for Erlend Øye and Daedelus than his ‘dirty south’ contemporaries. Christmas covers a lot of ground lyrically – from Saturday funtimes (6) to kids killing kids (5) – while Herren creates constantly shifting and sometimes impenetrable soundscapes behind him. The result is a heavy, overstuffed record, thankfully portioned out in small chunks for radio airplay. “These Saturdays” (6) name-checks Kanye while borrowing his Autotune for one of the catchier tracks on the album, and “In My Shoes” (4) has a pretty hook sung by Alex Mali. Southern rapper D.R.A.M. brings vocals to “All Points South” (7). RIYL: Madvillain, Dr. Octagon, Flying Lotus, Shabazz Palaces
Recommended: 2, 4, 6, 11, 12, 13, 15
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Oct 17, 2016 17:33:03 GMT -5
Lee Fields & the Expressions / Special Night / Big Crown / 2016
I’d say Lee Fields was the second coming of Bobby Womack or Otis Redding, but in fact, they are his contemporaries. A soul veteran with nearly 50 years recording and performing, Lee Fields is backed on his fifth full-length release by impeccable production and tight grooves from the Expressions—young musicians who have clearly done their homework and love the genre. Like with a lot of soul music, the themes are not terribly complex: longing, loss, love and happiness. But Fields’ voice brings a special warmth and magic to the material. This is the kind of album that if you like one song, you’ll like all of them, but that’s not to imply that any of it is monotonous or unoriginal. Each track feels like a lost classic, in particular: “Special Night pt. 1 & 2” which sets the mood for a scorching night of drama and passion, “Never Be Another You” (4) an instantly endearing track with a slightly warped beat that hip hop DJs are sure to covet, the yearning and insistent “Lover Man” (5) and “How I Like It”, which has an upbeat swagger reminiscent of Earth, Wind, and Fire or Sly and the Family Stone that will brighten any set.
RIYL: Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Daptone Records, Windy City Soul Club or other ‘rare groove’ nights
Recommended: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10
FCC: Clean
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Nov 7, 2016 18:59:05 GMT -5
Motorama / Dialogues / Talitres / 2016
Described by a French magazine as “Stakhanovites of the cold wave", Motorama hail from the Russian port city of Rostov-on-Don, a temperate area that belies that icy, saturnine image. Similarly, Motorama’s fourth album offers tantalizing moments of respite from darkness and gloom, like a sunny 65-degree day in November. Guitarist and vocalist Vladislav Parshin has a gentle delivery that wavers off key in a way that indie pop fans will find endearing. Angular guitar hooks and dreamy synths abound on tracks like “Loneliness” (4) and the lush, insistent “Above the Clouds” (5). The band’s indebtedness to postpunk of the jangly Postcard variety is evident on “I See You” (6) and “Deep” (7) sounds like a softened Interpol. Still, with fresh melodies and unfussy production, the album never sounds dated. A solid collection from a part of the world to which we should pay more attention. RIYL: The Radio Dept., Wild Nothing, Ducktails Recommended: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2016 23:00:47 GMT -5
The Weeknd / Starboy
Meh. Unless you wanted to listen to a rich guy cry about how depressing his life actually is there's not much else to offer here beyond generic sounding "arty" R&B. His last album was much better.
Also True Colors samples "Pale Shelter" by Tears For Fears, and has its chorus taken from "Talking In Your Sleep" by The Romantics... so that's something.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Nov 26, 2016 0:42:00 GMT -5
The Weeknd / Starboy Meh. Unless you wanted to listen to a rich guy cry about how depressing his life actually is there's not much else to offer here beyond generic sounding "arty" R&B. His last album was much better. Also True Colors samples "Pale Shelter" by Tears For Fears, and has its chorus taken from "Talking In Your Sleep" by The Romantics... so that's something. Welcome! Based on the sampling of tracks I heard, including "Secrets", I think your assessment is probably spot-on. It sounds kind of like Miguel's last album, which was solid but got barely any radio airplay.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2016 5:22:15 GMT -5
Childish Gambino / "Awaken, My Love!"
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2016 10:35:53 GMT -5
In all seriousness, pretty good album. Not 10/10 perfect in my opinion but there's some definite personality on display here and it really blows the rest of Glover's discography out of the water. Maybe he should stick to singing in the near future. He's got some good Bruno Mars-esque range. Speaking of Bruno Mars, this album is basically Uptown Funk (the album) if Mark Ronson were remotely competent and had a level of respect for what he was homage-ing.
"Me and Your Mama" "Redbone" "Terrified" "Boogieman" and "Riot" are some of the best singles of the year, so definitely give them a listen.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Dec 6, 2016 23:40:08 GMT -5
Tahiti 80 / Fosbury / Atmosphériques / 2005
Fans of pop music know better than to expect great innovation or introspection from artists for whom English is a second language. Still, I am sorry to report that Tahiti 80's third album fails to exceed those low expectations. The purveyors of retro soulful French indie pop (not named Phoenix) pretty much pick up where they left off on 2003's Wallpaper for the Soul with "Big Day" (1). The single "Changes" (2) is catchy enough, but suffers from clumsy lyrics such as "feels like you were slapped by a big hand in the face". More egregiously, "Here Comes" (3) is strangely reminiscent of the 2003 Neptunes-produced Snoop Dogg single "Beautiful". From there, boredom sets in, despite the crisp production and musicianship. "Your Love Shines" (8) is an overdone duet and the cover of "So Happy Together" is too on-the-nose for a band with such clear AM pop influences. Still, their cover of the Chi-Lites "Give It Away" (14) is charming and "Fallen Down" (16), a cover of Epic Soundtracks (the lead singer of Swell Maps) is arguably the strongest track--transforming a jangly piano ballad with touches of noise/drone into a gorgeous, polished pop song.
Recommended: 6, 9, 11, 14, 16
BROOKZILL! / Throwback to the Future / Tommy Boy / 2016
Ten years ago, legendary hip hop DJ/producer Prince Paul traveled to Brazil, where he met an MC known as Gorila Urbano and started collaborating. Bringing fellow De La Soul producer Don Newkirk into the fold, the final piece of this transcontinental hip hop collective fell into place with the addition of Digible Planet’s Ladybug Mecca, daughter of Brazilian jazz musicians. The resulting work is indeed a throwback in many respects, to different genres (hip hop, soul, jazz, tropicalia) in different eras. The first half of the album reminds one, for better or worse, of the early 00s acid jazz and lounge revival led by acts like Bebel Gilberto and Thievery Corporation. Things take a turn with “Mad Dog in Yoruba” (7) an Os-Mutantes-meets-Fela-Kuti funk exercise, followed by the instrumental “Brookzill! Suite” (8). From there, the album settles into a slightly familiar groove, closing strong with “Let’s Go (E Noiz)!” (12) the saucy Brazilian cousin to Missy Elliot’s “Get Ya Freak On”. On that and other tracks, Ladybug Mecca provides the smoothest flow, despite notable contributions from Del Tha Funky Homosapien and Kid Koala, among others. RIYL: Gorillaz, Handsome Boy Modeling School
Recommended: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Dec 8, 2016 14:14:17 GMT -5
We're now in the midst of adding "overlooked" releases to rotation, which means I'm doing a slew of reviews for stuff I want to get in. Here's two:
MONO / Requiem for Hell / Double Denim / 2016
Japanese post rock about death. Need I say more? The five instrumentals on their ninth studio release, produced by longtime collaborator Steve Albini, are probably best described in terms of shape and direction: “Death and Rebirth” (1) starts with stillness before building into a shoegazey vortex and terminating in a wall of fuzzed-out chords and distortion (fade out during the last :30). “Stellar” (2) takes a while to get going and conjures a desolate, wintery scene with piano and strings. The band tune their guitars to “Pixies” on the title track (3), which spends the first five minutes establishing a solid indie riff before launching into a fully panicked instrumental. This then takes a breather at 9:00 (where one might fade out) before a haunting build-up to the final six minutes of repetitive, grinding noise. The following track, “Ely’s Heartbeat” (4) is probably among the band’s most hopeful, opening with beautiful dronescapes set against a simple piano refrain and featuring the real sound of a child’s heart. The album’s closer “The Last Scene” (5) would fit comfortably next to early shoegaze or goth, with washes of synth and strings to accompany floating down the River Styx to the afterlife.
Recommended: 1, 3 (first half), 4, 5
Kero Kero Bonito / Bonito Generation / Temporary Residence / 2016
If you have a distaste for sugary electro-pop confections, stay far far away from Kero Kero Bonito, an Anglo-Japanese trio that give Katy Perry and Carly Rae Jepson a run for their money. Pretty much every track on their sophomore album is sunny, upbeat, and a bit juvenile, with vocalist Sarah Midori Perry (no relation) singing and rapping half in Japanese and half in English. Composed mostly on a Casio SA-45 mini keyboard with sophisticated production and hipster reference points (PC music, J-pop, vaporwave), this is no ‘guilty pleasure’, but rather the sound you’re likely to hear more of once commercial radio tires of trop house and trap music. “Heard a Song” (2) and “Trampoline” (10) are joyous singles, “Big City” (5) is the theme music to a forgotten 90s sim game, and “Lipslap” (7) would fit nicely with some local old school acid house. RIYL: Chvrches, La Roux, J-Pop, PC Music
Recommended: 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11
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Post by Deleted on Dec 8, 2016 14:22:15 GMT -5
Kero Kero Bonito / Bonito Generation / Temporary Residence / 2016
If you have a distaste for sugary electro-pop confections, stay far far away from Kero Kero Bonito, an Anglo-Japanese trio that give Katy Perry and Carly Rae Jepson a run for their money. Pretty much every track on their sophomore album is sunny, upbeat, and a bit juvenile, with vocalist Sarah Midori Perry (no relation) singing and rapping half in Japanese and half in English. Composed mostly on a Casio SA-45 mini keyboard with sophisticated production and hipster reference points (PC music, J-pop, vaporwave), this is no ‘guilty pleasure’, but rather the sound you’re likely to hear more of once commercial radio tires of trop house and trap music. “Heard a Song” (2) and “Trampoline” (10) are joyous singles, “Big City” (5) is the theme music to a forgotten 90s sim game, and “Lipslap” (7) would fit nicely with some local old school acid house. RIYL: Chvrches, La Roux, J-Pop, PC Music Recommended: 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11 Cutest album of the year.
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Dec 28, 2016 23:13:54 GMT -5
Ensemble Dal Niente & Deerhoof / Balter - Saunier / New Amsterdam / 2016
This collaboration between one of Chicago’s most promising modern classical ensembles and the cutting edge indie noise band began with a 2012 concert at the Pritzker Pavilion, where the Ensemble shared a bill with the band and performed an arrangement of their “Eaguru Guru”. The following year, the artists shared a stage at the Ecstatic Music Festival in New York, where they developed much of this album. The first seven tracks are movements of Brazilian composer Balter’s Meltdown Upshot: “Parallel Spaces” (2) picks up a phrase established in the opening “Credo” with vocals layered over a distant backbeat and hypnotic strings. “Ready” (3) features funky drumming, fluegelhorn, and guitars that sound like Stereolab falling down a flight of stairs. “True/False” (4) is a busy little knot of intricate strings and keys. “Home” (5) is more straight-ahead jazz and “Pois Que Nada Que Dure, ou Que Durando…” (8), featuring soprano Amanda DeBoer Bartlett, is subtly transfixing (though it may try the patience of radio listeners). “Cherubim” (6) has unexpected menace, with incessant tapping and free jazz elements that build into a monster chorus. The final track, Deerhoof Chamber Variations reinterprets the work of the band’s drummer Greg Saunier and has breaks at 3:33, 4:55, 6:45, 8:20, 10:48, 12:00, 15:40, 17:10 and 18:30.
Recommended: 2, 3, 5, 6
FCC: clean
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Dec 30, 2016 22:35:15 GMT -5
Band of Horses / Why Are You OK? / Interscope / 2016
Ben Bridwell and his band’s fifth release, produced by Jason Lytle of Grandaddy, is a warm and inviting affair – an album to cuddle up with. Inspired by fatherhood, the album starts off low key, as Bridwell sings “home is where the heart is; home is where you are” with maximum indie earnestness on “Dull Times / The Moon” (1). “Casual Party” (4) and “In A Drawer” (5) are upbeat singles with fuzzed out guitars and a cameo by J. Mascis on the latter. “Lying Under Oak” (7) is introspective, followed by the country/bluegrass stomper “Throw My Mess” (8). “Wherever, Whenever” (9) is another gorgeous, swoon-worthy ballad in the bands arsenal of killer slow jams. The back end of the album slows down with the easy Laurel Canyon harmonies of “Country Teen” (10).
Recommended: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10
Cat’s Eyes / Treasure House / Polydor / 2016
Chamber pop is a genre so anachronistic that it never really goes out of style. With Cat’s Eyes, Horrors frontman Faris Badwan and Canadian singer/multi-instrumentalist Rachel Zeffira team up to do it right. After a short prologue, “Drag” (2) sets the scene for a Spector-level ‘teenage symphony’ with ye-ye vocals over lush orchestration. On “Chameleon Queen” (3) Badwan does his best Serge Gainsbourg while Zeffira provides impressive operatic backing vocals. “Be Careful Where You Park Your Car” (4) is a sassy girl group number about a jilted girlfriend with surf guitars and retro spacey keyboards. Badwan’s postpunk side starts to peak through on “Standoff” - which is a bit jarring - but “Everything Moves Toward the Sun” (6) strikes a better balance between old and new, with ambient textures juxtaposed against subtle strings. “We’ll Be Waiting” (9) settles into an elegiac, pastoral groove that would sound nice with 60s British folk, psychedelia, or neo-psychedelia like Echo & the Bunnymen or The Jesus & Mary Chain. “Names on Mountains” (10) sounds like the ghost of Broadcast’s Trish Keenan recording with Broken Social Scene, produced by the ghost of Joe Meek. Beautiful, cinematic, and fatalistic. RIYL: Broadcast, early Belle & Sebastian, The Divine Comedy
Recommended: 2, 4, 6, 9, 10
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jan 3, 2017 21:31:56 GMT -5
M.I.A. / A.I.M. / Interscope / 2016
When an artist’s career is defined by provocation and boundary-pushing, it’s hard not to be disappointed when they play it safe. A.I.M. is in many ways a return to form for M.I.A, with longtime collaborators like Blaqstarr and Diplo intentionally rehashing earlier hits and lyrics that leave the impression that Ms. Maya may be running out of things to say. “Borders” exemplifies this laziness, with a “what’s up with that” refrain that is hardly incisive socio-political commentary. Lead single “Go Off” (2) is at least hooky, with dubby production by Skrillex that also works on the thumping, swaggering “A.M.P” (8). An observational portrait of hard-working ‘Ali’s and love among refugees, “Ali R U OK” (9) is the strongest and most original track. In contrast, “Visa” (10) features direct callbacks to some of M.I.A’s best tracks, including “Galang” and “Bamboo Banga”. Later songs have a touch of Nicki Minaj’s pop sensibility, of which the much-hyped Diplo remix of “Bird Song” (13) is the most successful by turning the most grating track on the album into something funky and danceable.
Recommended: 2, 8, 9 10, 13
FCC: 1, 4, 5, 6, 11, 15, 16
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Post by Roy Batty's Pet Dove on Jan 10, 2017 16:42:32 GMT -5
M.I.A. / A.I.M. / Interscope / 2016
When an artist’s career is defined by provocation and boundary-pushing, it’s hard not to be disappointed when they play it safe. A.I.M. is in many ways a return to form for M.I.A, with longtime collaborators like Blaqstarr and Diplo intentionally rehashing earlier hits and lyrics that leave the impression that Ms. Maya may be running out of things to say. “Borders” exemplifies this laziness, with a “what’s up with that” refrain that is hardly incisive socio-political commentary. Lead single “Go Off” (2) is at least hooky, with dubby production by Skrillex that also works on the thumping, swaggering “A.M.P” (8). An observational portrait of hard-working ‘Ali’s and love among refugees, “Ali R U OK” (9) is the strongest and most original track. In contrast, “Visa” (10) features direct callbacks to some of M.I.A’s best tracks, including “Galang” and “Bamboo Banga”. Later songs have a touch of Nicki Minaj’s pop sensibility, of which the much-hyped Diplo remix of “Bird Song” (13) is the most successful by turning the most grating track on the album into something funky and danceable. Recommended: 2, 8, 9 10, 13 FCC: 1, 4, 5, 6, 11, 15, 16 Maybe "Borders" wasn't meant as socio-political commentary at all, and M.I.A. meant "What's up with that?" as like the punchline to a hacky 90s Jerry Seinfeld-style stand-up joke, and the song was the first step into her making the transition from being a rapper to being a stand-up comedian. On the other hand, if this were true, "Borders" makes for an even lazier stand-up set than it does socio-political commentary.
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Post by ganews on Jan 11, 2017 10:07:18 GMT -5
Bogus Flow Cassette: Beck rarities From Whiskeyclone.net: "In early 2017, Steve Hanft ripped and put up a short old tape on Youtube. It consisted of some duets he did with Beck, as well as some Liquor Cabinet songs (a band they were both in). The picture of the tape is labeled "Bogusflow" and dated December 1993." Hanft also put up some of these songs in a Youtube in 2007 and they were taken down, so this may well be for a limited time. "Feel the Bunny" - Oh yeah, it's early Beck weirdness time! Falsetto. Noodling. Not much else to it. "Bologna" - The guitar riff brings to mind "Gamma Ray" from 15 years later, unrelated I'm sure. This is a duet with a full band. Familiar falsetto crooning. A little freakout ending. "Slimy Jazz" - Bluesy guitar dueling and a coughing fit "Time to Rock" - Reminiscent of "See Water" and other early high/low duets. It's an OK little song. "United Whiskey Man" - The strongest Beck vocals yet. Bluesy strumming and singing. This may be the first-ever appearance of the phrase "stolen wife" familiar from "Sissyneck"! "Metal Star" - Metal screams of "they all died!" The chords sound like the verse intros on "Nitemare Hippie Girl". Not bad. "Slimy" - Outsider bluesy picking. Beck is barely there for harmony. "Mile High" - This was a Liquor Cabinet single, and I don't think Beck is actually on this track. It's not bad though. "Moved to the Underground" - Ha ha, you can't have early Beck without a voice recorder! That's Steve's voice. The instrumental ditty afterward is OK. "Razario" - Another Liquor Cabinet single that Beck is probably not playing on. It's washy and OK. "Smear the Sauce" - This one is as quick as it gets, and Beck has one line. Same sentiment as "Soul Suckin Jerk" and similar. "Bringin it Back" - Sweet, pedal steel guitar! This is a pleasant little country song. Summary: Beck is only in the foreground for a few of these songs, and none of them are really essential early songs like "Heartland Feeling". But like much early and live Beck, yo ucan hear words and phrases that got incorporated into great songs later, and that's always fun. Best stuff: "United Whiskey Man", "Bringin it Back", "Time to Rock", "Metal Star"
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jan 30, 2017 0:15:16 GMT -5
Cosmic Son / Live & Loose EP / Whistler / 2017
For years, Jeremiah Chiu contributed to the local scene as a keyboardist with acts like Axis:SoVa and Bitchin’ Bajas. As a solo artist now based in LA, Chiu blends icy synth with the warm analog vibes of chillwave. The first track, “Untitled” (1) employs the mellotron tones of early Chemical Brothers, while “Keep It Casual” (2) gives us minimalist robo-funk, with the “Rockit” mannequins on drums and Johnny Five on bass. The alternately buzzing/burbling keys and processed vocals on “Faces” and “Bug” are interesting, but less cohesive. Finally, “Dust Wind” (5) is a lost track from the soundtrack to your favorite 80s action comedy – very “Axel F”. RIYL: Cliff Martinez, Neon Indian, 90s IDM
Recommended: 1, 2, 5 FCC: clean
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Feb 19, 2017 14:01:41 GMT -5
Ariel Pink & Weyes Blood / Myths 002 EP / Flora / 2017
This second entry from Mexican Summer’s Marfa Myths festival answers what would have happened if Judy Collins and Lee Hazelwood spent the 80s holed up in an Echo Park apartment doing PCP and bad acid, only to emerge with a Roland TR-808 for a tour of church basements throughout the Southwest. Lo-fi genius/weirdo Ariel Pink and emerging singer/songwriter Weyes Blood first collaborated on Pink’s “Early Birds of Babylon” and here they bring their taste for strange atmospherics to four unique compositions: “Tears on Fire” (1) is a parody of hippie folk with stabs of prog metal, “Daddy Please Give a Little Time to Me” is a twisted hymn, “Morning After” sways hypnotically, and “On Another Day” (4) wraps things up with a relatively conventional duet that kind of sounds like an American take on the Psychedelic Furs.
Recommended: 1, 3, 4
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Mar 3, 2017 1:16:43 GMT -5
Thundercat / Drunk / Brainfeeder / 2017
On his third solo full-length album, Thundercat (aka Stephen Bruner) applies his multi-instrumental talents to tackle grief in an unexpected way: through really smooth music. Yacht rock, jazz funk, and smooth R&B make up the retro sonic palette for these 23 sketches of modern disaffection. In a falsetto reminiscent of Earth Wind & Fire’s Phillip Bailey, “Captain Stupido” (2) lays out Bruner’s mindset among layers of casio programming and jazz instrumentation. “Uh-huh” (3) continues with the fast and feverish bass work for which Bruner is known. The single “Bus In These Streets” (4) could be a lost Steely Dan track and he brings out none other than Michael McDonald AND Kenny Loggins for “Show You the Way” (9), a yacht rock jam that sounds exactly like you’d hope/expect. Some more contemporary collaborators include Kendrick Lamar (10), Wiz Khalifa (17), Kamasi Washington (15), and Pharrell Williams (22), all of whom compliment the production by Flying Lotus. Some of the most fun lyrics are on “Tokyo” (12) and “A Fan’s Mail Tron Song Suite II” (5), the latter of which features real purring and meowing from the Thundercat.
Recommended: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 22
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Apr 10, 2017 0:21:44 GMT -5
The Octopus Project / Memory Mirror / Robot High School / 2017
The Austin, TX based Octopus Project are a warmer, more organic take on the cerebral electronica of Stereolab or M83. On their sixth full-length release, produced in collaboration with Flaming Lips mastermind Dave Fridmann, interesting sound collages and experiments coalesce into straightforward songs – most of them with lyrics! “Small Hundred” (7) has a nineties rave feel to it, but the motorik-paced instrumental “Understanding Fruit” (6) or “Wrong Gong” (3) are more illustrative of their sound. RIYL: krautrock, Sufjan Steven’s weirder stuff
Recommended: 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10 FCC: clean
Teen Daze / Themes for a Dying Earth / Flora / 2017
Dream pop is one of the most over-used signifiers in writing about music today, but it nicely describes the gossamer thin, airy soundscapes on Teen Daze’s latest nature-inspired effort. Jamison Isaak provides breathless vocals alongside female vocalists on “Cycle” (1), which might remind one of Telepopmusik or Au Revoir Simone. After the pleasant ambient textures of “Dream City” (2), “Lost” (4) kicks things up with some unexpected snares, marimba, and tambourine. The tone remains wistful and weightless – at times lifeless - throughout. RIYL: Air, Vangelis, Washed Out
Recommended: 1, 4, 5, 7
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jun 4, 2017 21:10:05 GMT -5
Cigarettes After Sex / Cigarettes After Sex / Partisan / 2017
Don’t get me wrong; these songs are transfixing. Still, I wonder if this Brooklyn-by-way-of-El Paso four-piece would garner as much attention if not for the gorgeously androgynous vocals of lead singer Greg Gonzalez. The rest we’ve heard before: 60s chanteuse melancholy, 80s dream pop atmospherics, slowcore jangle. The entire album is mid-tempo or slower with “K.” (1), “Apocalypse” (4) and “Truly” (8) as standouts. A well-crafted album designed for nodding off to a Lynchian dreamland. RIYL: Cowboy Junkies, Mazzy Star, Lana Del Rey, Beach House, et al.
Recommended: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Jun 19, 2017 23:49:26 GMT -5
Amber Mark / 3:33am / PMR/Interscope / 2017
Is Amber Mark the millennial Sade? Her smooth, intimate vocals invite the comparison, in addition to her jet-set upbringing in Miami, Berlin, Goa, and New York City. However, you'd be loathe to describe her hypnotic, world-weary soul as easy listening. The album opens with "Regret", a simple, swirling ballad in which she addresses her mother's recent passing. Singles "Lose My Cool" (2) and "Way Back" (7) have their DNA in 90s house music (can't wait to hear the remixes) and the minimal "S P A C E" features fresh global sounds that set Ms. Mark apart from other young songstresses like Grimes and FKA Twigs. If her sparse, introspective solo work doesn't catch on, she has a long career ahead of her providing vocals for house/techno bangers. If you don't believe me, just check out her contribution to DJDS "Trees on Fire".
Recommended: 1, 2, 3, 7
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Aug 2, 2017 23:32:09 GMT -5
Miami Horror / The Shapes EP / self-released
Sure, at this point, everybody has mined 80's new wave -- particularly the Talking Heads' dance-funk-art-rock -- but that doesn't mean there are no gems left to uncover. It's been two years since we last heard from Miami Horror, one of Australia's premier party bands (and that's saying something for a continent that's also home to the Avalanches and Cut Copy). With this EP, the group manages to stay on the crest of new-new-wave with a handful well-crafted and well-produced summer jams. Lead single "Leila" (3) is reminiscent of the Orange Juice classic "Rip It Up & Start Again". "Azimba" (4) features impressive poly-rhythms and intricate arrangements.
Recommended tracks: 1, 3, 4
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Sept 25, 2017 22:57:40 GMT -5
The Horrors / V / Wolf Tone / 2017
It's not easy becoming The Next Great British Rock Band, but with their fifth release - produced by Paul Epworth (Adele, Bloc Party, new Stone Roses) - garage goths The Horrors put in a strong bid. The sound is mercurial and expansive, with touches of drone, psychedelia, and synth pop mixed into a dark, bewitching brew. "Hologram" (1) starts off swampy and rave-y, with a great squall of a guitar solo. Around "Point of No Reply" (5), things become more upbeat, reaching a dazzling crescendo in "World Below" (8) and the dance single, "Something to Remember Me By" (10). "Weighed Down" (6) fondly recalls U2 and "Machine" stomps like a lost Suede single. Fans of the UK postpunk canon will be pleased.
Recommended Tracks: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Oct 31, 2017 0:54:36 GMT -5
King Krule / The Ooz / True Panther Sounds / 2017
Looking and sounding like he just crept out of some culvert, South Londoner Archy Marshall (aka King Krule, Zoo Kid, et al.) may be his generation's answer to distinctive singer/songwriters like Nick Cave and Tom Waits. With touches of cool jazz, trip hop, and lo-fi garage rock (you read that right), Marshall's third full-length release is a 3am subterranean journey to the heart of loneliness - a bona fide breakup record. "Logos" (6), "Czech One" (11), and "La Lune" (19) are a few of the smoother entry points to this moody collection of song fragments and spoken interludes. Marshall sings like a drowning man or a zombified Bryan Ferry (8), and with the exception of "Dum Surfer" (3), Emergency Blimp (10), and Half Man, Half Shark (15), this is a relentlessly downbeat record. Still, it shows remarkable maturity for the 23-year old artist and promises a challenging, original, new voice in the UK indie scene.
RIYL: Massive Attack, Noonday Underground, Edwyn Collins, Amy Winehouse, Leonard Cohen at his most noir
Recommended: 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 15, 19 fade out in last :20
FCC: 1
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moimoi
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Post by moimoi on Dec 23, 2017 1:41:43 GMT -5
Oddisee / The Iceberg / Mello Music Group / 2017
Released one month after Trump’s inauguration, this album by prolific, DC-based rapper and producer Oddisee embodies the tensions of our era: between conscious hip hop and trap hedonism; between live instrumentation and sampling; and most importantly, between disillusionment with white America felt by many minorities and desire to find common ground. With a Sudanese father and African American mother, Oddisee (aka Amir Mohamed) is in a unique position to explore these dynamics on finely detailed tracks like “You Grew Up” (5) and “NNGE” (6). From the outset “Digging Deep” (1) sets you up to expect the unexpected, as his dense, backpack cyphers are punctuated by jammy funk. “Things” (2) flirts with house music and other tracks have touches of Go-Go and soul. Oddisee’s innovative productions also include tracks for Joey Badass and Homeboy Sandman. RIYL: the aforementioned artists, Chance the Rapper, the Native Tongue collective
Recommended: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 12 FCC: CLEAN
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Post by Lord Lucan on Dec 27, 2017 23:40:36 GMT -5
Oddisee / The Iceberg / Mello Music Group / 2017Released one month after Trump’s inauguration, this album by prolific, DC-based rapper and producer Oddisee embodies the tensions of our era: between conscious hip hop and trap hedonism; between live instrumentation and sampling; and most importantly, between disillusionment with white America felt by many minorities and desire to find common ground. With a Sudanese father and African American mother, Oddisee (aka Amir Mohamed) is in a unique position to explore these dynamics on finely detailed tracks like “You Grew Up” (5) and “NNGE” (6). From the outset “Digging Deep” (1) sets you up to expect the unexpected, as his dense, backpack cyphers are punctuated by jammy funk. “Things” (2) flirts with house music and other tracks have touches of Go-Go and soul. Oddisee’s innovative productions also include tracks for Joey Badass and Homeboy Sandman. RIYL: the aforementioned artists, Chance the Rapper, the Native Tongue collective Recommended: 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 12 FCC: CLEAN nyupress.org/books/9781479894505/
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