New Music – Week of 06/02/09
(Image from Flickr user allfr3d)
Here’s where I usually insert some sort of commentary on the happenings of the week or the weekend, but you know what, it was too nice outside to spend it cooped up indoors. Luckily, I did spend some time looking for new music, in between bike rides and movies and roof deck book finishing.
Eels – Hombre Lobo: I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be the person I am without e’s voice and sonic palette guiding me. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about this later, but I’m REALLY looking forward to this.
Elvis Costello – Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane : I really love EC, but it feels like every time I turn around he has a new album out. It would be tiring if I paid more attention. Or if I wasn’t so desperately behind on his catalog. Still, though, I’ll probably pick this up.
Cass McCombs – Catacombs: Somehow I missed that this dude had anything since 2005′s PREfection. I loved that album, albeit belatedly, so I’ll look for this one. Unfortunately, his myspace claims the album won’t be available stateside for a few more weeks – which, if that’s the case, is just silly.
Patrick Wolf – The Bachelor: I held off on Wolf’s last album, The Magic Position for some reason. I think I wasn’t ready for it – I remember it being described somewhere as Fiddler on the Roof mixed with indie electronic rock. I have no idea if that’s true, but this album’s been getting lots of buzz, so it should at least force me to go back and look at that one – assuming this one passes muster.
And, of course, Weeds Season 4!
Rainy Memorial – New Music Week of 5/25/09
That’s how rainy it is right now (ok, it may nt look too rainy, but I’m serious, this is some serious MOVIE rain coming down right now); the clouds opened up to thunderous applause about half an hour ago, effectively raining out every BBQ in the national capital. So, instead, I’m inside surveying the music field this week.
Not too much coming out, but some good stuff nonetheless:
Grizzly Bear – Veckatimist: The big one, which has been getting positive reviews seemingly everywhere. I haven’t listened to much of it yet, but what I have heard sounds like the same beautiful arrangements of the last few albums.
Jenny Owen Youngs – Transmitter Failure: Not sure how I missed this before. Poppy female solo artist with a penchant toward multi-instrumentalism. Might come across as a little too polished for some, but I still say it’s great. Available early here, with part of the proceeds going to charity.
Viva Voce – Rose City: The last thing I heard from Viva Voce (Italian for “word of mouth”) was 2006′s Get Yr Blood Sucked Out, an excellent rock record that cemented them in regular rotation. With a couple more band members to aid in developing the multi-layered, effects-driven sound, I have pretty high hopes for this album.
That’s it, as far as I can tell. Slow week, I guess – designed to build anticipation for next week’s Elvis Costello/Eels/Deastro onslaught.
New Music – Week of 5/19
I spent the weekend holed up inside waiting for the rainclouds to subside. Sometimes they poured forth; others, they simply made me hesitant to go outside with their dark ominousness. All weekend long, I wanted to test out a bike trail near here, and all weekend long, precipitation kept me chained indoors. Whatever. At least the Lakers won.
There’s a precipitation of music this week (groan). Lots of old standbys have new albums, and some reissues that will help me fill in some of the back catalog.
Iron and Wine – Around the Well: Sam Beam, my favorite woodsman (seriously, look at that beard!) is releasing a compilation of unreleased tracks and B-Sides. Interestingly, there’s also a chance to vote for the songs he’ll play at upcoming shows.
The Field – Yesterday and Today: Despite having only 6 tracks, this album clocks in at over 60 minutes. Luckily, it’s a different experience than their debut, which emerged at about the same time as fields‘ debut album, Everything Last Winter. (It looks like they have a new album coming out soon.. luckily not this week.)
Jason Lytle – Yours Truly, The Commuter: I loved Grandaddy. I once put “El Caminos in the West” on one of those mix CDs music nerds give to girls they like. I’m not sure why, because I’m pretty sure that song’s about car driving purple seals or something random. But Grandaddy’s always been about texture, and the little bit I’ve heard retains that sensibility.
Here’s a remix of one of his new songs by The Crystal Method. Obviously, not representative of the body of work, but good nonetheless:
White Rabbits – It’s Frightening: Fort Nightly was the soundtrack of the summer two years ago, with songs like The Plot and While we go Dancing weaving their music around my toes until they started a-tappin’. iTunes had this one on sale early for $6.99, but it falls a bit flat – even with Spoon’s Britt Daniels at the production helm. Maybe I’ll like it more with some extra listens.
Polly Scattergood – Please Don’t Touch: I’ve been listening to the myspace songs for what feels like ages, so I’m really excited that it’s finally out in the U.S. Polly does some great vocal acrobatics in front of an exciting backing band. Check out Nitrogen Pink, which builds and builds until the end, when it’s a rush of good time.
Jarvis Cocker – Further Complications: Jarvis Cocker. He’s not Jesus, but he’s got the same initials. He can diagnose holes in hearts and, well, in other parts of the body. He looks a bit like Daniel Faraday. He and his band practiced in an art gallery in Paris for a week. He’s the archbishop of cool sophistication. And he went and made a rock album. (btw, everyone must click on that link and watch the videos in the masthead of the page…)
Au Revoir Simone – Still Night, Still Light: ARS’ debut album was a porcelain doll in its delicate beauty such that using the above acronym to describe them feels like a desecration. I haven’t heard anything from the new one, but I hope they’ve retained some of their balance and harmonies.
Nick Cave reissues – I’m ashamed to admit that I only have two albums from Nick Cave: Dig Lazarus Dig and Murder Ballads. Luckily, a bunch of early albums, including From Her to Eternity, are being reissued in the standard remastered form tomorrow. I won’t have to be ashamed any longer.
New Music – Week of 05/04/2009
Image from Flickr user Simply Heaven Food
It may be the week of Cinco de Mayo, but since that celebration’s been all but shut down due to swine flu, I think I’ll stay indoors and focus on music (or maybe, according to a friend, I should enjoy some great deals on carne asada… hmm…).
Lots of really strong releases this week. Luckily I’ve been saving up the eMusic downloads.
Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band – Outer South: I still haven’t figured out why Oberst dropped the Bright Eyes moniker, but whatever. I enjoy the direction of the last album, and from the fleeting sounds I heard on NPR I think I’ll enjoy this one too.
St. Vincent – Actor: “So Marry Me, John – I’ll be so good to you…” The honeyed sarcasm of the title track to 2007′s Marry Me lingered in my head all that summer. I haven’t heard anything from this yet, but I’m still going to pick it up basically the moment I can tomorrow.
Patrick Watson – Wooden Arms: Yet another Montreal musician. It’s almost to the point where I automatically pick up any albums recorded there.
Pink Mountaintops – Outside Love: Lead singer looks like a dirty hippie. Music is fuzzy. I like.
Electric Owls – Ain’t Too Bright: Solo album from Andy Herod of The Comas, with some help from some other Comas and a member of Band of Horses. I really dug the Magic Show EP from last year. Really looking forward to this.
Starfucker – Jupiter: This one kind of snuck up on me. I didn’t discover the band’s debut until several months after it came out, when it was starting to really make the rounds on the blogs. The samples I’ve heard sound really dancey, so this may be hit or miss. And yes, this band always makes me giggle about the Nine Inch Nails reference.
Shout Out Out Out Out – Reintegration Time: This has been sitting in my notes for a long time, but I can’t remember where I found it or why I flagged it. It”s not bad, just…not really exciting. I might give it a longer listen this week, since it’s available on Spinner.com
Ed Harcourt – Russian Roulette EP: I can’t hep but be in a playful mood when I listen to songs like Sour Milk, Motheaten Silk.
British Sea Power – Man of Aran: This is apparently a soundtrack to the 1934 film Man of Aran, which is a documentary about life on the sparse Aran islands off of Ireland. I haven’t heard anything off of it, but BSP’s usually decent, if not extraordinary.
New Music – Week of 04/28/2009
Image from Flickr user Jon & Brigid
It’s ridiculously hot outside, and the building managers haven’t switched the air system from heat to AC. So it’s been hot and sticky all evening. Which is ironic, since last week you had to wear a winter coat to survive.
There’s a stillness to the mugginess. No breeze stirs the moisture or the heat. When the sun drops below the horizon, the heat only retreats a dozen degrees; like a monster slinking back to its cave after a sudden start: you can still see its eyes, still feel its breath.
But as miserable as sweat-soaked clothes can be, it does mean one thing – summer music is around the corner. Jangley hooks acquire an extra poignancy, carrying on the notes the magic to evoke a departure from any urgency.
Not sure that there’s much of that here, or that there’s any reason behind my musings beyond a heat-induced fever. Nonetheless, here’s what I’m looking forward to this week:
A Camp – Colonia – Many years ago, long outside of any statute of limitations, I grabbed A Camp’s first disc off some file sharing network or another. Nina Persson’s voice was intoxicating; far more so than it had been on any Cardigans disc before or after Gran Turismo. I since lost this album (when I went legit and ditched any mp3s not ripped from cd, the fact that it was import only meant it had no chance at surviving the purge) and hope the interest in the new one sparks some label to post it on Amazon. I’m probably more excited by this album than any other this week.
Ape School – Ape School – This sounds like a fun disc.
Bob Dylan – Together Through Life – Is there really anything that I can add to this?
Florence and the Machine – A Lot of Love, a Lot of Blood – This album’s been sitting in my music notes file for God knows how long. Weeks, if not months. Going back and listening to it, I really like the song Kiss with a Fist despite its Britney-esque misogyny.
Great Northern – Remind Me Where the Light Is – Don’t really know much about these guys, but Large Hearted Boys recommends them, so that’s good enough for me to give them a shot.
New Ruins – We Make Our Own Bad Luck – New Ruins’ 2007 record, The Sound They Make, didn’t really impress me at first. But a couple songs found their way onto my gumpack-sized iPod Shuffle, where they helped me zone out as I trained for my first marathon. Hopefully this next one will carry on the subdued rock.
Xu Xu Fang – Seven Days Now – Worth it for the percolating cover of The Cure’s Fascination Street.