A handful of decent records for your perusal.
King Britt, Sister Gertrude Morgan: King Britt is a Philly-based electronic artist, and this collaboration of sorts with the late New Orleans gospel singer Sister Gertrude Morgan, who released one album in 1970, is very reminiscent of Moby’s Play.
Olivia Tremor Control, Presents: Singles and Beyond: A collection of the early singles and recordings by the Elephant 6 band.
Bevis Frond: Four recent albums from the UK psychedelics, the best of the bunch being New River Head.
The Organ, Grab That Gun: Canadian post-punk band with a female vocalist that sides with the more melodic aspects of the sound, the tunes themselves almost new-wavey even if the playing isn’t. This is their only full-length.
Loney, Dear, The City, The Airport: Remix single from the Sub Pop band. I’m not really nuts about them, and funnily enough, one of our designers saw them play a free gig in Brooklyn last night (with Sea and Cake, who he said were wonderful), and complained that “they sang too much.”
Various Artists, Orange: Compilation featuring folks from Film School and the Postal Service, among others.
Charlie Hunter & Bobby Previte, Come in Red Dog, This Is Tango Leader: Two big jazz names team up on this album, but all indications (sound samples and reviews) are that the record is merely okay.
Wasn’t this same Hunter/Previte record previously available on Thirsty Ear? If so, the consensus is right: often fun, but not remotely groundbreaking, and better work can easily he had by both.
Three of those Bevis Frond records aren’t particularly recent–Miasma’s from 1986, Inner Marshland is ‘87, New River Head is ‘91 (and is indeed excellent, esp. the title track and “He’d Be a Diamond”).
a few addendums:
Love Life, Here is the Night Brother, Here is Where the Birds Burn - This is the band that eventually evolved into Celebration. I like Celebration but I like Love Life a lot more — really harrowing, hammering post-punk style Goth — think early early Siouxsie & The Banshees or the Birthday Party with a female singer. Really great, chilling stuff if that’s your cup of…absinthe? I dunno. I love it.
The Sterns, Say Goodbye to the Camera - I kind of like this — super-twee, jaunty pop, think C86 without the feedback or the early days of indiepop. It scratches a real nostalgia itch for me.
Tommy McCook & the Super Sonic, Top Secreta. Awesome. Tommy McCook is a master. If you don’t have his Tenor Roots, you should definitely get it now. This one is great, too — absolutely perfect instrumental rocksteady and ska, which sounds even better the warmer it gets outside. Related: I completely missed the fact that we got this at some point in the recent past.
Billy Fury - The Rarities Vol. 8 - For all you Smiths fans out there this is the same gentlemen whose face graced the cover ‘Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me’. Seriously, though, if you like the Smiths I wouldn’t download this. Actually, even better story about this guy rumor has it that back in the sixties this guy dumped his backing band and held open tryouts for a new band. One band that tried out (and actually got the gig - but turned it down) were the called the Silver Beatles. I am sure you can guess who they became. Funny, huh? Anyway, I have never heard this guy but if I had to choose a track or two on name alone I would go the obvious combo of ‘I am Hurting all Over’ and follow it with ‘I Don’t Hurt Anymore’.
Thanks for the Tommy McCook CD. Missed this!