Be very careful Google Image searching the term “Kinky” on your work computer
Wow, New Music Tuesdays are a beautiful and bizarre thing to behold: baby-making music from around the world, ambient electronic, Mexican dance rock, rap classics, and James Taylor and Creedence Clearwater Revival. It’s 10:34 am, and I’ve already heard about five amazing new things. Oh, and Alex is back, bringing with him his sunny disposition and some unsettlingly named Swedish candies. Another day at eMusic!
Mercury Rev Snowflake Midnight — These guys have the echoey, expansive, sprawling-sonic-vista rock thing DOWN, and though I’m not a Rev expert, Chris Roberts, in his review of this new one, calls it both “a mindblowing masterpiece” AND “their defining album.” So, you know, maybe you should download that. I am listening now, and it is almost unfairly gorgeous.
Madvillain Madvillainy 2 – A sequel! And let’s just go ahead and clarify that this one is definitely more The Godfather Part Two than Air Bud 2: Golden Receiver. (Obligatory dumb sequel joke: CHECK.) Basically, this one is Madlib, deciding that he doesn’t want to wait for Doom to come out of hiding again, shrugging, and remixing the first Madvillainy record. Except it’s awesome, and he takes it even more amazingly wigged-out places than the original. Madvillainy is consistently the most popular hip hop record on eMusic — and for a reason; it’s utterly fantastic. Definitely, definitely check this out.
Speaking of Madlib, he’s keeping the bed warm for Doom in more ways than one: we also have a new Madlib album, awesomely titled King of the Wigflip — some instrumental tracks, some featuring solid-to-great verses from underground stalwart Guilty Simpson (tho his name is pretty damn cringeworthy). Really great.
James Taylor Covers – A new album of covers from the mellowest man on the planet. I am decidedly not a James Taylor guy, but Alan Light writes in his review that it’s basically James for people who love him:
This is no late-era Johnny Cash project, with material that challenges the singer or pushes him out of his comfort zone — Taylor’s music has long walked a line that links the most agreeable elements of country, pop and soul, and so he does best with the selections that don’t veer too far to any one side. The surprise stand-out is “Sadie,” the Spinners’ sentimental ode to motherhood, which Taylor delivers with convincing, understated emotion. Cut live in a home studio, Covers has a sound that’s never less than pleasant. And if it’s a stretch for James Taylor to imbue “Hound Dog” with much in the way of sexual menace, or capture the youthful frustration of “Summertime Blues,” all 12 of these songs feel like things he’s been singing for years.
I’d like to add that the cover photo of this album gives me shivers. Unpleasant ones.
Moving on. I promised international baby-making music! Here it is:
Kinky Barracuda – Mexican dance rock! What more is there to say? How about this, from Richard Gehr:
As fine and exasperating a dance-rock group as you’ll find, Monterrey, Mexico’s Kinky may have stumbled upon their optimum analog-to-digital ratio with their fifth album — even as they erase their Latin roots almost entirely and toss in a couple of English-language tracks to hook the gringos.
Their digitalia seems rooted, rather perversely, in sounds of the ‘80s and ’90s. The album’s two-track highlight, “Masacre Sónica” (Sonic Massacre) and “The Day I Lost the Beat,” its instrumental version, are a Tijuana disco duck’s delight, and not a single track wants for an inventive dance break.
Various Artists Lounge Music: Kamasutra Erotic Movies And Songs – How could you not need this in your life!? This album veers from rapturous, beatific orchestral interludes (closed eyes, soft focus) to alarmingly aggressive uptempo Bollywood funk (for, you know). In any case, it’s amazing, and the sound of Track 3 nearly exhales opium smoke from your speakers.
Oh, and this is not baby-making music in any plane of existence I recognize, but I could not fail to mention this.
Army Navy Army Navy – Incredibly awesome classic power pop! Wimpy, falling-rain 12-string guitars, dreamy vocals, great melodies, sha-la-las: If you like The dBs, the Go-Betweens, The Shoes, anything of that sort, meet your new favorite band. Joe put us all on to this one, and now we’re all super-excited.
Ted Leo Rapid Response EP – The reliably great Ted Leo has never been a dude to shy away from making big, political statements with his music, and this EP is his most overtly political yet: these quickly bashed-out songs are still hot to the touch, they’re so freshly made. Musically, they’re straight Ted Leo, which is to say, great.
Speaking of political statements, a Hip-Hop for Obama comp came in with some pretty solid stuff on it. Obama is probably relieved that Ludacris isn’t involved in this one.
More stuff!
Tori Amos Live at Montreux – This live album has most of Tori’s most beloved songs on here. I should know: my emotionally fragile high school girlfriend played “Crucify Myself” so many times that I literally cannot hear it ever again. As long as I live. Tori faithful, though, take note. Also: This includes her Tori-fied cover of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Also worth noting is that the 40th anniversary editions of Creedence Clearwater’s indisputably classic records Willy and the Poor Boys, Creedence Clearwater, Green River, Cosmo’s Factory, and Bayou Country came in today. The new editions come decked out with live takes and alternate versions. CCR are the greatest classic-rock band ever. Period. I’d add “discuss,” but really, who could argue??
Finally, some rap stuff for those looking and some classical stuff that is worth your time:
Termanology Politics As Usual – Rap bloggers seem to love this guy, and he seems a really solid 90s-throwback lyricist: I mean, his name is Termanology, and if you have an “ology” in your rap name, you more or less are announcing: “HAI I’M BRINGIN IT BACK ETC.” The guy can rhyme, though.
Johnson & Jonson Johnson & Jonson – More goodness from Blu and Exile.
Lindberg, Magnus Piano Music – Magnus Lindberg is an absurdly young Finnish composer prodigy (21?) who writes fantastic music. This is a collection of his piano pieces, and though it may be a little too cat-running-across-a-piano at times for more traditional tastes, I find his music to be endlessly intriguing.
Harold Budd A Song for Lost Blossoms – Basically, this guy is one of the ambient classical O.G.s. If Eno did Music For Airports, than Harold Budd does music for the womb. This may sound like serious day-spa stuff, but if you can get past the New Ageiness, than this rewards repeat listens.
Whew. EPIC. Happy listening!
I missed the Ted Leo and James Taylor on first perusal of the new arrivals list. I’d also like to point out the Roots Manuva, People Under the Stairs, Mamadou Diabate, and Petra Haden and Woody Jackson. That Kamasutra comp looks interesting….
…and an extended version of Langhorne Slim’s “When the Sun’s Gone Down.” It’s damn good and I’m rather looking forwarding to seeing him in 2 weeks.
Also read this weekend that Tori Amos has parted ways with Sony (thank god) and is going the indie route…starting with 27 live bootlegs from her last tour. Live at Montreaux, however, is Tori at her most stellar. Could be that we’ll be seeing more of her on Emu in the future.
As a dad who had to watch multiple Air Bud movies too many times with the youth, Air Bud 2 > than the first Air Bud, I must say.
Also a new arrival today: The old Was (Not Was) album, “Born to Laugh at Tornadoes” (http://www.emusic.com/album/Was-Not-Was-Born-To-Laugh-At-Tornados-MP3-Download/11273599.html) in a slightly upsized version with remixes. I recommend checking out the lead track “Knocked Down, Made Small” and the ballad-curiosity “Zaz Turned Blue,” sung by Mel Torme!
Higgy,
Okay, based on your endorsement, I’m bumping Air Bud 2 above Air Bud 1 in my Netflix cue (both of them, however, shall remain below Teen Wolf Too).
And good call on the Was (Not Was)!
The Roots Manuva, as we posted earlier, is very, very good.
Boom bappers: check the Johnson & Jonson. Very, very enjoyable on first listen. Also: TELEVISION PERSONALITIES! A best-of type thing, but still!
fwiw Budd and Eno did a couple of records together way back in the 80s (The Plateaux of Mirror & The Pearl)…
Johnson & Jonson is owning my life right now. Awesome.
Uber way off subject but what happened to the free tracks from the postmarks???? I suddenly realized that the september one never came and when I went to their page all of the previous 8 were gone
they pulled it down so they can give us the whole album in november.
Ok so I can still get nine Million Rainy Days, Slaughter on tenth ave, 11:59 and Pinball# count. I just have to wait a bit and maybe spend 4 creds; fair enuff I was scared becasue their site was a little sparse too. I’ve really been enjoying the covers.
The new one from Restavrant (on Narnack) is really solid, if it’s anything like their live show. RIYL The Black Keys, only with more found percussion and drum loops.
Check out the Rademacher EP, ERA. They’re one of my favorite local acts here in Fresno, and they put on a solid live show.
RIYL: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Earlimart
Also… interested in the new Martin Rev album Les Nymphes.
Yancey, do you know if emu will be getting Nada Surf’s newest album, “Lucky” or Morgan Geist’s recent release, “Night Time”?
not sure about nada surf — probably at some point, but almost certainly not on release date. and the geist record will be coming on street, or right around it. (i think that’s in a couple of weeks, right?)
Speaking of “do you know if this will show up soon”…any chance you know if Mother Mother’s latest “O My Heart” will show up at any point? It skyrocketed to my top 5 of the year (so far) and I want everyone else to hear it….yeah, it’s that freakin’ good.
anyone know if emusic will get Moving Frontier by Pram? Heard great things about it and it seems to be on Domino in US and UK …
no clue on mother mother, but last gang is generally pretty good on new releases. i will ask our label team to check in.
and pram is on domino now!?!? is this the same 4ad pram? that’s rad if so! in terms of new domino stuff, honestly i’m not sure yet how new releases will proceed. i would expect some delay, but then again, tricky did hit on street.
sorry for being so uninformative!
Also wanted to point out that Mercury Rev are giving away a free companion album to Snowflake Midnight on their website. You have to sign up for their newsletter, but it seems well worth it so far! It’s called Strange Attractor and I believe it is all instrumental.
http://www.mercuryrev.com
Okay, since I was the emotional fragile high school girl who has a massive collection of Tori Bootlegs I have to say I’m happy to have this one digitally and not on random mixed tapes.
Weee….
Is Snowflake Midnight going to be avaiable in Europe (Denmark) ?
Many thanks to Bryan for the Strange Attractor tip !
BTW: The tracktitle of track 9 on SA is (strangely enough) in Danish and means something like:
“From This Father Arrives (or comes) This Sun”
Sara–we should compare collections (shh…don’t tell anyone).