New to Europe

To follow on from Yancey’s last post, here are a few albums that have washed up on European shores.

Buena Vista Social Club Live At Carnegie Hall
The latest Buena Vista release, providing a new take on the material from the famed 1997 album. It sounds like a pretty special concert – and was one of just two where the full ensemble played together.

Nitin Sawhney London Undersound
What to say? First off I’m really not happy with the first track “Days Of Fire” using the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell tube station as a jumping off-point for a song, no matter how right-on the political message. Nonetheless it’s interesting to me, as a Londoner, to hear someone address not just 9/11, but the later attacks on London in 2005. Sawhney’s pulled in some good collaborators too, but the overall package is a bit too slick, too produced. I forgot it was playing half way through, which is pretty damning as the subject matter usually touches several emotional nerves for me.

El Guincho Alegranza
I like this a good deal more than I thought I would. I can certainly hear the Tropicalia influences; it’s pretty easy to tell he’s from Spain and the Afro-beat comes through loud and clear, but the supposed rock ‘n’ roll element eludes me. Good stuff though.

MIA Paper Planes The DFA mix is the one to look for here, it gives the single a tougher sound and throws the lyrics into sharper focus.