na: the fireman, french miami

(photo by Rodrigo Costa)

Lots of interesting new releases today, so without further ado —

The Fireman, Electric Arguments: This is today’s biggie by far, the new project from Sir Paul McCartney and Killing Joke’s Youth. To cut to the chase: the record is great — edgy, experimental, imaginative, bold, everything we thought Macca had forgotten. Yancey sums it up thusly:

Here are the two things you need to know about the Fireman and Electric Arguments: 1) It is a Paul McCartney project and 2) It’s so good we can’t understand why he even bothered to release the dull-to-average Memory Almost Full a couple years ago. In fact, here’s how much we love this record: its closest relative is Ram, aka Macca’s best solo record ever (McCartney is a very close second; note that we’re not counting Wings stuff), in that it’s highly ambitious, very scattered and all the better for both. We’re not about to proclaim this McCartney’s “Best Moment in Decades!” or any other Goddess in the Doorway-type b.s., but we will offer that we can’t imagine any Paulettes being disappointed by this record.

Zomby, Where Were U in 92: I don’t know anything about this, but I am told that it is a pretty legendary electronic record. Perhaps Alex can chime in in the comments? Or Todd, wherever he may roam?

French Miami, French Miami: This is a band we were looking at for Selects, but we got to them a bit too late. It’s no wonder: this debut set of odd, angular, quasi-post-rock is gritty and gripping, its songs full of strange intersections and loop-de-loop guitars. Folks who wish Polvo was just a tiny bit poppier will probably flip for this.

Ingrid Michaelson, Be OK: Beloved singer-songwriter turns in promising set of covers. eMusic’s Pat Rapa sez:

Staten Island singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson is great at poignant. She nails poignant. “I just wanna be ok, be ok, be ok, today,” she sighs over and over again. And you feel for her, you really do. And her cover of “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” is so pristine, pretty and gut-wrenching, you actually pay attention to lyrics for the first time in years. But, her finest moments are these upbeat-ish little pop tunes, like “Giving Up” and “Lady in Spain,” ones tireless enough to drag and drop onto your road-trip playlist.

Daniel Amos, Darn Floor — Big Bite: New wave album from 1987 that I had a hand in reissuing. Think early XTC + Robert Wyatt. More info here.

Dead Heart Bloom, Chelsea Diaries: Just the other day I was big-upping the most recent Dead Heart Bloom EP, but this one is even better. Laid back, spooky acoustic folky/singer-songwriter etc etc etc. Track 2 is the best Elliot Smith song that Elliot Smith never wrote, and Track 7 sounds like lost Lennon, kinda. Highly recommended.

Roots Manuva, Slime & Version: Dub versions of songs from Roots’ last album. This record is awesome: digital dancehall, lots of booming bass, double-time vocals, some classic one-drop nods. I want to say something punny like “now this is what I call Roots reggae!” But I won’t. Highly recommended.

Over the Rhine, Snow Angels: Man, I used to love this band. I haven’t listened in years, but checking out the first track, the awesomely-titled “All I Ever Get for Christmas is Blue,” makes me want to start paying attention again. I could see fans of Fiona Apple going bananas for this. This is a Christmas record so, you know, perfect time of year.

Related: Raveonettes Christmas EP. I really like these guys, and they make some weird/interesting choices on this EP. Like slowing down “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” to a kind of morphine-drip crawl. Holly jolly.

We got a sizeable drop of new titles from Alligator Records, including the Alligator Christmas Collection. Blues fans should find much to love here.

For indie rockers, much of the Polyvinyl back catalog has started to arrive. This includes older records and singles from Of Montreal, Matt Pond PA and Rainer Maria. Enjoy! There’s more to come.

Yves Montand, Francis Lemarque: Yves Montand is a French singer that I kind of love. This recording seems to be old-time covers of some of Montand’s more notable tunes. Maybe not for everyone, but seemed worth mentioning.

Tha Connection, Trapeze: I don’t know much about this, but it sounds OK . The rhymes could be better, but the production is dank and spooky, and it makes it easy to ignore some of the goofy rhymes these guys are trying to get over. Plus, there’s a song on here called “Short Milk,” and I just think those are two words that have belonged together for years now.

All Get Out, All Get Out: Sturdy commercial guitar pop, vaguely reminiscent of Jimmy Eat World’s poppier moments.

Various Artists, The Wicked Soundtrack: How much do I wish this was hard rock covers of the soundtrack to the musical Wicked? So, so, so much.

Jim Jones & Skull Gang Present A Tribute to Bad Santa: Look, guys, Jim Jones made a Christmas record.