There’s no way we could match Joe’s epic New Arrivals post from last week; it was the War of Peace of NAs and we bow to its greatness. This week is simpler, and just a little slower, but there’s some good stuff buried under the rocks and sand. Let’s have a looksee at what sounds good.
Simian Mobile Disco, Temporary Pleasure: The British production duo are back with another blippy, boppy album that finds them working with some of my favorite vocalists, including Gossip’s Beth Ditto, Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor, and Yeasayer’s Chris Keating. SMD’s James Ford produced about half of last week’s big release from Arctic Monkeys, adding more louche arrangements to the band’s oeuvre. This is a return to form for Ford. Check for my favorite, “Pinball,” the gauzy closer with Telepathe.
Factums, Flowers: Sacred Bones, which brought us the eMusic-cosigned Zola Jesus, has a new one this week from Factums. Recorded in 2006 and 2007, this is Factums at their smashiest, fitting fuzzed-out vocals over loose, sloshy guitars. Think Sonic Youth on a bad day.
Gordon Gano & The Ryans, Under The Sun: The Violent Femmes are no more. Lead singer and guitarist Gano announced earlier this year the band is done. But he was only on his own for a brief spell. After linking up with former Bogmen players Billy and Brendan Ryan (who happen to my from my hometown, Huntington, New York), they quickly recorded this jaunty album. Gano apes Tom Petty, Lou Reed, and even himself here. Results are mixed, but the best of it is very good.
50 Cent, War Angel: As 50’s name becomes less and less relevant in the mainstream rap conversation, he’s begun dashing off projects like this one more often. Initially released as a mixtape, War Angel is a classic 50 tape: inconsistent, occasionally thrilling, mostly lousy. When he slows down and leans on soul loops (“Get The Message”), he channels a more mature iteration of his thug persona. But when he attempts to recreate the wonder years of 2003 (“Redrum”) he’s all huff’n'puff, no heart.
N.O.R.E., S.O.R.E. / M.O.P., Foundation: Speaking of washed-up MCs, two intriguing releases from some late ’90s rap heroes. N.O.R.E. already released a quietly excellent CNN reunion album, Channel 10, with his old running mate, Capone, this year. S.O.R.E. finds him a little more reflective, but also a bit more lost. N.O.R.E. has tried reggaeton-rap, goofball-rap, even fat-rap. Here, he’s just picking up the pieces. M.O.P., on the other hand, haven’t released a proper full-length since 2000’s incredible Warriorz. Finally, they are back with producers DJ Premier, DR Period and Nottz. The sound hasn’t changed: Every song is about getting punched in the throat or bloodied in some other manner. No one makes better fight music.
Breakestra, Joyful Noise: Quick hit EP from the funk and soul revivalists via !K7. Nothing you aren’t expecting, save maybe a remix with Chalie 2Na, but this has got me feeling nostalgic for one of my favorite bands ever, funk-calypso innovators, Cymande.
Hard Drugs, Hard Drugs: This Canadian Americana/alt-country crew has got me pretty excited. Their MySpace says Neil Young’s kooky eco-love musical Greendale is an inspiration, but this feels more like the Jayhawks, and in places, Paul Westerberg’s strained anti-folk. The female-male traded vocals are fitfully sweet.
A Sunny Day In Glasgow, Ashes Grammar: I watched a movie last night called The Mist, a Stephen King adaptation about a town besieged by a thick, blinding fog (and later monsters from another dimension). The score was gorgeous, but this might have worked better. A Sunny Day in Glasgow’s hazy foundation is impenetrable and imbued with such depth that sometimes their songs can be as scary and heart-pounding as anything King could scribble. That’s perhaps not the point of this Philly group’s sound, but it always chills me. Ashes Grammar is no exception.
Nina Simone,The Definitive Rarities Collection: Amazing deal here, 50 tracks at 12 credits. Fair warning: These aren’t the pristine original recordings; instead there are live versions and alternate takes on Simone’s crucial, gripping songs of love and pain and revolution. The hisses and crackles give songs like “Strange Fruit” and “Wild is the Wind” a sort of weathered ambience, making them not so much fever dreams as slow, gutwrenching nightmares. There’s not many good reasons to not grab these songs and live with them on a dark night with a glass of bourbon.
The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, …and the horse you rode in on: These Bloodshot weepers have got a case of the Morrisey-s for sure, but there’s something revelatory about stacking open-hearted sorrow and choked-out vocals on top of such zippy champer pop. Not my favorite thing in the world, but this will catch some of you off-guard.
KRS-One & Buckshot, Survival Skills: Time has not been kind to hip-hop’s Teacha, but he continues pumping out journeyman releases every year, fusing wisdom with righteous indignation, as he always has. This new one, a full-length collabo with Black Moon leader Buckshot (one of my rap demi-gods many moons ago) is better than it has to be. Buck’s serpentine flow is a nice complement to KRS’s braying and boasting.
Fuck Buttons, Surf Solar: The terrifically named noize band has got a new album, Tarot Sport, coming later this fall, so this is just a single tease, but samples reveal the same kinetic, skittish burn that made last year’s Street Horrrsing such a hit.
Cilla & Artie, Cilla & Artie: More pretty, homey folk from the historic Brit label, Topic, currently celebrating their 70th anniversary. Check out the hub we’ve got going on the label and then grab this batch of Scottish traditional songs that was once named The Melody Maker Folk Album of the Year. (It’s true!)
What have you found that you’re digging?
The big arrival for me today is A Sunny Day in Glasgow’s new disc. But at 22 credits, I’m not sure it’s worth it. On a more positive note, I’m going to pass on the teaser single, but I am totally looking forward to the new F—k Buttons disc in October.
I think October will be an even better month for new arrivals than September (assuming there aren’t long hold-backs on a lot of the forthcoming discs).
I really loved Scotland Yard Gospel Choir’s self-titled album from two years ago. This one is a little less B&S (which the other one was HEAVILY) and a bit more all over the place. The lead off track “Stop” (which I think would’ve fit better later in the tracklist) is also the first single (also a strange choice for the first single) reminds me of Michael Caine’s drunken breakdown in Little Voice, but on the other hand it really sets the stage for the general theme of the album…a gloriously fun middle finger straight up in the face of those who have wronged him. A superfun revenge album.
Harry Manx — Bread and Buddha
http://www.emusic.com/album/Harry-Manx-Bread-and-Buddha-MP3-Download/11599355.html
Chris Knight — Trailer II
http://www.emusic.com/album/Chris-Knight-Trailer-II-MP3-Download/11621703.html
I’m liking what I’m hearing thus far from The Rifles. Some good Britpop.
Craig
I’m enjoying the D.Black album (or is it DBlack). Its all new to me so I don’t have much to say, but its soulful as hell.
DBlack – Ali’Yah
Then there’s the Sparklehorse Fennesz record which sounds nicely chilled, In The Fishtank
And uhh, Jackie-O Motherfucker. Jackie-O Motherfucker – Sing Your Own Song
This one’s Kinda Out of left Field But if you’ve got a couple of Creds to burn than check out some of “Taki Street Percussion” ( http://www.emusic.com/album/Various-Artists-Taki-Street-Percussion-MP3-Download/11590141.html ) some real interesting sounds and a couple of decent Hip Hop tunes
Hip-Hop Halloween Party Album “Bloodbath” ( http://www.emusic.com/album/Various-Artists-Ultimate-Shrieks-Screams-A-Halloween-Beat-Blood-MP3-Download/11619844.html ) features (MF) Doom, RJD2, Jedi Mind Tricks, Cage and more, and I’m pretty sure most are non-album versions.
The Cover of “Apollo -Past, Present, Future” ( http://www.emusic.com/album/Apollo-Past-Present-Future-MP3-Download/11593674.html ) Caught my Eye and I grabbed The Aphex Twin and Underworld Songs, but I couple of the artists are tempting
Rza Presents Outlines “Vision” ( http://www.emusic.com/album/The-RZA-Presents-Outlines-Visions-MP3-Download/11619922.html )These Two White Boys must’ve done something special to get The Resurrector’s Attention. I did grab it it’s pretty funky but RZA worthy?
One Foot In The Ether
by
The Band Of Heathens
Is the one I really like. I liked their earlier release and this one sounds as good as it.
sort of off-topic, but: any idea if you guys will be getting the new fire! record (“you liked me five mintues ago”)? think it’s out today on rune grammofon.
thx or the nina simon link, but where are the 12 credits for the 50 tracks. I see only the regular 50 credits for the album. any idea?.
I’m a big fan of Jaga Jazzist and was very pleased to see that the solo debut by former guitarist Harald Frøland arrived on Tuesday. Check it out
Pls forgive me if my link doesn’t come through…don’t know what I am doing in that respect
I’m a big fan of Jaga Jazzist and was pleased to see the solo debut by former Jaga guitarist Harald Frøland (Black Feather – Silhouette) appear this week. Check it out:
http://www.emusic.com/album/Black-Feather-Silhouette-MP3-Download/11568756.html
Hope the link works, if not search for Black Feather.
You’ve probably been asked this 100 times already, but mining back through other posts’ comments doesn’t seem like a great way to spend my life.
Are we getting the new Fiery Furnaces’ album at any point? I keep hoping to see it crop up, but as we drift farther and farther away from the CD release date my hopes are waning and I’m contemplating picking up the CD instead. (Not that I’m opposed to buying CDs. I kind of prefer them… but I don’t have a lot of spare cash for extraneous album purchases. eMusic simplifies the process greatly for me.)
For fans of crushing rock, see Behold! The Monolith.
Highly recommended!!
hey man – we haven’t heard one way or the other on the fiery furnaces, I’m afraid. I wish I had a better answer than that.
Everyone Please give a listen to http://www.emusic.com/album/Magen-Melancholy-The-Short-Lived-Life-Of-Magen-Melancholy-MP3-Download/11628771.html
Magen Followed me on Twitter (i don’t know why) this is how I found out about her and I’m so glad that she did. Her Music is Fun and Funky and Original
Thanks, joe. Guess I can just patiently wait…for now. haha.
New The Pains of Being Pure at Heart EP. . . with a St Etienne Remix !!!!
ummm is Alex Britsh or is any one else in the band Britsh? If not why, oh why, is this labeled Brit Pop?!?!? Congrats to Alex and Band for the remix though