Relatively light day on the new release front – just a few things I want to shout out, so please feel free to call out some other titles in the comments!
PICK OF THE WEEK Yeasayer, ODD BLOOD: If you had told me even three months ago I would be raving about this record, I would have probably said something sarcastic. Well, turns out the joke’s on me: with their last record, Yeasayer seemed hellbent on writing the soundtrack to a zillion elvish fantasy films but, somewhere along the line, they went from just saying gnome to just saying Yaz. Big, flamboyant, synthed-out and dramatic, ODD BLOOD distills all the best elements of OMD, Scritti Politti and — most notably — Erasure into one ruthlessly earnest and relentlessly moving (both emotionally and physically) work. “I Remember” is the kind of heartsick 80s prom ballad John Hughes used to commission weekly. Highly recommended, even if you think you hate this band. Because I certainly thought that.
Gil Scott-Heron, I’m New Here: Latest from legendary poet/activist finds him branching out musically in fascinating ways — the biggest influence here is dubstep, and it suits his craggy tone perfectly. eMusic’s Jess Harvel sez:
I’m New Here plays freely with dubstep, hip-hop and even dancehall. The album’s bookends, “On Coming from a Broken Home” parts one and two, lift the spacey string section from Kanye West’s “Flashing Lights,” and the handclaps on “New York is Killing Me” owe an awful lot to certain Timbaland productions from earlier this decade. Gravitating toward music built out of loops is a natural progression for Scott-Heron, who’s always favored minimal arrangements. But I’m New Here is truly stark in places. “Where Did the Night Go” is all bass, a fearsome and distortion-fried booming, and the muted, distant sound of “Running” lends it harsh, staccato drums a mournful air.
Ben + Vesper, LuvInIdleness: Latest from experimental duo on Asthmatic Kitty sounds terrifically far-out, full of odd sounds, high-pitched vocals and unlikely melodies. Warped and wonderful.
Arsis, Starve for the Devil: The new record from Virgina death metal band Arsis was preceded by this extremely controversial, Spinal Tap-esque music video. I still don’t quite know how to process it (suffice it to say Arsis no longer scares me), but the album is just as relentless as ever.
Laura Gibson & Ethan Rose, Bridge Carols: I think this record is gorgeous — really amorphous, moving — almost ambient at times. eMusic’s Jon Dolan sez:
On this strange, alluring record, electronic composer Ethan Rose and singer-songwriter Laura Gibson intentionally set out to make each other uncomfortable. The album was recorded in a basement as well as various outdoor venues (a forest, a field and, if the title is in any sense literal, on/under a bridge); Gibson improvised vocals to suit Rose’s sound-paintings, Rose went home and shaped them into songs, neither knew exactly what the finished product would sound like.
The results: discomfiting! Gibson picks out tensile acoustic melodies and breathily mumbles things like “where have you gone my darkest star” over ambient orchestrations that roll by like cloud formations. “Sun” evokes shaky optimism to wind-chime accompaniment. On “Leaving, Believing” Gibson asks to “wear your shadow” over distant horns and oscillating burbles.
Kath Bloom, Thin Thin Line: Revered singer-songwriter Kath Bloom returns with a record of songs continuing her tradition of stirring, soft and slightly unsettling folk and blues-based music.
Pantha du Prince, Black Noise: Stirring ambient and electronic music from Rough Trade — eMusic’s Andy Battaglia sez:
Like his contemplative colleagues Superpitcher (star of the Kompakt Records stable) and Lawrence, Pantha du Prince favors blur over clarity and sullenness over speed. But that doesn’t mean his dance tracks aren’t clear or hurting for drive. Rather, tracks like the opener “Lay in a Shimmer” move all the more forcefully for the way they seem to lean back and spy their surroundings from a distance. Even the bells on Black Noise sound suspicious (and, indeed, there are a lot of bells, as well as numerous kinds of chimes and what sound like steel drums played underwater). The goth moodiness is so enveloping and holistic that a sudden guest vocal appearance by Animal Collective’s Panda Bear on “Stick to My Side” (beautiful though it is) sounds almost like an afterthought, or at least a little out of place on an album whose wordlessness works to communicate just as well on its own.
Meshuggah, Alive: Massive, monstrous live album from Meshuggah, recorded during the group’s last tour.
The Moon and Her Mother, s/t: The Moon and Her Mother is a one-man project from Chicago. The songs are lean and hooky and not entirely radio unfriendly, though there’s still enough here to appeal to people whose tastes skew indier.
SINGLES GOING STEADY:
For those of you inclined for the quick fix, today sees the arrival of the following new singles:
Jimi Hendrix, “Valleys of Neptune”: “Valleys of Neptune” is the song Hendrix was working on just before his untimely death. It’s never been officially released until now, but comes in advance of a full new Hendrix record, also called Valleys of Neptune, on 3/9.
The Besnard Lakes, “Albatross” (In advance of their new album on 3/9)
Best Coast, “Something in the Way” (In advance of probably a bunch more singles!)
Ill Ease, “The Whole Sha Bang” (In advance of…not sure! Re-workings of 2 classic oldies)
I’m excited to see the Pantha du Prince disc!
Curious about Yeasayer, too.
I’m really enjoying the Yeasayer so far, and I liked All Hour Cymbals too.
They are certainly different albums though. I would be curious to see them live now, to see how they balance the two incredibly different sounds.
Craig
Some more good stuff from today:
Title Tracks’ It Was Easy
Self-titled from Undersea Poem
A new one from Xiu Xiu, Dear God, I Hate Myself
The Pretenders sound pretty spry on this live album
And Alex Bleeker and the Freaks’ breezy self-titled debut, which includes members of Real Estate.
UK release for Bridge Carols? I love Laura Gibson’s last album & I was hoping I could get the new one here too.
Will look into it, JTO.
The Gil Scott-Heron was Produced by Richard Russel, who previously has produced The Prodigy and Thom Yorke, and really worked with Scott-Heron to explore many new styles of music (which is probably where the DubStep feel comes from). I really like “New York is Killing Me” (track 10) and a cover of a Smog Tune the title track “I’m New Here” (track 3). Very powerful album.
Great NPR Interview with him – http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123416343
Am interested in checking out the Laura Gibson, I’m usually very pleased with her work. I may be back later to reveal any hidden jewels I find in today’s batch.
and I’m back
Here are my not yet mentioned picks
A Strange Arrangement Instrumentals – Mayer Hawthorne http://www.emusic.com/album/Mayer-Hawthorne-A-Strange-Arrangement-Instrumentals-MP3-Download/11815558.html
Call My Cellphone – Curtis Plum (especially Lil Wayne Tried to Rape Me) http://www.emusic.com/album/Curtis-Plum-Call-My-Cellphone-MP3-Download/11773504.html
Bioshock 2 soundtrack special Edition (seriously this is a game soundtrack ?!?!?! Holy isht Billy Holiday, Fred Astaire, Fats Waller, Django Reinhardt) http://www.emusic.com/album/Various-Bioshock-2-The-Official-Soundtrack-Music-From-A-MP3-Download/11815779.html
Hey Joe,
yeasayer’s odd blood is unavailable in my country (Australia) however the album is licensed by Secretly Canadian both here in Australia and on the emusic version. We usually get all secretly Canadian releases, so just wondering if this is an oversight. Don’t usually make a fuss about this stuff because i know the licensing laws are all over the place, but this seems like a genuine mistake to me.
Cheers,
Also any word on when the new EP from Tensnake on Permanent Vacation label will drop on emusic?
Joe,
Just curious… Is the Gil Scott-Heron album REALLY supposed to be 15 credits? Four of the tracks are less than 20 seconds each. Does this label not participate in the album pricing program? I realize you have no control over this but just wanted to know.
Thanks,
Nathan
Correction, five tracks. Wow.
Toyballoon: Sorry to say it, but Yeasayer’s latest is on Mute in Australia.
Poop: The label doesn’t particpate in the pricing program, so the Gil Scott-Heron is as priced. I will say this about it: it’s a pretty exceptional album.
I found Bridge Carols streaming here (sounds lovely):
http://bridgecarols.com/
Also according to Laura Gibson’s myspace blog it’s going to be released on Baskaru in Europe (including the UK I presume?), who are on emusic, & on their website the release date is 15/02/2010. So maybe it will turn up in the UK on Monday? Can you confirm this Joe?
Thank you very much, Joe.
I can confirm this, JTO — with the usual allowances made for glitches.
Thanks Joe.
Hey Joe, My second post yesterday got eaten by the spam block I think, any way to have it restored I actually had a few good selections from yesterday’s batch in it
Are we getting the new Sade?
The lead single was here; Now it’s gone.
no worries Joe, thanks for looking into it.
Not anytime soon I’m afraid, Daniel.
Nergal – looking into it.
Nergal – approved, and it gets inserted upthread where you first made it.
I really dig the Class Actress EP. Not sure when it showed up, but it’s pretty great. A little more glossy than Italians Do It Better type stuff.
Woo hoo thanks (I’m sure I mistyped my eMail or someother silly #nergalfail )
Odd blood review up on http://www.the-fly.co.uk amongst other things.
Yeasayer odd blood review
one more to Very Much recommend
The New one from Galactic is FRIGGIN awesome
http://www.emusic.com/album/Galactic-Ya-Ka-May-MP3-Download/11818107.html
(esp if you have any ties at all to New Orleans)
Yesayer: I’m still a bit lukewarm on All Hour Cymbals, but I’m loving Odd Blood. O.N.E. is a monster.