Rose Melberg (of Tiger Trap & The Softies) returns with a full band reviving the old early 90’s heyday of twee pop-punk (if that exists!). Her sweet & lovely voice leads the way with happy, backing female harmonies. “Buzzing with organ, packed with jangly guitars, speeding forward with pulsing drums.” The softer side of the whole 50’s/60’s garage revival/girl group sound.
RIYL: The Softies, Tiger Trap, Vivian Girls, Best Coast
play: 1, 2 4*, 6
Using only her vocals, loop effects and occasional instrumentation, Brooklyn-based Julianna Barwick creates angelic & choral arrangements. Experimental soundscapes that would make any church choir jealous. Quiet and haunting, building into a cacophony of ghosts and fairies. Like a more modern, darker version of Enya or a stripped-down, beat-less Cocteau Twins. Peaceful, easy listening to get lost in.
RIYL: Cocteau Twins, How to Dress Well, Candy Claws
play: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7
Julianna Barwick - The Magic Place by The Wounded Jukebox
The latest from Basement Freaks is titled Something Freaky. This is all about the freak-a-funk. A messy, high energy Funk, Disco explosion. You hear hints of Bootsy Collins and P-Funk as well as new artists like Chromeo. There’s a nerdy aspect to this music as well with lyrics like “Let’s get it started, let’s get funky on the floor.” They also sample 80’s hits like Pump Up The Volume and it Takes Two, bringing some old school Hip Hop Flavor to the tracks. Overall, a little cheesy but very upbeat and fun. Even the crankiest mo fo won’t be able to resist hitting the dance floor.
RIYD: Chromeo
Tracks: 3,4,6,9
After Seabear and all of it’s mellow folky wonder, Sindri Sigfusson (formerly known as Sin Fang Bous) gives us his second release, Summer Echoes. Like his first, Clangour, it is much punchier than Seabear, while still retaining that key Icelandic quality that fellow musicians like Sigor Ros and Bjork exemplify: shimmering distance. Layers of beautiful gooey, glowing echoes of voices and strings and keys flood over every song, but in such a way that instead of sucking you in, it removes you. The effect is that mystery that keeps us returning to their shores and begging for more. It’s a relaxed and extremely polished album from a musician who takes his work very seriously and the result is superb, like a choir and an orchestra without the choir or orchestra! (Mum guest star)
FCC: clean
PLAY: 2, 3, 5, 7, 4, 11
RIYD: Seabear, Sigor Ros, Mum
HOLY TOLEDO! Whilst I cried and puked and cried over the White Stripes demise, and found solace in The Dead Weather’s alt. take on the subject, I was left to wonder, what about the Kills? By combining forces with Jack White in the Dead Weather, Alison Mosshart must have brought some new fans and screaming accolades back to Jamie Hince and her former band. AND REJOICE! While their previous album, Midnight Boom, went more the way of electronic blues-pop (see: “Cheap and Cheerful”) this is more like their earlier works.
Great gothic-inspired dance– play!
Beat and the Pulse, a three-song EP, marks the debut of Austra. All three songs are fantastic gothically inspired new wave tunes that combine dark classical and electronic influences. (After all, lead singer Kate Stelmanis remarks, “I don’t think it’s possible for me to write in a major key.”) ”Beat and the Pulse”, track 1, is a stand-out.
FCC Clean
Play 1*, any
RIYL CocoRosie, (newer) Gossip
John Carollo ( B. 1954) writes decidedly edgy, abstract works (especially trks 1 and 10). Trks 3-9 more mellow. Includes works for saxophone quartet, concert band and orchestra.
File: Classical composer: Carollo
Alkan (1813-1888) was a formidable and virtuosic pianist and wrote difficult pieces that he preferred not to perform. Romantic! Play any!
File: Classical composer: Alkan
Avant-garde works for viola by Ligeti, Holliger, Donatoni, Lachenmann and Scelsi performed by Genevieve Strosser. Trk 13 with voice. Try trks 4, 11, 12.
File: Classical/avant-garde collections: Strosser
These variations were originally composed for violin in 1970 as a take on Paganini’s exploration of music styles from Baroque to contemporary. Eliot Fisk and George Rochberg “recomposed” these for guitar. Many short pieces. Play any!
File: Classical composer: Rochberg