Scott Walker—Tilt (Drag City)
Halley’s Comet flies by planet earth every 75 years or so. Luckily we don’t have to wait quite that long for the inscrutable Scott Walker. It was 11 years between 1984’s Climate of Hunter and 1995’s _ astonishing headscratcher Tilt). Now 11 years later Mr. Walker is ready to foist upon a quasi-unsuspecting world his next album—The Drift, which is due to be released in May on 4AD. I can’t wait.
Buzzcocks – Flat-Pack Philosophy (Cooking Vinyl)
Well, this is good on its own merits but is a letdown from the group’s last album and can’t compare to the group’s work in the 70s. Fortunately, the band still cooks live.
Belle & Sebastian – The Life Pursuit (Matador)
The more you listen the better it gets. Fantastic!
Kaleidoscope – Tangerine Dream (Repertoire)
Dive into yesterday with this 1967 reissue of the British band’s first album. Excellent packaging and liner notes too.
Dirty Three – Ocean Songs (Touch & Go)
Folky, mellow and melancholy.
Robin Guthrie & Harold Budd Mysterious Skin (soundtrack) (Commotion)
COCTEAU TWINS guitarist Robin Guthrie and Harold Budd create the kind of soothing record you would expect based on their respective past work.
Mastretta – Mastretta (Minty Fresh)
Spain’s NACHO MASTRETTO serves up an exciting mish-mash of styles and sounds. Jazz, electronica, pop and odd soundscapes are all part of the mix.
Cleaners from Venus – Golden Cleaners (Tangerine)
A fantastic collection of melodic gems from England’s MARTIN NEWELL.
The Godfathers – Hit by Hit (Link)
The band would likely have been bigger if it came of age today instead of the late 80s. In any case, this hard-hitting debut, now two decades old, still impresses.
The Fabulous Poodles – His Master’s Choice (Sequel)
Sure, some of this is cheesier than a slab of Velveeta, but this band did make some great songs including “Mirror Star,” “Mr. Mike,” “Chicago Boxcar” and “Anna Rexia.” It’s a shame that this disk is near impossible to find at an affordable price.
