New CDs only
There have been a lot of interesting new releases that have just come out recently or are due to come out soon, so this is my attempt to cover some of the ones that I’ve been digging lately.
On their fourth album and major-label debut, The Decemberists continue their winning streak with this album coming only a year and a half after last year’s brilliant Picaresque. Unlike Picaresque and more like their first two albums and especially “The Tain” EP, this album is more prog-rock and folk-influenced and less weighted towards their R.E.M., SMITHS and ROBYN HITCHCOCK influence. It’s so good, in fact, that it made me rethink my view of the band. Before this album, I thought their strengths were more geared towards COLIN MELOY’s poppier songwriting sensibilities, but this album shows that they can do it all, from the catchy “O Valencia” and “Shankill Butcher” to the three-part saga of the title track.
This is just great modern day indie power-pop not too far removed from NADA SURF’s last couple of records, but with JOHN RODERICK’s completely unique vocals and fantastic melodies. Highly recommended!
The excellently funny title aside, this is one of my favorite new records of the year so far. Forgoing the “quiet is the new loud” approach of their last two long-players, Hoboken’s finest return with a disc that’s truly all over the place, ranging from a CAN meets “Sister Ray” ish noise-freakout on the opening “Pass the Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind” to “Mr. Tough”, an ‘60s r’n’b-flavored song sung by bassist JAMES MCNEW in his pretty falsetto. Also included are two garage-rock rave-ups and the closing, perhaps autobiographical “The Story of Yo La Tango”, but in between we also get several beautiful instrumentals (including the eight-minute plus “Daphnia”) and several ‘60s psych -influenced numbers as well. For such a diverse and sprawling record, though, it flows amazingly well. I listened to it three times in a row on the first day that I got it and I’ve been listening to it at least once a day since. I can’t recommend it enough.
This one actually came out back in March but somehow I missed it then and I only got around to listening to it a few days ago. It’s fitting that unlike their first album, which was credited to just THE ORIGINAL SINNERS (actually a completely different band aside from guitarist JASON EDGE, who also happens to be Exene’s husband), this album is credited to their most famous member as well. That’s because this sound a lot more like Exene’s old band X than the first record (a modern punk assault more in the vein of RANCID or other similar bands). That’s generally a good thing here. No one song stands out, but it’s still a nice album filled out by a good but not great cover of GUN CLUB’s “Ghost on the Highway”.
For this new version of The Lemonheads (Dando’s first record under that moniker in ten years), EVAN DANDO assembled a lineup consisting of KARL ALVAREZ and BILL STEVENSON (who co-produced the album), both of DESCENDENTS and ALL fame, along with J MASCIS guesting on several tracks. Naturally, this results in a loud, raucous record. However, like the mix of the sweet and the sour that’s always been at the heart of this appropriately-named band, it’s tempered by Dando’s pop sensibilities and laid-back drawl and the duality makes for a good listen with a few standout tracks.
I liked her first album The Milk-Eyed Mender, but I didn’t love it. Part of the problem was her voice. Once I got past the fact that she can sound a bit like a chipmunk, it was obvious that she had listened to a lot of KAREN DALTON records (though to her credit, she admits the influence). Still, the record showed poise as well as a knowledge and command of the folk tradition that’s unusual for such a young artist and I include many of her fellow “freak-folk” compatriots in that description. It’s obvious that she had the talent to do something really astounding and here it is. At only five tracks and with several of them hovering around the twelve and sixteen-minute mark (and several others almost approaching ten minutes; this is truly “progressive folk”), this disc will turn off a lot of impatient people. That’s unfortunate, though, because this is one of the most accomplished folk records I’ve heard in years. Even more than that, Newsom is in a league of her own here. Not only is she a virtuoso on the harp, but she has a natural flair for theatrics, melodrama and storytelling. What’s more, her voice isn’t quite as affected as it was on her first full-length. As she comes into her own, I detect non-folk influences like TORI AMOS (especially in the inflections in her voice) popping up into the mix as well. Ultimately, though, this is a unique, challenging work by one of the most promising young musicians today. I absolutely can’t wait to see her live next month and in the sanctuary of a church no less!
Pitchfork and everyone else seems to love this, but thus far on the first couple of listens I like it but it isn’t quite as memorable as their last record Separation Sunday. Still, they admittedly set the bar really high with that one, so perhaps this one will grow on me. Musically, it’s even more in the ‘70s bar-band mode of BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, THIN LIZZY and others of that ilk. CRAIG FINN’s voice also sounds less like BOB MOULD on this record as well, though his lyrics, as always, deal with down-and-out characters and several of the characters from the last album (including Hallelujah and Charlmagne) make appearances here as well.
More music to take drugs to make music to take drugs to. This has been a truly terrific year for shoegazer revivalists with FILM SCHOOL, SERENA MANEESH and now this band making sensational debut records. In actuality, though, this is Silversun Pickups’ first national release and as such, my first time hearing them and this EP is a beauty. Alternating between fuzzed-out noise-pop and spacey-drone rock, this will thrill anyone longing for the halcyon days of RIDE, CHAPTERHOUSE, MY BLOODY VALENTINE and especially SPACEMEN 3 and early SPIRITUALIZED. And yes, there’s also a detectable SMASHING PUMPKINS influence here, but fortunately the vocals are nowhere near as annoying as BILLY CORGAN’s nasal whine and the sound is more reminscent of Gish and Siamese Dream than their later work.
This is still going strong. It’s in its fourth or fifth week on this list, so obviously it’s one of my favorite records of the year. I just hope I get to see them tour for it again as I saw them do a short promotional appearance last week and it was terrific.
Everyone’s saying that this is their best record since The World Won’t End and while I’m enjoying it, I’m not sure yet. Unlike many other fans, though, I really liked the last two albums and their “obvious” ‘80s influences didn’t bother me one bit. Yes what you’ve heard is true. This is a return to the orchestral-pop style of the first two records and MIKE DEMING (who worked on those seminal albums) is on hand as producer once again. I like anything Joe Pernice puts out, but for me this is yet another good record, but not a career highlight. On the first few listens, the material just isn’t as strong. Only time will tell if I’ll take to it as much as their best work, however. My special edition comes with an additional CD of demos and outtakes, many of them alternate takes of songs on the album with some or all of the vocals and other instruments stripped. Many of the instrumentals are absolutely beautiful, though it does get a bit tired by the end. I can’t imagine playing the bonus disc too often, but despite not being blown away by it right away you can bet I’ll be spinning the album all throughout the fall!
