Smoking and Drinking with Lily Allen
Thanks god this is a much lighter release schedule this week. There's still a bunch of interesting things to check out....
Top Five Most Interesting Releases:
Lily Allen: Still Alright (Capitol) – She’s upper class, British and gets compared to Mike Skinner (the Streets). You might remember that this was on my top 10 albums that didn’t move me in 2006. It’s grown on me a little bit since then. It’s like easy listening ska/reggae/rap. Nothing wrong with that, but there’s really not much substance either. It must suck for her that Capitol’s undergoing complete turmoil right now. Hopefully her album doesn’t fall through the corporate cracks. She’s playing a sold out show at the Fonda on 2/5. My girlfriend will tell you to pick this up and file it next to your Spice Girls CDs. Letter Grade: B-
Busdriver: Roadkill Overcoat (Epitaph/Anti-) – He’s one of those hip-hop artists that a lot of real hip-hop fans hate and people who normally don’t listen to much hip-hop like. I saw him open up for Deerhoof last week at the El Rey and I really enjoyed it. Nobody and Boom Bip did most of the beats on the record and he raps about politics, killing your employer and isn’t afraid to offend. I haven’t heard this record in its entirety. See him at Amoeba for free on Thursday or at the Low End Theory (at the Airliner) on 2/7.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: Some Loud Thunder (self-released) – A sophomore slump? Dave Fridmann produced this second record. I’ve only listened to these downloads, but everybody I know seems to hate it (and it currently has a 62 rating on Metacritic). I liked their first record enough, so I’ll judge for myself….They’ll be on tour with local favorites Cold War Kids in Europe during February. Download “Love Song No. 7” and “Underwater (You and Me)”
Hella: There’s No 666 In Outer Space (Ipecac) – Hella’s not for everybody. You can’t passively listen to this record, and you won’t hear it playing in the background at a Starbucks or a Banana Republic store. I liked them better when they were an instrumental duo because the emphasis for me has always been on the drummer (pick up the Ladies record if you want to hear him in a more palatable setting). I recently saw them open for Deerhoof at the El Rey and after about 15 minutes the headache set in. They create a dissonant mess with screeching lyrics on top of squealing guitars on top of manic drumming. This is only for the musically adventurous. Letter Grade: B- Download “The Ungreatful Dead”
James Yorkston: The Year of the Leopard (Domino) – I’ve got his first two albums, so I’ll definitely be picking this one up. He’s a British folkie with all around really good songs. He does some nice finger picking, so critics inevitably throw around the Bert Jansch and Nick Drake comparisons. If you like melancholy indie folk, then you’ll like this.
Other noteworthy releases:
Beirut: Lon Gisland (Ba Da Bing) - Indie favorites release four songs new songs with the full band, and re-work one of their previously released songs with the full band.
The Early Years: The Early Years (Beggars Banquet) – Not familiar with these guys, but the product description from Amazon intrigues me: “The chilling, psychedelia-drenched self-titled debut from this UK band is a dense mix of the trio's influences: Spiritualized, Mogwai, Television, Neu, and Tortoise. A sound that lies somewhere between their joint love for ambient noise, motorik beats, drones, feedback, harmony, and melody.”
Gill Landry: The Ballad of Lawless Soirez (Nettwerk) – This is one of those Western, noir albums for people who are into that sort of thing. I got it and wasn’t completely won over, but if you’re into that genre you might like it. Letter Grade: C
Paolo Nutini: These Streets (Atlantic) – He’s an attractive, teenage singer-songwriter (the kind you will hear at Starbucks and Banana Republic) from Scotland with quite a bit of heat behind him at the moment. Playing a sold show at the Troubadour on March 23rd.
RZA: Afro Samurai Soundtrack (Koch) – The Wu Tang’s RZA produces this soundtrack to an Anime series.
Youth Group: Casino Twilight Dogs (Epitaph/Anti-) – This is Kevin Bronson’s pick for the week. He compares them to Snow Patrol.
Reissues / Compilations:
Faine Jade: Introspection – A Faine Jade Recital (Sundazed) – This one’s supposed to be heavily influenced by The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and it was cut in 1968 by a 20-year old New Yorker. I’m intrigued.
Gandalf: Gandalf II (Sundazed) – Mostly unreleased tracks from the trippy 1960s baroque-psychedelic band. I’m usually a sucker for these types of things.
Lavender Diamond: The Cavalry of Light (Matador) – The local folk-pop group’s 4-track EP gets reissued by Matador records. They’ll be hitting the road in Europe with the Decemberists. Download “You Broke My Heart” and “Rise in the Springtime”
The Sneakers: Nonsequitor of Silence (Collector’s Choice) – Early jangle/power pop band with Chris Stamey, Mitch Easter and Will Rigby.
Various Artists: Ain’t It Hard – Sunset Strip ‘60s Sounds! Garage and Pscyh from Viva Records (Sundazed) – I’m a sucker for these types of collections too. The product description from Amazon: “The short-lived Viva Records label was one wildly eclectic outfit. Helmed by hitmaker Snuff Garrett, this Los Angeles-based imprint targeted the teen marketplace with a series of extraordinary garage / psych / pop singles.”
The Early Years: The Early Years (Beggars Banquet) – Not familiar with these guys, but the product description from Amazon intrigues me: “The chilling, psychedelia-drenched self-titled debut from this UK band is a dense mix of the trio's influences: Spiritualized, Mogwai, Television, Neu, and Tortoise. A sound that lies somewhere between their joint love for ambient noise, motorik beats, drones, feedback, harmony, and melody.”
Gill Landry: The Ballad of Lawless Soirez (Nettwerk) – This is one of those Western, noir albums for people who are into that sort of thing. I got it and wasn’t completely won over, but if you’re into that genre you might like it. Letter Grade: C
Paolo Nutini: These Streets (Atlantic) – He’s an attractive, teenage singer-songwriter (the kind you will hear at Starbucks and Banana Republic) from Scotland with quite a bit of heat behind him at the moment. Playing a sold show at the Troubadour on March 23rd.
RZA: Afro Samurai Soundtrack (Koch) – The Wu Tang’s RZA produces this soundtrack to an Anime series.
Youth Group: Casino Twilight Dogs (Epitaph/Anti-) – This is Kevin Bronson’s pick for the week. He compares them to Snow Patrol.
Reissues / Compilations:
Faine Jade: Introspection – A Faine Jade Recital (Sundazed) – This one’s supposed to be heavily influenced by The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and it was cut in 1968 by a 20-year old New Yorker. I’m intrigued.
Gandalf: Gandalf II (Sundazed) – Mostly unreleased tracks from the trippy 1960s baroque-psychedelic band. I’m usually a sucker for these types of things.
Lavender Diamond: The Cavalry of Light (Matador) – The local folk-pop group’s 4-track EP gets reissued by Matador records. They’ll be hitting the road in Europe with the Decemberists. Download “You Broke My Heart” and “Rise in the Springtime”
The Sneakers: Nonsequitor of Silence (Collector’s Choice) – Early jangle/power pop band with Chris Stamey, Mitch Easter and Will Rigby.
Various Artists: Ain’t It Hard – Sunset Strip ‘60s Sounds! Garage and Pscyh from Viva Records (Sundazed) – I’m a sucker for these types of collections too. The product description from Amazon: “The short-lived Viva Records label was one wildly eclectic outfit. Helmed by hitmaker Snuff Garrett, this Los Angeles-based imprint targeted the teen marketplace with a series of extraordinary garage / psych / pop singles.”
7 comments:
I've only heard one song by a while back by the Early Years called "All ones and Zeros". I liked it at first, then decided a second listen wasn't necessary. Its pretty much following the Primal Scream "Evil Heat" period mixed with Kasabian caught in the bathroom with a bottle of jergens and a Can cd.
people are just assholes...Ill take Some Loud Thunder over the Arcade Fire's new album anyday. At least its interesting and different sounding and doesnt rock you to sleep. He's a good songwriter and people just latched on it as the album to backlash against. It really pisses me off actually because the guy is 50 times better of a lyricist than Kele from Bloc Party or Win Butler but since CYHSY went weirder instead of more "epic-sounding" people think it isn't good. its not as good as the debut, but its still a very solid album.
the fact i haven't even bothered to listen to the new CYHSY probably isn't a good sign. and i probably haven't listened to their first album since the day before i saw them play at the el rey. i heard they've gotten a little better as performers. i will get around to hearing this new one eventually.
Oh Jeff, get over yourself! That CYHSY record sucks. And you of all people should understand that jumping on the bandwagon backlash hater shit more than anyone. Look at all of your hate for Arcade Fire which is so f-ing trendy right now.
Don't you have some Franz Ferdinand or Interpol records you should be listening to?
Alls I'm saying is that this album is really easy to backlash against. I don't hate the Arcade Fire album or anything. I just don't think Neon Bible is as good or as bad as people will inevitably say it is. I don't particularly care for that Bloc Party record either. Then again, I strongly dislike Springsteen, Coldplay and U2 which should explain why I don't think much of those records. i just think all these bands are in really shitty situations. It's not just the bands on album. Look how people spit on that Shins record. Which was fucking good. I try not to pay too much attention about what other people say anyway in that regard. My taste is strange. But yeah...now that you mention it, I think I will put on that Franz Ferdinand record. It's good like that.
What can I say though about CYHSY, I'll root for a band with a Dylan fixation anyday over a bunch of guys who are trying to pretend they're in 1981 Dublin. That's all.
Though I probably should've issued the caveat that the song "Arm and Hammer" on the CYHSY album really does suck though. Like a lot.
i like some loud thunder. the fuzz on the first track is obnoxious and dance satan song a bit annoying but as a whole, it's a solid album.
Kevin
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