Album Review: Zu – Carboniferous
Concept: The Rome, Italy trio take a stab at the Rite of Spring in their tenth (?) studio LP. Sound: Typically very loose and unusual, the band has produced a much fuller and more structured album, with a strong rhythmic focus. That’s not to say any of it is radio material. Although there are episodes [...]
Album Review: Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears – Self Titled EP
Concept: Retro fury, plain and simple. Sound: The first half of the EP is rock and blues basics, with gleaming trumpet punctuations and a healthy dose of Hammond organ. Joe is young, but his voice is hard, harsh, and alarming, like his subject matter. With the conclusion of *****, I Love You, it’s hard not [...]
Album Review: Ancient Future Records – Planet Passion
Concept: Why are you laughing? This is a collection of folk songs from around the world dealing with the stages of romance. Some of them depart from their original instrumentation, but there’s only one original piece. Okay..there are six, but they’re all based on mythology. Sound: There’s actually a lot of good solo work in [...]
Album Review: X Clan – Mainstream Outlawz
Concept: As the album’s ridiculous artwork (not pictured) suggests, X Clan has a penchant for satirizing their own genre. Although it’s been done, it’s hard to imagine it being done better than this. The group waxes philosophical and conscientiously objects to distilled and perverted hip-hop imagery while defending the culture itself as uplifting, and in [...]
Album Review: Mariah Parker – Sangria
Concept: Combination of Indian meter with Latin rhythm and jazz stylings. Sound: ‘World music’ is a cringe-inducing phrase, but the concept of this album is ambitious, and at some times it succeeds. The big name is Paul McCandless, a member of Oregon who has worked with popular groups like The Flecktones and The String Cheese [...]
Album Review: Bill & Kate Isles – Matching Baggage
Artist: Bill & Kate Isles Album: Matching Baggage Released: Little House Records, 2009 I was able to meet Bill and Kate when they came by St. John’s last year for the Swayed Pines Folk Festival, and they are very nice people. Kind-hearted, easy to talk to, really decent folks. This album really reflects that about [...]
Album Review: Potluck – Pipe Dreams
Concept: If the innuendo didn’t hit you, it’s mostly about marijuana. Oh, and girls. Also, they take a stab at preaching positivism and a respectful can-do attitude. No, really. Sound: One sample per track, perhaps two. It’s mostly synth and electric guitar, although occasionally some vocals and piano are inserted. At least they know to [...]
Album Review: Dr. Dog – Fate
Concept: Fate bobs between merry pining for the past and bitter dread, while rushing through mottled pop-rock styles of the highest order. Sound: To be crass, these are songs the Beatles forgot to write. The Philadelphia troupe has set up a rousing and almost perfectly balanced album, cycling its vocalists and instrumentation with each track to [...]
Album Review: Murder By Death – Red of Tooth and Claw
Artist: Murder By Death Album: Red of Tooth and Claw Released: Vagrant Records, 2008 Reviewer: Robert Lennon A dark Americana version of “The Odyssey”, “Red of Tooth and Claw” showcases the strengths of Murder By Death, even if the songs are not particularly intricate. With the loss of original keyboardist Vincent Edwards, the band has [...]
Album Review: Godspeed You! Black Emperor – Slow Riot for New Zerø Kanada
Possibly the most accessible release from Godspeed You! Black Emperor, this EP showcases all the marks that made the group so good and influential: musical dynamism, a focus not just on personal issues but cultural ones (exemplified by BBF3), and bone-breaking climaxes. If you haven’t yet, check this one out, I guarantee it will not disappoint.