Album Reviews

Free Magic might sound too arcane for its own good, but the title track, coupled with  "Ballade in C Minor, Vergessene Seelen," interweaves the exotic sounds of the opener in almost equal proportion to the traditional piano trio approach. "Where's Sly," from their second album in 1993, It’s A Jungle in Here, thus becomes a refreshing and emphatic close to a recording that, through the course of its playing time, develops an identity all its own…much like the band who made it, by the process of constant reinvention.

Enjoy the Company ends on a bittersweet note, with a tease of how good the record could have been.

After a May 2009 chance meeting at Bjork's memorable one-off collaborative concert with the Dirty Projectors at the Housing Works Bookstore in New York City where someone suggested they venture into a similar partnership with one another, the pair made good on the advice and got together to dream up this surprising golden nugget of an album they are calling Love This Giant.

Led by Christian Wargo and Casey Westcott, supporting members of Fleet Foxes, Seattle-based quartet Poor Moon emphasizes similarly ethereal, harmony-heavy arrangements on its debut LP, but takes measured steps away from the Foxes' folk-pop sweet spot.

Patterson Hood excels at crafting lyrics about southern despair and human fallacy. His third solo album, Heat Lightning Rumbles in the Distance, is a gripping listen, full of the desperate and downtrodden characters he’s so adept at understanding. Much like his work with the Drive-By Truckers, the songs here are full of hard times, hard liquor and hard lessons; the titular weather occurrence is just about the least dramatic thing that happens during this loose 12-song narrative.

Charmer doesn’t grab you by the throat and drill its message into your head; rather, Aimee Mann asks you to have a seat in her office, while you witness her playing psychiatrist to individuals (people she knows? herself?) who need an objective opinion with a healthy dose of reality. Listen closely, and you might even hear Aimee Mann diagnosing you.

When it comes to Woodstock-era English blues guitar, there isn't a more underrated axe than Alvin Lee.  Yet his blistering fret work as the frontman for Ten Years After continues to resonate through the steel strings of such modern-day mavericks as Jack White, Dan Auerbach and Guy Davis Jr. as adroitly as fellow Brits Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton, whom the guitarist should be placed alongside more regularly in terms of his influence on the art of those who came after him.

The folk-indie group Chamberlin received praise for their debut album Bitter Blood and after a cover disk to benefit Vermont flood victims, the group has returned with their next offering, the Look What I’ve Become EP. 

The husband and wife team of Michael Weston King and Lou Dalgleish have crafted a classic country duet album in How Do You Plead? that should have Americana experts step up and take instant notice. With a top of the line backing band which has played with everyone from Elvis Costello to Van Morrison, the duo pour sawdust and tears into every honky-tonkin’ sad song they present here.    

Niki and the Dove are an electro-pop trio from Stockholm, Sweden. Their first full length, Instinct, was recently released on Seattle’s legendary Sub Pop Records. The band generated significant blog hype last year with their first single “DJ, Ease My Mind”, a piece of jack-nugget ear candy that makes a lush and ominous case for the healing power of the dance floor.

That kind of pie-eyed affinity for pure pop makes Nocturne well worth a spin.

Herring fans often wish the note-mongering master would strike out on his own more often, and this intimate-sounding album should give them plenty to chew on for a while.

A true miss from an artist that has definitely been way more consistently impressive than not.

Some of the greatest songwriters invariably have some of the greatest backing bands. Bob Dylan had the Band, Graham Parker had The Rumour, John Hiatt had the Goners (and now The Combo) and Ian Hunter has The Rant Band. The vibrancy with which they bring to life the material on When I'm President reaffirms why the former frontman for Mott The Hoople chooses to share headline status with them on his 20th solo album.

It’s hard to be critical of a young singer-songwriter full of promise and fanfare. However, the world already has plenty of artists who can deftly balance the sad sack act with other, more tuneful spins on the folk tradition. If LeBlanc wants to have staying power, he’d be wise to dial down the weepiness and give himself a more aggressive kick in the up-tempo direction. 

Blackberry Light is a moody collection of abstract sound that captures a wide spectrum of life. Mars delves into the darker parts of his nature, embracing melancholic tones as much as the fun, warm vibes. The spacious songs give the music room to breathe, with unspoken words and un-played notes telling much of the story. Though the album has some misfires, Blackberry Light succeeds as a singular entity that, just like life, features various moods and experiences, some of which are more exciting and memorable than others.

When you look at the entirety of the Blur catalog, however, as you can upon the release of this exhaustive reissue celebrating the group's 21st year, you will rediscover why Blur should always be considered–pound for pound–the best London rock band of the last two decades. And for those who cannot afford the $150 for the 18-CD, 3-DVD super deluxe shebang online or at your finer local record shop, obtaining it piecemeal is just as noble, if not more so in the fortunate event you have enough spare cash to invest in new music altogether let alone upgrades of your favorite records growing up.

If Bob Mould did nothing more than provide melodic songs and driving guitar for the innovative and influential 1980s band Husker Du his reputation would be secure. Following the band’s demise in the late ‘80s Mould didn’t rest on his laurels, recording a half-dozen albums with his 1990’s group Sugar and a dozen solo projects. His latest, Silver Age, shows he hasn’t lost a step.

It seems as though “supergroups” have become the latest trend in rock music. Each year, scores of musicians are setting aside their traditional outputs and collaborating on releases with contemporaries or like-minded thinkers. The autumn of 2012 brings forth Divine Fits. In the accompanying press notes for their debut album, A Thing Called Divine Fits, the wise Gerard Cosley warns listeners to not judge the band’s music by its’ members prior output.

Orbital has returned with Wonky,  their first album since 2004 (Blue Album)– that is imminently listenable, and very much Orbital. However, it also conveys interesting hints of past musical goodness.