First up, some more reviews. The new Durutti Column release is a 2-cd tribute to the late Tony Wilson of Factory Records. Titled "A Paean To Wilson" (2010) it is mostly an instrumental album. However, the 2 tracks that just have the "brother brother..." part from Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" I found to be REALLY annoying. Why it showed up more than once just made it worse. Some of the trax are really nice and some are just there so I found it to be a mixed bag. Perhaps it meant more to Vini Reilly than to me on a musical level...
Man/Miracle are a new band and their debut is "The Shape Of Things" (2010). There are some really songs on this record and they have some interesting arrangements that lead to an intriguing listen. I like it. ***1/2
Midlake are back with their new album "The Courage Of Others" (2010) and it is gorgeous! It really sounds like a lost album from the 60s which is what most of their music sounds like anyway. I really like this album and it is one of my top picks for the week! ****
Prior to releasing their new full length this week, the band DIOS released a single and an EP recently "Cosmic Rays" [EP] & "I Feel Finite" Single (2010). There are some good moments on here for sure but it's all uneven in the end so I'm more interested in hearing the new full album to see if there is a cohesiveness to the direction they are now going in....
This next album is a great surprise. Zoey Van Goey-"The Cage Was Unlocked All Along" (2010). Apparently this is their 2nd album and they are from Scotland. Perhaps a little bit Belle & Sebastian but not quite. There are some really great songs on here and I like both the male and the female singer. I highly recommend this album. ****
Keeping up with that sort of 60s vibe is the new Erland & The Carnival-"E&TC" (2010) album released on the label of Damon Albarn from Blur. I definitely wasn't jumping up and down over this one, but it does have it's moments. Perhaps it will take another listen before I can really say what I think of it but in the meantime... ***
Yesterday many of the music sites were giving a free stream to the just released Preservation Hall Jazz Band new Tribute album that came out yesterday. While boasting tons of Artists that I like (the list is large) I just couldn't relate to this at all. It's because I don't care for this type of music at all. It does nothing for me and the whole New Orleans jazz thingy is just way out of my realm of interest. The only track on here that I kind of enjoyed was the one with Ani Difranco because her voice actually seemed to fit that style of music. Otherwise it was a mostly unbearable listen for me. I'm glad I got to check it out but I have to give this a pass....
Another free stream yesterday was the new release from Local Natives-"Gorilla Manor" (2010). Now this I REALLY like! This is an excellent album and the voices in this band are quite stunning. I guess some will say it has a (bit) of an Animal Collective vibe but they do have their own thing going on and I really liked it. Their cover of the Talking Heads song "Warning Sign" is a real treat as well. ****
Priestess are a pseudo metal band from Canada back with their 2nd album "Prior to the Fire" (2010). I say psuedo because this is definitely not metal. Their debut was pretty strong and I admit I liked it (a guilty pleasure I guess) because the vocalist can actually sing and the band sounded good. This new album is ok. I'll admit I became more interested in the last half of the album than the first half. Much better and stronger songs. Still an interesting listen for me anyway. ***
Once again I'm still digging the new Hot Chip and with new track placement and deleting 2 trax, I've got it in heavy rotation...
Now onto this week's new releases. There are a ton!!!
FEB 16
1. ELLEN ALLIEN-“WATERGATE #5” (COMPILATION SERIES) (2/16)
2. KASEY ANDERSON-“NOWHERE NIGHTS” (2/16)
3. THE ART MUSEUMS-“ROUGH FRAME” (2/16)
4. BACKYARD TIRE FIRE-“GOOD TO BE” (2/16)
5. THE BIG PINK-“VELVET” [EP] (2/14)
6. DAN BLACK-“((UN))” (2/16)
7. DAKOTA SUITE-“THE NIGHT JUST KEEPS COMING IN” (REMIXES) (2/16)
8. DIOS-“WE ARE DIOS” (2/16)
9. DUM DUM GIRLS-“JAIL LA LA” 7” (2/16)
10. EXCEPTER-“PRESIDENCE” (2CD) (2/16)
11. FANFARLO-“I-TUNES SESSION” [EP] (2/12)
12. FIELD MUSIC-“FIELD MUSIC (MEASURE)” (2/16)
13. 4HERO & DJ MARKY-“THE KINGS OF DRUM + BASS” (3-CD) (2/16)
14. GENTLE FRIENDLY-“RIDE SLOW” (2/16)
15. GIANT DRAG-“SWANSONG” [EP] (2/16)
16. THE GO FIND-“EVERYBODY KNOWS IT’S GONNA HAPPEN ONLY NOT TONIGHT” (2/14)
17. DANIEL PAUL GRODY-“FOUNTAIN” (2/16) (HE’S FROM TARENTEL & THE DRIFT)
18. JULIANA HATFIELD-“PEACE AND LOVE” (2/16)
19. I BLAME COCO-“CAESAR” (SINGLE) (2/16)
20. LIGHTSPEED CHAMPION-“LIFE IS SWEET, NICE TO MEET YOU” (2/16)
21. LOCAL NATIVES-“GORILLA MANOR” (2/16)
22. LUSINE-“TWILIGHT” [EP] (2/9)
23. THE MACCABEES-“WALL OF ARMS” (IMPORT EXPANDED EDITION W/ 5-BONUS TRAX) (2/16)
24. M.A.N.D.Y. VS. BOOKA SHADE-“DONUT” (REMIXES) (2/9)
25. MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS-“FAMILY JEWELS” (IMPORT) (2/16)
26. BILLY RAY MARTIN-“THE CRACKDOWN PROJECT, VOL. 1 (SOLD OUT TO DISCO: THE CRACKDOWN / FASCINATION) (2/15)
27. MIRACLE CONDITION-“S/T” (FROM US MAPLE) (2/16)
28. MOON DUO-“ESCAPE” [EP] (2/16)
29. MUMFORD & SONS-“SIGH NO MORE” (2/16)
30. NITZER EBB-“INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX” (2/16)
31. OCEAN COLOUR SCENE-“SATURDAY” (IMPORT) (2/16)
32. RAY OKPARA-“BRAINOWS” [EP] (2/1) + RAY OKPARA-“TRU CROWD” [EP] (2/15)
33. OVER THE RHINE-“BESIDES” (REISSUE OF RARITIES FROM 1997) (2/16)
34. EWAN PEARSON-“WE ARE PROUD OF OUR CHOICES” (ON KOMPAKT) (2/16)
35. PET SHOP BOYS-“PANDEMONIUM LIVE” (CD/DVD) (2/16)
36. ROBERT POLLARD-“WE ALL GOT OUT OF THE ARMY” (2/16)
37. PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND-“PRESERVATION: AN ALBUM TO BENEFIT PRESERVATION HALL & THE PRESERVATION HALL MUSIC OUTREACH PROGRAM” (DELUXE VERSION) (2/16)
38. JOE PUG-“MESSENGER” (2/16)
39. SCANNERS-“SUBMARINE” (2/16)
40. THE SEVEN FIELDS OF APHELION-“PERIPHERY” (2/16) (SHE’S FROM BLACK MOTH SUPER RAINBOW)
41. SLOW CLUB-“YEAH SO?” (IMPORT) (2/16)
42. SMOKING POPES-“IT’S BEEN A LONG DAY” (2/16)
43. BEN SOLLEE AND DANIEL MARTIN MOORE (WITH JIM JAMES OF MY MORNING JACKET)-“DEAR COMPANION” (2/16)
44. THE SUPERIONS-“THE SUPERIONS” [EP] (FRED SCHNEIDER IS IN IT)(2/23)
45. THEE SILVER MT ZION ORCHESTRAK-“KOLLAPS TRADIXIONALES” (2/16)
46. TINDERSTICKS-“FALLING DOWN A MOUNTAIN” (2/16)
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