Suzanne Vega has just released "Close-Up, Vol. 1: Love Songs" which is a selection of her songs completely stripped down to just her and her acoustic. She is apparently touring just by herself. That Suzanne has had a miserable love life is clearly evident in her songs. I've always loved her and her writing and her understated delivery. Some of these songs are better than others, but still it's nice to hear her again and I'm glad she's still creating. ***1/2
Vibracathedral Orchestra has dropped 3 new releases this month. They are "Smoke Song", "The Secret Base" & "Joka Baya". I really enjoyed all 3 of these releases. I guess the tags of experimental and drone are to apply here. Honestly, it's just music to me! One of the main guys here Neil Campbell is also Astral Social Club which would be electronic alter ego. I really like all of this type of music. It's creative and a lot of it really draws the listener in and it sounds great. ****
Pat Metheny is back with his new release in 2 years titled "Orchestrion" (2010). Here is a detail about the recording taken from the Amazon listing for the album that better describes it:Pat Metheny s Orchestrion may turn out to be his most talked-about, argued-over undertaking. It s already his most adventurous. With Orchestrion, Metheny redefines the concept of the solo album. He is indeed the only live musician on this recording, but it s the opposite of, say, his 2003 One Quiet Night, in which Metheny hunkered down in his home studio to explore all the musical possibilities of one new guitar. Here he works with an extraordinary set-up of acoustic instruments, assembled for him by a visionary team of inventors. What they have created in collaboration with Metheny is a veritable made-to-order solenoid orchestra that includes, among other things, bass, pianos, percussion, marimbas, guitar-bots, and a mellifluous cabinet of carefully tuned bottles. Using one-of-a-kind software programs and solenoid switches, Metheny controls each instrument via his guitar and an array of pedals.
That said, I really enjoyed the opening 15 minute title track and the closing track. The other 3 tracks are good but they veer off into traditional Pat territory, thus not leaving them very groundbreaking in their sound. Pat remains one of my favourite guitarists ever. *** 1/12
I shouldn't admit that I listened to this disaster, but since I did (hey, it was free!) I'll just mention it. Rob Zombie-"Hellbilly Deluxe 2" (2010). In his drugged up mind there must be a reason for this and in his (what's left of) brain he must think it is a good album. I did actually find 2 short bright moments in an otherwise disaster that I just had to fast forward through because obviously the songs were so stupid and awful. The tracks: "What" & "Death And Destiny Inside The Dream Factory" are pretty good so why didn't this mess just release a single and then go back to making bad b movies? RATING=WHATEVER!
Projekt Records has been around for a long time and they've just released their annual sampler for 2010 "Under The Weight Of Light" spotlighting releases from the coming year. This one is a really uneven listen. There are really only 4 highlights for me and they are from: Makaras Pen, Curtis Eller, Unto Ashes & Rome. The rest was just there. **1/2
Chris Knox was from New Zealand and was a well respected musician in his country from 1981 until he passed away after having a stroke in 2009. Their is a new tribute 2-CD out titled: Stroke-Songs for Chris Knox (2010). Listening to these songs shows a man who had a great talent and wrote some really terrific songs that were obviously mostly ignored here in the U.S. For me, the highlights on this tribute are from: The Chills, Bill Callahan, The Tokey Tons And Friends, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Jay Reatard, & Red & Zeke featuring Bill Doss And Neil Cleary. ***1/2
In 2000 the trio of Christian Fennesz, Jim O'Rourke & Peter Rehberg released "Magic & Return". In 2009 it was reissued and remastered with a bonus disc. This is a spectacular meeting. Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a Fennesz freak! I love him and have tried to collect as much of his material as I can including singles, vinyl and books with rare tracks on accompanying cd's. He's an electronic genius in my book. This collaboration is solid and I was happy for the bonus trax. A great relisten. *****
Moon Wiring Club I read about in the January issue of The Wire and on the Wire website they've had some free downloads of their material and also of a double cassette release mix tape titled "ASDA MIX Side A & B". What an interesting listen this is! I've never heard any of the music presented on this mix. I gathered that most of it is older from perhaps the 60s and 70s and some more recent stuff thrown in here and there. Interesting listen and I did enjoy it. I've yet to find any listing of Moon Wiring Club anywhere online except the Wire... They do that a lot. :-)
Dakota Suite have been around since 1996 and have consistently released album after beautiful album. Just out is "The Night Just Keeps Coming In" (2010) A remix collection/companion piece to their 2008 album "The End Of Trying". It's a gorgeous homage full of "dark, contemplative moods" as one review described it. ****
Postdata-"Postdata" (2010) is a new project from the leader of the band Wintersleep. This is a stripped down affair to acoustic guitar, cello and Paul Murphy's lovely voice that is reminiscent of Nick Drake & Mark Kozelek. I really like this record and the honesty and vulnerability it delivers. ****
The Brunettes have a new release "Paper Dolls" (2010). It starts off great with "In Colours" & "Red Rollerskates" and then after the 4th track it slips into blah blah blahsville for me. Only reviving itself for the great closer "Thank you". What happened in the middle? I don't know but it soured the entire listen. Better luck next time. **1/2
Hurray For The Riff Raff released their 2nd album "Young Blood Blues" (2010) which actually sounds like it could have been called "Old Blood Blues". This is an interesting record and I guess it's folk but I think that is a bit of a misnomer for this music so I don't know what I would really call it if forced to. Alynda Lee the singer has an interesting voice and she is full of passion. This will require more listens before I can decide what I really think. I will say that the middle of the album was much more entralling than the beginning - at first listen anyway.
Well, that's all I have for this entry. Tomorrow I'll be back with new releases for the week.
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