R.I.P. Mark Linkous. And thank you for the great music you've left behind. The other day I read a moving piece by Kurt Wagner of Lambchop on his friend Vic Chesnutt. I was sobbing through the entire eulogy because it was so moving and the situation was so sad. Life is short and it is fragile and some of us just aren't so strong to endure living it day after day for whatever reasons.
The new release from Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra is "Kollaps Tradixionales" (2010). I believe this is their 6th album now. Always an ensemble defying categorization after at first being an offshoot of Godspeed You Black Emperor! This album has more vocals and is musically all over the map as I would expect. I found the album to be very engaging and challenging and haven't agreed with some of the reviews I've read that have said it's a lackluster album. Just listen to "I Built Myself A Metal Bird" and you'll hear why it's not a letdown. ****
Laura Gibson & Ethan Rose - "Bridge Carols" (2010). This is Laura's 4th album and first with a collaborator. Ethan is an ambient music producer. This is a very FRAGILE pairing. The songs exist yet they do feel as if they could fall apart any moment. Fragile, delicate and beautiful. At moments I found some songs to be quite enthralling. *** 1/2
Over the weekend while driving to L.A. I enjoyed a couple of remastered New Order classics. "Technique" (1989) & "Brotherhood" (1986) are particular favourites and to say that they've aged well is an understatement. Both of these albums are perfect and indicative of great music released in the 80s. I get so irritated when idiots speak of the 80s. The only people who say that stupid remark are the ones who have no clue about what was fantastic about music in the 80s because they obviously listened to crap on the radio. DUH!!!!! After hours of New Order I had to listen to The Smiths - "Meat Is Murder" (1985) especially since I'd been thinking recently of it after realizing it is the 25th anniversary of this masterpiece. Another slice of musical perfection.
What has to be one of the best new bands is Fanfarlo. Their 2009 debut "Reservoir" has been in heavy rotation for me lately. While they've been playing for several years, they didn't release their full length until October 2009. It's a fantastic album and I highly recommend it to everyone! *****
Aerial is a band who have tons of albums out. I recently read about them and they were compared to being like Explosions In The Sky so I was intrigued. There is so much to love here! They do bring the white noise and it sounds fantastic! I've just checked out three of their albums:
"The Sentinel" (2007). "The Legion Of Dynamic Dischord" (2008). "Black Rain From The Bombing" (2006). If you like your white noise epic and sometimes breathtaking then Aerial is for you!
The ever prolific Xiu Xiu is back with the fantastically titled "Dear God, I Hate Myself" (2010). Is this his 9th album since 2002 already? It's close anyway and that's not counting collaborations and singles galore. I've always loved Jamie Stewart's lyrics since I first heard him which began for me in 2004 with the exquisite "Fabulous Muscles" album. Since then I've been hooked. Their is a slight change up in the members now with an addition from the band Deerhoof. This has helped the music sound fresh and the confessionals are all still here making this a very enjoyable and engrossing Xiu Xiu album. ****
Now onto the new releases for this week. As has been the case this year so far, there are a ton of new releases again. Who can keep up? Well, obviously as much as I try I do admit it is nearly impossible. I can only listen as fast and as much as I can, otherwise it's not fun. Music is not a chore, it is a choice. When one chooses what to listen to and when to listen to it, the music becomes so much more special and engaging. Perhaps you will allow yourself time in your life to experience some of the new music that is being released this year.
Enjoy this week's new releases:
MARCH 9
1. ALOHA-“HOME ACRES” (3/9)
2. LAWRENCE ARABIA-“CHANT DARLING” (3/9)
3. MATTHEW BARBER-“TRUE BELIEVER” (3/9)
4. THE BESNARD LAKES-“ARE THE ROARING NIGHT” (3/9)
5. BIFFY CLYRO-“ONLY REVOLUTIONS” (U.S. DIGITAL RELEASE) (3/9)
6. BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB-“BEAT THE DEVIL’S TATTOO” (3/9)
7. THE BLED-“HEAT FETISH” (3/9)
8. BLOOD RED SHOES-“FIRE LIKE THIS” (IMPORT) (3/9)
9. STEPHEN BRODSKY-“HERE’S TO THE FUTURE” (3/9)
10. BROKEN BELLS-“S/T” (3/9)
11. JASON COLLETT-“RAT A TAT TAT” (FROM BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE) (3/9)
12. DAUGHTERS-“DAUGHTERS” (3/9)
13. DELPHIC-“DOUBT” (3/9)
14. DINOSAUR FEATHERS-“FANTASY MEMORIAL” (3/9)
15. THE DUKE SPECIAL-“HUCKLEBERRY FIN” [EP] (3/9) + “DUKE SPECIAL PRESENTS THE SONGS FROM MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN” (2/28) + “ THE SILENT WORLD OF HECTOR MANN” (2/28)
16. EXTRA LIFE-“MADE FLESH” (3/9)
17. MELISSA FERRICK-“ENOUGH ABOUT ME” (3/9)
18. THE FORECAST-“THE FORECAST” (3/9)
19. FRIGHTENED RABBIT-“THE WINTER OF MIXED DRINKS” (3/9)
20. JIMI HENDRIX-“VALLEYS OF NEPTUNE” (3/9)
21. JASON & THE SCORCHERS-“HALCYON TIMES” (IMPORT) (3/9)
22. ZOLA JESUS-“STRIDULUM” [EP] (3/9)
23. JJ-“JJ NO.3” (3/9)
24. THE KNIFE-“TOMORROW, IN A YEAR” (CD OUT 3/9, DIGITAL OUT 2/2)
25. MILES KUROSKY (FORMER BEULAH FRONTMAN)-“THE DESERT OF SHALLOW EFFECTS” (3/9)
26. PATTY LARKIN-“25” (3/9)
27. TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS-“THE BRUTALIST BRICKS” (3/9)
28. LIARS-“SISTERWORLD” (DELUXE EDITION WITH BONUS CD) (3/9)
29. THE LOVE SUPREME-“NEW MILLENNIUM FREAKS” (3/9)
30. TOM MCRAE-“ALPHABET OF HURRICANES” (3/9)
31. THE MORNING BENDERS-“BIG ECHO” (3/9)
32. NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB-“THE OPTIMIST” (IMPORT) (3/9)
33. OF MICE & MEN-“S/T” (3/9)
34. PAVEMENT-“QUARANTINE THE PAST: THE BEST OF PAVEMENT” (3/9)
35. JOSH ROUSE-“EL TURISTA” (3/9)
36. SPARKS-“SEDUCTION OF INGMAR BERGMAN” (U.S.) (3/9)
37. TANLINES-“SETTINGS” (3/8)
38. TITUS ANDRONICUS-“MONITOR” (3/9)
39. TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB-“TOURIST HISTORY” (3/9)
40. VIA AUDIO-“ANIMALORE” (3/9)
41. WHITE HINTERLAND-“KAIROS” (3/9)
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