NEW RELEASES
Rhythm & Sound
Stephen Malkmus
Sleater-Kinney
Dirty Laundry (Various Artists)
Common
Belle & Sebastian
Ark
Optimo
Boy Least Likely To
Elektronische Musik Interkontinental 4

Diamond Nights
Gorillaz
Richard Devine
Geiger

RESTOCK
Bruce Langhorne

AVAILABLE DOMESTICALLY
Boredoms

"See Mi Yah"

"Boss Man"

See Mi Yah, the new album from Rhythm and Sound, is essentially one rhythm extended across 10 tracks, each featuring a different vocalist. Like the great dub and reggae producers of the past (i.e. King Tubby, Prince/King Jammy, Keith Hudson), R&S see the beauty of having various voices appear atop the same rhythm, a practice that is the basis of contemporary dancehall culture, and is often applied to hip-hop remixes as well. Vocals here include Sugar Minott, Ras Donovan, Willi Williams, and the once mainstay of R&S, Paul St. Hilaire, who also plays guitar. Also featured on various versions are Jonas Schoen on horns and flute and Moritz von Oswald on Wurlitzer. As usual, R&S show their love crafting deeply beautiful, spiritual, spacious and warm music. Respecting the past but steeped in the present, creating the future. [DG]

"It Kills"

"Kindling for the Master"

Nothing kills a buzz like aging, humorless indie rockers. People love to criticize Stephen Malkmus, especially music nerds who honed their teeth on Pavement and have since moved on. Many of the same folks who adored his lyrical tomfoolery and youthful self-assuredness will now dismiss him as smug. Thankfully, those people are not in charge at Matador and Mr. Malkmus has delivered us a new summery jam with tons of character.

Face the Truth is his most progressive effort to date, and, with help from the Jicks and producer Phil Ek, the album also finds him trying some new things. The opener, the goofy "Pencil Rot," sounds refreshing and absurd. Lots of synth and vocal effects pepper the album, which seems less built on pop-songery and more around pop motifs amid clever and intricate arranging. Being too clever is poisonous in the post-indie icon world though, but with "I've Hardly Been," Pavement devotees are thrown a bone. Malkmus "dumbs" it down on "Kindling for the Master," a hybrid of fake disco and noodling which ends up sounding like boogie rock a la Steve Miller. In fact, there are a few other classic rock moments. The heaving "Baby C'Mon" reminds me of John Lennon's sweeping melody in "Gimme Me Some Truth" and the lyrical play has some similarities. (Lennon: "No short haired, yellow bellied, son of tricky Dicky...." Malkmus: "If you give it to me Timmy, I'm out here on a limb-y.")

"Freeze the Saints" brings back moments of "Father to a Sister of a Thought," or at the least "Range Life." "It Kills" could have been a cut off Pig Lib. I attest there is something here for everyone, no matter which part of the Pavement/Malkmus catalog you favor. I look forward to enjoying this confident and cagey effort from indie rock's brainy jester all summer. [NL]

"The Fox"

"Jumpers"

Maybe you've heard the buzzing rumors, and I'm here to tell you that they are all true. Seven albums in, and Northwest pop-punk heroes Sleater-Kinney have made a sharp left turn and delivered the best, weirdest, heaviest album of their career. I'm told that when the band jumped ship from Kill Rock Stars to super-indie Sub Pop, they began casting around for a producer who could help them shake up expectations on their new LP, and met with Dave Fridmann, the talented board-op behind the now famous orch-pop-psych sound of the Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev's last few records, as well as many other new classics. As the story goes, Fridmann told the girls that he pretty much hated all their albums, best known for a thin, intense two guitar interplay, frenetic drumming, and Corin Tucker's manic tremolo Jello Biafra vocal style. Despite, or perhaps because of, that bitter come-on, they agreed to retreat to Fridmann's Tarbox Road Studios in upstate NY to explore some new ideas, and the rough and raw beauty of The Woods was born.

Those familiar with Fridmann's resume might be expecting a produced pop masterpiece, replete with strings and horns and bubbling organs to compliment the hooks and energy that have always made Sleater-Kinney so exciting on stage. But from the opening guitar explosion, that will no doubt make you double check your player to confirm that you are hearing the right record (and then will force you to either crank the volume or turn it down right quick, depending on the hour and your neighborly attitude), it's clear that this is a new direction for both band and producer. I'd be shocked if you are not glued to the speakers for the remaining 10 tracks.

Raw, loose, impassioned and powerful, The Woods showcases a band who, against all probability, has continued to grow artistically through the most common onset of rock and roll maladies--namely success, age, and the dreaded family responsibilities (there is a baby or two waiting on the tour bus these days). The playing is intense, with pounding grooves (alternately rock solid and hypnotically off-kilter), and dense, overloaded guitars swooping and crashing and buzzing all over the place. Tucker's vocals still have that manic warble, but she and Carrie Brownstein sing both sweet and dirty throughout the disc, and Fridmann lets the powerful playing lead the way, often leaving Tucker shouting in the wind of her own amplifier, to intoxicating effect.

To be completely honest, I'm not 100% sure that all of Sleater-Kinney's longtime fans will be completely thrilled by the band's explorations. Although much of their trademark sound is still intact, with hypnotic guitar interplay, powerful, idiosyncratic vocals and thoughtful, intelligent and poetic lyrics, there is no doubt that the band has stepped out on a limb here, and an artist that is this popular would be defying the laws of physics (and probability) if we all followed them out there. But the band has made a primal, heartfelt statement, and in the end I'm confident that most of their longtime fans, as well as many new ones, will be moved. The rumors are true; Sleater-Kinney has made the best album of their career. [JM]

"Just Because You Can't Be Mine" Bettye Swann

"You Are My Sunshine" Earl Gaines

There has always been a strong relationship between country music and soul, with many black musicians growing up in areas where bluegrass and country dominated the local radio airwaves. Meanwhile, white artists like Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers and Bill Monroe were all directly influenced by black musicians. The link goes even further back, as music historian Bill C. Malone notes in his book Country Music USA, "Hillbilly music evolved primarily out of the reservoir of folk songs, ballads and dance brought to North America by Anglo-Celtic immigrants absorbing influences from other musical sources, particularly from the Afro-American culture. Of all the southern ethnic groups, none has played a more important role in providing songs and styles for the country musician than that forced migrant of Africa." So it is very sad that due to media marketing and, frankly, discrimination, this influence has been so overlooked.

The 24-song compilation, Dirty Laundry: The Soul of Black Country, proves that Charley Pride isn't the only African-American presence in country music. Most of this collection is culled from the '60s and '70s, with artists like Candi Staton ("Stand by Your Man"), James Brown ("Your Cheating Heart") and Bobby Womack ("Bouquet of Roses") taking on country standards. Among the standouts is Ella Washington's sultry version of "He Called Me Baby," Joe Simon's gospel/country fusion of "The Chokin' Kind," and Earl Gaines' wonderfully spirited cover of "You Are My Sunshine." Dirty Laundry also includes the Pointer Sisters, Curtis Mayfield, Arthur Alexander, Freddie North, Roscoe Shelton and Bettye Swann, and is brought to the present with Andre Williams' "Jet Black Daddy Lilly White Mama" which features White Stripes' Jack White on guitar and backing vocals. Another fantastic release put together by the fine German label, Trikont, and the perfect companion to the County Got Soul compilations. [GH]

Other Music is carrying all of Trikont's available catalog. To view our current inventory of titles, go to www.othermusic.com and type the word "Trikont" into our search engine.

"They Say"

"The Food (Live)"

The solo rapper can be a curious artist in today's association-driven society. Common is a perfect example. Not breaking out from an already established group, or aligning himself with any particular clique, he has been traveling down his own road since his debut, Can I Borrow a Dollar. Growing in popularity and status throughout the '90s, his pinnacle would be '97's One Day It'll All Make Sense and 2000's Like Water for Chocolate. Common's underground scope broadened with these two records, welcoming producer ?uestlove, along with Erykah Badu, Cee-lo and Mos Def. All this stargazing led to 2002's ?uestlove-produced Electric Circus, featuring a ton of guests (including Laetitia Sadier, the Neptunes and Mary J. Blige). Some proclaimed this album to be a masterpiece while many others called it a "psych-hop freakout mess." It was definitely a record that divided the fans. Like many rappers, Common had fallen victim to following his producer's lead in sculpting his musical vision.

Three years later, it seems as if he's learned something from the process; his newest full-length is an easygoing, warm and welcome return to form from one of the most lyrical voices around. Be finds the Windy City resident inspired by, and writing about, his hometown. Produced by fellow Chicagoan Kanye West (who supplies plenty of cut up loops borrowed from old soul 45s), and with two tracks from Detroit beathead J-Dilla, Common keeps it close at home with a minimal amount of contributors this time: John Legend, John Mayer, the Last Poets, his dad, and, of course, plenty of guest verses from Kanye.

Hearing Common can often be like listening to an older uncle's musings about life and love in the urban world. Delivered in simple, everyday language yet full of insight, Common's unique style is filled with honesty, spirit and maturity. Like De La Soul's return album Blind Date, Common crafts hip-hop for the over-30 crowd, yet his music should be equally heard by the youngsters. Smart, soulful and enduring, there aren't any party jams or any rock-hop fusions, just raw, head-nodding loops and uplifting soul shouts, with Kanye's trademark sound in full effect. [DG]

"Dog on Wheels"

"Legal Man"

While many bands utilize EPs as in-between album stopgaps, perhaps featuring a recurring single and some B-sides aimed at diehard fans, Belle and Sebastian have never been ones to hold their best work for proper full-lengths. Between 1997 and 2001, Scotland's beloved sons and daughters released seven EPs on Jeepster and, as Push Barman to Open Old Wounds makes clear, this output stands toe-to-toe with albums like Tigermilk and If You're Feeling Sinister. This 2-CD compilation features all 25 songs from these EPs, many of these tracks, until now, only available as hard-to-find imports (the band's three 1997 EPs were later re-released together as the Lazy Line Painter Jane box set). The four songs from the This Is Just a Modern Rock Song EP have never been available Stateside until now, in fact, only one song in this whole collection, "The State That I'm In," ever appeared on an album. Not just for the completists, Push Barman is a perfect introduction for the uninitiated looking to sample Belle and Sebastian's enchanting pop charms. (Also available in a limited edition hardbook packaging and a 3xLP gatefold vinyl set.) [GH]

"Sucubz"

"Me and My W"

After numerous 12-inch appearances on labels like Circus Company, Perlon, and that French glitch house mix that was quite good but I forgot the name of (whoops...Parisian), Guillaume Barroyer (aka Ark) releases an ambitious, unique LP on Perlon, Caliente. Here, the dry, herky-jerky, Perlon glitch/geek funk gets a hot beef injection of fun and meatiness. A classic, rump-shaking funk has already been established among the recent wave of French minimal house producers influenced by the German house sound, but on Caliente, Ark adds many layers of ultra-vivid, animated samples that stretch and pull the tracks like a Woody Woodpecker cartoon. Sample-wise, imagine if Negativland or Stock, Hausen and Walkman were hired to add extra layers to a fatter, meatier Akufen while intoxicated on laughing gas. Also, Ark pushes the envelope a bit further by cleverly arranging the hi-fi samples to function as undulating notes within the track. Very nicely done. Some disembodied soul-shouts are thrown in, reminiscent of Brinkmann's Soul Center project (but updated) as well as the fat, stilted funk of Smith n Hack/Errorsmith. Also worth mentioning is that the "every other song is a slower breakbeat track" formula actually works here, since Ark has realized that the glitch style actually translates well into breakbeat. These tracks are less "interludes" than explorations in modern funk, using the extra space between the beats well. Again, unique, ambitious, fun and effective. [SM]

"Oscillations" / "Rise"

"Acid Thunder" / "He's Gonna Take You Home"

Following the popularity of their Kill the DJ series of last winter, the Optimo duo waste no time in giving us another mix collection. This time around they present a much trippier party mix, more suited for after-after hours. The title could be a bit misleading to those expecting a psych-rock mix in the vein of Andy Votel and David Holmes. That element is definitely present here (Silver Apples, Hawkwind), but mainly to sonically bookend the acid techno and gay disco goth anthems that pervade throughout. Props to these guys for including two of the best dance songs ever--the first being the gay stalker anthem "Walk the Night", an early Chicago warehouse anthem, and Fast Eddie's "Acid Thunder." If the acid rave dance revolution of the late-'80s didn't grab you the first time around, Optimo's ready to sonically dose you and lead you to the dancefloor. [DH]

"Hugging My Grudge"

"Be Gentle with Me"

Consisting of three self-released singles and five new tracks, The Boy Least Likely To's debut full-length is a melting pot of everything soft and breezy. Drawing from influences such as '60s West Coast pop, country, and twee British '80s pop, the boys (Pete and Jof) come across like bedroom versions of Belle and Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch and the Wichita Lineman himself, Glen Campbell. Although not as visceral as Murdoch can be, they dilute the sweetness of the tunes by throwing some dark lyrical curveballs here and there, dealing with death and fear of aging. Taking a cue from another British pop icon, Kevin Rowland, "Fur Soft As Fur" sounds like Dexy's Midnight Runners if they had lived in California in the 1960s. For fans of C86, Teenage Fanclub, Lucksmiths, Sarah Records, and small furry animals. [AK]

"Napa" Zentex

"Taxi" Oliver Hacke

With the Elektronische Musik Interkontinental series, Riley Rheinhold keeps compiling the tracks that embody the deep, melodic, percolating minimal techno sound of Traum. As this sound has changed from "new" to--by now--almost "classic," this compilation series still manages to unearth quality tracks by new artists. The compilation is marked by the sound of names like Adam Kroll (quick and bouncy melodic dubby house with that jacking "click"), Oliver Hacke (see "Taxi"), Nathan Fake and Dominic Eulberg, among others. Melodic, dubby techno with drive, Traum continues to release solid tracks. [SM]

"Destination Diamonds"

Perhaps in a moment of austerity, while donning a platonic critic-cap, it could be said that Diamond Nights are a part of a collective evolutionary move beyond post punk...a shift that was probably precluded by the Darkness, out of all bands, into a realm where pretense finishes last to a playful-yet-witty composure. And as a total geek for these five songs, I am wholeheartedly attune with that very notion of lively, balls-out aplomb--thought outside of any sort of frigid augmentative trend diagnostics. It's as simple as recognizing that these dudes are conjuring the sounds from their younger days, though I don't know exactly whether that's Queen or Maiden or David Lee Roth, but one thing seems apparent: many artists are answering to the music they perhaps first loved, rendering their now-sound to echo that pure sentiment of unabashed fun and reckless youth, paving way for a brazen return to ROCK.

So loosen out of that static "adult" posturing and swerve to the dance floor or the pit...or shout along whether you're in the shower or jamming the Pod, because this is confident pop rock 'n' roll barely shy of a sort of arena styling, parading clever, driving songs with rousing melodic licks. Vocals carry sexual swagger in a desired (over)dose, with overt lyrics potentially boasting unbounded charisma in an endearing way that Thin Lizzy's Lynott was embraced for. Though Morgan Phalen's oh-so-sweet falsettos are very Billy Idol-esque at times, a delectable engagement with the lip-licking pervy pop they specialize in. These boys have proved themselves with these five killer tracks, and I hope their knack for brilliant songs shines through their anticipated full length, late summer.... ooooowww! [MT]

"Feel Good Inc."

"November Has Come"

Damon Albarn continues his imaginative Gorillaz project with a new crew in tow, so before we get into the Demon Days review, let's first get all of the collaborators out of the way. Over 14 tracks we get to hear the welcomed voices of MF Doom, Roots Manuva, Pharcyde's Bootie Brown, Martina Topley-Bird, Neneh Cherry, Shaun Ryder, Dennis Hopper, the London Community Gospel and San Fernandez Youth Choirs. We also get appearances from Ike Turner on piano, guitarist Simon Tong and Isabelle Dunn (aka Izzi Dunn) on cello. Now onto the music...

Those familiar with the self-titled debut full-length and the accompanying dub version Laika Come Home will probably anticipate the mix of Britpop, hip-hop and dub that's in store; Demon Days doesn't disappoint but it is quite different, and even better. The combined visual and musical attitude of the virtual band that gifted illustrator J.C. Hewlett (Tank Girl) and Albarn have dreamt up feels both dark and fun. From the imagery to the lyrics, Albarn has made a solid concept record and you can tell that he's having a good time, while still making political and social statements. Song titles like "Last Living Souls," "Kids with Guns," "Every Planet We Reach Is Dead" and "Don't Get Lost in Heaven" give you a glimpse of the whole picture (enhanced by the accompanying illustrated fold-out inner sleeve).

This time Danger Mouse is in the production chair, replacing Dan the Automator. Filled with strings, choirs and beats, the skilled producer's layered psych and bouncing constructions effortlessly push the rhythms and song structures. Few groups can pull off the genre-flipping going on here--from country flavoring to electro-pop, southern hip-hop to spoken word--it's all new, yet also familiar.

Recommended for those with short attention spans: dense, shifting, yet digestible and fun if you dig in and try to pay attention. I've listened to Demon Days several times already and never skipped a track! Fun-loving darkness? Why not? [DG]

Also available: Limited edition CD with extended booklet and bonus DVD

"Timach"

"Sigstop"

Atlanta native Richard Devine has always been known for his jarring, claustrophobic sound sculptures of heavily distorted noise-electronics, and on Cautella, his fourth album, he doesn't stray too far from his original mission. If anything, things are getting darker, heavier and less human sounding then before. Rapid spatial changes and sublevel grumbles have the effect of getting the rug pulled out from under you--over and over again. Shards of steel, glass and bass, mash against blown-out fuses and molten electronics. Sometimes it's rhythmic, in the form of drill and bass polyrhythms or acid-laced gabber; other times it's amorphous smears of high audio, science fiction meltdowns. I could easily see this as a score for the latest androids-taking-over-the-world summer blockbuster, as it's not really a ghost in the machine, more like a demon. Not until the twelfth song do we get a reprieve from the chaos; "Timach" is the only tune that wouldn't sound out of place next to Ulrich Schnauss or Boards of Canada. Cautella also features a collaboration with Otto Von Schirach and a remix from Funkstorung. If you're into Squarepusher, Amon Tobin, Aphex Twin, Bogdan Raczynski and other like-minded sonic terrorists, this one's for you. [GA]

"Cocain-e"

"Who"

Following two well received 12-inches on the Schaeben/Voss/Geiger-run Firm label, Geiger releases his debut album, Out of Tune. After hearing his singles that were more German than German house (i.e. having extra healthy doses of quirky German humor AND real house funkiness, plus pop elements), we didn't know what to expect from an album by this guy. But the album cover, a bare-chested, moustached self-portrait with anonymous caressing lady hands, gave us some clues. Out of Tune pushes Geiger's hybrid-loving antics even further by indiscriminately combining house, techno, rock textures, R&B, pop-soul, etc. over the edge, into something else. Basically, he's making songs. The easiest reference point would be Justus Kohncke's Doppelleben LP, but more hybrid, less disco, less relaxing and more disturbed. Also, Geiger is approaching the icon-obsessed sound of Super_Collider (not production-wise) with the irreverent spirit of Cex and Gold Chains. What? [SM]

Track 1

Track 8

I guess it was about a year ago that I headed up to Cinema Village (or was it the Quad?) one evening after work to catch the world premiere rerelease of Peter Fonda's 1971 subversive western The Hired Hand. This was his follow up to the monumentally successful Easy Rider, and in an attempt to bring the hysteria around him down a notch Fonda embarked on a much more reflective filmmaking endeavor. His western upends most of the conventions of the genre, with vaguely homoerotic themes, a stately pace, fragmented or anti-climatic violence, and elegiac passages of psychedelic montage that were inspired by his days of hanging out with the experimental filmmakers Bruce Baillie and Bruce Conner.

The movie tanked when it was released, but Fonda seemed unperturbed as he fielded questions after the viewing. Tall and preternaturally tan, he recounted showing the film to his famous western film star father Henry Fonda, who responded deadpan, "That's my kinda western." The Hired Hand really was ahead of its time, and in the year since I first saw it, those psychedelic interludes have been seared in my mind, as has the stunning score by Bruce Langhorne.

The next morning I searched high and low for a copy of the soundtrack only to discover that it didn't even exist on CD or LP. In one of those moments of inspiration that never come to fruition, I convinced myself that I was going to devote myself to getting it released. Thankfully someone with a little more conviction and follow through than I was able to get it out.

Langhorne was a session musician par excellence who appeared on countless folk rock records in the '60s. Bob Dylan has written that Langhorne was the inspiration for "Mr. Tambourine Man," and he figures prominently on Bringing It All Back Home as well as the soundtrack to Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, with which the earlier Hired Hand has a little in common stylistically. During the showing I remember thinking that the music reminded me of a more blissful, psychedelic, and spaced out John Fahey or Sandy Bull; later I came to find out that Langhorne actually borrowed Bull's twin reverb amp to produce all those ringing pastoral overtones.

With a battery of Farfisas, recorders, and ancient Martin guitars, the passages on this disc seem to defy time, suspending the clock on the CD player with each graceful, echoed parsing of a banjo note or dulcimer slide. Langhorne's 23-minute score is a gorgeous accomplishment that is more than able to stand outside the framework of Fonda's film and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to fans of Americana, psychedelia, finger pick guitarists, spaghetti western soundtracks, Bjorn Olsson enthusiasts, or perhaps people just looking to find some music that'll help them slow down and clear their heads a little bit. [MK]

$16.99 CD

AVAILABLE DOMESTICALLY

BOREDOMS
Seadrum/House of Sun
(Warner Japan / Vice)

"Seadrum"

It's been a long time, my friends, since 1999's Vision Creation Newsun. Words cannot describe how this band, and specifically, the last album changed the way I listen to music. And I don't think I am alone: where would bands from Lightning Bolt to the Animal Collective be without the Boredoms' primordial transmissions? Those are just but two current examples. Don't even get me started how many people they've influenced since their mid-'80s beginnings.

Now, after a six-year wait, Seadrum/House of Sun delightfully pulses with the tribal drumming that rattled skulls in Vision Creation Newsun. Two roughly 20-minute tracks swim in and out of chaos and calm, sonority and quietude. From the blue, sparkly cover to the title of the first track, it's hard not to believe the drums-recorded-underwater rumor. On "Seadrum," Yoshimi, ATR, and Yojuro all contribute to the rhythms, amassing man made waves that crash, ebb, and flow around vocals, piano, East Asian percussion and electronic distortions. Founder Yamataka Eye and guitarist Yamamato Seiichi bundle it together, making this album's lineup closer than ever to the constantly evolving original.

Throughout the album, the multitude of psychedelics and electronics from each of the current members' side projects--OOIOO (Yoshimi), High Rise (ATR), Pica Pica Pica (Eye) for example--comes through. But "House of Sun" engulfs the more subtle, meditative olio like a warm blanket on a cold night. Sitar, guitar, and dulcimer weave in and out of the currents, faintly resembling the expectant moments when an orchestra warms up just before its performance. As the song progresses, a loose looping pattern emerges--until the mind happily wonders and the music slowly fades, revealing deep piano tones just under the surface. I don't think I can say anything more to stress how much you need this record. Recommended more than you can imagine. [LG]

THIS WEEK'S CONTRIBUTORS

[GA] Geoff Albores
[LG] Lisa Garrett
[DG] Daniel Givens
[GH] Gerald Hammill
[DH] Duane Harriott
[MK] Michael Klausman
[AK] Andreas Knutsen
[NL] Nicole Lang
[JM] Josh Madell
[SM] Scott Mou
[MT] Mahssa Taghinia



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