FEATURED NEW RELEASES
Sonic Youth
Six Organs of Admittance
Susumu Yokota
Dabrye
Keiji Haino & Sitaar Tah!
First Nation
Nino Moschella
Phonophani
Tony Allen
Hot Chip
Kidd Jordan, Hamid Drake & William Parker
Final Fantasy
Mr. Lif
Crowdpleaser & St. Plomb
Delia Gonzalez & Gavin Russom
The Futureheads
The Replacements

Ann Peebles
Smog
Regina Spektor
min2MAX (Minus compilation)
Venetian Snares
Barry Adamson


ALSO AVAILABLE
Kid 606
Fovea Hex

BACK IN STOCK
Shogun Kunitoki


COMPLETE LIST OF THIS WEEK'S NEW ARRIVALS

"Reena"

"Rats"

Not to discount noise and musical experimentation as it's got its particular time and place, especially now, but regular readers of this update know that the seeds for such sounds, which groups like Sonic Youth planted long ago, have sprouted and flourished under a cold black sun. What better time, then, for the quintessential modern NYC rock band to pull a total 180 and head back into pop? It's this summer, chief, and it is the kind of move that thrusts the quartet (sans Jim O'Rourke) back into the eyes and ears of all that's different, springing them awake and alert into creative and prepared consciousness. Rather Ripped is the most straightforward album SY's made since Goo -- curiously, where I got on board back in 1991, a freshman in high school whose life and style that record pretty much tore apart and reconfigured in its own image. I would see them a year later with the Boredoms at my first-ever show, but I digress. Sonic Youth, however, does not. These twelve songs contain some of the band's most memorable material since the dreamscapes of A Thousand Leaves, but cut down on the overall length and meander by half. Things seem to be fairly Kim-driven this go-round as well, as she takes lead vox on sprightly opener "Reena" and album anchors "What a Waste" and "Turquoise Boy," plus "Bull in the Heather"-update-of-sorts "Jams Run Free." Rather Ripped also lands "Rats," one of the best Lee jams in many a moon. Impeccably accomplished avant-pop frameworks which will no doubt be stretched to their limits in the live setting, Rather Ripped is an extraordinarily evocative set, injecting reminders into skulls of exactly why and how they got into Sonic Youth, and had their lives subsequently changed, in the first place. [DM]

SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE
The Sun Awakens
(Drag City)

"Black Wall"

"River of Transfiguration"

Let's start at the end. If there is to be a marked departure from the current Fahey worshipping anti/avant/weirdo-folk sonic state, let it begin with the closing 24-minute track on this, Ben Chasny's eighth Six Organs of Admittance release. The first five minutes are pure meditative drone, with a barely audible pulse. Then comes the chanting! Courtesy of Al Cisneros of Om and perhaps a few others, this leads way into some subtle and sparse percussion and gong, and by the time you notice the riffage it's over and you have been sitting quietly without thought for 10 minutes. I am not saying there is no familiar transcendental pluckery on this record; in fact, most of the songs leading up to "River of Transfiguration" are just that. "Bless Your Blood" and "The Desert Is a Circle" sort of stay within the formula of last year's School of the Flower, the latter being the landscape piece of the album (you will hear what I mean), it's a beautiful and inspiring track. "Attar" brings to mind the work Neil Young did for Jarmusch's Dead Man score -- a raw, blistering, jangly and brief jaunt culminating in psyched-out squall. Okay, back to the end… Twenty-plus minute track territory can be rough terrain for an artist you are used to humming along to, but the result here is thoughtful and the highlight (for me anyhow) of the record. Chasny seems to be playing with duality, exploring the depths of both the light and the dark. [NL]

"1000 Wing Beats Per Second"

"Robed Heart"

Another chapter in the Susumu Yokota discography. This one, Wonder Waltz, displays Yokota's penchant for exploring new territory without abandoning his signature style. On the surface, there are certain similarities to the Distant Summer collaboration with Rothko, namely a return to trip-hop stylings. While the mere mention of the words "trip-hop" send many running for the hills these days, you can be rest assured that Wonder Waltz won't be rehashing any played-out, third-tier, lounge compilation pablum. Female vocals, check. Slow break-beats, finely chopped, check. Sampled strings and some ethnic instrumentation, check. Hey, where are you going? Don't leave yet! You didn't let me get to the part about the unmistakable elegance that breathes through this album, weaving through sweetness and moodiness with ease. The soft, precious chimey-ness of "Image 85" commingles with the orchestrated world music of Boy and the Tree," and a more mature version of the vocal break-beat of Distant Summer. Imagine Mum and Lali Puna in an opium den doing a record on the always organic Leaf -- "MUM-my Puna!!" (Vocals by Caroline Ross, Iva Bittova and Kahimi Karie.) An excellent album that I hear is getting compared to Herbert, but there is no flexing of a music composition degree on this one. The similarities begin and end with surface elements (female vocals and well integrated musical samples) and overall quality. The rest is pure Yokota. [SM]

DABRYE
Two/Three
(Ghostly Int'l)

"The Stand"

"Game Over"

Holding it down in Detroit, Tadd Mullinix (a/k/a Dabrye) returns with Two/Three, and it's kind of a concept record, a vocal hip-hop concept to be exact. The album's roster of MCs shows that he's not playing around: MF Doom, Vast Aire, Beans, Wildchild, A.G., Kadence, Guilty Simpson, Big Tone, Phat Kat, the late Jay Dee, and the Platinum Pied Pipers' Waajeed and Invincible all stop by to voice over the digital-hop. Sharpening his style of production with a shot of energy, Mullinix also seems to have absorbed the snap and crack sound from some of his guests -- namely Doom, PPP, Stones Throw crew, as well as a little Prefuse 73. Dabrye's always been grouped in with all the above, yet with the addition of vocals, he's moved from the bedroom to the cipher, and raised the stakes. One of the best hip-hop records this year, so far. [DG]

KEIJI HAINO & SITAAR TAH!
Animamima
(Important)

You thought you had seen and heard the man do it all. Keiji Haino, king of the Tokyo avant underground, has recorded complex guitar records, overblown psychedelia, noise freak-outs, solo gong performances, and everything in-between. So, naturally it was time to make a sitar record. Only, it's a sitar record where Haino contributes vocals and plays flute, tanbur, rhythm box, hurdy gurdy, and sruthi, while the 20(!)-piece Sitar Taah! orchestra contribute just that. A double CD made up of two 45-plus-minute pieces, Animamima is a massive meditative, yet very LOUD, drone that resembles the work of another Japanese master, Takehisa Kosugi of the Taj Mahal Travellers. As with the Travellers, despite the large nature of the orchestra, the musicians lock in almost immediately and sound wholly at one with each other. It's a lot to take on, almost 100 minutes of otherworldly drone, but if anything, it's a testament to the fact that is all is well on the astral plane. Thanks Keiji, you did it again. [AK]

FIRST NATION
First Nation
(Paw Tracks)

"Female Trance"

"Swells"

Pretty stunning debut album here by an all-female NYC trio who are as careful, structured, and multi-faceted in sound and playing style as one could get before veering into chamber music. But it's not classical, nor does it have such intentions. These are quiet songs but they're not necessarily quiet in their arrangements or what's being accomplished; on the contrary, this is incredibly adventurous material that can absorb any reference you can toss at it, only to find it'll become part of the sound. For this release, I'd say they are much like Gang Gang Dance (itself a very similar amorphous reprocessing of mass sounds) tackling the oeuvre of LiliPUT (circa Some Songs), the Raincoats (Odyshape-era), late-period Malaria!, or even some Poison Girls, along with world music (in particular African and Tibetan forms), and '90s R&B like TLC or Destiny's Child. If you think that's a tall order, maybe you should take a listen and believe it for yourself. At just the right length for this sound, this album is an extremely compelling, engaging listen that demands study and attention. [DM]

NINO MOSCHELLA
The Fix
(Ubiquity)

"No One"

"Moved On"

Seemingly coming out of nowhere is this awesome debut full-length from another DIY Caucasian soul crooner. Drawing from such introspective soul multi-instrumentalist singers like Sly Stone, Donnie Hathaway, Shuggie Otis and Stevie Wonder, Nino Moschella's debut is a sunny and rickety home-recorded modern psych-soul masterpiece. His voice is a rich soulful tenor, a la Jamie Lidell, though Moschella's singing is definitely more straightforward in approach; and the playing is all live, eschewing programmed beats for live kits, beatbox vocals and fingersnaps. My girlfriend thought that it sounded like early Lenny Kravitz, which is valid as well but, thankfully, Moschella doesn't shamelessly wear his influences on his sleeve. All in all, The Fix is a solid debut album from an artist who obviously has talent to burn and could create some compelling music in the future. As for now, Moschella should be proud in the fact that he has created a smart, unpretentious record that successfully bridges the deep sound of soul's past with his uniquely personal musical vision. For fans of all of the above. [DH]

PHONOPHANI
Phonophani
(Rune Grammofon)

"Ring"

"Kaliphoni"

I was basically forced to finally listen to the new Phonophani just so I could respond to all the customers asking, "How's this?" (It's probably a mix of Rune Grammofon fans and just people in general attracted to the cover art.) I was ready to give it a brief listen and throw together a quick catch-description of two words or less. But even now, I still can't quite describe this album well enough to do it justice. No, it doesn't sound like Boards of Canada -- and all the genius music writers saying that need to read a book and get a clue. Could this be a modern soundtrack to an imaginary late-'50s/early-'60s film? This self-titled debut, actually a reissue from 1998 (with three additional bonus tracks), is full of classic analog electronic sounds, acoustic instruments, and voice (sampled and sung) dragged through some facial-cleansing quality mud, resulting in a soundscape where nothing really juts out into the forefront, but with a background so spacious as to be vast, all sounds existing harmoniously within a cellular whole. It's not surprising to find out that Phonophani's Espen Sommer Eide uses customized software. The sounds are unnaturally natural, all seen through the same dirty window. Imagine the score to Forbidden Planet with its deliciously subtle creepiness and timelessness, aligned with a beautiful solemnity. How ideal is that? [SM]

TONY ALLEN
Lagos No Shaking
(Honest Jons/Astralwerks)

"Ise Nla"

"Moyege"

The legendary Afrobeat drummer hits us with a new album of original material just in time for summer. Tony Allen is smart enough to know not to ruin a good thing, so the record has a very organic, straight-ahead Afro-funk feel to it, and resists the temptation to tinker with the classic formula. No clunky excursions into hip-hop, house or such things here, but that doesn't mean that it sounds like a throwback. There's definitely a modern feel to it, especially in the production, but Allen realizes what people really like about Afrobeat and delivers it in spades here. As our OM colleague Jeremy Sponder would say: "Does not disappoint." [DH]

HOT CHIP
The Warning
(DFA/Astralwerks)

"Over and Over"

"No Fit State"

"Hot Chip will break your legs/Snap off your head," intone Hot Chip vocalists Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard on the title track to The Warning. Such bold threats from a group offering up such open-ended, accessible electro-pop are not to be taken lightly. Rolling with more of an early evening vibe than on their strictly-afterparty debut Coming on Strong, the ghosts of freestyle and charmed, laddish new romantic harmonies pinball around in some significant machine funk, kind of making them an electro-funk foil to Pulp. Moreover, Hot Chip proves on The Warning that their sense of humor and reliance on purely electronic instruments are more than gimmicks and the markings of a novelty act. There's a confidence here that reinforces the material, having done no wrong on its own, and now in collaboration with the DFA, who if you've been keeping score, are subverting mere "dance-punk" and moving their production and arrangement skills into unheard of heights for American audiences (e.g., pushing Balearic house tracks, hard electro, abstract rhythmic gallops, and pop music such as Hot Chip in the same breath, and making it the thing to listen to). Sophomores usually slump. Hot Chip got stronger instead. [DM]

KIDD JORDAN, HAMID DRAKE & WILLIAM PARKER
Palm of Soul
(Aum Fidelity)

"Unity Call"

"Living Peace"

Just one short month after hurricane Katrina forced him to flee his native New Orleans, tenor saxophonist Kidd Jordan found himself in a completely improvised recording session with percussionist Hamid Drake and bassist William Parker. It was a true testament to living in the moment, even if that moment was preceded by total disaster, in this case the loss of his home. Jordan had been a New Orleans fixture for the better part of 50 years and he had recorded with a diverse group of musicians, from Ray Charles to Martha and the Vandellas and Earl King. He is synonymous with New Orleans jazz and has been for quite some time. But over the last few years, he had also discovered a voice under the leadership of fellow tenor player, Chicagoan Fred Anderson. So when Jordan fled up north and found himself in the company of like-minded musical explorers, the results were a natural extension of their work together with Anderson. Only now it was just the three of them. Jordan's lyrical ability is ever-present, nuanced and upfront. Swirls of color fill the air on tunes like "Living Peace," only to disseminate of wide plans of space. And when backed by Parker, who for the most part leaves the bass aside in favor of the guimbri (a North African six-stringed instrument), and Drake, who joins on drums, tablas, frame drums and voice, this serves to give the music a decidedly Eastern tone within the American free jazz language. For those interested in the intersection of traditions and cultures that musicians like Archie Shepp and Pharoah Sanders explored, take note. Palm Of Soul will satisfy. [GA]

FINAL FANTASY
He Poos Clouds
(Tomlab)

"He Poos Clouds"

"If I Were a Carp"

That title!? Is he serious? Under usual circumstances naming your band/sideproject after a popular role playing game I used to devote hours to on my Genesis would be sort of dodgy to say the least. And then to go and title one of your records He Poos Clouds…well, that would be unforgivable. But look, these aren't "usual circumstances." Final Fantasy is the side project of the Arcade Fire's touring violinist/multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter virtuoso, Owen Pallett. Last year, while the Arcade Fire were off playing fashion shows with Bowie, Pallet put out a little homemade record of violin-driven, icy pop songs called Has a Good Home. He Poos Clouds is its follow-up. However, despite a far worse title, Poos, feels worlds less tentative than Home. Pallett is working with a much wider variety of colors here, that take him off into freewheeling experiments with percussion sounds, harpsichords, children's choirs, French horn and, yes, some violin too. If you called Pallet the Sondheim of Indie Rock, you wouldn't be too far off. Overstatements aside, much of Poos sounds like some esoteric musical for twisted drama kids, and anyone in their twenties who lives in Greenpoint. It's surely a bold, idiosyncratic personal statement from a kid bursting with talent…but title included, I'm just not quite sure what he's saying yet. [HG]

MR. LIF
Mo' Mega
(Definitive Jux)

"Murz Iz My Manager"

"Brothaz"

Mr. Lif is back with Mo' Mega, possibly his best record to date. With nine out of 11 tracks produced by El-P (as well as a great cut produced by Edan), the duo sound refreshed, refocused, and right on. El-P's trademark crunchy guitar stabs and rumbling drums are ever present, and while the formula may not be new, both sound better than they have in a while. It's as if the subway they've been on has finally come out of the tunnel and is now riding above-ground. After spending "nine years in the game," Lif -- who's a school teacher by day -- continues to give his opinion about the current state of things. Yeah, there are comments about Bush, mainstream hip-hop, and our fast food nation, but he also finds time to get his groove on (check the reggae-tinged jam "Washitup!"). Definitely a nice mix between noise and accessibility. Guests include Aesop Rock, Murs, Akrobatik, and Blueprint. Could this also be the rebirth for one of NYC's best hip-hop labels? Hope so. [DG]

CROWDPLEASER & ST. PLOMB
2006
(Mental Groove)

"Mardi Gras"

"18 Years"

Yo, Mental Groove is a Swiss label distributed by Kompakt, and anybody who grabbed the rare "Viking Music" 12" (or just about any of their releases) from a while back knows that Crowdpleaser & St. Plomb rule the school. This 2006 collection is slamming on so many levels. It's party music for sure, but it rides the line so nicely that it can easily be described as "fun and tasteful hedonism." I know, these days, disco and electro is as common together as white on rice, and generally just as bland, but Crowdpleaser does jackin', barely disco-house kinda like the MBF stuff, but it's simultaneously more fun (almost a Ladomat-style pop) and more nasty (like an acid Idjut Boys) and, sorry guys, more interesting. While some stuff like this makes you think about dancing, Crowdpleaser gets you dancing. Imagine Kohncke's Chic Edit/2101 series with more nasty synth disco/acid sounds. Geoff said it reminds him of early Ron Trent. Take all that and wrap it up in an album that has variety enough to listen to it from beginning to end. Where are we, on Mars?

One thing that is immediately apparent about Crowdpleaser tracks is the fact that though it shares "minimal" qualities with other Kompakt-related artists, the cuts have a directness that doesn't get caught up in skittery, trancey bulls**t that distracts from the groove -- no tiresome, eternal ecstasy breakdowns! Just grindy bass, ballsy kick drums, ass-slap snares and smooth chunkiness like some Peter Pan Chunky. "New Times Roman" rocks. "Today" rocks. "18 Years" rocks. "Last" is a nasty beauty that's just like a cherry on top of the sundae. Great sounds and great grooves that are written in an effective, un-forced way. Since I started this review off with "Yo," I guess it's natural to end it with, "DONT SLEEP!!" [SM]

DELIA GONZALEZ & GAVIN RUSSOM
Relevee Remixes
(DFA/Astralwerks)

"Relevee" (Carl Craig Remix)

The debut album from sculptors/ dancers/ magicians Delia & Gavin was a Klaus Schulze throwback/headtrip to be sure, but we knew that they could get back to the future when they wanted to, and this EP proves it. Kicking off with a more propulsive reworking of "Relevee," this new EP features two remixes that are absolute stunners. The re-working by the DFA is liable to be the production duo's greatest work yet. For starters, there's a slippery female cooing across the track, lascivious and enticing. About midway through though, some classic house piano chords ring out, and I just wish I could be at a foam party in Ibiza for when this platter drops. If the DFA edit doesn't do it for you, then Carl Craig's teasing remix will, taking its sweet-ass time to build up those undulating bass tones before the beat finally comes in and shakes the speaker cones. Once again, about midway through, some more piano comes in, but this time, it's positively jazzy, suggesting early, 'inside' Cecil Taylor or something. Really just beautiful and totally unexpected. Perhaps to bring things back to earth a bit, the Baby Ford track is minimal, both needling and hammering, as austere a reworking of a track as we've heard in quite awhile. Finally, sweetening the whole package is a video by Assume Vivid Astral Focus. The set just goes to show that the DFA still has some tricks up its sleeve. [AB]

THE FUTUREHEADS
News & Tributes
(Vagrant)

"Skip to the End"

"Favours for Favours"

Sunderland pop quartet the Futureheads came bursting out of the gates with tremendous force on their first album, and the singles leading up to it, rolling up all that was exciting about the pop that followed UK punk rock (leaning on everything from XTC to Nick Lowe to the Jam to Kate Bush) with a blinding, ricocheted constancy and guileless determination. The work done there could be likened to four smiling guys pushing their van uphill. News and Tributes works just as hard, but the balance shifts, admirably, between more solemn, ballad-type numbers (such as the title track), and completely ballistic, frantic, breakneck tracks that push the limits of their formula until it breaks (see the Fugazi-esque one-chord massacre of "The Return of the Berseker"). In other spots, it seems that the group has more fully embraced the latent melodies and off-kilter drive of American post-punk outfits like Mission of Burma, the Embarrassment, and MX-80 Sound. It's an interesting second album that will grow on you with repeat listens. This domestic version tacks on tracks from the UK-only Area EPs, including a remix of their earlier single "Decent Days and Nights" by NYC electronic duo Shy Child. [DM]

THE REPLACEMENTS
Don't You Know Who I Think I Was? The Best of the Replacements
(Rhino)

"Skyway"

"Message to the Boys"

This 20-track collection is the first Replacements disc that is a true career overview of these critics darlings and drunken underdogs, covering their early, proto-hardcore beginnings up through their final major-label farewell and adding two new tracks recorded for the comp by the surviving original lineup (Bob Stinson, R.I.P.). In this context, the evolution of the band, from drunk-punk brat teens to alt-rock elder statesmen, seems like a fairly straight and obvious course; I remember their debut, Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash, as wailing hardcore mayhem, but in hindsight what I hear is Paul Westerberg's insightful songwriting and impassioned rock and roll howl. I never even bought the last couple of Sire Records releases, but tracks like "Alex Chilton" and "I'll Be You" have all the same elements of the group's earliest work: simple three-chord rock and roll with great hooks, smart lyrics, and Westerberg's grizzled and gruff belting, and they sound great. And whatever your feelings about the bookends of their career, I think most rock fans can agree that from their sophomore Hootenany, the legendary Let It Be, and including at least the all-killer-no-filler major-label-debut Tim, this band was on fire. This is a great collection of simple, classic, heartfelt songwriting and raw, loose, passionate playing that holds up remarkably well. As for the new songs…they're OK. [JM]

ANN PEEBLES
Original Funk Soul Sister: The Best Of
(Demon)

"I Can't Stand the Rain"

"Trouble, Heartaches & Sadness"

I'm gonna spare y'all my soapbox posturing and resist the temptation to write a "this was when music was music" styled review for this compilation of tunes from one of the most underrated vocalist ever. However, I will say this: In this age of pop cultural marketing, where any kid with a cute face and a penchant for melismatic falsetto runs can get signed and marketed under the auspices of "urban music" and sold as R&B, the slow-burnin' organic southern soul of this release sounds like some of the freshest, most forward sounding music ever. Sorry folks, I tried. Okay…about Ms. Peebles.

Ann Peebles was signed by legendary producer Willie Mitchell's Hi records in 1968, two years before discovering Al Green. Once he heard her gospel-infused wail of a voice, he immediately gave her a writing partner, Don Bryant, who was another recent signing (and her future husband). Together they wrote a number of classic tunes that would combine the heart-wrenchin' personal narrative epitomized by Nashville country & western, and fuse it with the female empowerment slant popular amongst singers like Lyn Collins and Vicki Anderson; but Willie Mitchell's production injected a blues element to it all that gave it a very unique sound. The pace was slowed down to a shuffle; the organ was the primary instrument, and the backbeat was treated with a tom-tom/conga drop on the 2 & 4 that gave it a very distinctive gritty funk. A sound that became known as the "Hi Sound." With Peebles, there were very little background vocals or overdubs. Everything was kept pretty sparse, so that her voice was the centerpiece. That voice!!! If you can imagine a less-gravelly Tina Turner with the phrasing of Mahalia Jackson, you're almost there. But it's definitely purer and Peebles has more range than both singers, but you won't catch it immediately because she never showboats. Instead, it'll sneak up on you when you least expect it. Her biggest hit was the oft-covered "I Can't Stand the Rain", which was apparently John Lennon's favorite tune. Even though she followed that song up with some of her best work, she never had another crossover hit and retired in 1979 to raise her family, and these days she is a touring gospel performer. This is a fine introduction to one of America's top living vocalists, and if you consider yourself a fan of singers such as Bobby Womack, Tina Turner, Bettye Lavette, etc., this CD will make your month! [DH]

SMOG
Rock Bottom Riser
(Drag City)

"Fools Lament"

Like two singles in one, Rock Bottom Riser has two LP tracks (the title-track, and "I Feel Like the Mother of the World"), plus two excellent b-sides: "Bowery," a dreamy ode to an alcoholic grandfather and a shattered family, as only Smog could pull off, and the odd waltz "Fool's Lament." Nearly as intriguing as the music is the deteriorating Polaroid portrait on the cover, and in the hand-scrawled small print, Callahan compares himself to a couple of brutal young boxers (Smog=Bernard Hopkins?), and dedicates the record to Chloe Sevigny. Hmmm… [JM]

REGINA SPEKTOR
Begin to Hope
(Sire)

"Fidelity"

"Lady"

Despite its ultra-femme, bargain bin Lilith Fair(y) title, Regina Spektor's first album on major label dime, Begin to Hope, is a sly middle finger to the proverbial slings and arrows of the NYC music world circle jerk around her. It's a glorious thing. Spektor is a star -- and some nights when she's on, she's even a solar system. All refined nervous energy, borchbelt quirks, and an undying allegiance to all things "meta," she's the only singer-songwriter I know that can be put on bills with bands and steal the show. And so it is that, Ms. Spektor had no business slumming it in the anti-folk wastelands, which she came up. She's not the type of girl who would make the same record ten times over just to keep her friends and family happy. She's a brave soul, and she's gonna do electro-pop if she wants to. And she does want to. Hope's opening knock-out punch combo of "Fidelity" and "Better" are both as wonderfully infectious as any pop song should be, but as an added bonus, reading the lyric sheet isn't cringe-inducing either. Right from the get-go, she lets her listeners know that she's got a budget now and she's gonna use it. Fine. But you gotta love a girl that follows up two brazen electro-power-pop anthems with one of her oldest most beloved piano and vocal ballads, "Samson" -- a song so genuinely moving, it was worth re-recording it for inclusion on a record you could pick up at Wal-Mart too ("Samson" originally appeared on her self-released debut, Songs).

However, the real standout on Hope comes toward the end. "Lady" is one of the best songs of the year. It's a true classic, a hazy piano-fed pastiche, an homage to the lady herself, Billie Holiday. To say that "Lady" also works as a saucy post-modern send-up of all the girls trying to sing in that wonderful brassy Billie Holiday sort of way would be an understatement. Of course, Regina herself is singing in that wonderfully brassy Billie Holiday sort of way, and it's that nuance that makes the proceedings all the better. It's too bad the rest of Hope isn't quite as remarkable as this one song, but it's not that much worse either. [HG]

VARIOUS ARTISTS
min2MAX
(Minus)

"Have to Get Back (Non Vox Version)" WiNK

"Staring Contest" Magda

A new compilation is here from Minus to celebrate the ongoing growth of its stable. These new jacks aren't going to let us forget them too soon. It's all jackin' minimalism from mainly U.S. producers, some based in Berlin, one each from Philly, Detroit, Michigan, Indiana, Sarnia, Windsor, and Cologne. The "American" vibe is most evident in the classic house pump-funk of tracks like Troy Pierce's "GRVL," Berg Nixon's "Victoria Station," and Tractile's "Unquenchable." Otherwise, the sound ranges from more experimental Dan Bell (check Hearthrob's title-tribute, "Baby Kate") to fatter, uncluttered Perlon minimal funk (Magda, Neiderflur, Marc Houle, and Konrad Black), to funkier, less cerebral Plastikman (Gaiser). The centerpiece has to be WiNK's (Josh Wink) "Have to Get Back," as it's all throbbing, expansive and chasm-y, full of essential steadily climbing, ecstatic moments. [SM]

VENETIAN SNARES
Cavalcade of Glee and Dadaist Happy Hardcore Pom-Poms
(Planet Mu)

"Swindon"

"Tache"

Cavalcade of Glee and Dadaist Happy Hardcore Pom-Poms. Venetian Snares' new album title is a mouthful and the CD reflects every word. Starting with opening track "Donuts," Aaron Funk begins to work some digital magic with his trademark twist, stretch, bend, spin, chop, and slice techniques. He has the ability to create fast-paced, shifting break-beat patterns that, at times, could rip your head off, but he also gives the sounds pastoral breakdowns to heal the wounds. Though he sits with the likes of Squarepusher, Autechre, and Aphex Twin, Venetian Snares has always been a little on the outside yet just as relevant; he's also becoming a personal favorite of mine among the bunch. This release finds him adding some beautiful melodic acid lines and old school analogue synth sounds (a la Luke Vibert's Yoseph), as well as live drums and a few other surprises. Why Warp never signed him is still a mystery but thanks to Planet Mu (and the dozen other labels he's associated with), we'll keep getting our minds beautifully bent. Brighter, softer, and more melodic than you may expect, remember it is "happy hardcore," and never a dull moment. [DG]

BARRY ADAMSON
Stranger on the Sofa
(Central Control)

"Officer Bentley’s Fairly Serious Dilemma"

"The Long Way Back Again"

This latest release from Barry Adamson is another offering of dark, slightly sinister, cinematic electronica. The former bassist for Magazine and the Bad Seeds has built quite the reputation for crafting tight, conceptual, "soundtracks for non-existing films" for the last 10 years. At his best, Adamson's works are a heady, updated fusion of northern soul, Morricone scores and Bacharach-style arrangements, all processed through a dark, trippy narrative held together by spoken word interludes. The beats are a bit harder and grimier throughout, but his immaculate production touch remains intact and his rich baritone sounds great. Not as star-studded and over the top as his last few, but this release proves Adamson still has the touch and will not disappoint his fans eager for a bit of David Lynchian aural immersion. Fans of Nick Cave's soundtracks, David Holmes, and even Thievery Corporation will find a lot to like about this one. [DH]

KID 606
Pretty Girls Make Raves
(Tigerbeat6)

"Comeuppance"

So, breakcore is definitely dead then. Kid 606 returns with an album that's classic 130 bpm 4/4 techno all the way, complete with requisite bass kicks, handclaps, and rim shots. Jeff Mills, Green Velvet, and…Kid 606? There are many moments on here that are bound to go bump deep into the summer night. One of this year's most unexpected dancefloor burners?

FOVEA HEX
Neither Speak Nor Remain Silent - Two: Huge
(Die Stadt)

"Huge (The Joy of Trouble)"

Second EP in a series of three by Fovea Hex (a/k/a Clodagh Simonds, formerly of British folkies Mellow Candle, and friends), and it inhabits the same haunting territory as the first EP, Bloom. Simonds' voice is the main instrument in these ethereal folk lullabies, but it's the production by Colin Potter (known for his work with Nurse With Wound, Current 93, and Organum) and the violin, piano, keyboards (by Brian Eno), harmonium, and variety of mystery sounds backing her up are what really makes the songs soar.

SHOGUN KUNITOKI
Tasankokaiku
(Fonal)

"Montezuma"

"Tropiikin Kuuma Huuma"

From the dream-scrambled pop transmissions of Paavoharju to Kemialliset Ystävät's dew-covered hallucinatory experiments, for the better part of a decade Fonal has made its name hosting a diverse roster of artists from the Finnish underground. Their newest signing, Shogun Kunitoki, might be the most unexpected release from the label yet, and no, they're not Japanese. Based in Helsinki, this quartet seems to exhibit a fond affection for weathered analog keyboards and Dario Argento movie soundtracks. The seven instrumental songs on Tasankokaiku mix proggy passages with the playful spirit of Raymond Scott's early experiments, while live drums and the human performance of the instruments chase away the sterile trappings that defines much of the electronic genre. Actually, album opener "Montezuma" reminds me of the avant, retro-futurist pop which Broadcast dutifully co-opted and updated from United States of America, as a baroque organ circles above sine waves, squelching synthesizers and sparkly bell tone counter-melodies. We recently moved Tasankokaiku from our Psychedelia shelves over to the In section, a small testament to how the album doesn't neatly fit into any one particular category of our store. Shogun Kunitoki are too song-structured for our Out racks, really too far out for In, and way too human for Electronica. At home I've filed them under New Favorite Finnish Band. [GH]

THIS WEEK'S CONTRIBUTORS

[GA] Geoff Albores
[AB] Adrian Burkholder
[DG] Daniel Givens
[HG] Hartley Goldstein
[GH] Gerald Hammill
[DH] Duane Harriott
[AK] Andreas Knutsen
[NL] Nicole Lang
[JM] Josh Madell
[DM] Doug Mosurock
[SM] Scott Mou


THANKS FOR READING
- all of us at Other Music