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This Week's Free Song Download Free download of "Silent in the Wind" off of the Whitsunday's new full-length, Saul (out now on Friendly Fire Recordings). Led by Paul Arnusch, the new record finds the Edmonton-based quintet stepping away from the sunny, '60s-inspired sounds of their debut into darker, minor key territory. While there are still plenty of Kinks and Zombies influences in the hooks and harmonies, this trip is far more heady, and one that fans of pop oddballs like Ariel Pink will also want to check out. This Week's Featured Downloads
I caught these guys a few Sundays ago on an unusually hot and muggy spring night at Brooklyn's Glasslands Gallery. Watching the band, you would have never known that room was half-full, let alone that they had just spent a better part of the day driving from their hometown of Montreal for this one show; their performance was absolutely exhilarating. Zeroes have no doubt ingested a lot of art rock, of all kinds, the group's minimalist rhythms equally informed by Joy Division, Suicide and Can, often wrapped in a noisy squall of droning guitars and pulsing synths. Add to this Ben Shemie's breathy, paranoid sing/speak which is as metronomic as it is melodic, acting as a counterweight to the band's circular groove as he delivers nervy lines like "I killed a man when I was 11-years old...I'm innocent." Though at times it seems like Zeroes are about to drive over a sonic cliff, there's actually a great sense of restraint at play. "PVC" moves along an airtight beat, the sense of tension coming from Shemie's close-mic'ed falsetto and the taut, muted plucks of a guitar, while the somnambulant disco of "Arena" is gently guided by a buoyant synthesizer until it meets an unexpected demise, slashed apart by a barrage of razor-sharp guitars. Like Clinic and Radiohead, who are probably two of Zeroes' closest contemporary touchstones, this group knows how to build pop songs out of experimental gestures, using noise and space as hooks. If this EP is any indication, we're sure to be hearing more from these guys in the coming year, and by all means, go see them live if you get a chance. -Gerald Hammill
This fourth volume of Alga Marghen's "Golden" series of archival material by Charlemagne Palestine presents rare documentation of the pianist in collaboration with fellow travelers. The opening piece, "Short and Sweet," is descriptively titled, and Palestine's sparse, melodic piano playing is like a precursor to the style best exemplified by Harold Budd. The track is the only recorded evidence of a series of regular meetings Palestine had with saxophonist Terry Jennings while at CalArts in the seventies. "Electronic and Flute" feels like an exercise in withholding; the pace is sluggish, with Palestine and flautist Robert Feldman coming across as intent on merely laying out a sound palette, which consists of sparse flute punctuated by electronic squiggles. It would be great if a future volume unearths a long form piece by the duo, as this feels more like a sketch. The real gem of this set, however, is the 32-minute "Db," the only recorded section of an all-afternoon concert from 1974 by Palestine, Tony Conrad and Rhys Chatham. Palestine is on vocals throughout much of the piece, wailing away in his inimitable devotional style, possibly fueled by an inhuman amount of Cognac. Having recently heard Conrad apply his violin drone to a number of situations involving contemporary underlings, it's refreshing to hear him matched with an equal talent. I'm not sure exactly what "The Rhyster" is up to here, but he's certainly not standing out in a negative sense. Palestine's notes in the CD version mention him playing flute and experimenting with the Buchla synthesizer some five years prior, though I can't particularly detect either sound here. These three are on the same wavelength, despite having never played as a trio before or since this date. This stunning track alone ensures that the set is worth obtaining. It's a good thing La Monte Young wasn't around that night, or we may have had to wait even longer to hear this unique piece of music history. -Marc Moeller
Another crucial piece of the Cluster puzzle (or if you'd like, further evidence that Conny Plank is a genius) comes to light, courtesy of the fine folks at Water. This time around, we have Dieter Moebius and his producer Conny Plank in their most playful mode, fully immersed in dub and reggae's space and bounce. They even have Can's Holger Czukay along for the fun. "News" is a springy bit of TV noise collage, "Feedback 66" gets some sludge-fuzz on, and "Missi Cacdou" builds around some vocodered gibberish that will bring about not just a smile, but also may tempt you to sing-a-long. A delightful entry in the catalog! -Adrian Burkholder
If much of what constitutes Cuban and Caribbean rhythm came from Africa originally, the artists included on Africa Boogaloo: The Latinization of West Africa return the favor, refracting those rhythms back and combining them with West African highlights. The result of which is all but impossible not to love. Focusing on the '50s-'70s, most of the bands may not be familiar -- Orchestra Baobab might be recognized by some -- but the uplifting, spirited tone of the music will be welcome to many ears, regardless of the unknown names. As always, Honest Jons has done a lovely job pairing thorough, informative liner notes with tasteful, historical design. Recommended! -Alexis Georgopoulos
From the mastermind behind the brilliant Ofege reissue come two more scorching '70s Afro-rock and funk LPs. You might know SJOB Movement from the disco volume of Nigeria Special, but other than that you'd have to be a pretty hardened collector of African records to know much about the group. A Move in the Right Direction from 1974 is a wonderfully offbeat record, sure there are funky Afrobeat grooves for miles on here, but what makes this album really special is its off-kilter qualities. There's a heavy, introspective vibe at times, enhanced by swirling synth and keyboard sounds fairly unique in the region and era; it sounds far deeper and spacier than anything I've heard coming out of 1970s Nigeria.
The Mebusas' Blood Brothers album from 1973 is a little more conventional but no less essential. Borrowing from all across the globe, the backbone here is American funk but the way the band incorporates psychedelic rock (some killer fuzzed out and trippy guitar shredding on here), Caribbean rhythms and traditional African sounds makes things interesting all the way. Cross-cultural jam of the week! SJOB Movement wins by a whisker but you probably need them both. -Andreas Knutsen
Academy Records offer up a platter of African disco and funk sounds that move away from your standard Nigerian post-JB's beat into straight-up glitter and roller skates territory. Scanning the song titles alone, you get a feeling for what you're in for -- "African Hustle"! "Boogie Train"! "Boogie Trip" (most likely taken on the Boogie Train, I'd assume)! These tracks could easily slip into sets at classic NYC discos like the Loft, the Garage, hell even the ubiquitous 54 on an adventurous night, and they'd be rocking the party without question or effort. I'm not even going into individual track details because they are ALL killers. Anyone who has picked up a compilation of underground disco from any city's scene at our shop needs to check this out, and anyone who has grooved to the Nigeria Special compilations, wiggled their butt in their chair at the Fela musical, or just wants an excuse to Secret Apartment Dance (don't front, you all know you've done it at least once in your life) should grab this post haste. -Mikey IQ Jones |
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