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Free song download of "Division of Labor (TV Track)," off of the Fun Year's upcoming album, God Was Like, No, out November 16 on Barge Recordings. This electro-acoustic duo's warm, crackling soundworlds are sculpted from processed guitars, turntables, sampled strings, percussion and found sounds, deservedly placing the Fun Years in the good company of contemporaries like Tim Hecker, Mokira, Philip Jeck and Fennesz. Absolutely stunning work, God Was Like, No should not to be missed by any fan of the aforementioned. This Week's Featured Downloads The crude skeleton-cannibals shown feasting on flesh on the cover of this 1986 LP must have seemed eye-popping at the time, before the grindcore scene made such themes commonplace. But to call Animals a metal album is selling it way short. The wild, and frankly shocking, Moog lead that spills out of the speakers at the beginning of the opening title track mark this as a far more unique vision. Sure, there is more than a passing resemblance to Black Sabbath on tracks like "Ghost Lovers" (currently available as a Free Song Download) and "Just Keep Running," but Duane Warr had an intuitive approach that gives the proceedings a real heartening and personal quality. There's definitely an "outsider" bent to Animals, yet the playing is quite competent throughout. The wah-wah guitar solos on "Cannabinol: The Function" owe much more to Cream than Sabbath, yet are displaced into such a ridiculous environment it's hard to see it as copying either. No detail is left out by Warr in creating a personal world. The gongs and extra percussion on "That Deadly Night" prefigure much contemporary doom and stoner rock; in fact, much of the LP is quite psychedelic, with lyrics and vocal delivery that wouldn't sound out of place on an Om record. As absurd as the themes and general tone seem, it's all impeccably arranged and Warr is more than adept on all instruments. Dwarr is no joke, rather it is entertaining in a primal sense. Kudos to Yoga Records (and Drag City who have released this to the "physical world") for venturing into such unexpected territory. -Marc Moeller
Wow, I didn't see this one coming! Cult UK post-punk/experimental pop band Family Fodder have returned with Classical Music, their first album since 2000's excellent, out-of-nowhere reunion Watershed, and easily one of the best things the group has ever recorded in their sporadic 30-year history as a recording unit. Classical Music picks up the torch lit on classic FF records like Monkey Banana Kitchen and excellent singles like "Debbie Harry," "Film Music" and "Playing Golf (With My Flesh Crawling)," combining elements of minimalist classical repetition, African guitar and danceband stylings, touches of French chanson, and the kitchen-sink collusionist aesthetics of fellow groups of the era like Flying Lizards and This Heat, both of whom once shared members with Family Fodder's lineup. These days, the more raw "punk" side of their sound has been toned down, but never at the expense of the band's DIY ethos or their secret weapons: a keen ear for a solid hook, a wicked rhythmic sensibility, and a razor-sharp sense of absurdist humor. Songs like "Be More Wise," with its hypnotic jaw harp loops, classical cello swathes, and overlapping vocal harmonies, or the West African rumba stylings of songs like "Ancestor's Feet" and "Whatever Happened To David Zé?" continue the Fodder tradition of making music that's difficult to categorize but very, very easy to enjoy. Judicious use of dub-inspired recording and mixing techniques add depth and texture to the accomplished playing of instruments like accordion, oud, and piano, while group mastermind Alig Fodder and Darlini Sing-Kaul's (daughter of original Fodder vocalist Dominique Levillain) vocals sound as fresh as ever. It's rare that bands reactivate and create music that even comes close to equaling their prime, influential early work after a 15 to 20 year hiatus; that Family Fodder have done this not once but two times now is remarkable. Classical Music is quickly becoming one of my favorite albums of the year, and if you're been a fan of any of the groups mentioned, or have just been itching for a lovely, mature, endlessly listenable but mysterious pop record that thinks globally but acts locally, well... look no further. There's no other band out there like Family Fodder; thankfully, they return every now and again to remind us of that fact. Absolute highest recommendation. -Mikey IQ Jones
It seems like William Parker is on a roll these days. Following his great Curtis Mayfield interpretations, the bassist and bandleader again shows his graceful range of interests with this new set of material inspired by and dedicated to his Uncle Joe and Aunt Carrie Lee Edwards. Conjuring memories of Post War-era jazz with a flavoring of the avant-garde, Parker's quartet, which features Gerald Clever on drums, Darryl Foster on tenor and the recording debut of Cooper-Moore on Hammond organ, instinctively play off one another, with lots of good energy and symmetry. A solid, engaging mixture of blues, soul, gospel, and even a little funk, Cooper-Moore fills this recording with a sense of timelessness, his organ-work painting a picture of soldiers and speakeasies. Parker continues to be one of the more refreshing players on the downtown scene and this nicely executed time capsule of vintage jazz shows why. -Daniel Givens
Just an absolutely essential recording, this first LP of songs sung by Shirley Collins is one of the defining moments of the second British folk revival, and after 50 years remains one of the most important recorded documents of British folk music. Anchored by Shirley's supernaturally austere voice, the hook on this LP is the instrumental (banjo and guitar) accompaniments to traditional songs, something that in 1958 was considered as heresy to the centuries-old British tradition. Recorded by Alan Lomax, whose research and recordings of American folk music introduced Shirley to the mountaineer's reliance on the banjo, it was decided to readopt the modal traditions of England with interpretations embracing the ancient while maintaining a single-mindedly ambitious modernity. History aside, Shirley's quavering, youthful voice is completely unparalleled; imbued with the spirit of the countryside and unhesitatingly direct, in Shirley's hands the songs seem to be their own engine, as if the definitive versions have been left as blanks for her to fill in. Many of the songs on this album were recorded by Shirley at various points in her career, but there is something unencumbered and innocent in these sessions (which also birthed the Folkways LP False True Lovers), that ephemeral right place, right time lightning strike that happens so rarely and cuts the deepest. If you're not already a Shirley devotee, this is absolutely the finest place to start, and as the original Argo issue of this LP is beyond the budget of all except the most dedicated collectors, you would do well to grab this up now. Fans who may be working backwards from the folk baroque styles of Pentangle and Incredible String Band, as well as more progressive acts like Comus: this is what it's supposed to sound like. -Simon Gabriel
Whoa. Internet rap phenom Lil B, he of hundreds of YouTube freestyles and near-countless MySpace pages, and formerly of Berkeley hip-hop crew the Pack, who had a minor hit in 2006 with their sneaker-fetishizing track "Vans," drops one of the straight-up WEIRDEST records of 2010 with Rain in England, an album of -- no joke-- stream of consciousness freestyles spit over entirely beatless ambient synth tracks. As goofy and gimmicky as it may sound to some readers, Rain in England is actually an impressive record due to its brain-frying combination and crosspollination of aesthetics from so many different strains of sound; everything from new age divination, Kraut/kosmiche synth wizardry, William S. Boroughs cut-ups, private press Christian/cult psych releases, and Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreaks are all echoed here in some form or another, most likely (Kanye aside) without Lil B intentionally referencing them. The lack of beats also tends to work in B's favor throughout the album; his flow, unrestrained by the shackles of a 4/4 anchor, actually seems more relaxed and controlled in this setting. This is more direct and less self-consciously wordy than most underground/backpacker rap, and the gooey layers of synth and electronics take the concepts of chopped & screwed and give them new blender settings. He remains positive throughout, eschewing surly streetwise posturing in exchange for surreal monologues about everything from his family, his love for all the beautiful ladies out there, and the concepts of love and hate to bizarre tales of riding a Segway to heaven. This is definitely not for everyone, but it's been surprising seeing the diverse group of inquisitive individuals who have come to the counter to ask me "what's playing?" as I've got this pumping out of the store stereo, and then noticing the purchases they've made. The fact that this record is being released by Weird Forest, home to recent projects by members of Emeralds and Indignant Senitity, as well as the likes of Fennesz, Yellow Swans, and Pita, says a lot about the album's appeal to those who travel deep in the forests of the experimental music world, as well as those who like a little w-t-f in their r-a-p. I can see the label heads brainstorming the marketing of this one: "Hey kid, you like Grouper AND Mobb Deep? Have we got the record for YOU!" The crazy thing is, it really is that f-ed up AND listenable. It's also quite good. Highly recommended for the bold souls out there. -Mikey IQ Jones
Mike Pride was named as one of the "Top Ten Young Jazz Drummers to Watch" in the New York Times and his AUM Fidelity debut, Betweenwhile, showcases why we should pay attention. Effortlessly moving from free-bop to hard, punchy rock and hip-hop inspired motifs, Pride's compositions and playing can reference several things at once. He has a firm and steady hold on the groove, all the while leaving his band mates -- Alexis Marcelo on piano, Peter Bitenc on bass and self-confessed J-Dilla fan Darius Jones on alto sax -- plenty of space to improvise. Pride's music is never dry or heavy; there's a lot of personality here and even some lighthearted moments -- one of the pieces is titled Reese Witherspoon, for example. All in all, a nice introduction to a new talent, and one that leaves listeners excited to hear where he will take his music next. -Daniel Givens |
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With their latest album, 
