Staff Picks for June 2016
June 30, 2016
The Venetian Snares catalogue is several dozen albums and EPs deep, and this 2002 release is still one of the best places to start. It nicely balances his humorous side with his serious classical influences. The first track features operatic vocals over mangled jungle breaks, so that alone will tell you whether this is worth your time or not.
June 29, 2016
Knopfler's fourth solo release and first outing after breaking his collarbone, shoulder, and seven ribs in a motorcycle crash in March 2003, Shangri-La finds the eternally laid-back Dire Straits frontman in familiar territory, using his warm baritone and effortless guitar work to ruminate on everything from the plight of the modern fisherman to the entrepreneurial skills of McDonald's founder Ray Kroc.
June 28, 2016
Several years before "Perfect Way," Scritti were post-punks who made frail political songs with guitars as linear as a balled-up entanglement of holiday lights, a rhythm section as slantwise as it was dubwise, and boyish vocals as sweet as they were hesitant. A compilation of the group's first four singles/EPs, this is filled with seemingly happenstance works of sloppy borderline genius.
June 27, 2016
After a few exploratory jazz tracks, Krivit -- a man who bought his first mixer before most '80s and '90s DJs had entered the world -- ventures forth with an array of soul/funk/disco nuggets, then segues from Lamont Dozier to Talking Heads to Marianne Faithfull to War, often tending to the same laid-back Sunday afternoon vibe of his and Francois K.'s Body & Soul club.
June 26, 2016
Original Broadway Cast
Given the success of Hamilton: An American Musical, those intrigued by its historical aspect but less familiar with the nation's stage-musical lexicon may be interested in 1776, a show about the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Music and lyrics were by big-band pianist Sherman Edwards, and the original Broadway cast album was recorded in 1969. So, no hip-hop, but like its contemporary counterpart it delivers catchy tunes, historical detail, and wit.
June 25, 2016
While Enemies of Reality doesn't necessarily break down any new barriers for Nevermore, the album is a manic, panicked, pissed-off disc compared to other entries in the group's discography; and there's really no arguing with the band's consistency, especially when its top-shelf songwriting skills and musicianship are so willfully and skillfully on display.
June 24, 2016
Throughout her debut LP, the singer/songwriter took inspiration from some of rock's most famous women -- Stevie Nicks, Chrissie Hynde and Siouxsie Sioux, to name the most prominent. Either by happy accident or cunning design, its lush arrangements, which call to mind Rufus Wainwright's Poses or Duke Special's Songs from the Deep Forest, showcase the depth, range, and versatility of Atkins' alto voice, not to mention her songwriting prowess.
June 23, 2016
Released ten years ago this month, Keane's sophomore LP remains one of the best breakup albums of the new millennium. Aside from the U2-worship of "Is It Any Wonder?" the rest of the tracks drown the listener in icy melodrama and bittersweet longing, like the best of early Coldplay and Radiohead. It remains one of their best. Highlights include the buoyant "Crystal Ball," the defiant "Leaving So Soon?" and the sweeping "Atlantic."
June 22, 2016
This excellent 15-track session was recorded in 1949 but not issued until 20 years later. The great bluesman plays mainly solo and runs through what was then his standard repertoire. What is uncommon about this record is the full force of his technical facility on the 12 string guitar. His reedy voice and jangling percussive style influenced a legion of players that followed in his wake. All killer, no filler
June 21, 2016
As the saying goes, your favorite "Weird Al" Yankovic album is always the one you had when you were a kid. I had a few, but this was always my favorite, and I still think it's his best. The title song is an all-time classic, and hearing his dorky voice and food-themed lyrics over note-for-note recreations of '80s radio staples like "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" just sounds like home. I can't hear you! Okay I can hear you now!
June 20, 2016
Sounding like the culmination of all of his myriad other projects, from the quirky, rural folk-pop of the Fruit Bats to the psych-tinged post-rock of Califone and the smart, Beatles/Beach Boys-esque indie rock of the Shins (there are even elements at play here from his film score work on Smashed and Our Idiot Brother), pop polymath Eric D. Johnson's first foray under just his initials is all about the art of songcraft.
June 19, 2016
Chicago's Lake of Dracula played choppy and primitive no-wave that featured a who's who of the Chicago avant-noise scene including members of Couch, The Flying Luttenbachers, and The Scissors Girls. Released on Skin Graft in 1997, this self-titled album is the only studio proof of the band but definately captures the rawness of their all too short life as a band.
June 18, 2016
Some of its decisions are still as abrasive and puzzling as they were in 2003, but by 2016, this album has settled into an interesting place in the Metallica catalogue. It's easy enough to ignore, if so inclined, as the band rarely adds any of its tunes to their live sets, but if anything, the passing of time and perspective granted by the band's (limited) output since make the much-maligned album even more enigmatic.
June 17, 2016
Brash and crunchy, Mission Control flew under the radar in 2008, but years later it sounds like the Foo Fighters record Dave Grohl wishes he could crank out nowadays. Tuneful melodies and harmonious double-tracked vocals balance out the fuzzy guitar bombast and are showcased nicely on the song "Right Hand on My Heart."
June 16, 2016
On his first album of original material in over a decade, the synth pop icon turned cabaret singer delivers saloon songs saturated in drama and raw emotion. Unlike some of his many interpretations of Jacques Brel or Brecht-Weill numbers his delivery here remains on the elegant side of excess, allowing the darker themes in his lyrics their full expression and impact
June 15, 2016
Following the departure of Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino, Pocahuanted's other founding member and Not Not Fun/100% Silk label boss Amanda Brown decided to reboot the band on her own. The result is a record that feels tighter yet choppy and gives off a vibe that is spooky, dubby, and oddly tribal.
June 14, 2016
With the announcement that he's going to play the album in full at Riot Fest this fall, it's a good time to dig back into Astro-Creep. Beyond the hits, Zombie has mostly ignored the album in his solo career, but it seems likely that his current band will be able to aptly duplicate the punch and groove that made the record such a hit.
June 13, 2016
Martin Newell began his musical life as the make-up laden fairy child frontman of the long-forgotten British glitter rock outfit Plod in 1973. While he never achieved Bowie level fame, he remained as prolific, releasing a steady stream of deliciously lo-fi, psychedelia soaked solo albums under various tantalizing rubrics. Teatime Assortment brings together some of his more recent recordings and paints the picture of gifted pop journeyman who never lost his glitter fairy magic.
June 12, 2016
Moby released a lot of music during the '90s, and while much of it was justly acclaimed, some of his best work fell through the cracks. The first album released under his occasional moniker Voodoo Child is a set of blissful ambient techno which takes its time to develop. Not an instant gratification record, but it's one of the best things he's ever released.
![The Harder They Come [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]](https://fastly-s3.allmusic.com/release/mr0001348724/front/400/LTHInoSgFog0PU2H1pFANJhUoDg0hsvx4F4sL4oO-nA=.jpg)
June 11, 2016
Released in 1972, Perry Henzell's rough but exciting film about life in the ghettos of Kingston, Jamaica introduced many American music fans to reggae.If the film's soundtrack album isn't as potent a gateway drug as it was 44 years ago, the hypnotic power of these early reggae classics from Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Dekker, the Melodians, and Scotty hasn't faded a bit, and Jimmy Cliff's contributions still rank with his finest work.
June 10, 2016
The band's tenth studio album officially completes In Flames' transition from Swedish melodic death metal pioneers to unpredictable Swedish progressive pop/rock/neo-classical metal innovators. Bombastic and synth-heavy, Sounds of a Playground Fading is filled with more radio-ready moments than any of the group's previous outings, which may divide some longtime fans, but it's as epic as Scandinavia is cold, which is after all, the band's trademark.
June 9, 2016
Three of the ten selections here are dominated by vocals, but instrumental jazz was a strong element throughout these sessions, providing a variety of fine solos, particularly from trumpeter Michael Mossman. The percussion section and horns offer balanced animation within the 19-piece orchestra, making the final statement from the father of Afro-Cuban jazz -- recorded less than three months before the bandleader's death -- a memorable one.
June 8, 2016
In 1992 Mudhoney jumped ship from Sub Pop to major label Reprise as the Seattle hype brought on by Nirvana was in full force. The main thought on every 90s slacker looking for authenticity's mind was the same; Has the band sold out? What will a major label do to Mudhoney? Will they change their sound? Fortunately, the answer to all those questions was no. Recorded with producer Conrad Uno in the same studio as their previous record, Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, the album is probably even a bit goofier than the band's previous efforts. As a gnarly, fuzzed out, garage rock record interspersed with keyboard demos and a track composed entirely of fart noises, it's hard to believe Piece of Cake was on the same label Frank Sinatra founded.
June 7, 2016
Just as the Beatles championed Badfinger, the Beach Boys championed the Flame. Hailing from South Africa, the Flame made an infectious brand of guitar-rock that caught the ear of Carl Wilson who produced the band's superb 1970 self-titled album for the Beach Boys' Brother Records. As a final stamp of approval, Wilson even brought singer/guitarist Blondie Chaplin and drummer Ricky Fataar on board as honorary Beach Boys in the early '70s. Listening to this album, it's clear the attention was well-deserved.
June 6, 2016
Some psychedelic albums strive to recreate the sound of a hallucinogenic experience, but the Red Krayola's 1967 debut instead begs the question, "What are these people on, anyway?" The lengthy "free form freak-out" passages in The Parable of Arable Land are a puzzling but invaluable product of their time, and the brilliantly effective primitivism of songs like "Hurricane Fighter Plane" and "War Sucks" pioneered the notion of simple music for smart people. As fun as it is confounding.
June 5, 2016
The world recently lost one of the most unique electronic artists of all time. Isao Tomita became known for his playful, technologically advanced re-creations of classical music pieces. This album offered his take on Debussy, and it hasn't lost any of its magic since it came out during the '70s.
June 4, 2016
On their final album, the Toronto band dives further into the psychedelic waters than they had before, getting unabashedly spacey with a trio of songs clocking in at seven minutes or more, plus a handful of grooving stoner rock cuts. After the band splintered in 2013, some of the former members regrouped as Comet Control and released an album in 2014 that followed a similar path.
June 3, 2016
Combining blues, rock & roll, Cajun, Zydeco, Middle Eastern music, and other styles, this debut album is an absolute joy. His version of "Mercury Blues" was an FM radio staple, and his slide guitar performances are easily among the finest of eighties.
June 2, 2016
Like a punkish Sean Paul with traces of both Anthony B. and Damien Marley, Collie Buddz hit the scene some 10 years ago with his crossover dancehall hit "Come Around." He's been woefully underproductive ever since, but this whirlwind debut does take about a decade to fully ingest, as Bobby Konders production, David Bowie samples, and a guest shot from Krayzie Bone mean there's quite a bit to take in.
June 1, 2016
This is the essential compilation from one of the most essential acts of the U.K.'s short-lived pub rock scene. Led by Nick Lowe and named after the band's guitarist, Brinsley Schwarz were roots rock architects of the British pub circuit that developed in the first half of the 1970's.