Staff Picks for September 2017
September 30, 2017
Lou Reed's 1976 solo offering tapped back into the same warmth, excitement and lightheartedness that made the Velvet Underground's Loaded such a breath of fresh springtime air. Stepping out of a druggy, nihilistic cloud for just eight songs, Lou sounds almost optimistic at points. At least as optimistic as the prototypical punk and icon of gruff New York street life was gonna get.
September 29, 2017
Few artists consistently deliver such a string of quality albums as Joni Mitchell did in the 1970's. Her catalog is rife with introspective, forward-thinking records, but Herjia, her eighth studio effort remains one of her brightest moments. Warm as the California desert and cool as the ice in Wollman Rink, her brilliantly-conceived narratives play out over the subtle, jazzy arrangements and Jaco Pastorius's inventive bass-playing. Herjira is a classic in the singer/songwriter genre.
September 28, 2017
"Don't trust anyone over 30" is what the hippies used to say, but what about the gangstas? On I Am the West, the over-40 Cube uses stern rhymes, fat beats, and true talk that comes with an extra helping of wisdom, inventing middle age gangster rap and setting the bar high in the process.
September 27, 2017
Loads of American shoegazers took the lead of their UK brethern, and unlike those lank haired slackers, they managed to keep the sound alive for years and years. One of the better bands to take the pedal-driven, dream-headed sound and make it their own, more or less, were these kids from New Jersey. Their "career" didn't last too long but they burned very brightly and left behind a couple of excellent albums and this lovely collection of singles and comp tracks.
September 26, 2017
Even in this outsider songwriter's small oeuvre, Subway To The Country is an outlier. Its roots and veins are deep in the primary inspiration of early Tin Pan Alley and Brecht and Weill as well as theatrical music, blues and the folk revival, swirled in shades of gray to create a dark masterpiece.
September 25, 2017
Some reggae purists balked at all the energy and electronics employed on U-Roy's 2001 effort Now, but for me, this star-studded "comeback" effort is pure joy. For starts, check the DJ's hotstepping version of "OK Fred" with Errol Dunkley or his slow, simmering take on Peter Tosh's "Equal Rights".
September 24, 2017
1980's British experimental diva Danielle Dax was never easy to pigeonhole. Her alluring Marc Bolan-meets-Siouxie sound was spiced with unusual Middle Eastern accents, melodic goth-pop and straight-up experimentalism. After living outside the mainstream for most of the decade, she signed with Sire in 1988 and made her major label debut with the enchanting Dark Adapted-Eye.
September 23, 2017
Two years before "Under the Milky Way" launched the Church's spectral sound world-wide, they mapped their astral pop trajectory with the paisley-laden Hey Day. Although the moon and stars would align for the band both creatively and commercially with 1988's Starfish, Heyday had plenty of euphoric pop moments like the driving sparkle of "Myrrh," the half-lidded lyricism of "Already Yesterday," the jet-engine roar of "Tantalized." There was also a growing band dynamic, marked by Kilbey's maturing vocal abilities and the crystalline, dual-guitar slurry of Peter Koppes and Marty Willson-Piper.
September 22, 2017
One of the Arch Drude's most enjoyable offerings in many years, the melodious, whimsical, and appropriately shambling Drunken Songs celebrates Cope's latter-day embrace of booze.
September 21, 2017
With the documentary Descent into the Maelstrom filling theaters in its premiere engagements, it's a good time to revisit the genius of one of Australia's very best rock bands, Radio Birdman. For newbies, The Essential Radio Birdman: 1974-1978 is the best place to get wise to the group's ferocious blend of Detroit high-energy muscle, hot-rodded surf guitars, pre-punk swagger, and their own distinct brand of urban cool. If this isn't enough for you, give the career-inclusive Radio Birdman box set a try.
September 20, 2017
If Cuts Across the Land was a testament to the Duke Spirit's raw power, then Neptune showcased their newfound range. Liela Moss' vocals sound more commanding and seductive than ever as she leads the band through fuzzed-out Sonic Youth homages, Motown-tinged pop and serene ballads as well as more expected blues-rock tempests, all of which hinted at the eclecticism of the Duke Spirit's later albums.
September 19, 2017
A collection of late '90s/early 2000's BBC sessions that show the growth and development of one of the best and most consistent indie rock bands of the era. Comes complete with a brillaint cover of ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky."
September 18, 2017
The underappreciated singer/songwriter's Glassnote Records debut is an elegant set colored by a string quartet, flute and oboe, French horn, and piano. As suggested by the title, it concentrates on matters of the heart, with songs taking varied perspectives, such as frustrated desire, regret, and steadfast devotion.
September 17, 2017
Much of Drexciya's catalog has been reissued during the last decade, but this long out-of-print double CD is still probably the best introduction to the influential Detroit electro duo's discography, as well as their Afro-futurist mythology. Containing too many classic tracks to list (for starters: "Bubble Metropolis," "Wave Jumper," "Aquabon," "Red Hills of Lardossa"), their highly inventive tracks are perfect audio illustrations of their concept of an underwater society. Catch a wave.
September 16, 2017
Generally eclipsed by their more successful 1997 masterwork, When I Was Born Again For the Seventh Time, Cornershop's excellent second album sowed the seeds for their future success, introducing audiences to their vibrant mash-up of Indian music and Western indie rock.
September 15, 2017
Richard Bucker established himself as a first-rate songwriter on his first three albums, but for the fourth, he brought in an unexpected collaborator -- the late poet Edgar Lee Masters. 2000's The Hill sets 18 poems from Masters' epic Spoon River Anthology collection to music. Between Buckner's deep, resonant voice and the music, by turns beautiful and chaotic, this album brings a new life to Masters' evocative tales of the dark side of small town American life.
September 14, 2017
Everything comes together here, resulting in the album that Harmony Corruption and Utopia Banished had foreshadowed -- unrelenting grindcore as played by an experienced, technically advanced death metal collective with the guidance of a professional producer.
September 13, 2017
Released a year after going electric on From The Choirgirl Hotel, this double disc expands on the synthesized atmospherics from that album, leading Tori into darker, more experimental territory. Unexpected highlights -- like "Riot Proof" and the sprawling "Datura" -- abound on disc one, while disc two immortalizes one of the most thrilling tours of her career, when she was backed by a full band. Come for "Precious Things" and enjoy the journey through a reimagined catalog.
September 12, 2017
The Ipecac-issued debut album from the outlier indie rock quartet featuring the Melvins' Buzz Osborne and Dale Crover, At the Drive-In's Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, and Le Butcherettes' Teri Gender Bender, Crystal Fairy delivers a surreal blast of sonic pugilism that pairs psych-tinged, stentorian stoner metal with snarling art-punk.
September 11, 2017
EP7 isn't quite as heralded as earlier Autechre releases such as Tri Repetae or LP5, but it might be one of their most satisfying releases overall. A bit more playful and melodic than much of their work, this is clearly a lot more accessible than later releases like the polarizing Confield, but still nowhere close to conventional dance music. "Ccec" is the duo's paper-shredded take on hip-hop, while "Outpt" features synthetic waves crashing over a more straightforward beat. Tucked away at the end is "Pir," which sounds like a robot splashing away in a pool of liquid metal, yet somehow manages to be the prettiest song the duo ever recorded.
September 10, 2017
Mean 'n' green bludgeon rock, '70s style, is the name of the game with Gateway, Bongzilla's second full-length, which doesn't even try to separate itself from the overused stoner rock tag. Gateway proves that there's plenty of hemp-fueled joy in sludgeville, sounding like a cross between Sleep's drowsy, Black Sabbathy meanderings and Electric Wizard/Burning Witch-style gut-curdling, muddy sludge.
September 9, 2017
The Mercury Prize-nominated debut album from Glaswegian composer/bedroom pop spell-caster Christopher Duncan, Architect is a lush and beguiling set of classical-infused dream pop that invokes names like Fleet Foxes, Sufjan Stevens, Brian Wilson, and the High Llamas.
September 8, 2017
Vitous played as much synth as Hancock on this set and took it to the limit on "Basic Laws," a nearly 12-minute excursion into space funk with all the grease attached. The nine-and-a-half-minute "New York City" was vying to be produced by Giorgio Moroder as a disco slab, while the completely gone singing on the title track made it a precursor to Sun Ra's Lanquidity album a few years later. (Imagine Star Trek doing the "Space Is the Place" episode brought to you by T.J. Swan or Boogie Down Wine.)
September 7, 2017
On their brilliant second album, Broadcast added warmth and unpredictability to their meticulously crafted, ethereally beautiful atmospheres. Along with more of the pristine pop that graced The Noise Made by People, the band ventures into spooky nursery rhymes and fairy tales, pounding psych-rock and noisy detours, all of which are grounded by Trish Keenan's emotive vocals. Full of fascinating twists and turns, Haha Sound balances Broadcast's pop and experimental instincts with heart and style.
September 6, 2017
As the opening blare kicked off their best album in a decade, the band sounded refreshed and hungry once again. At its loudest, Angel is harsh, throbbing, and intense. When they slow things down, it's simply to allow listeners a breather. There's not a wasted moment here, so early fans who jumped ship after Ultra and Exciter would do well to give the guys another chance. They wouldn't sound as vital again until 2017's Spirit.
September 5, 2017
Nice collection of catchy little indie rock tunes wrapped in scuzzy, noisy guitars and bathed echoing, drippy reverb, with the group taking cues from the Velvet Underground, their fellow New Zealand noise pop groups, and Sonic Youth. Yes, it sounds like it could be derivitaive and kinda meh, but on their second album, the band manage to somehow (magic? effort? skill? luck?) carve out a sound that is distinctly theirs.
September 4, 2017
A mere 26 years into their career, the Fleshtones found themselves hooked up with a supportive record label for a change, and celebrated by unleashing one of the best albums of their career. 2006's Do You Swing? Is a raucous rock & roll dance party full of roaring guitars, pounding drums, beefy melodic hooks, Saturday night energy, and celebrations of life and love, powerful women, professional wrestling, and affordable neighborhoods. Do you swing? If so, you need this.
September 3, 2017
With such high-profile guests as David Byrne, Caetano Veloso, and Nels Cline, Bischoff's second album is an expansive mix of quirky chamber pop, avant-garde classical, old-time cabaret, and lush scoring. It's a fun listen that's full of discovery, such as the Rudyard Kipling co-writing credit on "The Secret of Machines," which features his poem of the same name as well as percussion by Deerhoof's Greg Saunier.
September 2, 2017
Just as rap music was reaching its toughest, darkest, grimmest period yet, following the assassinations of 2Pac and Biggie in the late '90s, along came DMX, who embodied the essence of inner-city machismo to a tee. This tremendous debut lays out DMX's complex persona with candor, from his faith in God to his fixation with canine motifs, and does so with dramatic flair.
September 1, 2017
In a year that saw prolific garage revivalist Ty Segall release three albums, Twins found the Bay Area songwriter splitting the difference between the thunderous grime of Slaughterhouse and the more folk leaning Hair, which found him collaborating with White Fences. Finding unity between these two sounds is no small task, but it's one that Segall proves he's more than capable of undertaking.