Phonograph – Hiawatha Talking Machine / 2007 Red Ghost / 5 Tracks / http://www.phonographny.com / This New York band, on their “Hiawatha Talking Machineâ€, is attempting to go forth and give vitality to the folk genre in ways that traditionalists such as Andy Cabic and Devendra Banhart have not even conceived of. “Little Chief†blends together a down-home feel with a Radiohead (“OK Computer-eraâ€) type of pacing. The slightly goofy…
Le Concorde – Suite / 2006 Self / 6 Tracks / http://www.leconcorde.org / Individuals may remember who Le Concorde are from their 2004 release “Universe and Villaâ€, or they may know the band as the latest act worked with by former Scritti Politti member (and now producer) David Gamson. The EP starts out with “I Want You Backâ€, which is a track that allows Le Concorde to go forth and…
Annuals – Frelen Mas / 2007 Ace Fu / http://www.myspace.com/annuals / http://www.acefu.com / The last time we heard the Annuals, they were on the “This Is Indie Rock: Volume Three†compilation put out by Deep Elm in 2005. In the mean time, they signed to Ace Fu Records, released their debut full length “Be He Meâ€, and have played or been played on shows like Late Night With Conan O’Brien…
Pitbull – Boatlift / 2007 TVT / 18 Tracks / http://www.pitbullmusic.com / http://www.tvtrecords.com / Many introductions to rap CDs suck. They suck horribly. However, “Boatliftâ€â€™s introduction is massively impression. This “Little Story†is an acapella opening to the disc, and it shows exactly how talented Pitbull is. The entirety of this track is a minute, and it does much to provide a specific style to the entirety of the disc.…
Khann – Tofutopia / 2007 Metal Blade / 19 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/khannn / http://www.blackmarketactivities.com / Khann blasts through a great deal of the tracks on “Tofutopia†with barely minute long salvos. Individuals may think that the band is operating under a normal tempo and runtime when it comes to the introductory track “Meteorâ€, but are thrown into a tizzy with the grind heavy sound of “Himalayan Greenâ€. There is little…
Larry the Cable Guy – Christmastime in Larryland / 2007 WB Nashville / http://www.larrythecableguy.com / http://www.wbrnashville.com / As one can likely glean from the album title, “Christmastime in Larryland†is Larry the Cable Guy’s latest album. More so than just being Larry the Cable Guy’s latest album, this album has a decidedly Christmas feel to it. For those individuals that cannot wait, there is also a trailer for Larry the…
Citay – Little Kingdom / 2007 Dead Ocean / 8 Tracks / http://www.deadoceans.com / Citay provides a twinkling atmosphere during the opening to their “Little Kingdomâ€, the emotive and instrumentally intricate “First Fantasyâ€. During “First Fantasyâ€, the clearness and natural sound of the instrumental compositions make me confident that Citay could conceivably make an entirety instrumental album and succeed. Of course, vocals do kick in after a certain point, but…
Steel Train – Trampoline / 2007 Drive-Thru / 12 Tracks / http://www.steeltrainmusic.com / http://www.drivethrurecords.com / It has been well over two years since we had the chance to last review Steel Train, and while their last CD was nothing really that impressive, the band has gotten their shit together for “I Feel Weirdâ€, the first track on “Trampolineâ€. Unlike many of the Drive-Thru bands, there is not that much of…
Dropkick Murphys – The Meanest of Times / 2007 Born & Bred / 15 Tracks / http://www.dropkickmurphys.com / The star that the Dropkick Murphys are riding on is only reaching higher and higher altitudes. Their last album, “The Warrior’s Codeâ€, sold around 20,000 copies. This time, “The Meanest of Times†has blown past that number and have firmly ensconced the Dropkick Murphys as perhaps the best known “Irishâ€-themed band, behind…
Valentin Silvestrov – Symphony No. 6 / 2007 ECM / 5 Tracks / http://www.ecmrecords.com / I understand that most individuals that listen to classical music will be familiar with the name Valentin Silvestrov, but there are a number of individuals that read NeuFutur that may not be very familiar. Essentially, Silvestrov is one of the greats in modern Ukraine in the creation of new, classically-themed music. This album marks the…
Andras Schiff – Ludwig van Beethoven: The Piano Sonatas Vol. IV / 2007 ECM / 4 Tracks / http://www.ecmrecords.com Schiff has been awarded a number of different accolades throughout eir thirty-plus year career. This disc marks Schiff’s 24 April 2005 performance of the last four sonatas for piano of Ludwig van Beethoven’s “early periodâ€. This means that works 26, 27/1, 27/2 (the famed “Moonlight†sonata), and 28 are present. For…
Matt Pond PA – Last Light / 2007 Altitude / 13 Tracks / http://www.mattpondpa.com / http://www.altituderecords.com / I can’t believe that Matt Pond PA has been around for practically ten years. Well, after listening to “Last Lightâ€, I can, but still. “The title (and opening track) shows exactly mature Matt Pond PA is. The atmospheric sound of the alt-rock that the band plays has comparisons ready-made to acts like Modest…
Putumayo Presents: Israel / 2007 Putumayo / 12 Tracks / http://www.putumayo.com / For those individuals that yet do not know what it is that Putumayo does, they attempt to showcase the music from practically every corner of the globe. They’ve released compilations of Celtic, Gypsy, New Orleans, Americana, and Latin Jazz music (and that’s only a drop in the bucket), and they have many countries and styles of music to…
Phil Ramone – Making Records / 2007 Borders / 14 Tracks / http://www.bordersstores.com / http://www.philramone.com / Phil Ramone has been around the record industry for an amazingly long period of time, starting producing and recording music for other individuals all the way back in 1959. Among the greats that Ramone has worked with in the enarly fifty year period since ey started are Burt Bacharach, Ray Charles, Chicago, Frank Sinatra,…
The Pack – Based Boys / 2007 Jive / 17 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/thepack / http://www.jiverecords.com / Individuals may know The Pack through a few different venues. First (and most likely), individuals will know The Pack through one of their prior hits – “Vans†– which was censored by MTV to remove all mentions of the title footware. Also, individuals may know The Pack through “I’m Shinin’â€, which reached the elite…
OST: Heartworn Highways / 2007 Hacktone / 26 Tracks / http://www.hacktone.com Heartworn Highways is a documentary similar in style to All My Loving, but the subject material is a little different. Where All My Loving was a child of the sixties in terms of the bands covered and individuals’ feelings about rock music, the director of Heartworn Highways, James Szalapski focuses on the folk and roots rock sounds that were…
The Selfish Gene – The Grand Masquerade / 2007 Ruff Road / 12 Tracks / http://www.theselfishgene.com / The Selfish Gene’s “The Grand Masquerade†starts out with brooding and dark strings, the title track giving a blend of goth and classical styles to individuals that are ensure of what the band sounds like. The chaos increases considerably, explodes, and a timid, shoegazing style of indie rock ultimately comes forth. “Weight of…
Leiana – No Going Back / 2006 Page / 10 Tracks / http://www.leiana.com / Female fronted rock with a tinge of punk. Leiana comes forth on “No Going Back†with a style that Lennon did a few years back and that Avril wishes that ey could do. “2 B Unkind†is the first track, and while it shows the intensity of eir vocals, the limp guitar work during the track…
The Blakes – S/T / 2007 Light in the Attic / 13 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/theblakes / http://www.lightintheattic.net / Light in the Attic have really came into the public eye in the last few months. Whether it be through the Summer Records Anthology or the countless reissues of older (forgotten) music, Light in the Attic are doing their own part to marry the current and past of music. The Blakes are…
Individuals that have had their ear to the ground in independent music during the last decade will be familiar with the name Julie Moffitt. Moffitt released her first album in 1995 (Labyrinth), and sporadically released follow-up efforts in 2001 (dancerdemonloveranswer) and 2002 (Yules). “Cover to Cover” represents Moffitt’s fourth release, a blend of Moffitt’s interpretations of the songs that have molded her into the performer that she is today, along…