thawed slabs:
THE SPRING OF '08 BATCH
- MICHAEL BOLTON
- PATTI LABELLE
- MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER
- OH SANTA!
- GUMMIBAR
- KURT COBAIN - ABOUT A SON
- WIRE
- JESSE HARRIS
- THE PUPPINI SISTERS
- BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS
- THE KILLERS
- CORB LUND
- MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND
- CAN
- MEAT PUPPETS
- REVEREND ORGANDRUM
- DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
- NATHANIEL MAYER
- ANN MAGNUSON
- THE MAGNETIC FIELDS
- THE PACK A.D.
- KAREN DALTON
- JUNO
MICHAEL BOLTON
A SWINGIN' CHRISTMAS (Concord)
When Michael's golden throating about a white Christmas, he's probably lamenting the greying of what is left of his disappearing locks (once a proud lion mane mullet!). It's a long fall, but what better way to smack rock bottom than with a sappy collection of tired Yuletide standards? Still desperately trying to bud his way into the classic crooners line-up - company he has no business joining, Bolton should be boltin' after this one.
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PATTI LABELLE
MISS PATTI'S CHRISTMAS (def soul)
Patti's lost a lot of weight, and unfortunately, a lot of her sass. Only the thrilling gospel tinged shouter "Jesus Oh What a Wonderful Child" which is saved by The Soul Stirrers, is worthy of repeated listens. Hey if the whole album was like this we'd have a classic soul holiday platter. Instead we have a flaccid record of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis misfires.
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MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER
CHRISTMAS SONG (American Gramaphone)
Chip Davis must be stopped at all costs! His new age Mannheim Steamroller project has been repeatedly allowed into unsuspecting studios to deliver clavinet and triangle drenched Christmas albums at an alarming rate. Six albums and counting - this time with Lazarus style resurrection vocal enhancements from the likes of Johnny Mathis and Olivia Newton-John. The only saving grace is that the surprising omission of what would have been a truly diabolical duet.
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VARIOUS
OH SANTA!
(Yep Roc)
Hey a recent holiday cash grab that you won't be re-gifting to unsavoury relatives! Sure the random order and mixed bag of tricks a compilation brings is a detriment, but there are enough nuggets of gold to outweigh nuggets of coal. With stellar performances by Reverend Horton Heat, The' Legendary Shack Shakers and especially The Moaners' on the latest yuletide classic "Something Funny In Santa's Lap", you can't really go wrong with stuffin' this swingin' alterno sampler in the right sock.
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GUMMIBAR
I AM YOUR GUMMY BEAR (Koch)
Thank god for the internet! How else would we be swept by the worldwide phenomena of the bouncy break dancing lime green chewable munchkin from Hungary? Hmmm I'm Hungary just thinking about it. He wears yellow undies, shows his crack, delivers peppy techno tunes in multitude of languages - he's the ultimate cross-platform, cross-cultural phenomena that YouTube was designed to unleash. Coming to a ringtone near you. Easily digestible, especially with a purple Kool-Aid chaser. Yum.
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VARIOUS
KURT COBAIN - ABOUT A SON
(Barsuk)
There is no Kurt Cobain music on this compilation. I repeat: there is no Kurt Cobain music on this compilation. Nirvana fans are a vitriol lot, eager for any taste of the grunge martyr. They will rip this slab off the shelves, and then they will storm the stores in protest when discovering that ...wait for it: there is no Kurt Cobain music on this compilation. So buyer beware, this is just a nice little soundtrack of the music that shaped Cobain's world - a scan of the Nirvana radio dial if you will. A seemingly disparate mishmash of styles where Arlo Guthrie's silly "Motorcycle Song" and the creepy sludge of The Melvins' "Eye Flys" can coexist quite happily. What brings it all together is Cobain's sporadic interview blurbs, but they are too infrequent (about one per three song set) to offer glimpses into all the material, and too frequent to create any musical momentum. More or less in either direction would have made it superb - which is what the film is.
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WIRE
READ & BURN 03 (Pink Flag)
In the very beginning a Wire EP would amount to little more than a bat of an eye - time wise anyways. But the era of Britain's original spastic art punk snarlers' thirty second ouvres is long gone - replaced with gargantuan sprawling pieces that wouldn't fit on both sides of a seven incher. Wire Mach III brings the exciting ferocity of the early teen band (Mach I) together with the trippy electronic adult version (Mach II), in a rather provocative manner. Evolution has been kind to a band that has had many stops and starts, but continues to surprise at ever resurrection. Sharp jagged guitar and drum bursts, with ever shifting tempo changes and Colin Newman's slightly snotty vocals mark the distinct flavour of one of the better and most influential survivors of UK's punk glory years. Wire is not only alive, but they are kicking. At 25 minutes this little recording is just the right appetizer for bigger things coming down the pike, and is actually longer than their debut long player.
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JESSE HARRIS
FEEL (Velour)
You'd think it would be rather strenuous to try and strike out as a performer when that shiny Grammy statue on the mantelpiece pigeonholes you as a writer, but Jesse Harris makes the leap look rather effortless. Best known as note scribbler to the stars (Norah Jones, Pat Metheny, Willie Nelson), Harris also happens to be a deft interpreter of his own music. The inviting blend of feel good rhythms, warm vocals, and a splash of tropical flavours makes for a delicious aural cocktail. "Feel" may not be the knock out album of the year, but it's carefree, breezy pop vibe will certainly find plenty of ears in need of thawing this winter.
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THE PUPPINI SISTERS
THE RISE AND FALL OF RUBY WOO (Verve)
A sassy trio of bustier clad ladies channelling the Andrew Sisters through peppy, jazzed up versions of contemporary standards may seem like a grand idear, till the grating strains of "Walk Like an Egyptian" waft through the speakers. You'll be longing for a junk filter in the hifi console that would divert such insidious atrocities. Campy retro stylings only work with tongues in cheeks, and in small doses - sadly the girls only have half the equation. I'm not ever sure if these sisters are related.
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BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS
ANOTHER DANCE - RARITIES FROM STUDIO ONE (Hearbeat)
Sure to satiate anyone hungry for more early Bob Marley material in the ridiculously fertile mid-sixties era, this compilation offers a well balanced gumbo of alternate takes, original singles mixes and four tracks new to this reissue series. It's a nice compendium to the other historic Hearbeat slabs, a must for completists, and a swinging start for anyone curious about Marley's obscure beginnings. Perhaps more than any other recording, this captures the spirit of Clement Dodd's vibrant Studio One '64-'66 hey day. The Wailers were dipping their feet with a nice rock steady ska beat, harmonizing like a crack barber shop quartet (trio actually), and gave Kingston a genuine pop group to get excited over. They were clean cut boys, dressed in dapper suits; singing teen angels one and all. The humble beginnings of an innocent time gone by, captured ever so eloquently in this time capsule.
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THE KILLERS
SAWDUST (Island)
Leave it to The Killers to break the record for the earliest rarities and b-sides comp in a rock band's career. Two albums in and whammo. And who can blame them? After blowing their load with a fab debut, and tumbling precipitously with a flawed follow up (the natural path for any musician by the way), what is left but to cobble up studio scraps and hurl them at the confused legions hoping for a return to form? Exactly. So what lumps of coal do we get in our stocking? A redundant cover of Joy Division's unremarkable "Shadowplay", a redundant and abysmal cover of Dire Straits' "Romeo and Juliet", a laughable remix of the previously wonderful but now totally ruined "Mr. Brightside", and a throw away hidden track. A hidden track on a b-sides comp? What is that - a c-side? The only saving grace is the opening duet with Lou Reed, which everyone is really stoked about. What that will lead to is anyone's guess, but to hear it you have to purchase a slab filled with rejected drivel that shows The Killers wading into U2's sprawling, bombastic, overindulgent career stage. Can't wait for the greatest hits compilation.
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CORB LUND
HORSE SOLDIER! HORSE SOLDIER! (Stony Plain)
Seems like Corb Lund may be quite serious about continuing Ian Tyson's legacy as Canada's premiere cowboy tunesmith. And despite a recent tribute album and rumours to the contrary, Ian Tyson is still very much with us, and recording as well. Lund will have to settle for being Corb Lund. Not a bad gig mind you. After several fetching stabs at musical stardom Lund settles in with his most accomplished album yet. The absence of redneck quips and sarcastic farm jokes will be missed, but what is afoot - a much more serious undertaking - requires dedication, drive and focus. I am of course talking about a concept album. Actually more of a story album, as Lund reaches back to a time when records unfolded campfire tale time. The cowboy legend has seldom been unfurled with such aplomb, and the dexterous picking by the Hurtin' Albertans couldn't be any finer. It's as sweet a record as they come, and another notch on Curb's already impressively scarred belt.
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MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF SOUND
PINATA (Nacional)
If this is the sound of Mexico City then get me a ticket pronto! Fusing new and old, funk and rock, hip hop and lounge, "Pinata" (a cleverly sliced and diced project by Camilo Lara) is an Hispanic aural sex explosion like no other. It's a sweaty dance album whether you like to cha-cha in the vertical or horizontal positions. Preferably both. War meets Esquivel baby! Sometimes a song can transport you to a place of delirium and fantasy, but seldom is the case when a whole album can be such an all encompass ing drug. This is a lust record, dripping with street dance beats, mariachi trumpet stompers, and velvet couch slinky makeout serenades. Recent Latino music has been approaching exotic plateaus, but none has reached this far. Grab a stick and smash it open - there's plenty of goodies inside.
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CAN
ANTHOLOGY (Mute)
What luck: an easily digestible document of one of "those" seminal bands you've been reading about but really, haven't had the time to actually sample. This is after all the genesis of Krautrock in the formative late sixties and early seventies period, and anyone wishing to discuss contemporary music of the experimental nature must be well versed on the topic. Turns out that in condensed form, without some of that wanky filler, the music of Can can be listenable, if not down right enjoyable. Quirky rhythmic art pop classics like "You Do Right", "Mother Sky" and "Spoon" (an actual chart topper back in the old country), point directly to supposedly forward thinking revolutionaries like Wire and The Beta Band many moons before their conception. There's a direct link from Can to punk, new wave and experimental prog rock wigouts, and it's all clear here. Of course the compilers at hand had to insert some of Can's more esoteric moments for the true aficionados - the rest of us can just use the skip button. So not only is this a swanky double disc addition to the adventure section of any self-respecting music library but now you can name check Can at the next hipster gathering without fear of someone calling you on it.
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MEAT PUPPETS
RISE TO YOUR KNEES (Anodyne)
Kind of mind boggling that the Kirkwood brothers could come full circle, but here they are, jamming away with that breezy psyche vibe that made the Meat Puppets so special in the first place. It's glorious guitar wank, trippy interludes and some chugging boogie the old hippie punks cranked out before major label stardom. Before their fifteen minutes with Nirvana. Before Chris took his nasty habits to the limit and wound up a forgotten jailbird. Whatever demons possessed (and maybe still do possess) Chris, there's no denying that his song-writing, kick-ass guitar slingin' brother Kurt just can't get his mojo goin' without that sibling rivalry in tow. The new album doesn't knock down any doors, but it is a great groove record and a logical step forward from their former indie days.
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REVEREND ORGANDRUM
HI-FI STEREO (Yep Roc)
Anyone wishing for Jim Heath to step back into the organ rich sounds of his brief lounge excursion please step up. This time the sounds are more bare bones, preferring the cool kitsch of a sparse trio and laying off the studio effects. That's a positive. Hearing the ultra slick guitar licks from the Reverend has always been a pleasure, and presented here with a dash of cheesy keyboard styling makes it just so. Swank versions of "A Shot in the Dark", "James Bond Theme" and "Hang 'Em High" are the easy faves, surrounded by a rash of strip, soul, surf and country tunes. Low class, hi-fi console fodder that does the trick, puts a smile on yer face and leaves as quickly as it came.
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DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
LIVE AT PIEDMONT PARK (Bama Rags / RCA)
Isn't jam something to spread on burnt toast in the morning? Apparently not. Hey jam band fans it's yer lucky day, cuz after a bit of a dry spell (what was that, a month, two?) Dave Matthews is back atcha with another groovy live slab to allay that cold sweat fix. And what a score: three, count 'em one, two, three discs of mind altering pop prog heaven. Every song stretched to it's maximum zenith, with violin flourishes, extended drum solos and that gritty, stretch yer face vocal to keep it oh so real. And for those who ask: do we really need another extendo version of "All Along The Watchtower"? The answer of course is: Duuuude! Dave knows his audience, most of whom can be heard nodding off to the dreamy stream of unconsciousness on this latest (relatively) live testament. Man it's doobytastic!
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NATHANIEL MAYER
WHY DONCHA GIVE IT TO ME? (Alive)
Nathaniel sounds like he's on his last breath ... and it's a knockout, skanky moonshine stench to boot. All rasp and soul, Mayer is another dusted off geriatric corpse resurrected by young hipsters, and presented as an obscure missing link between rival garage punk, racy blues and Motown factions back in the day. Not so far fetched that last dog bone actually, as Mayer was indeed a bit of a shaker and a mover if not nationally then certainly regionally. Thankfully he still has enough chutzpa to demonstrate some stage skills the whipper snappers would do well to emulate. With solid backing from Detroit's finest garage pranksters, he proves to be a capable frontman with enough moxie to deliver the goods, and then some. This really is one surprisingly fetching album. Move over Rudy Rae Moore and Andre Williams, the crazy, filthy old man soul revue tent is getting mighty crowded.
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ANN MAGNUSON
PRETTY SONGS & UGLY STORIES (Asphodel)
A woman for all seasons, Ann Magnuson continues to dabble in various art forms, but aside from a rather nice Hollywood career ("Desperately Seeking Susan" anyone?), she is also quite at home in the recording studio. As one half of prolific art rock pranksters Bongwater, she teamed with legendary studio manipulator Kramer to keep college radio busy for a good decade, before film and whatever beckoned. Solo albums since have been sparse, but always worth a listen. Here Magnuson offers her charming and biting words to a swirling pop collage that is more about singing than making a point. It's the soundtrack to her one-woman stage show. A long way from her metal days with Vulcan Death Grip, but hey, the age thing right? Magnuson's clever wordplay is best heard when she breaks into narrative passages as on the enchantingly whimsical "The Picture On My Dentist's Wall". Sharp, sarcastic anecdotes never do go out of style.
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THE MAGNETIC FIELDS
DISTORTION (Nonesuch)
Stephin Merritt's dreary, monotone drawl and meandering, plodding pacing are two of music's hardest acquired tastes, but those who persist will swear by the man. Swear enough to clear vast rooms with gargantuan, test of the wills stretches like the three disc "69 Love Songs" set. It's little wonder Merritt has learned to share the mic and give his thrilling pop masterpieces a variety of voices. For the latest project, Merritt trades his grumbling moan with the soothing throat of Shirley Simms, working the Lee Hazelwood - Nancy Sinatra angle to perfection. Eschewing his long-standing love affair with synthesizers, Merritt goes back to rock and roll string basics, offering up a hazy fuzz of a pop album, though there's no hiding a good hook even under all the distortion on er, "Distortion". As usual repeated listens are mandatory for the cloud to lift and the magic to sink in.
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THE PACK A.D.
TINTYPE (Mint)
Rough 'n' sparse, blues fuelled garage duos have always held a special place in my heart. Flat Duo Jets, House of Freaks and The White Stripes come to mind, but The Pack A.D. have more in common with The Black Keys when playing the comparison game. This is Clarskdale Delta Boogie Blues, the kind played at after hours juke joints where the juiced up locals stomp the roosters awake. Gnarly, chugga-chugga guitar riffs, big beat drummin' and fever pitch howlin' vocals, equals good, sweaty times, and perhaps some salvation. Boom boom out go the lights, but the party's just gettin' started. This ain't just old school bluesrock, it's fallin' down wood shack old school bluesrock. And it's channelled by a couple of young lasses name of Becky Black and Maya Miller. Names you'll be hearin' about, mark my words.
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KAREN DALTON
COTTON EYED JOE (Megaphone)
The startling reissue of obscure folk troubadour Karen Dalton's lone proper studio album "In My Own Time", necessitated further digging into this mysterious ingenue. And though Dalton was averse to documentation, with this package, we now have a better peek into one of the most intriguing characters in music. Two CDs worth of intimate live recordings from 1962 captured by Joe Loop at The Attic in Boulder Colorado are augmented by a four track DVD film (previously available only on import). The Loop tapes are beautiful, stark, harrowing voice and 12-string guitar numbers, showing Dalton's unique mastery of manipulating standards into a haunting gumbo of folk blues jazz for an appreciative coffee house. Her subsequent move to New York, where she hung around and sang with an admiring Bob Dylan cemented her cult reputation, but didn't make her any money. She retreated back into the mountains for the simple life. The DVD shows Dalton performing in New York (1969) and Summerville (1970), with her majestic long black hair, picking eloquently on her large Gibson guitar, flashing her trademark missing tooth smile. The studio album was soon to follow, and then she would disappear from the music world, eventually for good. Stories are stories, and many of them are quite tall, but despite of what Karen Dalton actually did with her life, she left behind a tantalizing precious amount of brilliant recordings to ponder over.
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VARIOUS
JUNO
(Rhino)
Will Juno win the Oscar? Will Oscar win the Juno? All confusion aside, what we have here is an atypical movie soundtrack which actually turns out to be a simply wonderful mixed tape album. Any record brimming with the totally infectious innocence that was the Moldy Peaches deserves an ear or two, but throw in some carefully balanced oldies from the likes of The Kinks, The Velvet Underground and Cat Power (meow), and we make several generations happy. A couple of charmers from everyone's favourite Glaswegians Belle and Sebastien, and Sonic Youth's wondrous version of the Carpenters' "Superstar" seal the deal. We have a winner. PS: apparently The Moldy Peaches were so enthralled with the project that a reunion is underway. Juno really is the fairy tale of the year isn't it?
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