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University of Richmond Radio

 

 

 

 

10

Album Reviews

Music Worth  Hearing

 

Unwed Sailor: Little Wars (Burnt Toast Vinyl) - Instrumental post-rock ensemble Unwed Sailor reaches the ten-year milestone this year.  Recorded and mixed in Tulsa, OK, their 4th LP takes cues from the copper colored terrain, as sonic southwestern imagery develops within complex, jazzy arrangements.  Awash in sun drenched keyboards, elements like piano, percussion, guitars, chimes, human and field samples gently glisten.

Jason Anderson: The Hopeful and the Unafraid (K) - Multi-instrumentalist Jason Anderson is no stranger to the k family.  For starters, he drummed for Yume Bitsu & the Microphones, and played guitar for Mount Eerie & Calvin Johnson.  Even with six officially released albums, he remains somewhat obscure.  His passion for the DIY form is evidenced by his recording this LP in mere hours - tracking the vocals, guitars, and drums simultaneously – with some help from members of Magnolia Electric Co. on pedal steel and guitar leads.  It captures natural feel of a live performance.  Recommended. 

RIYL: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

[NOTE: this will be released as an LP with bonus CD]

Melody Gardot: Worrisome Heart (Verve) - One day while riding her bicycle she was struck by a careless driver and left severely injured in the street.  During months of recovery in the hospital she wrote much of this material which was self released in 2006, and now picked up by Verve.  Sure, that grabs your attention, but the substance within will hold it.  A gifted singer and songstress, Melody Gardot blends soft, mostly acoustic instrumentation with her smoky, soulful vocals.  A laid-back blend of jazz element including guitar, piano, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, clarinet, trumpet and tenor sax with country twists like dobro and lap-steel.  She brings the spirits of Norah Jones, Madeleine Peyroux and Nellie McKay home.  Recommended. 

The Wood Brothers: Loaded (Blue Note) - Bassist Chris Wood (Medeski, Martin and Wood) joins his brother, guitarist Oliver Wood (King Johnson), to form the Wood Brothers.  With support from John Medeski, Billy Martin, Amos Lee, Darick Campbell and more, they present mostly down home originals and freshly arranged covers.  This is modern roots music – where blues and folk traditions are crossed pollinated with rock, reggae and New Orleans shuffle. 

Murder by Death: Red of Tooth and Claw (Vagrant) - Indiana quartet Murder by Death travel the shadowed trails through dense southern goth and nocturnal country rock.  Facets of dark romance are brought to life by Matt Armstrong’s expressive baritone.  Reverb drenched guitar, Sarah Balliet’s cello, keyboard texture and swampy rhythms develop the noir.  Good. 

Flying: Faces of the Night (Menlo Park) – The sophomore LP from Brooklyn freak-folk ensemble Flying glides into more structured, post-rock territory.  Childhood mystery and wonder inspire their whimsical works.  Like strange dreams on a restless night, much is unexplained.  “Soft as a shadow” mostly fragile vocals provide references; while traditional instruments like guitar, vintage keyboards and piano are connected with junkyard percussion and recorder.  Recommended. 

Various Artists: Funky Nassau: The Compass Point Story 1980-1986 (Strut) - At first, the title may seem miss-leading, but stay tuned.  London born Chris Blackwell founded Island Records while living in Jamaica in 1961.  Playing a key role in the introduction of reggae to the world, Island also delved into the fringes of rock, soul and dance music.  In the late 1970’s, Blackwell built Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas.  With its stellar house band featuring legendary Jamaican rhythm duo Sly and Robbie, Compass Point became a magnet for artists seeking to blend some tropical elements with their sound.  In the end, the title makes perfect sense; this snapshot on the impact of Compass Point is definitely Recommended.  [Note: liners include 20+ pages text and photos]

Clark: Turning Dragon (warp) - From an IDM artist that once really embraced the concepts of space & ambience (hear the wintry Clarence Park), UK native Chris Clark now focuses on the harder side of glitchtronics.  It’s a heavily processed laptop mix of computer-generated pulses, pops and clicks with synthesizers and samples.  The intricacies are revealed as the forward charging, beat oriented works unfold and wind-down.  Clark is still very much an IDM artist, only this one actually has a lot of dance in it.  Recommended. 

Be Your Own Pet: Get Awkward (Ecstatic Peace!) - Hitting like a molotov cocktail, the sophomore LP from Nashville, Tennessee’s Be Your Own Pet is a blast of energetic, catchy punk revival filled with timeless themes of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll.  Their sing-along choruses, noisy guitars and full-throttle percussion are well matched to Jemina’s lead vocals that are reminiscent of Karen O (Yeah Yeah Yeahs). Recommended.

Miguel Migs: Those Things Remixed (Salted Music) - San Francisco-based DJ/producer Miguel Migs excels at bring soul into the electronic realm.  Starting with his 2007 release Those Things, remixers put their own spin things, while remaining true to the deep, soulful house music vibe.  Organic instrumentation like funky guitars, various keys, horn blasts, dubby bass, afro-beat pulses and more blend with soulful vocals and tight electro production.  Recommended. 

 

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