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University of Richmond Radio

 

 

 

 

10

Album Reviews

Music Worth  Hearing

 

Matmos: Supreme Balloon (Matador) - San Francisco electronic duo Matmos have crafted an LP solely sourced from synthesizers.  Vintage 60s/70s/80s electronic rigs of Arp, Korg, Roland, Waldorf, Moog, and more are process with an array of computers and samplers.  It’s left-field and gloriously glitched-out – but akin to a Supreme Balloon it also lifts and glides into a spectacular cosmic pop world.  [Available as a 180-gram vinyl gatefold double LP with 4 more tracks & a MP3 download coupon]

Univers Zero: Univers Zero (1313) (Cuneiform) -  Behold the newly re-mastered 1977 debut LP from avant-prog Belgian septet Univers Zéro.  Originally a limited self release by their sound engineer Eric Faes, it became commonly known as its catalogue number 1313.  Instrumentation includes drums, guitar, bassoon, violin, viola, pocket cello, bass, harmonium and spinet.  From the somber to the jaunty, fragmented signatures jump from melodic passages to rhythmic awakenings, creating an aural experience that’s deep and engaging.  [Note: This Cuneiform reissue adds a 28 minute live track: “La Faulx”]  RIYL Henry Cow, Igor Stravinsky, Rachel’s  Recommended. 

Fieldwork: Door (Pi Recordings) - Fieldwork is a combo of three forward thinking composers / instrumentalists from the New York jazz scene: Vijay Iyer on piano, Steve Lehman on alto saxophone and Tyshawn Sorey on drums.  These adventurous works are built of like-minded improvisation – where shared perspectives afford unified playing around complex meters and dynamic tempos.  Door reveals a sophisticated space that’s both moody and moving.  Recommended. 

The Last Shadow Puppets: The Age of the Understatement (Domino) - The Last Shadow Puppets are Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys) and Miles Kane (The Rascals).  For this, their debut LP, they have crafted a modern indie-rocker that’s inspired by cinematic pop from the 1960s and 1970s.  Action and intrigue fill the air with lavish, emotional orchestration from the 22 piece London Metropolitan Orchestra under the direction of Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy).  Referencing the work of David Axelrod, Owen Pallett’s arrangements really make the disc.  Recommended. 

Barrington Levy & Friends at Joe Gibbs: Teach the Youth 1980-1985 (17 North Parade) - Reggae vocalist Barrington Levy was a dancehall innovator with his distinctive whining voice and ghetto phrasing. In the early 1980’s, he laid down several successful sides with Joe Gibbs at the board.  The entertaining stories and classic riddims will take you higher.  The last 4 tracks are instrumentals.  [Historical note: in 2007 VP Records launched sub-imprint 17 North Parade to pay homage to the historic location of Vincent Chin’s Randy’s Record Mart, a premier record shop with a recording studio in Kingston that was a Mecca for reggae in late 60s and 70s ]  Recommended. 

Morning Benders: Talking Through Tin Cans (+1) - Berkeley 4-piece Morning Benders are a jangly delight. Their effervescent indie pop has a light 1960s fee that recalls The Shins, Good Life & Beatles.  Shimmering shoreline vocals sparkle atop guitars, Rhodes, organ, piano and buoyant rhythms. Though Talking Through Tin Cans may seem passé in today’s world, the simple formula clearly connects on many dimensions.  Recommended. 

The Presets: Apocalypso (Modular) – Australian electronic duo of Julian Hamilton and Kim Moyes fast forward the 1980s.  Dark synth wave and hedonistic techno beats are hyped on pop sensibilities galactic funk.  Succumb to the primal urge to move and groove.  Good. 

 

Submarines: Honeysuckle Weeks (Nettwerk) - The LA based duo of John Dragonetti (Jack Drag) and Blake Hazard are in love with spring.  Prepare to feel the warmth of the sunny indie-pop – as their boy/girl vocals dive into the natural with an abundance of handclaps and tambourine.  Shimmers of electronics glisten throughout.  Good. 

Eliza Gilkyson: Beautiful World (Red House) - Austin, TX based folk singer/songwriter Eliza Gilkyson’s (daughter of late folk-pop artist Terry Gilkyson) returns to the studio with a broadened perspective.  Aided by several collaborators, she mixes her folk roots with flavors of Americana, jazz and roots.  It’s a colorful landscape where her rich, gently weathered voice guides the journey.  Good