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University of Richmond Radio

 

 

 

 

10

Album Reviews

Music Worth  Hearing

 

Herbaliser: Same As it Never Was (!K7) - After starting out on Ninja Tune over a decade ago, UK outfit Herbaliser makes the move to !K7 records.  They’ve grown from their earlier crate diggers’ delight of rare-groove productions into a more earthy – live funk experience.  Though the emphasis is on live – organic horns, guitar, bass and percussion they stay true to their roots with turntable action and Axelrod inspired cinematic samples / loops.  It’s a balanced program featuring Hip-Hop rhymes, instrumentals and soulfully sweet vocals from young London singer Jessica Darling.  Highly Recommended. 

James Pants: Welcome (Stones Throw) - Welcome is the debt LP from Spokane, WA. multi-instrumentalist beat-maker / neo soul adventurer James Singleton (aka James Pants).  Flavors of synthy, early-80’s R&B/soul and old-school hip-hop beats meet in a forward-thinking elastic funk odyssey.  Video-game glitch, vocoder and otherwise processed vocals appear here and there as the earthy and electronic elements welcome you to the dance floor.  Recommended.  

Death Cab for Cutie: Narrow Stairs (Barsuk) – For the follow-up to 2005’s breakthrough recording Plans, Ben Gibbard and company reminds us success isn’t just about ascending the Narrow Stairs.  True, his lyrics unfurl along lengthy uncoiling sentences, but that’s ok, since the rawer, shadowed production reveals the layers along the way, and the dimensional mysterious characters and clever observations are “like a book, elegantly bound…you gotta spend some time with me”.  Recommneded. 

Nicholas Payton: Into the Blue (Nonesuch) - For his 9th LP as a leader (and Nonesuch debut), trumpeter Nicholas Payton returns to his hometown of New Orleans.  Composing and arranging most of the material, Payton finds a balance between remaining true to the jazz continuum and stretching its wings.  Funkier New Orleans and CTI flavors percolate alongside more contemplative, spacious ‘European’ refrains.  Recommended. 

Loose Acoustic Trio: Sorrow Be Gone (Big Book) – California’s Loose Acoustic Trio are true to their name.  Richie Lawrence’s accordion adds a strong Cajun flavor throughout, as guitjo (6 string banjo), mandolin, stand up bass and tree-part harmonies keep things grounded in old-time string music.  Lyrically, playful humor runs high.  Their brand of good time Americana is really loads of fun.  Recommended. 

Mates of State: Re-Arrange Us (Barsuk) - Kansas duo Mates of State (Kori Gardner & Jason Hammel) continue the evolution of their sound toward the sunnier side.  Kori Gardner’s trusty 1970s Electone organ is virtually absent on Re-Arrange Us, allowing the music to become less weighty – yet lyrically they still broach tougher subjects.  “Forget your politics for a while, let your color schemes arrive” with payfully dueling vocals and sing-along choruses that glide atop lushly layered arrangements centered on piano and drums.  Recommended. 

Styrofoam: A Thousand Words (Nettwerk) - After several LPs for Germany’s Moor Music, Belgium indietronic popster Styrofoam (Arne Van Petegem) teams up with Nettwerk and production team Wax Ltd (Wally Gagel and Xandy Berry) to develop a more robust, sophisticated recording.  Glossy, IDM backdrops and sugared dance beats set the stage for A Thousand Words’ diverse bunch of guest vocalists, like Jim Adkins (Jimmy Eat World), Blake Hazard (Kimchee) and Josh Rouse in bolstering his bright, layered harmonies and simple, thought-provoking lyrics.  Recommended. 

Meho Plaza: Meho Plaza (Better Looking) - The self-titled debut from Los Angeles trio Meho Plaza is a journey into an experimental pop.  Warm fuzzed-out synths, angular guitar riffs, tribalistic percussion and dreamy vocals lead to interesting nexuses within noise, psych and pop.  Think of Braniac meets Blonde Redhead.  Recommended. 

Robert Walter: Cure All (Palmetto) - Robert Walter knows instrumental jazz funk.  A top-notch organ/ Rhodes/ piano player (and a founding member of the Greyboy Allstars), Walter and trio members bassist James Singleton and drummer Johnny Vidacovich definitely have your Cure All prescription.  Their elixir of soulful, groove jazz contains a cerebral kicker and some tangy New Orleans flavor. 

David Sánchez: Cultural Survival (Concord) - For his 8th LP, 4-time Grammy winning saxophonist David Sánchez debuts his piano-less quartet, featuring guitarist Lage Lund, winner of the 2005 Thelonious Monk Guitar Competition.  It’s a quest for broader perspective in an increasingly individualistic society.  Straight ahead jazz is colored by broader African, Afro-Cuban and Caribbean influences.  Recommended.