WDCE

90.1 FM

University of Richmond Radio

 

 

 

 

10

Album Reviews

Music Worth  Hearing

 

Spiritualized: Songs in A & E (Fontana International/Spaceman) - Jason Pierce (AKA J. Spaceman) and company present their 6th studio outing (the first in over 5 years!) under the Spiritualized moniker.  Largely inspired by a 1929 Gibson guitar he found in a Cincinnati shop, their shoegaze sounds are transformed into minimalist rock arrangements with orchestral embellishments.  Songs In A&E (as in Accident & Emergency) has an acoustic orientation, and gospel singers add intimacy and spirituality. 

Orchestra Baobab: Made in Dakar (World Circuit / Nonesuch) - Released in England last fall, the Senegalese ensemble Orchestra Baobab’s latest disc finally drifts to the American shores.  Its arrival is cause for celebration.  Taping into decades of tradition, they bring recognizable forms including rumba, reggae and highlife home to Dakar.   Adding their distinctive local urban twist, like crystalline guitar lines, bright horn blasts, impassioned vocals and sophisticated polyrhythmic rhythms – they craft an album that’s Highly Recommended. 

Walter Meego: Voyager (Almost Gold) - Former Chicago house-heads are caught in the happy haze of sunny Los Angeles.  They craft bright, shiny dance-pop for the post-disco generation.  Glossy synths, chunky bass, throbbing beats and vocoders combine for a glam, boogie down night.  Recommended. 

Various Artists: Verve//Remixed 4 (Verve) - Since its inception in 2002, the Verve Remixed series has delivered engaging reworked classics by contemporary electro stars.  The 4th installment taps into the soulful side of things.  Remixing include Diplo/ Mad Decent, PSAPP, Truth & Soul, Antibalas, Cinematic Orchestra, etc.  Grab a cocktail, turn up the old hi-fi and get down with a retro flair.  Recommended. 

From Bubblegum to Sky: A Soft Kill (Eenie Meenie) - The 3rd LP by From Bubblegum to Sky (Mario Hernandez) is all about the indie-pop.  It’s a sophisticated sound, where high vocals and multi-tracked harmonies glide atop dense arrangements that somehow feel weightless.  Organic in nature and schooled in pop history, A Soft Kill is a testament to the things that kill you slowly.  Recommended.  [Note: Available only as a digital download or vinyl LP (packaged with a t-shirt by the Brown Sound Clothing ]

Jon Sonnenberg: Acoustic Selections (Old Man) - Analog synth artist Jon Sonnenberg (Travelogue and House of Wires) re-arranges works from those projects into a 100% acoustic collection.  A wide array of over 30 instruments of the folk, chamber and toy worlds are layered into repetitive patterns – setting the stage for softly spoken lyrics varied instrumental swells.  These Acoustic Selections carry you on a winding road from the Peruvian highlands to deep valley blues and many points between.  Though the second half tends to drag on, it’s still Recommended. 

The Watson Twins: Fire Songs (Vangaurd) - Though now Los Angeles based, the Watson Twins (Chandra and Leigh) are from rolling foothills of Louisville, Kentucky.  While developing their charming blend of folk, country, and contemporary roots music – the duo worked with Jenny Lewis, Rilo Kiley, Earlimart, and others.  Their soulful harmonies grace nicely performed and produced traditional based roots music.  Check out their cover of the Cure’s "Just Like Heaven ".  RIYL Lucinda Williams, Neko Case.  Recommended.

Booka Shade: The Sun and the Neon Light (Get Physical) - German electro duo Booka Shade’s (Walter Merziger & Arno Kammermeier) 3rd album.  The Sun and the Neon Light references the dichotomy day/night and natural / man-made.  Threads of micro-house, ambient, dub and pop illuminate a nocturnal, unsettled space, where undulating beats and synth drones develop into salacious groove and glorious light.  Recommended. 

Jef Stott: Saracen (Six Degrees) - San Francisco based oud player /producer Jef Stott is a world traveler in the digital age.  Join him on a journey along centuries old paths around the Mediterranean Sea – where Gypsy, Turkish sufi, Algerian Rai, and Moroccan gnawa elements develop into a sonic entrancement.  Oud, other strings, ambient /dub keys, and some brass are blended with organic and electronic percussive patterns.  Were I to create a video for him, it would include an overloaded vintage bus traveling a winding road through various cultures and countries, adding and removing musicians, while on fast forward.  Recommended. 

Health: Health//Disco [bonus data tracks] (Lovepump United) – Last years s/t debut from Los Angeles math meets noise ensemble Health is fast//forwarded into modern disco by the hands of noteworthy electro-artists including Acid Girls, Crystal Castles, Narctrax, Trust Lab, and Pink Skull.  It’s time to get moving.  Recommended.