by: Paul McEldowney, Alejandra, and Hobart Taylor
Summer Twins - Summer Twins – (Burger)
In the late 80s, two twins would enter the gauntlet to see which duo deserved to star in a movie about twins. In one corner, we have the terrible Arnold Schwartzenegger and Danny DeVito. On the other, we have the two-timing Hulk Hogan and Christopher Lloyd. The loser would have to star in another film called Suburban Commando (or alternately, Urban Commando in the case that Hogan/Lloyd come out on top). Only history and the cosmos will tell who the real winners are. One this is for sure, beating out Schwartzenegger/Devito as the best twins is OC's own daylight-savings heart-melting wholesome sunshine ice cream garage pop duo Summer Twins who are ready for a brawl. They're actually twins too! — Paul McEldowney
Eux Autres - Sun Is Sunk – (Bon Mots)
Golden melodies grown-up been around the block lovey-dovey post-post-twee indie pop. — Paul McEldowney
Geographer - Myth – (Modern Art)
Lazy rainy day sensitive synthy patient expansive dream pop with Grizzly Bear church-like eunuch vocals. — Paul McEldowney
Pond - Beard, Wives, Denim - Modular)
Symphonic cosmic swirls moldy groovy psych rock featuring members of Tame Impala. — Paul McEldowney
My Best Fiend - In Ghostlike Fading – (Warp)
Burned-out campfire whispery gospelly middle-of-the-night haze folk. — Paul McEldowney
Beth Jeans Houghton - The Hooves Of Destiny – (Mute)
With Kate Bush-like theatrics and confidence, Beth Jeans Houghton tramples you over with her Hooves Of Destiny, a folky art rock production in which everyone exits, pursued by a bear. — Paul McEldowney
Tindersticks - The Something Rain – (Constellation)
Tindersticks' second album on Constellation, which shows that they're one of the most consistent and interesting loungey head-down chamber pop bands of the past couple decades. The Something Rain rewards in its subtlety and down-to-earth-ness. — Paul McEldowney
Delta Spirit - Delta Spirit – (Rounder)
More rough around the edges, raw country tinged barn burning indie rock from the capital of rough around the edges, raw country tinged barn burning indie rock, San Diego, California. — Paul McEldowney
From the Mouth of the Sun – (Woven)
Ambient drone with a peaceful yet morose feel. Perfect music to go along with this gloomy weather. Much of the album has the poppy static of an old needle playing on a record. The album seems to crescendo, starting slowly the album builds with the first six tracks to an almost theatrical bang with "A Season In Waters" and "Snow Burial (While Blue Skies Gather)," the last track on the album, serving as meditative epilogue.
-Alejandra
Igor Butman Orchestra - Shererazade's Tales – (Butman Music)
Butman is a mainstay of the straight ahead Jazz tradition in Russia dating back to Soviet days. As a side man this saxophonist played with various American luminaries after studying at Berklee with Gary Burton. These days in Russia he fronts ensembles of varying size, runs a couple of Moscow clubs and Russian festivals and puts out smoking cds of his own music, cds for pianist/composer Nick Levinosky, American singer Karthy Jenkins, and Russia's Kenny G, Nick Vintskevich. Schereazade's Tale's was recorded last May live at a Moscow's International House of Music. The heart of the cd are the 4 movements of Rimsky-Korsakov's Shherazade arranged for big band by Levinosky. The arrangements are superb, an amazing melding of dynamism and tonal coloration that harken back to the days late Woody Herman, with a touch of say Oliver Nelson. Meanwhile, none of the Russianess and oriental classicism is sacrificed.
Also on the cd are a couple of traditional Russian folk tunes, and believe it or not, a fairly fresh rendition of "Caravan". — Hobart Taylor
Nick Vintskevich - Vive L'amour – (Butman Music)
To pay the bills for the real jazz of Nick Levinosky (small ensemble post-bop) and Igor Butman's own straight ahead coolness he puts out cds by tall blond sexophone player Nick Vintskevich. his chops are for real and he is deep in the Grover Washington tradition. Cut 2 "Dreams" is pretty listenable and cut 5, " AM PM" is controlled coolness and to be honest if you like smooth jazz it works.. otherwise... Vocals on all tracks from various crooners of various genders and species (i.e. vocoders). — Hobart Taylor
Andrei Kondakov & Brazil All Stars- Songs For My Father- (Butman Music)
St. Petersberg Keyboardist Kondakov is a part of the Butman stable of Russian virtuossi.
This cd, recorded in New York in 2002, but recently mastered and released showcases Kondakov surrounded by Brazilian ex-pats. The tunes are all his originals, and while not all are really Brazilian, the use of Brazilian musicians gives them a melancholy joi de vivre. The Brazilian tunes with some Portuguese vocals are actually the least successful... they sound like mid-lvel Jobim, but cut 7 Love Like Breathing has a sincerity and sweetness that comes from Kondakov's own compositional style here influenced by rather than imitating Brazilian styles the melody is superb.... There is a one minute baroque gem /little Tarantella, (cut 5). — Hobart Taylor
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