by: Sam Farzin, KUCI Music Director
Friends,
ACROBATICS EVERYDAY has a killer show this Friday at the Phoenix Grille. Performing artists include CAPTAIN AHAB, ANAVAN, DESTROY TOKYO/RELIGIOUS GIRLS, and three more very cool, very unique artists.
The Walkmen - You & Me [Gigantic]
The most dapper gents in indie-rock return with a master-class of slowburners that remind everyone why they are so revered. Always a pleasure.
Don Caballero - Punkgasm [Relapse]
If math teachers were cool, they would play Don Caballero in their classrooms as a teaching implement.
Calexico - Carried To Dust [Quarterstick]
Hear the plucks of stringed instruments fat skinny tall and wide set to folkloric rhythms, mariachi horns, and breathy vox. Fans of Devotchka take note. Fans of Calexico take note. Fans of mariachi horns take note.
Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line [Barsuk]
Total bummer in this CD. Band plays 1 million shows, band gets rabid fanbase, band is about to break...band's co-founder dies. In his early 20s. Totally bums me out, at least. This CD is pretty incredible. This is the kind of indie rock that should define the "genre." Cellos too. Goddamn you half-Japanese girls.
sBACH - sBACH [Suicide Squeeze]
Halfa Hella (the melody portion) takes his guitar skills and whips up an 8-bit symphony with guitars and drums and keys and everything tumbling about. Ultrarad. All the tracks are untitled.
White Fang - Pure Evil [Marriage]
Sub-20yr olds take to garage and produce an off-kilter batch of messy and rambunctious tunes. Catchy and heart-on-sleeve and like your favorite DIY venue's bathroom.
Rafter - Sweaty Magic [Asthmatic Kitty]
I dig this dude. He makes consistently good jams without sticking to a single genre, something that is attempted with often worse results. On this EP he is more RPM than on his previous release, so note that. Dance-floor bangers with a twang of indie-soul.
31Knots - Worried Well [Polyvinyl]
Moody, layered pieces of sometimes noisy anthems.
Fiery Furnaces - Remember [Thrill Jockey]
This is a live megamix of our favorite non-mainstream rock star siblings. 51 tracks! Note that while on the CD there is a baffling numbering system, the track list follows the sheet inside the jewel case. Please do not lose it, it is essential.
EXPERIMENTAL
Indian Jewelry - We Are The Wild Beast [tigerbeat6]
Droning, lightly thrashing, psych-scorshing masterworks by Texan
SOUNDTRACKS
Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Original Soundtrack [Telarc]
This is a new Woody Allen movie, and it is set in Spain, and the soundtrack is composed of Spanish tunes. Remember in history when you learned about Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and wondered why his last name was "cowhead?"
LAST WEEK
The Faint - Fasciinatiion [blank.wav]
Stereolab - Chemical Chords [4AD]
The Music Tapes - Music Tapes For Clouds And Tornadoes [Merge]
Neutral Milk Hotel superstar multiinstrumentalist Julian Koster returns with his first released album as The Music Tapes in almost a decade. Fuzzy, broken folk and found sound. Love thisssss.
Human Highway - Moody Motorcycle [Suicide Squeeze]
Sebastien Grainger - American Names [Saddle Creek]
From Death From Above 1979 to folk-worn jammers on Saddle Creek, Mr. Grainger proves his mettle on his first solo outing.
She Keeps Bees - Nests [SKB]
Jaguar Love - Take Me To The Sea [Matador]
Theresa Andersson - Hummingbird, Go! [Basin Street]
Like all those other female singer-songwriter records I go through every week, but basically totally different. Off-kilter instrumention, unique twists and turns, and really pretty but fun too.
El Ten Eleven - These Promises Are Being Videotaped [Fake]
Thanks Ziba for this disc of thumping IDM-y/experi-rock bangers. This is REALLY solid. Like, I'm listening to the track "Jumping Frenchmen of Main" and it's kicking my ass. Think Justice gone kraut. Who needs genres anyway, dance dance dance to the radio, turn on, tune in, drop out, etc.
EXPERIMENTAL
Hecuba - Sir [Manimal]
This is WACKY. Take the voice of a 30s jazz-soul temptress. Add sparse and unexpected beats and instrumentation, and...REPEAT EVERYTHING A MILLION TIMES. This is sort of RPM, but it's really weird too. I'm into it, dudes. I'm into it. Check out the track "Yes."
RPM
Brazilian Girls - NYC [Verve]
Fun dance tunes. No ifs or buts. Nothing too serious or sappy, just happy pop songs with synthesizers that will make you smile. This is the worst blurb I have ever written.
WORLD
Tony Trischka - Territory [Smithsonian Folkways]
Technically, this is Americana. Really interesting solo banjo works. If you're looking for something TOTALLY out of the ordinary, check this.
PUNK
Firewater - The Golden Hour [Bloodshot]
This is almost World. This should probably be in World. Really high-energy fist-pumping ethnic-bouncing "punk" tunes. Like Gogol Bordello? Take note. LAZY WRITING!
LATE
Apollo Sunshine - Shall Noise Upon [Headless Heroes]
60s psych tunes a la Beach Boys, with tons of effects and instrumentation thrown in for good measure.
PHEW.
That was a mouthful.
okay. that's all this week.
love
sam
Share
|
|
