New Music From Thom Yorke

Thom Yorke played some new songs at a recent concert in Cambridge and is set to do a short tour with his band "Atoms For Peace" in the coming weeks. The video below is of "Give Up the Ghost" in which a solo Thom makes a short backing loop to compliment a very stripped down performance. The last couple minutes are gorgeous and are perhaps indicative of a great record to come.
Beware of the shrieking crowd at the end of the video, I almost lost my hearing.


Two other new ones for your consideration:

Decade Look: Part 13 - Aesop Rock's Labor Days

There has been a noticeable lack of hip-hop on this list (mostly because I don't listen to a whole lot) so I figured I'd write about some today. Aesop Rock is an alternative rapper and producer who has released five albums and in his own words has made 'not the most accessible music in the world'. His lyrics are complex and abstract, jam-packed into songs and rapped at an incredible rate. His albums require close attention to decipher song meanings and quite often you will be left scratching your head, but all that aside, it's a marvel to hear. "Labor Days" is a bit top-heavy and also a tad long so sit down and be prepared to spend a good spell listening to it. Second track "Daylight" is my favorite from the album as it contains the best backing production from Blockhead and the catchiest chorus of all the songs. It also has this oft-quoted line "Life's not a bitch/Life is a beautiful woman/You only call her a bitch 'cause she won't let you get that pussy." Another highlight is "No Regrets" which chronicles the life of a woman from age seven to eighty-seven and the struggle that comes with being an artist. More great production and a catchy chorus round out the song. This album is not for everyone, some find it difficult to digest and some just dislike Aesop's voice, but those that do like it, like it a lot.

Standout tracks: Daylight, Flashflood, No Regrets, 9-5ers Anthem

Decade Look: Part 12 - The Beta Band's Heroes to Zeros

I've been rediscovering a lot of great music doing these posts, stuff that I loved when I first heard it and some that has grown on me. I remember first hearing this third and final album from The Beta Band and not appreciating it, but like all growers it has become bigger and better with age. It's been just short of six years since "Heroes to Zeros" release and it sounds just as good if not better after all this time. The album gets off to a raging start with "Assessment" a song that accomplishes more in four minutes than most songs can in six or seven. The guitar bridge three minutes in sets up for one of the album's best outros. In "Wonderful" Steve Mason's sleepy singing of 'she's so wonderful' is offset by the chorus in which he belts that 'it's all for you, I do'. "Out-Side" is a classic cut; the guitars, dog barks and high pitched voices near the end are all very 'British'. It's in the final three tracks that you can hear each component of the band's sound; a Beta Band holy trinity of sorts. The experimental, rock/folk and electronic sides of the band are demonstrated respectively in "Liquid Bird", "Simple", and "Pure For". It's with that last song that we have The Beta Band's swan-song and it's the perfect end for a tremendous band: "I'm so glad you found me" indeed.

Standout tracks: Assessment, Wonderful, Out-Side, Simple, Pure For

Decade Look: Part 11 - British Sea Power's Do You Like Rock Music?

I was going to use an extremely clever line to open this post but will instead start by saying that this album is a behemoth. It comes as no surprise that the album is immense as it is, BSP's first two efforts were just as big. The band is a four-piece from Brighton, England with brothers Yan (Scott Wilkinson) and Hamilton (Neil Hamilton Wilkinson) taking turns on vocals. Their sound is heavily guitar based with flourishes of orchestral instruments which can in particular be heard on "Do You Like Rock Music?". "No Lucifer" is a good example of said sound, opening with acoustic guitars and a viola before erupting into energetic shouts of "Easy! Easy! Easy!" that linger throughout making for one of the album's finest tracks. "No Lucifer" is one part of the album's amazing first few songs, the others being "Lights Out For Darker Skies", "Waving Flags" and "Canvey Island". The subject matter of these songs is in part what makes them so good, such as in "Canvey Island" which is about a massive flood that destroyed an entire island (Canvey Island is located off the mainland of south Essex in England) and "the records of a football team". In addition to all the great vocal tracks there is one instrumental track, "The Great Skua" (a large seabird). I've heard that BSP will have a new album at some point in 2010 and that they are recording at the moment and are 95% finished.

Standout tracks: Lights Out For Darker Skies, No Lucifer, Waving Flags, Canvey Island, The Great Skua

Ween - DC Won't Do You No Good

New Ween is always a good thing, especially when it's as good as this. They released this track for "The Right to Track" a series of musical contributions from various artists to help raise funds for rare and underfunded cancers. "DC Won't Do You No Good" is a fantastic song and is definitely up there with the best works of the band. Shades of Neil Young:



If this is any indication, there is great reason to be excited for the next Ween album.

New Music That Matters 2010

We are about a month and a half into 2010 and I have already heard some good new (and old) music. Here we go:

Pantha Du Prince's New Album "Black Noise"

This is the best album I have heard to date in this young year. More of the same minimal techno bliss just as on 2007's "This Bliss". This time around the German producer enlisted the help of Animal Collective's (!) Panda Bear for vocal duties on one track. The result is a song that is not only one of the best from the album but the first offering from an Animal Collective member that I have found listenable.


Sophomore album from English band These New Puritans

I just found out about this group the other day and have only had one full listen of the album but so far it sounds pretty good. It's an interesting mix of orchestral instruments and hard beats.


Massive Attack's First Album in Seven Years: Heligoland

Easily has some of the group's best work since "Mezzanine" but nothing comes close to matching anything they did on that album or anything before it. "Paradise Circus" is one of the best tracks with a guest performance from Hope Sandoval and the Horace Andy collaboration on "Girl I Love You" echoes "Angel". Time will only tell how this album resonates with me a few months from now.


Older Songs That Matter

Harry Nilsson - Without Her


Al Green - Strong As Death (Sweet As Love)

New Culprit 1

May I be the first to say, welcome back, we (or at least I) have missed you.



From his new album "Theme 2" (I believe this is accurate) to be released June of this year.

Decade Look: Part 10 - Gorillaz's Demon Days

Gorillaz are a virtual band created by Damon Albarn and animator Jamie Hewlett and in 2005 they released one of the Noughties' best albums, "Demon Days". As on their debut, the group once again genre-splice to perfection; hip-hop, rock and pop all rolled into one and to top it off, a Dennis Hopper spoken word number. The genre-splicing is best demonstrated in "Feel Good Inc.", arguably the album's best song. Funky/infectious bassline opening --> String-laden "poppy" chorus --> De La Soul guest appearance --> Flamenco guitar + "poppy" chorus --> More hip-hop --> Laughing. Well, something to that effect. I still remember when I first heard that song, it's one of those tunes that doesn't get old or annoying (a trait that applies to the album as well). Clint Eastwood is a topic that is carried over from the debut, this time appearing as "Dirty Harry". Another highlight is the bluesy "Every Planet We Reach is Dead" that has multiple amazing keyboard solos and showcases the positive effect Danger Mouse can have as a producer.

Another great aspect of Gorillaz is Jamie Hewlett's animated characters: 2D (vocals, keyboards), Murdoc (bass guitar), Russell (drums), Noodle (guitar, vocals).

Standout tracks: Kids With Guns, Dirty Harry, Feel Good Inc., Every Planet We Reach is Dead, DARE