March 23 New Releases
For a complete list of new releases visit our on line store. For rock collectibles visit our web site. New releases are subject to change.
CDs
The Bird and the Bee - Interpreting the Masters, Vol. 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates
The very title of Interpreting the Masters suggests that the Bird & the Bee are digging into a catalog of a widely respected pop songwriter — a Burt Bacharach, perhaps, or a Jimmy Webb. That’s not the case: children of the ‘80s that they are, singer Inara George and producer Greg Kurstin have chosen Daryl Hall & John Oates for the first volume of Interpreting the Masters, a sly move that reveals both their age and intended audience — i.e., ex alt-rockers raised on new wave and now settling into a tasteful, hipster middle age, hauling around kids dressed in Ramones t-shirts — and a reflection of Hall & Oates’ increasing reputation as soul-pop songwriters and record-makers. The Bird & the Bee don’t dig deeply into Hall & Oates catalog — there’s none of the burnished folk-rock of Whole Oates, nor do they pluck album tracks like “Looking for a Good Sign” off of Private Eyes — they simply choose the biggest hits, then give them a slyly modern update, one that consciously recalls the modernist new wave productions of the duo’s biggest hits yet fits within the Bird & the Bee’s nicely tailored AAA pop. So if Interpreting the Masters, on the surface, provides no surprises, why is it such a wonderful surprise as a whole? Perhaps it’s because the Bird & the Bee manage to make these very familiar hits sound fresh without radically reinventing them. That in itself is a much trickier move than turning these all into slow acoustic dirges, but it’s better still because these arrangements are true to both Hall & Oates and George & Kurstin. The Bird & the Bee illustrate just how much they’ve learned with their introductory original “Heard It on the Radio,” a song about the tunes they’re about to sing that holds its own with the covers, but the heart of the album lies in these covers of ‘80s staples: they shift the spotlight just enough to prove how good both the original song and singles are, and by never drawing attention to their own performance and arrangements, the Bird & the Bee prove just how good they are too. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Joe Bonamassa - It’s a sign of Joe Bonamassa’s increasing profile that he got blues legend B.B. King to guest on his eighth album Black Rock — and if what you’re doing is good enough to rope B.B. in, there’s not much reason to change, so Bonamassa doesn’t tinker with his formula here, retaining a little of the folky undertow of The Ballad of John Henry, but with its remaining roots in a thick, heavy blues-rock more redolent of ‘60s London than the ‘50s Delta. Of course, Bonamassa has never shied away from his love of Brit-blues, even underscoring it with a good streamlined cover of Jeff Beck’s “Spanish Blues,” but he retains a healthy respect for all manners of classic blues, kicking out a Chicago groove on a cover of Otis Rush’s “Three Times a Fool,” reaching back to Blind Boy Fuller for “Baby You Gotta Change Your Mind” and ably replicating B.B.’s latter-day soul groove on a horn-smacked cover of Willie Nelson’s “Night Life.” Bonamassa has an ear for non-blues writers too, cherrypicking Leonard Cohen’s “Bird on a Wire” and John Hiatt’s “I Know a Place,” tying it all together with beefy lead lines, but the provocative moments on Black Rock are all self-penned, whether it’s the clattering stomp “When the Fire Hits the Sea,” the British folk lilt of “Quarryman’s Lament” and “Athens to Athens,” or the droning dramatic epic “Blue and Evil.” These are easily the most intriguing songs here, suggesting Bonamassa realizes that the familiar covers allow him to stretch out elsewhere, and while it might be interesting hearing him follow this path for a full album, what’s here on Black Rock is both satisfying and admirably, if reservedly, ambitious. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Bonnie Prince Billy/the Cairo Gang - Wonder Show of the World
Although The Wonder Show of the World is the first Bonnie “Prince” Billy record to feature a co-billing with the Cairo Gang, he’s been accompanied by guitarist Emmett Kelly many times, both as part of his live band and in the studio for some of his best work of the 2000s (The Letting Go, Lie Down in the Light). This time it’s special, though, with Kelly in the limelight like he’s never been on record and a spare, no-frills production to emphasize the music-making on display. His playing is fluid and virtuosic but never showy, and his range is impressive, from fingerpicked guitar to lazy but jagged country-rock (on the occasional track with drums) to the brooding, stately “Teach Me to Bear You,” where he tears off a solo channeling Eric Clapton during the last few seconds of a five-minute track. As always, Will Oldham’s lyrics never fail to impress, and the best are front-loaded. The mystery of the opener, “Troublesome Houses,” is revealed quickly (”I once loved a girl, but she couldn’t take that I visited troublesome houses”). He inhabits his characters fully, and his lyrics reveal these characters’ inner thoughts in intriguing fashion: some are stark and declamatory, others hurt and questioning, still others simply puzzled and helpless when faced with the hands they’ve been dealt. More than most Bonnie “Prince” Billy records, this is one of those austere records, filled with lyrical archaisms — fans will think first of Master and Everyone — but Kelly and company prove a capable foil for the monolith of Oldham’s rustic songwriting and singing. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis
The Dillinger Escape Plan don’t make any major stylistic leaps on this, their fourth album. In some ways, it’s a return to the shouty, spastic post-hardcore of their full-length debut, Calculating Infinity, abandoning the electronic freakouts of 2007’s Ire Works while retaining some of the melodic elements, even if there’s nothing here as almost radio-friendly as “Milk Lizard.” Vocalist Greg Puciato has developed into quite the crooner, and even his shouting recalls Guy Picciotto more than Cookie Monster, when he’s not borrowing Mike Patton’s sneer. The band can still turn on a dime, musically speaking; its ultra-intricate jazz-metal breaks and solos that don’t feel like solos are still very present. So is the element of surprise; “Widower” is a piano-driven ballad that’s downright beautiful, even (or especially) when the drummer’s going berserk behind his bandmates, slowly building to an inevitable hardcore outburst at the four-minute mark. If there’s one thing to complain about on Option Paralysis, it’s that the album has pieces made up of cool parts, instead of songs made up of hooks. But for Dillinger fans, that alienating complexity is a bug, not a feature, and the fact that it’s impossible to remember how a given song goes when it’s over is taken as a testament to the bandmembers’ ability to perform these stunts. So once again, they’re preaching — at top volume — to the converted. Which is fine, because they remain very, very good at what they do. ~ Phil Freeman, All Music Guide
Donwill - Don Cuask in High Fidelity
Even though Goldfrapp stepped off the dancefloor with The Seventh Tree’s folky reveries, the duo couldn’t stay away for long. Head First dives head first into luscious, eminently danceable synth pop, but it’s almost as far removed from the sleek shuffle beats of Black Cherry and Supernature as their previous album was. This time, Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory look to the ‘80s for inspiration, but not the brittle sound that was fashionable to ape in the late 2000s, like La Roux and Little Boots. Instead, they explore the uber-glossy productions, staccato melodies, and dramatic key shifts that were the hallmarks of anthems that some might not want to admit they liked decades later. The influence of Giorgio Moroder and Italo-disco in general can be heard throughout Head First, but ABBA and especially Xanadu-era Olivia Newton-John are even more prominent (the cover of “Physical” that appeared between Felt Mountain and Black Cherry feels less ironic with each album Goldfrapp releases). The pair makes more of these sounds than just pastiche, although the finesse with which they re-create this distinctive sound will give some listeners serious déjà vu. Even the album’s length and structure feel retro: Head First is a svelte nine songs long, with the singles on its A-side and ballads on the B-side. And the singles — particularly the first three — are some of Goldfrapp’s most irresistible songs yet: “Rocket”’s driving minor-key verses and huge, shimmering choruses tap into the brain’s pleasure center as efficiently as possible; “Believer” sounds instantly familiar, but not tired or obvious; and “Alive” channels ABBA with percolating guitars, warm keyboards and synths that sparkle like falling stars or a shower of glitter. These songs have a sugar rush-immediacy that is new to Goldfrapp’s music, even if it nods to a golden age of pop that was unabashedly joyous. These songs are so mainstream, they’re almost subversive; while Goldfrapp is no stranger to catchy singles, the brooding undercurrents that appeared in all of the duo’s previous albums are missing. Song titles like “I Wanna Life” hint at the big, brightly colored strokes the duo is painting with this time, and the title track’s rainbow brightness and romantic ideals are miles away from the dark sensuality of their earlier work — only “Shiny and Warm,” which plays like a revamped “Satin Chic,” has any trace of that vibe. Even Head First’s moody songs aren’t as moody as before, though “Hunt” has a hazy, dead-of-night glamour to it. These changes might disappoint some fans, but as almost every album Goldfrapp has released shows, the duo is unafraid of abandoning sounds that worked for them in favor of something else. Coupled with The Seventh Tree, this album proves that Goldfrapp’s skill at adopting and fully embodying different styles is what makes them distinctive, not necessarily one signature sound. If the album seems somewhat slight, it’s purposefully so: Head First is a love letter to the frothy, fleeting, but very vital joys of pop music. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
Kid606 - Songs About F***Ing Steve Albini
Kleenex/Liliput - Live Recordings, Tv-Clips and Roadmovie
Kill Rock Stars proves once again that they are the label when it comes to keeping classic feminist punk in print with this collection of live shows and video footage of KleenexLiliput, one of the more elusive yet influential bands of the punk era. KRS reissued the collection of the band’s recorded output in 2001, and with this set, they offer a complete picture of the band in the studio and on-stage. The CD portion features two concerts, one at either end of the band’s career. The Kleenex set in Biel is from 1979, about a year after the group formed, and the show is fittingly rough and raw. Along with fiery versions of “Beri-Beri” and “Ain’t You,” which show off the more purely punk side of the band’s sound, are “Nice” and “Madness,” which reaffirm that Kleenex’s pop instincts were just as sharp. Best of all for fans, though, are the previously unreleased tracks “Lust” and “Gierwally,” proof that the band was sitting on more explosive songs besides the ones that saw the light of day. The 1982 Liliput show in Zurich has quite a bit more polish, but shows that the band never gave up on their sound or ideals, despite being forced to change their name in 1980. Along with songs from the group’s self-titled album, the show features the previously unreleased “Where Do You Find the Time?” The DVD part of the set is just as illuminating, collecting the band’s 1982 tour documentary Roadmovie and live performances on Swiss TV. For anyone curious about one of the greatest all-female punk bands of the era, this collection is a must — along with Kleenex/Liliput, of course. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
Let’s Wrestle - In the Court of the Wrestling Let’s
The main problem with music that tries to be funny is that quite often the band pushes the joke at the expense of the tune. Add to that the fact that humor is subjective and that most jokes, even the best ones, can only be heard a few times before they start to get old, and you’ve got some serious work to do to make an album that is both funny and good. On their debut album, In the Court of the Wrestling Let’s, Let’s Wrestle get around these possible pitfalls the same way Art Brut did on Bang Bang Rock & Roll. Along with their humorously oddball lyrics, they write really hooky tunes and play the stuffing out of them. Working with the classic lineup of guitar-bass-drums-vocals with occasional keyboard, the U.K. band succeeds in making a record that elicits chuckles even after a few plays but also satisfies the needs of noise-loving indie rockers who might be tired of whiny, self-centered lyrics about love. Wesley Patrick Gonzalez does sing about girls occasionally (mainly about his lack of success with them), but he’s more liable to delve into subjects like Lady Diana’s hair, his schedule, and the oddities and travails of being a weirdo (in a good way). He sings the songs in a pleasingly arch, somewhat flat voice while he and the band bash out fairly rudimentary chords, usually residing firmly in the midtempo region but sometimes revving up (the title track, “Tanks”) or slowing down for some balladry (“I’m in Fighting Mode,” “Song for Old People”). Hints of the Wedding Present abound, both in Gonzalez’s vocals and in the heavy guitars, as does a welcome nod to the similarly off-kilter Lawrence and his band Denim on the record’s catchiest song, “We Are the Men You’ll Grow to Love Soon.” Along with the humorous songs come the occasional tunes like the desperate “My Schedule” or the sweetly melancholy “In Dreams” that reach for a little more emotion. This shift in tone helps give the record some variety and is another reason why Let’s Wrestle escape being one-joke ponies. They do a first-rate job blending humor, emotion, and energy on In the Court; it’s a tricky routine to master but they’ve done it impressively right out of the gate. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
Pet Shop Boys - Pandemonium Live
Some might say that the Pet Shop Boys have released more live documents than any synth pop band has a right to, but fans would wholeheartedly disagree. Joey Sixpack might not notice, but the duo takes great pride in making each tour’s set list unique, plus there are always some surprises for card-carrying fanclub members. Here, on this document of a 2009 concert at London’s O2 Arena, that means rarely heard live numbers like “Two Divided by Zero” and “Why Don’t We Live Together?” plus the long-lost B-Side “Do I Have To?” Well-worn numbers like “Suburbia” and “Being Boring” are delivered as if they were fresh and new, while the triumphant performance of “West End Girls” shows that PSB have, shockingly, not grown tired of the tune. Kick it all off with a fantastic new mash-up of “More Than a Dream/Heart” and it’s a must own for the faithful, but when you add a well-shot DVD that captures the whole stage show, it’s the ultimate in PSB live sets. Borrowing an idea from Pink Floyd, the stage set features a wall of white blocks that are deconstructed, rearranged, and scattered as video is projected onto them. The effect is something dynamic and full of change that disappears when the lights come up, leaving nothing but the stark white stage and the fairly motionless duo. Clever, as always. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
It’s hard to be ambivalent about Zooey Deschanel. She’s a polarizing personality, one whose deadpan movie roles and big Bambi eyes are either charming or too cute for their own good. The same can be said for She & Him, a soft rock duo that features Deschanel doing what she does best as a film star: acting utterly adorable alongside a quiet, talented male character. Her co-star in this case is M. Ward, who produces the band’s second album and frames Deschanel’s voice with a Spector-sized pile of instruments. Those who already take issue with Zooey’s acting will almost surely pick this record apart — it’s too reminiscent of her cutesy turns in movies like (500) Days of Summer to change many minds — but for fans of retro pop (and Deschanel in general), Volume 2 is a gem.
Whether they’re copping the Brill Building sound or resurrecting ‘70s beach-pop, She & Him always seem to have nostalgia on the mind. These 13 tracks hail from an imaginary, sepia-toned world in which Richard Carpenter is king and Ron Burgundy is on the tube, and even a handful of contemporary references (“Talking on the phone and watching CribsHe doesn’t know what kind of guy he is”) does little to transport the listener back to the 21st century. Like the previous album, Volume 2 would suffer under the weight of its own pastiche if it weren’t so darn endearing, filled as it is with call-and-response vocals, studio reverb, sweeping orchestrations, and other bygone tricks of the trade. Deschanel still has some flaws as a vocalist — her twang sometimes gets the best of her, pushing parts of the melody flat — but she smartly plays to her strengths, with a hint of vibrato and a sly, audible smile coloring her best performances. “Love like ours is terrible news, but that won’t stop me crying over you,” she sings at the end of “Thieves,” her voice fading out into M. Ward’s sweeping Wall of Sound. This has all been done before, perhaps, but that’s the whole point, and Volume 2 ends up being a breezy tribute to the group’s influences. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
Andrew W.K. - Close Calls with Brick Walls/Mother of Mankind
The Weakerthans - Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre
With a big sound, solid mix, and minimal crowd patter, it’s easy to forget that Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre is actually a live album and not just a best-of from Winnipeg’s the Weakerthans. Unlike a lot of live albums, the sound on this one doesn’t try to re-create a booming stadium show, but instead captures a more intimate concert experience. The warm guitars and easygoing demeanor of singer John K. Samson create an inviting space for listeners to immerse themselves in. The whole thing ends up feeling more like sitting in on a casual jam session than being packed into a venue with a thousand screaming fans, which works really well with the Weakerthans style of relaxed indie rock. Live at the Burton Cummings Theatre isn’t so much about feeling the heat of the crowd or the sweat coming off of the band, as about witnessing a group of musicians who enjoy their craft doing what they do best. To aid in this, the album comes packaged with a DVD (complete with 5.1 mix) of the performance to let fans put themselves in the crowd to see the uncut show. While a live album is normally a bit of fan service to appease the folks who can’t make it out to live shows, this album feels like it captures the band well enough to service both longtime fans and anyone unfamiliar with them. ~ Gregory Heaney, All Music Guide
LPs
Bonnie “Prince” Billy - The Wonder Show of the World