WFHB Music - Bloomington Community Radio

Saturday, January 28

misc goodies: reggae, indie, even alt-country!

hi all,

here are some add'l goodies for this next week....of the five, the must-grab is the re-release of the 2nd/final disc from THE HIGHWAYMEN.....latest STROKES fails to fully deliver, but has some killer tunes.....PAUL WELLER's latest is fine......Putumayo offers up a kids' reggae disc called REGGAE PLAYGROUND, and JUNIOR KELLY, BOUNTY KILLER & CAPLETON join forces for what the promo materials call "a concept album for a virtual movie"......Ummm.........

Artist: v / a
Title: Reggae Playground
Label: Putumayo
Genre: reggae / kids’ music
Grade: B

Proof of the End Times abound: Reggae Children, I give you…reggae for (and sometimes featuring) children. Actually, Rita Marley’s 1987 nugget “Harambe” (12) is quite nice, and Alain Schneider’s “Le vieil elephant” (03) is charmingly playful. And reggae from Morocco, Indonesia, Brazil, et al is always worth a listen, right? Fans of the so-bad-it’s-good aesthetic might take a shot at covers of “Here Comes The Sun” (07) and “Take Me Home Country Roads” (13). On the whole, don’t be surprised to hear kids show up in the mix, and don’t be surprised to find yourself thinking that, well, maybe your niece would like it.

Reviewer: bjorn Ingvoldstad

Artist: Junior Kelly, Bounty Killer & Capleton
Title: The Good, the Bad & the Blazing
Label: Minor 7 Flat 5
Genre: reggae / “concept album for a virtual movie” (?!)
Grade: A- / B+

The latest from German reggae producer Andreas "Brotherman" Christophersen is a nicely conceptualized three-way combination featuring three of reggae's hottest 21st century talents: singjay Junior Kelly and DJs Capleton and Bounty Killer, whose styles have run the gamut collectively from the deepest slackness to the most exalted roots-and-culture preaching. Their voices cover quite a range as well, from Kelly's reedy tenor to Bounty Killer's gruff rockstone delivery; the rhythms themselves have been thoughtfully selected to bring out the best in each vocalist. “Hey Yo Yallo” (12) is atypical for the sound of the disc as a whole, but the breaks from drum-n-bass to reggae and back again are well worth a listen. (3 ½ stars)

Reviewer: Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

Artist: The Highwaymen
Title: The Road Goes On Forever (re-issue)
Label: Capitol
Genre: AAA / alt-country
Grade: A

Originally released in 1995, The Road was the second and final album bringing together Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson & Kris Kristofferson as The Highwaymen. The original album is solid enough, leading with a brilliant version of Steve Earle’s “The Devil’s Right Hand” (01) and never looking back. Extra tracks include several fine demos, including Johnny Cash’s even-more-poignant version of “Live Forever” (13) and Jennings’ rip of the Nashville scene on “I Ain’t Song” (14). This album is a treasure trove of material—do yourself a favor and check it out.

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Artist: The Strokes
Title: First Impressions of Earth
Label: RCA
Genre: alt / indie
Grade: B+

One of 2006’s first disappointments. To be fair, First Impressions starts out strong. "You Only Live Once" (01) is everything a fan could want from a Strokes song, with a joyful melody, skipping rhythm, and cheerfully snotty lyrics. "Juicebox" (02), meanwhile, moves from a bassline nicked from the Peter Gunn theme to ragged grunge before landing on a soaring, plaintive chorus. Love it or hate it, the song has a boldness and creativity that is in short supply elsewhere. (3 stars)

Reviewer: Heather Phares, All Music Guide

Artist: Paul Weller
Title: As Is Now
Label: Yep Roc
Genre: alt / indie
Grade: A

If 2002's Illumination was a warm, laid-back record, Paul Weller's 2005 sequel, As Is Now is its flip side: a lean, hard-hitting soulful rock & roll album. As familiar as its sound is, though, it never sounds lazy; it's a tighter, better record than most of his late-'90s albums. The closest antecedent in Weller's solo catalog is Heavy Soul. Like that 1997 effort, this is a straightforward, no-frills record, heavy on rockers and with few pretensions. But where that album could drift, this is focused and exciting, boasting a stronger set of songs and livelier performances, plus a greater variety of colors and textures in the production. Those subtle differences wind up making a huge difference in the overall effect of As Is Now -- on the surface, it certainly sounds familiar to what came before, but thanks to Weller's muscular, memorable songs and musicianship, it stands apart as one of his more satisfying solo albums. (4 stars)

Reviewer: Steven Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

0 Comments:

Friday, January 27

genre adds: int'l (3), reggae (2)

greetings blogoids.....new material is gushing into the studio.....VINICIUS CANTUARIA is particularly hot at the moment, having shot up to #6 on the CMJ New World chart in only its second week....GROUNDATION's dub disc has also cracked the chart's top 30.....the re-issue by AUGUSTUS PABLO has already been featured on Reggae Children.....ZIRIGUIBOOM offers a blueprint of how to mix bossa nova and electronica, and will in all likelihood be an EarthBoom staple.....and UTA BELLA at least has the decency to throw some curveballs....on to the reviews!

Artist: Vinicius Cantuária
Title: Silva
Label: Hannibal / Ryko
Genre: int’l / Brazil
Grade: A

Vinicius Cantuária has provided evidence through a string of fine recordings that not only is the bossa nova form not dead or merely fashionably retro, but is a viable music form for exploration and expansion. On Silva, he wrote or co-wrote everything and his own lovely acoustic and electric guitar playing is aided and abetted by collaborator/trumpeter Michael Leonhart on some tracks, and a Brazilian string section and percussionists. This is a thoroughly modern bossa set: along with the acoustic instruments and Leonhart's trumpet, electronic treatments and atmospherics were added tastefully, yet brazenly, to many of the cuts here. Silva’s restless adventurousness is tempered by soulful roots tradition, and a delicate balance of grace and sensuality. (4 stars)

Reviewer: Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Date: 28 Jan 2006 Label: Six Degrees
Artist: v / a
Title: Ziriguiboom: The Now Sound of Brazil 2
Genre: int’l / Brazil / electronica
Grade: A

This compilation focuses on warm suggestion rather than blatant booty-shaking. The wonderful Bebel Gilberto is, wisely, used twice, on the sweet and sultry "Simplemente" (01) and the simply lovely "Cada Beijo" (08), presented here in a suitably chilled-out mix by Thievery Corporation. Zuco 103 and Celso Fonseca each makes two appearances as well, and their tracks are also highlights -- in fact, if Zuco 103's gently spectacular "Love Is Queen Omega" [09] (prominently featuring the celebrated reggae madman Lee "Scratch" Perry) doesn't convince you, then you may be impervious to the modern Brazilian muse, to your great misfortune. Also noteworthy are the lovely trombone playing on DJ Dolores' "Trancelim de Marfim" (14) and Cibelle's largely acoustic "Esplendor" (04). Highly recommended. (4 stars)

Reviewer: Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
See Also: The Rough Guide to Brazilian Electronica

Artist: Uta Bella
Title: Uta Bella
Label: Mia Mind
Genre: int’l
Grade: B

Ms. Bella sounds like she’d be fun to catch live at a club, but this disc doesn’t leave you begging for more. Though you will be scratching your head. “Amio” (02) captures the afropop party vibe of disc’s first half….but in the final stretch, things inexplicably go disco-funk. “Nassa Nassa” (07) is the other nugget on the disc, chugging along like a soundtrack for the ‘79 Pittsburgh Pirates. Charmingly odd!

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Artist: Augustus Pablo
Title: King David’s Melody (re-release)
Label: Shanachie
Genre: reggae
Grade: A

The melodica player Augustus Pablo, armed with a child’s instrument and the best rhythm sections in Kingston, was involved in a bunch of reggae’s best records in the 1970s. As opposed to his heavily post-edited dub records, the music on King David’s Melody, a new re-issue drawing on recordings from 1975 to the early ‘80s, is mostly straightforward, mellow instrumental tracks. (A few dub versions of the songs have been appended to the re-issue, however.) Pablo also acted as a musician-producer, playing keyboards and synthesizers; on “Hot Milk” (13) and “Freedom Step” (14), he lets rudimentary drum-machine patterns take the place of the drummers, making the songs both more homely and more eerie.

Reviewer: Ben Ratliff, New York Times “Playlist”

Artist: Groundation
Title: Dub Wars
Label: Young Tree
Genre: reggae
Grade: B

Groundation has been making a fairly strong case for Cali reggae as of late, but Dub Wars feels like something of a lateral move. It seems like the band is aiming for an oxymoronic goal: organic dub. I would never claim to be a dub connoisseur, but I can’t help but wonder where all the crazy s**t a la Mad Professor et al is. Still, liking the dub trombones when they slip in, no doubt.

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

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Sunday, January 22

Blues CD Reviews 1-22-05

Dion -- "Bronx in Blue" (The Orchard/Dimensional Music) A
Yes! This is the same guy who did "The Wanderer" and "Runaround Sue" in the '60s! SHUT MY MOUTH if he doesn't apply original feel and soulfulness to the genuine acoustic blues, pulling them off with cajones using only acoustic guitar, his great voice, and drums. This guy has a clear mastery of rhythm and nuance. I was completely taken off guard by this disc. It's good! Just about everything is suitable for any mix. Enjoy.

Tom Hunter -- "Here I Go Again" (FS Music) C-
Not recommended. Pianist of some expertise, but nothing that interesting in vocal and musical delivery.

Ricky Paquette -- "Early for the Show" (Preservation Music) B
This is a kickin' blues disc from a 15 year-old Canadian guitar wiz. He's heavy on the testosterone blues with distortion, wah-wah, and LOUD, but he can play the wazoo outta that axe, and his voice, though pubescent in quality, has the chops that maturity will hone. A cross between SRV and ZZ Top, the kid will probably explode the first time he gets a date. Nothing here too great for morning mix.

Lee Rocker -- "Racin' The Devil" (Alligator) B+
The flames on the disc cover just about say it all. This self-produced CD by the bass player for the Stray Cats lives up to the Link Wray/Cats idea of booty kickin' rockabilly. All songs but one are fast with included nods to the Cats ("Rock This Town") and Carl Perkins ("Say When"). On fire rockin with a stand out "Rock Harder." Not suitable for morning mix.

Saffire: Uppity Blues Women -- "Deluxe Edition" (Alligator) B+
A collection of some of the group's best tunes over the years. Some real gems, the usual portion of men-bashing variety numbers, humor, and some genuinely good blues (especially Ann Rabson's delicious piano touches). There are more keepers on this disc than usual and it makes a nice meal for the ears. Some of the blues are a bit over the FCC edge and not suitable for careful radio play.

1 Comments:

At Sun Jan 22, 10:16:00 AM, Cathi N said...: Okay so I don't know what year it is....this is 2006!

Saturday, January 21

int'l (5) + mainstream (1)

hi all (?),

here are some new int'l discs coming in on saturday....CHARO isn't nearly as funny as I'd hoped, which in retrospect is both a good and a bad thing.....ANOUSHKA SHANKAR goes the remix route......Putumayo offers up a CARRIBEAN sampler.....and in the battle royale of South African choral groups, both LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO and the SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR are out with new discs....didn't they both do this last january, too? hmmm......

and in mainstream rock news, the LIVE 8 SAMPLER has some nice tracks.....Where did our copy of the latest U2 ever run off to, anyhow?!.....

Artist: Charo
Title: Charo and Guitar
Label: Universal Wave
Genre: int’l / instrumental latin guitar
Grade: B / B+

OK, I admit it: after revisiting the Shatner/Nimoy catalogue this winter, I figured Charo and Guitar was going to be a howler. Truth is, the disc is pleasantly bland in the vein of a certain Euro-oldies instrumental night I used to listen to in Lithuania. It’s not clear how much fretwork here is actually Charo, but she did study with Segovia and nab a Latin Grammy (before they even called it that) in 1995 for best female pop album. Besides, you know you just want to hear yourself say: “Coming up next on WFHB….Charo!”

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Date: 23 Jan 2006
Artist: Soweto Gospel Choir
Label: Shanachie
Title: Blessed
Genre: int’l / South African choral
Grade: A-

The SGC return with a generous, 18-track sophomore release that….well, works just a tad too hard to please. Certainly tracks like the opening “Shewane” (01) are the real deal, showcasing the beauty of the South African choral tradition. I can see the weaving in of Peter Gabriel’s “Biko” with Johnny Clegg’s “Asimbonanga” (02) as a way to reach out to English-speaking audiences—but factor in “Khumbaya” (17) and “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” (15) and it all seems a bit forced. Still, you can discreetly ignore the clunkers and partake of the riches to be found elsewhere on Blessed.

Reviewer: bjorn Ingvoldstad

Artist: Anoushka Shankar
Title: Rise Remixes
Label: Angel
Genre: int’l / global dance
Grade: A-

This five-track EP in fact offers only three remixes along with the two original reference tracks that appeared on Shankar’s Rise (2005). Thievery Corporation’s version of “Beloved” (01) slips in a trance beat while keeping the length radio-friendly, whereas the Karsh Kale mix (03) is blippier, bouncier, and decidedly longer. Kale’s take on “Naked” (04) is more laid back, letting the vibe control the beat, rather than vice versa.

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Artist: Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Title: Long Road to Freedom
Label: Heads Up
Genre: int’l
Grade: B / B+

Ray Charles, Blind Boys, BB King…and now Ladysmith: all doomed to have label-packaged discs featuring “interesting” guests in their career’s fifth act. (Ever wondered what “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” [03] might sound like with Melissa Etheridge? Now you’ll know!) If you can’t avoid the duets, try the South African summit “Shosholoza” (11) (Dube! Masekela! Mahlasela!). You’ll be best served by “Nomathemba” (01), the group’s first hit, originally recorded in 1973, or the history-heavy “God Bless Africa” (09). Don’t miss Joseph Shabalala’s gorgeous solo turn at the end of the disc with the improv lulabye “Thula Thula” (13).

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Artist: v / a
Title: The Caribbean
Label: Putumayo
Genre: int’l
Grade: A- / B+

“Hot & Groovy” is the name of the last track on this latest Putumayo compilation—wishful thinking! Still, there’s enough here though to merit some digging about on your part. For starters: Stanley Beckford (02) goes way-old-school Jamaican roots, vocalist Diana Emeréncia sparkles on a track by Claudius Philips (03), and the Skatalites (09) are the Skatalites. Truth is, there’s wider range of Latin pop styles on hand here than we normally can get our hands on.

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Artist: v / a
Title: One Day, One Concert, One World:
Live 8 Sampler
Label: Capitol
Genre: mainstream
Grade: A- / B+

On the heels of last month’s Africa Unite sampler, here’s six tracks from the Live 8 main stages. U2’s “Vertigo” (01) and Green Day’s “American Idiot” (04) are both on form. It’s nice to hear Richard Ashcroft revisiting “Bittersweet Symphony” (03), though he sounds a bit sluggish. The Killers (05) left me indifferent, but the biggest clunker is offered up by Madonna (02) who drags “Music” out wayyy too long. Jay-Z & Lincoln Park (06) drop an f-bomb early, so fade appropriately.

Note: Fade “American Idiot” at 3:00, before the obligatory call/response, to avoid an f-bomb! Similarly, bring up “Numb” after early swearing to keep the FCC happy.

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

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Wednesday, January 18

WFHB ADDS for 1/16/06

DATE: 1.16.06
ARTISt: The Gourds
TITLE: Heavy Ornamentals
GENRE: Country/Alt
GRADE: A
REVIEW: When the opening chords of "Declineometer" from Heavy Ornamentals hits your ears two things happen simultaneously. The twangy dissonance perks up your ears and commands attention and quickly following it comes a sense of coming back home to the Gourds. They are masters of the world-weary lyrics coupled with feel-good sounds that give you that down-to-earth feeling. They continue to seal their reputation as writing the most obscure lyrics that still seem like they hang together. Somehow. Electric guitars figure prominently among the songs arrangements, similar to their past CD Blood of the Ram, but they seem less disruptive and more ntegrated into the sound on Heavy Ornamentals. Gourds purists like myself still fret that we aren't going get enough of those wonderful mandolin, fiddle, and accordion riffs. But it's all in there. According to the press materials, the Gourds chose to record the album in analog, to capture the warm, intimate, mistakes-and-all feel.
FCC 7 & 11
Track Number / Title / Notes
1 / Declineometer / country rock with a screechy fiddle sound.
2 / Burn the Honeysuckle / deep woods sound with mythic lyrics 3 / Mr. Betty / Sounds like Rolling Stones blues rock, but what are they singing about?
4 / Shake The Chandelier
5 / New Roomate / a crooner
6 / Hooky Junk / obviously the track slotted for mainstream airplay.
8 / Stab / a screechy light-footed bluegrass instrumental
12 / Pill Bug Blues / a foot tapper
13 / Pick and Roll / foly
REVIEWER: taprootradio.com

DATE: 1.16.06
ARTIST: Rhett Miller
TITLE: The Believer
GENRE: Rock/Mainstream
GRADE: A-
REVIEW: On his second solo release away from Old 97s, Miller mostly leaves the twang behind and concentrates on big-chord rock songs. The few acoustic numbers he tries here don't work as well.
Catchy, hooky, well-produced – the best songs here should sound great on the afternoon mix.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1,2,5,6,7,9,10
REVIEWER: Jim Manion/WFHB

DATE: 1.16.06
ARTIST: Rosanne Cash
TITLE: Black Caddilac
GENRE: Country/Folk/SS
GRADE: A
REVIEW: In the span of two years, from 2003 to 2005, Rosanne lost her father, her mother, Vivian Liberto Cash, and her stepmother, June Carter Cash. And those losses obviously shook her to her core. Losing them led to some of the most intense soul-searching she's ever poured into her songwriting here in Black Cadillac.The ghosts of her three parents hover ever close to these songs, and a palpable sense of grief and mourning infuse/suffuse them. In many ways, it's a grief assuaged by acceptance and eventually even a celebration of their lives, but it remains a very real grief, nonetheless. "Now one of us gets to go to heaven," she sings. "One of us has to stay here in hell." This is one of the most meaningful and musically significant works of her career. And it goes beyond the lyrics, as key as they are. Rosanne Cash has become increasingly musically proficient over the years, and her songs and arrangements more and more encompass musical influences ranging from country to classical to trance to gypsy to folk. I know she's talked in the past about listening to such composers as the Estonian music composer Arvo Part, and you can hear some of his funereal, drone-like influences here. Rosanne recorded half of this in New York with her husband, John Leventhal, producing. The other half was produced in Los Angeles by Bill Bottrell, best known recently for his work with Five for Fighting and earlier albums by Shelby Lynne and Sheryl Crow.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1,2,4,6,9,11,12
REVIEWER: excerpts from Chet Flippo/cmt.com

DATE: 1.16.06
ARTIST: Cat Power
TITLE: The Greatest
GENRE: Rock/Alt
GRADE: A+
REVIEW: On her seventh album, Chan Marshall, who has been performing under the name of Cat Power since the early 90’s, returns to the Memphis rhythms she grew up on and the city that spawned her second album, What Would The Community Think? A departure from her sparse guitar and piano playing, Marshall enlisted Al Green’s guitarist Mabon Hodges to play guitar on the album, along with Steve Potts of Booker and the MGs fame on drums, joined together with other top Memphis musicians. There is no "Love & Happiness" or "Take Me To The River" here, as the slinky 70’s grooves are replaced with Marshall's take on the Stax sound. As a break from her live shows that feature chaotic and introspective folk, The Greatest is filled with saloon soul, as Marshall’s smoky voice tells of stories of loss and longing. But this is no Norah Jones cheese, instead "Could We" roars like a Van Morrison number, while the purring cinematic title track, although about a boxer, might be a future favorite wedding song. Although Marshall steers into a Tori Amos ethereal piano side with the atmospheric "Willie," her voice comes off suggestive and warm. As you hold onto the last note of the swinging final track "Love & Communication," Chan Marshall provides an orchestral gallop for Cat Power that will steer The Greatest onto the Best of 2006 lists.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1,4,6,7,10,12
REVIEWER: excerpt from glidemagazine.com

DATE: 1.16.06
ARTIST: Winterpills
TITLE: Winterpills
GENRE: Folk/SS
GRADE: A-
REVIEW: Influences as obvious as Elliot Smith are apparent from the opening track of the debut release from the hypnotic Winterpills. That striking similarity soon gives way to the bands` own voice; or multiple voices rather, as richly blended vocals are a standout feature here. Winterpills is an organic and charmed effort fronted by Philip Price, but the inclusion of vocalist Flora Reed really opens this up into something special. Price`s acoustic folk based compositions range from delicate arrangements to slow-brewed rock. Hints of acid-folk and somber-pop add a timeless feel to the music which is heavy with moments of sheer beauty. It`s one of these satisfying records that creeps through you like fog yet leaves a lasting dreamlike impression in its wake.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 2,4,5,7,9
REVIEWER: milesofmusic.com

DATE: 1.16.06
ARTIST: Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3
TITLE: ...tick...tick...tick
GENRE: Rock/Alt
GRADE: A+
REVIEW: Steve Wynne led Dream Syndicate more than 20 years ago. Some of the songs here carry their unique psych/new wave vibe, others just rock. The Miracle 3 compliment his songs with tight delivery and a sense of fun.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 2,3,5,6,9,10
REVIEWER: Jim Manion/WFHB

also added at WFHB this week:
Tender Forever The Soft and the Hardcore K
Arab Strap The Last Romance Transdreamer
Steve Riley Dominos Rounder
The Elected Sun, Sun, Sun Sub Pop

0 Comments:

Sunday, January 15

genre adds: int'l (3), reggae (1)

here are four news discs, all to be found in the genre pix tower.....MIGHTY SPARROW is a calypso singer from the 50s, given a nice reconsideration by the folks at Smithsonian Folkways.....MARKUS JAMES offers up a bit of a stopgap after "Timbuktuobab" with a set of half-new cuts, half catalogue material.....LATAYE is a new incarnation for some Haitian worldbeat veterans....and JOSIE MEL offers up a conscious party, with a little help from his friends.....Enjoy, and even post comments! You know that feeling where you wonder whether or not anyone is reading what you post? Well......

======================

Artist: Mighty Sparrow
Title: First Flight
Label: Smithsonian Folkways
Genre: int’l / ‘50s calypso
Grade: A-

True calypso masks hard, unflinching social commentary in bright melodies and rhythms--it has much in common with contemporary rap, right down to the "calypso wars" (02) that pitted performer against performer in sharp, improvised insult battles. Slinger Francisco, the Mighty Sparrow, is perhaps the best known of Trinidad's modern calypso masters, and this fascinating set collects some of his earliest commercial recordings from albums he made between 1956 and 1959 for Emory Cook's Cook Sounds label. A cursory listen and these tracks seem bright and harmless; underneath that sheen, however, Sparrow sang and rhymed away about taxes (01), ghetto gun dealers (06), personal revenge (09), international foolishness (16), and even, on occasion, the openly sentimental (14). (3 ½ stars)

Chart Nerd Fun Fact: First Flight was the top CMJ New World debut last week, entering at #11…with a bullet!

Choice Cuts: 02, 06, 16, 18, 01, 14
Reviewer: Steve Leggett, All Music Guide

=======================

Artist: Markus James
Title: Calabash Blues
Label: Firenze
Genre: int’l / Cali-Mali blues
Grade: A- / B+

For more than a decade, this blues-steeped California songwriter has been frequenting hidden musical corners of Mali, guitar and recording gear in tow. Working with desert-dwelling musicians, including famed sidemen of Ali Farka Toure from the north and a Wassoulou harpist from the south, James has produced four albums and a film, and created an ever-deepening consort of African and American traditions. This set of 13 songs draws from all periods of James’s odyssey, with an emphasis on the roots/blues side of the equation. As the ubiquitous clopping grooves of calabash percussion merge with vibey guitars and the haunting strains of the njarka fiddle, far-flung traditions find easy common ground. James’s guitar work is always restrained, his vocals ranging from a deep whisper to a bluesy growl to an ambling rap. This is the payoff of having a good idea, and sticking with it. (3 stars)

Choice Cuts: 01, 13, 05, 06, 07, 04
Reviewer: Banning Eyre, Boston Phoenix
See Also: James’ Where You Wanna Be (2001)

====================

Artist: Lataye
Title: Tou Manbre
Label: (self-released)
Genre: int’l / Haiti
Grade: A-

Tou Manbre translates as “fully loaded,” and Lataye are ready to go as a successor to Haitian worldbeat stars Boukman Eksperyans. In fact, Lataye is something of a Haitian supergroup package: half of Lataye were founders of BE, and the other half were in locally noted groups as well. The way the songs unfold here on Tou Manbre is striking: often starting sparse, they gain layers of vocals, complexity of rhythms, and fullness of composition. Given FHB’s close ties with Haiti, how cool would it be to have Lataye in town for, say, a fund-raiser for the radio station we’re working with there? Really, it could happen….

Choice Cuts: 07, 02, 06, 13, 09, 05
Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

====================

Artist: Josie Mel
Title: Rasta Still de ‘Bout
Label: Groove Attack
Genre: reggae
Grade: B+

The blurred Rastafarian line between worshiping and partying seems to be the theme on Josie Mel's fine (if uneven) debut album. Mel opens powerfully with the rapturously hook-filled and defiantly devout "Rasta Still de 'Bout" (01), with fine toasting by Lutan Fyah, before jumping immediately into that partying/worshipping dichotomy (“Consecrate Yourself” [02] / “Let’s Party” [03]) and then delivering a sharp but gentle told-you-so to the woman who left him for a rich but neglectful rival (“All Over Your Face” [04]). Smokie Benz joins him for another good combination track on "And I Pray" (08), but by this point his pitch is slipping; by the album's penultimate track, "I Love You" (11), he's singing in a completely different key from the rhythm track. It's an inexcusably lame ending to a generally impressive album. (3 ½ stars)

Choice Cuts: 03, 06, 08, 02, 01, 04
Reviewer: Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

0 Comments:

Thursday, January 12

WFHB ADDS 1/10/06

DATE: 1.11.06
ARTIST: Various
TITLE: Le Pop 3
GENRE: International/France/Pop
GRADE: A
REVIEW:
Third in the "new french chanson" compilations on the Cologne based LE POP MUSIK label, featuring 16 essential songs from the "nouvelle scene francaise" and including 3 worldwide exclusive tracks... The 16 songs on "Le Pop 3" were picked and arranged by the same well versed and demanding connoisseurs who were responsible for Le Pop 1 and 2. The album features artists known and loved from the first two compilations as well as lots of new talent. Featuring CAMILLE (Nouvelle Vague singstress), BERTRAND BETSCH, MATHIEU BOOGAERTS, TOMA, MICKEY 3D, PIERRE LAPOINTE, BERTRAND BELIN, TOMA, ALEXIS HK, STEFIE SHOCK, JEROME MINIERE & LHASA and many more.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1,2,3,5,7,9,12,13
REVIEWER: soulseducation.com

DATE: 1.11.06
ARTIST: Avett Brothers
TITLE: Four Thieves Gone
GENRE: Americana/Alternative
GRADE: A-
REVIEW: Nice organic folky pop. Four Thieves Gone: The Robinsville Sessions is the third full-length release from this North Carolina-based trio. This was our first exposure to The Avett Brothers. To be honest, these fellows almost lost us...because the beginning of the first track ("Talk On Indolence") is a real turn off. Potential listeners should be forewarned that the rest of the album is infinitely superior to the initial rappish fastspeaking. Fortunately patience paid off. The longer we listened, the better the album got. So much so that by the end of these seventeen tracks we were absolutely in love with most of them. Scott and Seth Avett and Bob Crawford make wonderfully genuine and sincere music. Their folky pop is infused with subtle elements of bluegrass. The words and melodies are real and sung from the heart. There are several cuts on Four Thieves Gone that are likely to become classics in the years ahead. Stunning creations include "Sixteen In July," "A Lover Like You," "The Fall," "Dancing Daze," and "Four Thieves Gone." Includes a nifty lyric booklet. Great stuff.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 3,5,7,10,12,13,15,17
REVIEWER: babysue.com

DATE: 1.11.06
ARTIST: RobinElla
TITLE: Solace for the Lonely
GENRE: Americana
GRADE: A-
REVIEW: RobinElla used follow her name with “and the CC String Band”. The strings are still there but at times the production has gotten a little more adventurous. A little trip-hoppy here, a little moody-jazzy groove there, everything-and-the-kitchen-sink elsewhere. If you keep your ears open you'll hear the centerpiece of her expressive voice (in Dolly/Emmylou range) and tradional song forms that still carry weight and soul under some of the produciton and arrangement flourishes.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: (outside roots traditions) 1,2,7
( more traditional acoustic) 4,6
REVIEWER: Jim Manion/WFHB

DATE: 1.11.06
ARTIST: Jah Wobble
TITLE: Mu
GENRE: Electronic/World Fusion
GRADE: A
REVIEW: Legend has it that Jah Wobble was christened by old college buddy Sid Vicious, who blurted out an exaggerated mispronounciation of his given name, John Wardle, after a long night of debauchery. "The Jah suited me because I loved reggae so much," Wobble reflects. "I remember thinking, 'I'm going to keep that because people will remember it.'” It was also Vicious who gave Wobble his first bass guitar, sending him off on a career that would take him from the infancy of punk rock to the haven of “zen dub” that he resides in today. On his newest album, Mu, Wobble draws from the politicized British reggae scene of the late 1960s and the punk alienation that followed, resulting in an eclectic, heady and multilayered style of music that only he can lay claim to.On Mu, Wobble reteams with PiL cohort Mark Lusardi, resulting in a “lush, accessible record” (The Independent, UK). Britain’s Uncut magazine gave the album four stars, declaring “Mu reasserts Wobble’s status as a musical visionary and cosmic ambassador.” With cheeky humor, the pair rework the theme to television’s Kojak (in a nod to Isaac Hayes) and “at times, the album sounds like the soundtrack to an intergalactic kung-fu movie” (The Independent, UK).
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1,2,4,5,6,8
REVIEWER: globalrhythm.net

DATE: 1.11.06
ARTIST: Jason Collett
TITLE: Idols of Exile
GENRE: Rock/Alt
GRADE: A
REVIEW: He’s best known as one of the creative forces behind beloved Canadian indie-rockers Broken Social Scene, which started out as a side project. Collett’s solo career, which now seems like a side project in itself, continues with Idols, which is a slight departure from the group’s sound, although many members of BSS appear on the album. Idols is an entirely acoustic album, taking away the element of bombast that was all over BSS’ breakthrough You Forgot it in People. With the combination of the vocal style and the acoustic guitar, it’s tempting to label Idols as an alt-country album, a categorization that would be especially hard to dispute when you hear the banjo-infused We All Lose One Another – a beautifully sad lament about inevitable loneliness. The album, however, hardly feels comfortable within such a strict definition of genre. The album squirms and shifts just enough to defy that kind of generalization, thanks to songs like Feral Republic, which is a full-on folk song, infused with horns and even a clavinet (a stringed keyboard). Idols of Exile establishes Jason Collett as one of the most interesting song-writers in a rapidly expanding Canadian music scene, and the more projects he’s got on his plate at once, the more good music we’re bound to hear.
RECOMMENDED TRACKS: 1,3,6,7,9,12 FCC: 11
REVIEWER: music-critic.ca

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Thursday, January 5

int'l (4), reggae (1), alt/indie (2)

Artist: v / a
Title: Africa Calling: Live 8 at Eden
Label: Rhino
Genre: int’l
Grade: A / A-

Live 8 was pointedly criticized for a lack of African musicians standing shoulder to shoulder with the US/UK acts in London—instead, they were relegated to a different venue altogether. Not surprisingly, this was clearly the show to be at: Kanda Bongo Man (09) assert their presence, Daara J (10) expands on their hip-hop sound [but no, this is not the Marley-penned “Exodus”], and Angélique Kidjo (07) flat out triumphs. The disc starts slow, but really anything from track 05 on will be a winner.

Note: Though live, the disc itself fades at the end of tracks, with the exception of 6/7…Be aware of intros of various lengths preceding just about every track!

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Artist: Rim Banna
Title: The Mirrors of My Soul
Label: Valley Entertainment
Genre: Int’l / Palestine
Grade: A

Banna emerged to US attention on the 2004 Lullabies from the Axis of Evil compilation, and follows up with a striking set of folk rockers and moody ambient pieces reminiscent of Ofra Haza. She wears her politics on her sleeve—two different songs are dedicated to children killed during the Second Intifada, a third to the detainees of the same, and a fourth “to the soul of the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.” (Is it crass to suggest it all becomes a bit much? Ah well.) Check out Banna: she’s a new force on the Caravan tip.

Reviewer: bjorn Ingvoldstad

Artist: Moacir Santos
Title: Choros & Alegria
Label: Adventure
Genre: Int’l / Brazilian jazz
Grade: A-

A composer, arranger, reed player, and teacher for many decades, 79-year-old Santos is considered a living monument to the musical treasures that have come from his native Brazil. Producers Mario Adnet and Zé Nogueia have put together magical, often orchestrated traditional arrangements of never before recorded Santos tunes from various decades, starting in the '40s (the seductive trumpet-spiced "Cleonix" [07]) and continuing through 1991's lush piano-choir anthem "Felipe" (15). Perfectly in line with the spirit of discovery that drives the 15-song collection, most of the musicians are famed Rio cats you've never heard of, with the notable exception of guitarist Ricardo Silveira and Wynton Marsalis. (3 ½ stars)

Reviewer: Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide

Artist: Roger Drawdy & The Firestarters
Title: Open Seas, Empty Skies
Label: Tree Ring Circus
Genre: int’l / celtic
Grade: B

Not to put too fine a point on it: Drawdy & Co. are a third- division Waterboys. There are several nice songs here, though, so I shouldn’t badmouth them too much—check out “Single Leg Takedown” (01) or “I’ll Run To Her” (07) to partake of their finest wares. Only three months until St. Patrick’s Day, kids!

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Artist: Anthony B
Title: My Hope
Label: Minor 7 Flat 5
Genre: reggae
Grade: B

There’s a great EP dispersed throughout this full-length release from Mr. B. The lead title track (01) is solid, and the duet with German MC Gentleman called “Face Off” (10) is also quite nice. Roots folks might blanch at “Dancehall Thing” (07), but I dug it. And “Global Awareness” (02) at least has its heart in the right place. Rootsy and global—it’s a winning combination. Just don’t stray too far off the beaten path, cuz it’s easy to get lost.

Reviewer: bjorn ingvoldstad

Artist: Mark Eitzel
Title: Candy Ass
Label: Cooking Vinyl
Genre: alt / indie
Grade: A- / B+

Solo Eitzel never has done it for me as much as his work in American Music Club—but even still it’s always worthwhile to see what he’s come up with. Here, familiar-sounding, low-key vocal tracks like “Sleeping Beauty” (04) and the disarming “My Pet Rat St. Michael” (01) share time with electronica instrumentals like “Cotton Candy Tenth Power” (02). It’s not a crowning achievement, but Candy Ass is still a worthy addition to the catalogue.

Reviewer: bjorn Ingvoldstad

Artist: They Might Be Giants
Title: They Got Lost: A Compilation of Rarities
Label: Zöe
Genre: alt / indie
Grade: A

They Might Be Giants are one of too-few bands that manage to make compilations that are as cohesive and enjoyable as their regular full-length albums. They Got Lost is no exception -- a collection of truly rare rarities, it shows once again that the group's more obscure songs are quite often just as great as their best-known ones. Though this collection isn't quite as consistent as, say, Miscellaneous T, it’s still a lot of fun (especially on off-the-cuff tracks like "Disappointing Show") and a must for any die-hard TMBG fans that don't already have these songs. (4 stars)

Reviewer: Heather Phares, All Music Guide

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Monday, January 2

Blues-CD Reviews

Riley, Steve and the Mamou Playboys -- "Dominos" (Rounder) A+
Not really blues, but--Wow--a great feel-good Cajun music package featuring musicians of many ages. All vocals (but the last one) are in French and the flavor added in that language is fantastic with the Cajun foundation here. The music is just stellar and every track moves you in some great way. This is good all over. I especially enjoyed the a capella harmonies of "Les clefs de la prison" (Keys to the Prison), but the whole disc really makes it. Enjoy.

Santana -- "All That I Am" (Arista) A-
Santana manages to break out of relative silence into the spotlight again with his aged-like-wine guitar chops, great sense of beat, and the good sense to add fine vocalists and a variety of styles to this disc. Even Steven Tyler sounds good (!). Anthony Hamilton weaves in some smooth soul vocals, Michelle Branch does her pop thing, and all the Latin beats, and hop you could hope for visit as well. All iced with the Santana guitar sound. Not really Blues, but good.

Taildragger -- "My Head is Bald" (Delmark) B+
Ah ha...real blues for sure. Taildragger, a Chicago blues institution in himself, almost as well known for his outrageous womanizing as his music, sings through this disc with a voice like broken glass, but his blues credentials are readily apparent. KILLER support players that include Billy Branch, Lurrie Bell, Kenny Smith, Jimmy Dawkins and Bob Stroger really make the music great. It's a live disc which gives it a good "real" feel, but sound quality suffers a bit. The disc is also "thinned" by several "talking" tracks of Taildragger philosophizing or just ranting to the crowd. But hey -- he enclosed a free plastic comb! Can't be bad. (Some of the talking tracks have swear words -- not for radio...noted on review.)

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