New This Week: Autre Ne Veut, Sally Shapiro, Emmylou Harris & More!
Autre Ne Veut
Autre Ne Veut, Anxiety: A new one from Arthur Ashin aka Autre Ne Veut. eMusic’s Andrew Parks says:
So while Anxiety features more than its fair share of Timbaland-vis-Timberlake tropes and unironic Top 40 nods, the shuffle and sheen of the singer/producer’s muscular studio mix can’t hide the confessionals that are exorcised across 10 mildly creepy tracks. It’s as if we were all invited to Ashin’s American Idol audition, only to watch in horror as he writhes around the floor to a rubberized Rihanna beat like a freshly-killed eel.
Sally Shapiro, Somewhere Else: The third set from the mysterious Sally Shapiro and producer Johan Agebjörn. Laura Studarus says:
An unabashedly romantic head rush, the third effort by the Swedish duo (consisting of Shapiro and producer Johan Agebjörn) contains a world of candy heart-worthy sweet nothings, rendered irresistible by Shapiro’s coquettish whisper. No longer simply contented to fall lockstep with Italo Disco, Somewhere Else lets elements of acid house, dance and good ol’ fashioned electro pop bleed around the edges of each track.
Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Old Yellow Moon: A long-awaited collaboration between country greats. Holly George-Warren says:
Old Yellow Moon, with its rough-hewn, live-in-a-room ambience, offers what Harris refers to as “living room music.” “This project — like Rodney’s and my relationship — started with sitting around on the floor with two acoustic guitars and finding songs that we love,” according to Harris. “This record represents that.”
The Mavericks, In Time: A triumphant turn after a decade-long hiatus. Says Peter Blackstock:
In Time is awash in Latin rhythms and horn flourishes that suggest The Mavericks would be a better fit for the Buena Vista Social Club, and that’s as it should be: Leader Raul Malo’s powerful, distinctive voice is at its best when freed from boundaries of market or genre.
Charles Lloyd & Jason Moran, Hagar’s Song: These two are generations apart but make a perfect musical pair. Peter Margasak says:
Jason Moran, one of the most visionary composers, improvisers and conceptualists of his generation, has appeared on three of Charles Lloyd’s albums since 2008, and with Hagar’s Song, they not only share equal billing for the first time, but they demonstrate that their artistic partnership has never been more simpatico and sublime.
Various Artists, Change the Beat: The Celluloid Records Story 1979-1987 - Stunning compilation highlighting Celluloid Records, an imprint that can boast post-punk bands like Killing Time as well as the earliest hip-hop releases. An overview of some of the most fertile of late-1970s to 1980s downtown NYC cross-genre experiments.
Doldrums, Lesser Evil – Maxed-out, overload electronic pop from a mischievous experimenter. Stevie Chick says:
Montreal-based fractured-pop auteur Airick Woodhead is a sonic collagist who clearly isn’t happy until he’s saturated his track with untold layers of noise and fragmented melody. “She Is The Wave,” a collaboration with Canadian electronic artist Guy Dallas, is a case in point. It’s a cyclone of elements that, at first, seems random, but on closer inspection, has a beautifully choreographed tunefulness deep in the chaos. On “Egypt,” Woodhead weaves industrial noises, blips and crashes into ever-changing, sweetly discombobulated pop — it could be Art Of Noise for the GarageBand generation.
Johnny Marr, The Messenger – Marr’s back, this time not as a sideman but with a breezy, agreeable solo record.
Nadia Sirota, Baroque - The violist Nadia Sirota’s follow-up to her vital disc of new classical works First Things First. New works by Judd Greenstein, Missy Mazzoli (of former eMusic Selects alums Victoire), Nico Muhly, and more.
Olafur Arnalds, The Winter EP - Patient, glowing miniatures from this composer who works in a soundtrack-friendly ambient-classical mode.
Bilal, A Love Surreal - Liquid, languorous and understatedly funky and weird neo-soul record from Bilal, whose career has never been paid the attention of his contemporaries. This record is excellent, shades of Shuggie and Frank Ocean.
Mogwai, Les Revenants – New EP from post-punk legends is a soundtrack to a French television show, and it sounds like it suits their alluringly dour mood just fine.
Ed Harcourt, Back In The Woods - Latest effort from the singer/songwriter finds him in fine, dependable, apple-wry form.
Kutt Calhoun, Black Gold – Hard-bitten raps from the Midwest rapper Kutt Calhoun, from Tech-9 Strange Music imprint.
Ill Bill, The Grimy Awards - Former Non Phixion member releases another brutal, hardcore testament to his roots.
Gensu Dean, Abrasions - Low-key street erudition, shades of GZA, from Gensu Dean, who makes crisp, cold DJ Premier-style classic rap out of Texas.
10,000 Maniacs, Music From the Motion Picture - The return of 10,000 Maniacs! The band’s first studio LP in 13 years.
Darkthrone, The Underground Resistance - The black metal progenitors continue blazing down their late-period operatic path, confounding early fans and discovering new territory along the way.
Kavinsky, OutRun – The debut from the French house artist, out today.
Girls Names, The New Life - Indie-poppers from Belfast go darker and more cinematic on their excellent-sounding Slumberland second LP.
Popstrangers, Antipodes -Britpop-influenced New Zealanders ready their first missive.
Golden Grrls, Golden Grrls - More cuddly indie-pop, with guitar tones fuzzier than a baby chick and boy/girl vocals. Great songwriting and perfect production help this one stand out.
Vietnam, an A.merican D.ream - New record on Mexican Summer, slightly bent and drunk-sounding jangle-pop.
Various Artists, FatCat Records Winter Sampler 2013 – FREE SAMPLER, everyone, with new material by Frightened Rabbit, Twilight Sad, U.S. Girls, Mice Parade, and many more flagship Fatcat acts! Your “no reason not to click this button” of the day.
SINGLES
David Bowie, The Stars (Are Out Tonight) - The second inkling of what to expect from David Bowie’s new record A New Day,. This one snarls and scrapes where “Where Are We Now” sighed and moaned. This record is going to be interesting.
Ducktails, Letter of Intent - Latest single!
