Audioholic Media

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 06.02.09
by Joshua Krage

These next few months will be a bit stripped-down on the old mewsic blog here, on account of summer, and all the wonderful paying gigs that brings to me and my guitar around the Sacramento area. Thus, while the lists themselves will remain wonderfully robust with names, the actual reviewing may be somewhat lean compared to other times of the year. And with that, on to the reviewing:

Ryan Bingham

Diane Birch, Bible Belt – a well-churched piano player and breathtaking singer possessed of a sweet songbird lilt with commanding range with striking shades of gospel, soul, and classic-era singer-songwriters. A serious Carole King silhouette is hanging in the background of a lot of these tracks in a master-craft sort of way, from the backing vocals to the melody placement to the horn arrangements, it all melts together like a love story set to music.

Blind Pilot
Butterfly Boucher

Jeff Buckley, Grace: Live Around the World DVD/CD – he was the last artist to really move me from all angles: the songwriting, the singing, the stagecraft, the interpretation, and especially the guitar playing – equally comfortable inhabiting a Nina Simone ballad as blasting a full-volume rock spectacle, just as potent and commanding with only a microphone as with a full band. We just passed the 12th anniversary of his tragic passing, and I’m so, so happy there is still material like this in the vault so we can continue discovering how great a talent he was…

Cavo

Elvis Costello, Secret, Profane & Sugarcane – an all-star country/folk/bluegrass cast in a total record time of three days? And it doesn’t suffer for the rush? T-Bone Burnett’s steady hand helped sculpt a barn-burner here, and you’ll be hearing it at Starbucks as they are its distributor…

Crash Kings, Crash Kings – hard-edged piano-pop/rock, akin to Cold War Kids without their guitar, and newly-championed by Zach Braff so you’ll no doubt be hearing about them somewhere soon…

Crosby, Stills & Nash – demos
Jonny Diaz
Drop Dead, Gorgeous

EELS, Hombre Lobo: 12 Songs of Desire – nobody can even reach the unique, cathartic craziness of the sonic real estate that Mark Oliver Everett inhabits, and every album he produces builds a brand new house on that land. This body of work is a 12-song examination of stripped-down animal instincts and raw emotion, starting in with visceral bravado and slowly peeling away the layers to a heart laid bare with yearning. Quite a range, and expertly, affectingly executed.

Emery
Rick Estrin & the Nightcats – I got to film these guys on our morning show a few weeks back! Personal connection, score!
Franz Ferdinand – latest LP Tonight dubbified, remixed, and renamed Blood. I’m awaiting the new single “No Jah Girls Nevah No” any day now…

Girl In a Coma, Trio B.C. – this 3-pack of Mex-American twang-punk rock chicas was one of my favorite discoveries of 2007, mostly due to their placement on Joan Jett’s Blackheart label and singer/guitarist Nina Diaz’ heady, Smiths-indebted scream-croon. Packing serious muscle and a better variety of flavors this time around, I found just as much to love about this album as I did in their debut.

Iwrestledabearonce, It’s All Happening – surprisingly muscular metal causing quite a buzz in the indie rock community. Extreme double-bass-pedal drumming, crazy prog shifts, scream-core female vocals, and a guitar flurry of two-finger tapping make this band not suitable for those with weak hearts. Consult your doctor before listening.

J Dilla
Dave Matthews Band
New Riders of the Purple Sage
Christy Nockels

Paolo Nutini, Sunny Side Up – my favorite Italian-pedigreed Scottish singer-songwriter, his debut had a broguish blue-eyed soul matched in quality by the strength of the songwriting, and this follow-up only improves on all aspects. Produced by Ethan Johns, there’s a sun-drenched ’70s soul sound permeating these tracks, from the string arrangements to the spirit-uplifting organ beds, and Nutini’s nuanced, sandpaper growl has grown up a bit as well. Great sophomore LP, and at this rate he’ll be a serious stateside contender in no time.

Iggy Pop
Rancid
Simple Minds – yes, a new one. They’re still alive and kicking. You didn’t, erm, forget about them, did you?
Soul Made Visible
The Sounds
Taking Back Sunday
311
Unladylike
Various artists, Well Hung – a compilation of communist-era vintage Hungarian early psych/prog/rock bands of the late 60′s and 70′s. I’m not making this up.
Vanessa Williams

OK, I got songs to go get learned, so I’ll see you next week with some of the best (and/or most interesting) music coming out all year. Ciao, baby.

P.S. Enjoy a sampling from this week’s new songs on my MySpace page. It’s updated pretty much weekly now…

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