Mar 30, 2007

Neil Young - Massey Hall 1971 (2007)

This live album is the third release in the Neil Young Archives Performance Series. Just recently, a good friend and I were discussing the quandary we finds ourselves in, when we wish to take our first tentative steps into the back catalogue of an artist whose career dates decades back, and particularly an artist who has a catalogue as extensive as Neil Young. To be sure, Neil Young is one of the greats, indeed a living legend, but where do you begin, when there is so much music and so much history involved?
In answer to my own question, I would strongly suggest this album. Whether you are a Neil Young fan or are simply looking for some great tunes, this Massey Hall recording is fantastic. It is simply Neil, alone with an acoustic guitar - which he trades for a piano on a couple of tracks - playing to a receptive, adoring audience. There are great versions of Ohio and The Needle And The Damage Done, and a rousing rendition of Dance, Dance, Dance, among many other greats.
Neil Young is the type of artist who is equally compelling at electrified, ear-shattering volumes, as he is quietly strumming his acoustic guitar, singing his often amazing songs. This album is certainly a testament to the latter.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/neilyoung

Mar 23, 2007

Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone (2007)

Recently, I was having "one of those days". I was having both car trouble and girl trouble. In truth, I was having trouble with a girl who had hit my car, and was being less than forthcoming with the money for the repairs - however that is a story for another day. As it were, though, I was ready to pull my hair out and scream obscenities at the top of my voice.
As the sun began to set, I realized that I had to get out of my cramped, dark apartment. I strapped on my shoes and my headphones, and embarked on the type of walk that you know will take whatever length of time is necessary for your mind to switch back to happy again.
As far as musical accompaniment was concerned, my mood called for something that was out of the ordinary. I needed a sound that would fill my head with a beautiful, loud noise, yet one that would leave space for me to sort through the various emotions that were battling for attention therein. The choice was simple: Explosions In The Sky.
Explosions In The Sky craft instrumental sonic landscapes that are as epic as the band's name might suggest. Music, as a friend of mine recently commented, that is perfect for listening to while running, or driving down a desolate highway on a cross-country road trip, or, as I found, while wrestling the demons in your mind.
All Of A Sudden I Miss Eveyone is an album full of raw emotion and power. The very fact that there are no lyrics, allows you, the listener, to examine and draw your own conclusions from the songs, rather than being told through words that a particular song is a happy song, or a sad song, or any type of song for that matter.
By the time I made it home - my walk taking as long as it took to listen to the album all the way through - I was in a far better headspace. Explosions In The Sky had filled my ears with beautiful, loud music, and, I, with a little help from six string guitars, crashing drums, and some rather lovely flourishes of piano, had successfully calmed the maelstrom of emotion in my head for another day.
I still haven't seen any money from the girl, though.

Check Out: www.myspace.com/texasband
www.explosionsinthesky.com

Mar 16, 2007

Cloud Cult - The Meaning Of 8 (2007)

If I was to be completely honest, I would have to say, that for a lot of the time, the world is not a very nice place to be: Our political leaders seem intent on taking us to the brink of an all-out World War in the Middle East; from Iraq to Sudan, and beyond, thousands of innocent victims are being killed in conflicts into which they have been unwillingly drawn; environmental pollution and global warming continue to grow at an alarming rate; and we live in cities where it is considered strange behaviour for humans to acknowledge eachother with a smile.
However, as Cloud Cult's lead-singer, Craig Minnowa, sings on The Meaning of 8's, Purpose - "There must be purpose here / 'cause most of us keep waking up... / There must be healing here / 'cause everybody here's been damaged" - we cannot abandon all hope.
Indeed while acknowledging that there is much sadness in the world, Cloud Cult also acknowledge that there is also much to celebrate. Their sadness is often expressed as celebration, such as on the amazing track, Your 8th Birthday, which celebrates the life of Minnowa's son, Kaidin, who tragically died at the age of two, six years ago. Cloud Cult are adept at finding the lessons buried deep within our sadness, in transcending that sadness and using it as a tool to create music that is both up-lifting and life-affirming.
This album is not officially released until April 10th, however, if you go to http://www.cloudcult.com/ you can order the album immediately (anywere in the world). It is only early in 2007, however, I am quite sure that this album will feature close to the top in my year-end list of favourites.

Check out: http://www.myspace.com/cloudcult
http://www.cloudcult.com/

Mar 8, 2007

Macromantics - Moments In Movement (Kill Rock Stars, 2006)

Modern commercial hip-hop, for the most part, is formulaic, unintelligent and boring. Macromantics, on the other hand, is anything but formulaic (a female MC from Australia, anyone?), is highly intelligent, and employs esoteric beats and production to keep your head bouncing and your feet moving, while the rhymes snake their way through your mind.
Macromantics (aka Romy Hoffman) is an awesome addition to an already strong independent hip-hop scene that has been slowly, but surely, gathering momentum over the past few years. Her album would sit comfortably amongst the best releases of the Def Jux label, as well as those of fellow female MC Jean Grae - who memorably lent her skills to The Herbalizer's 2005 album, Take London.
Working outside the mainstream, has allowed Macromantics to create a sound as individual as it is impressive. Her rhyming skills are beyond question, and on tracks such as the awesome Miss Macro she has no fear in telling it how it is. Further highlights include the album's title track, the up-tempo Scorch, and the re-working of Australian band Ground Components' Dark Side Of Dallas.
I was lucky enough to catch Macromantics' awesome live show last week in LA. On the basis of that show I headed straight to a record store the following day and picked up the album. It has barely left my stereo since, and shows no sign of giving up its position any time soon.

Check Out: http://www.myspace.com/macromantics

Mar 2, 2007

Beirut - Gulag Orkestar (2006)

Beirut's strangely-exotic music has slowly crept its way into my consciousness over the past few months, and now has me firmly in its grasp. It is a sound as unique as it is compelling, featuring all manner of instruments, including mandolin, accordion and trumpet.
The opening track of the album - The Gulag Orkestar - introduces us to a sound that seems neither of this time nor this place, and immediately sets the tone for what is to follow: a whimsical, often boisterous melange of sounds that wouldn't seem out of place, should they be spilling from an old-time Eastern European tavern. No small feat, for a group hailing from Santa Fe, NM.
The trumpet and accordion, coupled with dense, rythmic percussion, feature heavily in a number of the album's songs, while calmer moments, such as the rather lovely Postcards From Italy benefit with the accompaniement of mandolin, ukele and clarinet. The drama of the songs is only bolstered by the baroque vocals of the groups lyricist, founder and mutli-instrumentalist, Zach Condon. Condon, who was only nineteen when this album was recorded, is more-or-less a one mand band on Gulag Orkestar, which, considering the quality of the album, is quite an achievemet.
One of the greatest things that music offers us, is the ability to transport us out of our everyday experience. Beirut's music takes the listener on a journey not only to distant lands, but also to distant times. Without doubt, spending one's days toiling in the gulag would be far from ideal (read Alexandr Solzhenitsyn's One Day In The Life Of Ivan Denisovich if you don't know why), yet if your days were soundtracked by music such as Beirut's, perhaps it may not be all bad.

Check Out: http://myspace.com/beruit