This week I loaded a 4-disc compilation, unintentionally ended up with two new releases instead of one, and threw down with some Hank 3rd. Pyschobilly is effectively the mash of Punk Rock with Country - and you can't go wrong with that, I've been sitting on Hank Williams III latest since it came out in May, only took me a month to load it up and really listen. I had intended to only buy one new release (based on some reviews no less) but while I was in the record store found myself browsing just so I could hear what they had playing in the overhead - bit of a sign that was. So I bought Dave Alvin's latest after sticking around for the first five tracks. Totally worth it. And then there's the 4-Disc box set, I didn't listen through it as many times as I'd have liked though, but it is 4 hours of music...
New Releases:
Dave Alvin - Eleven Eleven
Label: Yep Roc Records
Release: 6/21 2011
Genre: Blues, Americana
Dave Alvin is credited with helping to start up, Roots Americana. This album, though, is a pretty solid Blues album. In both music and feel. The slow opener 'Harlan County Line' is a basic lost-love song, and very catching. It speeds right up with 'Johnny Ace Is Dead', slows down for a few tracks, and rides through on a bit of a downtempo style to the end. Several tracks are of the more Americana style than straight Blues, the two that stick out the most are 'Gary, Indiana 1959' - a classic blue-collar hard luck story - and 'Two Lucky Bums' - a great upbeat tale of life being good despite some hard luck. As a bonus, there's an included download card for an extra bonus track that should have made the album itself. This is a great album, a worthy addition to modern Blues music.
The Japanese Popstars - Controlling Your Allegiance
Label: Astralwerks
Release: 6/21 2011
Genre: pop-techno, dance
I picked this up because several places pulled the nostalgia card and compared it to mid to late 90s records from Chemical Brothers, Juno Reactor, Crystal Method and their compatriots. Being a fan of that, I took a chance. Well - they lied. It misses in both feel and overall cohesiveness. One of the big things the really big names in Electronica did, and did well, were put together solidly cohesive albums. If you're going to compare something to Crytal Method's "Vegas" or (Gods help you) Juno Reactor's "Beyond The Infinite" it better step up. This, does not. It's not a bad album by any means - it's decent pop-techno you could toss onto the dance floor. But it's not great, and it's not cohesive. It's solid middle of the road listening here. A couple tracks really stand out though, the opener 'Let Go' is a really good kicker, and 'Destroy' really does capture the late 90s Electronica sound. 'Falcon Punch' almost makes it, but needed more solid surrounding tracks. Overall, it's good, and definitely listenable. But there's better out there.
Adding To The Collection:
Hank Williams III - Hillbilly Joker
Label: Sidewalk Records
Released: 5/17 2011
Genre: Psychobilly
I've always been a fan of Hank Williams, and Jr. And Now the III has caught my attention. I'd always held him out there, not disliking him, but not really interested enough to start collecting. But I caught a listen of part of this album and knew this was the place to start if you want so really cranked up country-rock. Psychobilly appeals to the punk rocker in me, in a big way. And this album feels like a great punk album, just a very country one. It just rips through things, short and sweet, and doesn't stop until the outro (which, could have been dropped - a minute of squealing pigs and that one line from Deliverance... bad choice). It's about 30 minutes of pure speed. I recommend it.
Electro Swing Fever
Label: Wagran Music
Released: 2010
Genre: Electroswing
This 4-Disc set is a massive collection, compromised of tracks from the labels "Electro Swing" series and a few other tracks. Each disc is 15 tracks, giving about 4 hours of nonstop swinging club bounce. You really could just throw it on for the night and not worry about the music for a while. Nothing in this genre slows down below Dancing. Some of the best stand outs are Nekta (you bet I'll be going to find their releases), two Rum & Coca Cola mixes made it on (I just like that song a lot), Funky DL adds a song "1947" which is heavily hip-hop influenced without losing the swing beat, and Rube & Dusty added "Big Band Jump" which is half electroswing half dubstep and all bounce. And there's more, lots of tracks in here, sixty of them! Yep, compilations are good for finding new bands, and this one is awesome.
Short this week, mostly due to that 4-disc monster, because I really try and give everything 2-4 listens through before forming opinions on it (though I only made it through the compilation twice.. but it made an impression). And that's the week in sound. On Tuesday Theivery Corporation releases a new album, and I can't wait for that.
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