New Releases - Diana Krall, Nelly Furtado, Pneuma compilation

 

Diana Krall

Glad Rag Doll

Label: Verve Records

Released: 10/2 2012

Genre: Jazz

I've known of Diana Krall for a long time now, one of those artists that pops up every now and then and I think "wow, I love her voice, I should get some albums." But jazz of any style rarely makes it into my collection, which is something I can't explain since I love the genre. But, here it is, finally I picked up this album.

Her voice is made of silk, it's just smooth and soft, without losing any power at all. A great lounge style voice and some soft (though not easy listening soft) and lighter jazz. The album also punctuates itself with some torch-and-twang in the middle. A definite country feel to break up the jazz tunes. It works well, you can tell she had a lot of fun making the album. And her voice, did I mention her voice? Just amazing.

 

Nelly Furtado

The Spirit Indestructible

Label: Interscope Records
Released: 9/18 2012
Genre: Pop

While I only own Nelly's debut album, she's another artist that falls on and off my radar as I listen around. In this day and age her brand of softer, less dance-floor, influenced pop music gets drowned in the more boisterous artists. Another artist with an amazingly smooth voice, though in a different way that Diana.

This album bounces back and forth between a kind of smart-pop style and a slightly more bouncy radio-pop style (though never thankfully gets near the EDM-influenced dance-pop ala Lady Gaga). I ended up with the Deluxe version of the album, which adds six extra songs. Five tracks not on the normal release, and one remix of one of those tracks. Here's where the review gets weird.

The first 12 tracks (the standard release) for a great, tight, sensible album of smart pop music with just the right amount of bounce and serious, love songs. The 6 bonus tracks by themselves are good songs, and I'm never one to turn down more music. But as a whole, all 18 tracks  together create an overly long album that drags out, I started to not like the back third after a few listens all the way through. If you're a big Nelly fan, get the deluxe release, the bonus tracks are excellent and worth it. If you're a passing fan, or just getting into her and aren't sure, get the standard release and keep it short and sweet.

Pneuma

Label: none (http://pneuma.bandcamp.com/album/pneuma)
Released: 9/30 2012
Genre: Ambient, Industrial, EDM

This compilation was put together to raise funds for Lung Cancer research (hence the name). 22 songs of exclusive donated material by the bands for the release. That means if you follow any of the bands on here as a "hard core" fan, you'll probably pick this up. Beyond the good that it does for research into the disease.

The music itself, is almost all completely in a 'dark' ambient range. A lot of the bands on the release are known for a harsh industrial/EBM style, and some are known for other genres than what predominates this, but all are well versed in the electronica/EDM zone of music. The result is that everything fits, unlike a lot of fundraiser compilations which musically come across as haphazard as the bands they got to donate a song.

Getting 22 donated songs is hard enough, getting all of them to fit well together, and the creators managed to get the album to flow well too, is another matter. So, just from a perspective of adding some good music to your collection, and being able to play the album all the way through, this is a pretty solid compilation.

New Releases 8/14 - Dead Can Dance, Unwoman

Dead Can Dance

Anastasis

Label: PIAS America
Released: 8/14 2012
Genre: Ambient, Modern Classical

Dead Can Dance have been around a very long time making wonderfully ambient works taking from styles all over the world. Technically, they disbanded in 1998, briefly reformed in 2005, and haven't released an album of new music since 1996. This is their first work of completely new music in over fifteen years. And it holds up.

Ambient style works rarely need to keep up with anything, there's very little updating to be made in the genre, but a lot of execution refinement to work on. Dead Can Dance have always been masters of execution, and Anastasis is no exception. The music flows evenly, softly, and nearly peacefully through the air. It's interesting the booklet presents the lyrics of the songs in reverse order they play, reading them you get a picture of someone letting go of their past and embracing an more open future. Listened to, it's not the opposite, but it conveys a different kind of hope, someone looking out after a long life and seeing others embracing their own futures.

I have to say, the first run through the lyrics sounded a little out of place, the male vocals aren't quite as soft as the music, but not really hard either. A sort of murky middle quality that almost doesn't fit, a clear, unaltered, singing. After a few more listens it comes to fit the music rather nicely, standing out without over powering. A good album if you want to add to the ambient, or quieter side, of your collection.

Unwoman

The Fires I Started

Label: self-released (unwoman.bandcamp.com)
Released: 8/16 2012
Genre: Modern Classical

I've only been a fan of Unwoman for a fews years now, finding her through an industrial act no less. I picked up her back-catalog and liked what I heard, even if I wasn't completely enthralled. Most of her music had a kind of unfinished, rough, quality to it. Not so here. This is an intense, powerful, and altogether more refined sound. It's not just production quality (which has gotten better with time), but the album seems to come from a deeper place.

The music here feels hard won, the content is wide ranging from uplifting to, not angry, but certainly not all roses. And it's a long piece of work, sixteen songs taking seventy minutes. Like a good movie, you don't feel the passage of time, it paces nicely, each song flowing into the next without needing a connecting theme. Several songs do stand out as above the cut, The Future, The Boot - invoking Orwell's 1984 without sounding contrived (and that's no small feat these days). A Poison Tree - which feels very spiritual, again without feeling forced about it.

I love this album, a lot. This will stay in the top rotation for a long time, and I highly recommend everyone go out and buy it right now (yes, she has hardcopy available through the Bandcamp site).

Bonus Track:

Amanda Palmer And The Grand Theft Orchestra

The Killing Type (digital single)

Label: self-released (http://www.amandapalmer.net/shop/)
Genre: Rock, Punk
A surprise pre-release single from her upcoming album tossed out to Kickstarter backers, you can order the album. If you're a fan, even a small one, of a kind of rock that invokes all the good parts of 1980s radio-friendly music then you'll want to order this. This is not an extension of Dresden Dolls, or even of her solo work. This is something wholly different, it's old-school and so very new, it's where Rock should go next, half a step backwards in style.

Week of 5/29 - Rock, Ambient, Celtic, Dubstep

This week some new stuff from an "old school" dubstep (is it old enough a style to have an old school sound? Probably), a rough guide to Celtic Women, and more! This week is odd that pretty much everything was released in the last three months - a little catch up of newer stuff, some of which I've had hanging around a few weeks to boot.

New and Recent Releases:

Burial
Street Halo / Kindred
Label: Beatrec
Released: 5/29 2012
Genre: Dubstep, Ambient

This is technically a US release of two Japanese singles, each with three tracks. Comes complete with an Obi Strip (that rather annoying piece of spine paper covering outside the case). Burial has been around for a decent amount of time, well before dubstep was all fuzzy wobbles. Though these six tracks come across as much more ambient, and darker, than some earlier stuff. No fast paced dance beats, no heavy fuzz, and very little wobble in the bass. But it really really is superb sounding stuff. While I actually hesitate to slide it into the dubstep label, because it's such an amazing piece of dark ambient soundscape.

Diablo III Soundtrack
Label: Blizzard Entertainment
Released: 5/15 2012
Genre: Ambient

The digital version of the album is available in the iTunes music store, being the big fan I am I have the CD Release that comes with the Collector's Edition of the game. Like the previous soundtrack they did an excellent job making the music fit the game, and updating it a little bit. This album was recorded with a full orchestra in an wide open space, not a studio. And you can hear the difference. Beyond the game, the music here is good atmospheric music for a number of places. It has quiet and loud places, some soft, some hard, but overall it invokes a bit of a creepy feeling, and sometimes a good fight scene, and a few epic build ups. If you're a gamer of the table top variety this is a good addition for some mood music for a fantasy RPG.

The Shins
Port Of Morrow
Label: Aural Apothecary Records
Released: March 2012
Genre: Rock

Mercer, the lead singer and guitarist here, is the other half of Broken Bells. Being a big fan of Dangermouse I had picked that up and decided to check out the other half. The Shins are good, but they're also pretty straight forward garage, or indie, rock. The sound isn't anything particularly daring or special or even innovative. But it is good, plain old rock and roll so to speak. I like it, it's not overly brash and loud, nor is it boring sound like the musicians would rather be somewhere else (I hear a lot of bands like that and take a pass on them). Nope, this is just good, plain, rock music. And I like that. Definitely worth picking up.

The Rough Guide To Celtic Women
w/ Bonus Teresa Doyle 'Orrachan'
Label: World Music Network
Released: Spring 2012

I have several compilations of 'Celtic Women' I've gotten over the years, so one more isn't going to make a splash. I sometimes wonder why I don't see 'Celtic Men' compilations, they seem rare enough from a casual glance. So, this collection is a good solid gathering of strong voices, a wide range of styles, more of the songs are in Irish, a very few in English. It's a decent and diverse compilation of modern and older women in the scene of traditional Irish music. If you're just getting into it, this is a good starting place for up and coming musicians to find. If you've been into the scene, this might help find newer voices to add.

The bonus disc is from Teresa Doyle has been around at least twenty years, a Canadian with strong Irish ties, many 'Irish' singers are from Maritime Canada actually. Her voice is soft and often described as 'ethereal'. We get the full Orrachan album with this two-disc release, originally published by Bedlam Records if you want just her album. Most of the songs here come across as dirges though, which is odd. I don't think they're all actually dirges, but between her voice and guitar and the arrangement that's the feeling I get. But, it is very good, and a little different from many traditional Irish with more instruments than you can shake a stick at sometimes.

Next Week:
some old Gothic Rock, some new EBM, some classic industrial, some modern psychedelic rock, and new hip-hop and industrial rock to round it out. Listen Hard!

Week Of 4/3 - Bassa Nova, Industrial, EBM, Modern Classical, Gothic Rock, A Cappella

Tried to get in a decent mix this week, finding some off the path stuff...

New Releases:
Céu
Caravana Sereia Bloom
Label: Six Degrees Records
Released: 4/3 2012
Genre: Bassa Nova, Pop

Céu does has a nice, smooth, and quiet voice, very jazz in style, and nicely un-american in sensibility. The Bassanova rhythms with a pop-music overlay is a nice combination. The album itself is, as I found out, really good on a warm spring morning, driving around, or walking. Relaxing, soft without being too slow or quiet. The native Brazilian music is not, to my happiness, not even remotely tinged with any kind of standard US overproduction, I hope she stays on the Six Degrees label and keeps her music decidedly Brazilian. The Bossa Nova sound does have some minor pop-style undercurrents, but are closer to a Latin-Jazz sound than a pop-music sound overall. Overall, good, relaxing music to sit back and enjoy.

 Recently Released:

Everything Goes Cold
The Tyrant Sun
Label: Metropolis Records
Released: March 2012
Genre: Industrial, EBM

A mostly-remix EP from EGC, it's full of the kind of hard club-styled industrial that I enjoy. Aggressive, loud, and thumpy. At least one of the remixes is all dubstepped out with wobbly bass, but not so much that it loses the industrial style behind it. Their first release on Metropolis is an appropriately loud piece of work - definitely worth tracking down and forcing your favorite record store to order for you.

Unwoman
Infinitesimal
Label: Self-Released (www.unwoman.com)
Released: March 2012
Genre: Modern Classical, Ambient

This is a collection of very old work from around 1999, finally seeing the light of day - limited to 50 hard copies, it's primarily a digital release. The liner notes request to take the work seriously, as it was recorded with that intent. There's also an apology for the quality of some of the production, due to limited experience and equipment at the time. Honestly, there isn't that much to overlook and excuse, it has decent production quality - better than some music with more resources. Overall, it's a nice collection for fans to have of early work - the only song I actively don't like is Lament For Peter Pan which is an almost 13-minute epic piece of work that, quite honestly, horrible.But, against the backdrop of the rest of the works, it just quietly slips under the water and drowns in some really nice music. Best for fans or anyone whose interested in the journey a musician takes from early steps to a more practiced refinement.

Adding To The Collection:

Hydrogen Skyline
Index_Zero
Label: Self-Released (www.hydrogenskyline.com)
Released: 2011
Genre: Gothic Rock

So, I picked this up at Anomaly-Con, a local Steampunk convention here in Denver. It's only a 2-track single (I have the full album release that I'll be reviewing in the near future), so a good introduction to the band. Both tracks are on the less-rock, lighter side, of the gothic-rock coin - though I'm not sure the band fully intends to land in that genre. Still, it's good. They remind me a great deal of Sky Cries Mary, without being derivative, more a feeling of the same audio-space, which I enjoy. Slow rhythms, no one instrument - not even the vocals - really takes the front, all of it mixed together in an smooth ethereal sound.

Morlocks
The Outlaw Of Fives
Label: Non Aligned Media
Released: 2011
Genre: Industrial, Gothic Rock

This... well, this is this weeks gem. I'm actually having a hard time accurately describing the whole endeavor. Take elements of Gothic-rock, industrial, symphonic metal, synth-pop, and punk, then mix liberally in a blender, serve over ice. They like multiple change-ups during a song, and it manages to fit and work. It's all a little ridiculous too, and still it works. While I like them best on the really fast, energetic, tracks, the slower ones are interesting, making heavy use of harmony vocals and string elements. The album is a kind of epic on a scale you don't see very often, and manages to carry itself through with it all the way to the end. Absolutely worth tracking down and getting (the digital version is available on Amazon and iTunes, the CD copy is available easily through the KMFDM online store).

Pandora Celtica
F'n Sharp!
Label: Self-Released (www.pandoraceltica.com)
Released: 2010
Genre: A Cappella

Another band I picked up at Anomaly-Con - an a cappella group that, on this album, mostly sings chanties, though a few other songs mix in. They certainly sing well together, and harmonize nicely, nothing sounds out of place nor does one voice constantly rise above the rest. This is their second album and you can hear that the group here (this isn't the current line-up) works really well together. The one thing about many A Cappella groups I pick up is that there's always something that prevents me from just putting an album on all the way through - which I didn't find here. A good interesting find outside the norm of the general music collective.

Next Week:
The latest Bassnectar thumps my speakers. More industrial (isn't there always...). I discover a musical genre completely new to me - Fado, a native Portuguese style. And some ethereal gothic-rock stuff from a former KMFDM band member. Listen Hard!

Week Of 12/28 - Jazz, Modern Classical, Ambient, Scottish Folk, Modern Arabian

The last week of December 2011 saw... well, absolutely nothing new worth getting. Not even digitally. I did find a hardcopy of Burial's 2011 release, so that was a bonus "new release" - a last hurrah of 2011. A few compilations this week as well.

New Releases:
Burial - Untrue
Label: Hyperdub Records / Cargo Records
Released: Spring 2011
Genre: Ambient
This piece of dark ambiance, with just the slightest hint of dubstep under it (Burial is usually known as a dubstep producer), is really interesting. It reminds me a lot of early to mid 90s era Future Sound Of London, not in a derivative way. But in that nostalgic kind of way that nearly makes you think you haven't quite left that time period yet. The albums rolls forward smoothly, the ambiance is not in light in nature. It's deep rolling bass, kind of like an impending twilight, not afraid to create dance style rhythms, without ever quite reaching that club-level sound. All mood and background. Easily one of the best albums of the year, and to my shame I didn't seek out a copy earlier. The cover is a grey-scale piece, which perfectly sets the mood for this - things are dim, but not bleak, deep without being heavy thumpers. Absolutely go find a copy (digitally or otherwise) and add it to your collection.


Adding To The Collection:
Pizzicato Five - Unzipped EP
Label: Matador Records / Atalantic
Released: 1995
Genre: Modern Jazz, Pop
Another EP off of Pizzicato Five's brief dalliance with American exposure. They didn't become huge, but they had enough clout to toss out several singles off their one major US record. This EP comes from their addition to a soundtrack for the movie 'Unzipped' - hence the EP title. It contains four tracks, Happy Sad (from the movie), and a remix of it, If I Were A Groupie, and a remix of CDJ. Overall, it's decent, light, happy sounding, and just a four track EP. Unless you run across it as a cheap album like I did, nothing particularly great is here. That said, nothing particularly bad is here either. Like I said, light and happy sounding, poppy jazz rhythms and beats.

Unwoman - Wildness & Artifice (2CD Edition)
Label: self-released
Released: 2005
Genre: Modern Classical, Dark Ambient
This is the second full release from Unwoman, it's full of dark ambient rhythms from sythns and drums, and her cello, piano and voice. Most of it is of a modern classical bent, with some overtures towards downtempo styles and beats. It's far from dark itself, at least in total. Unwoman's voice is smooth, halfway between rock and trip-hop a lot of the time. The 2CD Edition (technically I have the digital version) comes with a 7 track 'acoustic' disc. Honestly, I don't particularly like the acoustic versions. It's just her voice and one or two instruments for each version. They lack the depth and even clarity of the non-acoustic versions with the percussion and beats behind them. A good early album, you can hear Unwoman's sound shaping up, gaining confidence in being a solo artist here. Worth picking up if you're an Unwoman fan.

Rough Guide To Scottish Folk - 2CD Edition with Maggie MacInnes
Label: World Music Network
Released: 2010
Genre: Folk, Scottish Traditional
Rough Guides are, as I've pointed out, great ways to get into a particular genre or region. It's easy to get Irish and Celtic music, Scottish contributions aren't as readily available. This compilation is full of folk music from the upper portion of the British Isles. It really sounds lovely, not overwhelming with bagpipes (as that's what usually pops into mind when you here "Scottish Music" - I'd actually wager bagpipes feature in less than half these tracks. Plenty of fiddle, guitar, soaring vocals, and dance numbers. Though, it's very full of arias and ballads. Less jigs and reels than I would have liked, but not so few that they're missed. Also, like many Rough Guides, it's a little haphazard in composition. Good to put on with other music in the genre (or near it) and hitting random, not as cohesive if you just hit play and listen. And, many tracks are sung in Scottish accents (as expected), which makes them a wee bit hard to understand to this American. Not a bad thing, just makes it difficult to sing along if that's your thing.

The bonus album is the album Bhon Chridhe from Maggie MacInnes, definitely a good deal to get two albums in one. Her voice is soft, her music is light, cheerful. It's not loud, it's not all fiddle and reels. A good album, though nothing stands out as magnificent, still worth the price either by itself (also on World Music Network) or with the Rough Guide. Another stack of songs to put on a random rotation when you need something Scottish in the background.

Between the two, I actually recommend finding a disc of two of Irish Folk and liberally mixing the two up, the sounds are similar enough they compliment and different enough to keep it moving.

Arabian Travels
Label: Sex Degrees
Released: 2001
Genre: Modern Arabic
Six Degrees compilations are just as good as World Music for gathering together a very diverse group of artists from a region or style in one place. It makes the album as a whole a bit non-cohesive, but that's hardly a problem. It's less a genre-compilation and more a region-compilation where the more diversity the better. This one goes to the Arabian peninsula, and bleeds into Persia and India as well, to find some of the best modern artists from that region. This one covers the gambit from exactly what you think modernized traditional Arabic music should sound like to Banghra House beats. It's almost a little too all over the place. Also, it's really a lot of English DJs and Producers who are of various Indian and Arabic decent that bring traditional music heavily into the future. It could due with a little more artists from the region and a little less modern house elements. Still, definitely a good album to put on at a party you want to keep things upbeat without actually having a dance floor spontaneously form in your living room.

Onto 2012:
No bonuses or surprises this week. The future holds more of the same next week (Indian, House, more Modern Classical and some Rock). But Sundays will, starting this coming Sunday, focus on The Blues. I picked up a massive 52-CD blues compilation that spans literally the entire history of the genre and touches on every major aspect (from Delta to Chicago, R&B to Rock N Roll influences) and about a hundred different artists. I'll be going through it, two discs at a time, for the first half of this year. Vinyl Files will get snuck into weekly updates occasionally, and pick up again over the summer on Sundays unless I find any more giant box sets between then and now.

Listen Hard!

Week of 8/30 Industrial, Dubstep, Klezmer, Electroswing, Ambient

Crawled all over the spectrum this week, good diverse set. A last minute addition of an Electroswing compilation, a Klezmer compilation, took a shot at Skrillex's EP, and a Combichrist album from a couple years back. But, again this week, nothing new at all. Really slow month for new stuff in August. September is going to more than make up for that....

Adding To The Collection:
Marc Broude - Medecine
Labek: No Zen Records
Released: 2011
Genre: Ambient
This gem, I picked up along the way when the artist contacted me. My last release from this artist was effectively death metal. This, not so much. Dark ambient, moody. Good headphone music here, as there's some complex things going on with it. But, honestly, nothing extra-ordinary. There isn't quite the depth I'm used to with this kind of headphone ambiance, it almost reaches the likes of Controlled Bleeding's ambient offerings. But falls just ever so slightly short. Less complexity is only part of it, there's a certain emptiness behind it, like you're only catching part of what it wants to be. All that aside, though, it's a good background album, something a little darker than your average ambient offerings, less tinkling bells and more dark atmosphere.

Combichrist - Today We Are All Demons
Label: Out Of Line
Released: 2009
Genre: Industrial/EBM
I don't make a great distinction between Industrial and EBM personally (I'm sure someone out there is annoyed with me...) - but then I don't make a lot of genre distinctions sometimes. This actuallly falls closer to the EBM side of things, but it's got enough heavy bits to be good Industrial. I picked up the bonus 2-CD version of the German release. The second disc is another 8 tracks of songs, some of which seem like incomplete tracks or demos. Honestly, the second disc turns a great club album into something less, not really adding much onto the package. The album itself, though, is excellent. The first six songs alone are beyond awesome, truly pounding anthems for any dance floor. After that things go hit or miss, the EBM roots showing through heavily. Pick up the single disc release of this one.

Skrillex - Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites
Label: Big Beat / Atlantic
Released: 2010
Genre: Dubstep
Like any good pure-dance music this is mostly breaks, beats and bass. Though for an EP is contains seven tracks and only three remixes, which is a good hefty bit of new music for a non-album. The first track is a really good song for a dance mix, has everything you need from the build up intro to a good outro (not faded thankfully). After that the album is a bit generic, nothing really stands out above what's out there. But it does move, and moves well. Good to have around to fill out the set, or night, just to keep things bouncing right along without pausing. It's priced like an EP, which makes it a definite grab.

Electroswing II
Label: Wagram
Released: 2009
Genre: Eletroswing
All the electroswing is still in Europe, and all the best stuff is still put out by French label Wagram. Which makes it a good buy to pick up these compilations if you're in the US. This goes a little more diverse than most compilations on the genre, pulling in some rock influence, some hip-hop influence, a little house appears, and the always present stand-by bands, Nekta, Caravan Palace and Lyre Le Temps. Everything here is good, everything is so completely listenable. Electroswing is all fun, all the time. It's a genre you need to a grab a partner to and just move on the dance floor. It's impossible not to, and this compilation delivers in spades.

Rough Guide To Klezmer
Label: World Music Network
Released: 2000
Genre: Klezmer
Klezmer is a uniquely Jewish style of music, most usually seen at weddings. This Rough Guide goes from the European origins to the US Revival of the genre. Grabbing traditional songs and new ones from recent groups. A lot of Klezmer, to me, would fi right in with a barn-dance set. It has the same kick-up-your-heels dance feel, and good time all around style to it. Other than that, unless you need a disc to keep on hand for a Jewish wedding, this is mostly a really interesting look at another culture. Not an album you put on to listen to just because.



Next week will be a Hank III fest as he releases three new albums all at once. I'll find something else to throw in the mix to balance all that out though....

Week Of 8/16 - Trip-Hop, Ambient, Bollywood, Industrial

Nothing new this week, sadly. Because my local indie-store (a bunch of them actually) managed to concentrate on a bunch of crap for no reason. I have, finally, exhausted the supply of music given as an anniversary present. That means I can really start into the music I've gotten in the meantime... I had a few surprises in this weeks listening as well. What I thought was a house-mix was actually a really sweet trip-hop bit.

Added To The Collection:
Einstürzende Neubauten - End Neu Remixes
Label: Mute
Released: August 1997
Genre: Industrial
This little gem wasn't ever releases in the US to my knowledge, which is too bad. It, unlike most remix albums, is not the norm. It's complete deconstructions of tracks from End Neu. It thankfully doesn't take what are excellently crafted works and simply add thumps behind them. A sublimely minimal remix of NNNAAAMMM is fabulous, it's also the track with the most attention getting three of the ten remixes. A mix of Stella Maris takes it out of it's almost pop-radio original style and makes it much darker. It's all radically different, all off the path. If you liked End Neu, and want to hear some truly different takes on the tracks, this might be a gem worth tracking down.

Nitin Sawhney - London Undersound
Label: Cooking Vinyl (E1 Entertainment in the US)
Released: 2009
Genre: trip-hop, house
Nitin Sawhney is a London DJ, admittedly not just a plain house DJ, but that's what I was expecting from this album, club tracks. What I got was completely different, and amazing. It starts off nice and low key, with a vocal bit from Natty, about chaos in London. A little bit of irony that I listened to this in a week with actual riots in London. The whole album is full of strings, downtempo beats, and vocals that don't overwhelm. It maintains that balance between chill and energy, and doesn't hold to a single style, bringing in bits from India, the London club scene, trip-hop and other elements. This is a good album to just sit down and really listen to.

Buddha-Bar IX, Ravin
Label: George V Records
Released: 2007
Genre: Ambient, House
By this volume of Buddha-Bar they've opened a second bar in London, which is where this collection was recorded from. Again a 2-disc release, the first CD is a more mellow collection of tracks, the second CD picks up a bit. Even throwing in an electro-swing track, and some more club friendly pieces. But still, the whole thing is fairly downtempo, not that it's slow, still danceable. Just not a hard bouncing dance, club friendly for all ages.

The Rough Guide To Bollywood
Label: World Music Network
Released: 2002
Genre: Bollywood (musicals)
This is a collection of classic songs from classic Bollywood movies. While it's kind of interesting, it's exactly like taking a bunch of songs from different musicals and putting 'em all together. India show tunes. And you lose context, especially if you haven't seen the movie. It's nice music, good stuff, definitely vintage, but in the end, it's a random collection of musical pieces that belong in a bigger picture. Also, they were not remastered, you can tell some of the recordings are very old, and possibly recorded on sketchy equipment back in the day. Still, it's a pretty neat collection, nice to have on hand. I'd just throw it into a big old mix for a party night.

Bonus Track
Kim Boekbiner & Amanda Palmer - Such Great Heights & On The Other Side Of The World
Label: self-released
Released: 2011
Genre: Rock
These two tracks are actually free downloads from funding the upcoming vinyl release of them on Kickstarter. The digital versions will be available through Kim's bandcamp. They were recorded while both were on tour in Australia. Neat little acoustic rocks tracks from two pretty cool chicks on the DIY Rock scene.

And that's all - next week: This weeks new release (which had to be ordered online); some (more) Industrial, some dubstep, and some blues. All very exciting. Listen Hard!

Week Of 7/19 - Trip-Hop, Ambient, House, Rockabilly

Day Late - things got overly busy. Sneaking this in at work... This weeks new release is UK artist Imelda May, a kickin' Rockabilly artist. Also on deck is a who bunch of DJ mixes. Ancient Astronauts (not a mix) leads the way with a Trip-Hop album. A mix from the Frabric club in London, and one from the Buddha Bar in Paris.

New Releases:
Imelda May - Mayhem
Label: Decca
Release: 7/19 2011 (US)
Genre: Rockabilly.
I picked this up on a whim, and because it's only thing that came out last week that was even remotely interesting. A Rockabilly artist that didn't forget the country roots. She's got the rock part down solid, and well, her voice (and the band) can hold a swing beat solid for a good dance. She can also go much softer and bring out the country side of Rockabiliy just as easily, even sneaking in a waltz (a ballad of making love work). And she's got a set of lungs on her, whether belting out a rock tune or a singing a mellower tune. Easily put into my favorites category.

Adding To The Collection:
Ancient Astronauts - We Are To Answer
Label: ESL Music
Release: 2009
Genre: Trip-Hop
Like many acts, this is just a couple guys doing some DJ work, a little music production, and gathering in as many people as possible to add to the sound. Pharcyde, Raashan Ahmad, Tippa Irie, and a few other DJs. It doesn't stick to general trip-hop sound, and moves both up and down-tempo throughout, a little Hip-Hop mixed in for good measure. It's a pretty good album with some good production, the flow from track to track isn't perfect, but it's better than most.

Optimo (Espacio) - Fabric 52
Label: Fabric
Released: 2010
Genre: House
A quick intro - Fabric is a club in London, every month they put out with a DJ Mix or a Live Mix (alternating them). The Mixes come from DJs that have played, or regularly play, the club. Optimo (Espacio) is two of their regular DJs, and this Fabric is a good solid slice of House/Dance music from mid-2010. It actually reaches back a bit, and feels like it come from ten years earlier, without rehashing the same tracks from then. If you need to just put on some dance music and bounce away, Fabric mixes are good, and this one in particular is both excellent and fun.

Buddha-Bar I
Label: Wagram / Chall'OMusic
Released: 2003
Genre: Ambient, House
Buddha-Bar is another club, this one is actually a dinner club in Paris. The mixes come in two parts: Dinner and Party. The first disc is Dinner and is almost completely ambient music, slow beats (though not completely downtempo), non-invasive songs that fill the space behind you nicely. The music itself is not stuck in a particular era, but an atmosphere. Relaxing, nice, but not totally devoid of rhythm - you could dance to some of this if you wanted. The second disc takes off a bit, Party is just that, more dance, more energy, a little louder. Many of the songs on both sets take from middle eastern sounds and themes, as well as singers. Not your typical club music by any stretch of the mind, something a little different here.


Bonus Track:
Marc Broude - Psychological Warfare
Label: self released (via Soundcloud)
Released: 2006
Genre: Metal, Industrial
Picked this up at random - the artist emailed me a link. It's a 2-track single of noizey industrial metal. Complete with shouted lyrics and all. It's not that bad, lacks a little of the polish of modern Industrial-Metal sounds, but that kind of makes it better. If you're on Soundcloud, go check out his page and give a listen.

And that's it, only four albums (the Buddha-Bar mix is two and a half hours by itself). Next week is some more house mixes, Grace Jones, and a bunch of industrial music.

Week of 5/31 - Jazz, Industrial, Ambient, Gothic Rock

A couple of this weeks selections are short, I probably should have added one more to make up for it. But I'm sticking to Five Per Week anyway. The new release, Eliane Elias is one of those artists I probably should have known about all along, being a moderately famous Jazz singer and pianist (famous in Jazz circles at least), from Brazil she's got a lovely voice, has been recording since 1984, and is completely new to me. Sometimes I wonder how I miss artists like this. Especially considering the number of jazz aficionados in my family.

New Releases:
Eliane Elias - Light My Fire
Label: Concord Music Group
Released: 5/31 2011
Genre: Jazz (Latin, Pop, Lounge)
Eliane Elias hails from Brazil, and her music is in both Portuguese and English, Light My Fire bounces around the arena from a very Latin Jazz sound (usually in her own writing), some lounge (or Nightclub, however you want to call it) jazz perfect in those after hours jazz clubs, and a pop-music sound. This album has a few covers on it, chiefly the title track is a cover of the The Doors (doing the song some actual justice and in my mind proof that Jim should have been writing for other people from the begimning - he can't touch the elegance of Eliane's rendition), and Stevie Wonder's "Ma Cherie Amour" which is a beautiful sounding cover. If you're not a fan of jazz with too many horns, I definitely suggest this, it's quiet, elegant and brings just enough bounce to keep you paying attention - maybe even dance.

Filling Out The Collection:
Combichrist - Throat Full Of Glass
Label: Out Of Line Records (German Release)
Released: 2011
Genre: Industrial
Combichrist are one of the work-horses of the Industrial world, they always seem to be either on tour or in the studio, and they've got the fanbase to show for it, and the catalogue to back it up. This particular single is the German release, because it includes the video - and the American release had to be censored (it shows breasts and violence, God help us all, they edited out the breasts....). The title track and four remixes are here. Each remix is a very different take on the track. There's a standard heavier dance beat, a sped up version, a dub version, and a slowed down version. The last track is a remix of Industrial Strength which is very club friendly. Pretty much exactly what you expect out of an Industrial genre single. The song itself - can't for get that - is catchy, the hook and chorus are infectious, it's almost radio friendly in that regards.

Bella Morte - Undertow
Label: Metropolis
Released: May 2011
Genre: Gothic Rock
Bella Morte is one of those modern Gothic Rock groups that would have easily fit right in with the 80s genre kings. A distinct vocal sound, and excellent composition. This two track digital single has one track from their upcoming album, and a cover of Celine Dione's "My Heart Will Go On" which they take out of pop-hell and give it new life, known for covering it live at shows, they finally recorded it. And with their darker sound, low guitars, and Andy's distinct vocals make it a much darker song that before. The new album is out June 14, 2011.

Panda Bear - Tomboy
Label: Paw Tracks
Released: April 2011
Genre: Ambient
Panda Bear is an ambient (and almost by nature of ambient electronica highly experimental) artist, his latest release Tomboy fully explores a low energy, and mellow, environment. It's very good for putting on in the background and just letting the room fill up, though it doesn't have some of the multiple layers that some ambient artists fill their sound with. It's very stripped, very simple, mostly bass and vocals throughout. His vocals are treated to sound somewhat distant, buried in the underlying beat. The album comes with a digital download of a live set played in 2010, unlike some artists in the genre the live set isn't as improvised, mostly straight renditions of album tracks. The album also comes on vinyl (which has a digital download of the full album + the live album), and it's white vinyl which I think makes it look more interesting than other colors bands choose.

16 Volt - Beating Dead Horses
Label: Metropolis
Released: May 2011
Genre: Indutrial
Long standing duo, 16 Volt, latest is an Industrial-Rock power house, dark and gritty. Exactly what you want from these guys, as the years have progressed their sound gets heavier, grittier, and more aggressive. Beating Dead Horses delivers 13 tracks of pure club-friendly industrial rock, with no slowing down. The standout tracks are the title track (which opens the album), Sick Sick Sick, and We Disintegrate. The rest is good, but nothing really extra-ordinary, to be honest. It fits right into a playlist or set list to keep things moving smoothly along to a heavy guitar laden beat. I definitely recommend it for fans of the genre.

KMFDM - Day Of Light

Released: Spring 2010
Availability: online download from band
Label: KMFDM Enterprises (independant label)

Just a moment to pause and say a few words on releases, tracks, and limited edition.

Day Of Light is a two-track single from KMFDM originally released only on 7" vinyl, limited pressing (250 I believe). Which when I first found out infuriated me. There's just something utterly anti-music about Limited Edition tracks.

I don't mind a LE package with shirts and posters and sweatbands and the like. But LE Music tracks truly annoy me. I thought artists made music to be heard by as many people as possible, at least I like to think that. I like to think that all music should be perpetually and easily available.

After all in the modern day it seems to me for very little overhead a label could keep massive catalogues of music perpetually available for digital sales and downloads. Small, steady, streams of income can't be a bad thing. It just can't.

It was several months before KMFDM relreased the tracks digitally for download. The collectors (and while I'm a very hardcore fan, I'm not a hardcore collector of KMFDM) get their LE vinyl, I get my music.

Don't even get me started on Bonus Tracks only for specific stores - that's an even bigger scam.

Day Of Light - A pretty solid industrial-rock track, positive and upbeat. Good on the dance floor.

Beach - three and a half minutes of waves crashing on the beach. The B-side on the vinyl, it's not music, but it is relaxing. If I need to take a quick break at work due to stress I put this track on and take a quick walk outside.

It's the principal of the idea - music for an audience, why limit the audience artificially.