Finally starting to put a serious dent in the music the wife gifted me, still not quite halfway through it all though! This weeks new release is a Juno Reactor remix album; some more Yoshida Brothers and Said Mrad are added, an old Apoptygma Berzerk single, and a Delta Blues compilation. Good week for some upbeat stuff here, lots of high energy.
New Releases:
Juno Reactor - Inside The Reactor
Label: Metropolis Records
Released: 7/12 2011
Genre: House, Club, Electronica
Juno Reactor have always been pushing the electronica genre, they aren't quite house, but that's the closest I can really get to describing their music without a generic "it's all electronica..." The remix album here pulls from all over to remix various JR tracks, Midival Punditz and Bombay Dub Orchestra were the two I both immediately recognized and looked forward to hearing the most, two bing names in modern London dance club music, blending in their Indian roots. Everything here does justice to Juno Reactor, but they aren't just clubbier versions of their tracks, some really good stuff was done with this. They even snuck in a 'lost' mix from early on. It bounces, and booms, and it's a good addition for Juno Reactor fans.
Adding To The Collection:
Apoptygma Berzerk - Love To Blame
Label: Gun Records
Released: 2006
Genre: Gothic Rock
Apoptygma Berzerk don't sit still, but they do tend to hover around the Industrial and Goth music scenes. A lot of their early music was heavily influence by Depeche Mode and was the beginnings of Darkwave and Coldwave gothic music. This, in the mid-2000s, is not that. The single is really solid Gothic Rock, with guitar hooks, dark imagery that is neither downtempo nor overly hard. Like a lot of good gothic-rock there's a lot of punk-rock in it, no exception here. It's only a 4 track single, with a bonus video, but it's a solid little number.
Said Mrad - Electroriental
Label: Platinum Records
Released: 2009
Genre: House, Arabic
Said Mrad may just be the leader of Arabic-House, taking good old Chicago and London beats and mixing in liberal amounts of Arabic sounds. This album doesn't hold back, and belongs in a dance club from top to bottom. There's even some traditional songs mixed skillfully in. Not much to add on except that the US needs this guy over here to expand our idea of Dance Music.
Yoshida Brothers - III
Label: Domo Records
Released: 2006
Genre: Shamisen, Rock
More from Japan, the Shamisen is an awesome instrument. This album mixes in a lot more Rock rhythm than their other stuff. All of it's high energy, kickin' music. As I sat listening to this on random intermixed with the previous albums I realized just how much these guys would kick ass if they mixed in some bass with their sound. Even without it, though, they rock out nicely.
Rough Guide To The Delta Blues
Label: World Music Network
Released: 2002
Genre: Blues
I like the blues, I really can't get enough of it. And this is a whole collection of a lot of old gems, and some new stuff. The only complaint is that some of the source material was definitely taken from old 78s and 45s and there's a lot of sound artifacts, or off balance recordings here. They could have done a better job bringing the levels up and cleaning up the sound. On the other hand, with all that the old blues music sounds like you are moving back a century to when recordings were rare, and people had to gather together to listen to music. Truly remarkable works of art in here.
Bonus Track:
Ostfront - Fleisch
Label: Out Of Line
Released: 2011
Genre: Industrial
With my last order from the label they sent out a one-track promo sampler from new group Ostfront. Definitely part of the New Deutch-Hart movement of industrial-rock. EBM with heavy guitars. It's not a bad little track, and I think I'll be picking up the full album down the line to get more of them.
And that's the week in music. Next week, to down-shift from all this dance music, is mostly trip-hop and ambient. But it can't all be downtempo and some Rockabilly snuck past the guards.
Showing posts with label shamisen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shamisen. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Week Of 6/28 - Punk, Russian Gypsies, Shamisen, Pop-Techno
Thievery Corporation's latest is yet another conglomeration of styles from all over the place, a little bit of hip-hop, some reggae, but mostly a downtempo trip-hop. A Yoshida Brothers album finds its way into the collection, the Deadly Sins are a punk rock outfit, and a compilation of Russian Gypsy music, most of which is guitar work. I love guitars.
New Additions:
Thievery Corporation - Culture Of Fear
Label: Eighteenth Street Lounge Music
Released: 6/28 2011
Genre: pop-techno (mixing in many styles)
The latest release from Thievery Corporation is as world-traveled as previous releases, pulling styles and genres from around the globe into a single cohesive whole of an album. The opening track is fairly downtempo, but the next track picks up with a solid hip-hop beat and rhyme from Mr. Lif. The trip-hop vibe carries the album in a kind of low key downtempo style through most of the rest of the album. A little bit of dub-reggae sneaks in towards the end. Despite continually coming back to a theme of modern world invasion of privacy it's not an album that feels like it has a political statement.
Adding To The Collection
Deadly Sins - Selling Our Weaknesses
Label: Durty Mick Records
Released: Sept 2008
Genre: Punk
There's actually nothing stand out or particularly spectacular about this album. Which makes it a really great punk rock record in my opinion. The whole thing is just a solid delivery, sans attempts at rock-anthems or even ballads. From front to start everything about the Deadly Sins first album is pure punk-rock trucking along without pausing. Female lead vocalist Stephanie Dougherty neither screams nor does she sound like a classically trained pop-singer dropped into a mix of guitars. She's solid, straight forward, and sounds like the vocalist of a punk rock act, sometimes rough, sometimes smooth, always listenable. Really, this a fucking great record.
Yoshida Brothers - II
Label: Domo Records
Released: 2004
Genre: Shamisen, Classical
The Yoshida Brothers are famous for making the traditional Japanese Shamisen a modern instrument, by fusing the old world with the new. The second album has a lot of classical instrumentation here, with a little modern jazz as well. They let their Shamisen's do most of the work, however, and never let the old world get buried under the new. It's almost acoustic rock'n'roll.
Rough Guide To Russian Gypsies (w/ Bonus Album 'Kolpakov Duo')
Label: World Music Network
Released: 2010
Genre: Gypsy Guitar
Russian Gypsy music is much more guitar focused than any other Gypsy music I've heard. Even when vocals are included they become just another instrument with which to backup the guitar work. And some of the guitar work is fantastic. All of it acoustic. Sometimes a violin or similar sneaks in a lead performance, but most songs concentrate around some amazing string work.
The bonus CD hilights this even more, as the Kupalov Duo are two guitarists, and the whole album is The Art Of Russian Guitar, so they use even less of the other instruments than the compilation does. All of it is good uptempo music to dance to as well, very little slow music is here, all of it feels like they're trying to throw a party around each song. One of the better World Music Rough Guides I own.
Bonus Track:
Anthrax - Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't
Label: Megaforce, Nuclear Blast
Released: 6/24 2011
Genre: Thrash Metal
Anthrax finally put out some new music, not since 2004's "We've Come For You All" have the fans been able to hear anything really New. And this single track they released for free with the new-old lineup with Joey on vocals again is killer. It's all the true aggression of the 90s John Bush era, plus the amazing vocals of Joey belting out a thrash metal track that's sure to become a standard. It's fucking awesome, and available as a free download from the band or their labels websites.
[Next Weeks Audio-Bomb will be late because I'll be out of town, hopefully it'll go up late Sunday night, otherwise early Monday morning.]
New Additions:
Thievery Corporation - Culture Of Fear
Label: Eighteenth Street Lounge Music
Released: 6/28 2011
Genre: pop-techno (mixing in many styles)
The latest release from Thievery Corporation is as world-traveled as previous releases, pulling styles and genres from around the globe into a single cohesive whole of an album. The opening track is fairly downtempo, but the next track picks up with a solid hip-hop beat and rhyme from Mr. Lif. The trip-hop vibe carries the album in a kind of low key downtempo style through most of the rest of the album. A little bit of dub-reggae sneaks in towards the end. Despite continually coming back to a theme of modern world invasion of privacy it's not an album that feels like it has a political statement.
Adding To The Collection
Deadly Sins - Selling Our Weaknesses
Label: Durty Mick Records
Released: Sept 2008
Genre: Punk
There's actually nothing stand out or particularly spectacular about this album. Which makes it a really great punk rock record in my opinion. The whole thing is just a solid delivery, sans attempts at rock-anthems or even ballads. From front to start everything about the Deadly Sins first album is pure punk-rock trucking along without pausing. Female lead vocalist Stephanie Dougherty neither screams nor does she sound like a classically trained pop-singer dropped into a mix of guitars. She's solid, straight forward, and sounds like the vocalist of a punk rock act, sometimes rough, sometimes smooth, always listenable. Really, this a fucking great record.
Yoshida Brothers - II
Label: Domo Records
Released: 2004
Genre: Shamisen, Classical
The Yoshida Brothers are famous for making the traditional Japanese Shamisen a modern instrument, by fusing the old world with the new. The second album has a lot of classical instrumentation here, with a little modern jazz as well. They let their Shamisen's do most of the work, however, and never let the old world get buried under the new. It's almost acoustic rock'n'roll.
Rough Guide To Russian Gypsies (w/ Bonus Album 'Kolpakov Duo')
Label: World Music Network
Released: 2010
Genre: Gypsy Guitar
Russian Gypsy music is much more guitar focused than any other Gypsy music I've heard. Even when vocals are included they become just another instrument with which to backup the guitar work. And some of the guitar work is fantastic. All of it acoustic. Sometimes a violin or similar sneaks in a lead performance, but most songs concentrate around some amazing string work.
The bonus CD hilights this even more, as the Kupalov Duo are two guitarists, and the whole album is The Art Of Russian Guitar, so they use even less of the other instruments than the compilation does. All of it is good uptempo music to dance to as well, very little slow music is here, all of it feels like they're trying to throw a party around each song. One of the better World Music Rough Guides I own.
Bonus Track:
Anthrax - Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't
Label: Megaforce, Nuclear Blast
Released: 6/24 2011
Genre: Thrash Metal
Anthrax finally put out some new music, not since 2004's "We've Come For You All" have the fans been able to hear anything really New. And this single track they released for free with the new-old lineup with Joey on vocals again is killer. It's all the true aggression of the 90s John Bush era, plus the amazing vocals of Joey belting out a thrash metal track that's sure to become a standard. It's fucking awesome, and available as a free download from the band or their labels websites.
[Next Weeks Audio-Bomb will be late because I'll be out of town, hopefully it'll go up late Sunday night, otherwise early Monday morning.]
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Week Of 6/7 - Blues Rock, Punk, Electroswing, Industrial, Shamisen
I have a huge pile of music to work through since The Wife gifted me a bunch for our anniversary. On top of the few I had already ordered. This months new selection is also a new band - Tedeschi Trucks Band. The musicians aren't new, but the ensemble is and their debut is some good slow Blues Rock. The first of the Electro Swing compilations as well, plus some other fun stuff.
New Releases:
Tedeschi Trucks Band - Revelator
Label: Masterworks
Release: 6/7 2011
Genre: Blues Rock
Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi have been around a while, in 2010 they got together, pulled in an 11 piece ensemble and set to work. The result is a very low-key, Blues Rock sound, with Susan's smooth voice in the lead. Her vocals don't get the usual guttural sound a long of female blues singers have, and they aren't the poppy-soaring vocals of most acts either. Just in the middle, good singing. The band itself, despite being a large ensemble, doesn't step all over itself, they manage to not sound like they're an overwhelming force. The horns are subtle, only coming out when they work best, and stepping back to the rhythm after that. Overall, it's a great first effort from the group, hopefully this isn't a short lived project.
Adding To The Collection:
Agatsuma - En
Label: Domo Records (Japan)
Released: 2007
Genre: Shamisen (traditional Japanese), Jazz
Agatsuma is another modern Tsugaru Shamisen player - a form of Shamisen from the northern most island of Japan - mixing traditional Japanese with modern styles. This album has a heavy jazz influence, a few tracks are outright jazz pieces with a Shamisen in them. All of it is excellent music, light without being lowkey or downtempo. Worth a listen if you're a jazz fan looking for something fresh injected into it.
Dropkick Murphys - The Singles 1996-1997
Label: Hellcat Records
Released: 2000
Genre: Punk
This collects all of the B-Sides, Live tracks, demos, and other assorted bits from the first two years of DKMs life, all with original singer Mike McCoglen. It was released in answer to a European release of similar nature since the early 7"s and Singles were way out of print by the time DKM gained following there, it omitted some bits, and added some other bits. The early demos and b-sides are nice, but really the gems are the live tracks, DKM always puts on a good show, and it's evident here they've done so right from the start. Good if you're a new DKM fan, or are missing some of the really early stuff if, like me, you just managed to never pick it up.
Iszoloscope - beyond within and so on
Label: Ant-Zen
Released: 9/7 2010
Genre: Industrial, Experimental, Noise
Iszoloscope is a very experimental industrial act, heavy and noisy sounds. Very unclub without being completely outside the dance zone. Some of the tracks on this release verge into ambient soundscapes that remind me a great deal of Controlled Bleeding, without being derivative of it. It's also a free release through either Amazon or Bandcamp - making it a cheap way to introduce yourself to modern electronic industrial. The album is nice and crunchy and grindy - and the best part is a short track 'unplugged' that is literally a recording of the artist hitting the buttons on the machines.
Electro Swing - compilation
Label: Wagram Records (France)
Released: 2009
Genre: Electroswing
The French took American Swing from the 20s to the 40s, plus London House/Big Beat and mashed 'em together in a wonderful up-swing sound of dance music. Seriously, this stuff is cool, upbeat, really kickin' on the dance floor. And this one-disc compilation is the perfect place to start. It has a smattering of all the little bits Electroswing has added in, scratch&wobble (turn tables scratched), hip hop MC over the swing, heavy bass lines, and even remixes and refits of old stuff - Fred Astaire gets a work over on his Puttin' On The Ritz classic. Twenty tracks of dancing goodness.
Next Week - since I have a lot of musics, I can plan ahead. Bella Morte's new release (already in hand, it's great Gothic Rock), more Shamisen, 1950s Cambodia gets an indie rock makeover, and some Industrial Rock plus a random surprise.
New Releases:
Tedeschi Trucks Band - Revelator
Label: Masterworks
Release: 6/7 2011
Genre: Blues Rock
Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi have been around a while, in 2010 they got together, pulled in an 11 piece ensemble and set to work. The result is a very low-key, Blues Rock sound, with Susan's smooth voice in the lead. Her vocals don't get the usual guttural sound a long of female blues singers have, and they aren't the poppy-soaring vocals of most acts either. Just in the middle, good singing. The band itself, despite being a large ensemble, doesn't step all over itself, they manage to not sound like they're an overwhelming force. The horns are subtle, only coming out when they work best, and stepping back to the rhythm after that. Overall, it's a great first effort from the group, hopefully this isn't a short lived project.
Adding To The Collection:
Agatsuma - En
Label: Domo Records (Japan)
Released: 2007
Genre: Shamisen (traditional Japanese), Jazz
Agatsuma is another modern Tsugaru Shamisen player - a form of Shamisen from the northern most island of Japan - mixing traditional Japanese with modern styles. This album has a heavy jazz influence, a few tracks are outright jazz pieces with a Shamisen in them. All of it is excellent music, light without being lowkey or downtempo. Worth a listen if you're a jazz fan looking for something fresh injected into it.
Dropkick Murphys - The Singles 1996-1997
Label: Hellcat Records
Released: 2000
Genre: Punk
This collects all of the B-Sides, Live tracks, demos, and other assorted bits from the first two years of DKMs life, all with original singer Mike McCoglen. It was released in answer to a European release of similar nature since the early 7"s and Singles were way out of print by the time DKM gained following there, it omitted some bits, and added some other bits. The early demos and b-sides are nice, but really the gems are the live tracks, DKM always puts on a good show, and it's evident here they've done so right from the start. Good if you're a new DKM fan, or are missing some of the really early stuff if, like me, you just managed to never pick it up.
Iszoloscope - beyond within and so on
Label: Ant-Zen
Released: 9/7 2010
Genre: Industrial, Experimental, Noise
Iszoloscope is a very experimental industrial act, heavy and noisy sounds. Very unclub without being completely outside the dance zone. Some of the tracks on this release verge into ambient soundscapes that remind me a great deal of Controlled Bleeding, without being derivative of it. It's also a free release through either Amazon or Bandcamp - making it a cheap way to introduce yourself to modern electronic industrial. The album is nice and crunchy and grindy - and the best part is a short track 'unplugged' that is literally a recording of the artist hitting the buttons on the machines.
Electro Swing - compilation
Label: Wagram Records (France)
Released: 2009
Genre: Electroswing
The French took American Swing from the 20s to the 40s, plus London House/Big Beat and mashed 'em together in a wonderful up-swing sound of dance music. Seriously, this stuff is cool, upbeat, really kickin' on the dance floor. And this one-disc compilation is the perfect place to start. It has a smattering of all the little bits Electroswing has added in, scratch&wobble (turn tables scratched), hip hop MC over the swing, heavy bass lines, and even remixes and refits of old stuff - Fred Astaire gets a work over on his Puttin' On The Ritz classic. Twenty tracks of dancing goodness.
Next Week - since I have a lot of musics, I can plan ahead. Bella Morte's new release (already in hand, it's great Gothic Rock), more Shamisen, 1950s Cambodia gets an indie rock makeover, and some Industrial Rock plus a random surprise.
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