Song Obsessions for April

Grand Ole Party – "Belle Isle" off Humanimals (2007)

I’m not the biggest fan of the White Stripes, but I’d like to think that this is what I expected them to sound like before I heard them. G.O.P.’s songs are straight-up rockers with echoes of 70s blues-rock, deriving their power from their simplicity.




The Silver State – "Under the Rug" off Cut and Run (2008)

The debut album from this Brooklyn band was just released and contains a few great indie/alternative rock tunes in the vein of Pavement's guitar-heavy sound. This song is no exception and feels like the perfect mellow rocker to wind down to after a long day of working.




Does It Offend You, Yeah? - "Attack of the 60ft Lesbian Octopus" off You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into (2008)

As much as I dislike their name (it doesn’t offend me, it annoys me), I have to admit they do have a few good electro-dance-rock tunes on their debut release. They pull from musicians like Justice, Klaxons, Digitalism, Simian Mobile Disco, and MSTRKRFT. This particular track is the shortest on the album and is essentially a fast-paced, faux theremin-laced joy ride.

Quiet Village - Silent Movie (2008)

The debut album from this UK duo may have been released a few months too early. The music feels perfectly suited as an accompaniment to the coming summer. Each song is both calming and warm and evokes visions of afternoons spent relaxing by the pool or at the beach. They piece together songs by sampling from 70s funk and soul, which shares somewhat from Rjd2's approach to song-craft while focusing more in chill R&B and less in energetic electronics.

Streamable Track: "Pacific Rhythm"


Artist Website / Album Purchase

Barry Adamson - Back to the Cat (2008)

Adamson started his musical career as the bassist for Magazine and once they split joined Nick Cave’s backing band, The Bad Seeds. He was under Cave’s wing from 1984 through 1987, helping the band release four albums. At that point he picked up his bass and left to focus on both multi-instrument solo material and film composition, which included David Lynch’s Lost Highway.

The opening track on his 9th solo release, “The Beaten Side of Town,” places you in a black-and-white noir mystery, not unlike something from Tom Waits’ catalog. From that point forward, the album twists and turns through several moods, but stays rooted in the dark side of soul-jazz. It isn’t too surprising that it shares Cave’s gritty-yet-poetic aesthetic, but Adamson is more inclined to flourish in a jazzier, more soulful sound than Cave's reckless post-punk.

Streamable Track: "The Beaten Side of Town"


Artist Website / Album Purchase

Man Man – Rabbit Habits (2008)

On their third album, Man Man continues to conjure the Tom Waits-meets-Captain Beefheart-meets-The Muppets aesthetic, one that places them among the most identifiable bands in recent years. Unfortunately, to be identified they must first be heard, but their audience is slowly and justifiably growing.

Their last album, 2006’s Six Demon Bag, still stands as one of my favorite releases of the last few years, offering a fairly consistent approach to their strange, spastic sound throughout the album. This time around they’re shifting between longer, (slightly) more accessible tracks and shorter bits where they seem to try out a variety of styles. It still works very well as a whole and is highly recommended.

Streamable Track: "Top Drawer"


Artist Website / Album Purchase

Witch - Paralyzed (2008)

For those unfamiliar with Witch, the band was formed in 2005 by friends J. Mascis (originally the guitarist for Dinosaur Jr.) and Dave Sweetapple. Mascis returned to his drumming roots, while singer Kyle Thomas (Feathers) and guitarist Kurt Weisman were brought on board to complete the line-up. Initial press releases stated their combined desire to create something that embodied the spirit of true rock. They did just that.

The band shrugged off the notion of being another temporary J. Mascis side-project by following up their eponymous debut with a second terrific album. It lacks the immediate ohmygodthisisbrilliant appeal of the former release, but tracks like "Eye" and "Sweet Sue" provide satiation for those starved for excellent hard-rocking doom metal.

Streamable Track: "Eye"


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Bauhaus - Go Away White (2008)

Bauhaus has seemingly resurrected themselves from the dead. After two recent reunion tours, the ‘godfathers of goth’ decided to sit down in the studio and write their fifth and final album, 25 years since their last. A lot has happened in nearly three decades. Singer Peter Murphy had a decent go at solo success, and the remaining three formed Love & Rockets to somewhat higher critical acclaim. The fact that L&R continued to write excellent music that sounded less and less like their previous incarnation proved that Bauhaus was not all Murphy, but rather a collective of extremely talented musicians, each of whom held distinct interest in different styles.

It shouldn’t be surprising that this album isn’t exactly a return to Bauhaus form, but rather a blending of styles explored in the past, both together and apart. Songs such as “Adrenalin” and “Too Much 21st Century” come across like Love & Rockets fronted by Peter Murphy, haunting vocals over lush atmospheric sound, considerably more loose and playful than strictly gothic. Other tracks like “International Bulletproof Talent,” “Endless Summer of the Damned,” and “Mirror Remains” do reveal a revamped^* take on true Bauhaus aesthetics with stark drums and bass coming to the front, leaving the guitar to wander through dark, eerie terrain.

Different still are the tracks “Saved” and “The Dog’s a Vapour,” which enter shadowy, ambient space, sounding almost akin to Brian Eno but remaining definitively Bauhaus (the latter was actually recorded for the Heavy Metal 2000 soundtrack a few years back). Even with frequent shifts in style, the album flows very well, and nearly every song is worthy of being present. If this really is their last studio release as Bauhaus, it's comforting to know they're ending things on a high note.

*pun not intended

Streamable Track: "Endless Summer of the Damned"


Artist Website / Album Purchase