| Date: | 11/30/08 | Label: XL Recordings |
| artist: | Sigur Ros | |
| title: | Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust | |
| file under: | Rock | |
| grade: | A | |
| Review: With Med Sud . . ., Sigur Ros has managed to make its most accessible record (a relative statement!) to date, without compromising the beauty and subtleties that make them one-of-a-kind. Produced by Flood (U2, Depeche Mode, etc.), this music is indescribable but beautiful and, in places, actually FUN! Once again filled with Icelandic gibberish and quasi-fake invented language, this album soars with strings, strange acoustic guitar play, and Thom York-ish vocals. Any track will do, but try the syncopated organic stomp of “Gobbledigook,” (track 1), the horned-up harmonizing Flaming Lips-ish “Inni Mer . . .” (track 2), the dreamscape of “Med Sud . . .” (track 6), or the sleepy-sleepy first English language track for the band, “All Alright,” (track 11). Put a little Radiohead against it! | ||
| comments / tracks of interest: 1, 2, 6, 11 FCC: Are you kidding me? THIS AIN’T EVEN ENGLISH! | ||
| reviewer: Hopedaddy | ||
Sunday, November 30, 2008
WFHB Add Pool Quick Pick: Sigur Ros, "Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust"
WFHB Americana Genre Director Quick Pick: Bruce Robison, "The New World"
| Date: | 11/30/08 | Label: Premium |
| artist: | Bruce Robison | |
| title: | The New World | |
| file under: | Americana | |
| grade: | B | |
| Review: How do you stand out as a songwriter when you are married to Kelley Willis, brother to Charlie Robison, and brother-in-law to Dixie Chick Emily Robison? Well, you write DAMN GOOD SONGS and probably have a hell of a hootenanny around the Thanksgiving table. Robison’s written hits for Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, George Strait, and the Dixie Chicks, but his own project is no slacker. A slice of folk / Americana (think Lyle Lovett or a countrier John Hiatt), The New World has a lot to recommend it. Check out the twang plodder “The Hammer” (track 1), the weepy “Bad Girl Blues” (track 3), the poppier “California 85” (track 4), or the banjo folk of “She Don’t Care” (track 9). | ||
| comments / tracks of interest: 1, 3, 4, 9 FCC: None | ||
| reviewer: Hopedaddy | ||
WFHB Americana Genre Director Quick Pick: Waylon Jennings, "Forever"
| Date: | 11/30/08 | Label: Vagrant |
| artist: | Waylon Jennings | |
| title: | Forever | |
| file under: | Americana | |
| grade: | A- | |
| Review: Waylon left us in 2002, but not before (even years prior) he recorded a few tracks with his son, Shooter. His place in rock history well-fixed, this Grammy award winner and Hall of Fame member’s posthumous release was put together by Shooter, who resurrected the tracks from the 95-96 sessions and finished recording them with his own band, the .357’s. Standouts include covers of Rodney Crowell’s “Ain’t Livin Long Like This” (track 3) and Neil Young’s “Are You Ready for the Country?” (track 4). Also spin the golden blues creeper, “Waymore’s Blues” (track 6)—it’s GOLD!. A fitting last project for Waylon, and a bridge to Shooter and the .357’s. Oh, and pop the cover open and check out the photobooth pic with Buddy Holly! | ||
| comments / tracks of interest: 1, 3, 4, 6 FCC: TRACK 2 “SHIT” | ||
| reviewer: Hopedaddy | ||
WFHB Americana Genre Director Quick Pick: Luke Doucet, "Blood's Too Rich"
| Date: | 11/30/08 | Label: Six Shooter |
| artist: | Luke Doucet | |
| title: | Blood’s Too Rich | |
| file under: | Americana | |
| grade: | B+ | |
| Review: Canadian singer/songwriter Doucet has been recognized as a quality writer, voice, and guitar player for a few years now, including sideman stints with Canada’s Kathleen Edwards and Sarah McClachlan. With Blood’s Too Rich, Doucet turns his songwriting AND guitar prowess up a couple of notches, releasing a more Americana project with nods in places to (smoother versions of ) Neil Young and Mark Knopfler. Just as the writing gets a little light or the production a little smooth, though, Doucet dirties it up with tasty turns on the guitar. If Doucet can calm his artistic schizophrenia, he will mature into an Americana artist to watch. Check out his (un-Americana) cover of the Cure’s “The Lovecats” (track 3). “The Comandante” (track 7) was recently featured on Nick Hornby’s NYT playlist. | ||
| comments / tracks of interest: 2, 3, 7, 11, 12 FCC: none | ||
reviewer: Hopedaddy | ||
WFHB Americana Genre Director Quick Pick: Dave Alvin, Best of the Hightone Years
| Date: | 11/30/08 | Label: Hightone |
| artist: | Dave Alvin | |
| title: | Best of the Hightone Years | |
| file under: | Americana | |
| grade: | A- | |
| Review: Alvin’s long and colorful Americana career includes founding member status of the legendary Blasters, as well as stints with the Knitters and, for a time, as Billy Zoom’s replacement in the seminal L.A. punk country band X. Alvin’s sound has always been rooted in blues and Americana music, and his solo records on Hightone are proof. This collection swings between fingerpicked country blues, National slide, and straight ahead country rock. This “Best of” includes unreleased tracks “Dry River” and “Dixie Highway Blues” and “Out in California.” | ||
| comments / tracks of interest: Plenty to draw on here, but recommended tracks include the signature acoustic roll “King of California (track 2),” rocker “Haley’s Comet (with Dwight Yoakam, track 3),” an acoustic version of X standard “4th of July (track 5)” and the smoker 12-bar “Out in California” (track 13). | ||
reviewer: Hopedaddy | ||