Ris Paul Ric "Purple Blaze" (Academy Fight Song) Sounds like: Acoustic pop with an electronic tinge that has the potential to win over the most hardened of hipster hearts. B+
Despite a distressing period of hipster-observed mourning that ensued since this September, there is apparently life after Q and Not U. On his debut solo album, Christopher Paul Richards, former frontman of the beloved defunct band from D.C., takes a quieter approach.
"Purple Blaze" is practically devoid of the funk - or of the punk, for that matter - that was the hallmark of Q and Not U. Instead, Richards offers mellow vocals with steady hushed percussion that is as much inspired by Prince as it is by Simon and Garfunkel.
The spirit of Prince (and maybe a little of Justin Timberlake) is truly invoked on "Run Up Wild On Me," in which Richards flexes his vocal chords to produce an oddly tranquil falsetto. Tracks like "The Sleeparound" remain at constant tempos with clear-cut and clever lyrics.
Perhaps due to the influence of producer Tim Hecker, electronic undertones are evident throughout the twelve tracks. However, Richards' new sound is subtle, favoring relaxed acoustic guitar over frantic beats or samples.
The hipsters should be pleased. "Purple Blaze" is nowhere near as fiery as the title implies; Richards is calm and cool, exuding just the right combination of grace and rhythm to coax indie kids out of their grief.
-MIA STEINLE
Tortoise/Bonnie "Prince" Billy "The Brave and the Bold" (Overcoat Recordings) Sounds like: A little Depeche Mode, a little Rush (only the good part, if it exists), a little smattering of funk and so much more. B
Will Oldham is the man. In the last few years, he's rearranged an entire album's worth of old material for a new record (2004's "Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Sings Greatest Palace Music"), collaborated with ex-Zwan guitarist Matt Sweeney (2005's "Superwolf"), scored a starring role in an upcoming movie ("Old Joy," which is incidentally soundtracked by Yo La Tengo and premieres at Sundance later this week, according to Pitchforkmedia.com), all the while finding the time to maintain his antebellum facial hair.
Oldham's newest effort, under his Bonnie "Prince" Billy name, pairs him with Chicago indie-prog band Tortoise. Both parties involved in this project have a wildly eclectic sensibility and approach to music. Tortoise is known for mixing elements of punk, jazz, and electronic music into one loose cannon of sound. Oldham, prolific as the best of them, has explored music styles from lo-fi, bare bones dirge folk to polished, lush country. Together, the two camps have amassed an equally eclectic collection of songs - "The Brave and the Bold" is ten reinterpretations of songs by other bands - everything from Elton John ("Daniel") to Devo ("That's Pep!"), from The Minutemen ("It's Expected I'm Gone") to Bruce Springsteen (the phenomenal "Thunder Road").
The best moments on the album are when Oldham's cracked warble is allowed to tenderly shine, as in "Pancho" or the band gets funky, as in album opener "Cravo E Canela" (kudos to Bonny Billy on the Portugese pronunciation) or "That's Pep!" And granted, the album gets a little slow at some points, but most of it is a solid listen, even if you don't know the original songs.
-CHRIS DeWITT
Sound TEAM "Work" (Big Orange Recorders) Sounds like: Trust me, you fool, you'll love it. A
Sound TEAM are an Austin, Texas-via-Houston six-piece with the raspy wail of the Walkmen and the upbeat snap of the Strokes. They've got mounds of creativity and a D.I.Y. attitude to boot. They recorded their latest E.P., "Work," in their own Big Orange studios. And though this meager portion of five songs isn't enough to sustain the eager listener until their full-length comes out, it has play-it-again status, and voila! The songs fill the hours. "The Fastest Man Alive" is the best track they've got - it starts out with a twinkling guitar riff before building into a repetitive, catchy verse and climaxing with an attitude-laden chorus. "'Cos I can get along with anybody as long as they leave me alone," curly-haired Bill Baird scratches. Now that they've signed Big Orange Recorders to Capitol/EMI with an album on the way this year, he better get his alone time in before it's too late. These guys are gonna be huge.
-REBECCA ARMENDARIZ
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings "Naturally" (Daptone Records) Sounds like: James Brown mixed with the backing bands of all the greats: The Four Tops, The Supremes, The Temptations ... Keep name dropping because they're all right. A
"Naturally," the second release from funk and soul diva Sharon Jones, is straight out of Motown tradition, unfiltered and unashamed. Everyone likes Motown, but sometimes preset-day artists "adapt" (bastardize) the sound to a more modern setting (case in point: Lil' Romeo's 2001 smash "My Baby"). Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are most impressive for their honesty in not simply portraying a by-gone era but by actually embodying the true soul of the music - adding to, not exploiting, the genre.
On first listen, the record draws the listener in with tight horn parts, funky bass lines, thwacky guitar, not to mention Jones' powerful voice. Bona fide similarities to James Brown are apparent (Jones and Brown also hail from the same town- Augusta, Georgia), as well as to some mellow Motown groups or Phil Spector bands. On some songs, the reverb drips off the guitar, as if the sound was sweat from Spector's own brow.
Highlight tracks include the part sung/ part spoken story song "Stranded in Your Love" and album opener "How Do I Let a Good Man Down?" The album is split between slow, sultry jams and tight, hot funk. "Naturally" is a strong album, and one that deserves some notice.
-C.D.
Foo Fighters "In Your Honor" (RCA) Sounds Like: The Best Album of 2005. A
Mainstream rock is a joke these days and has been for quite some time. Thankfully, since 1995, the Foo Fighters have kept it respectable with a mixture of solid rock riffs, catchy melodies and, through their videos, a wacky sense of humor. This album is no different in terms of playing to the band's strengths, but it does stand out from others in terms of ambition and consistency.
As most people would know by now, "In Your Honor" is a double disc set, one containing all rowdy, emotionally charged rockers, and the second containing quiet, acoustic-based introspections. Both discs feature no filler songs whatsoever, and also feature some of the best songs penned by Dave Grohl so far.
One of the greatest things about this album is that it stands on its own. It can't be pigeonholed as anything but a rock 'n' roll album: no "grunge," or "garage," or "indie" or any other "rock" prefix.
There is no set formula for any of the songs. They just exist on their own as great songs, and the flow (perhaps influenced by the splitting of the sides) between songs is seamless. Rockers will love the electric side, sensitive people will enjoy the acoustic side, and fans of good music in general will appreciate the entire album as a whole.
The most impressive aspect of this record is the fact that all 20 of the songs present are excellent. Particularly awesome songs are the fast-paced, aggressive "Hell," the catchy, defiant "The Last Song," the melancholy yet optimistic "On the Mend," the British Invasion-esque "Cold Day in the Sun" and the delicate ballad "Razor."
This album represents Dave Grohl and company at their finest hour thus far, and as far as albums go, the fact that a double album has yielded no filler songs makes it the best, most consistent album of the year. Definitely required for anyone who digs emotional, heavy, melodic rock.
-ANDREW YONKI
