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Band of Skulls | Sweet Sour
There is nothing innovative or unique about Band of Skulls. This trio is one of many garage-blues bands who play off the sexual tension between their male and female vocalists while laying down sludgy, heavy riffs. Luckily, this is a generally compelling formula, and Band of Skulls proves to be rather adept at it.
For their sophomore effort, the group brings plenty of grime to these songs, best showcased in the title track and the chorus of “Bruises.” Surprisingly, the slower songs are equally solid, as “Navigate” and “Hometown” definitely provide the sweetness referenced in the album’s title. Such songs prove that Band of Skulls is no one-trick pony and that the future holds potentially exciting musical developments from the group.
RIYL: The Kills, Blood Red Shoes, The Dead Weather
By Cameron Meindl, Rhyme and Reason, Sundays 12pm-2pm
Soul Rebels Brass Band | Unlock Your Mind
This album just kicks so much ass. The power of an eight-man band, with each member trained in the fabled tradition of New Orleans jazz, combined with a modern street sense and their ear for writing excellent funk chord progressions, is something impossible to ignore. The album is should be called “Unlock Your Body” because there’s no way you can hear this and not want to get down.
A sure highlight is the vicious cover of “Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This,” but this is only a jumping-off point into an album of amazing originals by the funk/jazz/hip hop/ska/reggae juggernaut that is the Soul Rebels Brass Band.
RIYL: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, BadBadNotGood, The Roots, The Neologians
By Jesse Paller, We Like Music, Wednesdays biweekly 10pm-12am
Sharon Van Etten | Tramp
Van Etten’s “Tramp” is an honest and intricately put together album that begs to be put on repeat. The thumping intro of “Warsaw” starts the album off like a purposeful march, teeming with reverberant guitar strumming and warbled beseeching vocals. Van Etten’s delicate yet strong voice taps into a vast spectrum of emotions.
The album is poignant, dainty and brilliantly eloquent. Light guitars, kick drum and keyboard synth pads back Van Etten’s gorgeous vocals particularly well on the melancholy track “Kevin’s.” A six sentence review of “Tramp” is a pathetic attempt to express the sheer passion and feeling that this album evokes so just do yourself a favor and give it a listen … or ten.
RIYL: Laura Gibson, Kathleen Edwards, St. Vincent
By Brendan Principato, This Radio Show Will Ruin/Save Your Life, Mondays 12am-2am
Dr. Dog | Be the Void
Let’s be clear, Dr. Dog isn’t reinventing the wheel here. The group’s latest release follows the same psychedelic, ’60s-style rock radio as their previous releases. It might seem easy for this band to grow tedious by their seventh full-length, but there’s something we always forget about Dr. Dog; they are damn good at what they do.
The album opens with bluesy track “Lonesome,” filled with stomps and slide guitars. “That Old Black Hole” changes things up a bit with a disco-style soul and backing bongos (BONGOS? BONGOS!). When “These Days” kicks in, you might think Dr. Dog has gone garage rock with its octaved guitars and drums that would make a Ramones fan jump in their seats. Yet, these newer sounds fit in perfectly with their pre-established style.
What Dr. Dog flaunts best on “Be The Void” is their atmospheric and “dancey” songs, such as “How Long Must I Wait” and “Heavy Light.” The influence of afro-pop and hip-hop melds perfectly with the psychedelia of their early work. Dr. Dog proves yet again that there is still plenty of mileage left in their wheels. You might as well enjoy the ride.
RIYL: Wilco, My Morning Jacket, Delta Spirit, Portugal. The Man
By Mike Creedon?, Grandmaster Flash Gordon Lightfoot, Sundays 10am-12pm
Poliça | Give You The Ghost
It would be post-rock, but somebody sings. It could be called R&B, but it’s got too much drumming. It’s a little like Bon Iver, but the singer is a girl. And yeah, she sounds a lot like Justin Vernon, probably because Poliça is the band responsible for the weird R&B Gayngs project that he took part in during 2010, and there was probably some influence shared there.
But this album is far more “together” than that one was, with definite grooves underlying the stratospheric auto-tuned wandering of the chilling vocals. The songs themselves are sinister, languid post-trip hop productions, with minimal structure but rich melody and a full soundscape completely their own. The biggest surprise is the drumming, a dynamic powerhouse (courtesy of Spoon’s Jim Eno) that grounds the ethereal music and eventually entices it into climaxes of epic proportions.
RIYL: Bon Iver, Gayngs, Portishead, Katy B
By Jesse Paller
Craig Finn | Clear Heart Full Eyes
The first solo album from the lead singer of the Hold Steady, “Clear Heart Full Eyes” is quite different from the usual output listeners associate with Finn. Instead of anthemic choruses and enormous guitars, these songs are occupied by Americana arrangements that recall that last Decemberists record.
However, what the record lacks in melody and riffs is made up by Finn’s consistently excellent lyrics. The majority of these tracks are far more personal accounts than Finn is accustomed to writing, and when he delves into story-songs, the characters are aging, out of luck and heartbroken. Without his usual band backing him, Finn’s conversational vocal style might not work for everybody, but if you appreciate great storytelling, Finn is your man.
RIYL: “Nebraska” era Bruce Springsteen, Conor Oberst
By Cameron Meindl
Gonjasufi | MU.ZZ.LE.
Gonjasufi is clearly a man not interested in putting out anything traditional or easy to follow. On this second full length LP, he develops the psychedelic hip-hop sound he pioneered on his first album, with the same amount of experimentation and abandon for song structure.
The songs do not seem to follow any sort of conventional pattern, as they simply flow into each other as Gonjasufi sees fit, often not lasting longer than two minutes. In that sense, a few of the tracks seem to just be ideas rather than fully fleshed out songs, but at the very least, all of them are interesting. If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to drop acid while walking through a library of hip-hop samples, look no further.
RIYL: Flying Lotus (or anything off Brainfeeder), Clams Casino, Shlohmo
By Richard Murphy, Lionheart James, Tuesdays 2-4 am
