Eclectic Vibes - December 2018
by Andrew Frey
Turkuaz bringing their colorful funk to the High Noon Saloon on 11/15/2018 - photo by Andrew Frey
ONES THAT GOT AWAY
Every year certain albums come to light after they should have been reviewed. For instance, one of my long standing favorite bands, VoiVod released The Wake (Century Media), a surprisingly admirable offering of their unique psychedelic space metal for their 35th anniversary. Then there is Certain Kind of Magic (mau5trap), a spooky, twisted electronic offering, by the DJ known as REZZ (officialrezz.com). Another is the EP Collapse, from experimental electronic musician extrordinarie, Aphex Twin (facebook.com/aphextwinafx). In the realm of chant/Kirtan was the enchanting DEVA, Deva Premal’s self titled release on White Swan records (www.devapremalmiten.com). Various artist compilations are challenging to include because I like to spotlight individual artists, but the Visionary Shamanics label has been consistently pumping out some great psychedelic trance and ethnic psychill dub grooves comps including Sacred Rhythms, Vision Quest and Triumvirat. (visionaryshamanics.bandcamp.com/).
RAILHOPPER
If you have a hankering for some kick ass outlaw country, look no further than Madison’s own Railhopper. After playing shows and festivals all over the state, they are hot off the heels of performing a full original set while opening for David Allan Coe’s sold out final Wisoconsin appearance (which took place at 1175 Sports Park in Kansasville, WI). To celebrate, they are super excited to bring your their big 1 Year Anniversary Show at the Knuckle Down Saloon on 12/14. facebook.com/RailHopperMusic
MICRO REVIEWS:
This Month's Rating Scale is from 1 is Travailling thru 10 is Alacrity
Dirtwire - Road Goes All Night
Dirtwire
Album title: Road Goes All Night
Record Label: Beats Antique Records
Rating: 9
Sometimes instruments plays a big roll in what a recording sounds like and there are few releases that have more a unique sound than this. I saw them last fall at Shangri La Festival and they were quite enthralling thanks in part to Mark Reveley’s Whamola bass and Greek tanbur as well as Even Fraser’s Kamole ngoli and bass ngoli plus David Satori’s bowed banjo and guitarjo. Throw in a harmonica, and smear on some southwestern grit and the folktronica that this trio of talented multi-instrumentalists produce will excite and captivate!
(1072) Page Views
Dirtwire online:
• Website • Facebook
• Purchase Road Goes All Night on Amazon
Greatest Showman: Reimagined - Various Artists
Greatest Showman: Reimagined
Album title: Various Artists
Record Label: Atlantic Records
Rating: 8
The Greatest Showman was a landmark musical film and the songs it contains are iconic. Ripples of it’s popularity have been shaking the musical universe since it was released. Now you have the chance to hear 13 tracks reimagined by some of today’s top pop artists including Kesha, Kelly Clarkson, Panic! at the Disco, Pentatonix, P!nk, and Willow Sage Hart (P!nk’s daughter). Sure it is a commercial Christmas pinata, but the original songs are strong enough to offer a fair amount of candy and glee in this new light. (8) press.atlanticrecords.com/the-greatest-showman/
(986) Page Views
Greatest Showman: Reimagined online:
• Download Various Artists from Amazon
Imagine Dragons - Origins
Imagine Dragons
Album title: Origins
Record Label: Interscope
Rating: 10
What an album! These double platinum producing, Grammy winning pop icons deliver another masterpiece with several smash hits as well as several other songs (rounding out this 12 track release) that show off the evolution of their artistic diversity and depth, but not in the same predictable ways as their past releases. If you haven’t heard Natural, Bad Liar or Zero off this album, you will soon, as they are all destined to be classics!
(1035) Page Views
Imagine Dragons online:
• Website • Facebook
• Download Origins from Amazon