Slipped Discs - February 2010
Discs you may have missed | by John Noyd
Bound by compromise, our dance through life contains a fair share of side steps. Not surprisingly, February’s winter’s grip holds pensive, bartering musical releases. While art-folk composer BASIA BULAT’s carousing, “Heart of My Own,” jive, indie-anarchists LOS CAMPENSINOS’ smarmy, “Romance is Boring,” and noble soul-rockers TINDERSTICKS’ Sisyphean, “Falling Down A Mountain,” suggest sullen survivors, the season’s bittersweet titles herald talented realists packing reasons to believe in a promising new year.
Jatun
Blanket of AshRecord Label: Other Electricities
Review published: February 2010
Mammoth swells and wordless vertigo, heavenly fades snap, crackle and pop in Jatun’s stellar noise fest. Aural spelunking, “Blanket,” buzzes with grizzled sizzle, hovering over bold, smoldering, char-broiled electronics, forging and foraging under plummeting cascades and seething dreams. Channeling ambience into unwavering space-rock intensity, Jatun’s saturated abstractions subtly morph into intricate, factory packages.
Reader Votes: 2
Local Natives
Gorilla ManorRecord Label: Frenchkiss Records
Review published: February 2010
Beach Boys blessed, L.A.‘s Local Natives engage the ears in genuine rhythmic ingenuity - spirited hoedowns equally inviting, intriguing and entertaining, spiraling barbershop chops integrated into tightly-knitted drum circle blissfulness. A hook-filled ride smoothly somersaulting into playfully cosmic pop; uplifting enthusiasm bathes, “Gorilla,” in campfire choirs, irresistibly jubilant licks bobbing around cheerfully twisted lyrics.
Reader Votes: 0
Puerto Muerto
Drumming For PistolsRecord Label: Fire Records
Review published: February 2010
Bruised serenades, galloping punk-rockabilly foxtrots and ragged border town blues lock and tumble into a circus of shadowy cadaver ballads and brooding, alt-rock burlesques. Brilliantly desolate, Puerto Muerto’s scratchy erratic cantina concertos concoct bombastic flaunts between moody, consuming regrets while, “Drumming,” furtively teases and wails; banshee-riddled stomps vamping alongside foreboding, late-night sympathies.
Reader Votes: 0
AM
Future Sons & DaughtersRecord Label: Filter U.S.
Review published: February 2010
Cozy consolation from sweet-talking tunes, AM skips, dips and cozies up with revitalized nostalgia. Laid-back enlightenment straddling singer-songwriter folk, sunshine rock and blue-eyed soul circa early seventies, “Future,” fires up smoky, hip-swiveling riffs conjured from snappy brass, deep-fried bass, cantering congas and sly, knowing vocals stretching familiar formulas into tasty upbeat treats.
Reader Votes: 2
Lindstrom & Christabelle
Real Life Is No CoolRecord Label: Feedelity Recordings
Review published: February 2010
Sequined sequences and programmed pandemonium yield funky disco struts, swooning grooves and intoxicating non-stop dance-pop. Nordic maestro Lindstrom’s machine-tooled moxie finds a soul-mate in Christabelle’s sensual vocals to make luxurious flirts slink, sweat and sashay. Flippy, trippy, club-dizzy fantasies, “Real Life,” turn relentlessly inventive dimensions into an audio odyssey.
Reader Votes: 0
The Go Find
Everybody Knows It’s Gonna Happen Only Not TonightRecord Label: Morr Music
Review published: February 2010
Acoustic accoutrements caress and undress TGF’s self-assured purrs of passive indulgence. Belgian’s poignant playboys radiate super-sleuth cool as ultra-polished gloss beguiles, gliding seamlessly through spotless bedroom pop. Calculator smart and compassionately savvy, “Not Tonight,” swims in measured leisure; warm, confiding synthesizers pressed and ready to pounce.
Reader Votes: 0
Final Thoughts
Winter break ends and Southern Wisconsin’s live music starts up again. February hosts CRACKER unplugged, back to back nights of LOTUS, the farewell show of Madison’s smart aleck, art-punk rockers THE GERMAN ART STUDENTS and a rare appearance from Philly’s up and coming industrial groove-meisters COLD CAVE. Minneapolis’ incisive EYEDEA & ABILITIES and Norway’s cavalier SONDRE LERCHE pass this way as do outstanding singer-songwriters LAURA VEIRS and RICKIE LEE JONES.
