2014 New Releases

[Outtasight!]

What kind of Beck album is it?

[Lowbacca]

What kind of Beck album is it?

 

[the captain]

The new David Crosby album was realeased last monday and is way better than I expected. I highly recomend croz, the voice and songwriting are still excellent.

I just listened to about the first half of this. My first thought (during the first song) was that it was a little too adult contemporary for me. But then there were some interesting bits in those next few songs. I was surprised at the quality, even though the style isn't really up my alley.

[Rocky Raccoon]

I've never been a huge fan of Beck but I heard his new song "Waking Light" on the radio for the first time today.  Incredible song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixtNYSiNyO4

[the captain]

Last month Angel Olsen released the album Burn Your Fire For No Witness, and I gave it a few listens this weekend. Eventually I bought four songs, my favorite of which is probably this Leonard Cohenesque "White Fire."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB3xElewqWw

"Everything is tragic / it all just falls apart"

There's an opening line for you.

Like those early Cohen songs, the repetitive guitars serve as drone to a simple, deadened voice with barely a melody to be found--as much dirge as pop song. But instead of Cohen's nylon-stringed guitars, we have fuzzy, dark-toned electrics, and instead of his low baritone, we have her breathless alto. The hypnotic effect of the song is similar.

"If you've still got some light in you, then go before it's gone. Burn your fire for no witness, it's the only way it's done."

Have a nice Sunday, everyone...

[the captain]

Can we call something posted to Soundcloud a "lead-off single?" If so, here's Eels's first single from the upcoming The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett, the mostly acoustic-and-voice (with strings) "Agatha Chang."

https://soundcloud.com/the_eels/agatha-chang-eu

[the captain]

I expected today to come home from work and check out the new Beck and St. Vincent albums: hopefully find them on Spotify for full previews, at least check out what I could hear on iTunes or find them on youtube. I'd heard snippets of each and was interested enough at least to go through the exercise.

Instead while perusing Pitchfork's reviews today I was thrilled to see a new, self-released album by the former frontman of the defunct indie pop band Voxtrot, Ramesh Srivistava. Be still my beating heart. Voxtrot was another of those bands that came out of nowhere for me, an EP in the mail along with a pile of other unknown albums to review. But that first EP (and the second, for that matter) left a mark. Alas, two EPs, one 3-song "single," one full-length album, and a few more singles, and they were gone, I would guess by 2010. A five-year life, a seemingly instantaneous rise and disappearance. Any band that can put out wonders like "The Start of Something" ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueFj9V6WWLg )deserves a few more rounds...

The point is, today I found out that Ramesh has released The King. I've purchased but only listened to half so far. I'm excited to give it a few full spins. Welcome back, Ramesh.

[Amazing Larry]

I bought St. Vincent's new album today and it was fucking great. Highly recommended.

[Rocky Raccoon]

I bought St. Vincent's new album today and it was fucking great. Highly recommended.

Came to this thread to say pretty much the same thing.

[SMiLE-addict]

For those into psychedelic pop/rock, Sun Structures by the new Brit band Temples is pretty good.

Here's my favorite song on the album:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwZVQm1ENqY

[EgoHanger1966]

For those into psychedelic pop/rock, Sun Structures by the new Brit band Temples is pretty good.

Here's my favorite song on the album:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwZVQm1ENqY

I just came to this thread to post about Temples! It takes a couple plays to sink in. Also, they're clearly trying to be Tame Impala but they aren't as good. Still worth checking out. It's a trippy album. Besides, who knows when the next Tame Impala is coming out and how good it'll be.

[SMiLE-addict]

Yeah I think Tame Impala is better too. But this album was a decent start.

BTW I listened to it in my car this past weekend, and they did a lousy mixing job. The vocals were definitely "under mixed." I had to turn up the treble and mid-ranges to keep the vocals from being overly drowned out by the instrumentation. I didn't notice it so much when I listened to it online, but I think that's because I was listening to it on my headphones. On the CD in my car the vocals were very muddled.

/rant

EDIT: I recently wrote a review of it on the Music Banter forum:
http://www.musicbanter.com/prog-psychedelic-rock/72221-temples-hookworms-new-generation-psychedelic-adventurers.html

[the captain]

I bought the new Beck album late last week. It's not solidly great, but it has some really good moments. "Blackbird Chain" in particular is a standout, with its clever time changes. Love that. I think "Heart is a Drum" is beautiful, as well--it reminds me of Nick Drake (though not with the vocal harmonies, obviously). Some of the album just drags for me, though.

[the captain]

Previewed most of and bought three Pharrell Williams tracks off his G I R L album today. Those who followed the Grammys thread may recall a certain amount of confusion or aversion to him: the guy in the weird hat who nobody ever heard of singing with some group nobody ever heard of. Et cetera. If you've followed pop music over the past 15 years or so, you've heard of him.

You may know "Happy" if you a) follow the pop charts or b) saw Despicable Me (I didn't). Here is one of the many official music videos for it--I didn't quite catch the details, but I believe they did hours (24?) of video for it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM

I like it a lot, great groove, fun, good harmonies in the refrain.

Also enjoyed "Brand New," which is a duet with Justin Timberlake. Great beat, cool vocal "instrumentation" in the background. Funky guitar kicks in. "Come Get It Bae" is also fun, a spare tune reminiscent of Prince's "Kiss" to me, with its clean electric guitar and falsetto, simple melody.

Overall I'm more impressed by any given moment of Pharrell's tracks than I am by the totality of his songs or of his voice. But those three songs, at least, are good additions to the collection.

[Lowbacca]

Check out the new WARPAINT, you guys!

[the captain]

Three songs into Spotify-streaming Aloe Blacc's new album, Lift Your Spirit, I've decided to buy it. You may know some songs off his last album, Good Things, such as the title track, "I Need a Dollar," or the cover of VU's "Femme Fatale." On this one again the styles switch song to song, from uptempo early 70s Stevie Wonder vibe to anthemic pop to almost a country-folk-pop, R&B, hip-hop, all with his really strong, soulful voice.

I'll write about it once I've listened to the whole thing a few times.

Edit: for what it's worth, I've also just discovered that iTunes has it on sale for $7.99 at the moment. I win.

[the captain]

Last weekend I purchased Stanley Brinks and the Wave Pictures' album Gin, which I'm enjoying, but more importantly I got their single "Orange Juice." It just might be my favorite song so far in 2014.

Stanley Brinks is the nom de plume adopted by Andre Herman Dune, formerly a co-lead songwriter and singer in the band Herman Dune (along with his brother David-Ivar), when he left that band. His songs tend to be very formulaic, which I don't mean in a bad way. But rather I just mean verses will be very traditional, A-A-B-A, for example. But his lyrics are often hilarious and somewhat hedonistic, and the music is enjoyable, mixing styles like classic pop or rock n roll, reggae, klezmer, jazz, and more. Andre/Stanley also seems pretty dedicated to the idea of recording-as-performance: the aforementioned album was recorded live in the studio without so much as headphones.

Without further ado, "Orange Juice"!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5X3QJZ1y9A

[Outtasight!]

Gave it a listen. Great stuff!

[Summertime Blooz]

I got the new Foster the People album Supermodel and it's very good. They definitely know their way around a song hook. This album seems more substantial than their debut- no sophomore jinx here. I think this group could be around for a good while. Check out this tune. It reminds me of a Todd Rundgren record and Tears For Fears 'Sowing The Seeds of Love'.

Pseudologia Fantastica:      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRLSwqIUm60

[Ovi]

Just got the new St. Vincent album and look forward to playing it a couple of times. First time I'm listening to a full album of hers. Will come back with opinions.

I'm also looking forward to the new Kanye West which was announced. I'm not really a fan, but it'll be interesting to see how he manages to follow up an album like Yeezus.

I will also definitely buy the new Pixies. Yes, the songs that I've heard in 2013 were disappointing. But it's the fuckin' Pixies. I would buy their albums even if Frank Black's lyrics would start making sense, that's how much I love them.

[Outtasight!]

The wilko johnson / roger daltrey album is easily my favourite new album of 2014. Great songs, great guitar and great vocals. Maximum R&B indeed!

[the captain]

OK it's been a while since I've contributed here. I haven't been listening to a ton of new stuff, but I have gotten through a few things.

Lana Del Rey's new single, "West Coast." I liked "Video Games" but have been unimpressed in general by Del Rey--especially her SNL performance. However, I gave this a listen just because I came across it on Spotify. And I kind of like it. (I don't love it.) Is that the guitar line from "Wicked Game"? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3SqUUoJjW8

Eels' "The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett." Only just began so I have nothing to say yet, other than that it sounds like Eels. I think it is out next week, maybe? But NYT is streaming it here: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/arts/music/pressplay.html?ref=music

Secret Sisters' "Put Your Needle Down." Heard an NPR feature and was intrigued, checked out some of this album on Spotify as well. Vocal harmonies with production by T-Bone Burnett. A guy could do worse. I need to check it out in more depth, though. Some of the songs didn't strike me at all, others were really cool. There is even a previously unfinished Bob Dylan tune, "Dirty Lie," that they got permission to finish. Cool.

Jessica Lea Mayfield. I liked her "Our Hearts Were Wrong" enough to check out the new album once I heard there was one. Wasn't impressed, didn't even note the album name. Oh well. Can't win 'em all.

[the captain]

Secret Sisters' "Put Your Needle Down." Heard an NPR feature and was intrigued, checked out some of this album on Spotify as well. Vocal harmonies with production by T-Bone Burnett. A guy could do worse. I need to check it out in more depth, though. Some of the songs didn't strike me at all, others were really cool. There is even a previously unfinished Bob Dylan tune, "Dirty Lie," that they got permission to finish. Cool.

Regarding Secret Sisters, I am listening. While the album doesn't always sound like this, here is a tune I enjoy and thought some of you might as well. It's a live version from a radio showcase, but you get the idea: somewhat indie-modernized girl-group sound a la the M Ward/Zooey Deschanel project She & Him, but with women who can sing. (oooh, ain't I sassy?) If you like it, I recommend you find the studio version. I'm sure it's on youtube, I just didn't try hard to find it. It's on Spotify as well. And of course you could buy it. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyLQz6oymhU

[the captain]

Eli "Paperboy" Reed's new album, Nights Like This, is an obvious try at modern radio-friendliness for this previously traditional soul/R&B singer. The results are probably best left to listeners and their goals. My guess is that the people who have loved him up until now will not be impressed; a whole new batch of listeners, however, may well be drawn in.

To demonstrate my point, here is one of his singles from 2010, "Come and Get It." Wholly backward-looking, sure ... but indisputably well done, from that great bass line to the horn punches to the hook, this was good stuff for people seeking authentic-sounding soul a la Stax from a modern artist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5_p3iLqChQ

Here is the single "WooHoo," which is one of the more traditional tunes on Nights Like This. Still reminiscent of his '60s soul favorites and hooky as hell, but the production is definitely nothing like the last time around. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPqDP8Qdon4

Other songs, like "Well Alright Now," "Grown Up," or "Not Even Once," are even more obvious attempts at hybrid, built-for-radio (or commercials...) R&B. They aren't bad, they're just a different kind of music, a different kind of production, and presumably a whole different goal. The allmusic review compares this album to the Mark Ronson-Amy Winehouse aesthetic, but to me it sounds more like the most recent album from Aloe Blacc. It sounds very professional, very intentional, but very ... uh, focus-group tested.

This album, for the most part, isn't for me. That said, some of it is catchy enough that I'll listen a few more times and maybe buy a few songs. I could see myself getting into "Not Even Once."

[the captain]

Another example of modern R&B but a wholly different vibe and result, I'm partway through Kelis's new Food, and I am really impressed. If you know a Kelis song, there's a good chance it's "Milkshake." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGL2rytTraA And if I know this board, odds are you don't like it... Well, this album is miles from that. Personally, I fell in love with the tune "Acapella," off her 2010 album Flesh Tone, but this album is miles from that, as well.

This album is less overtly hip-hop and dance oriented, with more natural instrumentation (not just the standard stuff, but horns and strings as well). Here is the slithering, propulsive single "Jerk Ribs." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQgppPHXJSs I love the fact that it's not quite possible to peg what this is or when it's from. Certainly there are retro touches, but it doesn't seem remotely pastiche. It sounds modern, but without any blatantly in-the-moment touches, either. (No, no obvious autotuning, people.)  This is one of my five or six favorite singles of 2014 so far.

However, there is a better song: a cover of Labi Siffre's 1971 song "Bless the Telephone." I haven't found the Kelis version on youtube (though it is on Spotify), but here is the original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FirBvR1HmKI It's a pretty enough song in that incarnation, but the new version sounds better to these ears. It's a little slower, darker toned, with a fuller guitar sound and a male voice an octave below Kelis's.

I'm buying at least a few of these songs, maybe the whole album.