EL ASTRO DE LOS DISCOS

Dengue Fever - Venus on Earth

2012-01-28T12:01:00.000-08:00

Three albums in the novelty has worn off, but Dengue Fever has smartly chosen to keep evolving. While that means their unquestionably unique offering no longer startles, it's no less riveting -- Venus on Earth is at once the band's most accessible and most varied release. A recap: when first heard from in 2003 on their self-titled debut, Dengue Fever was like no other band, a bunch of L.A. hipsters fronted by a Cambodian-born woman, Chhom Nimol, who paid homage to that Asian nation's pre-Pol Pot cheesy psychedelic-cum-lounge-surf-garage pop sound of the '60s/early '70s, music obscure enough that only a tiny handful of Americans could honestly claim to have known the first thing about it -- certainly, the source material spun outside of the orbit of the so-called core world music audience. By the second album, 2005's Escape from Dragon House, Dengue Fever had tossed in a few more disparate elements, and with Nimol's high-range vocals riding atop this internationalist admixture and a basic alt-rock sensibility as a guiding force (minus the faux alt-rock attitude), Dengue Fever attracted an audience and garnered critical praise. For Venus on Earth, the mainstream beckons, or comes as close to beckoning as it's ever going to for a band as non-mainstream as Dengue Fever. Nimol's vocals are as beguiling as ever, Ethan Holtzman's Farfisa organ still swirls, Zac Holtzman's guitars still chime and chunk, and Paul Dreux Smith's drums clang happily along. With horns provided by David Ralicke and bass from Senon Gaius Williams, Dengue Fever has softened some of the rougher edges, injected some serious soul, and added more swing to their thing. "Oceans of Venus" could be an outtake from the first B-52's album, "Clipped Wings" a lost Blondie tune, and "Woman in the Shoes" is just one of the most cuddly pop songs in ages. The groovelicious Nimol-Zac Holtzman duet "Tiger Phone Card," a tale of a long distance Phnom Penh-NYC romance, is the pop smash Yoko Ono might have had in an alternate universe. Drenched in reverb, soaked in sweat, marinated in some phantom historical moment yet tethered to the now,Dengue Fever is more innovative and resourceful than 99-percent of the bands that receive 99 times the publicity.

Tracks

	Title	Composer	Time
1	Seeing Hands	Dengue Fever, Holtzman	4:12
2	Clipped Wings	Dengue Fever, Holtzman	3:48
3	Tiger Phone Card	Dengue Fever, Holtzman	3:37
4	Woman in the Shoes	Dengue Fever, Holtzman	3:06
5	Sober Driver	Dengue Fever, Holtzman	4:05
6	Monsoon of Perfume	Dengue Fever, Holtzman	4:40
7	Integratron	Dengue Fever, Holtzman	3:43
8	Oceans of Venus	Dengue Fever, Holtzman	3:33
9	Laugh Track	Dengue Fever, Holtzman	3:29
10	Tooth and Nail	Dengue Fever, Holtzman	4:28
11	Mr. Orange	Dengue Fever, Holtzman	2:22

aCá

Jethro Tull - A Passion Play (el priner disco que se compró warren. cuando ni siquiera lo era)

2012-01-20T05:22:00.001-08:00

Jethro Tull's second album-length composition, A Passion Play is very different from -- and not quite as successful as -- Thick as a Brick. Ian Anderson utilizes reams of biblical (and biblical-sounding) references, interwoven with modern language, as a sort of a rock equivalent to T.S. Eliot's The Wasteland. As with most progressive rock, the words seem important and profound, but their meaning is anyone's guess ("The ice-cream lady wet her drawers, to see you in the Passion Play..."), with Anderson as a dour but engaging singer/sage (who, at least at one point, seems to take on the role of a fallen angel). It helps to be aware of the framing story, about a newly deceased man called to review his life at the portals of heaven, who realizes that life on Earth is preferable to eternity in paradise. But the music puts it over successfully, a dazzling mix of old English folk and classical material, reshaped in electric rock terms. The band is at its peak form, sustaining the tension and anticipation of this album-length piece across 45 minutes, although the music runs out of inspiration about five minutes before it actually ends.Tracks TitleComposerTime1 Life Beats 1:142 Prelude 2:143 The Silver Cord 4:294 Re-Assuring Tune 1:115 Memory Bank 4:206 Best Friends 1:587 Critique Oblique Anderson 4:388 Forest Dance, No. 1 1:359 The Story of the Hare Who Lost His Spectacles Anderson, Evans, Hammond 4:1810 Forest Dance, No. 2 4:1811 The Foot of Our Stairs 4:1812 Overseer Overture 4:0013 Flight from Lucifer 3:5814 10.08 to Paddington 1:0415 Magus Perdé 3:5516 Epilogue 0:43aCá

Anoushka Shankar - Traveller

2011-12-27T14:19:00.000-08:00

The daughter of Ravi Shankar and young prodigy of the sitar has long been a star of the world music circuit on her own, not merely due to her virtuoso credentials, but also for her willingness to explore the possibilities of the classical sitar within other musical genres and traditions. For her seventh album, Anoushka Shankar sets her sights on the links between Hindu and flamenco music, and -- almost logically -- turns to producer Javier Limón, arguably the key figure in the development of flamenco fusion in the past decade. Although her sitar playing remains the focal point of the album, Shankar is joined by superb musicians from both sides of the equation: Sandra Carrasco, Ramón Porrina, Álvaro Antona, Pepe Habichuela, Pedro Ricardo Miño, Pirashanna Thevarajah, Sanjeev Shankar, Padma Shankar, Shalini Patnaik, and Kenji Ota. Inevitably, the results are as intriguing as they are beautiful, one of the key world music releases of 2011.

Tracks

				Title	Composer	Time
		1		Inside Me
		2		Buleria con Ricardo
		3		Krishna
		4		Si No Puedo Verla
		5		Dancing in Madness
		6		Boy Meets Girl
		7		Kanya
		8		Traveller
		9		ISHQ
		10		Casi Uno
		11		Bhairavi
		12		Lola's Lullaby

aCá

Various_Artists_-_Songs_Of_Anarchy_Music_From_Sons_Of_Anarchy_Seasons_1-4_(Soundtrack)_(2011)

2011-12-25T13:53:00.000-08:00

Banda de sonido de esta excelente serie. muchos temas clásicos del rock versionados.
Check this;

01 This Life (Theme from Sons of Anarchy) (Curtis Stigers & The Forest Ranger).mp3
02 Son of a Preacher Man (Katey Sagal & The Forest Rangers).mp3
03 Forever Young (Audra Mae & The Forest Rangers).mp3
04 John the Revelator (Curtis Stigers & The Forest Ranger).mp3
05 Fortunate Son (Lyle Workman & The Forest Rangers).mp3
06 Slip Kid (Anvil & Franky Perez).mp3
07 Girl from the North Country (Lions).mp3
08 Someday Never Comes (Billy Valentine & The Forest Rangers).mp3
09 Gimme Shelter (Paul Brady & The Forest Rangers).mp3
10 Bird On a Wire (Katey Sagal).mp3
11 Hey Hey, My My (Battleme).mp3
12 What A Wonderful World (Alison Mosshart and the Forest Rangers).mp3
13 Los Tiempos Van Cambiando (Franky Perez and the Forest Rangers).mp3
14 Strange Fruit (Katey Sagal and the Forest Rangers).mp3.
15 House Of The Rising Sun (Battleme & The Forest Rangers).mp3
16 House Of The Rising Sun (Season 4 Finale Version).mp3

aCá

Hiromi - Time Control

2011-12-21T14:33:00.000-08:00

Hiromi Uehara's version of jazz is unique without being willfully strange -- clearly deeply rooted in the straight-ahead jazz verities, she nevertheless writes with a distinctly postmodern sensibility, gleefully juxtaposing wildly disparate musical elements and infusing everything with a joyful energy. In fact, joyful energy is probably the most significant hallmark of her music; on her latest album, even her attempt at a ballad eventually winds up in swinging uptempo territory, and just about everything else either rushes headlong or rocks out strongly in midtempo. This is actually something of a concept album centered on the idea of time, the control of time, and the effects of time on humans. It opens with the frantic but lovely "Time Difference," on which guest guitarist David "Fuze" Fiuczynski is given ample room to rock out, and then lapses into the slower, funkier, but no less energetic "Time Out" (an Uehara original, not the Dave Brubeck standard). "Time Travel" starts out strong but runs out of gas about halfway through its eight and a half minute length, but "Real Clock vs. Body Clock = Jet Lag" is a real hoot -- a surf-rock theme that alternates with a barrelhouse barroom piano theme and then becomes an exercise in advanced guitar and synthesizer tonal insanity. One of the most interesting things about this album is the way that Fiuczynski's tonal experimentation draws out a similar adventurousness in Uehara, to the extent that it's sometimes hard to tell which of them is playing a solo. Several tracks on this album are several minutes too long, but overall it's a real treat. You'll be tired at the end, but it will be a good tired.
Tracks
1 Time Difference Uehara 6:19
2 Time Out Uehara 6:39
3 Time Travel Uehara 8:37
4 Deep into the Night Uehara 9:02
5 Real Clock vs. Body Clock = Jet Lag Uehara 5:53
6 Time and Space Uehara 7:55
7 Time Control, or Controlled by Time Uehara 8:29
8 Time Flies Uehara 8:01
9 Time's Up Uehara 0:47

aCá

The Unthanks - Diversions, Vol. 1: The Songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony & The Johnsons - Live from the Union Chapel, London.

2011-12-19T14:21:00.000-08:00

In a four-starred review, The Guardian called the album "A triumphant excursion".[1] Writing in The Independent on 27 November 2011, Nick Coleman said that "The Hegarty songs respond slightly better to the treatment than do Wyatt's, with the exception of 'Sea Song'."[2] MusicOmH said: "In a largely flawless set, the Antony & The Johnsons songs in particular are luminously beautiful, perfectly suited to the sisters’ passionate, breathy vocals and McNally’s elegant arrangements" but felt that The Unthanks are "at their best when providing a mixed palette of the centuries-old music of their native county and their own unique takes on the work of some of today’s most interesting performers. Just focusing on the latter, they’re marginally less interesting."[3]

Track listing

No. Title Length
1. "Bird Guhl"
2. "Man is the Baby"
3. "You Are My Sister"
4. "For Today I Am a Boy"
5. "Paddy's Gone"
6. "Spiralling"
7. "Stay Tuned"
8. "Dondestan"
9. "Lullaby for Hamza"
10. "Lisp Service"
11. "Free Will and Testament"
12. "Out of the Blue"
13. "Cuckoo Madame"
14. "Sea Song"
15. "Forest (excerpt)"

The Unthanks
Rachel Unthank – voice, feet, dulcitone
Becky Unthank – voice, feet
Adrian McNally – piano on Robert Wyatt set, drums on Antony set, harmonium, voice
Chris Price – drums on Robert Wyatt set, electric bass on Antony set, voice
Niopha Keegan – violin, accordion, voice
Additional musicians
Ros Stephen – violin, voice
Becca Spencer – viola, voice
Jo Silverston – cello, voice
Lizzie Jones – trumpet, voice
Dean Rivera – double bass
Jonny Kearney – piano on Antony set
wikipedia

aCá
Gracias a Lucía Guichón

Motörhead - Ace of Spades

2011-12-10T11:41:00.000-08:00

With the 1980 release of Ace of Spades, Motörhead had their anthem of anthems -- that is, the title track -- the one trademark song that would summarize everything that made this early incarnation of the band so legendary, a song that would be blasted by legions of metalheads for generations on end. It's a legendary song, for sure, all two minutes and 49 bracing seconds of it. And the album of the same name is legendary as well, among Motörhead's all-time best, often considered their single best, in fact, along with Overkill. Ace of Spades was Motörhead's third great album in a row, following the 1979 releases of Overkill and Bomber, respectively. Those two albums have a lot in common with Ace of Spaces. The classic lineup -- Lemmy (bass and vocals), "Fast" Eddie Clarke (guitar), and "Philthy Animal" Taylor (drums) -- is still in place and sounding as alive and crazed as ever. The album is still rock-solid, boasting several superlative standouts. Actually, besides the especially high number of standouts on Ace of Spades -- at least relative to Bomber, which wasn't quite as strong overall as Overkill had been -- the only key difference between this 1980 album and its two 1979 predecessors is the producer, in this case Vic Maile. The result of his work isn't all that different from that of Jimmy Miller, the longtime Rolling Stones producer who had worked on Overkill and Bomber, but it's enough to give Ace of Spades a feeling distinct from its two very similar-sounding predecessors. This singular sound (still loud and in your face, rest assured), along with the exceptionally strong songwriting and the legendary stature of the title track, makes Ace of Spades the ideal Motörhead album if one were to choose one and only one studio album. It's highly debatable whether Ace of Spades is tops over the breakthrough Overkill, as the latter is more landmark because of its earlier release, and is somewhat rougher around the edges, too. Either way, Ace of Spades rightly deserves its legacy as a classic. There's no debating that.
Tracks

1 Ace of Spades Clarke, Lemmy, Taylor 2:49
2 Love Me Like a Reptile Clarke, Kilmister, Lemmy, Taylor 3:23
3 Shoot You in the Back Clarke, Kilmister, Lemmy, Taylor 2:39
4 Live to Win Clarke, Kilmister, Lemmy, Taylor 3:37
5 Fast and Loose Clarke, Kilmister, Lemmy, Taylor 3:23
6 (We Are) The Road Crew Clarke, Kilmister, Taylor 3:12
7 Fire, Fire Clarke, Kilmister, Lemmy, Taylor 2:44
8 Jailbait Clarke, Kilmister, Lemmy, Taylor 3:33
9 Dance Clarke, Kilmister, Lemmy, Taylor 2:38
10 Bite the Bullet Clarke, Kilmister, Lemmy, Taylor 1:38
11 The Chase Is Better Than the Catch Clarke, Kilmister, Lemmy, Taylor 4:18
12 The Hammer Clarke, Kilmister, Lemmy, Taylor 2:45

aCá

CALVIN RUSSELL - The Last Call, In The Heat Of A Night (2011)

2011-11-28T14:18:00.000-08:00

Calvin Russell (November 1, 1948 – April 3, 2011) was an American blues rock/roots rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. Born Calvert Russell Kosler, at the age of twelve he started to learn guitar and at thirteen joined a band called 'The Cavemen'. In 1989 he met Patrick Mathe of the French record label New Rose. After his first album was released, Russell started touring in Europe in 1990, and became quite popular there while remaining fairly unknown at home. Russell died on April 3, 2011 in Garfield, Texas of cancer at the age of 62.

Live at L'Atabal (Biarritz, France), 19th of June, 2009

TRACKS: 01. Freight Train Blues 02. Texas Blues Again 03. Halloween 04. 5m2 05. Behind the 8 Ball 06. Rats & Roaches 07. Soldier 08. Rolling Wheel 09. Dawg Eat Dawg 10. Are You Waiting 11. Ain't Leaving Your Love 12. Too Old to Grow Up Now

AcÁ

Aloe Blacc - Good Things

2011-11-22T12:34:00.000-08:00

All the promise of his debut comes true on Aloe Blacc’s sophomore release, Good Things, a vintage sound meets modern problems release with a way too modest title. Right from the opening “I Need a Dollar” -- which could be passed off as unreleased Bill Withers, no problem -- the album offers grand things, providing listeners with that solid, but not polarizing, style of social commentary Withers perfected. On the following cut, positivity is pushed (“Something special happened today/I got green lights all the way”) in a manner that’s far from sugary, but this singer who offers such warmth and humility on his smooth soul tracks is well aware of sin, and can get slinky in a Al Green style when warning against loose women on “Hey Brother.” An even better example of this is his cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Femme Fatale,” which becomes much more than a clever choice, thanks to a convincing performance that suggests he’s been there. The organic production, real horns and all, is left up entirely to the Truth & Soul Productions crew (Jeff Dynamite and Leon Michels) but Blacc’s delivery is less traditional with phrasing and some slang left over from when he was a 24-7 rapper. Anyone with a taste for neo-soul should try Good Things unique flavor. It comes on familiar and comfortable and becomes more rich and rewarding with every return visit.
aCá

PINK FLOYD - Wish You Were Here [Experience Edition] (2011)

2011-11-17T13:04:00.001-08:00

The breakthrough success of Dark Side of the Moon made Wish You Were Here a crucial follow-up in strictly commercial terms. Further pressure came from it being Pink Floyd's first recording for a new label, Columbia. Yet the demands on the band only provided Roger Waters more fodder for his lyrics, which glanced at the band's roots as well as their new responsibilities. The mechanized throb of a VCS3 synthesizer, fed through a repeat-echo unit, signals the opening bars of "Welcome to the Machine," a diatribe against an industry more concerned with money than creative music-making. "Have a Cigar" further establishes Waters' contempt by bringing in singer Roy Harper to play the role of a "faceless suit," who none-too-innocently asks, "Which one's Pink?" The remaining songs indirectly look back to the first casualty of Pink Floyd's growing fame, the group's founder, Syd Barrett. The 20-minute-plus "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" has its roots in earlier pieces like "Atom Heart Mother Suite" and "Echoes." But rather than just another Floydian soundscape, its lyrics make it a paean to Barrett's genius and a requiem for his subsequent breakdown. The first five of the song's nine movements open the album with sax player Dick Parry wailing as effectively as he did on Dark Side of the Moon. The final four sections, which close the album, form a reprise that starts with the sound of wind and David Gilmour's guitar screaming and crying. The band then settles into a laid-back jam that ends with Richard Wright's billowing synth delicately fading out. The title track deals also with Barrett, as well as the tension the idealist Waters was feeling in battling the greed that surrounded the band's success. The themes of disillusionment planted throughout Wish You Were Here would eventually sprout full-blown on The Wall.

DISC 1 - Wish You Were Here (Digitally Remastered by James Guthrie)
01. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 1-5) 02. Welcome To The Machine 03. Have A Cigar 04. Wish You Were Here 05. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 6-9)

DISC 2 - Previously Unreleased Live and Studio Recordings
01. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (parts 1-6) [live at Wembley November 1974, 2011 mix and previously unreleased] 02. Raving & Drooling [live at Wembley November 1974, 2011 mix and previously unreleased] 03. You’ve Got To Be Crazy [live at Wembley November 1974, 2011 mix and previously unreleased] 04. Wine Glasses [from the unreleased Household Objects project] 05. Have A Cigar [alternative version, previously unreleased] 06. Wish You Were Here [featuring Stephane Grappelli, previously unreleased]
Thanx ZINHOF

Links corregidos. ver en comments

John Zorn - Masada Guitars

2011-10-30T05:10:00.000-07:00

John Zorn has long maintained that Masada is more a collection of songs than a band, and he's asked a bunch of friends for their interpretations as part of Masada's tenth anniversary, the first release being Masada Guitars. Those expecting an electric romp through the Masada songbook might be disappointed; Masada Guitars consists entirely of solo, mostly acoustic performances. Preconceptions aside, this is a beautiful album. Marc Ribot, Bill Frisell, and Tim Sparks each bring their own voice to these tunes: Sparks with his rich fingerpicking, Ribot coming from his classical guitar background, and Bill Frisell with his unmistakable ethereal tone. The performances are closer to the Circle Maker or Bar Khokba recordings than the "Masada Band" proper -- beautiful readings, generally without the pyrotechnics the band can produce even on a slower tune. Somewhat surprisingly, it's Frisell who turns in the only remotely "out" material, bringing out his delay to color his tunes and getting into some demented skronk and fun on both "Katzatz" and "Kochot." Sparks' renditions on steel string acoustic sound very similar to his previous Tzadik album, Neshamah. Marc Ribot's playing on what sounds like a nylon-string classical guitar might surprise some folks who are unaware of his classical background (he studied with Frantz Casseus), yet you can still hear elements of his playing style come through.

Just as Circle Maker and Bar Khokba showed a different side to these melodies, so it is with Masada Guitars. With literally dozens of songs in the Masada book and almost as many talented friends, Zorn could be mining these tunes for years to come.

C,a

Jane's Addiction - The Great Escape Artist

2011-10-27T10:25:00.000-07:00

Taking their sweet time to bounce back from the indifferent reception to their 2003 reunion Strays, Jane's Addiction reemerges eight years later with The Great Escape Artist, an album that draws a direct connection to the group's murkier, dramatic moments. Part of this return to the mystic could be due to TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek manning bass for the majority of the album, but his artful spaciness is grounded by numerous songwriting collaborations with Guns N' Roses Duff McKagan, thereby offering a tidy encapsulation of Jane's Addiction's yin and yang: whenever they threaten to float too far off into space, they're pulled back to earth by a heavy dose of Sunset Strip sleaze. This tension had urgency in the '80s, now it’s delivered with finesse, enough so that the whole of The Great Escape Artist appears to favor spaciness even when guitars are grinding out metallic grease. Frankly, the shift toward the ethereal is a welcome relief after the clean lines and bright L.A. sun of Strays, an album that emphasized rock over art. Here, the preference is reversed and the group reaps some benefits, often touching upon the dark, boundless exotica of Nothing's Shocking yet managing to avoid desperation; instead of re-creating sounds, they've recaptured the vibe, which is enough to keep The Great Escape Artist absorbing even when it begins to drift.
aCá1

aCá2

Hernán Oliva - El violín del jazz

2011-10-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

Descubrí la música de Hernán Oliva, como tantas otra música, en el Blog de Carlos. El violín del jazz es un discazo, y al publicarlo hoy aquí vuelvo a agraderceles a Carlos y a Horacio, que fue quien aportó el disco, el haberme permitido conocerlo. A continuación reproduzco el el conmovedor artículo que acompañaba el post de Carlos y Horacio y que fue escrito por Ricardo Espinosa para mundoclascico.com.

Hernán Oliva, tocando para la vida y la muerte.

Ese hombre bajo y regordete ha sentado su violín en la vereda. Carga 74 años en las ojeras y pasea la música por las calles, esperando que alguna mano le arroje unas monedas. Ha transitado la noche sin suerte. Ya casi nadie lo recuerda. El frío ha comenzado peligrosamente a perforarle los remiendos del alma. Es de madrugada. Está en el barrio de La Boca, a dos metros de La Bombonera, cuando el bastón se quiebra, el violín cae y destapa Polvo de estrellas en las nieblas del Riachuelo. Es 17 de junio de 1988. Hernán Oliva se acuna ya en el silencio para siempre.

'Mi vida es simple y la puedo resumir así: yo, el violín y el violinista'. Bastó que el adolescente Oliva escuchara un disco del gran Joe Venuti para que supiera cuál era su camino. Había visto la luz en Valparaíso (Chile) el 4 de julio de 1913. 'Mi madre Laura era una mujer chapada a la antigua y se dedicaba a las tareas de la casa. Aníbal, mi padre, era corredor de bolsa y aficionado a los burros. Pero la vocación me la fomentó mi mamá, a quien le gustaba la música. El primer juguete que tuve fue un violín chiquitito; supongo que ahí empezó todo. Recuerdo que lo salvé de un incendio cuando se quemó nuestra casa'.

A trompadas

El 24 de abril de 1935 llega a Mendoza. Se ofrece en Radio Cuyo como intérprete de jazz, pero le piden que toque un tango que, sin saberlo, pintará su destino. Con Alma de bohemio consigue su primer trabajo. Recala luego en Buenos Aires y la orquesta de René Cóspito lo convoca. 1940. En la boîte Chaumière abraza su violín al piano del Mono Villegas. 'El para mí fue una escuela. Si uno no aprendía con Enrique Villegas, no aprendía más'. Con Oscar Alemán la historia termina mal. 'Estuve un tiempo en su orquesta, pero no lo aguanté. El embolsaba 6 mil pesos y nosotros $400. No podía ser. Nos agarramos a trompadas una noche en Punta del Este porque se le ocurrió decir ante el público que él era lo más genial de la orquesta'.

1958. Se trepa a un barco que va a Nueva York. 'Me hubiera gustado ir con más frecuencia a Estados Unidos, pero nunca viviría allí. Los norteamericanos viven para ellos, es otra cosa, otra vida. Yo prefiero esto, lógico'. En los carnavales del club Independiente conoce a Sara, su esposa. Tienen tres hijos. 'Siempre me he ganado el peso tocando el violín. Mi vida económica no ha sido muy buena, qué le vamos a hacer. Para mí la música representa una válvula de escape. Me gustaría llegar a tocar muy bien, aún me falta mucho. El violín requiere práctica constante porque la gente está esperando que uno se equivoque y no voy a darle con el gusto. El mayor estímulo cuando toco, es que la gente me escuche, que no hable. Cuando toco no pienso en nada ni en nadie, pienso que las notas tienen que salir al aire con ideas nuevas. Un tema se desarrolla como un pescado o un pollo: hay que alimentarlo de una forma o de otra hasta que madure'.

Una sola pasión

En Holanda sostienen que Oliva es el mayor violinista de jazz del mundo. Boliches de la calle Corrientes, el Viejo almacén, la Richmond, Jazz & Pop conocen de la magia sobre las cuatro cuerdas. El tango es un sentimiento que se sacude en Malena, El entrerriano, Amurado, Silbando... Mito García lo acompaña en piano. 'Pero todavía no me siento identificado con el tango. No se puede tener dos pasiones a la vez. Soy músico de jazz y al jazz he consagrado mi vida y trato de tocarlo lo mejor posible'.

Los discos le dejan gratos elogios, pero Hernán tiene alma de bohemio. 'Salgo temprano a visitar los boliches para preguntar a los dueños si a la noche va a haber trabajo. Yo solito me procuro el trabajo y me ayudo a conseguir un peso más. Todos los días lo mismo. El drama mayor de mi vida no es el dinero, sino la falta de trabajo. Con trabajo se tiene dinero, lógico... En este país realmente no reconocen a nadie'. Una vez más, Hernán ha salido a encontrar la esperanza en cada calle. Esa madrugada de junio, su violín tocará para la muerte. Al día siguiente, los diarios lo buscarán en el olvido. Pero será demasiado tarde.
fuente: http://bienvenidosalamonga.blogspot.com a quien agradezco

acá

3PECADOS - DICIEMBRA (2011)

2011-10-08T06:24:00.000-07:00

acá andan diciendo que esta gente es genial.
podrían clasificarse como cool indie pop. no sé, vean.
aCÁ

Wolf People - Steeple

2011-09-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

Wolf People show their reverence for classic British psych-rock on their full-length debut, Steeple.
Tracks

Title
Composer
Time
1 Silbury Sands Wolf People 5:18
2 Tiny Circle Wolf People 5:10
3 Painted Cross Wolf People 3:23
4 Morning Born Wolf People 4:09
5 Cromlech Wolf People 3:17
6 One by One from Dorney Reach Wolf People 5:35
7 Castle Keep Wolf People 7:34
8 Banks of Sweet Dundee, Pt. 1 Traditional, Wolf People 3:27
9 Banks of Sweet Dundee, Pt. 2 Traditional, Wolf People 5:11

aCá

Black Mountain - In the Future

2011-09-30T15:41:00.000-07:00

During the nearly three years between Black Mountain's self-titled debut album and its sophomore full-length In the Future, there had been extensive touring, a first attempt at recording which proved to be a false start of sorts (though some of those songs ended up here), and a kind of development that would seem radical if these Vancouverites weren't so quirky to begin with. Certainly, the roots of this sound are evident on the debut album. It's loaded with trippy neo-psych folk and rock tropes. But these are counterweighted with a drenched-in-prog-and-Sabbath bombast that makes the title seem ironic. If not laugh out loud funny. That's right: prog rock and Black Sabbath-like riffery and knotty, multi-part structures worthy of Greenslade are all entwined with pixie-ish protocol, acid-laced folk (think Melanie meets Sandy Denny meets Grace Slick's early period duets with Marty Balin and Paul Kantner on the Jefferson Airplane's Surrealistic Pillow and Volunteers). The weird thing is, despite its obvious nods to rock collections, including not only Sabbath's Master of Reality but Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick, Hawkwind's Warrior on the Edge of Time, Peter Hammill's entire Charisma period, Eloy's first three albums, Rush's 2112 (where some of these rather drenched-in-warped-myth lyrics were derived from; but then they're Canadians too), and Led Zep's Physical Graffiti, with a touch of the optimism of Thunderclap Newman and Graham Nash -- all is tempered by Neil Young's sleepy delivery -- sometimes in the same song! The sheer heaviness of tracks like "Stormy High," that wails out of the gate with guitars in full pummel riffage, fuzzed out bassline, and floor tom, bass drum, hi hat fury are stretched out by layers of Mellotrons! Then, Stephen McBean and Amber Webber begin wailing wordlessly à la "Immigrant Song," before McBean takes the lead vocal and you're ready for your space rock pith helmet! Where's Michael Moorcock when you need him? He's about all that's missing. It gets more insistent before it lets up with the starting-in-fifth-gear "Tyrants," that winds and wends its way through a multi-dimensional journey densely packed with sonic wonkery, key and time changes, and the feeling of a journey through time and space for over eight minutes. The sheer sonic throb is balanced by long, droning Mellotron and analogue synth drones, tribal, chant-like drumming, and the pleading, world-weary, vulnerable voice of McBean. It's quite a thing, but it's only a precursor to the truly epic "Bright Lights" near the end of the set that rages on for nearly 17 minutes. Fuzzy electrics, shimmering acoustics, and trance-like keyboards flit in and out between the alternating vocals of McBean and Webber. The music picks up intensity, shifts direction numerous times, and careens across the rock and folkscapes of rock's history from the late '60s through the '70s with great focus, wit, and ambition. There are other things like this here, too, with the utterly beautiful and tender lysergic folk explorations in "Stay Free," where unplugged six-strings, tambourine, McBean's falsetto, and Webber's harmony are seamless, as of one voice. The lyrics are direct, but the sheer sparseness of the mix (organs hover in the backdrop) stands in such sharp contrast to "Wucan" and "Tyrant" that it's like a wake-up call from the ether. (Movie music directors, take heed: this is the one you want for those long reflective moments where the two main characters have parted to rethink their positions.) It picks up, but never too much; the bridge is wonderfully constructed with just enough ornamentation to take it up a notch texturally and dynamically. "Wild Wind," clocking in under two minutes could be a lost Kevin Ayers' outtake. It's only a shame it's so brief. "Evil Ways" -- no relation to the Santana number -- is all metallic stoner rock with rumbling, quaking tom toms, piercing guitars, and huge organs challenging one another to overcome the vocals. As atrocious as this all sounds, perhaps, it's actually quite wonderful and it works without faltering. For what it is, is a stunning extension of the root sound Black Mountain arrived with. Part of the credit has to go to John Congleton for his amazing mix. It's packed with stuff, but there's enough space here, and wonderfully warm atmospheres, to bring the listener right into the deeper sonic dimensions that Black Mountain is trying to create. That it's done without artificial sounding punch up or tons of digital effects makes it come together as a whole. There is no sophomore slump here.
aCá

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 6

2011-09-17T06:11:00.000-07:00

The last volume of the series You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore is one of the strongest, especially for those who prefer Frank Zappa's sex-oriented songs. There is not much complex material or instrumental pieces in this collection, but catchy humorous songs abound, along with more of that stage craziness the series tried to capture. Live incarnations of Zappa's band from 1970 up to 1988 are represented (the original Mothers had a whole disc devoted to them on Vol. 5). Most of disc one revolves around sex, starting with "The M.O.I. Anti-Smut Loyalty Oath," where the 1970 Mothers solemnly swear not to show their private parts on stage. Disc two is more varied, but tracks like "Catholic Girls" and "Crew Slut" make it fit right in. "The Poodle Lecture" and "Lonely Person Devices" reveal important Conceptual Continuity Clues. The "Camarillo Brillo"/"Muffin Man" medley provides a highlight, as does the frantic rendition of "Dirty Love." Lisa Popeil, who sang the 1982 track "Teen-Age Prostitute," makes her only other Zappa-related appearance in "Lisa's Life Story." Most of all, the music from the movie 200 Motels -- still unavailable on CD when this album came out -- was given special attention. Even today, the renditions of "200 Motels Finale" and "Shove It Right In" stand out as important tracks. This volume is less focused on the die-hard fan craving rare material. It will appeal to a wider range of casual listeners, while portraying with much fidelity the atmosphere of Zappa's concerts.
Tracks
Disc 1

1 The M.O.I. Anti-Smut Loyalty Oath 3:01
2 The Poodle Lecture 5:02
3 Dirty Love Zappa 2:39
4 Magic Fingers Zappa 2:21
5 The Madison Panty-Sniffing Festival 2:44
6 Honey, Don't You Want a Man Like Me? Zappa 4:01
7 Father O'Blivion Zappa 2:21
8 Is That Guy Kidding or What? 4:02
9 I'm So Cute Zappa 1:39
10 White Person 2:07
11 Lonely Person Devices Zappa 3:13
12 Ms. Pinky Zappa 2:00
13 Shove It Right In Zappa 6:45
14 Wind up Workin' in a Gas Station Zappa 2:32
15 Make a Sex Noise 3:09
16 Tracy Is a Snob 3:54
17 I Have Been in You Zappa 5:04
18 Emperor of Ohio 1:31
19 Dinah-Moe Humm Zappa 3:16
20 He's So Gay Zappa 2:34
21 Camarillo Brillo Zappa 3:09
22 Muffin Man Zappa 2:25
Disc 2

1 NYC Halloween Audience 0:46
2 The Illinois Enema Bandit Zappa 8:04
3 Thirteen 6:08
4 Lobster Girl 2:20
5 Black Napkins Zappa 5:21
6 We're Turning Again Zappa 4:56
7 Alien Orifice Zappa 4:16
8 Catholic Girls Zappa 4:04
9 Crew Slut Zappa 5:33
10 Tryin' to Grow a Chin Zappa 3:33
11 Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance Zappa 3:46
12 Lisa's Life Story 3:05
13 Lonesome Cowboy Nando Zappa 5:15
14 200 Motels Finale 3:43
15 Strictly Genteel Zappa 7:07

aCá
new link!!

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 5

2011-09-17T06:05:00.001-07:00

For the fifth volume in the You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore series, Frank Zappa prepared two unrelated discs. Disc one features the original Mothers of Invention in unreleased live and studio recordings mainly from 1969 (but also one from 1965 and a couple from 1967-1968). Disc two documents the 1982 European tour. There is something wicked -- almost obscene -- in this pairing, and it surely was intentional. Throughout the 1980s, fans of the early Mothers had attacked Zappa's integrity in the case of the re-recorded CD reissues of We're Only in It for the Money and Cruising With Ruben & the Jets, and often despised the scatological antics and straightforward rock stylings of his latter bands. This was a calculated move, a way to say: "So you want unreleased material from the early Mothers? OK, but you'll have to pay for the 1982 band -- and hopefully listen to it, too." The material on the MOI disc occasionally features meager sound quality (as expected), but it contains many gems for the aficionado ("Run Home Slow," the hilarious "Right There," and "No Waiting for the Peanuts to Dissolve" stand out). This is a place for fans to salivate over bits and pieces, not for newcomers to get the full picture about Zappa's pre-1970 career. On the other hand, the performances on disc two are of more general appeal. Although the 1982 band had not really been documented yet (left only a few tracks on Vol. 1 and Vol. 4 of this series), it was not the case for its repertoire. Of historical significance are "Dead Girls of London" and "Shall We Take Ourselves Seriously?" The other tracks show good performances but don't stand out as particularly original or essential.
Tracks
Disc 1

1 The Downtown Talent Scout Zappa 4:01
2 Charles Ives Zappa 4:37
3 Here Lies Love Dobard, Martin 2:44
4 Piano/Drum Duet Zappa 1:57
5 Mozart Ballet MozartF 4:05
6 Chocolate Halvah Estrada, George 3:25
7 JCB & Kansas on the Bus #1 Barber, Black, Kanzus, Kunc 1:03
8 Run Home Slow: Main Title Theme 1:16
9 The Little March 1:20
10 Right There Estrada, Zappa 5:10
11 Where Is Johnny Velvet? 0:48
12 Return of the Hunch-Back Duke 1:44
13 Trouble Every Day Zappa 4:06
14 Proto-Minimalism 1:41
15 JCB & Kansas on the Bus #2 Barber, Black, Kanzus, Kunc 1:06
16 My Head Invention 1:22
17 Meow Zappa 1:23
18 Baked-Bean Boogie Zappa 3:26
19 Where's Our Equipment? Zappa 2:29
20 FZ/JCB Drum Duet Zappa 4:26
21 No Waiting for the Peanuts to Dissolve Zappa 4:45
22 A Game of Cards Sherwood, Tripp, Underwood, Zappa 0:44
23 Underground Freak-Out Music Zappa 3:51
24 German Lunch Zappa 6:43
25 My Guitar Wants to Kill YourMama Zappa 2:11
Disc 2

1 Easy Meat Zappa 7:38
2 The Dead Girls of London Zappa 2:29
3 Shall We Take Ourselves Seriously? Zappa 1:44
4 What's New in Baltimore? Zappa 5:03
5 Moggio Zappa 2:29
6 Dancin' Fool Zappa 3:12
7 RDNZL Zappa 7:58
8 Advance Romance Zappa 7:01
9 City of Tiny Lites Zappa 10:38
10 A Pound for a Brown on the Bus Zappa 8:38
11 Doreen Zappa 1:58
12 Black Page, No. 2 Zappa 9:56
13 Geneva Farewell 1:38

aCá

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4

2011-09-16T14:52:00.001-07:00

Like the first volume of the series, You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 4 was put together without a specific theme in mind. It has a little of everything, from straight rock songs to more complex numbers, from stage antics to guitar solos. All eras of Frank Zappa's career are visited (including tracks from the 1988 tour), but the '80s provided the majority of the material. Highlights include the only official recording of the live arrangement of "The Evil Prince," very different from the Thing-Fish version and truly a must-have for the fan; a rare performance of "Filthy Habits"; and impressive performances of "Stevie's Spanking" (with "Church Chat" explaining its story), "Disco Boy," and the challenging "Florentine Pogen." Doo wop lovers will appreciate the closing six-track medley that ends with "The Man From Utopia Meets Mary Lou." Those looking for historically significant recordings have only little bits to chew, like the 1969 improvisations "Are You Upset?" and "You Call That Music?" (the latter with Dave Samuels guesting on vibes), or "Tiny Sick Tears," an impersonation of Jim Morrison's Oedipus-inspired delirium. The real treat is the original version of "The Torture Never Stops," sang by Captain Beefheart over a blues motif -- not a fantastic music moment, but an important piece of Zappa history. Neglected songs, live rarities, old favorites: volume four aims at both the die-hard fan and the casual listener, but it probably doesn't fully satisfy either of them.
Tracks
Disc 1

1 Little Rubber Girl Walley, Zappa 2:57
2 Stick Together Zappa 2:04
3 My Guitar Wants to Kill YourMama Zappa 3:20
4 Willie the Pimp Zappa 2:07
5 Montana Zappa 5:47
6 Brown Moses Zappa 2:38
7 The Evil Prince Zappa 7:13
8 Approximate Zappa 1:49
9 Love of My Life Collins, Zappa 1:58
10 Let's Move to Cleveland [Solos] Zappa 7:11
11 You Call That Music? Zappa 4:07
12 Pound for a Brown [Solos 1978] Zappa 6:30
13 The Black Page [1984] Zappa 5:15
14 Take Me Out to the Ball Game Norworth, VonTilzer 3:02
15 Filthy Habits Zappa 5:40
16 The Torture Never Stops [Original Version] Zappa 9:15
Disc 2

1 Church Chat Zappa 2:00
2 Stevie's Spanking Zappa 10:51
3 Outside Now Zappa 6:10
4 Disco Boy Zappa 3:00
5 Teen-Age Wind Zappa 1:54
6 Truck Driver Divorce Zappa 4:47
7 Florentine Pogen Zappa 5:10
8 Tiny Sick Tears Zappa 4:30
9 Smell My Beard Duke, Zappa 4:30
10 The Booger Man Brick, Duke, Zappa 2:47
11 Carolina Hard Core Ecstasy Zappa 6:28
12 Are You Upset? Zappa 1:29
13 Little Girl of Mine Cox, Cox, Levy 1:41
14 The Closer You Are Lewis, Robinson 2:05
15 Johnny Darling Statton, Statton 0:52
16 No, No Cherry Ceasar, Gray, Grey 1:26
17 The Man from Utopia Meets Mary Lou Donald, Woods 1:16
18 Mary Lou Jesse, Jessie 2:14

aCá

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3

2011-09-16T14:43:00.000-07:00

Most of You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 3 is devoted the 1984 band which, at the time of this set's release, had not been properly documented (the live Does Humor Belong in Music? was made commercially available in the U.S. in 1995 only). Most of the material comes from late-'70s/early-'80s albums like Sheik Yerbouti, Joe's Garage, and You Are What You Is. Disc one is 1984 only (excerpt for a few edits in "Drowning Witch") and lacks interest. This band (Ike Willis, Ray White, Bobby Martin, Alan Zavod, Scott Thunes, Chad Wackerman) was competent but square and performances tended to resemble one another. Of significance for completists are "Ride My Face to Chicago," "Carol, You Fool," "Nig Biz," and "Chana in de Bushwop," all regular inclusions during that tour and unavailable elsewhere, but for the casual listener they hardly make the album worth buying. Disc two contains a few gems: the original version of "Dickie's Such an Asshole" (from December 1973), a slow and seductive "Zoot Allures" from 1975, and a 25-minute "King Kong" that collages wild performances from 1971 and 1982. Unless you happen to love the 1984 band, this volume is the weakest of the series.
Tracks
Disc 1

1 Sharleena Zappa 8:54
2 Bamboozled by Love/Owner of a Lonely Heart Anderson, Horn, Rabin, Squire, Zappa 6:06
3 Lucille Has Messed My Mind Up Zappa 2:52
4 Advance Romance [1984] Zappa 6:58
5 Bobby Brown Goes Down Zappa 2:44
6 Keep It Greasey Zappa 3:30
7 Honey, Don't You Want a Man Like Me? Zappa 4:16
8 In France Zappa 3:01
9 Drowning Witch Zappa 9:22
10 Ride My Face to Chicago Zappa 4:22
11 Carol, You Fool Zappa 4:06
12 Chana in de Bushwop Zappa, Zappa 4:52
13 Joe's Garage Zappa 2:20
14 Why Does It Hurt When I Pee? Zappa 3:07
Disc 2

1 Dickie's Such an Asshole Zappa 10:08
2 Hands With a Hammer Bozzio 3:18
3 Zoot Allures Zappa 6:09
4 Society Pages Zappa 2:32
5 I'm a Beautiful Guy Zappa 1:54
6 Beauty Knows No Pain Zappa 2:55
7 Charlie's Enormous Mouth Zappa 3:39
8 Cocaine Decisions Zappa 3:14
9 Nig Biz Zappa 4:58
10 King Kong Zappa 24:32
11 Cosmik Debris Zappa 5:14

aCá

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 2

2011-09-15T16:31:00.000-07:00

In his contract with Ryko, Frank Zappa had to put together 12 CDs worth of live material for the series You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore. The fact that he decided to devote two of them (all of Vol. 2) to a Helsinki concert from 1974 illustrates how good and representative he thought it was -- and he was right. This two-CD set features the 1973-1974 band (Napoleon Murphy Brock, George Duke, Ruth Underwood, Tom Fowler, Chester Thompson) near the end of their tour, in a concert in faraway Finland on September 22, 1974 (there were actually two concerts performed that day and, as usual, Zappa edited the best moments together). The set list comes mostly from the Roxy & Elsewhere repertoire, except that here the songs are taken at a faster tempo and free of the overdubs found on the original album. "Echidna's Arf (Of You)" and "Don't You Ever Wash That Thing?" are very exciting, but without the vocal overdubs "Cheepnis" feels empty. But the treats lie elsewhere, as in the playful "Inca Roads" (Zappa used the guitar solo from this concert for the One Size Fits All version); "RDNZL," still a work-in-progress at the time; the unreleased "Approximate" (including hilarious stage craziness); and "T'Mershi Duween." The band is in great shape, Zappa being particularly witty and good-humored. When a member of the audience requests the Allman Brothers song "Whipping Post," he spontaneously rewrites the lyrics to "Montana" -- and backup vocalists Brock and Duke have to adapt! For fans of the man's complex, progressive rock-tinged music of the mid-'70s, this is a must-have, even though it also contains very average moments ("Dupree's Paradise," for instance). Sound quality is very good, superior to any bootleg from this period.

Tracks
Disc 1

1 Tush Tush Tush (A Token of My Extreme) Zappa 2:47
2 Stinkfoot Zappa 4:20
3 Inca Roads Zappa 10:54
4 RDNZL Zappa 8:43
5 Village of the Sun Zappa 4:33
6 Echidna's Arf (Of You) Zappa 3:30
7 Don't You Ever Wash That Thing? Zappa 4:56
8 Pygmy Twylyte Zappa 8:22
9 Room Service Zappa 6:22
10 The Idiot Bastard Son Zappa 2:39
11 Cheepnis Zappa 4:28

Disc 2

1 Approximate Zappa 8:12
2 Dupree's Paradise Zappa 23:59
3 Satumaa [Finnish Tango] Mononen 3:51
4 T'Mershi Duween Zappa 1:31
5 The Dog Breath Variations Zappa 1:38
6 Uncle Meat Zappa 2:28
7 Building a Girl Zappa 1:00
8 Montana (Whipping Floss) Zappa 10:15
9 Big Swifty Zappa 2:16

aCá1

acá2

Frank Zappa - You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1

2011-09-14T14:36:00.000-07:00

While most of the other volumes in the You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore series would be compiled around loose themes (whether topical or historical), this first volume contained a little of everything for everyone. The material spans most of Frank Zappa's career, from 1969 live recordings by the original Mothers of Invention (the medley "Let's Make the Water Turn Black/Harry, You're a Beast/The Orange County Lumber Truck" constitutes a highlight) up to the 1984 tour, with about every incarnation of his group in-between. The music is also quite varied, but focuses mainly on songs, with a few instrumentals and moments of live craziness thrown in for good measure. Special points of interest include "Once Upon a Time," a segment from the lost 1970-1971 "Sofa Suite," which provides important elements of conceptual continuity; a performance of "The Groupie Routine" from the same period, which when compared to the previously available version of this Flo & Eddie comedy routine (as "Do You Like My New Car?" on Fillmore East, June 1971) shows how much improvisation the singers poured in their parts; and examples of stage humor ("Ruthie-Ruthie," "Diseases of the Band"). But the real treat is the complete performance of the suite "Don't Eat the Yellow Snow" from 1979, replete with audience participation (spontaneous poetry!) and the finale "Rollo," not officially released before. You Can't Do That on Stage Anymore, Vol. 1 addresses both the dedicated fan and the casual listener.
Tracks
Disc 1

Title
Composer
Time
1 The Florida Airport Tape Kaylan, Volman, Zappa 1:03
2 Once upon a Time Zappa 4:37
3 Sofa No. 1 Zappa 2:53
4 The Mammy Anthem Zappa 5:41
5 You Didn't Try to Call Me Zappa 3:39
6 Diseases of the Band Zappa 2:22
7 Tryin' to Grow a Chin Zappa 3:44
8Let's Make the Water Turn Black/Harry, You're a Beast/The Orange ... Zappa 3:27
9 The Groupie Routine Zappa 5:41
10 Ruthie-Ruthie Berry, Brock 2:57
11 Babbette Zappa 3:35
12 I'm the Slime Zappa 3:13
13 Big Swifty Zappa 8:46
14 Don't Eat the Yellow Snow Zappa 20:16
Disc 2

1 Plastic People Berry, Zappa 4:38
2 The Torture Never Stops Zappa 15:48
3 Fine Girl Zappa 2:55
4 Zomby Woof Zappa 5:39
5 Sweet Leilani Owens 2:39
6 Oh No Zappa 4:34
7 Be in My Video Zappa 3:29
8 The Deathless Horsie Zappa 5:29
9 The Dangerous Kitchen Zappa 1:49
10 Dumb All Over Zappa 4:20
11 Heavenly Bank Account Zappa 4:05
12 Suicide Chump Zappa 4:55
13 Tell Me You Love Me Zappa 2:09
14 Sofa No. 2 Zappa 3:00
aCá

The Unthanks - Last

2011-09-06T14:40:00.000-07:00

The second album from the Unthanks (third if you include the early effort they recorded with a different lineup as Rachel Unthank & the Winterset), Last is a striking fusion of British folk music with austere, arty pop, featuring adventurous arrangements and dynamics that recall acts like Tindersticks, Sufjan Stevens, and American Music Club. The vocals by Rachel Unthank and her sister Becky Unthank are beautiful and executed with an impressive skill and unaffected emotional force, and the spare but powerful arrangements, usually built around piano and a small string section, give this music a subtle majesty, dramatically forceful without grandstanding. The group has gathered a diverse range of material for these sessions, including traditional British folk numbers, songs by contemporary songwriters ranging from Jon Redfern to Tom Waits, and even a cover of King Crimson's "Starless," but the Unthanks manage to make all of it sound like their own work, transforming these ten songs into a seamless whole as the often dour tones of the tunes cohere into something dark yet strangely gorgeous. With the measured tempos, subtle musical backings, and ethereal vocals by the Unthank sisters, Last suggests British folk's answer to Low's Secret Name, but just as on that fine album, this is music that doesn't wallow in sadness or troubled moods for its own sake, but as an exploration of how the tragic often carries the same weight as the joyous in the human heart. Last is not the sort of music you'll want to play at a party on a Friday night, but if you're looking for the proper accompaniment as you ponder life's twists and turns on a rainy Sunday afternoon, the Unthanks will give you all the deeply shaded wisdom you could use.
aCá

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Mirror Traffic

2011-08-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

Tempting though it may be, Mirror Traffic is not quite Stephen Malkmus' response to the 2010 reunion of Pavement. Malkmus and the Jicks entered the studio with Beck prior to Pavement’s international 2010 tour, so any passing similarities Mirror Traffic may have to Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain aren’t a reflection of his ‘90s band bleeding back into the Jicks but perhaps an indication that he was now ready to scale back the thick guitar haze of the 2000s and return to easy elegance. Certainly, the Jicks rage and roar -- “Senator” stutters from riff to solo, “Tune Grief” gallops along headstrong -- but the winding jams have been cut away so the brief blasts of sonic ballast are one of the many colors on an album with a rather large palette. Beck doesn’t clutter the record with unnecessary textures but encourages Malkmus and the Jicks to take detours, so Mirror Traffic winds up playing something like a focused update on Wowee Zowee. Unlike Face the Truth, a similarly kaleidoscopic pop album, there’s a casualness to Mirror Traffic that is immensely appealing: when the summer psychedelia of “Tigers” gives way to the folky pluckings of “No One Is (As I Are Be)” or when the loping guitar pileup of “Forever 28” slides into “All Over Gently”'s country-rock by way of the Velvet Underground, Malkmus never calls attention to his tonal or stylistic shifts -- it all just rolls along lazily yet with purpose. For as relaxed as Mirror Traffic is, there is real structure to the songs and clarity to the production, two things that turn it into Malkmus’ most satisfying solo album to date.
1 Tigers Malkmus 2:24
2 No One Is (As I Are Be) Malkmus 3:58
3 Senator Malkmus 4:25
4 Brain Gallop Malkmus 5:02
5 Jumblegloss Malkmus 1:13
6 Asking Price Malkmus 2:41
7 Stick Figures in Love Malkmus 3:45
8 Spazz Malkmus 2:38
9 Long Hard Book Malkmus 2:48
10 Share the Red Malkmus 5:19
11 Tune Grief Malkmus 2:19
12 Forever 28 Malkmus 3:35
13 All Over Gently Malkmus 3:10
14 Fall Away Malkmus 2:18
15 Gorgeous Georgie Malkmus 5:00
acá

Santo & Johnny - The Best of Santo & Johnny

2011-08-26T05:01:00.000-07:00

Best remembered for their instrumental guitar classic "Sleepwalk," brothers Santo and Johnny Farina were born and raised in Brooklyn. Inspired by the country music he heard on the radio, Santo adopted the steel guitar as a teen, and at age 14 he formed an instrumental trio, soon after writing his first original songs. In time he began teaching his younger sibling Johnny to play standard electric guitar, and they started performing as a duo. Santo & Johnny debuted in 1959 with "Sleepwalk" for the tiny Brooklyn label Trinity Records, a hauntingly atmospheric instrumental they'd composed with the aid of their mother. The single became a major local favorite and was then licensed to the Canadian-American imprint, where it topped the Billboard pop charts in August of that year.

Santo & Johnny soon issued their self-titled debut LP, also notching a hit with their follow-up single "Teardrops"; however, the duo's popularity quickly slid, although they issued five more albums for Canadian-American -- among them 1960's Encore and 1963's Offshore -- before the company dissolved in 1965. Two years later the siblings signed to Imperial to release The Brilliant Guitar Sounds of Santo & Johnny; three other efforts followed before Imperial, too, closed in 1968. More popular internationally than at home, Santo & Johnny continued to record well into the following decade, typically landing on little-known Italian labels; the duo finally disbanded in 1976, with Santo continuing on as a solo act.
Review
by Andrew Hamilton
This features "Sleepwalk" and others by the twosome who carved a niche for themselves by bending notes like rubber bands. Mellow mood music that will fit many sets and situations. Besides many originals, they also delight on popular tunes like "A Thousand Miles Away," "Over the Rainbow," and "Crying in the Chapel."
Tracks

1 Sleepwalk Farina, Farina, Farina 2:21
2 All Night Diner Farina, Farina, Farina 1:56
3 Tear Drop Farina, Farina, Farina 2:07
4 Caravan [Stereo] Ellington, Mills, Tizol 2:34
5 Summertime [Stereo] Gershwin, Gershwin, Heyward 2:47
6 Lazy Day [Stereo] Farina, Farina, Farina 2:25
7 Anna [Stereo] Giordano 2:50
8 Twistin' Bells Farina, Farina, Farina 2:19
9 Bulls-Eye Farina, Farina, Farina 2:18
10 Hop Scotch Farina, Farina, Farina 1:55
11 Theme from Come September Darin 1:53
12 I'll Remember (In the Still of the Night) [Stereo] Parris 2:17
13 A Thousand Miles Away Miller, Sheppard 2:55
14 Over the Rainbow [Stereo] Arlen, Harburg 2:07
15 Crying in the Chapel [Stereo] Glenn 2:08
16 Venus [Stereo] Marshall 2:14
17 School Days [Stereo] Berry 2:44
18 You Belong to Me [Stereo] King, Price, Stewart 2:08
19 Deep Purple [Stereo] DeRose, Parish 2:40
20 Blue Moon [Stereo] Hart, Rodgers 2:00
21 Dream Lover [Stereo] Darin 1:47
22 Save the Last Dance for Me [Stereo] Pomus, Shuman 2:53
23 Canadian Sunset [Stereo] Gimbel, Heywood 2:20
24 Tenderly [Stereo] Gross, Lawrence 2:32

acá

Bruce Springsteen - The River

2011-08-16T18:09:00.000-07:00

Imbedded within the double-disc running time of The River is a single-disc album that follows up on the themes and sound of Darkness on the Edge of Town -- wide-screen, midtempo rock and stories of the disillusionment of working-class life and the conflicts within families. In these songs, which include the title track, "Independence Day," and "Point Blank," Bruce Springsteen's world-view is just as dire as it had become on Darkness, but less judgmental. "Independence Day," for example, is a father-and-son ballad that has little of the anger of its hard rock counterpart on Darkness, "Adam Raised a Cain." Springsteen's heroes again seek to overcome their crushing troubles through defiance and by driving around, and though "The River" repeats the soured love theme of "Racing in the Street," he also posits romance as a possible escape, sometimes combining it with one of the other solutions, as on the eight-plus-minute "Drive All Night." But there is also another album lurking within The River, and it is a more lighthearted pop/rock collection of short, sometimes humorous songs like "Sherry Darling" and "I'm a Rocker." At times Springsteen combines elements of the two, as on "Out in the Street," perhaps the album's quintessential song, a catchy, uptempo number that sounds like something from the early '60s and echoes the theme of the Vogues' 1966 hit "Five O'Clock World." "Hungry Heart," which became Springsteen's first Top Ten hit, combines a rollicking musical track with a more sober lyrical theme that emphasizes longing over disappointment. But a better guide to Springsteen's development are the songs "Stolen Car" and the album-closing "Wreck on the Highway," gentle, moody ballads imbued with a sense of hopelessness that anticipate his next record, Nebraska.

aCá

Erroll Garner - Contrasts

2011-08-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

It was a typical recording session for pianist Erroll Garner. With his regular trio of the period (bassist Wyatt Ruther and drummer Fats Heard) plus Candido, Garner recorded 24 songs (all first takes) on July 27, 1954. 13 of the pieces are on this 1998 CD reissue, including the earliest recorded version of his big hit "Misty." Other highlights include "I've Got the World on a String," a lengthy "7-11 Jump," "There's a Small Hotel" and "I've Got to Be a Rugcutter." Erroll Garner never recorded an uninspired solo, and this CD is as good a place as any to explore his joyful music.

aCá

Erroll Garner - Concert by the Sea

2011-08-16T17:51:00.000-07:00

Concert by the Sea was arguably the finest record pianist Erroll Garner ever made, and he made many -- a few outstanding -- good recordings. But this live recording (September 19, 1955) with his trio (Eddie Calhoun, bass; Denzil Best, drums) presented a typical Garner program; it was a mixture of originals, show biz, and pop standards delivered with his unique delivery and enthusiasm. The rhythms and brilliant use of tension and release were perfectly captured. And while for many jazz listeners, Garner's deliberate structures were too orchestrated, there was an equal spontaneity in the propulsion of these orchestrations that swung as well as anything.

aCá

Psychedelic Guitar Circus

2011-08-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

1 On Broadway Leiber, Mann, Stoller, Weil 3:05
2 She Caught the Katy Mahal, Rachell 3:10
3 Skil Trik Mandel 4:15
4 Mizrab/India Coltrane, Szabo 3:15
5 Jumpin' at Shadows Bennett 4:45
6 West Coast Salegy Kaiser 6:15
7 The Wayback Machine Kimock 5:35
8 Bues for Sun Ra/InterstellarOverdrive Barrett, Kaiser, Kimock, Mason… 12:20
9 Up from the Skies Hendrix 4:55
10 Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) Lennon, McCartney 3:05
11 The Serpent Mandel 5:20
12 Sandy the Pelican Adams, Kaiser, Shock, Wold 4:25
13 Teardrop Farina 4:30

Henry Kaiser Guitar
Steve Kimock Guitar
Harvey Mandel Guitar
Freddie Roulette Guitar

aCá

T-Bone Walker - Born to Be No Good

2011-08-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

With his mix of rough and soft, hot and cool, T-Bone Walker was the prototype for electric guitar slingers everywhere, and while his generally urbane and decidedly jazz approach to playing often gets lost in the T-Bone legend, the fact remains that he was one sweet guitarist. This collection, which concentrates on his earliest 1946-1948 sides for Black & White Records, exhibits a solid case for Walker's historic placement in the lexicon of electric guitar, and although he seldom really cuts loose on these tracks, when he does, the sparks fly with elegant tension. For all his skill, Walker worked in a fairly narrow window, and hearing several of his songs in a row can make them all kind of melt and merge together, so casual listeners should be ready for that. But Walker rewards careful listening. Standing at the junction of blues, jazz and R&B, he brought a little something to all these genres, and with "Stormy Monday" (the original 1947 version is included here), he gave the world a bona fide classic.

aCá

Lightnin' Hopkins -Texas Blues

2011-08-03T15:01:00.000-07:00

Recorded between 1961 and 1969, Texas Blues gets to the essence of Lightnin' Hopkins' music, delivering a fine sampling of his guitar work as well as the superior sense of humor which sends cuts like "Bald Headed Woman" and "Meet You at the Chicken Shack" over the top.

aCá

CocoRosie - Grey Oceans

2011-07-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

Grey Oceans' unfortunate cover art is a reminder of everything that can be seen as irritating about CocoRosie -- a pity, because there is a lot of beauty on this album. Sierra and Bianca Casady's songwriting and approach matured in the three years between these songs and The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn; even though it still sounds like Ouija boards and wax cylinders are vital pieces of equipment for them, Grey Oceans has a more expansive and polished sound than any of the sisters’ previous albums, and they don’t try to fill each song to the brim with sonic doodles. “Trinity’s Crying” begins the album by proving that CocoRosie sound as witchy as ever with its mix of odd samples and acoustic instruments, but as its coolly hypnotic vibe unfolds, it’s clear that it was made in a more professional setting than, say, a Paris apartment. “R.I.P. Burn Face” also shows how far the duo have come since Ghosthorse and Stillborn, fusing warbling synths, wandering beats, and a delicate melody into a song that is equally sophisticated and ethereal. Grey Oceans' arrangements and instrumentation are also among CocoRosie's finest. “Lemonade,” for example, captures summer’s idyllic beauty by melding a melody that sounds like it could be from a long-lost Broadway musical with trip-hop-tinged beats, electro synths, and brass. Not all of the album’s daring combinations work as well, though -- for every inspired turn like “Fairy Paradise,” which fashions static into a ghostly but persistent beat, there’s a song like “The Moon Asked the Crow,” which, with its mix of gamelan, classical piano, hip-hop beats, and a train whistle, puts too many ideas into play at once. More importantly, the whimsy that sounded charming on the Casadys’ previous albums ends up holding them back here. “Hopscotch”'s switch from rinky-dink pianos to jungle-inspired breakbeats is daring but jarring, and the keening, Joanna Newsom/Björk quality to the sisters’ vocals sounds grating. Meanwhile, “Here I Come”'s pitch-shifted recitation of phrases like “A hollycaust/A pussy wussy willow” is plain off-putting. At their best, the Casady sisters’ music borrows from folk, electronic, pop, world, jazz, and whatever else suits their fancies with innovative boldness. Not all of Grey Oceans' experiments and changes succeed, but enough of them do to suggest that CocoRosie can gain a wider audience without sacrificing their essence. While they have many good ideas, sometimes they have too many good ideas at once and end up gilding the lily (or putting a blue fake fur mustache on it, as the case may be).
aCá

Capleton - Reign of fire

2011-07-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

Offering a satisfying set of righteous reggae that is more laid-back than usual, Capleton once again combines roots grooves with the computerized sounds of the time on Reign of Fire. Known as "the Prophet" on his island home of Jamaica, Capleton pulls the music back here, but his lyrics are still rebellious darts, mostly directed toward the powers that be and the irresponsible. Warning of the cleansing fire, Capleton calls out the oppressors on "That Day Will Come" and eagerly awaits the day "the wicked men will have nowhere to run." It's a powerful track, matched in intensity by "Wise Up People," "Who Yuh Callin' Nigga," and the fantastic "Or Wah," which is just about the catchiest prophecy of fire and brimstone the man has ever released. "Real Hot" and "In Her Heart" -- which utilizes the slick and infectious "Chrome Riddim" -- give digital nods to current dancehall, but while other dancehall vocalists go for fast verbalizing, Capleton gets his aggression across through his writing. His soulful delivery also makes the lyrics easier to understand for non-islanders who will find his writing and stance closer to Tosh than Marley. With plenty of fully formed tracks by producer Bobby "Digital" Dixon, Reign of Fire ends up an excellent introduction to the singer. With its urgent lyrics and certain delivery, longtime fans will have little to complain about.
aCá

Daniel Johnston - The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered

2011-07-07T05:56:00.000-07:00

Daniel Johnston is a cult figure rather than an artist with a mainstream following for two important reasons: while Johnston is a truly gifted songwriter, his lyrics are often so painfully intimate and obsessively personal that much of his best work is difficult to listen to without feeling like a voyeur, and his skills as a performer are rudimentary at best, with Johnston's quavering, tuneless voice and primitive instrumental accompaniment enough to drive away most listeners unless they're determined to listen past the inept technique to hear the songs hidden within. In 1994, Kathy McCarty, a friend and admirer of Johnston, stepped forward to address the dilemma of his songs versus his recordings by making the album Dead Dog's Eyeball, in which she sang 19 of his songs, accompanied by imaginative and beautifully executed arrangements. The Late Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered attempts to do something similar but with a more ambitious agenda -- disc one of this set features 18 different artists each covering a favorite Daniel Johnston tune, ranging from Tom Waits and Beck to Bright Eyes and Death Cab for Cutie, while disc two features Johnston's original recordings of the same songs in the same sequence. Presumably the idea is that new listeners, once they've grown to appreciate the songs in relatively sugarcoated form, will then be able to move on to investigate Johnston's songs in their pure form.

There is a flaw in this thinking -- while the covers on disc one range from good to excellent and in the liner notes most of the musicians make brief but coherent arguments in support of their choices, the original versions on disc two don't make for an especially strong Daniel Johnston's Greatest Hits album, with a number of key songs missing in action. (Johnston himself has compiled a much stronger overview of his work, Welcome to My World.) But the tribute disc has enough pearly moments to compensate -- Tom Waits' full brio interpretation of "King Kong," Calvin Johnson's craggy voice merging with the angst of "Sorry Entertainer," Sparklehorse and the Flaming Lips joining forces for a grand-scale cover of "Go," and Jad Fair embracing "My Life Is Starting Over Again" with help from Teenage Fanclub. Disc two also includes song lyrics, samples of Johnston's artwork, and a video for the song "Rock This Town," all of which can be accessed via your computer's CD-ROM drive. As a testimony to the artistry of Daniel Johnston, Discovered Covered isn't quite up to the standard of Dead Dog's Eyeball, but as an all-star (or semi-star) celebration of an often marginalized artist, it's engaging stuff that never loses sight of the beauty and gravity of these songs.
Tracks
Disc 1

1 My Life Is Starting Over Again 2:10
2 Don't Let the Sun Go Down onYour Grievances 4:08
3 Impossible Love 4:49
4 Living Life 2:48
5 Walking the Cow 4:44
6 Good Morning You 3:00
7 Sorry Entertainer 3:01
8 Devil Town 3:06
9 Dream Scream 6:58
10 True Love Will Find You in the End 3:23
11 Go 4:31
12 Blue Clouds 4:43
13 Love Not Dead 3:26
14 Like a Money in the Zoo 5:20
15 Dead Lovers Twisted Heart 3:41
16 Story of an Artist 4:20
17 The Sun Shines Down on Me 3:06
18 King Kong 5:31
Disc 2

1 My Life Is Starting Over Again 2:05
2 Don't Let the Sun Go Down onYour Grievances 3:18
3 Impossible Love 2:55
4 Living Life 2:38
5 Walking the Cow 3:34
6 Good Morning You 1:12
7 Sorry Entertainer 2:17
8 Devil Town 1:02
9 Dream Scream 4:49
10 True Love Will Find You in the End 1:45
11 Go 3:47
12 Blue Clouds 3:21
13 Love Not Dead 4:07
14 Like a Monkey in the Zoo 2:40
15 Dead Lovers Twisted Heart 1:13
16 Story of an Artist 4:56
17 The Sun Shines Down on Me 2:00
18 King Kong 5:42
19 Rock This Town 8:46

aCá

The Dead Weather - Sea of Cowards

2011-06-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

Sea of Cowards arrived less than a year after the Dead Weather's debut, Horehound, an album that sounded like a bootleg of a 3 a.m. jam session -- not a surprise, really, considering that the idea for the band came out of impromptu playing at Jack White's house. It’s also unsurprising that the Dead Weather evolved quickly, given that the group went from releasing Horehound to touring to recording again almost nonstop. Sea of Cowards isn’t a radical change from Horehound’s smoky, sludgy sound -- if anything,White, Alison Mosshart, Dean Fertita, and Jack Lawrence go even deeper into their classic rock and blues fetishes -- but it feels more organic, the product of a band instead of four separate personalities. A quick glance at the album’s liner notes shows they wrote these songs in almost every conceivable combination, yet Sea of Cowards sounds more cohesive: dense and charged like the air just before a rainstorm, replete with fat basslines and heavy organ solos equally inspired by ‘70s album rock and silent movie scores. Most ofHorehound's loose ends have been trimmed, but Sea of Cowards still has plenty of weird moments. Witness the lunging lead single and album opener “Blue Blood Blues,” which shows just how much more solid and dynamic the Dead Weather became since their debut -- and also features breathy backing vocals that are more than a little creepy. Sea of Cowardsalso fulfills Horehound's promise of letting Mosshart be the band’s frontwoman. She carries many of these songs, adding spark and shade to their monochromatic tones. “The Difference Between Us” is a particularly bright spotlight for her, showcasing her intense vocals as the band’s blues-rock takes on a dark, sci-fi pop edge thanks to an eerie keyboard riff. Her interplay with White is also more intuitive and exciting: on “Hustle and Cuss,” they switch between singing lead and harmony, with White taking a high part and Mosshartthe commanding low; on the trippy blues-metal workout “I’m Mad,” their voices are almost interchangeable, suggesting they could be brother and sister. Like Horehound, most of Sea of Cowards' songs grapple with the yin-yang of love and hate, with “Die by the Drop” and “Gasoline” yielding some of the most potent results. The album’s deviations from the Dead Weather's signature sound are also more distinct than they were on Horehound, but Sea of Cowards' weirdest track is all White's: “Old Mary,” a psychedelic dirge that plays on the verses of the Catholic prayer “Hail Mary,” closes the album on a unique, if unsettling, note.Sea of Cowards is often cryptic and almost always unrepentantly old-fashioned, its A-side featuring most of the singles and its B-side playing like one long jam. White and company make almost no concessions to their audience, and fewer songs stand out here than they did on Horehound. And yet, this is a more satisfying album overall. Fortunately, Sea of Cowards' mysteries are more intriguing than frustrating.

aCá

LAST CHANCE TO Rollingstone collection on demand - re up

2011-06-11T15:19:00.000-07:00

dos

tres.1

tres.2

seis

Neil Young - A TREASURE (2011)

2011-06-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

A Treasure (Archives Vol.9) de Neil Young incluye grabaciones en directo de los años 1984/1985 con la banda International Harvesters.

"A mediados de los 80 toqué con Rufus Thibodeaux en el violín. Era grande. El difunto Ben Keith, el gran Ben Keith. Tenemos a Spooner Oldham en el piano en algunos de los cortes, en la gran mayoría de los cortes. También tenemos a Tim Drummond en el bajo, que todavía está en el planeta y meneándose. Tim Drummond es un gran bajista, es increíble, como también lo es Joe Allen. En las últimas canciones del álbum está Joe Allen en el bajo, comienza alrededor de 'Southern Pacific'", comenta Young.

El álbum contiene 12 canciones, 5 de ellas inéditas, que han sido extraídas de la gira americana de 1984-85. Esta fue una época complicada en la carrera de Neil Young; sin un disco nuevo y con problemas legales con la que entonces era su discográfica por su excesiva orientación al country, Neil salió a la carretera rodeado de un grupo de músicos de lujo. Bajo el nombre de The International Harvesters, Neil Young agrupó a algunos de los mejores músicos country; Ben Keith, Rufus Thibodeaux, Spooner Oldham, Tim Drummond, Joe Allen o Hargus "Pig" Robbins.

Las grabaciones han sido mezcladas y masterizadas por Tim Mulligan. "Me encanta este disco" ha declarado Neil Young. "No había escuchado estas cintas desde hace 25 años, pero cuando las recuperamos, el co productor Ben Keith dijo 'Esto es un tesoro'".
http://www.lahiguera.net

Amber Jean
Are You Ready For The Country?
It Might Have Been
Bound For Glory
Let Your Fingers Do The Walking
Flying On The Ground Is Wrong
Motor City
Soul Of A Woman
Get Back To The Country
Southern Pacific
Nothing Is Perfect
Grey Rider

aCá

Rollingstone collection on demand - re up

2011-06-05T05:24:00.000-07:00

aCá 2
aCá 3
aCá 6

Tedeschi Trucks Band - REVELATOR

2011-06-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

Revelator is the debut studio album from the 11-piece Tedeschi-Trucks Band, who already have a reputation as a wildly exciting live jam group. That said, the record that Susan Tedeschi and husband Derek Trucks have recorded proves something beyond their well-founded reputation as a live unit: that they can write, perform, and produce great songs that capture the authentic, emotional fire and original arrangements that so many modern blues and roots recordings lack. The duo forged their two individual solo bands (Trucks remains with the Allman Brothers Band) and added some other players. Oteil and Kofi Burbridge and Mike Mattison, as well as drummers Tyler Greenwell and J.J. Johnson are on board, as well as backing vocalists and a horn section. Produced by Trucks and Jim Scott, these 12 songs seamlessly meld blues, rock, Southern soul, gospel, and funk traditions into a heady, honest brew. The record also showcases Tedeschi as one of the finest vocal stylists in roots music, and Trucks, who has become the true heir of Duane Allman in his slide tone as well as his sense of taste and restraint. More than this, Revelator offers proof that this pair and their bandmates are serious songwriters. While the single, "Midnight in Harlem," highlights the softer, soulful side of the band with Tedeschi's croon and Trucks' swooning slide, it's the harder numbers that fill out the story. The sexy opener "Come See About Me," the bluesy, gospelized "Don't Let Me Slide" (one of two cuts written by Trucks with Jayhawk Gary Louris), the second-line funk-blues of "Bound for Glory" with its punchy horns; all of these offer evidence of the real depth that this band abundantly possesses. There's the skittering, slow-tempo guitar and B-3 soul-blues of "Simple Things," and the New Orleans-style horns introducing "Until You Remember," which can distract the listener -- for a moment -- from experiencing these songs for what they are, until Tedeschi opens her mouth and lets the lyrics come up from her belly and drip from her lips and Trucks matches her emotion in his solo: these are love songs. We haven't heard any like them since Delaney & Bonnie! The Eastern tinge in Trucks' playing enters in the psychedelic blues "These Walls," tempered by the power of his wife's vocal. The nasty, funky, Hendrixian droning blues of "Learn How to Love" is textured by Kofi's funky clavinet and Wurlitzer. Speaking of funk, Tedeschi takes her own smoking guitar break in "Love Has Something Else to Say," a slamming, break-ridden funk tune that should have been the single. It combines hard Southern Stax-styled rhythm, soul, blues, and nasty-assed rock for a show stealer. Revelator is a roots record that sets a modern standard even as it draws its inspiration from the past. It's got everything a listener could want: grit, groove, raw, spiritual emotion, and expert-level musical truth.
AcÁ

The Best of Marcos Valle: Carioca Soul

2011-05-28T05:21:00.000-07:00

Marcos Valle was the Renaissance man of Brazilian pop, a singer/songwriter/producer who straddled the country's music world from the early days of the bossa nova craze well into the fusion-soaked sound of '80s MPB. Though his reputation in America never quite compared to contemporaries like Caetano Veloso, Milton Nascimento, Gilberto Gil, or even Tom Zé, Valle is one of the most important and popular performers in the history of Brazilian pop.

Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1943, Valle studied classical music as a child but listened to many different types of music, especially jazz. He began writing songs with his brother Paulo Sérgio -- Marcos was the tune writer, Paulo the lyricist -- in the early '60s, and after Tamba Trio found a hit with his "Sonho de Maria," Valle was named Brazil's Leading Composer of the Year at the age of 19. A recording contract soon followed, and in 1964 he released his first album, Samba Demais, for EMI Brazil. A tour with Sergio Mendes & Brasil '65 the following year brought his first show business connections in America (via Merv Griffin), and in 1966 Walter Wanderley took Valle's song "So Nice (Summer Samba)" into the U.S. Top 40. Valle soon earned his own American contract, and in 1967, Warner Bros. released the instrumentals album Braziliance! One year later, his Verve debut, Samba '68, became a Brazilian classic thanks to simple, infectious pop songs like "Batucada," "Chup, Chup, I Got Away," and "Crickets Sing for Anamaria" (all of which featured spot-on harmony vocals by his wife, Anamaria).

Despite the incredible promise revealed by Samba '68, it was his last American album to date. That same year, the Brazilian-only Viola Enluarada became a big hit in South America, thanks in part to the title track (with vocals by a young Milton Nascimento). The rock & roll era that had already influenced tropicalistas like Os Mutantes, Caetano Veloso, and Gilberto Gil soon began inspiring Valle as well. With albums like the irresistible 1971 classic Garra, he moved away from native Brazilian forms like the bossa nova and samba and into a rock-influenced sound that played up groove-heavy bass and smooth funk even while courting his amazing melodic sense. He continued recording for EMI until he moved to America in 1975. There, he wrote and arranged tracks for Eumir Deodato, Airto Moreira, and Chicago. He continued to record solo albums during the early '80s, adding electronics and smooth production techniques to the mix with surprisingly solid results, but also moved into writing music (often with Paulo) for films and novellas, including the theme to Brazil's version of Sesame Street.

During the late '80s, the rare-groove craze centered in London resurrected and relentlessly compiled dozens of crucial overlooked tracks from the '60s and '70s, including Valle's "Crickets Sing for Anamaria." In 1995, the British label Mr. Bongo released a two-volume series (The Essential Marcos Valle) dedicated to his work. One year later, Valle appeared on the jam session compilation Friends from Rio, and in 1998 returned with a new album, Nova Bossa Nova. That same year, the Lumiar label released The Marcos Valle Songbook, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, including new versions of Valle standards by Gal Costa, Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethania, Edu Lobo, Joyce, Chico Buarque, Joao Bosco, and Azymuth, among others. The new millennium heralded another studio album, Escape, as well as prescient Japanese reissues from his late-'60s/early-'70s peak. Additional albums followed during the 2000s, including Contrasts (2003) and Jet Samba (2005), as well as the live Conecta ao Vivo No Cinematheque (2008). He entered the new decade with another new studio album, 2010's Estática.

Tracks

1 On Line Valle 5:56
2 Nova Visual Valle 4:15
3 Parabens Bond, Valle 8:33
4 Os Grilos Valle, Valle 5:47
5 Nordeste Valle 6:48
6 Escape Valle 5:42
7 Nova Bossa Nova Valle 4:05
8 Apaixonada por Você Valle 5:44
9 Valeu Joyce, Valle 4:46
10 Poweride Valle 7:56
11 Samba de Verao (Summer Samba) Valle, Valle 4:26
12 Mentira Valle 4:02
13 Batucada Surgio Valle, Valle 3:26
aCá

V.A. - Rolling Stone Collection: 25 Years of Essential Rock (1993)

2011-05-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

Not everyone who was a rock music fan during at least part of the 25 years covered by the seven CDs in this collection will agree on what was the most "essential rock" of this era. Since this collection is associated with Rolling Stone magazine, you would be correct if you assumed that some of the magazine's favorite artists would be included here: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, The Who, Prince, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Byrds, and Talking Heads. But also here are cuts by Led Zeppelin, a group the magazine generally did not consider to be anything special. The collection includes one #1 hit single, "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner; many non-hits, such as "The Crystal Ship", the B-side of the Doors #1 smash, "Light My Fire" (which is not included in this collection); some well-regarded efforts that were only available as album tracks; and some selections that are unknown singles by unknown artists to most rock fans, such as "See No Evil" by Television. For most potential buyers it will include some selections they already have on a CD and others they've never heard before. It may even introduce them to some artists they will grow to love. By the way, the sound quality of this collection is uniformly excellent. - amazon.com

The Rolling Stone Collection - 25 Years Of Essential Rock (1993 US 110-track 7-CD box set from Rolling Stone magazine in conjunction with Time-Life Music, featuring material from 1969-1992 including tracks by Bob Dylan, Donovan, The Doors, Cream, The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Ramones, Wings, Elton John, Sex Pistols, U2, The Clash and many more.

aCá 1 aCá 2 aCá 3 aCá 4 aCá 5 aCá 6 aCá 7

Wyclef Jean Carnival, Vol. 2: Memoirs of an Immigrant

2011-05-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

Ten years after his 1997 solo debut, The Carnival, former Fugee, "Hips Don't Lie" producer, and globetrotting activist Wyclef Jean presents the sequel, subtitled Memoirs of an Immigrant and meaning it. There's a star-studded guest list, but Carnival, Vol. 2 is composed from Wyclef's personal experience and filled with his commentary on 2007's immigration crisis. He even works his own green-card story into "Selena," a lighthearted love letter to the Mexican American diva that shamelessly quotes her "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" over a light reggae beat before it morphs into a screaming loud carnival number. Many of the songs here shift genres with fascinating ease, like when the epic "Touch Your Button Carnival Jam" goes from a Black Eyed Peas-styled pop number to an intense soca workout. Then there's "Riot," a duet featuring System of a Down's Serj Tankian and dancehall dread Sizzla that utilizes a tense rock rhythm before exiting on a wet reggae beat. If it all sounds overwhelming, it's held together by Wyclef's well-crafted arrangements, and if Serj and Sizzla sound like an odd combination, try Sizzla and Minister Louis Farrakhan on violin for "Welcome to the East." Chamillionaire gets a Bollywood orchestra as a backing band, T.I.'s track is almost a hippie number, and Paul Simon croons over an R&B beat during "Fast Car," not the Tracy Chapman one but a song just as poignant. While this skillful mixing and matching of the A-list makes quite a first impression, it's the songwriting that sticks as Wyclef has upped his game. The deadbeat dad story "What About the Baby" is a convincing exchange between Wyclef and Mary J. Blige because of all the honesty written into it, and lines like "I got love for Miami all day/But if my Cubans get to stay/Why you turn my Haitians away?" add edge and weight to an album that's otherwise slick and immaculately polished. To make sure the immigration issue is always nearby, Wyclef quietly and at regular intervals references "shelter," "helping hands," and other words of refuge and protection. It's done so masterfully that it makes the couple "I'm gonna grab my guitar!" moments worth ignoring, which are the only times Wyclef's ego seems to be muscling into the mix. Otherwise, Carnival, Vol. 2 strives to give the immigration problem a face, turning those thousands of marchers seen on the news into a thousand personal stories of struggle and hope. It does so while pulsating with life and displaying an unabashed love of music that's rich, daring, and delightful.

aCá

Wyclef Jean Presents the Carnival Featuring Refugee Allstars

2011-05-14T09:28:00.000-07:00

The Score was one of those rare hip-hop albums that came out of nowhere and rewrote the rules. In the aftermath of its success, many pundits predicted that rap would move away from gangsta and toward a richer, more varied existence. Given such heady praise, perhaps it was reasonable that Wyclef Jean, the guitarist and male rapper for the Fugees, decided to follow The Score with a solo project. However, Presents the Carnival comes across like Jean presenting his case that he is the true genius in the Fugees. And he's partially right. He has the ambition and drive common to many great artists, but he lacks the skills to fulfill his vision. Of course, the very fact that he has an original vision makes Jean one of the more compelling figures of late-'90s hip-hop. Not content to rely solely on hip-hop, Jean adds all manners of influences to his music. You can hear reggae, soul, disco, Caribbean rhythms, worldbeat, and opera scattered throughout The Carnival, giving the record the riotous atmosphere of its title. Even so, Jean occasionally tries too hard, forcing disparate genres to mix and spending more time on production than songwriting. But even with all its faults, The Carnival delivers great thrills when operating at full strength, demonstrating that Jean is at least half a genius.

aCá

Gabo Ferro, Flopa & Ral Veroni\Nada para el destino (Nothing for destiny)

2011-05-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

Que más les puedo decir?
Un dis k zo!
aCá

Montgomery - Stromboli (Thanks to Lucy)

2011-04-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

"Dans son deuxième album, "Stromboli", Montgomery fait preuve d'une ambition rare chez les groupes hexagonaux en alliant des textes en français et un son foisonnant qui évoque des formations anglo-saxonnes pointues comme Animal Collective ou Broken Social Scene…. Musicalement, "Stromboli" est impressionnant et fourmille d'idées: morceaux déstructurés qui changent fréquemment de direction, inventivité constante, empilement de couches sonores qui se mêlent à une foule de petits bruits. AFP « Là, on tient le chef d'oeuvre de pop psychédélique (au sens de brouillage des pistes et d'agréable confusion mentale) qui manquait à la scène française » Ouest-France « Montgomery est l’un des groupes les plus excitants du moment. De France ou pas, en français ou pas, pop ou pas, un des meilleurs groupes tout court. … Ces morceaux sont aussi puissants que ceux d’Arcade Fire, aussi inventifs que ceux d’Animal Collective »" (laspikedeLycmusic)
acá

Soul Kitchen - OST

2011-04-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

Disc 1
1 Rated X Kool & the Gang
2 Hicky Burr Cosby, Jones
3 I Dont Know Brown
4 Brown Bag Jones
5 We Got More Soul Dyke & the Blazers
6 Get the Money Santamaria
7 Don't Do It Johnson
8 Get Down Mayfield
9 To Sxoleio Olympians
10 I Want to Be Your Man Zapp & Roger
11 The Creater Has a Master Plan Armstrong
12 It's Your Thing Isley Brothers
13 Disko Delay

Disc 2
1 Walking in Dub Burning Spears
2 Soundhaudegen Dekay, Silly Walks Movement
3 Fragosiriani Locomondo
4 Manolis O Hasiklis Shantel
5 Mission of Love Love Ravers
6 Sing Song Girl ER France
7 Moon Shayn Bad Boy Boogiez
8 Arcilla Pfeffer
9 To Blues Tou Paliokaravou Sidiropoulos
10 Steve's La Paloma Baker
11 Sisters Keepers Dub Turtle Bay Country Club
12 Gang & Gaebe Broke But Busy
13 Das Letzte Hemd Hat Leider KeineTaschen Albers

aCá

TORTOISE - Beacons of Ancestorship (2009)

2011-03-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

Returning after a five-year gap (which, granted, included a box set and a collaborative record with Bonnie "Prince" Billy), Tortoise confronted a pair of age-old musical questions: does anyone really care about an experimental rock group after 15 years, and does said group actually have anything to say after that length of time? After all, the sound of rock's future circa 1994-1996 was beginning to sound tired by the time of 2004's It's All Around You, and the sense was growing that Tortoise should call it quits and begin accumulating enough years of inactivity to eventually be rediscovered, remastered, and reunited. Beacons of Ancestorship neatly squashes all those questions and assumptions, revealing a band that is just as fascinated with sound, just as intrigued by its myriad possibilities, and just as unerring in presenting those ideas in the form of entertaining instrumental music as when it debuted in 1993. The time signatures are constantly shifting, the lights of vitality and inventiveness Tortoise displayed 12 years earlier are completely undimmed, and the reference points for their music are constantly expanding (on tap here, among the dub and Krautrock and minimalism and jazz, is surprisingly abrasive punk for "Yinxianghechengqi"). The opener is eight minutes of bliss, wheeling and turning every few minutes, eventually leading to a great full-band jam that looks back to an earlier age of Chicago post-rock with a closing that's strikingly reminiscent of early Trans Am. The spaghetti Western impressionism of "The Fall of Seven Diamonds Plus One" would be perfect for their excellent TNT LP, and the group gets positively off the wall at the end, with a pair of songs ("Monument Six One Thousand" and "Charteroak Foundation") that pit guitar lines over drums-and-bass tracks that don't sound as if they were recorded for the same selection. It can be incredibly difficult for an experimental group to continue experimenting for years on end without getting stale, but Tortoise achieve that balance effortlessly.

acá

TORTOISE - TNT (1998)

2011-03-28T10:25:00.000-07:00

Expected by many to continue leading the post-rock brigade into a new fusion with dub and electronics, Tortoise instead turned yet another corner with their third album, TNT. Adding guitarist Jeff Parker to cement their musicianship as well as their connections to Chicago's fertile jazz/avant-garde scene, the band returned with a record of post-modern cool jazz, only slightly informed by the dub, Krautrock, and electronics of Millions Now Living Will Never Die. It shows from the first few seconds -- a lazy, slightly free drum solo frames a few tentative guitar chords and some teased effects, before the band kicks in with a holds-barred jam that encompasses a tremulous solo from trumpeter Rob Mazurek. With engineer/mixer/drummer John McEntire and company adding only a few post-production frills to the mix -- and those so complementary and subdued that they rarely even sound like effects -- TNT comes off as a surprisingly organic record. The evocative Spanish-style guitar on "I Set My Face to the Hillside" plays over an assortment of playground sounds, while "The Suspension Bridge at Iguazú Falls" deconstructs a classically angular Tortoise groove and re-emerges with an evocative, deeply affecting groove over shimmering vibes and precision guitar lines. There are plenty of nods to post-rock touchstones like Krautrock ("Swing From the Gutters"), dub, and minimalism ("Ten-Day Interval"), but Tortoise hardly sounds like a difficult band here. Instead of forcing studio experimentation to become an end to itself, the band mastered -- with a single, deft statement -- the far more difficult lesson of making technology work for the music.

acÁ

TORTOISE - Millions Now Living Will Never Die (1996)

2011-03-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

Tortoise's production expertise hit an early peak with Millions Now Living Will Never Die, a work that not only references studio-centric forms like dub and electronica, but actively welds them to the group's aesthetic of sturdily constructed indie rock. The centerpiece is the 21-minute opener "Djed," a multi-part track which brought Tortoise's already impressive compositional abilities to a grand scale. It's almost a history of influences in miniature, first referencing tape music and dub for several minutes, then moving on to Krautrock with a chugging section incorporating wheezing organ and understated guitar chords. Halfway through, the band takes on minimalism with repeating figures of organ and vibes, then return to the green fields of their debut with a final few minutes of moody indie rock (though even this is spiced with a scratchy rhythm and various noise effects). With "Djed," Tortoise made experimental rock do double duty as evocative, beautiful music. The other songs on Millions Now Living are hardly afterthoughts, though; highlights "Glass Museum" and "The Taut and Tame" display the band quickly growing out of the angular indie rock ghetto with exquisite music, constructed with more thought and played with more emotion, than any of their peers.

aCá

Re up Vic Chesnutt's North Star Deserter

2011-03-18T18:21:00.000-07:00

North Star DeserterIn his liner notes to Vic Chesnutt's North Star Deserter, Jem Cohen wrote, "I make films, I'm no record producer. But I needed to bring these particular people together in this particular place . . . I thought they might hit it off." Despite his lack of previous experience in the recording studio, Cohen's instincts were right on the money; he teamed Chesnutt with Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra and a handful of other notable accompanists (including Fugazi's Guy Picciotto, Bruce Cawdron of Godspeed! You Black Emperor, and Chad Jones and Nadia Moss of Frankie Sparrow) for sessions at Montreal's Hotel2Tango Studios, and the result is a truly extraordinary recording. Chesnutt is a songwriter of singular talents, embracing a homey but keenly intellig

ent expressionism in his songs that conveys a genuine, often touching humanity, but his collaborators on North Star Deserter have taken his music in a powerful new direction. Rather than simply filling out Chesnutt's melodies, these musicians have crafted soundscapes that often turn these songs into great chaotic symphonies, with Chesnutt's simple but confident acoustic guitar anchoring the whole. Sometimes the accompaniment is simple and subtle, as on "Warm," "Over," and "Rattle," while elsewhere the musicians truly do resemble an orchestra; a small string section adds an air of ominous grandeur to "Glossolalia," a mighty organ brings striking dynamics on "Everything I Say," a mass of harmonies and reverb-soaked guitar meshes gloriously with "You Are Never Alone," washes of sound ebb and flow through the atmospheric "Rustic City Fathers," and the ensemble rises into a glorious fusion of beauty and noise on "Debriefing" and "Marathon." On North Star Deserter, the musicians working with Vic Chesnutt serve as collaborators rather than simple accompanists, and they've truly brought out the best in one another; this is powerful, adventurous music that's as challenging as it is beautiful, and ranks with Chesnutt's finest work to date.

bajar

Pez - Fragilinvencible

2011-03-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

Lista de Temas

1- Telarañas
2- Phantom Power
3- Creo que amamos el dolor
4- La gota
5- La estética del resentimiento
6- Hondo II
7- Espíritu inquieto
8- Haciendo real el sueño imposible
9- Domando tormentas
10- Malas noticiasr
11- Supersupersticioso
12- Campos de inconsciencia
13- Gala

AcÁ

ARTO LINDSAY hYPER (AHORA SI)

2011-02-23T14:05:00.000-08:00

he second in a trilogy of Arto Lindsay albums devoted to Brazilian songcraft, Mundo Civilizadois a beguiling blend of lush surfaces, sophisticated melodies, and tasteful but challenging sounds. Hyper Civilizado is a companion CD of beat-heavy remixes from several New York City DJs.

AcÁ

hummingbird, los tres discos completos

2011-02-19T13:02:00.000-08:00

Eterno agradecimiento a Lucía Guichón que recolectó los links

DIAMOND NIGHTS

Acá

Hummingbird

aCá

We Cant Go on Meeting Like This

ACÁ

Broken Flowers : Broken Flowers -OST- [2005]

2011-02-19T12:51:00.000-08:00

TRACKLIST

- There Is An End [The Greenhornes]
- Yegelle Tezeta [Mulatu Astatke]
- Ride Your Donkey [The Tennors]
- I Want You [Marvin Gaye]
- Yekerme Sew [Mulatu Astatke]
- Not If You Were The Last Dandy On Earth [Brian Jonestown Massacre]
- Tell Me Now So I Know [Holly Golightly]
- Gubelye [Mulatu Astatke]
- Dopesmoker [Sleep]
- Requiem Op.48 (Pie Jesu) [Various]
- Ethanopium [Dengue Fever]
- Unnatural Habitat [The Greenhornes]

AcÁ

Florence + the Machine - Lungs

2011-02-19T06:49:00.000-08:00

Precocious Brit Florence Welch fired a bullet into the head of the U.K. music scene in 2008 with the single "Kiss with a Fist," a punk-infused, perfectly juvenile summer anthem that had critics wiping the names Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, and Kate Nash from their vocabularies and replacing them with Florence and the Machine. While the comparisons were apt at the time, "Kiss with a Fist" turned out to be a red herring in the wake of the release of Lungs, one of the most musically mature and emotionally mesmerizing albums of 2009. With an arsenal of weaponry that included the daring musicality of Kate Bush, the fearless delivery of Sinéad O'Connor, and the dark, unhinged vulnerability of Fiona Apple, the London native crafted a debut that not only lived up to the machine-gun spray of buzz that heralded her arrival, but easily surpassed it. Like Kate Bush, Welch has little interest (for the most part) in traditional pop structures, and her songs are at their best when they see something sparkle in the woods and veer off of the main trail in pursuit. "Kiss with a Fist," as good as it is, pales in comparison to stand-out cuts like "Dog Days Are Over," "Hurricane Drunk," "Drumming Song," "Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)," and "Cosmic Love," all of which are anchored to the earth by Welch's knockout voice (which hopefully in time will lose the occasional Natalie Merchant affectation), and a truly impressive and intuitive trio of producers and a backing band that sounds as intimate with the material as its creator.

AcÁ

Max Middleton - Hummingbird (Colección de tracks de los tres discos)

2011-02-12T02:50:00.000-08:00

Max Middleton is best known as the pianist in the second, most successful version of Jeff Beck Group. Middleton was trained as a classical pianist but also possessed a strong affinity for jazz, and had played in a band called Flare with Trinidad-born bassist Clive Chaman. His hook up with Beck came about in the spring of 1971, while the guitarist was rehearsing the lineup of his reconstituted band (including Chaman) and decided that he needed a pianist. At 20, Middleton was one of the youngest players on the early-'70s blues-rock scene, and his youth, coupled with his devotion to jazz, quickly made him a mainstay of Beck's group -- his jazz piano was one of the more successful new elements introduced on the Rough and Ready album, and on the next LP, Jeff Beck Group, Middletonalso wrote an outstanding instrumental track entitled "Definitely Maybe." Middleton was also the only member to make the jump from the second version of Jeff Beck Group to the third, which was really the prototypal Beck, Bogert & Appice, but he left before that trio had gotten far into their short-lived hook up. He passed through a group called Gonzales before rejoining Beck in 1974 -- with other core members of Gonzales soon to follow -- to collaborate with the guitarist on the instrumental Blow By Blow album, which became the top-selling LP of Beck's whole career, reaching number four on the American charts. Middleton also played clavinette on the Wiredalbum that followed, after which he parted company with the guitarist.

In the wake of his work with Jeff Beck, Middleton's career fairly exploded, and he became ever busier as the 1970s wore on -- he passed through membership in the Hummingbirds, alongside his fellow Jeff Beck Group/Flare alumni Bob Tench and Clive Chaman, and did session work with everyone from Pete Brown to Kate Bush, and he played extensively with Chris Rea throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Middleton's most familiar contributions to popular music, however, remain his work with Jeff Beck. Beyond his actual playing,Beck has described the pianist as his most significant collaborator during the most commercially successful period of his career;Middleton's fluency in jazz chords forced the blues-rock guitar virtuoso to extend himself and his music in new and unexpected directions.
HUMMINGBIRD

Clive Chaman
Max Middleton
Bob Tench
Robert Ahwry
Bernie Holland
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie

acá

GRUBB

2011-02-08T13:02:00.000-08:00

Una ejecución acertada y prolija de una gran diversidad de fuentes. Funk guitarrero a lo Smiling Headless Torsos, algo Terence Trent D'arby. Living Colour,War, junto a algo de Alt Country y hard rock setentero.
Cantan en inglé, y no solo por eso no parecen uruguayos.No se los podría meter en ninguna de las categorías que andan hoy por ahí, ni cool rock, ni el rock de la yenchi, ni el metal, ni los llenaestadios.
Están ahí, solitos esperando que uds los escuchen.
.............................................................

Hoy en día en Uruguay es casi imposible pensar que existen bandas como ésta.

Ignacio Vecino, compositor, guitarrista y cantante de la banda, comenzó a componer canciones en inglés llenas de funk, rock, pop, soul y psicodelia setentona.

En febrero de 2008 se forma GRUBB, después de haber hecho una búsqueda intensiva de músicos que lo acompañen en la ciudad de Montevideo el año anterior.

Nacho Vecino conoció a Martín Garcia (bajo), a través de el ex – tecladista de la banda, Sebastián Gagliardi, y allí empezaron los ensayos a mediados del 2007 junto con el baterista Manuel Souto, amigo de toda la vida de Vecino. Más tarde llegaría Miguel Campal; también compositor y con una cantidad de canciones propias que no forman parte de lo que es Grubb; para tomar el puesto de Sebastián Gagliardi, y para sumar elementos a la banda, como coros y segunda guitarra. Estando el cuarteto formado, comenzaron los shows y la búsqueda de oportunidades para el grupo.

Comenzando a tocar en distintos lugares de Montevideo la banda recibió una respuesta positiva y eufórica del público quedando hipnotizados con la música de GRUBB.

Más hacia mitad del 2008 surgió la incorporación de Manuel Contrera como tecladista encargándose del Rhodes y el Hammond; y de Leonardo Méndez en saxo dándole un color muy especial a las canciones de la banda. Shows como el de Espacio Guambia, el de Teatro Stella (por la Movida Joven), y otros muchos boliches de Montevideo se caracterizaron por ser dinámicos, eufóricos y llenos de sentimientos haciendo sentir al público parte de algo muy especial que esta surgiendo en Montevideo.
Las grabaciones de los primeros demos ya mostraban una diferencia muy grande con lo que es el estilo de la música de acá en general, diferenciándose del reggae, del punk, del rock al estilo AC/DC, el metal y de lo que es la música popular uruguaya, mostrando un estilo nunca abordado aún en nuestro país. Con objetivos de apuntar no solo al mercado local sino al mundo, GRUBB tiene planes de grabar su primer disco, para editarlo a principios del año que viene.

GRUBB esta integrado por, Ignacio Vecino (guitarra, voz y armónica), Martín Garcia (bajo), Manuel Souto (batería), Miguel Campal (teclados, guitarra y coros), Manuel Contrera (teclados) y Leonardo Méndez (saxo)
http://www.montevideo.com.uy/notgrabaciones_72238_1.html

aCÁ

Neil Young - This Note is for You

2011-02-03T12:41:00.000-08:00

A collective groan from Neil Young fans could be heard when it was announced that, as his return to Reprise Records, Young was engaging in yet another genre experiment, this time recording blues and R&B with a six-piece horn section. If Landing on Water and Life had been lackluster, at least they hadn't been as embarrassing as Young's forays into rockabilly (Everybody's Rockin') and techno (Trans). And if you took This Note's for You on its own genre terms, it could be just as laughable. A song like "Sunny Inside," with its marching rhythm and charging horn charts, seemed to demand a forceful, gritty singer on the order of Wilson Pickett, and Young's watery tenor just didn't cut it. But the album was only half up-tempo numbers; the other half was bluesy ballads for which Young's singing was effective and on which he sounded more personally involved than he had in years. And even on the rockers, his sense of humor often carried the day. This Note's for You was the best of Young's stylistic side trips because it was the only one in which the style augmented his own instead of overwhelming him. The songs were mediocre, but the playing was spirited. The album earned much better reviews than Young had gotten lately, largely because critics tend to stand in awe of the blues in whatever form it appears. And Young got further kudos due to his contretemps with MTV when the video channel first declined to program a clip for the title song because it featured parodies of popular MTV artists and commercial sponsors, then caved in and named it Best Video of the Year. Lost in all that hoopla, however, was that record buyers never came to the party. This Note's for You was another commercial failure for Young, and it was apparent that, to lure back his audience, he would have to go back to making the kind of music his fans had liked a decade before.

Acá

Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Rust Never Sleeps

2011-02-03T12:35:00.000-08:00

Rust Never Sleeps, its aphoristic title drawn from an intended advertising slogan, was an album of new songs, some of them recorded on Neil Young's 1978 concert tour. His strongest collection since Tonight's the Night, its obvious antecedent was Bob Dylan's Bringing It All Back Home, and, as Dylan did, Young divided his record into acoustic and electric sides while filling his songs with wildly imaginative imagery. The leadoff track, "My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)" (repeated in an electric version at album's end as "Hey Hey, My My [Into the Black]" with slightly altered lyrics), is the most concise and knowing description of the entertainment industry ever written; it was followed by "Thrasher," which describes Young's parallel artistic quest in an extended metaphor that also reflected the album's overall theme -- the inevitability of deterioration and the challenge of overcoming it. Young then spent the rest of the album demonstrating that his chief weapons against rusting were his imagination and his daring, creating an archetypal album that encapsulated his many styles on a single disc with great songs -- in particular the remarkable "Powderfinger" -- unlike any he had written before.

AcÁ

Nei Young - Tonight's the Night

2011-02-03T12:32:00.000-08:00

Written and recorded in 1973 shortly after the death of roadie Bruce Berry, Neil Young's second close associate to die of a heroin overdose in six months (the first was Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten), Tonight's the Night was Young's musical expression of grief, combined with his rejection of the stardom he had achieved in the late '60s and early '70s. The title track, performed twice, was a direct narrative about Berry: "Bruce Berry was a working man/He used to load that Econoline van." Whitten was heard singing "Come On Baby Let's Go Downtown," a live track recorded years earlier. Elsewhere, Young frequently referred to drug use and used phrases that might have described his friends, such as the chorus of "Tired Eyes," "He tried to do his best, but he could not." Performing with the remains of Crazy Horse, bassist Billy Talbot and drummer Ralph Molina, along with Nils Lofgren (guitar and piano) and Ben Keith (steel guitar), Young performed in the ragged manner familiar from Time Fades Away -- his voice was often hoarse and he strained to reach high notes, while the playing was loose, with mistakes and shifting tempos. But the style worked perfectly for the material, emphasizing the emotional tone of Young's mourning and contrasting with the polished sound of CSNY and Harvest that Young also disparaged. He remained unimpressed with his commercial success, noting in "World on a String," "The world on a string/Doesn't mean anything." In "Roll Another Number," he said he was "a million miles away/From that helicopter day" when he and CSN had played Woodstock. And in "Albuquerque," he said he had been "starvin' to be alone/Independent from the scene that I've known" and spoke of his desire to "find somewhere where they don't care who I am." Songs like "Speakin' Out" and "New Mama" seemed to find some hope in family life, but Tonight's the Night did not offer solutions to the personal and professional problems it posed. It was the work of a man trying to turn his torment into art and doing so unflinchingly. Depending on which story you believe, Reprise Records rejected it or Young withdrew it from its scheduled release at the start of 1974 after touring with the material in the U.S. and Europe. In 1975, after a massive CSNY tour, Young at the last minute dumped a newly recorded album and finally put Tonight's the Night out instead. Though it did not become one of his bigger commercial successes, the album immediately was recognized as a unique masterpiece by critics, and it has continued to be ranked as one of the greatest rock & roll albums ever made.

AcÁ

Neil Young - After the Gold Rush

2011-02-03T12:28:00.000-08:00

In the 15 months between the release of Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and After the Gold Rush, Neil Young issued a series of recordings in different styles that could have prepared his listeners for the differences between the two LPs. His two compositions on the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young album Déjà Vu, "Helpless" and "Country Girl," returned him to the folk and country styles he had pursued before delving into the hard rock of Everybody Knows; two other singles, "Sugar Mountain" and "Oh, Lonesome Me," also emphasized those roots. But "Ohio," a CSNY single, rocked as hard as anything on the second album. After the Gold Rush was recorded with the aid of Nils Lofgren, a 17-year-old unknown whose piano was a major instrument, turning one of the few real rockers, "Southern Man" (which had unsparing protest lyrics typical of Phil Ochs), into a more stately effort than anything on the previous album and giving a classic tone to the title track, a mystical ballad that featured some of Young's most imaginative lyrics and became one of his most memorable songs. But much of After the Gold Rush consisted of country-folk love songs, which consolidated the audience Young had earned through his tours and recordings with CSNY; its dark yet hopeful tone matched the tenor of the times in 1970, making it one of the definitive singer/songwriter albums, and it has remained among Young's major achievements.

AcÁ

Mike Westbrook - Off Abbey Road

2011-01-31T11:19:00.000-08:00

The Beatles' 'ABBEY ROAD' album is the basis of Mike Westbrook's 'OFF ABBEY ROAD' project,- a re-creation by contemporary musicians of one of the master works of pop music. Premiered in Reggio Emilia, Italy in December 1988 as part of a Festival celebrating The Beatles, 'OFF ABBEY ROAD' was an instant success with audiences and critics.

From 1989-91 the Westbrook Band toured 'OFF ABBEY ROAD' throughout France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, appearing in many of the major European jazz festivals. A particular highlight was the 1990 Montreal Festival where the Band played an open-air concert to an audience of 30,000.'OFF ABBEY ROAD' made its UK debut with two performances at the Electric Cinema in Portobello Road, London, which were filmed for German TV, Recorded 'live' at the 1989 Willisau Jazz Festival, the 'OFF ABBEY ROAD' album was released in 1990 on ENJA Record's new TipToe label.

In 1995 'OFF ABBEY ROAD' was revived specially for a Beatles Festival in Trento, Italy. During '96 there were performances in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Finland, France and the UK. The Mike Westbrook Band, specially formed for 'OFF ABBEY ROAD', brings together some of the outstanding jazz performers associated with Westbrook's music in recent years.

Kate Westbrook (voice. tenor horn. piccolo),
Phil Minton (voice. trumpet).
Andy Grappy (tuba),
Peter Whyman, Alan Wakeman (saxophones),
Brian Godding (guitar).
Peter Fairclough (drums),
Mike Westbrook (piano).

OFF ABBEY ROAD
Mike Westbrook Band:
The music of The Beatles Music arranged by Mike Westbrook. Produced by William Strode and Mike Westbrook.

Reviews

02/01/1989 John Fordham THE GUARDIAN
"A rich and often thrilling performance that both transformed and burnished the original material."

02/01/1989 Gary Giddins VILLAGE VOICE
"Westbrook's faithful and wonderfully good humored rendition of The Beatles' 1969 album 'ABBEY ROAD' underscores its music-hall whimsy and ravishing melodies. The Beatles purists I have played it for are as delighted as I am."

02/01/1989 Manfred Schmidt STEREO MAGAZINE Germany - 'CD of the Month
"John Lennon, the most progressive of The Beatles, would have been delighted ... a real adventure on the borderlines between pop and jazz."

AcÁ

Chelsea Wolfe – Apokalypsis (2010)

2011-01-27T14:00:00.000-08:00

1.PRIMAL//CARNAL 00:24
2.MER 03:43
3.TRACKS (TALL BODIES) 03:56
4.DEMONS 03:14
5.THE WASTELAND 04:03
6.MOSES 04:07
7.FRIEDRICHSHAIN 02:47
8.PALE ON PALE 07:12
9.TO THE FOREST, TOWARDS THE SEA 02:44
10.MOVIE SCREEN 05:35

AcÁ

Ray LaMontagne - Till the Sun Turns Black

2011-01-26T12:14:00.000-08:00

If it weren't for his singing voice, so full of smoke and ether, one would be hard-pressed to believe that Till the Sun Turns Black was made by the same man who recorded Trouble just two years prior. Ray LaMontagne takes a brave leap from the rootsy singer/songwriter material of his debut album and does a 180. Once more collaborating with producer and multi-instrumentalist Ethan Johns, the singer-songwriter turns in a highly textured, atmospheric, and subdued performance on his sophomore effort. All the grit and earth in LaMontagne's voice on Trouble, and the basic country-folk and R&B (on the title track) has been swept out like ashes in the morning here. This new set is startling. The reliance on skeletal, delicate string arrangements adds much to the interior nature of these songs. LaMontagne has used the projection in his lyrics and his voice and turned them inside out. He's slower, more subtle, more restrained everywhere here. His lines are economical, full of space and tension, as if they were being performed alone in a room in the middle of the night. Johns' use of strings and keyboards paints LaMontagne's voice and underscores his delivery with a quiet drama that reveals itself inside the listener.

Check LaMontagne's opener, "Be Here Now," with the guitar finding its way toward the singer as a quartet of violins, two cellos, and a bowed bass emerge to support his voice in the void of silence Johns creates around it. Johns' piano fills in odd spaces. They don't seem to add up, but they do when LaMontagne's vocal whispers its way forward into that small swelling shadow. On the bluesy "You Can Bring Me Flowers," a horn section is used to highlight and extol LaMontagne's tough lyrics; but there is more Tim Buckley and Tom Rush here than Otis Redding or Sam Cooke, but it's all LaMontagne. The jazzy flute and funky dobro don't sound like country, but more like country-blues from an earlier time. By contrast, the whispering acoustic guitars and strings in the title cut are frames to fit a voice inside, and LaMontagne's does; then shatters it when confessed emotion blurs then shatters the edges. These are songs no one else can sing. LaMontagne's sense of phrase and rhyme are idiosyncratic, never overbearing; he allows the listener into his world, slowly, deliberately; his observations and nearly overwhelming emotion are too big to keep to himself -- as the strings swell, all he can do is moan, then nearly growl, wordlessly. Till the Sun Turns Black is a giant leap forward. LaMontagne reveals himself to be a sophisticated pop artist who can find in simple forms something utterly engaging and communicative. This record could have been made 20 years ago but in another two decades will still sound fresh.

AcÁ

KARATE Pockets (2004)

2011-01-25T15:29:00.000-08:00

1 With Age Farina, Goddard, McCarthy 3:45
2 Water Farina, Goddard, McCarthy 5:21
3 "The State I'm In" AKA "Goode Buy from Cobbs Creek Park" Farina, Goddard, McCarthy 2:39
4 Cacophony Farina, Goddard, McCarthy 4:21
5 Alingual Farina, Goddard, McCarthy 4:58
6 Tow Truck Farina, Goddard, McCarthy 4:01
7 Pines Farina, Goddard, McCarthy 4:27
8 Concrete Farina, Goddard, McCarthy 8:30

AcÁ

Shannon Wright - Perishable Goods

2011-01-24T14:47:00.000-08:00

Shannon Wright shifts the emphasis of her material again on this stellar mini-LP, opting for a short set of spare songs that, even in doing away with the wailing dissonance that made Maps of Tacit so cathartic, are just as effective in their contemplative beauty. The majority of the songs feature Wright cooing -- in her vaguely unsettling alto -- some of the most seductively pretty melodies she's penned (especially the heartbreaking "Azalea") over the accompaniment of acoustic guitar or piano. Even the full-band psychedelia of "Foul" is pacifying, to say nothing of her inspired take on the Bee Gees' hit "I Started a Joke," which itself seems to have been inspired by Low's cover of the same song a few years earlier. (Alan Sparhawk even offers backing vocals and additional guitar to the track.) However, what's truly remarkable about Wright's ability to make an impact across the dynamic range is exemplified in Perishable Goods' bookends. Two tracks that would later appear, in much more cacophonous incarnations, on her Dyed in the Wool LP, "Hinterland" and "The Path of Least Persistence," operate here as gentle reminders rather than scathing admonishments -- and lose nothing in the translation.

1 Hinterland Wright 2:44
2 Foul Wright 4:11
3 I Started a Joke Gibb 4:27
4 Azalea Wright 3:51
5 Familiar Settings Wright 2:52
6 Capsule of You Wright 3:37
7 The Path of Least Persistence Wright 2:00
AcÁ

Yann Tiersen and Shannon Wright

2011-01-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

1 No Mercy for She Wright 5:42
2 Dragon Fly Wright 3:15
3 Sound the Bells Wright 3:48
4 Something to Live For Wright 4:13
5 Dried Sea Wright 4:13
6 While You Sleep Wright 2:33
7 Ode to a Friend Wright 3:49
8 Ways to Make You See Wright 4:11
9 Callous Sun Wright 3:15
10 Pale White Wright 3:47
AcÁ

Shannon Wright - Secret Blood (2010)

2011-01-23T10:10:00.000-08:00

Artist: Shannon Wright

Album: Secret Blood

Released: 2010

Style: Indie Rock

Format: MP3 233Kbps

Size: 62 Mb

Tracklist:
01 – Palomino
02 – Violent Colors
03 – Fractured
04 – Dim Reader
05 – On The Riverside
06 – Commoner’s Saint
07 – Merciful Secret Blood Of A Noble Man
08 – Fairgrounds
09 – Satellites
10 – In The Needle
11 – Under The Luminaries
12 – Chair To Room

acá

Kocani Orkestar meets Paolo Fresu and Antonello Salis

2011-01-22T08:09:00.000-08:00

que quieren que les diga. Esto es impresionante

Recorded live in Ravenna, Foligno, and Roma, Italy.

In Macedonia, Koçani plays for a variety of ritual and celebratory events for every stage of life. Rich patrons hire Koçani to play outside the hospital upon the birth of the baby; later most communities hire live music for the baby's naming ceremony. Muslim communities also use duvaçki orkestar for circumcision celebrations. They also play for all aspects of wedding events, from agreement ceremonies, engagements, to all segments of the wedding ceremonies. Some segments of the Macedonian population hire duvaçki orkestar to play for funeral processions and burials. Outside of ritual events, duvaçki orkestars such as Koçani also perform at special banquet evenings and small coffeehouses (kafic).
Tracks

1. Notti A Mogadiscio
2. Gajda
3. …Del Viaggio
4. Papigo
5. Variazioni Sul Ballo
6. Jacquelina
7. Siki Siki Baba
8. Good By Macedonia
9. Red Bull
Musicians:
Paolo Fresu - trumpet, bugle, effects
Antonello Salis - piano, accordion
and:
Kocani Orkestar
Durak Demirov - saxophone
Turan Gaberov - trumpet
Sukri Kadriev - trumpet
Nijazi Alimov - bariton tuba
Saban Jasarov - tapan
Suad Asanov - bass tuba
Dedzai Durmisev - bariton tuba
Sukri Zejnelov - baroton tuba
Dzeladin Demirov - clarinet, vocals
Ajnur Azizov - vocals

AcÁ

Taraf de Haïdouks

2011-01-20T04:47:00.000-08:00

he ancient musical traditions of the "lautari" gypsies of Romania are extended through the unique performances of Taraf de Haïdouks, a band of twelve instrumentalists and singers aged twenty to seventy eight. In addition to recording four memorable albums of traditional tunes, the group has appeared on television with Yehudi Menuhin and has recorded and performed with Swiss pop star Stephan Eicher. The music of Taraf de Haïdouks was featured in Tony Gartlif's award-winning film, "Latcho Drom". According to David Harrington of Kronos Quartet, Taraf de Haïdouks "take their listeners to the essence of music; that place where the bow meets the string and a world of action follows". Taraf de Haïdouks, who take their name from the Haidouks, Robin Hood-like thieves who are recalled in many of the group's ballads, hail from the small Romanian vollage of Clejani, southwest of Bucharest. The group stuck close to their home village until being discovered" by Stephen Karo and Michael Winter, two Belgian music fans who became enchanted with Taraf de Haïdouks' music during a trip to Romania in 1990. In addition to organizing several concerts for the band in Belgium, Karo and Winter brought them to the attention of world music record label, Crammed Discs. After performing to an enthusiastic crowd at the WOMAD festival in 1991, Taraf de Haïdouks released their debut album, "Musique Des Tsiganes De Roumanie". The album reached the top slot on Europe's world music charts and introduced the band's music to a global audience. Taraf de Haïdouks' second album, "Honourable Brigands, Magic Horses And Evil Eyes", released in 1994, was voted "Best World Music Album" by the German Critics Association. The group continued their success with "Dumbala Dumba", released in 1998, which featured appearances by such guests as Rosioru, a master of Valachian Gypsy crooners, Viorica Rudareasa, a renown Romanian female vocalist, and Napoleon, a member of the Urasi, a Romanian bear trainer caste. Taraf de Haïdouks' self-titled fourth album was released in 1999. A documentary video of Taraf de Haïdouks was filmed by French director Guy Demoy in 1998.
ACá

re up. TOTEM

2011-01-17T16:27:00.000-08:00

Dedos, Chevere, De este Cielo Santo, Dias de esos, Todos, Biafra, El Tábano, Mañana, No me molestes, La lluvia cae para todos igual.
De nada (año 1970-71 128 Kbps)

AcÁ

Electric Gypsyland

2011-01-16T13:28:00.001-08:00

It's rare to find a remix album that really works, but this does. Four Balkan gypsy groups reworked in any number of ways might sound limiting, but the studio wizards here have managed to retain the spirit of the original tracks while taking them in very eclectic directions. From the work of Arto Lindsay and Melvin Gibbs on "Mugur Mugurel," which recalls the adventurous no wave era of downtown New York, to the glory of Lightning Head's "L'Orient Est Rouge," where African soukous and house music mix gloriously with the original, this is a delight. Turkey's Mercan Dede brings his hypnotic sensibilities to "Siki, Siki Baba," while Olaf Hund's "Are You Gypsified?" medley is nothing less than mad, creating a jam session among three of the bands that veers with loving drunkenness all over the road. The musicianship of the gypsy musicians isn't in question when they include the worldbeating Taraf de Haidouks and Kocani Orkestar, although the virtuosity isn't the important element here. Instead, the remixers exploit the melodies and the feel while surprising with context, as Bucovina Club do on "Carolina" -- a dancehall/Balkan mash-up no one could have anticipated, but which whets the appetite for the rest of the disc. Where the European version contains 13 tracks, the North American release adds two bonus cuts, including Taraf de Haidouks' "A la Turk" given the full house treatment by Cop & Thief in a manner that could make it a club favorite. This is the kind of disc that renews your faith in the possibilities of the remix.
ACÁ

Electric Gypsyland, Vol. 2

2011-01-16T13:26:00.001-08:00

Like its predecessor, Electric Gypsyland 2 is a collection of reinterpretations of recordings by several modern Balkan bands -- some of the new versions are relatively straightforward remixes, while others are much more dramatic and imaginative reworkings of the source material. Unlike the first volume in this series, however, this one also includes a bonus disc that offers original, untouched versions of songs by those same bands (though they're not always the same tracks as the ones remixed on the first disc). The format and presentation of this collection may be a bit unusual and even disconcerting, but that's probably as it should be -- the same is true of the music itself, which is a wild fusion of musical styles even in its original form and is even more kaleidoscopically varied in the remixes. Check out the wild, almost klezmer-sounding clarinet on Koçani Orkestar's "Mi Bori San Korani," and the glitchy techno underpinnings that Smadji installs beneath it, or the dubwise production effects that DJ ClicK applies to Mahala Raï Banda's already faintly reggae-inflected "Romano Dance." But the album's highlight is "Red Bula," a brilliant piece of party-ready horn-based Gypsy dance funk given an even wilder setting by Balkan Beat Box. Contributions by Cibelle and Oi Va Voi are equally exciting. Highly recommended

ACÁ.

EXSONVALDES - NO PLACE LIKE HOMES

2011-01-08T15:22:00.000-08:00

Exsonvaldes es un grupo de rock proveniente de Paris, Francia. En palabras de la propia banda, su estilo es influenciado por la musica de Nirvana y Radiohead. Algunas de sus canciones tienen ciertos elementos electronicos, lo que hace de su sonido algo interesante. Otro aspecto importante es que las letras de sus canciones estan escritas enteramente en ingles y no en su idioma natal.
ACÁ

The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night

2011-01-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

Beginning with the first of two two-part songs, this being titled "Like the Ocean, Like the Innocent," The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night, even more than the group's first two albums, feels like the band's bid for some sort of new prog rock status now that the term is no longer a dirty word. (Not for nothing, perhaps, is one song later in the album called "And This Is What We Call Progress.") Certainly the combination of howling guitar and moody drones that kicks things off feels more than a little at home with Pink Floyd 1975, say, not to mention the high-pitched vocals of Jace Lasek, but the drums sound much more Dave Fridmann than Nick Mason. Call it Sigur Rós meets Supertramp in the end, perhaps most especially on the penultimate number, "Light Up the Night," with its keyboard-led opening moving into a slow, sweet-sounding swagger of an arrangement thanks again to a big beat and guitar chug, but the signs of that kind of sonic grandness, if not full-on grandiosity, abound. "Chicago Train" has distanced vocals and a lushly mournful string arrangement at the start, moving into hero-rock guitars that aren't "go nowhere" solos, and the whole is a full-bodied embrace of going big without regrets. "Albatross" may be the apotheosis of the whole approach, thanks to Olga Goreas' strong vocal performance and the whole pump-it-up, make-it-huge wallop becoming a powerful swoon, while her concluding turn on "The Lonely Moan," echoed words against a booming guitar burst before a final sweeping performance, also achieves great heights
acá

Isobel Campbell And Mark Lanegan – Live At The Barbican (2010)

2011-01-02T11:38:00.000-08:00

Tracklist:
01 – We Die And See Beauty Reign
02 – You Won’t Let Me Down Again
03 – Come Undone
04 – Snake Song
05 – Who Built The Road
06 – Free To Walk
07 – The Circus Is Leaving Town
08 – No Place To Fall [feat. Willy Mason]
09 – Cool Water [feat. Willy Mason]
10 – To Hell & Back Again
11 – Back Burner
12 – Time Of The Season
13 – Salvation
14 – Come On Over (Turn Me On)
15 – Get Behind Me
16 – Revolver
17 – (Do You Wanna) Come Walk With Me
18 – Ramblin’ Man
19 – Wedding Dress

acá

Mogwai -- Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will

2011-01-01T06:10:00.000-08:00

1 White Noise
2 Mexican Grand Prix
3 Rano Pano
4 Death Rays
5 San Pedro
6 Letters to the Metro
7 George Square Thatcher DeathParty
8 How to Be a Werewolf
9 Too Raging to Cheers
10 You’re Lionel Richie

acá

Lee "Scratch" Perry - Cutting Razor: Rare Cuts From the Black Ark

2010-12-26T05:15:00.000-08:00

Let's face it, reggae fans now have good reason to be wary when it comes to the mining ofLee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark studio tapes. While it is beyond speculation that the vast majority of the work done there was innovative and top-shelf, there's also been a slew of it that either was or wasn't released before for a reason (i.e., it sucked). In all of the Upsetters' singles collections and "rare tapes from the Black Arc years, various labels have made dodgy claims as to the historical worth and aesthetic quality of some of the material. One notorious collection features one disc of solid work and another of absolute filler. This set from Rounder's Heartbeat imprint has Scratch's stamp of approval for release -- not something everybody else can claim. Here are 17 tracks from the heyday of the Black Ark by artists like Junior Murvin, Max Romeo, the Heptones, Perry and his Upsetters, U-Roy, Time Unlimited, and others. Twelve of the cuts here are previously unreleased, and virtually everything here is killer dread reggae from the music's most creative period. The set opens with "Cutting Razor" by Junior Byles and the Versatiles, a version of Joe Higgs' "Steppin' Razor," made an anthem by the late Peter Tosh. Given that this is from 1973, the year Black Ark opened, it still has within it some of the soul and R&B feel that reggae was emerging from, but Scratch did everything he could to make it raw, and as a result the cut is thoroughly believable in the delivery of Byles. Another winner is the lovers rock of Junior Murvin's "Let's Fall in Love" and the steamy dread croon of "Mister Craven" from his unreleased second album. If this doesn't make the final connection that Murvin was theFrankie Lymon of reggae, nothing will. Murvin's voice is so sweet, soulful, and seductive it's infectious. (Hopefully Heartbeat or Trojan or somebody will get this record to the CD mastering plant in a hurry if this cut is any indication of what we've been missing for 30 years.) The Upsetters' rocksteady "Righteous Judgment" is pure instrumental groove; it walks the line between reggae and ska in such a way it drifts, floats, and weaves but never defines itself; it's a gorgeous moment. U-Roy's "Yama Khy" was issued as a single, but this is an alternate mix that is more raw; full of children chanting throughout, it is more of a groover than the released version. The doo wop choruses enter like specters from the edges of Scratch's mix and wind around U-Roy and the kids. Of the previously issued material, here we also hear the benefit of the Ark operating at Perry's full capacity behind the boards:the Heptones' glorious "Sufferer's Time," an early example of the dark, political dread reggae that was brewing, and Leo Graham's (Glasdford Manning) nearly forgotten and mislabeled classic "Black Candle." Time Unlimited's "Judgement," which closes the album, and "Staring," its second track, reveal that Junior Delgado was still very much in the transition period from being an R&B-styled singer. But Perry's mark is all over the vocal phrasing, delaying those last syllables as they bleed into the next line, and the rhythm used was copied by all of Perry's competitors at the time. In sum, this is a very worthy compilation of some of reggae's true obscurities; they add further musical proof to Perry's legend, and as tracks stand up on their own as amazing music three decades after the fact.

acá

Abigail Sin Plays Frank Zappa

2010-12-20T13:15:00.000-08:00

Abigail Sin (born 1992) is a Singaporean pianist. She was hailed by TIME Magazine as one of Asia's small wonders and a bona fide prodigy when she was ten years old. By the age of eleven, she attained her Licentiate of the Royal School of Music (LRSM) in Piano Performance.
In January 2005, Sin won first prize at the Virginia Waring International Junior Piano Competition in Palm Desert, California. Later in the year, she won another prize at the 17th Ibiza International Piano Competition in Spain in the Young Pianist category for contestants 16 years old and under. In 2006, she recorded Abigail Sin Plays Frank Zappa and was accepted into the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (Singapore). Sin is the youngest student there

Como Toca la pebeta!.

The Young Lions - The Young Lions

2010-12-19T14:17:00.000-08:00

Irvin Shaw wrote the novel The Young Lions from which this all star post-to-hard bop all-star band took their name, launching the moniker of a generation of Wynton Marsalis-led followers in the '80s. Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Frank Strozier on alto sax, Lee Morgan on trumpet, Bobby Timmons on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and either Louis Hayes or Albert "Tootie" Heath (sic as "Tuttie") on drums comprise the original Lions, a one-shot band who set the standard for the Blue Note-Riverside-based players who would follow in their path. There's a true democratic, shared value and responsibility evident in every sonic phase of this recording, but it is Shorter who wrote all the material. His "Seeds of Sin" is a sweet, swinging shuffle full of original harmonic thought. "Scourin'" (sic as "Scourn'") displays a head-nodding swing inspired by quarter-note walking bass courtesy of the unflappable Cranshaw, and wondrous sax-trumpet unity. Timmons' huge, funky piano chords lead to all three horns strutting joyously in melodic agreement during "Fat Lady"; the solos perfectly display the individualism of Shorter's piquant tenor, Morgan's brash trumpet, and Strozier's slightly strained alto before a brief trading of fours with the unidentified drummer. Shorter's tenor is up front, with Morgan on the second melody and Strozier following along for the tightly structured "Peaches & Cream," which is not a team effort until the very last note. Over 11 ½ minutes, "That's Right" proffers an easy, bluesy 12-bar swing in a jam vehicle, with Timmons as pied piper, the horns shouting out in unison, chord punctuations from the pianist, and doo wop accents for the solos. Morgan uses a mute, and Shorter's tenor is fluid as a country stream. There are three alternate takes: A fourth try of "Seeds" is five seconds longer and not only sweet, but a little sour; on a third rendition of "Scourin'," the 35-second bass intro is omitted as Shorter's tenor digs right in and less unison is evident; and with an extra 24 seconds, the third taping of "Fat Lady" only differs in solo content. This is a classic, and one every modern jazz fan should have. The liner notes, written by Cannonball Adderley, are also priceless; they discuss the "glorification of mediocrity," a rip on Dick Clark, country-pop, comformity, and railing against modern jazz naysayers. The notes also include other poignant observations that still ring true today. Interesting reading, ultimately interesting music.

acá

Chet Baker / Art Pepper - THE ROUTE

2010-12-19T14:10:00.000-08:00

This 1989 CD issue compiles all known sides cut during a July 26, 1956, session led by Chet Baker (trumpet) and Art Pepper (alto sax). Keen-eyed enthusiasts will note that this particular date occurred during a remarkable week -- July 23 through July 31 -- of sessions held at the behest of Pacific Jazz label owner and session producer Dick Bock at the Forum Theater in Los Angeles. The recordings made during this week not only inform The Route, but three other long-players as well: Lets Get Lost (The Best of Chet Baker Sings), Chet Baker and Crew, and Chet Baker Quintet at the Forum Theatre. Likewise, these were the first sides cut by Baker since returning from his triumphant and extended stay in Europe. The Route compiles all 11 tracks by the sextet featuring Richie Kamuca (tenor sax), Pete Jolly (piano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), and Stan Levey (drums) in support of Baker andPepper. Bock had no immediate plans to use these recordings for any one album; that is to say he incorporated the tracks throughout various compilations released on Pacific Jazz. Three months later, however, Baker and Pepper did record with completely different personnel for the expressed purpose of issuing what would become known as Playboys and alternately Picture of Heath. Perhaps encouraged by the swinging interaction on Pepper's "Tynan Time" and "Minor Yours," both tracks were featured at this session as well as during the Picture of Heath collaboration. There are a few unexpected moments of sheer brilliance spread throughout, such as the Baker-penned title track, which contains supple and nicely contrasting solos from Kamuca and Vinnegar -- whose solid pendulum accuracy swings all through this collection. The Route is recommended for completists as well as curious consumers wishing to expand their knowledge of the light and airy rhythms that typify the cool West Coast jazz scene of the mid-'50s.

ACÁ

ZAPPA 2010 QUE QUERÉS QUE TE DIGA?

2010-12-11T14:36:00.000-08:00

FRANK ZAPPA - Hammersmith Odeon (2010) Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, electric guitarist, record producer, and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, electronic, orchestral, and musique concrete works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. Zappa produced almost all of the more than 60 albums he released with the band Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. Zappa was a highly productive and prolific artist and he gained widespread critical acclaim. Many of his albums are considered essential in rock and jazz history. He is regarded as one of the most original guitarists and composers of his time. He also remains a major influence on musicians and composers. He had some commercial success, particularly in Europe, and for most of his career was able to work as an independent artist. Zappa was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997. - wikipedia Three discs of material from the Hammersmith Odeon in London, 1978.

DISC 1: 01. Convocation - The Purple Lagoon 02. Dancin' Fool 03. Peaches En Regalia 04. The Torture Never Stops 05. Tryin' To Grow A Chin 06. City Of Tiny Lites 07. Baby Snakes 08. Pound For A Brown DISC 2: 01. I Have Been In You 02. Flakes 03. Broken Hearts Are For Assholes 04. Punky's Whips 05. Titties 'n Beer 06. Audience Participation 07. The Black Page #2 08. Jones Crusher 09. The Little House I Used To Live In DISC 3: 01. Dong Work For Yuda 02. Bobby Brown 03. Envelopes 04. Terry Firma 05. Disco Boy 06. King Kong 07. Watermelon In Easter Hay (Prequel) 08. Dinah-Moe Humm 09. Camarillo Brillo 10. Muffin Man 11. Black Napkins 12. San Ber'dino

aCÁ

Pirate Radio [Soundtrack]

2010-11-28T10:02:00.001-08:00

Given the subject matter of Richard Curtis' film Pirate Radio, the soundtrack had to filled with absolutely classic rock, pop, and soul. The motion picture (entitled The Boat That Rocked in the U.K.) is a comedy that reflects on the real-life bands of illegal radio stations that broadcast from boats just outside British territorial waters in the mid-'60s and were therefore outside the iron grip of the BBC. The soundtrack contains a whopping 32 tracks spread over a pair of CDs that contain everything from obvious picks from the era, such the Kinks’ “All of the Day and All of the Night,” and John Fred & His Playboy Band’s “Judy in Disguise,” to the Who’s “I Can See for Miles,” and the Troggs' “With a Girl Like You.” Other acts from the early classic pop/rock era are Jimi Hendrix, Moody Blues, Procol Harum(of course!), the Isley Brothers, Beach Boys, Supremes, Otis Redding, Cream, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, Dusty Springfield, Easybeats, Jeff Beck, the Hollies, etc. -- thoughthe Beatles and Rolling Stones are absent for some (more than likely, legal) reason. There are some wonderful surprises too, however: the inclusion of Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass’ “This Guy’s in Love (With You),” the Turtles’ “Elenore,” (sic) and the opening track, a version of “Stay with Me Baby,” by Duffy. (Lorraine Ellison’s version is also here, included near the end of disc two.) David Bowie’s lone “Let’s Dance,” is also here to close the collection. Ultimately, it all adds up to one big party -- even if you have every cut here individually.

acá

Two Cow Garage – Sweet Saint Me

2010-11-27T09:31:00.000-08:00

In one word: Powerful

Colorado’s Suburban Home records has established itself at the forefront of the current Americana/Alt-Country explosion, and this latest release from Ohio’s Two Cow Garage set for release in late October is a solid example of how this oft-overblown genre can be done right.

Sonically similar to the band’s 2008 release, Speaking in Cursive – itself a massive improvement on earlier releases by the band – the record starts with all cylinders firing on “Sally, I’ve Been Shot” which ticks all the boxes for a great cowpunk song: nicotine soaked vocals, rolling bass and thumping drums all laid over a just-dirty-enough guitar sound. From here the album moves into the title track, “Sweet Saint Me” and then the piano-laden tale of (slightly too) young love that is “Lydia” – the first cut to be released as a single from the album. Other standout tracks include the touching “Jackson, Don’t Worry”; a sweet track dedicated to a band-member’s young son about the trials and tribulations of growing up with an absent parent and inevitable heartbreak, and “My Great Gatsby” which is a protest against all things wrong with music today (‘since Dylan went electric man, things haven’t been the same / now DJs are making records could you please just be ashamed…’) and ironically sounds well suited to a giant stadium/festival live show spectacular. The touching “Soundtrack to my Summer” is also well worth a listen.

While the album title sounds like that of Green Day’s next rock-opera, this album is more akin to pre-horn section Lucero. In fact, it’s damn near impossible not to draw comparisons between the vocal style of Two Cow Garage’s Micah Schnabel and Lucero’s Ben Nichols, but this needn’t be construed as criticism as both possess some breathtaking pipes.

With a history of hard work and constant US/Europe touring, playing recently with the likes of Ninja Gun and Drag the River, and the entire band making a guest appearance on Jon Snodgrass’ solo album, Two Cow Garage are at the top of the alt-country pyramid, and indeed at the top of their game on this release. The hard work has definitely paid dividends.

aca

MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA BETWEEN NOTHINGNESS AND ETERNITY

2010-11-01T09:58:00.000-07:00

The first Mahavishnu Orchestra's original very slim catalog was padded out somewhat by this live album (recorded in New York's Central Park) on which the five jazz/rock virtuosos can be heard stretching out at greater length than in the studio. There are only three selections on the disc, all of which were to have been on the group's then-unissued third album -- two of them, guitarist John McLaughlin's "Trilogy: Sunlit Path/La Merede la Mer" and keyboardist Jan Hammer's "Sister Andrea," are proportioned roughly as they were in their studio renditions, while the third, McLaughlin's "Dream," is stretched to nearly double its 11-minute studio length. Each develops organically through a number of sections, and there are fewer lockstep unison passages than on the earlier recordings. McLaughlin is as flashy and noisy as ever on double-necked electric guitar, and Hammer and violinist Jerry Goodman are a match for him in the speed department, with drummer Billy Cobham displaying a compelling, raw power and dexterity to his work as well, especially on the CD edition, which also gives bassist Rich Laird a showcase for his slightly subtler work. Yet for all of the superb playing, one really doesn't hear much music on this album; electricity and competitive empathy are clearly not enough, particularly on the 21-minute "Dream," which left a lot of fans feeling let down at the end of its side-two-filling run on the LP. In the decades since this album was released, the studio versions of these three pieces, along with other tracks being worked up for their third album, have appeared as The Lost Trident Sessions -- dating from May and June of 1973 -- thus giving fans a means of comparing this repertory to what the band had worked out (or not worked out) in the studio; and Between Nothingness and Eternity has come up a bit in estimation as a result, benefiting as it does from the spontaneity and energy of a live performance, though even that can only carry this work so far -- beyond the personality conflicts that broke up the band, they seem to have been approaching, though not quite reaching, a musical dead end as well.

acá

Bala et ses Balladins - Objectif Perfection, Editions Syliphone Conakry 1980

2010-10-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

The Guinée Syliphone label is very popular among collectors of
West-African music. On fairs you find these albums for prices
up to € 120,-. Crazy amounts of course, and by paying it, it
only gets worse. Here is one by Bala et ses Balladins and it is
a fantastic one. I don't know about you but to my humble opinion,
they have reached their objective. This is just beautiful, my
favourite track, 'Paulette'. What superb vocals, and that hornsection..
Escuchar el perdido placer del crackeo del vinilo

tracks;

1 Bambo
2 Soufougne
3 Paulette
4 Assa
5 Keme bourema
acá

Gov't Mule - Mulennium [Live, Original Recording Remastered]

2010-10-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

Recorded live at the Roxy in Atlanta, GA on December 31, 1999. Since 1994, Gov't Mule has celebrated the upcoming New Year with unique fan-pleasing concerts that showcase their wide-ranging repertoire, virtuosic musicianship and commitment to their fans. New Year's is very special not only to the fans but to the band as well.

December 31, 1999, ushered in a new century and millennium and called for something truly magical - and that nights show at Atlanta's historic Fox theater delivered it. What made the show so extraordinary? For starters, Little Milton, one of Warren Haynes' most important influences, joins Gov't Mule for six songs including 'I Can't Quit You Baby' and 'It Hurts Me Too'. Other special guests include longtime Mule friends and collaborators Audley Freed (Black Crows), Robert Kearns, Johnny Mosier, Mark Van Allen and Barry Richman. Secondly, this show contains many Mule covers played for the first time including The Black Crows 'Sometimes Salvation' and King Krimson's '21st Century Schzoid Man'.

Painstakingly remixed and premastered from the original master tapes, Mulennium sounds even fresher than ever before. (AMAZON)

Disc 1:

Song Title
1. Bad Little Doggie
2. Lay Your Burden Down
3. Blind Man In The Dark
4. Life Before Insanity
5. Larger Than Life
6. Towering Fool
7. Countdown Jam
8. 21st Century Schizoid Man
9. We're Not Gonna Take It
10. Dazed And Confused
Disc 2:

Song Title
1. When The Blues Come Knockin' (Feat. Little Milton)
2. My Dog And Me (Feat. Little Milton)
3. Lump On Your Stump (Feat. Little Milton)
4. I Can't Quit You Baby (Feat. Little Milton)
5. It Hurts Me Too (Feat. Little Milton)
6. Blues Is Alright (Feat. Little Milton)
7. Is It My Body? (Feat Audley Freed)
8. Power Of Soul (Feat. Audley Freed)
Disc 3:

Song Title
1. Helter Skelter (Feat. Audley Freed)
2. Sometimes Salvation (Feat. Audley Freed)
3. 30 Days In The Hole (Feat. Audley Freed)
4. End Of The Line (Feat. Audley Freed)
5. Out Of The Rain (Feat. Audley Freed)
6. I Shall Be Released
7. Simple Man (Feat. Audley Freed)
8. Crowd

aca y acá

Imelda May Mayhem

2010-10-06T04:55:00.000-07:00

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Imelda May is a unique vocal talent, one whose gift lies outside the normal order of pop culture time and trends. Inspired by the sounds of vocal jazz à la Billie Holiday and the sound and looks of rockabilly, May began performing with the swing outfit Blue Harlem, and released a handful of independent CDs before scoring attention in 2007 with her nomination for an award as Best Burlesque Singer as well as the release of her more official debut,Love Tattoo. The album, featuring her strong backing band comprised of players Dave Priseman, Darrell Higham, Al Gare, and Steve Rushton, was critically and commercially well received, leading to some high-profile live gigs, including hitting the road with Jools Holland. It was released in the U.S.A. by Decca in 2009, followed by two singles, and scored a mid-level success. Her sophomore effort,Mayhem, arrived in September of 2010, preceded by the single "Psycho."

AcÁ

Imelda May Love tatoo

2010-10-06T04:48:00.000-07:00

Love Tattoo is the debut solo album by Irish vocalist Imelda May, formerly of the roots outfit Blue Harlem. Originally released by the indie Foottapping imprint, it was later licensed in the U.K. by Ambassador and in the United States by Verve Forecast. May has captured the attention of the United Kingdom with its release, and for good reason. It's a striking gumbo of tough boogie-woogie, streetwise razor-edged rockabilly, intimate sultry vocal jazz, and sassy jump blues. May wrote all but two of the set's 12 tracks and produced the set; she also plays the bodhran, an Irish percussion instrument from antiquity. She's surrounded herself with an ace band that includes her husband, guitarist Darrell Higham, trumpeter Dave Priseman (who also plays flügelhorn and percussion), pianist and organist Danny McCormack, bassist Al Gare, and drummer Dean Beresford. The kickoff is the stomping rockabilly of "Johnny Got a Boom Boom" (infer what you might from the title). With a slapping double bassline intro, the drum kit latches on and takes it for another eight measures before Higham's nasty guitar begins its cutting strut. But May's vocal tops it all and swaggers confidently with its expression of raw sensuality. This is a love song from the streets, but it isn't trashy. It's got its own kind of in-your-face class. Contrast this with the gorgeous bluesy ballad "Knock 123," with its slow walking piano and basslines and a halting guitar figure, and May's voice all croon and caress. The title track is a wild stomp and roll where blues, rock & roll, country, and boogie collide behind her blues shout. May is a trained vocalist to be sure, but when the material calls for it, her voice contains a certain rough grain -- earthy, raw, and full of unbridled passion. It's even evident in the country ballad "Falling in Love with You Again" (one of the tracks where her bodhran can be heard prominently). The lilt, grace, and haggard elegance of her voice reveal an entire well of feeling that seems to bubble up effortlessly yet without artifice. The entire album is deliciously and unabashedly retro, but comes off as spontaneous, fresh, and full of adventure. The uptempo tunes are simply unhinged, while the ballads are full of authentic emotion. The tunes aren't overly arranged, the production is minimal, and the instruments -- as well as her voice -- sound unembellished. Imelda May is capturing the attention of Europe for a reason; she is a rare and very exciting talent who understands the history of American roots music and knows how to use that understanding in a contemporary context without pandering. Love Tattoo is righteous. Period.
acá

imelda May No Turning Back

2010-10-06T04:38:00.000-07:00

Her first album was actually called No Turning Back, which was released originally in 2005 under the name Imelda Clabby, but reissued in Europe last year. She said that in hindsight, she wasn’t happy with its quality originally and took the opportunity to rerecord it, saying “When I recorded it in a bedroom and it was late at night, so I was afraid to sing. We were recording at 2 in the morning and I thought 'oh god, we’re going to wake the whole neighborhood', so I never thought I sang as well as I could and the recording and the sound were just awful. When things started to take off, I thought ‘I’d really love to rerecord that.’ I went into the studio and quickly redid the vocals and put it back out. I felt really relieved where I could fix it. It’s a better sound and better quality.”

acá

Imelda may bonus (Alive)

2010-10-06T04:33:00.000-07:00

Bajar acá

Foals - Total life forever

2010-10-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

After Foals scrapped the mix of their debut, Antidotes, by TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek, it was clear that they were a band that was interested in creating their own sound. That sentiment may be why their follow-up, Total Life Forever, sounds more like a reaction to their first record than a continuation of it. Many of the elements that drove Foals into the spotlight in the first place are definitely still in place. There’s plenty of cascading, Minus the Bear-style guitar work and funky Talking Heads influence in their math-pop-meets-the-dancefloor rhythms. What’s missing is the edge. Total Life Forever is considerably more subdued than its predecessor, lacking much of the uptempo thump found on Antidotes. In its place is a mellower, more spacious sound. While this new sound is still danceable, it’s far more refined than the angular post-punk riffing that fans might be expecting. Right from the beginning, the album-opening, “Blue Blood” makes it clear that Foals are taking a different, more patient approach to songwriting, letting the song build and build on itself as it methodically works itself into a frenzy before leaving the way it came in. Because of the changes here, fans of the early, pre-Antidotes singles may find Total Life Forever to be too restrained, lacking the youthful vigor of their debut. Where some see restraint, others may very well see refinement, and those who appreciated Antidotes' more spacy passages will find that Foals' reinvention of their sound is a calculated risk that definitely pays off.

acá

Foals - Antidotes (sp. edition)

2010-10-04T12:28:00.000-07:00

Although Oxford, England's Foals didn't release their debut full-length, Antidotes, until the spring of 2008, they had already begun to make quite a name for themselves, thanks to the British singles "Hummer" and "Mathletics," and successful dates in the U.S. the preceding fall; meaning, of course, that the anticipation for the record had plenty of time to grow. Fortunately, Antidotes is able to live up to the hype. Frontman Yannis Philippakis uses his limited vocal range to his greatest advantage, moving from yelps to half-whispered singing depending on the intensity of the piece. In fact, the one drawback of the album may be that Foals have only two types of songs: the fast(er), punchy ones and the slow(er), spacier ones. For bands whose sense of songcraft isn't strong, this would certainly be a detriment, but as Foals keep melody and hookiness at the forefront of their minds, the fact that much of their work sounds very similar (and is all practically in the same key) just adds a sense of cohesion to the record, shows that the group has a very clear idea of what it wants to sound like. This sureness can also probably explain the band's dislike of producer Dave Sitek's final mix, which differed from what they had imagined (and therefore prompted their own mixing of it, and the one they ultimately released). But Sitek should be credited for introducing at least the saxophones, if not the more ambient keyboards and occasional electronic element, to the Foals' arrangements, which end up working quite well and prevent the tracks from completely bleeding into one another, also allowing for the band's instrumental sections to play out in an interesting groove, like during the very NOMO-ish "Like Swimming" or the close of "Heavy Water." The two guitars pick out cascading notes -- never chords -- against one another, the bass borrows from both Interpol and Gang of Four, and Philippakis' voice cries out in repetition wonderfully, but it's these occasional horn bursts, the electronic chops and blips, that truly complete the songs, making Antidotes not merely a lesson in post-new wave noodling, but evidence of the power and excitement of the genre and music itself.

acá y acá

MILTON NASCIMENTO - MILTON (1970) (Aquele Milton)

2010-10-03T06:41:00.000-07:00

Milton Nascimento tends to get a bad rap these days among music connoisseurs. Much of that is his own doing: since he became an international jazz-fusion star in the late 1970s, his records just became worse and worse. Another reason why "jazz-fusion" is often synonymous with the Devil's work. Satan may torture music snobs with Britney Spears or Pink when they arrive in his fiery domain, but when the Prince of Darkness wants to just chill out and relax with some of his demonic underlings, he puts some jazz-fusion on the box. Trust me on this.

In a way, that all started with Milton's first album for A&M (Courage) produced by Rudy Van Gelder and featuring Herbie Hancock, Hubert Laws, Airto, Eumir Deodato and others, but his work really becomes 'fusion' in his second album for A&M, recorded seven years later in L.A. and featuring Wayne Shorter, Hancock and Airto again. That record is actually not that bad in itself (it's also not that good), but only once you've appreciated WHY all those American heavyweights of jazz were so interested in Milton in the first place. The key to that question lay in his records released in Brazil in the interim between 1969 and 1976. Most of that second A&M record was comprised of songs he had already recorded and released in Brazil, but with new arrangements and occasionally English lyrics. This 1970 effort is the first of the influential albums where Milton finds his voice. (The one LP between 'Couragem' and 1970's Milton sees him searching for something new but artistically stumbling in the process..)

Backing him up on this record is the psychedelic/progressive band Som Imaginario, a group of musicians from the mountainous interior state of Minas Gerais. Many of these guys -- Wagner Tiso, Toninha Horta, Robertinho Silva among them -- would go on to be central to Milton's 'corner club' band that would record the amazing "Clube da Esquina" album. This record is essentially gestating the ethereal vibe that would culminate in that landmark -- rock numbers tinged with Brazilian funk; languid, pastoral pieces fringed with psychedelic flourish and soaring arrangements; at times sparse, at times grandiose; and all of it capped with Milton's angelic voice heard here for the first time as it would come to make him famous -- rooted in the Baroque gold-leafing of his church-choir boyhood, as someone once said, "In Milton's voice, you can HEAR the mountains." The statement is spot on. There is a melancholy in his tone and phrasing, but also a enveloping warmth, a permanence and solidity in the face of tectonic change. A nostalgia for that to which there is no returning. Saudades.

There is something unmistakable in Milton's melodies, in the intervals he chooses to express the layered complexity. It's this that makes his compositions immediately recognizable no matter who is performing them -- case in point is Elis Regina, his most important interpreter, she recorded a ton of his songs, and all of them stand out as high points on her records. Unlike some of his contemporaries (Caetano or Gil, for example) a lot of his lyrics are really nothing special. But the vibe he and his fellow Mineiros created on these records from 1970 to 1976 was unmatched and, in my opinion, deserving of much more attention than they've received, overshadowed as they were by the iconic Tropicalístas based in São Paulo. Caetano Veloso remarks in his memoir Verdade tropical about a conversation he and Gilberto Gil had on the eve of their exile from Brasil, where they reflected that Milton Nascimento was the most important thing happening (after themselves, of course...) in Brasil's musical world at the time, that he was deepening what they had begun. This may be taking too much credit for himself, as Caetano is wont to do. I think of Milton and the Clube da Esquina crowd as having been working on something different, something perhaps more 'Pan-Latino' in its vision, as we'll see in his subsequent albums that I hope to share here soon. But the compliment still stands.

The songs here are not quite as developed as the ones that would come together on 'Clube da Esquina' but they still make for a very solid listen and one of my favorite albums from 1970 in Brasil. If the haunting 'Durango Kid' does not grab you, or the beautiful 'Pai Grande' which begins quietly enough but soon becomes nearly unhinged swell of acoustic of reverb-laden percussion, organ, recorder, and Milton's voice rising above the din. This is probably the high point of the record for me, and hints at the experimentation that we'll find on his Milagre Dos Peixes record a few years after this, but in a more accessible form. The album as a whole is very similar to Nelson Angelo & Joyce's album from 1972 - very relaxed and dreamy but with more of a sense of urgency to it.
http://flabbergasted-vibes.blogspot.com
ACÁ

The Rentals - Return of the Rentals

2010-10-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

Alongside his stint as the bass player for the ever-beloved Weezer, Matt Sharp found time to put out a record from a little side project of his, and unknowingly dropped a surprisingly influential album on the ears of many a listener. Taking a bit of the harmony loving pure-pop songwriting skills honed in his other band, Sharp topped off the Rentals with plenty of Moog powered keyboard flair and ended up with an album that ushered back in a new wave of cheesy electro-keyboard pop with a restored spirit and a knack for unforgettable hooks. From the radio hit "Friends of P" to the clunky opener of "The Love I'm Searching For," Return of the Rentals has few moments that aren't bursting with catchy choruses and lovelorn sentiments. Helping out is a cast that includes Weezer drummer Pat Wilson, and most noticeably, That Dog's Petra Hayden, whose sugary vocals make for some of the disc's most timeless moments. Convincing a new generation of kids that new wave could still be cool, the Rentals' first record may have been a fluke, but it really doesn't matter. Sure, their later recordings were nowhere near as innocent and memorable, but this record is a real benchmark of carefree pop from the '90s and shouldn't be forgotten anytime soon.

ACA

EL VIEJO LO HIZO DE NUEVO! neil young - le noise (2010)

2010-09-26T16:00:00.000-07:00

Para que vamos a reseñar, otra perla del gran Neil
Van los temas

1 Walk wth Me Young 4:25
2 Sign of Love Young 3:57
3 Someone Gonna Rescue You Young 3:28
4 Love and War Young 5:36
5 Angry World Young 4:13
6 Hitchhiker Young 5:31
7 Peaceful Valley Boulevard Young 7:09
8 Rumblin' Young 3:36

acá

Ravi Shankar and Phillip Glass - PASSAGES

2010-09-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

A collaboration between an avant-garde modern classical composer and a traditional Indian/Hindi composer/performer seems as unlikely as ice hockey on the River Styx. However, Passages is a collaboration between Philip Glass and Ravi Shankar and it works quite well. Shankar's smooth style fits nicely with Glass' dissonant orchestrations. There is a great deal of technical data involved here. Both of these artists have long taken intellectual approaches to music. Thus, the liner notes are a bit heavy-handed. The music is brilliant. The symphony dominates the soundscapes, but Shankar's atmospheres are integral to the success of this project. This CD will appeal to fans of John Cage, Terry Riley, and Steve Reich.

acÁ

hip hop tano (o mas o menos) vol II

2010-09-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

Simone.Cristicchi-Grand.Hotel.Cristicchi
Italian pop musician Simone Cristicchi was born in Rome on February 5, 1977. Simone was always involved with creative pursuits as a youth, experimenting with design before finding his artistic voice in music. Having discovered a guitar in his attic at the age of 17, Cristicchi started forming rock groups in his late teens, playing the repertoire of Nirvana and other alternative rock acts. Around his 20th birthday, he discovered a taste for composing his own songs, and it was just a year later that he received his first accolades as a songwriter, winning an award from SIAE for his song "L'uomo dei Bottoni." As he began to tour regionally and open for notable artists, doors to record his material began to open. Cristicchi signed with Carosello Records in 2000, with whom he released his premiere single, "Elettroshock." Cristicchi first appeared at the Sanremo Festival (an event that offers many Italian musicians their first shot at widespread success) in 2002. His first major-label release emerged in 2006, entitled Fabbricante di Canzoni. The record was received well, topping out at number 11 on national charts. He returned to Sanremo that year to moderate success. A year later Cristicchi won the competition with his song "Ti Regalero una Rosa," a commentary on the state of Italian mental health treatment facilities and the life of their charges. The song, which made it to number three on Italian pop music charts, is featured on his 2007 release, Dall'altra Parte del Cancello.

acá