New Music - Chris Mills

So, this little hobby of mine where I demonstate for the world that I have too much time on my hands has extended itself to the world of professional music journalism. I wrote my first non-blogspot published album review recently for Treble, which went up on their site on Friday. Yay for me, right?

The album I took a look at is Living In The Aftermath by Chris Mills. You can read here for my complete thoughts if you want to, but overall it’s mostly a pretty middling collection of socially conscious pop-folk songs that I had a mix of nice and not nice things to say about. The best song of the bunch is “Can’t Believe”, a genuinely affecting and beautiful acoustic ballad that closes the album with some much needed understatement.

MP3 :: Can’t Believe
(from Living In The Aftermath. Buy here)
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PHW Songs of the Month - 5/08

Santogold
MP3 :: Lights Out
(from Santogold. Buy here)
Previously on PHW :: New Music - Santogold
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Wolf Parade
MP3 :: Language City
(from the forthcoming At Mount Zoomer. Info here)
Previously on PHW :: [mp3] Wolf Parade - “Language City”
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Soltero
MP3 :: Sinkhole
(from You’re No Dream. Buy here)
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Okay
MP3 :: My
(from Huggable Dust. Buy here)
Previously on PHW :: [mp3] Okay - “My”
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PHW Album of the Month - 5/08

I know it’s originally from 1984, but the most essential album (re)released this month is The Replacements’ classic Let It Be. Call me crazy, but I just felt like spicing things up here at PHW this month. That, and Nouns and Santogold are good, but not album of the month good. I did bitch a little about the shortage of bonus material (which got some very interesting feedback from none other than Mats producer Peter Jesperson himself), which certainly had the potential to be more generous, but the album itself is one of my all time favorites and has never sounded better. Let It Be is the culmination of The Replacements’ early Twin Tone years and, more so than any of their albums before or after, captures the searing “power trash”, beer-breath spirit, and poignant Paul Westerberg songwriting of the band at their best.

MP3 :: Unsatisfied
MP3 :: Perfectly Lethal (Bonus Track)
(from Let It Be. Buy here)
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Previously:

January :: Drive-By Truckers - Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
February :: Beach House - Devotion
March :: Fuck Buttons - Street Horsssing
April :: Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight
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[mp3] Wire - "One Of Us"

When you think of Wire, what comes to mind? If you’re like me (and most of the world, I’d bet), it’s their first 3 seminal late 70’s albums. These guys were so ahead of the curve they were playing post-punk around the time punk was breaking to begin with. If you haven’t heard Pink Flag, Chairs Missing, and 154 then you should do something about that very soon. In 2 short years (1977-79, and 154 shows to be exact) they went from near-primitive art-punk to creating music that was more complex and experimental in scope than any of their punk peers.

For those paying attention (not me) Wire never really went away for long after that initial burst. This July they will release Object 47, named as such for it being the band’s 47th release (their 11th LP). “One of Us” is the first track and first single, and, though not as tense and dynamic as their early material, acts as a fine introduction to the 21st century version of Wire - it’s a vaguely 80s sounding pop song with a catchy-as-can-be chorus. For a band that’s always had plenty of critical acclaim, maybe it’s time for their commercial appeal to catch up.

MP3 :: One Of Us
(from Object 47. Buy here)
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Suicide (don't do it)

I doubt much of the world knew what to do with Suicide when they emerged from the New York art-rock scene of the 1970s with their self-titled debut. A deliberately confrontational mix of punk, synth-pop, rockabilly, early-industrial, and electronica, all infused with a sinister punk rock attitude, the album still sounds as fresh in 2008 as it must have been confusing in 1977. Suicide, a caustic mix of Martin Rev’s organs & synthesizers, throbbing bass lines, eerie sound effects, and Alan Vega’s breathy croon, was a huge influence on post-punk and new wave bands throughout the 80’s. And it seems unlikely on first listen, but it helped shape Bruce Springsteen’s classic Nebraska as well (with their shared Frankies and Johnnies, not to mention the post-Vietnam desperation). The New York band’s stripped down sound doesn’t seem to have much in common on first listen with the Boss’ 4-track acoustic masterpiece, but close listening reveals a striking similarity in theme, character, and mood between the two. Get caught up with this often-overlooked classic.

MP3 :: Cheree
(from Suicide. Buy here)
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[mp3] Sigur Ros - "Gobbledigook"

This one is for those of you who didn’t get enough ass over the weekend. I just learned today that, according to the U.N., Iceland is, per capita, the world’s richest country. How ‘bout that? For all intents and purposes, Sigur Rós should be raking it in. On June 24 in the U.S. the band will release an album and hope to make some money from it. It will have a title you can’t pronounce and be filled with the most intensely gorgeous music of the year (speculation, but seriously).

Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust is that title which, according to Stereogum, translates to “with a buzz in our ears we play endlessly”. Cool. Not so cool is the title of the first single, released today via their website, along with a video. “Gobbledigook” is that title. Not sure what it means in Icelandic (or Hopelandic?), but in English it basically means a big pile of turd. Fortunately the song is anything but. After years of languid, widescreen epics, the band is finally getting its freak (folk) on.

And don’t miss a very not safe for work video that is also available for your viewing pleasure if you like naked folks hopping over logs and stuff.

MP3 :: Gobbledigook
(from Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust. Info here)
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A.A. Bondy re-releases American Hearts; records Daytrotter Session

I’ve already written about what a moving experience listening to A.A. Bondy’s American Hearts can be. Bondy and his debut solo album were my favorite discoveries of 2007 (check the list boys and girls), and with the recent Fat Possum re-release, which is available now, more people than ever should be able to catch on.

Bondy also stopped by Daytrotter recently and recorded a set which was featured on the site last week. He used the session to play a few new songs, cover an old blues standard, and play “Witness Blues” - one of the true standouts of American Hearts. Check out 2 from the set, then go download the rest:

MP3 :: Witness Blues
MP3 :: Among The Pines
(from Daytrotter Sessions. Download the rest here)
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MP3 :: There’s A Reason
(from American Hearts. Buy here)
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In a truly brilliant pairing, Bondy will play The Bowery Ballroom on June 11 with another PHW favorite, Deer Tick.
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Related :: Live Review - AA Bondy @ Southpaw [October 2007]
Related :: Year In Review, Vol. 9 - A.A. Bondy [December 2007]
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[mp3] Silver Jews - "Strange Victory, Strange Defeat"

More brilliant but weird-as-hell album art for you. The first song from the upcoming Silver Jews album, Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea, has been making its way around the blogs this week. “Strange Victory, Strange Defeat” is a fine introduction to another strong effort from David Berman’s band. How could it not be with an opening line like “squirrels imported from Connecticut, just in time for Fall”? This one sounds an awful lot like something off of Tanglewood Numbers - a good thing since that was one of 2005’s best albums.

MP3 :: Strange Victory, Strange Defeat
(from the forthcoming Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea. Info here)
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[mp3] Bodies Of Water - "Under the Pines"

Bodies Of Water made some waves last year around the blogs with their self-released debut, Ears Will Pop & Eyes Will Blink. The attention was enough to get them signed to Secretly Canadian, who will release the follow-up, A Certain Feeling, this July. Here’s the first track, “Under The Pines” - a sprawling mini-epic of skewed pop that unravels itself through several expansive sections, highlighted by the creative co-lead vocals of David & Meredith Metcalf.

MP3 :: Under The Pines
(from the forthcoming A Certain Feeling. Info here)
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Talkin' New York, Vol. 13 - The Basement Band

I haven’t written anything about The Basement Band yet, but I have a feeling that’s going to change over the next few months. As a genre I don’t have a great deal of faith left in alt-country music, but this NY-based, harmony-drenched sextet proves there are bands still doing that sound with passion and expertise. The Basement Band are preparing the release of their brand new, self-released record Until The Evening Came - due out June 28. Until then you can hear 3 new songs over at their myspace, or check out these tracks from a free internet EP called Meeting House released some time back.

MP3 :: Another Reason To Be Down
MP3 :: Kick Me (bluegrass)
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CD Release Show: Piano’s, June 28, NYC
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And check out other Talkin’ New York features on local NY acts over there --->
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[video] - Bon Iver plays Later...With Jools Holland

If there’s a better voice out there today I’d sure love to hear it. From Later… with Jools Holland.

MP3 :: Skinny Love
(from For Emma, Forever Ago. Buy here)
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Justin Vernon and band play NY again in late July:

July 29 @ Bowery Ballroom w/ Bowerbirds
July 30 @ Music Hall of Williamsburg w/ Bowerbirds

More dates and music here
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Unsatisfied

I’ve already mentioned the new Rhino re-issues of the 4 Twin Tone albums The Replacements made in the early-80’s. I know this. But I was listening today to Let It Be and realized that there are several noteworthy absences from the new CD that for all intents and purposes have no business not being included among the bonus material. [UPDATE :: check the comments, apparently there is good reason for them not to be included!]

Of the 6 bonus songs included, 2 are alternate versions of Let It Be songs, 3 are covers (I‘d never heard “Heartbeat - It’s A Lovebeat” - and it was a welcome surprise), and there is but one previously unreleased original - “Perfectly Lethal”, which has been cleaned up nicely from the bootleg versions I'd previously heard. In hindsight these 6 songs seems to be on the slight side, especially considering the wealth of bootlegged material that has been circulating for years among fans, not to mention that the CD could hold at least 20 more minutes of music.

Noticeably absent are the Paul Westerberg originals “Who’s Gonna Take Us Alive?” and “Street Girl” - both of which would certainly be of interest to any Mats fan who has never tracked them down before. Hopefully the rumored re-issues of the post-Let It Be Sire years, scheduled for later this year, will be able to be a bit more comprehensive.

MP3 :: Who’s Gonna Take Us Alive?
MP3 :: Street Girl #1
MP3 :: Street Girl #2
(Let It Be outtakes)
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Related: Pitchfork has a new, in-depth interview with Paul Westerberg in which he discusses lots of interesting Replacements details.
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