Posted in Slowcore on Apr 30th, 2009 No Comments »
After emo seemingly ruined the syncricity of intelligence and despair, The New Year writes a melancholy album without sounding grating or whiny. The trick seems to be eschewing contrived, operatic swells, focusing on thought rather than feeling. This lack of pretense has always been the Kadane brothers’ strength, and their lyrics and music have always created indelible miniatures rather than panoramas.
Tom Zimpleman, Dusted Reviews
The End’s Not Near [3:43]
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Posted in Post-Punk on Apr 25th, 2009 No Comments »
“It’s a devastating debut…this album has struck me with a vengeance”. Ian Birch, Melody Maker
There isn’t a Pere Ubu recording you can imagine living without. The Modern Dance remains the essential Ubu purchase. For sure, Mercury had no idea what they had on their hands when they released this as part of their punk rock offshoot label Blank, but it remains a classic slice of art-punk. The Modern Dance is the signature sound of the avant-garage: art rock, punk rock, and garage rock mixing together joyously and fearlessly.
John Dougan, All Music Guide
Humor Me [2:45]
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Posted in Prog-Rock on Apr 16th, 2009 No Comments »
If there is one group that embodies both the best and the worst aspects of progressive rock (from the standpoints of both its supporters and its detractors), it is King Crimson. During its first five years of existence, from 1969 through 1974, in a variety of different lineups, this band led by guitar/Mellotron virtuoso Robert Fripp broke lots of new ground in progressive rock, stretching both the language and structure of the music into realms of jazz and classical.
Bruce Eder, All Music Guide
21st Century Schizoid Man / Mirrors [7:20]
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You get the sense that the Six Organs of Admittance is constantly evolving, occasionally digressing, but generally faithful to a few sonic essentials: brackish, cyclical fingerpicked guitar that sometimes locks into meditative drone, sometimes becomes a scrabbling raga blizzard; distant muttered incantations; an imprecise but pervasive air of hovering spiritual intensity.
John Mulvey, Uncut
Only the Sun Knows [11:25]
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Baltimore’s Dave Heumann still pumps out elemental, minor chord Americana in the key of Will Oldham or Bill Callahan, and filters it through loud, doomy amps to make moody jams that could be mistaken for a beefed up Gordon Lightfoot, or Neil Young & Crazy Horse rocking through Blue Cheer’s gear. It’s a weird blend of power-driven grunge and melancholy: a fever dream that sweats out weary sadcore as it primitively pounds out acid rock drudge.
Jason Lymangrover, All Music Guide
Another Hiding Place [5:16]
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