Another week of new release's has come and thanks to a collaborative effort by Curt and Nick, they have managed to review what they consider to be five of the finest.
She & Him - Volume One (Merge)
She & Him, a band name to make English teachers cringe, is made up of “She,” actress
Zooey Deschanel, who played opposite Will Ferrell in Elf, and “Him,” singer-songwriter M.Ward. Their songs channel spirits from a time when the line between country and rock and roll was a little more blurred and AM radio was the music medium of choice. Your grandparents will swear their first dance was to She & Him’s “Got Me”; but don’t fault them for their false memories, Volume One is a perfect homage to 60s girl pop, soul, and old time country.
Those expecting a duet album will be sorely disappointed as Ward rarely lends his voice. However, this is no matter, as Elf viewers know from Zooey singing “Baby It’s Cold Outside” in the shower, as Deschanel certainly has talent to carry the album vocally. Ward’s arrangements on the other hand, ensure that Zooey’s retro vocal style feels right at home.
You would never know that this CD had a 2008 release; from what could be a cover of The Ronettes with “I Was Made For You” to the folksy “Change Is Hard,” old is new again on Volume One. However, that isn’t to say that She & Him is outdated by any means, fans of Feist or Rilo Kiley (when they’re folksy) shouldn’t have any problem becoming converts.
Lyrically, Deschanel croons about the possibility of romance, from “Why do you let me stay here/all by myself/why don’t you come and play here/I’m just sitting on the shelf” in “Why Do You Let Me Stay Here” to “I saw it glitter as I grew/And loved a boy I never knew/I thought this place was heaven-sent/But now it's just a monument” in “I Thought I Saw Your Face Today.” The album is laced with a mixture of hope and dismay.
It’s a safe bet to say that Zooey Deschanel could quit her day job as an actress and do just fine. Volume One is a confident entrance into the music world and I’m sure it won’t be the last we hear from this throwback duo.
- CB
El Guincho - Alegranza! (Discoteca Océano)
I always feel guilty for not being able to speak Spanish. So, in order to qualm my guilt, I listen to bands like El Guincho, the alias of Spaniard Pablo Díaz-Reixa, to appear a little more worldly. The Tropicália and afrobeat sample infused 40 minute dance club-plus-beach infusion that is Pablo’s latest, Alegranza!, is actually a painful listen after the eight inches of snow that was mercilessly dropped in my hometown this weekend. The sampling and subsequent looping of Spanish chants and tropically influenced beats is making me wish for a beach party in Minnesota’s above 85 degree Julys instead of a snow-covered Easter weekend.
The most impressive aspect of Alegranza! is the sheer amount of sound coming at you during each track. You would guess there were dozens of different vocalists and just as many percussionists when attempting to dissect the layers of sound that make up every song. How one man could create this much raucousness on his own is a testament to the wonders of technology, and of course, his carefully selected source material. Díaz-Reixa is able to take countless elements from music’s past and make them sound fresh and relevant; the songs sound more like entirely original creations than pieced together samples. It is hard to think of a more playful album off the top of my head – it is nearly impossible to not listen to this album without feeling excited (unless, of course, you are remembering how lame your life is in comparison…).
If you’re looking for a way to forget that winter still hasn’t left yet, need to brush up on your Spanish, or just need to brighten your day, I can’t recommend El Guincho’s Alegranza! highly enough. Don’t wait for this beach party to make its way to the States, catch the wave now.
- CB
Raveonettes - Lust Lust Lust (Sony)
What’s the big deal?
The second record from the Danish pop duo finds them in familiar territory, mixing the vocal harmonies of the 1960s Ronettes styles to the distorted lull of the Jesus & Mary Chain (a little too much at times).
Who’s behind it?
Co-frontman & guitarist Sune Rose Wagner wrote and produced.
Is it worth a damn?
Yes; but with a “well…”
The standout track is easily “You Want the Candy”, but perhaps it’s only because it makes me think of J&MC’s Psycho Candy, while bonus track “I Never Had You” is just like “Just Like Honey.” Also – lyrically it gets a little melodramatic at times. Lines like “when I rise I leave you to die” (“Hallucinations”) are laughable, while “the first love you can’t escape/the second love feels like rape” (“The Beat Dies”) is just icky. Though “Blitzed” does change it up with a Joey Santiago surf-rock riff, it isn’t enough to take away from how it sounds exactly like ground that has been treaded before. This record is more enjoyable if you ignore College rock before 1992.
- NF
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks - Real Emotional Trash (Matador)
What’s the big deal?
SM fronted a little band called Pavement back in the 1990s. Now he fronts the Jicks, who are finally a complete rock force with the addition of Janet Weiss (ex-Sleater-Kinney) on drums. Not only does his solo work pick up where Pavement left off, but SM also moves forward with a full on, fuzzed out jammy alterna-ssault (the title track clocks in at over ten minutes of sloppy mastery). Lyrically it sounds as improvised as the guitar licks and the lanky one’s voice sounds as warbly as ever.
Who’s behind it?
Mostly SM with help from the Jicks, TJ Doherty and Brett Allen. Some of the record was laid down at Wilco’s Foxtrot studio, while the rest was done at SnowGhost Music in Montana.
Is it worth a damn?
Lord yes. “Cold Son” is up for pop single of the year that never was, and with daughter number two in the family, SM proves that a dad can still rock (not that Thurston or Eddie didn’t have it covered already). For fans of Pavement needing a fix in between re-issues; or for a nice mug of wine this summer on the porch.
- NF
We Are Scientists - Brain Thrust Mastery (Virgin)
What’s the big deal?
The follow up to the semi-successful With Love and Squalor, it is the first record without former drummer Micheal Tapper. The band is now a simple duo of college friends, bassist Chris Cain and singer/guitarist Keith Murray.
Who’s behind it?
Ariel Rechtshaid, former frontman of Ska outfit The Hippos.
Is it worth a damn?
It is strangely charming, but more for the liner notes and artwork. The inside cover delivers everything from drink recipes (the “Jack Rose” and “Murray-Cain” respectively). The photos have a lovely sort of kitsch to them, Nancy Sinatra style (complete with Lee Hazelwood-esque liner notes). Musically; it would fit nicely in a party scene in a Judd Apatow comedy or while driving in your VW. “Impatience” is a bouncy pop number that appears halfway through the record; mixing up the monotony of the previous tunes, while closer “That’s What Counts” dies down with a whimper. The music and production are crisp and clear, pop rock with an electronic edge (though the edge has been sanded down considerably). That, and I can’t shake how the vocalist sounds like Rick Astley, so do with that what you will.
- NF
