Ryan (StopMe): As a follow up to last weeks TEN4SE7EN I got my copy of The Real Tuesday Weld’s new album ‘The London Book Of The Dead‘ through the post. It comes as an ornate hardback complete with poetry, pages of artwork and a beautiful dust-jacket. It’s a snip at fourteen English pounds from the Antique Beat Website. Now on to this week’s ten songs including Indie, Rap, Jazz, Soul, Pop and Electronica. Variety is the spice of life don’tchakno:
The relentless grinding Electro beats of Akala’s last album ‘Freedom Lasso’ occasionally made me long for the more organic sounds of his brilliant debut LP ‘It’s Not A Rumour’ (I still loved ‘Freedom Lasso’ by the way). So it’s exciting to discover that his new ‘Acoustic Remixes EP’ (While not actually being purely acoustic) is the best thing he’s yet done.
The new version of ‘Bit By Bit’ is the stand-out track, with the more laid back Acoustic-flavoured backing serving to highlight just how good a rapper Akala is. Hopefully this new sound will be further explored on a future LP.
‘Williams’ Blood’ is from Grace Jones’ new record ‘Hurricane’ (Her first new LP to hit the streets in almost two decades!) which will be in the shops next week.
It’s Gospel-Disco with soaring backing vocals and an effecting story recounted in the lyrics. The “Let me fly” bits half-way through really do take flight and I couldn’t agree more with the closing snatches of ‘Amazing Grace’.
Kelpe’s own Remix of ‘Shipwreck Glue’ is an inventive six-minute instrumental with a crunching Bass sound that could snap a shot putter’s neck muscles. Plus, any record that uses the sounds of a ping-pong game as percussion, has got to be good.
The Harpsicord on Mister Modo and Ugly Mac Beer’s ‘Not Afraid’ gives it a Sixties Phychedelic vibe which has been contrasted with modern Hip-Hop and sweet Soul vocals from Jessica Fitoussi. You know you’re gonna love it (The rest of the new LP sounds totally different by the way, check it out).
Nikolaj Grandjean’s ‘The First Picture’ is gently strummed acoustic Indie with a subtle Spanish flavour.
Listen in the dark for a haunting intimate music experience.
Nikolaj Grandjean – “The First Picture” (MP3)
From the screech of “Aaaiiyyy-yeah!” at the start you know Of Montreal are out to have fun. ‘Id Engager’ is funky Indie-Dance with hilarious lyrics and the hookiest of Pop hooks. The “Play with you, play with you” backing vocals are also rather wonderful.
‘On A Letter’ is shimmering and beautiful Indie Guitar music from The Sea and Cake. It’s from their seventh album ‘Car Alarm’, so they’re a band worth further investigation. The blissful Guitars at the end are like tranquil waves lapping on the shore.
Stressed Out bring Jazz meets Rap on this masterful cut from back in 1995. ‘Jazzy Wit Da Joint’ is like the mellow sound of House Of Pain after a whole week smoking Cheeba (Unfortunately the mp3 included below is only a sanitisied radio version, if you’ve got the Diirrrty version Email it please!).
Stressed Out – “Jazzy Wit Da Joint” (MP3)
Wild Beasts make wonderfully eccentric Pop music proving once again that Domino is a label with great taste.
On ‘The Devil’s Crayon’ the sharp campy vocals bring to mind Antony Hegarty and the Calypso/Indie music is reminiscent of the glorious oddity of a great Sparks single.
Here’s a sumptuous Soul number to round out the ten tracks from Aussie singer Kylie Auldist. It’s on the always reliable Tru Thoughts and label mates The Bamboos are on production/backing-band duties. ‘Make Me Want More’ reminds me of the sublime ‘I Think I’ll Call It Morning’ by Gil Scott-Heron (No bad thing).
Akala MySpace / Purchase
Grace Jones MySpace / Purchase
Kelpe MySpace / Purchase
Kylie Auldist MySpace / Purchase
Mister Modo MySpace / Purchase
Sonar Kollektiv (Nikolaj Grandjean’s Label) Website
Of Montreal MySpace / Purchase
Stressed Out at Vinyl-Addicts / Purchase
The Sea and Cake MySpace / Purchase
Wild Beasts MySpace / Purchase
True to the most of it.
True to the most of it.