Approaching a weekly album review presents challenges, with one of the biggest being what to review in the first place. Since I am highlighting albums that I feel merit some sort of attention, whether something classic that is somehow special, or something new that inspires and excites. Edition two is a tough one, for while week one was rather simple to choose, being impressed by a new release, week two needs to contrast by focusing on something from the past that some or many may know, but shouldn't be something that everybody knows already.
My choice this week is Prince's seventh studio album, Around the World in a Day. Released on April 22, 1985, it arrived a mere ten months after the Purple Rain soundtrack of June '84, and is one of only four Prince albums to hit number one on the Billboard charts (the others being the aforementioned soundtrack, the Batman soundtrack, and 3121 in 2006). The album was an incredible departure from everything he had done up to that point, with some considering it a failed experiment. Prince had always been a very R&B based artist, writing, performing, and producing nearly everything on his albums. Purple Rain felt more like a full band effort, with his band The Revolution taking a more prominent position in the sound of the album, and it showcased his many sides in a very concise effort fusing dance and funk music with rock like a hybrid of James Brown and Jimi Hendrix. Around the World in a Day was an about face that shocked many of his R&B leaning fans by fully embracing psychedelic rock and stripped down funk and pop, functioning as his own personal summer of love record and reflecting his love of Joni Mitchell and that style of music. The album is now seen as a minor dip in quality between Purple Rain and Parade (another great record), but did go on to sell three million copies in the US (Rain sold 13 million), and spawned two top ten hits with "Raspberry Beret"(#2) and "Pop Life"(#7).
There are many touches of Beatle-based influences (not to mention cover art), and the album is full of surprises. The title track features lots of strange and warped percussion mixed with carnival-esque instrumentation including flutes and sitar-like sounds. "Paisley Park" is likely the cornerstone album track, with big beats similar to "When Doves Cry" from the previous year, out-of-tune organs, and ringing guitars. Not only was this the name of a great song, but it became the name he chose for his record label AND recording studio complex in Minneapolis. While the singles were other melodic highlights, there is some weird stuff going on between them. "Condition of the Heart" is a big and powerful ballad that strives to twist Purple Rain's "Beautiful Ones" into something altogether trippier. "Tamborine" is one of the shortest and strangest songs Prince ever wrote, a stark, brittle funk workout. "America" is a unique take on the patriotic tune in a minor key, and the album closes with the big and inspiring "The Ladder" (Prince would do this again two years later to great effect on Sign O the Times with "The Cross"), and the epic "Temptation", where Prince seeks advice from God, a vocodered version of himself. Albums tended to be shorter in this period, especially from Prince, who produced many albums for his artists that contained as few as six tracks, yet this still had nine. "Hello", "Girl", and the classic "She's Always in My Hair" were three more B-sides that came from this era, great songs that are included on his B-sides collection.
Prince was always rather experimental for an R&B artist, much more so even than Michael Jackson, and this was one of his most out-there projects. Coming on the heels of such a successful soundtrack, this would be considered commercial suicide by many, but Prince knew that kind of crazy success could not be maintained, so he threw caution to the wind and made something extraordinary. What this album does offer is a fascinating glimpse into the psyche of a musician without restraint, doing exactly what he wants to do without a care of sales figures, and may actually be an artistic pinnacle in a career full of them. Prince hasn't made a truly great album in nearly 20 years, but if he wants some inspiration, maybe he should listen to this record to find a way out of his recent cold and slick mode. When the album came out, it was an unexpected statement, and Prince was in his most confident place musically speaking, making something loose with more outside contributions. He would be wise to do more of that today. Still, what a fabulous legacy of recordings he made during this imperial phase, and this should be regarded as another masterpiece.
I would have posted a youtube video link to one of the singles below, but Prince still does not allow his music to appear on streaming sites and has a team of lawyers ready to remove music if it gets posted.
We thought it was about time to start an Album of the Week post where we choose an album, new or vintage, that we wish to highlight as something rather special. Considering the thousands of records we've heard in our lifetimes, as well as the thousands we carry in the store (not to mention the handful nearly every week that bring something interesting to the table), we hope to bring to the blog albums that we love and love to talk about. This is a purely subjective exercise based on our personal opinions, and if you find that you are left cold by what we have to discuss, it is likely because our general tastes don't mix (this doesn't mean we can't be friends). It does not mean that we cannot hear redemptive qualities in music that isn't generally appealing to us...in fact, nearly everything has something to recommend it (some things more than others). These entries are just meant to act as little love letters of sorts to albums that have had some impact in our music world, and maybe you will find or be interested in something that you never really thought much of before.
Our inaugural entry is a new release, the brand new Pet Shop Boys album, Electric. We have already featured this album in store emails (sorry about the extra face time), but want to mention again what an extraordinary album this is. In a year where Daft Punk is practically sainted for their retro-disco grooves on Random Access Memories (a history lesson in disco), Pet Shop Boys (that other electronic duo from across the English Channel) return with the heavily synthetic and modern Electric. There are a couple reasons this is extraordinary: 1)Their last album, the lovely Elysium, appeared a mere ten months ago, and served as a pastoral reflection on being an ageing pop musician in a young persons' game, and 2)In their fifties, the duo of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe have been at it for 30(!) years, and not only assembled a massive catalog of incredible songs to rival catalogs of Rodgers & Hammerstein or Lennon & McCartney, but sound newly energized on this loosely structured collection of rambunctious tunes.
Rather than give a rundown of what all the songs sound like (there are plenty of reviews out there on the web, nearly all rating the album highly), we would just like to say a couple things about the general project. The album is three songs shorter than it's predecessor, but about the same running length. That allows the songs to stretch out more and breathe, bearing a similar resemblance to some of their earliest work on the Disco compliation and third album, Introspective. Tapping producer Stuart Price (Madonna Confessions on a Dance Floor, Kylie Minogue Aphrodite) was a masterstroke at bringing them back to the strong rhythms and layers found in much of their early work. Vintage equipment was used in combination with the modern to create a mixture of sounds that references older material with a wink while creating something completely new.
Of course, the subjects covered in the lyrics are typically wry and witty observations from Tennant's pen. While a couple (mostly) instrumental tracks are present, other songs deal with moving forward after a breakup by busying oneself with extracurricular activities and shunning the prospects of future love ("Love is a Bourgeois Construct"), Thursday being the new-and-ever-earlier beginning of the party weekend ("Thursday"), and the transformative power of dance music ("Vocal"). There are a couple dark and provocative tunes placed in the middle ("Fluroescent", "Inside a Dream"), and a stunningly random cover of a recent Bruce Springsteen song ("The Last to Die" from 2007's Magic), as well as a kooky song called "Bolshy" (something to do with being enamored with the new Russian capitalist youth). By the end of Electric, you begin to realize that very few people in the world of dance music would ever think to write songs about subjects such as these. Tennant was a music journalist before becoming a recording musician, and continues to grow as a lyricist, while Lowe (the computer-geek half) is constantly pushing boundaries in chord progressions and song structure. "Bourgeois" even goes so far as to using a melody from Renaissance composer Henry Purcell (1659-1695) as its main theme. In fact, many of Electric's songs have lengthy intros, minimal choruses, verses functioning as choruses, or no chorus at all. While they've dabbled with unorthodox song structures in the past, this liberation from rote songwriting began in earnest on 2009's Yes, produced by UK hitmakers Xenomania (Girls Aloud), who were known for placing choruses before verses, and that idea really takes hold here in a way that these guys realize they can do about anything they want structurally. (They would be very humbled to be known as 'architects of song').
What this boils down to is Electric is a highly enjoyable summer dance-party album with an educational conscience. It's just another fascinating chapter in the history of a band who recently ended their contract with Parlophone Records after a 28-year association and 50 million records sold when EMI was sold to Universal last year. Instead of signing away rights to future material to join another major label, Neil and Chris decided to start their own label, x2, in association with music publishing company, Kobalt. This has allowed them the freedom to promote the project how they see fit, and they have been so inspired by the response to the album, they are now promising a further two albums of similar material and production to function as a trilogy. Here's hoping they get working on that idea sooner rather than later, as Electric really puts them back in touch with their energetic side, reminding us why we fell in love with their music in the first place.
The year 2013 is closing in on Half Over(!) and we always like to pause and reflect on what were our favorite releases of the previous six months. This year was rather bizarre for us due to the fact that we opened a store late after closing a store and sitting in limbo for nearly three months. However, that doesn't mean we were inactive listeners, and if anything, we were MORE active due to our reflection time.
Lists are a funny thing. They seem to have gotten more and more popular over the past few years as the internet has exploded with social media. They are also completely subjective as everyone has their own idea of what their list would or should look like, and they are not really indicative of what is the best work from a musical or marketing point of view. The reason we stress over these lists is to share our discoveries with others in the hope that they will also seek out some of these things and help the store and the artists financially through purchase of their work. This work makes us, in effect, facilitators. That being said, there are some truly great albums being released this year, maybe more than ever before. Do not shut yourself off to the possibility of new art infiltrating your life and affecting your world.
So here you go, these are our favorites of 2013 as of the midpoint: 40) GOLD FIELDS--Black Sun 39) JOHNNY MARR--The Messenger 38) THE NATIONAL--Trouble Will Find Me 37) RHYE--Woman 36) SMITH WESTERNS--Soft Will 35) EMPIRE OF THE SUN--Ice on the Dune 34) FLAMING LIPS--The Terror 33) FOXYGEN--We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic 32) CAMERA OBSCURA--Desire Lines 31) VISAGE--Hearts & Knives 30) PHOENIX--Bankrupt! 29) ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER--Personal Record 28) SAVAGES--Silence Yourself 27) NEW ORDER--Lost Sirens 26) OCEAN BLUE--Ultramarine 25) LAURA MARLING--Once I Was an Eagle 24) CLUB 8--Above the City 23) YOUNG GALAXY--Ultramarine 22) DEPECHE MODE--Delta Machine 21) MARY ONETTES--Hit the Waves 20) JOSEPH ARTHUR--Ballad of Boogie Christ 19) IAMX--Unified Field 18) LITTLE BOOTS--Nocturnes 17) DAFT PUNK--Random Access Memories 16) SIGUR ROS--Kveikur 15) VAMPIRE WEEKEND--Modern Vampires of the City 14) TEGAN & SARA--Heartthrob 13) FUTURE BIBLE HEROES--Partygoing 12) THE VEILS--Time Stays, We Go 11) YEAH YEAH YEAHS--Mosquito 10) OMD--English Electric 9) SHOUT OUT LOUDS--Optica 8) SUEDE--Bloodsports 7) NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS--Push the Sky Away 6) ALISON MOYET--The Minutes 5) THE KNIFE--Shaking the Habitual 4) WOODKID--Golden Age 3) JOHN GRANT--Pale Green Ghosts 2) DAVID BOWIE--The Next Day 1) PRIMAL SCREAM--More Light What were your favorites? Let us know, and look for our big year end list in another six months. More entries are going to shake up this list by then, likely including Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys, Nine Inch Nails, Pet Shop Boys, and Goldfrapp. Spaces are getting tight already...
Remember, this list is purely subjective, so just because it isn't on this list does not mean it isn't great. These are just the ones that resonated with us on a more personal level. Thanks for reading! --Jason@Electric Avenue
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Hey music lovers! Thanks again for tuning in to this site. The store has been open for little more than a month, and we've had wonderful response so far. We are still trying to spread the word, as many of our former customers are still unaware about our move and name change, so we keep telling whoever we can. Don't be surprised if we see you innocently walking down the street and decide to flag you down and pull over to tell you about our new location (this actually happened). Also, we have been focusing on daily operations at the store (like paying our first bills--urgh!), so the blog was feeling a little neglected lately. Now it's time to discuss some of our favorite records that have been released in 2013, mainly because we love talking about music we love, and we want you to know about the vast amazingness of music out there currently.
David Bowie has already been mentioned a few times (The Next Day), as well as the latest from Tegan & Sara (Heartthrob). There have been DOZENS of great records since then. You may want to consider adding some of them to your collections.
SHOUT OUT LOUDS--Optica
I have already mentioned what an amazing indie pop album this is. Male/female vocals trade off on the Swedes' most accessible album yet, and while some songs are retro in the absolute best sense, things never devolve into pure pastiche. A catchy song like "Illusions" is indicative of what makes this record great, and "Blue Ice" is one of those warm-like-a-summer-breeze songs that I could hear a million times and not get tired. "14th of July" and "Chasing the Sinking Sun" dance with an energetic abandon, while "Walking in Your Footsteps" and "Circles" are overflowing with hooks. Plus it's on Merge Records, one of the best indie labels around. What more could you want?
YEAH YEAH YEAHS--Mosquito
Karen O and the guys have done it again with this incredible record. Veering from punk-y thrash (title track) to near-gospel ("Sacrilege"), this album features the most number of varied styles to be found on a single Yeah Yeah Yeah's album, and they do their best to nail about everything they attempt. Closing track "Wedding Song" is sure to end up being the go-to anthem of summer weddings for hipsters who don't want to hire wedding DJs. My personal favorite: "Subway", which somehow captures the emotional distance and alienation of being surrounded by strangers on a journey by rail.
SUEDE--Bloodsports
I keep coming back to the new Suede album. It's their strongest effort in years, and while most reunion albums leave you feeling something has gone missing, this one has just enough references of their history with a kick so it doesn't feel so nostalgic. Longtime producer Ed Buller did a fantastic job capturing the sound of what made Suede such a special band to begin with. It's rare these days to find a first side of a record where each of the five opening songs is better than the previous one. The cover art is fantastic as well.
THE KNIFE--Shaking the Habitual
Could this be their masterpiece? What a sprawling record this is, spread across three vinyl LPs, including one side with a 20-minute ambient instrumental placed right in the middle. The hot pink cover with its political messages about ending extreme wealth is provocative enough. Then there's the music! Rhythmic and tribal, "Tooth For an Eye" opens proceedings with Karin Dreijer-Andersson's tribal method of singing, followed by the slamming techno pulse of the near 10-minute "Full of Fire", shifting her vocals toward an electronically treated aggression. From there, sinewy sitars, choirs of recorders, and what sound like a whale wanting to be fed make sonic appearances throughout. Most songs are over the five minute mark, and some are more than ten. The brother-sister team hadn't made an album for eight years, and they have returned by smashing all expectations with this monstrous behemoth of an art project.
JOHN GRANT--Pale Green Ghosts
After winning Mojo magazine's award for the best album of 2010 with Queen of Denmark, John Grant has lived another life since then, travelling to Berlin, breaking up with his lover, contracting HIV, connecting with Gus Gus for musical collaboration and Sinead O'Connor doing backing vocals. Now it seems as though someone stole his computer last week with all his stored material gone, and Grant pleading for its return. Pale Green Ghosts is a special work, jumping from self-effacing jokes to anger over a breakup to absolute heartbreak. His gift for direct and intimate lyrics is reflected in songs like "GMF", "It Doesn't Matter to Him", and "I Hate This Town", which marry Aimee Mann-bitterness with sunnier melodies. The opening title-track has a dark electronic pulse, while the last song, "Glacier", is one of the most beautifully profound songs of self-empowerment I've heard in years. It's a sprawling affair in a different sort of way than the Knife album is, but it feels like Grant's life in song, and isn't life sometimes messy?
ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK--English Electric
After decades being separated, this duo reunited in a big way for 2010's History of Modern, and while that album was a commercial solidification of their career, their latest is a more experimental record, echoing their most daring past experiment, 1981's Dazzle Ships. Ahead of its time, that album featured a few somewhat melodic tracks mixed with found sound experiments and audio collages that left their audience scratching its head. EE is less out-there, and smartly rides a more moderate line with lots of tunes reminiscent of their favorite fouding-forefathers band, Kraftwerk (see "Metroland" and "Night Cafe"). Longtime designer Peter Saville contributed the glorious artwork.
FLAMING LIPS--The Terror
Not as sprawling as the previous Embryonic, The Terror sees the Lips coming to terms with much inner band turmoil and their own mortality. It's a dark, trippy ride, and is one of their recent best efforts. The image of Flaming Lips today is really in contrast to what their music has been trying to convey, and this is no exception, as there is nothing as perky as their Yoshimi-period work. Still, this record proves they continually succeed to find new inspiration for their music, and seem to be entering their third Renaissance period.
SAVAGES--Silence Yourself
If you ever thrilled to the chills produced by Siouxsie Sioux's icy vocals, the debut from this British female band inhabits that same space of early Banshee records mixed with a bit of Joy Division to boot. It could all collapse under the weight of pretension and imitation were it not for a complete commitment to the cause and a unique method of arranging the material. When Savages commit to a song, they COMMIT, making this project feel very visceral and real. Their thrashy sound features shades of darker melancholy, alluding to future directions they may be able to take their sound palette. It's electrifying!
NEW ORDER--Lost Sirens
Still only an import release, New Order's latest took seven years to release, as they had recorded this music during the sessions for their previous album, 2006's Waiting for the Sirens' Call. Bassist Peter Hook was still a member of the band then, before his more recent acrimonious fallout. Fittingly, Lost Sirens then ends up being so much more than a collection of leftovers, as the eight songs are arguably better than the last album, and still manage to represent the band in the best way. It's the kind of record that is reminiscent of past records like Power, Corruption and Lies and Low-Life. On tour this summer.
STROKES--Comedown Machine
The Strokes' latest is just as experimental and full of variety as the previous Angles, but is pulled together in a more direct and assured way. Yes, there are more keyboards than you'll find on Is This It?, but songs like "One Way Trigger" and "Happy Ending" are catchy and engaging, with a couple songs like "All The Time" and "50/50" thrown in for Strokes-ian good measure. This is the sound of a band a decade on after being through some rough times only to find their new realm of self-assurance and confidence. A solid effort.
PHOENIX--Bankrupt!
What would the French be without Phoenix? Hooky, buzzy, fizzy, and fun, Bankrupt! is akin to Phoenix strolling across the finish line. It's hard to believe these guys were best friends with Daft Punk at one time long ago (although they may sound MORE electronic than Daft Punk at the moment). This is sort of a no-brainer, really. I mean, there's a song called "Drakkar Noir"!
MARY ONETTES--Hit the Waves
This great Swedish band evoke memories of groups like the Cure without ever sounding like a copy. They have evolved from one album to the next very organically, now adding more keyboard textures to the mix. Some of their songs are nostalgia referencing without sounding like copies either, with song titles like "Don't Forget (to Forget About Me)". Produced by Swedish mastermind Dan Lissvik, Hit the Waves may be their most catchy album yet.
YOUNG GALAXY--Ultramarine
Another Dan Lissvik production, albeit with more keyboards and fewer guitars, Canadian band Young Galaxy is led by married couple Stephen Ramsay and Catherine McCandless. Her voice takes center stage for the entire album for the first time, and recalls the soul of singers like Annie Lennox. The band actually traveled to Sweden to record this after their last record (which Lissvik also produced) had been done by computer and Skype communication alone. Ultramarine is the sound of a band from the north searching for warmer climates with songs like "New Summer", and romance with "Fall For You" and "Pretty Boy".
LITTLE BOOTS--Nocturnes
For those with poppier tendencies who like a good Madonna or Kylie song once in a while, the new Little Boots album is one to get your feet going while simultaneously feeding your mind. Opening song "Motorway" in particular is hauntingly seductive, landing in the same territory Saint Etienne trudges so well. Much of the rest of this self-financed, self-released record is more clubby or upbeat, with closing track "Satellites" one of the most euphoric songs of the year. This is how REAL electro-pop should be made, so take note female popstrels.
DEPECHE MODE--Delta Machine
Thirty years into an amazing career and Depeche Mode are just as dour as ever, yet they've gone further into the blues with this release. They have also continued to use more vintage analog synths to get those abstract and unique sounds they are known for. New single, "Soothe My Soul", is straight from the "Personal Jesus" school of blues-y stompers, while "Angel" and "Secret to the End" employ interesting rhythmic and synth textures to create something just edgy enough without alienating what their fans want from them. "Broken" is an interesting song, channeling "My Secret Garden"-era arrangements, while opener "Welcome to My World" and closer "Goodbye" are two of the best songs here for the unexpected directions they take as songs. Longtime cohort Flood (Songs of Faith & Devotion) lended a hand on the mix, giving the record a rootsy analog sound. Another great record in a long line of great records.
I'm also feeling the love for a lot of other things right now, but there just isn't enough time in the day to talk about them all now. Here is a smattering:
JOHNNY MARR--Messenger
Former Smiths/The The/Electronic/Modest Mouse/Cribs guitarist makes a great solo record, FINALLY! ATOMS FOR PEACE--Amok
Thom Yorke makes a Radiohead side project that sounds a lot like...Radiohead! Still pretty good though. FOXYGEN--We are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic
I feel giddy when I hear this record, since it feels like I've heard much of it before, but in different ways. WAVVES--Afraid of Heights
Like Nirvana and the Beatles had a baby. Interested? RHYE--Woman
Lush modern R&B with smooth male vocals that sound strangely feminine in a good way. KARL BARTOS--Off the Record
Ertswhile Kraftwerk member releases first solo material in ages. If you know Kraftwerk, you know this. SHE & HIM--Volume 3
Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward come up with their most beguiling album yet. Adorkable! GOLD FIELDS--Black Sun
Foster the People fans take note. A great mix of pop and rock with a little Australian touch thrown in. FITZ & THE TANTRUMS--More Than Just a Dream
They took some chances on record 2, with mild electronic touches, placing them in Hall & Oates territory. NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS--Push the Sky Away
What else can be said about one of the best albums of the year? There's NO-ONE like Nick Cave. VAMPIRE WEEKEND--Modern Vampires of the City
Excellent latest effort with a bit more depth and darker tendencies. Everything in it's right place. THE NATIONAL--Trouble Will Find Me
Simply one of the most special and glorious albums of the year. Can the National get much better than this? DAFT PUNK--Random Access Memories
Giorgio Moroder. Nile Rodgers. Paul Williams(!). Enough said.
While there are a few more great 2013 records (actually several), and some coming up soon, hopefully this rounds up some things worthy of your time and attention now. We've got them all in stock, so come check 'em out! We'd like to see and hear from you!
Hey there everybody! Thanks for the response we've been getting to the store so far. We're still trying to get the word out about our name and location change, so pass the info on to anyone you think would be interested. We've also been busy getting the store running in an orderly fashion, and there have been some challenges, so we haven't been able to keep the blog as regular as we want it to be yet. Here are some things that have gone on Facebook & Twitter that you may have missed, and once again, thanks for the support! Record Store Day in particular was fantastic!
You may have already seen the info on Facebook or Twitter, but we opened for business yesterday. It was what we like to call a "soft opening". Basically, we needed to learn how to operate the "new" computer system, which was actually our "old" computer system in the sense that it is the system we used when we were Rainbow Records 16 YEARS ago, now updated (of course). There were certain things we wanted to make sure we could do before we started helping you. Now that those things have generally been taken care of, our first couple days were very positive.
Day 1 was extraordinarily busy, as word got around through some close contacts and former CCBMC employees, while Day 2 was less busy, but gave us a chance to catch up on some mounting paperwork, reflect with some customers on what has transpired, and prepare for Record Store Day 2013. If you are unaware, Record Store Day is this Saturday, April 21. We will open at 9am. Record Store Day falls on the third Saturday of each April, and is a day to celebrate independent record stores by letting them sell exclusive recordings (mostly on vinyl) that cannot be found at mass merchants or online retailers (there is a secondary one now on Black Friday in November). We spent much of today receiving fantastic RSD products, as well as some great new LPs you may want to add to your collection. Call us at our new phone number, 610-692-3600 if you have a specific inquiry (the list can be found here): http://www.recordstoreday.com/SpecialReleases
We will continue discussing music and what's going on in the music world here, and we hope you join in with your thoughts. Right now, we are so blessed and grateful that we have special people in our lives who have helped us achieve the beginning of a dream through their investments and hard work. It's time Chester County had another music store that people will cherish and appreciate, and we're honored to be a part of that landscape.
Opening day is coming soon (could it be April 17th?), and I thought it would be a good time to talk about some of the great new music we've already missed discussing with you and selling in the first couple months of the year. 2013 was off to a rather slow start (fortunately for us), but there were a couple hot titles that people seemed to be interested in back in January, specifically Yo La Tengo with Fade, (their 13th(!) album), and Foxygen's We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace. Both were critically acclaimed, and seemed to keep people going through the beginnning of a very bleak winter here.
A personal favorite came at the end of January--that being Tegan & Sara's Heartthrob. I have to admit that I never really gave the female duo much praise in the past, but here they hit absolute gold with a new producer, Greg Kurstin (famous for working with Kylie Minogue, Kelly Clarkson, Lily Allen, and as one half of The Bird & The Bee). Kurstin has given the girls a pop sheen that may have put off some of their traditional fans, but the move also invited a lot of new ones into their world, opening up their sound and giving them some of their biggest sales figures. If you like strongly written and produced pop songs with a bit of a Fleetwood Mac vibe here & there, make sure to check it out. Here's one of the best tracks, the pop ballad "I Was a Fool":
Other truly great records have been released, such as the aforementioned David Bowie title, The Next Day, the haunting Push the Sky Away from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds (which even includes a song namechecking Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana!), and London Suede's first new record in a decade, Bloodsports. All three albums are amazing British rock records that will probably be lurking among my favorites of the year once 2013 closes.
If you like Swedish indie pop artists like Peter, Bjorn & John or Lykke Li, or even more US-based quirky mainstream pop like Foster the People, you should probably check out the latest entries from Shout Out Louds (the infectious Optica), Mary Onettes (Hit the Waves), or Gold Fields (Black Sun). If you like 80's alternative like the Cure, XTC, or Echo & the Bunnymen, these three records have a lot of charm, and excel on interesting arrangements and catchy songs that don't come across as too typical or pedestrian. Shout Out Louds in particular found a great sound by letting go and having fun.
Also of note is Hershey, PA's own Ocean Blue, a band that first appeared in the late 80's as an American answer to British shoegaze pop, but never really took off in a big way. They've taken long breaks between records, but now return with one of their best, and their first in 14 years, Ultramarine. They're really not much like My Bloody Valenting, but if you liked Cocteau Twins or The Smiths, you should really hear Ocean Blue.
Other to investigate: Depeche Mode's Delta Machine, Johnny Marr's Messenger, or Rhye's wonderful Woman (if you like blue-eyed soul). Also on the blue-eyed soul tip is Jessie Ware's Devotion, a veritable masterclass of how to do modern R&B correctly. Of course, if you listen to WXPN, you've been hearing great stuff from the Strokes, Jim James, James Hunter, Boz Scaggs, Phosphorescent, Richard Thompson, Eric Clapton, and more. April continues to be big, with an avalanche of new titles coming our way. Hopefully this gets you thinking about making a list (if you don't already have one!), and maybe you'll find something you may have missed (even Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, and Justin Timberlake put out full length records!).
Twelve weeks may not seem like a long time to be away, but it sure does when you look at all the things we've missed out on. We cannot wait to be back in business, and it seems closer than ever (could it be the middle of next week?)! Let's talk music soon!
