I hope I don't set a precedence with this week's Cool Cuts being SLIGHTLY late. I have a good excuse though, and it's all Harry's fault. He dragged me all the way to Berlin, to some film set where I gotta watch a bunch a Nazis get blown to bits by hairy Jews. Snoozefest, right? So, the better part of my days and nights have been spent either in a bloodbath or a warm bed. I didn't get to spend as much time on this as I wanted, but there are still a bunch of interesting choices that seem to be heavy on the folk and country side.
Just to clarify, this column is similar in format to Harry's dvd list. These are my picks for this weeks new releases in music, and just a little blurb about them. I've gotten some emails wondering if I would also be doing news, but at this moment, I do not have the luxury of this being my singular purpose, and therefore do not have the sort of time to commit to something that would demand that much attention.
Willie and the Wheel
Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel
These days, Willie Nelson has been working with everyone from Bob Dylan to Kris Kristofferson to Snoop Dogg. His latest collaboration is with another outstanding Austin act, Asleep at the Wheel. The brainchild of the late Jerry Wexler was initially thought up over 30 years ago, but then had the life breathed back into it in 2003 when Wexler sent Ray Benson a collection of old Western swing albums that contained songs he had picked for Willie to cover years ago. This album includes those handpicks songs. This is just so much fun, and you can hear Willie, Ray, and the rest of Asleep at the wheel having a really great time playing the sort of music they love best.
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Reflections (Box set)
Graham Nash
Last week I had Incredible String Trio's album of unreleased recordings. This week we have someone who was also a part of band that was also at the illustrious '69 Woodstock. That last sentence made about as much sense as the broken up history of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, with Nash being the one in question. This is a release of chronologically arranged tracks from Graham Nash's several project's including the Hollies, C,S,N&Y, Crosby/Nash, and his solo stuff.
Sea Sew
Lisa Hannigan
With the pop sensibilities of Sarah Bareilles, the whimsy of Fiest, and, and at times, the crushing intimacy of Charlotte Gainsbourg, it's no surprise Hannigan has gained so much acclaim in her homeland. Strangely though, this is her first solo release. I absolutely fell in love with her video for "Lillie", which is essentially the song told with homemade pop-up books. So much fun!
Ben Kweller
Changing Horses
Adding the swagger of steel guitars to an otherwise run-of-the-mill indie rock song has been an ever popular trend, that doesn't seem to be going away any time soon. Ben Kweller is just another in a line bandwagon jumpers of "Indie Does Country!!", but not one that should necessarily be ignored. I tried to make it to the listening party in Austin for "Changing Horses", but unfortunately, couldn't find the time between work and packing for Berlin. However, I've liked the little bits and pieces I've heard of the album.I especially like "Old Hat" which is about a lost and worn relationship, which of course includes the ever present steel guitar twang.
k.d. lang: Live with the BBC concert orchestra (Blu-ray)
k.d. lang
A truly talented voice. k.d. lang's cover of Leonard Cohen's "Halleluhjah" is beautiful. It's no Jeff Buckley, but definitely masterful. Should be great to hear in clear HD quality.
For All I Care
The Bad Plus
I'm ashamed to admit I don't know or listen to a lot of jazz. I always feel so overwhelmed by the immenseness of the genre. When I ran across this while researching what to write about this week, I was surprised to find that I wasn't intimidated by the unknown while listening to them. The vocals of Wendy Lewis helped me ease into this complicated world, even with the dissonant melodies. Just a very organic, rich, and full sound I can see myself listening to any lazy late evening. Also, there's a really great cover of one of my favorite Wilco songs "Radio Cure".
Immolate Yourself
Telefon Tele Aviv
Making quality music is such an accessible process now. There's a whole sub-sub-genre that I think of as laptop tweakers. All they really need is a laptop and synthesizer to produce some really interesting stuff. Telefon Tele Aviv is one of the better groups in my made up genre of music. This is their third album, and I imagine their last. Sadly, Charlie Cooper, who made up half of this duo, passed away shortly before the release of "Immolate Yourself". The songs of this album had great structure with an entrancingly intense ambience.
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Great noise rock that turns my mind to the Vivian Girls, but with some Y chromosomes. They have a little more bubblegum pop to their sound, which give them a Stars and Teenage Fanclub quality to them. It doesn't hurt that they list my favorite band, Dear Nora, as one of their influences.
To Willie
Phosphorescent
Phosphorescent feels like an even more ragged, depressed version of Iron & Wine, which is saying a lot about just how ragged and depressed Phosphorescent's music really is. Phosphorescent, the one man show that is Matthew Houck, weaves this love letter to Willie Nelson with all the same grey clouds scatter throughout his other Paxil habit forming albums.
Wavves
Wavves
The product of a Beach Boys and a random "available only on cassette" punk band collision obviously. Nathan Williams has been getting a lot of press riddled with horrible waves/surfing/beach puns. I just wanted to skip all that, and say this is fun, simple southern California rock. Check it out.
The Good Feeling Music of Dent May
Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele
Who doesn't love a good Ukulele?! Don't judge me too harshly,but my love affair with the ukulele probably started with Tiny Tim (aaah, junior high). I first heard of Dent May's "Meet Me In The Garden" on XM. I haven't heard a single other thing from this album, but have pretty much decided that I'm going to love it. Fun crooner sound, with the silly falsetto back up vocals? What more could you ask for?
Vignetting the Compost
Bibio
This is the weird, obscure, fun kinda of thing I love finding. The intricate guitar melodies fused with some looped synthesized stuff creates a sort of folky electronica. Some of it is more traditional folk, but often modified electronically somehow. However, it's hard for me to get a good reading on Bibio, considering how little is readily available online. Still worth doing a little digging for.
The widget includes most of the albums above. Next week, I'll try to add each band's myspace page to the end of their entry. Untill then!
Peace out
Send all the rage here.
