ALBUM OF THE MONTH
Artist: PETRA HADENAlbum: The Who Sell Out
The Scoop: An intoxicating defiance of odds, Petra Haden's reconceptualization of The Who's Who Sell Out both succeeds on its own merits and makes its source material more impressive by extension. Haden extracts Pete Townshend's inner Brian Wilson by stripping his songs of mechanical intervention, leaving only the human voice. And what a divine, versatile voice it is. Replicating Moon's thunder and Entwistle's rumble with an array of vocal effects-a delirious symphony of whispers and clicks and dum-dum-dums and blings-Haden's a capella arrangements are otherworldly and familiar all at once. The attention to detail is obsessive, but there's never a sense of being shackled to The Who. New layers are given room to emerge and be explored. Even the commercial "interruptions" move beyond novelty to a fun repeat listen (check out the beat box on "Heinz Baked Beans" and the hymnal exclamation point on "Tattoo"). The skill level is virtuoso and the enthusiasm level is childlike. Petra Haden Sings: The Who Sell Out may be the first cover album that is a creative equal to its original.Highlight Tracks: "Tattoo" and "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand"
P.S.: For further proof that Mike Watt is a genius, it turns out that this was his idea.
For More Info: Hop over to http://www.bar-none.com
Artist: KIESKAGATO
Album: EP
The Scoop: FREE MUSIC - go get yours! Take it from someone who gets a lot of that in the mail: it isn't always fun. But when it's free and good...ah, bliss. Such is the case with Kieskagato, who are offering up this five-song EP gratis ($1 to cover shipping, or you can just download the MP3's on their website). EP features reworked versions of previous songs and provides an interesting 'alternate take' for old fans and a good primer for new ones. The band, now a four-piece, continues to grow into their sound, a patient and accomplished hybrid of spacey guitars, ambient deconstructions and jazz-based freestyles. As mentioned previously (http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/1198... ), it's that brassiness that gives them the necessary flavor to stand out from the pack. In addition, though, it's increasingly evident on this EP that Kieskagato plays with some real soul, too, which is often lacking in bands with penchants for dense textures and ethereal instrumentals.Highlight Tracks: "Well Then, Alright" and "Dirty House"
For More Info: Check out http://www.kieskagato.com
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The copyright of the article Choice Cuts: February 2005 in Indie Music is owned by . Permission to republish Choice Cuts: February 2005 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
