Choice Cuts: April 2003

Author: **
Published on: Apr 2, 2003

CHOICE CUTS APRIL 2003 The Latest & Greatest in Indie Music & Beyond

ALBUM OF THE MONTH

Artist: DUMP

Album: A Grown-Ass Man

The Scoop: Make no mistake, my friends, this is just as exciting a music event as the new Yo La Tengo. YLT bassist (and sometime vocalist) James McNew delivers an album chock full of fuzzy guitar rock, fragile harmonies and—par for the course—brilliant covers. Both Dump and Yo La Tengo have proven themselves as among the most capable (and versatile) cover bands around, and on A Grown-Ass Man we get to see McNew lovingly tackle The Isley Brothers (“Mr. Too Damn Good”), Thin Lizzy (“Cowboy Song”) and—with the help of Sue Garner—Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells (“Once Upon a Time”). Once you get done with this one, you’ll want to rush out (or log on) and pick up Dump’s previous collection of all-Prince covers. Mm hm that’s right. But the bulk of this disc is original material, and almost all of that is gush-worthy, too. Even in its softer moments (like the shivery “Peggy’s Blues”), A Grown-Ass Man is a feel-good album through and through, thanks in no small part to the abundantly evident joy and care that went into making it. A triumph, and a certain must-have for even the casual YLT fan.

Highlight Tracks: “I Wish / You Wish,” “The History of Love” and “Mr. Too Damn Good”

And Furthermore...: Archer Prewitt’s cover art is the absolute cat’s meow.

For More Info: Order the album or listen to audio samples at http://www.midheaven.com/artists/dump.ht...

Artist: BLUEBOTTLE KISS

Album: Revenge is Slow

The Scoop: In Music We Trust again casts its eyes to the Land Down Under, and again comes riding away with a winner. Bluebottle Kiss has been at it for quite some time, and making a superfan out of Silverchair’s Daniel Johns in the meantime (yes, there are still some people who register “Silverchair” on their radar). The Aussies receive their proper introduction to the States on April 29th, and Revenge is Slow fits in nicely to the current music climate without really sounding like anyone on the radio. Bluebottle Kiss moves from radio-ready shimmering pop to dissonant tides of emo, sometimes in the course of a single track (“Prussian Blue”). Guitars are the main weapons of choice for the band, but frontman/producer Jamie Hutchings deserves mention for his fairly seamless transitions between moods and genres. Sometimes Bluebottle Kiss sound ready for NPR; other times they pack a visceral punch more akin to their cited influences (Sonic Youth, The Bad Seeds, etc.). This one is still getting better with each listen.

Highlight Tracks: “Last Cinema” and “Prussian Blue”

For More Info: Visit http://www.inmusicwetrust.com/label/blue...

Artist: THE DIXIELAND RAMBLERS

Album: Live and Lighting It Up in New Orleans

The Scoop: Probably one of the happiest records you’ll hear this year, and a counterpart, in some ways, to the Marsalis Family CD reviewed last month. While Live and Lighting It Up may be lacking in the Marsalis celebrity cameo and original composition departments, the Ramblers’ gleeful celebration of good ol’ intoxicatin’ New Orleans surely shares the same spirit. While clarinetist Michael Bennett and trumpeter Kevin Clark shine brightest and most consistently, all six Ramblers make playful use of their time alone in the spotlight. Encouraged by an enthusiastic crowd, the sextet relies more on spontaneity and sheer energy than by-the-book renditions of the standards. Spontaneity is sometimes a buzz word for bands that are enthusiastic but technically lacking, but the Dixieland Ramblers are—true to their name—time-tested pros and keepers of the ‘Nawlins sound.

Highlight Tracks: “Hindustan” and “Clarinet Marmalade”

For More Info: Visit http://www.summitrecords.com

Artist: LINDA DRAPER

Album: Patchwork

The Scoop: Already her third album at just the age of 25, Patchwork is an arresting collection of 11 songs from “anti-folk” singer/songwriter Linda Draper. If you don’t know the difference between “folk” and “anti-folk,” don’t worry: I don’t really get it either. There isn’t anything too overtly punk or political about Draper, just all the ingredients of a first-class folkstress (smart lyrics, sparse guitar accompaniment, inviting vocals). Draper is capable of floating her voice up into the highest of registers, infusing with a shivering dreaminess. The sparseness doesn’t translate to a sacrifice of hooks, as almost all of the 11 songs have subtly infectious melodies, especially in the choruses. Patchwork was produced by Kramer, whose past credits include Mike Doughty’s solo album Skittish and Urge Overkill’s 90’s mix-tape staple “Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon” (from Pulp Fiction).

Highlight Tracks: “My Boomerang Baby” and “Seven Black Crows”

For More Info: Head over to http://www.lindadraper.net

Artist: HELLO DEFECTIVE

Album: Kill Us Now

The Scoop: Having not been exposed to Hello Defective’s Plastic Hearts EP, this one came out of nowhere for me. As a courtesy to us newcomers, the full-length includes all the songs from the EP; a wise move on the part of the band, as they are some of the album’s strongest cuts. Hello Defective plays a tripped-out variety of indie-pop, at times shaded by Perry Farrell, at times shaded by Wayne Coyne. Unlike so many of their brethren, though, Hello Defective never lets their songs needlessly or purposelessly sprawl; even the lengthy, brooding album closer (“Brave Birds”) doesn’t overstay its welcome. At times, singer/guitarist Kirby sounds like he could be fronting a psyche-pop band from the Sixties, but he and fellow songwriter Armitage met in a very modern, heartwarming indie-rock fashion (bonding over a Mercury Rev T-shirt). With albums of this ilk, sometimes even the good ones are lacking in fullness, so I was pleasantly surprised by how accomplished Kill Us Now is. When they bring their A-game—and probably 4 of the album’s 9 songs qualify as such—Hello Defective can stand comfortably amongst the psyche-pop elite.

Highlight Tracks: “An Idiot’s Brainstorm” and “Plastic Hearts”

For More Info: Jump over http://www.hellodefective.com

Artist: MIKE LONGO TRIO

Album: Live – The Detroit International Jazz Festival

The Scoop: A reverent tribute to some of jazz’s all-time greats, including Dizzy Gillespie, for whom Mike Longo served as pianist and musical director for nine years. In some ways, it’s hard to go wrong with selections like “Trane’s Blues” and “A Night in Tunisia.” The hard part, after all (classic composition), has already been done. But instead of trying to needlessly embellish or interpret, Longo, bassist Santi Debriano and drummer Ray Mosca handle the numbers with loving care. The result is an album that’s ripe for enjoyment by jazz lovers and newcomers alike. It’s noteworthy that Longo has followed in Gillespie’s tracks in forming his own label (Gillespie had DG Records); the common thread is producer Dave Usher.

Highlight Tracks: “Fiesta Mojo” and “Rhythm-A-Ning”

For More Info: Jump over to http://www.jazzbeat.com

Artist: HOUSTON MARCHMAN & THE CONTRABAND

Album: Desperate Man

The Scoop: Everybody knows that everything is oh-so-big in Texas, and my contempt for the state is of a comparable size. To its credit, however, the state that gave us President Bush and oversized belt buckles also has a fairly unassailable music scene. Houston Marchman (they name their own children after their cities, for crying out loud) has a talent that transcends state boundaries and evokes Americana giants like Van Zandt or Earle. His grizzly voice never sacrifices tunefulness, and the stories he tells—while filled with characters out of country music’s equivalent of Central Casting (sweet senoritas, fallen angels)—crackle with detail and honesty. The tender paternity of “Hold Fast” recalls tales like Cat Stevens’ “Father and Son,” while songs like “$2 Pistol” focus on the darker side of the psyche.

Highlight Tracks: “Sweet Love” and “$2 Pistol”

For More Info: Head to http://www.houstonmarchman.com

Artist: BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS

Album: Greatest Hits at Studio One

The Scoop: How to review Bob Marley? It is debatable whether any other musician in history has been so peerlessly lionized within their genre; even Beethoven, after all, has a Mozart. For countless thousands—millions?—of Americans, Bob Marley and the Wailers are reggae, and Legend is an almost universal soundtrack to “freshman year of college.” The new release, lovingly culled from the band’s early days at Studio One, is a wonderful educational step for those looking to go beyond Legend and the $4 CDs at Best Buy and see what Bob was like before the ganja. It may surprise some fans to hear that Bob shared the vocal spotlight; that those he shared it with, moreover, had smoother pipes. And they may be surprised that a lot of the music on Greatest Hits is better suited for a slow dance at their parents’ prom than a joint passing in their dorm. The album is both a revelation and a history lesson, through both material familiar (“One Love,” “Jailhouse”) and unfamiliar.

Highlight Tracks: “It Hurts To Be Alone,” “I Need You So” and, of course, the original “One Love”

For More Info: Visit http://www.rounder.com/Album.asp?catalog...

Artist: THE NEW FOLK IMPLOSION

Album: The New Folk Implosion

The Scoop: Critics tend to be a little too hard on Lou Barlow. Whether as head honcho or second fiddle, he’s given us a lot to be thankful for over the years--Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh central among them. I mean, c’mon, what have you done for the history of alt-rock? High-profile bandmates (at least in an indie-rock sort of way) have come and gone, and now Barlow pulls the phoenix act with his Folk Implosion, joined by guitarist Imaad Wasif and former Sebadoh drummer Russell Pollard. Maybe critics want Mr. Barlow to start sounding like Jack White, but I for one am not that dismayed that the “New” Folk Implosion sounds a little bit like the old one, and a little bit like the old Sebadoh, even. There’s lots of vulnerable lo-fi, mid-tempo grunge—some of which resonates, some of which does not—but the real gems are the acoustic, threadbare songs. Barlow can still deliver enviable turns of phrase, too. Even the album’s harshest critics have taken timeouts to praise the simple-but-brilliant piece of work named “Pearl.”

Highlight Track: “Pearl”

For More Info: Visit http://www.folkimplosion.com or http://www.imusic.com

Artist: THE NOTWIST

Album: Neon Golden

The Scoop: Few names in music are more appropriate than Notwist lead singer Markus Acher. The Notwist’s latest offering—diverging greatly from the punk-influenced releases of a decade or so ago—is fraught with ache (“Fail with consequence, lose with eloquence and smile”). Like Figurine, Germany’s The Notwist find a way to fuse the zip-zap of electronica with the starcrossed longing of indie-pop. The instrumentation is mostly sweetly and lightly uptempo, pulling in horns and even making prominent use of a banjo. Anthemic choruses abound, from the sprightly “Pilot” to the thickly textured “Pick Up The Phone.” The title track throws all the ingredients in the pot – beginning as an organic fingerpickin’ delight and slowly giving way to the machines. Throughout, Neon Golden has a warmth and a nearness that is rare for this sort of music. The album was released overseas last year; but the U.S. release includes a trio of bonus tracks.

Highlight Tracks: “This Room” and the title track

For More Info: Head over to http://www.notwist.com or visit http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/... to read a bunch of rave reviews (and an expectedly wishy-washy one from Rolling Stone)

Artist: PASCAL

Album: Hello, My Name is Pascal

The Scoop: I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the Pascal album on first spin. The album begins with a folksy murder mini-ballad (“Mr. Jenkins”) and, when he pushes his cords past their breaking point, Pascal has a voice that makes Bob Dylan sound like Dean Martin. After repeated listens, though, I found myself enamored with the whole album, start to finish, because of the unique world it creates and lives in. Like Beck’s One Foot in the Grave, you appreciate even the experiments that fizzle out because at least they contain the promise of something different. Something interesting. Pascal succeeds where so many fledging folksters fail: finding his own voice. This is true not just vocally but especially lyrically. The Gospel According to Pascal is certainly off-kilter, but—unlike a lot of the work that brought Beck to prominence (“Heads are hanging on the garbage man trees”)—there is a pretty clear line of storytelling to follow. If the album gets on base early, it knocks it out of the park late; it ends with perhaps its best five songs in a row.

Highlight Tracks: “Mud” and “No Can’t Do Anything”

For More Info: Go to http://www.uvulittle.com or http://www.pascal.com

Artist: THE RED THREAD

Album: After The Last

The Scoop: Jason Lakis fits comfortably into the Badman mold of singer/songwriters, using a countrified flair to set him apart from such like-minded labelmates as Hayden and Mark Kozelek. Lest you think Lakis was raised on twang, though, note the Bad Brains cover (“Sailin’ On”) that sort of serves as the album’s halftime show. Because of its gentle Southwestern flair, the album is, naturally, the perfect soundtrack for driving across the desert, staring at moonlit tumbleweeds, et cetera et cetera. But, on a more tangible level, After the Last is an album of late night songs, last cigarette songs. It’s a polished, patient album that gets in your head without beating you over your head. Lakis has a comfortably familiar, slightly fatigued voice and the guitar licks are accomplished throughout. Another feather in the Badman cap.

Highlight Tracks: “5” and “Subject to Change”

For More Info: Visit the label site at http://www.badmanrecordingco.com or the artist site at http://theredthread.com

Artist: ZOX

Album: Take Me Home

The Scoop: Not recommended for those recovering from College Withdrawal Syndrome. ZOX probably sounds like a tighter, better version of the Sublime-lovin’ band that used to rouse your student union. The band has some punkier influences as well, as well as other college staples like Ben Harper. Unlike the bulk of feel-good college bands, Brown University offspring ZOX end up greater than the sum of its influences. Frontman (and transplanted San Franciscan) Eli Miller is a reggae punk much like fellow Californian Brad Nowell, and violinist Spencer Swain gets of plenty of chances to shine a la Boyd Tinsley. The band is tearing things up in Rhode Island, winning Battle of the Bands left and right. It isn’t hard to imagine a much wider range of colleges embracing ZOX; Take Me Home is ripe for good times and drunken dancing, for sure, but the musicianship is accomplished enough to keep the cynical kids in the corner happy, too.

Highlight Tracks: “The Squid” and “Leaving Me”

For More Info: Jump over to http://www.zoxband.com