Record Dept. Music Reviews

Jason Felton — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:27:37 +0000

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LIZ GREEN | O’DEVOTION!

Manchester, UK folk singer Liz Green first appeared on the music scene in 2007 with the release of her 7” Bad Medicine. Since then she has won the title of Glastonbury Festival’s Emerging Talent and at long last is debuting her full length of folk, jazz and blues, O’Devotion! Here she has reworked the two singles “Bad Medicine’” and “French Singer” into broader, bolder sounds, transforming acoustic numbers into productions with a full brass band, including bass, sax, trombone, trumpet, tuba as well as finger-picked guitar and piano. Recorded at London’s all-analogue Toe Rag Studios with Grammy award winning producer Liam Watson (The White Stripes), Green is poised to make waves with this finely crafted debut. – Written by SMarx

Jason Felton — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:56:08 +0000

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CHARLIE PARR | KEEP YOUR HANDS ON THE PLOW

HOUSE OF MERCY RECORDINGS

Keep Your Hands On The Plow is country blues musician Charlie Parr’s latest release. Parr, who draws heavy influence from delta blues legends Charlie Patton, Bukka White, and Reverend Gary Davis, shares the stage and mic with a talented cast of musicians including his wife Emily Parr (tambourine), Brandy Forsman (fiddle), Tom Maloney (banjo, guitar), and Alan Sparhawk (electric guitar). Parr himself is in top form vocally and instrumentally, playing traditional delta and Piedmont blues and gospel numbers made renown by luminaries like Blind Willie Johnson, the Carter Family, Bob Dylan and Mississippi John Hurt. As usual he shines on his National resonator guitar and fretless open-back banjo. Standout tracks include opener “Gospel Plow”, ” East Virginia Blues”, and “Poor Lazarus.” – Written by JFelton

Jason Felton — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:01:08 +0000

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HOSPITALITY | HOSPITALITY

MERGE

Hospitality is an indie-pop trio comprised of husband/wife team Amber Papini (songwriting, vocals, guitar) and Nathan Michel (drums, keyboard, guitar) along with Brian Betancourt (bass) who make fun, dreamy pop about their hometown New York. Smart and artsy, the creations of Yale educated Papini on the self-titled debut owe as much to a revised approach to the 2008 EP of the same name as they do the Psychedelic Furs’ Talk Talk Talk which Papani learned to sing to. Produced by Shane Stoneback (Vampire Weekend, Sleigh Bells) and Michel, top tracks include opener “Friends of Friends” and “Liberal Arts.” – Written by SMarx

Jason Felton — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:30:47 +0000

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LAMBCHOP | MR. M

MERGE

Mr. M – the eleventh studio album by Nashville-based Americana indie rock ensemble Lambchop, is a great compilation inspired by art, love, and loss. Following the death of close friend and collaborator Vic Chestnutt in December 2009 (Lambchop was the backing band on Chestnutt’s 1998 The Salesman and Bernadette), frontman Kurt Wagner (guitar) retreated from the band to pursue other artistic endeavors. However it was bandmate and producer Mark Nevers who rallied the band together at his studio, including co-founder Jonathan Marx and guest Cortney Tidwell, for a collection of music that is open and expansive. Longtime fans and new ones alike are sure to enjoy Mr. M. – Written by JFelton

Jason Felton — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:30:09 +0000

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SHEARWATER | ANIMAL JOY

SUB POP

Austin, TX trio Shearwater is out with their eighth album, and they have clearly hit their stride. Animal Joy is both a new beginning and a return to the past: the band’s first release on the Sub Pop label sees frontman Jonathan Meiburg (guitar, vocals), Thor Harris (drums), and Kimberly Burke (bass) forgoing the expansive and lush indie sensibilities of their recent works to revisit loud indie rock. Originally a mellower side project of Okkervil River members Meiburg and Will Sheff, throughout the past twelve years Shearwater has changed line-ups and explored a variety of themes and sounds, progressing to an energetic, percussion laden collection of solid rock. Standouts include lead single “Animal Life” and closer “Star of the Age.” – Written by JFelton

Jason Felton — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:30:09 +0000

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LEE FIELDS | FAITHFUL MAN

TRUTH AND SOUL

With a career spanning over forty years, North Carolina singer Lee Fields continues to define the genre of soul music in America. A practitioner of soul and funk in the late sixties (the heyday of Motown and Stax), Fields is making some of his best music ever with his latest release, Faithful Man. This rediscovered legend who toured with funk bands Kool and the Gang, Sammy Gordon and the Hip-Huggers, and O.V. Wright turns out ten infectiously raw and real tracks on love, heartbreak and blues. Backed by veteran session musicians The Expressions and encouraged by producers and Truth & Soul label co-owners Jeff Silverman and Leon Michels (Adele, Aloe Blacc, GhostfaceKillah, Jay-Z), Fields is taking his rightful place among Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Charles Bradley as today’s soul stars. Check out lead single and demo track “You’re The Kind Of Girl” for a glimpse of the greatness to come. – Written by JFelton

Jason Felton — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:24:06 +0000

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FIELD MUSIC | PLUMB

MEMPHIS INDUSTRIES

British art rockers Field Music will soon to be out with their fourth full length, Plumb. In contrast to the ambitious 2010 double album Field Music (Measure), the band – helmed by brothers Peter and David Brewis – return to the angular sound and unconventional songwriting found on their first two albums. This time around though, the fifteen tracks are inspired by 20th century cinema with touches of funk and synth-rock. Check out Plumb when it hits shelves on February 13th on Memphis Industries. – Written by JFelton

Jason Felton — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:19:45 +0000

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ONE MODEL NATION | TOTALWERKS 1: 1969-1977

THE END RECORDS

Since the 2010 release of The Capitol Years 1995-2007, Courtney Taylor-Taylor of The Dandy Warhols has been busy with One Model Nation – a graphic novel and companion album about a fictional art-noise band set in 1977 Berlin. Germany is at a cultural crossroads, with western capitalism challenging an oppressive communist regime, playing out amongst a backdrop of shame following the atrocities of WWII. Leading the underground revolution are rebellious youth, with Das Model – the first German band to hit the British charts – as “public enemy #1”. The eleven retro songs hit the right note, balancing the sounds and passion of early punk with kraut rock, conveying the idea that artistic freedom can cost your life. Check out the album and the book, which was written by Taylor-Taylor and wonderfully illustrated by Jim Rugg. – Written by SMarx

Jason Felton — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:30:54 +0000

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SHARON VAN ETTEN | TRAMP

JAGJAGUWAR

I fell in love with singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten’s work when I first heard her 2009 debut Because I Was in Love, and have had the privilege of meeting her and supporting her work ever since. A tireless performer, Van Etten pushes things to the next level with her third release, Tramp – an album that is incredibly well-crafted and arranged despite over a year’s worth of itinerant recording sessions with Aaron Dessner (The National) at his new garage studio. The twelve tracks range from dark rockers to breathtaking ballads, with Van Etten’s captivating vocals and talented three-piece backing band and guest artists. Do yourself a favor and pick-up the album (due out February 7th) and catch Van Etten on her upcoming international tour. – Written by JFelton

Jason Felton — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:30:34 +0000

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THE BIG PINK | FUTURE THIS

4AD

Following their 2009 debut A Brief History of Love and the breakout single “Dominoes” (which was recently reinterpreted with less success by Nicki Minaj), London duo The Big Pink are back with Future This. Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell’s sophomore effort has an all-star team in the wings, with producers Paul Epworth (Adele, Foster The People) and Alan Moulder (My Bloody Valentine, The Killers) coaxing an impressive retro ten tracks of electro-pop. The music is catchy and fun; standouts include opener “Stay Gold”, “Hit the Ground (Superman)”, and “1313.” – Written by SMarx