Albums added since last update: 11,128 (and already I’m a few weeks behind again)

Featured Articles

eMusic Dozens: Modern Shoegazers and Pedal Pushers
eMusic Dozens: Trip-Hop
Spotlight on Kranky Records

Featured Releases

Alpha, The Sky Is Mine (12)
-, Lost in a Garden of Clouds pt 2 (16)

Alpha was an unheralded mainstay of the downtempo movement, with early albums like Come From Heaven and The Impossible Thrill on Massive Attack’s Melankolic label. The Sky Is Mine is their latest, after a hiatus of softer instrumental music (including the two-part Lost in a Garden of Clouds, also featured).

Amiina, AnimaminA (4)

The debut EP by Icelandic female quartet, as sold during their tour with Sigur Rós. Plus, palindrome!

Andrew Bird, Ballad of the Red Shoes (7)

A collaboration with his artist mother Beth Bird, these were composed to accompany her story prints. Quiet, sweet, mostly short instrumental folk violin pieces.

-, Music of Hair (12)

The first solo album, previously available only directly through Andrew himself, albeit in a charming cardboard sleeve. More traditional fiddle airs than his later work with the Bowl of Fire, although some of that jump swing is evident on “Minor Beatrice.” Now we just need to hope his series of Fingerlings live collections also make an appearance.

Einstürzende Neubauten, Alles Wieder Offen (10)

The band continues to mature and mellow, like their harshbeat counterparts in Skinny Puppy. Rather than strictly taking the edge off, the change makes them ever more listenable as with their work on Berlin Babylon. The album also represents a success of direct patronage by their listeners, with the album underwritten by contributions from fans (cf. Skinny Puppy, et al’s direct-to-fans rarities with Subconscious Studios‘ “From the Vault” collections).

-, Weil Weil Weil (7)

Taken from the new album, the 7 mixes of “Weil Weil Weil” (literally “because because because”, meant as a response to the “endless set of appeasements” proffered by society in lieu of real answers) are comprised of a traditional single edit and a more surprising ‘karaoke’ mix, plus 5 versions each constructed by a different individual member of the band. Bonus points for the pun on “Kurt’s Weil” referencing the German composer.

Hybrid, Re_mixed (16)

Mixes of songs mostly from I Choose Noise, plus a couple from the first two albums, and a new single, “Sleepwalking.” Although really any Hybrid is welcome, it’s worth noting that this was evidently a contractual release for Distinct’ive Records and was not done with their direct involvement.

Orbital, Live at Glastonbury 1994-2004 (16)

As you might have guessed, a collection of Glastonbury appearances by often-headliner Orbital. The Hartnoll brothers ante up to a large crowd, where they frequently resequenced songs for live performance. It’s an outdoor live concert, so sound quality naturally varies, but often the crowd ambience is a big part of what gets the rave juices flowing. Almost every song is 7-plus minutes, so it’s also a value selection.

Roseland, Roseland (10)

One of two this time that are recommended but harder to describe. Roseland is a 4-year project between singer Azam Ali and composer Tyler Bates, presumably begun when they collaborated in Zimmer/Gerrard fashion on the soundtrack to 300. Unlike Azam Ali’s work with percussionist Greg Ellis in Vas, or even the beat-driven Niyaz, Roseland is not ‘world’ oriented and Azam even sings entirely in English. More like ‘beautiful rock,’ described by one reviewer as “Cocteau Twins meets Led Zeppelin,” while I also hear some parallels to darkwave acts like Claire Voyant or Sirensong. (You can hear the full song “Believer” on Tyler Bates site if the samples on eMusic don’t persuade you.)

Saltillo, Ganglion (12)

The other ‘good but difficult’ selection, Saltillo is aka Menton J Matthews who has previously recorded as Sunday Munich. The compositions blend orchestral elements into trip-hop electronica, without the torch mystique of Portishead in Roseland NYC Live. In one track, pulsing organ coda over Shakespearean dialogue leads into winsome violin over a drum breakdown. More organic than Archive, less radical than UNKLE, one review suggests Saltillo is “DJ Shadow doing Elizabethan drama.”

Silverfish, Organ Fan (11)

Before she joined Mark Walk in Ruby, and due to her stint in punk outfit Grizzelders, Lesley Rankine screamed her way through the early days of riot grrl-dom over a pounding hardcore backdrop.

Free Stuff

various, Bloodshot Records 2007 (11)

various, CMJ 2007 (24)

various, Three Ring Sampler Vol. 1 (13)

See Also

Natacha Atlas, The Remix Collection (9)

Michael Ian Black, I Am A Wonderful Man (11)

Commenter on VH1 “I Love The…” series, past member of The State, and celebrity poker player.

Bare Naked Ladies, Big Bang Theory Theme (1)

Can’t stand the show, but…

Blondie, No Exit (14)

Candyflip, Madstock… (12)

Something pure about this 90s indie pop.

Josie Cotton, Invasion of the B-Girls (10)

Damon & Naomi, More Sad Hits (12)

Eat Static, De-Classified (10)

Eiffel 65, Italian Album (17)
-, Europop (19)
-, Contact! (17)

In case you wondered what came after “Blue.”

Future Sound of London, Papua New Guinea EP2 (4)
-, Papua New Guinea EP3 (3)

Grinning Plowman, Nothing Is Ever What It Is (12)

In-Grid, Tu Es Foutu (10)

Interpol, Evil (5)
-, Slow Hands (3)

Lovespirals, Long Way From Home (10)

Formerly Love Spirals Downwards, now less darkwave and more feel-good gauzy jazz.

Motley Crue, Carnival of Sins 1 & 2 (23)

All hail old hair bands reformed for the cash-in!

Mountain Goats, All Hail West Texas (14)
-, Nine Black Poppies (9)
-, Full Force Galesburg (16)

Negativland, A Big 10-8 Place (6)
-, 180 D’Gs to the Future! (13)

Negativland are experimenters in audio collage, frequently mining pop culture and music for sampling, which ran them afoul of copyright in the seminal lawsuit over their U2 single featuring the off-air ranting of Casey Kasem. A Big 10-8 Place is for the more established fan, while 180 D’Gs provides highlights from some of their more novice-friendly albums like Dispepsi (13) and Escape From Noise (18) (”Carbomb” was a staple back in college radio, although it obviously won’t go over quite the same way today, while “Christianity Is Stupid” has about the same amount of controversy potential as ever.)

Pale Saints, Slow Buildings (11)

Orb, Orbsessions 1 (10)
-, Orbsessions 2 (11)

Red House Painters, Red House Painters II (8)

Robert, Princess of Nowhere (16)

Compilation of songs from her 4 French albums, all adapted into English.

Rx, K Y Re:amin Remixes (32)

Scorn, Stealth (8)

System 7, 7.3 Fire (10)
-, 7.3 Water (9)
-, System Express (11)
-, Alphawave vinyl (3)
-, Mysterious Traveller (10)

Télépopmusik, Love Can Damage Your Health (1)

Unrest, Imperial F.F.R.R (15)

VAST, April (12)

Stephen Wright, I Still Have a Pony (13)

After all this time, still holding on to that pony. Includes the “Friends of Mine” song.