Buck 65 - Man Overboard

One of my favourites of last year, Man Overboard has just been rereleased following his signing by Warner. It's a good job, as Buck's follow-up to Vertex doesn't get the props it deserves. Like everything Sole has done since Bottle of Humans, it suffers because the 'classic' release was so innovative. Still, it should not be overlooked, as the beats here are utterly dope. Buck admits to being a geek when it comes to sound quality, and it shows in the quality of the production. Everything is tight, and the sparsness of the sound gives Buck space to drop his rhymes. However, his delivery is an aquired taste. His delivery is deliberate, pedestrian compared to the gymnastics of APC. However, it undoubtably works. I don't think there's a single duff track on here.

Top shelf Canuck hip hop

Feck.

In a depserate attempt to be humerous myself I tried to 'slip' Less into another thread, but I can't get that attachment thingy to work on my Mac, I can't be arsed to link to web space, someone give me a clue.

{img}http://comedylimp.com/images/nick1.jpg{/img}
{b}"Pithy Quote"{/b}

But replace the curly braces with square brackets and the 1 in nick1 with your favoured score. There is no need to attach the image or upload as its already on the net.

Wedding Present - Hit Parade (Reissued, this time with the B Sides

Gedgie and the chaps on fine form from 1992, the year that they released 1 single per month for a year. Some of them were quite good (Go Go Dancer, Loveslave), and some of the B sides were strange (Theme From Shaft).

Well worth it, and I don't know how to stick a picture up. However.......


"Well, I like it, so there"

Yes you do, you just did it.

Vassilis Tsabropoulos - Akroasis



This is for fans of Ryuichi Sakamoto's "Back To The Basics", or Chick Corea's "Children's Songs" - solo piano that isn't desperately pyrotechnic or up its' own arse and contemplative tunes. Mostly they're based on traditional Byzantine hymns, so there's also a hint of Bartok's "Rumanian Dances" in there.

For those of you with broadband or a lot of patience here's the first track. It's all that good (or bad if that's your verdict), and it's on ECM.

nick.lees at btinternet.com

Akroasis.JPG (4 Kb, 446 downloads)

Neko Case - Blacklisted



This is more of a 2.5 than a 3.

Hmmm. Bought this (cheap admittedly) on the strength of some boosting by this place. I have to say I'm not that taken. Her voice is good-ish and the songs aren't that memorable - yet. It's possible it's a grower, and I'll give it that chance...

nick.lees at btinternet.com

Case.JPG (21 Kb, 436 downloads)

New Pornographers Electric Version (Matador Records)


Nick, I can relate to your issue with Neko's album. It took a few weeks for me to warm up to it. Then I bought this album and I'm finding that I prefer Neko The Pop Singer over Neko The Folk Singer. Sophomore efforts are usually a letdown, but this one can stand on its own. A great upbeat summertime pop record. (My listening tastes are seasonal- dreary and more folkish, also trip-hop, in the rainy winter; pop and rap in the summer sun.)


Super sophomore effort by Canuck powerpop'ers

I just saw that New Pornographers will be in town Saturday night! Nuts- I hope I can land a ticket...

Blacklisted is great IMHO. As is "Mass Romantic". Later album is ok but yet to be convinced.

Matthew

Mass Romantic would max out the Nickometer.

I agree. "Mass Romantic" is wonderful.

The Paybacks: Knock Loud



Rippingly loud rocker that took a few listens to sink in. I didn't fully realize (accept?) that it was a chick singing on this -- think Chrssy Hynde, except about one octave lower. Yikes!


Fine Detroit rock in the MC5 tradition, except with a female Rob Tyner!

Swirlies: Cats of the Wild, vol. 2



Gentle boy/girl duets over screeching, hissing guitars in the tradition of Quasi and the Delgados (I admit to a weakness for this, so caveat emptor). The first five tracks are terrific, after that it takes a nasty dive to the bottom.


Think of this as a great EP at LP prices

Bonnie Prince Billy - Master and Everyone

First of all, stop sniggering.

This album really is so much more than the sum of it's parts because it's parts are pretty scantily clad to say the least. I was doing the "have you heard this" thing with a friend a few weeks ago and after trawling through this one with the next button and failing to find an adequate demo track I had to just assure him that it was actually rather good.

I don't know much about William Oldham. I think that Lambchop had something to do with the production. What I do know is that it's simple, intimate, haunting music. Play it at dusk on a rainy day when the house is empty and feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.


If you hate Gillian Welsh you will hate this even more

Minky -

A top choice - Should of got a 5 though.

Will Oldham - I am the font of all knowledge of all things Oldham, whaddya need to know ?

-A-

Neko Case - Blacklisted
I too fell for this (IMO) mediocre album. Like the banjos on track one but what IS all the fuss about this lady?

Iron And Wine - The Creek Drank The Cradle



Very much in the same vein as Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, 'Iron And Wine' aka Sam Beam is a simple album, simply recorded using just an 8-track I think. These are not just songs, they are stories. Acoustic guitar based bluesy-folk/Americana, when it is done well like this album it is just magnificent. The first offering from this guy and it delivers so much.


Did this really deserve a 5.. Yes. I think so.

Nick- thanks for the reminder of Chick Corea. I used to have a lot of his stuff on vinyl (all gone now). I need to look him out again - especially the Return to Forever stuff. Good reminder.

quote:

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Originally posted by Alan Ball:
Will Oldham - I am the font of all knowledge of all things Oldham, whaddya need to know ?

---

Hi Alan,

Any advice on what else to get by him would be much appreciated.

Also, thanks for the "Iron and Wine" tipoff. Will search this one out.