Pacha Massive / All Good Things (Nacional) Latin
Bronx-based Pacha Massive is comprised of Dominican-born guitarist/programmer/vocalist DJ Nova and Colombian-born bassist Maya with a host of guest vocalists and instrumentalists. Their sound is a very urban, dance-club-worthy mix of hip-hop, contemporary R&B, and occasional world music flavors. The music itself is not particularly Latin in a traditional sense, though the majority of the bi-lingual vocals are in Spanish. As some of the song titles suggest, this is smooth, beat-driven music perfect for cruising through the inner city. The upside is that this duo have a great feel for creating flowing melodies with lots of interesting instrumental touches; the downside is that their English lyrics show little originality—the title track basically says “All Good Things” (#3) come to those who wait. The Spanish lyrics may be just as plain, but they sound better. Although the opening track “Don’t Let Go” has been their big hit so far, I prefer the all- or mostly Spanish tracks like “Pachangueando” (#7), “De Pies a la Cabeza” (#9), which features opening surf guitar and some funky organ, and “Al Ritmo de Pacha” (#11), featuring Santana-esque wah-wah guitar, synths, and tribal-flavored percussion. “Drive” (#13) is club-beat-driven instrumental. “Down My Street” (#14) uses a dub foundation and a simple refrain, “Don’t walk down my street.” “Cruisin’” (#15), another instrumental, has more Latin flavor than most—congas, accordion, flute, and horn section, though the rhythm and bass line are more dance-oriented. And if dancing is your intention, this disc should fill the bill.
Paul Borelli 3/24/07
Panda Bear / Person Pitch (Paw Tracks) Alternative
Panda Bear is the solo persona of Animal Collective drummer Noah Lennox, who on this third album combines Brian Wilson-like multipart vocal harmonies, recorded with prodigious amounts of reverband echo for a cavernous effect, with electronic sounds effects as well as occasionally back-masked vocals. Some of the tracks clock in at over 12 minutes and include several distinct “movements” (tracks 3 & 5). The opening “Comfy in Nautica” is among the more accessible, with a clap-and-stomp rhythm, appealing melody, swooping space noises, and a chorus about always remembering to have a good time. “Take Pills” (#2) starts with a slow, swaying rhythm, lots of mechanical sound effects, and throbbing bass line but about halfway through morphs into an upbeat, clapping pop foot-tapper. “I’m Not” (#4) has more of a dreamy psychedelic feel, with some back-masked instruments and trippy echo. “Search for Delicious” (#6) is a slowly flowing electronic dream with more back-masking. “Ponytail” (#7) is a simple, thumping melody about “when my soul starts growing.” Lennox has a gift for melody and the multipart, multitracked vocals are gorgeous, seemingly juxtaposed against the harsher, sometimes discomfiting electronic sound effects, a reflection, perhaps, of the beauty and ugliness all around us and within us.
Paul Borelli 4/28/07
Peachfuzz / Catch Your Snap (Teenacide) Pop
This CD has really grown on me. It’s hook-heavy power pop (for lack of a better term) with nods to Alex Chilton, Cheap Trick, and Matthew Sweet. The strength of the CD lies in its variation of sound, from the raucous “Silly Act” to the 60s influenced pop rock of “Change Her Mind” to the western feel of “L.A. Is Where I Belong” to the sweet ballad of “Muscat Wine” to the pounding power pop of “Fille des Mers du Sud.” Recommended cuts: 2, 3, 5, 6, and 9.
Scott Gardner 5/12/07
Pecker / 2 y Las Nadadoras (Nacional) Latin
Pecker (real name Raúl Usieto Aquilué) is a Latin pop singer/songwriter from Barcelona with an affinity for electronic instrumentation, produced by the Pinker Tones. His second album finds him drawing inspiration from self-professed influences from Beck to LCD Soundsystem in crafting a modern Latin pop sound a bit different from the Top 40 crowd. “Souvenir” (#1) has an easy-going disco rhythm with parts of the verses rapped, the others sung, and a synth flourish on the chorus. “Nada Es Lo Mismo” (#2) employs a hip-hop beat, some turntable scratching, clavinet, rapped verses, and a harder edge. “Uno Y Uno” (#4) uses a Smashmouth-like modern pop rock sound, combining rock rhythm, scratching, some organ, and multi-part vocals. “Tu Boca Es Espiral” (#5) goes for a softer sound, though with a modern R&B backbeat. Probably the best track is the garage-inspired “Encantadora Lunatica (Con Miqui Puig)” (#7), with its Farfisa-like organ and driving, punchy rhythm—it’s still modern pop, but the edgier organ and finish give it some spunk. “Algunos Hombres Mas” (#8) uses 70s guitar for a bit more edge, though the electronics are still laced in the percussion and the bridge. “Happy” (#9) alternates between hard Spanish R&B verses and a bright English chorus—“’Scuse me but I’m happy.” “Los Cinco (Five Get Over Excited)” (#11) moves more toward true techno but goes soft pop on the chorus. The piano ballad “Amor De Estomago” (#12) is a little overwrought and too much like Coldplay, bringing to mind the overall complaint here—if Pecker would lean farther away from the mainstream, combining bright pop and electronica could be quite appealing.
Paul Borelli 6/30/07
Jacques Pellarin / Collection (Global Graffiti) European
This disc is not an official release but a collection that French accordionist Jacques Pellarin compiled for me, with most tracks from his full-length CDs Sous d’autres Jazzitudes (2006) and Champlong (2007). A masterful musician and composer, Pellarin weaves tango, musette, jazz, gypsy, and European soundtrack elements into his creations, calling to mind other greats of his instrument such as Astor Piazzolla, Richard Galliano, and Art Van Damme. “Free Tango” (#1) begins as a tango with Pellarin accompanied on drums and bass, but becomes jazzy as soprano saxist Diego Fano enters for his solo, though Pellarin brings the tango back when he returns. “Champlong” (#2) sweeps along like a ride on a carousel, whereas “Menage a Trois” (#3) speeds by like a brisk walk down a busy street in a French film. Pellarin shows his flair for accordion jazz, a la Van Damme, on numbers like “Blush” (#4), “Sa Favorite” (#9), and “Latin Blues” (#14). “Valse Pour Francois” (#7) has a slower, more old-world European feel, but builds up speed toward its climax, then comes to a halting let-down, suggesting anticipation followed by disappointment. “Vagues a Lames” (#8), in which Pellarin is joined by violinist Pascale Seigle, also has a melancholy air. Pellarin goes for a more modern sound in tunes like “The Groove Maker” (#11), which calls to mind some of the fusion work of banjo player Béla Fleck. Regardless of your taste, Pellarin shows the diversity of an instrument usually relegated to folk music. In his hands, the accordion is capable of much, much more.
Paul Borelli 10/7/07
People Noise / Ordinary Ghosts (self-releasedl) Indie
VHS or Beta’s Zeke Buck and Boop Bip’s Matt Johnson have teamed up on this full-length to put together a sprawling, punctuated mish-mash of the Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead. The perfectly-executed throbbing drum lines tumble around the imperfection of the early nineties grunge-gothic we’re-only-human-so-let’s-kill-ourselves lyrics. (Note: lyrics in CD booklet are not in track order.) Best tracks, and best drums, are the Vonnegut-inspired practically poppy “Harrison Bergeron” (#9, 3:30), the sprawling drowned-girl saga of “Ordinary Ghosts” (#5,4:26), and the eighties rock throwback with mantra lyrics “The Nothing Place” (#7, 2:22). For a change, try the gentle, loping build up of “Older” (#10, 3:08).
Leah Manners 7/21/07
Gretchen Phillips / I Was Just Comforting Her (self-released) Indie Rock
A pioneer of lesbian rock with that point of view front & center in her songs, Gretchen Phillips has inspired indie pop sensations like Le Tigre & The Butchies. Riot Grrrrl cites her 1st band, Meat Joy, as a major influence. Has played with Sara Hickman, Jo Walston (Meat Purveyors), John Paul Keenon (Cibo Matto), Josephine Wiggs (The Breeders) & Vivian Trimble (Luscious Jackson). Shared the stage with The Butthole Surfers & The Meat Puppets among others. Formed 2 different all girl bands in 1985: Girls in the Nose & Two Nice Girls. After Playing the first SXSW conf. they were signed by Rough Trade Records & put out 3 great albums. Her approach has always been experimental & she has played too many variations of bands/personas to go into here. In 2004, she spent 6 months living in Paris working on demos & returned to Austin to make this album with local Rob Halverson who plays on almost every track. "Burning Inside" (#2) written by Gretchen & Sonic Youth w/ melodic verses, crunchy choruses, & fuzzy guitar. Great use of Casio ma120. "Peola" (#4) an ode to her cat & written with legendary UT professor & author Ann Cvetkovich.
SJ Williams 10/08
Pine Leaf Boys / Blues de Musicien (Arhoolie) Cajun
The second Arhoolie release by this quintet of 20-somethings playing traditional Cajun & Creole music sounds just as dyed-in-the-wool as what you would expect from seasoned, life-long veterans of this regional music. That’s because members like accordionist Wilson Savoy grew up in families and communities that still treasured the music and passed it on free of modern dilutions. Many of the songs here fall into either the up-tempo two-step style (tracks 1, 5, 11, 14) or slower, three-beat waltzes (#2, 6, 8, 10, 13). But the group also shows they are adept at a western swing-influenced number like “Wild Side of Life” (#3), fiddle-based blues (#4), jig (#7), or a traditional “Gospel curse” or juré (#12). The bass, drums, and occasional electric guitar add a little more oomph to the acoustic accordion and fiddle, but without corrupting the down-home Louisiana flavor, which is also helped by all the songs being sung in Cajun or Creole. The Pine Leaf Boys are considered to be part of a Cajun & Creole revival that also includes bands like the Red Stick Ramblers, grabbing the attention of young audiences and dancers, and stealing back some of the glory Zydeco usurped in the 50s & 60s. Judging from what they’ve accomplished on this sophomore effort, that revival appears to have a bright future.
Paul Borelli 3/24/07
The Pinker Tones / Million Color Revolution (Nacional) Electronic
To call The Pinker Tones simply an electronica act is absurdist reductionism—they are multicultural, multitemporal, multigenre mixologists. The Million Color Revolution eradicates all boundaries, classes, and distinctions between languages, age groups, and musical styles by mixing them all up together into a fun-filled groove-a-thon of radical proportions. From the funky groove of the title track (#2, reprised on #16) sung in English, to the breezy Brazilian bossa nova of “Beyond Nostalgia” (#4), to the Farfisa-/clavinet-driven garage stomper “L’Heros” (#5) sung in French, to the disco-beat of “Sonido Total” (#6) sung in Spanish, to the ragtime barbershop quartet number “Pink Freud” (#9) sung in German, the Pinker Tones cover much of Europe and the Americas and a good slice of 20th century musical genres. There are more cleverly written songs in English, such as the ska anti-political service “denouncement” “Karma Hunters” (#3), the failed love song through mix tape “Love Tape” (#11), and the send-up of stereotypical breakup songs “Gone, Go On” (#14) delivered with absolutely no sincerity whatsoever. And there are a host of great instrumental tunes as well, my favorite being “In Pea, We Nuts” (#8), which sounds like a descendent of soundtrack guru Lalo Schifrin’s theme to “Enter the Dragon.” Sure, plenty of other DJs mash up musical bits from all over the globe, but the Pinker Tones make theirs a mission in diversity. Paul Borelli 2/27/07
The Pinker Tones / More Colours! (Nacional) Dance
If anyone’s music seems made for remixing, Barcelona’s Pinker Tones seems like the perfect match because mash-up is their middle name (in fact, they take part in 6 of the 17 remixes included here—tracks 1, 6, 7, 10, 11 & 13). Last year’s Million Colour Revolution was notable for its broad palette of musical styles and samples, everything from indie pop to bossa nova to electronica to weird German choral singing was brought under the Pinker Tones’ multi-cultural umbrella. And that’s what makes this release a come-down—the remix, i.e., dance, format mostly strips the source material of its originality and glosses it over with a coat of sameness. Everything except their 34-second a capella version of “Piccolissima Descarga” (#7), the piano and vocoder version of “Maybe Next Saturday” by Juzz (#15), and the closing live acoustic version of “Love Tape” (#18) have a thumping beat intended for disco dancers. Mexican Institute of Sound’s mix of “Karma Hunters” (#3) includes a ska horn section sample, and Kassin’s remix of “Beyond Nostalgia” (#4) lets some of the original’s bossa nova beat shine through, but those are the exceptions. If these tracks are evaluated on their own merit as original compositions (i.e., ignoring the original versions), the best is the Tornado Boys’ take on “L’Heros” (#5), which lays down a funky, hip-hop-inspired beat and adds fuzz guitar, organ, and clavinet plus some wordless chanting. Others worth a try—#6, 13, 16, 17. As I’ve said elsewhere, remix albums are a stop-gap until the next real album of original material is ready. The same goes here.
Paul Borelli 8/29/07
Pistolera / Siempra Hay Salida (self-released) Latin
This New York City quartet blends traditional Mexican musical styles such as the ranchera with a pop rock sensibility. In other words, you could call it conjunto with the big beat. Vocalist and guitarist Sandra Velasquez, who sings in Spanish, writes songs about female empowerment (#1, 2, 5, 7), the Minutemen (#3), the toll of the war at home (#9), and, just to prove that she’s not always dead serious, drinking (#10). Maria Elena punctuates each tune with accordion, and the rhythm section of bassist Inca Satz and drummer & cowbell artiste Ani Cordero bring the beat to drive those traditional Mexican song forms into the 21st century. The group is also assisted on some tracks by members of Austin’s Grupo Fantasma, Antibalas, Si*Se, and Slavic Soul Party. That mixture, despite the serious subject matter, makes for a party-hearty concoction, such as on the pulsating opening track “No Suspires,” the Slavic-sounding beat on “Cazador” (#3), the accordion-led conjunto dance number “Tatuaje” (#5), the brisk tempo, horns, and more cowbell on “Acercate” (#7), and the oompah tuba on “Me Gusta Tomar” (#10). But they also can play pretty, as on “La Espera” (#9), where the accordion softens and Cordero joins Velasquez on some nice harmony vocals. That’s right—-they’re not from Texas, or Mexico, but Pistolera hits the bulls-eye on their debut with a mix of Latin and rock that crosses many borders. Paul Borelli 2/20/07
Pistol Valve / Tsunamic Girls From Tokyo (Garule) Asian
Pistol Valve is a music promoter’s dream—ten 20-something Japanese gals who dress stylishly and play a variety of mostly brass instruments. Besides violinist Jenni 7000 and turntablist DJ Lilya, the others play trumpet, sax, trombone, and euphonium. Backed by males on guitar, bass, and drums, most of their material has an aggressive big-band rock sound. “Western Girls” (#1) and “Flap Up Elephant” (#3) have a ska-influenced rhythm on instrumentals with occasional sound effects and vocal call-outs. “Pull the Trigger!” (#2) has a funk beat with choral rapping that sounds like it could be in English. “Fo-Fo” (#4) is straight-ahead big-band drum-heavy rock with some singing and speak-singing, which, again, could be English but is indecipherable. “Tube Tune” (#5) is a slinky guitar-driven song with a more modern R&B feel and vocals sung in Japanese. Their cover of the Who’s “My Generation” (#6) starts out slow, full of horn charts and turntable scratching, but shifts to the classic thumping sprint just as the vocals kick in. “Sit at Cow Char Nail” (#7) has a modern rock rhythm, plenty of guitar, and more violin than on other tracks, mixed with the brass. ”The Best House” (#8) uses a brassy spy soundtrack melody on an instrumental number with sporadic vocal call-outs. Pistol Valve’s increasing exposure is no doubt due to their novelty, but they are also energetic, accomplished musicians with smart underlying song-writing & production. Like Petty Booka, they will probably never achieve mainstream success here, but a sizable cult following is well within reach.
Paul Borelli 8/22/07
Planetakis / Out of the Club, Into the Night (Peng) Disco
If you’ve been waiting decades for a German version of the Human League, your prayers have been answered. Though, to be fair, Planetakis, comprised of Robert Drakogiannakis on voice and guitar and Jenny Fey on voice and keyboards, rocks harder than those 80s stars of early MTV. Their second album is one non-stop disco rave with pounding beats, gritty plastic synths, and a sly, decadent world view. For example, who doesn’t like “Money Sex and Alcohol” (#2), an ode to indulging the sins of the flesh right now? And they’re jaded enough to see 007 as the government pawn he is in “Jamez Bond, Son of a Bitch” (#3). They also send up the text messaging craze on “Messages” (#4) with the line “Your ABC means XYZ to me.” They veer ever so slightly over to electro pop, though still with a pounding disco beat, on “Letters to Norway” (#9), then finish with two disco/electro-pop hybrids on “Hell or Holiday” (#10) and “Ich Bin Kein Roboter”( #11), the last of which may come as a bit of a surprise after nearly 40 minutes of the same mechanized beat. But this is not really a criticism—all of the songs are engaging, well-played and sung, and display a boundless energy. It’s just that when you finally do get out of the club and into the night, you might want a little change of pace now and then.
Paul Borelli 2/14/08
Ghislain Poirer / No Ground Under (Ninja Tune) Hip-Hop
Montreal’s Ghislain Poirer is a producer/DJ who has remixed for Lady Sovreign, The Editors, and others, in addition to releasing his own material, this being his 6th album. The material here divides between his own beat-heavy electronica instrumentals (#4, 7, 10 & 13) and his collaborations with various rappers. The opener “Courto” is merely 30+ seconds of studio chatter. The instrumentals all use very heavy video-game-like beats & bass, usually interspersed with snippets of melodic phrases on synths. The songs themselves are dominated by beat rather than melody, and because the beats tend to be somewhat spastic, this is definitely not intended as dance music. The most interesting instrumental is the mix of banging beats and middle-eastern violin on “Exils” (#11). The rap collaborations include a trio delivered in French (#3, 9, 14), which are interesting if only because they sound exotic. Omnikrom delivers the banging “Jusqu’en Haut” (#3), while Nik Mayo is backed by a more dub-styled beat on “Mangen L’boule” (#14). But my personal favorite is the bouncy “Ladies & Gentlemen” by Ambiteeux & DJ Netik (#9). Of the English raps, Abdominal’s “City Walking” (#8) which has the old-school atmosphere of social observation and commentary pioneered by icons like Grandmaster Flash, though the beats and rapid-fire delivery are current. The others have a world flavor as Face-T (#2, 5) raps reggae style and Zulu (#6) has a more African flavor. Like the cultural diversity of his home city, Poirer enriches the hip hop genre by mixing together the sounds and tongues of various cultures. Paul Borelli 2/16/08
The Polish Ambassador / Diplomatic Immunity (Jumpsuit) Electronic
If you never got enough of Harold Faltermeyer’s “Axel F” from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack in the mid 80s, then say, “hello” to The Polish Ambassador (real name: David Sugalski of Chicago). Actually, Sugalski’s music borrows more heavily from the sounds of early video games and is MUCH funkier, but it is equally infectious in an insidious way. Unlike much early electronic music and current-day revivalist efforts, Sugalski heavily layers melody on top of various counterpoint strains on top of electronic beats that either make you want to dance or chill. Many of the tracks are short—7 of the 20 tracks are under 2 minutes. And the final cut, “Crunching Numbers” (#20), is actually two separate tunes with a huge silent gap in the middle—really annoying for radio programmers, particularly since the last tune is one of the best on the disc. But there are plenty of other choice cuts to consider—the opening “The Birth of Yellow” rocks hard, though just over 1 minute in length. If you like fat, watery beats and video game noises, try “Infiltrating the UN” (#7). Or perhaps Gary Numan heavy electronics with faux bongos is your taste; try “Steamed Shrimp Break” (#8). For a slower beat with icy, pinched electronics there’s “Mechanical Lumberjack” (#15). “Fax Travel” (#9) blends phased stomach-noise synths with shooting stars, and Pong-era beep melodies. World peace through Casios and kielbasas, that’s the Polish Ambassador’s mission.
Paul Borelli 11/10/07
The Polish Ambassador / The Phantasmal Farm (Jumpsuit) Electronic
The second full-length release from the yellow jumpsuited one is more of the same delicious groove found on his debut, Diplomatic Immunity—block-rocking beats perfect for hip-swiveling or cruising and a veritable army of old-school electronics that produce a multi-threaded array of melodies and counterpoint, always teasing the ear with another strain of aural bliss. The album is available only as a digital download and contains no track listing, so the order of tracks is random and left entirely to the listener’s discretion. “360 View of the Phantasmal Farm” (#1) contains the perfect electro-beat, fuzzy bass, and several pseudo-animal sounds possibly copped from a children’s toy. “When the Robo B-Boys Just Kill It” (#2) is for the video game fan with laser shots and spacey synths. “Barn Party” (#4) takes a slower beat and adds a doo-wop bass line before layering various classical and squiggly melodies on top. “Finding Torst” (#6), one of the strongest tracks, has a slower groove, manipulated vocal samples, space sprinkles, then switches to an entirely different sound in its second half. “Subterranean Stepdance” (#12) also morphs into several different sound worlds in its 4 minutes. For this album, the Ambassador has discovered a new weapon, digital castanets, which can be heard on a couple of tracks, including “Light Industrial Space Dance” (#7). One of the funkiest grooves is the 54-second “Steppin’ Out My Ride” (#11), with some really fat bass pierced by space lasers. But it’s hard to pick a favorite from such a bountiful harvest.
Paul Borelli 12/13/07
Emma Pollock / Watch the Fireworks (4AD) Indie
The debut solo release by the former Delgados singer/guitarist shows a confident songwriter and vocalist who can both call to mind the airy yet sophisticated dream pop of earlier groups like The Sundays but still veer off the beaten path with melodies that have enough detours to keep them from being formulaic or derivative. In other ways, Pollock also reminds us of vintage Elvis Costello with a voice both wispy yet undergirded by a smoky experience and a sardonic view of love and its failures. Those who prefer their bad medicine delivered with a dose of sugary indie pop should check out “Here Comes the Heartbreak” (#10), which marries a Brill Building-inspired melody with husband Paul Savage’s pounding drumbeat. “Adrenaline” (#5) starts with a piano and drum march that takes a minor-key pause on each verse before returning to rock out. “Paper and Glue” (#3) has that mid-90s dream pop pace and melody, but inserts a Costello-esque melodic detour just when you think you know where it’s going. “Acid Test” (#2) brings sparkling guitars and post-punk drive as it alternates between all-out rock and carefully managed songcraft. The album ends with “The Optimist” (#11), a beautifully rendered acoustic guitar ballad with a heart of darkness. Like the album’s ironically intended title, Pollock’s approach is less about literal confrontation and more about the insidious undermining of everyday relationships. Her music has a similar way of getting under your skin, but thankfully it leaves behind feelings of pleasure rather than pain.
Paul Borelli 10/7/07
Prefuse 73 / Preparations (Warp) Electronic
Hip-hop or electronica? The work of Prefuse 73 (real name: Scott Herren) has typically been categorized as experimental hip-hop, but here only the beat and an occasional short vocal sample bears any resemblance to hip-hop. Largely the tracks are comprised of Herren’s slicing, dicing, and tape manipulation with the beat being the only thing really driving the aural pastiche along. It’s telling that among his guest collaborators is John Stanier, drummer for the group Battles, whose work likewise depends heavily on sonic reconstruction. That said, Herren’s creations are thought-provoking explorations, though you won’t have any melodies bouncing around in your head afterward. For starters, try the number with Stanier, “Smoking Red” (disc 1, #6), the Twlight Zone-inspired snippet “Aborted Hugs” (disc 1, #3), the appropriately named “Prog Version Slowly Crushed” (disc 1, #7), or the sample-heavy “Pomade Suite Version One” (disc 1, #12). The bonus second disc further elaborates on Herren’s skills as a composer, as he abandons the hip-hop beats in favor of an orchestra or solo piano on slow, sweeping soundscapes, but by the 4th track, he is back to electronically messing with the string section. In “Sunbeamstress” (disc 2, #9), the electronics outweigh the analog instruments, and by the next track, “Humidity Interlude” (disc 2, #10), we have left the orchestra behind for pure electronincs, though the strings return on the penultimate track. Hip-hop, it appears, is only one brush in Herren’s artistic tools.
Paul Borelli 11/4/07
Elvis Presley / Elvis at the Movies (RCA) Soundtrack
Elvis Presley made 31 movies during the late 50s and throughout the 60s as part of Colonel Parker’s plan for maximum media exposure and revenue generation. Most of the movies are laughably or painfully trivial, and the music that Presley performed, though it generated a few hits, is not considered his best work. This double disc collection of 40 songs contains at least 1 from each of those 31 films. In the early films, the hits drove the movies that followed, such as “Love Me Tender” (disc 1, #1), “Loving You” (d1 #2), and “Jailhouse Rock” (d1 #3). Later, the movies drove fewer hits but still included “Can't Help Falling in Love” (d1 #11), “Return to Sender” (d1 #16), and “Viva Las Vegas” (d1 #20). Other lesser known but fun numbers include “Treat Me Nice” (d1 #4), “Frankfort Special” (d1 #8), “Rock a Hula Baby” (d1 #13), and “Bossa Nova Baby” (d1 #19). Disc 2 traces the downward spiral of less successful movies with more kitschy (but still very fun) songs like “Kissin’ Cousins” (d2 #2), “Do the Clam” (d2 #4), “Long Legged Girl (With the Short Dress On)” (d2 #12), “The Love Machine” (d2 #13), and “Rubberneckin’” (d2 #20). The latter, from the unfortunate “Change of Habit” with Mary Tyler Moore as a nun lured away from her vow of celibacy by The King, was part of the comeback Memphis recordings that also included “Suspicious Minds,” “In the Ghetto,” and “Kentucky Rain” and showed that Elvis still knew how to rock. In fact, most of the up-tempo numbers included here demonstrate that even though musical trends had passed him by, Presley could always deliver a knockout kick.
Paul Borelli 7/14/07
Elvis Presley / Viva Las Vegas (RCA) Pop
Despite its title, this latest Elvis release is not the soundtrack to the 1963 feature film co-starring Ann-Margret, though the lead-off track is the main title recording from that movie. Rather, the disc is intended to capture Elvis’ Vegas act from the early 70s, which, according to the liner notes, helped rejuvenate Vegas shows in general, with The King riding high after his successful 1968 Comeback Special. But these live recordings from 1970 and 1972 show the older, bloated Elvis covering mediocre pop hits of the day rather than his own hits, like “Suspicious Minds.” So instead we get justifiably forgotten chart hits like Eddie Rabbitt’s “Patch It Up” (#10), Three Dog Night’s “Never Been to Spain” (#14), and Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Release Me” (#5). And of course there are the ubiquitious “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (#9), “Let It Be Me” (#6), and “The Impossible Dream” (#16). Elvis fares better when he sticks to his southern roots on R&B-influenced numbers like “See See Rider” (#2) and Tony Joe White’s bayou classic “Polk Salad Annie” (#4). The liner notes also note that Elvis’ first attempt to conquer Vegas in 1956 was an utter failure. Even though the audiences eventually came around in the 1970s, history shows that the earlier response was a bit more critically astute.
Paul Borelli 8/15/07
Ray Price / The Essential Ray Price (Columbia/Legacy) Country
Though he wasn’t elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame until 1996, Ray Price placed 45 singles in the Country Top Ten from the 1950s through the 1970s, and 8 of those went to #1. This two-disc collection traces that remarkable career, from his first single in 1950 for Bullet Records (disc 1, #1), which didn’t chart, to his 1980 duet with Willie Nelson on Bob Wills’ “Faded Love” (disc 2, #20). The two discs divide almost evenly between the traditional country shuffle he championed in the 1950s and the slicker Countrypolitan sound he eventually adopted in the 1960s & 70s. That makes disc 1 the clear winner, with greats such as “Release Me” (d 1: 5), “Crazy Arms” (d1: 7), “My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You” (d1: 11), and “Heartaches by the Number” (d1: 15), which could easily have been Price’s theme song for the period because nearly every hit dealt with being hurt by love or a lover. That song also demonstrates that Price helped bring many a young songwriter to fame, such as Harlan Howard, Roger Miller (d1: 13), Bill Anderson (d1: 14), and a fellow by the name of Willie Nelson (d2: 2, 5). But Price’s later work pales in comparison, not only because of the string- and chorus-laden arrangements but also because Price tried taking on the role of the crooner and he didn’t have the voice for it. His recording of Eddie Arnold’s “Make the World Go Away” (d2: 6) demonstrates his overuse of vibrato when reaching for the dramatic high notes—something Roy Orbison could pull off, but not Price. But before he took that detour, he was as good a country performer as any of the rest—the proof’s all right there on the first disc.
Paul Borelli 6/9/07
Proem / A Permanent Solution (n5MD) Electronic
The sixth release under the Proem moniker for Richard Bailey is a mellow affair firmly entrenched in the IDM genre—atmospheric synth washes, chords, and melody fragments are juxtaposed against ambient glitch-interrupted beats. Bailey doesn’t really cover any new ground here, but he is adept at blending the various elements and driving each composition through an evolutionary cycle rather than simply repeating patterns. The tracks that stand out are those that vary most from his common formula—“Newskrewl” (#4) dispenses with the beat, opting for layered, flowing synth chords and short bass runs. “Sputterfly” (#6) turns up the tempo on the rhythm track for a more frenetic, nonlinear pace, like the flight of a butterfly. The title track (#7) then slows things down to a molasses flow, letting the rhythm track slowly ooze into the mix. “Awake at 4 am” (#8) is all atmospherics with no beat. “Wall of Knives” (#10) starts out all chaotic beats and bass but without anything like a regular rhythm, slowly building toward order and adding subtle synth backdrop. “Give It Back” (#13) is a piano and synthesized flute duet, with the latter limited to an echoing repeated single note, while “Social Piranha” (#14) is a piano solo on top of synth atmospherics. Many of these tracks would not be out of place as part of a soundtrack to a film with slowly building intrigue and mystery. As such, they make for a moody yet pleasurable backdrop rather than something that grabs and holds the attention. Call it a case of subliminal satisfaction.
Paul Borelli 6/30/07
Prototypes / s/t (Minty Fresh) Rock
The Prototypes are a French new wave/pop/punk trio from Paris. Minty Fresh Records has released this collection of tunes from the band’s first two French releases. The music, while not cutting edge, is nonetheless fun, infectious, and highly danceable. My favorites are: 1(yé yé stomp), 4 (blissful wave groove), 5 (sassy rocker), 6 (synth wave stomp), and 13 (angsty, beat-heavy groove). Scott Gardner 2/22/07
Penny Jo Pullus / My Barn Having Burned, I Can Now See the Moon (Freedom) Country
FYI -- “My Barn Having Burned to the Ground, I Can Now See the Moon” comes from the poem by Japanese poet Masahide…can’t figure out why she chose this title…whatever… First release in 5 years, following the critical success of My Turn To Howl combines a roots sound with pop influences under the guidance of producer Ron Flynt, steeping out of the pure country of earlier efforts. Also FYI, in the 90’s she fronted the outstanding Penny Jo’s Trailer Trash out of Syracuse, NY. Track #5, "Baby Please” was one of their best & she reinvents it here as a big, weepy, country lament. It’s killer with an amazing dueling guitar instrumental & aching fiddle. #4 - "This Time - Next Time" is another good original, an upbeat jangly country rocker. #9 - "Chamayo" has a south of the border feel with spell binding violin work by Warren Hood. #1 - Brian Setzer’s "Knife Feels Like Justice" is hip & rocks. #8 - Ammy Celsi’s "Little Black Dress" is edgy and makes a great transition from Celsi’s torchy pop version to a pure country one. #11 - Tom Gillam’s “We Don’t Have to Go Home” is upbeat, silly country.
SJ Williams 1/09
