Another shot from the suggestion box… Cat Five’s madcap samplerama Kataphonics finally has a sibling, a new 12-inch called “On the Rise.” This may seem like a thin body of work for a five-year-old group. That is, until you discover the hours of original or heavily refurbished live tracks available on their site and realize what a fool you were for ever doubting them. These MP3s in particular were recorded directly from the mixing board and could easily pass for studio material. Cat Five are Avalanches on a budget; Negativland with a beat; whatever comparison you use when you find yourself nodding and smirking at the same time.
Donna Summer
It’s fitting that Aquarius Records, the same store that introduced me to the mash-up some ten years ago (before they were called mash-ups) with Evolution Control Committee’s brilliant pairing of Public Enemy and Herb Alpert, would effectively wean me off that guilty pleasure with the next level noise of this here lad. Neither mash-up nor IDM, neither kitschy nor political, Donna Summer (a.k.a. Jason Forrest) throws juxtaposed refrains and riffs from popular music into a high-speed blender with no lid. Somehow the result, while initially as soothing as highway rumble strips, begins to make sense and even sounds catchy after a few listens…and a 12-pack of Mountain Dew. WARNING: Not recommended for those with epilepsy. (Seriously.)
Windsor for the Derby
Waaaaay back in the late ’90s, WFTD built a modest rep on synthy post-rock instrumentals. Now they’ve taken to delicate (still synthy) melodies, narrative lyrics, and generally sounding all grown up. And, holy extreme makeover, does it sound alright to these ears…
Death From Above 1979
Death From Above (with the 1979 tagged on to appease disco-clash mongers DFA) churn out thick, intelligent crotch rock from a mere drum kit and bass guitar… aaaand with that I’ll have to end my blurb, ’cause anything I could say after “thick, intelligent crotch rock” would sound just plain lewd.
Komeit
Nothing new from Komeit, but rather a Komeit tribute by Robert Lippok (To Roccoco Rot). Actually, even Lippok’s album is about six months old… I just felt like I needed an excuse to post Komeit’s “3 Hours.” I don’t know if they have Indian Summer in Germany, or what it would be called if they do, but this track feels like a warm spell in September. So there. There’s my excuse.
The Waxwings
Heavy on harmonies and trippy licks, The Waxwings pay more homage to British psych pop than to their Detroit garage rock forebears. Who cares, so long as it feels good, right?
The Somnambulants
Slightly nervous, very danceable synth pop that’ll remind you of early-’80s OMD one moment, as lead vocalist Joseph White blesses the mic, and modern-day German indie electro (Morr, City Centre, et al) the next, as co-founder Channing Sargent gets chirpy with it.
Pedro the Lion
Until recently, Dave Bazan could have been filed under Great American Author or Songwriter. His arresting narratives of loneliness (“The Longest Winter”) and moral dissonance (“Rapture”) just so happened to be tuneful. On their latest, Achilles Heel, Bazan and company let the instruments do more of the talking which really brings the songs to life (“Discretion”). Don’t get me wrong: I wouldn’t change a note of their back catalog, but it is amazing what a little swirling keyboards or soaring guitar can do.
Rosie Thomas
I was recently told I don’t represent my ‘hood enough in my music selections, so here’s a little something unexpected from the 313 (by way of Seattle)…
Rosie Thomas recorded her last record in Detroit’s oldest church, a telling indication of her timeless approach to music and storytelling. Thomas pits her confident, downhome pipes against simple arrangements and open, innocent lyrics, bringing in members of her musician family to help out along the way. So perfect and cute, without the annoying aftertaste.
Secret Mommy
Andy Dixon, a Vancouver-based web designer/audio saboteur, plays Olympic-paced ping pong (or is it table tennis?) with odd samples and found sounds until they become a blur of sound and rhythm. The results range from buoyant (“An Apple a Day…”) to jarring (“Save As”) to satirical (“Bottom 40,” wherein Britney Spears is revealed as the cat in heat that she is).