New albums

M.I.A. - Kala
Interesting exploration of hip-hop mixed with worldbeat (African and Indian textures primarily). Music like this proves women are as capable of depth and innovation as men.

Radiohead - In Rainbows
I still need to listen to this album more. Individual songs I like, but it's not really engaging me as an album. Too much a pastiche; I prefer cohesion.

Calla - Strength in Numbers
The album as a whole is bulky, could have stood further editing, but I like it. "Collisions" is a bit better, but I like that they're finding a happy medium between…

I haven't touched last.fm very much over the last 3-4 months. Part of this is that I haven't been listening to a great deal of music, just a lot of National Public Radio and a few mainstay albums here and there, along with the assorted sundries that catch my fancy.

M.I.A. - Kala
A friend gave my boyfriend a copy to listen to last month. We imported the tracks and both rather like her mix of worldbeat and hip-hop. I'd heard a few songs prior and some work from her first album, but failed to fully connect. While I'm not…

I was totally unaware of this until an hour ago, but it looks like a new Angels of Light album is coming out in August. More info at http://www.younggodrecords.com/product.asp?P_ID=46#

I wasn't the greatest fan of Gira's work with Akron/Family on Sing Other People and have still not listened to the other album he did with them. This new album features a broader range of musicians, some 9like Bill Rieflin) that have worked with Gira before, Swans and otherwise.

You can listen to a couple of new tracks at the link above. Both tracks feature a fuller, lusher sound, with drums…

They haven't arrived yet, but I just recently ordered the following from Amazon:

Songs from a Room
Heroes
The Repulsion Box
Mosaic

In the last 6 months paleform and I have purchased:

Thrill
Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
Strength in Numbers
Saturday Night Wrist

I have still not listened to all of these as much as I would like. The latest Deftones release is very close, in terms of quality, to White Pony. And the latest Neko Case release improves on repeated listens, especially when I'm not busy doing something else. More to come soon, perhaps…

Thu 31 May – Eleni Mandell

It would seem the cliched refrain of every fan of singer-songwriter Eleni Mandell that this woman never receives the credit or attention of which she is so deserving. As cliched as it's become, it's entirely true, and she's just one of many very talented musicians snubbed by the record industry and music fans alike.

I last saw her at this same venue in 2004 in support of "Afternoon," an album which I still have not heard. She got a decent crowd, sang beautifully, and after that night I was pretty much hooked.

Eleni Mandell's…

Sat 19 May – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Fratellis, The Horrors

It's official. I regret not bothering to buy this band's last two records, despite my having seen them in 2003 in support of "Take Them On, On Your Own" and loving their first album. I heard about the fuss surrounding the rootsy excursions on "Howl," but alas, I had other things to worry about. The new album picks up in the direction of their early efforts, but is apparently more basic. Reviews look to be mixed. Oh well.

Whether their new album is any good or not seems…

Sons & Daughters - Dance Me In

http://www.youtube.com/v/QqJazSEfVT4

Their 2nd album has been sitting on my Amazon wishlist for almost 2 years now, pretty much since I saw them open for The Decemberists back in 05. Glasgow has a reputation for producing arty post-punk revivalists like Franz Ferdinand and Electrelane, but Sons & Daughters are noisy folk rock in the vein of The Birthday Party and The Gun Club. They've claimed that Johnny Cash is their biggest influence.

The Veils - Calliope

http://www.youtube.com/v/24rEZS4pD3s

Not my favorite song, but the video is very nifty, especially if you appreciate silent films. I'll…

YouTube has a veritable cornucopia of Beefheart videos hidden in the vaults, though most are post-Decals era. These two songs are from their first album, "Safe As Milk," released in '68.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TBMTui7qg8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCSPf5Viwd0

Here are some url's for two performances from SNL circa 1980:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7CzfqN6DiA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vIDdtztGVM
In the interests of space, I'll not embed them, but I recommend having a looksee.

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

Dorkily interactive. I stole this from edna_million.

Here are the "rules":

- put your itunes/winamp/media player of your choice on random.
- post the first line from the first 30 songs that play
- post and let everyone you know guess what song and artist the lines come from.
- strike out the songs when someone guesses correctly.
- don't cheat by typing them into google…haha.

1. Your back's against the wall. There's no one home to call.

2. Did you sweep us far from your feet? Reset in stone this stark belief?

3. Blame is the cure, cure…

More info @ http://www.myspace.com/michaeljsheehy

I loves that bald-headed syrup-tongued man. If you enjoy beautiful chamber pop or roots based singer-songwriters like Nick Cave and Tom Waits, highly recommended. His work is too often ignored, perhaps due to the unsavory subject matter. I wish he'd tour the U.S. again, but oh well…

Michael J. Sheehy