Disc(overie)s of 2009

2009, Dead Oceans [DOC028]

Accoustic guitars, piano, pleasant vocals. But also, as part of this, various electronic drones and noises. It results in charming, slightly nostalgic songs, firmly rooted in American folk-blues, but often transcending it in various directions. Beautiful album and great band, lead by Tim Rutili.

2009, Interscope Records [B0013783-02]

This is a real pleasure. The group consists of three rock matadors: Dave Grohl, former drummer of Nirvana; Josh Homme, the leader of Queens of the Stone Age, and John Paul Johns, the bass-player of legendary Led Zeppelin. A lucky encounter, the three fit extremely well together. Although Homme is excellent, both as guitarist and vocalist, and Jones mostly unobtrusively keeps his part in the background, I consider the band closest to the sound and spirit of Led Zeppelin. It is a resurrection of this kind of music at its best, especially the beginning of the entire record is marvellous and very fresh.

2009, Tzadik [TZ 8066]

Sharp electric guitar, bass and drums - nothing more, no voice. Complex and disturbing compositions, full of virtuosity. This is Ahleuchatistas, as always. But their last album presents this formula in its best, in the most interesting and least purposeless shape, building on an excellent sound and passionate playing. The band is often compared with Fred Frith's Massacre, Captain Beefheart, Robert Fripp or Naked City. They are going to play live in Ceske Budejovice in April 2010 - I think it would be worth of the trip.

2009, Island Records [B0012811-02]

I have never really liked Harve's White Chalk (2007) and I do not understand why this record has been so celebrated. I think it was a somewhat bloodless record, with a "thin" vocals and songs that seemed all the same. Here, however, again with John Parish, PJ Harvey scores for me: rough, wild and yet fragile girl, expressive rocker. I like that. The introductory "Black Hearted Love" is a hit.

2009, Domino [WIGLP229]

Basically, it's a pop record - fun, very enjoying, but not pandering. Perhaps the best record of Dirty Projectors, the project of Dave Lonstreth, so far. Already the introductory Cannibal Resource rises one's amused astonishment about artful and bright threading of vocal choruses and guitar riffs... and, in general, about how the song is constructed. Something unheard-of and unmistakeable.

2008, Rune Grammofon [RCD 2081CD]

By discovering this record I discovered this band as such - a norwegian duo of drums (+ electronics) and keyboards. Stale Storlokken, the keyboardist, is member of my favourite Elephant9 and plays also, among others, with well known Supersilent. Alhtough I am not usually excited about music based on keyboards and electronics, this is one of the exceptions. The music is very diverse, with varying moods and soundscapes, sometimes amusingly futuristic, very enjoying to listen. Both musicians are excellent - not as brilliant exhibitionists, but rather as concentrated creators of living music. I have read that all the recordings were taken during live shows, which is hard to believe.

2005 (orig. 1986), Audika [AU-1002-1]

Songs of this record are from 1980-86. Their recent re-release reflects rising interest in Arthur Russell, a downtown musicial who died long ago, in 1992. One finds remarkable arrangements of romantic songs on the record, working with voice, cello (probably also electric guitar) and the echo effect. The effect is really played, not only used: sudden temporary switches, in the course of the songs, from "big space" echo-abundant singing and whispering cello and voice to an almost pure, effect-less sound, as if from immediate vicinity, makes one literally touched by this beautiful music.

2007, Young God Records [YG34]

When albums of 2008 were debated a couple of months ago, everybody was excited about Fleet Foxes. Akron/Family share some roots and flavours with this celebrated band, but they are, in my opinion, much better. While Fleet Foxes play their folk-rock inspired songs as a pure retro-styled music of the past, Akron/Family come with a living and fresh mixture of freak-folk, nicely outdated psychedelia, post-rock and much more. I enjoy the entire album, but I always look forward to the final Love, Love, Love (Reprise).

2008, Proper Records [PRPCD024]

This is more a kind of rash excited welcoming than a forethoughtful judgement. Hard to believe: John French, who used to be drummer in Captain Beefheart's Magic band, came out with a new, fresch record. After having resuscitated the Magic Band to record and play live a set of old good songs from the Beefheart's repertoire, he managed to convince a couple of former Beefheart's musicians to record some original stuff with him, an album of new French's songs. Some of them are really nice. Beefheart is somehow alive in French, in a happy way.