Head Down by Rival sons

Released: March 19, 2013
Rating: éééé
Genre: '70s Blues Rock

This is my second album by the LA based quartet (and their second album as well).  While many critics compare them to bands like the White Stripes, Wolfmother and the Black Crowes, I hear all kinds of my favorite '70s rock bands:  Mountain, Grand Funk Railroad, Molly Hatchet and Joe Walsh.

Check out some of these (seeming blasts from the past): Wild Animal (BTO?) All the Way (Joe Walsh?) The Heist (Ten Years After?).

Maybe it's just because so much of this is influenced by the bands I was listening to in High School, but I love this!

The Next Day by David Bowie

Released: March 12, 2013
Rating: ééé1/2
Genre: Art Rock

At 66, David Bowie is still amazing.  This is a provocative and wonderful piece of work; his 30th album (I think) and his first in a decade. It isn't my favorite Bowie album, but be real, that's some stiff competition. (The critics raved about it, with 44 reviews at an average of 81/100.)  It takes focus to get into it.

My favorite song is the Trip-Hoppy Dirty Boys (the horn, mixed with electronics is intoxicating), but don't miss the slow rocker Boss Of Me or the pounding, danceable How Does The Grass Grow?

Mala by Devandra Banhart

Released: March 5, 2013
Rating: ééé1/2
Genre: Indie Folk

The King of Freak-Folk returns with his best album (under his own name) since 2009's What Will Be.  (I must note here that I loved his album 2008 album, Surfing, recorded under the name Megapuss)  There's a mix of tropical Latin (Mi Negrita), 50s doo-wop (Your Fine Petting Duck) and folk (Daniel).  But my favorites on this album are the dark electronic tunes:  the opener Golden Girls, or Hatchet Wound are excellent examples.

This is great music for just hangin'.

People, Hell & Angels by Jimi Hendrix

Released:  March 5, 2013
Rating: éééé
Genre:  Blues-Rock

Mostly recorded in 1968 and '69, after the Experience was pretty much done, this arguably could have been the next album from the greatest guitar player in Rock 'n' Roll.  Most of this is previously unreleased and what had been released had been pretty mangled by overdubs.

Listening to these songs, in 2013, for the first time makes clear just what a loss to music was Hendrix' premature death.

My least favorite songs in this set are the slow burning blues jams Bleeding Heart and Villanova Junction Blues, but that's just in comparison to rockers like Easy Blues (my favorite song on the disc) or the super funky Mojo Man.

If you have any soft spot in your musical heart for Hendrix,  do yourself a favor and listen to this album from front to back.

Amok by Atoms for Peace

Released:  February 26, 2013
Rating:  ééé1/2
Genre:  Experimental Indie Electronic

Radiohead lead vocalist Thom Yorke teamed up with Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and a few other friends to form Atoma for Peace.

It's telling that my rating of the album as a whole is far greater than my scoring of the parts.  The music is beautiful, intricate, thickly layered and yet seemingly loose.  Like an electronic jam session.

My favorite song on the album is Before Your Very Eyes..., but try listening to Ingenue or Default, over and over  with your eyes closed.