Out Of Frequency by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour

Released:  January 31, 2012
Rating:  75.38
Genre:  Scandinavian Indie Pop


This is the sophomore effort for the pop band from Copenhagen, and it's a blast.  There is no pretext to pass as serious as they put a 21st century spin on the late-'60s world of Burt Bacharach and Sly Stone.

There's reggae, middle eastern pop, Motown, prog and disco. You'll also find hip-hop beats, Southern soul, and loads of horns.  The opener, Gold Rush Part 1 could be the intro track to a remake of the Mod Squad and Cloak and Dagger would have been a great James Bond song.  Lead vocalist Mette Lindberg has a voice that's a cross between Björk and Duffy.

Give a listen to a couple of my favorites:

Major (and you'll know why Amy Winehouse them open for her) Heart Attack, or the title track, Out of Frequency.  (For a special treat, catch this accoustic take on Out of Frequency.)

Something by Chairlift

Released:  January 25, 2012
Rating:  69.09
Genre:  '80s Influenced Alt Rock

I hear influences of everything from Madonna to Annie Lennox (The Eurythmics), the Bangles to Cindy Lauper and Deborah Harry (Blondie).  Even a little Chrissie Hynde (the Pretenders) and a few things I can't place.

This is the second album from the Brooklyn (formerly Boulder, CO) two-piece band.  According to the press I can find on them, they formed in 2005 to write background music for haunted houses; and you can still here that in some of their slower tempo stuff.

Again, the reviewers seem somewhat higher on them than I am , but that's not to say it's not a really good album.  Check out Sidewalk Safari on YouTube by clicking the link.

Attack On Memory by Cloud Nothings

Released:  January 24, 2012
Rating:  70.00
Genre:  Noise Rock

Rolling Stone often under rates albums, While AMG often over-rates them.  In this case, they both gave this album the same rating and, by strange coincidence, it's the exact same rating I gave it.  However, the critics as a whole seem to be a lot more enthusiastic, with a metascore of 82.  The first half is easily the stronger. but it's definitely worth a listen.

Cloud Nothings is the band name under which an individual by the name of Dylan performs.  From Cleveland, Ohio, this is their third album in three years.  Produced by Steve Albini (who has produced Nirvana, The Pixies, The Stooges, Manic Street Preachers, PJ Harvey and Bush) his influence is very apparent.  The opener, No Future/No Past is so reminiscent of Nirvana, it's eerie; I love the intense, extended (nearly nine minute) angry jam on Wasted Days and the PJ Harvey-style Stay Useless is very cool.

(Click the hyper links to hear the full songs on youtube.)

Area 52 by Rodrigo Y Grabriela w/C.U.B.A.

Released:  January 24, 2012
Rating:  75.56
Genre:  World Music

If Carlos Santana teamed up with Otmar Leibert, and asked Ry Cooder, right off of the Buena Vista Social Club sessions, to produce them, this is what you’d get.  It just kicks! 

Click to see the album trailer on youtube or you can hear the whole album free on Spotify.

Most of the songs are reworked from their own catalog, recorded with pianist/arranger Pete Wilson and C.U.B.A. (Collective Universal Band Association) in Havana, with producer Peter Asher. Guest artists included Anoushka Shankar, flamenco and jazz bass legend Carlos Benavent, former Testament and White Zombie drummer John Tempesta, Le Trio Joubran, and Los Van Van drummer Samuel Formell Alfonso.

Guitarists Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero started, independent of one another, playing heavy metal in some of the toughest clubs in Mexico City though they also played together in the metal group Tierra Acida.  They went on to become the most recognizable flamenco duo in the 21st century.

 

 

We Don't Know Any Better by Black Taxi

Released:  January 17, 2012
Rating:  76.92

Frankly, I don't recall where I heard about this band, but it doesn't matter.  This is right up my alley.  and likely to stay in my top 10 for most of the year.  They remind me of the Virgins (who released one of my favorite albums back in '08) and I suppose it shouldn't be a total surprise, since Black Taxi is also a Brooklyn-based club band.

All I remember is they got on my 2012 list quick.  The problem was that I couldn't find the CD.  My local Dimple store didn't even have them listed and Amazon only had them (and still only have them) as an MP3 download.  I ended up at the band's website, ordering directly from them.

This is great, upbeat, fun party/dance/work out/housework/whatever you like music.

Click to check out the official video for my favotite song Tightrope and a live recording of Do What You Gotta Do, which opens with a riff from Yes and heads into Devo-esque dance tune.  (You can also hear a clean version on Spotify.)