The Glorious Dead by The Heavy

Released:  August 21, 2012
Rating:  74.00
Genre:  Neo-Soul

I love this album from the five piece band from Noid, England (outside of Bath).  This is their third studio album.  They released their debut in 2007.  It's not surprising I'd be enthusiastic., since Spotify lists their as their related artists some of my favorite bands on the past few years, including The Deadweather, The Kills, Cold War Kids, My Morning Jacket, TV On The Radio, Broken Bells, The Raconteurs and Band of Skulls.

Even with that said though, I hear a lot of 60's/70's-style, R&B and blues based rock.  Think Grand Funk Railroad, Three Dog Night, Johnny Winter, Foghat or Mountain.

My favorite song on the album is Can't Play Dead.  What Makes A Good Man? is a smokin', slightly funky jam.  Be Mine reminds me of Elbow. And The Big Bad Wolf reminds me of pre-Bad Company Paul Rodgers.

Mature Themes By Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

Released:  August 21, 2012
Rating:  72.00
Genre:  Neo-Psychedelia

AMG starts out their review of this album as follows: "To anyone familiar with his music, it's obvious that Ariel Pink is weird, but it bears repeating: Ariel Pink is really weird."  I have to agree.  But it's a really fun album.  Except for two songs which, for me as a matter of personal preference, are filler (Schnitzel Boogie and Nostradamus And Me), it would currently be in my top 10 for the year.

Considering it's only the second album from the Los Angeles band they get a lot of press.  At least 36 reviews from major media and arts rags!  However, it's Ariel Pink's ninth overall, though, I must, somewhat sheepishly, admit I'd never heard of them till now.

This album plays like a collection from several bands and almost all of it is terrific.  Baby is late 60's soul; If Only In My Dreams reminds me of the birds crossed with Devandra Banhart; the pop-rock title track (Mature Themes) is easily my favorite on the album.  Don't miss Kinski Assassin either.  The A.V Club calls it "verbal Dada", but do not try to dissect the lyrics with the kids.

Researching The Blues by Redd Kross

Released:  August 7, 2012
Rating:  74.00
Genre:  Punk-Pop

Redd Kross, from Southern California, began in 1978 with a band called The Tourists, which was begun by brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald while they were still in middle school. With the addition of friends Greg Hetson and Dave Keller on guitar and John Stielow on drums, the band's first gig was opening for Black Flag.  (Not a bad start.) 

This is their 7th album as Redd Kross (changed from Red Cross in 1980s to avoid a lawsuit from the International Red Cross) and their first album in 15 years - The band went on hiatus after the overdose death of their drummer in 1999.  I was surprised to see a lot of critics interested and, in general they loved.  Perhaps even more than me.

It's easy to compare them to bands like early Green Day (Researching the Blues), but I also hear hints of late-middle Beatles in One of the Good Ones or Meet Frankenstein and Dracula's Daughter offers Beach Boy's style harmonies.

In Time To Voices by Blood Red Shoes

Released:  July 24, 2012
Rating:  70.91
Genre:  Post Punk

Blood Red Shoes formed in late 2004, after Steven Ansell and Laura-Mary Carter's previous bands  broke up. They explain the name as taken from a musical, in which Ginger Rogers had turned a pair of white dancing shoes red with blood due to the amount of practice she'd done for the role.  This is their third studio album.

The band consider themselves to be a punk band, in ethos and attitude (if not in their immediate musical style) and cites influences that include Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, Pixies, Fugazi and Sonic Youth,  Blur and PJ Harvey.  My favorite song on the Album is Lost Kids, which reminds me a lot of the Kills.  Je Me Perds establishes their punk creds.  Slip Into Blue is a pretty song that reminds me a bit of Metric (one of my favorite bands in recent years.) 

FYI, hyperlinks now are generally pointed to Spotify.  I love this site for listening to new music before I buy it, but give me some feedback if you have problems.

They are active in social causes, openly supporting anti-fascist campaigns such as Love Music Hate Racism, contributing on the second CD of the 2007 LMHR compilation album and performing at LadyFest.

Handwritten by The Gaslight Anthem

Released:  July 24, 2012
Rating:  71.43
Genre:  Rock

If the Clash had been from New Jersey, this is what they'd have sounded like.  Punks with a hint of the Springsteen-blue-collar thing goin' on.

Handwritten is the New Jersey band's fourth album (my second by them) since 2007 and although it's impossible not to hear the Boss's influence, it's unfair to stop at that.  It's also unfair for my younger readers to think of Springsteen as starting with Born In The USA.  If you want to draw the comparisons, go back to The River or Greetings From Asbury Park, when Bruce could almost be classified as proto-punk.

It's interesting that the deluxe album wraps up with two cover songs: Sliver by Nirvana and You Got Lucky by Tom Petty.  I prefer the latter, but listen to them both, and also check out 45 (the official video) and Mulholland Drive.

Unearth by Grasscut

Released:  July 16, 2012
Rating:  70
Genre:  Ambient Steam-Punk

There's a certain theatricality, that I suppose is inherent in most ambient and electronic music.  However, given that half of Grasscut is British television and film composer Andrew Phillips, it makes double-sense (if that's a term I can use.)  The other half of the band from Brighton, England is keyboardist/classically trained double bassist Marcus O'Dair.  This is the sophomore release for the British duo.


Inspired by Krafterk, Devo and Robert Wyatt; and critics comparing them to Hot Chip, Eluvium and Max Richter, they're a little hard to pin down.  I think you might be able to spawn the sound by crossing Crosby Stills and Nash with early Pink Floyd, then letting it mature for about 30 years.

Although not drawing a lot of reviewers, those that weighed in were universally positive.  And although I may be toward the lower end of that spectrum, I have to say that my overall feeling is also very positive.

• The wistful piano of Blink In The Night (East Coker Version).
• Stone Lions is perhaps the most easily accessible song on the album.
• The juxtaposition of the keyboards against the gorgeous strings in A Mysterious Disappearance.
• Sparse and beautiful Richardson Road (with a guest appearance from Robert Wyatt)  The opening vocal reminds me of Al Jarreau

Swing Lo Magellan by Dirty Projectors

Released:  July 10, 2012
Rating:  71.67
Genre:  Experimental Lo-Fi Alt Rock

This is Dirty Projectors' 6th or seventh studio album (depending on which website you visit) since 2003, though it's my second by the band (that's mostly the project of Dave Longstreth).  It's pretty cerebral stuff and takes some effort to love.  If you think of the Beatles more unusual songs from the White Album, you'll kinda get the idea where this is headed.  The whole album is excellent and, I believe, worth the effort.  Suggested listening includes:

• Gun Has No Trigger, which reminds me of Beatles era George Harrison (think While My Guitar Gently Weeps) is the lead single.
• The beautiful title track, Swing Lo Magellan, is a 60's style folk ballad with an acoustic guitar and simple drum beat.
• The offbeat, but somehow poetic, See What She Seeing is a great example of the more experimental songs, lots of electronics, combined with the beautiful strings creates a slightly jarring listen, but worth the effort. (This is a killer live version.)