Archive for the 'New Releases' Category
Vocal Blanketing: Ethereal Music for Rainy Days
Author: Adrienne Brown
Recently, during a rather frazzled moment of negotiating the vehicular nightmare that is Commercial Avenue in New Brunswick, I heard one of the most soothing songs to ever reach my ears. My radio was tuned in to 90.3 The Core (Rutgers University Radio) and the song that was playing was Generosity by Mirah. Not only was her vocal style an unexpected comfort as I weaved through traffic and random pedestrians, but the accompanying violins brought me to a place far from the industrial landscape. As a voracious reader of music magazines, I encountered articles extolling the wonder of Mirah, but had never actually given her music a listen.
read comments (0)Some Other Stuff
Author: Anthony Medici
It arrived on the scene inconspicuously, without fanfare. It had been on my want list for ages. I only came across it online while I was looking for something else. I found out it was released on February 24, 2009 in its current incarnation. A welcome arrival, indeed. What am I talking about (you may well ask)? I am referring to the Rudy Van Gelder series release on Blue Note of trombonist Grachan Moncur III’s laconically titled Some Other Stuff, recorded July 6, 1964 at RVG’s studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, and released initially in 1965 on Blue Note. It is one of the great “inside -outside” albums produced by Blue Note. For some reason, previous issues of this album on both LP and CD had proved hard to come by. Even repeated trips to our dearly beloved PREX failed to turn up a copy. I mulled purchasing the Moncur 3-CD box set on Mosaic just to get it, but I had all the other albums contained on the set and was loathe to pay the asking price just to complete my Moncur collection. Now the Moncur set is out of print (and already commanding high asking prices), but here was the individual album that I sought, complete with Reid Miles original and enigmatic cover art, and with an added annotation by Bob Blumenthal. It did not take long to hit “Buy,” and pop it into the CD player on arrival. Read the rest of this entry »
Pazz and Jop with The Bad Plus
Author: Anthony Medici
The title of the new The Bad Plus (hereafter TBP) CD on Heads Up, “For All I Care,” is as ambiguous, ambivalent, and inscrutable as the rest of the album. Perhaps the band is telling us that it cares for all types of music and things and people, that its approach is determinedly egalitarian and universal. Or maybe it is telling us, defensively, in advance, and in anticipation of the usual TBP criticism, that it doesn’t much care what we think of the album, that they are going to do what they want, not what we want them to do. I suppose that it is both of these things. They want us to hear them; they’re not terribly interested in hearing us. For example, their blog, DO THE MATH, demonstrates their wide interests in things musical and cultural; however, they long since stopped accepting comments from readers on their posts. It’s a High Modernist conception of the artist as creative and aloof, and perhaps more, creative because they are aloof. No matter, for in “For All I Care,” they have created an album that challenges and connects. Read the rest of this entry »
How often do you hear about Iceland these days? Sure, there are a few news stories every so often about their economy, but overall, not much seems to happen in that little island nation. You could ask someone on the street what they know about Iceland, and they’d probably mention Bjork, Sigur Ros, and something about Vikings. So imagine my surprise when I learned that the first metal album of 2009 to truly blow me away was by an Icelandic band. To be honest, I still don’t know what to make of that. All I know is that Reykjavik-based metal outfit Solstafir is simply one of the most exciting artists to come out of that neck in the woods since…well, since Sigur Ros. Read the rest of this entry »
ROGER POWELL, EATIN’ AN APPLE, SITTIN’ ON BLUE NOTE RIDGE
Author: Jeff Boule
Blue Note Ridge is Roger Powell’s fourth solo album. The largest difference between this album and the three preceding ones is that these previous albums were significantly synthesizer-based. As his former band–mate, Todd Rundgren used to say, “you were born, to synthesize”, and this new CD on Fossil Poets Records is largely based on piano. Plain old acoustic piano with maybe a synth note here and there.
Pop! Straight Out of Scandinavia
Author: Adrienne Brown
When it comes to our choices of music, we all have guilty pleasures. During my formative years, I was a huge New Kids on the Block fan. I tortured my parents to purchase every poster, cassette tape (yes, it was that long ago), and piece of merchandise I could get my hands on. My love of NKOTB even helped me to become elected to my intermediate school student council. However, as time moved on, so did my taste in music. By the time high school arrived, I had abandoned pop music in exchange for alternative bands like Nirvana and Depeche Mode.
Kasim Sulton, Live In Atlanta… Or live in your living room!
Author: Jeff Boule
When I first heard about Utopia’s new bass player back in 1977, I wondered if he would last. “Who is this Kaseem Sooltan?” I asked. The answer is extraordinary talent, a level-headed sensibility and a close eye on Todd Rundgren have kept him working with industry names such as Mick Jagger, Joan Jett, Patti Smyth and most notably as musical director for Meatloaf, as well as being part of the foundation of the Bat Out Of Hell original album and a right-hand man to Rundgren since Utopia’s evaporation in 1992.
KANYE: 808’s & Heartbreak
Author: Leigh Silbernagel
Kanye West: 808’s and Heartbreak
The songs that are not about heartbreak are your classic Kanye self-swagger tributes: powerful tracks with stylistically well-done use of an auto-tune that showcases Kanye’s impressive vocal range and control. Ranging from the resolved, empowerment-anthem: “Welcome to Heartbreak,” to the unexpected throwback early 90s beat “Paranoid:” Kanye knows what he does best, and he delivers it once again.
Coltrane for Christmas
Author: Anthony Medici
Assuming you have any money left following our current economic downturn, or, almost as good perhaps, know someone who does, let me recommend a few gift ideas. I figure this is safer bet than slagging jazz magazines, or knocking a certain jazz radio station, but who knows. So, here are some ideas for you and yours to consider. Read the rest of this entry »
KANYE: 808′S and HEARTBREAK
Author: Leigh Silbernagel
The songs that are not about heartbreak are your classic Kanye self-swagger tributes: powerful tracks with stylistically well-done use of an auto-tune that showcases Kanye’s impressive vocal range and control. Ranging from the resolved, empowerment-anthem: “Welcome to Heartbreak,” to the unexpected throwback early 90s beat “Paranoid:” Kanye knows what he does best, and he delivers it once again. Read the rest of this entry »
VALENCIA NEW VIDEO POSTED
Author: Leigh Silbernagel
Valencia’s brand new video for “Where Did You Go?” is available now on their MySpace:
-leigh silbernagel
Anthony Hamilton: The Point of It all
Author: Leigh Silbernagel
anthony hamitlon/The Point of It All/ So So Def/ Zombra Label Group
The six-time Grammy-nominated R&B-soul balladeer croons a melodic picture of life using straightforward lyrics as his mellifluous paintbrush on his junior effort The Point of It All: “Talking about relationships again… everything from making love to building love; having arguments, just life!”
Everything That Happens Will Happen Today. Enough said from Byrne/Eno.
Author: Jeff Boule
It seems that life is so high pressure these days. Economic crisis, housing crisis, Middle East crisis, everything in crisis. Sometimes you need something to bring your stress level down. The new album from David Byrne and Brian Eno is something that can keep your toes tapping while reducing heart rate and blood pressure levels. But the music is far too lively to be as coma inducing as some of the earlier Eno ambient albums. But it is far more cerebral than Talking Heads.
Heads Up
Author: Anthony Medici
I’ve been spinning two recent CD releases this week, Bobby Hutcherson’s “Head On” (Blue Note Connoisseur Series) and Charles Lloyd Quartet, “Rabo de Nube” (ECM) and enjoying them both, particularly the Hutcherson release, or more accurately, CD re-release, as four of the tracks were originally released on a Blue Note LP in 1971. The CD adds three lengthy (and excellent, not just filler) tracks to the original release. Interestingly, these releases are both from artists who made their mark during the 1960s and 1970s and who are still performing and recording regularly. The Hutcherson is more than 30 years old but could be an original contemporary work, it is so vibrant and challenging. The Lloyd is a contemporary work, recorded in concert in 2007, but if I were told it was the work of 30 years ago, I would not find it hard to believe, as it is, for better or worse, so distinctly “Lloydian” in concept and expression. Read the rest of this entry »
New Arrivals
Author: Brett
Early September, 2008
Greetings from Princeton Record Exchange,
Recently arrived: Soul, Latin and Gospel records; Indian Soundtrack records; and Classical CDs
The recent flood of quality record and CD collections continues. This week we have a wide variety to report, but we’re pressed for time (trying to get everything out!), so we’ll just touch on the highlights.
We have just put out over 1,500 very nice 70’s Soul, Latin, and Gospel LPs. These records are in beautiful condition; it’s a real pleasure to see these 30+ year old titles looking so good. Most of the classic-era soul artists are here including Funkadelic, Isaac Hayes, The Spinners, Al Green, etc. The Latin titles include dozens on the Tico, Fania, and Alegre labels of artists like Ray Barrettto, Willie Colon, Eddie Palmieri, and Joe Cuba among many others. This collection also features a great assortment of 70’s Gospel.
Most are priced from $4.99 to $14.99 with some rarities higher. We are very out of room, so you’ll have to dig through the regular new arrival section, but if you’re looking for this type of music, we’re sure you’ll find it worthwhile
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Also of note is a very interesting collection of original, mostly 70’s, Indian soundtracks. At around 200 titles, it’s not a huge collection, but it certainly is one of the more unusual we have seen in a while. These came over from India with some nice folks who sold them to us. They are mostly in very good shape and are priced around $9.99 each. As with the collection above, they are mixed in our regular new arrival section.
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And finally, we have purchased a collection of over 1,000 Classical CDs. These do not have a specific dominant theme, but are heavy on Baroque and Renaissance titles, with some “historical” recordings as well. Around 70% are under $5.00 and are in our cheap CD bins. The rest are in the classical new arrival section and are priced slightly higher.
Hope to see you soon.
Princeton Record Exchange
20 S. Tulane St.
Princeton, NJ, 08542
609-921-0881
www.prex.com
Two albums that are Miles ahead
Author: Dan Gephart
Within a few minutes of the On the Corner’s opening song On the Corner/New York Girl/Thinking One Thing and Doing Another, many of Miles Davis’ fans finally had enough. It was the most controversial of a very controversial period for an uncompromising Miles. Read the rest of this entry »
Scars On Broadway Leave Marks on System, Serj.
Author: Jeff Boule
Once upon a time there were four Armenian boys who formed one of modern rock’s heaviest bands. I am recalcitrant to say heavy metal, as, especially with Scars On Broadway, all these artists can play soft as well as heavy. But back to our four Armenian friends, they formed a band. One considerably older gentleman (Serj Tankian), and the very unusual bass playing style and sound of Shavo Odajian, and two childhood friends Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan.
Now the childhood buddies had very distinct ideas on how the music should sound. But so too did the older gentleman and the unusual player. Four opinions in one small band is toxic.
At the absolute pinnacle of their career, nothing could go better, they decide now is the time to split up and do solo things. So the older Serj went and did his the fastest. His came out first to modest fan/critical response. Next came the project of the buddies Malakian and Dolmayan.
It is easy to see that Shavo will have a tough act to follow.
The heavy dissonances, speedy beats, time/tempo changes, humorous lyrics, inventive keyboards, all belong to the Malakian/Dolmayan connection.
Because as Scars on Broadway, these guys got it dead to rights!!!
Review of Invaders – Kemado Records
Author: John Linden
Something strange has been happening in a certain subgenre of metal in the past few years. It started, depending on who you ask, either with the release of Wolfmother’s self-titled album or The Sword’s debut Age of Winters. The subgenre was stoner rock, and the strange thing was it was becoming…hip. Yes, hip. Well, about as hip as any sort of metal can get, which is not very. Still, Austin’s The Sword getting signed to indie label Kemado was an eyebrow-raising move, to say the least. And yet it worked. Positive reviews came steamrolling in, and the quest to make stoner rock mainstream began. And that brings us to this compilation, which feels influential already. Read the rest of this entry »
Conor Oberst making a new name for himself
Author: Dan Gephart
It’s time to drop the emo label, gang. Conor Oberst is no longer the indie wunderkid. He’s dropped the Bright Eye’s moniker, for now that is. And at 28 years old now, he’s one of the best folk-rock singer/songwriters we have. Oberst’s self-titled album is clearly one of the standout releases in this musical year so far — one whose lyrics will keep you coming back for more. Read the rest of this entry »
Rose Hill Drive – Moon is the New Earth
Author: John Linden
In this Boulder, Colorado trio we have a strange case. They are a band who has radio-ready songs but is on an indie label. They are a band who are steeped in classic rock tradition but not bound by it. They are a band who, unlike most of their peers–if these boys even have true contemporaries–craft original, thoughtful songs and then play them like the bastard children of Cream and Led Zeppelin. Sign me up. Read the rest of this entry »