Lykke Li, at first wash, is our generation’s Nico.  Both came to us from Europe (Sweden and Germany, respectively) with beautiful faces, cold stares, and unusual accents.  And both embody that same mystery, a cool air of unspoken depth and inner darkness.  Perhaps the greatest difference is that Lykke Li grew into her shadowy success.

She began as a light-hearted, light-footed Swedish pop singer, drawing attention with her stripped-down, kinda-techno, dance-happy single, “Little Bit,” off of 2008′s Youth Novels.  Now, Lykke Li’s translated her penchant for shoulder-shaking into the desperate, drunk and defiant dancing of this year’s “Sadness is A Blessing,” adding tension, subtracting softness, and reaching for a mystical, tribal essence in her latest release, Wounded Rhymes. Read the rest of this entry »

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Hair Rocket's Punishment Cookie and The Great Afternoon's Self-Titled EP

Now on consignment at the Princeton Record Exchange are two exciting new projects from local bands, Hair Rocket and The Great Afternoon.  Hair Rocket, from Lumberville, Pennsylvania, recently released their first full-length album, the upbeat, edgy Punishment Cookie, and Lambertville’s The Great Afternoon just released their first official, and extremely folksy, self-titled EP.

First, let’s start off with Hair Rocket, whose Punishment Cookie is surprisingly rewarding.  Pop-punk in the best possible way, Hair Rocket shoot through their first full-length with a witty, high-energy, yet irreverent sound, playing rough and fast while managing to pull off the polish. Read the rest of this entry »

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Once again, nothing like that personalized, autographed CD cover.

If you caught my last post, I went on about a talented young bassist by the name of Julie Slick who plays bass in the Adrian Belew Power Trio.  For this young lady to be able to handle parts by bassists of such renown as Tony Levin, Les Claypool and others, as well as converting parts played on the Chapman Stick and Warr Guitar, is an ambitious feat in itself.  So it was of little surprise to me that she could conjure up a series of songs to compile a solo disc.  What was surprising was the depth and imaginativeness as well as the maturity and depth of composition this young artist has displayed.  Again, if you are looking for Katy Perry, Lada Yada, or other pop divas of that ilk, this ain’t it.  This is the direction of progressive music of the female gender.  Artists like Tori Amos, Nina Hagen, even some instrumental Laurie Anderson come to mind.  Slick professes not to be a vocalist, but I’d love to comprise this line-up: Amos on keyboards and vocals, Anderson on keyboards, violin, electronics and vocals, Slick on bass and electronics, and Maureen Tucker of Velvet Underground (Anderson’s husband Lou Reed’s former bandmate) on percussion and anything else she wants.

GoGo’s my gluteus maximus (and at my age, it is maximus)…

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Members of Peter Kernel

Swiss-Canadian noise pop trio Peter Kernel recently released the first single off of their upcoming sophomore album, White Death & Black Heart.  With a video to match, the single marches along with an anti-this, anti-that, pro-easy living punk attitude.

A mix of sunshine, anarchy, and edgy vocals, “Anthem of Hearts” starts off with a shock to the system care of singer and bass player Barbara Lehnhoff, but soon melts into a lovey-dovey soothing vocal, reaching for “a place to live and dream.”  Check out the new song by these misanthropic romantics after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

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Kofi Anteneng and Jim Wilson

In the digital age, it’s not a rare occurrence for a musician in one country to be inspired by an artist in another.  But perhaps now more than ever, it’s unusual for the two to meet.  And when one unknown musician travels hundreds of miles to see and record with another equally unknown musician, each with hardly any money to fund such a far-away friendship, it is a rare and special musical journey.

Jim Wilson is on such a journey, and he needs our help.  Wilson is a musician living and working in Athens, Georgia, involved with a number of local bands.  In 2008, Wilson took his first trip to Accra, Ghana where he met multi-instrumentalist Kofi Anteneng, a man who until that moment was a stranger to Jim.  Kofi and his band, The Warriors, instantly struck Wilson with their skill and style.  Together, Kofi and Jim began a project that will become Taxicab Verses. Read the rest of this entry »

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Black Milk and Jack White: Together, White Milk

Third Man Records recently proved that you should never say never with the release of their latest project: a 7″ single from Detroit rapper Black Milk.  The first hip-hop music Jack White’s label has ever released, Black Milk’s single is, not surprisingly, more than your average rap track.  Laced with touches of funk, soul, and sax, both songs rock retro while rapping righteously.

White stepped in to play guitar on the A-side, “Brains,” and drums on the B-side, “Royal Mega.”  According to Black Milk, the collaboration was White’s idea.  On his website, Milk describes the encounter: Read the rest of this entry »

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I had a dream we were here three times before. Except in my dream things constantly changed, people that were here aren’t, things that happened that definitely will not. The days light slowly hides away from us like a large toy chest closing and we are on the inside, we keep moving mile marker one after the other. Its all a blur and the stars hide out on the outskirts of the horizon, the highway is no place for stargazing and no place for two crazy souls seeking rhythms and healing undulations. We can only find adventure in our hearts and when we seek it we will always find the adventure that is meant entirely for us. This adventure has the meaning that only two sets of eyes can see yours and mine. This year we drive endlessly into the dark once again to the valley, till we reach our destination Indio, California where the Coachella Music Festival reinvigorates our souls, our hearts and reminds us why we are still here, still smiling. Read the rest of this entry »

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Nothing like a personalized, autographed DVD case of the Adrian Belew Power Trio Live In Germany.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I’d like to take a minute or two to express some heartfelt emotions.  Yup, first entry back and I’m getting all mushy.  But I’d like to thank all of my faithful followers who contacted me on my Facebook page and relayed their concerns regarding my absence from these sites.  I have been, and to a lesser extent, still am, under the weather.  I will remain classified as such until an exam later this month.  I also want to thank a couple of new Facebook friends who convinced me that regardless of negative feedback, my opinion of the art form is the only one that should matter in my forum.  Thank you Steve and Elliott.

I have a lot of catching up to do, so let’s get to it!

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The Jayhawks are the harmonizing alt/country, rootsy, rock, with a touch of pop/folk band that emerged from Minneapolis, Minnesota in the mid 80’s.  Considered by many to be one of the forefathers of the then bourgeoning alt/country scene.

Formed in 1985 and co-helmed by Gary Louris and Mark Olson, The Jayhawks released their self titled debut on the indie label Bunkhouse Records.  In an attempt to snag a major label deal, the band recorded a set of demos, and then due to tragic and unforeseen circumstances, Gary temporarily left the band.  Upon his return, the collection of demos was fashioned into their sophomore release Blue Earth. Read the rest of this entry »

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On the cusp of summer, I sat in a living room in Lambertville listening to members of High Hearts pick a mandolin, banjo, and acoustic guitar.  Aided by these three unusual instruments, the simple yet resounding chorus of “Gypsy Girl” drifted through the warm air and out the screen door, greeting neighbors with the wistful reminder that “the world is a lonely place/yes, the world is a lonely place.”

Though the lyrics may sound sorrowful, the true feeling of High Hearts isn’t rooted in melancholy, but in the comforting yet confronting attitude of old-time folk music.  Formed by Shaun Ellis and Matt Pillischer in 2005, these local musicians have now released their first album Your Heart is a Muscle the Size of Your Fist, available at the Princeton Record Exchange. Read the rest of this entry »

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JEFF the Brotherhood may awkwardly love your momma’s milk and cookies a bit too much, but their new album is short on the comforting nourishment.  Contrary to the AP’s review of the Brotherhood’s latest release, “We Have Heard the Future and It is JEFF” and despite abundant laser sound effects, We Are the Champions is yet another study in retro revivalism.  While tracks like “Hey Friend,” “Bummer,” and “Health and Strength” are truly unique and hold great promise, the boys delve into the popular punk sounds of the 70s for most of the rest of the album, ultimately shrouding their potential in the (way too familiar) guise of the past.

Who are they emulating?  If I gave you two guesses, you probably wouldn’t need them: it’s the ever-present spectre of The Ramones haunting these two Nashville brothers. Read the rest of this entry »

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Whether Ty Segall suffers from some sad-puppy lovesick syndrome or just the carb-depleted depression of the Atkins diet, the beginning of Goodbye Bread is miles from the San Francisco fuzz rocker’s high-energy 2008 self-titled debut.  Segall’s latest album, his first for Drag City, opens up with the slow title track, composed mostly of laconic strumming and a barely-there downer daydream falsetto.

Of course, Segall doesn’t let sleeping dogs lie.  The rest of the record is a mixed bag of hard-hitting rock tracks, like the punk-rock mini-song “California Commercial,” and more semi-ballads, like the slow-clap support group feel of “I Can’t Feel It.”  But unlike Segall’s previous releases, the distortion is (usually) turned down a notch, and Segall’s formerly hidden voice bleeds through his chords more clearly. Read the rest of this entry »

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Master musician Jack White and redheaded model Karen Elson recently announced their impending divorce with an unusual “Divorce Party” on June 10th.  While the couple, who have been together for six years and have two children, Scarlett and Henry Lee, celebrate their disturbing separation, we shall revel in the fantastic music their union created.

White met Elson on the set of the music video for “Blue Orchid,” the White Stripes’ first single off of Get Behind Me Satan, in 2005.  In a fantastic video for the album’s toughest song, Elson sported unbelievable ballet-style heels and made friends with a white snake (no, not that one).  But more important than this brief moment in White Stripes history is the unexpectedly beautiful solo album Karen Elson released through Jack White’s Third Man Records last year, The Ghost Who Walks. Read the rest of this entry »

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“Psychedelic Moods Part Two – Journey Thru Inner Space With Sunset Love and Inner Sanctum” (Cicadelic Records 976)

October 1966 saw the arrival of “Psychedelic Moods,” an album by the Deep depicting different phases of an acid trip. Glazed with weird sound effects and far out lyrics, the disc was indeed a daring statement and praised in certain quarters, but flopped on a commercial level. Shortly after the album hit the shops, Mark Barkan, who along with Rusty Evans, guided the Deep, set about laying down tracks for a subsequent effort in a similar vein. Mark recruited a Greenwich Village band, Inner Sanctum, and although a handful of tunes were recorded, they were unable to find a label to support their cause, prompting the material to remain in the can. Better late than never, as they say, so here’s the goods. Fueled by jagged, choppy licks and sneering vocals, “Little Tin Soldier” is an anti-war sentiment, where “The Man Who Shot Your Mother” also contains rather cryptic verse and carries a rugged garage rock band sound. A catchy melody washes over “The House Of Yesterday,” while “Snow Petals” opts for a drowsy, dreamy ambience. Armed with a philosophy and vision akin to groups like the Electric Prunes and the Thirteenth Floor Elevators, Inner Sanctum clearly resided on the strangely wonderful side of the fence. Read the rest of this entry »

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Kurt Vile smokes Camels.  I know this because the top of the package is poking out of the back pocket of his narrow jeans as he paces the small stage at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City, hunching over instruments and amps, long wavy hair swinging as he makes the final adjustments before his June 11th show begins.

Now shaded blue, the stage has already sizzled with two opening acts, a Joan Baez clone by the name of Meg Baird and Purling Hiss, a vaguely psychedelic jam band from Philadelphia who Vile later referred to as friends of his.  The boys of Purling Hiss took the stage with a laid-back vibe and more instrumental breakdowns than lyrics, amping up the energy from Baird’s slow start.

Yet it’s unlikely that anyone here on this rainy, humid day came for either Baird or Purling Hiss.  Tonight is Kurt Vile’s first headlining show at the Bowery Ballroom, and it’s completely sold out. Read the rest of this entry »

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Despite the gray heat on June 12th, the girls of Those Darlins lined up across the outdoor stage at the edge of Madison Square Park in different shades of black.  From pleather to ripped tights and sequins, Jessi, Kelley and Nikki Darlin brought some much-needed Tennessee punk to a sprawling New York food festival: The Big Apple BBQ.  Riding high off their successful Screws Get Loose album, the female Darlins and their male drummer, Linwood Regensburg, played to a crowd of dirt-covered, finger-licking, dedicated followers of fashion at Madison Square Park last weekend. Read the rest of this entry »

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Ah, The 90s.  A generation that often gets lost amidst the prevalence of plaid and the birth of “Baby One More Time” pop, the 90s wasn’t (like) totally clueless.  Instead, the 90s remarkably housed some amazing made-by-girls music, and I’m here to prove it to you with 10 musical gems from the ladies of the 1990s.  (Don’t worry, Britney didn’t make the cut.)

With the birth of the riot grrrl movement, ladies landed on stage, fully clothed, with a definite bang and a stunning lack of glitter.  From rock to pop to R&B and everywhere in-between, the decade’s female acts possessed a bite and attitude that made their songs some of the most memorable and exciting tracks of the 90s.  Move over, Kurt Cobain.  Courtney’s gunning for ya. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Avett Brothers are the folksy, rocking, alt/country with a tinge of bluegrass band from North Carolina.  With such a diverse pedigree, is it any wonder the Rick Rubin took notice, signed them to his label, and produced their major label debut “I and Love and You”?

As mentioned, I and Love and You is the major label debut but actually finds The Avett Brothers in the double digits for their release total. They have released numerous albums as well as EP’s and live albums. Read the rest of this entry »

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Damon Albarn is on a creative high right now (notwithstanding a Blur reunion album!). Anyone who saw the Gorillaz at Madison Square Garden last year could see he was having the time of his life, and probably has to pinch himself that he managed to put together the multi talented supergroup that he did for that tour, and that even Lou Reed came out to play that night. As has been well publicised already, Albarn had a mini studio set up backstage and with the aid of his new toy iPad was able to record each night as and when the mood took him.

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Joe Pug is a singer/songwriter who originally hails from Maryland but began his unique musical career in Chicago.  He has toured at length since 2008, has opened for Steve Earle, M. Ward, and Josh Ritter and has also played the New Port Folk Festival and Lollapalooza.  Nothing in the short career of Joe Pug has followed the normal trajectory of a musician. 

His path to music was not as direct as other artists; he began playing guitar in grade school and formed a band in the 6^th grade.   Firmly believing the mark of a band was original writing, he began writing songs. This was coupled with early ambitions of being a playwright. He left home and attended the University of North Carolina for several years and abruptly left to continue his pursuit of music.  His ideas for a play ultimately were flushed out in his first EP “Nation of Heat”.  The songs were surreptitiously recorded in a Chicago studio with the aid of a friend who permitted him late night access to the cancelled studio sessions of other musicians. Read the rest of this entry »

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