WEEK IN RELEASES

It’s a fairly light week in terms of quantity, but the quality is first rate. Featured picks include an R.E.M. live album that’ll put a smile on the faces of diehard fans of the venerable Athens quartet and a Fela Kuti double disc compilation that demands to be heard. Tune in and turn it up!

Henry Threadgill’s Zooid

This Brings Us To, Vol. I

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

This Brings Us To, Vol. I marks the first release by the legendary jazz reedsman/composer in nearly eight years and upon first listen it’s readily apparent that he hasn’t lost a step. Handling flute and alto sax, Threadgill is surrounded by a talented group of improvisers – Liberty Ellman on acoustic guitar, Jose Davila on trombone and tuba, Stomu Takeishi on acoustic bass guitar, and Elliot Humberto Kavee on drums – the core of which have been working together for nearly a decade. And it shows. As usual, Zooid’s distinctive instrumentation coupled with Threadgill’s unpredictable compositions make for a wild ride, but one that’s continuously rewarding. Highlights include the noir-ish “White Wednesday Off the Wall” and the twisting, tuba-fueled funk of “After Some Time.” This is heady music, but well worth the time to immerse yourself in its challenges.

Devendra Banhart

What Will We Be

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

I was wary when I read a recent interview with Devendra where he justifies switching to a major label for his latest record. He said “selling out” is “changing what you do for other people.” Judging from early rotations of What Will We Be, my guess is that Devendra, at least subconsciously, changed what he was doing for other people; in this case, the bigwigs at Warner Bros. But that doesn’t mean the album’s a futile stab at mainstream success. It does suffer a bit from too much polish, but there are some fine moments, especially the lilting, Spanish-inflected “Angelika” and the hushed ballad, “First Song for B.” What Will We Be suffers most when it strays into more rock oriented territory, Devendra’s quirky delivery overshadowed by unflattering attempts at glam pop (”16th & Valencia”) and blue-eyed soul (”Baby”).

Rosie Flores

Girl of the Century

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

It’s a shame Rosie Flores isn’t a household name. The “Rockabilly Filly” has been churning out a unique blend of rockabilly, country and torch songs for nearly three decades now, and she’s a potent triple threat – virtuosic guitarist, stellar songwriter and fiery vocalist. Girl of the Century finds Flores collaborating with head Mekon, Jon Langford, on an album of “spirited and soulful romps through the back roads of American music.” Standouts include a spirited take on Johnny Cash’s “Get Rhythm,” the sultry ballad, “Dark Enough at Midnight,” and an inspired cover of the Ernest Tubb/Loretta Lynn duet (with Langford taking on the Tubb role), “Who’s Gonna Take Your Garbage Out.”

R.E.M.

Live at the Olympia

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

I usually don’t have much patience for a live album, but when I saw the 39-song, career-spanning set list for R.E.M.’s Live at the Olympia, I was quite excited. This isn’t your typical nostalgia trip loaded with hit singles. “Losing My Religion,” and “Man on the Moon” are nowhere to be found. Instead, we’re treated to some of R.E.M.’s best deep album cuts from nearly every period of the band’s long career – “Wolves, Lower” and “Carnival of Sorts” from 1981’s Chronic Town EP, “Feeling Gravity’s Pull” and “Auctioneer” from 1985’s Fables of the Reconstruction, “These Days” and “Cuyahoga” from 1986’s Lifes Rich Pageant, “Disturbance at the Heron House” and “Welcome to the Occupation” from 1987’s Document, to name just a handful. The later period, which I still maintain is underrated, is mostly represented by the band’s most recent studio effort, Accelerate, performed here in purely test-drive mode prior to its recording. Long time fans who drifted away when Bill Berry left after New Adventures in Hi-Fi should take heed, and re-discover why R.E.M. was one of the most beloved bands of the 80’s and 90s.

Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society

Infernal Machines

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Up and coming composer/band leader Darcy James Argue is garnering widespread critical acclaim for the debut record from his 18-piece jazz ensemble, the Secret Society. Boasting mature compositions bursting with rich colors and inventive arrangements, all delivered with aplomb by a mix of veterans and newcomers alike, Infernal Machines is a thoroughly modern big band record that recalls the heyday of such luminaries as Bob Brookmeyer, Gil Evans, and Carla Bley. It’s an exciting time for big bands of all stripes, and Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society comfortably fits within an impressive group of young talent that also includes Maria Schneider, Jason Lindner, and John Hollenbeck.

Fela Kuti

The Best of the Black President

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

If you’re a newbie to the genius of Fela Kuti, then this compilation is a perfect place to start. Originally released overseas in 2005, Knitting Factory Records now offers the 2-disc career-spanning set for domestic consumption. Compiled by son Femi, The Best of the Black President features some of the Afro-Beat master’s most rousing songs, including “Roforofo Fight,” “No Agreement,” and “Zombie.” The sound is first-rate, the liner notes by friend and manager, Rikki Stein, are highly informative, and the music is nothing short of revelatory. Seriously, if you’ve never had the pleasure of enveloping yourself in Fela’s heady stew, then now’s the time. And for a wonderful primer on one of the 20th century’s most important artists, check out the Brass Trax article by Rick Sawyer that was featured on JamsBio last year.

No Comments »