News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

Welcome to May and our recent picks for Classical Music! This month features cross-genre books, with how music can help change your life, to how music is found in nature, a lovely new score with Karakia and Maori round-songs, and the skill of singing in choirs. I hope you enjoy the selection!

Your playlist can change your life : 10 proven ways your favorite music can revolutionize your health, memory, organization, alertness, and more / Galina Mindlin, Don DuRousseau, Joseph Cardillo.Your Playlist Can Change Your Life
“This distinctive book comes from the coordinated efforts of Mindlin (psychiatry, Columbia Univ.), Don DuRousseau (executive director, PEAK Neurotraining Solutions), and Joseph Cardillo (Be Like Water: Practical Wisdom from the Martial Arts), who propose that readers can use music to relieve anxiety, increase alertness, feel happier, and sharpen memory.  (Library Journal) (Courtesy of Syndetics)

Porowhita = Circle songs : two new karakia and twelve new round songs in Māori and English for classrooms, choirs and communities / Sean O’Connor.
“These fourteen new compositions offer classrooms, choirs and communities a chance to rediscover ’round’ singing and its unique musical and social dynamic. Round singing invites equal participation, a balance of following and leading, and a development of heightened musical and social awareness through interwoven melody and rhythm, creating harmony. Weaving together Te reo and English with voices and movement, standing in the circle, singing of the circle of the year, and of proverbs, awakenings and karakia that carry simple but beautiful wisdom.”–Book cover. (Courtesy of Syndetics)

Sing with the choir for dummies / performance notes by Adam Perlmutter.
Want to sing along with the choir? Then this is the right book for you! This book/CD pack features 15 songs, fully arranged for soprano, alto, tenor, and bass, and a professionally recorded choir on the CD. Pick your part and sing along! (Book cover) (Courtesy of Syndetics)

The great animal orchestra : finding the origins of music in the world’s wild places / Bernie Krause.
“This memoir of sonic investigation highlights the lessons learned from 40 years of listening to the world’s biophonies-the sounds of living organisms. Musician and naturalist Krause (Wild Soundscapes: Discovering the Voice of the Natural World) uses the language of music to understand everything from birdsong, to ocean waves, to decimated habitats… Krause’s musical expertise allows him to hear the orchestral layering of different species in each biophony, an insight that explains group vocalization as an evolutionary survival mechanism rather than a purposeful chorus of noise. (Publisher Weekly) (Courtesy of Syndetics)

Changing lives : Gustavo Dudamel, El Sistema, and the transformative power of music / Tricia Tunstall.“Gustavo Dudamel, the young and exuberant conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, is the most famous graduate of El Sistema, the remarkable music education program in Venezuela, whose laudable purpose is to use the experience of orchestral playing as a means of giving new meaning to the lives of impoverished children. The twin goals of equal access and artistic excellence have resulted in dozens of outstanding youth orchestras that have captivated audiences and won international prizes. (Library Journal) (Courtesy of Syndetics)

And if you’d like to learn more about some of the shows on in May – Here’s a great place to start!

Madame Butterfly

Madame Butterfly [videorecording].
Story of a beautiful young geisha who sacrifices her family, her religion and, ultimately, her life for her American naval officer husband. (Courtesy of Syndetics)

And with Bryn Terfel’s concert that was on the 3rd of May, I offer this. We all know he’s the bad boy of Opera.

Bad boys [sound recording].
Bad Boys is a line up of some of the most unscrupulous, cynical, devious, roguish musical villains of the opera stage. Bryn Terfel calls them the “demonic misfits and malcontents of this wonderful music.” Internationally acclaimed star Bryn Terfel, a gentle man in real life, recruits a gang of “bad boy” characters from opera and musicals to electrify us with tunes from the sinister side of the bass clef. (amazon.com)

Enjoy!

New CDs for May include the new albums from ‘James Blake’, ‘The Flaming Lips’ & ‘Iron & Wine’; the return of ‘Paramore’; & Fleetwood Mac’s 35th Anniversary 3CD Expanded Edition of the classic 1977 album ‘Rumours’…

Ghost on ghost.
“Iron and Wine makes its Nonesuch Records debut with Ghost on Ghost. Ghost on Ghost is the fifth release from singer-songwriter Sam Beam, using the pen name Iron and Wine. The album was produced by Beam’s longtime associate Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Califone, Fruit Bats) and follows 2011’s Kiss Each Other Clean.Rolling Stone said of Kiss Each Other Clean that “pop music hadn’t seen anything like it since the heyday of Cat Stevens,” while Pitchfork said it “more closely resembles the lush, gold-toned singer songwriter records of the late 60s and early 70s Astral Weeks, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” For Ghost on Ghost, Beam sought to move from what he called the “anxious tension” of his two previous records. “This record felt like a reward to myself after the way I went about making the last few,” he says. Helping achieve Beam’s vision was a group of stellar musicians including Rob Burger, Steve Bernstein, Brian Blade, Curtis Fowlkes, Tony Garnier, Marika Hughes, Briggan Kraus, Maxim Moston, Tony Scherr, Doug Wieselman, Kenny Wolleson, and Anja Wood…” (Adapted from Amazon.com description)

Rumours [3 CD]
“Fleetwood Mac, one of rock s most enduring, beloved and successful bands, circulate another round of Rumours with expanded and deluxe versions of the album in celebration of its 35th anniversary. Rumours made the band one of the most iconic bands of the 1970s and garnered wide critical praise, earned the Grammy® for Album of the Year, and has now sold more than 40 million copies worldwide since its 1977 debut. The expanded edition s three CDs includes the original album and the b-side “Silver Springs, ” a dozen unreleased live recordings from the group’s 77 world tour, and an entire disc filled with unreleased takes from the album s recording sessions. Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks recorded Rumours against a backdrop personal turmoil, chronicling their raw emotions in songs like “Go Your Own Way, ” “Gold Dust Woman” and “Dreams, ” the latter becoming the band s first number one smash. The disc of 12 unreleased live recordings from the band s 1977 Rumours tour features performances from concerts in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Nashville and Columbia, S.C…Producers also have compiled a selection of 16 unreleased recordings from the album s sessions including early takes of “Go Your Own Way, ” “I Don t Want To Know” and the popular b-side “Silver Springs…’ (Adapted from Amazon.com desscription)

Mosquito.
“‘We would love for this music to make our fans feeeeel something, for it to stir some sh*t up inside of them, whatever that may be,’ says singer Karen O. ‘SO much feeling went into this record, it was the rope ladder thrown down into the ditch for us to climb up and dust ourselves off. I hope others can climb up it too; we’re excited to share the good vibes.’ The band, whose members were once lovingly labeled by Rolling Stone as the ‘goth, the nerd and the slut’ have recorded three studio albums: All 3 albums were nominated for a GRAMMY award for Best Alternative Music Album. The first, ‘Fever to Tell’, was named as the best album of the year by The New York Times. The certified-Gold album was named by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork Media, and NME as one of the best albums of the decade. The second, ‘Show Your Bones’, was named the second best album of the year by NME. Rolling Stone magazine named it the one of the best album of the year, while Spin Magazine ranked it in their 40 best albums of 2006. Their third studio album, ‘It’s Blitz!’, was named the second best album of the year by NME magazine, It’s Blitz! was named as the second best album of 2009 by Spin Magazine and third best of 2009 by NME along with the single ‘Zero’ from the album listed as the best track of the year by both. And onto ‘Mosquito!’…” (Description from Amazon.com)

Paramore.
“When Hayley Williams began writing lyrics for the songs that appear on Paramore’s self-titled album, she found herself feeling more optimistic than ever before about the future of the band she has fronted since she was 15. “I had this kind of Tony-in-West-Side-Story-moment when he sings about how something is coming. He doesn’t know what it is, but it’s going to be great, ” she says with a laugh. “A lot of the new songs came out of that. They’re about needing to find whatever’s next. ” Lead-off single “Now” – with lyrics like “if there’s a future, we want it now” – sets the urgent tone of Paramore, the Nashville, Tennessee-bred band’s fourth album. Given the choice of packing it in or reinventing themselves as a trio, Williams, guitarist Taylor York, and bassist Jeremy Davis chose the latter and made a positive, uplifting album that reflects who they are in the present. “I’m really proud of the fact that this is not an angry Paramore album, ” Williams says. Adds Davis: “It’s a lot happier and brighter album than people might expect given what’s happened. We’ve wanted to write songs like this for so long, but weren’t there emotionally. Now we are”. The band members holed up to write over a year and a half and emerged with a collection of songs that retains Paramore’s youthful spirit, but clearly shows their evolution. It’s the most musically adventurous set they’ve released to date…” (Adapted from Amazon.com description)

Overgrown.
“2013 release, the second album from the British singer, songwriter and producer. Musically broad and emotionally deep, Overgrown as big as an advance on James’s eponymous 2011 debut. The growth is similar to the evolution that album evinced from the mercurial Dubstep of his early EPs. It also reflects how much the 24-year-old Londoner’s life has changed in the past two years. His debut sold over 400,000 copies – quite a feat for a record so uncompromisingly introspective and experimental. It also picked up Mercury, BRIT and Ivor Novello nominations, sent him around the world on tour, and brought him into contact with a wide array of fans and collaborators that includes not only Mitchell but Jay-Z, Kanye West, Bon Iver, Bj”rk, Drake, Brian Eno, and The RZA…” (Description from Amazon.com)

The terror.
“The Terror was produced by the band s long-time collaborator Dave Fridmann and The Flaming Lips at Tarbox Road Studios. It is comprised of nine original compositions that reflect a darker-hued spectrum than previous works, along with a more inward-looking lyrical perspective than one might expect but then again, maybe not. It s up to you, the listener, to decide what it means to you…” (Description from Amazon.com)

Many of our staff are keen music listeners, and we’ve rounded up their favourite music discoveries of April. There’s plenty of variety, reflecting the diversity of our CD collection here at Wellington City Libraries & a myriad of different tastes. We hope you find something you haven’t come across before!

II.
The sudden overnight success, via a single Bandcamp upload, of the Unknown Mortal Orchestra must have surprised ex Mint-Chick, Ruban Nielson. However, the second album from this NZ/US three piece confidently shows that they are definitely not an overnight sensation. ‘II’ is a captivating and highly enjoyable listen that manages to take influences as disparate as 70’s stoner rock, 60’s psychedelia and 80’s lo-fi indie to create a fresh, innovative and strangely appealing future pop. (John)

The show must go on.
Considered one of the great lost soul albums of the 70’s, as it’s master tapes were long tied up in an ownership dispute, Sam Dees’ ‘The Show Must Go On’ finally gets a CD reissue. Dee’s heartfelt vocals tear into a set of raw ballads & funky social commentary that almost equals the heights of Marvin Gaye’s classic What’s Going On? Dees, who has previously cut sides for Chess, would release a few more singles in the 70s, but would find most of his fame as a songwriter – penning hits for the likes of Gladys Knight, Loleatta Holloway, George Benson, Aretha Franklin, Atlantic Starr, and many others – before reviving his own solo career briefly in the 90’s, where he became a cult favourite on the UK northern-soul circuit. A great listen for anyone who’s a fan of classic 70’s soul. (Mark)

A wrenched viril lore.
‘A Wrenched Virile Lore’ (the record’s title is anagrammatic) is a remix project that finds a range of producers re-interpreting tracks from Mogwai’s 2012 release Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. Those willing to sit back and let the sounds wash over them will be treated to an intriguing glimpse into an exercise in post-rock genre overlapping across a CD so stylistically varied that it shouldn’t hold together…..but somehow it does. Mogwai’s majestic tunes shine brightly across a range of electronic and analogue re-contextualisations that, at times, eclipse the original versions in beauty and complex splendour. (John)

Pedestrian verse.
After a barrelling rock ‘n’ roll moniker? Glasgow based Scots ‘Frightened Rabbit’ just used the one Scott Hutchison’s mum gave him as a kid. The singer’s pet name evokes a dimly lit picture of bluntly descriptive observations from a melancholic wall-flower. Characteristic of these indie folkster’s work. ‘Pedestrian Verse’ is number four in the bands full-length set, following on from last year’s ‘State Hospital’ EP and 2010’s playlist lingerer The Winter Of Mixed Drinks. Theatrically precise to the drum beat and string pluck they can warm you with soft spirit or Hutchison, for all his introversion, can roar at you with Scottish fervour amongst impassioned acoustic explosions. ‘Frightened Rabbit’ paint disturbingly vivid masterpieces with noise. Must listen’s: ambling key’s scene setter ‘Act’s Of Man’, the golden last EP’s title ‘State Hospital’ , “The Woodpile’, & ‘Late March, Death March’. Or the whole thing. It’ll be a folk classic. (Justin)

Hardcourage.
Falty DL, the electronic project of New York electronic producer Drew Lustman, has released a string of 12”s and one album over the past few years that encompass styles ranging across dubstep, house, garage, idm and downbeat. With ‘Hardcourage’, his first release for the London based Ninja Tunes label, he has delivered his most confident and focused release to date with an album of beautifully crafted, funky, relaxed and very cool downbeat electronica. (John)

The next day.
I’ve only listened to Bowie’s latest a few times and the first was underwhelming, sounding immediately similar to the Heathen/Reality albums of the early 2000’s, slightly plodding, whiney guitars, no real changes in tempo. BUT, being an old Bowie fan I didn’t want to dismiss it so easily and gave it another go, and I’m pleased I did because the songs are really growing on me. I’d heard the sombre single ‘Where are we now’ and seen the dour video, which didn’t instil me with excitement, but having listened a few times, it is quite lovely. The stand-out at the moment is The Stars (are out tonight) so uplifting and Valentine’s Day is sort of ‘John I’m only Dancing’ vibrant single material. But each song is quite different and individual so there is much to get your teeth into and I’d recommend giving it a good few goes if you don’t feel it’s got you first time because if not you will be missing out. After all this is not Gangnam Style, this is David Bowie. (Martin)

Silent hour/Golden mile.
Grizzly Bear fan alert! This five track EP from guitarist/ songwriter Daniel Rossen was released last year with little fanfare. Despite the fact that Rossen plays everything himself this could be a Grizzly Bear record – which illustrates just how much he contributes to the band’s sound. The distinctive guitar playing is here, the sweeping arrangements and the poignant vocals. “A lot of this music comes from exiling myself,” he said in a recent interview, and we should be thankful that artist’s such as Rossen can share their solitude with the rest of the world with such meticulous style. (John)

Bad as me.
His melodic growls and lyrical genius have been compressed into song lengths to rival the Kinks. Each song takes you by the hand, spins you around. until your mind is blown. Then, with alarming charm, you’re abandoned on a highway with a sensation in your gut that you’ve travelled well and far. For those who know his work it’s like the handsome baby of the Swordfishtrombone and Mule Variations albums – that kind of mixed pleasure. Highly recommended for a stomping dance and a nostalgic relaxation time. (Alisha)

Motor : nighttime world 3.
Robert Hood is one of the legendary techno pioneers from Detroit and here presents an aural homage to the post-industrial collapse of his home town. The promise of the original techno vision is fulfilled here within these soundscapes that depict both stark alien beauty and the unexpected sensuality of the technologically generated world. There are funky repetitive beats and there is sad sweeping ambience in this masterful, painfully human machine music. Great cover art too. (John)

Bloodsports.
Following rapturous reviews after re-uniting to play a charity gig at the Royal Albert Hall in London, as part of the 2010 Teenage Cancer Trust, it seemed inevitable that UK alt-rock band Suede would at some point release another studio album. It was less certain, though, if it would actually be any good as their last original album, 2002’s A New Morning was a patchy end to the band. However, the resulting new album ‘Bloodsports’ is far stronger than seemed possible. While it’s unlikely to convert any new fans at this stage, ‘Bloodsports’ plays to all of Suede’s strengths with a tight set of 10 tracks that balance mature guitar driven anthems with fresh approaches like the spooky ballad ‘What Are You Not Telling Me?’. Definitely worth a listen if you were a fan of the band in their 90’s heyday. (Mark)

Live!
Elizabeth Cotten was the author of the folk classic “Freight Train,” at age 12. Her finger picking guitar style (left handed, and upside down) has been imitated by thousands of folk guitar players and her songs have been performed and recorded by a variety of artists including: the Grateful Dead, Taj Mahal, and Maria Muldaur. Recorded in 1984 at the age of 85, she won a Grammy for Best Folk Album with this live recording of her singing, playing and telling stories of her life. Apart from hearing her astonishing finger picking guitar style, this recording is a valuable documentation of her stories, which give listeners an idea of what it had been like to grow up as a poor, black, female musician born at the dawn of the 20th century in America. (John)

Tornado.
Not a fan of Country Music, however since discovering this band in a friends CD collection ‘Little Big Town’ have become my new best friend. Released late last year this is their fifth studio album, track 2 ‘Pontoon’ is the albums lead single, and became their first number one hit on the Hot Country Songs chart, their highest placing to date, and first single to receive a Platinum certification. I think I’d describe this album as Country/Pop with a bit of rock, their four part vocal harmonies ‘classic’, and each member alternating as lead singers. (Ethel)

Exai.
The ‘Warp’ in Sheffield’s Warp Records is an acronym for Weird And Radical Projects and no Warp releases satisfy that definition more so than Rob Brown and Sean Booth’s 20 year old Autechre project. Steven Spielberg’s movie ‘AI’ contains a scene that features escaped feral robots in the wilderness at night gathered around a campfire and I think that the music contained within Exai’s two discs would be the music these feral robots would be listening to. However, ‘fireside music for robots’ is not meant as a negative observation, ‘Exai’ contains some of the strangest and most challenging electronic music you will ever hear, but be brave enough to dive in and there are unexpected rewards to be uncovered. (John)

Don’t be a stranger.
Modest but iconic singer-song writer Mark Eitzel has enjoyed a stellar 30 year career. He has made more than 15 albums as a solo artist and with his legendary indie band American Music Club, and this new album should be top-shelf among them. Working with the masterful producer Sheldon Gomberg, who worked with the likes of Rickie Lee Jones, Ben Harper, Ron Sexsmith etc., he seems to be gentler and more lenient in this album. It may be due to the heart attack he suffered in 2011, but he sounds more accessible and his ‘sad clown’ songs are well crafted on the subtle sound palette Sheldon presents. Having a wonderful support by The Attractions’ Pete Thomas and the accomplished pianist Larry Goldings, it’s a small masterpiece. (Shinji)

Amok.
Thom Yorke’s latest side project has received a lot of press – there are even posters up around town about it – but those coming to this expecting the indie rock thrill of Radiohead are bound for disappointment. ‘Amok’ is a far more subtle and surprisingly unassuming affair. Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich spent a year tweaking, looping, sampling and programming the original recordings which featured Red Hot Chili Peppers bass player, Flea, and Beck & REM drummer, Joey Waronker, to create a captivating album of atmospheric electronic/analogue driven songs. (John)

Mt. Zion : music from & inspired by the motion picture.
‘We all got our dreams to chase and we all got our mountains to climb, eke panuku, eke hiona!’ Featuring Stan Walker’s recently released chart topping hit single ‘Take it easy’, this album debuted at number one on the ‘Top 40 charts’. Featuring original tracks from Stan who plays Turei in the movie, and his band ‘Small Axe’ with a uniquely Maori flavour on Bob Marley’s reggae vibe. With a mix of songs from the late 70’s era, the likes of 10CC, Third world, Toots & the Maytals, Johnny Nash, Herbs and ‘Golden Harvest’ grace this album with ease, so if you enjoyed music from the late 70’s, and you enjoyed the ‘movie’ which also topped the NZ Box Office, then you reggae lovers out there will love this soundtrack as well. (Ethel)

All hell.
The alt country world has only just recently opened up to electronic tinkering which makes ‘All Hell’ a difficult record to categorise. Like Dirty Beaches, the spirits of Elvis Presley and Lee Hazlewood hang over the sound but only as wispy ghosts. Daughn Gibson croons his wryly observational songs in a confident baritone over instrumentation, loops and samples from a dusty dreamworld somewhere down a long desert highway. This is an intriguing, varied and highly original record that, I suspect, may signal more to come from a new electronic/country sub-genre. (John)

Dream logic.
Jazz guitarist Eivand Aaset is one of the most talented and innovative artists from Norway, which abounds with musical talents. His guitar play was essential for the hugely successful Nils Petter Molvaer band, and he has constantly issued fantastic electronica jazz and progressive rock-ish jazz albums as a leader. This, his ECM debut album, finds him in a dark, ruminative mood. Working with a countryman, sampling/programming master Jan Bang (both artists were invited by David Sylvian for his European tour which was unfortunately cancelled due to Sylvian’s health), he takes a unique sonic approach, and creates still yet astute, imaginative ethereal soundscape. It doesn’t sound like the music by the guitarist, but is an alluring, inventive ambient music. Although it’s produced by Jan Bang, not by the ECM label owner Manfred Eicher, it has an ECM-ish, subtle and profound beauty. A quiet triumph. (Shinji)

Deep water.
Sarah Hawker and Debra Clifford aka, The Lonesome Sisters, were voted Best Acoustic Duo of 2006 by Gibson Guitars. The sparse arrangements, using instruments including clawhammer banjo, tenor guitar and harmonium, which underpin their beautiful vocal harmonies, bring a traditional Appalachian feel into the 21st century. This is not hoedown music, however – this collection of traditional and original songs of loneliness, sorrow and the human spirit is slow and mournful and transcends both time and genre which means it can be enjoyed whether or not you are a fan of mountain music. (John)

MBV.
After 22 years, rumours of a new My Bloody Valentine album had become akin to an urban myth, then with little fanfare a new album arrived a year after the remastering campaign of their classic 90’s albums Isn’t Anything & Loveless. Musically it’s a bit of a grab bag. Some tracks follow on naturally from the sound evoked on ‘Loveless’, some offer a more abstract experimental sound while others have a pop-ier feel, sounding at times like Saint Etienne remixes. Endless back & forth will no doubt occur as to whether it is as good as their previous 2 albums & EP’s and if it was worth such a long wait, but still any new music from such an iconic band is a good thing…(Mark)

The four seasons/ Vivaldi ; recomposed by Max Richter.
The most recent release in German classical label Deutsche Gramophone’s ‘Recomposed’ series is Max Richter’s take on Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’. Previous releases have seen Carl Craig & Moritz Von Oswald’s electronically re-composing Ravel & Mussorgsky and Matthew Herbert electronically re-sampling Mahler. According to the cover notes, Max Richter began by re-sampling but found that he could not get down to the notes level of the work, so he has edited, rewritten and recorded the work, featuring Daniel Hope on solo violin, and discarded about three quarters of the original in the process. Purists will be horrified but Richter’s re-composition, but with its subtle addition of electronic bass and atmospheres and deep engagement with the original, brings a beautiful work refreshed and sparkling into the new millennium. (John)

New CDs for April include the critically acclaimed returns of David Bowie & Suede; new albums from The Strokes; the Thom Yorke fronted super-group ‘Atoms For Peace’; and the new UK sensation Laura Mvula….

Amok.
“A supergroup they may ostensibly be, but it’s hard to shake the impression that – despite the presence of Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, regular Beck drummer Joey Waronker and Brazilian percussionist Mauro Refosco – in reality Amok is the second chapter in Thom Yorke’s solo career. It’s hard, too, to avoid comparing Amok with Radiohead, given Yorke’s distinctive voice and talent for an unusual tune, both of which remain central to his new project. Here, however, he immerses himself fully in the glitchy electronica that’s inspired him since working on Kid A. Though there are traits familiar from recent ‘head albums – The King of Limbs’ Feral, for instance – Amok has its own restless, simultaneously sophisticated and gauche personality. Built from three days of studio jamming around existing laptop sketches, its intent is to lend electronica a sense of songcraft, to create a world where digital and analogue blur, and frequently it succeeds… ” (Adapted from Amazon.co.uk review)

Bloodsports.
“The last time as much was at stake on a Suede album as Bloodsports, it was 1996, they’d just sacked guitarist Bernard Butler and critics dismissed the beleaguered band as overhyped or just plain over. The result was the glittering Coming Up, the band’s revenge, commercial apogee and – unknown to everyone – the beginning of a long, drawn-out decline. That decline culminated in 2002’s listless A New Morning, unloved by critics, fans and public alike, and leading to a merciful split. Fans were delighted by the band’s live reunion in 2010, but more divided over news that the band had returned to the studio. Would a sixth record further illustrate the law of diminishing returns which saw Suede plummet from the swaggering beauty of their first three records to the confused inconsistency of their final two? Or might it restore their reputation? Well, Suede’s notoriously rabid fanbase – and the band, no doubt – can relax. If Bloodsports can’t quite match the bloody passion of their debut or the vaulting beauty of their masterpiece, Dog Man Star, it easily bests its two patchy predecessors…” (Adapted from Amazon.co.uk review)

Comedown machine / The Strokes.
“For anyone who was keeping up with the music press around the turn of the century, The Strokes were ubiquitous. Hailed as the saviours of an alternative scene that had grown dull and stagnant, they exploded into the public consciousness with The Modern Age EP and followed it up with Is This It, one of the most perfectly realised debut albums in recent history. Their career since then – or so the perceived wisdom goes – is one of diminishing returns: albums that never outdid this early benchmark, inter-band quarrels, solo releases and a lengthy hiatus.But perhaps it is time that perceived wisdom was revised a little. After all, the triumph of Is This It wasn’t simply down to the group’s appealingly dishevelled aesthetic and underdog mentality. In celebrating the past while aiming at something contemporary and meaningful, the debut succeeded because it was full of effortlessly brilliant pop songs. And here’s the thing: The Strokes have always put out brilliant pop songs. Maybe they aren’t quite so effortless these days: recording sessions for 2011’s Angles were reportedly fraught, tension-filled affairs. Sure, maybe that earlier magic isn’t quite so keenly felt. But the hit-to-miss ratio across their discography is, nevertheless, remarkable. So it goes on Comedown Machine. The songs here might take a little longer to unlock than their predecessors, but none of them strike a false note. Although plenty of the group’s signature sounds are present and correct, they form the backdrop to an unexpectedly wide range of styles and approaches…” (Adapted from Amazon.co.uk review)

The next day.
“Even after 10 years away from the spotlight, David Bowie – pop’s most important post-Beatles innovator – still commands unrivalled levels of fascination. Just when it seemed that he had quietly slipped into a dignified retirement, which no-one would have begrudged, the world awoke one morning in January to the remarkable news of not only a single, Where Are We Now?, available immediately, but also this album. In the context of the album, Where Are We Now? – a moving, backwards glance at The Berlin Years – seems a slight red herring. Bowie does consider the past, ageing, mortality: on the title track’s chant of “My body left to rot in a hollow tree” and I’d Rather Be High’s stumbling “to the graveyard”. Valentine’s Day and I’d Rather Be High are further standouts – the former is a mid-paced depiction of a character with a “tiny face” and “scrawny hands”; the latter, a furious anti-war song. Closer Heat is a brilliant exemplar of what makes our finest, bravest musician of the past 40 years so irreplaceable. It’s full of spaced-out vocals, ominous noises and bangs, keening strings and disturbing, impressionistic poetry. With the opacity and lack of easy answers that you would hope for from this most stylish and creative of artists, this is a triumphant, almost defiant, return. Innovative, dark, bold and creative, it’s an album only David Bowie could make…” (Adapted from Amazon.co.uk)

Sing to the moon.
“Now here’s a gap we didn’t know needed filling: between Nina Simone at her most stern, and The Beach Boys at their most baroque. It’s a gap that Laura Mvula – composition graduate, supply teacher, Sound of 2013 contender – has decided to fill with her daring arrangements. These are bliss-bombs of massed vocal harmonies, brave melodic excursions, and an entire orchestra playing only in fragments, when it really matters. Tellingly, there’s no sign of either a piano or guitar – the songwriter’s traditional work tools – until five songs in, which does indicate Laura’s ideas are worked out bar-by-bar, rather than bashed out in a moment of inspiration. In the quieter moments, it’s all about tiny details, a double bass heartbeat, a curlicue of brass, and the occasional tubular bell. Then, every now and again, she lets loose a blossom of voices, throwing a dazzling display of kaleidoscopic light in all directions. And so it continues. Every song starts ornate and then strips away to nothing, or starts under the soil and shoots towards the sun. Whether as the fanfare arrival of a unique new voice or the peculiar indulgence of a future cult classic, this is an album that has to be heard to be believed…” (Adapted from Amazon.co.uk)

Old yellow moon / Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell.
“Emmylou Harris’ shimmering, yearning soprano is one of the great voices in music. Long before it is a country song, or a sad song, anything she sings is an Emmylou Harris song. Yet at the same time, curiously, the Alabama native is a singer whose best moments come in partnership. And on Old Yellow Moon, in that hokiest of country traditions – the boy/girl duet – an old alliance triumphs with charm. As Harris’ second-most famous singing partner, Rodney Crowell has sometimes suffered by unfair comparison with the man who came before him: Gram Parsons. Parsons reframed country music through the lens of the 60s counter-culture – and his legacy is most effectively realised on a wonderful tribute album, Return of the Grievous Angel, which may be Harris’ (as co-producer) own finest achievement. But Crowell is a different thing, a songwriting craftsman with a naturally emotive tenor that beautifully complements that famous soprano.Still, much of Old Yellow Moon is unashamedly sentimental. Its eighth track, Crowell’s Bluebird Wine, was the song that introduced the pair’s first collaboration in 1975 – and producer Brian Ahern was there on the day, too. Perhaps someone less familiar at the helm might have muttered a stern word when these old friends began to get maudlin on weepies like Matraca Berg’s Back When We Were Beautiful. But you know what nostalgic reunions are like…” (Adapted from Amazon.co.uk review)

Hi Folks, This month’s Classical finds seem to have a bit of a biographical theme running through them. I hope you enjoy rediscovering a familiar topic, or being enthralled by a new one.

Benjamin Britten : a life in the twentieth century / Paul Kildea.
“In the eyes of many, Benjamin Britten was our finest composer since Purcell (a figure who often inspired him) three hundred years earlier. He broke decisively with the romantic, nationalist school of figures such as Parry, Elgar and Vaughan Williams and recreated English music in a fresh, modern, European form. With Peter Grimes (1945), Billy Budd (1951) and The Turn of the Screw (1954), he arguably composed the last operas – from any composer in any country – which have entered both the popular consciousness and the musical canon”. (amazon.com)

Music in 1853 : the biography of a year / Hugh MacDonald.
“This is a fascinating book that features very fine archival research about the major musical events and personalities that dominated the musical scene in Europe in 1853. The book’s chief virtue is in showing the intricate interplay among the major composers and performers of the period, relationships that are not always apparent in single biographies of composers”. (CHOICE)

Richard Wagner : the sorcerer of Bayreuth / Barry Millington.
“Richard Wagner (1813-1883) is one of the most influential – and also one of the most controversial – composers in the history of music. Over the course of his long career, he produced a stream of spellbinding works that challenged musical convention through their richness and tonal experimentation, ultimately paving the way for modernism. This book presents an in-depth but easy-to-read overview of Wagner’s life, work and times”. (amazon.com)

Great operas : a guide to 25 of the world’s finest musical experiences / Michael Steen.
“From Great Composers author Michael Steen, a unique multi-platform project offering a royal box view into one of mankind’s greatest art forms. From the soaring heights of Wagner’s epic Ring cycle to the tear-jerking emotion of Mozart’s breathtakingly beautiful Don Giovanni, opera is one of the most powerful artistic forms mankind has ever created. It should also be the most enjoyable! Michael Steen’s The Lives and Times of the Great Composers was described as ‘hugely informative and deliciously gossipy’ by the Spectator. Great Operas is his accessible and entertaining user’s manual to making the best of an opera – whether at home or at a live performance, interspersing the key facts with erudite commentary from a man for whom opera is a lifetime’s passion”. (Syndetics summary)

Mozart at the gateway to his fortune : serving the Emperor, 1788-1791 / Christoph Wolff.
“This book examines the final years of Mozart’s life from a fresh perspective. The working premises are that Mozart’s appointment to the imperial court in 1787 affected a profound change in his musical plans; that there is no reason to view Mozart’s last compositions as imbued with the specter of his imminent death; and that one ought instead view the last compositions as products of an outlook determined in part by the imperial appointment. The sheer common sense of these premises is so striking that one wonders how any alternative view could be considered”. (CHOICE)

Ferne Geliebte [sound recording].
“”Ferne Geliebte” (Distant Beloved) juxtaposes compositions from the two great Vienna schools, Viennese classicism on the one hand represented by Haydn and Beethoven, the second Viennese school with Schoenberg and Berg on the other. The common ground trodden by these very different composers in Christian Gerhaher’srecital is their preoccupation with lonliness, longing and hopeless love. Christian Gerhaher – Baritone, Gerold Humer – Piano”. (Cover notes)

All goodly sports [sound recording] : the complete music of Henry VIII.
“Among his many hobbies, Henry VIII also turned out to be a bit of a musician – and quite a good one at that. ‘Sirinu’ brings together some of his better known pieces, and presents them as a lovely Renaissance album, which contradicts the conniving nature of the King Henry VIII that we all learned about in school. A valuable addition to any early music collection – or maybe just for the novelty factor (who knows, it might pop up in a pub quiz)”. (staff member)

Lastly for this month, we’ve found ourselves a selection of orchestral and vocal scores by New Zealand composers to add to our collection!

From garden to grave : soprano and piano / Jenny McLeod ; [poems by Janet Frame].

Peaks of cloud : tenor and piano / [poems by Janet Frame] ; [music by] Jenny McLeod.
“Commissioned by the tenor Keith Lewis and first performed by Keith Lewis and pianist Michael Houstoun at the 2010 New Zealand International Arts Festival” (Syndetics summary).

Meditation (2008) / Anthony Ritchie.

Three poems of the sea : narrator and strings / Douglas Lilburn.
“This work was premiered in 1958 by the Alex Lindsay String Orchestra, with narrator Maria Dronke”. (Syndetics summary)

Shinji’s Picks:

Live / Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin.
Nik Bartsche’s Ronin plays regularly at the live house in Zurich on Monday night, unless they are out of town on tour. It’s their ‘dojo’, where they train and discipline their skills and music, and Bartsche calls a concert ‘meditative and explosive from collaboration’. This live album, which is their 4th outing from ECM, is a collection of their live performances from their world tour between 2009 and 2011, and is a best-of album as well as a great introduction to what they call ‘ritual groove music’. There may be shadows of Steve Coleman and Steve Reich, but this ascetic groove, which is often played in an irregular time, is totally original and unique. It may be described as a fusion of modern minimal music and funk, and always brings cool air with it even when the performance gets hot and high. That is why some call it ‘zen funk’. One and only best.

Lux.
Since moving to Warp label in 2010, Brian Eno has been very creative and productive. The previous two albums (Small Craft on a Milk Sea and Drums between the Bells) are wonderful efforts and here his first ambient music in this century proves once again that he is the master of its kind. This is the latest project of his ‘Music of Thinking’ series and is a sound image of ‘time’ and ‘light’. Four parts, ample 75- minutes-long-composition plays seamlessly, and it’s like an utmost ‘discreet music’ which he pioneered. Melodies are melted into the sound scape and images are constantly drifted, as the leaves of a tree change their colours and brightness by the effect of the light. Although there is nothing radical, it’s a masterful work.

Pour une âme souveraine : a dedication to Nina Simone.
Despite being admired as an influential black female artist as well as a social activist, Nina Simone may be still underappreciated. She never stopped searching for her artistic expression and experimenting with something new. It perhaps makes it difficult to understand her music. The same could be applied to Me’Shell Ndegeocello, who is highly talented but refuses to be categorised, and this tribute album makes perfect sense in that regard. Although Ndegeocello invites notable guests including Lizz Wright, Cody ChesnuTT and Sinead O’Connor, she takes a low-keyed, ascetic approach in her usual manner. The mainstay of this beautiful, dark-ambient world is Ndegeocello’s bass play. It seems as though her deep, blackness bass sound represents the Simon’s spirit, that is, the independence of black women.

Port of morrow / The Shins.
Almost James Mercer’s solo project, this The Shins’ new album was the most joyous find in 2012 for me. The key of this project is the producer Greg Kurstin (from The Bird and The Bee and the producer of Lily Allen, Sia etc.). His pop-sense and multi-instrumental, colourful arrangements bring fresh insight into Mercer’s songs. It’s simpler than the previous albums but larger in scale, and this music seems to last. This could be a new departure of this much-loved indie act.

Mark’s Pick:

The idler wheel is wiser…
While new artists emerged that seemed either influenced by her style, or happy to stake-out her position in the music spectrum (Feist, Regina Spektor, Florence & the Machine), none seemed to possess the edge or rawness that made Fiona Apple’s work so interesting. ‘The Idler Wheel’, her first release in 7 years, is even more of an exposed nerve-ending than her previous albums; a ragged journey through her tortured psyche which, from any one else, would come off as an exercise in pretension. However, Apple manages to weld dark minimalist arrangements to even darker lyrics focusing around inner doubts, turmoil, & fractured relationships without sounding self-indulgent. It sounds distinctly un-melodic, even atonal, at some points; however the songs sink under the skin after a few plays and, as a whole, the album has a raw power that few other artists can manage. Uncomfortable, chaotic, intense, but ultimately rewarding.

Jeremy’s Pick:

Big inner.
‘Big Inner’ is the first record from Matthew E. White’s own label Spacebomb, which was set up in the style of 60s soul labels like Motown. That means a house band with a horn section, and a house arranger and producer. The result is what sounds like a soul record sung by a soft-voiced, portly, young white man. A bit like the Four Tops meets Yo La Tengo.

Monty’s Picks:

Mr. M.
Lambchop continue to deliver their own eclectic brand of pop/lounge/jazz/soul but Mr M gains extra emotional force and lament from its dedication to anti-folk anti-hero Vic Chesnutt.
Songs like ‘If not I’ll just die,’ and ‘The good life (is wasted)’ seem to reference Chesnutt’s early self inflicted demise but never obviously, whilst instrumentals ‘Betty’s Overture’ and ‘Mr Met’ get into that effortless, soulful Lambchop groove you wish would never end. So, we’re left with careful, intimate, reflections on the darker side of life and taken as a whole, the effect is cathartic, even spiritual in the widest yet most personal sense. The album ends with ‘Never my love,’ possibly Kurt Wagner’s least ironic and complete statement on the potential of love to sustain and a fine end to a complete album.

Valtari.
After a four year break and threats of disbanding, Sigur Ros have released this lush and occasionally transcendent selection of songs.  Valtari is dreamy and ethereal, ambient and touching and Jonsi Birgisson’s delicate, immaculately controlled vocals have never sounded better. It’s an album that is consistently and uniquely Sigur Ros and sometimes you wish for greater intensity but the intension and execution are clear – this is elemental, thoughtful music and if you miss the exultant, tribal version try brilliant third track ‘Varuo.’ A plaintive, immersive collection of songs that will happily sustain Sigur Ros fan’s till the next.

Home Brew.
I love Home Brew. I think I’ll keep loving Home brew too, because their funny and their serious. Here are my top eight favourite bits:
1. The beautiful piano at the start of ‘Listen to us’ and Rob Muldoon’s evil mastermind laughter to end.
2. Good God being fearless on religion and building up from funky anger to a choir-like insistence for something greater because, ‘I don’t wanna go…’ and the almost perverse gospel piano – talk about irony.
3. This line from State of mind – ‘If prison is a state of mind, I’m doing time – Misery is a mate of mine.’
4. The unbelievable, unsettling groove and deep, deep tension of ‘Plastic Magic.’
5. Track ten, side 2 – Space. That Miles Davis trumpet. Not the first time space has been used as metaphor for isolation and existential uncertainty but never better than here.
6. That jazzy ‘Dedicated to’ is dedicated to ‘the hustlers scabbing off of the government, wandering in the street playing cricket with the rubbish bins,’
7. The way the chorus for the delicious Datura/White flowers slides up an octave on the words, ‘So Higgghhhh…’
8. That Home Brew by Home Brew is two albums, instead of one – man!

(more…)

New CDs for March 2013 include the return of iconoclasts Nick Cave & Scott Walker; new white-soul from Matthew E. White; the first solo album from ‘Blue Nile’ front man Paul Buchanan; and the soundtrack to the new Quentin Tarantino film…

Push the sky away / Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.
“The product of a newly reconfigured Bad Seeds (their first album without founding member Mick Harvey, who left in 2009), Cave employs the metaphor of albums as children in its press release, likening it to “the ghost-baby in the incubator” wherein “Warren [Ellis]’s loops are its tiny, trembling heart-beat”. It is certainly a far stranger, subtler record than that last Bad Seeds outing. And in its own way this is every bit as fierce and uncompromising as both Grinderman LPs. Lead single We No Who U R sets the template: a hymnal slow-burner replete with elemental imagery, it falls somewhere between simmering menace and odd, enchanting beauty. Over the following songs, Cave and his cohorts revel in this dichotomy…The record closes with its title track, a call-to-arms both hushed and bracing in turn. “Some people say it’s just rock and roll / Oh, but it gets you right down to your soul / You’ve gotta keep on pushing,” Cave asserts. It becomes increasingly evident the song is aimed at himself as much as anyone, on an LP as weighty, compelling and brilliant as The Bad Seeds have ever produced…” (From Amazon.co.uk review)

Bish Bosch.
“Impressionistic in both sound and ‘lyric’, Bish Bosch, Walker’s 14th studio album, offers collage and an abstract form of rhythm – his own rhythm. It’s propulsive, carrying an urge, the need to examine the debris of mostly violent actions. It starts with pummelling drums, fiery guitar licks and “plucking feathers from a swansong” in ‘See You Don’t Bump His Head’. Then, the almost suite-like Corps De Blah begins with electronic textures before a sampled dog bark and murky rock kicks in… Before long Bish Bosch resembles the sort of thing old Radiohead fans think Radiohead sound like today. Tar features knife sharpening as percussion, and the catchy SDSS1416+13B throws free jazz, thrash metal, sirens and what might be a staple gun into the mix. The album closes with a xylophone plinking its way through Jingle Bells – in reference to the execution of Romanian politician Nicolae Ceaușescu in December 1989. Obviously. Maybe Walker’s having a riot. Lines such as “Here’s to a lousy life”, “I want to forget you just the way you are”, and “I really hope your face clears up” suggests he’s more fun than he makes out. And what keeps you going is that voice; the voice that pulled you in all those years ago…” (Adapted from Amazon.co.uk review)

Mid air.
“The Blue Nile never sold lorry-loads of albums, but for converts to their unique fusion of romantic melancholy and robust hope they remain one of the finest, most quietly righteous bands of all time. The Glasgow trio who floated effacingly onto no scene in particular in the mid-80s have parted, and singer Paul Buchanan, now 56, releases his solo debut. It’s unconscionably beautiful, and may be the most moving, precious record of 2012. Sparse in texture, it yields an almost overwhelming emotional kick, best received in the wee small hours. Buchanan carries the torch of Sinatra’s sensitive-masculine phrasing like no other. His wilfully imperfect vocals defy pat resolutions, hanging in the air like smoke plumes. It’s about the notes he leaves out, the spaces between, which, regarding loss, heartbreak and the yearning for beauty, say it all. It’s mostly just voice and piano, with simple, effective melodies knowingly offering glimpses and echoes of earlier peaks. Part eulogy (for a friend who died), part celebration of peripheral moments which inform the everyday with flecks of epiphany, the songs…bleed into a poised, tingling whole…” (Adapted from Amazon.co.uk review)

Fade.
“Fade is the most direct, personal and cohesive album of Yo La Tengo’s career. Recorded with John McEntire at Soma Studios in Chicago, it recalls the sonic innovation and lush cohesion of career high points like 1997 s I Can Hear the Heart Beating as Oneand 2000 s And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out. The album is a tapestry of fine melody and elegant noise, rhythmic shadow play and shy eyed orchestral beauty, songfulness and experimentation. But Fade attains a lyrical universality and hard-won sense of grandeur that s rare even for this band. It weaves themes of aging, personal tragedy and emotional bonds into a fully realised whole that recalls career-defining statements like Blood on the Tracks, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight, or Al Green s Call Me. Soft, gentle, persuasive, melancholy, beautiful and triumphant in turns, the effect is both heartbreaking and reassuring…” (Description from Amazon.co.uk)

Big inner.
“Moving, redemptive and powerfully soulful, Big Inner is a timeless record told in seven songs that mingle memory with the rawness of any given human moment. The references – from the lyrics that echo the common conditions of love, death, seeking, and finding, to open tributes to artists like Washington Phillips, Allen Toussaint, Jorge Ben, Jimmy Cliff, and Randy Newman – are their own scavenger hunt through music history and through Matthew E. White’s place in it…” (Description from Amazon.co.uk)

Django unchained : original motion picture soundtrack.
“The soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino’s critically acclaimed Django Unchained features original contributions from Rick Ross, John Legend and Luis Bacalov, as well as classic tracks handpicked from the director’s own vinyl collection…” (Description from Amazon.co.uk)

New books on popular music this month include Madonna’s new book which features fantastic photos and the comprehensive biography of Freddie Mercury. Also, we have two new books from very popular Dummies ‘how to play’ series.

Madonna style / by Carol Clerk ; with Stacey Appel.
“This updated edition now includes details of Madonna’s new 2012 album and subsequent World Tour, her advertising campaigns for Louis Vuitton and Dolce & Gabbana, her clothing lines for H&M and her own Material Girl label as well as her Hard Candy album and videos for Celebration, Four Minutes and Beat Goes On.Here is a dazzling exploration of a unique pop-culture goddess. How does she do it? The answer comes in the form of this sumptuous collection of Madonna’s style effects. Every visual aspect of Madonna is shown including her wildly inventive catalogue of personae that she and her style army have conjured over the years. The result is an absolutely stunning one-woman fashion show that spans nearly half a century.” (adapted from amazon.com summary)

Stone alone : the story of a rock ‘n’ roll band / with Ray Coleman.
“YA– Wyman, bass player for the Rolling Stones, leaves no word unturned in this comprehensive, readable, witty account of the group from its beginnings as a struggling rhythm-and-blues band in 1962 to its superstar status and the death of founder and lead guitarist Brian Jones in 1969. With the help of veteran rock journalist Coleman, Wyman turns his exhaustive diary and other files into this well-written tome on the band and the London music scene of the ’60s. While the book contains a wealth of material and information, it offers few startling insights into the Stones as a group or individually. However, Stone Alone will certainly gather no moss on most library shelves”(School Library Journal)

A light that never goes out : the enduring saga of the Smiths / Tony Fletcher.
“Indie cult heavyweights the Smiths never charted a single higher than number 10, but they are widely considered to be an important musical component of British pop music of the 1980s. Their enigmatic vocalist and lyricist, Morrissey, is a bit of a hero to the disaffected, which only adds to his and the band’s angsty cachet. Of course, they broke up in 1987, but with rumored reunions that never materialized and the individual members’ post-Smiths activities (as a solo), Morrissey has cracked Top 10 lists), their self-conscious legend lives on. In relating the story of the band, Fletcher centers on Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, digging deep in terms of the details of the band’s creative process and progress but with plenty of time for conjecture about the comprehensively enigmatic Morrissey.” (Booklist)

Freddie Mercury : the great pretender : a life in pictures / [text, Sean O'Hagan ; captions, Greg Brooks and Phil Symes ; art direction, Richard Gray].
“Iconic Queen front man, Freddie Mercury (1946-91) had always been a flamboyant, larger-than-life figure. This lavish, oversized book of photographs is a fitting tribute to his life and work. The book includes images from every stage of Mercury’s life, from his childhood in Zanzibar and India to his early musical career in England and his rise to international fame fronting Queen. Although filled with many images of Mercury striking his trademark dramatic stage poses, the book also reveals the singer’s more personal, vulnerable side-a distinct and fascinating contrast.” (Library Journal)

Blues harmonica for dummies / by Winslow Yerxa.
“Blues harmonica is the most popular and influential style of harmonica playing, and it forms the basis for playing harmonica in other styles such as rock and country. Blues Harmonica for Dummies gives you a wealth of content devoted to the blues approach—specific techniques and applications, including bending and making your notes sound richer and fuller with tongue-blocked enhancements; use of amplification to develop a blues sound; blues licks and riffs; constructing a blues harmonica solo; accompanying singers; historical development of blues styles; and important blues players and recordings.” (adapted from amazon.com summary)

Guitar for dummies / by Mark Phillips and Jon Chappell.
“The music guides in the popular “For Dummies” series all follow the same basic format, which includes much of the same information found in the other self-instruction resources reviewed here, but in more detail-getting started with the instrument, chords and melodies, playing technique, stylistic characteristics, and choosing instruments. Unlike most of the other series, the details of some techniques, such as fingerpicking, are covered in the chapters on style instead of getting chapters or sections of their own. These volumes also don’t cover reading music, though scored examples are included: players who don’t read are advised to pick up chords and melodies by ear from the accompanying CD. Best for teens and adults with some musical background, not necessarily with the guitar.”(Library Journal)

Many of our staff are keen music listeners, and we’ve rounded up their best music discoveries for 2012. There’s plenty of variety, reflecting the diversity of our CD collection here at Wellington City Libraries & a myriad of different tastes. We hope you find something you haven’t come across before!

John’s Picks:
Lonerism.
Yep, he deserves the hype. With what is essentially a bedroom production, Australian wunderkid Kevin Parker has managed to introduce a whole new generation to psychedelic, hypno-groove melodic rock.

Bloom.
Not that the previous three weren’t great, but four cds along and Beach House nail their lovely sound to perfection.

Shields.
Those lucky enough to see them live at Wellington Opera House will nod sagely. Grizzly Bear lead the way into uncharted, melodic indie grandeur.

Tender new signs.
Ex Kiwi Tamaryn re-invents shoegaze in her own distinctive style and further explores the very cool sonic template mapped out on last year’s The Waves.

An awesome wave [2CD].
It’s a mystery how a record so wonky and left field could win the Mercury Prize and gain such popular success; however that’s entertainment for you. Those curious enough to persevere with Alt-J will discover surprising musical delights within Alt-J’s highly original take on alt-pop.

Nocturne.
Wild Nothing’s Gemini was a glowing homage to 80’s indie pop that became a cult hit and the follow up ‘Nocturne’ expands upon the sound to create something quite stunning in it’s maturity and sheer confidence of delivery.

Beams.
This fifth album exploring the crossover of pop and electronica finds Mathew Dear in less cold mode than Black City but no less inventive as he boils everything he is emotionally, musically, and creatively to its most essential.

Lux.
Twenty years on, Brian Eno completes the trilogy of beatless mesmerising ambient releases that began with 1985’s Thursday Afternoon followed by 1993’s ‘Neroli’. This is true ambient music with notes that hang in the air like incense.

Reform club.
It was the mission statement of the first Detroit techno pioneers to reveal the “soul of the machine” and Mark Stewart, in his Claro Intelecto guise, fulfils that mission perfectly with this standout electronic release.

Aimlessness.
Jimmy Tamborello pretty much invented the indietronica sound with his 2001 release Life Is Full of Possibilites and ten years on finds him continuing to explore possibilities with an electronic release that is as subtle as it is complex. Largely overlooked by the indie media this is an understated, innovative and fascinating sound.

Four.
Michael Upton has been a mainstay of the Wellington electronic music community for twenty years now and this, a standout NZ electronic release and his first in a decade, shows that he has lost none of his original and very cool take on sound design.

Olgamikks.
Remixes are a dime a dozen these days but what makes this remix compilation stand out is Robag Wruhme’s distinctive style. He remixes some highly regarded producers here, including Gui Boratto, Modeselektor and Dntel, and creates something fresh from each that is as playful as it is funky.

Black radio / Robert Glasper Experiment.
Jazz pianist Robert Glasper enters the world of hip hop, soul; and R ‘n’ B and delivers an exceptional album difficult to pin down. Guest vocalists include Erykah Badu, Lalah Hathaway and Mos Def and featuring highly original cover versions of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and David Bowie’s ‘Letter To Hermoine’, this album presents an exciting glimpse into current jazz/rock fusion.

Interludes after midnight.
Ninja Tune beatmeister, Blockhead, has been making instrumental hip hop since 2004 and has become a dependable producer, gradually improving his craft with each release. His fine ear for samples and love of the album format mean that his albums are always an entertaining and immersive listening experiences and this, his latest, is no exception.

Passing place.
Cinematic is an overused term for describing music but for UK band Loka, whose sound is equal parts space jazz-fusion, post-rock jam, prog-rock flourish, and spy-movie soundtrack, it is a perfect fit. A wide array of instruments are used to create these immersive and emotive soundscapes which are embellished on several tracks with brass arrangements by ex-Coil member Thighpaulsandra.

New books on popular music this month include stories about hit songs here in NZ and UK. Also, there are fantastic biographies of Noel Gallagher and Peter Criss from KISS. Have a browse.

OnSong : stories behind New Zealand’s pop classics / Simon Sweetman.
“On Song is a lively journey through New Zealand’s diverse pop landscape. Prolific music journalist Simon Sweetman has interviewed the writers and performers of beloved Kiwi classics, presenting ‘in conversation’ text that illuminates the fascinating stories behind the pop songs we all know and love, all complemented with a plethora of artists’ personal imagery and archival photography” (Publisher information)

The million sellers / contributors, Tim Brock … [et al.].
“Published to mark the 60th anniversary of the launch of the Official Singles Charts in 1952, The Million Sellers tells the story of every million-selling single in the history of the UK music industry. An analysis of the 123 singles which have passed the magical million sales threshold in the UK in the past 60 years, from Bill Haley & The Comets very first UK million-seller right through to more recent singles by Lady Gaga, Rihanna and the Black Eyed Peas. Interviews with some of the artists reflecting on their memories of their million sellers and what they remember of the success at the time At a-glance facts and data outlining the songwriters, producers, albums and total sales figures for the million selling track.” (adapted from amazon.co.uk summary)

Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust : off the record with the Beatles, Bowie, Elton & so much more / Ken Scott and Bobby Owsinski.
“Ken Scott holds a unique place in music history as one of only five engineers to have recorded the Beatles, but his experiences as a producer may be just as profound. Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust shares the intimate memories of Ken Scott’s days working with some of the most important artists of the 20th century while crafting a sound that has influenced several generations of music makers. Funny, poignant, and oh, so honest, Ken pulls no punches as he tells it as he saw it, as corroborated by a host of famous and not-so famous guests who were there as well.” (adapted from Publisher’s description)

Make up to breakup : my life in and out of Kiss / Peter Criss with Larry “Ratso” Sloman.
“Criss, the original drummer of Kiss and the third member of the band to pen a memoir, delivers an entertaining autobiography written with Sloman, who coauthored Scar Tissue, the memoir by Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Anthony Kiedis. But while bass player Gene Simmons (KISS and Make Up) focused on the sex and lead guitarist Ace Frehley (No Regrets) detailed the drugs, the appealing part of Criss’s account is that he keeps the focus on the rock and roll, which results in the best-and most honest-account of Kiss craziness during the band’s heyday in the 1970s. The book’s most interesting section explores Criss’s early life as a street punk turned hardcore jazz fan in the 1960s; this may be the first time the name Thelonious Monk has appeared in a book on Kiss.” (adapted from Publisher Weekly)

The future is the beginning : the words and wisdom of Bob Marley / Bob Marley ; introduction by Cedella Marley ; edited by Gerald Hausman.
“Taken from interviews and edited by Marley/Rastafarianism expert Gerald Hausman, this book highlights the famed reggae musician’s personal and spiritual beliefs.” (adapted from Library Journal)

Noel Gallagher : the biography / Lucian Randall.
“Noel Gallagher is a well-known for his singer-songwriter talent as he is for his controversial, outspoken statements and his tempestuous relationships. With the renowned Britpop band, Oasis, Noel found worldwide acclaim and influenced and musical style of a generation. But what is the truth about the boy from Manchester? This book maps out Noel’s story from the beginning. It takes you from his dysfunctional upbringing in Manchester to the man we know now.” (adapted from amazon.co.uk summary)

Roll me up and smoke me when I die : musings from the road / Willie Nelson ; foreword by Kinky Friedman ; illustrations by Micah Nelson.
“The latest in a collection of anecdotes and essays from singer-songwriter Nelson (The Facts of Life and Other Dirty Jokes) serves to reinforce his image as a sentimental country veteran who isn’t averse to firing up the occasional joint or two. Peppered with the occasional dirty joke, the book makes for an irreverent, entertaining read. Humble, optimistic, and quick to give credit to those around him for contributing to his success, Nelson is a charming narrator, lurching from subject to subject, but always with a point in mind.” (adapted from Publisher Weekly)