Best of the Week
Kiev - Falling Bough Wisdom Teeth
2013 13 tracks (59:59)
How is this possible? How does a band make a brilliant album and never see the light of day again? This is an astounding work by an Orange County band that apparently still gets together and plays music but are in no rush (or even interest) in putting out more music. The music reminds me of the best studio work of the group Goose, featuring the same laid back vocals, precision musicianship, and a tremendous flexibility in arrangements. Oh, and the songs are great. Unfortunately, there are other titles out there under the name Kiev by a different artist (a hip-hop one at that) that isn’t good. Only this album and a few other tracks predating the album are of the O.C. band. Maybe they will show again in the future. We can only hope.
Interesting Finds
Aphrodite’s Child - 666
1970 24 tracks (1:18:09)
A small marvel from 1970, Aphrodite’s Child was mainly the collaboration of Vangelis and Demis Roussos who each went very separate directions after this album. Considered a cult album and considered one of the spawning points of the progressive rock idea, it must have been a shock to the system by anyone who listened to it at the time. While the two previous releases had more mainstream approaches, this breaks all the rules. Parts of it are brilliant and parts of it are dumb, but taken as a whole it is clearly the dawn of a new era of rock. Filled with moments of psychedelia, short non-sequiturs, outlandish extensive scores, abrupt sudden departures, this is what the Beatles “Number 9” is twisted and turned on its ear. Not all of it is enjoyable but parts of it are pure wonderment. A-
Gaupa - Gaupa
2018 5 tracks (28:02)
This debut EP by Gaupa is hopefully a sign of what is more to come. A combination of stoner rock and heavy metal is highly enjoyable. The pounding guitar, bass and drums blends well with the female vocalist. I don’t know what is in the Swedish water, but I hope it continues to bring out music like this.
The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble - The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble
2006 11 tracks (1:09:12)
Pretty much self-descriptive, the TKDE is a band using electronics as a base for many string and horn instruments to produce a stark sparse form of jazz like sounds. It isn’t really jazz, probably closer to a progressive ambient music. It is dark in nature but a very listenable dark timbre. The rhythm interplay with the electronic beats is interesting. The last song is a 20 minute piece that sounds like a Bernard Herrman suspense movie music score. It isn’t a “fun” listen, but enjoyable. B-
How To Destroy Angels
2009 6 tracks (28:47)
Nine Inch Nails is a big thing, but how do they improve or at least offer something a little different? Change your name and have Trent Reznor’s wife, Mariqueen sing. Boy, does it work. The sound is unmistakably Reznor/Ross, but it’s a little tighter and structured. Maandig’s vocals take a big edge off the music but doesn’t remove any of the punch. It gets into a nice healthy groove and still inserts those little snippets of chaos we love about NIN. Nothing is wrong with this album except that it clocks in under 30 minutes. We was robbed! A
The Answer Lies In The Black Void - Thou Shalt
2023 9 tracks (44:54)
Most doom metal bands try to bludgeon your senses with overpowering grunge thumping bass and a constant staccato of drums. This band does not. First, it’s not a band but a duo. Second, the singer of the duo has an airy angelic voice crying out for help in the sea of angst. It makes for a hell of a contrast and allows a song to be built with layers. Even so, it still has moments that are mind numbing and makes you weary of the journey, like jet lag. It has its moments. B-
Real Estate - Daniel
2024 11 tracks (38:02)
At first listening to the lead couple of tracks, I was caught up in the easy jangle guitars and soft vocals thinking this would be a pretty good album. But then, the sameness started to wear thin and by the end of the fourth track, I was bored. There is no change-up whatsoever. I don’t think the singer’s voice ever leaves the same octave. Very little is thrown in to vary the texture or rhythm of the songs. Total lack of inventiveness. It isn’t bad, just too much of the same. D
!!! (Chk Chk Chk) - Strange Weather, Isn’t It?
2010 10 tracks (46:14)
Infectious record from start to finish. Oddly, it has a similar problem that the Real Estate album before has, that element that repeats through the whole album. But, !!! deals with it by changing the elements, sometimes five or six times a song, to give it a fresher feel. Sometimes it’s guitar flurry, other times a keyboard tone poem, sometimes throwing in a horn blast. It makes a huge difference to make these little alterations. Oh, you are almost compelled to dance on each track. They make it a thing, so do it! B+
Marika Hackman - Big Sigh
2024 10 tracks (35:46)
This has been quite a month in discovering female singer songwriters with Katherine Priddy and Jane Weaver. Now we can add Marika Hackman to this vaunted list. While her voice isn’t quite the caliber of Priddy and Weaver, her songwriting and playing is at least as good, and that is high praise. But the words just zing you time and time again. It’s an elegant album and has too many good songs to ignore. A-
Packs - Melt the Honey
2024 11 tracks (28:31)
Most of the juice of this indie band from Canada is supplied by singer songwriter Madeline Link. Mostly short songs are delivered in slow tempo shoegaze style with seemingly disinterested vocals. A few of the tunes find their way out of the sludge and provide a burst of energy. It wouldn’t be wrong to call it alternative folk given the strumming acoustic guitars and occasional flurry of electric guitar. It’s not a bad listen but doesn’t cross into must-listen category either. C
Siena Root - A New Day Dawning
2003 13 tracks (1:07:45)
When this Swedish group formed in the 90’s, the 60’s and 70’s basic rock wasn’t that far back. Another generation has passed and it tries to sound really old now. If you are going to recreate the Steppenwolf and Grand Funk Railroad sound, you better be able to bring it and Siena Root falls just a tad short. All the songs are okay and hearing the prevalent sound of a Hammond organ is fun, but it doesn’t hold up to sustained listening. C
The Last Dinner Party - Prelude to Ecstasy
2024 12 tracks (41:17)
A strong first release by this English quintet of rocking women. The group has elements of smart pop of the nature of XTC and use arrangements to present a baroque pop sound with the addition of strings and other soft sounds. They also augment lead singer Abigail Morris’ vocals with multipart harmonies from the other band members. The songs “Burn Alive”, “Sinner”, and “Nothing Matters” stand out. B+
Forgettable
Elsiane - Ecclesia (Cabaret music with squeaky high vocals)
Al Lover - Sacred Drugs (Short disconnected songs of ambient music)
Chastity Belt - I Used to Spend So Much Time Alone (Odd key songs)
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