A two-disc collection of b-sides from Suede (AKA ‘The London’ Suede, for legal reasons…) is a beautiful idea, in that it could easily be argued that no band has ever put so much thought into their single b-side releases, almost treating those three-song releases (one ‘a’
The only way to ‘get’ this album is, I would surmise, to watch the film, Dancer in the Dark, for which this music was composed. And if you like the film as much as I did, you’ll want to hear this music again and again. Especially the brilliant, orchestral
It is, apparently, mixed separately by channel. Which, certainly, means you should listen to it with headphones. And it’s brilliant, through heartbreaking delicateness to devastating chaos and back again. Never mind…it’s impossible to describe. Best track: ‘Feel Like Goin’ Home’
I first heard this album last week and it’s purely coincidence that this record is today’s top review on Pitchfork: really, I swear. Okay, so you don’t care, because you know what a great album this is. Anyway, I, too, think it’s a fantastic album (and
In case you didn’t know, OMD is not just about ‘If You Leave.’ And this compilation of Peel Sessions from 1979 to 1983 highlights their songwriting ability, focus, and technique by stripping all the songs to their essentials…especially notable on ‘Enola Gay.’ This edition also includes their brilliant
No kidding: it takes a while to figure it out (even vaguely), but once you do there's probably little music that will make you (as in ‘persuade you to be’) as happy to hear as what Max Tundra’s put together here. It’s definitely chaotic, but not
Elliott Smith’s 1995 self-titled album is the album of the week for one reason: the song ‘St. Ides Heaven.’ Yeah, the rest of the album is fantastic, classic Elliott Smith (beautiful vocals, fingerpicking, near-perfect song structures), don’t get me wrong. But it’s ‘St. Ides Heaven’
New York Muscle: Equal parts Throbbing Gristle, Suicide, Grandmaster Flash, and, well, A.R.E. WEAPONS, this is a gritty, challenging debut album from the much-loved DJ pair from D.C. Thick, rough synth rhythms built for dancing. [ purchase ]
Brooding and sensual (probably not the first time those words have been used to describe this album), Curtains is magnificent, heartbreaking, and simply grandiose. The songs on the album are at once brash and delicate, sincere and crass, self-assured and insecure—but always riveting. And, I’ve always felt,
A perfect record from beginning to end, Marquee Moon is one of the best albums ever (ever) recorded. If you’ve heard it, you know what we’re talking about; if you haven’t, maybe it’s time you did. Soaring, woven guitar melodies from Richard Lloyd and Tom Verlaine,
