Music Ravings

OOIOO – “Armonico Hewa”Thrill Jockey-due out Oct. 20 In case you’re wondering where Yoshimi P-we disappeared to after guest voicing on the Flaming Lips’ “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” then here’s your answer: forming a once-fictional electronic band. Displayed here is an array of the unusual, a Japanese electronic experiment consisting of drums, discordant electronics, and varying vocal effects. To say the music here is different is an understatement: “Uda Hah”s pastiche of guitars and vocals that creates a incredibly non-traditional view of modern music. But while “Uda Hah” and the playfulness of “Polacca” may be passable, several of the other tracks opt instead forRead More →

Rose Melberg – “Homemade Ship”K Records-due out Sept. 22 Melberg’s third solo record is a slight bit of gentle enchantment. It’s a modest little record, composed mostly of acoustic guitar, her vocals and harmonies, and rather simple songs. But these songs are pleasant, enjoyable, and quiet in a deep and somewhat meditative way; “Things that We Do” in someone else’s hands may come off too saccharine, but the simplicity and lack of embellishment is refreshing and enjoyable. “Old Days” is a more somber and fulfilling course in supporting guitar and gorgeous harmonies. At times, it is difficult to pin down exactly what makes this albumRead More →

Grand Archives – “Keep in Mind Frankenstein”Sub pop Records-Due out Sept. 15 With a bit of acoustic Band of Horses flavor (guitarist Mat Brooke was on their debut), the Seattle quartet offers a second album of calm, quietly rocking tracks. With the likes of the plaintive “Oslo Novelist” and crisp dance of “Left for all the Strays,” “Frankenstein” has strong tracks for fans of Mat Brooke and calmer, restrained pop. But the tradeoff here is that these tracks don’t immediately grip you; the best of them require room and time for them to grow, whereas the worst simply fade from memory. One of the weakerRead More →