Music
This Week's Best New Music Releases - September 14, 2010
by Josh
September 14, 2010
This week brings new releases from Black Mountain, Blond Redhead, Grinderman, The Walkmen and The Vaselines. Read our guide after the jump.
Black Mountain – Wilderness Heart
These days, there are a lot of “boy-girl” fronted groups. But while many emote (Stars) and charm (She & Him), none truly rock the way Black Mountain rock. Their sound is not your typical Canadian indie fare either, but their music is curiously accessible to many, drawing in classic rockers, alt rockers, and indie rockers alike. Their 2008 album, In The Future, garnered them both a Juno and Polaris nomination, and “Wilderness Heart” could easily do that again.
Label: Outside Music
Blonde Redhead – Penny Sparkle
Blonde Redhead have been pioneers in the indie rock scene since their formation in 1993. The band, comprised of Italian-American twins and a Japanese-American vocalist, have evolved and morphed their sound over the years, borrowing from alternative rock, punk, pop, and psychedelic rock. On their eighth album, Penny Sparkle, the sound more resembles the dreamy electro-pop group The Knife. And it’s a progression that really works well.
Label: 4AD
Grinderman – Grinderman 2
To know Nick Cave is to love Nick Cave. And really, all you need to know about Grinderman is that the band is comprised entirely of members of “the Bad Seeds”, and of course, Cave himself. A more guitar-focused project, Grinderman is often favorably compared to Cave’s early work with “The Birthday Party”. On the new album, aptly named Grinderman 2, finds Cave leaning back towards more experimental “Bad Seeds” territory. But in the end, it’s pure Cave, which means brilliantly crafted songs that will put a sly smile on your face and rock your fucking socks off.
Label: Anti
The Walkmen – Lisbon
If one were to sum up “Lisbon”, their sixth full length release, in one word, it would be “old”. And that’s not an insult. The vintage instruments they use give off a very “old” sound, and free of modern day effects. The album is also heavily influenced by the music of yesterday, including rich Motown harmonies, and imperial sounding horns. The album is a little less “west coast” than some of their previous works too, and comes across as a more mature, sober and somber affair. And fans of their earlier work will not be disappointed either.
Label: Fat Possum
The Vaselines – Sex With An X
The story of the Vaselines may just be cool enough to overshadow the music itself. The band formed in 1986, and broke up in 1990. But their music didn’t get worldwide exposure until Nirvana covered “Son of a Gun” and “Molly’s Lips” on Incesticide. Kurt Cobain was such a fan of The Vaselines that he named his daughter, Francis Bean Cobain, after Frances McKee. In 2006, the band resurfaced, and aligned themselves with the once grunge saturated label, Sub Pop. Shortly after, their first two EPs and debut album were reissued. And now in 2010, over two decades later, they’ve released their second album. Neat, huh?
Label: Sub Pop
