Music RECORDS JAZZ & WORLD
JAZZ STEVE KUHN TRIO Wisteria (ECM Records) ●●●●● Pianist Steve Kuhn has worked with both bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Joey Baron in many contexts over several decades, but they had never played together in a trio setting prior to recording this last year. You would never guess that, though – they sound as though they do this all the time. For his own compositional contributions, Kuhn chooses to revisit material he has recorded before in other settings, and they come up sounding freshly reinvigorated. Their reading of Carla Bley’s ‘Permanent Wave’ perfectly captures its cool jauntiness, while Swallow’s ‘Good Lookin’ Rookie’ is a crisp closer. Three masters at work. (Kenny Mathieson)
JAZZ ORIOLE Every New Day (F-IRE) ●●●●●
The latest offering from the ranks of the London-based F-IRE collective features music written by Oriole’s founder, guitarist Johnny Phillips, during a six-year stay in Cadiz. The distinctly Spanish/Latin melodic and rhythmic feel has an appealing lightness and warmth that contrasts with some of the more fiery offerings to emerge under the collective’s rubric, but is no less engaging or absorbing. Drummer Seb Rochford and bassist Ruth Geller are heard in gentler settings than in Acoustic Ladyland, Ingrid Laubrock and Idris Rahman add lovely saxophone and clarinet, and Ben Davis’s cello makes an especially effective contribution. (Kenny Mathieson)
WORLD BEN ZABO Ben Zabo (Glitterhouse) ●●●●● Described as Malian Afro-Beat, Ben Zabo’s music expands its scope well beyond the Fela Kuti-inspired sounds of 1970s Bamako to incorporate the bwa rhythms and melodies of his own Bo region, alongside elements of funk and rock. Slick production has smoothed off some of the edges – the guitars and drums could use a little more bite – but it’s a minor quibble
when faced with the joyous melodies, whooping vocals and balafon infused grooves of ‘Sensebo’ and ‘Bwa Iri’. Less successful is ‘Dimiyan’, an experiment in Saharan atmospherics tainted by naff blues guitar. An enjoyable, at times irresistible album, but Zabo’s vibrant and inventive music is perhaps best heard live. (Stewart Smith)
WORLD BOLA Volume 7 (Awesome Tapes From Africa) ●●●●● A blog and now a label, Awesome Tapes From Africa has been exploring the cassette stalls of Western Africa for raw and unusual sounds since 2006. This is their second commercial release, a reissue of a 2009 tape by Ghanaian musician Bola. His sound is an inspired meeting of tradition and experiment, where urgent vocals in the Frafra language soar over the
spindly twang of the kologo (a two-stringed lute) and the syncopated pounding of drum machines. On ‘Makamiba’ and ‘Abayetidu Ma’, Bola’s griot storytelling is delivered in haunting, raspy bursts, while relentless beats are given extra wallop from funky piano and bass vamps. A potent combination, sublime in its edgy, vital beauty. (Stewart Smith)
ALSO RELEASED
SINGLES & DOWNLOADS
POLIÇA (above) nab single of the month, with other releases by Liars, Tribes and Hot Chip
The pile of pre-summer releases on The List’s doorstep this month was rather intimidating, but here is a round-up of the best (and rest). Liars new track, ‘No 1 Against The Rush’ (Mute Song ●●●●●), is three-and-a-half minutes of slithering synths and laid-back cool. Hot Chip’s latest single, ‘Night and Day’ (Domino ●●●●●) is a toe-tapper from upcoming fifth LP In Our Heads (read a review on page 104), but not their most exciting release to date. ‘Heartbeats’ (Glassnote/Island ●●●●●) is a semi-comedy single from Childish Gambino, aka stand-up Danny Glover of Community fame. Some dirty beats and excellent life lessons within the lyrics . . . When he’s not having his songs murdered on YouTube, Gotye
actually records music, such as ‘Eyes Wide Open’ (Communion/Island ●●●●●), a valiant attempt to follow ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ but perhaps not as emotive (depressing), even with the Phil Collins drums. Some ‘In the Air Tonight’ tub thumping would probably have made Camden four- piece Tribes’ new EP, ‘We Were Children’ (Island ●●●●●), a little bit more exciting, instead it offers four solid but pretty non- descript jangly indie jams.
Glasgow types Holy Esque release their self-titled EP (White Label ●●●●●); sure to please many a fan of growly indie vox, whilst weegie newbie on the scene Kaelea (White Label ●●●●●) is worth a look for those who dig a bit of trippy electronic dance, with a bit of 90s rave. ‘We Hunt’ (Payper Tiger ●●●●●) is the latest four-track from Liverpool’s All We Are, with opening track ‘Trainspotting’ recalling gentle, Album Leaf style sounds.
Single of the month goes to POLIÇA’s ‘Dark Star’ (Memphis Industries ●●●●●) – a dreamy, electro pop ditty from their debut full-length Give You The Ghost, released earlier this year. Keys like Metronomy, multi-tracked, sultry vocals and one hell of a chorus mean you should check them out at festivals across the UK this summer. And buy the record, obvz. (Lauren Mayberry)
Kaiser Chiefs Souvenir: The Singles 2004–2012 (Fiction) ●●●●● They gave us some fantastic jerky 00s pop, but it’s fair to say the years closer to 2004 were more creatively nourishing than the ones towards 2012. You can’t argue with their ‘Ruby’-time pomp.
Garbage Not Your Kind of People (Stun Volume) ●●●●● Ending a five-year gap since Absolute Garbage (insert own joke here), Shirley, Butch et al curiously channel Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus rather than the ghost of Kurt for a largely interest-free rock-lite collection. Snowgoose Harmony Springs (Open Hearth) ●●●●● Lightweight old-school folk which would not benefit from being background music, lest it disappeared forever. Possibly best listened to during the ritual torching of a police constable inside a vast straw man.
The Grand Gestures The Grand Gestures (Chute) ●●●●● Emma Pollock, Sanjeev Kohli and Sparrow and the Workshop’s Jill O’Sullivan contribute to this lo-fi collective oddity recorded in toilets and bathrooms featuring dark tales of tennis players, Chris de Burgh and the seaside.
The Human League Dare/Fascination (Virgin) ●●●●● Double-bill deluxe affair of the Sheffield band’s golden era. This reissue of the seminal synth- pop classic of Dare and 1983 EP Fascination should have the nation’s youth using their hair as an eyepatch. The Beach Boys That’s Why God Made the Radio (EMI) Deathly Hallows-style security surrounds the 29th Beach Boys’ album so we can only assume it will follow along the lines of the eponymous single, a harmony-heavy ode to the wireless. (Brian Donaldson)
106 THE LIST 24 May–21 Jun 2012