The Wheel's Still In Spin

Recommended New Release: Crippled Black Phoenix – (Mankind) The Crafty Ape

Crippled Black Phoenix – (Mankind) The Crafty Ape | MP3
Download “A Letter Concerning Dogheads” (mp3)

The fifth album by Crippled Black Phoenix, (Mankind) The Crafty Ape, is an ambitious, 86-minute opus. The album is broken into three chapters – A Thread, The Trap, and The Blues of Man – and explores the corruption of mankind with a twinge of hope that everything is not doomed. These long songs have melodic lead guitar solos over a base of synthesizers, brass, strings, a musical saw, and electronic tones. With its far-reaching and flowing themes and symphonic rock sound, it brings to mind a modern version of Pink Floyd.

New Music Releases – 31 January 2012

Here are a few MP3s of songs from some of the better albums released this week:
Crippled Black Phoenix – “A Letter Concerning Dogheads” from (Mankind) The Crafty Ape
Gotye – “Somebody That I Used to Know” from Making Mirrors
The Minor Leagues – “Ghost Maps” and “Secret Codes” from North College Hill

After the jump, there is also a list of more new releases from this week.

Recommended New Release: Spy Island – New Milesian Kings

Spy Island – New Milesian Kings | MP3
Download “The Punchline” (mp3)
Download “Lonely Accomplice” (mp3)

This Portland, OR, band of self-described nerds have an indelible chamber pop sound. The septet layers keyboards, horns, guitars and vocals into a cohesive hodgepodge of eclectic catchiness. Recorded by Rian Lewis (who plays bass, pedal steel, guitar) and Dale T. Nicholls (who plays guitar and provides the lead vocals), the songs highlight the band’s diverse instrumentation, catchy melodies, and vocal harmonies.

Stream the entire album here.

Recommended New Release: John K. Samson – Provincial

John K. Samson – Provincial | CD Vinyl MP3

John K. Samson, the lead singer of The Weakerthans, released his full-length solo debut. Six of the twelve songs are rerecordings of the tracks from Samson’s two solo EPs, City Route 85 and Provincial Road 222. The other six songs are new. His voice and lyrical style, which includes reminiscences about lost or forgotten locations, landmarks, and people from Winnipeg, Manitoba, will be recognizable to fans of The Weakerthans. Like many solo albums from other bands, the music of Provincial has similarities to the full band sound but is subdued in comparison with more emphasis on the acoustic guitar.

After the jump, listen to streams two songs from the Provincial, “When I Write My Master’s Thesis” and “Letter in Icelandic from the Ninette San.”

Recommended New Release: First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar

First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar | CD Vinyl MP3

First Aid Kit is a folk duo of sisters from Sweden. Klara and Johanna Söderberg have an impressive catalog of songs from their first EP and full-length album. The Lion’s Roar, the second full-length album, continues captures their robust folk songs. Like their other releases, the songs have their powerful vocals placed well above the rest of the music. Produced by Bright Eyes’ Mike Mogis, who added other Omaha-based musicians to the sisters’ band, the album has a subtle layer of delicious accompaniments.

After the jump, listen to the title track from the album.

Recommended New Release: Bhi Bhiman – Bhiman

Bhi Bhiman – Bhiman | CD MP3

Bhiman is the second album from folksinger Bhi Bhiman, after 2008’s The Cookbook. The songs on this album, which have palpable lyrics, share varying perspectives, from a forlorn lover to an optomistic retiree, a redneck to a North Korean prisoner, and a train riding in hobo (in “Guttersnipe,” a video after the jump). It was produced by Sam Kassirer, who’s made albums by Josh Ritter and Langhorne Slim, and the music has such a dense, acoustic sound that it has the quality of a Daniel Lanois release.

After the jump, watch the videos for “Guttersnipe” and “Time Heals.”

Recommended New Release: Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory

Cloud Nothings – Attack on Memory | CD Vinyl MP3
Download “No Future/No Past” (mp3)
Download “Stay Useless” (mp3)

Cloud Nothings began as the lo-fi recording project of Dylan Baldi. The self-titled first album – and the earlier EP and cassette – had a retro pop sound to it. Attack on Memory is the first album with the full touring band backing Baldi and the sound has been reinvented. Produced by Steve Albini, the songs have a more aggressive sound. There’s more of a driving tempo, the guitars sear through the songs, and Baldi’s vocals have a throaty quality. It’s still the same guy, but Baldi sounds much better on Attack on Memory.

New Music Releases – 24 January 2012

Here are a few MP3s of songs from some of the better albums released this week:
Cloud Nothings – “No Future/No Past” and “Stay Useless” from Attack on Memory
Nada Surf – “When I Was Young” from The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy
Spy Island – “The Punchline” and “Lonely Accomplice” from New Milesian Kings

After the jump, stream a few more songs and see a list of more new releases from this week.

Movie Review: In Bruges

This is the latest review of my all-time favorite films.

In Bruges (2008) | DVD Blu-ray Instant Video

In Bruges is a dark comedy about two hitmen who are forced to take a vacation in Bruges after a hit goes wrong. The film, written and directed by Martin McDonagh as the playwrights feature film debut, masterfully combines its humor with a morality tale. It is not necessarily about what is right or wrong, but living with a personal code and sticking to it.

Recommended New Release: Guided By Voices – Let’s Go Eat the Factory

Guided By Voices – Let’s Go Eat the Factory | CD Vinyl MP3
Download “Doughnut for a Snowman” (mp3)

It’s been eight years since Guided By Voices released an album of new material (and nine years since I last saw them live), but it’s been fifteen years since the “classic lineup” of the band made an album. Let’s Go Eat the Factory reteams Robert Pollard with Tobin Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Greg Demos, and Kevin Fennell. The band’s earliest albums were collections of songs recorded in the member’s homes and garages. This album not only reunites the band members, it follows the recording style of those early albums. The twenty-one songs have a barrage of the lo-fi stadium rock sound that made Guided By Voices an iconic band in the 90s.