Arusa in Japan
KI/OON Records
C
Sounds like any garage tape recording—super raw. Their stage antics don’t cross over well. This pair is in the vein of Melt Banana/The Cramps but much more amateur and garage. If these were two girls from say, Tacoma, instead of Osaka, Japan, I don’t think anyone would take much notice. It’s cutesy noise.—D Mayoral
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Norwegian singer/songwriter Annie’s debut must be the year’s sunniest. Not since the days of the om Tom Club and Bananarama has dance-pop been this fun (plus, she doesn’t dress as goofy). So don’t say you haven’t been warned: “Anniemal” is a pretension-free zone. With its addictive “Oh no, oh no/You’ve got it all wrong/You think you’re chocolate/But you’re chewing gum” refrain, 2004’s single “Chewing Gum” is the jewel in this sparkling crown. The R2D2-like bloops and bleeps and Annie’s sweet “ah-ah-ahs” just make it shine the brighter.—Kathleen C Fennessey
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A decent collection of folk and country music so finely tuned that I’m amazed Matador would be willing to affix their flag to it. This could be the record that breaks this artist to a new audience of fans who are through wearing out their Lucinda Williams records. For the rest of us, it isn’t hard on the ears, but isn’t all that compelling either.—Robert Ham
Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah
Self-Released
A+
A lead singer with a peculiar voice? Check. Funky and solid bass lines? Check. Strange and intricate instrumentation? Check. Hooks that you can’t get out of your head? Oh, hell yes. These songs come at you like drinking buddies nearly in their cups, intimately familiar but off in their own little world. This band is going to blow up big, and if you’ve already started to make a year-end top ten list, feel free to pen this in at number one.—Tyson Lynne
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A continuation of their EP “‘neath Your Covers,” “Early 21st Century Blues” is essentially a collection of obscure covers revamped with their signature heroin chic tempos. They tackle Dylan’s “License to Kill,” Richie Havens’ “Handouts in the Rain” and U2’s “One.” They give respectful nods to the two dead Beatles with versions of Harrison’s “Isn’t it a Pity” and Lennon’s timely “I Don’t Want to be a Soldier.” A consummate songwriter in his own right, Michael Timmins penned “December Skies” and “This World Dreams Of.”—Tony Englehart
The Cowboy Junkies perform August 17 at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo and August 19 at Portland’s Aladdin Theatre.
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Indie rock shot through a Cinemascope lens, this expansive sounding quartet spend the majority of this CD veering between a glam rock swagger and a standoffish pose of a Brit-popper. Somehow, they never seem to find their center and the whole affair comes off cold and stale.—Nik Rainey
The Now Sound Redesigned
Light in the Attic
B
It’s always nice to see a worthy band get their due—even if it takes decades. Local label Light in the Attic hasn’t just reissued this New York quartet’s seven 1967-72 soft-psych recordings, now they’ve given ‘em the remix treatment. Originally issued as three EPs, “Redesigned” features the likes of Madlib, Danger Mouse and Stereolab (who once named a song after the band). The renewed attention has even resulted in new work, like bandleader Chris Dedrick’s nifty score for Guy Maddin’s “The Saddest Music in the World.” —KCF
Lullaby for an Astronaut
Bigger than the Barn Records
A
Kelli Hanson is the stuff dreams are made of. Her voice is sure and beckons the listener like a finger, drawing us deeper into her lush arrangements. We’re lost in her ethers, caressed and crooned by this songbird’s gentle style, only occasionally rustled by her stronger chords or harder hitting rhythms that ebb and flow. Still, it’s never enough to completely wake one from this phantasmagoric reverie. Instead, we follow Kelli as she explores her various influences without ever appearing as an impostor.—Shawn Telford
Kelli Hanson will be playing in Portland at Noir on August 3.
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If Billy Corgan were British, it’s tempting to ask, would he have been a Lab Partner? Never mind that the Lab Partners themselves are in fact from Ohio: their brand of jangly and vaguely epic pop is as much Slowdive and Spacehog as it is Smashing (Pumpkin-related or otherwise). “Wicked Branches” moves on a bit from the shoegazey leanings of the group’s debut, “Daystar,” in favor of a cleaner and sunnier sound. Something pleasingly sinister still remains, lending songs like “Blood Moon” and the appropriately titled “Ride” some well-placed personality and atmosphere.—Danlel Levin Becker
At the Center
Thirsty Ear Recordings
B
In keeping with Thirsty Ear’s “The Blue Series,” Meat Beat Manifesto’s new album expands upon their benchmark industrial dance sounds with the addition of jazz players. It may be too jazz-heavy for the MBM diehards, but to the casual listener it’s a notable album that’s infinitely more enjoyable than the vast amounts of bad electro-jazz lurking out in the world.—NW
Into the Woods
Badabing! Records
A-
Arab Strap frontman Malcolm Middleton has finally granted my wish; he’s made an Arab Strap album that doesn’t make me want to end it all. The melancholy lyricist still sings of awful, dark and honest subjects but, in recording solo, he’s given them the pop treatment. Piano ballads and ditty bops from a manic-depressive are the new sing-alongs.—NW
Maritime
4AD
B+
Minotaur Shock is 4AD’s latest signing and it comes close to the label’s glory days. “Maritime,” as the title suggests, was conceived using an oceanic theme. “Muesli” is a joyful romp, built around a bouncy clarinet refrain. On “Vigo Bay,” one can imagine the buoyancy of a boat coasting on a dark sea. “Six Foolish Fisherman” shimmers and “Four Magpies” closes the album in a slow foxtrot towards the setting sun. The lovely songs reveal, with each listen, something that you didn’t hear the first time round; perfect beach weather music.—De Kwok
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As a failed musician, David Pajo’s latest venture angers me. Seriously, get this... this guy notices his new laptop was loaded with pre-packaged audio software. He plugs a mic and his guitar into the computer, makes a few beats and hits record. I’ve tried it and it sounded like shit. Pajo tries it and ends up creating a heartbreakingly genuine folktronica album. True talent certainly is enviable.—William Hillcrest
Celebration Castle
In the Red Records
A-
The Ponys stretch the limits of garage-rock so far they practically explode the genre. You could just call them “rock’n’roll,” but the term is as inadequate to the Chicago quartet as it is to Television, the Voidoids or the Only Ones. Granted, “Laced With Romance” was an impressive debut, but the Steve Albini-produced “Celebration Castle” takes more risks, like the nod to Joy Division in “We Shot the World,” the Rolling Stones in “Get Black,” and Sleater-Kinney in “She’s Broken” (featuring bassist Melissa Elias on a rare lead vocal).—KCF
The Ponys perform August 9 at Seattle’s Crocodile CafÈ and August 10 at Portland’s Doug Fir Lounge.
The Red Rose Girls
Empty Records
B
Just face it, country music is the most! When sung by three young country gals, it’s even better. The Red Rose Girls croon about all sorts of things country from being overworked to creek valleys, from drifting time to mountaintops. Covering the Carter Family and Bill Monroe, among others, the Red Rose Girls feed us vocals with a lot of “er” on them, twang and some awesome three-part harmony.—William Goodman
Doesn't Play Well With Others
White Elephant Records
C-
Six Select seems to do a little bit of everything at a mediocre level; songs deliver atmospheric somber, melodious bass licks, Lemonhead-esque pop, sing-along vocals, interesting instrumentals and some fun, fast punk stuff. Unfortunately, they don’t do any of these really well. The vocals border on levels of unheard sappiness, the guitars are sometimes boring or overdone. Their grip on song format is more than understood—all the songs are well constructed and interesting—they just lack the ability to push my buttons.—WG
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Sufjan Stevens has some kind of magic. Singing along to his latest full-length, one forgets that these are Land of Lincoln songs. Blame it on the sophisticated orchestrations that the multi-instrumentalist has penned around songs about the Sears Tower, John Wayne Gacy, Jr. and Casimir Pulaski Day. Perhaps it’s his penchant for finding the universality in even the most obscure and/or obvious subject matter. Either way, Steven’s tender vocals alongside the Illinoisemaker Choir bring a warm tribute to the 21st state in all of us.—ST
60,000 Years
Arclight Records
C
If you’ve named your band Superheavygoatass, you have essentially thrown out any attempts at subtlety. Even going into this album with that mindset, you still might be surprised with how brash and obvious some of the melodies, hooks and lyrics are. But hey, c’mon, you didn’t pick this up because you wanted subtlety. You wanted the rock and Superheavygoatass brings it. You still have to bring the PBR though.—TL
The Curse of the Longest Day EP
Polyvinyl
A-
A great rock trio with incredibly astute prog rock leanings. This group has streamlined their approach considerably from earlier releases, but has not lost their ability to turn a time signature on its head and leave us scratching our heads with their obtuse lyrics.—RH
Composite Sketches
Hercules Records
B-
The XRay Eyes is really a showcase of the wry wit of wordsmith David Lavin. His songs are novellas, campfire stories spoken, sometimes sung, and always flourished with piano or guitar. Occasionally the songs are set to the subtle boogie rhythms of classic country and peppered with a brushed drum kit. The eight songs on this debut reach out to the intelligentsia and literate who can keep up with Lavin’s expansive vocabulary. Those who can’t follow the word train will get left behind as the ever loquacious Lavin travels on.—ST
David Lavin performs a solo show August 1 at Seattle’s Hopvine Pub.
Hey Everybody... I Gotta New Dance
Vampisoul
A
How many people really want to dig through musty basements, church bazaars, yard sales and whatnot just to find rare, obscure, butt-jiggling tracks? Not I, said the fly. Vampisoul has compiled a sweaty compilation of funk, soul, rock and Latin jazz floor fillers that seem to bear no connection other than you’ve never heard them yet you’re going to love them. Your hip factor will increase upon purchasing this.—WH
Worst CD of the Month
Lillian
Anticon
A disc of electronica so formulaic that we will spell out that formula for you so you can go home, get on your laptop, recreate this album and save yourself 15 bucks: repetitive synthesizer bit for 45 seconds to a minute, a quiet break for ten seconds, loud beat for the rest of the song with the occasional synth flourish, then fade out.