The Wheel's Still In Spin

New Releases - 1 July 2008

Holiday weeks seem to bring a short supply of new releases. With the 4th of July hitting on Friday, this holiday week is no exception. Here are The Wheel’s Still In Spin’s suggested new releases.

Nels Andrews – Off Track Betting | Amazon CD MP3
Andrews has a voice that sounds like Bill Deasy from The Gathering Field (a mid-90’s band, if anyone remembers or knew) or Willy Vlautin of Richmond Fontaine – it’s rustic and weathered, but clear and strong. Produced by bassist/composer Todd Sickafoose, Andrews’ second album has a rich palette of backing instruments. The instruments supporting him include pedal steel guitar, harp, banjo, organs, pianos, guitars, and a “wine glass orchestra” and are performed by musicians who have played with Wilco, Norah Jones, Ani DiFranco, and Joan As Police Woman. The result is a solid rootsy album.

Earlimart – Hymn And Her | Amazon CD MP3
Download “Song For” (mp3)
This latest album from this mellow indie rock band sees Earlimart condense down to a duo. With the two members remaining, the sound did not shrink from Mentor Tormentor and Tremble & Treble. Aaron Espinoza and Ariana Murray trade off vocals on this lush and lovely sounding indie pop album.

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson | Amazon CD MP3 | Insound CD
Download “Buriedfed” (mp3)
Miles’ voice has the tonal quality of Ben Gibbard. But with the help of Chris Taylor and Christopher Bear of Grizzly Bear (the basic tracks were mixed in that Yellow House), this folk infused album has better energy than those Death Cab For Cutie albums. This album showcases a very strong songwriter backed with powerfully dynamic musical layers.

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

Best Albums Of June 2008

Here’s The Wheel’s Still In Spin’s favorites new releases for the month of June:

1. The Cool Kids – The Bake Sale | Amazon CD MP3 | Insound CD
   

   The Cool Kids are rooted in old school rap, calling themselves, “The new black version of the Beastie Boys.” The beats have the distorted low end of the 80’s rap groups and the lyrics are far from the gangsta rap of modern day. These songs are about cereal, the ’88 NBA draft, and BMX bikes. The whole album is a throwback, but masterfully done.



2. Silver Jews – Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea | Amazon CD LP MP3 | Insound CD LP
   Download “Strange Victory, Strange Defeat” (mp3)
   

   The Silver Jews began as a project for David Berman. His friends from Pavement, Stephen Malkmus and Bob Nostanovich, were filled out the original lineup. Nearly two decades later, Berman is still making music without the former Pavement members. Berman’s songs are countrified indie rock with story-like lyrics. On this album, Berman has given some of his best songs. The entire album has the most cohesive production of any Silver Jews album.



3. Slant – Nothin’ Left But Me
   Download “Ba Ba Ba” (mp3)
   

   Slant’s debut album, Nothin’ Left But Me, is a mixture of indie guitar rock and alt country. Lead singer Michelle Korn has a voice that sounds like a younger Lucinda Williams, which is impressive considering she is 19 or 20 years old. The production, from guitarist Sean Sullivan, is spot on and gives distinctive nuances to these pop oriented songs.



4. James Hunter – The Hard Way | Amazon CD LP MP3
   

   At first, I thought this was a re-issue of a 50’s album. It is drenched in the sound of Bill Haley and Ricky Nelson. The saxophone is just as prominent as the electric guitar for both rhythm and lead. The drums are succinct and acute. The overall production sounds like this album was made on an old analog board with big pot controls.



5. Baskervilles – Twilight | Amazon CD MP3
   Download “A Little More Time” (mp3)
   Download “Caught In A Crosswalk” (mp3)
   

   Baskervilles is an indie pop band from New York City. On this 14-track album, which was produced by Mitch Easter (R.E.M., Pavement), jangly guitars and horns are layered with the vocals and upbeat songs. The band releases each song as a single with it’s own unique artwork before working all of the songs together as the Twilight album. Preview the songs from project at the band’s website.



6. Tilly & The Wall – O | Amazon CD MP3 | Insound CD LP
   Download “Pot Kettle Black” (mp3)
   

   This album opens with an acoustic guitar and vocals. The first track adds piano, then overdriven electric guitar. Slowly, the album grows with each track. Without a drummer, Tilly & The Wall relies on handclaps, foot stomps, and a tap dancer to supply the rhythm. With the production work of Mike Mogis, the songs come across with a powerfully unique energy.



7. The Wombats – A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation | Amazon CD MP3
   Download – “Let’s Dance To Joy Division” (mp3)
   

   This three-piece indie pop band from Liverpool sounds much larger than they are. A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation is wall of Brit-pop sound with layers of vocals and electric guitars. This album was originally released in the UK in 2007, but was finally released in the US this month.



8. Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer | Amazon CD LP MP3 | Insound CD LP
   Download “Call It A Ritual” (mp3)
   Download “Language City” (mp3)
   

   After releasing their debut album in 2005, the members of Wolf Parade kept busy with their other bands – Frog Eyes, Handsome Furs, Swan Lake, and Sunset Rubdown. At Mount Zoomer, named for the drummer Arlen Thompson’s recording studio, sounds like accessible prog rock. The guitar-driven songs sound expansive, but still built with pop sensibilities.



9. The Accidental – There Were Wolves | Amazon CD LP MP3 | Thrill Jockey
   Download “Illuminated Red” (mp3)
   Download “Dream For Me” (mp3)
   

   This album is eclectic folk. The band consists of members of other English experimental bands Tunng, The Memory Band, and The Bicycle Thieves. The production is sparse, but the melodies are captivating.



10. Aimee Mann – @#%&*! Smilers | Amazon CD Special Edition CD MP3 | Insound CD Special Edition CD
    Download “31 Today” (mp3)
    

    Aimee Mann’s impeccable songwriting is as sharp as ever on Smilers, especially on the opening track, “Freeway.” The entire album, produced by her bass player, Paul Bryan, is affably appealing. There are guest spots from Grant Lee Buffalo, Sean Hayes, and author Dave Eggers, who whistles on the song “Little Tornado.”

New Releases – 3 June 2008
New Releases – 10 June 2008
New Releases – 17 June 2008
New Releases – 24 June 2008

The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of January 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of February 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of March 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of April 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of May 2008

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Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend

Release Date: 29 January 2008 (XL)

Vampire Weekend's self titled debut was met with strong reviews when it came out. Finally, the album has been given the treatment of The Wheel's Still In Spin's short story review.

Missed Classes

Tom walked into the room, grabbed the blue marker and put another slash next to his name on the dry erase board. “48. Beat that.”

The contest started honorably. If they kept track of the number of classes they each skipped, they theorized, it would keep them from skipping too many classes. Consciously or guiltily, they would strive to do better by keeping a record of their missteps.

However, after the first few weeks of the quarter their admirable intentions quickly spiraled in the wrong direction. As Tom bragged about his the 48th missed class of the quarter, Philippe pointed out that his count was up to 53.

“Are you listening to this album again?” Tom asked to change the subject. Philippe and Micah gave a confident non-response to Tom’s question in an attempt to prove how rhetorical it was. They continued to play Halo 3 and ignore their classes and Tom’s entrance.

While Vampire Weekend’s self-titled debut has become over-saturated, it’s hard to deny its appealing quality. The album is loaded with melodic bass lines, syncopated rhythms, and alluring melodies. It is most often referred to as an Afrobeat influenced album, but there is more happening on this album. This modern college rock album is indie pop influenced by both African popular and Western classical music.

Better Than The Chili: Slant

Once a week The Wheel's Still In Spin highlights a band from the Greater Cincinnati area. Whether you prefer Skyline or Gold Star, you will agree that this band is "Better Than The Chili."

Download “Ba Ba Ba” (mp3)

Slant started out as an all girl band. Over the past few years, the lineup has changed. Michelle Korn has been the musical focal point through every change.

Korn is the niece of Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner and has a natural talent for writing catchy songs. Her voice sounds mature beyond her years. Still under drinking age, she has a tonal quality of a younger Lucinda Williams.

After the band changes, Slant has settled on a lineup and released their first album, Nothin’ Left But Me. Sean Sullivan (of The Minor Leagues, The Silhouette, and Straight Arms) handles the truly tasty lead guitar duties while recording and mixing the album. Ben Berger (also from The Silhouette) plays keyboards and sings supporting vocals. Sean Peters rounds out the band with his bass playing. On the release, the regular members were assisted by Pete Weiss on organ and Mark Everetts on drums.

Nothin’ Left But Me is an ambitious sounding debut album. It mixes the guitar rock of The Replacements with the pop sensibility of 90’s alternative bands like Weezer and all topped of with the naturally soothing drawl of Korn’s vocals. The members of Slant are Cincinnatians, but slowly drifting from the Queen City. They are attending college in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. After their CD release this past Friday, June 20th, Slant will still be one of Cincinnati’s best byproducts if they relocate.

Nothin’ Left But Me should be available from iTunes and CDBaby soon. In the meantime, it can be purchased at Shake It and Everybody’s Records in Cincinnati.

www.myspace.com/slantband

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New Releases - 24 June 2008

There is a long list of new releases this week. However, of all the albums I've heard so far, there is only one I strongly recommend this week.

The Wombats – A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation | Amazon CD MP3
Download – “Let’s Dance To Joy Division” (mp3)
The Wombats are a three-piece indie pop band from Liverpool, England. A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation is the band’s first full length album. It was originally released at the end of 2007 in their native country. This week sees the domestic U.S. release of the album. This album is full of upbeat rhythms and a attack of sound with catchy Brit-pop melodies.

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

Better Than The Chili: Buffalo Killers

Once a week The Wheel's Still In Spin highlights a band from the Greater Cincinnati area. Whether you prefer Skyline or Gold Star, you will agree that this band is "Better Than The Chili."

Download “Get Together Now Today” (mp3) [from Let It Ride]
Download “River Water” (mp3) [from Let It Ride limited edition bonus disc]

Thee Shams were a garage rock quintet with Southern rock influences. They made a great run in their 6 or 7 years together. They released albums on Shake It Records and Fat Possum. When Thee Shams broke up in 2006, 3 of the 5 members formed Buffalo Killers. Thee Shams’ keyboardists, Joey Sebaali, moved to the drums and brothers Zachary and Andrew Gabbard play bass and guitar, respectively.

In October 2006, Buffalo Killers released their self-titled debut on Alive Records. The raucous, blues infused, garage rock was met with strong reviews. A year later, the band was opening for The Black Crowes. All of this led to the presentation of the Cincinnati Entertainment Award for 2007’s Artist Of The Year.

Next month, Alive Records will release the sophomore Buffalo Killers album, Let It Ride. The album was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. In addition to the CD format, there will be 500 vinyl copies available with a limited edition 6-song live EP from a show at the Orpheum Theater when Buffalo Killers opened for The Black Crowes last October.

Buffalo Killers recently completed a tour with The Black Keys and will head out again in support of their CD release. They will also open for The Black Crowes again this fall. Before all the excitement the rest of 2008 offers the band and before the album is released nationally, they will have an CD Release party for Let It Ride this Saturday, June 21st at The Mad Hatter in Covington, KY. The supporting bands for the show are Lions Rampart and Moon High.

Pre-order Let It Ride at Amazon or pre-order the CD or the LP directly from Alive Records.

www.buffalokillers.com
www.myspace.com/buffalokillers

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New Releases - 17 June 2008

Here are this week’s recommended new releases:

Mick Hucknall – Tribute To Bobby | Amazon CD MP3
Lead singer for Simply Red stepped away from that 80’s pop band for a soulful, blues releases. Hucknall put together a collection of covers from Bobby “Blue” Bland’s classic catalog, including "Stormy Monday Blues," "Cry, Cry, Cry," "Poverty," and "I Pity The Fool." Surprisingly, this album is pretty strong, almost sounding like Sam Cooke.

Silver Jews – Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea | Amazon CD LP MP3 | Insound CD LP
Download “Strange Victory, Strange Defeat” (mp3)
Like many people, I assume, it was the connections to Pavement that led me to the Silver Jews. The Silver Jews had that loose musical feel similar to the band Malkmus made famous. On this album, however, David Berman and crew have created a musically tight and lyrically developed album.

Tilly & The Wall – O | Amazon CD MP3 | Insound CD LP
Download “Pot Kettle Black” (mp3)
With a tap dancer instead of a drummer, this Tilly & The Wall album is the most rocking record by the indie pop band. With additional stomping and percussion, the Mike Mogis produced album is the band’s most accessible release.

Wolf Parade – At Mount Zoomer | Amazon CD LP MP3 | Insound CD LP
Download “Call It A Ritual” (mp3)
Download “Language City” (mp3)
The members of Wolf Parade play in the side projects Frog Eyes, Handsome Furs, Swan Lake, and Sunset Rubdown. On their second album as Wolf Parade, they return to the solid indie rock greatness of Apologies To The Queen Mary. A cohesive album, At Mount Zoomer sounds like a prog rock influenced version of Neil Young grunge.

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

New Releases - 10 June 2008

With new albums from The Fratellis, My Morning Jacket, Robert Pollard, and Twilight Sad, I thought this was going to be a week of indie rock recommendations. But with albums Lil Wayne and N.E.R.D., this week has some great hip-hop/rap albums. Of the albums I’ve listened to so far, here’s the one I strongly recommend:

The Cool Kids – The Bake Sale | Amazon CD MP3 | Insound CD
On this album, Mikey Rocks and Chuck Inglish dub themselves “The black Beastie Boys.” In these days of Eminem and 50 Cent, The Cool Kids throwback to what made Run DMC great. Like they say in “A Little Bit Cooler,” “So I’m sitting on the couch holding the remote/ Flipping channels, I’m a rebel eating a bowl/ Of them fruity pebbles. Fruity pebbles, fruity pebbles/ How gangsta is that. Not gangsta at all?”

After the jump, see a list of more new releases from this week.

The Cool Kids' “Black Mags” video:

Best Albums Of May 2008

May was a strong month with a lot of good releases. Here’s The Wheel’s Still In Spin’s favorites:

1. Pomegranates – Everything Is Alive | Amazon CD MP3 | Insound CD MP3
   Download “Whom/Who” (mp3)
   Download “Thunder Meadow” (mp3)
   

   This Cincinnati band is “Better Than The Chili” with their full-length debut of “experimental pop.” The album is upbeat and original. With each listen it becomes more appealing for the pop nuances. The band recorded and mixed it in a total of six days. It doesn’t sound like it was loosely thrown together; the album sounds true, unique, and marvelous.



2. Bonnie “Prince” Billy – Lie Down In The Light | Amazon CD LP MP3 | Insound CD LP
   

   With a countrified folk-rock sound, this album is engagingly and convincingly uplifting. The multitude of organic instruments move in and out of their parts seamlessly. Will Oldham has released one of the best albums of his stellar musical catalog.



3. Spiritualized – Songs In A&E | Amazon CD MP3 | Insound CD
   

   J. Spaceman became gravely ill and spent too long in the Accident & Emergency ward. The experience influenced this album and led to the title Songs In A&E. This album moves through upbeat and mellow songs with layers of orchestration. In his poem Mental Fight, Ben Okri wrote, “The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love, and to be greater than our suffering.” Spaceman’s performance created an album that transcends the suffering into a work of beauty.



4. Vetiver – Thing Of The Past | Amazon CD LP MP3 | Insound CD LP MP3
   

   This is an alt country cover album, but I probably wouldn’t have realized that without being told. Most of the songs covered were picked from the late sixties and early seventies. There are some well-known songwriters present like Townes Van Zant and Loudon Wainwright III. The band also covers some more obscure musicians. Overall, Vetiver makes these forgotten songs sound like originals with a consistent warm production.



5. Okay – Huggable Dust | Amazon CD MP3 | Insound CD MP3
   Download “My” (mp3)
   

   Marty Anderson is Okay. He is mostly confined to stay home because of a rare stomach disorder. The music that Anderson makes is tactful and graceful folk pop. The songs seem simple, but are magnificently beautiful. As he sings in “Natural,” “You and me the exact same white light/ I could write you a novel tonight/ I could write you a new song each day/ It’s a natural part of my day.”



6. French Kicks – Swimming | Amazon CD | Insound CD
   Download “Abandon” (mp3)
   

   With singers Nick Stumpf and Josh Wise, French Kicks have released an accessible and melodic album. The band produced and mixed the album themselves and created a post-pop gem that shares a sonic similarity to the best work of their once tourmates, The Walkmen.



7. The Herbaliser – Same As It Never Was | Amazon CD LP MP3 | Insound CD
   

   This R&B album bounces through different genres. It gets into hip-hop and funk at times. It’s full of catchy songs and guest vocals from Yungun (Essa), Jean Grae, More or Les, and (mostly) Jessica Darling. It’s perfectly produced throughout and even the instrumental tracks on this album are enjoyable.



8. The Black Angels – Directions To See A Ghost | Amazon CD MP3 | Insound CD MP3
   Download “Doves” (mp3) from KEXP
   

   This band takes its name from the Velvet Underground song “The Black Angel’s Death Song.” The music holds true to the sonic qualities of its namesake, from the tom pounding of the drums to the melodic drone of the fuzzy guitars. Vocalist Alex Mass sounds like Jim Morrison on some of the songs. Ultimately, this band summons the sound of ‘60s psychedelic rock.



9. Islands – Arm’s Way | Amazon CD LP MP3 | Insound CD MP3
   Download “The Arm” (mp3)
   Download “Creeper” (mp3)
   

   First there was The Unicorns. Then that band broke up and two of the three members formed Islands with a cast of musicians. Next, Jamie Thompson amicably left the band leaving Nick Thorburn and his camaraderie of supporting musicians. Arm’s Way still retains the orchestral production of the band’s first album with violins and bass clarinet mixed into the guitars, keyboards, bass, and drums. This new album, however, is mixed better and stands out as a stronger release.



10. The Submarines – Honeysuckle Weeks | Amazon CD MP3 | Insound CD
    Download “You, Me, & The Bourgeoisie” (mp3)
    

    Married couple Jack Dragonetti and Blake Hazard shared lead roles in this band. The album volleys between a minimalist production and orchestra production. It is full of catchy melodies and diverse instrumentation. The band tours as a three-piece with a drummer added to the duo. I can’t imagine how these songs could be duplicated live as they are on this album since this release sounds much bigger than a three-piece band.

Some of the above writing was originally published on these posts:
New Releases – 6 May 2008
New Releases – 13 May 2008
New Releases – 20 May 2008
New Releases – 27 May 2008

The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of January 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of February 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of March 2008
The Wheel's Still In Spin's Best Albums Of April 2008

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New Releases - 3 June 2008

This week’s recommended releases:

The Accidental – There Were Wolves | Amazon CD LP MP3 | Thrill Jockey
Download “Illuminated Red” (mp3)
Download “Dream For Me” (mp3)
The Accidental includes members from Tunng, The Memory Band, and The Bicycle Thieves. This album is a relaxing, folk release. It’s simple and sparse in production, but the entire album is pleasantly elysian.

Baskervilles – Twilight | Amazon CD MP3
Download “A Little More Time” (mp3)
Download “Caught In A Crosswalk” (mp3)
Beginning in January 2007, Baskervilles pre-released the 14 tracks on this album as monthly downloads. Produced by Mitch Easter (REM, Pavement), this album has full, orchestral production to support these catchy songs.

Aimee Mann – @#%&*! Smilers | Amazon CD Special Edition CD MP3 | Insound CD Special Edition CD
Download “31 Today” (mp3)
On Smilers, this singer songwriter returns with a pop album. It was produced by her bass player, Paul Bryan, and sees synths and organs added to the guitar tracks. Mann’s acute songwriting is in great form on these songs.

After the jump, see a list of more new releases from this week.