January 2013

Drgn King
Paragraph Nights
(Bar None)
This Pennsylvania group is a little bit Noughties, a little bit Nineties, and a little bit Eighties. What this means is the best of the last three plus decades is rolled into their debut album. Their cover of Question Mark and the Mysterians’ “96 Tears” is almost unrecognizable.
Watch the video for the title track here.

Foxygen
We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors Of Peace & Magic
(Jagjaguwar)
If you want an album-sized lesson in ’60s music, Foxygen can provide you with that. Whatever the style of the era, this duo includes it running the gamut from folk to rock to funk to psychedelia. Click their name for my review in Electronic Musician.
Listen to a cross-section of their music on Soundcloud.

Horace Andy
Broken Beats
(Echo Beach)
Roots reggae legend gets some of this original material reworked–albeit with reverence–by some adept producers. Andy’s voice is instantly recognizable and little is done to change that on these reimaginings which stay pretty true to the originals.
Listen to Rob Smith remix of “Badman” on Soundcloud.

Nightlands
Oak Island
(Secretly Canadian)
War On Drugs’ Dave Hartley returns to his solo project for a second album. As Nightlands Hartley can get as noodly as he likes. Not as eccentric as his debut, this venture is gentle, but almost predictable, despite its sonic adventurousness. Click the name to read my preview for LA Weekly.
Read an interview on ArtInfo and listen to three versions of “Nico.”

Roots Manuva
Banana Skank EP
(Big Dada)
Using one of the tracks from his last album to built this EP around, one of the most distinct voices in UK hip hop provides two remixes as well as two new tracks. Not surprisingly, it is the rhymes that stand out. Click his name to read my review for Vibe.
Listen to “Party Time” from the EP.

Trixie Whitley
Fourth Corner
(Strong Blood)
Chris Whitley’s daughter marks her own territory with this strong solo debut. Multi-genred, Trix can bellow with the best of them. From thick and sultry to sharp and poppy, she delivers. Click her name to read my review for Boxx.
Check out some of her stuff on NPR.

Reviews of some mid-season shows, plus a Q&A with Dominic Monaghan for his program: Wild Things With Dominic Monaghan, click show names to read.
Carrie Diaries (CW)
Sex And The City‘s Carrie Bradshaw’s teenage years. A little too much creative license for people who actually were teenagers in the ’80s.

Wild Things With Dominic Monaghan (BBC America)
Perennial critter-lover and one-time hobbit finally gets his own nature show. Accessible and entertaining.

Do No Harm (NBC)
A Disassociative Identity Disorder premise that falls short–despite the main character’s solid acting.