Music RECORDS JAZZ & WORLD
JAZZ PASCAL SCHUMACHER QUARTET Bang My Can (Enja) ●●●●● The Luxembourg vibes player added Scottish saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski to his quartet for some gigs late last year, and that extra bite that his horn brought to the music feels sadly missed now. That said, there is still plenty to enjoy in this set of slick, subtly structured contemporary European jazz.
Both the leader and pianist Franz von Chossy emerge as thoughtful and inventive soloists, and the quartet are adept at conjuring up pleasingly evocative soundscapes that owe relatively little to the staples of American jazz, and quite a lot to Schumacher’s training as a classical percussionist. (Kenny Mathieson)
JAZZ LYNNE ARRIALE Convergence (IN+OUT Records) ●●●●●
American pianist Lynne Arriale has maintained a high-quality output since her emergence in the mid-90s, and this latest offering more than maintains that standard. Arriale’s trio with bassist Omer Avital and drummer Anthony Pinciotti is an excellent one, and the addition of tenor saxophonist Bill McHenry on just under half the tracks adds extra spice to proceedings. A selection of the pianist’s intriguing compositions are complemented by inventive reworkings of several pop tunes, including The Beatles’ ‘Here Comes The Sun’, Sting’s ‘Sister Moon’, ‘Paint It Black’ and a brooding take on Blondie’s ‘Call Me’. (Kenny Mathieson)
WORLD HAMMOCK HOUSE Africa Caribe (Fania-Código) ●●●●● Brooklyn DJ/producer Hammock House, aka Joaquín ‘Joe’ Claussell, wittily adds vital 21st-century underpinning to Latin classics created for Fania, the New York label responsible for the hottest Latin music of the 70s and 80s. Dusting off the back catalogue that fills every legitimate DJ’s crates, disc one is an extended tribute while disc two remixes peerless pieces
including Celia Cruz’s hymn to Afro-Cuban drumming deity ‘Changó’ and Eddie Palmieri’s ‘Lucumí’ for seamless dancefloor shifts. Apart from Jai Veda’s soulful ‘Undeniable Love’, each piece tributes Afro-Cuban religion, proof that the resistance musics that were slavery’s only valid inheritance retain deep meaning today. (Jan Fairley)
WORLD VIEUX FARKA TOURÉ The Secret (Six Degrees) ●●●●●
Anyone watching the 2010 South African World Cup opening concert will have seen Vieux Farka Touré showing he is no longer merely walking in father Ali’s footsteps. This album sees Vieux recording in Brooklyn and Bamako, developing collaborative grooves that decorate rather than eclipse Malian blues. Jazz futurist Eric Krasno’s production invites collaborators like Eric Herman, Derek Trucks and notably singer Dave Matthews on board. The title track sees Vieux duet posthumously with Ali, while John Scofield offers a sublime rock framing for Gido. All it lacks is some occasional airy female choruses. (Jan Fairley)
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SINGLES & DOWNLOADS
It’s a good month for Scots musicians, both electronic and otherwise. Probably the best ever, in fact, for 24-year-old Aberdonian Emeli Sandé with ‘Heaven’ (EMI) ●●●●●, her instantly recognisable, ‘Unfinished Sympathy’-like major label debut after high-profile guest appearances alongside Wiley, Tinie Tempah and Magnetic Man. Despite the rather obvious reference, it’s a fine pop song set off by a great voice. Perhaps destined for less mainstream success is River of Slime’s ‘Volume One’ (Phuturelabs) ●●●●●, a brain-melting 17-minute epic of hip-hop-redolent glitch electronica from FOUND’s Kev Sim (see page 71 for an interview) with excellent remixes from local collaborators including Glasgow’s S-Type. Dam Mantle’s ‘We’ EP (GETME!) ●●●●● meanwhile, is an extended odyssey of four quality uptempo ambient soundscapes (see interview, page 64). Both are acquired tastes, but still smart and forward-thinking slices of synthesised songwriting, which means they might file easily alongside Radiohead’s double A-side ‘Little By Little (Caribou remix)/Lotus Flower (Jacques Greene remix)’ (XL Recordings) ●●●●●.
Briskly sidestepping Mona ‘Shooting the Moon’ (Zion
Recordings) ●●●●● on account of their not being the American Glasvegas let alone the American U2, let’s ponder how well the tender Seafieldroad ‘Cramond Island Causeway’ (Biphonic) ●●●●● stands up to Bright Eyes’ ‘Jejune Stars’ (Polydor) ●●●●●. Both are intelligent, literate songs from skilled songwriters, but tender piano ballad beats rock song with too many words levered in this time.
A definite contender for Single of the Month is Hudson Mohawke’s ‘Satin Panthers’ EP (Warp) ●●●●●, if only because it features five brand new tracks from Glasgow’s retro- redefining cut-up producer, but nothing quite touches Blood Orange (pictured) with ‘Sutphin Boulevard’ (Domino) ●●●●●. The brainchild of Lightspeed Champion Devonte Hynes, it’s a laidback touch of Oriental electronic soul with a definite touch of the Terence Trent D’Arby about it. (David Pollock)
Her Royal Highness The First (The Electric Machine) ●●●●● ‘Devo vs Bananarama’ falls short of capturing the full spectrum of Edinburgh- based HRH’s sound, but is a fair start. Could use some stronger tunes but there are enough inspiring moments to make The Second an intriguing proposition.
Bodies Of Water Twist Again (Thousand Tongues/Secretly Canadian) ●●●●● LA couple-rockers Bodies of Water do a good job of synthesising an authentic 70s sound without sounding too backward-looking. Unforced classicism that stops just short of pastiche. Kid Canaveral Shouting At Wildlife (Fence Records) ●●●●● Fresh from an inspiring appearance at the SXSW band showcase, Kid Canaveral (King Creosote’s current backing band) reissue their debut album for anyone that missed it first time around.
Crystal Antlers Two-Way Mirror (Recreation Ltd) ●●●●● Foggy Californian psych- rockers Crystal Antlers’ second album is thick with reverb and pounding drums, with hazy vocals lurking in the mix. Noisy and mirage- like, but with shards of melody breaking through the clouds. The Wrong Boyfriends Wrong Fucking Century Darling (Kovorox Sound) ●●●●● Uninspiring garage punk that’s too fond of Kojak and overworked clichés. Stooges rip-off ‘Boats’ is a tedious piss-take. Bottoms out on ‘Taking Turns On Sharon’.
Rodrigo Y Gabriela Live In France (Rubyworks) ●●●●● Going from Mexico City metal to composing for Pirates of the Caribbean 4 is a respectable trajectory. This is the rattling acoustic duo’s third live album, peerlessly setting the scene for your latte. (Sean Welsh)
70 THE LIST 21 Jul–4 Aug 2011