Slayer – World Painted Blood

(American)

4                     

 

Back in the late 80s, a kid from the neighborhood would show up at the bus stop every morning and say simply, “Slayer is rad.” He was talking about the now-classics, Reign in Blood and South of Heaven, and those of us of with similar feelings would nod in agreement. That was about all you needed to say.

            After some missteps in the 90s – Undisputed Attitude, Diabolus in Musica, Divine Intervention – the band whose influence on modern metal is matched by only a handful of other bands came roaring back from hell with God Hates Us All and the outstanding Christ Illusion, which saw Dave Lombardo return to the drum throne. Now, with World Painted Blood, Slayer comes not only roaring, but careening from hell in a Dodge Demon with no brakes, a fifth of Jack in hand and an arsenal of weaponry in the trunk.

            If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I hate using that phrase, but if it ever fits, it’s here – Tom Araya’s voice is as powerfully pissed-off as ever; Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman are writing and playing better and heavier than most of the snot-nosed whippersnappers who need to get the f**k off their lawn – and Dave Lombardo – a 44-year-old man – is drumming like he’s still 19.

            Like those dismal mornings 20-plus years ago, there’s no point waxing on about the band. Slayer is still rad, and World Painted Blood will please fans of the band who were happily surprised and tantalized by Christ Illusion.

-- Paul Dockery

 

Yim Yames – Tribute To

(ATO Records)

3

 

Yames is a pseudonym of My Morning Jacket mainman (and Monsters of Folk sideman) Jim James (itself a stage-name). So you know to expect some righteous, heartfelt Americana from the wilds of Kentucky (well, if Louisville can be called wild, anyhow). So no real surprises here. This is James solo, and it's an acoustic, laid-back offering of six songs. As the title references, this is a re-interpreting of tunes, here all by the late Beatle George Harrison, shining a light on Harrison's oft-overlooked genius. "Long, Long, Long" is a lonely lament, and "Behind That Locked Door" is given a gentle, rural country vibe. "Love You To" is ghostly, with James' vocals drifting away in a dusty cloud, while "My Sweet Lord" resonates most with me, having heard it so often growing up in a Beatles' fan household. These tracks are very spare recordings, rattled off by James in response to Harrison's passing way back in 2001. They've only now been released.

Admittedly, serious Harrison fans may scoff at these low-key re-interpretations, but to a new generation unfamiliar with this under-appreciated Beatle's contributions, this could be a perfect jumping-off point.

-- Todd Zachritz

 

 

 

Deborah Martin & Erik Wøllo – Between Worlds

(Spotted Peccary)

4

 

The sound of "Americana" is really a new development, and though it does reflect many of our "roots" in this country, it's not altogether accurate. On this series of recordings, composers Martin and Wøllo pay tribute to the true Americana - the music and spirit of the Native Americans. The worlds of healing, magic, and ritual are reflected here in these compositions, and with fellow ambient/ethno sound sculptor Steve Roach assisting, the duo explores these ceremonial spaces with location recordings, native instruments, chants, and even old 1894 cylinder recordings. "In Between Worlds" is just that -- an audio travelogue examining the spaces between the inner and outer planes, life and death, and the natural and spiritual worlds. It's a fairly relaxing, ambient sort of sound here, and tracks like "Gathering at Sunrise" are simply beautiful and uplifting collages of chant, light percussion, and an irresistibly uplifting groove. These are songs full of reverence, light, love, and peaceful oneness. Wonderful.

-- Todd Zachritz

 

 

Cannonhands – Laughter, Blood and Spit

(Future Destination Records)

3

 

Some of my fondest memories of my time spent at the University of Southern Indiana involved Billy Perkins and sitting in the University Center and chatting about music. We were both young and excited about bands, new and old. Billy would sit across the table from me and say things like, “man, I’ve really been getting into Elvis Costello lately” and I would say things like, “you’ve gotta hear this new Anniversary record!”

            Some things never change – only now, Billy is telling me to check out his new project with Jeremy Edmonson, another colleague who I’d remembered watching come up through the ranks of the Evansville music scene when I still thought playing ska made you cool.

            Cannonhands is Billy and Jeremy’s new band and it’s proven to be quite the undertaking as far as Evansville is concerned. I can’t remember a release that’s assembled the cast of musicians this group has. Fifteen in all and what matters most is that Laughter, Blood and Spit comes off as a wholly organic body of work. It feels as though many of these musicians have been playing together for years.

            Perkins has always been a great songwriter and over the years I’ve watched him mature from writing simply succinct pop songs to those that have more and more texture. The opening cut, “You Fought Wars” illustrates this perfectly with fingerpicked guitar, tambourine and Perkins’ emotive voice ringing out above the mix, cue the chorus as Edmonson’s drums explode and propel the song forward.

            In a lot of ways, Billy’s approach to songwriting reminded me of Pete Yorn, but on Laughter, Blood and Spit he branches out, capturing the spirit of Morrissey or Echo and the Bunnymen on “Been a Long Time” or Whiskeytown on “Habit O’ Mine” featuring Christina D. Stupley on violin, hearkening back to echoes of Caitlin Carey and Ryan Adams fiddle-tinged duets.

            “Wait for It” is a sonic blast, bringing in Bruce Nguyen in on guitar bringing back memories of the two performing as Moonlight Heist, but Edmonson’s drums take the song to another level providing the perfect punctuation to Nguyen’s onslaught of sonic discourse.

            Really, my only complaint with Laughter, Blood and Spit is that in a way, it’s too adventurous. It’s not that Perkins and Edmonson bit off more than they could chew, they certainly deliver the goods, but an album chockfull of 15 tracks could’ve used a little bit of editing, such as “All Best are Off.” While, “I’m a survivor/Just like MacGyver” is a fun lyric, complete with the “oh no you didn’t!” bridge, it feels out of place on the record.

            All in all though, it’s a minor complaint on a strong release. Once you get to the stunningly beautiful chorus of “Your Highways are Bare,” with it’s arching melodies, you’ll agree.

I’m very much looking forward to the next phone call or email from Billy and co. saying, “you’ve gotta listen to this!” because as it stands with the level of growth and maturation in his writing over the years, there are great things to come. -- Aaron Distler

 

Ethernet – 144 Pulsations of Light

(Kranky)

4

 

Using sound as a meditative or healing instrument isn't a new idea. In fact, this is likely among the earliest applications for music itself. Tim Gray (who is Ethernet) seeks to re-establish the self-healing and trance-provoking elements of ambient sound on his debut here. Beginning with the drones of "Majestic," Gray's shimmering pulses are grounded by an underlying 808 backbeat -- a singular, simplistic rhythm. "5 + 7 = 12" is almost melodic, as a lilting loop is placed among the electronic textures and field recordings. That dubby back-rhythm, combined with the trancey natural landscapes, reminds me a bit of the landmark work of Wolfgang Voigt as Gas, although Ethernet is more drone-based and hazy/distant. "Summer Insects" drops the beats entirely, and becomes even more effective and organic, like a paean to a lost rainforest. "Seaside" is a calming affirmation, while "Kansai" is more upbeat. The closer, "Temple," is a celestial gem that sparkles and gently lulls. This is some righteously beautiful and timeless work, and here's to hoping that Ethernet can continue on this splendid, nature-oriented path.

-- Todd Zachritz

 

KK Null – Oxygen Flash

(Neurot Recordings)

3.5

 

The Japanese icon Null (aka Kazayuki Kishino), for those not yet familiar, is a veteran guitarist who's resume reads like a "who's who" is avant/experimental/noise musics. He's led trash/noise groups like YBO2, Absolut Null Punkt (A.N.P.), and sludge-grind metallists Zeni Geva. He's also collaborated with just about everyone of note in the world of left field music for the past 25 years. This new solo release of 2006-2007 work eschews the guitar in favor of loud, unsettling electro-acoustic cacophonies. The nine untitled tracks here clock in at over 49 combined minutes, and they range from near-power electronics to overloaded, fractured, and amplified digitally-processed glitch - sometimes grating (and unashamedly so), yet rife with an ear for subtlety upon deeper absorption. Track four is a particularly monolithic slab of barreling, broken rhythms, and chaotic electro-percolations.

            Track five is a stinging barrage of trebly distortions and proto-rhythms, sounding quite alien and disorienting, while track 6 is a hypnotic space-out collision of Geiger pops and squeltchiness. Other tracks are similarly foreign and, due to their rather extreme nature, difficult to ignore or relegate to the background. Null's skills are evident here, as in the hands of a lesser ear, this set could be indulgent and messy. As it is, "Oxygen Flash" is a highly immersive set of playful sonic compositions with much to offer upon repeat spins. Enjoyable and unforgettable work.

-- Todd Zachritz

 

Stationary Odyssey – Sons of Boy

(Joyful Noise)

5

 

Hailing from both Mud Center and Sprinklesburgh, Indiana, Stationary Odyssey have spent the better part of the 2000s creating sounds. “What a flatfooted statement,” you, dear reader, are thinking. Sound – or the oft-used word “soundscape” – offers the opportunity to wonder: What sound? Is it harsh? Pleasing? Melodic? Sensual? Abrasive? Gorgeous? In the case of Stationary Odyssey, the answer is and has been: Yes to all. With EPs such as Komondor in 2003 and the 2006 LP Head! Foot! And the Pink Axe as launching points for this, the collaborative effort of not only the heart and brains of SO – Aaron Tanner and Brett Siler – but of a cast of contributors new and old (Damon Dawson, Shawn Knight, Stephen Lang, Brint Powell, Scott Siler, Chris Schlard, Jackson Tanner and vocalist Veesugee).

            “Torticline” is a cozy swing in a hammock-turned into a spinning-drunk skydive down an elevator shaft; “Johnfriend” is the song Sonic Youth was about to lay onto Daydream Nation but couldn’t quite pull together. “Chunk Feeder Blues” rocks as dirty as anything a band made up of Muddy Waters, members of Kings of Leon, early AC/DC and Black Sabbath might put together. The journey on “Brand of Shame” is reminiscent of – and in league with – Jeff Beck’s Blow by Blow, an album of all-instrumentals that belongs in the collection of anyone who needs their mind blown by incredible musicianship, expert arrangements and true creativity, which is a trait that’s sometimes difficult to find in the minefield of hackneyed musical disasters out there.

            So is Sons of Boy. And that these songs were created from the ground up right here in our neighborhood is icing on the cake.

-- Paul Dockery

 

 

Harvestman – In a Dark Tongue

(Neurot Recordings)

5

 

Having heard a number of avant-metal band Neurosis' releases and side projects, I thought I'd had these guys pegged. Then I get this new release from (Neurosis frontman) Steve Von Till, and my preconceptions are blown. And in a wickedly good way. It turns out that this is Von Till's second release as Harvestman, and In a Dark Tongue is a trippy, oozing miasma of dark, psychedelic space rock with a healthy dose of krautrock dipped onto the blotter. But before you think I'm describing some kind of retro prog-rock silliness, let it be known that Harvestman's wide-open psilocybin-scapes are positively mind-altering on their own. The lengthy drones and overloaded effects on the thirteen-minute "By Wind And Sun" become a mantra of epic proportions, enveloping listeners in gauzy noise and guitars like a lava lamp set to "destroy". "Music of the Dark Torrent" is a stark, layered guitar piece that encircles itself peacefully until a series of disorienting digital tones take over the mix. Weird and otherworldly. "The Hawk of Achill" brings in Al Cisneros of Sleep/Om fame for a trance-inducing percussive assault that reminds of Amon Duul II-meets-Neu!-gone-evil. Amazing. The journey ends with the ambient electronics of "Centre of the World," tempering the fires that burned so intensely on this wondrous and truly hallucinogenic rock album. 

-- Todd Zachritz

 

Collide – These Eyes Before

(Noiseplus Music)

4.5

 

This California group's fifth full-length shines a new light on the duo's darkly sensual grooves. Formed in the mid-90s amidst the industrial rock frenzy, programmer Statik and vocalist kaRIN have steadily built a solid reputation and audience, fully independently, and their work has been instrumental in diversifying an increasingly testosterone-laden electronic dance/rock scene. They have befriended and worked alongside artists like Tool, Skinny Puppy, and Prince, but fittingly, it's their own work that garners them the most attention.

            These Eyes Before is a collection of ten covers, beginning with Pink Floyd's "Breathe," which is transformed into a lovely and fantastic soundscape with an appropriately spaced-out vibe, and of course kaRIN's smooth and ethereal vocals. The Moody Blues' "Nights in White Satin" is also respectfully updated, with a superb mix of organic instrumentation and sleek programming. Other standouts? Depeche Mode's "I Feel You" is trippier and better-produced than the original.

            Bowie's amazing "Space Oddity" is given a wonderful modern electronic cyber-grafting, with kaRIN's breezy vocals pointed to the celestial heavens. Chris Isaak's "Baby Did a Bad Thing" effectively brings some smoldering, gritty rock to the table, and Fleetwood Mac's percussive "Tusk" is recreated, with actual marching band, and it all closes out with another Pink Floyd classic, "Comfortably Numb." Normally, I'd shout "heresy," as some things are just sacred, but Collide admirably pull it off, adding a cool and deep layer of mood to the song's already-potent melancholy. A superb release, and perhaps their best yet.

-- Todd Zachritz