Silber Media has long been a fine destination for ambient and experimental electronica, slowcore, avant pop, and, yes, holiday music. The imprint’s latest Christmas Compilation, White Silber: A Long Slow Xmas, is now available for free download via Archive.org. The website also has several of Silber’s comps from holidays past. Among their Christmas-themed offerings, I’m particularly fond of Winterizing; there’s also a Halloween sampler.
In terms of digital distribution, Silber has been ahead of the industry for quite a while . Obviously, one hopes that many of those who sample the label’s compilation downloads will also support Silber by purchasing their releases. Two recent recordings of note are Aarktica’s In Sea and Vlor’s Six-Winged. The former combines ambient IDM with dronecore and includes an unorthodox cover: Danzig’s “Am I Demon?” The latter is Silber’s resident supergroup, featuring over a dozen of the imprint’s artists in an eclectic melange of indie rock, slowcore, and electronica.
Weezer’s long been a band with a penchant for paying homage to pop styles past; they have a particular affection for early rock ‘n roll (note early hit “Buddy Holly”). They’ve also had a string of videos that are playfully good-humored tropes on pop cultural topics ranging from Happy Days to the Muppets to viral videos. They combine 50simages with musical stylings from the decade in the video for “(If you’re wondering if I want you to) I want you to,” the lead off single for Raditude, the bands latest Interscope LP.
While “…I want you to” is certainly a highlight, it’s not the only song that’s “single-worthy” on this fine release from the band. ”I’m Your Daddy,” “Can’t Stop Partying,” and “Let it All Hang Out” are equally tuneful, punchy, and lithe creations. Meanwhile, a more layered, nuanced approach is taken on “Put Me Back Together” and “I Don’t Want to Let you Go.”
One expects that more videos – ripe for fame with the YouTube set – are in the offing.
Xiu Xiu’s forthcoming release, Dear God I Hate Myself (Streets Feb. 23 on Kill Rock Stars), is far less chaotic than previous noise-rock experiments and far less nihilistic than its title track might suggest. Synth squonks and electronic percussion offset vocal hooks of considerable heft. All these elements are established signatures of the band’s sound; but this time out, they’re more sophisticated in their amalgamation. It seems as if Xiu Xiu vocalist Jamie Stewart benefits enormously from the band’s musical development; he’s a more compelling and consistently engaging front man this time out.
Indeed, Dear God suggests that latter day goth-pop can simultaneously be both sophisticated and experimental. A combination of maturation and personnel changes has given Xiu Xiu a jolt, making this release worthy of eager anticipation.
Carla Bley with Steve Swallow and the Partyka Brass Quintet
ECM/Watt CD WATT 35
I’m somewhat finicky about holiday music, banishing it from the house until as close to Christmas as can be managed. Don’t get me wrong. I adore a well-crafted re-imagining of seasonal chestnuts by an esteemed classical, jazz, or pop artist. But so many truly wretched retreads are blared at one in public. Indeed, it’s understandable when some folks sum up holiday music as merely another facet of crass commercialism.
Happily, this year there’s musical rescue at hand. Pianist, composer and arranger Carla Bley has joined forces with esteemed bassist Steve Swallow and the Partyka Brass Quintet to serve up a zesty disc of jazz-inflected holiday cheer. Carla’s Christmas Carols combines elegant contemporary jazz renditions of carols such as “Away in the Manger” and “O Tannenbaum” with clever takes on holiday favorites such as Mel Torme’s “The Christmas Song” and the irrepressible “Jingle Bells.” Bley also contributes a couple of sleekly-scored originals to the proceedings, and arranges all of the tunes with characteristic taste and imaginative flair.
Carla’s Christmas Carols proves an ideal way to enjoy holiday favorites anew without ever feeling like too much saccharine’s been slipped into the punchbowl.
Bristol duo Malakai have renamed themselves Malachai (Hebrew for “angel”).
Malachai by Marc Bressant
While their moniker is resspelled, what hasn’t changed is the duo’s penchant for mixing up suave electronica with earthier garage rock signatures.
Their next LP, Ugly Side of Love, is scheduled for release by Domino on 2 February 2010. the label’s released a teaser track, “Fading World,” which you can check out here.
Entries (RSS)