What music are you listening to?

[SRN]

Checking out the Branford Marsalis Quartet's latest. Everyone's been making a huge roar about Justin Faulkner joining them, and I'm just not getting why yet. He has a light touch, but the whole effort is fleeting and light. He holds it down, but there is very little room to stretch out here. Good background music, but I can't see myself revisiting this anytime soon.

I am completely the opposite. I enjoyed Four MFs Playin' Tunes a whole lot. Personally, I like the rather light aspect of jazz on display; almost reminds of Duke Ellington. I can easily see why both the album and the hype around Justin Faulkner can divide people but I mean, when you can perform like he performs on tracks like "Whiplash", I can't see how you can discount it as background music.

[GA!]

New Black Light Burns album. First album is far better but this is very good too.

[thatshortguy]

Checking out the Branford Marsalis Quartet's latest. Everyone's been making a huge roar about Justin Faulkner joining them, and I'm just not getting why yet. He has a light touch, but the whole effort is fleeting and light. He holds it down, but there is very little room to stretch out here. Good background music, but I can't see myself revisiting this anytime soon.

I am completely the opposite. I enjoyed Four MFs Playin' Tunes a whole lot. Personally, I like the rather light aspect of jazz on display; almost reminds of Duke Ellington. I can easily see why both the album and the hype around Justin Faulkner can divide people but I mean, when you can perform like he performs on tracks like "Whiplash", I can't see how you can discount it as background music.

We need to go deeper...

I'll try to report back later today after I've had more time to chew on it.

Edit: "Teo" and "Whiplash" are definitely Faulkner's standout tracks (the former making sense due to it being a Monk composition) Indeed, there's a huge Monk influence here; I catch it more here than I do an Ellington vibe. However, Marsalis definitely pushes the band -- very similar to Duke -- without being too harsh. The entire album has a freeform feel to it. Faulkner dances a lot, lending to a light and airy environment. They titled this album perfectly, as you're not being beaten over the head with anything. I'd believe it if a story broke that someone simply threw a microphone nearby and recorded a random Tuesday night where a few people showed up.

Ultimately, I think I find myself indifferent to this collection of tracks because this isn't a band I want to listen to on disc or on vinyl (well, maybe on vinyl). This is an act best seen live, and most everything else just feels weightless. To see a great jazz ensemble is how you feel the gravity of its existence.

Edit II: Ed-letic Boogaloo: Checking out the new Yellowcard ("Southern Air") and the second instrumental EP from Flea ("Helen Burns"). I should have seen this coming, but damn is Flea good at the jungle drum'n'bass style.

[The Sandman]

I've come across that EWB isn't really the place where people share my love to this band, but this is one fucking awesome cover. Seriously i want this kind of Hetfield vocals for the next Metallica album.

EDIT: It's deleted, nothing to see here.

Edited August 16, 2012 by The Sandman

[GA!]

Edit II: Ed-letic Boogaloo: Checking out the new Yellowcard ("Southern Air") and the second instrumental EP from Flea ("Helen Burns"). I should have seen this coming, but damn is Flea good at the jungle drum'n'bass style.

I enjoyed "Helen Burns" way more than the last RHCP album.

[thatshortguy]

I agree, but I still think the latest RHCP had some catch grooves. I'll be checking out his other EP later this week.

[GA!]

I agree, but I still think the latest RHCP had some catch grooves. I'll be checking out his other EP later this week.

The good tracks from I'm With You: Monarchy of Roses, Factory of Faith, Ethopia (ignoring the Ol' McDonald Had A Farm bit in the verses), Goodbye Hooray, and Happiness Loves Company. They sound lost without John Frusciante.

Speaking of, his EP Letur-Lefr is rather good.

[Guest mr. potato head]

New Mother Mother single!

Clearly moving more and more toward mainstream pop, but still, great band, definitely worth checking out. O My Heart and Eureka are both great albums.

[thatshortguy]

Looks like I'll be spinning new albums from Bloc Party and Yeasayer. Pleasantly surprised by Bloc Party's slight shift towards guitar-oriented music. Feels like a band stepping outside of its comfort zone for a moment.

[SRN]

New Yeasayer was very hit and miss with me. It is probably because I loved their debut so much and then was totally pushed on my butt when they released Odd Blood because it was so vastly different. Fragrant World is a logical step for them but they try to hit on that stripped down kind of dubstep sound that James Blake and SBTRKT ran wild with last year, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. So yeah, new album was really weird to me but it only made me more interested in what they are going to do next.

[thatshortguy]

Completely agree. It's an album that barely missed being relevant, so you can't fault them for wanting to see if they could pull that style off. Not a bad album, mind you, just not one I'll be retreading numerous times.

[SRN]

Also, today I've listened to Pepe Deluxé's new album Queen of the Wave. The only way I can describe it is a pop opera directed by Quentin Tarantino where the psychedelic Beach Boys met with an Ennio Morricone soundtrack and it just erupts in an amazing spectacle of sound and amazement. Yeah, this album has definitely shot up my list of favorite albums from 2012. Also listened to the My Bloody Valentine remasters of Isn't Anything and Loveless; honestly, this is the first time I hear these records. Isn't Anything was pretty worthless, really had one of the worst opening tracks I have ever heard so I wasn't really confident in listening to Loveless. Luckily, that LP is pretty awesome so I am glad Kevin Shields decided to go bananas after recording that than before it.

[RPS]

I'm going to listen to the whole Blur 21 Boxset this weekend. Wish me luck.

[Johnny Drama]

My Bombjacks EP finally arrived from Japan, its only 5 tracks and not as good as the alum but its still awesome.

[thatshortguy]

It's the new Alanis Morissette at work today. Very light-hearted affair, as he voice reflects her mood these days. Nothing close to "Uninvited" here, but if you secretly liked "Thank U", it's worth the time.

[Johnny Drama]

The First - Swimming with Sharks finally arrived decent up and coming band they are working on a follow up now. Sit Tight I think they released as a single is on youtube.

[Jimmy]

a few bands I saw at Reading but hadn't got into before seem to have me listening alot; The Skints and Fidlar. Also listening to SRN's suggestions cos I want some new stuff to listen too. Pepe Deluxe seem like fun and new yeasayer isn't bad - I've never heard their first album, so I might go back and listen to that - only heard Odd Blood.

[SRN]

a few bands I saw at Reading but hadn't got into before seem to have me listening alot; The Skints and Fidlar. Also listening to SRN's suggestions cos I want some new stuff to listen too. Pepe Deluxe seem like fun and new yeasayer isn't bad - I've never heard their first album, so I might go back and listen to that - only heard Odd Blood.

The problem I have with Yeasayer is that their albums are so hard to compare because each of them are so different. I mean, I enjoy their debut the most but... I don't know.

[KONGO]

Conifer's Surface Fire. An old favorite, mostly for the first two tracks, especially "Cruciform Empennage." Their first album was deep crush drone, but they weren't very good at it. They're better at the Pelican-ish style they use in Surface Fire, but they broke up like right after. Shame, too. Last track has Eugene Robinson from Oxbow doing vocals. Eugene Robinson is a beast on vocals but every song he sings on (I've also heard him do vocals for a Capricorns song) just sounds like an Oxbow song, and not band+Robinson. That's not a bad thing, really, since Oxbow is awesome. It's just disappointing.

[SRN]

Just want to say thank you to Skummy again for introducing me to Les Rallizes Denudés. God damn it, they are so fucking good.