Tunng
Good Arrows
(Thrill Jockey)
These Brits appear to be onto something (not to mention that they also appear to be on something). With lots of twitchy little samples, found sounds, fuzzy radio noise, finger snaps, chiming bells in reverse and gently plucked guitar, the mellow vocals flow fluidly over everything. They do this whole quiet-folk-augmented-by-technology thing differently in Great Britain. In the spirit of artists like the Beta Band and Super Furry Animals, Tunng don’t seem invested in pretending that they’re stuck in some bygone era. Instead, these songs draw on folk, electronica, soft rock and dance music and let them all steep together nicely. The only real problem is trying to figure out how to pronounce the band name.
—John Adamian
Laurie Anderson
Big Science
(Nonesuch)
Laurie Anderson’s classic 1982 debut has been reissued with some fine bonus videos, but the real draw is the remastering that restores the album’s rumbling low end. Her prescient mix of cool minimalism, cutting-edge synths and catchy hooks now seems less antiseptic and more forceful. “This is the time,” she intones on the opening track. “And this is the record of the time.” Big Science radiates an unmistakable early ’80s downtown NYC vibe, but its wary exploration of technology and embrace of electronics remains relevant. Songs like “O Superman” and “It Tango” may no longer deliver the shock of the new, but Anderson’s trenchant social observations, wry delivery and meticulous sonic hybrids still sound singular.
—Jeff Jackson
Ayo
Joyful
(Interscope)
Ayo makes reggae-tinged neo-soul. Her voice can go deep and raspy or more air-born and sweet. It’s mellow: lots of gently plucked guitar, rim-shots and harmonica. Ayo’s debut reflects the global pop education she received as a kid, with a Nigerian father who turned her on to everything from Pink Floyd to Fela Kuti. People compare her to Sade, but Ayo is a little less posh. Erykah Badu comes to mind too. This music goes down easy but doesn’t stick; Ayo is more about texture and vibe than songs and melodies. Cynics may find themselves feeling uplift fatigue after this one.
—John Adamian
Jim Nunally
Gloria’s Waltz
(FGM)
If you like fancy guitar flat-picking and bluegrass singing filled with nasal tones and tight harmonies, this is the album for you. Nunally’s Martin guitar is a rich treasure and the album’s songs are gems in their own right. Among the more surprising covers are a reworked guitar solo of Don McLean’s “Vincent” and a high lonesome cover of J. C. Fogerty’s “Big Train from Memphis.” But the most fun comes when Nunally resurrects songs from country music’s cornball period. These days not many people write lines like “I’m so sick and tired/ of getting up so sick and tired/ and I’m tired of having arms full of empty.” More’s the pity. If you’re suffering from a bad case of musical pretentiousness, Gloria’s Waltz is the antidote.
—Rob Weir
