Simone White
I Am the Man
(Honest Jon's)
Singer Simone White's nicely somber cover of Carole King's exquisite "I Didn't Have Any Summer Romance" is reason enough to pick up this record. White's whispery singing is subdued and jazzy, never straining for emotion, and the slow fade of the brass and pedal-steel guitar cast a golden afterglow. She's a chilled-out chanteuse, but an annoying bohemian smugness creeps in on a few songs. She almost makes up for it with the title track, a quiet anthem of personal autonomy. It's a mixed affair.
—John Adamian
Sigur Ros
Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust
(Beggars XL Recordings)
This Icelandic band, known for ethereal, waves-of-sound otherworldliness, invited veteran producer Flood (U2, Depeche Mode, PJ Harvey) behind the board, and created an album in one year—a real challenge for these notoriously deliberate creators. The results are looser, more organic; songs range from wistful to driving. One highlight is "Ara Batur," performed with a 90-piece orchestra and recorded with no overdubs. Sigur R?s intentionally supplants much of its ethereal, siren-like vocalization and trademark noise with raw vocals, acoustic guitar and piano. This is the sound of a band dialing down the effects and pushing their comfort zone, and even features their first song in English.
—Matthew Dube
Boredoms
Super Roots #9
(Thrill Jockey)
The first installment of this series in ages, Super Roots #9 showcases the latest incarnation of Japan's legendary Boredoms. It features multiple drum kits and turntables, augmented by a 24-person choir. Taken from a 2004 Christmas Eve show, this 40-minute track combines electro-tribal drumming, minimalist trance grooves and swooning vocal acrobatics. Think Arvo Part on speed, maybe Rhys Chatham on laughing gas. The most interesting aspect is how the choir becomes just another element of the composition. They pitch-shift and tweak wordless reveries into strange shapes. For those with stamina, Super Roots #9 delivers untrammeled ecstasy. The deluxe packaging even includes a score, so you can play along at home.
—Jeff Jackson
Sharon Shannon and Big Band
Live at Dolans
(Daisy)
Accordions are for dweebs, tango dippers and polka punks, right? Someone forgot to tell Sharon Shannon that. I guess the A-list talent she assembled for a magical night in Limerick missed the memo as well. What's your pleasure? Peat-soaked session music? Gritty rock? Pop sheen? Mountain dew? Sensitive backing for love songs? Big-band boogie? A little bit of soul? Reels so hot they induce burns? Shannon's squeeze box anchors a 10-piece combo with everything from saxophone to organ, and she trots out guests from pop throbs Declan O'Rourke and Roesy to Johnny Cash clone Jon Kenny and Cajun stylist Dessie O' Halloran. Shannon has more hip than a double-wheeled pickup.
—Rob Weir
