Black 47
Iraq
(UFO)
Black 47 is known for its pro-IRA rants, but their latest directs Celtic punk rock anger at the war in Iraq. This time the politics are a bit more palatable, especially given a refreshing break from didacticism in favor of focusing on soldiers' experiences. The band's M.O. is to postmodernize Celtic music—a juiced up jig here, a reggae-laced reel there—and sell it like it's never been done before. This time they even mine the pop realm: "Stars and Stripes" samples the tune for "Sloop John B." Clever? Not really. Cutting edge? Not for a decade. The band's punk posturing is passé; the attempt to capture G.I. experiences comes off like bad boys trying to play cowboy in camouflage, and Larry Kirwan's vocals sound like Dylan on a bad day—a very bad day.
—Rob Weir
Baby Dee
Safe Inside the Day
(Drag City)
Warning: transgendered harpist and songwriter Baby Dee sounds an awful lot like Tiny Tim. There's only, like, one out of every 1,000 listeners who will be able to even tolerate this. That said, there's a grandeur and emotion similar to Antony and the Johnsons or Lotte Lenya to the music on Baby Dee's debut, and it might interest some to know that Will Oldham and Andrew W.K. help bring her vision to life. These songs about Baby Dee's childhood street in Cleveland, Ohio provide a gospel shiver, but her big voice is more likely to weird you out. You've been warned.
—John Adamian
Animosity
Animal
(Blackmarket Activities)
Animosity is one of the few current metal groups interested in creating quality albums—they don't treat their art and lyrics like they're disposable. Guitarist Frank Costa and drummer Navene Koperweis wrote a series of impeccably precise, blazing fast songs. And rather than simply bashing the powerful, vocalist Leo Miller advocates personal resistance. Check out the bellow that opens "You Can't Win," about the emotional aftermath Miller experienced when his girlfriend was killed by a drunk driver. When I read the lyrics, I almost cried in the middle of a library.
—Dan Barry
Dengue Fever
Venus on Earth
(M 80)
Though they've been around for a while, the L.A.-based band Dengue Fever fits perfectly into the evolving narrative of music in 2008. Indie rock is going global. This group of American hipsters and music buffs teamed up with Cambodian singer Chhom Nimol to make a blend of Khmer pop with a little rock muscle added. Fans of Bollywood soundtracks or the label Sublime Frequencies will appreciate Dengue Fever's slightly irreverent take on world music. They're the first Western-based band to perform Khmer rock in Cambodia since Pol Pot took over in 1975.
—John Adamian
