It’s not often we’ll get such a huge release week this late in the year but I’ll be damned if you’ll find us complaining about it! Some absolutely killer releases this week that are all over the map. Some new favorites, some old store favorites, and everything in between!
First and foremost, our Record of the Week goes to the excellent new album by Maserati, Pyramid of the Sun. It was a year ago, almost to the date, that drummer of Maserati, Jerry Fuchs, tragically lost his life, possibly marking this as the final Maserati album. If so, they certainly went out with a big bang as this album is about as good as music gets.
Maserati always walked a fine line of being a post rock band, but wanting to do a bit more. You could see them reaching out, trying to rise above the post rock tag but they could never quite get there. With this album, they have gone full on kraut-rock, with Fuchs entrenching himself as the drummer with his mechanical drumming which helps the band hit their apex. Zombi’s Steve Moore joins the band on synth for a couple tracks, just furthering their path down kraut rock way and adding a very otherworldly effect to these songs.
If you are a fan of 70′s prog, kraut rock, or even soundtracks to Italian horror films, Maserati’s new album is definitely one worth checking out. One of the finest releases of the year of this ilk and you’ll be hard pressed to find a better release this year, period.
Listen to “We Got the System to Fight the System” from Maserati’s Pyramid of the Sun
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Highlights
Cee-Lo Green - The Lady Killer (Elektra)
I have to say, I am surprised to find myself liking this so much. I have never been all that big on Gnarls Barkley, and generally don’t even venture down this avenue of music. After hearing the lead single, “Fuck You,” I was completely hooked. There is some very genuine sounding Motown production on some of these cuts and honestly, it’s just so damn catchy! I was equally shocked to find Cee-Lo covering Band of Horses, “No One’s Gonna Love You” on this album as well and he does an absolutely fantastic version of it. Absolutely worth checking out!
Listen to “Fuck You” from Cee-Lo Green’s The Lady Killer
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Tallest Man on Earth – Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird (Dead Oceans)
One of our favorite artists making music today, The Tallest Man on Earth, is back with a new release, his second of the year. This time it’s an EP of material, five songs that find him going electric, going softer, and honing his singer-songwriting skills and stepping into his own and out of the Dylan comparison. Don’t fear though, only one song on here is electric, and he still is solo. Overall, another absolutely great release from one of our favorite Swedes!
Listen to “The Dreamer” from Tallest Man on Earth’s Sometimes the Blues Is Just a Passing Bird
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Jefre Cantu-Ledesma – Love Is a Stream (Type)
Jefre Cantu-Ledesma has been releasing records for years, solo or as the leader of The Alps for the past couple, but as a member of the always excellent Tarentel years ago. He now works primarily as an ambient artist, and has released his best work as a solo artist by far with his new album, Love Is a Stream. Where as Cantu-Ledesma has worked within a much more noisier palette in the last, his new album is one of very warm tones, bringing to mind Fennesz, Grouper or Tim Hecker. Absolutely essential for the season.
Listen to “Stained Glass Body” from Jefre Cantu Ledesma’s Love Is a Stream
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