Straight Outta Norway: Therese Aune
Since it is the end of the year and none of the trusty blogs that I read are posting, I have basically been hunting the Scandinavian-esque interwebs looking for tasty morsels of auditory delectability. Here is one. Like a Norwegian Coco Rosie/Regina Spektor or something. Listen more here.
News from Finland: Keramick and Lobo
Given my love for all things Scandinavian, I have been a little confused at the lack of coverage on the Finnish side of things. And, as a matter of fact, there are a lot of great bands from Finland! For example, Keramick and Lobo are a duo hailing from the nations capitol Helsinki and consists of Jussi Mikkonen and Visa Mäkinen. Their music is heavily electronic but has textures similar to the Notwist (and other Kid A influenced softspoken electro bands). The video's snowy landscapes match perfectly to the cozy soundscape of the song and somehow makes everything feel really warm. Also, if one were judge a band by their listed influences on myspace Keramick and Lobo would win. Who else cites Air, Grizzly Bear, MF DOOM, R. Kelly, Bon Iver, AND Tom Waits? No one.
Scott's Favorite Albums of 2009
I will preface this post with the traditional disclaimer: by no means is this list attempting to be an objective collection of the year's best music; it is simply the albums that I enjoyed the most over the last twelve months. Brandon's list should be coming soon too.
2009 was a great year for music. The top three albums on my list are not original; you can count on seeing them near the top of many lists this month. So I would kindly refer you to the rest of my list, which I hope is an unique contribution to the blogosphere discourse.
New Fredrik on the Way
My roommate Andrew has been listening to Fredrik's Na Na Ni all week. It's a perfect cold-weather album that made it into my top 5 of 2008. The best description of Fredrik's sound? Organic. I am still not sure how they manage to manipulate electronic percussion into sounding like creaking tree boughs. The songs cycle like homespun cloth and have an addictive movement that mimics the twirling of an antique music box (I know, right?).
And as I was taking a spin around the blogosphere this morning I stumbled upon some news! Fredrik is preparing to release their sophomore album in January. Its titled Trilogi. Two tracks have been released to the internet so far, and from what I've heard, Fredrik's sound has been preserved while their melodies have taken a turn towards the melancholic.
The darker songs suit them, and though the joyous anthems of Na Na Ni will never become tiresome, the change is welcome.
The album will be released 1/26 on The Kora Records.
Here is the first single from Trilogi (2010):
and from Na Na Ni (2008):
Catch a video and another mp3 from the new album at Stereogum
Video: Mos Def - Supermagic
More and more, hip hop forgoes any notions of an album as a coherent whole, as a statement in and of itself. Instead, artists' write in favor of "the hit" single. However, Mos Def is amazing. And while that is a non-sequitur, his most recent album is not. Each song is creative and well carried out, varying in structure and length making for a very accomplished and dynamic listen. Among many other things, the album has rapping in spanish, lots of middle eastern sounding instrumentation, and a variety of subject matter giving it a sense of relevancy that goes way beyond sex, guns, and drugs. Although these things do make their appearances, it isn't always in the glorified way mainstream rap portrays them. I posted this Fallon performance a couple weeks ago, so here is a more constructed version of what Mos Def can do. The video is for the first song off the album is called "Supermagic" and does a lot to elaborate the sheer intensity of the song. Pretty much just Mos Def staring at you, spitting lyrics and coming at you. Its kind of terrifying until you realize he really looks like that guy from Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy...
Mountain Man: Mountain Man (2009) Review.
I feel weird listening to Mountain Man on my ipod. The ironically named band of three women folkies have produced an antiquated record that sounds like a cassette recording of your hippie neighbor's backyard vegan barbecue. The songwriting is exceptional; harmonies slide back and forth in a traditional folk style, sure to evoke some scene from "O Brother Where Art Thou?".
Mountain Man walk a fine line between Sacred Harp (think Cold Mountain OST), gospel, and Gregorian chant that makes for quite an eclectic mix of tunes. Opener "Animal Tracks" finds all three singers weaving their voices together; their slurring style recalling the rawness of Bon Iver's debut. One feels, in some nostalgic sense, that the lyrics of the chorus could not be sung in any other way ("And the sweat will roll down our backs / And we'll follow animal tracks"). It has the sound of some lost childhood anthem of adventure, sung in unison as the three women trudge through the forest. For such a humble recording, its quite devastating.
On the other side is "Bathtub", a short (2 min) ceremonial song that takes a few listens to appreciate. The opening acoustic guitar is ugly; octave notes, slightly out of tune, played with a harshness that is only matched by the sheer power of the vocals. The forcefully sung chorus eventually falls into a gorgeous chord, ending with the three-part harmonized: "And the bath water's still running." The otherwise petty line holds a significant weight that sends chills down the spine.
Mountain Man's self-titled debut album is only seven songs long, none of which cross the three minute mark. Totaling about 16 minutes of music, the record feels compact and subtle, as if it was secretly recorded and never meant to be heard. You feel as if you've been listening in on an intimate rehearsal; some notes are out of tune, the sound isn't mastered well. You find yourself turning up the volume on softer sections only to be blasted with the sharpness of an elevated refrain. But it is exactly this dynamic physical connection that gives the album it's charm.
8.5 out of 10
Mountain Man :: Animal Tracks (from, Mountain Man [2009])
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