They may have a slightly sizable fan base, but the followingband’s recent releases are simply not getting enoughplay.
The reason is not because they are low quality or particularlyunattractive, but rather because the general American public tendsto be lazy when it comes to assessing talent.
And while it is easier to pick your favorite bands from MTV,chances are, such popular bands lack the power to speak to youpersonally. That’s where the work comes in, because asdifferent people, we relate to different sounds and differentmessages in music.
The following are albums dropped this summer that just mighthave that power.
Sonic Youth — Sonic Nurse (Geffen)
With a sound pioneered in the early 80’s producing racketyalbums such as Confusion is Sex and Dirty, SonicYouth’s newest release has shown the band’s evolutionfrom dissidence and feedback into a more refined, yet sill visceralsounding record. Lead singer Karen Gordon moans about strangefascinations with things like Mariah Carey and hand cream, precededand followed by trudging guitar solos by Thurston Moore (arguablyone of the best guitarists still rocking). The musicianship of thisband is elite, and proves that just because you’re over 40and strung out doesn’t mean you can’t still create ayouthful, provocative arsenal of sound.
The Faint — Wet From Birth (Saddle Creek)
A long awaited release from this popular dance-punk band provesthat subjects such as televangelists, erections, and the birthingprocess are all things to get up and dance about. Intense andexperimental, I have yet to find a single soul who does not fall inlove with this band upon hearing songs like “Drop Kick thePunks” or “Desperate Guys.” Perfect for drunkenbacchanalias, waking yourself up for an 8 a.m. class or for havinga private disco party in your head while stuck in traffic.
P J Harvey — Uh Huh Her (Island)
Angry, British and throaty as hell, Ms. Polly Jean Harveyreleases her first CD in four years, mutating the sound of herprevious poppy album (Stories from the City, Stories from theSea) into a bass-driven and cathartic cesspool of musicalecstasy.
Harvey is my favorite musician right now, and its not justbecause we have the same haircut. It’s because you cannotcategorize Harvey; She is not pop, not punk, not indie, and notrock. She is simply a badass, and I can’t say anything elseabout it.
The Good Life – Album of the Year (Saddle Creek)
Hailing from the indie-rock epicenter of Omaha, Neb., thisacoustic side project fronted by Tim Kasher (part of the morerock-oriented group Cursive, now playing with the Curiosa tour)picks up the pieces of a broken relationship in a conceptual12-month chronicle of the life and death of a love. Kasher utilizesa slide guitar and bongo drums to illuminate the darker places ofbreaking up, avoiding anger or pity, “you used to call me onyour break/but you’ve been so busy…” The album isperfect for nights when you’re all alone and away from sharpobjects, brooding and looking for a calming voice to tell you astory you’re all too familiar with.
