By now, it's common knowledge among music geeks that Johnny Rotten, a gutter poet long before it was either cool or cliched, was a huge reggae fan. While not as iconic as the still venomous Sex Pistol, weathered punk Tim Armstrong rasps his way into mid-life through this belated solo debut that displays an ardent love of classic Jamaican music.
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Durtro Jnana issues a remastered, repackaged edition of this hard-to-find album by Current 93, widely acknowledged as one of their finest. Released after the breakthrough apocalyptic folk masterpiece Thunder Perfect Mind, but before the maximalist phantasmagoria of The Inmost Light trilogy, Of Ruine strikes a perfect balance between melody and pscyhedelic experimentation, between lyrical clarity and impenetrable esoterica.
With 2003's Leave Luck To Heaven album and Backstroke, its subsequent companion EP, Matthew Dear unveiled unexpected pop nuggets discovered amidst the gurgling, glitchy rhythms. Including his own effected vocals offered a welcoming doorway for curious novices to enter and pretentious purists, if they so chose, to leave. His best release yet, Asa Breed rewards those who opted to stay.
While it is not quite a return to form for Rasputina, Oh Perilous World is a step back in the right direction. I know that the overly goth trappings of the group might not be everyone's cup of tea but I have always had a soft spot for Melora Creager's group. This sixth album sees Rasputina move further from the dark chamber music of their earlier releases. The songs are linked by a rough concept which makes the album feel, for better and for worse, like an eccentric Broadway musical.
Multi-instrumentalist Mattias Gustavsson of Dungen enlists a few kindred spirits to help him create a joyous album celebrating the wonders of nature. Despite my initial wariness of its sunny outlook, this album turned out to be surprisingly well-rounded. It has stylistic changes, beautiful arrangements, and excellent singing in equal measure and yet still manages to take enough chances to keep it unpredictable.
A few months back, while reviewing Pole's recent album, I commented that ~scape's relevance was diminishing in tandem with the tragic creative downfall of its once-trailblazing founder. However, perhaps I spoke a bit prematurely, given the latest unique and luxurious sounds from this dubsonic bulwark for the otherwise sagging imprint.
One of the original Factory bands returns after a 21 year silence with a new album that captures the classic post-punk feel with modern day trappings. While some elements of nostalgia from that "classic" age creeps in, it still feels fresh, current, and fascinating.
Four German composers (Stefan Funck, Gregory Buttner, Asmus Tietchens and Nicolai Stephan) had been meeting in Room 318 for years, but the room had a problem. The heating system didn't work, and made odd noises. Surely a distraction, but with artists like these, they made the natural decision: use the odd noises of the radiators and make an album out of them.
It is not a prerequisite to appreciate soccer or French star Zinedine Zidane's role in the modern game to enjoy Mogwai's work on this film's soundtrack, but Zidane the man and Zidane the film give the music context that will mean something more to fans of the game.
