January’s Chillest CDs
(The streams below will be available until early February, when a new batch will appear.)
Jim Sullivan: U.F.O.
The first two songs on this reissue of an obscure 1969 LP might trick you to think that you’ve found a Caucasian version of Rodriguez. (Think: driving mid-tempo pop with dizzy strings and socially conscious hippie lyrics.) The mighty Rodriguez! (Also reissued by Light in the Attic Records.) Alas, U.F.O. is a tad tame for the comparison to hold for long. Ultimately, Sullivan’s voice is solid but not memorable enough for the straight readings he gives. One online commentator thought he sounded like “a more powerful Gordon Lightfoot or Jimmy Buffet”; another said Bob Lind; another Tim Buckley; we were going to say John Hartford.
While U.F.O. is playing, you will likely enjoy listening to it—it is, after all, likable. But, when it’s off, will you crave it? That’s the question. (Light in the Attic Records, 2010) —MAS
Hear this! "So Natural" by Jim Sullivan
Claudette King: WE’RE ONTO SOMETHING
One can be forgiven for approaching the music of children of famous musicians with trepidation. Or the music of slickly produced electric blues, for that matter. (See: the track records thereof.) Luckily, this double whammy of a CD from late 2010 doesn’t have to succeed fully, or on every song, for Claudette King, the daughter of the one and only B.B. King, to be revealed as a singer of distinctive warmth and feeling. The organ- and horn-rich accompaniment provides a semi-Old School soul / r&b sound, but the band seldom roughhouses on new turf. Ms. King’s voice and phrasing often make up for this lack and that, for now, is enough. With a more adventurous gameplan, she’ll have a chance to cut loose. (Blues Express, Inc., 2010) —MAS
Hear this! "Isn't Peace the Least We Can Do" by Claudette King
Vulture Whale: VULTURE WHALE
This self-titled sophomore release by Vulture Whale should give you a solid introduction to Birmingham's hometown heroes. Snarky and pseudo-literary as '90s college rock at its best, but suffused with more twang and power-pop volubility, Vulture Whale's rollicking pastiche comes off without a hint of staleness. They've got two more albums worth checking out on Birmingham-based Skybucket Records, plus high praises from Alabama brethren and labelmates, The Dexateens. (Skybucket Records, 2008) —KW
Hear this! "Land It" by Vulture Whale
Tennis: CAPE DORY
Tennis is a handsomely towheaded husband-and-wife surf-rock duo who decided to form a band upon returning from an extended sea-sailing jaunt. That is to say, songs with nautical affectations like “Seafarer” and “Bimini Bay” (and basically everything else on the album), aren’t just wishful missives from a couple of J. Crew-clad indie-minded Ivy Leaguers. Tracks like “South Carolina” serve as a cheery postcard listing precious coastal wildlife, while "Baltimore" captures what we can only assume is the irksome claustrophobia of two folks cloistered on a sailboat. Fittingly enough, Alaina Moore’s silvery vocals function as a siren song offsetting the crusty vibe of Patrick Riley’s tremolo-heavy guitar. Equal parts sweet and salty, longing and annoyed—CAPE DORY begs for sun-friendly weather to get here soon. (Fat Possum, 2011) —NE
Hear this! "Marathon" by Tennis
Bill Callahan: ROUGH TRAVEL FOR A RARE THING
ROUGH TRAVEL FOR A RARE THING is Bill Callahan’s first live album, a double LP of tracks from the catalog of the artist formerly known as Smog. Recorded in a small club in Australia, the songs convey his signature strength: lyrics that cut like bush knives through artfully woven chords of music, that “may well implant themselves in your brain, lay eggs and sprout horrifically disturbing dreams.” Or beautiful ones. ROUGH TRAVEL signifies a departure: It’s livelier, more carefully measured and directly emotional than Smog’s spare ballads. This is Callahan backed by a skilled band, but his ingenuity is constant. When a track sounds almost too polished, he delivers outré lines like “For the first time in my life / I let myself be held / Like a big old baby / I surrendered to your charity / I lay back in the tall, tall grass / Let the ants all cover me.” (Drag City, 2010) —JHB
Hear this! "Cold-Blooded Old Times" by Bill Callahan
Lazerbeak: LEGEND RECOGNIZE LEGEND
Fashion trends and cake-baking television shows have taught us that layering is key, and Lazerbeak’s album LEGEND RECOGNIZE LEGEND embodies the same style. The album’s opening song, “Dream Team,” builds gradually from an extended drumstick start-off to a symphony of harmonizing male and female voices, supported by a tricked-up organ, whimsical lyrics, and possibly an ichigenkin. Each track varies significantly from its siblings. “Wild Life” conjures drum-circles and safaris, while “Cannon Falls” harkens back to the clap-tracks of pre-teen television shows of the mid-’90s. But beneath the electronically generated tracks, LEGEND RECOGNIZES LEGEND is as natural as any acoustic performance or impromptu singing session. (Doomtree, 2010) —MTP
Hear this! "Salt and Sea" by Lazerbeak
Smith Westerns: DYE IT BLONDE
For those who felt that Smith Westerns’ self-titled debut was too much of a love letter to T. Rex, then just hold out for their follow-up, DYE IT BLONDE. They’ve enhanced their best impressions of Bolan’s whinnies and tinny lo-fi guitars with backdrops of orchestral synth palettes, angelic backing vocals, and breathier indie-rock lead vocals. It might still be derivative, but it’s a richer sound that propels their dreamy teen ballads into a more honeyed, intoxicating stratosphere. (Fat Possum, 2011) —NE
Hear this! "Weekend" by Smith Westerns
