RADIO HANNIBAL

Praise beginning to rain on Cleveland's Cloud Nothings

I wrote about Westlake's Dylan Baldi and his band Cloud Nothings exactly a year ago on the release of his full length debut, Cleveland's Cloud Nothings Power Pop To Make Us Proud.  Tuesday he released the sophomore effort, Attack On Memory, and is getting some nice critical praise.

The album currently has an 81 rating on Metacritic and the online music mavens are talking about him.  Here's some quotes. 

"So far, 1 and 1/2 listens in, this record is kicking serious ass."

"I ran three miles yesterday after leaving work in a pretty bad mood. This album had me jetting around the park, just a fucking amazing album."

 "It's obvious the guy has a way with hooks"

"The second half of the album loses a little bit of steam, but really, this is a solid album overall. I can't get behind preferring the first album to this. This just has that much more energy, intensity, etc.

This is the first new "indie rock" album I've heard in several months that rocked as much as I wanted it to, and I'm not letting you clowns take that away from me."

A listen to the outstanding song "Wasted Days" shows growth and a move away from the straight-forward pop punk of the debut.  The song is a bit of an anomaly clocking in at nearly nine minutes when the rest of the compact eight song album averages about three minutes per tune. 

Dylan spent some time working on the album in Chicago with Steve Albini.  The famed producer's touch is evident. 

Baldi's not really breaking new ground here.  He's just showing us that rock and roll is not dead. 

Artist:  Cloud Nothings (surprisingly he doesn't have an official website)

Album:  Attack On Memory

Review:  A.V. Club

Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory on Spotify

Music Pick Of The Day: The Beach Boys - Smile

Ah ha, so this is how the legendary, never-released, oft-bootlegged Smile album was supposed to sound.  Today is a special day for Beach Boy fans as the original Smile album is released for the first time. 

The music was created and recorded over 40 years ago by Brian Wilson.  The story of what happened along the way is legendary.  Here's the wikipedia entry on it.  It's quite a fascinating story. In a nutshell, Wilson was obsessed with the recording and with psychedelic drugs.  He spent hours and hours in the studio with the Wrecking Crew.  The rest of the band weren't to keen on the far out direction Wilson was steering the group's sound.  Eventually Wilson went off the deep end developing mental health issues and the project was shelved. 

There's been plenty of bootlegs floating around, trying to piece together the various recording sessions but no one was sure of what the final concept was supposed to sound like.  I have a couple of those boots with different track orders and even different songs or different takes. 

In 2004 Wilson re-recorded the material from Smile with his touring band at the time, a group of top-notch Beach Boys fan boys.  It was satisfying but in the end not the real deal.  Today we here the real Smile.

There's various packaging options available.  I'll be buying the vinyl copy of just the album.  There's a box set containing the album and four additional discs of outtakes.  And that whole set is available on Spotify. 

For hardcore fans there's even a personally autographed by Brian Wilson box set that lights up and includes a mini Beach Boys surf board.  Price?  $6,000!  

Artist:  The Beach Boys

Album:  Smile

Review:  The Guardian

The Beach Boys - The Smile Sessions five disc set on Spotify

Music Pick Of The Day: Tom Waits - Bad As Me

Today marks the release of Tom Waits best album since Mule Variations and maybe even Rain Dogs.  It's called Bad As Me and it's hard to imagine anyone who is as badass as Tom Waits when you give it a listen.

It's chock full of all the avant-noise you've come to expect from a Tom Waits album post Swordfishtrombone.  He also still uses his voice to great effect from manic screaming through a megaphone to creepy falsetto. The band features his long time collaborator Marc Ribot on guitar as well as appearances by Keith Richards and David Hidalgo of Los Lobos. 

With most of the 14 songs clocking in at around three minutes each there's so much variety to enjoy.  These are the best melodies penned by Waits in years.  The songs jump from surf rock to tex-mex to the type of balladry we've come to expect from Waits. 

From first listen it's apparent that this is a special album.  To find this sort of musical creativity from a 62 year old is refreshing and inspiring. 

Artist:  Tom Waits

Album:  Bad As Me

Review:  The Independent

 

Music Pick Of The Day: M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

M83, a French band fronted by Anthony Gonzalez, has been making gorgeous electronic pop music for a decade now.  Their albums usually rank quite highly on critics end of year lists. 

Today M83 have released their fifth or sixth album (depending on how you look at it).  It's an ambitious double LP that fights hard at maintaining the quality throughout. 

Gonzalez, who calls Los Angeles home these days, creates sunny, lush landscapes in song.  There's a cinematic feel throughout the proceedings whether it's subtle balladry or powerful crescendos creating quite a journey for the listener.  Gonzalez says the album is a tribute to his childhood. 

Artist:  M83

Album:  Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

Review:  Filter

Spotify link to full album

Music Pick Of The Day: St. Vincent - Strange Mercy

A few weeks ago, before its release, I suggested that the new St. Vincent album, may turn out to be the album of the year, New St. Vincent Album Could Be A Monster.  It was released this past Tuesday and the critics seem to agree. On Metacritic it's ranked in the top 10 for the year right now and that includes some reissues.

Annie Clark, the woman behind St. Vincent, graces the cover of the latest Spin Magazine with a terrific interview.

NPR's All Songs Considered interviewed her last week as well, St. Vincent Takes Your Questions.

Artist:  St. Vincent

Album:  Strange Mercy

Review:  Pitchfork

Spotify link to full album

Music Pick Of The Day: Johnny Boy Would Love This: A Tribute To John Martyn

John Martyn, who died in 2009, is a relative unknown here in the United States.  That's a shame because he was quite a talent as a singer/songwriter and guitarist. I doubt that this new tribute album will change that but it is a beautiful gateway into his work. 

It's a double disc set with an impressive array of musicians attesting to his stature in the UK.  Like Martyn, plenty of the artists on it are also unknown here in the states, but there's plenty of star power here as well.  Those would include David Gray, Beck, Phil Collins and Robert Smith of The Cure. 

The overall tone of the album is subdued beauty just like Martyn's music.  It's perfect for the approaching fall weather. 

Artist:  John Martyn (and various artists paying tribute)

Album:  Johnny Boy Would Like This: A Tribute To John Martyn

Review:  The Telegraph

Spotify Link

Music Pick Of The Day: Glen Campbell - Ghost On The Canvas

I've written about Glen Campbell's recently disclosed battle with alzheimers.  He's set to embark on a farewell tour this fall with dates mostly in the United Kingdom.  There's no Cleveland show or even anything close by. 

In the midst of Campbell's swansong he's released his final album today.  It's been in the works for a couple of years.  The list of musicians giving a helping hand includes Chris Isaak, Dick Dale, Billy Corgan and Brian Setzer. 

The album addresses his situation with songs like "A Better Place" and "A Thousand Lifetimes".  His voice is still strong and held up by powerful production from Julian Raymond. 

If you're a fan of Campbell's, like me, it's a heavy listen.  There is hope and also resignation.  It reminds me of Warren Zevon's last album, recorded with the knowledge he was dying of cancer. 

Artist:  Glen Campbell

Album:  Ghost On The Canvas

Review:  USA Today

Spotify: Glen Campbell - Ghost On The Canvas

After listening to the new one do yourself a favor and listen to this recently released two disc compilation, Spotify: Glen Campbell - The Capitol Years 1965 -1977 It's got all of the classics and goes deep into his heyday as well.

 

Campbell live from a show at the IP Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi on July 15, 2011

Music Pick Of The Day: Fountains Of Wayne - Sky Full Of Holes

After a decent album in 2007 Fountains Of Wayne are back with an release that may be as good as 2003's Welcome Interstate Managers which contained their smash hit "Stacey's Mom".  That was my number one album for the year.  In other words, I love the new Sky Full Of Holes. 

It'll be hard to replace Foster The People's Pumped Up Kicks as the feel good hit for the summer of 2011 but the lead off track, "The Summer Place", may give it a run for the money.  It's got the sardonic lyrics the band is so good at writing along with a great pop melody and hook. 

Adam Schlesinger and Chris Collingwood may be the best pop tunesmiths working today.  And the new album is full of sugary gems.

The pacing of the album is interesting in that the upbeat numbers make up the first half while ballads dominate the rest of the release.  It works for me.  The band is good at both. 

Artist:  Fountains Of Wayne

Album:  Sky Full Of Holes

Review:  Entertainment Weekly

Listen to it on Spotify

Music Pick Of The Day: Marissa Nadler - Marissa Nadler

I was put under Marissa Nadler's spell a few years back when I heard her third album, Marissa Nadler III, Bird On The Water.  The Boston born singer/songwriter has a voice so fragile, so quiet, so soft, it has the same effect as the sirens' call.

Her fifth album released earlier this summer is self-titled and, thankfully, sounds as enchanting as the first time I heard her.  The minimalist arrangements leave plenty of room for her voice to command, even though it's hardly a commanding voice in traditional terms. 

This is perfect music for a summer day, under a tree with a light breeze and a glass of wine.  It's hauntingly beautiful.

Artist:  Marissa Nadler

Album:  Marissa Nadler

Review:  AV Club

Listen To It On Spotify

Music Pick Of The Day: R.E.M. - Life's Rich Pageant

It's been a good year for us R.E.M. fans.  In the first part of 2011 they released Collapse Into Now, a very satisfying if not ground breaking album.  The songs conjure up various periods of the bands career making for their best work in a decade. 

Now comes the third in a series of re-issues from the R.E.M. back catalog.  Logically, this is a remastering of their third album, Life's Rich Pageant.  Like the previous two re-issues of the debut and sophomore efforts it's a two disc set.  Unlike the previous two which contained live shows on those second discs, the new one is chock full of demos and outtakes from the recording session. 

It's always enjoyable to hear songs you know by heart in a new light.  Some are throwaways but others will take their place as great songs from a great band.

As for the remastered proper album it sounds as vibrant as ever.  Not only does it begin with a one two punch that's hard to top, "Begin The Begin" into "These Days", but it also contains my favorite song by R.E.M. "Fall On Me".

Artist:  R.E.M.

Album:  Life's Rich Pageant 25th Anniversary Edition

Review:  The Guardian

Listen to it on Spotify