Yahoo! Radish

Born to Argentinean parents in Gothenburg, Sweden, José González appeared on the radar of many when his cover of “Heartbeats“, by fellow Swedes The Knife, was used in a Sony Bravia television ad. The commercial featured a quarter million bouncing Super Balls on the steep streets of San Francisco. The ad was extremely effective for two reasons: it was visually spectacular, and José’s beautiful voice and guitar stopped all who heard it dead in their tracks.

José also scored two tracks on the indie music launching pad The O.C. that same year.

His debut Veneer was a great album, and his sophomore effort, titled In Our Nature, is now available on YMU. The record will please every last fan of his debut. It should also help launch José González to a new level in his career.

The album breathes as a living organism, supported by nothing more than acoustic guitar, José’s transcendent voice, and not much else. The guitar playing on the disc is unreservedly mind-boggling. He gets so much sound, so much beauty, and so much dynamic power out of his acoustic guitar that it left me slackjawed and speechless. José makes his guitar playing sound effortless, but what he plays is not easy by a long shot. You’ll hear sustained notes, melodic runs, bass lines, foundational chords and explosive crescendos weaved together so masterfully that you’ll be helplessly awed.

His voice locks on perfectly with his guitar, and the songs have you hearing something new with each listen. If Nick Drake didn’t die in 1974, but continued to master his craft, he may have produced In Our Nature.

This album will make one of my top 10 albums for 2007.  Rolling Stone and Paste can kiss my hairy kiwi and stick their 3-star reviews where the sun don’t shine.

Don’t miss this one.

Web: MySpace

Video: “Down The Line“, “Killing For Love”

Tracklisting:

1. How Low
2. Down the Line
3. Killing For Love
4. In Our Nature
5. Teardrop
6. Abram
7. Time To Send Someone Away
8. The Nest
9. Fold
10. Cycling Trivialities

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I freely admit that I’ve not followed the music of Mickey Hart since I recovered from a brief stint as a Grateful Dead fan. When I received his new album Global Drum Project with famed Indian tabla player Zakir Hussain, my first reaction was to expect a really long percussive jam session whose sole appeal would be to drummers and communal hippies.

I was an ignorant boob, completely unaware of the award winning 1991 album Planet Drum, which happens to be the very first recording to win a Grammy award for Best World Music Album.

The first thing you’ll notice about Global Drum Project is the deep African influence found on the opening track titled “Baba”. And while drums certainly drive the composition, spoken word, chanting and a melodic punctuation around the edges make for an undeniably rapturous adventure.

The record continues to charm and stun with undeniably well-crafted traditional elements, but Hart takes it over the top with a melding of styles that feature electronic sweeps of color and verve. The album is layered and complex, but ends up sounding effortless and engulfing, with a standout feature being the way pitched percussive instruments provide melody where their should be none.

Global Drum Project works as both traditional rhythmic world music, and as a deep ambient work. It stands erect on it’s own incredibly strong legs, and is on par with the very best of both genres. A bewitching melding of the two.

In addition to former Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and Indian tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain, GDP includes Nigerian drum legend Babatunde Olatunji, Nigerian talking drum ace Sikiru Adepoju, and Puerto Rico’s master conguero Giovanni Hidalgo.

Although Mickey Hart live shows are surely crawling with wayward Dead fans, it’s fans of world music and Brian Eno that should make it a point not to miss this one.

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I listen to more music than your average teenage outcast, and the reward is finding superior albums that stand the test of time. In this playlist series I hope to highlight 15 new-ish albums that have made it to the elite top-tier of my collection.

Listen to select tracks from each album via Yahoo Music Jukebox here.

Or check out the select tracks, full albums and mini-reviews below.

1. “Don’t Make Me A Target” - Spoon
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga
I had high expectations for the new Spoon album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, and not only did the band meet them, but they exceeded them. This record is 10 tracks of perfectly crafted pop bliss and is in the running for the best of 2007.

2. “The Wildfire (If It Was True)” - Mando Diao
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album Ode To Ochrasy
Although Ode To Ochrasy is arguably not as stunning as the band’s 2004 effort Hurricane Bar, it’s still a fine pop record with some of the biggest hooks Mando Diao has penned to date.

3.”I’m Impressed” - They Might Be Giants
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album The Else
As good as Flood you say? Well, the jury is still out on that, but The Else is the most consistent and witty record TMBG have produced in quite some time. A winner for fans and newcomers alike.

4. “Don’t Let Him Waste Your Time” - Jarvis Cocker
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album Jarvis
Pulp front-man Jarvis Cocker delivers the goods with this solo effort simply titled Jarvis. The first single “Don’t Let Him Waste Your Time” is about as tasty as a British indie pop song can be.

5. “Advice For Young Mothers To Be” - The Veils
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album Nux Vomica
The cathartic Finn Andrews is the son of XTC’s Barry Andrews. His band’s newest record is a shimmering example of just how good new music can be. Don’t miss The Veils, and be certain to pick up a copy of Nux Vomica.

6. “Green Gloves” - The National
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album Boxer
The National bring it down a notch on their latest release Boxer. The toned-down feeling works better than the band’s slightly more uptempo record Alligator, which was a fine album, but Boxer is a masterpiece.

7. “Dad’s Gonna Kill Me” - Richard Thompson
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album Sweet Warrior
Sweet Warrior is, without a doubt, Thompson’s best effort in over a decade, and may be the best of his career. The sly anti-war ballad “Dad’s Gonna Kill Me” is but one sparkling gem in this treasure chest of sound.

8. “A Better Man” - Nick Lowe
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album At My Age
Nick Lowe is reveling in his old(er) age and his new album At My Age shines with a maturity and wisdom that will last eons longer than any group of 20-something punks making music today.

9. “Accident & Emergency” - Patrick Wolf
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album The Magic Position
Speaking of 20-something punks. Patrick Wolf threw a left hook with The Magic Position, a record that breaks barriers and will make the “best of” lists of more than a few top-line bloggers.

10. “Volcano” - Up The Empire
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album Light Rides The Super Major
For my proverbial out-of-the-blue selection, I’m going with Up The Empire’s Light Rides The Super Major. This record has the melodic spirit of Bad Religion, but is delivered with Iggy Pop power.

11. “Always On The Telephone” - The Ladybug Transistor
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album Can’t Wait Another Day
Strong song-craft and consistent styling is the foundation upon which the newest Ladybug Transistor album is built. Excellent production and memorable songs are tied together with just enough psychedelia to keep you in the zone.

12. “Underground For Dummies” - Sage Francis
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album Human The Death Dance
Vegetarian lyric-smith Sage Francis returns with another album that fully showcases his wit and skill on the mic. Human Death Dance continues Sage’s blending of the line between granola backpacker and street gun-packer.

13. “Bricks Crumble” - Dalek
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album Abandoned Language
Newark’s own MC Dälek with the help of producer Oktopus pair infectious underground beats and skilled lyricism. In February 2007 they gave us Abandoned Language, and on July 24, 2007 they drop a package of rarities called Deadverse Massive Vol. 1.

14. “Familj” - Dungen
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album Tio Bitar
Dungen is one of those bands that you either get, or you don’t. If you’re one of the lucky ones who ”get it” Tio Bitar is simply a must-own record. It’s a sweeping and enthralling soundscape that you can’t turn off.

15. “Almost Ready” - Dinosaur Jr.
on Yahoo! Music Jukebox
From the album Beyond
A new Dinosaur Jr. album? There’s no way they still have it after so much time, right? Wrong. Beyond finds the band as if they never missed a step, and not only continued their art, but improved upon it.

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The waves of new Christmas albums are starting to hit the beach, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find treasure among all the trash that gets washed up. Between now and Christmas day the Yahoo Radish will lend a hand by highlighting some of the more interesting, well-done, and just plain weird Holiday albums to hit store shelves.

In this, our first edition, I had to start with a Christmas disc that got me truly excited, Bootsy Collins, Christmas Is 4 Ever. It’s not often we get a funked-up Christmas release like this, and the cameos by Snoop Dogg, Charlie Daniels, Buckethead and former members of the James Brown band and P-Funk put it over the top! Spike the eggnog before you put this one on. Bootsy and Charlie Daniels performing on a Christmas album together? It surely must be the end of the world…

Next up we get a Christmas album by Twisted Sister called A Twisted Christmas. After a wonderful two decades without Twisted Sister polluting the airwaves, they’re back with a perfectly frightful album of metal-tinged Christmas songs. Sometimes it’s better not to ask questions and just listen in stunned astonishment.

The #3 album in our list is Cool Yule by Bette Midler. Finally, an album you can spin without offending the Grandparents. I found it hard to believe this was Bette’s first Christmas album, but indeed, it is. As you would expect, she pulls off traditional Christmas songs in a professional and safe manner.

At #4 we get an instrumental jazz album of Christmas classics by Chris Botti. If you don’t have the best Christmas album ever made, A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi, then this Chris Botti album, simply titled December is your safest bet for Christmas party background music. It will set the mood quite well.

In at #5 we get Grammy award winning gospel duo Mary Mary with a Christmas album unfortunately titled A Mary Mary Christmas. The album has soul, and probably won’t appeal to fans of the Twisted Sister release.

Pulling up the rear in the #6 position we have a new classical compilation titled Simply Christmas: Home For The Holidays. If you like your Holiday music a little more “upscale” and traditional. This is the way to go.

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 Guitarist extraordinaire and academic Bob Brozman is one of the most prolific talents in music today. He is a Professor at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, has released over 25 albums, tours worldwide, is a founder of International Guitar Seminars and has published many writings in his areas of musical expertise.

This is a man obsessed with music, learning and sharing. If you have seen him perform live, you know what I am talking about. His contagious passion and encyclopedic knowledge made him the perfect choice to pull together this fantastic CD and DVD project released last year and available on Yahoo Music Unlimited.  

The project starts with an idea to record the stringbands of Papua New Guinea, which is one of the very last places on earth that acquired the guitar. The island has developed it’s own unique style of playing and singing devoid of any influence. This alone makes it a must-hear recording. As the world becomes more global and connected, truly original composition unmarred by popular culture becomes increasingly difficult to find. This record is not only the best representation of this, but it may be one of the last.

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Play It Andrew Careaga of Bloggedy Blog is currently counting down the 100 albums that have changed his life. He’s also put the challenge out to fellow bloggers to create their own 10 album lists. It’s a great idea, and I am taking the bait. But where to start? There have been hundreds of albums that have literally “changed my life”, but I’ve sliced them down to a mere 10. Every one of these has increased my love of music by leaps and bounds, and opened my ears to whole new genres and possibilities. Most of them are adored by many, and I still stand by their quality today, but the impression they’ve left on me also has much to do with the time I first heard them. Everyone should do a list like this, as the exercise forces you to look back on your life, and the music that’s had the most impact.  As a side note, I left out two albums because they are not available on YMU. The Beatles - Rubber Soul and Husker Du - New Day Rising.

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Play It! If you’re not already aware, I’m a big Slaid Cleaves fan. He’s a fantastic songwriter, who pens simple, heartfelt Americana that really speaks to me. He’s also not a household name, not yet anyway. He hails from South Berewick, Maine and is a graduate of the highly respected Tufts University. He currently calls Austin, Texas home and got a big boost when he won the New Folk competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival, an award previously won by Nanci Griffith, Robert Earl Keen and Steve Earle.  If these artists appeal to you, Slaid Cleaves will too. I highly recommend all the albums he’s released, however the CD that hit shelves today is extra special.

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Play It! In October, I asked music fanatics from many walks of life to pick “The Best Live Album of All Time” and tell me why they chose it. The following 10 albums are the responses I received. You can listen to 7 of the 10 albums in their entirety on Yahoo Music Unlimited, 126 tracks that clock in at 12 hours! The best live albums capture an unexplainable energy as it happens in real time. Sometimes they are compilations of the best performances culled from many shows, and other times, live albums are recorded in one night at one show. Although these picks are opinions that may be debated, not many can deny the importance of each selection in this list.
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Play It! I’m a sucker for a real low-fi discovery story. You know what I’m talking about. Some kid is discovered after being locked in his bedroom for ten years with a 4 track and ends up creating something phenomenal. Many times I’m let down by such claims as it usually turns out to sound like, well…. some kid who has been locked in his bedroom for ten years with a 4 track. This is not the case for Canadian Chad VanGaalen, whose Sup Pop debut is intriguing low-fi candy at its very best.

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Play It! The long awaited new Drive-By Truckers album A Blessing And A Curse was released yesterday, and it’s available on YMU. Fans of this modern-day southern rock outfit will not be disappointed. The reviews are good across the board with an excellent Metacritic score of 81. I also hear from good sources that the live show should not be missed.

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Play It! Here’s an interesting, collaborative new release by two power pop heroes. A somewhat chunkier Matthew Sweet has teamed up with ex-Bangle Susanna Hoffs to record an album of 60s covers by the likes of The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Who, The Velvet Underground, The Zombies, The Left Banke and more. As you would expect, it’s a tasty gimmick for power pop fans, but may not be something you find yourself going back to next week.

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Play it! It’s Passover, and if you’re celebrating tonight with a Seder, may I suggest putting this little electro-rock opera from Kingsley circa 1974. Buried at the end of the Kingsley God is a Moog compilation, this libretto’s meant to be played along with a Passover Seder, and sounds like Haggadah meets Hair. After the traditional four cups of wine, this Fifth Cup will make you real tipsy. [more] (via thus spake drake)

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