They're called West Indian Girl. I figured they'd have a Caribbean sound to them. It turns out they're sort of a dreamy, spacey rock group. And they're not from the tropics at all. The founding members are actually from Detroit. They moved out to California and started releasing CDs in 2004. Their name comes from a legendary early street LSD. And it seems to have an influence on their music. They write catchy, dancey stuff that you can't help but snap your fingers to. The only downside to them is I think their name will keep some folks from listening to them. Another good group with a mediocre name.
Okay. I’ll admit it, this isn’t a new band. Just new to me. The group called "The National" originated in Ohio and then moved to New York in the late 1990s. They’re very down-tempo and their lead singer is a cross between Leonard Cohen and Mark Kozalek (of Red House Painters fame). Add a bit of Van Morrison’s bizarre mysticism and you’ve pretty much wrapped up The National. Enjoy!
I have a theory—there are two kinds of writers, musicians, and artists. Those who have one great work pent up in them and let it flow and then they’re done. They try to follow it up with a series of weaker efforts, which only disappoints their fans and detracts from their magnum opus. And then there are those who produce a masterpiece and follow it up with hit after hit.
Then there’s Cat Power. I have to admit; I thought her earlier music was better than her latest releases. But upon listening to her oeuvre again, I now feel this woman has definitely improved over the years. Her maturity has resulted in better singing, and much more accessible music. I can’t think of another singer (with the exception of Bjork) who has matured this much. I can’t wait for her next album to come out. Rumor is, it’s a Dylan cover album. I’m sure it’s going to be exceptional!
Say the name “Cat Power” to most people and they’ll probably think you’re referring to a DC Comic heroine. But mention it to indie rock enthusiasts and they’ll know you’re referring to a singer who also goes by the name of Chan Marshall. I feel she’s an artist who deserves far more attention than she receives. She has a quiet, husky voice, a down-tempo delivery, and has produced some outstanding work.
I’d classify her early recordings as singer/songwriter. Then she stretched out a bit and recorded The Greatest, backed up by a group of soul musicians from Memphis, TN. It’s an R&B outing that’s her most uplifting and accessible release to date. Her most recent recording is a cover CD and the rumor is her next one will be one as well. Her latest work is well worth listening to, however I must admit, I’m partial to her earlier recordings.
If you ever have the opportunity to see her live, jump at the chance. It is one unique experience. When I saw her I couldn’t tell if she was really high, shy, or slow in the head. Or a combination of all three! She came out and performed with her Memphis group, and then did an extended solo set, accompanying herself on guitar and piano. In between songs she babbled incoherently, a bit like Grace Slick used to do on stage. I got the sense that she’s most comfortable in a solo setting. She finished the set somewhat awkwardly with the full band. But in the end, she was still Cat Power.
If you enjoy offbeat bands like Gogol Bordello, Devotchka, and Beruit, add Balkan Beat Box to your play list. This group combines music of the Mid-East, hip-hop, dance, Reggae, Gypsy, Greece, and even a smattering of Le Mystere de Voix Bulgares and Pink Martini. Yep, this group has it all. It’s an extremely fun group to listen to. They’re actually from New York City, but have their roots grounded in Israel. If you think they sound a bit like Gogol Bordello, that’s because both principals of the group, Ori Kaplan and Tamir Muskat have worked with that group. Expect to hear heavy percussion; lots of singing, and a rhythm that makes you wanna dance. Hey, if I was getting married today, this is the group I’d want to play for my wedding. What an exciting band—with a great future ahead of it. So get up and dance already!
The brilliant Icelandic singer also know as Björk. Let me just start off by saying; I’m a huge and loyal fan. I think she’s one of the great musical geniuses of the last 25 years. At least in the world of rock. Not only is she an amazing songwriter, her voice has the ability to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I could write a ten-page essay on her, however I’ll keep it a bit shorter here. One thing that I find amusing.is that she’s know around the world as “The chick who wore that swan outfit” by people who’ve never hear a note of her music. I’m also amazed by how popular she is, when I’d categorize her music as ‘challenging listening”. Especially her last couple of cds. This is not your father’s rock. I really admire her for all the chances she takes—every release is different than the one before it. Her music is constantly evolving and turning in new directions. She’s constantly exploring new sounds and pushes the envelope. And her voice is truly a marvel—she has incredible range, and her high-pitched scream is unique. I defy you to show me another singer with a sexier growl.
Björk gained her initial fame with the group Sugarcubes—a semi-punkish band that put out a string of catchy, infectious bunch of songs. Listening to them it was quite obvious that she would become a star and the rest of the band members would fade into obscurity. Her solo career began with the release of Gling-Glo, an album of Icelandic folk tunes performed by Björk with a jazz trio. It’s a refreshing recording with some outstanding music on it. In fact, even though it’s sung in Icelandic, her voice is so expressive, you can almost tell what she’s singing about. Then she released Debut, which is almost a greatest hits cd—every song on it is a gem. If you only buy one Björk cd, I would highly recommend it. My personal favorite is Vespertine. A dreamy, atmospheric recording that features a female choir from Greenland. It’s a heavenly, peaceful album that could have been composed and performed by angels. Listen to the song “Aurora” through headphones—it sounds like you’re standing in the middle of the choir. The engineering is so remarkable that there are a few times where it sound like voiced are coming from above you!
I won’t review all her recordings at this time, but I must say that each one gets more challenging to listen to. It took me three or four listens to “Volta” before I realized what a brilliant work it was. Listening to Björk around my house isn’t easy. I have to wait until I’m alone to put her music on. My wife tolerates her, and my two daughters can’t stand her. My wife’s observation is that all her songs sound like Björk. Is that a problem? I think it’s funny that allmusic.com list a number of “similar artists” under their biography of her when, in my opinion, there isn’t anybody that sounds like her. All I can say is there are two kinds of people in the world: those who get Björk and those who don’t. I sort of feel sorry for those who don’t.
I’m talking about the soundtrack to Slumdog Millionaire. It always bugs me when some producer’s idea of a soundtrack is to slap a dozen popular pop tunes together and try to fit them into the movie. I suspect it’s done largely to sell CDs. That’s not the case with Slumdog. It features an original score by A. R. Rahman and it really complements the movie perfectly. Actually I was pretty familiar with the music before seeing the movie. So it was interesting to see how the songs would tie in with the movie. The music is an interesting blend of hip-hop, traditional and popular Indian music, and Bollywood. The opening track sets the stage for the rest of the disc/movie. It almost sounds like a call to prayer with an army of percussion in the background. My favorite songs are “Planes” by M.I.A., which is a fun dancy number, and the absolutely gorgeous “Latika’s Theme”—it’s a wordless vocal song that’s heard every time the starring couple meets. It’s one of the most beautiful and moving love themes I’ve ever heard. I also enjoyed the catchy “Aaj Ki Raat”, one of the songs that are really hard to get out of your head. It’s a drum heavy dance tune with the incredible vocals of Alisha Chinoy—someone worth looking into. I’ve heard many other songs by her and they all quite good. The dance routine at the end of the movie also features an excellent up-tempo song, Lai Ho” that has proven to be another earworm for me. I’m not going to do a review of the movie, but lets just say I felt it deserved every Oscar it got. If you’re not familiar with popular Indian music, this CD is a good place to start. Two thumbs up!
My main focus is on films that I feel have gone under the radar and deserve more recognition. They include both mainstream and indie films streaming on services like Netflix, Hoopla, and Kanopy. I’ll also review noteworthy new theatrical releases as well. If you have any suggestions, feel free to email me at: dominmark@yahoo.com.
