New Music Tuesday - February 3, 2009
The Bad Plus (With Wendy Lewis) - For All I Care
For years I’ve enjoyed modern jazz covers of rock songs by The Bad Plus. Dig back through their catalog and you’ll find something funky that you love. Not all of their music is for everybody, but that’s generally the marking of a band with a loyal following (which they have). Some stand-outs on this new release are Nirvana’s “Lithium”, Heart’s “Barracuda”, and my current favorite, Wilco’s “Radio Cure”. Wendy Lewis’s voice blends perfectly with the jazz trio’s instruments. Honestly, I wasn’t sure adding a singer would be a good idea, but she’s incredible. This is a great record for winter nights.
Ben Kweller - Changing Horses
Ben Kweller has a bit of a country vibe happening on his new album, and I don’t think there’s a track without slide or steel pedal guitars. It’s a departure from his power-pop roots, but if you listen to his previous albums in sequence, this destination makes sense. It’s got tight drums and very dry sound on pretty much all the instruments, and it sounds almost like a late 70s throwback. “Sawdust Man” sounds like a George Harrison/Elton John sendup, and really clinches that late-70s feel. In a musical world awash with (some would argue drowning in) reverb, a dry studio sound is refreshing, but sounds almost sterile in comparison to most everything else that’s out right now. Still, Ben’s unique voice and smarter-than-he-has-a-right-to-be lyrics make for a record that’s fun to listen to.
