Computer Age

M. Ward
Transistor radio
Merge 2005

Spain is still unknown. Very little is called for here, and maybe not much in the USA. One of the great American authors of recent years, deeply rooted in the musical tradition of his country, his most important contribution is to be a perfect example of creating musical level beyond any kind of innovation aside to create timeless songs. The art of the song itself, as it has been worked for decades. Initially sponsored by Howe Gelb, signing with the label Merge from his previous disc. You can take any of his 3 albums, excellent. Style country-folk, sometimes with bold blues, pop in a broad sense. Versionea equally Beach Boys, Bowie or being Bach M. Ward always the result. With attachment to the sound of old discs and the heat of the music on the radio, it creates an acoustic space itself. Work songs through warm and evocative soundscapes, using it sometimes effects and montages of study that subtly get the effect of the ear pleasantly prepare for the songs. Open an instrumental, You still believe in me (Pet sounds), quietly preparing what will follow. One life away is a delicious departure as a song from another era, mimando the most of the ear of the listener through a vintage sound and made a round melody that conveys a sense of balance and statism, in this way. Catching momentum, Sweet hearts on parade introduces the pace and the presence of the band playing fair, a guitar that sounds on the horizon, brushes, sound-key and echo effect in the voice that still maintain the feeling of being in a spot soft, ethereal. Fuel for fire is another of the great songs, perfectly developed, introduced in half a short piano that draws very few notes, loose, almost like a wink or a sampler, distant vocals and strings made lightly, as if it came from a radio tuned not all that well. Less is more. The vocal melody is a true marvel. Everything changes with Four hours in Washington, with a greater presence of the group, increasing pace of train and tear on the voice. Rope and made arrangements for a sensible baterístico accompanying tense song that has continuity in the next instrumental, Regeneration No. 1, the point at which the maximum intensity of the disc is achieved by the combo, in great cadences with cuts and latinos.Triste rabid. Big boat is the most cheerful song, rhythmic, about a pattern of R'n'R classical piano and a playful exercise of that bridge, provided a dynamic and air exhibition. Returns to calm with Paul's song, which no longer leave. Another of the best compositions, with a traditional slide that provides the warmth needed. The rest goes through this area. All are good, closing with a version of the well-tempered Key, which seems to endorse.
As for the vocal style of Ward, is a singer with a voice slightly broken, and that wide-registration is usually in serious condition. It sounds masculine and mature, without hesitating to extend to the treble or the falsetto, without frills or any impostación. Authentic and pure. Just as warm. Often doubling the voice and sometimes employ female vocals very country. Your voice is your best attribute, totally unmistakable. Predominates as acoustic, brushes and plates with glue, the slide, the piano, always discreet. A really instrumental consistency is achieved. Calm dominates the set and the melancholy is its natural state, without affectation. Maybe being a disc shorter achieved perfection, is undoubtedly one of the best records last year, oblivious to the lists, on the other. Very promising. Probably one of the great for the future, although this has already said a lot. Highly recommended for those related to this page.

Loose Fur
Born Again In The USA
Drag City 2006

Loose Fur is formed by Glenn and Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and Kotchar which has been a member of Sonic Youth and important creative element in both formations, Jim O'Rourke, multinstrumentista, singer, composer, producer and technical nature of art. Waiting for the publication of new material from Wilco, on which so much excitement is projected, we received the trio's new disc, the second in three years. For the followers will love Wilco, Tweedy with compositions to his best level, some of which might be in the disks of his band. This is not material value of the secondary, are all excellent songs. What defines the content is the collaboration between O'Rourke and Wilco, the latter reduced to the essentials: voice accompanied by guitars and percussion, folk-rock style with a discreet dose of experimentation itself especially O'Rourke, with the reference of its Insignificance (2001) very present. They play with the advantage of the absence of a need for commercial product, which brings a welcome dose of freshness and relaxation.

Starting with the last record, we find such an excellent song in a wave The Kinks signed by Tweedy that defines perfectly the atmosphere of the recording, being an tonada simple classic, perfect for construction, with a choir Silber, The running class. The theme of openness, chicken Hey, it could be in a disc of Wilco, with a rhythmic wave in the last two group's work. At the same direction is Apostilic, dominated the instrumental, containing breaks and developments which are likely Kotchar is responsible. In other songs we recognize the total mix of part O'Rourke with part Wilco, as Wreckroom, half way between the style of both, with a very clear fingerprint of the battery, moving between the tranquility of Tweedy's singing and guitar explosion, with a comprehensive development in which the final coda is an environment that walks into the fading.

The disc closes it again a topic of Tweedy, with that touch Beatle who sometimes uses. With regard to the numbers sung by O'Rourke, highlighted Answers to your questions, intimate, simple and warm; Stupid as the sun, the polar opposite: cutting, electric and again with a wonderful work from Kotchar leading the issue. Between the two, wilt Thou Shalt, with a classic pop style sustained by the piano. There is one item that sums up all the resources used: An Ecumenical matter, which at times recalls the style of Captain Beefheart instrumental, with the presence of layers, alternating bell and prominence of the guitar and piano, built on the alternation of different parties .

Further, the debut album of shorter duration, also contains great compositions, and from the first, Laminated cat, with a first and a style Wilco development characteristic of the instrumental combo, on a country-folk style electric, percussive and soft . Elegant transaction, O'Rourke classic song, with excellent vocals of Tweedy and instrumental parts, rhythmic and relaxed, very beautiful, with a comprehensive development tools, light, which is the root of the disc-and long few songs. The same applies to the next, So long, melancholy, plagued by noises and sounds of guitars and drums, but with a beautiful and catchy chorus, again sung by O'Rourke. You Were Wrong, beautiful, with the stamp of Tweedy, the best of the disc. Such is Chinese apple, also own, completely Wilco. Acoustics, restrained, intimate and sober. It is remarkable what the proper balance between acoustic and electric what davaneo experimental, at times approaching to own soundtracks surroundings, simple and minimalist, and it is parallel to the work of Tweedy and Kotchar in the soundtrack Chelsea Walls (2002).

In summary, two discs enjoy delicious that much to those who know the work of the personalities within them, unnoticed to the general public. The covers crown slaughter.

Loose Fur - Born Again In The USA in our forum

Junior Wells
Hoodoo Man Blues
Delmark 1965

Junior Wells was born near Memphis in 1934 and died in 1998. Sale in Blues Brothers 2000. Along with Little Walter, Junior Parker and others, is one of the masters of modern blues harmonica and one of the best voices of the blues recorded, with a strong and unique style. Seco, virile, serious, deep and wide. It represents the modern blues from Chicago to perfection: Hoodoo Man Blues is the abc's style for everyone who wants to know what was going on the subject. His first long solo. He learned of Junior Parker and began in earnest with the Myers brothers in the legendary Aces, when the combo was completed with Fred Below, battery converted jazz to blues, a master of the drums in hundreds of recordings. He joined the band of Muddy Waters when Walter Little, following his first hit, Juke, left the formation in 1952, to lead the Aces, quartet with two guitarists, not low. Waters had the band that is considered paradigmatic of the blues from Chicago, a school for future figures, similar to the formations of Miles Davis. Wells was forged in it until you get to publish their music. Prior to this album, recorded with, among others, the cousin of John Lee Hooker, Earl Hooker, a pioneer of the wah wah guitar and experimentation. It recorded one of its most popular items, Messina 'with the Kid. Hoodoo Man Blues is considered one of the best blues albums of all time. In addition to land by throwing numerous topics and not overwhelm at any moment with virus, which were very capable, offering a collection of songs in which emphasizes the sound, excellent and true to live. Presents the attitude of the style at its fair point, neither more nor less. The most characteristic feature is the restraint of interpretation: never exploited at all, but there is a genuine and total control over the flow of sound. Each element sounds at the time and does not extend beyond that. It reaches the peak and returns to flow, multiplying their strength and expressive power. 100% attitude. Open the vinyl Snatch it back and hold it and leaves no doubt that with continued cuts voice and harmonica to support the pace, leading to the set. Wells belongs to another generation different from that of Waters or Walter, the rhythm'n'blues and funk earlier were already there, so that the disc is the wide variety of styles, but in a primitive and concise format, without frills nor sobrearreglos. The quartet, supplemented by Buddy Guy, Jack Myers and Billy Warren plays exactly what just about always the voice. The themes are, in addition to Wells and Guy, of Leiber & Stoller (Hound Dog accelerated impressive, less so on), Sonny Boy II (possibly the most hot school Good morning recorded) and others like Kenny Burrell (Chitlins con carne, instrumental in rhythm ' N'BLUE Latin together We're ready to show the versatility and filling of the band). The disc is completed with some blues sluggish in less offsetting the fury of the rest. Smalls in the wee hours of the morning is a melancholy semiinstrumental which extends the scope of the emotional work. You do not love me baby is in this record one of their best versions also, as well as lawdy Hey mama, where the guitar and harmonica are complemented to perfection, with phrases percussive response on the low Guy Myers, who in most parts of the disc plays more notes in the usual style without tiring, a little heritage of the Aces: exits the canon to redefine it as rarely happens. Exquisite work of Guy on guitar, playing almost pure pace, according to the tone of the disc, which is not none of the four stands out above the rest, working the short phrases, repetition of simple reasons, the riffs and attack on the whole party strength. The rhythmic accents determine the nature of the items. The harmonic Wells is pure gold, dominating the serious and contained the phrases, cutting, with a flow sound almost tangible. Blues pure and hard.