Well That's Cool

When the HBO series “How to Make it in America” premiered earlier this year there was a lot of buzz—and it was mostly about the theme song. “I Need a Dollar” is the first track off of Aloe Blacc’s 2010 release Good Things (Stones Throw Records) and it’s certainly noteworthy. The swanky beat paired with Blacc’s vocals about the struggle to earn a living undoubtedly resonated with more than a few of the viewers who tuned in and caught the opening credits. I still don’t know much about the show, but I do know that this album is stellar.

His sound is vintage R&B, and his voice is sincerely soulful. While he could have

easily used lyrics to put a modern shine on the rhythms of the album, his language

stays true to the classic genre. He tells stories on the tracks “Miss Fortune”

and “Mama Hold My Hand” with a startling, sorrowful presence. “Hey Brother” is a

warning to a friend about his two-timing lady friend and the approach to this tried

lyrical premise is funky and refreshing.

Surprisingly, what brings the album home is Blacc’s cover of the Velvet

Underground’s “Femme Fatale.” The song was originally released on the The

Velvet Underground & Nico in 1967 and is famously based on Edie Sedgwick, the

ill-fated socialite who ran with Andy Warhol in his prime. An iconic song, I could only imagine it being forcibly sculpted to fit the flow of the album with butchered results. In actuality Blacc re-imagines the tune, coming at it with a soulful touch and arranging pregnant pauses alongside a few extra eighth-notes. He brings a new and impressive drama to the song.

Good Things easily sounds like it was recorded 35 years ago. His old school

sensibilities make this album a narrative that has been absent from popular R&B for far too long. I recommend this album to fans of Bill Withers, Bobby Womack, and Raphael Saadiq. As always it will be available at OZ music on my employee picks.

Happy Listening!

— Ally

Popularity: 8% [?]

Despite being an employee at a record store and having a bevy of impressively music obsessed friends, I am often behind in listening to new albums. There are two reasons for this. The first is that I get stuck on one album for weeks. I want nothing else but to listen to that one record at all times—in my car, on my iPod, when I’m working at school, etc. And it’s usually not “new” music either. Too often it’s an old Elliot Smith album, or the Pixies’ greatest hits, or even the Toadies’ Rubberneck. One minute I put in Figure 8, and then before you know it September is half over and I just got around to putting the new Big Boi in my CD player.

The second reason is something I like to call “The Vampire Weekend Vortex.” By all accounts, I should adore Vampire Weekend. I like kitsch. I like indie rock. I like cardigans. I especially like cardigans when paired with literary references. And yet, I loathe Vampire Weekend. They repulse me. This has caused me to arbitrarily form opinions about certain bands on the basis that they may be something like Vampire Weekend. Examples of bands that have fallen into the V.W.V.: Beach House, Animal Collective, The Dum Dum Girls, She & Him, and Wavves. Sometimes a band is stuck there forever (i.e. She & Him), and other times I grit my teeth, push play, and am pleasantly surprised when I actually enjoy the album (i.e. Beach House’s Teen Dream). And then sometimes I listen to the album and I fall in love. While this seldom happens, it was certainly the case when I heard Sleigh Bells’Treats (2010).

Treats is grandiose. It’s bombastic. It’s fast. It draws beats from across genres, and then lets them go like confetti in your speakers. And it’s hard to believe all this noise is coming from just two people. Alexis Krauss layers diverse vocals on top of Derek E. Miller’s energetic guitar and elaborate production to deliver a unique sound. Krauss is two parts cheerleader, one part mean girl on the deliciously infectious track “Riot Rhythm.” “Straight A’s” is nothing short of raucous, while “Crown on the Ground” is the bona fide dance party number. The title track “Treats” punctuates the album precisely, running the closing the credits as if saying, “Now, I want you to sit quietly and think about what you just heard.”

Trying to fit this album into a genre is a difficult task. It’s not straightforward dance pop, nor is it to-the-letter rock music. The best categorical description I’ve come across is “noise pop,” which suits the muscular guitar playing, without denying that the music is indeed bubbly. If The Chemical Brothers and Liars had a lovechild, they would name it Sleigh Bells.

Treats was released jointly by Mom + Pop Music and M.I.A.’s N.E.E.T Recordings and is Sleigh Bells’ debut album. I’m seriously eager to hear how they plan to follow this sonorous gem. You can always listen before you buy at OZ Music, so stop by and check it out. You’ll find Treats on my employee picks shelf, for a limited time sale price. Sleigh Bells defied my expectations, and once again proved my Vampire Weekend Vortex to be a faulty construct. I hope you delight in its distinctive sound and raw energy, too.

—Ally Nevarez

Popularity: 9% [?]

I’d be fooling myself if I said that I didn’t have a weakness for front women in rock bands. My music collection is busting at the seams with Heart records, Karen O’s unmistakable growls, and everything that Jenny Lewis touches. So it’s no big surprise that it was love at first listen when I heard The Ettes’ “Shake the Dust” (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2006). The Ettes are a Nashville based band with a pretty straightforward garage rock sound. However, they’ve got Lindsay “Coco” Hames in their corner and her salty voice changes their game big time. Backed by the raucous drumming of Maria “Poni” Silver and the confident bass playing of Jeremy “Jem” Cohen, Coco shells out the lyrics with gusto and it pays off. The album “Shake the Dust” is a bright listen all the way through. The starting track “Reputation” lets the listener know that this album is a party, not afternoon tea. It’s delightfully brash and, like the rest of the songs that follow, barely flirts with the 3-minute mark. The songs “No More Surprises” and “It Ain’t You” flaunt Coco’s commanding vocals with aggressive lyrics. The twangy “Soft Focus” serves as a welcome reminder that the record was produced under Liam Watson, the man behind The White Stripes and The Kills.Their newest release “Do You Want Power” (2009, Ingrooves) is tighter, cleaner, and more booming than “Shake the Dust” as a whole. They make the transition to a more refined sound smoothly, including numbers like “Love Lies Bleeding” to show that even without the rock star static they still have the power to write a great song. The tracks “No Home” and “Red in Tooth and Claw” preserve their edginess and keep Coco spitting grit with the best of ‘em. If you like The Slits, Gossip, or The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, you need to check out The Ettes. Take a look at the videos for “No Home” and “Dead and Gone” to see just what I mean about this scrappy ensemble, and then remember to visit OZ Music where these albums, and much more, are available for your listening pleasure!

Ally Nevarez-

Popularity: 7% [?]