Back from a little summer hiatus, here’s a special doubleshot edition of Drake’s Take. -ed.
Drake’s Take: New Releases 08.10.10-08.17.10
I’ve been out of town on vacation, so the blog’s taken a backseat, but wanted to throw together something for the past two weeks because of two releases — the second release from Bottomless Pit and the finely crafted soundtrack to Scott Pilgrim vs the World. Not much else got me out of my seat, but then again, most everyone takes at least part of the first half or so of August off, right? Other new releases from the past couple cycles include one’s from New Pornographer [and ex-Immaculate Machiner] Kathryn Calder, Ray Lamontagne, The Budos Band, Matthew Dear, Elsinore, Eli “Paperboy” Reed, Sweet Sweeper Social Club, Sea of Bees and Lissie.
I’ll also add the August 10 US release of Dan Mangan‘s Polaris Prize Shortlisted “Nice, Nice Very Nice” to the list of records that should be on Drake‘s radar. -ed.
Playlist: New Releases 08.10.10 / New Releases 08.17.10
Bottomless Pit – Blood Under the Bridge
Stream / Purchase [mp3]
Even six years later, the elephant in the room with Bottomless Pit remains the tragic end to Silkworm. Their debut Hammer of the Gods (2007) was a fitting tribute to deceased drummer Michael “Hammer” Dalquist, a raw affair swinging between the heart-on-sleeve from Tim Midgett and bottled up fury from Andy Cohen. With their second, the title, like the title (Blood Under the Bridge) suggests, Tim and Andy are trying to move on, sounding less raw and desperate and more focused on crafting intricate sounds, as they’d perfected with Silkworm. The choice for opener (Midgett’s “Winterwind”) and first single (Cohen’s “38 Souls”) seem like a conscious effort to remind us of Silkworm, but beyond that there is plenty of moving on going on. Midgett had begun introducing the baritone guitar on the last Silkworm album, but now it’s pretty much his primary instrument, giving the band a dual guitar attack for the first time since Joel R.L. Phelps shared the stage with them. The result is a multi-layered yet spacious affair with plenty of both hooks and surprises to keep you back for more. Silkworm may be under the bridge, but the Silkworm’s blood still runs thick here.
Download: “38 Souls” [mp3]
Cohen and Midgett may be moving on, but we still have a hard time knowing Dahlquist’s killer (Jeanette Sliwinski) is not only already free from prison, but may already have gotten her driver’s license back. By googling her name, I came across this segment on Hulu called Snapped (from the Oxygen network) about Sliwinski, her horrible act and the ensuing trial. We should really all move on, but it’s damn hard, so here’s the video.
Scott Pilgrim vs the World Original Soundtrack
Stream / Purchase [mp3]
I probably can’t do the soundtrack justice here, so I’ll no doubt dedicate a post to it later. Beck wrote and recorded 21 one songs in like a day for the fictional and Super Mario named band Sex Bob-omb, and then actors Michael Cera, Alison Pill and Mark Webber recorded them, as Spinal Tap was the bar set for authenticity here. Broken Social Scene wrote songs for the band Crash & the Boys, and Metric for The Clash at Demonhead (Emily Haines sung version on the release). Throw in some Frank Black, Rolling Stones, T. Rex and Blood Red Shoes and you might have the soundtrack of 2010. What makes the film’s soundtrack work even more, though, is the score from Nigel Godrich, which mixes the prog-rock of Dario Argento’s Goblin with video game sounds for an exhilarating result.
More on the radar (and in the mp3 player) this week:
Street Sweeper Social Club – The Ghetto Blaster EP
Kathryn Calder – Are You My Mother / “Arrow”, “Slip Away” [mp3]
The Budos Band – The Budos Band III
Starflyer 59 – The Changing of the Guard
Yeasayer – Madder Red EP
Elsinore – Yes Yes Yes / “Yes Yes Yes” [mp3]
Eli “Paperboy”Reed – Come and get It
Ray Lamontagne & the Pariah Dogs – God WIllin’ & the Creek Don’t Rise
Sea of Bees – Songs for the Ravens / “Marmalade” [mp3
Matthew Dear – Black City / “Little People,” “Soil to Seed” [mp3]
Lissie – Catching a Tiger / “Bully” [mp3]
Camu Tao – King of Hearts / “Bully” [mp3]
The Dollyrots – A Little Messed Up
Darker My Love – Alive As You Are / Free AOL Album Stream
REISSUES
Superchunk – No Pocky For Kitty / “Skip Steps 1 & 3” [mp3]
Superchunk – On the Mouth
Arab Strap – Philophobia / “Packs Of Three” [mp3]
Arab Strap – The Week Never Stars Round Here / “The First Big Weekend” [mp3]
The Jon Spencer Blue Explosion – Extra Width + Mo’ Width
Modest Mouse – The Moon & Antarctica