Slipped Discs April 2010

Discs You May Have Missed
by John Noyd

Natalie Merchant

Natalie Merchant

Initial Thoughts

Skimming spring’s CD titles, restless moods abound. Whether grooving through SWEET ELECTRA’s lusciously cosmopolitan electro-excursions, “When We Abandoned Earth,” or Iranian indie-rocker HYPERNOVA’s, muscular affirmations, “Through the Chaos,” change is everywhere. NATALIE MERCHANT took two years traveling the world for the double-disc advice to, “Leave Your Sleep,” while Milwaukee’s soulful KINGS GO FORTH proudly announce in their Luaka Bop debut, “The Outsiders Are Back.” Transform, relocate and get on board.


Disc Reviews


Extra Life - Made Flesh

Extra Life - Made Flesh

Extra Life

Album title: Made Flesh
Record Label: LOAF Recordings

Prog-rock opera staged by poet-warriors, “Flesh,” melts raw, visceral visions into fevered fanfares, provocative parables and contorted concertos. Assembling personal circuses sparked by both intense and tentative dynamics, Extra Life’s exalted and altered altar-bound pogroms swarm around ominous admonishments, dressing classical pastorals in Gregorian scorn and savoring intense interrogations between galvanized studio eruptions.

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Goldfrapp - Head First

Goldfrapp - Head First

Goldfrapp

Album title: Head First
Record Label: Mute Records

Liquid electronics meticulously mixed for maximum fascination, Goldfrapp’s bold and beautiful musical masquerade combine potent locomotive programming into teasing libidos and sexy mirror-ball extravaganzas. Vivacious havens of golden cyber-times ahead “Head,” turns heavenly escapism, seamlessly replicating yesterday’s tomorrow with a decidedly devilish sensuality; steamy freeze-dried euphoria encased in sweet frosting, parading over glittery runway cat-walks.

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Monster Movie - Everyone Is A Ghost

Monster Movie - Everyone Is A Ghost

Monster Movie

Album title: Everyone Is A Ghost
Record Label: Graveface

Quiet frustrations swarm under throbbing waves of synths, patient complacency dissolves into the solemn sympathy of softly strummed guitars and mournful harmonies. MM’s polished pessimism shines beneath a seething tide of steady beats, minor chords and sleepy consolations while “Everyone,” methodically plots sublime, melancholy pop that floats hopefully, reveling in selfless fellowship.

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Monster Movie online:
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La Strada - New Home

La Strada - New Home

La Strada

Album title: New Home
Record Label: Ernest Jenning Record Co.

Liberating librettos waltz happily as frisky Cossack accordions whisk past sky-high strings twisted into gypsy symphonies flowering bright, boastful brass. “Home,” decorates in frolicking caroling, thoughtful nautical merriment and rousing chamber-folk philosophies, rearranging metaphors and upholstering fables flavored in twinkling mischief. La Strada’s harmonious ensembles feather eloquent nests in jubilant ruminations.

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La Strada online:
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Midas Fall - Eleven. Return and revert

Midas Fall - Eleven. Return and revert

Midas Fall

Album title: Eleven. Return and revert
Record Label: Monotreme

Darting apparitions coo fluent, fleeting meanings as, “Eleven,” traverses immense emptiness where textures stretch, catching regrets swooping through crashing percussion, lofty intergalactic guitar and tender piano soliloquies. Banshee ballads anchor tumultuous emotions as MF’s ferocious vocals wrangle phantom fandangos, surfing past oceanic auras, shivering within shadowy despair, impulsive thoughts and half-abandoned memories.

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Midas Fall online:
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Apples In Stereo - Travelers In Space and Time

Apples In Stereo - Travelers In Space and Time

Apples In Stereo

Album title: Travelers In Space and Time
Record Label: Yep Roc

Scrumptious, spunky, bubblegum power-pop reign over Vocoder choruses, old school Britpop sunshine and back-loaded, rebooted boogie. “Travelers,” lift retro-fitted futures into wholesome computerized majesties through infectious, vacuum-packed R&B, can-you-dig-it cowbells and groovy mechanical utopias where heart-broken teens love to dance. The Apples take over Milwaukee’s Turner Hall May 3rd.

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Apples In Stereo online:
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Final Thoughts

From coiled and cunning RAFTER’s insatiable, “Animal Feelings,” to smoldering enigma X:THC’s breath-taking, “X: The Human Condition,” April focuses on the physiological, hosting a body of body-titled music. Curl alongside rich and airy singer-songwriter SALLY SELTMANN’s snappy, “Heart That’s Pounding,” then dive into the nocturnal jazz improvisations of TOMASZ STANKO QUINTET’s trumpet meditations in the penetrating, “Dark Eyes,” before finally dancing around mongo, hypno-punkers MI AMI’s manic-magical, “Steal Your Face.”