Records of the Week
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The Hope Blister | Underarms and Sideways | 4AD | 12.25.2005 | What better way to celebrate Christmas than with symphonic ambient goodness? If Dead Can Dance ever hung out with Stars of the Lid, this is what we'd get. Formerly only available by mail-order, Underarms and Sideways enjoys its first release to record stores nationwide thanks to the reputable label 4AD. First we thought post-rock was on the rise, now ambient? Who knows, but if you can dig lush cellos darkened with spooky atmospherics, take a listen. |
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Bell Orchestre | Recording a Tape the Colour of the Light | Rough Trade | 12.18.2005 | We are well aware that this has been out for a while in Canada and we've been playing it since Chris got his hands on it at their Minneapolis show, but finally it has officially reached the states and we're all about it. Some call them an Arcade Fire side project; we call them Bell Orchestre. Bombastic french horn, furious strings, and maniacal percussion round out this amalgam of baroque and post-rock melodies. Dirty despair with a punch of anger and energy. |
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The Redneck Manifesto | I Am Brazil | Australian Cattle God | 12.11.2005 | Why is that when hardcore bands break up they form awesome instrumental bands? We first saw this with ...of Sinking Ships and now The Redneck Manifesto. This CD from Dublin is their 3rd release and is about as far away from hardcore as we can imagine. They're new to us but we're glad we found them and you will be too. |
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Tristeza | A Colores | Better Looking | 12.04.2005 | Their name translates to "sadness," but the music on their new record isn't quite as emotionally oblique. Eternally known as "the band that used to have the Album Leaf guy in it," Tristeza's new guitarist Alison Ables elegantly swirls out simultaneously precise and hazy melodies on their new masterpiece. Their trademark prettier-than-thou sound is still present, but is slightly darker and more enigmatic this time around. Let's call it murder mystery soundtrack music. |
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Dirty Three | Cinder | Touch & Go | 11.27.2005 | Dirty Three has expanded their horizons yet again with their new release "Cinder" out on Touch & Go. They even went so far as to include vocals from Chan Marshall (Cat Power). While you might not hear the vocal tracks on NLP, we're still sure to play the other 17 non-vocal tracks. Fear not, the record still has their cello/drum sound that has been their trademark. |
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The Timeout Drawer | Nowonmai | Consumer Research | 11.20.2005 | This Chicago band used to feature Ray, currently of local project Sounding Spirals, but their latest effort isn't any weaker without him. Sparkling guitars washed over with enveloping synths and ferocious percussion, this is as devastating as gorgeous instrumental music gets. Think M83 without the new wave, The Album Leaf with an entire futuristic orchestra behind him: this is what rock music should sound like in outer space. |
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This is a Process of a Still Life | Light | Firefly Sessions | 11.13.2005 | The Process has been a favorite of NLP since we started and their new release 'Light' does not disappoint. The music is not your typical epic-crescendo format but relies more on a ambient-atmospheric sound. Despite being their second release their instrumentation makes it seem like they have been playing together much longer. 'Light' builds on the sound they explored in the self-titled release but seems more approachable and is sure to get a lot more play on NLP. |
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Friends of Dean Martinez |
Lost Horizon | Aero | 11.06.2005 | Though we like their other bands Giant Sand and Calexico, the bands showcase their collaborative talents best as the Arizonian supergroup FoDM.. The best word that can be used to describe their latest effort is "open" - airy guitar-based pieces without the latin tinge of past releases, making some beautiful sounds without being too ambient or noisy. We're not from the southwest, but we think this should be the region's permanent soundtrack. |
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Saxon Shore | The Exquisite Death of Saxon Shore | Burnt Toast Vinyl | 10.30.2005 | This is the third release from Saxon Shore and one of the best releases NLP has heard this year. The record is the first full length to be recorded with their new lineup and while different it still has the Saxon Shore sound. The Exquisite Death has a higher production value than their past releases but is still the classic "epic" instrumental rock we love. They'll even be playing a show in Minneapolis this Friday (Nov. 4th) so go check 'em out! |
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Explosions in the Sky |
How Strange, Innocence | Temporary Residence | 10.23.2005 | One of NLP's staple artists re-release their first album, originally only available on cassette. Goodbye tape hiss and goodbye 80s technology - hello the wonderful world of digital compact discs. Like the color scheme of the album art suggests, it's glacial as all get-out and more contemplative than the chaotic drama of their subsequent records. Already a classic. Now tour the US again already, boys! |