Funki Porcini
The Ultimately Empty Million Pounds (Ninja Tune)
Funki Porcini (aka James Braddell) ain't no Miss Manners. Operating outside the bounds of sonic propriety, he weaves together breakbeat mayhem and angular brass, sampling everything from Bob Barker to an audio drum lesson. Smoky as a steakhouse, chaotic as a schoolyard, this album will definitely shake you from the same ol' salt 'n pepa.
Duke Ellington
What better way to celebrate Ellington's 100th birthday than this 24-CD, $400 box set, an exquisite, extravagant compilation of the Duke's entire RCA Victor catalog. Illuminating the many immortal compositions of Ellington and his arranger Billy Strayhorn, this collection chronicles the contributions of an American composer whose career spanned from the Cotton Club to the legendary recordings of "The Far East Suite," and whose impact transcends all categorization. Including rare and previously unreleased tracks, this is the package of a lifetime.
Beth Orton
Central Reservation (Deconstruction)
Long part of the post-euphoria soundtrack of British clubland, Beth Orton's voice is a study in ethereal expression. Her early work with Red Snapper and the Chemical Brothers displayed the power of electronica melded with humble folk vocals; this second solo LP continues the flirtation but is defined by the clarity of her voice and the delicate simplicity of her musical arrangements. As a songwriter, Orton is chock-full of quandary, as in the sparse "Feel to Believe," where she asks plaintively, "If one truth leads to another, then isn't there one I can't uncover?" On "Pass in Time," a duet with Terry Callier, the dance between her dulcet tones and Callier's aged wisdom conveys pain in all its stages. And as demonstrated here, pain ultimately redeems.
Kula Shaker
Peasants, Pigs, and Astronauts (Columbia)
Recorded on the Victorian houseboat of Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, the sound effects and vocals of songs like "108 Battles" recall Floyd's 1967 debut. Alongside sure-to-be-hit singles like the guitar-and-drum-driven "Mystical Machine Gun," singer/spiritual leader Crispian Mills' souped-up Stratocasters and the haunting Hammond organ of Jay Darlington are balanced with Indian instruments like the double-reed shenai. Call it a multiculti piper at the gates of dawn.
Jeff Beck
Who Else! (Epic)
The guitarist's guitarist returns for the first time in a decade, with a tight, muscular rhythm section and smokin' jazz-rock fusion. Beck's new compositions range from lyrical ballads to furious, blistering rave-ups. The opener, "What Mama Said," snaps your head around with its pummeling rhythms, funky bass, and dazzling guitar work; more than ever, Beck elicits a kaleidoscopic range of sonorities from his instrument. And that's only the beginning ...
The Rentals
Seven More Minutes (Maverick)
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, yet when American bands try to sound British, they often come off a bit ... well, flat. But on Seven More Minutes, the Rentals' eagerly awaited sophomore album, the dudes do a nice job of just being blokes. Singer/bassist Matt Sharp (formerly of Weezer) takes the essence of Britpop and creates his own unique tunes and formulas. Songs like "Hello, Hello" and "Overlee" contain sweet harmonies that surprisingly complement the jangly guitar riffs dominating most of the record. The result is a sound somewhere between Oasis and Jawbreaker. For added cred, a slew of Britpop superstars, including Damon Albarn (Blur) and Donna Matthews (Elastica), contribute vocals. These lads are all right.
Fats Waller
A Handful of Keys (Buddha)
No matter how noisily today's acolytes - like the Squirrel Nut Zippers - profess their discipleship, they can't hold a candle to Fats. These 22 tracks amply demonstrate what made the man great: prodigious piano technique, a world-class sense of humor, and a sunny, rubbery bounce in everything he played. Fourteen of these live recordings, from a 1938 NBC broadcast, haven't been heard since; the rest, cut at a Manhattan nightclub the same year, have been available only on a hard-to-find LP. Handful includes a generous portion of Waller classics à la "Ain't Misbehavin'," and Fats's ad-lib witticisms and slap-happy banter are even more raucous than usual. Long live the Clown Prince of Jazz.
Blondie
No Exit (Beyond)
Twenty years ago, Blondie linked downtown punk hole-in-the-walls with uptown danceterias. After 16 years of dissolution, the band picks up where it left off, fusing resolutely loud guitars to ska, country, and rap - all with a decidedly '80s sensibility and suffused with chanteuse Debbie Harry's intelligent sensuality. Though Blondie's no longer rewriting the rules, its legend is secure, with this reunion a fitting bridge between then and now.
STREET CRED
Brother's Keeper
Cryptic Adventures
Have It Your Way
Shout It Out
Killer Op
Batman's Second Life
Reality Check
Robo Scope
Music
Just Outta Beta
ReadMe
Personalized Checking
Deep Knowledge
'Phone of Silence
Watts for Dinner
The Public Face of Linux
Contributors
