Tuesday, March 18, 2008

((((( NEW ARRIVALS: CDs ))))) Clark, Destroyer, J Dilla, She & Him

BLACK MILK Sound Of The City CD
*** "Possibly the freshest and finest debut to come out of Detroit since "The Slim Shady EP" and "Fantastic Vol. 1." Black Milk is the real deal, especially on the beats but also on the mic, with a raw, gritty, and energetic style that could only come from Detroit."

CLARK Turning Dragon 2xLP / CD
*** "Hard, deep, continuously evolving and gritty tracks, aimed at contorting your body on the dance floor or just contorting your brain. This is an album that you could almost call techno, but techno with the a.d.d. detail pushed as far as it can go."

MATTHEW DEAR Asa Breed (Black Edition) CD
*** Expanded version of Matthew Dear's lauded 2007 release including remixes by HOT CHIP and FOUR TET. For a limited time, buy the CD and get a copy of Dear's 'Deserter' 10"!

DEL THE FUNKY HOMOSAPIEN Eleventh Hour CD
*** New album from the man that brought you many classic albums now on DEF JUX.

DESTROYER Trouble In Dreams CD
*** "As an artist, Dan Bejar is as quirky and enigmatic as David Bowie, as symphonic as Scott Walker, and as quixotically literary as Bob Dylan. The new album features much of the same band that appeared on Destroyer's Rubies."

FAT RAY & BLACK MILK The Set Up LP / CD
*** "Black Milk somehow seems to be getting better and better in a ridiculously short period of time. "The Set Up" continues his string of incredible releases, this time with dope MC, Fat Ray. Take one listen to "Take Control" and you'll be hooked."

GENIUS / GZA Liquid Swordz Instrumentals CD
*** "Hmm, do you think we need to introduce this one? Seems pretty self explanatory."

HAWKWIND In Search Of Space CD
*** "UK remastered & repackaged reissue of the British progressive rock act's 1971 album with 3 added bonus tracks."

J.ROCC Thank You Jay Dee Vol. 2 CD
*** "J.Rocc continues where the first one left off, and this time he has equally impressive song selection. Again a special note should be made of the beautiful artwork included. Start collecting them now, because one day these will probably be the definitive Dilla mixes."

J DILLA Jay Love Japan CD
*** "After nearly a year of this release in limbo, one of J-Dilla's last projects before he died is available. Mostly instrumental (who's complaining?), a few of the songs feature guests such as Baatin (of Slum Village) and Ta'Raach."

THE KILLS Midnight Boom CD
*** "This duo subtly and organically fuses pop, glam, blues, art-punk, and hip-hop in a manner that flits between light and dark, funny and morbid, experimental and cute. The result is a short, sharp twelve track album of sensual, fresh, and atmospheric songs."

KAKI KING Dreaming Of Revenge CD
*** "King's most accessible CD yet. 'Even though half the tracks are instrumentals, I feel like I'm writing pop songs,' she says. 'We really concentrated on the melodies. Everything I write tends to be dense and chordal, but this time the idea was to layer the challenging guitar work under very simple, beautiful melodies. I really wanted them to be memorable.'"

MESHUGGAH Obzen CD
*** "Experience the heaviest, most devastating audio attack ever captured in 52 minutes and 25 seconds -- courtesy of Sweden's own metal powerhouse!"

MIKE PATTON A Perfect Place CD+DVD
*** Mike Patton's soundtrack to a short film (DVD included). Surprisingly, the soundtrack is considerably longer than the film.

SHE & HIM Volume One CD
*** "ZOOEY DESCHANEL and M. WARD met, had a radical rapport, and decided to get it on musically. The songs themselves give a respectful nod to the likes of Dusty Springfield, Linda Ronstadt, Ronnie Spector, and The Zombies."

WHY? Alopecia CD
*** "Alopecia is an album of bone-dry jokes, suicides played out in poem, musing on final moments written inside restrooms, begrudging self-affirmation, and the grit and glories of everyday living."