Free Download: Peter Gabriel's "Flume"

Peter Gabriel recently released his new covers album Scratch My Back, which contains his interpretations of songs by Arcade Fire, David Bowie, Paul Simon and Regina Spektor. He also recorded a Bon Iver song "Flume" you can download for free.

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CD Review: David Bowie

David Bowie
A Reality Tour
ISO/Columbia/Legacy
By David Chiu

Though not every great David Bowie song is represented here (i.e. "Space Oddity," "Modern Love," "Let’s Dance," "Golden Years," etc.), the set from the singer's 2003 Ireland shows is nevertheless a broad overview of the many eras in his eclectic music career. Not only does he cover the more familiar tunes (“Heroes,” “Ziggy Stardust,” “Rebel Rebel,” “Changes”) but also some back catalog stuff (“The Man Who Sold The World,” “Hang On To Yourself,” “Be My Wife”). There is an interesting reworking of “Loving the Alien” here, and even the more latter-day ‘90s and ‘00s fare like “Hallo Spaceboy” “Battle for Britain” and “Reality” make a strong case for a second listen. Bowie and band, especially guitarist Earl Slick and pianist Mike Garson, sounded really good here. This performance was previously released as a DVD; the audio includes five additional performances, among them are “China Girl” and “Breaking Glass.”

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CD Review: Avi Buffalo

Avi Buffalo
Avi Buffalo
Sub Pop
By David Chiu

The music from this Long Beach, California band's upcoming debut album seem to echo the trippy bands from the late ‘60s whose sound is heavy on atmosphere with some folk rock influences. (My pal Georgia made a comparison to Modest Mouse; I say a little bit of Love). What adds to Avi Buffalo’s distinct sound along with the angular guitar playing and jazzy keyboards is Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg’s singing: it has an androgynous, somewhat high-pitched, quality that is both emotive and intimately haunting. There’s a lot of strong tracks of note, especially the pop-friendly “What’s It In For"and the interestingly-titled “Summer Cum.”








Photos from Avi Buffalo's Bowery Ballroom show by David Chiu

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Download: Misty Boyce's "Love You Down"

Check out "Love You Down," a new song by New York-based singer/songwriter Misty Boyce. It is on her upcoming self-titled debut album due out Mar. 30; her upcoming appearance will be at the Rockwood Music Hall in NYC Mar. 3. If you like soulful pop music that is above the generic, cookie-cutter stuff, you'll like her music.

Photo from mistyboyce.com

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CD Reviews: Meghan Smith and Dawn Landes

Meaghan Smith
The Cricket’s Orchestra
Sire

Dawn Landes
Sweet Heart Rodeo
Cooking Vinyl

By David Chiu

Upon hearing the respective releases by these two talented newcomers, one can say that they’re not exactly following what’s popular or trendy in music these days. Refreshingly, both Meaghan Smith and Dawn Landes are doing quite fine pursuing their own muse and in the process forging some distinct sounds.

Smith’s music on her full-length debut seems to be a throwback to Tin Pan Alley/Roaring Twenties: kind of jazzy, old-timey pop music. The result is something so exuberant, infectious and charmingly sweet from "Heartbroken" and "Take Me Dancing" to "You Got Out" and "A Little Love." It’s not all roses as Smith can also turn in some ballads such as the heartbreaking "Drifted Apart." As a singer, Smith is captivating who can project with the feistiness and charisma of a pop star and the ease and command of a jazz belter. The Cricket’s Orchestra is not your typical modern-day pop record—retro cool is what it is.

Speaking of retro, the elements of country music on Brooklyn musician Dawn Landes’ latest record, Sweet Heart Rodeo, may not be a surprise to those who know of her background: she’s from Missouri and came to New York several years ago. (Personal note: I saw her open for Suzanne Vega at Barnard College almost seven years ago). The down-home Southern sounds permeates throughout her new record from the jugband stomp of "Young Girl" to "Sweetheart of the Rodeo" (with an awesome guitar solo) and the gentle and reflective "Brighton". Adding some variety to a predominantly country-folk sound, Landes ingeniously incorporates some electronic influences on the the trippy, lo-fi "Love" and the predominantly instrumental coda All Dressed in White, as well as pop ("Romeo" kind of recalls almost a ‘60s doo wop/girl group sound). Landes' voice offers a very understated delivery that projects warmth and grace on wistful and elegant songs like "Little Miss Holiday" and "Dance Area."

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CD Review: Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend
Contra
XL
By David Chiu

Vampire Weekend follow-up their breakthrough 2007 debut with Contra, which has already been a tremendous hit. And from hearing this effort from the New York quartet/Ivy Leaguers, you can understand why: it blends their distinct world music sound with catchy melodies, clever artsy lyrics, and electronic soundscapes and intricate production. Nearly every track is exuberant and charming from “Horchata” (taking its name after a Latin American beverage) to the quirky and rocking “Holiday” to the danceable “Run” and “Giving Up the Gun.” Even the band again touches a bit of classical with “Taxi Cab.” Only "Cousins" deviates from the world music sound coming very close to punk rock and being the heaviest song on the record, and the ballad “I Think UR A Contra” closes out the album as a musical mixture of everything. Contra maybe a little more musically ambitious and bolder compared to the debut. That’s what probably makes this sophomore album Vampire’s most interesting and satisfying offering.

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CD Review: Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston: The Deluxe Anniversary Edition
Arista/Legacy
By David Chiu

When one thinks about the superstar female singers of today, from Mariah Carey to Alicia Keys, a tremendous part of their success and style was in no doubt influenced by Whitney Houston and her debut album. Released 25 years ago when Houston was just barely into her 20s. This smash self-titled record really launched Houston's career, which is putting it mildly as evidenced by its multiplatinum sales. It has something for everybody: gorgeous Quiet Storm tunes (“Saving All My Love For You,” “You Give Good Love”), lush ballads (“Hold Me,” a duet with the late great Teddy Pendergrass; and “The Greatest Love of All”) and dance fare (“How Will I Know,” which still absolutely kicks). Certainly the production and the songs –helmed by the legendary Clive Davis--all played a factor in the album’s meteoric success but the true star is Houston with her confident and soaring gospel-inflected vocals. This wasn’t the voice of an ingénue but of a professional emerging superstar. Houston continued to have major hits throughout her now-legendary career but they’ll never quite match the unique and special qualities of the debut. Twenty-five years later, Whitney Houston is still timeless. This special reissue edition also contains a DVD of the album’s videos and a mini-documentary with Houston and Davis explaining the period leading up to and around the album’s release. Noteworthy is footage of Houston’s singing appearance on The Merv Griffin show in 1983 two years before the album, and it just smokes.

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CD Review: Norah Jones

Norah Jones
The Fall
Blue Note
By David Chiu

Maybe it’s been a while since I’ve listened to Norah Jones’ music, but some of the tracks on her latest The Fall seems to me more of an upbeat sounding effort from the singer-songwriter. For example It is certainly evident on the opening track “Chasing Pirates,” which sounds like a homage to the’70s pop of Linda Ronstandt and Karla Bonoff, while the electric guitar riffs elevates tracks like “Stuck” and the sultry-sounding “Even Though.” But for the most part The Fall contains the signature elements of Jones’ music familiar to us: the jazzy-country-folk hybrid music complementing her introspective lyrics. Some of the standouts include the dreamy after-hours of “Back to Manhattan,” the wistful country-pop balladry of “I Wouldn’t Need You,” and the touching torch song “Man of the Hour.”

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Live Review: El May

El May
The Kitchen, NYC
Feb. 3, 2010
By David Chiu

Australian singer/songwriter El May, a.k.a. Lara Meyerratken, is not only a one-person band in the studio (she practically played all the instruments on her new album) but she is also one onstage. During her recent solo performance at The Kitchen, Meyerratken -- who was previously a backup musician for Ben Lee, Luna and Dar Williams—showed her instrumental prowess as she alternated between electric guitar and piano. She even provided percussion by tapping on the microphone and snapping her fingers.

Performing to a seated audience on Tuesday evening as part of an evening program spotlighting the arts magazine Esopus, Meyerratken performed a majority of tunes from her recently released album 'El May.' Some of the songs from that record included the set opener "Fire/Freeze" and the catchy "Don’t You." She also played a new song that is not from the album called "Atlantic Pacific" as well as a tune, "Hero," from the 2005 film 'The Baxter' starring Michelle Williams. She concluded her brief set with the lovely "Order in the Nothingness."

It was a night of charming indie pop music that featured her wistful singing in addition to her impressive instrumental playing. And Meyerratken’s appearance was also sort of a homecoming—she previously lived here for a decade before moving to Los Angeles. Hopefully there will be more New York City shows featuring her very soon.



Photos by David Chiu

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