Music Reviews – International: June 2009

Middle Cyclone by Neko Case

Neko Case has a voice made of dirt and wind. The earthy indie girl’s latest album of hard melodies laced with smooth country-girl vocals is yet another exhibition of her distinct bluegrass style. Teaming up with members of Los Lobos as well as several New Pornographers bandmates, Middle Cyclone is heavy on the love songs, as well as just plain heavy (“They’ve traded more for cigarettes than I’ve managed to express,” she croons on “Prison Girls”). Still, the album brims with an energy belonging only to a girl that is part sweetheart and part wild animal – a set of human tunes for howling at the moon. MD

The Lonely Ones by Aceyalone

Aceyalone has never been one to succumb to convention. His quick-fire rhyming and didactic poeticism have always kept him at the edge of what is defined as hip-hop, and it’s not difficult to see him as spoken word or even a performance artist. Now the already esoteric MC has gone even more haywire on his latest release. Taking a break from quirky, jazz-infused instrumentals, The Lonely Ones attempts a harkening back to the era of big band and doo-wop, laced over with a deliberate, vintage-sounding crudeness. The end result is an interesting musicological experiment, to be sure, but its effectiveness as music is highly questionable. LL

Asleep in the Bread Aisle by Asher Roth

In his first eight bars, Asher Roth rhymes “Teddy Ruxpin” with claims to be the “King of the Blumpkins.” If that doesn’t clue you into the unapologetically middle-class nature of the record, nothing will. When not dismissing comparisons with Eminem – shockingly, they are both white MCs – Roth finds time to delve into such contentious topics as loving suburbia and college. Roth and rap’s most famous Caucasian do at times sound vocally similar, but this set is more akin to the likes of Lupe Fiasco. He might not be the future of hip-hop, but he shows that it has a future catering to different tastes. HC

White Lies For Dark Times by Ben Harper and Relentless7

On his ninth album, Ben Harper takes a break from recording with the Innocent Criminals to collaborate with three musicians from Texas, the Relentless7. This has rendered him less Jack Johnson and more raggedy blues, less soulful acoustic and more explosive guitar. Those who’ve managed to sleep through Harper’s previous, richly folk-tinged albums will sit up for White Lies. The first half of the 11 tracks are soaked in rollicky guitars and commanding lyrics, while the latter half brings out Harper’s delicate side (“Skin Thin” and “Faithfully Remain”). For the first time, listeners will hear the efforts of a powerful collective, and not just Harper and some band. JP

Music for the People by The Enemy

If you hadn’t realized England has gone to the dogs, The Enemy endeavors to educate even the most partial international observer. Their new record represents a seismic coming of age. No longer crowing about cheating girlfriends and daytime TV, their ire has developed into contempt for the powers that be. However, spurious lyrics and pedestrian choruses suggest they’re not entirely comfortable championing the people’s cause. The punch of hometown teen angst that rippled through their first offering is lacking, while themes like mass unemployment and bureaucracy feel contrived in parts. In the end, the wonderfully candid observations, coupled with the spirit and humor of the previous album, are regrettably absent. PR