Dntel

Dumb Luck

Sub Pop

When Dntelí¢â‚¬â„¢s Life Is Full of Possibilities came out in 2001, it blew my mind. Seriously, it was one of those albums I continuallyí¢â‚¬”and likely annoyinglyí¢â‚¬”pushed on friends for years, raving about clicks & cuts and electronic mastery. Now, six years later, Jimmy Tamborelloí¢â‚¬â„¢s Dntel is back with Dumb Luck, and it comes as a bit of a mixed blessing. Like Possibilities, the follow-up boasts a barrage of guest vocalists, including Conor Oberst, Jenny Lewis, Fog and Grizzly Bear. So many in fact that they leave little room for Tamborelloí¢â‚¬â„¢s previous play on ambient cut-and-paste structuresí¢â‚¬”something this record desperately needs. Instead, more traditional song structures dominate, as well as some rather cringe-worthy lyrics. To make matters worse, limp guitar lines also compete with Tamborelloí¢â‚¬â„¢s lush, electronic textures, taking away what he does best and making the record more of a lackluster indie affair than a memorable electronic one. Ií¢â‚¬â„¢m sad to say this, but no raving will be had this time around.

Brock Thiessen

Calvin Johnson and the Sons of the Soil

Self titled

K Records

A very charming and un-laborious tribute of love, nostalgia and revival, Calvin Johnson and the Sons of the Soil offers nine of Johnsoní¢â‚¬â„¢s songs from the past two decades. The sampling is rerecorded by Johnson, together with a group of accomplished and enthusiastic K Records musicians; Kyle Field (Little Wings), with Adam Forkner (Yume Bitsu, VVRSSNN), and Jason Anderson. The album covers several of Johnsoní¢â‚¬â„¢s projects from over the years, including Halo Benders, Dub Narcotic Sound System and the Go Team. In the hands of the Sons of the Soil, Johnsoní¢â‚¬â„¢s sparse and ramshackle numbers become dense and a little shiny, which works perfectly with songs like í¢â‚¬ËœLove Travels Fasterí¢â‚¬â„¢, making it all the more heartfelt and stirring. Those with affection for Johnson will appreciate the added bonus of two characteristically sincere/absurd monologues. A decidedly satisfying, if not revolutionary, listen.

Cloud Cult

The Meaning of 8

Earthology Records

If you turn the number 8 ninety degrees, it makes the infinity symbol, so maybe the meaning of 8 is the meaning of infinity? Right there, that's the kind of lyrical play that Cloud Cult pulls off (they actually provide a rather interesting history of the number 8 in the liner notes). This album I essentially expected to be not so great. That's because their album last year, Advice for the Happy Hippopotamus, was an overlooked masterworkí¢â‚¬“í¢â‚¬“it was one of the best albums put out that year: complex, multi-instrumental, shapeshifting, and powerful in both its noisy techno-beat rockers and its psychedelic ballads. The album was so good that The Meaning of 8 would just fail before any hearing: if it attempted to do the same, it would be redundant, and if something different, it would be a move away from excellence. So, as it is, the album is less ambitious than Advice... It tends to showcase Craig Minowa's lighter side, with folkier acoustic tracks, with interesting orchestrations of unexpected instruments like chimes, glockenspiel, or psychedelic electronics. Some songs, like "Chain Reaction," "Chemicals Collide," or "Alien Christ" have the power and multidimensional qualities of his prior album, where streams of guitar hums can downshift into acoustic pluckings, hyperventilate into xylophone psychedelica, and overdrive into a electrohypnotic powerchord climax. Minowa's lyrical style is reminiscent of Modest Mouse's craftiness with unusual hooks and vocal twists driving what is ultimately some high-caliber pop, although deeply enwrapped in layers of sounds, each of which can hold your attention in its own right. There are some songs that certainly do not match the range or quality of their last album, but for that, they can be forgiven. The bulk of the album's songs make it worthwhile alone and demonstrate that they still have more meanings to fathom. Besides, they're worth supporting since they are probably the most environmental band out there: they distributed past CDs through their Earthology label with reused CD cases; printed this album with 100% recycled paper and nontoxic soy inks and shrinkwrap; and offset all the energy they used in recording the album and touring by buying wind energy through NativeEnergy.com and so on. With a cult leading like this, everyone should at least try the Kool-Aid.

www.cloudcult.com

Bill Angelbeck

Eats Tapes

Dos Mutantes

Tiger Beat6

In this age of chin-stroking minimalism and armchair electronics ití¢â‚¬â„¢s nice to hear a group whoí¢â‚¬â„¢re serious about laying down rough, unhinged, and ribcage-rattling analogue techno. The duo of Marijke Jorritsma and Gregory Zifcak from the San Francisco area just doní¢â‚¬â„¢t give a f&@k about the latest musical fads, which is to their benefit. Dos Mutantes picks up where Sticky Buttons left off with farty bass lines, a midi-controlled Nintendo, and drum machines galore. If the Klaxons are the new/nu rave, than Eats Tapes is raveí¢â‚¬â„¢s maniacal cousin. With Kit Clayton on production, Dos Mutantes sounds like classic Chicago meets Der Plan . The inclusion of rippiní¢â‚¬â„¢ cock rock guitars actually works with Eats playful approach to music, as does the squawking trumpet that rears its boisterous mouth intermittently. This is music for lovers of raw beats and six-in-the-morning basement party anthems. How can rave be new if Eats have been keeping rave alive and current since 2005?

Robert Robot