In this month of transition, semesters are ending, graduations are taking place and summer vacations are being planned. The world seems, ever so slightly, to be breaking out of its economic doldrums. The soundtrack for the season to come has not yet been determined, but artists are releasing albums at a frantic pace, hoping to be the disk or download that makes an impact on the listener and is subsequently invited into the iPod, the car, the suitcase for the summer.
While May was light on major releases, the second-tier of instrumental releases was heavy. This month’s list again includes some surprises: for the second month in a row, a previously-unheralded release takes the top spot, while the others are filled by a “lost” album from a fan favorite; an Australian artist whose very name speaks to anonymity; and a side project from one of the scene’s stalwarts. As the music industry continues its defragmentation from major-label monopoly to MySpace, CD-R and digital download, we can expect to see more of the same: quality releases from artists who might not otherwise have found an audience. The road ahead may be difficult for artists and labels, but to date it has been a boon for fans.
1) Christopher Tignor ~ Core Memory Unwound
Western Vinyl
Christopher Tignor is a man of many talents, but perhaps his greatest is figuring out how these many talents can be combined to make wonderful music. The front man of acclaimed New York collective Slow Six, Tignor has spun off his own project thematically tied to "memory", as perceived by the artist, and called upon classical instrumentation and digital software to create a work that is as penetrating as it is minimal. It is quite a unique experience, at once sounding like a descendant of the works of Pärt and Satie as it does a sibling of his experimental peers. Fittingly, it simultaneously reaches into the past without losing its grip on the current pulse of the modern experimental world or stumbling into a nostalgic sound. Rather, Tignor masterfully guides the audience through his audio experiment , not only demonstrating why he's become one of the most creative artists around these halls, but also delivering quite the spectacular show in the process. Whether or not the listener decides to invest in the rich theme Tignor offers on Core Memory Unwound, a spade is a spade --- this is beautiful music. (Jordan Volz)
2) maudlin of the Well ~ part the Second
Self-Released
Toby Driver had been haunted by the Blue Ghost. Perhaps it was autophysiopsychic astral projection. Last year, he blogged that he could clearly hear a maudlin of the Well song that hadn’t been recorded. Driver knew he’d need a large ensemble, and that recording such a group would be prohibitively expensive. Luckily for us, eighty six fans donated enough money to record not only that song, but ultimately an entire album, part the Second, which is available for free on the band’s website. maudlin of the Well began as a fairly unusual group, making bizarre avant-garde metal with brutal screamed vocals and atmospheric mellow parts from 1997 until 2003. The project disbanded, but core members Toby Driver and Greg Massi continued on as Kayo Dot, whose compositions and aesthetic went beyond that of motW. Since that time, Kayo Dot parted ways with Massi, and has continued to mellow, while the reputation of maudlin of the Well has grown. You might have been, like me, completely surprised to hear the announcement that motW had released a free, all-new album, and that they had NOT in fact reformed.part the Second sounds like an amalgamation of the two groups. The band focuses more on their mellower side, though there are enough moments of bombast to satisfy those so inclined. The addition of strings and large arrangements suits the material, which is augmented by Driver’s oscillation between creepy murmur and whiny falsetto vocals. Featuring the core contributors to motW’s last record, Leaving Your Body Map (with the noticeable absence of vocalist Jason Byron, credited as co-lyricist alongside Driver), part the Second is the rare “reunion” record that exceeds the group’s earlier material. (Joseph Sannicandro)
3) Anonymeye ~ The Disambiguation of Anonymeye
Sound & Fury
The tension between the mechanic and organic in Anonymeye has always been significant - previous releases on Sound & Fury, HellosQuare, CURT and Half/Theory saw Andrew Tuttle's steel string acoustic dismantled in various ways. However, on The Disambiguation of Anonymeye, Tuttle has opted not to incorporate each as an individual technique, but rather to pilot the progression of this album around their interaction. The first two tracks clock under two minutes each, and both feature the brutal manipulation of saw tones. These give way, immediately and arrestingly, to the measured familiarity of Tuttle's guitar: a masterstroke in the album's construction. As a result, the album becomes a seething, live mess of sounds, combating for attention - a fascinating, and occasionally beautiful thing to hear. (Marcus Whale)
4) Years ~ Years
Arts & Crafts
For over a decade, Ohad Benchetrit has been making music as a member of Toronto’s post-rock plesiosaurs, Do Make Say Think. With the band on temporary hiatus, Benchetrit figured the time was right for a solo venture. This enormously pleasing album showcases his guitar work, but is relaxed and acoustic in a way that DMST is not; without the press release, one would be hard-pressed to connect the two acts. And yet, Benchetrit seems to have gotten lonely during the recording process, because he’s invited many of his friends to accompany him; and so, in addition to his guitar, we also have trumpet, trombone, violin, sax, drums and accordion. The resulting sound is lush and often triumphant, as on the standout tracks, “Are You Unloved?” and “The Major Lift.” Each features a rush of horns and an unrestrained exuberance, as one might find in a passing parade. With Years, Benchetrit has found new energy and a second musical life. (Richard Allen)