Dead Rider Trio feat. Mr. Paul Williams "Dead Rider Trio feat. Mr. Paul Williams (Drag City)"
Dead Rider Trio feat. Mr Paul Williams? Lemme see here… oh… not THAT Paul Williams. That sure would have been weird. Yet… Somehow, this teaming might be even weirder? This Mr. Paul Williams sounds a little bit like Tim Curry playing the town drunk in a Monty Python movie. He appears to be something of a shithouse poet, rambling artistically over Dead Rider Trio doing their best free jazz impression. It’s a hot mess, and it’s a load of fun. Check out “Candles On Crabs.”
Janek Schaefer [For Robert Wyatt] "What Light There Is Tells Us Nothing (Temporary Residence)"
In 2014, acclaimed sound artist Janek Schaefer was commissioned to create an auditory experience using elements from Robert Wyatt’s Cukooland album. Like any good artist with a commision backing a project, he did just what was asked, and then a bunch more. What Light There Is Tells Us Nothing (Temporary Residence) collects the piece he was originally commissioned to do, as well as an album’s worth of music that was inspired by his work on that piece. Ambient, looping, ethereal music accompanied by spoken word snippets and sound effects. This is just the kind of thing to listen to when you want to bliss out in a smart-sounding way. So put on your tweed jacket and check “Tree at the end of the world.”
Valley Lodge "Fog Machine (RTP)"
Hey Dave Hill, who said you can put your pop into the rock? I thought we left that to the masters such as Cheap Trick or The Raspberries. Huh, guess you didn’t get the memo! Or maybe we didn’t get the memo, because Valley Lodge is certainly sounding like the pop-rock masters here on Fog Machine. From the crashing album opener (and best use of sleigh bells) “The Stars Won’t Fall” to the full-on cowbell boogie of “Please Come To Bed” Fog Machine is 70’s power hits-top to bottom. Need something a little more sensitive? Go with “I’m Gone”, but why not break out that air guitar and crank out “Stand”.
Shida Shahabi "Homes (Fat Cat)"
If Erik Satie would have listened to more indie rock, his compositions would have likely sounded a lot like those of Iranian pianist/composer Shida Shahabi. Homes, her debut on FatCat’s classical imprint 130701 is absolutely stunning. Primarily piano with ethereal keyboard hints, each one of these emotive compositions sounds practically written for peak cable TV. Which makes sense, as she sites film composition as her main influence (that and all the My Bloody Valentine and Yo La Tengo she grew up listening to.) Check out the albums first song “Abisme.”