CD Reviews International and Local for July courtesy SLUG magazine


Maker Shalal Hash Baz
C’est La Derniére Chanson
K Records
Street: 07.21
Maher Shalal Hash Baz= Sufjan Stevens + Cornelius

Intriguing. That one word may be the only––and best––way to describe the songs on the double disc serving as conductor Tori Kudo’s second K release. Two hundred “songs” were originally recorded for this work, but only 177 made the cut. The lost 23 were probably equally intriguing. This whole release is aimed straight at expanding and challenging common ideas of what music should and shouldn’t do. Two to three seconds of a bassoon playing a discordant note with a clarinet may not be a song to some people, but it qualifies in Kudo’s mind. As Kudo’s handful of French studio musicians play strange interludes with the mindfulness of jazz and punk rock’s ideas of song length through my stereo, I began thinking about what my own interpretation of music was and felt gladdened at the end of my multiple listens to hear an artist still exploring the sonic playground. Thank you, Mr. Kudo.
–JP

Cub Country
Stretch That Skull Cover and Smile
Future Farmer Recordings
7.07
Cub Country = Jets to Brazil + Mister E.

Thankfully, a local band who had deep roots in the alt-country scene is changing it up. The twang on every song was getting a little tiresome ‘round these parts. Fortunately, Stretch That Skull Cover and Smile is really gutsy rock for most of the disc. Don’t fret CC fans, these guys aren’t reinventing themselves for the cover of Revolver or anything, they’ve just progressed sound wise––as is their right. The last track, “The Stars Drip Down,” is an awe-inspiring showcase for Kathryne Youkstetter’s vocals in a song Jeremy Chatelain, bandleader, originally wrote as a lullaby. It’s one of the best songs on the album and one of the best songs to come out of the valley in a long while.
–JP

Lindsay +INFLUENZI+ Heath
From Kid Madusa EP
Self-released
7.01
Lindsay +INFLUENZI+ Heath= Portishead + Kate Bush

Lindsay Heath is an artist entirely in her own right, comparisons to other female pianists aside. When not busy adding her unique talents drumming and playing to the arsenal of others, she unlocks her own powers on personal projects like this. My main complaint is that I wish this was a full-length as originally planned, but we will have to wait for the forthcoming LP. Bronwen Beecher on violin and Joel Hales on cello add some really nice accompaniement on the tracks and really give some guts to Heath’s piano skills. Her lyrics are also sinfully evocative. “Cold Blood” comes at you with this, for instance: “He doesn’t see her gold blood/I want to bless our blood/I want our blood to be one/I want to kiss her blood,” all sung in a very melancholy way on top of subdued drumming, making for a really interesting track, while ramping up to some steady and heel-thumping rock, which transitions to live performance really well.
–JP