BETH THORNLEY - MY GLASS EYE (Stiff Hips Music)
Beth might be the only singer-songwriter I’ve heard in the last few years whose songs truly reflect her diverse musical tastes. On My Glass Eye, each song takes subtle, unpredictable twists and turns that most singer-songwriters have neither the balls, nor ability to pull off.
CUT CHEMIST - THE AUDIENCE\'S LISTENING (Warner Bros.)
One minute you feel like you’re in one of those funky animated shorts on an old episode of Sesame Street; the next, you’re walking with Martin Denny through the set of The Black Hole. Easily the most cinematic listening experience you’ll get all year, Cut outdid himself, turning a stylistically diverse mix of samples and live instrumentation into an absolute work of art.
DJ SPOOKY - DJ SPOOKY PRESENTS - IN FINE STYLE: 50,000 VOLTS OF TROJAN RECORDS (Trojan Records)
It’s not a DJ mix. It’s a compilation of songs from the Trojan Records vault, handpicked by the ubiquitous DJ Spooky. Two discs of it, in fact. Some rarities, some old standards. If you love Jamaican music, this is definitely a treat. And if you’re just looking to get into it, this is a nice place to start.
DR. OCTAGON - THE RETURN OF DR. OCTAGON (OCD International)
I loved Dr. Octagonecologyst, but this shit is perfect. Seriously. Kool Keith has never had a funkier, more fitting platform to rhyme over. I’m putting this in my \"best of the year\" box.
J.J. BROWN & LOUIS LOGIC - MISERY LOVES COMEDY (Fat Beats Records)
The best thing about this record? It’s so much fun to listen to. Seriously, that means a lot to me. I grew up on hip-hop, and at some point artists forgot about having fun with what they were recording. Leave it to two underground legends to remember.
MR. LIF - MO\' MEGA (Definitive Jux)
Buy it. Especially for the sixth track: \"Murs Iz My Manager\". Easily one of the best hip-hop songs ever.
RIVERBOAT GAMBLERS - TO THE CONFUSION OF OUR ENEMIES (Volcom Entertainment)
Every time I hear a great new punk band I’m reminded of how few there actually are. I want to be a Riverboat Gambler when I grow up. I also want to play \"Unicorn Shake Your Horn\" next time my girl and I have love.
THE HEISE BROS. - LISTEN AND LEARN (Self-Released)
Normally, these madmen are Munkeyjuice, heirs to the sonic throne sat upon by bands like The Pixies and The Minutemen. For this outing, though, they’re less abstract, more structured. Listen And Learn is a collection of more straight-forward, acoustic-heavy songs. Is it good? Yes. And that’s fucking disgusting. No one should be able to make this much good music.
THE STOLEN SWEETS - SHUFFLE OFF TO BUFFALO (Self-Released)
This is that Twenties and Thirties jazz you play when you need to feel happy and good. The musicianship is absolutely impeccable, and the three-part female harmonies are enough to lull you off to the best dreamland you’ve had in ages. This isn’t a novelty project. It’s the real thing, just 100 years late.
ZERO 7 - THE GARDEN (Atlantic Records)
Even if I didn’t know it was a Zero 7 record, I’d know it was a Zero 7 record. They maintained the sound that somersaulted When It Falls into most musical spotlights, and presented another handful of well-crafted, soft pop tunes. Prepare to repeat track eight over and over again.