http://www.theredalert.com/ The Red Alert - Reviews RSS en-us Mon, 28 Aug 2011 07:14:30 PST Mon, 28 Aug 2011 07:14:30 PST http://www.theredalert.com/ The Red Alert adam@theredalert.com adam@theredalert.com 5 http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/wildflag.php Wild Flag’s concert was great. Let me tell you about it. But first: an old-fashioned tangent. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:08:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/wildflag.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/emperorx.php If you are thinking about moving to the city of Los Angeles, or if you’d just like to pretend you live in the city of Los Angeles, Emperor X is a man that can help you. I don’t think I’ve ever heard so many references to my own city. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/emperorx.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/dumdumgirls2.php For this writer, the evolution of the Dum Dum girls is both great and damaged by exposure. Remember before the internet inundation and you didn’t know every waking move of every celebrity on the planet? Remember the time when your imagination could wander and you could create your own conclusion about what this song meant or how a family member’s death may have influenced the record or when you couldn’t sit in front of YouTube eating chips watching other people live? Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/dumdumgirls2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/mast.php “The Mast” is an unfortunately forgettable name for a unique duo – Haale and percussionist Matt Kilmer. Haale’s talents are well showcased throughout; she’s an extremely expressive vocalist who sounds at once familiar and wholly unique. Her yearning vocals take on the quality of secular spirituality, with lyrical talk of earth and energy and interconnectedness and past lives. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/mast.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/dinneratthethompsons.php Let me put it to you like this: if I entered a party playing DATT’s Off the Grid I would immediately question whether or not I was cool enough to be there. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/dinneratthethompsons.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/tenement.php Wisconsin’s Tenement announce their intentions loudly and clearly. As others have noted, even their packaging is a shout-out to the good ol’ days: all collage and typewriter fonts and Rockwellian images juxtaposed with images that remind us that the past isn’t always so comforting (a smiling O.J. Simpson saying “I’m gonna fucking kill you”). Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/tenement.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/puscifer.php As anyone who has seen Blood Into Wine can attest, Keenan takes pride in breaking ground where others didn’t think to look – and combining old influences in an unforeseen manner. His is a world where “side projects” don’t really exist; there are just projects. Puscifer, as it turns out, may be worthier and more durable than first anticipated. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/puscifer.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/jonti.php Jonti is the newest edition to the Stones Throw catalog, sharing space in there with Mayer Hawthorne, Aloe Blacc, J-Dilla, and, of course, Peanut Butter Wolf. He's already worked with big names like Mark Ronson, the Dap-Kings, and Kurt Vile, and he plays multiple instruments, arranges, produces, and does vocals for most of the tracks on this album. Most would be quick to comment on his youthful appearance, but these achievements are impressive regardless of age.  Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:45:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/jonti.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/wildbeasts3.php It’s been a whirlwind romance, my relationship with Wild Beasts. Just back in February of last year, they were playing their first-ever L.A. show – and it was a case of liking a band going in and loving them going out. Still, they were a relative newcomer to my heart. By the time October 2011 rolled around, they were back for a third L.A. show (the second one was a doozy, too), touring in support of Smother, their third release – and an album that, at this point, is the best of 2011. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 01:00:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/wildbeasts3.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/archersofloaf.php A lot of folks who associate themselves with the era would be more able to sing along to The Verve Pipe or, yes, Candlebox than Archers of Loaf. And that’s a goddamn shame. Fortunately, the champions at Merge Records are here to help, preparing to reissue all four four-lengths, starting (naturally enough) with Icky Mettle, their 1993 debut. Mon, 28 Aug 2011 23:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/archersofloaf.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/rundle.php I had no idea what to expect when I loaded up Emma Ruth Rundle's latest solo album, Electric Guitar 1, but from the eerie sounds of the haunting opening track, I knew I was in for something special. Mon, 28 Aug 2011 23:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/rundle.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/messersmith4.php As great as Messersmith is on his own, it’s fun to see him with a few other guys, filling out the tracks, and making them sound closer to what you hear on the albums. Mon, 28 Aug 2011 22:00:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/messersmith4.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/littledragon.php I had no idea what to expect when I loaded up Emma Ruth Rundle's latest solo album, Electric Guitar 1, but from the eerie sounds of the haunting opening track, I knew I was in for something special. Mon, 28 Aug 2011 23:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/littledragon.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/fruitbats6.php Fruit Bats’ Spelled in Bones and Mouthfuls are two of this writer’s favorite contemporary records so I was expecting another brilliant appearance from singer-songwriter Eric Johnson but Tripper is so pleasantly beyond that, one can not help but gush. Mon, 1 Aug 2011 23:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/fruitbats6.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/segall.php Ty Segall's sold out show at the Eagle Rock Center For The Arts was just one of the concerts organized by the people who bring FYF to the Los Angeles State Historic Park every year. FYF is highly anticipated by music-loving Angelenos and has been pulling out all the stops this year, holding concerts and free shows across town leading up to the festival on Labor Day weekend. Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:00:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/segall.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/japanesepopstars.php There are some pretty disparaging remarks out there about this album. It’s only the second album from the Japanese Popstars (who are actually Irish) and is their first on a major label. Perhaps the trouble that many reviewers and critics have is that overall, this album is very steady. Even as from the point of view of a house/trance/disco dabbler and not an inveterate fan, there’s not much here that hasn’t been heard before; in fact, a few tracks sound like a prom circa 2000. That said, the standout tracks are very much worth a listen, especially those tracks that feature guest vocalists or collaborators. Mon, 1 Aug 2011 23:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/japanesepopstars.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/ahn.php It’s not easy to encapsulate most of a young woman’s life experience in one album, but that seems to be what Priscilla Ahn set out to do on When You Grow Up. On top of her amazing vocals, she tells stories that I found easy to relate to. Starting out with the first track, which the album derives its name from, Ahn ask her listeners what they wanted to be when they were younger. The following tracks address choosing one’s life path, lusty relationships, awful breakups and finally finding someone you want to spend your life with. Mon, 1 Aug 2011 23:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/ahn.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/dodos2.php Throughout, The Dodos borrow from The Kooks and Darker My Love with their crisp, Brit-pop tribute. Even with the marching band drums and layered vocals, No Color feels pure, un-muddied by fancy production or gimmick. Mon, 1 Aug 2011 23:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/dodos2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/crystalantlers.php With the music--a loud wall of guitar and organ-driven psychedelia--the overall effect was that this was a performance, and that's something to go out on a Monday night for. Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:00:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/crystalantlers.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/yankovic.php Okay, here’s the deal: maybe you’re not a Weird Al fan (at least, it’s not something you would admit to someone who hadn’t already labeled themselves a fan first), but you have heard most of his singles through the years and you think he’s pretty funny. Then you should go see him on tour. Because it’s awesome. In the sense of “oh, hey, this is pretty funny and it’s quality and I’m having a good time and laughing and enjoying myself and it’s always nice going to a concert where you know no one’s going to die from a drug overdose.” [Editor’s Note: What kind of shows are we usually sending you to?] Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:00:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/yankovic.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/fuckedup2.php The epic David Comes to Life is the most recent, highly ambitious release from Fucked Up. The band is usually classified as a hardcore band, but what they are doing here is definitely more than just one genre can contain. Mon, Jul 18 2011 18:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/fuckedup2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/papercranes.php At first Papercranes set a nice laid back atmosphere that is somewhat reminiscent of the tranquility you might experience while watching an actual paper crane lazily make its way down the river. But by only track three, they pick up the pace with “Long Way,” which carries a bit more bite, and “Sea Red,” which carries a bit more bark, as lead singer Rain Phoenix (yes, that Phoenix family) belts out the rawest song on the album. Mon, Jul 18 2011 18:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/papercranes.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/shabazzpalaces.php Some albums take a few songs to capture your attention—but Shabazz Palaces’ Black Up isn’t one of them. I was sucked in by about the 90-second mark, when the opening track “free press and curl,” started wheezing in and out like lungs, complete with a ghostly female voice buoying lead MC/programmer Ishmael Butler’s refrain of “I’m free, I’m free.” Thu, 30 June 2011 01:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/shabazzpalaces.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/reatards.php Posthumously lionized by loyal fans and rock critics, Jay Reatard was definitely an antidote to anyone who felt bogged down by gutless indie-rock bands and glossy pop music. By all reports, he was constantly making music, so we are probably just tiptoeing into what will become a posthumous ocean to make 2pac proud (please, easy on the leftovers). Teenage Hate is the portrait of the artist as a pissed-off young punk. Thu, 30 June 2011 01:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/reatards.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/bell2.php What’s weird is that if I break up this album into its pieces, it doesn’t look like I should be fond of it. Thu, 30 June 2011 01:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/bell2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/makingfriendz.php Social Life isn’t a misnomer; if Tami Hart’s new project were, in fact, an animate object, it would be the life of most parties. These are nine tracks that celebrate simple pleasures: fuzzy dance-punk with big beats and impassioned but too-cool-to-get-carried-away yelps, all basking under a lovingly lo-fi glow. Thu, 23 June 2011 15:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/makingfriendz.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/theeohsees.php The thing I love most about lo-fi is that it makes everything sound immediately close and intimate, like it's being played right down the hall from your apartment. Essentially, when you listen to this album, you are experiencing what it's like to have an apartment full of really weird, cool neighbors. That maybe or may not be an endorsement for some, but it's certainly the kind of thing I go in for. Thu, 23 June 2011 15:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/theeohsees.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/eksiekso.php I’m hardly the first to plant my flag (they made their debut in 2008, unbeknownst to me at the time), but Eksi Ekso is one of my favorite discoveries of the year thus far. My hopes (and suspicions) were raised when seeing the reference points that got dropped in describing the band – TV on the Radio and Menomena being amongst the most recurring. On the other hand, one review dropped Elbow, ISIS, Radiohead, Patrick Stump, Peter Gabriel and the Twin Peaks soundtrack. Intriguing, but… a band in search of an identity? Thu, 23 June 2011 15:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/eksiekso.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/brontosaurus.php It’s hard to catch a piece of Brontosaurus’ new LP to hold on to. They call themselves experimental pop, and I totally agree with them. This type of experimentation is the kind that sounds like “what if this song went like this, but then it sounded totally different, and throughout there aren’t any solid beats?”  Thu, 23 June 2011 15:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/brontosaurus.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/bazan2.php Strange Negotiations doesn’t rise to quite the same narrative heights, but the former Pedro the Lion frontman again suggests that his solo career will be as fruitful as the (presumably God-endorsed) Pedro era. Thu, 23 June 2011 15:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/bazan2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/toliver.php Not content to merely be a key member in one of the best bands of the past decade, TV on the Radio’s Kyp Malone has taken it upon himself to help shine some light on new potential favorites. Using power for good – how quaint. He helped talk Sharon Van Etten into a career in music (thank you) and got Marques Toliver involved on a TVOTR record after discovering the singer-songwriter-violinist busking. Toliver turned some heads with a dazzling performance of “White Sails” on Jools Holland (Adele recommend him to Jools), and now he’s released his four-song debut EP, Butterflies Are Not Free. Wed, 8 June 2011 15:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/toliver.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/epstein.php Something about the last track of Volume One, "Small Crack," made me remember Memorial Day 2008. I went to a friend of a friend’s party in Venice, CA. I didn’t know practically anybody, there were weird pseudo celebrities there, and a peculiar but wonderful feeling of camaraderie. It was a party full of hipsters, but happy hipsters, not the emo kind. That’s what The Michael J. Epstein Memorial Library sounds like: a band of happy hipsters. Wed, 8 June 2011 15:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/epstein.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/fleetfoxes.php On their second studio album, Fleet Foxes do not seem in any rush to get through the music. Expanding upon their lackadaisical instrumentation and smart lyrics that made them a MySpace sensation, back when MySpace had sensations, Helplessness Blues doesn’t sound as depressing as the name would imply. Wed, 8 June 2011 15:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/fleetfoxes.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/austra.php I’m not familiar with Galaxy, the Torontonian band where Austra’s Katie Stelmanis got her start (along with then-and-now bandmate Maya Postepski), but in listening to Austra’s dazzling Feel it Break, surely one of the year’s best debuts, it’s hard to understand why Stelmanis isn’t a big deal already. Tue, 24 May 2011 15:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/austra.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/fanmodine.php Gratitude for the Shipper is the band’s first new album in six years. The band is essentially Gordon Zacharias with the help of different musicians each album, and the album is supposedly based on the ideas of and references French poets and obscure pop artists – but you don’t have to know all that to enjoy it. Tue, 24 May 2011 15:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/fanmodine.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/papercuts.php Papercuts is a fitting name for a band whose tracks are so minute you might not notice them if too many other things are happening. That’s not to say their music is insignificant, just so softly spoken and soothingly arranged that it’s easy to let it filter through your subconscious. Tue, 24 May 2011 15:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/papercuts.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/aboutgroup.php Now Alexis Taylor is just showing off. The Hot Chip frontman isn’t doing a whole lot of wrong, even when he puts himself in deliberately challenging positions. Tue, 24 May 2011 15:16:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/aboutgroup.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/lenka.php Lenka, the Australian beauty who is just so easy on the eyes, take a romantic turn on her second album, Two, with 11 patently poppy tracks that out-cute even the cuteness of Jenny Lewis and Zooey Deschanel, brown bangs and doe eyes and all. Making a decision to focus on love songs, the former Decoder Ring member doesn’t burn down any barns on this oratory tribute to matters of the heart, but she doesn’t offend many senses either. Tue, 26 Apr 2011 01:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/lenka.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/imfrombarcelona2.php I'm From Barcelona return with Forever Today, an album full of catchy tunes and playful lyrics that at times delves into an elementary-school-like innocence, such as on opening track "Charlie Parker," whose chorus "sing to me now, bird" could be taken literally, or as a tongue in cheek reference to the somewhat derogatory '50s slang for women, if not given the track's name. Instead, it references the playing of jazz legend Charlie "Yardbird" Parker. Tue, 26 Apr 2011 01:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/imfrombarcelona2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/duchessleo.php Duchess Leo’s Todd Buchler and Dan Ryan are old friends, but fairly new-ish bandmates; sometimes what you’re looking for has been standing in front of you all along, boys. The Brooklyn duo benefits not just from their easy chemistry as collaborators but from their different backgrounds as well; Buchler is the electronic/DJ type, while Ryan is the more traditional singer/songwriter. Tue, 26 Apr 2011 01:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/duchessleo.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/vanetten2.php “I’m a tornado,” Sharon Van Etten sang on one of the more beautiful songs on her debut record – a song that she fortunately included both in her KCRW live session earlier in the day on the 27th and then again at her headline gig at the Satellite. One of the blogosphere breakouts over the last year-plus, Van Etten will be returning to LA to play the venerable Hollywood Bowl this summer, as the opener-opener on an enticing bill: The National and Neko Case. If the tornado has provoked a hype hurricane, we have gladly added a mile or two to the gusts. Tue, 5 Apr 2011 01:59:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/vanetten2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/phineas.php This type of band is very familiar to me. The piano - the lyrics about youth - the singer with the voice that’s imploring, desperate, disconnected, and amused all at once. That’s not to say that Phineas and The Lonely Leaves don’t have something unique to offer. They do. The tracks on The Kids We Used to Be are tight, well done, and nicely mixed; the music doesn’t overpower the singer nor vice versa. But they also have songs about common shared experiences, like hanging out in parking lots as kids or feeling lonely when all your friends have left town. Tue, 5 Apr 2011 01:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/phineas.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/lasera.php Vivian Girls are quite cool, but there's something about La Sera that's even more exciting. You can actually imagine Katy Goodman becoming a major female indie voice in the long run; one which is badly needed, by the way. The music world needs a new Chan Marshall or a new PJ Harvey. We'll see. Tue, 5 Apr 2011 01:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/lasera.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/kingcreosote.php Even by the loftier standards of Best Ofs, Thrawn is a success; Anderson certainly warrants inclusion in the top tier of pop-savvy indie-folkies. Tue, 5 Apr 2011 01:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/kingcreosote.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/sxsw2011.php On my first visit to the world's largest music festival in Austin, TX, I learned that the best shows are sometimes the ones you didn’t plan on seeing. While I was lucky enough to catch some of my favorites (Low, Gayngs, and Glasser among them), some of the most memorable performances came from artists I didn’t know well. In no special order, here are a half-dozen of those unexpected standouts. Tue, 5 Apr 2011 01:59:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/sxsw2011.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/alpinedecline.php The six-minute opener “Avalanche!” makes some of their intentions clear: it’s a loud, propulsive rock track with distorted vocals – but plenty of discernible melody. At the outset, it definitely doesn’t sound like a sing-along, but that’s what it winds up being… well, in addition to a thunderous rock-jam. Tue, 5 Apr 2011 01:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/alpinedecline.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/tiersen.php On this night, I was operating from a sincere place, a desire to share with others the experience of listening to a musician I had come to admire for his beautiful scores to Amelie and Good Bye, Lenin!, two of my all time favorite movie soundtracks. Tue, 15 Mar 2011 01:59:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/tiersen.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/daleearnhardtjrjr2.php Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. managed to get on the short list of bands that I enjoy as much now (if not more) as during my initial listen of their EP. Perhaps it’s because of the teasing four tracks that I can’t get enough of, but I am really quite excited about their new album that arrives on April 26th, especially after hearing the new stuff (they played ten songs total, including the four EP tracks). Tue, 15 Mar 2011 01:52:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/daleearnhardtjrjr2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/mascis.php J Mascis has toned things down since his Dinosaur Jr heyday on Several Shades of Why, his first solo album in several years. His voice hasn’t changed much; it’s still emotionally raw and frequently off key. It’s his earnest effort that usually keeps him afloat. Tue, 15 Mar 2011 01:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/mascis.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/fergusgeronimo.php Fergus and Geronimo, composed of Jason Kelly and Andrew Savage plus a few rotating musicians, are a pretty fun band with a lot of imagination and a ton of late '60s influences, which makes them, if anything, exciting. Tue, 15 Mar 2011 01:44:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/fergusgeronimo.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/wyeoak.php Cut to three years later and the release of Wye Oak's latest long player, Civilian. Given the primer that I had at my disposal, I think I can safely say the album, the band's third, is more or less everything I expected: moody accompaniment and lyrics tinged with a hint of regret and sorrow. Tue, 8 Mar 2011 22:09:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/wyeoak.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/malachai.php Malachai's new album, Return to the Ugly Side, sounds soulful, urban, dark, and, above all, cinematic. In fact, the album is so cinematic, I'm afraid this is going to read like a film review, but oh well. If it were a movie, Return to the Ugly Side would be a German Expressionistic film such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligary or Metropolis. It is slick, suave, and ultra stylized, but overly affected.  Tue, 8 Mar 2011 22:09:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/malachai.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/goldenboy.php Listening to Goldenboy’s new album, Sleepwalker, made me somewhat nostalgic. It might be because they sometimes sound like Belle and Sebastian, an ex’s favorite band. Or it might be because the band employs wistful guitar strums and far away twinkles of wind chimes. Or it might be because the band’s lead singer Shon Sullivan keeps his voice low in whispers, like he’s trying to remind you of something that you’ve almost forgotten. Tue, 8 Mar 2011 22:09:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/goldenboy.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/mogwai.php Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will is instrumental metal for grown-ups. Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:09:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/mogwai.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/radiodept.php I think you have to admire a band like The Radio Dept. They arrived on the El Rey stage last Wednesday night with no pretense, no ego and occupying very little real estate. On first impression the band, comprised of members Elin Almered and Johan Duncanson, make for unlikely rock stars and have a decidedly blue collar approach to performance with a simple, no frills set up. Yet there they stood, in front of a sold out audience of eager fans packed as tight as sardines. Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/radiodept.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/tokumaru.php The appropriately named “Platform” serves as the 45-second lead-in to Shugo Tokumaru’s whimsical Port Entropy, setting the table for an album packed with indie-pop charm. He’s a first-rate songwriting talent, and while there are definitely some echoes of Lennon/McCartney in his work, it isn’t the occasional Beatles flourish that makes the best case for his Stateside potential; it’s the endorsements of some of the current leading lights on the landscape (Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields took Tokumaru out on tour as an opener, and Tokumaru’s North American backing band was composed of members of The National and Beirut). Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:09:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/tokumaru.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/asobiseksu.php There’s a moment near the beginning of "Leave the Drummer Out There"—the epic seven-minute centerpiece of Asobi Seksu's new album, Fluorescence—when singer Yuki Chikudate's high, clear voice flits in and out of pounding drums, a wordless stutter-step soon washed away beneath gauzy, layered guitars. In that instant, you get a glimpse of the constant balancing act at the heart of Asobi Seksu’s sound. Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:09:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/asobiseksu.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/dico.php There were quite a few differences between seeing her at the Troubadour and listening to her two-disc album, Welcome Back, Color. The album is quite produced, with a lot of sound supporting her sweet, strong voice. During the concert Dico had less backing, with her drummer, keyboardist/back up singer/trombonist, and bass player fading into background a little more. Tue, 15 Feb 2011 23:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/dico.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/vanderslice2.php Prolific singer-songwriter and all around reportedly nice guy, John Vanderslice makes another impressive showing with his newest release, White Wilderness. The brisk record (just over 30 minutes in length) takes a turn from his notorious perfectionist approach and was recorded live in just three days with the help of Minna Choi and her Magik Magik Orchestra. Tue, 8 Feb 2011 01:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/vanderslice2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/wire.php Right – so we’re all agreed on Wire, then? Somehow, an iconic punk band from the ‘70s exists in 2011, still making original music, and everyone is very OK with this arrangement and sort of unanimously agrees that the new stuff is pretty good and absolutely in no way puts the band’s sterling reputation in peril. Tue, 8 Feb 2011 01:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/wire.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/brokenrecords.php Broken Records, one of the few bands from Edinburgh, Scotland to successfully plant their feet on U.S. soil, returns with their second studio outing, Let Me Come Home. Tue, 8 Feb 2011 01:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/brokenrecords.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/destroyer2.php Kaputt caught me by surprise. Like many albums that become closest to my heart, I wasn’t sure what to make of it at first – and I can even understand why it would repel other listeners (although the early returns have been fairly rapturous). Bejar bravely tiptoes along a potentially polarizing precipice, channeling the smooth and soft lite-FM cooers of yesteryear without falling into any of their cheesy traps; little surprise, then, that Kaputt wound up as easily one of the most accessible entry points in the Destroyer catalog. Tue, 25 Jan 2011 01:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/destroyer2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/jj.php Earlier this month, I saw two words scribbled on a graffiti-covered wall in Mombasa, Kenya: “Tupac lives.” Though it might seem an unlikely place to find fans of the late rapper, the reference wasn’t so strange. Whether it’s Snoop Dogg blasting from a taxi Addis Ababa, or ‘80s rap playing in a Kyoto record store, American hip-hop seems to be a common soundtrack in every country I visit. It’s that same boundary-crossing appeal that drives Kills, the new online-only mixtape from the Swedish artists jj.  Tue, 25 Jan 2011 01:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/jj.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/lui.php Jane Lui's third album, Goodnight Company, is very much all over the place, musically. Sometimes it’s harsh and blaming, other times uplifting and filled with her soft voice, occasionally in the same song.   Tue, 25 Jan 2011 01:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/lui.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/ozomatli.php Ozomatli has fifteen years of experience entertaining the masses, and damn are they good at it. It was an especially festive evening, and it was celebrated with a enthusiastic host, a gospel choir, and the brass and drums section of the USC Marching Band. Tue, 28 Dec 01:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/ozomatli.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/sleepingintheaviary2.php There isn’t really anything surprising about a good band that does not have a cohesive sound. There have been many great ones: Butthole Surfers, Pixies and Sonic Youth, to mention three off the top of my head. It’s just that, because the Axel of Hipster bands have such a strong scene going on right now, finding an outsider band like Sleeping in the Aviary doing interesting things on their own is kinda refreshing. It’s nice for a change, that’s all.  Tue, 28 Dec 01:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/sleepingintheaviary2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/ylabamba.php At their best, Ya La Bamba are at once hypnotizing and inspirational when they square off with the audience and sing, whisper, ooo and ahhh, and wail with floor-stomping crystal clarity. This band ushers in a new era of bohemian crunch at the same time celebrating classic Mexicana that works. Tue, 28 Dec 01:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/ylabamba.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/hicks.php Bill Hicks was the best stand-up of his generation. That’s an opinion, of course – but one of those opinions that has essentially become an acknowledged fact. He accomplished all that by the age of 32, dying of pancreatic cancer in February 1994.   Tue, 7 Dec 01:42:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/hicks.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/apparat2.php Part of the genius of DJ-Kicks is that it doesn’t pin anyone down with parameters. Apparat seemed to feel the burden of endless possibility. In the end, he deliberately opted out of a mix of “big influences or all time favourites.” By not attempting a lesson in education or eclecticism, he instead wound up with a seamless mix that’s one of my favorites of the year.   Tue, 7 Dec 01:42:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/apparat2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/freelancewhales2.php The last time I saw the Freelance Whales, it was right after their much talked about appearance at South by Southwest. They played at The Echo in March, with a couple of other bands that didn’t exactly match up with their sound. Now, after another Los Angeles show in August in the much larger El Rey Theater, they have seemingly found the perfect balance of small vs. large venues and a well suited opener. Tue, 30 Nov 01:50:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/freelancewhales2.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/russianfuturists.php I love to dance. I don’t watch Dancing with the Stars or So You Think You Can Dance; it’s simply not active enough. And I don’t go out to clubs because they don’t play the right music. But if you give me some space and some good music, and maybe a couple of beers, then I will dance and dance and dance. That's why I was first attracted to The Russian Futurists' new album, The Weight’s on Wheels.  Tue, 30 Nov 01:42:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/russianfuturists.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/noage.php Two person rock group No Age deliver powerful chords, sharp beats and better than average lyrics to fall on the upper echelon of the two person bandwagon. Not quite as surefire as The Black Keys or White Stripes, but still engaging nonetheless, No Age is poised to win a few additional fans over with Everything In Between.   Tue, 30 Nov 01:42:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/noage.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/wyatt.php Violinist/composer Ros Stephen and jazz musician (and political activist) Gilad Atzmon struck up a fruitful collaboration several years ago; when the time came for a new string quartet project involving a vocalist, they didn’t have to think very hard before settling on Robert Wyatt. This is a conversation that has probably been had thousands of times by jazz musicians, flush with the excitement of a new project – “Yeah, and then we’ll get Robert Wyatt to sing on it!” The difference here, of course, is that Atzmon and Wyatt are actually friends. Wyatt sparked to the idea of working with the string arrangements and tackling some of the biggest names in the standards songbook. The beguiling result of the trio’s collaboration is For the Ghosts Within.  Tue, 16 Nov 03:42:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/wyatt.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/goldmotel.php I have to admit, I’m always a little wary of new bands. It feels almost unfair when they catapult past bands who’ve been playing together for several years. But, at least in this case, a combination of great talent plus being in the right place at the right time has put Gold Motel on the map. Of course, the lead singer, Greta Morgan has a lot to do with the band’s quick success. She has been writing and singing for years with The Hush Sound, and now has the opportunity to have the masses pay attention. Tue, 16 Nov 01:07:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/goldmotel.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/earle.php The third release from Justin Townes Earle is as many years, Harlem River Blues, sadly feels a little tired. The son of country legend (and outspoken badass) Steve Earle, the Memphis raised singer-songwriter hits all the points that would make him a regular country king: a famous daddy, a stint in rehab, and a hot broad on his arm, but with Harlem River Blues, we don’t buy that he’s either been to Harlem or has ever felt the blues. Tue, 16 Nov 01:10:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/earle.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/saleh.php Some albums feel intensely personal. Some can make you barely hold still for want of shaking what your mama gave you. And some can be more visual than seems possible for a bunch of sounds - uplifting it to the adjective of cinematic. Arian Saleh's EP The Cobblestone has all three of those qualities, although mainly the third one. Tue, 16 Nov 01:10:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/saleh.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/crocodiles.php Many reviewers of Crocodiles' first album, Summer of Hate, flippantly pointed out that the duo's sound is derivative of The Jesus and Mary Chain and Echo and the Bunnymen. Yes, it's true. Crocodiles took their name after Echo and the Bunnymen's 1980 classic debut album. And yes, they play a kind of nocturnal noise-pop with hollow bubblegum vocals emerging from within layers and layers of artsy feedback and vaguely danceable beats. But you know what? There’s nothing inherently wrong about working within previously set parameters.  Tue, 9 Nov 02:10:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/crocodiles.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/hezekiah.php Fatigue definitely doesn’t transfer over to Conscious Porn, which bursts with ideas and benefits from its apparent devil-may-care attitude. The overarching concept comes together through a series of skits about mind-fuckery; mind the volume when they come on, lest your neighbors think you are watching old-fashioned porno.    Tue, 9 Nov 02:10:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/hezekiah.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/deerhunter.php Opening with the dream-like “Earthquake,” Deerhunter dives deep into the lo-fi universe to produce a laid back opening track, despite the jarring slams and distorted vocals that run throughout the tune. Follow up track, “Don’t Cry,” is about as inspirational as this band will get, urging their subject not to cry their eyes out, all the while sounding like they may not be too far off from doing the crying for them.   Tue, 9 Nov 02:10:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/deerhunter.php http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/blackshaw2.php Guitar genius James Blackshaw’s catalog wouldn’t make my Top 10 Desert Island list just yet – I’m sure he’ll be crushed – but on a less hypothetical/abstract level, he’s absolutely one of the artists I go to when it’s time to buckle down and be creative. I hate to use the word, but there’s a somewhat hypnotic quality to much of Blackshaw’s work, thanks to his expert handling of repetition; when voices start in with “1, 2, 3, 4” on “Part 6,” the trance-inducing nature of the material becomes especially overt.  Tue, 9 Nov 02:10:00 PST http://www.theredalert.com/reviews/blackshaw2.php