Rodrigo y Gabriela - 11:11

So far away is the time when this couple of Mexican ex-metal heads used to play their guitars on the streets of Dublin to live. Now days they play one day in Tokyo and the next day in Coachella or Bonnaroo festivals, so they can afford to release a record as "11:11" with guests like Strunz & Farah and Alex Skolnick. "11:11" is some kind of conceptual album with, precisely, 11 songs, each dedicated to an artist who, to say the duo, has influenced or inspired their music in some way ranging from Astor Piazzolla to Carlos Santana and from Pink Floyd to "Dimebag" Darrell. Although the "Rod & Gab" well-known power-acoustic-instrumental sound remains with no change, there is some news: for the first time there's no covers (remember that many turned to see this guys for their wonderful versions of songs like Metallica´s "One", Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" or Led Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven"), on the other hand, perhaps realizing that the formula was beginning to run out, the duo incorporates instruments like ukulele, oud, darbuka and piano as well as including, also for the first time, an electric guitar with an Alex Skolnick solo. Though at sometimes can be slightly monotonous, "11:11" is a good record of (OK, let say it) world music with "Latin flavor" and rock flashes (though some people still think that this is flamenco music). -CORANNIEIT-

Rodrigo y Gabriela, 11:11
ATO Records, 2009

Links:
Official Site
My Space Site

Jonsi & Alex - Riceboy Sleeps

After release a couple of singles (one of them, "Happiness", included in "Dark Was The Night" compilation and that they signed still as Riceboys Sleeps) "Jónsi" Þór Birgisson (Sigur Rós) and Alex Somers (Parachutes) finally delivered his first album "Riceboy Sleeps" with which they materialize the musical side of this collaboration initially conceived as a visual art project (Somers, Birgisson's boyfriend, has designed much of the art of the Sigur Rós albums) but now naturally extended to music field. Recorded exclusively with acoustic instruments and the participation of Amiina string quartet, Sigur Ros regular collaborators, and the Kópavogsdætur chorus, "Riceboy Sleeps" is a record dense and relaxed at the same time in which Birgisson and Somers not only do not stray the sound of their "main" bands but making it even more radicalized to create quite atmospheric and ethereal music. OK, let say this: next to "Riceboy Sleeps", "Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust" the last album by Sigur Rós, could be almost considered a conventional pop album. Over little more than an hour "Jónsi" and Alex create long, dreamy, barely whispered soundscapes that gently swaying between ambient and experimental music. At first listen "Riceboy Sleeps" risks to end up being one of those records that are played as background music in "relax sessions", but it's worth listen it with attention, let your guard down and being involved to enjoy the almost celestial atmospheres created by Birgisson and Somers. -CORANNIEIT-

Jonsi & Alex, Riceboy Sleeps
Beggars XL Recordings, 2009

Links:
Official Site
My Space Site

Muse - The Resistance

Among the army of Radiohead clones that emerged last decade few bands can today claim to have found his own style. Fewer can boldly stand alongside the Oxford masters (to overcome them is so much to ask for, remember that Thom Yorke and company are cooked separately). One of these bands is Muse that just had delivery "The Resistance" their fifth studio album. There is not much new to say about Muse music. Everything in their work is excessive and still yet it sounds perfect. Keeping almost the same sound of "Black Holes And Revelations", the trio deliver intense, ambitious, elaborated and perhaps a little more bombastic, if possible, music. The guys from Teignmouth left behind the "floydians" album covers but keep their epic style with a progressive rock touch on tracks like "The Resistance", "Unnatural Selection" or "United States Of Eurasia/Collateral Damage" (with an obvious wink to Queen) songs in which they carry their rock/pop to cinematic limits by combining monumental orchestral arrangements with the powerful guitar and passionate interpretations of Matthew Bellamy. The album closes with "Exogenesis" a 3 movements mini-symphony in which Bellamy gives vent to his classical piano accompanied by Edodea Ensemble. "The Resistance" is an impeccable album that assures Muse to be on all "Best Of The Year" lists. It is also a great opportunity to take a rest of the low-fi/do-it-yourself fashion and enjoy a little bit of glamour. -CORANNIEIT-

Muse, The Resistance
Warner Music, 2009

Links:
Official Site
My Space Site

Volcano Choir - Unmap

After the extraordinary debut that he had with "For Emma, Forever Ago", a magnific album and certainly some of the best that came out last year, it seems like Justin Vernon, best known as Bon Iver, is avoiding to take the final step to record the dreaded "second album": earlier this year he recorded "Blood Bank" a 4 tracks EP; then participated with a couple of songs in the Red Hot compilation "Dark Was The Night"; now, resuming a pre-Bon Iver project, he meets again Wisconsinites pals Collections Of Bees to create Volcano Choir and release their first album. Those who expect to find in this new work of Vernon something like "For Emma, Forever Ago" will be disappointed. While "Husks and Shells", "Island, IS" and "Seeplymouth" opens the album in a hopefully way, from the fourth theme everything becomes blurred and the record takes an experimental turn, as if Vernon will continue what he began with "Woods", the final track of "Blood Bank", and which on this record includes a new version now named "Still". From this point "Unmap" takes place with a quiet and relaxed sound with Vernon talking rather than singing, accompanied by evocative chorus, incidental noises and some kind of instrumental minimalism (sometimes just the drums, sometimes just with an atmospheric organ) that makes the music sound scattered and at times a little bit tedious. "Unmap" is not exactly an electrifying album, it takes patience and some zeal for Vernon to take away all that pretentious packaging that it comes wrapped in and enjoy it. Maybe that's the way it should be. After all is not a Bon Iver album. Is a Volcano Choir album. -CORANNIEIT-

Volcano Choir, Unmap
Jagjaguwar, 2009

Links:
Official Site
My Space Site

The Thermals - Now We Can See

"Now We Can See" is the fourth album from this Portland band in which they make simple, powerful and catchy rock, with some punk touch but quite melodic. Without reaching the Green Day's "sophistication" but not falling in Blink 182's bland happy punk, music by The Thermals is doubtless inspired and based on punk but also contains an undeniable pop touch, maybe because of the pop/folk background of guitarist Hutch Harris and bassist Kathy Foster, band mates also in Hutch & Kathy, that makes the trio's music sounds very friendly and digestible. Harris comes easy playing chord by chord to assemble circular, rhythmic and light music but also with some substance. 10 solid tracks that always keep a high intensity level including provocative songs as "I Let It Go" or "When We Were Alive" fast and distorted, but also slightly poppy songs like "Now We Can See", with a chorus rather than sticky, viral, or "At The Bottom Of The Sea" some kind of power ballad with tints of melancholy. Punk or heavy-melodic-pop. Power or melody. It doesn't matter. "Now We Can See" is an impetuous and absolutely enjoyable record. -CORANNIEIT-

The Thermals, Now We Can See
Kill Rock Stars Records, 2009

Links:
Official Site
My Space Site