(Press Here Publicity)

Matisyahu returns with “Sunshine,” a track off of his new album Spark Seeker, due out on July 17. For those in the New York/New Jersey area, he will be performing at Showboat Atlantic City House of Blues on July 21; the Stone Pony on July 22; and Randall’s Island on July 29. For info, visit his Web site.

Jason Nocito

Listen to the new song by Beach House called “Myth“

(amazon.com)

Queen
Days of Our Lives (DVD)
Eagle Vision
By David Chiu

There have been several documentaries about Queen in the past, but this latest one, Days of Our Lives, is perhaps the best one and certainly the most thorough to coincide with the band’s 40th anniversary. Unlike the last video chronicle, Champions of the World (1995), Queen’s story is told more in chronological linear fashion starting from the band’s days as university students, to the most recent incarnation of Queen with singer Paul Rodgers. Some of the interesting highlights are the rare footage from appearances on Top of the Pops and in the studio as well as from the music videos (i.e. These Are the Days of Our Lives). Certainly the most poignant moments are when guitarist Brian May tells the story of inviting his father — who at first was initially skeptical of his son’s rock and roll pursuits – to the band’s show at Madison Square Garden, the pinnacle of success; and of course, Mercury’s final moments before succumbing to AIDS on Nov. 24, 1991 and how he carried on recording despite his failing health. And perhaps for the first time on visual record is a discussion of the friction within the band during the Hot Space period of the early ‘80s. Featuring interviews with surviving members May and Roger Taylor along with associates and journalists, Days of Our Lives is a well-produced documentary.

(Press Here Publicity)

Check out “Hey Jane,” the new song off of Spiritualized’s upcoming album, Sweet Heart Sweet Light, due out April 17. Web site www.spiritualized.com.

(amazon.com)

Noam Weinstein
Clocked
No Songs
by David Chiu

Noam Weinstein takes a page from the Randy Newman, Elvis Costello and Paddy McAloon (Prefab Sprout) style of songwriting–catchy, sophisticated pop songs with clever yet ironic lyrics. It forms the basis of Weinstein’s latest album, Clocked, whose songs are full of melodies and incisive lyrics. There are charming, soulful numbers abound on Clocked ranging from the celebratory “Birthday” to “Healthy”, to the almost punk-inspired “Owe It All” (which is one of those rare songs that makes economic references in the lyrics, such as Fannie Mae) and the cinematic Hollywood. Those upbeat rockers are balanced by some poignant and introspective tunes like the gentle yet pleading “Kill Me Again,” the stark and reflective “Time’s Wider” and the earthy ballad that closes the album, “After a While.” Clocked harkens back to a musical sensibility — i.e. ironic pop –that’s often heard these days anymore. Weinstein has crafted a work that is both quite endearing and thoughtful and will hopefully reach out to a wider audience.

NOTE: For those in the NYC area, check out Weinstein’s show on Feb. 29 at The Living Room. Information: www.enoam.com

Pink Floyd
The Wall (Immersion Edition)
Capitol/EMI
By David Chiu

Although they were part of the progressive rock movement by the time The Wall was released in 1979, Pink Floyd—particularly Roger Waters—crafted something that is arguably  punk in attitude and spirit. The Wall conveys the themes of isolation and detachment with both venom and poignancy. It also contains some of the band’s best-known songs, such as the disco-influenced “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2″ (Pink Floyd’s first and only U.S. Number One); the haunting ballad “Hey You”; the driving rocker “Run Like Hell,” and, most importantly, the searing “Comfortably Numb” with David Gilmour’s signature guitar work. With song titles such as “Goodbye Cruel World,” “One of My Turns,” and “Empty Spaces,”  you pretty much know where lyricist Waters is coming from as far as expressing the hurt and pain inside. Yet there is also a sense of humanity throughout The Wall’s bleak point of view, especially in quite moving tracks like “Mother.”  ”The Wall is both emotionally draining and liberating—it’s a powerful musical statement and undoubtedly one of the band’s most resonant works.

The Immersion Edition literally expands The Wall to include Is There Anybody Out There? a double-live album that was originally released in 2000 from The Wall tour ’80-’81—it also includes a performance of “The Last Few Bricks,” which didn’t appear on the original studio album. The real incentive, however, is 2-CDs’ worth (64 tracks in all) of previously unreleased Roger Waters and band demos of The Wall tracks that offer a glimpse of how the songs came to be—it’s really interesting to hear some of the familiar numbers like “The Doctor (Comfortably Numb)” and “Young Lust” in their skeletal forms with sometimes different lyrics, tempo and performances—in some cases, there are never-before-heard songs like “It’s Never Too Late” and the bluesy-funky “Sexual Revolution.” For die-hard fans longing to hear early versions of those songs from The Wall, these demo tracks are somewhat of a revelation.

As with the recent treatments of The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, this Immersion Edition of The Wall also contains lavish packaging, including two photo books from The Wall tour, Gerald Scarfe’s memorable illustrations, and a large poster featuring those familiar handwritten lyrics from the album. The DVD features a documentary behind the making of the record, a live performance of “The Happiest Days of Our Lives” from Earls Court, 1980, and a promo video for “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2.” This version is most certainly for Wall enthusiasts.

(fatpossum.com)

Tennis
Young and Old
Fat Possum
By David Chiu

Based on the music from their second album, the trio Tennis sounds like a cross between vintage‘60s pop and garage rock. In all, Young and Old is a buoyant record full of sweet melodic hooks. It’s hard to not to get caught up with the infectious energy exuded by each of the songs: the standout “Origins” is as catchy as it is romantic-sounding; the whimsical yet chugging “My Better Self” sounds like it could come from the Beatles’ Magic Mystery Tour; “Petition” is funk with some attitude and “Traveling” evokes the vibe of the ‘60s girl group sound. There is also a sense of irony lyrically, at least in one of the songs, the stomping catchy rock of “High Road”: “Paradise is all around/But happiness is never found.” Tennis’ music deftly balances between the sweet pop of yesteryear and today’s indie rock sensibilities. When you get down to it, Young and Old is such a charming record.

(Magda Wosinska)

Download the punk-sounding track, “Break My Heart,” from La Sera (a.k.a Katy Goodman from Vivian Girls) off of her new album, Sees the Light, due out Mar. 27. For more info on La Sera, visit her Web site.

(amazon.com)

Beth Jeans Houghton and the Hooves of Destiny
Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose
Mute
By David Chiu

This latest album from this British newcomer may be the most unorthodox sounding and unpredictable release so far this year—and that’s what makes it so interesting on an artistic level. Verging between ornate pop and chugging rock, Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose seems to come from another world—one can’t really pigeonhole a category that best suits this group’s music. One thing is certain, though, is the musical maturity of this 21-year-old, whose vocals can be likened to a combination of Annie Lennox, Sarah McLachlan and Joni Mitchell—lush and expressive. “Sweet Tooth Bird” opens the record with regal pomp rock while “Nightswimmer” is an eccentric if charming track. Some of the unique aspects of the record can be found on tracks like “Atlas” that features a shift in tempo between pummeling rock and cool bossa nova-like jazz; or the hidden punkish track that immediately follows the very classical-influenced “Carousel.” The album’s sense of whimsy in the instrumentation and lyrics gives the music its distinct character. Perhaps because it seems different from conventional pop/rock is what makes Houghton and Co.’s music arresting

(Annika Aschberg)

Check out “The Fox,” the single by Sweden’s Niki and the Dove (Malin Dahlström and Gustaf Karlöf) on Sub Pop. The band will be touring the States starting March 8 in Washington,D.C. For more information, visit their Website.