Brightblack Morning Light — Motion to Rejoin (Just Music)
It’s not often that a band uses their album’s liner notes to wax lyrical about the tent and sleeping bags in which they live. But then again Brightback Morning Light are not your average band, they’re a bunch of hippies living in a tepee in New Mexico, who first sprang onto the global music scene with their 2006 self-titled album. Now they are back with their sophomore release and much like their debut it’s a slow narcotic blues album that once again they recorded out in the open using solar panels to power their gear. So if rolling Electric Rhodes piano, punctuated by horns and guitar sounds like your thing, chances are you’ll love this. Just be warned that this is music for chilling, preferably horizontal, with a big phat one hanging from your lips. The Dude abides! — Lloyd Gedye
N.A.S.A — The Spirit of Apollo (Soul Candi)
This album is an orgy of urban genres — predominantly funk, but with splashes in various sizes, of hip-hop, jazz and poppy choruses. N.A.S.A is the lovechild of US producers Squeak E Clean and DJ Zegon, and The Spirit of Apollo may be the ultimate collaboration album, but this doesn’t mean it’s the best one. Far from it. While a few tracks, like Gifted, featuring Santogold and Lykke Li, and Way down, featuring Barbie Hatch and RZA, are good tracks in their own right, the 17 others are a mish-mash of far too many guests to be anything less than all over the place. The first two tracks featuring David Byrne are pure corn, and show that a good guest doesn’t necessarily make for a good collaboration. The album has no shortage of good vocals, with other guests including Tom Waits, MIA and Ghostface Killah, but just that sample is indicative of the unfocussed nature of the album. While the album does what it’s meant to, which is to bring musical talent together, it might be doing too much of good thing. — Ilham Rawoot
Jazzanova — Of All the Things (Sheer)
It’s easy to guess that Jazzanova is a jazzed up take on the word supernova; the stellar explosion that creates new galaxies. This Berlin-based band’s name might even throw you off into expecting a high jazz sound from their music. You shouldn’t. It’s however not unlike Jazzanova’s style to be vague and nebulous, traversing lounge, electronica and even soul music genres. Their latest offering Of All the Things, can be loosely described as soul music post the soul-quarian movement, post-house, post electronica. It is their second full-length album and their first Verve records release.
This is perhaps Jazzanova’s least adventurous project musically because it pushes few boundaries, which should be my only qualm. It is, however, a solid and satisfying product and worth all of your listening trouble. The opening track: What You Do To Me (3:01) features Phonte of Little Brother on vocals and is perhaps the one track that connects this album to their more house and loungey projects. You’ll however be forgiven for reaching out for some D’Angelo or even his forerunner Marvin Gaye, when you encounter the second track. It has Paul Randolph on vocals. Let Me Show Ya (6:26) is a charming soul tune, complete with 70s type guitar riffs. Track five, titled Little Bird (6:05), with Jose James, will have you on a quasi-transcendence of the forlorn love type, so be warned.
Neo-soul singer Dwele makes an appearance alongside Leon Ware, a long lost ‘Nova member, on track number six: Rocking You Eternally (4:43) this is where the neo-soul appeal is at its most concentrated. It’s a worthy treat. Joe Dukie of Fat Freddy’s Drop fame is also summoned to sing on track eight:What Do You Want? Jazzanova makes no lofty promises but delivers a respectable session with a guest list of everyone’s favourite vocalists. A should-have album for both Jazzanova’s die-hearts and beginners. — Percy Mabandu
Vetiver — Tight Knit (MIA)
Andy Cabic’s Vetiver rose to prominence on the back of the poorly coined freak folk movement, which included such luminaries as Devendra Banhart, Joana Newsome, Animal Collective, Akron/Family and Espers. In fact Vetiver sometimes features Banhart among its ranks as well as members of Espers. While their self-titled album gained them some attention, it was 2006’s To Find Me Gone that made fans and critics alike take notice. Which brings me to their third studio album. While Tight Knit left me a little disappointed, it’s only because it doesn’t stand up to the high water mark set by its predecessor. It’s still a solid released and songs like Sister are welcome additions to the Vetiver catalogue. So if you already own To Find Me Gone, then buy this; otherwise start with their second album. — Lloyd Gedye
U2 — No Line on the Horizon (Universal)
I feel that U2 has lost its ability to experiment. After listening to their new release several times I was undoubtedly impressed by the overall quality of music, but there was a distinct feeling that they’re playing it safe by simply following a tried-and-tested formula. Obviously there’s nothing wrong with playing to one’s strengths, but for a band that has successfully traversed different genres and changing musical tastes over the decades, fans of their music expect more than “the usual lofty”.
Their previous release in 2004, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, saw them going successfully back to their rock roots and that’s what they’ve done again with this new release.
No Line on the Horizon has Bono belting out strong lyrics against the backdrop of the Edge’s powerful riffs, Larry Mullen’s machine-gun like precision percussion and Adam Clayton’s sometimes mournful bass.
The title track is a catchy tune and one that will definitely receive a great deal of airtime, but the more exceptional tracks are the poignant Cedars of Lebanon (trying to squeeze complicated lives into a simple headline), Stand up Comedy (stand up to rock stars), FEZ Being Born, which is a heady mixture of various sounds and Magnificent, which could easily have passed for the sort of opening track that gets your blood pumping.
The Irish rockers with a conscience still have what it takes to produce an album that you’ll be happy to have in your collection, but unlike most other U2 albums, which scored close to 10 out of 10, this one hovers more around 7 or 8 out of 10, which really isn’t bad at all. — Sukasha Singh
Various artists — Yes we can: Voices of a grassroots movement (Just Music)
Barack Obama’s inauguration was undoubtedly going to attract numerous musicians all wanting to be a part of Americana making its comeback, but more important than the eclectic range of artists are snippets of Obama’s heartfelt inauguration speech, which are blended seamlessly into each song. The album has a distinct Motown feel to it with musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Buddy Miller and Bebe Winans belting out bluesy tunes like Winans’ I have a Dream, which also features snippets from Martin Luther King’s famous speech. The soft rock sound of American Prayer is given an earthy depth with vocals by Dave Stewart, Annie Lennox and Brian Eno while Los Lonely Boys add the contemporary hit Make it Better to the mix. The only song I found disappointing was John Legend’s remake of Pride in the Name of Love, made famous by U2.
Legend is an accomplished artist and one I enjoy listening to, but he doesn’t have the passionate defiance needed for a song such as Pride in the Name of Love and his version of the raw, edgy lyrics feels mushy and pointless. It’s a song that requires a fiery intensity that Legend just isn’t capable of. The above-average collection also features big names such as Jackson Browne, Sheryl Crow and Lionel Ritchie, and it criss-crosses genres to ensure that most music fans find something half-decent to listen to.– Sukasha Singh
Cassette — Who Do You Trust (EMI)
I’ve always wondered what the genre “adult contemporary” was. I think I’ve found it. Here, in this, the second album from last year’s Sama award winners. While there is nothing terribly exciting about Who Do You Trust, it has a comforting air of confidence about it, sort of what it might be like to date a much older man. But that doesn’t seem to be enough to keep my attention. While the first few tracks raise my hopes, the album loses momentum as it plods along. Catchy intros, some sly hooks and gig-friendly choruses are the upside of what is otherwise an okay collection of tracks. The production, however, is excellent, which adds to the mature feel of the music. Track one and two, A Beginning and Who Do You Trust are the highlights, not forgetting Vusi Mahlasela’s cameo appearance. But other than that, the album leaves me feeling indifferent, the type of CD I’d be chuffed with if I was given, but would probably never buy. — Ilham Rawoot
Ben Kweller — Changing Horses (Just Music)
Changing Horses is far more country-orientated than Ben Kweller’s usual folk and indie rock, and I was disappointed at first, expecting the Ben Kweller I know. However, this album is certainly one that grows on you, and the more you listen to it, the more you appreciate Kweller’s talent, and notice how at ease he is with his music. Pretty melodies, sweet, down to earth lyrics, and hooks galore are reminders that songwriting is what Kweller was born to do. At his fourth album, Kweller is totally at ease with his music, and the fact that he could make not just a country album, but a rather interesting and accessible one, is an indication of his musical confidence. If you’re looking uncompromisingly for the Sha sha Kweller of old, this album is not for you, but if you’re willing to listen to an experienced artist try flex his muscles at something new, this album will be a good way to go about it. — Ilham Rawoot