LOCAL RELEASES
Eric Krebs
Anomie Belle just released her fifth LP.
Universal
Chris Cornell.
Location Info
3924 Airport Way S.
Seattle, WA 98108
Category: Bars/Clubs
Region: SoDo
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Kyle R. Andrews, Trial by Fire (12/4, self-released, facebook.com/kylerandrewsmusic): Just a man and his acoustic guitar, Trial by Fire is an enveloping record of endearing lyrics and toasty chords. Progressions build and break unexpectedly, guiding the listener along an unexpected path. The effect is nice, if not incredibly unusual. JOE WILLIAMS
Adena Atkins, The Slowest Curve (out now, self-released, adenaatkins.com): Singer/songwriter Atkins, a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, has a better-than-average pedigree, and the spacey electronic productions on this EP allow plenty of room for her plaintive introspection. ANDREW GOSPE
Avatar Young Blaze, "I Be on My Bullshit" (out now, self-released, avataryoungblaze.com): Young Blaze found a cool future-hyphy instrumental by Murdah Baby to envenom here. Instead of making a forgettable club banger like many MCs might with a beat like this, Av lays down some vicious gunplay verses, and the result is a well-crafted track. TODD HAMM (Sun., Jan. 15, Nectar)
Avatar Young Blaze, "Streetz Tonight" (out now, self-released, avataryoungblaze.com): An introspective track about life and hesitant love over MPC-god AraabMuzik's syrupy dance beat. The fast/slow, upbeat/skeptical contrast is one that works well for Av, and though the track seems a little rushed, the prospect of more AYB/AM product should have listeners smiling. TH (Sun., Jan. 15, Nectar)
Whitney Ballen, White Feathers, White Linens (12/13, self-released, whitneyballen.com): Everything about Whitney Ballen's debut album is pretty damn cute, from the music-box tinkling at the beginning of "Sea Sea Sea" to her Newsomesque, childlike warble. JULIA MULLEN GORDON (Sun., Dec. 11, Can Can)
Anomie Belle, Machine (out now, self-released, anomiebelle.com:) On trip-hop maven Anomie Belle's new EP (her fifth release), all is not right with the world. The bleak portrait of America presented in the title track is a rallying cry for the 99 percent, and features a verse from socially conscious MC Mr. Lif. JMG (Wed., Dec. 14, Tractor Tavern)
Robb Benson, The Time Slip Demos, (out now, self-released, robbbenson.bandcamp.com): A collection of five under-three-minute recordings, these songs don't stray far from standard power-pop territory, and sound about as rough as one might expect for a release with "demos" in its title. AG
Bitter Roots, "Me and You" (out now, self-released, bitterrootsmusic.com): The new single from a band that bills itself as purveyors of "real honest music" is well-intentioned but could do with a little less formulaic guitar chugging. AG
Sonny Bonoho, "Jus' Met Her Tonight" (out now, self-released, bonoho.com): Our monthly Bonoho finds him recounting a wild night over a clean Trox beat. The rhymes aren't overly clever, but you listen because you want to hear what happens to that wacky Bonoho character. TH (Sun., Dec. 11, Jazzbones)
Chris Brokaw, Stories (out now, Limited Appeal Records, chrisbrokaw.com): Formerly the drummer of the '90s slowcore band Codeine, Brokaw has been releasing solo work since 2002. His latest, a three-song mini-LP, is highlighted by "Point of Egress," which combines an industrial-strength punk riff with some clever wordplay to describe a breakup. KEEGAN HAMILTON (Sun., Jan. 8, Funhouse)
Candy Van, Get in the Van, Kid (out now, Reedco Records, candyvan1.bandcamp.com): Question: In the wake of the nationally publicized Jerry Sandusky child-molestation case, is there anything even remotely funny about releasing an album called Get in the Van, Kid? Answer: No, and the puerile title overshadows some decent garage-rock tunes. AG
* Chev, Charles (out now, self-released, chevy.bandcamp.com): Chev is a natural. His voice is effortlessly cool, and smooth cadences emerge organically from the stories he sows. The beats—from a stable of talented locals—are solemn, laid-back, and nostalgic, and Chev handily weaves them into tales worth hearing. TH
*Carrie Clark & the Lonesome Lovers, Between the Bed Sheets and Turpentine (out now, self-released, carrieclark.bandcamp.com): Part whimsical, circus-inspired folk music, part radiating, anywhere-but-here soul music, Carrie Clark stuns with a 13-song LP that seems to be searching for a place to call home. A mixtape for lost travelers. JW (Fri., Dec. 9, Conor Byrne)
Consignment, New Low (out now, ggnzla, ggnzla.com): These earnest DIY rockers commit every ounce of their beings to celebrating the freedom and excesses of creating lo-fi garage rock. CHRIS KORNELIS
Chris Cornell, Songbook (out now, Universal, chriscornell.com): There's not a lot Chris Cornell can't sing; he has one of the gnarliest voices in rock. But like a lot of live albums, Songbook is uneven, largely because of Cornell's uneven output as an artist. It's a solo acoustic record, so there's not a lot of Soundgarden material. Only "Black Hole Sun" and "Fell on Black Days" make the cut; the latter is a highlight. The Audioslave material is the weakest here, as those songs lack the power of the Soundgarden stuff and also don't possess the melodic movement of his solo output or the pair of Temple of the Dog tracks that appear. The album's brightest spot is John Lennon's "Imagine," which lets Cornell show off both his wail and his warble, as he segues seamlessly into the falsetto parts at the end of each verse. Songbook may not be an ideal career retrospective, but it does shine a light on at least part of what makes Cornell one of the best singers of his generation. DAVE LAKE
