More About Soundcheck's Picks of the Week
This week’s picks feature a global cast of musicians from Atlanta, Zanzibar, and Australia.
Cultural Musical Club – Shime! (World Village)
Think Egyptian film orchestras of the 50s and you have the Cultural Musical Club. The taarab group was formed in Tanzania, East Africa, 50 years ago. The traditional sound is based on strings and accordion, but here it comes with some danceable grooves. The group's new album is called "Shime!" or keep it up, and it range from full-orchestral tunes to songs featuring the taarab, a rhythm that has influences from India, Africa and the Arab world. Throughout the album, there's great singing, both male and female. - Picked by Gisele Regatao
An Horse – Rearrange Beds
An Horse is a duo from Brisbane, Australia. Now, we’ve heard a fair amount of guitar/drum combos, starting with the White Stripes and the Black Keys, but An Horse – great name, by the way – stands out for its simple, sturdy, and surprisingly affecting rock. The group is comprised of Kate Cooper, a slightly built singer/guitarist who packs a big sound, and Damon Cox, the drummer. I’m not crazy about the whole no-bass thing, but these two really don’t need anyone else. The bands Teghan and Sara and Death Cab for Cutie are among their fans… Now they can add Soundcheck to that list too. - Picked by John Schaefer
Mastodon, “Crack the Skye” (Reprise)
The prog-metal outfit Mastodon is based in Atlanta and their latest CD, “Crack the Skye,” is earning huge critical raves, and with good reason. This ambitious concept album is worth a listen: It’s the fourth installment in Mastodon’s series of albums about the elements: fire, earth, water … and now … “ether.” But “Crack the Skye” is more than just hot air. Mastodon has filled the album with ghosts, barons, and even a little Russian history, as on the song called “The Czar.” If you’re not a metal head, it’s the perfect crossover album. But you are, it’s all here: guitar wizardy, machine-gun drumming, and, yes, a 13-minute epic that closes the album. - picked by Joel Meyer
