Author: Crossfire

Yes, John Darnielle is back with a brand new Mountain Goats album, the rather splendid Heretic Pride, which everyone in HQ know, I was pissing myself excited to get hold of after waiting for ages.

No return to the old-style, grotty lo-fi Panasonic boombox recordings, which I really wish he would do, but another well polished and beautifully constructed masterpiece. Having just featured on Aesop Rock’s recent track ‘Coffee’ (also incredible), Darnielle has taken a more positive outlook and sound with this album, compared to the slightly more morose and downbeat sounds of previous albums, such as All Hail West Texas, which wallowed in lost longing.

So, a happy album and happy singing from a very distinct voice that blows away the awful warblings and screeches of recent voclaists, ala Nash and Allen. Not many people can make folk music cool, but Mountain Goats do oh so very well, and combined with giving away opening track Sax Rohmer #1 for free and an incredible video filmed by Ace Norton (yes, that’s right, Aes Rock video director), Herectic Pride is one of my top albums for this year so far. A lot seems to suggest that Darnielle might go back to the ‘Hail Satan’ stylings if the latest collaborations and videos are anything to go by, all my fingers are crossed for that one, but for now, this is perfect.

When you think of the Wu Tang Clan, you can’t help but picture the Samurai obsessed rappers bounding around, ripping the hell out of beats in their own individual way. Their debut, 36 Chambers, is one of the all time classics and their has always been weight on their shoulders as people wonder if they can ever reach those heady heights again.

The feedback has been mixed, with some people saying it lacks bangers and others claiming the new laid back style shows another step in the maturity of RZA’s production. I’m firmly esconsed in the latter, as I think this album gives the Wu collective a perfect chance to show they’ve still got it whilst at the same time switching their style so they can move out of their comfort zone.

Don’t get me wrong though, there are some straight up flames on this record, Rushing Elephants being the perfect example of a heavy slamming beat which Raekwon takes apart on the opening verse. But it is the likes of The Heart Gently Weeps which uses a Beatles tune and the brilliant Wolves [which you can hear above], featuring the sublime George Clinton.

The Wu are back and it was well worth the wait.

Abjekt.

DJ Alibi is a Russian-Canadian producer on Tres Records, and when you’re on Tres Records, you’re basically acknowledged as being great. Home to Giant Panda and People Under The Stairs, it’s a label that guarantees smooth beats to get those heads nodding and those feet tapping.

Having heard the brilliant Let’s Ride featuring the initmitable styles of Insight on the vocals on DJ Alibi’s myspace, I knew I had to check out the rest of the album and when I did, I wasn’t disappointed. It’s full of summery hip hop goodness with great percussion and when he ropes in his MC mates Bamboombox, Insight and Giant Panda, it gives it an even greater dimension.

The track you can hear above is Guns Of Kabul, one of the standout tracks on a cracking record, and from the first second the drums come in, you’re hooked. Crank it up!

Abjekt

If you haven’t discovered Black Mountain yet, be prepared because they’re not what you might think. At first the name conjures up visions of Tolkein-esque ravaged peaks, but these Mountains definitely come with added technicolour. Imagine if Wolf Mother got trapped in the telepod from ‘The Fly’ with Deep Purple instead of Jeff Goldblum. That is Black Mountain. They combine psychedelic organ weirdness with heavy guitar chugging, which dives back down into slow droning harmonies – perfect for when you’re a little bit intoxicated.

Not surprising when some members of the band work in a Vancouver rehab centre for heroin addiction. The highs and lows these guys see everyday clearly come across in their music with the record getting progressively more droning and organ-driven. But it’s the beginning of the album that shines here, with the slow chord, string-laden ‘Angels‘ showing that ‘In The Future’ definitely tops their previous releases.

Moose