MEDIA REVIEWS
strumming. But none of the cuts sum up
the twisted glory of Americana quite like
“She’ll Be Comin’ ’Round the Mountain,”
sung and played with such sinister, slashing undertones that you’re left confused
about whether to run in terror from the girl
rounding the bend or warn her about the
pitchfork mob waiting at the station. Neil
may pen a classic less frequently these days,
but his penchant for finding the mystery
and dark corners in any song still lends his
work a restless vitality. —Charles Saufley
Must-hear tracks: “Oh Susannah,” “She’ll
Be Comin’ ’Round the Mountain”
ALBUM
michael landau
Organic Instrumentals
Tone Center
As a huge fan of
Michael Landau’s
toothy Strat tones—
especially with Burning Water and The
Raging Honkies—I’ve collected and studied
his CDs over the years. Yet I wasn’t prepared
for Organic Instrumentals, Landau’s latest solo
effort. Aided by an ace band, he has crafted
the most satisfying all-guitar album I’ve heard
since Jeff Beck’s Blow by Blow and Wired.
32 PREMIER GUITAR JUNE 2012
brings Kelly Joe Phelps to mind, at least
until Landau’s acoustic meditations morph
into trippy electric textures.
Speaking of those, the album is laced
with feedback, reverse delay, robotic chatter, and layers of shimmering chords that
swirl around Landau’s solos and lines. Such
aural peek-a-boo has always been a hallmark
of Landau’s recordings, but on Organic
Instrumentals, it reaches a new level of
sophistication. Landau mixed the record, so
he had free rein to indulge his sonic fantasies, and every tune has two or three primary guitar parts that bob and weave like Asian
fighting kites. Still, there’s a remarkable
amount of space in the music and most of
these tracks evolve pensively before Landau
erupts into a blistering solo. If you’re into
masterful fretwork, Organic Instrumentals
will leave you transfixed. —Andy Ellis
Must-hear tracks: “Smoke”
ALBUM
Anders osborne
Black Eye Galaxy
Alligator
Much like the eats
you’d find down on
Bourbon Street, the
music of New Orleans draws from a smorgasbord of influences. Armed with a worn
Stratocaster (usually tuned to open-D and
sporting a capo), Sweden-native Anders
Osborne combines heavy riffs, psychedelia,
and an introspective sense of lyricism on
Black Eye Galaxy to tackle a range of topics from life as a junkie, to his relationship
with his adopted homeland of Louisiana.
Osborne has never been afraid to get
heavy. Thanks to drummer and co-producer
Stanton Moore, Osborne brings the thunder
here, too, but in a subtle way. He covers the
gamut of Americana styles, infusing a country
blues feel into “Tracking My Roots” and then
taking things way out into the land of exploratory jams with “Black Eye Galaxy.” The
biggest surprise is the closing track, “Higher
Ground,” which opens with a pensive string
section evoking more of the contemporary
classical scene rather than the gumbo-infused
blues that permeates the Delta region. Even
though there’s little to no guitar, the track
cements Osborne as a standout songwriter.
The grooves and tones are so deep, it’s like
what Jackson Browne might sound like if he
grew up hanging out with Jimmy Page in
New Orleans. By casting such a wide swath,
it can be risky for artists to keep cohesiveness
throughout—but not for Anders. If you seek
rock with substance, take a trip South and
check out Black Eye Galaxy. —Jason Shadrick
Must-hear tracks: “Send Me a Friend,”
“Black Eye Galaxy”
ALBUM
m. Ward
A Wasteland Companion
Merge
Fans of folk journeyman
and indie icon, M. Ward, have been eagerly
awaiting a new solo release since 2009’s Hold
Time. In the time since, Ward has collaborated
with the likes of Zooey Deschanel and is one
fourth of the supergroup Monsters of Folk
with Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis (Bright
Eyes), and Jim James (My Morning Jacket). A
Wasteland Companion adds another layer to
Ward’s catalog of melancholy, gospel-folk upon
which he’s crafted a signature sound.
Ward’s legend has been built on a seamless juxtaposition of honest roots music
with toe-tapping vintage twang. Opening
track “Clean Slate” exhibits the former with
honey-soaked, ethereal vocals that dance over
minimal instrumentation. But the album’s
next three tracks head in an electric direction.
Ward makes a flawless transition between
melodious acoustic guitar and soaked, heavy
fuzz on the rousing, “Me and My Shadow,”
which introduces Deschanel on background
vocals. The grunge is brilliantly balanced
against Motown-esque harmonies and a
pulsing Rhodes. The final three tracks are
the Portland native in his element: haunting, beautiful, and simple. “Crawl After You”
and “Pure Joy” are classic Ward, with solemn
strumming and reserved—but always musical—strings and piano.
Aside from its all-star cast, myriad lyrical
themes, and sweeping sonic palette, what
stands out most is Ward’s ability to write near-perfect songs. A Wasteland Companion recenters
Ward as a solo artist and one of the premier
folk crooners of his generation. A long-awaited
release and a worthy listen, it delivers exactly
what fans have been craving while continuing to push the envelope of the genre he has
done so much to foster. —Luke Viertel
Must-hear tracks: “Me and My Shadow,”
“Pure Joy”
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