There has been much talk online about w h o k i l l, the 2nd full length album from Merrill Garbus’ near-solo project tUnE-yArDs. Every review places it in a favorable light which positions it firmly as a stand out hit of the 2nd quarter of 2011. It just seems to have the aura of “Best of 2011″ surrounding it. I’m no different in that respect. There really isn’t anything out there right now that sounds quite like this album.
Recognizable and quirky right on down to the proper capitalization of the project’s name and the sound which the album contains. Garbus has created songs that are complex yet compact, pulling inspiration equally from Graceland-era Paul Simon and The Talking Heads as much as they do Prince. It’s a very rhythmically vibrant album with passionate vocal lines that crackle with energy.
Lead-off single “Bizness” seems to encapsulate all of the ideas of the album and compresses them to one 4 and a half minute gem. The melodic lines right off the bat seem to leap right out of the speakers before Merrill’s voice begins to fiercely intone the verse. It’s not long before saxophones are adding a new layer to the already contagiously catchy, energetic tune.
The album w h o k i l l is out now and if you don’t already own it, you should. It’s available digitally through iTunes and physically through 4AD.
A graduate of the Masters program in Classical Guitar Performance as well as Music Theory/Composition at the State University of New York at Fredonia Adam is active as a performer, composer, educator and copyist. He is currently working on research concerning the guitar works of Leo Brouwer and Anton Webern, has recently completed a new edition of Webern's Op. 18 and is working as an assistant of a colleague that is researching works of Arnold Schoenberg. Adam is currently a PhD candidate in Music Theory at the University of Oregon.
Formerly a member of the Ethos New Music Society which is responsible for the promotion of new music on the Fredonia Campus and elsewhere in Upstate New York (and beyond) through the production of student concerts of newly composed music, guest lecturers, symposia and concerts by new music ensembles like "eighth blackbird", "Auros" and "Continuum".
I write reviews for groovemine.com as well as tympanogram.com. This site will collect everything that I write for those sites, as well as posts that are exclusive. Mostly reviews of albums and EPs of new independent music with sample songs and a few links to help you purchase the albums that are reviewed. Album reviews typically delve pretty deep and can range anywhere from 700 to 2,500 words depending on how much there really is to say about the album. I try to analyze the music in as many ways as I can before writing and typically will listen to anything that is reviewed at the very least 10 times before committing anything to writing.
I'm a bit insane.
