July 2009 (Relix)

1. bands King of Leon and My Morning
Hot Club of San Franciso Jacket, Manchester Orchestra’s mod-
Bohemian Maestro-Django ern, honest brand of music straddles
Reinhardt and the Impressionists the line between straight-ahead rock
AZICA and alternative/emo—as evidenced on
Listen to this record and the title track of the group’s latest
be transported to a release, Mean Everything To Nothing.
swinging Parisian night- On the band’s most aggressive and fully
club in the 1930s as realized release yet, tracks like the
three guitars, bass and power pop rocker “The Only One”
violin interpret the gypsy string jazz and the grungy “In My Teeth” flesh out
style of Django Reinhardt and Andy Hull’s personal manifestos and
Stephane Grappelli’s Quintette du Hot religious commentary with a layer of
Club de France. This is what Garcia and menacing drums, fuzzy guitars and
Grisman were going for on their first quirky keyboards that fall just shy of
disc (Grisman guested on the HCSF’s being jammy. In short, Mean
also outstanding Yerba Buena Bounce). Everything To Nothing won’t squash the
Bandleader Paul Mehling and compa- group’s emo tag, but it will help the
ny play extraordinarily resonant gui- young band reach a far larger audience.
tars—similar to the Maccaferri Selmers Mike Greenhaus
that Reinhardt used—and the space
that the production creates for them is Fareed Haque and The Flat
surreally crisp and clear. When two gui- Ensemble
tars chop the rhythm in staccato, and Flat Planet
the third places melodic chord phrases, Manchester Orchestra
OWL RECORDS
while the bass thumps and the violin On Flat Planet, Fareed
unreels liquid silverstring—or a piano Haque mixes a diverse
twinkles, as on Reinhardt’s debut, Make a Move, has a unique sonic feels the music—and it’s inevitable that Middleastern influ-
“Diminushing Blackness”—the effect is footprint. The formidable quintet also you will too. Emily Zemler ence with rock, classi-
almost psychedelic. features Daniel Coburn on vocals and cal structures and jazz
Richard B. Simon harp, Ed Cleveland on drums, Kirk New Monsoon to make for a sound that recalls anoth-
Smithhart on guitar and Dickinson on New Monsoon Live er fusion guitar virtuoso—John
Gary Burton/Pat Metheny guitar, drums, piano and washboard. NEW MONSOON McLaughlin. In particular, much of the
Quartet Live! Southern rock gets a 2009 skirt-chasin’ Featuring an updated material here sounds a lot like one of
CONCORD JAZZ update (“Alice Mae”) via some The rhythm section—Sean McLaughlin’s most well-known jazz-
Pat Metheny was a 19- Allman Brothers Band influences (“You Hutchinson (drums) and fusion projects—Mahavishnu
year-old high school Can Make It”), while never forgetting its Marshall Harrell (bass)— Orchestra. Flat Planet, with its enor-
grad in the mid-‘70s Robert Johnson heritage (“Highway New Monsoon Live is a mous ensemble of 14 other musicians,
when he received his Blues” and “Ramblin’”), the need to collection of highlights recorded last uses a multitude of instruments,
big break by being invit- sweet talk within a languid groove (“Let year during a three-night Texas run, including djembe, violin and tabla just
ed to play guitar in the band of Gary Me Love You”), flat out rock your sweat- representing New Monsoon’s first live to name a few. A true showcase of tal-
Burton—already a well-established drenched face (“Hill Country Revue”) release since 2005. Classic rock influ- ent and diversity, it pays tribute to a
vibist. Metheny’s abilities were and celebrate the fruit of one’s labor ences are prominent throughout: A style that’s all but forgotten. But make
astounding even then, and his rise (“Georgia Women”). Randy Ray cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Freedom” no mistake, while Haque puts his
within the jazz world was meteoric—he sounds eerily akin to the original, while supporting musicians up front, Flat
cut his first album as a leader Jason Lytle an eight-minute “Rattlesnake Ride” Planet really serves as a showcase for
just a year after joining with Burton. Yours Truly, the Commuter channels Pink Floyd circa Wish You the kind of gifted and unique
This live reunion recording also fea- ANTI- Were Here via Phil Ferlino’s ethereal guitarist that Haque really is.
tures bassist Steve Swallow, another It would diminish the ivory tickling. The two-hour document Mike Thomas
alumnus of the ‘70s configuration, striking quality of Yours showcases the talents of founding
along with drummer Antonio Sanchez, Truly, the Commuter to member and electric guitarist Jeff Rhett Miller
a current Metheny sideman. The per- reduce its songs to sim- Miller, as he scorches paths through Rhett Miller
formances of tracks like “Syndrome,” ply being the first solo crescendoing progressions and indus- SHOUT FACTORY
“Olhos de Gato” and “Sea Journey” efforts from former Grandaddy front- trious jams. Lead vocalist Bo Carper Rhett Miller first made
instantly recall the familiar decades- man Jason Lytle. Yes, the trembling, lets the words do the heavy lifting on his name as a member
old renditions, but the musicians are evocative tracks on this album are fan favorites “Greenhouse” and “Alaska,” of the Old ‘97s, yet his
more mature, their playing more Lytle’s first endeavor since Grandaddy’s while the instrumental banjo-led stom- most recently self-titled
nuanced now—so the work never feels final disc, Just Like the Fambly Cat, in per, “En Fuego,” will impress the most album stands firmly on
rehashed. Jeff Tamarkin 2006. His voice and hushed stylistic skeptical listeners. Matt Franciscovich its own feet. The album-opening
tendencies are recognizable, and Yours “Nobody Says I Love You Anymore”
Hill Country Revue Truly is a standout album regardless of Manchester Orchestra kicks off with some killer guitar work
Make a Move its maker’s previous band. Lytle, who Mean Everything To Nothing behind Miller’s strongly sensual voice.
RAZOR & TIE plays every instrument, produced and SONY This is a guy who puts heart into his
Though named for a engineered the album in its entirety, Manchester Orchestra music, drawing listeners in so fully
2004 North Mississippi whispers and croons over a backdrop hails from Atlanta—not that his stories become their own.
Allstars’ release—and of expansive, acoustic melodies. “Birds Manchester, TN—yet the “Need to Know Where I Stand,” which
anchored by that hippie Encouraged Him” sounds like Lytle is group evokes the rootsy, features some amazing 12-string
blues rock jamband’s leaning over to tell you a secret and progressive spirit char- acoustic guitar work and “If It’s Not
drummer (Cody Dickinson) and bassist “Rollin’ Home Alone” aches without acteristic of that town’s biggest event, Love” are among the other stand out
(Chris Chew)—Hill Country Revue’s sounding mopey. It’s clear that Lytle Bonnaroo. But unlike their big brother tracks. Nancy Dunham
J U LY 2 0 0 9 Q RELIX 79