27fm Album Jukebox – March 2021
Benny The Butcher & Harry Fraud - The Plugs I Met 2
The projects come hard and fast out of Griselda Records, now it's Benny The Butcher's turn to re-up and he combines with Harry Fraud for the second installment of 'The Plugs I Met'. While Benny has layers of projects in his discography, TPIM2 serves as an intriguing juncture as the first TPIM was deep in the distinctive Griselda sound. Led by production from Griselda's DJ Shay, Daringer and Beat Butcha, TPIM saw Benny telling his stories on gritty, dark production. Now Benny teams up with Harry Fraud for a light, fresher sound that is also intricate enough to have Benny's rhymes in the spotlight. Most importantly, Benny is reflective and this project is rooted in Benny's growth in perspective.
Wurld Series – What’s Growing
On the long list of indie rock cliches, sounding like Stephen Malkmus is at least in the top five and there are undoubted Pavement vibes on this Christchurch band’s second album. Without inspiration, that’d be a crutch. But Wurld Series have a distinct modern sensibility, which Pitchfork called “millennial disillusionment” but The Niche Cache is going to call “being alive in 2021”, that grounds these tunes in an urgent contemporary scene and turns that influence into a strength. But even then that’s reductive because there are also psych and folk influences that increasingly spill through as the album progresses. Not to mention the lo-fi origins of the group which put them in the same family tree as folks like Chris Knox and other Aotearoa classics. With non sequiturs and short-and-sharpers throughout (15 tracks in 30 mins, dude, it’s a speedy one), What’s Growing can be a beguiling listen so you do have to surrender to the groove. But if you do you won’t regret it. This one’s a ripper.
Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats - Unlocked 1.5
Stemming from last year's Unlocked project, Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats come back around for Unlocked 1.5 to put a new coat of paint on the previous release. Unlocked was a rapid trip through the world created by Denzel and Kenny, hectic was the vibe. 1.5 is far more smooth and while the variety of sounds, twists and turns in the production are a bit hectic, there is a polish to 1.5 that offers a different level of enjoyment. This is likely due to have most of the eight songs flipped by a different producer/musician; The Alchemist, Robert Glasper, Charlie Heat, Georgia Anne Muldrow. Chuck in having Smino, Joey Bada$$ and Benny The Butcher among the features. Unlocked 1.5 is a bit weird in the sense that it flows nicely, however with different folks adding their funk to each song, each track stands alone as a combination of artists.
The Underground Youth – The Falling
Craig Dwyer has increasingly come to sound like Nick Cave in recent years. Slow down the opening title track a touch and replace the strummed guitars with Warren Ellis-esque synths and it could have slipped right onto that Carnage record that Cave/Ellis just did. These songs have that same weary beauty, just listen to something like And I... or A Sorrowful Race and you can’t help but smile with tears in your eyes. Even if the concept of A Sorrowful Race is rather similar to, say, People Ain’t No Good. It’s credit to Dwyer’s ability as a songwriter, especially his vocal delivery, that The Falling never sounds derivative or uninspired. Quite the opposite, really. This new album’s not as great as their astounding 2019 album Montage Images of Lust & Fear but it takes the group’s streak of never having made a bad or boring album past a decade. A genuinely fantastic band that deserves so much more recognition.
Charley Crockett – 10 For Slim: Charley Crockett Sings James Hand
James Hand was a honky-tong singer. That bar-room country, tears in your beers kinda thing. One of those dudes whose influence was far greater than his prominence but here’s Charley Crockett here to serve up the goodness. Hand was a friend and mentor to Crocks so it’s only fitting, and if you’re inclined towards the twanginess then this beautiful, poignant, honest tribute album is an absolute joy. Charley Crockett is an undercover icon of the Americana scene as it is and this right here is some of his best work.
Armand Hammer & The Alchemist - Haram
Every month seems to feature a new Alchemist project and that means a steady supply of new hip-hop. This time Al teams up with the duo 'Armand Hammer' consisting of ELUCID and billy woods, who are part of a nifty New York avant-garde movement. This is the first project Armand Hammer have delivered with one producer and their off-cilter storytelling perfectly fits amongst Alchemist's canvas. Alchemist moves between minimal loops and complex combinations, providing a balance between creepy and light that is exactly what Armand Hammer delivers with their poetry. Earl Sweatshirt makes an appearance, along with other underground rappers Amani and Quelle Chris for 14 tracks of a mind-bending journey.
Allie Crow Buckley – Moonlit And Devious
Now that is an evocative album title. An extremely appropriate one too as Buckley makes the kind of sounds that resonate most in the natural pale glow of the evening, mystical but dangerous at the same time. Very Los Angeles... no surprises that’s where ACB resides (although apparently there was a little spell of childhood spent in Aotearoa, so there you go). But also gotta emphasise that this is a really enjoyable album too, full of big hooks and pop song structures. The synths go hard. There’s variety. Definitely worth a dipping of the toes.
Kane Strang – Happy To Perform
Kane Strang is back and he’s brought the goods. Third full length album for the Dunedin native following up on his 2017 breakthrough record Two Hearts and No Brain. This was a surprise release, eight new tracks lasting a mere 23 minutes, delivering a darker sound with less orthodox arrangements that what Strang’s offered in the past. More experimental. The jangly guitars are there, except they’re competing with saxophone and a bit of piano. A tune like Moat, for example, is like little else that the fella has shared before but it’s a captivating track and this is a captivating album. It’s brevity kinda hampers the ambition of it but that’s also kinda the point.
Kota The Friend & Statik Selektah - To Kill A Sunrise
In the soulful hip-hop department, Kota The Friend is at the peak of his powers as he collaborates with producer Statik Selektah. To Kill A Sunrise is led by Statik Selektah's mellow production, rooted in crisp old school vibes and this is where Kota shines to flow over funky drum patterns, flutes and keys. Kota is in a space where he's been on a heavy grind, operating as an open minded indie force and TKAS has Kota touching on his elevation while also dealing with the darkness of his past, as well as success. Haile Supreme is the only feature on the 10 track project, which is light enough to leave in the background and set the vibe. Dig deeper and you'll find some wisdom to inspire your grind.
Edward Castelow – Mirth
The kiwi tunage keeps on coming because Edward Castelow has a new one as well, his first album released under his own name after building up his reputation under the moniker of Dictaphone Blues with three quality albums. Be prepared that this is quite a different album to the ol’ DB recordings, defs got that solo album feeling where the tunes are a little more personal, the tones a conscious departure from expectations/habits and all that. Particularly with the blooming arrangements that give it a proper Harry Nilsson impression, it’s poppy in that distinguished sort of way. Baby It’s For You finds a smooth groove with the soulful backing vocals, When Your Tears Have Dried struts on a wicked bass line, and quite honestly you’re not gonna hear too many more thrilling musical moments than the last two minutes of Down By The Riverside.
Jimbo Mathus & Andrew Bird – These 13
A couple former Squirrel Nut Zippers reunite for a genuine old-timey gospel-folk album that at times sounds like it could actually have been dug up and dusted off from deep in some record company vault untouched for half a century or longer. Mathus has a wildness to him that meshes nicely with Bird’s smoothness, making for a distinctive and enjoyable combo. Every tune is a co-write. They all leave plenty of room for guitar and violin. But it’s that easy-going camaraderie between the two lads which is what makes it such a compelling listen.
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