DJ Jester - River Walk Riots (210 Records) It's about damn time Iron Butterfly hooked up with Richard Simmons. Thanks to DJ Jester, this heavenly combination has finally been recorded. Jester's turntablist effort mixes in loads of unlikely bits and pieces. Like his name suggests, he's goofing around and having fun Ñ which is just what a turntablist should do. His various samples are reminiscent of Live at the Future Primitive with Radar and Z-Trip. Jester juggles Willie Nelson, TV Themes, Austin Powers clips, jumps from Aerosmith to Terrence Trent D'arby, and offsets a few common samples with more obscure tunes. River Walk Riots is a giant pop culture blender mixing up a delicious beverage from the past. With Jester, as with any good trickster, you just don't know what's coming next. 8
Cococainut - American Giants (LFT Records) The people forming Cococainut sound like they've been living on coconuts and cocaine. Its light, quirky electronic songs are filled with bizarre and occasionally entertaining lyrics that are practically spoken word, reminiscent of MC 900-Foot Jesus and old Ween. "Hunting Dinosaurs" features what sounds like video game gunshots from Galaga and discussions about someone named Ethan and his bone. Cococainut also explains its name, stating that the country was founded on the coconut and cocaine. See, cocaine provides the drive for mass production, while coconuts symbolize vacations as a reward for all that production. They go hand in hand. They're a yin and yang. Peanut butter and jelly. It all makes sense, right? Cococainut is strange but fun. 8 Available at littlefurythings.com.
Solid Steel Presents DJ Food & DK - "Now, Listen!" (Ninja Tune) If you ever find yourself throwing a party and your DJ craps out on you at the last second like a damn punk, don't worry. Put the DJ table away and put on this cd. Now you've got more space and most likely better music anyway. Solid Steel is a weekly radio show hosted by Ninja Tune founders Coldcut, so you know it's got to be good. DJ Food & DK mix a range of music ranging from X-ecutioners and Blackalicious to Art of Noise and Herbie Hancock, plus various fun bits of spoken word. No matter how many time periods and genres they jump, DJ Food & DK keep the mixes smooth and the flow, well, solid. This is DJing at its finest. If you're feeling techno savvy, check out the show live on the net at www.bbc.co.uk/londonlive/. 10
Also, in conjunction with Ninja Tune, check out http://promo.mudhut.co.uk/NinjaTune/VirtualFlyer2.htm as well as the brand new, revamped www.ninjatune.netBoylion - Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start (MOC Records) Boylion have been categorized as an emo band. I hate that term. It just sounds so goofy and un-rock 'n' roll. Yet, I understand the labeling. Boylion do indeed rock, and the vocals are sung strongly with raw passion. Songs filled with peaks and valleys of emotion, the pace rising and falling. At any second tracks could kick in and having you jumping about in your living room or any other room you might be listening in (use caution in the bathroom). This is Boylion's debut, hopefully there's more emo to come, even if it has to be called emo. At least they're not lumped in with crap rock or shit rock. There's plenty of that out there already. 8.5
Snow Patrol - When It's All Over We Still Have To Clear Up (Jeepster) Snow Patrol haven't had much luck with the ladies, it would seem. The album kicks off with a song called "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again." The bad-luck-with-women theme continues on tunes like "One Night is Not Enough" and the title track. Fortunately, these indie rockers should have better luck finding fans. When It's All Over's pace goes up and down like a Whack-A-Mole. One minute you're crankin' it, the next you're turnin' it down and mellowing out. Besides the guitars and drums, Snow Patrol sprinkle in cellos, violins, violas, trumpets and a piano to add a nice layer of elegance. Maybe their luck with the gals will turn around. 10
Thunderball - Scorpio Rising (Eighteenth Street Lounge) Hailing from DC, ultra cool Thunderball are labelmates with the super stylish Thievery Corporation. With its second album, Thunderball's drum 'n' bass/downtempo style delivers sexy beats and smooth textures that will have even first-class nerds feeling cool, if they're cool enough to know about it. It's the kind of album hip stores play to stay hip. The funky "Heart of the Hustler" is like an homage to Curtis Mayfield's "Pusherman" and sounds just as good. The rest of Scorpio Rising is equally as impressive. Music to make an impression. 10
Bombay 2: Electric Vindaloo (Motel Records) This follow-up to Bombay the Hard Way features more funky tunes from the crazy Indian action films of Bollywood. Electronic beats meet orchestras and traditional Indian sounds in creating these soundtrack ditties. Bits and pieces of diaolgue are thrown in for fun. But the real treat is the top DJs recruited to add their own take on the Bollywood sound. Check out Kid Koala, Mix Master Mike, DJ Me DJ You and more cuttin' up odes to Vishnu. Electric Vindaloo proves to be quite a boogaloo. 9