Casual Listening 11-16-07

Casual Listening

a review of cool new music

by Jeff Pinzino

November 16, 2007

* Joan Sebastian – No Es De Madera (Latin)

This is what you’re missing out on when you skip past the Spanish station on your radio. Listen through the oompah accordion, tuba, and heavy brass, and you’ll find Sebastian sings well-crafted songs of love and loss that owe as much to the Beatles as they do to traditional corridos.

Cedar Walton Trio & Dale Barlow – Manhattan After Hours (jazz)

To hone the album title further, this feels like a jazz club in Harlem in 1957 after hours. A classic-sounding tenor saxophone quartet with super chops. If you like to chill out with Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, you’re going to want to add this to your collection.

The Hives – The Black and White Album (rock)

Full-on distortion-fueled garage rock. Crank this and go nuts.

LCD Soundsystem – 45:33 (dance)

Your new favorite work-out soundtrack. A single track whose title matches its length, the various phases of the piece are specially designed for interval training on the stairmaster, complete with warm-up and cool-down. You’ll find a variety of samples, including horns, chimes, and retro laser sound effects, all settling into an extended house groove.

In the blog this week: Are live albums worth the trouble? Os Mutantes, James Taylor, and covers from Queensryche.

* highly recommended

! highest recommendation

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