Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra- Who is This America? (2004)

I'm very pleased somebody actually requested more jazz. Right under Talkatif, Who is This America? is one of my favorite Anitbalas records. Once again there's a definite African injection to the sound, while the band tends to lean more and more towards traditional music. Even looking at the song titles you'd probably already know what to expect. "Big Man" is the record's landmark track, serving as a narrative and lyrical slander against the chokehold of corporations, while "Obanla'e" is actually an original African traditional, containing a bunch of weird foreign gibberish I don't understand. I have this album looped on my GTA online user tracks, and it's probably the only music I listen to when I play. Maybe you can do the same?

1. Who is This America Dem Speak of Today?

2. Pay Back Africa

3. Indictment

4. Big Man

5. Obanla'e

6. Elephant

7. Sister

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Medeski, Martin & Wood- Shack Man (1996)

This will remain a somewhat quick post, seeing that I have other things to attend to. Though, I do feel guilty about not updating as much as I used to. So in order to soothe your cravings for new music I give you Medeski, Martin & Wood. Shack Man is an album that's been sitting around in my library for a while, but I never really appreciated it until now. It's primarily jazz music with some cool funk and ambient undertones: think of the flop style of Mingus and imagine him stuck on an island with the rest of his band being a collective of crazy islanders, only with less horns. Apparently the album was recorded in an actual shack, too. Who'da thunk?

1. Is There Anybody Here that Love my Jesus

2. Think

3. Dracula

4. Bubblehouse

5. Henduck

6. Strance of the Spirit Red Gator

7. Spy Kiss

8. Lifeblood

9. Jelly Belly

10. Night Marchers

11. Kenny

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Scarlett Johansson- Anywhere I Lay My Head (2008)

There's no doubt everyone and their dog has already heard of Scarlett Johansson's foray into music (I already did a review of it last November for The Imprint), but I figured it's about time I share it with the folks that haven't. Last year, joining with members of TV on the Radio and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner, Johansson worked to create a collection of Tom Waits covers -stating in an interview it was originally for her friends. I give her mad respect; not only because is she enviously beautiful with an even more beautiful voice, but she has an exhausting familiarity with the Tom Waits catalogue. Plus, I kind of have this thing for cover songs lately, and Anywhere I Lay My Head is a prime example of why. I was pleased to find a few of my favorite Waits songs ("Who Are You," "Anywhere I Lay My Head," "Fawn,") as well as one original track written by Johansson, "Song for Jo." Surprisingly, the original song was really good. It makes me curious to hear what else Johansson has to offer musically (hopefully another album like this!) I wouldn't mind if she did another Waits record, just because there's so many other songs I want to hear her voice with. Listen and be amazed.

1. Fawn
2. Town With no Cheer
3. Falling Down
4. Anywhere I Lay My Head
5. Fannin Street
6. Song for Jo
7. Green Grass
8. I Wish I Was in New Orleans
9. I Don't Wanna Grow Up
10. No One Knows I'm Gone
11. Who Are You

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