My Little Corner Of The World – Volume 42

by Vinh on February 2nd, 2010

bravecaptain – The Fingertip Saint Sessions, Vol. 1 (2000)
Ex-Boo-Radleys songwriter and guitarist Martin Carr’s first foray under the guise of bravecaptain is a genuinely lovely affair. For Carr, it was his first time as a lead singer and while his voice had not quite the range or confidence of his more recent work, he still demonstrates himself to be more than capable. As always, Carr’s musical inspirations and scope rove into various territories whether it be the optimistic orchestral pop beauty ‘Raining Stones’, the simple country-tinged acoustic ballad ‘Starfish’, or the massive world-weary wall of sound that is ‘Third Unattended Bag On The Right’. At stages, The Fingertip Saint Sessions, Vol. 1 also hints towards the more electronic experimentation that would become more prominent in future bravecaptain releases but for the most part, this is a logical step forward from the final Boo Radleys album Kingsize. – Matthew James

Owen Pallett – Heartland (2010)
Pallett returns with his latest endeavour through his signature fantasy baroque pop, fabricating the wonderfully illustrious world of Heartland. He enlightens us on this dreamy place through grandiose piano lines and mystical wordplay, and though there is plenty of conflict throughout the story, a Wizard-Of-Oz-like sense of adventure ensures that this album never loses its paradisiacal feeling. Every inch of this record is brimming with confidence and integrity, and every tall tale is sung with remarkable commitment. “Thought I was a sad boy”, calls the peasant to his God, “Now I know, I know, I know I was wrong. Since you came along, I can see how content I had been”. Lose yourself in Heartland and you might feel the same way. – Rick Southwick

Black Star – Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star (1998)
It would be an understatement to say that hip hop was in a state of chaos after the deaths of Tupac and Notorious B.I.G., but the resulting scene in New York sparked the careers of some of the genre’s brightest talents. Among these are Talib Kweli and Mos Def who took the talent and swagger of their idols in a different direction, opting for social awareness and lyrical dexterity instead of gangster rap. On this, their one-off album, Mos and Kweli cover all their bases, paying homage to the b-boy style of the 80s, decrying racial injustice, and mourning Pac and Biggie. In the process, they become stars in their own rights. Mos channels Slick Rick on a 90s retelling of ‘Children’s Story’, crafting a tale worthy of the original and Kwe spits perfect verse after verse, especially on ‘Definition’ which features an island beat courtesy of Hi Tek, acknowledging just another one of hip hop’s roots. Overall, the product is at once a launching point for Mos and Kweli, but it also functions as a summary of the history of hip hop going into the new millennium. – Paul Bulow

Seefeel – Quique (1993)
Stifled by an endless parade of responsibilities, our thirst for purpose grows restless. It rattles its cage with every passing moment of compliance, cursing our name while we futilely attempt to reconcile the idyllic and the inhibited. It can taste our swelling discontent as we continually settle for less rather than strive for more. It has had enough. It beckons with indomitable fervency now, launching its panoptic plea into our consciousness via megaphone. Our ears are ringing. Our internal compass is shaken. We no longer resist, and we dive in. We brace ourselves for impact, and it never arrives. As we open our eyes, they’re met with a lustrous, celestial universe free of any signs of life. We’re entirely submerged, yet this is weightless — there’s no pressure to speak of. We float in glorious suspended animation. This is here exclusively for us. Our decaying sense of self washes off its rust to emerge purer than ever. Ambient soundscapes echo in the depths of spiraling waters. Reverberant electric guitars hum into the steady current, drum machines generate controlled waves from the ocean floor, and gorgeous indistinct vocals act as kaleidoscopic beams of light drawing us to the surface. We’re unaware of where exactly we’re going or what awaits us as we embark on this slow-moving journey, but simply taking the plunge has renewed our spirit and cemented our resolve. This is Quique. This is hope. – Vinh Cao