Just what I've been listening to lately:
Rufus Wainwright - Want One. I've long been a fan of his dad, but never really listened to Rufus until now. Baroque pop in the best sense of the word...dense, lushly orchestrated arrangements. Listening to it, I could have sworn Van Dyke Parks had a hand, as he did on Rufus' other releases--but no. The album opens with as killer a one-two punch as any I've heard in the last few years.
Dave Matthews - Some Devil. I'm not the biggest fan. But I think this album is a really solid piece of work. Some very interesting contributions from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Trey Anastasio, and the SEATTLEMUSIC orchestra. The jamming, when it occurs, tends toward the thoughtful and intuitive. Good stuff.
Robert Palmer - Woke Up Laughing. A compilation of Palmer's worldmusic experiments that was issued a few years back. You really get a sense of how easily he genre-hopped, and how deep an understanding of other musics he held. Plus it's catchy as all get-out.
John Gorka - Old Futures Gone. I was expecting more from this. I thought his last release, The Company You Keep, was stellar--it's still one of my favorites. Maybe I just haven't gotten into this yet...but so far I find it fairly dreary.
The Bangles - Doll Revolution. The single, "Something That You Said," is killer jangle-pop from the princesses of the genre. There are some good songs here, but overall I'm not blown away. I'm glad I didn't buy this as an import when it came out earlier this year...the domestic release comes with a bonus DVD.
Outkast - Speakerboxx/The Love Below. A true double album, and one of the best things I've heard in a long time. There aren't enough artists pushing the boundaries of rap...these guys make it seem easy. These two CDs contain everything from the '80s-channeling single "Hey Ya" to a duet with Norah freakin' Jones. Even those who don't like rap (this usually includes me) may enjoy this...
Willy Porter - High Wire Live. Great songs, recorded in an acoustic live setting. Bereft of "studio chicanery," as the liner notes put it.
