JULY/AUGUST 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM REVIEWS HOLE Nobody’s Daughter R[Universal]ED HOT CHILI

PEPPERSThe first album released underI’m theWith Hole moniker You since Unwerth Ellen Von 1998’s Celebrity Skin is really [Warner Bros.] frontwoman Courtney Love’s secondMore than solo a album—co-founder, dozen have drifted in and songwriterout of the Red and Hot lead Chili guitarist Peppers’ funk-rock ranks Ericsince Erlandson its lone original isn’t involved,members—singer Anthony nor is any other previous Hole Kiedis and bass player — member. So it’s Love and three fi rst conceived of the band ringers on 11 new songs—10 almost three decades ago. of which Love wrote with collaboratorsBut things had like been Billy calm Corgan, Linda Perry and new guitaristfor a good Micko long Larkin. while (Perrywhen gets full credit on one tune, “Letterguitarist to God.”) announcedMuch of the his riveting departure intensity in of the group’s 1990s heyday2009 (actually appears his to second have left along with her former Daniel Jackson bandmates,exit; it’s a long but story). there Enterare fl ashes here of the snarling Too often, though, the slower songs trip her up. While once furynew Love axeman deployed ,to such devastating who had effect joined back in the day. they were showcases for harrowing displays of naked emotion, Sheas a spitstouring out guitarist her vocals during with thevengeful Peppers’ disdain most on “Skinny Little Love sounds more dispassionate these days. The production Bitch,”recent overdrivenprotracted roadguitars jaunt roiling and atophad previouslyan elastic bassline that doesn’t help—the songs have an airless, sanded-down feel that speeds up as the song races toward a climatic pile-up at the recorded with Frusciante. In a way, the new I’m With You fi nds instrumentdoesn’t fi t withduring her the visceral band’s persona. late-’00s Courtney hiatus (he Love’s can also tumultuous be heard end. She shifts tempos and attitude on the more contemplative history suggests that she has a compelling story to tell, and history repeating: Just as Frusciante did on his fi rst effort with the on trumpet here). Buffeted by new blood and fresh infl uences, the “Pacifi c Coast Highway,” taking stock as layers of acoustic and perhaps she does. It’s just not the one she’s telling on Nobody’s band, 1989’s Mother’s Milk, Klinghoffer mostly hangs back and lets sound as relaxed and even mature as they electric chug along behind her. Daughter. –Eric R. Danton his more established bandmates set the tone. ever had on record. That may seem unnatural for the onetime L.A. Luckily, the newbie shares his predecessor’s knack for sweet brats who fi rst scored with hormone-fueled blasts of early-’80s harmonyCOURT vocals, YARD which had HOUNDS become a Chili PeppersA side projecttrademark of juvenilianew offering like “Catholic suggested School that its Girls creator Rule” was and a few“Get strides Up and closer Jump,” to Dixie Chicks’ Martie crafting something truly monumental in both musical and social terms. during Frusciante’sCourt Yardstint. Hounds And sonic variety isMaguire in no short and supply, Emily butThis I’m cold With and Youprivate carries set isn’t the it, welcome although andthat’s well-earned probably due sound more ofto thanks to Flea’s[Columbia] newfound skill as a pianist—heRobison, studied Court Yardthe survival.personal –Chris circumstances Neal than anything related to talent. Wainwright Hounds delivers wrote All Days Are Nights while his mother, Kate McGarrigle, was much-anticipated dying of cancer, and there is a quiet, complex sadness even in its insight—both musical and personal—into the sisters who have less autobiographical material. There’s nothing here except for so long ceded center stage to Chicks singer Natalie Maines. and vocal, and Wainwright doesn’t project his words in the way Though steeped in familiar instrumentation, the album offers little we’ve come to expect from him. Instead of serenading the person of the barn-burningLINDSEY brashness BUCKINGHAMthat made the Chicks famous (save in the farthestS cornerTEPHEN of a packed MALKMUStheater, he’s singing toAND himself in perhaps theSeeds gutsy We “Ain’t Sow No Son”). Instead, its delicate folk-pop an otherwise empty room. –David Styburski prettiness perfectly[Buckingham] suits Robison’s more-than-capable voice and THE JICKS If you’re wondering how the jumble of emotions, sunny and melancholy, that emerge in a song Mirror Traffi cOzomatli’s musicmuch has been of calledan effect a collision last [Matador] cycleLindsey inspired Buckingham’s by her 2008 music divorce. is annoyed Maguire’s by your weeping vibrating fi ddle phone. and OZOMATLI of styles, a culturalyear’s mash-up, Pavement and areunion 20-car seamlessIt is openly harmonies contemptuous are welcome of your as shuffl always, e mode. and herIt spits one atturn your on had on singer and guitaristpileup Stephen of genres. Malkmus’ It’s also ongoing some soloof the career, most ‘BuffetedleadSpotify. vocals It stands (“Gracefully”) uncomfortably byis so warmly closenew toaffecting you, demandingblood that listene thatrs mayyouand the answerfresh seems to bejoyfully … well, energetic some. The music -produced you’ll ever hear. Mirror On wishlook itshe in thestepped eye and to thepay micattention. more often.And if Court you’re Yard willing Hounds to do that,ably Traffi c has a vaguely Pavement-ishits fi fth album, anarchic the L.A.-based feel and playful band energy,stirs its demonstratesyou two will get that, along whether just fiwith ne. theirYou canfellow go Dixie ahead Chick and or prefer without, his veering from the punchyblend stop-start of salsa, rhythm ska, samba,of the sarcastic funk, and political hip-hop influences,theseclassic ladies’ Fleetwood talent Macruns deep. the –Katietone over Dodd theChili style he employsPeppers on comment sound “Senator” to inthe ways languid few groups “Long could Hard conceive. Book.” Malkmus Imagine Seeds We Sow; the frenzied right-hand rolls here often sound getsFire Awaya little more expansivetossing with the the English crumbly Beat, guitars Herb andAlpert gleaming and the like an electrifi ed banjo mated with a classicalFor a dozenharp. But years, asking the keyboards[Mercer Street/Downtown] on “Brain Gallop”Tijuana (one Brass, of theCaetano few tunes Veloso, that and stretches Sly and Buckingham toR replicateUFUS the past is a fool’sarrangements errand—he’s interestedon Rufus past fi ve minutes), while “Spazz”the Family is exactlyStone into what a itmagical sounds blender like, thanks and asin therelaxed moment, not a memory. and Seeds even is Wainwright’sfi lled with maturecontemporary albums got youto aas jumbleget some theyof knotty sense guitars of Ozomatli’s and Malkmus’ eclectic yelping approach. vocals. High His points lyrics images of war,WAINWRIGHT confl ict and aggression,busier as suggested and his sometimes by titles onare theirtypically latest, oblique, Fire Away but Malkmus, include always“Are You sounds Ready?,” like ahe’s horn-and- having such as “GoneAll DaysToo Far,”Are Nights:“In Our Songs Own Time”naughty, and “End occasionally of Time.” percussion-drivenfun—never more so blast than of whensalsa-fl the avored songs ska; skirt “Yeah the Yeah edge Yeah of chaos. Yeah,” The album endsfor Lulu everwith tenderness, had though, angryon via declarations a lovelyrecord.’ acoustic of gay anIt’s exultant not the Latinnew Pavementpop anthem album fi tted hardcorewith shrieking fans sax;had andhoped “Gay for, Vatos but cover of the Rolling[Decca] Stones’ “She Smiled prideSweetly.” got –Peter louder. Cooper Each inMirror Love,” Traffi a rockabilly-tingedc is more than a meretune withconsolation a soaring prize. chorus. –Eric Even R. Danton when

70 MAY 2010 JULY/AUGUST 2011 M MUSIC & MUSICIANS MAGAZINE

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