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Wooden Nickel -----------------------------------------Spins --------------------------------------- CD of the Week My Morning Jacket $9.99 Circuital BACKTRACKS Steve Miller Band $11.99 To be honest with you, dear reader, I feel it necessary to admit that I had Sailor (1968) to look up the exact definition of the word “circuital,” the title of Louisville Forget all of the Steve Miller Band rockers My Morning Jacket’s sixth that you hear in heavy rotation on local studio album and first since 2008’s radio stations. Sailor, the band’s second ballsy misstep, Evil Urges. The word album, is a real treasure. means, basically, “a circle form,” or I know you’ve heard “Living in the in this case, “to come full circle.” The implication is that, with this U.S.A.,” as it is packaged on a couple record, the band is returning to where it came from – back to the of Miller’s greatest hits releases (he has seven of them). But this light-as-a-feather folk rock that feels as if it may have been recorded album has nine other remarkable tracks. in heaven, with angels plucking strings and God spilling vocals. As Opening with “Song for Our Ancestors,” the album imme- good as that last sentence fragment may sound, Circuital isn’t quite diately transports you back to 1968. If you told someone they’re the return-to-roots sound of The Tennessee Fire and At Dawn that not hearing Pink Floyd, you might get into an argument. It’s not 311 the MMJ crew has implied. I suppose that, when compared to the the best way to open an album, but the psychedelic vibe will at Universal Pulse strange, scattershot sound of the above-mentioned Evil Urges, it may least grab your attention. “Dear Mary” is a nice folk rock song Sometimes it’s not the third but the demand such a reaction, but to fanboy ears the album is a continu- with a great piano arrangement, and “My Friend” turns it up with eccentric guitars and organs. It’s sort of a ’68 hybrid between The 10th time that’s the charm. That’s ation – if only slight – of frontman Jim James’ mission to never fall stale. Moody Blues and Jefferson Airplane. “Quicksilver Girl” appeared certainly true in the case of Omaha’s Comprised of 10 very focused tracks, the record plays through on the original (More Songs from) The Big Chill soundtrack, but favorite reggae/rock act 311 and as if it maybe should’ve come out between 2003’s It Still Moves and strangely wasn’t on the reissue. their latest release, Universal Pulse. 2005’s Z, but with a more seasoned self-editor at the helm. In fact, “Lucky Man” is blues folk with an almost soul vibe to it, and Highlights of this eight-tracker include after only five or so spins, I already feel comfortable calling this the Miller covers “Gangster of Love” a song originally recorded in “Wild Nights” and “Time Bomb.” Time’s most bulletproof set of songs the MMJs have yet released, each song 1957 by Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson. Also covered is Jimmy Reed’s a ticking. Why not pick up your own working in its own, often surprising way, none coming off as overly “You’re So Fine.” “Overdrive” was written by bandmate Boz copy for just $11.99 at any Wooden obvious or painfully meandering. Focus, that’s the key element here, Scaggs, and the arrangement reminds me of The Band or even Dylan in its arrangement. The record closes with the electric Nickel Music Store location? as it should be for a band that made a weirdo folk-pop record like the great Z. “Dime-A-Dance Romance.” All that said, I do think that songs like “Circuital,” “Outta My Steve Miller has released more than 25 records and 30 sin- TOP SELLERS @ System,” “Slow, Slow Tune” and the breathtaking “Movin’ Away” gles in his successful career. He had a brief hiatus in the 70s, but should appeal very much to fans who stopped liking the band when 1981’s “Abracadabra” gave him his third No. 1 single. On Bingo Wooden Nickel they became more experimental with said great Z. This set, for the (2010), and Let Your Hair Down (2011), the 67-year-old covers (Week ending 7/24/11) most part, is straightforward-ish singer/songwriter fare, but covered Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Robert Johnson and others in what TW LW ARTIST/Album in James’ itchy fingerprints and fleshed out with hallmarks from past I can honestly say are a couple good albums. (Dennis Donahue) records. 1 1 TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND Revelator The vibe I get here is poppier side of a rock opera-era The Who, definitely. What we get is a 16-track cycle that breaks down into 13 minus all the pretension and self-important stuffing. And while there full-blown tracks and three interludes, a set that makes for the first 2 5 ADELE are undeniably moments here and there on Circuital where the in- worthwhile Beasties record since 1998’s Hello Nasty (two additional 21 (CD & LP) fluence can be clearly pinpointed, My Morning Jacket have trotted records were released in between, neither really worth your time). through studios enough in recent years that, when they release a re- Said to be the extras from Part One, you’d think the record might 3 4 3 DOORS DOWN cord, it’s through and through an original work. For starters, no one have something off an odds-and-ends feel. Not the case. Time of My Life sings like James. No one writes like James. Sure, the ornamentation The sound here is instantly less polished than Nasty, though not on a song like “Wonderful (The Way I Feel)” can be mapped and quite as organic sounding on a whole as the band’s pre-Nasty mate- 4 2 THEORY OF A DEADMAN devised, but it still manages to stand alone. Another favorite, “First The Truth Is ... rial. (Those records were dusty loops and simple live playing put to- Light,” is one of MMJ’s most accessible songs to date, feeling almost gether mostly on 8-tracks and MPCs, held together by back-and-forth like a radio hit that could play next to some stale Kings of Leon 5 6 BAD MEETS EVIL vocals and, often, the cuts of Mix Master Mike.) There are nods to Hell: The Sequel track. Same goes for “You Wanna Freak Out,” a killer pop tune. Most past records, such as the robot voice on “OK” and pseudo-electronic of the songs here, to be honest, build to a very radio-friendly place, vibes that pop up here and there. Mostly, this is a boom-bap-minded 6 – VOLBEAT especially the epic “Outta My System,” a song that could easily work hip-hop record made by three 40-something emcee/producer/musi- Beyond Hell/Above Heaven as the youth anthem of our time. cians who now know their way around a studio as well as, or better Circuital’s cover art, a close-up photo of a magic tuning eye from than, any hip-hop artist ever. 7 3 YES a 1930s radio, may be ugly, but boy does it fit the framework of the That said, the inventive nature of Nasty, Paul’s Boutique, Li- Fly From Here record. Tuning eyes were used to help listeners find the strongest censed to Ill and Check Your Head is seemingly gone forever, and frequency point for the station they desired to hear. The brighter that now the Boys are more focused on making very listenable and fluid 8 7 BON IVER green eye was, the more focused your signal was. So, in this case, records that appeal to their solid-as-a-rock fanbase, mostly com- Bon Iver (CD & LP) that bright green eye is MMJ’s way of telling you that, hey, we re- prised of skaters, underground hip-hop fans and fans of skate and ally focused in on what we do best here. And damn, the proof is in boom-bap culture. The rhymes, as always, get passed around like a 9 – KELLY ROWLAND the pudding: the songs here feel laboriously perfected. The work of Here I Am hot potato amongst the members while the beats are dusty and often masters. As time passes and listener familiarity grows, I imagine Cir- grimy, ornamented with funk loops, scratches, break beats, original 10 – BODEANS cuital will see a boost in reception, so much so that I could see this bass lines and electronic flourishes. If you know the classic Beasties Indigo Dreams little comeback record standing as the highlight of the band’s already catalog, you already know the sound of Part Two. A good thing. legendary studio catalog. (G.W.L.) The vibe feels somewhat cinematic, playing through almost like a musical accompaniment to a skate video. Songs like “Long Fri., July 29 • 6 p.m. • All Ages • Free Beastie Boys Burn the Fire,” “Say It,” “Too Many Rappers” and “Here’s a Lit- live At oUr N. ANthoNy store: Hot Sauce Committee: Part Two tle Something for Ya” will be instant classics amongst fans, while the JAsoN AlArm, “Make Some Noise,” “Ok” and “Don’t Play No Game I Can’t Win” Part One doesn’t exist. Not really. (featuring Santigold) could all, with powerful videos and some vi- yelloW deAd bettys & Not yet, that is. Back in 2009 there ral marketing, become summer hits. Some of the lesser tracks like was cover art, a tour schedule and “Funky Donkey” and “Tadlock’s Glasses” have a gritty appeal that igNite the boreAlis a release date for that record.