MAY 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM REVIEWS HOLE NNobody’sEIL YOUNG Daughter [Universal] A Treasure [Reprise] The first album released under the Hole moniker since 1998’s Celebrity Skin is really frontwoman Courtney Love’s By the mid-1980s, Neil Young had effectively gone rogue. The second solo album—co-founder, upstart Geffen label may have thought it signed a reliable rock legend, songwriter and lead guitarist but Young handed the company in short order an electronic-music Eric Erlandson isn’t involved, experiment (Trans), a rockabilly album (Everybody’s Rockin’) and a nor is any other previous Hole member. So it’s Love and three straightforward country effort (Old Ways). Geffen responded by suing ringers on 11 new songs—10Young for not sounding sufficiently like himself, and the artist took his case of which Love wrotedirectly with to audiences. When Geffen balked at releasing Old Ways, Young collaborators like Billy Corgan,and his Linda country Perry andoutfit new the International Harvesters took their show on the guitarist Micko Larkin. (Perry gets full credit on one tune, “Letter to God.”) road. (He eventually returned to his ’70s label home, Reprise.) Young was Much of the riveting intensityas passionate of the group’s about 1990s his new country songs as he was about anything he’d heyday appears to havedone left duringalong with his her legendary former runDaniel Jackson of ’70s classics, and his commitment is audible bandmates, but there areon fl ashesthese here 12 of previously the snarling unreleasedToo often,tracks though, from the his slower 1984 songs and trip 1985her up. tours.While once fury Love deployed to such devastating effect back in the day. they were showcases for harrowing displays of naked emotion, She spits out her vocals withA Treasure vengeful disdain continues on “Skinny Young’s Little Love ongoing sounds seriesmore dispassionate of archival these releases, days. The which production Bitch,” overdriven guitarshas roiling seen atop himan elastic assembling bassline that the doesn’t enormous help—the 2009 songs havebox an set airless, Archives sanded-down Vol. feel 1 that speeds up as the song races toward a climatic pile-up at the doesn’t fi t with her visceral persona. Courtney Love’s tumultuous end. She shifts tempos and1963-1972 attitude on the as more well contemplative as stand-alone history albumssuggests thatlike shethe has same a compelling year’s storyDreamin’ to tell, and “Pacifi c Coast Highway,”Man taking Live stock ’92 as layers (which of acoustic drew andon acousticperhaps she performances does. It’s just not from the one that she’s year) telling and on Nobody’s this electric guitars chug alongnew behind collection. her. He’s in fine voiceDaughter here,. –Eric backed R. Danton by country ringers like steel guitarist Ben Keith, pianist Hargus “Pig” Robbins and drummer Karl Himmel. COURT YARDThe HOUNDS track listingA includes side project several of new fine offering previously suggested that unheard its creator wassongs, a few including strides closer to Dixie Chicks’ Martie crafting something truly monumental in both musical and social terms. Court Yard Houndsthe starkly movingMaguire “Nothing and Emily Is Perfect”This cold and and private the set blistering isn’t it, although first that’s single, probably “Greydue more to [Columbia] Riders.” Ever theRobison, picky Court audiophile, Yard personal Young circumstances is releasing than anything A Treasure related to talent. on high-Wainwright Hounds delivers wrote All Days Are Nights while his mother, Kate McGarrigle, was resolution Blu-Raymuch-anticipated disc as well asdying CD, of vinylcancer, and and digitalthere is adownload. quiet, complex –Chris sadness Neal even in its insight—both musical and personal—into the sisters who have less autobiographical material. There’s nothing here except piano 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-burning brashness that made the Chicks famous (save in the farthest corner of a packed theater, he’s singing to himself in perhaps the gutsy “Ain’t No Son”). Instead, its delicate folk-pop an otherwise empty room. –David Styburski prettiness perfectly suits Robison’s more-than-capable voice and the jumble of emotions, sunny and melancholy, that emerge in a song Ozomatli’s music has been called a collision cycle inspired by her 2008 divorce. Maguire’s weeping fi ddle and OZOMATLI of styles, a cultural mash-up, and a 20-car ‘Aseamless Treasure harmonies continuesare welcome as always, Young’s and her one turnongoing on series pileup of genres. It’s also some of the most lead vocals (“Gracefully”) is so warmly affecting that listeners may joyfully energetic music you’ll ever hear. On wish she stepped to the mic more often. Court Yard Hounds ably its fi fth album, the L.A.-based band stirs its ofdemonstrates archival that, whether releases. with their fellow He’s Dixie Chick in or fine without, voice here, blend of salsa, ska, samba, funk, and hip-hop these ladies’ talent runs deep. –Katie Dodd in ways few groups could conceive. Imagine Fire Away tossing the English Beat, Herb Alpert and the backed by country ringersFor a dozen like years, steel the [Mercer guitarist Street/Downtown] Tijuana Brass, Caetano Veloso, and Sly and RUFUS arrangements on Rufus the Family Stone into a magical blender and Wainwright’s albums got you get some sense of Ozomatli’s eclectic approach. High points Ben Keith,WAINWRIGHT pianist Hargusbusier and “Pig”his sometimes Robbins on their latest, and Fire Away , include “Are You Ready?,” a horn-and- All Days Are Nights: Songs naughty, occasionally percussion-driven blast of salsa-fl avored ska; “Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah,” for Lulu angry declarations of gay an exultant Latin pop anthem fi tted with shrieking sax; and “Gay Vatos [Decca] drummer Karlpride got Himmel.’ louder. Each in Love,” a rockabilly-tinged tune with a soaring chorus. Even when

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