Music Report

Greetings Music Fans. Lacking any unifying thread for this week’s Report, let’s defer to Jeopardy and call it Potpourri.

Mrs. Music Report contributes a quality pick today in the form of folky Bon Iver, a trio from Wisconsin led by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon who describe their style more as neo-soul. At one point their debut For Emma, Forever Ago was rated as Metacritic.com’s (like RottenTomatoes.com for music) top album. It is, of course, primarily a lament concerning a former flame so be prepared for that. Bon Iver will play two shows in NY in July, the first at the Bowery Ballroom and the second at the Music Hall of Williamsburg.
http://www.myspace.com/boniver

To be released this Thursday, May 27 is the Volume 4 of the Verve Remixed series. Simple concept: Verve Records turns over its catalog of jazz master recordings for a set of DJ/Producers to remix into some new freshness. Source material comes from Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Astrud Gilberto, etc. with those enlisted to do the refreshment including Little Brother’s 9th Wonder and Feist producer Mocky. If you want just the pure dope, pick up Ella Fitzgerald’s The Very Best of the Rogers and Hart Songbook.
http://www.amazon.com/Verve-Remixed-Vol-Various-Artists/dp/B0016OMFQQ
http://www.vervemusicgroup.com/artist/releases/default.aspx?pid=11679&aid=2685

It is so easy to forget how good Elvis Costello is. Fortunately he’s released a new Rock album earlier this month with a title familiar to New York foodies: Momofuku, similarly paying tribute to the Japanese inventor of Cup Noodle. Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis provides back up vocals and the album “finds Costello re-energized by his past.” Costello plays two nights at Jones Beach in August with The Police.
http://www.amazon.com/Momofuku-Elvis-Costello-Imposters/dp/B0016KHAY2/
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1D004022039B6C22

Oakland sextet Subtle are another group who resists genre characterization but does not completely defy comparison. Elements of TV on the Radio, Saul Williams, and Gnarls Barkley are all discernable at times throughout their catalog. Subtle will release their latest album Exiting Arm June 3rd prior to which they’ll be headlining tomorrow, Friday, May 23 in the Knitting Factory’s Main Space.
http://www.myspace.com/subtlesix
http://knittingfactory.com/show.php?event_id=109804

Tonight at Studio B is hosting Flosstradamus, the previously mentioned DJ duo who are “good deejays to take your friends who don't like dance music to see.”
http://www.clubstudiob.com/news.html

As we like to do here at The Report, we’ll leave you with a Music(-related) video. Instead of being amazing or funny or even well-done, it’s a short documentary on what they contend to be the most important 6-second drum loop ever. Beware, the voiceover/narration stands as among the most monotone I have ever heard.