• Artist: Klaxons
• Title: Myths of the Near Future
• Year: 2007
• Format: CD
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 2007 – Christmas gift from Mary
• Keeper: Yes

Psychedelic? Well, that’s what I read about these guys, Klaxons. But it’s a modern psychedelic, not like The Music Machine (original) or Plasticland (neo-psych), or even like the current stoner rock bands. This is more original, although there are moments that remind me of Gaye Bykers on Acid. There are lots of strange sounds and trippy lyrics but absolutely no self-indulgent protracted freak out jam sessions. In fact, most of the songs are pretty rhythmic, even “sing-along” and dance-able. My favorite is “Gravity’s Rainbow.”

I mentioned Klaxons a good while back. And it’s taken me a good while to get into Myths of the Near Future, but now that I’m tuned in and turned on, I’m digging it… man. Just kidding! Nothing retro about Klaxons. Maybe they’re future-psychedelic.

Check ‘em out.

• Artist: The Hives
• Title: The Black and White Album
• Year: 2007
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 10
• Owner: All of us
• Acquired: 2008
• Keeper: Yes

I want to be in The Hives! The suits alone are enough incentive for me, but the music on The Black and White Album makes the dream of band membership irresistible. I like all their records but this is the best one yet. The Hives have that essence rare that reminds me of The Fleshtones: familiar but fresh, fun but not dumb, and always rocking even when the music is low key. At times this record is more punk than punk rock and more funky than funk. I can’t get enough of it. I’m probably playing it, in its entirety, at least five times a day. It’s hard to pick favorites but one standout is the fast rocking “Won’t Be Long.” It has a glockenspiel riff that is a perfect layer of icing atop a multilayer rock and roll cake, like the recorder solo in “Wild Thing” by The Troggs.

Visit their site, buy their music, watch the videos, see them live. Look for me playing glockenspiel in the back.

Everyone’s a loser in the modern world
Look at all the sad and gloomy little boys and girls
I know all you got is troubles all you got is woes
Shake the chips off your shoulders here’s how it
goes…
Whoooo Hoooo!

“Well All Right!” – The Hives

New Wyclef Jean coming out next month, Carnival II (Memoirs of an Immigrant), December 4 to be precise. This single “Riot” is intense, with more riffs and breaks than most albums. And if you can believe this, it features Serj Tankian (System of a Down)… rapping. Listen to it.

Wyclef.com

• Artist: PJ Harvey
• Title: White Chalk
• Year: 2007
• Format: CD
• Rating (1-10): 9
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: Mary got it for me.
• Keeper: Yes

Here’s some new music…

This is one quiet and dark album. I am huge PJ Harvey fan, and I just got this album. At first I was disappointed how quiet and low key these songs are, all of them. Drums and percussion are virtually non-existent, and no song rocks out the way PJ always seems to, eventually. But there’s a different kind of power here. According to PJ, see the documentary below, she was determined not to repeat herself. I have probably listened to the entire album 10 times in the last 24 hours and each time it gets better.

White Chalk is being release in a limited edition vinyl version, which tragically I do not have. But the CD is packaged in a more earth-friendly way, similar to a real record, with a cardboard jacket and separate liner. Handsome.

White Chalk Documentary Part 1

New Music Monday on W-I-H-Deeeeee… Make up your own jingle.

Thanks to Steven for the tip on this one. Serj Tankian (System of a Down) has a new solo record, Elect the Dead, coming out October 23. The first single and video is “Empty Walls.” It’s heavy thematically and musically, but maybe a tad smoother than SOAD. Tankian’s voice is so distinctive and immediately recognizable that I’m sure most folks will assume it’s SOAD. But those folks would be wrong. Apparently the band members are on hiatus while they pursue other projects. I’m a long time fan of the band. If “Empty Walls” is any indication of what the music from these solo projects is going to be like I think fans have a lot to be excited about.

Serj Tankian — “Empty Walls” video
And if you just can’t enough of that Serj stuff, check out the next video. It’s a whopping, and humorous, nine minutes of Tankian interviewing himself, with cuts from his home studio. There are several characters in the video and they all look familiar.