The Napster Blog

The Killers, "Human"

The Killers return with the lead single to their third album, Day & Age, set to be released Nov. 25. After a first listen, it might come as a relief to some of their fans who were not as thrilled with their sophomore effort, Sam's Town. After the New Wave/pop vibe of their debut, Hot Fuss, the more stadium-rock-influenced follow-up was a definite departure for their original fan base. But it's safe to say they have made a triumphant return to form with "Human." It shouldn't be that much of a surprise, though, since it follows their brilliant cover of Joy Division's "Shadowplay," released late last year on Sawdust, their collection of B-sides and rarities, and on the soundtrack to the Ian Curtis biopic, Control.

Mogwai, The Hawk is Howling

Mogwai return to instrumental drone-rock glory with The Hawk is Howling.  Blistering, ethereal, caustic, coasting, finespun--the effort is perhaps the band's most well-rounded and coherent to date. Metal-charred "Batcat," the single, sees the band in top form, delivering a haze of rugged epicness, while "Local Authority" shimmers sad with distant reverb reminiscent of Mono or godspeed.

Teaming up with producer Andy Miller for the first time in ten years, Mogwai return to their roots in some sorts--but a strengthened maturity is evident throughout.  For instance, grand, methodical build-ups are an obvious forte for the group, but with the track "Danphe and the Brain," the intensity is raised with such a subtle grace--not to mention the sheer beauty of what's going on--that the overall swell towards the end is decidedly rich.  In essence, the roller coaster Mogwai built for Hawk is not a rickety one, but one that climbs, hangs, and drops in all the right places.

If you enjoyed The Hawk is Howling, check out You are There by Mono, Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada by godspeed you black emperor!, All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone by Explosions in the Sky, and A Data Learn the Language by The Mercury Program.

George Carlin, It’s Bad for Ya

George Carlin is widely considered one of the top two or three best stand-up comedians of all-time. In addition to the sheer brilliance of his work, when considering his accomplishments, one should also factor his impressive longevity. Undeterred by his advancing age, Carlin hosted what would become his last HBO special, It's Bad for Ya, at the age of 70. Only a few months after recording the show, Carlin died, and the album It's Bad for Ya was released posthumously weeks later.

This album finds Carlin in excellent form, still swinging satiric haymakers at some of his favorite punching bags, including parents, religion, and most poignantly, death. In fact, Carlin touches on his age and his own mortality in an almost chillingly prescient way. In an Op-Ed piece written by fellow heavyweight comic Jerry Seinfeld in The New York Times, Seinfeld writes: "for a comedian, even death is just a premise to make jokes about." In Carlin's case, Death may have had the last laugh, but Carlin had the punchline.

Divasonic, Grace Notes

Lynda Arnold, aka Divasonic, delivers gentle daydreamers on her first solo piano project, Grace Notes. Her music softly grins with minimalistic impressionism, almost beckoning to Ravel, Chopin, or even Glass with gingerly expression. Much of the material could be described as musical snowflakes, each piece revealing a unique pattern before disappearing. The introspective nature of her work is interspersed with a pop sensibility, particularly the third piece, "Chronograph," which brings to mind many possible influences -- Roger Eno, Howard Shore, Erik Satie, Tori Amos, and Eluvium all come to mind. 

If you enjoy Grace Notes, check out Ravel's "Jeux d'eau" from Martha Argerich: Debut Recital, Sebastien Tellier's "La Ritournelle" from Sessions, and Philip Glass' "Metamorphosis Five" from Solo Piano.

Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens: Teen Sensations

Do you ever get the impression that teenagers rule the world? Take a look at the Billboard charts lately and you'll see the evidence. In the past few years, we've seen giant hits from Miley Cyrus (also known as Hannah Montana), Jonas Brothers, and the High School Musical and Camp Rock cast soundtracks. Check out Napster's Teen Sensations playlist for tracks from Miley's Breakout, Jonas Brothers' A Little Bit Longer, Vanessa Hudgen's Identified (the High School sweetheart) and Demi Lovato (Camp Rock's star and soon-to-be solo success story). If you aren't ready to discuss who will be the next Hannah Montana-like hit (the aforementioned Demi? Or iCarly's Miranda Cosgrove?), or which Jonas Brother is the cutest, you're just behind the times, Gramps.

Jeff Healey, Mess of Blues

"Are you ready? Are you READY?" Mess Of Blues launches with this simple, yet urgent, query. A few weeks prior to the release of this record, Jeff Healey was gone. Cancer claimed the life of the acclaimed guitarist and band leader in March of 2008.

This, Healey's last planned release, plays out as a benevolent dispensation for his faithful blues fans and, as such, it is an entirely appropriate epitaph. Healey spent considerable time in the '90s exploring more rock-oriented sounds (perhaps in a quest for more mainstream success) and, in the '00s, jazz (because it's what he loved). The result of these efforts was diminished public interest and record sales. But, for this album, Healey celebrates the authoritative blues that is responsible for his initial success and stardom.

Recorded live, partly before an audience and partly in the studio, Mess... showcases Healey's unorthodox but supremely effective and blistering guitar playing, as well as his band's undeniable prowess. Healey based the song selection for the album on what he considered to be audience favorites, and that proves to be one of the most winning factors in the likeability and comfort of Mess Of Blues. It's so easy to listen to this record again and again. And it's in the repeated listening that it becomes so apparent that we've lost a truly original talent.

Best of Thelonious Monk: Napster Playlist

For years, Thelonious Monk was regarded as a "musician's musician." Along with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and a handful of others, he was one of the architects of bebop in the 1940s, and although tunes like "'Round Midnight," "Ruby My Dear," and "Blue Monk" are now standards, it was decades before his playing technique and off kilter melodies were recognized as anything other than accidental. This Napster playlist, currently featured in Jazz, contains versions of his most revered compostions performed by a who's who of innovators, including John Coltrane, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, and many more.

Girl Talk, Feed the Animals

Laptop mash-up artist, Gregg Gillis dons the project title of Girl Talk and cuts up the latest and greatest of the top 40, arranging them in what seems a random fashion. Closer inspection of his new album Feed the Animals reveals however, that there is rarely any randomness to his patchwork. The matchmaker extraordinaire puts artistry together in combinations that their sources may have been reluctant to consider. He has a special perception to the cadence and melody of the lyrics and unites one snippet here, amazingly well with another fixture there. Gillis keeps it all party all the time, the kind of music that’s perfect for a pep rally cheerleader off a sixer of Redbulls . If you’re not into having your favorite songs tweaked out and mangled with a touch of A.D.D. then you probably won’t get it, but be prepared… You’ll probably be hearing this in every other trailer and teen aimed commercial for the next 6 months.

Jimmy Wayne, Do You Believe Me Now

Chock full of pop hooks, Do You Believe Me Now expands on the promise of Jimmy Wayne's eponymous 2003 debut. His first record featured a bit more of a country tinge, but on Do You Believe…, Wayne leans pretty far to the pop-rock edges of the country experience. Thus, this is not an album for country purists. Note that that is not a criticism.

The songwriting is almost entirely top-notch (Wayne co-wrote seven of the album's thirteen tracks) and the production pretty much keeps up with the material. One can always quibble about whether a record is "country enough," but, seriously, this is one to just listen to and enjoy.

Seu Jorge, The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions

Filmmaker Wes Anderson adores pairing the absurd and the sublime in his movies: thematically, visually, and musically. It comes as no surprise that this leitmotif is also woven into his maritime adventure, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

In the film, Brazilian musician and actor Seu Jorge plays a deckhand on a ship with a propensity for playing Portuguese-language covers of David Bowie classics, including "Rebel Rebel," "Changes" and "Queen Bitch." This unusual pairing is typical Anderson: at first, one wonders "Why?" But after taking it in, the inherent beauty of the original material is brought forth in both a new and yet very familiar way. Seu Jorge's magnificent baritone and the simple acoustic accompaniment create a stark contrast with the often heavily-produced original Bowie recordings, but their warmth and earnestness make it all work. 

The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions offers a strange and worthy take on familiar work, and Seu Jorge sparkles.