Editor’s Pick: Woodhands – Heart Attack (Paper Bag)
Until the release of Heart Attack, Paper Bag Records had been experiencing a drought of up-tempo, danceable releases. Here on their debut, Toronto duo Dan Werb (ex- Spitfires and Mayfl owers) and Paul Banwatt drop an album’s worth of body-rocking electro-pop that should elicit head-banging and pogo dance moves in clubs and bedrooms alike. Banwatt’s pulsating acoustic drums are layered with Werb’s dirty synth lines, but what makes Woodhands better than most are vocal parts that are perfectly fitted to maximize catchiness. To this end, highlights include the heartfelt lamentations of “I Can’t See Straight,” the sugar-sweet guest vocals on the sometimes- agro “Dancer,” and a pretty duet with fellow Paper-Bagger Laura Barrett on closer “Sailboats.” But by far the standout track on Heart Attack is the arresting fl oor-filler “I Wasn’t Made For Fighting,” which sounds like Chromeo getting jacked by punks behind the Sam’s at College and Augusta. —JORDAN BIMM
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Daniel Lanois – Here Is What Is (Red Floor Records)
This album features an interesting compilation of styles, and given it’s Lanois’ fourth album this decade, consider it a showcase of his versatility. The first half of the album is consistent in its supple, twang-like melodies in “Here Is What Is” and “Blue Bus.” While his vocals are monotonous, Lanois gets away with it. “This May Be My Last Time” juxtaposes previous songs with a gospel fl are. “I Like That” creates a sullen mood, where one will inevitably become entranced by its quirky instrumentals and soothing vocals. “Duo Glide” is similar; its nattering guitar solo seems endless and without climax, which causes one to slip into an inevitable vegetative state. The album is cool and calm, making it suitable company to a Sunday afternoon of lounging (and recovery). —Suzannah Moore
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The B52’s – Funplex (Astralwerks)
Neither a hit nor a miss, The B52’s are notorious for producing distorted, angular sound, reiterated in their most recent album, Funplex. The style is quirky, and may require an acquired taste and pre-existing loyalty. The band has been around for three decades, and their image is tiring: on the cover they look like your parents dressed up like characters from Beetlejuice. It’s ambiguous whether or not they’re trying to be farcical. Although they may not be trying to live up to “Love Shack,” this album barely moves in any direction. For a voice that has loaned itself to Iggy Pop’s “Candy,” Kate Pierson wastes a lot of her breath nattering without melody to a discordant sound. Fred Schneider sounds like an obnoxious Weird Al impersonator in their third track, “Eyes Wide Open.” Other than that, the two singers don’t sound much different than they did fifteen years ago.—SM
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