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Blonde Redhead Misery is a Butterfly
Blonde Redhead has created another record of a moody, bittersweet indie-pop in the tradition of the band's last record, the dramatically quiet, Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons. Their earlier attempts were a mixture of Sonic Youth noise and early 80's no-wave influence.
Grade: C+
Misery is a Butterfly adds orchestrated sprinkles to its newest formula of sound but Blonde Redhead is not as adventurous as before and the material might seem all too familiar. The reclusive nature of the songs might be more difficult to digest than their last album but are lush and disturbed, for better or for worse.
Chris Knudsen, KJHK DJ Fridays, 2 a.m. to 4 a.m.
Twista Kamikaze
Chicago's finest incorporates an adrenaline rush from the instant of the first beat. The tracks on Kamikaze are reminiscent of sounds from his classic first album, Adrenaline Rush. He speeds through verses more like a machine than a man, keeping his lyrics very understandable and interesting. Twista accents his speedy delivery by going against many of the fast tempo tracks and by creating the rhythm for many of the tracks. Twista delivers creative, witty flows with a lot of thought and direction. He hails premier MCs on all tracks, with guest appearances from 8 Ball, Too Short, Cee-Lo, Memphis Bleek, Anthony Hamilton and more.
His guest list seems a bit lengthy but the guests compliment the album well and they do not outshine (or outrhyme) Twista. Production is equally exceptional. The majority of the album is produced by newcomer Toxic, but it also boasts joints from mega producers such as: Kanye West, R. Kelly, Jazze Pha, etc. This effort is well put together.
Grade: B
The Bens
(Ben Folds, Ben Kweller, and Ben Lee) The Bens
— Billy "Clint," host of "Hip Hop Hype!!!"
Saturdays, 9 p.m. to midnight
The schedules of Ben Folds, Ben Lee, and Ben Kweller brought them to Fold's studio in Nashville last year, resulting in a "Benvention" of sorts. The EP is heterogeneous, making it high in entertainment but lacking in flow.
Grade: B-
The ghosts of Crosby, Stills and Nash are heard on the opening track, "Just Pretend." "XFIRE" is one part Spinal Tap, two parts '80s new wave. The highlight is Folds' ballad combined with backing vocals from Lee and Kweller on "Bruised." My complaint is that there are only four songs (and that Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie was not included in The Bens.)
— Casey Thornburgh, KJHK DJ Tuesdays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Octavius
Audio Noir
The apocalypse is here, but the good news is it sounds fantastic. For Octavius' debut album this hip-hop producer blends the eerie ambience of a Sci-Fi feature with the jagged rock sounds that echo from smoke-filled nightclubs. As Octavius incorporates hip-hop and rock along with a host of other genres such as progressive electronica, he also creates an album with vigorously daunting songs such as "Cellophane" that bubble beneath the surface of peaceful tunes like "Surprisingly Concerned with One Another." Audio Noir is best suited for a late night drive through a thunder storm. Although, it also works if you're just wanting to experience one.
18
Grade: A-
— Courtney Ryan, host of "Courtney on the Cracklebox"
Saturdays, 4 a.m. to 6 a.m.
Joyplay 3.4.04