Arrr, Me Mateys!

I just revisited the two-disc set Rogue's Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs and Chanteys, a compilation that came out in 2006, and am in full can't stop listening mode. This is fantastic stuff. Although there are some big names on the album (Sting, Bono, Lucinda Williams), it is the lesser-knowns that are most memorable for me. Baby Gramps for instance, who has a unique style on the guitar, and a rough and ready voice quite appropriate for pirate songs. He even goes into some throat-singing which gives his a voice an otherwordly sound. Also, Three Pruned Men's take on "Bully in the Alley" is a rousing number that instantly gets stuck in your head and will inspire spur of the moment sing-alongs for weeks after listening. My kids and I have learned all the lyrics and I will testify that the song will improve any long car ride. Give it a try.

Dirty Projectors on NPR

Further on the free music tip. NPR is streaming the new album from Dirty Projectors titled Bitte Orca. This is some good stuff. Their sound is innovative and compelling and while experimental, employs a wide array of musical styles.  On the surface the sound is similar to other experimental rock bands that are in vogue these days such as Animal Collective and Fleet Foxes, with their emphasis on lush vocal harmonies over quirky unusual backing. But their influences run deep. There is definitely a debt owed to Sonic Youth and the vocal style of band leader Dave Longstreth at times evokes Jeff Buckley. There is also the (very fruitful) relationship with David Byrne on Dark Was the Night and Byrne may have had some influence.  Possibly the catchy "Stillness is the Move", with its Disco-y vocal over a musical backing that sounds straight out of Sub-Saharan Africa. But they've taken all of these diverse elements and melded them into a cohesive whole that as a result explores completely new territory. One of the best albums this year.  

Eels: Hombre Lobo

Freaky electro-rocker Eels just released his new album Hombre Lobo on June 2 and is streaming it for free on MySpace.  http://www.myspace.com/eels