Albums of the week
Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks
“Wig Out At Jagbags”
★★ ½
Indie rock from the ’90s is making a comeback, but you can’t accuse Stephen Malkmus of trying to capitalize on any trends. He and his old band Pavement were pioneers, and with his fun but unadventurous sixth album with the Jicks, he continues to do what he does best. Mellow jams like “J Smoov” and “Independence Street” capture the Jicks in confident mood, but, as ever, it’s Malkmus’ sardonic lyrics that are most intriguing — and amusing. On “Rumble At The Rainbo,” he even has a knowing dig at the wave of rock ’n’ roll reunions and nostalgia which has treated him so well. “No new material, just cowboy boots,” he smirks. The joke is on Malkmus, and he doesn’t mind a laugh at his own expense.
John Newman
“Tribute”
★★
During the latter half of 2013, the sound of John Newman belting out the colossal chorus of “Love Me Again” became an unexpected part of Top 40 radio. Having scored that minor hit, it’s perhaps not surprising to find the British singer serving up more of the same on his debut album. His vocals dominate throughout, impressively echoing the likes of Otis Redding and Al Green during “Losing Sleep” and the big-hearted ballad “Out Of My Head.” But over the course of “Tribute,” the classic soul/’90s dance hybrid is wheeled out one too many times, and gradually, the tracks begin to meld into each other. Newman has the raw talent, but needs to vary the way he uses it.
Downloads of the week
Lady Gaga feat. Christina Aguilera
“Do What U Want”
★
R. Kelly? Hmmm. The name rings a bell, but the recurring allegations of sex with underage girls are obviously making it hard for Gaga to fully recall him. So, following the New Yorker’s duet with Xtina on “The Voice,” Gaga has replaced Kelly’s vocal on this recorded version, too. The diva ratio has been doubled, but the two vocals fail to provide any contrast and flatten what was already a passable track at best.
Joseph Arthur
“Shock the Monkey”
★★★
Peter Gabriel’s solo work gets rejiggered by a number of big names on the new tribute album “And I’ll Scratch Yours,” but Arthur’s take on this 1982 hit is one of the very best. The Brooklynite reimagines the white funk of the original into a blissful epic that has droning guitars worthy of My Bloody Valentine.
Angel Haze feat. Sia
“Battle Cry”
★★★
How’s this for ballsy? Former Brooklynite Angel Haze got tired of waiting for Universal to release her major-label debut, so the rapper leaked it herself. It’s a shame that her music won’t be getting promoted, because Haze’s fierce flows and the huge chorus sung by Sia could have made this hop-hop ballad into a Rihanna-size hit.
Toy
“Fall Out Of Love”
★★★ ½
If you’re one of those far-out freaks still wigging out to the last MGMT album, then Toy’s new album, “Join the Dots,” is a perfect companion. The London group do a fine line in psychedelic rock, and this head-expanding 10-minute album cut feels like a trip worth taking again and again.