Extra Golden: Thank You Very Quickly (Thrill Jockey)
Written in the wake of Kenya's political, humanitarian, and economic turmoil last year, Thank You Very Quickly stands in staunch musical opposition to what one might imagine to be the mood of much of the country. The Kenyan/American group's upbeat, cross-continental sound remains buoyant despite the reportedly stolen election and targeted ethnic violence of 2008.
Despite the power-sharing arrangement in Kenya (similar to that of Zimbabwe), activists continue to be murdered at the hands of shadowy death squads in 2009. Under these conditions, it is ever more important that Kenyan citizens have uplifting sounds like these.
Extra Golden: "Gimakiny Akia"
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MirahA year and a half after her last full album, folk singer/songwriter Mirah churns out another disc of melodic tunes that pulse with strings, acoustic guitar, kalimba, hurdy gurdy, horns, chimes, and much more. Mirah's vocal patterns and breathiness lend a familiar feel to each track, but the backing instrumentation does a great job of making (A)spera a diverse album.
Mirah: "Country of the Future"
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Jono El Grande: Neo Dada (Rune Grammofon)
Norwegian art-rock composer/guitarist Jono El Grande is an artist whose fanciful music is different around every turn. Influenced by Frank Zappa, Captain Beefheart, King Crimson and Igor Stravinsky, Jono's tunes weave through theatrical, progressive, classical, and absurdist styles. This album's title, also the name of one of Jono's band members, is an apt musical characterization of the wild songs that are found inside.
Propagandhi: Supporting Caste (G7 Welcoming Committee)
Political punk quartet Propagandhi has spent more than 20 years making high-energy, anti-imperialist anthems. No cause is off limits for lyrical inclusion, and two of this album's MP3s were made available early by a small donation to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Partners in Health, or PETA 2.
Even as the group gets a bit more accessible, its fans should enjoy Supporting Caste, a disc full of squealing rock solos, hardcore/punk riffs, push beats, and impassioned vocals.
Propagandhi: "Supporting Caste"
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Brother Ali: The Truth is Here [CD/DVD] (Rhymesayers)
The last album from golden-age-inspired rapper Brother Ali was one of our favorite releases of 2007. (See ALARM's Top Ten Albums of 2007.)
This nine-song EP features three B-sides and six unreleased tracks, and it includes a feature-length DVD that includes live footage, music videos, interviews, and special commentary. Atmosphere's Slug shows up on "The Believers."
