In our Moving Units column, Mike Ramirez at Fort Lauderdale's Radio-Active Records
graciously keeps us up-to-date and comments on the current releases
flying out of his store each week.
One of the week's top-sellers, the Books' The Way Out -- a collage of spoken word, German rock, electronic glitches, ambient noise, and comparatively straightforward indie rock -- somehow makes a cohesive statement. A personal favorite, "A Cold Freezin' Night" is what happens when kids who tell ghost stories into the tape recorder about "cutting your toes off and working my way up to your brain" grow up to be audiophiles. Worthy material to alternate with the glitch wonderboy Baths' masterful Cerulean. As you will see below, Ramirez doesn't get it -- yet.
Radio-Active Records' Top 5 Releases for July 20-26:
1. Dangermouse & Sparklehorse - Dark Night of the Soul (EMI) "The late Mark Linkous and Dangermouse reclaim the number-one throne at Radio-Active this week, knocking the Sri Lanka diva to second place in sales."
2. M.I.A. - MAYA (N.E.E.T./Interscope)
3. Sleigh Bells - Treats picture disc LP (Mom + Pop) "The picture disc LP for Treats is now released, but I don't think the kids realize the low quality of this kind of pressing. What are Sleigh Bells thinking? Cha-ching."
4. The Books - The Way Out (Temporary Residence Limited) "The Books are back in with The Way Out, their fourth release to date. It's got that spoken-word vibe that I'm not feeling at the moment. At best, it's great for the background, but so is the sound of nature. I'll give it another shot this week if I can break free from the Best Coast bonanza!"
5. Department of Eagles - Archive (American Dust)
Which albums will we be talking about next week?
"What's coming up? Best Coast's Crazy for You (Mexican Summer)! Weed-pop genius or overhyped piffle? Check back with us next week once the jury is in! Be on the lookout for new joints including Arcade Fire's The Suburbs (Merge), Lady Gaga's The Remix (Interscope), the Black Crowes' Croweology (Silver Arrow), Wavves' King of the Beach (Fat Possum), Madlib's Medicine Show #7: High Jazz (Stones Throw), Nurse With Wound's Second Pirate Session (Jnana), Fabulous Diamonds' II (Chapter Music/Forced Exposure), and more!"