Puppets, powdered wigs, and poltergeists, oh my! This week’s best videos feature everything from Vampire Weekend in 18th-century garb and Ray-Bans to Massive Attack being haunted by ghosts that look like they just came out of the laundry. We also got to accompany Charlotte Gainsbourg on a gravity-defying walk through the woods, go clubbing with Jahcoozi, and groove to rhythms of Big Boi’s funky puppet band. After the jump, enjoy our random sampling of the best the week had to offer and let us know what you think of our picks in the comments.
It’s arguable that without Massive Attack, trip-hop as we came to know it would never have existed. Tricky got his start with the crew formerly known as the Wild Bunch, and the band’s hugely influential debut, Blue Lines, predated the first releases of both Tricky and Portishead. (All three acts notably hail from Bristol, England, the music’s clear birthplace.)
Nearly 20 years later, Massive Attack show no signs of slowing down, and if their two packed performances at NYC’s Terminal 5 are any indication, their fans are as supportive as ever. Martina Topley Bird, who has a dense resume of her own that dates all the way back to Tricky’s equally classic debut, Maxinquaye, both opened the shows with a solo set and performed with the band. (Topley Bird is featured on multiple songs on Massive Attack’s latest album, Heligoland.) She teased the release of her upcoming live album, recorded for Damon Albarn’s Honest Jon’s label, by playing entirely on her own for most of the set, assisted only by a loop pedal and minimal instrumentation.
With their fifth album, trip-hop pioneers Massive Attack return to their roots, delivering a brooding song cycle with contributions from Damon Albarn, Hope Sandoval, and TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe.
Other guests on the album include Elbow frontman Guy Garvey, Martina Topley-Bird, and longtime collaborator Horace Andy. Additionally, Heligoland marks the return of original member Grant “Daddy G” Marshall to the fold, helping the group re-discover the energy that made 1997′s Mezzanine a high-water mark for its field.
2009 has been such a fantastic year for music that it’s difficult to start thinking about 2010 so soon. How can we, when we still haven’t tired of milestone albums from the likes of Animal Collective, Atlas Sound, The Flaming Lips, and Dirty Projectors? Thankfully, next year is shaping up to be equally exciting, with new offerings on the horizon from Vampire Weekend, Yeasayer, Spoon and many more. After the jump, we pick the 12 albums we’re most excited for in 2010. Which records are you looking forward to?
People generally don’t buy wax anymore because digital music is easier to procure, but it’s still nice when a band expresses itself with creative cover art. In this vein, ArtVinyl has come up with their 50 nominees for best Art Vinyl in 2009. Their experts this year include Mark Sinclair of the Creative Review, Spencer Hicks from Rough Trade, and John Doran with The Quietus. After the jump, we select our top ten out of their picks. Who’d we both miss?
