Atoms For Peace
Amok
XL Recordings (2013)
Every so often an unusual group of veteran musicians gather to form what was coined in the late ‘60s as a supergroup. There have been exceptional creative ventures, from the early Crosby, Stills & Nash, to the more recent Them Crooked Vultures and various Jack White endeavors, while others were better left to inebriated jam sessions at rock star house parties. After four years of hearsay and ambiguity (performing a two week tour in 2010 known only as ??????), Atoms For Peace have released their debut Amok. Radiohead front man Thom Yorke and frequent collaborator producer/programmer Nigel Godrich, bond with bassist Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) for a unique take on electronic afrobeat. Sonically similar to that of Yorke's solo work–see 2006's (The Eraser)–Amok is mostly written by Yorke electronically using a laptop. His comrades give the music a more human feel, playing the parts on live instruments. There are points of transformation, not in rhythm or melody, but from real to machine. At times you can hear Joey Waronker's drumming shift between handcrafted sticking to mechanistic clicking. Perhaps the most notable stylistic distinction is Flea's bass playing. Here we're given a tamer, more precise Pepper on record. In an … Read more
Johnny Marr
The Messenger
Warner Bros. (2013)
The '80s are memorable for many wonderful things, like Pac-Man and Bill & Ted, but perhaps most importantly it was … Read more
Red Room Cinema
Apsis
New Grenada (2012)
You know what makes me feel really good about myself? Post-rock. I'm not talking about the overwrought, nihilistic, dreary stuff … Read more
