Orange Alert's Music Minute

Well maybe it never really left. Popular dance music in the 70's was called disco, in the 80's it was called new wave, then techno, electronic, and then electro. The sounds changed slighty, but the point was the same, dancing! Today we have artists bringing back the sounds and the style of disco and adding modern electronics the mix. With bands like Justice, Calvin Harris (mp3), Ghosthustler, LCD Soundsystem, and Daft Punk I simple feel like saying Disco is Back!

It was back in May that I had mentioned Justin Vernon on the Watch List, and now this Wisconsin Native has released his debut album "For Emma, Forever Ago". With acoustic guitar and hushed vocal, Bon Iver has what it takes, and has released an incredible album.

Listen to: Blindsided (mp3) and For Emma (mp3)

Anticon artist Sole, known to his parents as Tim Holland, will release Sole and the Skyrider Band, his first album recorded entirely with a live band (and fourth official full-length overall), on Oct. 23.

Though Sole’s last album, Live From Rome, came out only two and a half years ago, and Sole has been busy in the meantime, recently releasing a solo instrumental LP, under the moniker mansbestfriend, and twice touring the U.S. and Europe, he nonetheless refers to the self-titled Sole & The Skyrider Band record as a “comeback.” It’s a curious term; what is a comeback exactly? Simply a return with a vengeance?

In some ways, it is a record of return—a return to rhyming, for one, particularly the complicated rhyme schemes that marked Sole’s early work, a return driven by his seemingly, but not actually, discordant love of both Lord Byron and Lil’ Wayne. Sole & The Skyrider Band also represents a return to the musical consistency and coherence that made the Alias-produced Selling Live Water a critical triumph.

Listen to: Shipwreckers (mp3)

The Peel Back: Dinosaur Jr. "Green Mind"

I will start by saying this, first of all Dinosaur Jr. is my favorite band of all-time and second Green Mind was the first album of theirs that I heard. Since that time I have come to love their previous albums, but this album will always be Dinosaur Jr. for me. I know that may discredit me with many Dino Jr. fans, but it is the truth.

Green Mind was the first full album without Lou Barlow, and it found J Mascis recording most all the parts of the songs himself. The result is surprisingly poppy, and clearly their most accessible music to date. The felt quite radio friendly for the first, and "Water" and "Wagon" actually received some play on alternative radio. This album also marked their major label debut. Musically, the album fits perfectly within the progression of the band, but many original fans were not happy with the progression. Mascis' guitar solo on the album started to become much more controlled and cleaner, yes the still roared, but it was a more refined roar. I don't know if that was the label's doing, but if you ever hear "Thumb" live it is incredibly different from the album version.

Dinosaur Jr. "Green Mind" (Sire/Warner Brothers, February, 1991) (Reissue Rhino, 2006)

The Wagon(mp3)/Puke + Cry/Blowing It/I Live For That Look/Flying Cloud/How'd You Pin That One On Me/Water(mp3)/Muck/Thumb(mp3)/Green Mind

Lollapalooza Band of the Week: The Cribs

This trio from Wakefield, UK is rumored to put on an energetic show. They recently released an entire album of new material, "Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever" and are in the middle of a tour with Maximo Park. Their music is an aggressive hybrid of new wave, punk and pop and they are out to make a name for themselves. The schedulers have put them in a tough spot this year, however, pitting them against The 1900's, David Vandervelde, The Postmarks, Dax Riggs, and Dios. They play Sunday August 5th from 12:15 to 1:15.

Listen to: Mens Needs (mp3) and Bovine Public (mp3)