What the CL Music Team is jamming this fine Monday to rocket launch the work week. To check out previous entries, click here.
Joel – Mastodon, The Hunter (2011) and Opeth, Heritage (2011)
I spent some serious time streaming the new Mastodon last week. I'm not going to attempt in-depth insight on a low bit rate album stream, but what I heard was consistent with their recent output. I feel like Mastodon found middle ground between the prog-heavy Crack The Skye and its more aggressive predecessor Blood Mountain. That's not to say they've regressed at all — they're just more concise with their songwriting this time around.
I defy anyone familiar with Opeth to compare the raspy, sprawling melodic death metal of their debut some nine albums and 16 years ago to Heritage. Progression — and by extent, being progressive — is always the name of the game with Opeth. Heritage is their least metal album since the acoustic Damnation in 2003, and is far more Dream Theater than death metal. Frontman Mikael Akerfeldt possesses one of the genre's best growls but opts only to sing — something he also does exceptionally well. I can't recommend this album to Opeth fans who attend their concerts only to scream for "Demon of the Fall" and their other heavy classics; but if you dig prog and jazz, this'll work. Opeth performs with Katatonia — another influential Swedish melodic metal band — this Saturday night at the House of Blues in Orlando.
Leilani – The Constellations, Southern Gothic (2010)
Gearing up to see the Atlanta sextet that headlines this Friday night's "Southern Routes" show at Jannus Live. Their music draws on electro psyche rock, salacious funk and sauntering soul, their heavily textured sound marked by fuzzy twisting synths, aggressive organ and bass grooves, mood-setting backing vocals, hand claps, retro percussion, and an overall shimmy-slinky vibe as commanded by vocalist Elijah Jones, who adopts a sneering conversational-rhyming style when he's not singing in a low growl or lazy croon. This is their debut, and it's a high quality nod to their hometown, with guest spots by the likes of hip hop luminary Cee-Lo Green and rapper Asher Roth.
Ray – The Beauvilles, Whispering Sin (2008)
Langerado got canceled, so the second weekend of October will find me staying in Tampa and imbibing with 100,000 of my neighbors at Red Bull's Flugtag competition on October 8 at the Tampa Convention Center. I've decided to celebrate by listening to my favorite drinking band — The Beauvilles — who'll be playing a free post-Flugtag show at the Tampa Bay History Museum. Their 2008 album — Whispering Sin — is an official hello to the world (Singapore, their debut EP, is a strong sonic handshake as well), and the effort features live staples like "Snow," "Bougainvillea" and "Lips," which all find frontman Shawn Kyle both cooing and screaming into the microphone while his band blasts a thunderous blend of sultry guitar, big, fuzzed-out rock hooks, and a veiled gift for melody. It's another reason to be proud of the Bay area's musical offerings and makes me want to crack open a cold one right now. Is it 5 p.m. yet?
Mike – Givers, Up Up Up (2011)
I've been auscultating this band for awhile now and getting in the groove for DeLuna Fest in Pensacola. Givers is a feel good band with great Afro-tinged sounds and beautiful people. For fans of Local Natives, Friendly Fires, Foster The People and Bear Hands. Check out "Meantime" after the jump.
This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2011.