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Hip hop seems to have cut clear lines of division as of late, with those who wish to cash in on the experience and those who wish to preserve the fundamentals on opposing sides. Lyricist Lounge has
Long Fin Killie Amelia (Too Pure/Koch) "A marriage of thrash and folk," "Celtic gamelan," "medieval hip hop"--all the tags slapped on Edinburgh's Long Fin Killie are but crude stabs at their beautiful body of rock. Beautiful rock? Yeah, sure. Post-rock? Kinda, but they're as much voice and violin as drum & bass, the latter previously hinted at but brilliantly realized here in live-drum fashion. Somewhere between The High Llamas and The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Long Fin Killie are nowhere anymore since they've now split. They were too good. Too bad. 8/10 (Chris Yurkiw)
Sounds like one of Santa's elves locked himself in the toyshop with an espresso machine. From the pantheon of Japanese avant-pop comes one-man operation Cornelius. A Budokan-packing superstar back home, his crazy quilt collage aesthetic covers the works, from Beach Boys to My Bloody Valentine, Latin lounge to drum & bass, sugary snacks to science fiction. Freaky, funny and genuinely friendlier than Pizzicato 5 and Buffalo Daughter. 9/10 (Rupert Bottenberg) Charlatans UK Melting Pot (Beggar's Banquet)
Ah! The middling Charlatans UK! Always adored them for their plainness. I mean, in 1990, they were no Mondays, no Roses. In '95, they were no Blur, no Suede. And although this greatest-hits collection (chosen by the band--not all the tracks were actually singles) can easily be separated into "sounds like before Oasis were big" and "after," Tim Burgess and company prove they pack a derivative punch like no other. If you haven't heard "The Only One I Know" since you trashed your Kickers, have a listen again. Simply summer lovin'. 8/10 (Mireille Silcott)
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Various Lyricist Lounge Vol. 1 (Rawkus/Open Mic)
assembled a tight team of MC's and producers who are giving new life to the underground through an amazing collection of bathroom freestyles, basement beats and heavy mental microphone tactics. Whether you wake up to Word A' Mouth's "Famous Last Words," or find your finger permanently stuck on rewind after Cipher Complete's pertinent anthem "Bring Hip Hop Back," there's still a whole slew of power moves on this record that will leave you with your jaw on the floor. It's no wonder Rawkus is running things with a roster like this. 10/10 (Scott C.)
Cornelius Fantasma (Matador)