Morgan Geist, "Double Night Time" (Environ)
Hyped on: Tricky Disco; Cosmic Linker; You Been Crushed
Official site
MySpace
Who: To fans of retro-flavored techno, Morgan Geist is best known for his work with Metro Area, whose self-titled 2002 album is considered a classic in some circles. But he’s been in the beat-crafting business for more than a minute, running his own label (Environ) since 1995 and releasing his first solo album in 1997. “Double Night Time” is his long-awaited second solo LP, and his first to feature extensive use of vocals, most provided by the Junior Boys’ Jeremy Greenspan.
What: Geist’s sleek, bubbly synths and pitter-pat drum machines unfurl on tracks such as “Detroit” and “Nocebo” like a vision of the future circa 1983—the perfect soundtrack for a low-budget sci-fi flick in which everyone drives a DeLorean and sports pegged pants and perfectly coiffed New Wave haircuts. The album’s most accessible moments feature Greenspan’s wistful vocals, which are especially effective on “Most of All,” the closest thing to straight pop Geist’s ever done. But perky instrumentals like “Lullaby” will worm their way into your consciousness on repeat listens, too.
Made for: Driving home from the dance club at 3 a.m. Sneaking into your next ‘80s mix, between a-ha and the Human League. Anyone who still has a copy of Wally Badarou’s “Chief Inspector”—or has the faintest idea who Wally Badarou is.
X-Factor: Geist’s first album, “The Driving Memoirs,” is now available digitally, but the original CD, long out of print, remains a highly sought-after collector’s item. Current asking price for a used copy on Amazon: $87. – AH
Novillero, "A Little Tradition" (Mint)
Hyped on: Brooklyn Vegan; Pop Narcotic; Culture Bully
Official site
MySpace
Who: For 15 years, British Columbia’s Mint Records has quietly put out an eclectic roster of alt-country and power-pop albums, most famously as the initial home of the New Pornographers and Neko Case. Winnipeg’s Novillero follows in the tradition, playing smart synth/organ pop tracks with such calculated abandon, it recalls the earliest days of the Pornographers—when the "side project" played small clubs, drank heavily and started dance riots on a nightly basis. So we shall refer to Novillero as the Old Pornographers for now.
What: On opener “Life in Parentheses,” keyboardist-vocalist Rob Slaughter hooks us in 10 bars with a galloping organ line straight from “Mass Romantic,” while singing as if Ted Leo were born on Canada’s western prairie. “Lost Possibilities” pushes the band’s self-proclaimed “mod-pop” formula even further, bringing killer percussionist and tambourine man Jack Jonasson in on an exploding harmony. “The Printed Word (Sucks for Inflection)” is a candid reflection on the limitations of songwriting—and possibly a justification for the band’s sometimes (and unfortunate) part-time status. Fittingly, the song ends with an extended jam featuring horns, a Supergrass nod and plenty of inflection.
Made for: Fans of bouncy piano pop and bands with full-time tambourine men. Phoenix Coyotes fans with lingering guilt from stealing Winnipeg’s hockey team (and pride in the process). Why not pull for the city’s best band?
X-Factor: Novillero once appeared on an episode of “Monk,” playing a band headlining a music festival where a murder takes place. Several members had speaking parts. – MR
