Results for Battles
reviews
Mirrored available on iTunesBattles Mirrored
Up next is Mirrored by the math rock outfit Battles. The New York quartet has been getting a lot of attention by indie rock fans for their unique take on instrumental music. In fact, the band won't even describe their music as instrumental, but rather music without any lyrics. Jim and Greg both love the combination of electronica and 1970s prog rock. Greg even compares their unique melodies and compositions to that of space age pop musician Esquivel. Both critics note how this cerebral brand of music can usually be kind of cold and off-putting, but, Battles has put a human touch to it. Therefore Mirrored gets two Buy Its.
Gloss Drop available on iTunesBattles Gloss Drop
Battles really wowed indie rock audiences with their 2007 release Mirrored. Now the experimental rock group is back with Gloss Drop. They are down a lead singer, Tyondai Braxton, but up a few guest vocalists. Greg notes that a lot of the terms used to describe Battles don't do the band any justice. "Math Rock," "New Prog Rock," and others don't indicate the sense of joy and play infused in their sound. He thought that the loss of Braxton would be a heavy blow, but now they are using vocals as just another layer and texture and it really works. Greg says Buy It. Jim, however, does miss Braxton. Nothing on Gloss Drop is as good as "Atlas." The instrumental tracks are quite strong, but the songs featuring vocal cameos by the likes of Gary Numan don't work for Jim. He says Burn It.
Battles Juice B Crypts
Twelve years after their debut album, Battles is back with their fourth full length record, Juice B Crypts. The experimental art punk project boasts a strong lineage connecting it to Helmet, Don Caballero and Tomahawk. That lineage is boosted on this album by guest appearances from Jon Anderson of Yes, Tune-Yards, Shabbaz Palaces and more. Greg says in some ways this album reminds him of cartoon soundtracks and Jim agrees, citing Carl Stallings and Milt Franklyn's work on Looney Tunes as an apt comparison for the album's frenetic pace. They're both very enthusiastic about the latest from Battles.
lists
Best of 2007
It's a critic and a music fan's favorite time of year. Jim and Greg run down their top albums for 2007. You can view their complete lists below.
For more end-of-year discussion, check out the Sound Opinions Message Board.
Go to episode 107The Best Songs of 2007 - Mixtapes
Jim and Greg present their Mixtapes for 2007. Check out the track listing below.
Go to episode 109The Best of 2007… So Far
Jim and Greg just couldn‘t wait until the end of the year to start picking their favorite albums, so they’ve decided to name their 2007 mid-year best.
Go to episode 81featured songs
Featured Songs
- The Coasters, Down in Mexico, The Coasters, Atco, 1958
- The Coasters, Young Blood, The Coasters, Atco, 1958
- Arcade Fire, The Suburbs, The Suburbs, Merge, 2010
- Arcade Fire, Rebellion (Lies), Funeral, Merge, 2004
- Arcade Fire, Modern Man, The Suburbs, Merge, 2010
- Arcade Fire, Neon Bible, Neon Bible, Merge, 2007
- Arcade Fire, Sprawl II, The Suburbs, Merge, 2010 Live on Sound Opinions
- Arcade Fire, We Used to Wait, The Suburbs, Merge, 2010 Live on Sound Opinions
- Arcade Fire, Wake Up, Funeral, Merge, 2004
- Arcade Fire, Ready to Start, The Suburbs, Merge, 2010
- Battles, Africastle, Gloss Drop, Warp Records, 2011
- Battles, Ice Cream, Gloss Drop, Warp Records, 2011
- Battles, Atlas, Mirrored, Warp Records, 2007
- Zapp, Doo Wa Ditty (Blow That Thing), Zapp II, Warner Brothers, 1982
- The Pretenders, The Phone Call, Pretenders, Sire, 1980
- Jenny and Johnny, Big Wave, I'm Having Fun Now, Warner Brothers, 2010
- Bob Dylan, Lone Pilgrim, World Gone Wrong, Columbia, 1993
- Mike + the Mechanics, The Living Years, The Living Years, Atlantic, 1988
Featured Songs
- Daft Punk, Robot Rock, Human After All, Virgin, 2005
- Battles (feat. Shabazz Palaces), Izm, Juice B Crypts, Warp, 2019
- Battles (feat. Tune-Yards), Last Supper On Shasta Pt. 1, Juice B Crypts, Warp, 2019
- Paul Revere & The Raiders, Just Like Me, Just Like Me (single), Columbia, 1965
- The Monks, Monk Chant (Live), Black Monk Time, Infinite Zero, 1997
- Madvillain, Accordian, Madvillainy, Stones Throw, 2004
- Screamin' Jay Hawkins, I Put a Spell on You, At Home with Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Okeh, 1958
- Mercyful Fate, Satan's Fall, Melissa, Megaforce, 1983
- Misfits, Night of the Living Dead, Walk Among Us, Slash, 1982
- PRISS,“Priss Detroit Rock City,”N/A, N/A, N/A
- Village People, Y.M.C.A., Cruisin', Casablanca, 1978
- Battles (feat. Xenia Rubinos), They Played It Twice, Juice B Crypts, Warp, 2019
- Battles (feat. Sal Principato), Titanium 2 Step, Juice B Crypts, Warp, 2019
- Battles (feat. Jon Anderson and Prairie WWWW), Sugar Foot, Juice B Crypts, Warp, 2019
- Battles, Atlas, Mirrored, Warp, 2007
- Jerry Lee Lewis, Good Golly Miss Molly, Live at the Star Club, Hamburg, Phillips, 1964
- Little Brenda Lee, Bigelow 6-500, Jambalaya (On The Bayou) (single), Decca, 1956
- The Rolling Stones, Sweet Black Angel, Exile on Main St., Rolling Stones, 1972
- The Rolling Stones, Shake Your Hips, Exile on Main St., Rolling Stones, 1972
- The Rolling Stones, All Down The Line, Exile on Main St., Rolling Stones, 1972
- The Rolling Stones, Soul Survivor, Exile on Main St., Rolling Stones, 1972
Featured Songs
- The Feelies, When You Know, Here Before, Bar/None, 2011
- Anna Calvi, Desire, Anna Calvi, Domino Records, 2011
- Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi, Two Against One, Rome, Parlophone/EMI Records, 2011
- Fucked Up, Ship of Fools, David Comes to Life, Matador, 2011
- The Decemberists, Down by the Water, The King is Dead, Capitol, 2011
- Smith Westerns, Still New, Dye It Blonde, Fat Possum, 2011
- Raphael Saadiq, Go to Hell, Stone Rollin‘’, Columbia, 2011
- The Bewitched Hands, So Cool, Birds & Drums, Sony Music Entertainment, 2011
- tUnE-yArDs, Bizness, w h o k i l l, 4AD, 2011
- Le Butcherettes, New York, Sin Sin Sin, Rodriguez Lopez Productions, 2011
- Flying Lotus, Melting/Drips, Cosmogramma Alt. Takes, Warp, 2011
- Jill Scott, Womanifesto, The Light of the Sun, Warner Brothers Records, 2011
- Jill Scott, All Cried Out Redux, The Light of the Sun, Warner Brothers Records, 2011
- Neko Case & Nick Cave, She's Not There, She's Not There Single, WaterTower Music, 2011
- The Zombies, She's Not There, The Zombies, Parrott, 1965
- Washed Out, Eyes Be Closed, Within and Without, Sub Pop, 2011
- The Mothers of Invention, You Didn't Try to Call Me, Freak Out!, Verve, 1966
- Battles, Ice Cream, Gloss Drop, Warp Records, 2011
- The Ronettes, Walking in the Rain, Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica, Philles Records, 1964
Featured Songs
- The Beatles, Come Together, Abbey Road, Apple, 1969
- Led Zeppelin, Rock And Roll, Led Zeppelin IV, Atlantic, 1971
- James Brown, Funky Drummer, Funky Drummer (single), King, 1970
- Wild Flag, Romance, Wild Flag, Merge, 2011
- Little Richard And His Band, Heeby-Jeebies, She's Got It (single), Specialty, 1956
- Michael Jackson, Billie Jean, Thriller, Epic, 1982
- Earth Wind and Fire, Can't Hide Love, Gratitude, Columbia, 1975
- Rush, Tom Sawyer, Moving Pictures, Mercury, 1981
- Elvin Jones, Agappe Love, Poly-Currents, Blue Note, 1970
- The Rolling Stones, Paint It Black, Paint It Black (single), Decca, 1966
- Battles, Atlas, Mirrored, Warp, 2007
- Can, Paperhouse, Tago Mago, United Artists, 1971
- The Who, Young Man Blues, Live at Leeds, Decca, 1970
- The Who, I Can See For Miles, I Can See For Miles (single), Track, 1967
- Dennis Coffey, Scorpio, Evolution, Sussex, 1971
- Queen, Fat Bottomed Girls, Jazz, EMI, 1978
- Violent Femmes, Blister In the Sun, Blister in the Sun (single), Slash, 1983
- Phil Collins, In The Air Tonight, Face Value, Virgin, 1981
- Fela Kuti, Zombie, Zombie, Coconut, 1976
- Aretha Franklin, Rock Steady, Rock Steady (single), Atlantic, 1971
- Led Zeppelin, Dazed and Confused, Led Zeppelin, Atlantic, 1969
- Led Zeppelin, Stairway To Heaven, Led Zepplin IV, Atlantic, 1971
- Public Image Ltd., Under the House, The Flowers of Romance, Virgin, 1981
- Led Zeppelin, When the Levee Breaks, Led Zeppelin IV, Atlantic, 1971
- Sleater-Kinney, Youth Decay, All Hands on the Bad One, Kill Rock Stars, 2000
- XTC, Senses Working Overtime, English Settlement, Virgin, 1982
- James Brown, I Got the Feelin', I Got the Feelin', King, 1968
- Rolling Stones, Honky Tonk Woman, Honky Tonk Woman (Single), Decca, 1969
- The Stairsteps, O-o-h Child, O-o-h Child (single), Buddah, 1970
- Doris Troy, Just One Look, Just One Look (single), Atlantic, 1963
- Gil Scott-Heron, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, Flying Dutchman, 1974
- The Exciters, Tell Him, Tell Him (single), United Artists, 1962
- Melvin Bliss, Synthetic Substitution, Reward (single), Sunburst, 1973
- Public Enemy, Don't Believe The Hype, It Takes a Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, Def Jam, 1988
- Ultra Magnetic M.C.s, Ego Trippin', Ego Trippin' (single), Next Plateau, 1986
- Naughty By Nature, O.P.P. (instrumental version), O.P.P. (single), Tommy Boy, 1991
- EPMD, I'm Housin', Strictly Business, Fresh, 1988
- Wale, Lacefrontin', The Eleven One Eleven Theory, Maybach Music, 2011
- Steely Dan, Home At Last, Aja, ABC, 1977
- Leon Bridges, Bad Bad News, Good Thing, Columbia, 2018
- Kraftwerk, The Telephone Call, Electric Cafe, EMI, 1986
- John Prine, Sam Stone, John Prine, Atlantic, 1971
- John Prine, Paradise, John Prine, Atlantic, 1971
- Frightened Rabbit, The Modern Leper (Live On Sound Opinions), The Midnight Organ Fight, Fat Cat, 2008