The Riff Report: New music this week

[Deirdre Long]

By Sarah Zupko/PopMatters.com

The early part of January is traditionally a no-man’s land for new releases, and this year is no exception. Jan. 26 looks to be jam-packed, at least on the indie front, with new records by the Magnetic Fields, Beach House, Four Tet, Los Campesinos!, Retribution Gospel Choir and more slated to drop. January 12th is all about one group, though — the blog-band heartthrobs, Vampire Weekend.

Vampire Weekend — “Contra”

This band formed by privileged Columbia University preppies came out of nowhere to light up the charts with its infectious blend of Afropop and indie pop. Yeah, the Afropop connection seemed on the face of it a silly ploy and not likely to work, yet these lads have fine pop instincts and the rare ability to meld disparate influences into something they can truly call their own. It’s safe to say “Contra” is one of the most anticipated rock records of the year.

Elvis Costello — “The Costello Show: Live at Hollywood High”

A classic performance by a very young Costello with only two albums under his belt is the focus of this new live document. Those two albums were “My Aim Is True” and “This Year’s Model,” one of the best one/two punches in the opening of a rock musician’s career. So you know this show was smoking as Costello was in the midst of a young man’s anger and his snark was in full bloom. Backed by the crack band the Attractions, these tunes had an even greater energy live than in the studio.

Ringo Starr — “Y Not”

The Beatle drummer is still plugging away at his solo career and, like many aging rock stars, prefers to collaborate with other A-listers rather than go it alone. Starr produced “Y Not” and formed a combo with Joe Walsh and Dave Stewart, bringing in guests here and there, like Joss Stone, Ben Harper, Richard Marx ... and Paul McCartney.

Other notable releases this week:

The Bouncing Souls — “Ghosts on the Boardwalk”
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis — “The Road”
Final Fantasy — “Heartland”
T-Model Ford — “The Ladies Man”
O.A.R. — “Rain Or Shine”
Omarion — “Ollusion”
OK Go — “Of the Blue Colour of the Sky”
Laura Veirs — “July Flame”

TUNES ON THE TUBE ... BEST MUSIC ON TV THIS WEEK

Highlight of the Week: Echoing the light week for new CD releases, this week’s musical fare at late night TV is decidedly paltry. The lone bright spot is the appearance on “Austin City Limits” of two of the world’s best rappers, the incomparable and adventurous Mos Def and the Somalian born K’naan. Both produced sterling albums last year that found their way into many top music of 2009 lists, and both create the kind of thinking-person’s hip-hop that has expanded the boundaries of the genre.

“Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC): Katharine McPhee (Th) “Late Show with David Letterman” (CBS): Findlay Brown (T), The Low Anthem (Th), Matt Morris (F) “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson” (CBS): Luke Bryan (Th) “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” (NBC): Rosanne Cash (T)
“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” (NBC): Ringo Starr (T), Ke$ha (W)
“Last Call with Carson Daly” (NBC): The Raveonettes (T), Pete Yorn (Th), Paolo Nutini (F)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC): The Ting Tings (Sa)
“Austin City Limits” (PBS): K’Naan / Mos Def (Sa)
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated): Bette Midler (T), Gloriana (W)

ON SCREEN: Islands — “No You Don’t” (video)

Continuing a long tradition of women getting their big break in music videos (Alicia Silverstone, Tawny Kitaen, etc.), Michael Cera, a hot up-and-coming actor making the L.A. scene, gets the movie star treatment in the new video from that hip young indie-pop outfit, Islands. If you want to laugh, watch this video closely. Direct your attention toward Cera’s flailing arms as he runs about. Boffo! — Tyler Gould

DOWNLOAD: The Besnard Lakes — “Albatross” (MP3)

“Albatross,” the new single from the upcoming “The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night” LP, doesn’t have nearly as depressing a sound as the title would make you think. The effect of its dreamy vocals and elongated instrumentation is actually borderline uplifting; if the Ancient Mariner had this on his iPod, he might have been cool with his mates dying off one by one with cursed looks in their eyes. — Tyler Gould

EAGERLY AWAITING: Elliott Smith Re-Issues

The woman-run indie label Kill Rock Stars have recently added Elliott Smith to their extensive catalog. KRS plans to re-issue Smith’s first solo album, “Roman Candle,” on vinyl for the first time in the U.S. on April 6, 2010. The album was remastered by Smith’s archivist and editor of “Tape Op Magazine,” Larry Crane. The label also plans to re-release Smith’s posthumous “From a Basement on the Hill,” making KRS the official haven for Smith’s independent releases. In celebration of the re-releases, KRS has unleashed a previously unreleased Elliott Smith tune “Cecilia/Amanda,” available at killrocktars.com (http://www.killrockstars.com/). — Allison Taich