M.I.A., “MAYA” (Interscope)
On her third and boldest record, English/ Sri Lankan rapper has created the most challenging music of her career. Given her ubiquitous presence in gossip blogs, her new son and a public battle with The New York Times (about alleged inaccuracies in a large feature the NYT Magazine wrote on her in late May), itap no surprise that “MAYA” is her most polarizing effort.
Her longtime producer, Diplo, is here — but only on two songs. Her primary collaborator is dub-step champ Rusko, who lends “MAYA” a significantly harder edge than any of M.I.A.’s previous work. (Dub step is the slow-’n’-bassy electronic subgenre finally gaining momentum stateside.) Whereas Diplo’s infectiously melodic work intoxicates, Rusko’s glitched-out production is delightfully abrasive. Yes, in a good way.
It helps that M.I.A. raps and sings about out-there topics, such as tequila, Google and gravity. Her rhymes are as random as the CD’s freak-show liner notes, which are a collage-style homage to cut-and-paste Internet culture.
But it comes down to this: Did M.I.A. jump on the dub-step bandwagon or create a unique piece of art using today’s electronic subgenre du jour? Both, and progressive fans will find a lot here to like. — Ricardo Baca
School of Seven Bells, “Disconnect From Desire (Vagrant)
When first appeared with 2008’s thrilling, uneven “Alpinisms,” it was riding a trend of neo-tribal beats, vague mysticism and hazy, sun-washed melodies.
With “Disconnect from Desire,” this dreamy electro-pop act seems to do just that, relying instead on chillier, more driving rhythms and fewer emotional cues to craft its (still-fetching) songs.
The trio — which includes former Secret Machines guitarist Benjamin Curtis and twin sisters/vocalists Alejandra and Claudia Deheza (formerly of On!Air!Library!) — has a way of intertwining gorgeous vocals, beats and riffs to bring some Kate Bush-quality light to the electro wilderness, and the more upfront production serves them well on catchy numbers such as “Windstorm” and “Bye Bye Bye.”
One can even imagine bass-driven, lockstep songs like “Dust Devil” getting some remix play in the European club scene — not a bad thing for a band thatap basically updating the steely, synth-soaked sounds of the Eurythmics and their ’80s ilk. — John Wenzel
The Roots, “How I Got Over” (Def Jam)
Upon learning were going to be Jimmy Fallon’s “Late Night” house band, I immediately feared them becoming the next Black Eyed Peas, a group that changed its sound to emulate the pop mainstream.
“How I Got Over” puts those fears to rest by staying the course of the band’s past work. The Roots again utilize jazz and soul samples, straightforward beats and dynamic rhymes to create an album that makes the listener think while bobbing their head.
The rhymes on “How I Got Over” lean heavily on the rare but welcoming theme of accountability — is not a hugely popular subject in hip-hop. The Roots broach the issue like champs, as they always have, by laying down smooth, engaging verses over classic beats. A couple of faster-tempo tracks exist, but the majority of the album moves at a deliberate pace. The album also features a number of guest spots, the highlight of these being John Legend hammering away at the ivory keys on “The Fire.”
“How I Got Over” avoids the traps and clichés of mainstream rap and serves as yet another important reminder that smart, hard-hitting hip-hop is not dead. — Greg Stieber
Jail, “Thatap How We Burn” (Sub Pop)
If you’re clocking hipster music trends, you’ll probably roll your eyes at this moniker, which seems to meaninglessly add an extra “l” to the band name (see also Wavves, Lovvers, etc.)
But this Milwaukee indie quartet did it simply to differentiate itself from another band named Jail, and anyway, the jumble of agreeable influences and clean, accessible playing elevates “Thatap How We Burn” from one jockeying for a Pitchfork review to one contending for the Best Debut of the Year.
Of course, Jaill has been around for nearly a decade, but most of us will hear about the band through this first Sub Pop release. And kudos to Sub Pop for the discovery. Vinnie Kircher’s vocals twirl around tight instrumental cylinders of guitar and drums, recalling a punkier, more Ramones-influenced Kevin Barnes (Of Montreal) or less textured Ivan Howard (the Rosebuds).
Guitar-driven pop-rock debuts rarely come more palatable or honed than this. — John Wenzel
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Ricardo Baca is the founder and co-editor of and an award-winning critic and journalist at The Denver Post. He is also the executive director of the , Colorado’s premier indie music festival. Follow his whimsies at , his live music habit at and his iTunes addictions at .
John Wenzel is the co-editor of Reverb and an A&E reporter for The Denver Post. His book was recently published by Speck Press. He also maintains a of random song titles.
Greg Stieber is a Denver freelance writer and regular contributor to Reverb.
