CD reviews

Castanets
Texas Rose, The Thaw & The Beasts
(Asthmatic Kitty)
*7.9*
Goes well with: Iron & Wine, Sparklehorse, Calexico

A minute into the opening track of his new record, Castanets’ Raymond Raposa proclaims, “I only sing the bitterest tunes.” He ain’t lying. And even though there are flashes of hope throughout, his sixth effort doesn’t do a lot to contradict that point.

Much of that has to do with Raposa’s voice. Part turn-of-the-century gold miner, part Norman Bates impersonating his mother, his pinched timbre is a tad vinegary. But like Dylan, that voice articulates strong lyrics over perfectly suited music and doesn’t take long to move from distraction to acquired taste.

Raposa further distinguishes himself from the myriad indie singer/songwriters out there through his constant juxtaposition of the electronic and the organic. Quiet charmers like “My Heart” and “Thaw & the Beasts” are sandwiched between the spacey keys of “On Beginning” and the blips-n-clicks percussion of “Worn from the Fight (with Fireworks).” The one-time San Diegan (who now calls Portland home) also brings along chums like Pall Jenkins and David J for the ride.

The result is his most even-keeled work to date. While that may not incite cartwheels from longtime fans, it’s a subtle maturation for a quality artist that hints at even better things to come.

—Scott McDonald

Fool’s Gold
Fool’s Gold
(I Am Sound)
*7.9*
Goes well with: Vampire Weekend, Tinariwen, Vieux Farka Touré

Do yourself a favor and don’t look at a picture of Fool’s Gold before you listen to their new album. I did. Oh, the horror. The cool beards. The white linen jackets. The super-swell, teal sneakers. If you’re like me, you’re sick of this whole white-boy afro-pop shit. Leave it to the Ivy League douche-nozzles in Vampire Weekend to ruin everyone’s good time. Take one look at Fool’s Gold—who more than resemble a collective of Silver Lake hipsters metaphorically paddling their lifeboat after a ship that’s already sailed—and it’s hard not to yell “Shenanigans!” at the stereo.

But here’s the thing—they’re pretty damn good. Featuring members of just-OK bands like Foreign Born, We Are Scientists and Glasser, it becomes evident right around the instrumental chorus of the second track (“Nadine”) that this passion project actually has some true passion behind it. Guitarist and songwriter Lewis Pesacov does his African forefathers proud, balancing his picking between jangly improvisation and intricately planned solos.

The fact that singer Luke Top sings much of the record in Hebrew adds to the, uh, world-music vibe and will likely keep them from reaching the popularity heights of other bands. But these guys are different, and as is the case with all music where some cracka-ass-cracker cops the sound of the brotha-man (see: Elvis, Janis, Eminem, etc.), if it’s good, then that’ll shine through.

—Seth Combs

Fool’s Gold play Thursday, Oct. 8, at The Loft @ UCSD.

Raekwon
Only Built 4 Cuban Linx... Pt. II
(EMI/Ice H2O)
*8.7*
Goes well with: The Wu

There’s good news and bad news when it comes to the Wu. The bad news? The Clan will probably never make a good album again. Even their last solid effort (2000’s The W) sounded more like a solid collection of solo tracks. And don’t even get me started on Iron Flag.

The good news? The Wu’s best MCs are all saving their best rhymes for their own solo joints. Raekwon’s long-awaited sequel to 1995’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx is on par with the best in the Wu discography and, just like part one, can be seen as a gauntlet-throwing call to sucker MCs who just won’t die. But at no point does the MC known as “The Chef” mention anyone by name. He doesn’t have to. His deftly def rhymes speak for themselves. And with bastardized emo-rap shit ruling the charts, this album is a welcome kick in the ass to the Kid Cudis of the world.

Raekwon has invited all his friends to the party. Almost every other track has a different producer and a guest appearance from a fellow MC, including all members of the Clan, except U-God. But even as awesome as “House of Flying Daggers” is, it’s the tracks where he rhymes alone that he does the most damage. “Canal Street” sounds like the soundtrack to a Floyd Mayweather fight, while “Surgical Gloves” and the Erick Sermon-produced “Baggin Crack” are further proof that the art of storytelling is back. And it sure feels good.

—Seth Combs