JIM CARROLLon music
Is there a doctor in the house? Another year, another possible sighting of Detox, the Dr Dre album which is now beginning to resemble My Bloody Valentine’s third album, such has been the amount of intrigue around its release.
Meanwhile, the artist himself has turned to flogging high-end headphones to make a few bucks.
There have been a couple of new tunes from Dre in recent times, such as Kushand I Need A Doctorbut the Detox saga has continued to play out like a bad Australian soap opera since 2002, when the album was first mooted.
Entire careers in hip-hop have come and gone during this time (hello The Game). Tyler, the Creator and most of Odd Future were still in playschool when he dropped his last album 2001 in 1999.
However, we keep watching because Dre changed the hip-hop game not once ( NWA), but twice ( The Chronic). The question now is if he can do it a third time.
Dre enjoyed a long and successful run as a producer working with Eminem, 50 Cent and his Aftermath label, but that hasn’t been sustained of late.
Indeed, as we saw with Rakim and Raekwon’s tenures on the label, a lot of Dre’s good intentions regarding Aftermath never really panned out.
Furthermore, labels and records aren’t the blue-chip commodities they once were any more, hence the move into headphones.
While other producer/rappers like Kanye West have come up on the outside rail and overtaken the veteran, Dre can always take heart from the return of Jay-Z to the A-list. It can be done and he has the pedigree to make a mark again.
Best start by getting the damn record out and not stay hatching on it like U2 and their alleged trio of unreleased albums.
New music
SPANISH PRISONERS
Brooklyn four-piece fronted by music hack Leo Maymind who are turning heads with delicious, carefully crafted and joyously minted dream-pop tunes like Know No Violence. Debut album Gold Fools, due in the next few months, should feature other such helpings of sonic joy. Spanishprisoners. bandcamp.com
GHOST FEET
Beautiful hazy, hypnotic electronic pop from a boy/girl duo based in Olympia, Washington. The Wires Chords EP from Calvin Erdal and Rachel Dubuc for the Dropping Gems label will blow your tiny little mind, especially Top Papez Soundcloud.com/ghost-feet
MORE THAN CONQUERORS
Tough, blistering, full-bodied indie rock from the Smalltown America youngsters whose latest single A Lion, A Mansees them flexing muscles honed from live shows with And So I Watch You From Afar, Fighting With Wireand General Fiasco. As tipped by Aoife O'Connor. Myspace. com/morethanconquerors
Now playing
Various Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love(Light In the Attic) The story of Mowest, Motown's Los Angeles' offshoot, with fantastic tunes from The Sisters Love, GC Cameron, Frankie Valli and others.
Outfit Two Islands(Double Denim) Sublime slice of dark, inventive, spinechilling pop from new Liverpool band.
Julio Bashmore Battle for Middle You(PMR) Bristol bass-house ruffian makes the dancefloor shimmy and shake. Playing Not Saying Boo party at Dublin's Twisted Pepper on August 5th.
Lone All Those Weird Things(Wigflex) Get your bottles of Vicks out and let's go raving with Matt Cutler on a track where the bleeps run wild.
The Former Soviet Republic The Former Soviet Republic Is Made Of This(Self release) Neat album of introspective tunes and ringing chimes from Kildareman Ian Wright.
