Woody Allen is known for his trademark feature length movies, but to some, he is also known as a die-hard clarinetist. Often, Allen practices in-between takes while on set, but sometimes he goes on tour with his Jazz Band. On December twenty seventh, Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band came to Portland, Oregon. Most people, including myself, were there simply because they admire Allen’s work. Some were there to see Allen for again, while others were there because they appreciated the sweet sounds of New Orleans Jazz, gospel, old hymns and blues. Most long time Woody Allen fans are already aware of what style of music he plays, especially if they have seen the 1998 documentary, Wild Man Blues, where Allen and his band are followed during a European tour. Needless to say, but, the audience was anticipating the arrival of Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band. When Conal Fowlkes (now famous for lending music to Midnight in Paris) began to the play the piano, the audience mildly clapped, but when the timid Allen and the rest of the band entered, the applauses exploded. All eyes were on the long time director, who sat in the in the center with either of his legs crossed, often tapping along to the beat. When Allen finally took to the microphone to introduce the material him and his band would be playing, the crowd went from mild manner to a complete Europhobia, holding on to every word he said, and laughing at every single joke. The crowd was hooked on Allen. Every time he had a solo, the loudest applauses were heard. The crowd was completely mesmerized by everything Allen did. Although he could have served as a distraction to the music, it seemed most people left with a new appreciation of old time Jazz. By the time the encore was finished, Allen and his band received three standing ovations, the crowd was clapping along to the songs, and were cheering as if they were a tween at a Justin Bieber concert.

Tom Waits has always had a knack for joining distantly-related musical genres in crafty, creative ways. His latest disc, Bad As Me, emphasizes that unique gift, opening with the brassy bluegrass/Dixieland hybrid “Chicago.” Waits puts the icing on this multi-instrumental cake with his signature bluesy growl, promising that “things will be better in Chicago.” The next song, “Raised Right Men,” changes direction entirely with a slow, swinging rock shuffle. Occasional stabs by a sinister-sounding organ and a reggae-esque upstroked electric guitar darkly paint the remainder of the second track’s accompaniment. The rest of the album is marked by Waits’ impeccable arrangements in various genres, including the 1950s rock n’ roll-flavored “Get Lost,” the rowdy stomper of a title track, the dark, emotionally intense “Face to the Highway,” and the French-flavored accordion waltz “Pay Me.” Throughout these arrangements, Waits demonstrates exceptional musicianship and songwriting prowess tinted with his own unique touch that has never before or since been copied. Waits retains his originality through this rollercoaster of styles, still giving many songs that unique Waits sound of heavy percussion, dirty rock n’ roll guitars and a wild rumpus of accompaniment. His familiar vocal roar is existent throughout the record, and when it’s time to rock, Waits knows how to rock. But he also has a delicate side he knows how to use: see the heart-wrenching “Last Leaf” or the haunting, scarcely accompanied jazz ballad “Kiss Me”—one of my personal favorite tracks. Lyrically, Waits taps into a vast storage of creativity, exploring through unique storytelling techniques themes of love, sex, politics, internal emotional struggle and just downright going wild. Overall, Bad As Me is yet another masterfully crafted album by one of the most original and inventive musicians to emerge in the 20th Century. It has something for fans of all eras of Tom Waits’ career, and I personally recommend music fans of all kinds give it at least one listen.

Explosive-yet-subtle drums kick off this latest compilation of unique originals by Wilco, the inventive art folk/rock outfit from Chicago, IL. Ambient synth sounds then enter, intensifying as Wilco build the soundscape which sets the stage for “Art of Almost”--the opening track of The Whole Love, released in October of 2011. As the sounds climax, they drop suddenly to a murmur to introduce Jeff Tweedy’s shy, melancholy, yet friendly vocals. As drums, guitar and bass join him, the groove builds back up with heavy synth-string accompaniment. Tweedy sings what he has to sing, and the background dies out once more. But just when you think they’re finished, the band kicks back in with a locomotive bass line over lightly distorted guitar moans and mumbles. As these sounds build to a full on face-melting guitar solo, Wilco commences the signature in-your-face noise jams for which they are known, giving it their all until the abrupt final chord. The diversity of musical styles and backgrounds Wilco display in “Art of Almost” is just an introductory taste of what’s to come. Throughout The Whole Love, they continue to display their command of various songwriting styles within the folk-rock genre. The album explores everything from vigorous crowd pleasers (“Born Alone”) and energetic stomp-clappers (“I Might,” “Dawned on Me”) to delicate ballads (“Sunloathe”, “Open Mind”) and finger-picking singalongs (“One Sunday Morning”). Splicing a country and folk sensitivity with a consistent rock groove and an ear for psychedelic rock, Wilco keep the listener guessing from track to track. Even included are the upbeat, catchy art-country tunes characteristic of much of Wilco’s past compositions. In the bouncy “Capitol City,” Tweedy complains, over a moderate Western stomp, of being away in the city and missing someone who you know belongs in the country. In the swinging title track, Tweedy’s light falsetto vocals have a subtle charm that could make Hitler smile. The Whole Love is somewhere between two of Wilco’s recent albums (and two of my personal favorites): Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and Sky Blue Sky. It has the experimental edge and songwriting sensibility of the former with the rock n’ roll groove and exceptional guitar work of the latter. A fine product of what seems to be Wilco settling into the groove of their niche…at least until they wow us again.

Living in The Age of The Reissue offers a variety of benefits for the musically-minded person. Now, you can get to know Carl Perkins in the same way that the public at large knew Elvis Presley back in the day. The constraints of what is popular now no longer dictate the kinds of music we are familiar with, in spite of sales figures, the proliferation of music videos (distributed through whatever means is popular at the time), or even their inclusion in TV and film. The Age of The Reissue liberates us from the stale conformity of Top 40, and allows our musical dollars the chance to flow in obscure, seldom traveled paths, and in many cases, offer us a chance to excavate the past in a way that was never previously thought possible.

It is with this in mind that The Numero Group persues their catalog. This will not come as a surprise to any of the moderate-to-late-stage Collectors out there; anymore, a well-rounded collection demands at least a passing familiarity with their releases. Which is why when something like this Alternate History collection comes along, it is important to take notice. This is not merely a casual compilation of old musty 45s, nor is it a sort of Sampler Collection that allows you a chance to "get to know" The Numero Group. In fact, the title really does say it all: this compilation allows the listener to experience An Alternate History of Popular Music, taking us from 1959 (with the invention of the blues by a woman named Niela Miller, all the way to 1985, the year that disc died with this swan-song track by Golden Echoes. If those names aren't familiar to you, don't worry. The music in between is just as - if not moreso - unheard of.

The beauty of The Numero Group releases is their careful selection. While the artists may be unfamiliar, these tracks embody the zeitgeist of the era in a way that feels entirely appropriate. You can picture this history unfolding, as black artists dominate the charts, while later white artists integrate into this form of music. A world where funk and soul were the standard pop tunes to arrange yourself around, and where gospel is even more tied to mainstream culture than ever... through music. It is all here, and it is a fascinating document of what could have been. And than, in and of itself, is the primary benefit of living in The Age of The Reissue: experiences like this are possible. The Numero Group understands that collectors are not merely obsessive compulsives with an eye for small pressings and imported vinyl (though that may be the case, too). In collecting, we ourselves are assembling a musical universe all our own, where certain artists loom larger than others, according to our own vision of Popular Music.

In this collection, you can sit back and listen as someone else's musical universe assembles before your ears. How cool is that?

The 5th & Final Album from Mike Skinner, better known as THE STREETS dropped at the beginning of February 2011. I've been wanting to write this review for a long time and finally after months of continuous play, I finally have reached a point where I can write objectively about the album....

Let me first give you some background info: I am a HUGE Streets fan. The first time I heard Original Pirate Material was a bootlegged copy from a mate who had moved over from the U.K while we were in highschool. I was instantly hooked as soon as I heard the garage anthem "Has it Come To This" and even more addicted upon hearing the rave anthem "Weak Become Heroes". With Original Pirate Material, Skinner successfully pieced together an album which would come to define the everyday life of urban, English youth. Four albums later, Skinner is brining us his final album under the Streets moniker, "Computers and Blues"...

The album has been in the making since the summer of 2009, with Skinner releasing many of his demos via Twitter, with about half of those demos ending up on the album we hear today. The first single "Going Through Hell" is heavily Pop influenced with a sound more reminiscent of a major label artist than an Urban Beat Poet; this is my least favorite song on the album.

One of the stand out tracks "Puzzeled By People", brings together crafty word play and sound production, claiming the powerful lyric highlight the frivolities of life in 2011: "I'm pretty good at puzzles but puzzled by people...loving isn't easy you can't google the solution to peoples' feelings"

My favorite song on this record is titled "Those That Don't Know" and has the strength of a future single. Other top tracks include "OMG" which highlights the excitement and wonder of a new relationship, and "Lock the Locks" which closes out the album, telling a story of a man quiting his job and moving onto new parts of life....

The ending track on the album sums up much of what I imagine Skinner is feeling at the end of five albums and an extensive career as The Streets; going through the motions, heart moving into new directions and generally tapped from a creative perspective.

In the end I wish that Skinner would have come a little harder on the dance tracks, and removed some of the more PoP influences on the album. I would have liked to see at least one, BANGING club track for us OG fans of Original Pirate Material. At the end of the day, i'd give this album a solid 4 out of 5.

Here is the Computers & Blues interactive short film. I highly suggest you play with it: