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The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 5, 2009

Updated: 03/05/2009 04:19 pm

SHOLI:
SHOLI
(QUARTERSTICK/TOUCH & GO) **½

Sadly, "Sholi" may be the last new release from Touch & Go, as financial woes have forced the label to go catalog-only for the time being. T&G is one of the great U.S. indie labels, fostering bands such as Big Black, The Jesus Lizard and Seam, to name but a few.

The first notes of "Sholi" will remind listeners that T&G also released Slint's "Spiderland," the album that virtually invented post-rock. Sholi operates within the loose confines of the genre, but, thankfully, has a knack for song construction as well. "Tourniquet" is the most successful number here at combining the atmospheric and the traditional, with a particularly bracing middle section.

Download this: "Tourniquet"

Curtis Ross

BLACK GOLD:
RUSH
(RED BULL) ***

Black Gold bursts onto the scene with a throwback sound that you've heard before. But you don't have to break ground to get down.

These danceable pop ditties offer up hook-driven choruses and tasteful mixes flowing with complex sparsity. Disco beats will get feet moving; studio flourishes will satisfy the headphone listeners.

And the duo excels in the down-tempo numbers as well, maintaining an even sound over a wide variety of styles. Not an easy feat for a band - or a studio engineer.

All in all, "Rush" is a solid debut. This is a band to keep an eye on.

Download this: "Breakdown"

Ryan Bauer

ROBYN HITCHCOCK & THE VENUS 3:
GOODNIGHT OSLO
(YEP ROC) **½

It's tempting to romanticize Hitchcock's earlier efforts with the Soft Boys, Egyptians and as a solo artist, but if we're honest, we'll admit that most of his releases - with very few exceptions - have been spotty. Fortunately, the British singer-songwriter's quirky mix of chiming jangle-pop and surreal Syd Barrett-style psychedelia always yields a few jewels.

This time out, it's the more sprawling moments that shine brightest - the insistent groove of "Your Head Here" and the hypnotic title track are quintessential Hitchcock. Even so, it's hard to resist the jubilant horn-spiked pop of "Up to Our Nex" or the high-lonesome shuffle of "Hurry for the Sky."

Download this: "Up to Our Nex"

Rommie Johnson

CDs are rated on a scale of zero to four stars.

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