Peter Aaron Poop 09
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1) Various Artists Take Me To The River: A Southern Soul Story 1961-1977 (Ace/KentRecords)
Pricey import that matches the hype. Almost uniformly slow-burning but still the best soul box since Rhino’s 1997 Beg, Scream & Shout!, hands down.
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2) Tinariwen Imidiwan: Companions (World Village)
After 2007’s comparatively studio-driven Aman Iman: Water is Life, Mali’s masters of desert psych-blues strip it back down to the roots. Heady and addictive.
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3) Various Artists Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets: 1965-1968 (Rhino)
Fifth installment of the Nuggets franchise takes in everything from LA’s suburban garage bands to studio-only creations to unhinged psychedelia. A trip, as they say.
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4) Yo La Tengo Popular Songs (Matador)
Speaking of psych, YLT rewrites the triptych with this modern mindbender. Bedrock VU influence, Stereolab-ish drones, and strings-dominated freakouts.
Buy Issue 67
5) Various Artists The Oxford American Southern Music CDs (Oxford American)
Last year’s giveaway 2xCD by the great “Southern Magazine of Good Writing” topped my list and 2009’s is damn near. Ace stuff from all eras. Subscribe!
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6) Easter Monkeys Splendor of Sorrow (Smog Veil)
Vital re-ish of posthumous LP by forgotten Cleveland post-punk gods. Murky, swampy, sax-soaked mess a la Flipper + Cramps. Has the “hit” “Cheap Heroin.”
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7) James Blackshaw The Glass Bead Game (Young God)
Stunning ninth (!) album by virtuosic young UK acoustic guitar improviser. The heir to the chairs of John Fahey, Peter Walker, Sandy Bull, etc. Gorgeous.
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8) Dave Brubeck Quartet Time Out: Legacy Edition (Columbia/Legacy)
1959 cool jazz classic gets dee-luxe Legacy makeover: two CDs (original LP; live Newport sets from ’61, ’63, and ’64) plus DVD of performances, interviews.
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9) Anvil The Story of Anvil DVD (VH1 Films)
The music? Whatever. Not the selling point here. Most entertaining—and sobering—rock doc in eons. Makes Spinal Tap unnecessary while being uplifting.
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10) Various Artists Living is Hard: West African Music in Britain 1927-1929 (Honest John’s)
Raissa’s wise inclusion of this winning comp of old-world weirdness in her 2009 list reminded me that I foolishly left it off mine. So here it is. Get it on vinyl!
Peter Aaron (Chronogram music editor/Roll contributor/Chrome Cranks bigmouth)
