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Water Damage: Instruments – This Austin based collective of upwards of 11 members live by the motto ‘Maximum Repetition Minimal Deviation.’ Deep, immersive drones, often described as transcendental noise streams or ‘mind erasers.’
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YHWH Nailgun: 45 Pounds – Explosive, noise, polyrhythmic, dissonant, guttural… all describe their debut. Sacred and profane. Vintage drum nerds note: Roto toms are back!
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Rachel Kitchlew: Flirty Ghost – UK harpist debut is a beautiful instrumental collaboration with Oscar SHOLTO Robertson who has his own fantastic cinematic releases. Dorothy Ashby meets Henry Mancini.
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Tortoise: Touch – Chicago’s own record separately across the country after a nine year pause. Static filled jams sound refreshingly new because of that break or maybe it’s because they’re on a new label, the nu-jazz based International Anthem.
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Sessa: Pequena Vertigo de Amor - Tropicalia from Sao Paulo Brazil, Sergio Sayeg’s third full release is a soothing balm for the soul. His voice carries on in the tradition of great South American bossa nova/samba singers. I have no idea what he’s saying but Portuguese is so sexy it doesn’t matter.
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Juana Molina: Doga – Experimental pop music from Buenos Aires, Argentina. A long eight year break resulted in this wild and crazy, fun but musically complex release. I would have loved to get a physical copy of this kooky cover art, but shipping charges for overseas releases have skyrocketed thanks to he who cannot be named. This was the case with several LPs this year. so downloads sufficed.
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Adrian Sherwood: The Collapse Of Everything - A thirteen year break since Survival & Resistance AMS has gifted us with this full length named after a late great and co-conspirator Mark Stewart song. The late Keith LeBlanc appears on drums. Even Brian Eno makes a cameo on this sonic dubwise treat.
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Jeff Tweedy: Twilight Override – You’d think a triple LP would contain a lot of fluff, not so. This is some of his best songwriting and vocals of his career. Sons Sammy and Spencer make this a family affair. Apparently inspired by another triple LP Sandinista!
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Neko Case: Neon Grey Midnight Green - Fantastic ninth solo album pays tribute to Dexter Romweber, Dallas Good, Kim Shattuck and Garth Hudson. Seems like her voice just gets better with age.
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Steve Gunn: Music For Writers – One of two releases this year, this one – instrumental and the vocal Daylight Daylight. I prefer this one because it leaves more to the imagination. Sonic landscapes for snowbound homebodies. Thankful that Steve plays Tubby’s Kingston often.
Jeb Loy Nichols: This House Is Empty Without You - Another musician whose voice gets better with age. Low key country soul with subtle horns and background singers.
Nels Cline: Trio Of Bloom – Craig Taborn on keys, Marcus Gilmore on drums, Nels on guitars, lap steel and bass. Digital only release.
The Bug vs Ghost Dubs: Implosion – Barely there, skeletal dub that will test your speakers and patience.
Bonner Kramer: …and the crimson moon whispers goodbye – Shimmy Disc founder finds his real heritage and peace through ambient drone. Found out the hard way that distributor Joyful Noise screwed over Kramer and customers who ordered this. Had to cop this via youtube. Via email Kramer apologized and told me he was ceasing all future Shimmy Discs until he can find a reputable distributor.
Panda Bear: Sinister Grift - The single Defense with Cindy Lee on guitar was on loop for weeks!
Stereolab: Instant Holograms On Metal Film – Nothing really new or surprising here except the massive amount of merch available.
Astetke Mulatu: Mulatu Plays Mulatu – The father of Ethio-Jazz revisits his classics.
Natural Information Society & Bitchin’ Bajas: Totality - Psychedelic trance ambient improv drone.
The Orb: Buddhist Hipsters – Starting with guest Steve Hillage and ending with Roger Eno, a win win.
Blood Orange: Essex Honey – Emotional lyrics with samples from the Durutti Column, Elliot Smith and Ben Watt, even a Replacements nod called Westerberg.
Rose City Band: Sol y Sombra – Ripley Johnson’s psychedelic country band that features spacey pedal steel by Barry Walker.
Marshall Allen’s Ghost Horizons: Live in Philadelphia – 101 year old Allen released New Dawn and this rollicking romp this year.
Mister Romantic: What’s Not To Love? – John C. Reilly’s straight (non comedic) take on the Great American Songbook with a couple of Tom Waits covers thrown in. I dare you not to smile!
respectfully submitted to the Masters of Poop: MR & MZP thank you
billstill
see you on IG @b.still.life