Dear POOPster:
So . . . there seems to be some agreement that 2016 could have been a tad better. If I may speak for many of you here, fuck you 2016, fuck you for so many reasons. As we approach the end of the world as we know it, we will have to find strength in the little things, as trivial as they might seem right now. And what could be more trivial than the 30th Annual(!) POOPlist.
Where do I begin? Like so many of us, it all changed on Election Night 2016. As I sat and watched the deterioration of our home, I was thinking about how I truly live in a bubble in New York, and the confirmation of ignorance from the rest of our country was devastating. I’m trying to be hopeful, but with every office appointment, it keeps getting worse. Just like Seth Meyers said, “we gave him his chance.” Can’t really say I heard a lot of music that inspired me this year as well. Drumming up the strength to talk about…
Mourn – Catholic Gilrfriends – Car Seat Headrest – Exploded View – Pinegrove – DIIV – Angel Olsen – Ty Segall – Brian Eno – Radiohead
ANOHNI – Avalanches – Billy Bragg + Joe Henry – Kano – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Robbie Fulks – Roisin Murphy – Solange – Sturgill Simpson – Swet Shop Boys – Annie Mac
Fuc# Fuc* Fuc* Fuc! Fuc@ Fuc& Fuc^ Fuc% Fuc*… Some good music this year, I’m sure. And then November. I listened to more Blue Note, ESP, and 90’s guitar rock than anything new this year. I expect, and desperately hope that next year produces some much needed art and protest. I’ve got the flu and don’t really feel like doing this right now so if you don’t agree with my choices, please consider them alternative facts. 1. David Bowie – Blackstar 2. Wilco – Schmilco 3. Nels Cline – Lovers 4. The Weakerthans – Reconstruction Site (reissue) 5. Dinosaur jr….
2016 blah blah blah. Gotta stay positive. Bunch of white dudes playing guitars listed below. Whatever. I wrote like 750 words on the Samson album – it came out two weeks before the election and really hit me hard in the aftermath – but I think it was more therapeutic than anything. Here’s to the future. John K Samson – Winter Wheat Beach Slang – A Loud Bash Of Teenage Feelings The I Don’t Cares – Wild Stab The Posies – Solid States Parquet Courts – Human Performance Bob Mould – Patch The Sky Drive By Truckers – American Band…
INSERT POLITICAL RANT HERE. I’m sure it’s being said better, elsewhere. I should have listened to my Dad, who said DT would win the whole time. And my Dad is not a Lefty hippie anarchist; he’s a 91 year old WW2 veteran. Upon hearing that Steve Bannon was hired for DT’s campaign his words were, “They hired that Nazi from Breitbart.” Oy. Anyways, as always, this is like pulling teeth, but here we go… Buy New or Used via Amazon Rent via iTunes [?] 1. Idris Ackamoor and the Pyramids – WE ALL BE AFRICANS. Sun Ra, Afro-beat, Spiritual Jazz….
PRISONER OF MY OWN TASTE It’s official. I’ve stopped looking for music by new artists. If whatever is out there is good enough, I’m figuring it’ll find me. As in the previous few years, about half my list this time around is either old stuff or it’s new stuff trying to be old stuff, a trend I don’t see reversing itself anytime soon. Wait a minute…where have I read that before? But, it’s true. I find myself listening to old stuff all the time. Like this October, I started listening to British folk music and just kept at it all…
20 Best Jazz Albums of 2016 – Jeff Parker – AZIZA – Donny McCaslin – Esperanza Spalding – Jack DeJohnette – John Scofield – Julian Lage – Kris Davis – MAST – Matthew Garrison – Ravi Coltrane – The Robert Glasper Experiment
Car Seat Headrest – Frank Ocean – Kevin Morby – Chance the Rapper – Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam – Andy Shauf – Parquet Courts – Pinegrove – Lucy Dacus – Hiss Golden Messenger
Run the Jewels – Whores – The Bodies – Danny Brown – Sturgill Simpson – Deftones – Kendrick Lamar – Nick Cave – A Tribe Called Quest – Childish Gambino – Solange
2016… Can’t say I’m gonna miss you, what with the high musician body count and the end of America as we’ve known it. Still, some good art was made, some damn fine music to be had. Here’s my year end offering from a small patch of it… NOTE: I stayed away from soundtracks, compilations and reissues, tho’ many good things were to be had (e.g. Scott Walker, Close to the Noise Floor, and Coil and Yoko Ono, respectively). FALSE START Buy New or Used via Amazon Rent via iTunes [?] David Bowie – Blackstar (ISO Records) I really can’t include…
2016. Where to begin? To paraphuck Charles Dickens, it was the worst of times . . . period. It was a year of unfathomable loss. Yes, the music world lost far too many big names, but that’s not the loss I am referring to. America lost its heart and its compassion, its soul, its purpose, its way. At this point, all I can ask Not-Mein-Fuhrer is to please not break anything too, too badly. Unfortunately I have very little faith in that happening. America has a president with serious and deep-rooted psychological problems who just might find unimaginable ways to…
16 Albums for 2016 Dan Wilmer, Alexandria, VA Egad, what a year. Good music helped…a bit. Buy New or Used via Amazon Rent via iTunes [?] 1. Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial. I like a lot of the other albums on this list, some a whole bunch. This is on a whole different level. “Fill in the Blanks” offers a punky rev-up to get things started, while mod-influenced songs like “Connect the Dots” seem destined to be featured in a future Wes Anderson movie. But the real highlights are tracks like “Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales,” and “Joe…
Favorite Album Sam Beam and Jessca Hoop: Love Letter For Fire Favorite Americana Albums Jake Bugg: On My One Avett Brothers: True Sadnes John Prine: For Better, Or Worse Graham Nash: This Path Tonight Jayhawks: Paging Mr. Proust Neil Young: Peace Trail Chris Stapleton: Traveler (2015) Timothy B. Schmit: Leap of Faith Favorite Farewell Albums David Bowie: Blackstar Leonard Cohen: You Want It Darker Nick Cave (to his son): Skeleton Key Favorite Rock Albums Jeff Beck: Loud Hailer Tedeschi Trucks Band: Let Me Get By The Monkees: Good Times Green Day: Revolution Radio Frankie Miller: Frankie Miller’s Double Take Alejandro…
Albums 1. Kanye West, The Life of Pablo 2. Kvelertak, Nattesferd 3. Car Seat Headrest, Teens of Denial 4. Nails, You Will Never Be One of Us 5. Danny Brown, Atrocity Exhibition 6. The Avalanches, Wildflower 7. Heron Oblivion, Heron Oblivion 8. Bon Iver, 22, A Million 9. The Julie Ruin, Hit Reset 10. Metallica, Hardwired… To Self-Destruct Apologies: Angel Olsen, My Woman; Nicolas Jaar, Sirens; Mean Jeans, Tight New Dimension; Preoccupations, Preoccupations; Diarrhea Planet, Turn to Gold It’s good that we got life-affirming, politically charged music this year–we needed it. This is the uncynical take….
2016 in POOP Looking back over the last 12 months I thought it was going to be hard to find things that are specifically 2016 but spending the last few days reviewing a ton of stuff looking for those that have 2016 stamped on them proved to be a fun exercise. There was some great freaking music made last year. My list from last year included a bunch of things that were new to me in the 2015, but not new. This year it will be all 2016 releases. Buy New or Used via Amazon Rent via iTunes [?] 1….
What else can be said about 2016 that hasn’t been said. The deaths of cultural touchstones I grew up with. For me it was Leonard Cohen, Prince and Bowie, as well as personal favourites such as Greg Lake (ELP and King Crimson) and Phife Dog (A Tribe Called Quest) Then to top it off, George Michael. But then there was this election. It still doesn’t make sense that Trump somehow got the office. But I guess emails were more important than ties to Putin and Russia. It was also the year the Chicago Cubs broke their drought and won the…
1. WILLIE NILE- World War Wilie – As screwed up as things were last year, this was an escape. It got played often and always made me smile. Willie is as dependable as musicians get these days. While everybody else struggles to put out albums, this is his 5th in 7 years. And ends with a great version of “Sweet Jane.”
World’s End Girlfriend ~ Last Waltz (Virgin Babylon)
God? Light? The prayers rise to the heavens. As the end of the world approaches, the frenzied orchestra plays its heart out: the soprano strains her voice, the violinist snaps her strings, the drummer breaks his sticks, all in vain. This is the end of kingdoms and kings, of strivings and searchings, crumpled up like a child’s paper doll, thrown in the fire, turned to ash, then blown away.