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Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings – I Learned the Hard Way
Of course, it’s a little retro, but she doesn’t mimic the Motown or Stax mold. The songs are subtle with no killer bridges or gloss; yet they slowly take hold. It’s mature music about love and relationships gone bad. It’s soul.
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![]() Buy New or Used via amazon |
The Radio Dept. – Clinging to a Scheme Wonderful melodies, the Pet Shop Boys but less smarmy
Four tet – There is Love in You Ambient techno that is warm and hypnotic.
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Lucky Soul – A Coming of Age
This girl group revival hasn’t hit me yet. Lucky Soul comes close with the uplifting energy of Katrina and the Waves and a British accent.
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Portico Quartet – Isla
I could describe this as new age minimalist jazz with trance-like percussion and Kenny G solos, except I really like it. It’s not yuppie jazz. It’s not yuppie jazz…….
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Shakira – Sale el Sol
Although most Americans missed it, Shakira’s “Waka Waka” sparked World Cup Fever with global good will that would make Bono jealous. Multi-lingual pop that is a throwback to her earlier albums, heavy with Columbian rhythms and a few ballads.
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![]() Buy New or Used via amazon |
The Contrast – God of Malfunction / Superchunk – Majesty Shredding
Two unassuming power pop bands. Superchunk took a nine years break to dump their punk sound for a sweet twin guitar attack and songs like “My gap feels weird”. The Contrast’s sixth album was produced by Little Steven (their 2008 Perfect Disguise is even better).
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![]() Buy New or Used via amazon |
Robert Wyatt – For the Ghosts Within / Laurie Anderson – Homeland
Two old weirdo’s who haven’t lost a step. Wyatt includes seven jazz standards that he talks/croons with a breathy musicality. He also adds Middle Eastern flare, great sax solos, and some whistling. Laurie Anderson tells stories about America. It’s ethereal intellectual stuff that’s over my head except the opening line, “It’s a good time for bankers”.
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![]() Buy New or Used via amazon |
Neil Young – Le Noise / Johnny Cash – American VI: Ain’t No Grave
We’re not dead yet! Well, yes and no. Neil bats about 500, but the production’s loud, with heavy reverb and chunky garage riffs. Johnny Cash’s final(?) album is far more than that. The voice is frayed but the spirit isn’t as he looks back at a life well lived and redemption that is already here.
WORLD (African Reissues Rule)
Konono No.1 – Assume Crash Position
D.O. Misiani & Shirati Jazz – King of History (classic 70 Benga beats form Kenya)
Rikki Ililonga & Musi-O-Tynya – Dark Sunrise
Etoile De Dakar – Once a Time in Senegal
AfroCubism (self-titled)
Amanaz – Africa
COMPILATIONS
Africa 50 Years of Music (“We are all Africans”) – an 18 CD Box)
The World Ends: Afro Rock & Psychedelia in 1970s Nigeria,
African Pearls: Congo – Pont Sur Le Congo
Nigeria Afrobeat Special: The New Explosive Sound in 1970s Nigeria
Nigeria Special, Vol. 2 Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds and Nigerian Blues 1970
Next Stop… Soweto, Vols 1-3. Vol. 1 has Township vocals that could have been lifted from the classic Indestructible Beat of Soweto, but in Vol. 2, R & B and funk start moving in. You can forget the African connection, it’s like an undiscovered (but charmingly sloppy) Mar-Keys album with Ernie Isely on guitar. Vol 3 jazz – like lost funky Blue Note Classics.
RECYCLED OLD STUFF
Roy Brooks – Ethnic Expression
Catalyst – The Complete Recordings Vol. 1, Vol 2
Soft Machine – NDR Jazz Workshop
John Carter & Bobby Bradford – Mosaic Select
Ella Mae Morse – Rocks (Overlooked 40s vocalist who helped pave the way for rockabilly and Elvis),
V.A. – Cave of Clear Light – The Pye and Dawn Records Underground Trip 1967-1975
V.A. – Looking Towards the Sky (Ember Records)
These two compilations of English psychedelic, folk and progressive sounds that are not all lava lamps and trippy poetry. There is actual song structure with guitar solos that go places. A couple of ringers like Donovan and an undercover Stevie Winwood pitch in, but my favorite is the group – Demon Fuzz.
The Fleshtones – It’s Super Rock Time
Tommy Keene – Tommy Keene You Hear Me – A Retrospective
A garage band and power pop journeyman who have been around for years and finally get their due.
Kaleidoscope – Pulsating Dreams (where David Lindley got his start with a prescient mix of world music, old blues and 60s San Francisco psychedelia – although it doesn’t quite hold up for two CDs.
IT’s OLD BUT A-LIVE!
Hot Tuna – Live at the New Orleans House
Otis Redding – Live on the Sunset Strip
Moby Grape – Live The sound quality sucks. They recorded only one great album, this isn’t it.
V.A. – The T.A.M.I. Show Great concert DVD that includes The Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Berry and the Beach Boys. But who booked Leslie Gore and James Brown on the same bill?
JAZZ
Alan Holdsworth – Blues for Tony
John McLaughlin – To The One (70s fusion lives)
Keith Jarrett & Charles Haden – Jasmine
Paul Motian – Lost in a Dream
Thomas Stronenen/Food – Quiet Inlet
Jason Moran – Ten
Matthew Shipp – 4d
Steve Coleman & Five Elements – Harvesting Semblances and AffinitiesThe Mark Lomax Trio – The State of Black America
Jerome Sabbagh – I Will Follow You
The Last Electro-Acoustic Space Jazz & Percussion Ensemble – Miles Away
Angle – Epileptical West
Kenny Werner – No Beginning, No End
CLASSICAL
Isabelle Faust / Alexander Melnikov – Beethoven Complete Sonatas
Arcadi Volodos – in Vienna
Joyce DiDonato – Colbran, the Muse
Alexander Melnikov – Shostakovich, The Preludes & Fugue
Hilary Hahn – Higdon & Tchaikovsky
Veronica Cangem – Italia 1600 Argentina 1900
Paavo Jarvi – Beethoven Symphony No. 9
Retrospect Trio – Purcell: Ten Sonatas in Four Parts
Langgaard – Music of the Spheres
WORTHWHILE
Tom Petty – Mojo
Elizabeth Cook – Welder
Cinema Red and Blue – Cinema Red and Blue
Quadron – Quadron
Grinderman – 2
I’M SO ASHAMED
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Kylie Minogue – Aphrodite. She’s still cute as a button, and in search of vacuous love on the 70s dance floor. It’s mindless infectious fun where the bass line and drum machine kick in after 20 seconds of a slow sparkly intro. The tile “Can’t Beat the Feeling” pretty much sums it up – just don’t tell anyone.
MARKETING MADNESS
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![]() Buy New or Used via amazon |
Robyn – Body Talk 1, Body Talk 2, Body Talk / Bruce Springsteen – The Promise
Enough already. Two legitimate artists who know how to shill. Robyn’s fan (me included) shelled out for two EPs and then she drops plans for the third and, instead, releases a Body Talk 3 “Best of”. The Boss again releases “Darkness” outtakes with a (limited edition) kitchen sink box set. Skip it, but pick up his London Calling: Live in Hyde Park (DVD).
IS IT JUST ME, OR DOES THE PRODUCTION SUCK
Black Keys – Brothers
Smith Westerns – Smith Westerns
No Age – Everything in Between
INDIE MIND CONTROL
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![]() Buy New or Used via amazon |
Arcade Fire – The Suburbs / Deerhunter – Halcyon Digest
The Suburbs gets a solid B+ and some of it almost rocks, but enough of these “Indie”” favorites who are a little too serious, a little too talented, and try to dazzle you with multi genres of music. I take the Fleshtones and a six pack, and, uh, also Kylie Minogue (see above).