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Swans – My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky (Young God)
Back after 13 years, and still on their own plane entirely. Epic, beautiful, and, yes, LOUD. Like earlier editions via Gira’s later Angels of Light. Sorry, kids: older = wiser.
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Various Artists – Brazilian Fuzz Guitar Bananas (Tropicalia in Furs)
Most insane psych comp in recent memory, easy. Scare singles ca. late ’60s/early ’70s deal an extra-warped Dada mind-blow by being in a foreign (acid-dipped) tongue. Crazy!
Oxford American
Various Artists – 12th Annual Southern Music CD (Oxford American magazine)
Once again this giveaway comp that comes with the yearly music issue of America’s coolest mag ruled my hi-fi. (Robert Plant’s, too.) 2010’s is all amazing Alabama artists.
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Iggy and the Stooges – Raw Power (Legacy Edition) (Columbia/Legacy Recordings)
The 2xCD (remastered album + unhinged ’73 live set) is mandatory, but the Deluxe 3xCD/1xDVD, which has all that plus demos and an awesome doc, is godhead. Get!
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Grinderman – Grinderman 2 (Mute)
Another repeat-hitter from 2009. If there was ever an aptly named band, it’s this gnashing, extra-curricular Bad Seeds quartet. Middle age rocks! Sorry again, youngsters.
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Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series Vol. 9: The Witmark Demos, 1962-1964 (Columbia/Legacy Recordings)
His recent studio albums—Xmas disc notwithstanding—and the seemingly bottomless, treasure-yielding Bootleg Series sure redeem his auto-pilot ’80s crap. More gold here.
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The Jim Jones Revue – Burning Your House Down (Punk Rock Blues)
That whole ground-zero, 4/4 rock ’n’ roll deal still works—if you really, really mean it. And these UK gentlemen most assuredly do. Call 911. (Fire extinguisher not included.)
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Jimi Hendrix – West Coast Seattle Boy (Experience Hendrix/Legacy Recordings)
True, Hendrix has already been anthologized to, uh, death. But this swank 4xCD/1xDVD box adds a disc of early R&B sideman cuts to fresh audio/visual rarities and highlights.
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Perrotta – Tonight (Independent)
Fine, lush local Hudson Valley pop record. Icy angst and a yearning, splayed-open heart. Real pretty, too. Leader Sarah Perrotta became a mom in 2010. Watch for return gigs.
Buy at DVD Planet
Leonard Cohen – Bird on a Wire DVD
Revelatory, you-are-there doc of 1974 world tour. Culminates with legendary stand-off between band and promoters at a gig in Israel. Tense, tangible taste of Cohen’s psyche.
Peter Aaron
Chronogram music editor, Roll contributor, Chrome Cranks/Avondale Airforce dude