YTD recordings listened to: 505
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 293
Not good music: 173
Honorable Mentions: 14
Buys: 9
Possibles: Chris McGregor, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Dave Arner Trio, Bill Horist, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, About Group, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Debruit, Slidhr, The Whammies, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, Spacesuits, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Mohamed Abozekry, Dawn Richard, Leo Welch, Astral Swans, Mastery, Leviathan, Xibalba, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Ellen Jewell, Akitsa, Chico Trujillo, Richard Thompson
@@@ Canaan Smith: Bronco (Mercury Nashville, 2015). Some new country music off the Beats Highlights page. I don’t hear the Bon Jovi and AC/DC influence often encountered in today’s new country records, I hear a Christopher Cross, sensitive 1970’s rocker type of vibe. These aren’t get up and party power chords, they’re more melancholic/sentimental power chords. Impeccable production, cliche lyrics, references to Southern culture there but not flying the Confederate flag.
@@@ The Weather Station: All of It is Mine (You’ve Changed Records, 2015). Some fragile indie folk I got to via the CFUV weekly playlist email. Very waif-y female voice with acoustic guitar, banjo, some ambient drums. It’s very pretty and inward looking — not necessarily from the lyrics but the way all the sounds are put together. Check it out.
@@@ Desaparecidos: Payola (Epitaph, 2015). Also off the Beats Highlights page. To my ears this sounds like some slight off kilter Southern California style three chord guitar punk but with a singer that sounds like the Modest Mouse singer. The band is high energy, there’s plenty of old school punk sing along vocal hooks.
@@@ Slacktone: Coffin Closer (Not sure, 2007) A good antidote to the three chord punk — these guys are a blistering surf band that I saw is playing at a KFJC gig in California, if they haven’t run out of water by then. The rhythm section is foundational and the guitar player gets into an all American hyper-melodic shred. Flavor, chops, vibe, he’s got it all going on. A guitar tone that is sweet and sharp as a knife at the same time — delicious! Check these dudes out, it’s summer, don’t be such close minded assholes.
Deep In the Music 