6/28/16: Kandace Springs, Riff Raff, Mick Harvey

@@@ Kandace Springs: Soul Eyes (Blue Note, 2016).  Intimate adult alternative baby food in the sleepy tradition of Norah Jones and some Cassandra Wilson records.  Instrumentation is strummed acoustic, swelling organ (filthy!), drums bass, piano.  Don’t worry rich ignorant yuppies all the sounds are butter smooth for you weak sensibilities.  You can’t blame musicians for trying to scratch out a living but you can blame the label for putting out such fibre-less cotton candy and you can blame listeners for keeping the market for this style going.

@@@  Riff Raff: Peach Panther (Neon Nation, 2016).  Some erector set, white trash strip club hip hop off the All Music weekly email.  Skittery hats over the essential boom bap with .99 cent synth sounds and some very sweet bass blast that should be much higher in the mix.  The rapper sounds black and the meatball on the cover is a big chunk of white meat, not that any of it matters.  We don’t do identity politics here on this here blog, but it is a bit confusing who is supposed to receive and love this music.  The second tune is a celebration of Mexican ga-jillionaire Carlos Slim, that’s pretty interesting.  If you’re up for a celebration of money and hustles but done with extremely childish synth sounds this will work for you.

@@@ Mick Harvey: Delirium Tremens (Mute, 2016).  Some slightly off kilter indie I got to via the All Music weekly email.  To give you an idea of what we’re talking about the first tune is called The Man with the Cabbage Head.  I don’t think I would choose a Cabbage Head, I would much prefer a dog’s head — maybe a cheeky poodle, or a sleek pit bull.  If I were forced to choose a vegetable for a head I believe I might prefer a nice broccoli head or a well proportioned pumpkin.  That would work for me.  Oh the music, it’s sort of cracked British parlor music with odd lyrics, occasional moments of rocking, a wee bit of lounge-ness.  I don’t know why they put the cabbage head song first as I like what comes after much better.

YTD recordings listened to: 531
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 294
Not good music: 197

Honorable Mentions: 9
Buys: 9

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Dave Arner Trio, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Dawn Richard, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Akitsa, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Destruction Unit, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Mystic Braves, Divanhana, Unrestrained, Moken, Systema Solar, Brian Eno, Juan Atkins, Drone, Lantern, The Lickshots, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, Xenia Rubinos, Eli Paperboy Reed, Miramar

6/27/16: Assaulter, DJ Shadow, Becky G., The Avalanches

@@@Assaulter: Boundless! (Metal Blade, 2011)  A metal reissue I got to via my weekly heavy music email.  Big squeal/kachunk double shot on this first tune over hard rock sounding drums.  And enter the pissed off, constricted throat orc.  Lot’s of guitars here.  The second tune brings on the classic thrash and I dig it.  The orc sounds good here, hoping up and down over a pumped up thrash vibe that also incorporates classic metal shredding and even a pube of swing.  The third tune opens up rolling, big drum rolls and then into a classic metal motorcycle stomp.  This is the best of what I heard.

@@@ DJ Shadow: The Mountain Shall Fall (Mass Appeal, 2016).  DJ Shadow’s new cheese biscuit is getting a push out of the music business intestine.  He opens up synth-y with a wee bit of freak but an icy beat that is decidedly absent of funk, some pulsating Star Wars synths, bird synths and a little twisting wang at points.  Let’s peep on.  There are multiple guests which always smacks of reconstructing or expanding an audience via the use of guests.  This second tune features Run the Jewels and though I’m a huge Killer Mike fan for what he did for Bernie Sanders I haven’t been a huge fan of previous Run the Jewels efforts.  This tune is happening, the beat is mo funky and the Killer Mike El P combo platter is flavorful.  Swaggering horn line and nice pumping old school stringy bass.  So I didn’t like the first tune, and really liked the second tune and this third has a nice skitter but his beats are more than a bit cold.  Super sharp and a bit video game sounding.  Some nice sounds but overall a mixed bag and shit.

@@@ Becky G: Sola (Kemosabe, 2016).  A Spanish language electro jam I got to via the Apple Music front page.  Loverboy with a bundle of stick sounding percussion clicking and popping in this tune.  Also a bit of slow dancehall and a snaky and a circular synth line.  It’s not the worst sound and it looks like you have Drake to blame if you don’t feel this combo platter.  It’s a tad funky, it’s a little lounge-y, it’s a tad clubby and smooth and that’s what Drake is all about.  You know he’s got a pool in L.A. an it’s bigger than Dre’s.

@@@ The Avalanches: Subways (Modular 2016).  A half assed disco collage that appears influenced by the ol’ Parliament tune Carwash.  Or was Carwash done by the other George Clinton insanity vehicle Funkadelic?   I apologize for the blank hard drive sector.  Oh yeah, this tune has blossomed out into full new disco and it stinks.  The main vocal hook is ‘You walk on the subway, and it moves you around’.  Could this be a grade school instructional tune to explain to schoolchildren what the subway does?  That’s the view from here.

YTD recordings listened to: 528
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 293
Not good music: 196

Honorable Mentions: 9
Buys: 9

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Dave Arner Trio, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Dawn Richard, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Akitsa, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Destruction Unit, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Mystic Braves, Divanhana, Unrestrained, Moken, Systema Solar, Brian Eno, Juan Atkins, Drone, Lantern, The Lickshots, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, Xenia Rubinos, Eli Paperboy Reed, Miramar

6/24/16: Hammers of Misfortune, The Interrupters, Christian Fennesz, Jacob Latimore

@@@ Hammers of Misfortune: Sea of Heroes (Metal Blade, 2016).  A midtempo hard rock stomper I got to via the indie music blog Indiepulse.  Big ol’ school riffage with hard rock drums — wow the vocals came in with some sweet operatic falsetto.  Epic elf metal, you can’t fuck with it!  So I’m getting the distinct impression that there are some prog records afoot in this band’s collection.  Oh they’ve taken off the mask and they’ve gone full prog mixed with Queen.  Wow, not my thing but if it is check it out.

You can stream it up over here at Stereobum.

@@@ The Interrupters: Say it Loud (Hellcat, 2016).  Punky ska that I got to via this week’s All Music weekly email.  Female singer, skanking guitar alternating with classic Orange county punk mixed with a little Irish hardcore shout along vocal hooks.  I like this first track let us peep more.  These guys have a wall of vocals working and it is working overtime on the third tune Babylon.  Oh wait the junk store organ is coming and you can’t fuck with that.  Imma gonna have to swing back on this record.

@@@ Christian Fennesz: It’s Hard For Me to Say I’m Sorry (Editions Mego, 2016).  Some experiment ambient off this week’s All Music notable release email.  This has more than a touch of jazz improv in it — lots of long swelling guitar tones, clouds behind it.  I like the spacing and the swirl of this music but I wish it was more abstract.  Let me give a quick peep to the second track — there are only two 20 minute tracks so it’s somewhat easy to get a grip on the vibe of this record.  This second tune is opening up bleep-y; more than a tad inter-galactic.

@@@ Jacob Latimore: Remember Me ( , 2016).  More than a few Michael Jackson sounds on tis single I got to via the r&b section on Apple Music.  He sings a tad like MJ but without the falsetto and with more loverboy sauce.  The beat is straight, the production and arrangement is slightly updated but this is pretty firmly rooted in ’80s pop soul.

YTD recordings listened to: 524
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 291
Not good music: 194

Honorable Mentions: 9
Buys: 9

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Dave Arner Trio, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Dawn Richard, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Akitsa, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Destruction Unit, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Mystic Braves, Divanhana, Unrestrained, Moken, Systema Solar, Brian Eno, Juan Atkins, Drone, Lantern, The Lickshots, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, Xenia Rubinos, Eli Paperboy Reed, Miramar

6/22/16: Red Hot Chili Peppers

@@@ Red Hot Chili Peppers: The Getaway (Warner, 2016)  I read some folks losing their nut a little bit about the first single off this record.  I thought it was okay.  Thus far the first tune beats out that fist single that I”m peeping now.  I’m hearing a lot of more U2 mainstream delayed guitar than the more traditional more funky/punky/Hendrix-y playing of previous Chili Peppers guitar players.  I also don’t like the piano in this second tune.  The third tune We Turn Red returns to a classic Chili Pepper neighborhood with a Led Zeppelin-esque beat, twanky guitar and popping Flea.  I kind of like how groomed the record sounds in places and I don’t like that sound in places.  Same on the funk sections — I like the drum beat in this tune is cool but the guitar is pretty cliche.  The fourth tune, the Wave — I like the trippy break that comes after the verse which I don’t love.  Smells like a mixed bag to me.  Parts I like have vocals I don’t like, a beat I like with a guitar part I don’t like, it seems like they’re really trying to sound like a somewhat different band than they I remember them as.  Which is their right but so is my right to not go bananas.

YTD recordings listened to: 520
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 289
Not good music: 192

Honorable Mentions: 9
Buys: 9

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Dave Arner Trio, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Dawn Richard, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Akitsa, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Destruction Unit, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Mystic Braves, Divanhana, Unrestrained, Moken, Systema Solar, Brian Eno, Juan Atkins, Drone, Lantern, The Lickshots, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, Xenia Rubinos, Eli Paperboy Reed, Miramar

6/21/16: Miramar, Kutiman, Peter Gabriel

@@@ Miramar: Dedication to Sylvia Rexach (Barbes, 2016).  Some super romantic and plesantly luscious Latin music that I got to via the WRIR weekly charts email.  INstrumentation is piano, strings, bass, hand drum and a male and female singer that are just plain milking.  Not breathing like they’re about to jizz their trousers just super goey feelings of love and sweetness.  Let me bio this pair.  This record is inspired by a Puerto Rican bolero composer and I’m feeling the organ and nylon string guitar in this second tune.  One of the main goals for this blog is to deliver high quality music for cubicle dwellers that is good for the mental health.  No cheese, no manipulation just beautiful without the mozzarella.  This record qualifies and it will work for insurance company employees, people working and shopping at the Gap and other members of what I call the Norms.  Imma gonna swing back on this record when I can get a drink with a pink umbrella in it and kick back.  Right now I’m outside an oil change joint in Ohio so it’s not super appropriate, but this music is taking me away from the petrochemical vibes.  Understated and sophisticated sounds to be found here.

@@@ Kutiman: 6AM (Siyal, 2016)  Let’s stick with WRIR’s weekly email as they hooked me up on that last disc.  My bandwidth is challenged, fie on you lube joint!!!  This first tune opens up psych with phased guitars and old school hippie organs.  A cross between stoner rock and beardie music.  Jimmie jambalaya, dudes and dudettes no need to sweat neither the giant cheese doodle Trump nor the Pant Suit Warrior Clinton, we’re fucked either way.  Kick back with a sleeve of kush and chill, that’s why the pot was legalized.  Let’s check the next tune, this jam is solid B material but everybody knows I like to jump up and down.

@@@ Peter Gabriel: I’m Amazing ( , 2016).  World music prog star Peter Gabriel goes self help/New Age in this single I found on Apple Music.  It opens up super downtempo and then explodes higher into a brisk Euro dance/world music groove.  He’s here to push us down and then pulls us back up!!  I’ve always liked Gabriel’s voice and he’s got some nice process guitar slipped into this tune.  He’s going out calmed back down, I guess he was amazing for just a brief time.  Oh wait, he’s going back for another round of uplift and it’s better than the first time around.  He’s peaking, dude he’s peaking with an African singer to boot!  He should gotten right to this part.

YTD recordings listened to: 520
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 289
Not good music: 192

Honorable Mentions: 9
Buys: 9

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Dave Arner Trio, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Dawn Richard, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Akitsa, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Destruction Unit, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Mystic Braves, Divanhana, Unrestrained, Moken, Systema Solar, Brian Eno, Juan Atkins, Drone, Lantern, The Lickshots, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, Xenia Rubinos, Eli Paperboy Reed, Miramar

6/20/16: The Felice Brothers, Palmistry, Gojira

@@@ The Felice Brothers: Life in the Dark (Yep Roc, 2016).  There are two songs up on the Apple Music from this upcoming full length due out June 24.  I got to this record via the Salon so the records is coming out and their publicist has a feature for them in the Salon.  That’s how it works people.  The singer has mad Dylan twang, they got a little zydeco vibe going on this tune Aerosol Ball, and they’re showing their upstate New York smart aleck redneck flag.  Nice old school sidewalk/toy kit drumset sound, an accordion, and other roots music sauce to go with mostly hipster lyrics.  This second tune Plunder retains the same Dylan twang, half nonsense lyrics, and a more rocking electric guitar sound.  It’s all right and it makes me want a craft brew beer for sure.

@@@ Palmistry: Pagan (Mixpak, 2016).  I peeped this record off the front page of Apple Music because it’s blurbed as a soft version of dancehall reggae.  I hear that but to be honest this first tune leans more towards a club ballad more than it does dancehall.  It’s like a big inflatable Drake tune stuffed with cotton candy and worms.  Let’s peep another pad of butter here.  Oh boy the formula continues.  The singer has no muscle tone whatsoever, he almost sounds like a cartoon character.  They keep working very diluted dancehall rhythms.  It’s a good concept but this is kinda tragic dancehall car accident.  Oh how the singer does annoy, but peep it if it sounds good to you.

@@@ Gojira: Magma (Roadrunner, 2016)  Some pretty mainstream metal I got to via the metal page on Apple Music.  I’m out of town and riding around for about the next ten days so access to the intertoobz is sporadic and I don’t have time to dig for new music.  The shovel will be back in action soon.  This first tune is a wee grungy and a wee Jane’s Addiction-y.  Mostly metal sounding drums with a thick slab of beef kick drum sound, a crunchy bass sound.  Wow, 2 million views for the tune below, that doesn’t seem right or I don’t know anything about music.  Let’s skip to the second tune which is a bit of a pusher — there’s some nice guitar work going on here and a generally more interesting arrangement than in the opener.  The singer is pretty mannered and understandable for a metal dude.  He sings and does some pissed work but no caveman, he’s a gent by comparison.  I just caught the line when you change yourself you change the world.  Huh, what to make of that?

YTD recordings listened to: 517
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 287
Not good music: 192

Honorable Mentions: 9
Buys: 9

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Dave Arner Trio, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Dawn Richard, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Akitsa, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Destruction Unit, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Mystic Braves, Divanhana, Unrestrained, Moken, Systema Solar, Brian Eno, Juan Atkins, Drone, Lantern, The Lickshots, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, Xenia Rubinos, Eli Paperboy Reed

6/18/16: Caveman, Jambinai

@@@  Caveman: Otero Water (Cinematic Music Group, 2016)  Super mainstream pop rock with synths that is on the front page of Apple Music.  Apparently these guys hail from Brooklyn so that’s cool.  I’m from Brooklyn and I think this is marketing as to my ears this is Wal-Mart rock that is really well produced and just a wee bit less cheesy than cheesy as fuck.  If loyal readers like power chords, cliche lyrics, epic ’80s turd rock these guys will shoot it right in your eyeball. #plasticbullshit!  This tune is on the GooglePimp posted by Pitchfork.  Well Pitchfork was purchased by Conde Nast, a huge media company and it looks like they’re making the shift to shovelling cheese out into the suburbs pretty well.

@@@ Jambinai: A Hermitage (Bella Union, 2016).  Some squally post-rock indie I got to via last week’s All Music weekly email.  A little mainstream, a little art school with a few pubes of Nine Inch Nails, and a Perry Farrrell toenail in the hopper.  I see from the GooglePimp video below that these gents may be from Korea.  They have some interesting sounds going on but if they’re going to go on this trip they should get a tad Owsley with it and really let the shit break down.

YTD recordings listened to: 514
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 285
Not good music: 191

Honorable Mentions: 9
Buys: 9

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Dave Arner Trio, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Dawn Richard, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Akitsa, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Destruction Unit, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Mystic Braves, Divanhana, Unrestrained, Moken, Systema Solar, Brian Eno, Juan Atkins, Drone, Lantern, The Lickshots, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, Xenia Rubinos, Eli Paperboy Reed

Best of 2016 Pick 7

Eliades Ochoa: Leyendas (Plus One, 2016)

Great percussion, excellent stringed instrument playing (plenty of big solos), beautiful vocal arrangments — all the elements of a record of Cuban music that will deliver an oodle of great listens.  Man, when this percussion player hits itin the first tune, El Cuarto De Tula, welcome to flavor country people (that video is clipped below for your earholes, btw).  Ochoa is/was one of the Buena Vista Social Club sideman, but this music sounds much more traditional than the more polished for gringo music of Buena Vista.

This record is up on the streaming services, but I could not find a lot of videos on the GooglePimp and Soundcloud, so you only get the tune below to check out what this record is about.  If you dig Cuban music, check this one out it’s a monster shot.  And if you don’t like Cuban music there might be something wrong with you.

6/17/16: Quantic, Danny Brown, The Skiffle Players

@@@ Quantic: 1000 Watts (Tru Thoughts, 2016).  Quantic is a pretty prolific fella but I think this is his first foray into dub music and the first track is pretty authentic roots.  Very thick bass sound with nice splashy hats and spring reverbed as fuck stick snare sounds to go with your sweet horn lines.  The second tune A Life Worth Living sports more modern production with U-Roy as guest vocalist.  I think the emphasis here is more melodic horn playing an uplifting vibes rather than cracked and blunted dub.  I like both styles with a slight preference for the latter.

@@@ Danny Brown: When it Rain (Warp Records, 2016)  An odd mash of influences in this hip hop single I got to via the Apple Music front page.  They got a little surf guitar, a little Casio garnish, some electronic synth candy, some metallic percussion in lieu — not in lieu but preceding a more conventional fat booty bass.  However the manic, full meth rhyme spitting is the star here though the arrangement is pretty slick.  It’s exhausting and catchy at the same time.

@@@ Skiffle Players: Skifflin’ (Spiritual Pajamas, 2016).  A alt-folk/jam band record from some indie superstahs that I have never heard of.  This is some pretty lightweight hippie-jam-roots.  The singer sounds like he works in a pillow shop and the vibe is super friendly.  I hate that, where’s the edge and the bitterness?  I guess inside me.  I like this second tune, A Star for You despite it’s Phish-iness.  The bass player is very engaging, I dig that.  This is for shiny happy people and I have nothing against you folks, but c’mon.

YTD recordings listened to: 512
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 284
Not good music: 190

Honorable Mentions: 9
Buys: 9

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Dave Arner Trio, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Dawn Richard, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Akitsa, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Destruction Unit, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Mystic Braves, Divanhana, Unrestrained, Moken, Systema Solar, Brian Eno, Juan Atkins, Drone, Lantern, The Lickshots, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, Xenia Rubinos, Eli Paperboy Reed

 

6/16/16: Phantogram, Diarrhea Planet!

@@@ Phantogram: You Don’t Get Me High Anymore (Republic, 2016).  I don’t know why I’m listening to this tune.  What can you expect from a tune called You Don’t Get Me High Anymore.  It is an interesting mash of half funky rock beats, synth rock, a little disco horn action and some electronic music elements including some eq sweeps and ice queen vocal moments.  Sounds aside the hook is pretty B-.  She used to take one, now it takes four.  Puh-lease with the high school stupid.

@@@ Diarrhea Planet: Turn to Gold (Infinity Cat, 2016).  Now if checking out a tune You Don’t Get Me High Anymore how can you not check out a band called Diarrhea Planet.  Not only that but All Music is calling it a slacker rock masterpiece.  This first tune is really slack, sleepytime slack, a couple of big guitar riffs over a rolling snare.  Let’s skip ahead as right now I’m hearing more diarrhea than masterpiece.  Oh wait, they’re going epic, sort of David Bowie has a love child with Cheap Trick while Wilco watches.  There’s more than a couple of teaspoons of Meatloaf floating around these arrangements.  This second tune features a singer and he’s all right.  Not too slack at all.  Basically these guys are a mainstream rock band but they get into these proggy shredding guitars.  I’m feeling a bit Weezer-y on this third tune so I think these guys are going to be flashing a lot of rock sub-genre sounds.  It’s pretty good.  I’m not shitting my pants (or filling them with diarrhea!) but I’m grateful to be able to discuss and talk about diarrhea extensively.  I would also check out a record called to Turn to Diarrhea by Gold Planet.

YTD recordings listened to: 509
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 282
Not good music: 189

Honorable Mentions: 9
Buys: 9

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Dave Arner Trio, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Dawn Richard, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Akitsa, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Destruction Unit, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Mystic Braves, Divanhana, Unrestrained, Moken, Systema Solar, Brian Eno, Juan Atkins, Drone, Lantern, The Lickshots, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, Xenia Rubinos, Eli Paperboy Reed