Music for 8/31/17!!! L.A. Salami, Bodies of Water, Brian McKnight

@@@ L.A. Salami: L.A. Salami Presents Lookman and the Bootmakers EP (Sunday Best, 2017) I got to this folk record via a music blog that followed this music blog.  Blog blog blog.  The most dominant element in this first tune is Salami’s highbrow English accent.  I’m not saying he’s highbrow but he’s got literate lyrics going and a mannered delivery.  Simple bass accompaniment and strummed acoustic guitar along for the ride.  That’s a long 4 minute song so let’s peep a bit more.  It’s never a good situation when a song feels mad long.  In the second tune we get a drummer and an electric guitar accompaniment added to the Salami.  This is more of a rock biscuit and it’s all right.  I don’t despise Mr. Salami’s music but I’m not jumping up and down after nibbles on four of the Salami’s tracks.

@@@ Brian McKnight: Genesis (SoNo Recording Group, 2017)  Some pretty futuristic r&b off this week’s All Music notable release email.  The first tune is a pro-environmental  track that I kinda get with.  This second tune is a super huge love ballad with piano and emotive vocals.  He wants her, most definitely.  I’m kinda torn on this space age production — it’s very intricate which I like but it’s also slick and that drains a tad of humanity from the proceedings.  It feels like you’re listening to a robot band, which I’m sure is being designed right now.  Cuz you don’t have to pay royalties to robots, because they don’t have to eat.  It’s not a formula I super feel but if you do this is comfort r&b, very empathetic and emotional.

@@@ Bodies of Water: Spear in the City (Secretly Canadian, 2017)  Somebody in this band has some David Bowie records in their collection.  I think it’s the singer.  This is some art school indie, serious in intent but with a tambourine.   A tambourine is almost always a great sign!  Let’s peep more.  I can’t place exactly who this singer sounds like — yes, it’s that bald bitch in Midnight Oil, who I am sure is a great fella.  He’s just bald.  It’s not a David Booey record, it’s a closeted arena rock record with a serious singer.  I’m not a big fan of the sexy frontman, nor the serious frontman.  I like some of the guitar player’s work, he’s grabbing my ear in places.  This is too earnest for me, maybe the singer’s name is Ernest.  That would be fitting.

YTD recordings listened to: 566
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 303
Not good music: 237

Buys: 8
Honorable Mentions: 6

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Toxic Holocaust, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Moken, Juan Atkins, Lantern, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, The Oh Sees, Denny Zeitlin, MILF, Unfun, De La Soul, Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes, Magrudergrind, A Tribe Called Quest, Noname, Gouge Away, Anna Hogberg, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, James Brandon Lewis, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, J.I.D., Oddisee, Forro in the Dark, RAM, Fiver, Dona Onete, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, American Lips, Sudan Archives

Music for 8/30/17!!! Iron & Wine, Filthy Friends, Fifth Harmony, ESSO Afrojam Funkbeat

@@@ Iron & Wine: Beast Epic (Sub Pop, 2017)  A pillar of the slack indie scene I like this first tune and I got to this via this week’s All Music playlist email.  The singer is extremely welcoming and warm and the playing is medium energy and also not abrasive.  Myself I dig contrasts but I am a freak as I prefer the collision of different feelings.  That’s life.  Is it bitchy for me to lament that I wish there was a tad more muscle tucked up into this business.  You put some toughness subtly tucked with the tenderness then I’m all for it.  And you say how can something be too pretty and I say it happens all the time.  I like it, but there would be more depth if there was more contrast.

@@@ Filthy Friends: Invitation (Kill Rock Stars, 2017)  Some guitar indie also off this week’s All Music notable release email.  This is a watered down Sleater Kinney kinda thing and I don’t mean that in a mean way.  It’s just not amped the same way.  The singer is very similar to the Sleater Kinney gal.  There’s a few pubes of arena rock up in this sonic formula — it’s like Cheap Trick dry humped Sleater Kinney.  Not really my thang but have at it.  Guitar shreds, some hooks, some dirt but not too much.

@@@ Fifth Harmony: Fifth Harmony (Sony Music, 2017)  The video clipped below has 11 million views so we know we up in the mainstream shit people.  Three sisters busting out some singing over a Drake like arrangement.  God, I’m sure Drake is a great human being but I fucking hate him.  His shit is like pudding — there’s only so much pudding one person can eat, right?  This is an undercover dancehall variant.  Let’s peep more but it’s pretty clear how things are going here.  Gucci Mane taking some rhymes…meh.  I like the ladies and how they harmonize and I don’t hate the arrangements it’s just they’re Drake-y.  That’s right, I’ll shit on Drake, he’s just a dude from Toronto.

@@@ Esso Afrojam Funkbeat: Somos Hermanos (Self-released, 2017)  A pre-release single off an upcoming full length and it’s a Latin variant on Afrobeat.  Less swaggering horn lines, big vocal chant singing, lyrics in Spanish and a very rhythmic but lighter approach to the Afrobeat concept.  I would call this breezy and an interesting mash of Latin and African flavors.  Check it out.

YTD recordings listened to: 563
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 302
Not good music: 236

Buys: 8
Honorable Mentions: 6

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Toxic Holocaust, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Moken, Juan Atkins, Lantern, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, The Oh Sees, Denny Zeitlin, MILF, Unfun, De La Soul, Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes, Magrudergrind, A Tribe Called Quest, Noname, Gouge Away, Anna Hogberg, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, James Brandon Lewis, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, J.I.D., Oddisee, Forro in the Dark, RAM, Fiver, Dona Onete, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, American Lips, Sudan Archives

Music for 8/29/17!!! Action Bronson, Photay, Kamaiyah

@@@ Action Bronson: 9-24-7000 (Atlantic, 2017) I love Action Bronson.  I’m not sure why and it’s not really love but I check his shit out.  This is the first single off a new record and it’s less one dude and a drum machine with a synth — he’s got a guitar player and what sounds like a bass player.  Bronson is an unapologetic braggart and it’s almost a cartoon.  You ain’t gettin’ no head, you ain’t gettin’ no bread, you ain’t gettin’ no show and no hoes.  It’s like that.  I think the guitar player is biting an old Police riff, not directly but it vibes like that.  This is old school in spirit if not sound.  If this first single is his best foot forward, I don’t know if Imma up for the whole thing.

@@@ Photay: Onism (Astro Nautico, 2017)  The blurb on Apple Music has this record as meditative electronica inspired by the melodic sounds of Guinea.  We’ll see, those wacky promo departments will say almost anything.  I hear the tiniest pube of African music in this opener but let’s peep a little more.  This second music has not even a pube of African music in it.  Imma give it one more tune as regular listeners know what a genre bitch I can be.  I guess there’s a loophole here as the blurb said it’s inspired by the melodic sounds of Guinea.  Foolishly I assumed that there would be a way for a listener to connect what Mr. Photay came up but I don’t hear that.  I hear it in such a small sense that I might be projecting onto the music.  I would urge folks to check out the late ’60s Guinean electric music as it’s pretty banging.  Oh there’s a marimba type thing-y, ah too late!

@@@ Kamaiyah: Out the Bottle (Kamaiyah, 2016)  I saw this track name checked on a blog entry by a blog that just started following this blog.  Oy, that’s a lotta blog.  Kamaiyah has some old school beats on this track and nice fat bass.  Kamaiyah is modern gal as she’s gonna drink the shit right outta the bottle.  And all manner of behavior breaks out after she drinks the shit right outta the bottle.  Fuck these assholes she’s gonna do her own thing.  Yeah, its like that party style fuck you’s for everybody.

YTD recordings listened to: 559
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 300
Not good music: 234

Buys: 8
Honorable Mentions: 6

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Toxic Holocaust, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Moken, Juan Atkins, Lantern, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, The Oh Sees, Denny Zeitlin, MILF, Unfun, De La Soul, Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes, Magrudergrind, A Tribe Called Quest, Noname, Gouge Away, Anna Hogberg, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, James Brandon Lewis, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, J.I.D., Oddisee, Forro in the Dark, RAM, Fiver, Dona Onete, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, American Lips, Sudan Archives

Music for 8/25/17!!! LCD Soundsystem, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Akkord, Tay Tay Swift!!!

@@@ LCD Soundsytem: tonite (Columbia, 2017)  Talk about an overrated outfit.  Unless you consider watered down pissy disco to be the ultimate act of genius this is a big ol’ hype sandwich.  A squiggly bass, some video game beats, some faux sophisto bullshit lyrics — compare this to the genius of sides 3 and 4 of Prince’s 1999.  Similar sounds but passion, not this yuppie baby food.  It sounds like he’s trying to sell me a condo not give me a work of the heart for me to ingest.

@@@ Thirty Seconds to Mars: Walk on Water (Interscope, 2017)  Epic cheese rock (but almost unrecognizably rock) with a nigh on an orgasm breathy singer.  This guy took Bon Jovi background vocal cheese and he made more and stronger cheese out of it.  Now that’s genius!  Do you believe you can walk on water?  Do you believe that you can win this fight tonight?  Ah Jesus, this major label word salad is tiresome and not filling.  Have you, dear reader, seen the first Ghostbusters where that giant white stay puff marshmallow motherfucker comes bloating down a New York City avenue?  This tune is that Stay Puff Marshmallow beast but he’s been inflated even more so his eyes are bulging and he has really smelly gas.  This is not shit because I don’t like it, it’s shit because it is unfeeling, corporate anesthesia, it’s musical toilet paper, it’s designed to give you a fake experience like the bliss of a crappy chocolate bar.  I dare say I would rather listen to dogs fornicate.  Fuck me, a lyric video!!!

@@@ Akkord: RCVR (Houndstooth, 2017)  The number one hot track in the Apple Music experimental section.  It opens up dominated by static with a nice low frequency swelling, some echoes and a cylindrical dishy figure that gives way to radically eq’d drum ‘n bass beat.  Dare we say super eq scooped?? I dig the beat, it’s a tad familiar to my ears, I always like a little new relish on my ol’ hot dogs but he’s whipping up an abstract dance floor banger and adding in some percussive squiggles and dare I say fart-esque synths.  This badboy is clocking in at over 6 minutes so we gonna go through the changes as the hippies say.  The beat has dropped out and it sounds like a bunch of ladies underwater waving their vibrators like they just don’t care.  Watch the voltage ladies!!!  Ah, he’s brought the beat back to a simmer and he’s gonna build it up again.  There it is, just like Mussolini’s trains, right on time bitches.  It’s an all right track, some nice sounds, maybe if he hit that beat with some twerk or trap and sliced about 90 seconds he’d be blazing.

@@@ Taylor Swift: Look What You Made Me Do (Big Machine, 2017)  That’s right, she’s back and I feel empowered and I might have already shit my pants in joy.  Wow, how many times is Taylor Swift gonna play the victim?  I’m finding it hard to sympathize, almost impossible.  Of course, Tay Tay’s answer to this imaginary victimhood is to imaginatively empower herself.  She’s not sexy to pull off the chorus which is supposed to be the sexy, vengeful ice queen.  And from a technical aspect she’s very clunky on the mic with some stiffness and bad polyphony that undercuts the tune.  Of course, the sounds are cutting edge but confused from section to section.  This blows and I can’t say I’m either surprised and I would love to see her reputation taken down a few pegs.  Plus the lyrics are super stupid.

YTD recordings listened to: 556
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 298
Not good music: 233

Buys: 8
Honorable Mentions: 6

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Toxic Holocaust, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Moken, Juan Atkins, Lantern, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, The Oh Sees, Denny Zeitlin, MILF, Unfun, De La Soul, Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes, Magrudergrind, A Tribe Called Quest, Noname, Gouge Away, Anna Hogberg, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, James Brandon Lewis, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, J.I.D., Oddisee, Forro in the Dark, RAM, Fiver, Dona Onete, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, American Lips, Sudan Archives

Music for 8/24/17!!! Vance Joy, Gang of Youths, Andy Pratt, Justin Bieber

@@@ Vance Joy: Lay it On Me (Atlantic, 2017)  Soft male bimbo pop rock that I got to via somebody who started following this here music blog.  If you can imagine a love baby between Coldplay’s epic cheese rock and John Mayer’s soft as pudding watered down whatever you would get this tune.  It’s really breathtaking, the chorus especially.  I want to get a frying pan and two slices of bread and get some of this cheese up in a tasty grilled cheese sandwich.  You got handclaps, you got Bon Jovi whoa whoas, some electro flourishes and that uplifting arrangement that will either make you shit yer pants in joy (Vance Joy!) or turn your stomach (Me!)

@@@ Gang of Youths: Go Farther in Lightness (Sony Music, 2017)  I got to what is marketed as a transformative listen via epic rock via a music publicist.  The first tune opens up with a Bruce Springsteen gruff voice sitting at a piano doing a Billy Joel sophist-a-wank.  When the full band comes in it is full Bruce with the  earnest and confessional, literate lyrics.  Oh Jesus, they’re biting it hard!  Let’s peep some more, I feel dirty listening to this.  These guys have a lot to say as this record clocks in at 78 minutes so I only have time to surf some tidbits here but it’s pretty clear what’s going on.  It’s big, it’s rocking, it has some modern rock updates to the Springsteen formula, but it’s the formula for sure.  Except I haven’t heard a saxophone player yet.  If they have some big honking sax solos in here they should be arrested.  I can see people on this if they appreciate the effort and I can see this as something that should have looked to mix more into the Springsteen Flavor Pack.

@@@ Andy Pratt: Undisrupted Horizon (Self-released, 2017)  An Americana record featuring strings and a gruff voiced singer.  I got to this record via a Chicago area music publicist.  I really like the strings, it sounds like an updated Frank Sinatra record with big swells.   Pratt’s voice is limited in range but it contrasts well with those strings.  The fourth tune, Rocket Ship, is the best of what I heard.

@@@ Justin Bieber & BloodPop: Friends (UMG, 2017)  If this tune wasn’t released by badboy hottie Bieber it would sink to the bottom of the toilet like a heavy turd.  This relationship didn’t end well but Justin still wants to be friends!  All this within a dishwater funky arrangement with electro sauce.  The music is manicured like a model’s bush but it’s the super cliche lyrics that sink this ship.  There is familiar, and then there’s cliche, and then there’s lyrical baby food.  Mushy lyrics with little if any flavor made to go down and not upset a baby’s stomach.  So we are to assume that the bulk of Bieber’s fans have the emotional maturity of babies?  Quite possibly.

YTD recordings listened to: 552
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 297
Not good music: 230

Buys: 8
Honorable Mentions: 6

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Toxic Holocaust, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Moken, Juan Atkins, Lantern, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, The Oh Sees, Denny Zeitlin, MILF, Unfun, De La Soul, Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes, Magrudergrind, A Tribe Called Quest, Noname, Gouge Away, Anna Hogberg, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, James Brandon Lewis, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, J.I.D., Oddisee, Forro in the Dark, RAM, Fiver, Dona Onete, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, American Lips, Sudan Archives

Music for 8/23/17!!! Quantum Tangle, Sudan Archives, ABRA, No Goods

@@@ Quantum Tangle: Shelter as We Go (Coax Records, 2017)  A roots record off this week’s CFUV playlist email.  I’m going to search but I think this is a record by Native Americans.  It has intricate vocals, sometimes what might think of as traditional singing but other than that outside of the lyrics there are no indications of the culture this is emerging out of.  Ah, the search engine has revealed this is music by Inuit folks.  The singers rotate and the musical arrangements do as well.  They range from folk, to slack rock and a cappella.  I really like this tune clipped below.

@@@ Sudan Archives: Sudan Archives EP (Stones Throw, 2017)  Smooth and pumping r&b off this week’s CFUV playlist email.  Thick on the low end with plenty of chopped vocals and half glitch sauce to go over the top.  The second tune brings an African hand drum and some tasty violin playing to go with the snappy percussion and fat bass.  This tune Come Meh Way is hot and clipped below.  I’m on the fourth tune and it’s a pretty hot EP, check it out.  The mash of musical influences is really well done, imho.

@@@ ABRA: BOUNTY (Acid Palace, 2017)  More ambient r&b off this week’s CFUV playlist email.  Big delay washes of sound and a female singer nestled in a well done synth cloud sky.  Somebody manicured these beats and I like their work.  More solid sounds including nice delay work serving up engaging sounds.

@@@ No Goods: Buzzer (Kingfisher Bluez, 2017)  Modern electric blues off this week’s CFUV playlist email.  Well it’s not blues, it’s rock and it’s pretty good with some solid rhythm guitar work and a classic sounding rock singer.  It’s local music, it’s not all epic like the Foo.  I’m down on the Foo, I’m hoping for retirement.  This is in the tradition of the Replacements, ah my hard drive just spit up Cracker, that’s a good sonic reference for these guys.  These gents rock harder but the singer’s voice sounds mighty close.  Solid B+.

YTD recordings listened to: 548
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 295
Not good music: 228

Buys: 8
Honorable Mentions: 6

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Toxic Holocaust, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Moken, Juan Atkins, Lantern, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, The Oh Sees, Denny Zeitlin, MILF, Unfun, De La Soul, Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes, Magrudergrind, A Tribe Called Quest, Noname, Gouge Away, Anna Hogberg, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, James Brandon Lewis, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, J.I.D., Oddisee, Forro in the Dark, RAM, Fiver, Dona Onete, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, American Lips, Sudan Archives

Music for 8/22/17!!! Miley Cyrus, Crystal Eyes, Thy Art is Murder, Baka Not Nice

@@@ Miley Cyrus: Younger Now (RCA, 2017)  Cleaned up, re-Disneyed Miley Cyrus needs to maker her Lamborghini payment so she’s back for the masses.  Let us see what she and her marketing team have come up with.  She’s got a greaser rockabilly look on the cover and her first line is ‘I feel like I just woke up’ she’s on about ‘no one’s stays the same’.  It’s a pretty simple pop rock arrangement with acoustic guitar and a few electro details thrown in for good measure.  She keeps singing ‘what goes up must come down’ and I’m at the point I get to with a lot of pop songs where there are meanings that are hinted at but mostly it is evocative word salad.  Miley is hinting at some sort of rebirth/change yada yada yada, let’s move on.

@@@ Crystal Eyes: The Female Imagination (Sweetie Pie, 2017)  Some female fronted classic guitar indie off an old CFUV weekly playlist email.  Reverbed vocals and a slack Velvet Underground manner of rocking.  Let’s peep a bit more but I don’t usually go for this sound/energy.  The second tune has a wee bit more energy but it’s not a full spanking to be sure.

@@@ Thy Art is Murder: Dear Desolation (Nuclear Blast, 2017)  Some tightly manicured and aggressive metal from former CIA case officers off the Apple Music metal section.  I’m feeling the guitarist, he’s all amped up on Red Bull and whatnot.  The singer is right at the line that divides hardcore singers and barnyard animals and I hope the drummer has proper health insurance as he’s hitting that double kick so frequently his leg might fall off.  Ah my leg!! I like this third tune (clipped below) which is a piquant blend of some classic metal guitar riffing, tasty thrash drumming and a full metal beatdown.  The production is super pristine so that changes the listening experience but these guys bring it.

@@@ Baka Not Nice: Live Up to My Name (Warner Bros, 2017)  A gangster ballad off the A-list hip hop.  Mr. Not Nice is not really very nice and he appears to be extensively involved with shooting other folks.  The arrangement is pretty trippy and the synths are used more percussively than melodically which it makes for a funkier and weirder listening experience.  I like the snare sound they got on the drum machine.  Mr. Not Nice drinks Henny when he’s shooting at the range as it helps his aim out on the streets when he’s been drinking.  You get the idea.

YTD recordings listened to: 544
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 293
Not good music: 227

Buys: 8
Honorable Mentions: 6

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Toxic Holocaust, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Moken, Juan Atkins, Lantern, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, The Oh Sees, Denny Zeitlin, MILF, Unfun, De La Soul, Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes, Magrudergrind, A Tribe Called Quest, Noname, Gouge Away, Anna Hogberg, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, James Brandon Lewis, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, J.I.D., Oddisee, Forro in the Dark, RAM, Fiver, Dona Onete, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, American Lips

Music for 8/21/17!!! Susanne Sundfor, Rafiki Jazz, Pablo Moses

@@@ Susanne Sundfor: Undercover (Bella Union, 2017)  Piano singer/songwriter from an upcoming full length.  I got to this from a Line of Best Fit email so the publicity machine is getting some ‘buzz’ ahead of the full length.  This is between the slight roughness of Regina Spector and the abstraction of Fiona Apple with a pube of Beyonce oversinging.  It’s not solo piano but it’s not full band.  Oh she’s peaking around 3 minutes and it’s a cheesy female multilayered vocal comet shooting across the stereo field.  I think I felt like I had a vagina for just a minute, that’s so great.

@@@ Rafiki Jazz: Har Dam Sahara (Riverboat Records, 2017)  Mellow string playing and a pretty epic female African singer on the opening track of this record that I got to via the WRIR weekly playlist email.  The second track brings in the band but it’s still pretty mellow with hand drum playing and the string playing tight and all right but not rocking.

@@@ Pablo Moses: The Itinuation (Grounded Music, 2017)  The full roots reggae explosion on this record I got to via WRIR.  Mad conscious lyrics with a singer that sounds a lot like the singer from Burning Spear.  Oy, I’m spacing on his name.  Full horn section, percussion, female background singers.  I think I prefer the sound and the roughness of the old school roots reggae but this is a heartfelt effort and if you prefer the more polished modern roots sound this will work great for you.

YTD recordings listened to: 540
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 291
Not good music: 225

Buys: 8
Honorable Mentions: 6

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Toxic Holocaust, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Moken, Juan Atkins, Lantern, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, The Oh Sees, Denny Zeitlin, MILF, Unfun, De La Soul, Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes, Magrudergrind, A Tribe Called Quest, Noname, Gouge Away, Anna Hogberg, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, James Brandon Lewis, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, J.I.D., Oddisee, Forro in the Dark, RAM, Fiver, Dona Onete, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, American Lips

Music for 8/18/17!!! Billy Raffoul, Sarah Jane Scouten, Kodak Black, American Wrecking Company

@@@ Billy Raffoul: Dark Four Door (Interscope, 2017)  Super dramatical white guy breathy folk (maybe rock if the tune explodes) that I got to via music biz honcho/quasi-big mouth, anti-artist music biz prognosticator Bob Lefsetz.  It’s a heartbreak tune and he’s got that gruff voice which is not an aesthetic choice but the huge reverb patch was a choice and a bad one as far as I’m concerned.  There’s gonna be no big rock crescendo and personally I think he wore the vocal hook out too much.  Solid B.

@@@ Sarah Jane Scouten: When the Bloom Falls From the Rose (Light Organ, 2017)  Some old school heartbreak country off this week’s CFUV playlist email.  This first tune is cleanly arranged with slide guitar, hand shaker, background vocals, bass and drums.  The second tune is an uptempo rocker and she does as well with this as the slow burner.  I like Scouten’s singing she got flavor without going over the top.  I’m on the fourth tune and it’s the title track and I like it less than the opener.  I tend to like the darker roots/Americana music and the upbeat stuff doesn’t work great for me.  But if it works for you have at it.

@@@ Kodak Black: Project Baby 2 (Atlantic, 2017)  Off the front page of Apple Music.  I’ve never super loved the gangster rhymes with the orchestral arrangements.  Mr. Kodak has a solid flow on the mic and I dig the beats and the bass, but I don’t feel the piano and the string melodies.  Let’s peep more.  I like this second tune Change My Ways much more than the opener.  He’s still rocking a bit of the dramatic strings but it works better.  This third tune is the best of what I heard and it sports the line you ain’t got no cheese, bitch!

@@@ American Wrecking Company: Everything and Nothing (Pavement, 2017)  I got to this single via the music blog Indiepulse.  Imma guessing this is gonna be some shiny ass arena hard rock but you never know.  It’s opening up with a quasi-cinematic ambient intro but there it is, heavier than grunge but more mainstream than the full rank anti-social melted shit.  It’s Pantera-y though the singer sounds a bit constipated and the guitars are a bit high in the mix for my taste.

YTD recordings listened to: 537
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 289
Not good music: 224

Buys: 8
Honorable Mentions: 6

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Toxic Holocaust, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Moken, Juan Atkins, Lantern, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, The Oh Sees, Denny Zeitlin, MILF, Unfun, De La Soul, Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes, Magrudergrind, A Tribe Called Quest, Noname, Gouge Away, Anna Hogberg, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, James Brandon Lewis, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, J.I.D., Oddisee, Forro in the Dark, RAM, Fiver, Dona Onete, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, American Lips

Music for 8/16/17!!! American Lips, Soft Dov, Bleachers, Marshmello

@@@ American Lips: Kiss the Void (Ancient Fashion, 2017)  Elvis Costello type New Wave punk I got to via this week’s CFUV playlist email.  These guys have a nerdy angular thread but they have solid brisk energy with catchy vocal melodies.  I hate the term power pop or pop punk but this applies to the 10 songs here clocking in at 22 minutes.  A solid balance of sweetness to muscle and I will check the whole record when I have the time.

@@@ Soft Dov: Massacre Through Seduction (Horror Pain Gore Death Productions, 2017)  Some punk metal off this week’s CFUV email.  The singer is somewhere in the psych/hardcore area though he sings which is quite an occurrence these days in metal.  They have a spastic punky drummer but they’re classified as a metal band.  It’s loud, it’s aggressive, I won’t be a bitch about it.  I would use nihilistic Iggy Pop photo-punk as a touchstone for this record.  Check it out.

@@@  Bleachers: Gone Now (RCA,  2017)  Jack Antonoff’s side project.  He writes tunes for a lot of headline empty head singers.  This is supposed to be an ode to American suburban rock and this first tune is inspired by Bruce Springsteen.  It sports earnest vocals and a long rock build.  However, the rocking is extremely flaccid.  I mean flaccid enough that some Cialis should be sprinkled over this track to firm it up.  All cheese, no angst.  The second tune is blue eyed soul track and I’m not sure who inspired it.  Oh shit, he’s trying to rock a Prince 1999 vibe.  I’m sorry but this is a war crime!!  Fucking shameful pimp job.  I had to hit the stop button I can’t abide by this music as it is a shameful bite job and poorly done at that.  Check out the Prince clone below.

@@@ Marshmallo: Science (RCA, 2017)  A mellow, quasi-loverboy mainstream r&b single off the Apple Music best of the week.  Oh wait take that back as he gets medium EDM funk on after the intro.  I can’t tell if he’s singing ‘I found peace in your body’ or ‘I found peace in the violence’  Maybe because dude is wearing that giant marshmallow helmet/mask/hat.  Yo take that shit off in the studio so I can hear what you’re on about.  The sounds are fairly bittersweet for a mainstream tune.  Usually it’s bubble gum and Xanax for all those involved but he’s trying for something else here.  I thought the word salad quotient was pretty high, I’m really not sure what this is about.

YTD recordings listened to: 533
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 287
Not good music: 222

Buys: 8
Honorable Mentions: 6

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Toxic Holocaust, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Moken, Juan Atkins, Lantern, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, The Oh Sees, Denny Zeitlin, MILF, Unfun, De La Soul, Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes, Magrudergrind, A Tribe Called Quest, Noname, Gouge Away, Anna Hogberg, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, James Brandon Lewis, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, J.I.D., Oddisee, Forro in the Dark, RAM, Fiver, Dona Onete, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, American Lips