Music for 9/30/19!!!! Mariachi El Bronx, Kraz, Milquetoast and Co.

@@@  Mariachi El Bronx: Mariachi El Bronx (White Drugs/ATO, 2009)  I got an email from a music publicist celebrating the 10th anniversary of this record which I’ve never heard.  The first tune is a large mostly mariachi band ensemble with a ripping horn section and a singer doing his thing in English.  I love this kind of music — a celebration of Mexican-American culture.  Super upbeat energy but also a performance of something besides partying.  An obvious reference here would be Los Lobos but this is less guitar oriented though the singer does sound a bit like the gent from Los Lobos.  I really don’t know where I was at when this record came out and folks who dig Mexican music should check this out.  The whole band is killing but the horn section is blazing.

@@@ Kraz: Telescope (Feel Music, 2019) I saw an article about this record in Salon.  It is a record about gentrification in Brooklyn and is notable for being about that phenomenon.  The article says this musician is a hired gun guitarist but he’s putting this out under a different name.  The first tune (clipped below) is a ’70s style midtempo rocker.  I’m not getting the gentrification theme hit over the head, I guess you have to pay closer attention to the lyrics.  I guess I’m finding the lyrical theme sitting in back of the rock sound.  The sounds are a blend of Gerry Rafferty with a few Lenny Kravitz pubick hairs.  I like the music all right though I don’t find it particularly unique in its sounds and structure and I guess I was hoping the theme of gentrification would be more pronounced.

@@@ Milquetoast & Co: Kashmir the Great (N/A, 2019)  I got to this rock record via the indie music blog Indiepulse.  It’s an arena rock EP with a few proggy threads to it — that’s my first impression.  A cello line, a Pink Floyd big space rock production sound and a Yes-like singer.  Sorta nerdy, sorta rocky.  I like the marimba/vibes solo in this first and let’s peep a bit more before we wrap up for the day.  The second tune is a guitar driven tune called ‘Idiot’ and it stays in the Pink Floyd with less space and maybe inching over to the Radiohead neighborhood with the lyrics they have going here.  I don’t need a record like this in my life but they do have some really high end arrangeing going on here.

YTD recordings listened to: 502
Good music, not list worthy: 302
Not good music: 167

Best: 0
Honorable Mentions: 0

Possibles: Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, Slidhr, The Chewers, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, 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, Noname, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, RAM, Fiver, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Portal, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Barro, Daniel Khan, Tallawit Timbouctou, Sumac, Tropical Fuck Storm, Harriet Tubman, Ammar 808, Anais Maviel, Chaka Khan, Pom Poko, Fried Egg, Horndal, Wyxz, Tarek Atoui, Hawktail, Saicobab, Shannon and the Clams, General Purv, Shipping News, Big Thief, Emma Louise, Andre Bratten, Nathan Corder/Tom Weeks, Oli XL, Buzzherd, Logistic Slaughter, The Muslims, Tobe Nwigwe, Saint Abdullah, Bug Martin, Kaleta and the Super Yamba Band, Toko Telo, Brittany Howard, The Garifuna Collective, Mariachi El Bronx

Music for 9/27/19!!! Yungblud, Hailee Steinfeld, Da Baby

@@@ Yungblud: Parents (Geffen, 2019)  A pre release mainstream single I got to via a music publicist email outfit I usually ignore.  It’s a blend of bad boy rock lyrics, Imagine Dragons style music and while it may end up being huge as this sort of manufactured rebellion is quite popular to my ears it’s high end shiny trash.  Lots of lyrics about taking drugs and banging girls and how old parents have no clue.  Parents ain’t always right, that’s the best you could do, youngblood?  I get the part about the greatness of being young but with this low level IQ it can’t be that much fun.  It makes yesterday’s listen to Maroon 5 sound like a feat of artistry and taste, that’s how cheesy it is.  Boo hiss.

@@@ Hailee Steinfeld: Afterlife (UMG, 2019) We switch from a cheesy youthful rebellion track to a little less cheesy love tune.  It doesn’t have the grayness and depressing air that Arianna Grande’s music has which is nice.  I like that they took the vocal melody and parallel processed it into a vocals synth with an organ so it sounds vocoded.  That doesn’t happen through the whole tune but it’s noticeable and a creative sonic idea.  She does wear that vocal hook out, we might have used a few more sentiments in the lyric department.  The sounds are good, pretty standard for today’s electro pop.  About the best thing I can say about this tune is that it could have been much worse.

@@@ DaBaby: Intro (Interscope, 2019)  #1 on the Apple Music hot tracks.  It’s a biographical hip hop track about DaBaby’s life, the death of his father, his daughter, his rising up to #1 record track.  While I don’t really identify with the lyrics he’s got an interesting flow and his sounds are pretty fresh on this tune.  He’s got a nice chattering beat but most notably he’s got a short vocal sample that repeats and really works.  It’s much more of a song than a lot of hip hop which is a groove with MC sauce on it.  This is by far the best thing I heard today, I would check out more of DaBaby fo sho.  I think I might have heard him as a guest MC but you know the world is full of MCs and the names are confusing.

YTD recordings listened to: 499
Good music, not list worthy: 301
Not good music: 166

Best: 0
Honorable Mentions: 0

Possibles: Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, Slidhr, The Chewers, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, 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, Noname, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, RAM, Fiver, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Portal, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Barro, Daniel Khan, Tallawit Timbouctou, Sumac, Tropical Fuck Storm, Harriet Tubman, Ammar 808, Anais Maviel, Chaka Khan, Pom Poko, Fried Egg, Horndal, Wyxz, Tarek Atoui, Hawktail, Saicobab, Shannon and the Clams, General Purv, Shipping News, Big Thief, Emma Louise, Andre Bratten, Nathan Corder/Tom Weeks, Oli XL, Buzzherd, Logistic Slaughter, The Muslims, Tobe Nwigwe, Saint Abdullah, Bug Martin, Kaleta and the Super Yamba Band, Toko Telo, Brittany Howard, The Garifuna Collective

Music for 9/26/19!!! LOVA, One True Pairing, Maroon 5

@@@ LOVA: Daddy Issues (N/A, 2019)  Blurbed as thoughtful pop in a promo email from the music magazine Happy which I think is in Australia.  The first tune (clipped below) is about fathers teaching sons to be decent people.  It’s an allright sentiment.  Production is synth based with fingersnaps and LOVA’s girlish voice.  I’m observing the tone of her voice not quietly judging her voice.  The chorus is where she comes off more solid though it’s a lot of vocal tracks.  I give her props for saying we don’t want your dick pics in the second tune, My Name Isn’t.  This second tune shoulda been first.  I get that these lyrics are pretty good for the mindless pop arena but if you aren’t into them the music is pretty standard so if you don’t feel them.  Personally I would rather hear a dude telling other dudes how to raise better sons, but that’s just me.  I guess some people need a musical personal romantic skills course but I’m set.

@@@ One True Pairing: One True Pairing (Domino, 2019) Same online music magazine out of Australia.  Emotionally earnest synth rock with a gent on the microphone.  He sounds like he’s having a lot of feelings and his voice is a bit odd.  If you don’t like this guy’s voice you’re probably not going to like this record.  ’80s inspired synth rock is not the sound that really stirs me inside so I’m neutral on the singer, I get what he’s trying to do, but I don’t find the sounds he’s going with to really match the sentiments.  To give the record its due the songs are well arranged and focused they aren’t sloppy — he knows what he’s trying to do and he does a really good job of making his case.

@@@ Maroon 5: Memories (Interscope, 2019) A nostalgic chunk of musical trash.  It’s poppy yet bittersweet and I’m thinking there’s gonna be a pop explosion somewhere in this thing.  Let me say right here I’m more than a bit freaked if people find any sort of emotional connection to either the lyrics or the music.  It’s just plain ass, maybe it’s a drinking song so if somebody is even dumber and more shallow and superficial due to drinking than it works bingo.  It never exploded and I never felt anything except manipulated for the benefit of somebody’s bank account.

YTD recordings listened to: 496
Good music, not list worthy: 300
Not good music: 164

Best: 0
Honorable Mentions: 0

Possibles: Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, Slidhr, The Chewers, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, 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, Noname, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, RAM, Fiver, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Portal, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Barro, Daniel Khan, Tallawit Timbouctou, Sumac, Tropical Fuck Storm, Harriet Tubman, Ammar 808, Anais Maviel, Chaka Khan, Pom Poko, Fried Egg, Horndal, Wyxz, Tarek Atoui, Hawktail, Saicobab, Shannon and the Clams, General Purv, Shipping News, Big Thief, Emma Louise, Andre Bratten, Nathan Corder/Tom Weeks, Oli XL, Buzzherd, Logistic Slaughter, The Muslims, Tobe Nwigwe, Saint Abdullah, Bug Martin, Kaleta and the Super Yamba Band, Toko Telo, Brittany Howard, The Garifuna Collective

 

Music for 9/25/19!!! Vitto Meirelles, The Aggrolites, The Garifuna Collective

@@@ VITTO MEIRELLES: Da Hora (Cooking Vinyl, 2019)  A Brazilian musician that I saw on this week’s WRIR playlist email.  All three of today’s listens are from that most excellent world music radio station in Virginia.  He’s all nude and shit on the cover of the record but that’s his thing, I think it’s weired when anybody gets nude on their record cover.  The first tune comes out typically Brazilian with some intricate nylon string guitar and intimate vocals.  About halfway through it does change into a dense stew of rhythmic layers and there are some nice ear catching sonic moments in there.  I like Brazilian music without loving it but there is some really nice drumming on here and the guitars and vocals have that beautifual and dreamy Brazilian thing going for sure.

@@@ THE AGGROLITES: Reggae Now! (Pirates Press, 2019)  Some old school party reggae off this week’s WRIR playlist email.  A bit of ska skank bounce.  It’s super sweet and dominated by the loverboy vocalist.  We’re not talking Burning Spear rasta justice vibes here.  I liked Groove Them Move Them the best of what I heard.  The band is tight, the sounds are tight but myself I find the concious reggae more satisfying to listen to.  If you dig the singer then you’ll love this record.  I’m agnostic.

@@@ THE GARIFUNA COLLECTIVE: Aban (Stonetree, 2019)  This is the music of a collective of indigenous people from the Caribbean and Central America.  It’s not just a record, it’s about culture and identity.  This first tune has tints of Haitian music but not nearly as sweet and it sounds more like a regional Brazilian tune than what I would consider to be typical Caribbean music.  It is rhythmically rich with layers of percussion and multiple vocalists.  The second tune, Wiya Waist, sports a driving Latin bassline that pushes the tune and there’s some interesting but not super flashy guitar playing going on here.  If you are a listener of world music it is completely worth it to check out this mash of regional Caribbean and Central American music cultures, it’s unusual and beautiful.

YTD recordings listened to: 493
Good music, not list worthy: 298
Not good music: 163

Best: 0
Honorable Mentions: 0

Possibles: Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, Slidhr, The Chewers, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, 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, Noname, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, RAM, Fiver, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Portal, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Barro, Daniel Khan, Tallawit Timbouctou, Sumac, Tropical Fuck Storm, Harriet Tubman, Ammar 808, Anais Maviel, Chaka Khan, Pom Poko, Fried Egg, Horndal, Wyxz, Tarek Atoui, Hawktail, Saicobab, Shannon and the Clams, General Purv, Shipping News, Big Thief, Emma Louise, Andre Bratten, Nathan Corder/Tom Weeks, Oli XL, Buzzherd, Logistic Slaughter, The Muslims, Tobe Nwigwe, Saint Abdullah, Bug Martin, Kaleta and the Super Yamba Band, Toko Telo, Brittany Howard, The Garifuna Collective

 

 

Music for 9/24/19!!! Brittany Howard, Penn Gutt, Efferklang

@@@ Brittany Howard: Stay High (ATO, 2019)  Alabama Shakes frontwoman makes a solo record and I saw this listed on the Line of Best Fit weekly email.  I was one of maybe six people who thought Alabama Shakes was overrated.   This first tune, History Repeats, is less rock (though not without rocking) but it does have Prince feels and is more out there than Alabama Shakes.  I’m feeling the guitar playing on this record — it’s weird, a little r&b and even a little jazz inflected tonewise.  I didn’t expect to like this record but I’m feeling it.  It sounds more intimate and personal than her old band which was kick out the jams, but at the same time it’s not soft and has soul to it.  Let me peep a bit more and then throw it on my list.  Very interesting sounds, great singing, some weirdness and individuality, I love that shit.

@@@ Penn Gutt: Hold Deg I Varmen (Luft Recordings, 2019) A Norwegian rapper I got to from the Line of Best Fit weekly email.  I don’t love the UK hip hop but maybe some from Norway will do the trick.  Probably not.  The first tune, valentin, opens up Curtis Mayfield style with big orchestral swells before it gets into a slow Prince like electro jam.  Prince feels is everywhere today, it’s gonna be a great day tater.  Let’s see what Mr. Gutt has on the microphone.  That was instrumental so let’s see what the second tune has.  He’s up on the mic and it’s better than British rap.  Norwegian is pretty guttural so it’s got some flesh to it.  The super loverboy production is pretty riotously removed from the trap business flooding America.  They packed a ton of sounds into these tracks.  I feel a bit deceived as this is way more of a r&b record than a hip hop record.  I like the quirky sound of the record and I’m relieved to not know what the hell the vocals are about.

@@@ Efferklang: Altid Sammen (4AD, 2019) We switch gears but remain up in Scandinavia, Denmark.  Go Greta, even though she’s from Sweden.  It’s a slow Beatle-y without guitars tune and again great relief at not knowing what is going on lyrically.  The second tune, Supertanker, has similar slow energy.  Slow isn’t bad, I like slow, I like fast.  A bit of prog and art rock to be had here.  I like the way the singer sings the word supertanker.  Think of this as Danish Pink Floyd without the epic guitar solos.  I like it, I prefer guitars in my space rock but that’s just me.  You even get wave sounds in this tune if you’re up for a little sound of water.

YTD recordings listened to: 490
Good music, not list worthy: 298
Not good music: 163

Best: 0
Honorable Mentions: 0

Possibles: Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, Slidhr, The Chewers, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, 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, Noname, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, RAM, Fiver, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Portal, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Barro, Daniel Khan, Tallawit Timbouctou, Sumac, Tropical Fuck Storm, Harriet Tubman, Ammar 808, Anais Maviel, Chaka Khan, Pom Poko, Fried Egg, Horndal, Wyxz, Tarek Atoui, Hawktail, Saicobab, Shannon and the Clams, General Purv, Shipping News, Big Thief, Emma Louise, Andre Bratten, Nathan Corder/Tom Weeks, Oli XL, Buzzherd, Logistic Slaughter, The Muslims, Tobe Nwigwe, Saint Abdullah, Bug Martin, Kaleta and the Super Yamba Band, Toko Telo, Brittany Howard

Music for 9/23/19!! Seer, Accidental Orchestra, Jordan Mackampa

@@@ Seer: No Resurrection (Spectral/Ghostly, 2019) Off the Twatter!  Via a Twat!  I tell you Ghostly pumps up the jams and the techno with frightening regularity, they really shit them out.  This one opens up the tune Electrolytic which features a slick but not common techno beat but with big hip hop-esque percussive slashing sounds.  Also some video game sounds which the kids these days just adore.  Some distorted vocals hit the mix and I can’t tell if I’m supposed to just feel the vibe or listen to the words.  The second tune, Polaronic, brings a blend of thick bass, super skittery non hip hop beats and some thwacking snare sounds and synth flushes and then arpeggios.  It’s a more structured thing and not a straight up dancefloor jam but you can sweat to it for sure.  Myself I could use a bit of funk to go with my straight rhythms but it’s not my record, Imma just peepin.  I think I prefer the super stripped and more abstract techno, this is a tad close to video game funk for me.

@@@ Accidental Orchestra: Helix (Self-released, 2019)  I saw this record promoted by a jazz publicist via email.  We switch feels from techno dancefloor bangin’ to free jazz cuz that’s how I roll.  This first track features an extended intro, sort of a sonic can of worms.  We have multiple percussionists, horn players, a piano player, guitar player it’s a free jazz avalanche!  About halfway through its 9 minute run it breaks out into a pleasant and slightly demented swing, it’s pretty hip and sure to offend the sensibilities of pubic hair removers worldwide.  Neat bushes everybody!  The second tune is just as raucously and purposely messy with loads of horn lines bouncing all over the place.  Other pieces continue the theme with different sounds and motifs but I hear it as a joyous blast of free jazz stew.  Check it out as there is a lot of sound in there to peep.

@@@ Jordan Mackampa: What Am I (AWAL, 2019)  I got to this London (via the Congo) singer’s tune via a music publicist email.  It’s a mellow vocal vibe over strummed acoustic guitars and a bossa nova beat.  It is inspired by Marvin Gaye’s classic What’s Going On? but chooses to ask What Am I to do instead of What’s Going On.  It adds an electric bass, then a string section and then some horns until it’s a pretty large orchestral gathering.  Mackampa has a buttery smooth voice that I like.  It’s a very pretty and comforting song but I’m not sure asking the question What Am I to Do is the best question to ask.  That’s your job yo, to figure out what to do.

YTD recordings listened to: 487
Good music, not list worthy: 296
Not good music: 163

Best: 0
Honorable Mentions: 0

Possibles: Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, Slidhr, The Chewers, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, 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, Noname, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, RAM, Fiver, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Portal, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Barro, Daniel Khan, Tallawit Timbouctou, Sumac, Tropical Fuck Storm, Harriet Tubman, Ammar 808, Anais Maviel, Chaka Khan, Pom Poko, Fried Egg, Horndal, Wyxz, Tarek Atoui, Hawktail, Saicobab, Shannon and the Clams, General Purv, Shipping News, Big Thief, Emma Louise, Andre Bratten, Nathan Corder/Tom Weeks, Oli XL, Buzzherd, Logistic Slaughter, The Muslims, Tobe Nwigwe, Saint Abdullah, Bug Martin, Kaleta and the Super Yamba Band, Toko Telo

Music for 9/20/19!!! Afrosideral, Satanique Samba Trio, Susobrino

@@@ Afrosideral: Olimpo De Los Orishas (Wonderwheel, 2019)  I got this Afro electronic music record via a music publicist email.   However, I never read the blurbs as they’re standard marketing crap so I don’t know the specifics on where in Africa this hails from.  It’s not clear from the first tune.  Let me Google Pimp this but the general vibe is laidback, polyrhythmic with plenty of vocal tracks.  Also a slight New Age tint to the proceedings.  Ah, the producer is Cuban but the two musics are related.  Nice thick bass and a good marimba like solo.  That first track is clipped below.  The second tune picks the tempo up with a more active vocal part, a lot of hand percussion type sounds (these days you don’t know what’s a computer sound and what’s a person playing) all underpinned by a thick Latin style rhythmic bass part.  I like it without loving it.  I’m liking this third tune Filho da Mar best of all as it’s really uptempo with a thick wall of chanting vocals.  I didn’t hear any sounds that really stood out and grabbed me but it’s solidly put together and good background music.

@@@ Satanique Samba Trio: Mais Bad (Rebel Up, 2019)  I’m on the mailing list for this small electro/world label in the UK.  I don’t see this record up on Apple Music so you will have to content yourself with this just shy of 2 minute bit of electronic/impro madness clipped below from GooglePimpTube accompanied by some fairly disturbing footage of the human mouth and shit associated with it.  Personally I don’t need to see tongues, I know they’re there, but I do dig the spirit of the music which is medium raucous with a Captain Beefheart feel but done in a mostly electro style.  I would listen to more of this but it may have been a vinyl release, I can’t remember what’s going on with it.  If you’re intrigued by it the interwebz is there for you and info is available.

@@@ Susobrino – La Hoja de Eucalipto (Rebel Up, 2019) Off the same Rebel Up imprint.  The record opens up with an extended keyboard solo with slight garnish but after about 90 seconds other instruments come in.  It starts to build a groove, a clicky one with occasional digital outbursts.  It gets detached from the groove and back into some extended Keyboard action which I find a bit less interesting.  But the way this is going the record is gonna go wherever it pleases.  The second tune moves away from the keyboard and brings on the nylon string guitars and ethereal singing.  I dig the fourth tune most of what I heard as it does a really good job of building a groove and then glitching it just the right amount.  If you interested in a free range, slightly chopped electronic world music record check this out.

YTD recordings listened to: 484
Good music, not list worthy: 294
Not good music: 162

Best: 0
Honorable Mentions: 0

Possibles: Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, Slidhr, The Chewers, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, 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, Noname, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, RAM, Fiver, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Portal, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Barro, Daniel Khan, Tallawit Timbouctou, Sumac, Tropical Fuck Storm, Harriet Tubman, Ammar 808, Anais Maviel, Chaka Khan, Pom Poko, Fried Egg, Horndal, Wyxz, Tarek Atoui, Hawktail, Saicobab, Shannon and the Clams, General Purv, Shipping News, Big Thief, Emma Louise, Andre Bratten, Nathan Corder/Tom Weeks, Oli XL, Buzzherd, Logistic Slaughter, The Muslims, Tobe Nwigwe, Saint Abdullah, Bug Martin, Kaleta and the Super Yamba Band, Toko Telo

Music for 9/19/19!!! Los Wembler’s De Iquitos, Ahmedou Ahmed Lowla, Drake

@@@ LOS WEMBLER’S DE IQUITOS: Vision Del Ayahuasca (Barbes, 2019)  A legendary cumbia band from Peru with a record out on a Brooklyn label.  The electric guitars really change the vibe here and make it both rocking and world music.    The melodies are not that far from surf music, the tone of the guitars as well.  About halfway into the first tune there is an outstanding guitar solo that sounds like a slide guitar but I’m not full on sure about that.  The second tune (clipped below) is the title track and I have to check the next track or so but this is a giant ass Latin guitar jam record.  It’s awesome as the rhythms are quite different from you usually get from the white boy guitar jam records.  If you’re looking for some rocking these guys will hook you up.

@@@ AHMEDOU AHMED LOWLA: Terrouzi  (Sahel Sounds, 2019)  More African music off the WRIR weekly playlist email.  We’ll see how the record unfolds but the first tune features a synth and a drum machine which is not common in West African music.  Lowla is from Mauritania (GooglePimp), same as Noura Mint Seymali who I super dig so it is confirmed West Africa.  I’m on the first tune proper and it is most definitely electronic music so it is not as driving and is much closer to something you might hear in the Apple Music hot tracks section.  Still present are the intricate melodies as heard in the flute patch in the tune, Kar.  I like the different sounds but overall I’m not jumping up and down over this.  Lowla is absolutely a keyboard wiz.  I like the fourth tune, Seyni, best of what I heard, the energy is higher and the keyboard playing is wicked.

@@@  Drake: Behind Barz (OVO, 2019)  Regular readers know how much I adore Drake.  So genuine and heartfelt and in it for the love.  This tune from a television show compilation soundtrack is slotted to feature gangster Drake, and he’s a rough one, wow.  Most notable is the dramatic piano part which has a short delay and reverb on it.  Beats are solid and minimal, not trap but designed to support mafioso Drake.  I guess these lyrics could easily be about a character on a show that I give not a fuck about or it could be a Drake character projection or it could be both so everybody including Drake can be living the life.  Behold tha life!

YTD recordings listened to: 481
Good music, not list worthy: 292
Not good music: 161

Best: 0
Honorable Mentions: 0

Possibles: Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, Slidhr, The Chewers, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, 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, Noname, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, RAM, Fiver, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Portal, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Barro, Daniel Khan, Tallawit Timbouctou, Sumac, Tropical Fuck Storm, Harriet Tubman, Ammar 808, Anais Maviel, Chaka Khan, Pom Poko, Fried Egg, Horndal, Wyxz, Tarek Atoui, Hawktail, Saicobab, Shannon and the Clams, General Purv, Shipping News, Big Thief, Emma Louise, Andre Bratten, Nathan Corder/Tom Weeks, Oli XL, Buzzherd, Logistic Slaughter, The Muslims, Tobe Nwigwe, Saint Abdullah, Bug Martin, Kaleta and the Super Yamba Band, Toko Telo

 

 

 

Music for 9/18/19!!! Kaleta and Super Yamba Band, The Good Ones, Post Malone

@@@ KALETA AND SUPER YAMBA BAND: Medaho (Ubiquity, 2019)  A Brooklyn based band led by a veteran Afrobeat musician that I got to via the WRIR playlist email.  The first tune, Gogo Rock, comes out funky with a short electric organ sound, pumping bass, conga and slashing guitar.  A classic wah wah electric guitar solo comes in and I’m feeling this.  The second tune Mr. Diva goes full African James Brown and it is full pumpin’, I’m super feeling this.  Big organ solo and a male vocalist who I presume to be Kaleta.  I give big ups to the organ player who is thieving my ear almost every tune and the rhythm section after that.  I like this record, it’s got a hot blend of influences — I dig the rocking Funkadelic style guitar, the James Brown feels, and the variation on classic Afrobeat.   Fans of funky music should check this out.  He’s not the greatest singer of all time but neither is Mick Jagger, and his guitar playing is hot.

http://kaletaandsuperyambaband.bandcamp.com/album/m-daho

@@@ The Good Ones: The Farmer (Anti-, 2019)  A single I got to off this week’s WRIR playlist email.  It’s an acoustic guitar rhythmically picked, a hand drummer, and a lot of voices singing.  I like this track, it’s not a blazing and rocking African track so it doesn’t jump into your headphones but the singing is quite stylish.

@@@ Post Malone: Circles (Republic, 2019)  Off the Apple Music hot tracks, Post Malone is your sensitive mainstream gangster.  This tune is a cheesed up mainstream rock ballad, we’ll see if he rhymes in this track.  The reverb on this track is pretty ridiculous and not in a good way.  Malone can sing for sure, but the lyrics are standard vanilla dreck and the production is strictly Burger King for the masses, no weight or authenticity here at all.  I’m guessing this is a panty quaker for all the young girls out there but it’s hard for me to understand the audience for this.

YTD recordings listened to: 478
Good music, not list worthy: 290
Not good music: 160

Best: 0
Honorable Mentions: 0

Possibles: Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, Slidhr, The Chewers, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, 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, Noname, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, RAM, Fiver, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Portal, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Barro, Daniel Khan, Tallawit Timbouctou, Sumac, Tropical Fuck Storm, Harriet Tubman, Ammar 808, Anais Maviel, Chaka Khan, Pom Poko, Fried Egg, Horndal, Wyxz, Tarek Atoui, Hawktail, Saicobab, Shannon and the Clams, General Purv, Shipping News, Big Thief, Emma Louise, Andre Bratten, Nathan Corder/Tom Weeks, Oli XL, Buzzherd, Logistic Slaughter, The Muslims, Tobe Nwigwe, Saint Abdullah, Bug Martin, Kaleta and the Super Yamba Band

Music for 9/17/19!!! Sampa the Great, Cold, FKA Twigs

@@@ Sampa the Great: The Return (Ninja Tune, 2019)  Alternative rap off this week’s All Music notable release email.  The record opens with a tune called Freedom, and it’s closer to Prince than hip hop.  Sampa hits the mic and she has an unusual voice, pleasant but unusual.  As you would expect from a tune called Freedom the lyrics are uplifiting.  After an interlude that I skipped Sampa heads to some more hip hop related sounds.  Quick on the mic and a more stripped arrangement.  She keeps rapping about the industry which is fine but not common.  I’m going to tip out after this tune The Grass is Greener.  I like the sounds but the sounds are closer to being a full band record and I guess I’ve grown to like the modern produced American hip hop of all flavors.  I’m not a diehard American but I think the brothers and sisters here do it best.  Just my opinion.

@@@  Cold: The Things We Can’t Stop (Napalm, 2019)  Also off this week’s All Music notable release email.  After a weird 53 second intro the album commences for real and it’s very polished mainstream hard rock.  I’ll hang a bit but this isn’t really my bag.  Super clean production with a serious singer, arena rock drum sounds.  It’s a bit too polished and mainstream for my taste.  As always, check for yourself.

@@@ FKA Twigs (featuring Future): Holy Terrain (Young Turks, 2019)  A collaboration between the artsy moper Fucka Twigs and Future, a voice from somewhere in the hood with this pre release single.  I’m more than a little interested in hearing Future team up with Ms. Twigs.  It’s hip hop arrangement with a little Laurie Anderson and a little glitch tossed in.  She gets all up high and shit and I kinda dig it which is unusual as I’m not a Twigs fan.  The tune becomes less interesting when Future hits the mic as it’s a typical match of voice with beats whereas she does something wackier.  It’s not pants shitting material but better than I expected.

YTD recordings listened to: 475
Good music, not list worthy: 289
Not good music: 159

Best: 0
Honorable Mentions: 0

Possibles: Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, Slidhr, The Chewers, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Luther Dickinson, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, 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, Noname, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, RAM, Fiver, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Portal, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Barro, Daniel Khan, Tallawit Timbouctou, Sumac, Tropical Fuck Storm, Harriet Tubman, Ammar 808, Anais Maviel, Chaka Khan, Pom Poko, Fried Egg, Horndal, Wyxz, Tarek Atoui, Hawktail, Saicobab, Shannon and the Clams, General Purv, Shipping News, Big Thief, Emma Louise, Andre Bratten, Nathan Corder/Tom Weeks, Oli XL, Buzzherd, Logistic Slaughter, The Muslims, Tobe Nwigwe, Saint Abdullah, Bug Martin