@@@ Angelica Sanchez & Marilyn Crispell: Ancient Dream (Pyroclastic, 2020) Also off the Twatter, it’s all up on the Twatter people, I’m not sure what it is but it’s all up there. A different track is up on Apple Music as the pre-release track and it’s called Lobe of the Fly. I’m an Angelica Sanchez fan as I’ve heard this jazz pianist before. This is a duo piano record and the energy is fresh and the impression these improvisers leave on listeners is one of quasi classical keyboard runs, collisions and interactions. Plenty of contrast here as the piano tone is quite sweet when they’re playing along the same melody and another when they clash and then another vibe when they’re bouncing off each other. I like it.
@@@ Thurston Moore: Hashish (Daydream Library, 2020) I’m not the biggest Thurston Moore fan but I had to take out a track by an artist who I’ve covered before so whup there it is. It opens up plinky and noodly and I’m not sure what this is going to become — whether it is Sonic Youth for a new decade, yeah it’s rock and it’s not improvised business that he more than dabbles in. It’s mathier than I expect from Mr. Moore as usually he provides an unholy shitstorm of feedback but not here as he’s going for an updated, revved up Velvet Underground thing. If I heard this and Moore’s name wasn’t attached to it how would I review it? I like it while stating that it’s pretty standard business. His singing is good, the guitar playing could use a Red Bull, some of his trademark squall could break up the predictability. The drummer plays it straight but he does all right with it.
@@@ Craig Handy: Organ Grinder’s Suite (Sony, 2020) I saw this jazz sax player on the Twatter being praised by Jazz Times. First off, medium sized points for bringing in the organ, jazz organ is happening. To me it connects jazz back tot he black church and gospel. I don’t know if Handy or other members of this outfit hail from New Orleans but it sure as shit sounds like they’ve heard plenty of Meters records, it’s got that uniquely funky NOLA feel. I like Handy’s sax playing, I’m not a huge fan of the guitarist’s tone as I have an ongoing protest against jazz smooth guitar tone but the organ player is killin’ it. I also believe I hear a tuba holding down the low end so some of my favorite jazz feels are here. It’s pretty mainstream in its vibe and intentions but on this one my love of funk wins out over the conservatism of the playing.
@@@ Fleet Foxes: Shore (Anti-, 2020) I got to this track via last week’s All Music notable release email. The title track occupying the last track slot on their new record and I get these guys confused with other outfits. I don’t know if there are other fox based crews out there but it does look like they caught a peek at the National’s bank account and decided to go the meaningful piano route. They throw a little electro garnish in there to keep the monkeys happy and then throw in the mopey lyrical pose. I do prefer this to the National which isn’t saying that much because I haven’t heard a National track for a long bit (if not ever) that made me jump and down. I like the horns they bring in towards the end of the track, it gives a regal sense to the proceedings. The drummer goes half Red Bull on the toms and the whole thing is getting a bit deconstructed and this crosses the finish line a few notches above the ol’ National. I’m not a big mope guy but this is all right.
YTD recordings listened to: 756
Good music, not list worthy: 411
Not good music: 323
Best: 4
Honorable Mentions: 5
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, Tarek Atoui, Saicobab, General Purv, Shipping News, Big Thief, Mariachi El Bronx, Pour Me a Grog, Sudan Archives, Lakou Mizik, Moodymann, Pharmakon, Alefa Madagascar, Janjao, Luge, Wiki, Mick Jenkins, Jeremiah Jae, Fera, Gambian Griot Kora Duets, Drama, Beatrice Dillon, Mass Worship, mmmonika, Les Deuxluxes, Tony Allen, Fra Fra, Nihiloxica, Hailu Mergia, Pokey LaFarge, Nico Gomez, Nohe and Sus Santos, Tiny Bit of Giant’s Blood, Pole, Naeem, Mekons, Santrofi, DJ Nigga Fox, Flor do Toloache, Alexander Hawkins/Tomeka Reid, Shy One, Protomartyr, Nnamdi, Ekiti Sound, Awa Fall, 25,000 Kittens, Anjimile, Superfonicos
Deep In the Music 