Music for 3/3/21!!! Mouse on Mars, Lost Horizons, Altin Gun

@@@ Mouse on Mars: Walking and Talking (Thrill Jockey, 2021) All three of today’s listens are off this week’s All Music notable release email. 20 songs, 62 minutes, electronic music. This is the fifth track on the record and it’s very mechanical sounding, chopped a lot with some distorted vocals that still convey a feel. In rhythm it comes off as garage-y type techno with some bug sounds added. Outside of the spray of rhythms and the voice there’s not a lot going on. I wish there was a bass here cuz I love bass. I like the vocalist/spoken word fella but overall I feel the record is short on pumping and a bit to art school-y for me. I like the typewriter type rhythms they get into but I could use more.

@@@ Lost Horizons: In Quiet Moments (Bella Union, 2021) A 73 minute monster shot of an indie soul record with a lot of guests on it, almost every tune. Mr. Ural Thomas sings on this one and he’s rocking a very light and comforting soul singing style. The band behind him sounds a bit indie but also adequately soulful. I like the track but I feel like excess reverb washes it out a bit too much. The spaciousness weakens the energy. The flavors here are going to jump around as a different singer hits the mic for each track. Wish I liked the production more.

@@@ Altin Gun: Kara Toprak (ATO, 2021) A bit psych, a bit funk, a bit rock all rolled up into a chilled out dancefloor banger propelled by a wah wah guitar loop. I believe this outfit has a connection to Turkey so there’s some Middle Eastern flavors up in here but subtle. I love Middle Eastern music btw, gimme more if you got it. Reminds me a bit of early Talking Heads before duder got mad annoying. A female singer comes in and she’s presented in a dreamy, chill fashion. Washes of chorused guitar blossom behind her and it gets handed off to a synth to drop a faux horn line in the break. I like the rhythm section here while liking all of it. It’s spacy and a bit dubwise on the top while pumping chill rhythms beneath.

Music for 2/22/21!!! Holy Monitor, Aerial East

@@@ Holy Monitor: Blue Whale (Self-released, 2021) These two listens are off this week’s LIne of Best Fit email. This is a pretty mellow paced psych/stoner thing with more of a smooth feel than a grinding teeth psych type track. Friendly singer, a couple of standard guitar players and that there drummer I was mentioning. It’s cool, the sounds are good, but I find it a little too low energy for my taste. I want my psych rock ramped up, not crazy ramped up but kinda ramped up. Some folks might really like it.

@@@ Aerial East: The Things We Build (Partisan, 2020) Slotted as alternative on Apple Music which is a large and vague as shit category. This is some lush country tinged alternative and I dig that thus far in the tune. I like this track, it’s very minimal but what’s there has impact. There’s a small arpeggiated guitar part that surprisingly drives the track with very little action, there’s a little slide guitar for atmosphere, and some distorted guitar business at the end of the track. Check this one out if you’re into well made spacious country-fied type stuff. She doesn’t oversing and that’s key imho.

Music for 10/28/19!!! The Avengers, Ghost Funk Orchestra, The Sali Wanga

@@@ The Avengers: The American in Me (N/A, 1979)  I got to this pre-Sex Pistols but produced by the Sex Pistols’ guitarist.  I’ve never heard it so there ya go, a peep it shall be!  As you would expect from classic punk it sounds like classic punk!  It doesn’t have the Johnny Rotten snarl but that’s fine.   Very punchy sound (ah the tape machine era!) the track is both bouncy and dark with the following lyrics:

“Ask not what you can do for your country
What’s your country been doing to you?
Ask not what you can do for your country
What’s your country been doing to your mind?”

It’s the lyrics that drew me to the tune but the music sounds more like a Go Gos track.  It sounds so tame compared to much of today’s music, and that’s neither good nor bad.

@@@ Ghost Funk Orchestra: A Song for Paul (Karma Chief, 2019) I got to this record and the one below via the weekly email from the music venue National Sawdust in Brooklyn.  The intro track (it’s called Intro) is a blend of jam band, psychedelic sounds, and a wee bit of jazz.  We shall see what unfolds.  The second tune brings a distinct funk vibe to the sounds so don’t be fooled by the psych guitar.  I think these are jazz cats trying their hands at making a psychedelic record.  I appreciate that it’s not as stark and tripped/speeded up/out as classic psych and there’s an abundance of rhythms here that you wouldn’t find on classic psych records.  I would, however, dig some more of that crazy ass psych vibe so the balance doesn’t quite work for me.

@@@ The Wali Sanga: Big Ears (Self-released, 2019)  From the same National Sawdust email.  This first tune, Remember My Name is rooted in late ’70s/early ’80s funk disco a la Earth, Wind and Fire and early Prince.  I’m agnostic on the singer and the lyrics, I like some of the sounds but the first two tunes make me appreciate early Prince as his addition of rocking guitar to balance out the synth pop vibes is genius to my ears.  The fourth tune, the Blink of the Eye is the best of what I heard as it moves backward and is more EWF.  I like it without loving it.

YTD recordings listened to: 560
Good music, not list worthy: 330
Not good music: 190

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, Bonnie Baxter, Danny Brown, clipping.

 

Music for 8/15/18!!! Blac Rabbit, Adeline, BLXPLTN, Royal Sun

@@@ Blac Rabbit: EP (How Far Music, 2017) Today’s listening comes from the bottom of the Afropunk 2018 festival act list.  Afropunk has exploded and there are now nationally known acts appearing there but we are going to peep some of the lesser known acts.  This tune is a space rock/slightly psychedelic tune with classic rock guitars and a little bit more funk in the drums than what you would usually get.  I like the band playing but the lyrics are a bit standard for my taste.  It’s a sound that probably works bangin’ live.

@@@ Adeline: Swirl (Self-released, 2018). This is a r&b/soul track with heavy electronic sounds.  I like the arrangement and she floats over it with a lush melody and tone.  This is a well focused and put together somewhat downtempo track with plenty of garnishing sounds without going over the top.  It pretty successfully aspires to the title of the track with a swirling set of sounds and vocal melodies.

@@@ BLXPLTN: Education Destruction (Wolfshield, 2018)  I immediately thought of the British punk hop duo Sleaford Mods (who I love) but when it comes time for the mosh these guys throw it down noisy.  It’s a pretty simple set of sounds but put together effectively with your classic tension in the verse/exploding chorus formula that has worked a million times before.  Solidly aggressive.

@@@ Royal Sun: Fight (Self-released, 2018) Okay, the last of our four tracks from the Afropunk festival happening in Brooklyn in about 10 days.  It opens up soulfully with doo woppy background vocals.  It then widens out into a full groove with a drummer.  It ends up with a blend of rock sounds and soul singing.  The vocal hook is her promise to fight for you which is a fairly common lyrical subject in mainstream music.  It ends with an arena rock flourish so it moves across a few neighborhoods before landing the spaceship.  She’s gonna fight for you, remember that.

YTD recordings listened to: 474
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 245
Not good music: 199

Best: 8
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, Janelle Monae, 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, A Tribe Called Quest, Noname, Gouge Away, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, Forro in the Dark, RAM, Fiver, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Converge, Open Mike Eagle, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Tal National, Portal, Hernan Sama & Marcelo von Schultz, Jean Grae and Quelle Chris, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Orlando Lopez, Moskus, Kendl Winter, 700 Bliss

Music for 3/13/18!!! Calligraphist, Habibi, Sade, Bad Bunny

@@@ Calligraphist: Dinamo (Self-released, 2018)  I got to this tune from an email from the artist himself who is located in Europe.  To my ears this tune blends hip hop and the sounds and vibes of the old school Cali band Sublime.  It’s chill and laidback but rhythmically focused. Also with slightly similar guitar work.  I like the arrangement and the drum sounds in particular.  I’m a bit surprised by the lyrics which are almost lifted from a Romantic poem.

@@@ Habibi: Cardomom Garden (Modern Sky, 2018)  I got to this Farsi singing female psych band via the email list of the tres pretentious, dare we say up its own ass?, BK club National Sawdust.  I only know what Farsi is as I have a friend who is married to an Indian Parsi — so Parsis are Persians who may or may not have migrated, for example to India.  This is pretty entertaining music with some vocals done in English but there’s most definitely an Eastern flavor to the sounds.  They sound a little like the Bangles with the jangly guitars and the smooth vocals.  It’s not rough teeth grinding psychedelic music.  This is a 9 minute EP so it’s not a big commitment, you can take a break from watching Instagram cat videos and check out some new music.

@@@ Sade: Flower of the Universe (Sony Music, 2018)  The purveyor of fine lush vibes is back with an unsurprisingly lush track.  Unfortunately it’s a Disney soundtrack and I will be upfront — I fucking hate the big Mouse and all his Mousketeer/theme park/weird ass Walt Disney shit.  So points off for that.  The tune is anchored by acoustic guitar and Sade and background vocals.  Now some sparse piano.  It’s a super dramatical vibe they’re going for because the Mouse means Business, the Mouse doesn’t fuck around, and Sade’s track for the Mouse is all right.

@@@ Bad Bunny: Dime Se Ti Acuerdas (Rimas, 2018)  We’re seeing a lot of Spanish crossover music in the wake of Despacito last summer.  Mr. Bunny is coming on full Latin loverboy over, ooh now he’s rhyming, I have no idea what it’s about but it has to involve the ladies.  I’ll put money on that shit.  He’s got some breathy synths to go with the fat bass and his thick tongued vocal work but this shit has 49 million views on the GoogleTubePimpBox.  So this is what a 2018 hit looks like?  Yikes.  I like the beats and the sounds are all right but Mr. Bunny sounds like, well not a bunny.  I don’t dig his voice, but that’s just me and I don’t wear panties.  (Except on Fridays when I cruise around the BK in a skirt).

YTD recordings listened to: 141
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 75
Not good music: 63

Best: 2
Honorable Mentions: 3

Possibles: 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, Klara Lewis, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, Yotoco, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Oddisee, Forro in the Dark, RAM, Fiver, Dona Onete, Succumb Succumb, Gloom, Priests, Propaganda, This is the Kit, Roberto Gonzalez, Integrity, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Irreversible Entanglements, Converge, Open Mike Eagle, Criolo, Billy Strings, Flowers of Sulphur, Melissa Laveaux

Music for 11/29/17!!! Futuro de Hierro, blackbear, Shenandoah Davis, Holy

@@@ Futuro de Herrio: Paso en el Vacio (Majia Rojo, 2017) I was contacted by this small European label about a review of this release.  It opens up with an industrial dance groove, some feedback squalls and a gent somewhat losing it on the microphone.  I’m feeling these random sheets of aggro guitar/guitar-like squeals.  I like this second track called A veces somos uno as the vocals are made more abstract with processing and they are set lower in the mix.  I like the sounds on this record, dark and tough, but I didn’t enjoy the vocal work as much.  Check it for yourself, especially the second tune.

@@@ blackbear: anxiety (Interscope, 2017)  Off the Apple Music hot tracks section this is an electro pop record with tons of hip hop MCs as guest vocalists.  The production is meticulous and occasionally creative but otherwise it surely puts caramel on the rotten apple of any sort of real life anxiety.  Lots of chopped and synthed vocals.  He’s anxious without her love, blah blah blah.

 

 

 

 

 

@@@ Shenandoah Davis: The Wings (Plume Records, 2017) An indie recycling of early ’60s dramatic pop.  Davis has a thinnish (not Finnish) voice but the string flourishes are the star here.  They are reverbed and panned wide for epic effect.  There are drums but placed back in the mix so it’s her sweet voice and the strings and maybe some electro garnish tucked back there.  Could be an organ, hard to tell, insert joke here.  I got to this via a music publicist email.

 

 

 

@@@ Holy: Heard Her (Pnkslm, 2017)  A pre-release single I got to via Line of Best Fit’s tracks of the week.  It’s a bombastic, Beatles influenced psychedelic Brit rock track.  I have no idea if they are Brits or not.  Not the tooth grinding psychedelic business — it has plenty of guitar crunch (and some really nice drumming) with spacious organ to balance shit out.  I’m not jumping up and down but it’s a quality tune well put together with really good energy.

YTD recordings listened to: 768
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 411
Not good music: 320

Buys: 9
Honorable Mentions: 7

Possibles: 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, Tuba Skinny, The Expanders, Benjamin Booker, Irreversible Entanglements, Converge, Boubacare Traore, Les Filles De Illighadad, Curtis Harding

Music for 3/9/17!!! Colin Hay, Durand Jones, Worse

@@@ Colin Hay: Fierce Mercy (Compass Records, 2017)  Some ol’ school, earnest guitar rock off the Apple Music new music section.  Hay’s voice is pretty limited and the band is straight ahead.  Mr. Hay is Men at Work frontman from back in the day.  I would never wail on anyone for making heartfelt, sincere music but this isn’t really for me.  This is like stepping into a rock time machine back to the ’80s but without the irony.  A little Springsteen, a little Mellencamp.

@@@ Durand Jones & the Indications: Self-titled (Colemine Records, 2016)  I found this record via a music publicist email.  It’s definitely old school r&b but what sets it apart is the sweetness of the singer’s voice.  He’s got a little gruffness but mostly he’s sweet and soulful in the Al Green tradition.  Instrumentation is standard ol’ school.  Somebody did an excellent job on the drum sounds here and the drummer is tight.  I also hear a little Otis Redding as well as some James Brown but the drummer takes the cake and some more adventurous songwriting would be welcome.

@@@ Worse: Rubber Burner (Deranged Records, 2016)  Off the loud section of this week’s CFUV playlist email.  A 9 song 24 minute psych punk biscuit that opens with some grinding guitars and a blasted singer.  The second tune keeps the distorted blasted vocal sound but the overall vibe is more indie.  These guys bring a medium rough energy to their work.  I like what they do — if they went rougher and still kept the punk sounds I would dig it more.

YTD recordings listened to: 160
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 87
Not good music: 49

Buys: 0
Honorable Mentions: 1

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Dave Arner Trio, Zomby, Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Toxic Holocaust, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, 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, Divanhana, Moken, Juan Atkins, Drone, 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, Aethenor, Krullur, The Lowest Form, Hard Proof, James Brandon Lewis, Yotoco, Tinariwen, Jungle Fire, Sandoz, Power Trip, Fruko Y Sos Tesos

1/25/16: Sirvis, Ded Sheppard, Milk Lines

@@@ Sirvis: Bird and the Worm (Rackwrite, 2015).  Some conscious hip hop off the CFUV weekly playlist email.  This first tune is notable for the beats not being easily identifiable as Dirty South, NYC etc.  The second tune Shades is much more partyisitc and uptempo with a tasty sub baseline and an old school beat.  Mr. Sirvis is not working at full speed but he’s breaking a sweat.  I like the second and third tunes more than the opener.  He’s working medium old school vibe –a little Wu-ey and NYC sounding.  He’s got a very clear and engaging voice.

@@@ Ded Sheppard: Ded Sheppard EP (East Van Digital, 2015).  Some sci-fi electronica off the CFUV weekly playlist email (same as the Milk Lines record below).  A minimalist arrangement in this first tune with an arpeggiated and delayed synth morphing into a dubstep section with some chainsaw bass and sub bass slathered over that.  The second tune, Warehoser, gets more tinkly with a female voice intoning ‘carry him into the night, carry him through the night.’  A ziggety chainsaw bass is embedded in this tune as well so I would make that the signature sound of the record.  This third tune Wrongmusic breaks down and reassembles itself and uses that crowd pumping synth heard in dozens of club bangers.  More dubstep, okay I’m out.

@@@  Milk Lines: Ceramic (In the Red, 2015).  Some indie psych the evokes the Doors a little bit without the bullshit of Jim Morrison.  Oh wait, that’s just a teaser intro nugget and then the second tune is very ‘Paint it Black’ era Stones but with a couple of female singers.  The guitar sounds are very strong, but the songs are bit circular and soggy to my ears.  I know that psych is supposed to be like that.

YTD recordings listened to: 82
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 47
Not good music: 31

Honorable Mentions: 2
Buys: 1

Possibles: Chris McGregor, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Dave Arner Trio, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Debruit, Slidhr, The Whammies, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Dawn Richard, Mastery, Leviathan, Xibalba, 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, Reverend Peyton, James McMurtry, Living in Hell