@@@ Holy Fawn: Dimensional Bleed (Wax Bodega, 2022) Pretty much the last listen off a very good rando best metal of 2022 list. I don’t think from the first track that it’s going to work for me but it’s an interesting mash of internal, shoegaze feels and dark vibes that metal traffics in. For example the second track is Death is a Relief, which is kind of a goth teen sentiment while the music hits with an ’80s snare sound and a big Tears for Fears rock rush. It’s dark but more in a sweet, chocolate-y sad way and not just the pure rage and alienation of a classic metal record. This could work for NPR listeners though I’m not really in the NPR listener business. The singer could really work for mondo dark NPR teens, for real, it’s like the Cure had a baby with a metal band. That’s interesting.
@@@ Jahrukus: Ashes to Ashes (Soul Messin’, 2021) I’ve not heard of Jahrukus but I’m feeling his simultaneously bouncy/laidback old school reggae feels as he covers a David Bowie tune. His ability to take someone else’s tune and then making it his own is impressive. Very impressive and he does it effortlessly. Sounds here are tight and Jahrukus’ flow on the microphone is impeccably stylish, as stylish as the Thin Duke himself or maybe even more so. This is excellent and folks should check it out.
@@@ Marc Houle: Gratiot (Sound of Berlin\Embassy One, 2021) Some techno I got to via a music publicist email. This tracked is blurbed as residing in the both the experimental/minimal techno neighborhood at the very same time. It opens with the classic four on the floor kick drum, a funky brief melody and some clouds floating around. At some point I think we’re gonna get some classic high hat action and oops, there’s the bass. I think I want more out of the bass here as he’s got a great funky melody but the bass is pulsing like it’s a white boy rock track. Shame on ye! I get that this is a dance track and it’s designed to move booty but the experimental label should be removed from this as I don’t hear that. It’s very straight which is fine but let’s be honest here.
@@@ Slowdown Molasses: Some Fine Action (Self-released, 2021) A blend of uptempo indie guitar rock and squally Sonic Youth feels. Very nice drum sound as well as bass tone. Equal measures sweet and noisy, it’s a classic formula that rock listeners have heard dozens if not hundreds of times before. Me personally I can’t get by on a restatement of the classic formula and any addition of any sort would be welcome to me. There’s a stylish dual guitar shredding outro but for me it comes a bit late. I know folks love this formula so check it out if you do, this is for the hardcore shoegaze/punkers.
@@@ Web Web, Twit One: Meh Te (N/A, 2020) I got to this jazz remix from a European music publicist email. Web Web is a European jazz outfit and Twit One is a hip hop white dude/dj and I have concluded this from some rando internet searching. It’s an instrumental remix way more hip hop than jazz with some nice loops — a really nice short bass loop, a vibe like loop. It’s more about chillness and smoothness rather than funk or to put it another way it’s chill funk. I like it, I’m not jumping up and down and it’s a bit of a stretch to label it as jazz but I like it.
@@@ Alex G: Gretel (Domino, 2020) Today and tomorrow I pull a few more tracks off a 2019 Vice best of 2019 list back when there was no god damned dumbass Wuhan bullshit (I hate Winnie the Pooh but I dig Chinese people, especially Wuhan residents so don’t cancel me!). Oooh, very typical Domino material — disorienting and off kilter with some very tasty darker sounds outside of the shoegaze vocal stylings. The contrast between the slightly dissonant arrangement (outside of the pretty straight acoustic guitar) and the sweeter singing is interesting. The track fills my headphones with more of a batter than a stew. It’s both uplifting and downer-ish and I’m not sure what to make of it.
@@@ Denzel Curry: ZUU (Loma Vista/Concord, 2019) I haven’t heard much hip hop out on the Loma Vista/Concord Group. Curry is from Miami and his lyrics focus on what is euphemistically called ‘street life.’ A lot of trap tends to have really dark sounds but these are lighter than a lot of what I’ve heard. There’s a trippy synth melody but not super trippy nor super dark. The lyrics are pretty standard. I neither hate nor love this track but I do note that it’s a bit short on impact.
@@@ Ari Lennox: Shea Butter Baby (Interscope, 2019) A big hit from last year that I haven’t heard ’til now. It’s an interesting blend of slicked out bass and drum sounds (not drum ‘n bass btw) and some retro guitar playing. Lennox has a bit of Billie Holiday to her voice, a bit nasal. Lost in the alley, make love by a trashcan, that’s an excellent line. I’m agnostic on a bunch of the lyrics as well as the background vocals. It is interesting that she keeps talking about how the shea butter is making a mess of the sheets and elsewhere but if it’s a celebration of messiness I can get with that. I understand why this was a hit, it’s better than a lot of mainstream r&b with an interesting blend of sounds especially the organic guitar combined with computer arrangements.
YTD recordings listened to: 548
Good music, not list worthy: 277
Not good music: 242
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, 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, schroothoop, Tiny Bit of Giant’s Blood, Pole, Naeem, Mekons, Santrofi, DJ Nigga Fox, Flor do Toloache
@@@ The Jack Moves: Red Lights (Everloving, 2018). Skate-funk (wha??) I got to via a music publicist email. I guess when they mean skate, they mean roller rink skating and not skateboarding. This is some mellow ass, quiet storm, loverboy shit with some funk. It’s no monsoon of funk, it’s a white boy doing a modified blued eyed soul routine. I like the bass player, I don’t love the guitar part, and the drummer needs a Red Bull.
@@@ Lea Love: No Feels (Mensch House, 2018). Some bouncy reggae also from a music publicist email. This tune is at a very similar tempo but the beats are much beefier and Love brings the energy on the microphone. One tune is funk and one tune is a reggae/soul explosion but the white boys should peep this and note the flavor pack. They have some standard but interesting eq sweeps through the tune that momentarily sucks the high end out of the track and fades it back in. It’s not the most amazing tune ever but it’s got motion and rhythm at a higher level than the track above.
@@@ PLANET: SAVE.SOLD (N/A, 2018) I got to what I think is going to be a rock track off an online music magazine. After an intro guitar it gets into an Oasis type thing with a lot of guitar chords/distortion and a white boy shuffle drum beat. I like the vocal hook here ‘You tell me you’ve been saved, you tell me you’ve been sold’. It’s got more than a bit of shoegaze dropped in there which lends not a melancholic vibe but a less rocking flavor.
YTD recordings listened to: 587
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 313
Not good music: 239
Best: 9
Honorable Mentions: 6
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, 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, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Orlando Lopez, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Peregoyo y su Combo vacana, serpentwithfeet
@@@ Neneh Cherry: Kong (Small Town Supersound, 2018). A pre-release single by ’80s singer Neneh Cherry. Produced by 4tet who I am a fan of. Not a fanboy, but a fan. It’s a trip hop track with a dub baseline, a slow piano arpeggio, and some dark echo effects. A simple open hi hat pattern with kick drum drive the tune. The tune finds a nice groove but doesn’t progress much during it’s 4:24. I could have used more than what is on offer.
@@@ SASAMI: Not the Time (Domino, 2018). A shoe gaze single I got to via tracks of the week at Line of Best Fit. The guitars a little less stormy than what you would expect and it has a keyboard, but the intimate and confessional vocals nestled in the middle of the mix are classic. Solid B.
@@@ Orkid: No Noh (Shir, 2018). Mainstream electro pop off the Line of Best Fit tracks of the week. Female singer doing an up and down melody, low medium funky drum machine beat, though there is a nice echo on one of the drums. There’s not a lot to the arrangement outside of beat and the vocals so if you don’t like the singer (I’m not a huge fan) then you won’t jump and down over this. As always, listen for yourself.
@@@ Bad Bunny: MIA (OVO, 2018). Drake breaks the internet as he appears on this Latin single and does his loverboy thing entirely in Spanish. It’s good to see he’s as buttery soft in Spanish as he is in his native tongue. Bad Bunny is pumping out the sugar for the ladies as well as this is almost Halloween candy for your ears. There are some nice drum beat variations in the back end of the tune but this is pretty disposable as again there’s not much here after the beat, the baseline and the microphone work.
YTD recordings listened to: 578
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 308
Not good music: 235
Best: 9
Honorable Mentions: 6
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, 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, Lawaii, Etran De L’Air, Ruby Karinto, Elysia Crampton, Parquet Courts, Orlando Lopez, Moskus, Kendl Winter, Tkay Maidza, Peregoyo y su Combo vacana, serpentwithfeet
@@@ Interpol: Marauder (Matador, 2018). Angular rock from standbys Interpol off this week’s All Music notable release email. A little bit of Devo, a little bit of U2 with a lot of energy and high end sounds. The singer is nasal, the songs don’t make a huge impression on me, and it’s pretty standard corporate rock for this decade.
@@@ Nothing: Dance on the Blacktop (Relapse, 2018). Not the usual fare from Relapse but not super unrelated. More on the shoe gaze, hard rocking dreamy tip. It’s like the Smashing Pumpkins without that annoying bald fuck/self proclaimed genius Corgan. It’s a wall of finely manicured guitars with epic sounds and arena rock drumming. Custom aimed at the sensitive and lonely suburbanites. Stay off the opioids kiddies! I wish I could say things are gonna get better.
@@@ Tunng: Songs You Make at Night (Songs You Make at Night, 2018) All Music has this slotted as indie electronic while the Apple Music has it as folk so we will see who wins this genre battle. It opens up all mellow and dreamy and then the electronics and the samples kick in and it’s still mellow and dreamy. I think Apple Music must be smoking crack as this is indie electronic for sure. The singer has a British accent and he sounds a whole bunch like Peter Gabriel with a literate, New Age-y upliftingness. The title is correct — these are comforting, intimate songs made at night for headphone people.
YTD recordings listened to: 495
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 260
Not good music: 206
Best: 9
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
@@@ Jonah Sirota: Strong Sad (National Sawdust, 2018) An instrumental (meaningful and kinda New Age-y Imma guessing) from the in house label at the pretentious Brooklyn club National Sawdust. I’m on their mailing list. The first piece opens up with what sounds like an organ arpeggio and then a violin playing melodically over the arpeggio. It’s very sweet, sad sweet not syrupy sweet. The second piece is a bit more disjointed with violin, cello, and the same organ (?) drone in the background. It gets into a more dissonant and agitated space which I’m enjoying. So it’s not as New Age-y as I thought it would be and not as New Age-y as the first piece. It’s solid.
@@@ No Age: Snares Like a Haircut (Drag City, 2018) Also off the Guardian’s best of 2018 list. I’m not a huge Drag City fella but I’m open minded and these guys are supposed to be punks for all punks which sounds just fantastic. This first tune does have something for a lot of folks. Some singalong vocal hooks, a little shoegaze sauce, some Sonic Youth fuzz. The second tune puts a little Ramones up in the vocals so it’s got a lot of referential sounds in it. I like it, it’s a bit poppy for my taste but it’s good. I think it works within a limited range of messy/neat with an emphasis on a quiet neatness and structure. Regular readers know I really enjoy it when a musician/s lose their shit in full meltdown mode so that’s not available here.
@@@ Cardi B.: I Like It (Atlantic, 2018) I like Cardi B. but I thought the first single for this record was not great. This single is much better but I think she bit it too hard sampling ‘I Like it Like That’ to open the track. It’s really the backbone of the verse and it implants itself in your mind pronto. The rest of the track is a good blend of hip hop and Latin music components with a MC rhyming in Spanish and Cardi B. talking about how she needs mad money. So I see why it has 163 million hits on the GooglePimpTube but it’s more for the love of that track than Cardi B. That’s my view.
@@@ Meek Mill: Stay Woke (Maybach/Warner, 2018) Meek Mill is a big deal since he was freed from a bullshit prison situation. It is surprisingly a blend of hip hop and pop sounds with a guitar part (weird) and a pretty uplifting vocal section in the chorus. He rhymes a lot about his time in the life, and a bunch about the situation facing African Americans in this country. I’m a huge fan of the story and glad he’s out but the song isn’t particularly engaging to me.
YTD recordings listened to: 360
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 190
Not good music: 162
Best: 6
Honorable Mentions: 4
Possibles: Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, 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, 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
@@@ The Tallest Man on Earth: Somewhere in the Mountains, Somewhere in New York (AWAL, 2018) I’ve checked out Mr. Tallest Man on Earth before and I really enjoy the tone of his voice. I’m not sure why this GooglePimpTube video is 10:24 while the tune on Apple music is just over 4:30. It’s standard Mr. Earth with strummed acoustic guitar, a little organ and vocals. Sometimes it’s very soothing to be presented with so little (if you like the singer’s voice). The obvious reference here is Mr. Zimmerman but Mr. Earth’s voice is better. It’s a melancholy love song — just trying to keep you informed.
@@@ Hernan Sama & Marcelo von Schultz: Sonidos desde el campo para los animales y la vida salvaje (Self-released, 2018) I got to this self-released sax and drums jazz record via an email from the artists themselves. I’m usually disappointed when listening to requests like this, but I really like the first couple of pieces here. There is no place to hide when it’s just a duo record but both these players have personality — the sax player is not interested in technical playing but more on sonic interestingness. I have trouble writing good jazz reviews as it’s not hard to get lost in abstraction and bullshit. If you haven’t heard a lot of free jazz playing this is a good record to check out. It has good energy, the playing is interesting and you can just kick back and let it wash over you. I’m going to swing back on this record and it may end up on my end of year list.
@@@ Lazyeyes: Echoes (Egghunt, 2018) A shoegaze ’80s single I got to via a music publicist email. What the world now needs is more ’80s influenced rock! Not me but the world at large as there is so much of it coming out. Half dance/half rock drumbeats, Edge style guitars and a jagged rock/pop sound. A little Sonic Youth, a little Flock of Seagulls, a strange mash of indeed. Not a huge fan of the youth of sonic but this is much cleaner. There is a shoegaze singer here, a little reverbed out and almost overwhelmed by the guitar noise.
@@@ Slug: No Heavy Petting (Memphis Industries, 2018) I saw this record on last week’s All Music notable release email. It has a nerdy guitar rock flow in this tune clipped below, but the white boy falsetto is supposed to funk-ify the proceedings. By the time you get to the chorus it’s pretty mathy and nerdy and funky. I’m not a huge fan of this formula but if you are, well then here you go.
YTD recordings listened to: 221
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 118
Not good music: 96
Best: 4
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, 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, Tal National, Portal, Hernan Sama & Marcelo von Schultz
@@@ Cindy Lee Berryhill: The Adventurist (Omnivore, 2017) Some indie/alt roots music off this week’s All Music notable release email. Twangy guitar playing, high school punk band style drumming and Berryhill’s wavering voice. Notable here are the literate, somewhat nerdy lyrics — neither bad nor good, just saying. String arrangements and cello parts further solidify the NPR credibility of this record. For the proudly nerdy.
@@@ Alexis Taylor: Piano (Moshi mocha, 2017) Singer songwriter music off this week’s All Music weekly email. Opens up a cappella and reverted and a tad snoozy. I see, this is a remix record of a record from 2016 called Piano which is a piano songwriter record. So I’m going back to the source of the remixes and it’s quite emotional. Aha, I knew it! This is one of the gents from About Group who made a couple of records that I’m very fond of. This is heartfelt and distinctly un-American music because it’s not slick or glossy or manipulated. It’s just a gent and his piano with a remix record if you feel the urge. I can’t append this tune Crying in the Chapel so that’s too bad as it’s my favorite of what I heard. This is proudly earnest and sincere — it doesn’t super work for me but not because its earnest and sincere.
@@@ Ha Ha Tonka: Heart Shaped Mountain (Bloodshot, 2017) Not the usual fare I hear out of Bloodshot which is fine. It’s medium rocking with ’80s flavor and little shoe gaze especially in the guitars. Ah, the second and third tunes bring in some jangle and I’m not really feeling this record, mostly the sounds and the formula behind it.
YTD recordings listened to: 188
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 102
Not good music: 70
Buys: 1
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, Reverend Payton, J.I.D., Oddisee
@@@ Fit for Abuse: Mindless Violence (Armageddon Shop, 2015). Some old school hardcore dedicated to the War on Terror (my add). I love the War on Terror, we’re really killing our way to peace, it’s going great! These guys have no metal to their sound despite that they’re on my heavy music weekly email. The drummer has more skills than a normal hardcore drummer, the guitarist has a solid slashing style while the singer does the hardcore schtick with sytle and flair. He doesn’t have that Jello Biafra wild sarcasm, he’s much more meat and potatoes which is good too.
@@@ Elder: Lore (Armageddon Shop, 2014). Off the same heavy music email. It’s not a straight metal, it’s got quite a dollop of prog in it. Not the full prog art explosion but up in there. The singer has started in the first song here and he is epic. These are long guitar bangers with the shortest weighing in at 9 and one half minutes of your life, so you either better have a big bag of weed or you better really like these guys. It’s pretty good but not quite worth my time. Maybe yours? Big mainstream rock with prog schmears — that’s what you’re gettin’.
@@@ Beyonce: Pray You Catch Me (Not sure, 2016). Beyonce dropped a monster shot over the weekend. Regular readers know Imma huge Beyonce fan, I love her. She so honest and open with the people. Imma gonna review her record one song at a time. This first tune is a slow saddie, oh Jay Z you a bad man hurtin’ Beyonce’s feelings like that. I like the gospel tinges to the track and the simplicity of it as it has not exploded into diva land. There are too many vocal tracks for my taste, but she’s Beyonce and shit. It goes out instrumental and it’s all right. Certainly not Curtis Mayfield face ripping, or Prince 1999 (I miss Prince already yo) but it’s awright.
@@@ Wood Lake: Hell (Sef-released, 2016). Some Canadian shoegaze I got to from the indie music blog Indiepulse. This first tune explodes more than your typical shoegaze. More urgency, I like that. They have some dance influences in this first tune. Oh, these kids today with their mashing and combining. There’s a piano opening up the second track and the singer sports a Thom Yorke like voice. It’s an interesting blend of sounds when it’s all bound together with big blasts of guitar noise.
YTD recordings listened to: 373
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 210
Not good music: 138
Honorable Mentions: 8
Buys: 7
Possibles: Chris McGregor, Dave Arner Trio, MAKU Soundsystem, Zomby, Retox, Jessie Mae Hemphill, Bone Dance, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Alexander Hawkins, Toxic Holocaust, Equal Stones, Comeback Kid, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Dawn Richard, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Akitsa, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Destruction Unit, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Mystic Braves, Divanhana, Unrestrained, Moken, Cha Wa, Systema Solar
Deep In the Music 