Archive
* Favorite Instrumental Albums of 2011 *
As I start this post, I will say that this is all very subjective and really put together for my own purposes. I’ll also state that, yes, some of the music below does have some vocals (i.e.- the Goddamn Electric Bill & Mike Patton CDs). For the most part, it’s sequestered to a track or two on a long CD of mostly instrumental goodness. My list, my rules, and/or my breaking of the rules. With that being said, all of the artists below tend to be in the jazz and instrumental frame of reference anyway.
As said before… I’ve been buying less music… or, at least a lot less mainstream (major label) music. This is also my fourth year now that I bought more instrumental CDs than vocal CDs. I think as I get older, I am drawn more towards jazz and other instrumental forms of expression. Hopefully my spilling out of music that I like finds interest with someone else. But if not, thanks for stopping by… check out the artists’ webpages, Facebox pages, yadda yadda yadda. Some of these also made it on to my 2011 Mix CD (free streaming/download).
OK, now on to the best of what’s hit my ears this year…
Note: Ric Hordinski’s Arthur’s Garden (which made it on my 2011 Mix) is technically a 2012 release, hence its absence above.
Where do I get most of these jazz and other instrumental releases? My #1 favorite source for jazz is Downtown Music Gallery in New York. Manny and Bruce and their great staff are superb… and being the official distributor for John Zorn’s Tzadik doesn’t hurt my affection for them. I usually do a monthly Tzadik order (if the releases strike my fancy), and they have a ton of other non-Tzadik jazz and avant-garde releases as well.
And, no, I’m not affiliated, I don’t get a commission, and beyond my initial “big tax refund / gotta get caught up on Zorn order of 2005,” I haven’t gotten a discount with DMG. I just love and support what they do.
Enjoy the New Years’ weekend!! Be safe! See you in 2012.
My Other Favorites of 2011 Recaps:
- Fave Concerts & Photos of ‘11 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave EPs/Vinyl/Live/DVDs/more of ‘11 are *HERE*
- Fave Vocal Albums ‘11 are *HERE*
- Old Years:
- 2010: Instrumental, Vocal, EPs/etc, Concerts,
- Best of the 2000s Decade (1-10, 11-20, 21-25)
- 2009: Instrumental, Vocal, EPs/etc, Concerts
- 2008: Instrumental, Vocal, EPS/etc, Concerts
- 2007: Vocal, Instrumental, Concerts
- 2006 & 2005
~Dan – np: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
* Favorite Vocal Albums of 2011 *
I’ve been buying less music… or, at least a lot less mainstream (major label) music. This is also my fourth year now that I bought more instrumental CDs than vocal CDs. I think as I get older, I am drawn more towards jazz and other instrumental forms of expression. For that reason, the favorite vocal albums list goes first this go ’round. Hopefully my spilling out of music that I like finds interest with someone else. But if not, thanks for stopping by… check out the artists’ webpages, Facebox pages, yadda yadda yadda. A lot of these also made it on to my 2011 Mix CD (free streaming/download).
OK, now on to the best of what’s hit my ears this year…
Honorable Mentions: Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean, Tres Mts – Three Mountains, Pomplamoose – The Album You Bought At Our Show (Thanks for That), MC Frontalot – Solved and The Roots – Undun.
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Check out the 2011 Mix for some samples, click the Amazon buttons for other samples, and support the music if you like what you hear!
My Other Favorites of 2011 Recaps:
- Fave Concerts & Photos of ‘11 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave EPs/Vinyl/Live/DVDs/more of ‘11 are *HERE*
- Fave Instrumental Albums ‘11 are coming soon
- Old Years:
- 2010: Instrumental, Vocal, EPs/etc, Concerts,
- Best of the 2000s Decade (1-10, 11-20, 21-25)
- 2009: Instrumental, Vocal, EPs/etc, Concerts
- 2008: Instrumental, Vocal, EPS/etc, Concerts
- 2007: Vocal, Instrumental, Concerts
- 2006 & 2005
~Dan – np: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross – The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
* Favorite EPs / Vinyl / Live Albums & more of 2011 *
This is sort of a precursor to my “official” Favorites of 2011 blogs. Up later this week, I’ll post my favorite vocal and favorite instrumental albums of 2011. Anyway, on with the music pimping…
Favorite EPs of 2011
- Savanna Coen – Strength
- Auragami – everything. Now.
- Works Progress Administration – 4×4
- Amanda Palmer/Ben Folds/etc – 8in8
- Celldweller – Wish Upon A Blackstar 4
Favorite Vinyl-only Release of 2011
- Secret Chiefs 3 (FORMS & Ishraqiyun) – Saptarshi / Radar 7″
- Chamberlain/Krauss/Phelps – Modular: Sonic Explorations 12″
- John Zorn’s The Dreamers – The Christmas Song/Santa’s Workshop 7″
fave non-vinyl-only issue: My Brightest Diamond – All Things Will Unwind 12″ (is luscious)
- Fantômas – The Director’s Cut Live
- Kevin Smith – Red State
- Morgan Spurlock – POM Presents the Greatest Movie Ever Sold
- Tucker & Dale vs. Evil
- Sigur Rós – Inní
Favorite Internet Only Releases of 2011
- Derek Webb – Democracy Vol 2 (monthly series from March to December)
- Sigur Rós – Inní
- Dave Douglas & Brass Ecstasy – United Front (live at Newport)
- Damien Jurado – Live at Landlocked
- Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood – In Case the World Changes Its Mind
Favorite Podcasts in 2011 (they’re free, yo! Search for them on iTunes)
- George Hrab – Geologic Podcast
- Keith Olbermann – Countdown on CurrentTV
- Rachel Maddow – The RM Show on MSNBC
- Bill Maher‘s New Rules
- Adam Carolla – The Adam Carolla Podcast, Ace on the House and CarCast
- Kevin Smith & Scott Mosier – SModcast
- Kevin Smith & Ralph Garman – Hollywood Babble On
- The Skeptics Guide to the Universe
- CNN’s Political Notebook
- Marc Maron – WTF Podcast
- Dan Savage – Savage Lovecast
Best Cover Art & Packaging in 2011
- Steven Wilson – Grace For Drowning (special edition)
- Chamberlain/Krauss/Phelps – Modular: Sonic Explorations 12″
- Over the Rhine – The Long Surrender (special edition)
- My Brightest Diamond – All Things Will Unwind (colorful, lovely cover art)
- Mike Patton – The Solitude of Prime Numbers (stunning die-cut leaf design)
- John Zorn’s The Dreamers – A Dreamer Christmas (vinyl, designed by Chippy)
Favorite Indie Releases in 2011 (DIY all the way)
- Jason Ludwig – Lost in Love and Tanglings (Cincinnati/Austin-based, former Noctaluca frontman)
- Savanna Coen – Strength EP (13yo Eugene singer with a voice beyond her years)
- Dream Theater – Metropolis Part 2: Scenes From A Memory (on vinyl)
- Ben Folds – Best Imitation of Myself (hits w/ some new BFF songs)
- Toad the Wet Sprocket – All I Want (hits, rerecorded)
- Various Artists/Sufjan Stevens – On Joyful Wings (tribute album to Seven Swans)
Worst Music News in 2011 (for me at least)
- Faith No More‘s reunion tour didn’t hit the U.S. proper, again… and the promised Mondo Cane U.S. Tour didn’t happen.
- Dream Theater not wanting to take a short break/hiatus, and thus kicking out Mike Portnoy, one of the best parts of that band…
Best Late-Getter in 2011 (something that came out before 2011)
- Florence + The Machine – Lungs (from 2009)
Best Musical Novelty / Ingenuity in 2011
- F*ck That! Erin McKeown’s Anti-Holiday Album
- Weird Al Yankovic – ALpocalypse
- Kevin Moore – Shine (for Küçük Kıyamet)
- The Book of Mormon
So, yeah, this was the catch-all post… check back later this week for the more traditional year end wrap-up festivities…
My Other Favorites of 2011 Recaps:
- Fave Concerts & Photos of ‘11 are recapped *HERE*
- Fave Vocal Albums ‘11 are coming soon
- Fave Instrumental of ‘11 are coming soon
- Old Years:
- 2010: Instrumental, Vocal, EPs/etc, Concerts,
- Best of the 2000s Decade (1-10, 11-20, 21-25)
- 2009: Instrumental, Vocal, EPs/etc, Concerts
- 2008: Instrumental, Vocal, EPS/etc, Concerts
- 2007: Vocal, Instrumental, Concerts
- 2006 & 2005
* Favorite Instrumental Albums of 2010 *
Disclaimer: No, I haven’t heard all 8,000+albums released this year. I’ve heard about 120 of them, which makes me at least 98.5% likely to be wrong. I make no claims to objectivity. These albums are my favorites from 2010. You might think that the one you’ve heard that I haven’t heard is the best album of 2010. And you might be right. And, I while I generally agree with John Roderick about Year-End Lists, I still find it quite fun to compile my own.
As I start this post, I will say that this is all very subjective and really put together for my own purposes. I’ll also state that, yes, some of the music below does have some vocals (i.e.- the Beats Antique & Tin Hat CDs). For the most part, it’s sequestered to a track or two on a long CD of mostly instrumental goodness. My list, my rules, and/or my breaking of the rules. With that being said, all of the artists below tend to be in the jazz and instrumental frame of reference anyway.
As said before… I’ve been buying less music… or, at least a lot less mainstream (major label) music. This is also my third year now that I bought more instrumental CDs than vocal CDs. I think as I get older, I am drawn more towards jazz and other instrumental forms of expression. Hopefully my spilling out of music that I like finds interest with someone else. But if not, thanks for stopping by… check out the artists’ webpages, SpaceBook & MyFace pages, yadda yadda yadda. A lot of these also made it on to my 2010 Mix CD.
OK, now on to the best of what’s hit my ears this year…
Honorable Mentions: The Album Leaf‘s A Chorus of Storytellers, For a Minor Reflection‘s Höldum Í Átt Að Óreiðu, Yuka Honda‘s Heart Chamber Phantoms, Medeski Martin & Wood‘s The Stone Issue Four (great NFP/charity live release), and Jamie Saft‘s A Bag of Shells…
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Where do I get most of these jazz and other instrumental releases? My #1 favorite source for jazz is Downtown Music Gallery in New York. Manny and Bruce and their great staff are superb… and being the official distributor for John Zorn’s Tzadik doesn’t hurt my affection for them. I usually do a monthly Tzadik order (if the releases strike my fancy), and they have a ton of other non-Tzadik jazz and avant-garde releases as well.
And, no, I’m not affiliated, I don’t get a commission, and beyond my initial “big tax refund / gotta get caught up on Zorn order of 2005,” I haven’t gotten a discount with DMG. I just love and support what they do.
Enjoy the New Years weekend!! Be safe! See you in 2011.
My Other Favorites of 2010 Recaps:
* Favorite Vocal Albums of 2010 *
Disclaimer: No, I haven’t heard all 8,000+albums released this year. I’ve heard about 120 of them, which makes me at least 98.5% likely to be wrong. I make no claims to objectivity. These albums are my favorites from 2010. You might think that the one you’ve heard that I haven’t heard is the best album of 2010. And you might be right. And, I while I generally agree with John Roderick about Year-End Lists, I still find it quite fun to compile my own.
I’ve been buying less music… or, at least a lot less mainstream (major label) music. This is also my third year now that I bought more instrumental CDs than vocal CDs. I think as I get older, I am drawn more towards jazz and other instrumental forms of expression. For that reason, the favorite vocal albums list goes first this go ’round. Hopefully my spilling out of music that I like finds interest with someone else. But if not, thanks for stopping by… check out the artists’ webpages, SpaceBook & MyFace pages, yadda yadda yadda. A lot of these also made it on to my 2010 Mix CD.
OK, now on to the best of what’s hit my ears this year…
Honorable Mentions: Finger Eleven‘s Life Turns Electric, Gnashing of Teeth‘s Walking the Appian Way, Kaki King‘s Junior, Kim Taylor‘s Little Miracle (out late Dec ’09 digitally), and That1Guy & the Magic Pipe‘s Packs A Wallop!…
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Top 20 instrumental albums coming up later this week…
My Other Favorites of 2010 Recaps:
* Favorite EPs / Vinyl / Live Albums & more of 2010 *
This is sort of a precursor to my “official” Favorites of 2010 blogs. Up later this week, I’ll post my favorite vocal and favorite instrumental albums of 2010. Anyway, on with the music pimping…
Favorite EPs of 2010
- Holy Fuck – +Ghost (bonus disc with Latin)
- Auragami – Resistance (thanks, Michael)
- Sufjan Stevens – All Delighted People
- Owen Pallett – Demo (with Shara Worden – FREE)
- Haftor Medbøe Group – Box of Monkeys (technically 2009, but I got it late)
Favorite Vinyl-only Release of 2010
- My Brightest Diamond & Dayna Kurtz – Gone Away / Postcards from Downtown 7″
- Erik Friedlander – Alchemy 10″
- Isis / Melvins split 12″
- Damien & Drake Jurado – Hoquiam 12″
- John Zorn’s The Dreamers – The Gentle Side 12″
fave non-vinyl-only issue: Mike Patton‘s Mondo Cane 12″ (is luscious)
Favorite DVDs of 2010 (I didn’t really get any outside of music-related and an old H.Potter)
- Porcupine Tree – Anesthetize: Live in Tilburg
- Steven Wilson – Insurgentes
- Jónsi – Go Quiet & Go Live
- John Zorn & Richard Foreman – Astronome: A Night at the Opera
Favorite Internet Only Releases of 2010
- Kembwe – Kembwe
- Derek Webb – Democracy Vol 1 (monthly series)
- My Terrible Friend EP (a folky Pomplamoose spin-off)
- Celldweller – Wish Upon a Blackstar (a few chapters)
- Puya – Areyto EP
- Ty Tabor – Trip Magnet & Jelly Jam‘s Additives
- Asthmatic Kitty‘s Library Catalog Music Series (I think they also put some of these out as vinyl)
- Glen Phillips – Tornillo
- Kevin Moore – Shine (late, late 2010 – CD in early 2011)
- Rafter – Animal Feelings (maybe it came out on CD, too?)
Favorite Live Albums of 2010
- King’s X – Live Love in London
- Jónsi – Go Live
- Redbird (Peter Mulvey / Jeffrey Foucault / Kris Delmhorst / David “Goody” Goodrich) – Live at Café Carpe 2008 & 2009
Favorite Podcasts in 2010 (they’re free, yo! Search for them on iTunes)
- George Hrab – Geologic Podcast
- Keith Olbermann’s Countdown on MSNBC
- The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC
- Bill Maher‘s New Rules
- The Adam Carolla Podcast
- Kevin Smith & Scott Mosier – SModcast
- Kevin Smith & Ralph Garman – Hollywood Babble On
- Starfucking with Kevin Smith (OK, not free – proceeds for charity, though)
- SMoviemakers with Kevin Smith
- The Skeptics Guide to the Universe
Best Cover Art & Packaging in 2010 (all vinyl, but the CDs were cool, too)
- Mike Patton – Mondo Cane
- Jónsi – Go
- John Zorn’s The Dreamers – Gentle Side (vinyl, designed by Chippy)
Favorite Local Releases in 2010 (PacNW represent)
- Kembwe – Kembwe (Ashland-based ambient, vocal alchemy)
- I suck… that’s all the local-ish stuff I got this year…
Best Re-issues in 2010
- Carissa’s Wierd‘s first three albums (Ugly But Honest / You Should Be Home Here / Songs About Leaving)
- Mr. Bungle – California (on vinyl)
- Frank Zappa – Greasy Love Songs (deluxe re-issue of Cruisin’ with Rueben & the Jets)
- Elliott Smith – An Introduction to… (career spanning compilation)
Best Not-for-Profit Release in 2010
- Medeski Martin & Wood – The Stone Issue Four (for The Stone NYC)
Worst Music News in 2010 (for me)
- Cincinnati rock band Noctaluca broke up. Here’s hoping Jason Ludwig goes on to do some more interesting stuff.
- Faith No More‘s reunion tour didn’t hit the U.S. proper. Argh.
Best Late-Getter in 2010 (something that came out before 2010)
- Abagail’s Ghost – d_letion (from 2009)
- Fever Ray – Fever Ray (also from 2009)
Best Musical Novelty / Ingenuity
- Tristan Perich – 1-Bit Symphony
Best Music Videos
- Holy Fuck “Red Lights”
- Turf Fienz “Rain Dance”
- Cee-Lo Green “Fuck You” (original)
- The Gregory Brothers & Antoine Dodson “The Bed Intruder”
So, yeah, this was the catch-all post… check back later this week for the more traditional year end wrap-up festivities…
My Other Favorites of 2010 Recaps:
recent jazz {Mar/Apr 2010}
So, I usually don’t do album reviews, but I get tons of music; so I figured I’d do little snippet reviews once a month or so… here are some recent jazz CDs I got recently. All of them were pretty darn fabulous…
The Dreamers – Masada Book Two, Book of Angels, Volume 14: Ipos (Mar 2010) The Dreamers sextet is made up of Cyro Baptista, Joey Baron, Trevor Dunn, Marc Ribot, Jamie Saft, and Kenny Wollesen and it quite frankly one of John Zorn’s most accessible bands. They weave in and out of some new Masada compositions. Highly enjoyable and easily drinkable with enough complexities to keep you coming back to the well!
http://www.myspace.com/zornroz
John Zorn – In Search of the Miraculous (Feb 2010) This album was inspired by “esoteric spiritual practices, white magic, ritual, traditional myths and ancient legends.” This album is a great adventure, and as a plus is performed by the soothing Alhambra Trio (who had a great, evocative album out in late 2009) joined by special guests Kenny Wollesen, Carol Emanuel, and Shanir Blumenkranz.
http://www.myspace.com/johnzorn
Jamie Saft – A Bag of Shells (Mar 2010) This soundtrack album is for the four films Murderball, God Grew Tired of Us, Dear Talula, and Brooklyn Exile. It jumps all over the place, starting with the harder edged “Murderball” title track to many different styles – some background music and some that catch your ears and take them for a ride.
http://www.myspace.com/jamiesaft
Haftor Medbøe – A Box of Monkeys EP
(Jan 2010) My only complaint about this EP is that… it’s too short. Haftor Medboe bridges the gap from contemporary jazz to electronic, and while I’m usually not fond of vocals in my jazz music, the Björk-like vocals from guest singer Anneke Kampman are a superb match. This guitar-driven EP has a great mix of electronics and traditional jazz instrumentation (sax & trombone).
http://www.haftormedboegroup.net/
Loose Grip – Looking Glass (Apr 2010) This guitar and tenor sax infused contemporary jazz band is led by drummer Chris Wallace. I dig this record a lot… great for fans of Chris Potter and Joe Lovano on the sax angle, great for fans of the guitar jazz like John Scofield, etc. It’s a well made record, that I’m sure will get many more spins from me this year.
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/LooseGrip
VW Brothers – Muziek (Feb 2010) The Van Wageningen Brothers have played with many immense talents in the jazz world (anyone heard of Stan Getz?). Finally on their own… they captured some great sounds on their band-leading debut album. From the funk of “You Guys Done Yet?” to the South American flavor of “Benito” and “Zapatos de Madera” to the Miles Davis cover “Milestones,” the VW Brothers don’t disappoint – check it out now!!
http://www.vwbrothers.com/
Chris Tedesco – Living the Dream (late 2009) Partially recorded with a big band and partially with a 32-piece studio orchestra, Living the Dream grabs for the 1960s jazz gusto led by Chris’s wonderful trumpet work. This is a definite record to pick up if you dig the swinging big band style. The album also features singer Tony Galla on a handful of tracks.
http://www.christedesco.com/
The Ullmann Swell 4 – News? No News! (early 2010) German reed-man Gebhard Ullmann and New York free-jazz trombonist Steve Swell trade off writing duties and collaborate to bring some great free-jazz improvisations as well as some concise, beautiful compositions to our ears. There is definitely a noticeable juxtaposition between the four songs from each leader and the 2 collaborative pieces. While the album isn’t cohesive, it’s not really intended as such. With that being said, it is definitely an enjoyable spin for my ears.
http://www.gebhard-ullmann.com/
http://www.steveswell.com/
More by late April/early May…
recent jazz {Feb/Mar 2010}
So, I usually don’t do album reviews, but I get tons of music; so I figured I’d do little snippet reviews once a month or so… here are some recent jazz CDs I got recently. All of them were pretty darn fabulous…
Mycale – Masada Book Two, Book of Angels, Volume 13 (Jan 2010) I’m a BIG fan of the Masada Book Two series. John Zorn’s post prolific book of music was for the Masada quartet… until he had a spurt of writing material and wrote 300+ songs for the Masada Book Two series. Each year, 3 or 4 different artists release albums on Tzadik covering Zorn’s MB2 series (Secret Chiefs 3 and Medeski Martin & Wood have been my faves thus far). This Mycale group is the first vocal group, and I was skeptical how it’d turn out. Well, it turned out fantastic. It features vocalizations by Ayelet Rose Gottlieb (Israeli singer), Sofia Rei Koutsovitis (jazz vocalist), Basya Schecter (of Pharoah’s Daughter), and Malika Zarra (Moroccan-French singer). I am a fan!! My favorite track is “Moloch.”
http://www.myspace.com/mycalevocalgroup
Yuka Honda – Heart Chamber Phantoms (Jan 2010) Yuka Honda puts out great music – whether it be with Cibo Mato, Sean Lennon, or downtown NYC jazz musicians. This is her third CD in Tzadik’s Oracles series. It’s a breath of fresh air. Experimental yet poppy. She keeps making enjoyably melodic music that punches the envelope in the mouth. Give “Hydrosphere” a listen. I hope it’s sooner than 5 more years until her next solo record.
http://www.myspace.com/yukahonda
Mark Feldman & Sylvia Courvoisier – Oblivia (Jan 2010) The duo of Feldman-Courvoisier is a familial one in the Tzadik catalog. I always know I’ll like it. While I can’t say that Oblivia is much different than their past releases, it is an enjoyable listen. My favorite track is “Messiaenesque.”
http://www.myspace.com/sylviecourvoisier
http://www.myspace.com/markfeldmanviolin
Satoko Fujii & Natsuki Tamura – 4 records: Ma-Do’s Desert Ship / Zakopane / Gato Libre’s Shiro / First Meeting’s Cut the Rope (late 2009/early 2010) I’ve been a fan for Satoko Fujii’s for a while. Her 2009 duo album Minamo with violinist Carla Kihlstedt (or Two Foot Yard & Sleepytime Gorilla Museum) was excellent. For these four CDs, she teamed up with trumpeter Natsuki Tamura (with whom she has collaborated in the past). Cut the Rope is a bit more experimental and improvisational (fave song is the title track). Desert Ship is an acoustic quartet jazz album (fave song is the title track and “February – Locomotive – February”). Zakopane features a larger orchestra led by Satoko (fave songs “Tropical Fish” and “Desert Ship”). The Gato Libre album Shiro features a more subdued accordion and guitar alongside Tamura’s trumpet (fave song “Memory of Journey”). All four of these records are great works in modern jazz, and Desert Ship has a great chance of making my 2010 favorites list. These aren’t listed on Amazon yet, but they can be obtained from Downtown Music Gallery (my favorite jazz store, by far).
http://www.myspace.com/satokofujii
http://www.myspace.com/natsukitamura
Salvatore Bonafede Trio – Sicilian Opening (late 2009) This album is quite enjoyable, from start to finish. Salvatore’s piano work is masterful, and the drums and upright bass bounce around nicely. Sal has worked with Lester Bowie, John Scofield, Joe Lovano, Dave Douglas and more (and his musical chops show it). He threw in a couple Beatles covers and a gospel number amongst a great album of original jazz numbers. My favorite track is the opening title track, but the entire album moves really well from speakers to your ears.
http://www.myspace.com/salvatorebonafede
Peppe Merolla – Stick With Me (Feb 2010) So… drummers as band leaders. I was skeptical, but I don’t know why. Joey Baron’s done it nicely. Bobby Previte does it consistently well. George Hrab, while not in the jazz world, puts together a great band. Paul Motian is legendary. Art Blakey – do I even need to go into Art Blakey? OK, Peppe Merolla… he’s in good company of being a great jazz drummer bandleader. His smokin’ sextet is full of horns – which definitely adds to the appeal for me – sax, trombone, trumpet, piano, bass, and drums. The album swings through its hard bop edges. This is a great jazz album – plain and simple.
http://www.myspace.com/merollapeppe
More by late March/early April: including VW Brothers, Chris Tedesco, The Ullmann Swell 4, Loose Grip, Ron Miles, and February & March releases from Tzadik Records…
recent jazz {Jan 2010}
So, I usually don’t do album reviews, but I get tons of music (some comp’ed and some purchased); so I figured I’d do little snippet reviews once a month or so… here are some recent jazz CDs I got recently. All of them were pretty darn fabulous…
Mostly Other People Do the Killing – Forty Fort (Jan 2010) So, I’m a fan of composer Moppa Elliott and trumpet player Peter Evans. Peter’s solo show in Eugene a couple of years ago was an avant-garde delight. MOPDTK is a little more straight forward than Peter’s solo stuff. It’s a fun jazz group… very similar in feel and youthful, party jazz energy as Reptet (up in Seattle). This is their second album that I’ve heard but their fourth released. My favorite tracks are “Nanticoke Coke” and the title track “Forty Fort.” I’m looking forward to more from this killer band ensemble.
http://www.myspace.com/mostlyotherpeopledothekilling
Big Crazy Energy New York Band – Inspirations (Feb 2010) Led by trombonist Jens Wendelboe, BCENYB’s latest record is a delight. The big band lead-off track, “Pleasant Pheasant,” is my favorite. There are a few slower tunes on the record, and even a vocal song or two (of which I’m only “so so” on). It ends strong with a big band instrumental version of the Beatles classic “A Day in the Life.” This record is only available on CD Baby, from what I can tell. Support indie music!
http://www.myspace.com/jenswendelboe
Charles Evans & Neil Shah – Live at Saint Stephens (Dec 2009) Slow and meandering in spots with nice piano, this live recording from baritone saxophonist Charles Evans and pianist Neil Shah touches on the minimalist and sublime. It’s a primarily improvisational and free-jazz in nature. I think it gets a little tedious in parts (too long of movements that I felt didn’t go anywhere), but that’s sort of the nature of the beast with improvisational free-jazz. Charles & Neil end of very strong with “What Worked, What Didn’t, What Wouldn’t, What Would’ve.”
http://www.myspace.com/charlesevansneilshahduo
Jon Lundbom & Big Five Chord – Accomplish Jazz (Dec 2009) Moppa Elliott (from the aforementioned Mostly Other People Do the Killing CD) is also involved in this album… via playing bass. Jon Lundbom is a jazz guitarist, and his pieces definitely gear towards that instrument. A meandering piece and a more classical-influenced piece split up the album. My favorite tunes were “The Christian Life” and the more energetic “Baluba, Baluba.”
http://www.jonlundbom.com/
Prana Trio – The Singing Image of Fire (Jan 2010) World music meets jazz… I dug the instrumental pieces moreso than the ones with vocals (that’s the nature of what I’m liking as of the past few years). It features classic poetry from ancient Persia, India, and China – and I’m sure it’ll grow on me fairly well. The music is very fit well with the poetry, very colorful and nuanced.
http://www.brianadler.com/prana.htm
Next up will be the January 2010 Tzadik & Franck Smith/Zn’shñ releases – which I just got and need to find some time to digest (soon)…
* Favorite Instrumental Albums of 2009 *
Disclaimer (with a nod to Andy Whitman of Paste): No, I haven’t heard all 8,000+albums released this year. I’ve heard about 200 of them, which makes me at least 97.5% likely to be wrong. I make no claims to objectivity. These albums are my favorites from 2009. You might think that the one you’ve heard that I haven’t heard is the best album of 2009. And you might be right. So go ahead and vent. Enjoy!
As I start this post, I will say that this is all very subjective and really put together for my own purposes. I’ll also state that, yes, some of the music below does have some vocals. For the most part, it’s sequestered to a track or two on a long CD of mostly instrumental goodness. My list, my rules, and/or my breaking of the rules. With that being said, all of the artists below tend to be in the jazz and instrumental frame of reference anyway.
Hopefully my spilling out of music that I like finds interest with someone else. But if not, thanks for stopping by… check out their webpages, SpaceBook pages, yadda yadda yadda. OK, now on to the best of what’s hit my ears this year on the mainly instrumental front…
Honorable mentions: Uri Gurvich‘s The Storyteller, John Zorn‘s Filmworks XXIII: El General, Ahleuchatistas‘ Of the Body Prone, Secret Chiefs 3‘s Le Mani Destre Recise Degli Ultimi Uomini (The Severed Right Hands of the Last Men), and Skerik & The Dead Kenny G’s Bewildered Herd.
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Where do I get most of these jazz and other instrumental releases? My #1 favorite source for jazz is Downtown Music Gallery in New York. Manny and Bruce and their great staff are superb… and being the official distributor for John Zorn’s Tzadik doesn’t hurt my affection for them. I usually do a monthly Tzadik order (if the releases strike my fancy), and they have a ton of other non-Tzadik jazz and avant-garde releases as well.
And, no, I’m not affiliated, I don’t get a commission, and beyond my initial “big tax refund / gotta get caught up on Zorn order of 2005,” I haven’t gotten a discount with DMG. I just love and support what they do.
My Other Favorites of 2009 Recaps:
* Favorite Vocal Albums of 2009 *
Disclaimer (with a nod to Andy Whitman of Paste): No, I haven’t heard all 8,000+albums released this year. I’ve heard about 200 of them, which makes me at least 97.5% likely to be wrong. I make no claims to objectivity. These albums are my favorites from 2009. You might think that the one you’ve heard that I haven’t heard is the best album of 2009. And you might be right. So go ahead and vent. Enjoy!
As I start this post, I will say that this is the second year now that I bought more instrumental CDs than vocal CDs. I think as I get older, I am drawn more towards jazz and other instrumental forms of expression. For that reason, the favorite vocal albums list goes first this go ’round. Hopefully my spilling out of music that I like finds interest with someone else. But if not, thanks for stopping by… check out the artists’ webpages, SpaceBook pages, yadda yadda yadda. OK, now on to the best of what’s hit my ears this year…
Honorable Mentions: Jars of Clay‘s The Long Fall Back to Earth, U2‘s No Line on the Horizon, Madeleine Peyroux‘s Bare Bones, Piano Magic‘s Ovations, and Ember Swift‘s Lentic :: 子玉.
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Top 25 instrumental albums coming up later this week… still making my way through them at this point… oy…
My Other Favorites of 2009 Recaps:
* Favorite EPs / Vinyl / Live Albums & more of 2009 *
This is sort of a precursor to my “official” Favorites of 2009 blogs. Up later this week, I’ll post my favorite vocal and favorite instrumental albums of 2009, as well as my favorite artists of the decade. Anyway, on with the music pimping…
Favorite EPs of 2009
- Celldweller – Wish Upon a Blackstar Chapters 1 & 2
- Emily Wells – Dirty
- Puscifer – C is For…
- Anakronic Electro-Orkestra – The Yiddish Part
- Eisley – Fire Kite
hm: Ellery – Down, Down, Down
hm: One Eskimo – Tour EP
Favorite Vinyl of 2009
- Symphony of Science featuring Carl Sagan – A Glorious Dawn 7″
(best song of the year, too) - Holy Fuck & Off the International Radar – Hot Lips 12″
(playable at 33 & 45) - Reptet – Agendacide 7″
(great jazz from Seattle) - Sufjan Stevens – The BQE special edition
(luscious packaging) - Melt Banana – initial t. 5″
Favorite DVDs of 2009 (I didn’t really get many)
- Michel Gondry – Videos 2
- Dollhouse: Season One
- Bill Maher’s Religulous
- Criss Angel – Mindfreak: Collector’s Edition
- Secret Chiefs 3 – Live at the Great American Music Hall 2007
Favorite Internet Only Releases of 2009
- Jenny Owen Youngs “Hot in Herre”
- Anakronic Electro-Orkestra – The Yiddish Part
- My Brightest Diamond – Shark Remixes
- Celldweller – Wish Upon a Blackstar Ch’s 1 & 2
- Eisley – Fire Kite EP
- Glen Phillips “Little Bunny Foo Foo”
- Talking Snakes – Nonogram Zen
- Puscifer – C is For…
- Ellery – Down, Down, Down
- Kim Taylor – Little Miracle
Favorite Live Albums of 2009
- Over the Rhine – Live from Nowhere, Volume 4 (’08 Reunion Taft show)
- Noctaluca – Unplugged
- Ani DiFranco – the Saratoga and Chicago shows
Favorite Audiobooks of 2009
- David Cross – I Drink for a Reason
- Richard Dawkins – The Greatest Show on Earth
- Ricky Gervais, Steve Merchant, and Karl Pilkington – The Guide to… (series)
Favorite Podcasts in 2009 (they’re free, yo! Search for them on iTunes)
- George Hrab – Geologic Podcast
- Keith Olbermann’s Countdown on MSNBC
- The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC
- Bill Maher‘s New Rules
- Kevin Smith & Scott Mosier – SModcast
- The Adam Carolla Podcast
- The Skeptics Guide to the Universe
Best Cover Art in 2009
- Celldweller – Wish Upon a Blackstar Chapter 1
- Nellie McKay – Normal As Blueberry Pie
- John Zorn – O’o (designed by Chippy)
Worst Cover Art: Tori Amos – Midwinter Graces
Best Packaging in 2009 (de-lux!)
- Sufjan Stevens – The BQE (gorgeous double-gatefold layout, super hero comic book, fun stuff)
- Porcupine Tree – The Incident (deluxe edition: sturdy hardback book with arty photos)
- Steven Wilson – Insurgentes (deluxe edition: sturdy hardback book with arty photos)
- Fanfarlo – Reservoir (deluxe edition: complete with a small board game)
- John Zorn – Femina (standard size, but nice clear slipcase and 52 page booklet. Tzadik has been kicking it up a notch!)
Favorite Local Releases in 2009 (PacNW represent)
- Douglas Detrick – The Turning Point (Eugene jazz)
- Hashem Assadullahi – The Strange Neighbor (Eugene jazz)
- I didn’t get jazz trio from Portland Trio Subtonic‘s CD yet… but soon…
Best Greatest Hits Releases of 2009
- Iron & Wine – Around the Well (tons of b-sides and new songs)
- Incubus – Monuments and Melodies (ditto)
Best Re-issues in 2009
- Radiohead – vinyl re-issues (I got the Drill EP on vinyl)
- Radiohead – Capital Special Collector’s Editions (2 CD + 1 DVD for their first 6 albums)
Best Surprise / Adaptation in 2009
- Despite the horrible cover art, Tori Amos‘ holiday album Midwinter Graces was quite delightful
Best Late-Getter in 2009 (something that came out before 2009)
- Ronin – Holon (from 2008)
Favorite iTunes iPhone Apps
- Lose It
- BeatMaker
- I Am T-Pain
- Veg Out (Around Me for Vegetarians)
- Veggie Passport (international translator specific to vegetarian concerns)
- Vegan Yum Yum (like Epicurious for veg only)
- Vegan Xpress (find veg items on national chains menus)
- Shop Saavy (bar-code scan and price shop)
- Dragon Dictation (speak an email or text message)
So, yeah, this was the catch-all post… check back tomorrow for the more traditional year end wrap-up festivities…
My Other Favorites of 2009 Recaps:
Opeth “Burden” single
Opeth released an internet-only single today for “Burden” (from the Watershed album). Sigh… where has the metal gone? Anyway, this single is definitely more in the non-metal / Damnation-era style – – which is fine, I suppose. I only bought the b-sides: “Mellotron Heart” and a cover of Alice in Chains‘ “Would?”
“Mellotron Heart” is a reworking of their first single, “Porcelain Heart,” but on mellotron and mini-moog. It’s pleasant, but mellower than the original – – which was mellow to start.
The cover of “Would?” is a surprisingly true to the original version of the Alice in Chains hit. From Opeth, I think I expected more re-working for a cover version. No offense, Mikael, but if I wanted to listen to a straight-up version of “Would?,” I’d put on Alice in Chains’ Dirt.
They should have made this the cover art…
Anyway, the “Burden” single can be obtained from the iTunes or (I’m sure) other music retailers on the Intertubes.
Also out on iTunes today (which I haven’t vouched for yet)… a new one from Kevin Max, a many artist collaboration called “Price of Silence” with Jurassic 5’s Chali 2Na (I’m sure other big names, too – – I just heard of it from his MySpace bulletin), and the new DM Stith album (he’s done some great work with My Brightest Diamond, Sufjan Stevens, and other Asthmatic Kitty artists).
limited editions up the ying yang
(photo by xPyralisx)
Holy cow… I got (Porcupine Tree, No-man, Blackfield frontman) Steven Wilson‘s double-disc+dvd uber-deluxe edition of his first solo album Insurgentes in the mail today. Holy cow. Like, seriously… wow. Gorgeous artwork. Utterly gorgeous. If most albums are just normal, this one is a Hyperbole Department’s Executive Management. Check out http://www.swhq.co.uk/ for a trailer or two for the album. The limited edition only had 3,000 pressings (for the 2CD/1DVD version) and 1,000 pressings for the (2CD/1DVD/vinyl version). Alas, the normal album will be well worth the cover price as well (and out in Feb 2009 on KScope)… Steven Wilson is one artist in the rock scene that truly excites me lately.
I also got a notification for “not enough postage” on the Sigur Rós uber-deluxe edition of Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust. Gotta pick that up at the post office tomorrow and bring my $3.28 to resolve the postal inequity.
I’ll post reviews with pics over the weekend, while I’m chillin’ the empty cavities where my wisdom teeth used to be.
~Dan – np: MSNBC Countdown Keith Olberman – 11/24/08 podcast
-and then after it ripped to my iTunes-
Steven Wilson – Insurgentes
art
Vladimir Bozar ‘n’ Ze Sheraf Orkestar
new music alert
Vladimir Bozar ‘n’ Ze Sheraf Orkestar‘s Universal Sprache is one of those albums that is hard to define. Vladimir Bozar started as an offshoot from a French Frank Zappa cover band, The Children of Invention. Their last gig was Vladimir Bozar’s first gig. The music on this debut CD is a great mix of the insanity that comes from artists like Frank Zappa, Mr. Bungle, Secret Chiefs 3, and to some extent John Zorn.
Clearly not for the purveyor of “pop” music, this is a very imposingly hard to digest collection of great sounds that I wouldn’t necessarily call “songs.” With that being said… I love it. It jots and tittles across your mind, and right when you start getting into the groove… it slaps you upside the mouth, buzzes up your leg, claws through your pant leg and sits down like a puppy who wants to be petted, then zooms off for an espresso.
Metal, punk, classical music, jazz, movie sound, Tzigane music, electronic, and spoken word. This Ritalin-side effect gang of misfits has toured in Europe with Trey Spruance’s Secret Chiefs 3, as well as the stripped down Estradasphere Trio. Trey Spruance said of Vladimir Bozar ‘n’ Ze Sheraf Orkestar that “obviously, this music is composed of lunatics hopelessly.” :)
The album, Universal Sprache, was recorded in Estradasphere’s Seattle studio with Tim Smolens recording, Tim Smolens and Jason Schimmel* mixing, and Timb Harris contributing trumpet, TIm Smolens contributing bass & vocals, and Jason Schimmel contributing mandolin.
*– Speaking of Jason Schimmel, I’m stoked for his amazing Orange Tulip Conspiracy tour coming through Eugene, Oregon, next week… November 17th @ Samurai Duck.
Vladimir Bozar ‘n’ Ze Sheraf Orkestar are planning to tour Europe and (hopefully) the US in 2009. In the meantime, you can hear clips of the album on MySpace and order it from iTunes, EMusic, Rhapsody, et cetera… or physical CDs via Estradasphere’s Lobefood mail order should be coming soon (not yet, though).
The band is:
- Djé de Vence (Jérome Simond)-Clavier/Sequencer/Accordion
- B’hz (cédric Benard)-Drum
- Cyro (Cyril Torres)-Guitar/back vocal/kazoo
- Mina (Jasmina Barra)-Bass/vocal
- Pedral (Pierre Lacasa)-Lead vocal/mandolin
On the web:
Latest: Noctaluca, Puscifer/Lustmord, David Bazan’s Xmas
In order of awesomeness…
Noctaluca, one of my favorite Cincinnati-based rock bands (and quite frankly, one of my favorite rock bands regardless of local flavor) just put out their newest CD, Still the Wicked Rest. I ordered it the same time as their Live DVD, and somehow thought that the new CD was just a live thing, too. Well, when it showed up, I was all like, “hmmm… this looks like a legitimate studio CD.” And, well, it is a new studio CD. And it’s awesome. Think two-guitar hard rock (with a sound that’s equal parts Led Zeppelin & early Alice in Chains) with a strong singer-songwriter core, powerful vocals, and lyrics for the Rage Against the Machine set…
Noctaluca is fronted by singer-songwriter Jason Ludwig. His solo debut, PeLL MeLL, was one of my Top 10 from 2003. Right after he got a lot of local acclaim for this, he ditched gigging by his name and started gigging his new band, Noctaluca. In 2003, I snagged a copy of of the “Monkey Moon” radio single they had at a table at the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. This was the only recorded Noctaluca until 2006’s long-awaited Towering the Sum. Towering the Sum was in a good group of favorite local CDs that year, as well as being in my Top 10 vocal CDs in 2006, too. All this to say that I LIKE NOCTALUCA. Being surprised with a new studio CD is well, awesomes…
And they start the new Still the Wicked Rest CD off with a re-recording of “Monkey Moon“… natch. It deserved to make its way onto an official CD… finally.
Check ’em out!
http://www.noctaluca.com/
http://www.myspace.com/noctaluca
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Next up in awesomeness… getting endless mileage out of the same songs, there’s a new download-only dub mix of Puscifer songs by the dark & ambient Lustmord. Puscifer is Maynard James Keenan (from Tool & A Perfect Circle). Lustmord has had his hand at remixing the Melvins, Puscifer music previously releases, as well as maybe A Perfect Circle song(s). My mind fails me, and I’m too lazy to check at this point. :) The new album is 53 minutes, 8 songs… and fits in with the Puscifer album as well as a darker dub sound. I’d recommend it if you like Maynard’s music, Lustmord’s music, dark dub, or remixes…
It’s available only at Puscifer’s store for now:
https://store.puscifer.com/
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Next up in awesomeness… still awesome, but it is Christmas music (of which I usually don’t like); so it gets last billing. David Bazan of Pedro the Lion put out another holiday-themed 7″ vinyl – a split of melancholy Jingle Bells & All I Want for Christmas. This was the first one since I’ve lived on the West Coast. The East Coast people got a 3 hour jump on the overnight email he sent out, and they snatched them all up… except for a few on Suicide Squeeze‘s website. I scored one… but barely.
A 1,000 quantity pressing may not be enough, bro.
recent spins
9 recent releases in random order…
Medeski Martin & Wood – Zaebos :: MMW had a song on 2003’s Unknown Masada compilation. That compilation is what I see to be the basis for the whole Masada Book Two set-up (other bands playing Zorn’s new Masada tunes). MMW don’t disappoint on the full-album workings of Masada tunes. While I think I like Secret Chiefs 3’s Xaphan and the Bar Kokhba Sextet’s Lucifer better from this year’s Masada Book Two crop, Zaebos does rocketh much. MMW also has something like 3 more CDs coming out this year… the 1st one due out today (Radiolarians 1) – – and I hope to pick it up at their Eugene gig in mid-November. I am curious about the sales numbers for Zaebos, as I think this is one of Tzadik’s more “mainstream artist” releases (very relatively speaking).
Ani DiFranco – Red Letter Year :: Glow in the dark moon on the front… nice. I also dig the chunky guitars in “Alla This,” a fav of mine from her concerts the past two years or so (recent review HERE). More band oriented, as well as a return to some horns on a few songs… a good move for Ani, IMO. I’ve only made it through the CD twice so far, but it doesn’t seem to have any filler. It’s good to hear the formerly only live tunes done up right in the studio. For a more in-depth review, check out my friend ZSS’s 8th Notes blog HERE.
SF Jazz Collective – Live 2008 :: SF Jazz Collective 2008 features Dave Douglas, Joe Lovano, new MacArthur Fellow Miguel Zenón, and many other great modern jazz talents. The 2008 SF Jazz Collective features original compositions and compositions by Wayne Shorter. Originally planned as a 2-CD set to come out in July, it ended up being a 3-CD set getting bumped back to late Sept/early Oct. It was worth the wait… this is 3 hours of solid new jazz music and solid arrangements of Wayne Shorter’s classics. Favorites from each CD: “Aurora Borealis,” “Secrets of the Code,” and “Aung San Suu Kyi.”
Mitch Hedberg – Do You Believe in Gosh? :: A good remembrance of one of the funniest guys who used to like to stay at the hotel with the two trees. It’s only around 40 minutes, but it doesn’t contain many misses or duplicates from his prior offerings. Short, but sweet.
Hotel Lights – Firecracker People :: Darren Jesse (former drummer of Ben Folds Five) wrote one of the best songs on BFF’s final record (“Magic” from The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner). In Hotel Lights, he takes up the guitar, piano, and songwriting torch and delivers from indie pop brilliance. Much mellower than BFF material, but in line with the aforementioned “Magic.” This is the Hotel Lights 3rd release… they’re on the indie Bar-None Records. Support indie music.
George Carlin – It’s Bad For Ya :: While he is missed, his legacy lives on. Brutally honest, or funny, or both. He pulls no punches, even at 70 years young.
The Tiptons Sax Quartet – Laws of Motion :: Yay, the Tiptons are coming back to Eugene in December. I got into them late last year, right after they played here. Four sax players, drums, and some great jazz meets world songs. They are based in Seattle… and I think Amy Denio has ties to the Monktail Creative Music Concern and/or Eyvind Kang. Anyway, the Tiptons are in good company. Their Tsunami CD from 2007 made a late entry into my instrumental favs of the year. Laws of Motion has a great shot for this year as well. Indie music alert… support indie music. Check ’em out on CD Baby.
Ben Folds – Way To Normal :: While I wish I could have made it to the Ben Folds Five “Reinhold Messner” reunion show (sponsored by MySpace), I wish Ben Folds Five would just reunite for good. Alas, I suppose two albums by BFF alums in a span on one month isn’t so bad either (see Hotel Lights above). :) While this album is slightly not as solid as recent Ben Folds solo outings (or perhaps he’s just predictable for me nowadays), it’s still a good album. Maybe the super special edition b-sides from the overpriced special boxset fill the album in better. I wasn’t up for paying that kind of coin, though… I’m sure they’ll surface somewhere.
Yoshie Fruchter – Pitom :: One of the more “rock band” efforts in Tzadik’s “Radical Jewish Culture” series. Along with Zakarya & Jon Madof’s Rashanim, this is a welcome addition to the fold. Great guitars and great violin & viola as well. Grounded in Jewish music, yet soaring riffs. I’m looking forward to hearing more and more from this great band.
new post-rock gems
AristeiA – How to Kill a King -EP- :: This band from Portland caught me by storm like the warrior’s prowess that their Iliadic name suggests*. This debut CD is truly great post-rock for fans of Mogwai, Explosions in the Sky, and others in that vein. My favorite track is “Feedback King,” and it’s all-in-all a solid outing. Their packaging of the CD is also quite unique… it’s a hand sewn golden pouch** with oversized liner cards and a paper sleeved CD. It doesn’t fit nicely in my standard rack (between Argyle Park & Arrested Development); but it definitely stands out and shows that they put effort into their record as a whole, not just the music. I’m excited about seeing them live in October when I’m up in Portland for work. Check them out at:
….http://www.myspace.com/aristeiaband
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Talkdemonic – Eyes at Half Mast :: Yet another band from Portland, but I got into them back when I lived in SW Ohio. I finally got a chance to see them live (review link) in February. They are a great two piece that is more on the subtler, gentler side of post-rock. Perhaps “electro-acoustic chamber rock” is their subgenre. :) Anyway, Eyes at Half Mast picks up where their past two records left off… nary a disappointment. I’ve been waiting for this record since they mentioned it as “upcoming” at their show in Feb…
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Mogwai – The Hawk is Howling :: Much more enjoyable to me than their recent tour (review link). I can control the volume… yay! I dig this record A LOT. This Scottish band, or band from Scotland (so all three bands are from places that end in “land”), has put out some consistently great records. This one bounces back from their mellower Zidane with more gusto, more power, yet still retaining the melody. You know… the melody that gets drowned out in their live show (::rolleyes::). Anyway, I think this record will stand up as one of the better releases in 2008.
2008 is a banner year for great instrumental music. Every year I get more and more instrumental music, but this year is shaping up to be the first year ever where instrumental music beats out vocal music on CDs making their way on my shelves (and it’s by a landslide at this point). These three records above are a good indication why I’m leaning towards the vocal-less preference lately.
~Dan – np: Ani Difranco – Red Letter Year
*– gotta love Wikipedia
**– though it is fraying a bit, they could have used some pinking shears***
***– gotta love Wikipedia
iRandom {28 Aug 08}
Some random listening this morning from the iPod’s shuffle option…
- Mogwai “Kappa” from Government Sessions
This was fortuitous, as I’m going to see Mogwai in Portland next week. :) The Government Sessions was my first experience with Mogwai.
- John Scofield “Whatcha See is Whatcha Get” from Up All Night
A little bit too hotel lobby jazz for me compared to some of J.Sco’s other stuff… but great for reading through employee benefit audit guidance.
- Frank Zappa “The Moon Will Never Be the Same” from Joe’s Xmasage
More of the avant-garde meanderings from FZ. Short, but not sweet.
- Sigur Rós “Bíum Bíum Bambaló” from Angels of the Universe
This is easily my favorite track from this soundtrack / score.
- Silverchair “No Association” from Freak Show
Ah, from their good ol’ gah-rung-ah era…
- The Sheds “Rootwings” from You’ve Got a Light
Cincinnati quirfolk duo… but one of their more straight forward songs… they haven’t put anything out lately, I don’t think. I may have to poke by their website when I get home tonight. http://www.theshedsmusic.com/
- Tim Sparks “Where Are You My Lover?” from Tanz
Gentle guitars on this overall beautiful Tzadik release.
- Frank Zappa “Flakes” from Beat the Boots #7: Saarbrücken
Two FZ tunes in the 10-song spin… what are the odds? Well, actually, they are 1,110 available FZ songs out of 14,678 non-replacing permutations (all songs currently on my iPod) would be a 0.57% chance for 2 FZ to land somewhere in the first 10 spins (unless I did the math incorrectly – which is highly likely, as my stats book from last term was borrowed from a colleague). Anyway… fun song, complete with a pretty bad, but funny, Bob Dylan impression.
- Caedmon’s Call “I Just Don’t Want Coffee” from I Just Don’t Want Coffee -EP-
This one has different lyrics from the Warner debut version. It’s one of the more compelling, and thankfully not Jebusy, Derek Webb-penned early Caedmon’s tunes. Derek Webb is a great songwriter. Even though I have philosophical differences with him, I still love him and his music.
- Yann Tiersen “Soir de fête” from Rue des Cascades
Yann, you wiley devil. Great instrumentalism with the grounded feel of folk music, but the fun of a circus parade.
Well, I shant type robustly about the 11th and so on shuffled tune… even thought I want to (#11 was Estradasphere and #12 was Isis). Anyway, that’s just a peak inside my ears this morning… check any of them out on iTunes or the Amazon.
~Dan
Greydon Square, Ani DiFranco & Steven Wilson
Atheist rapper Greydon Square comes back strong on his latest album, The CPT Theorem. This is his third album, though his debut (Absolute from 2004) is long out-of-print… so it’s only the 2nd album of his that I am lucky to own. His album The Compton Effect was one of my favorite albums in 2007. This album branches out more beyond the primarily atheist lyrics, more about his life and other topics (to some extent). I’m on my 2nd time through, and I’m diggin’ it. Fav track thus far… “Cubed.” The album is on some internet stores, specifically iTunes. Give it a listen… as well as his last one (The Compton Effect), too…
In non-atheist rap news, Ani DiFranco‘s got a new song posted to her MyScpae page*. The song is called “Smiling Underneath.” I dig its more “band-oriented” sound. Her new (20th studio) album, Red Letter Year, comes out on 9/30/08.
Yep, 20 albums in, what, 18-19 years?! Crazy… but I dig just about all of ’em.
Regarding Porcupine Tree frontman Steven Wilson, of whom I posted a news bit 2 weeks or so ago, there’s a YouTube trailer for his upcoming solo album, Insurgentes:
Coming up this weekend for me… King’s X and Extreme playing on the same stage. Woot! How’s that for diverse music in one post: atheist rap, hipster folk, progressive rock, the founders of grunge, and a hair band. :)
*– MyScpae is a new networking site for people who can’t tuckin’ fype.