Sonictroubadour

Music 2009 - My Personal Year In Review, Part 2

2009-12-29T06:07:00.001-08:00

Electric Masada

Top Ten Live Shows In 2009

( Listed By Date, Not By Ranking)

2/8/09 - Go Home - 142 Throckmorton Theatre, Mill Valley, CA

3/12/09 - Masada - Yoshi’s, San Francisco, CA

3/13/09 - Bar Kokhba - Yoshi’s, San Francisco, CA

3/14/09 - Dreamers - Yoshi’s, San Francisco, CA

3/15/09 - Electric Masada - Yoshi’s, San Francisco, CA

5/7/09 - Spectrum - Great American Music Hall, San Francisco, CA

6/22/09 - Go Left Festival - Yoshi’s, San Francisco, CA

7/10/09 - Indian Jewelry / Psychic Ills - 21 Grand, Oakland, CA

8/20/09 - Jazz Mafia Symphony (Brass, Bows, and Beats) - Yoshi’s, San Francisco, CA

8/24/09 - Master Musicians Of Bukakke / Six Organs Of Admittance - The Echo, Los Angeles, CA

Master Musicians Of Bukkake

Music 2009 - My Personal Year In Review, Part 1

2009-12-28T14:32:00.000-08:00

Yawn. After not posting in sooooooo long, it's hard for me to imagine that it matters, that anybody even cares about my little blog nor the opinions expressed within, but, what the hell...

Here's the list of new releases I purchased in 2009, which will provide the basis for my various top ten lists:

ADDED - 109 (109/164 = 66%)

AHMED, ILYAS: Goner CD (Root Strata)

AMADO, RODRIGO/KESSLER/NILSSEN-LOVE: The Abstract Truth CD (European Echoes)

ASTATKE, MULATU/HELIOCENTRICS: Inspiration Information DLP (Strut)

BAKER, AIDAN: Thoughtspan LP (Blackest Rainbow)

BARONESS: Blue Record DLP (Relapse)

BEMBEYA NATIONAL JAZZ: The Syliphone Years - DCD (Sterns Africa)

BLACK TO COMM: Alphabet 1968 LP (Type)

BORIS: Japanese Heavy Rock Hits v1 7-S (Southern Lord)

BORIS: Japanese Heavy Rock Hits v2 7-S (Southern Lord)

BORIS: Japanese Heavy Rock Hits v3 7-S (Southern Lord)

BRAINBOMBS: Fucking Mess LP (Lystring)

CIRCLE X: Live In Dijon ‘79 10” (Fractal)

CLUTCHY HOPKINS (MEETS LORD KENJAMIN): Music Is My Medicine CD (Ubiquity)

DEATH: ...For The Whole World To See LP (Drag City)

DIMINISHED MEN: Shadow Instrumentals LP (Abduction)

DINOSAUR JR.: Farm DLP (Jagjaguwar)

DRAGAN: Shapes Shades Shadows LP (11:11 Records)

EGYPT: S/T CD (MeteorCity)

EL-G: Tout Ploie LP (S-S Records)

EL-G: Captaine Present 5 One-Sided EP (Nashazphone)

EMBASSADORS: Coptic Dub LP (Nonplace)

ENTRANCE: The Entrance Band DLP (Ecstatic Peace)

ESPERS: III LP (Drag City)

ESPVALL, HELENA & MASAKI BATOH: Overloaded Ark DLP (Drag City)

ETERNAL TAPESTRY: Palace Of The Night Skies LP (Three Lobed Recordings)

ETERNAL TAPESTRY: The Invisible Landscape LP (Not Not Fun)

EXPO 70: Psychosis LP + Bonus Live CD (Peasant Magik)

EXPO 70: ” Sunglasses / Trancending Energy From Light 7-S (Trensmat Records)

FIRE!: You Liked Me Five Minutes Ago LP (Rune Grammophone)

GEORGE-EDWARDS GROUP: 38:38 LP (Drag City/Galactic Zoo Disk)

GROUP BOMBINO: Guitars Agadez, Vol. 2 LP (Sublime Frequencies)

GROUP DOUEH: Treeg Salaam LP (Sublime Frequencies)

GUMO, DORONCO: Old Punks LP (Holy Mountain)

GURVICH, URI: The Storyteller CD (Tzadik)

HABITAT SOUND SYSTEM: Meets Prince Zohar And The Mystics CD (Gematria Records)

HOLY KISS: Under Moon Of Night LP (Hungry Eye)

J. T. IV: Cosmic Lightning LP + DVD (Drag City/Galactic Zoo Disk)

JACK-O AND THE TENNESSEE TEARJEARKERS: The Disco Outlaw LP (Goner)

JACKIE-O MOTHERFUCKER: Ballads Of The Revolution LP (Fire Records)

JAZZ MAFIA (SYMPHONY): Brass Bows And Beats - A Hip-Hop Symphony By Adam Theis CD (Yonas Media)

KANE, JONATHAN: Jet Ear Party DLP (Radium)

KAWAGUCHI, MASAMI (NEW ROCK SYNDICATE): S/T CDR (Purifiva)

KINSKI/BARDO POND: Sonic Attack (Lords Of Light) S7-S (Trensmat Records)

LA OTRACINA: Blood Moon Riders LP (Holy Mountain)

LITTLE CLAW: Human Taste LP (Not Not Fun)

LUNCH, LYDIA: Big Sexy Noise 12-EP (Sartorial Records)

MAJUTSU NO NIWA: At The End Of Summer CD (There - Musik Atlach)

MAJUTSU NO NIWA: Frontera CD (There - Musik Atlach)

MANCO, BARIS: Dunden Bugune LP (Guerssen)

MASTER MUSICIANS OF BUKKAKE - Totem One LP (Conspiracy)

MAZUREK, ROB (QUINTET): Sound Is CD (Delmark)

MILLER, LLOYD: A Lifetime In Oriental Jazz LP (Jazzman)

MIRRORS: Something That Would Never Do LP (Violet Times)

MONO: Hymn To The Immortal Wind DLP (Temporary Residence)

MOON DUO: Love On The Sea 12” Single (Sick Thirst)

MORRIS, JOE (QUARTET): Today On Earth CD (Aum Fidelity)

MOUNTAINS: Choral DLP (Thrill Jockey)

MV + EE With The Golden Road: Drone Trailer LP (DiCristina)

MV + EE : Barn Nova CD (Ecstatic Peace)

NEW FRACTURE QUARTET: 1,000 Lights CD (Multikulti Project)

NEW MIMINOKOTO: All About Mimi CD (P.S.F.)

NORTHWOODS IMPROVISERS: Constellations One-Sided EP (Qbico)

OM: God Is Good LP (Drag City)

ONEIDA: Rated O TLP (Jagjaguwar)

ONNA: Cortigiana Dal Velo / Mune O Tsutsunde 7-S (Holy Mountain / Tlon Uqbar)

ORCHESTRE POLY-RYTHMO DE COTONOU: “Echos Hypnotiques” 1969-1979 DLP (Analog Africa)

PURLING HISS: S/T LP (Permanent Records)

PYRAMIDS: Lalibela LP (Ikef)

PYRAMIDS: King Of Kings LP (Ikef)

PYRAMIDS: Birth/Speed/Merging LP (Ikef)

RENDERERS: Monsters And Miasmas CD (Last Visible Dog)

SEX MOB (MEETS MEDESKI): Live in Willisau 2006 CD (Thirsty Ear)

SILVESTER ANFANG II: S/T DLP (Aurora Borealis)

SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE: Luminous Night LP (Drag City)

SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE/AZUL: S/T SLP (P.S.F.)

SNAKE FLOWER 2: Renegade Daydream LP (Tic Tac Totally)

SONIC YOUTH: The Eternal DLP (Matador)

SOULEYMAN, OMAR: Dabke 2020: Folk & Pop Sounds of Syria CD (Sublime Frequencies)

SPECK MOUNTAIN: Some Sweet Relief LP (Carrot Top)

SPECTRUM: War Sucks 12-EP (Mind Expansion)

SUN ARAW: The Phynx LP (Not Not Fun)

TERMINAL LOVERS: As Eyes Burn Clean LP (Public Guilt)

TRAD, GRAS OCH STENAR: Homeless Cats DLP (Subliminal Sounds)

UP-TIGHT: The Beginning Of The End LP (8mm)

VANDERMARK 5: Annular Gift CD (Not Two)

VANDERMARK, KEN (RESONANCE ENSEMBLE): Resonance LP (Not Two)

VEE DEE: Public Mental Health System DLP (Criminal IQ Records)

VILE, KURT (& The Violators): The Hunchback EP 12-EP (Richie Records)

VILE, KURT: God Is Saying This To You... LP (Mexican Summer)

WARE, DAVID S.: Shakti CD (Aum Fidelity)

WARE, DAVID S. (QUARTET): Live In Vilnius DLP (NoBusiness Records)

WHITE HILLS: Dead 12” EP (Thrill Jockey)

WOODEN SHJIPS: Dos LP (Holy Mountain)

WOODEN SHJIPS: Contact 12” Single (Mexican Summer)

YO LA TENGO: Popular Songs DLP (Matador)

YOUNG, NEIL: Fork In The Road LP (Warner Brothers)

ZELIENOPLE: Give It Up LP + Bonus CD (Type Recordings)

ZORN, JOHN: O’o CD (Tzadik)

V/A: 2131 South Michigan Avenue: 60’s Garage & Psychedelia From USA And Destination Records TLP (Sundazed)

V/A: B-Music - Drive In, Turn On, Freak Out DLP (B-Music)

V/A: Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968-81 2CD (Soundway)

V/A: Legends Of Benin DLP (Analog Africa)

V/A: Open Strings: Early Virtuoso Recordings From The Middle East And New Responses FLP (Honest Jon’s Records)

V/A: Ouaga Affair: Hard Won Sound Of The Upper Volta 1974-1978 DLP (Disques Savannahphone)

V/A: Shiftless Decay: New Sound Of Detroit LP (X! Records)

V/A: Siamese Soul: Thai Pop Spectacular Vol. 2 1960s-1980s CD (Sublime Frequencies)

V/A: Singapore A-Go-Go CD (Sublime Frequencies)

V/A: Spiritual Jazz DLP (Jazzman)

V/A: Up From The Grave: North Valley Garage 1965-1968 CD (Frantic)

NOT ADDED - 55 (55/164 = 34%)

AKRON/FAMILY: Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free DLP (Dead Oceans)

ARBOURETUM: Song Of The Pearl LP (Thrill Jockey)

BAARS, AB (TRIO & KEN VANDERMARK): Goofy June Bug CD (Wig)

BIRCHALL, NAT: Akhenaten CD (Gondwana)

BLUES CONTROL: Local Flavor LP (Siltbreeze)

BODUF SONGS: The Strait Gait 12” Single (Latitudes)

BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE: Smoking Acid DLP (A Records)

CHEATER SLICKS: Bats In The Dead Trees LP (Lost Treasures Of The Underground)

DAKARI, ORI: Entrances CD (Tzadik)

DAUGHTERS OF THE SUN: Rings LP (Modern Radio)

DAVIS, GARETH AND STEVEN R. SMITH.: Westering LP (Important Records)

DIAZ de LEON, MARIO: Enter Houses Of CD (Tzadik)

EXPO 70: Night Flights LP (Fedora Corpse)

EXTRA GOLDEN: Thank You Very Quickly LP (Thrill Jockey)

GARY WAR: Horribles Parade LP (Sacred Bones Records)

GAYLE, CHARLES (TRIO): Forgiveness CD (Not Two)

GARY HIGGINS: Seconds CD (Drag City)

GUSTAFSSON MATS: Mats G. Plays Albert A. One-Sided EP (Qbico)

HUSH ARBORS: Yankee Reality CD (Ecstatic Peace)

HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE: S/T DLP (Honest Jon's Records)

INTRUSION: The Seduction Of Silence CD (Echospace)

JAY, ABNER: True Story of Abner Jay LP (Mississippi)

JESU: Pale Sketches LP (Avalanche Recordings)

JESU: Opiate Sun 12-EP (Aural Exploits)

KLEISTWAHR: The Return LP (Noiseville)

LA OTRACINA: The Risk Of Gravitation LP (Colour Sounds)

LEE, SHAWN & CLUTCHY HOPKINS: Fascinating Fingers CD (Ubiquity)

LENCHANTIN, PAZ: Songs For Luci LP (Black Tent)

LIGHTS: Rites LP (Drag City)

LONDON, FRANK & LORIN SKLAMBERG: Tsuker-Zis CD (Tzadik)

LYNCH, JULIAN: Orange You Glad LP (Olde English Spelling Bee)

MASADA QUINTET (FEATURING JOE LOVANO): Stolas: The Book Of Angels Volume 12 CD (Tzadik)

MITCHELL, NICOLE (Black Earth Strings): Renegades CD (Delmark)

MORRIS, JOE: Wildlife CD (Aum Fidelity)

NADLER, MARISSA: Little Hells LP (Kemado)

NASH, BEN / NAUTILUS: S/T SLP (Blackest Rainbow)

ONNA: S/T CD (Holy Mountain / Tlon Uqbar)

PONTIAK: Maker LP (Thrill Jockey)

RACE: Exiles LP (St. Ives)

ROBINSON & BURTON GREENE, PERRY: Two Voices In The Desert CD (Tzadik)

SADEH & THE VOYAGERS, DAPHNA: Reconciliation CD (Tzadik)

SLEEPY SUN: Embrace 10-S (ATP Recordings)

SMITH, STEVEN R.: Cities LP (Immune Recordings)

SMITH, WADADA LEO: Spiritual Dimensions DCD (Cuneiform Records)

THE LOVE IS SO FAST: S/T LP (Siltbreeze)

3 SHADES: Thank God For Beatniks LP (Alien Transistor)

TREMBLING BELLS: Carbeth LP (Honest Jon's Records)

WET HAIR: Dream LP (Not Not Fun)

YONKERS, MICHAEL AND PLASTIC CRIMEWAVE SOUND: Bleed Out LP (Spirial Staircase)

ZUKIE, TAPPA: Horns Up! - Dubbing With Horns LP (Jamaican Recordings)

V/A: Dub Echoes DCD (Soul Jazz)

V/A: Raks Raks Raks - 17 Golden Garage Psych Nuggets From The Iranian 60s Scene LP (Raks)

V/A: Tokyo Flashback 7 - P. S. F. Psychedelic Sampler CD (P. S. F. Records)

V/A: The World Is Shaking: Cubanismo From The Congo, 1954-55 DLP (Honest Jon's Records)

Music I Liked And Didn't - 1/30/09 - 1/31/09

2009-01-31T08:14:00.000-08:00

Adds -

WARE, DAVID S.: Shakti CD (Aum Fidelity) - Since the 70's, David S. Ware has been one of the true giants of the saxophone. "Shakti" marks his return to action, with a new group of musicians (though long-time collaborator, William Parker, is still holding down the bass duties!) and line-up of instruments (replacing pianist Matthew Shipp with Joe Morris on guitar - yes, already another Jazz release in 2009 featuring guitar!) and the result is one of his strongest releases in recent years.

Did Not Add -

None

Running Count For The Year -

Adds 8/9 = 89%

Did Not Add 1/9 = 11%

Music I Liked And Didn't - 1/1/09 - 1/29/09

2009-01-29T06:02:00.000-08:00

No proper reviews yet, though I may start writing and publishing them again soon. For the moment, here's a list (with some notations) of the new releases I've added (or not!), so far, in 2009!

Adds -

GROUP BOMBINO: Guitars Agadez, Vol. 2 LP (Sublime Frequencies) - Another great blast from the sonic-ethnographers at Sublime Frequencies. Both the acoustic A-Side and electric B-Side are equally fantastic. Honestly, one of the better releases from among the consistently high quality catalog of releases from Sublime Frequencies.

LA OTRACINA: Blood Moon Riders LP (Holy Mountain)

MV + EE With The Golden Road: Drone Trailer LP (DiCristina) - Another cool release from MV and EE, on one of the shittiest pressings of all time! Buy the CD version.

NEW FRACTURE QUARTET: 1,000 Lights CD (Multikulti Project) - Interesting new project led by Vandermark 5 (among many other projects) drummer, Tim Daisy. The group brings together long-time collaborator and veteran bassist Nate Mc Bride (in Bridge 61, with Daisy, among many other projects), along with two of Chicago's strongest young musicians, Jaimie Branch, on trumpet and Dave Miller, on guitar (2009 is shaping up to be, perhaps, a big year for the re-emergence of the guitar in Jazz, with, already, three releases that I have purchased that feature guitar in the line-up) and electronics. Excellent contemporary avant Jazz sounds in a vein somewhat similar to a scaled down Powerhouse Sound (which is led by Vandermark, includes Mc Bride, and features guitar and electronics in the mix!).

VANDERMARK, KEN (RESONANCE ENSEMBLE): Resonance LP (Not Two) - Excellent large ensemble, long form recordings of this new Vandermark-led project captured live in performance in Lvov, Ukraine on November 17, 2007. The B-Side's "The Number 44 (for Anna Czarna Adamska)" reflects, at least in my humble opinion, a notable affinity for the legendary large ensemble recordings of Charles Mingus.

V/A: B-Music - Drive In, Turn On, Freak Out DLP (B-Music)

V/A: Spiritual Jazz DLP (Jazzman) - Respectable, though not amazing, collection of "Soul Jazz" from the late 60's and early 70's. Highlights include:"Psych City" by the Ohio Penitentiary 511 Jazz Ensemble and "The Will Come, Is Now" by Ronnie Boykins.

Did Not Add -

DAKARI, ORI: Entrances CD (Tzadik) - Another release featuring the guitar within the Jazz (in a very broad sense) idiom. A well-crafted group of compositions, made by skilled musicians, to be certain, but, overall, this was just a little too smooth, too reserved, for me to add. Still, I'll be checking up on Dakari in the future, as I feel he does have the potential to deliver something truly special.

Running Count For The Year -

Adds 7/8 = 88%

Did Not Add 1/8 = 12%

Christmas In March For S. F. Bay Area Jazzbos!!!!!

2009-01-19T03:50:00.000-08:00

YOSHI'S SAN FRANCISCO ANNOUNCES JOHN ZORN RESIDENCY, MARCH 10-15

Yoshi’s is pleased to announce prolific saxophonist, composer and MacArthur fellow, John Zorn will take up residence at Yoshi's San Francisco March 10th through 15th. Each of the 6 nights will feature a different ensemble performing Zorn’s works. The musicians featured nightly include some of the finest players in New York's Downtown scene including: Dave Douglas, Marc Ribot, Greg Cohen, Joey Baron, Erik Friedlander and Cyro Baptista.

This marks the first occasion Zorn has performed a residency of this nature on the West Coast. Zorn will be highlighting music from both his original Book of Masada songs (Book I) as well as his newly penned Book of Angels (Book II).

The run will open Tuesday, March 10th with Secret Chiefs 3. Trey Spruance leads this brilliant band through his unique and powerful arrangements of Zorn second Book. This will be the first time Secret Chiefs 3 will have performed Zorn’s works on the West Coast.

Wednesday’s group, the Masada String Trio, a jazz chamber ensemble, is made up of three of New York’s most skilled string improvisers; Erik Friedlander, Mark Feldman and Greg Cohen.

Thursday’s performance will be a rare appearance by the classic Masada quartet. Formed in 1993, this groundbreaking, impassioned quartet has played an instrumental role in shaping the radical Jewish culture movement. Led by Zorn on alto saxophone, the Masada quartet features Greg Cohen on bass, Dave Douglas on trumpet and Joey Baron on drums.

Dave Douglas and John Zorn - Masada

Friday’s engagement is by Bar Kokhba, one of Zorn’s most beloved and popular projects. The band features players from both the Masada String Trio and the Masada Quartet augmented by the surf-tinged guitar of Marc Ribot and the fiery percussion work of Cryo Baptista. The music of this magical sextet can only be described as "sephardic exotica for young moderns."

The Bar Kokhba Sextet

Saturday, the week's lone non-Masada related entity - The Dreamers, take stage. The group features Jamie Saft, Cyro Baptista, Marc Ribot and Zorn himself playing gorgeous surf-rock like pieces that are lush and hypnotic at their core.

The Dreamers

The run closes with a bang - on Sunday, March 15th with Electric Masada. A full-on assault of one the most adventurous electric jazz ensembles playing today.

Marc Ribot - Electric Masada

March 10: Secret Chiefs 3 Play Masada Book II
March 11: Masada String Trio
March 12: Masada
March 13: Bar Kokhba
March 14: The Dreamers
March 15: Electric Masada

Yoshi’s San Francisco
1330 Fillmore Street (at Eddy)
San Francisco, California 94607

Tickets for all shows on sale Monday, January 19th at Noon (PST) at www.yoshis.com, the Yoshi’s San Francisco box office or via phone at 415-655-5600.
--
Limited Ticket Packages Available:

Early Show Package: $200 for reserved ticket for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday’s 8pm shows as well as Sunday’s 7pm show

Late Show Package: $200 for reserved ticket for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday’s 10pm shows as well as Sunday’s 9pm show
-

Tuesday, March 10
8pm $20 & 10pm $20
SECRET CHIEFS 3 PLAY MASADA BOOK II
Personnel: TBA

Wednesday, March 11
8pm (Book I) $45 & 10pm (Book II) $45
MASADA STRING TRIO
John Zorn: Composer, Conductor
Greg Cohen: Bass
Mark Feldman: Violin
Erik Friedlander: Cello

Thursday, March 12
8pm (Book I) $50 & 10pm (Book II) $50
MASADA
John Zorn: Saxophone, Composer
Joey Baron: Drums
Greg Cohen: Bass
Dave Douglas: Trumpet

Friday, March 13
8pm (Book I) $50 & 10pm (Book II) $50
BAR KOKHBA
Cyro Baptista: Percussion
Joey Baron: Drums
Greg Cohen: Bass
Mark Feldman: Violin
Erik Friedlander: Cello
Marc Ribot: Guitar

Saturday, March 14
8pm (Volume I) $50 & 10pm (Volume II) $50
THE DREAMERS
Joey Baron: Drums
Trevor Dunn: Bass
Marc Ribot: Guitars
Jamie Saft: Keyboards
Kenny Wollesen: Vibes
John Zorn: Alto Sax
Cyro Baptista: Percussion

Sunday, March 15
7pm (Book I) $50 & 9pm (Book II) $50
ELECTRIC MASADA
Cyro Baptista: Percussion
Joey Baron: Drums
Trevor Dunn: Bass
Ikue Mori: Electronics
Marc Ribot: Guitar
Jamie Saft: Keyboards
Kenny Wollesen: Drums
John Zorn: Alto Sax

Also, of related interest, and in the very same block as Yoshi's:

HARLEM OF THE WEST...Revisited

Harlem of The West...Revisited, an art and photographic exhibit celebrating the bustling San Francisco Fillmore jazz era of the 1940s and 1950s, recently returned to the Jazz Heritage Center's Lush Life Gallery in San Francisco. In the 40s and 50s, the Fillmore was a vibrant neighborhood of more than two dozen nightclubs and music joints within one square mile-all of which virtually vanished due to redevelopment in the 1960s. The exhibit celebrates a rediscovered chapter in jazz history and the African American experience on the West Coast. The exhibit is based on a book of the same name, written by Elizabeth Pepin and Lewis Watts-the exhibit curators. The exhibit includes photographs by David Johnson, Gerald Ratto and Mars Breslow. The Jazz Heritage Center is located at 1320 Fillmore St. in San Francisco. Phone number is (415) 255-7745. The exhibit runs through Mar. 7, 2009. Admission is free.

Finally...

As the vinyl format rises back into to the consciousness of true music aficionados and, as a result, continues to increase its presence in the marketplace, a number of labels are now issuing Jazz LPs again. Recently, the great free jazz label, Eremite, has released reissues of two rare free jazz titles on LP - "Red, Black & Green "by the Solidarity Unit, Inc. and "Big Chief" by Sunny Murray.

And the Polish Jazz label, Not Two, has recently released an LP by Ken Vandermark's newest large ensemble project, the Resonance Ensemble, simply titled "Resonance". It contains two side-long pieces captured live in performance in Lvov, Ukraine on November 17, 2007. The Resonance Ensemble includes such notable performers as: Ken Vandermark (USA) on tenor and baritone saxes and clarinet, Tim Daisy (USA) on drums, Dave Rempis (USA) on tenor and alto saxes (all three from the Vandermark 5!), and Magnus Broo (Sweden) on trumpet - outstanding! You can check out: http://www.chazzforjazz.com/servlet/the-901/Ken-Vandermark,-Resonance,-Magnus/Detail for more info!

And, as if that wasn't already enough, there's a new Jazz imprint out of Lithuania called NoBusiness Records. They've recently issued two new LPs - a recording of Joe McPhee's Trio X captured live in performance at the Vilniaus Congress Hall on March 27, 2006.

And an LP of solo improvisations by legendary Swedish horn mangler, Mats Gustafsson as recorded on February 9, 2008 at Mažasis Teatras in Vilniaus, Lithuania.

You can check out: http://www.nobusinessrecords.com/ for more info!

And, thankfully, stalwarts such as Qbico and relative newcomer Shortwave also continue to release challenging, new, improvised music in high quality packages!

Long live vinyl!

Music 2008 - My Personal Year In Review, Part 3

2008-12-30T04:36:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Jazz Releases 2008

( Listed Alphabetically, Not By Ranking)

BAR KOKHBA: Lucifer: Book of Angels Volume 10 CD (Tzadik)

BERNSTEIN, STEVEN: Diaspora Suite CD (Tzadik)

BROWN, ROB (ENSEMBLE): Crown Trunk Root Funk CD (AUM Fidelity)

BY ANY MEANS: Live At Crescendo DCD (Ayler)

GONZALEZ, DENNIS (& FARUK Z. BEY W/NORTHWOODS IMPROVISERS SEPTET): Hymn For Tomasz Stanko LP (Qbico)

MAHANTHAPPA, RUDRESH (Pictured Above): Kinsmen CD (Pi Recordings)

MAHANTHAPPA, RUDRESH (Indo-Pak Coalition): Apti CD (Innova)

PARKER, WILLIAM (QUARTET): Petit Oiseau DLP (Shortwave)

RUDOLPH, ADAM (MOVING PICTURES): Dream Garden CD (Justin Time)

VANDERMARK 5 (Pictured Below) : Beat Reader DCD (Atavistic)

Music 2008 - My Personal Year In Review, Part 2

2008-12-29T03:33:00.001-08:00

Top Five Live Shows 2008

( Listed Alphabetically, Not By Ranking)

Steven Bernstein (Pictured Above) - 1/27/08 - At the Bottom Of The Hill in San Francisco, CA

Alan & Richard Bishop, “The Brothers Unconnected” Tour, with Neung Phak - 5/21/08 - At Slim’s in San Francisco, CA

Entrance (Pictured Below), with Rodriguez, Sleepy Sun, and Matt Baldwin - 11/23/08 - At the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, CA

Jandek - 1/12/08 - At the Swedish-American Hall in San Francisco, CA

William Parker Quartet (Pictured Below) - 5/20/08 - At Yoshi’s in San Francisco, CA

Music 2008 - My Personal Year In Review, Part 1

2008-12-26T02:55:00.000-08:00

Music I Liked And Didn't - 6/7/08 - 6/16/08

2008-06-16T03:32:00.000-07:00

Adds -

ENDLESS BOOGIE: Focus Level 2LP (No Quarter) - Endless Boogie is a band with an appropriate and self-descriptive name, if ever there was one. But this ain't your father's boogie, that of the ballrooms and dance halls of the late 60's and early 70's, this is a modern interpretation, with the simple, repetitive progressions of boogie, sure, but in a much more hi-gain, loose, punk rock vein.

SILVER SUMMIT: S/T CD (Language Of Stone) - To the list of amazing acid folk/psych projects emanating from the orbit of Greg Weeks and his Hexham Head Studios (Espers, Ex Reverie, Fern Knight, Mountain Home, etc.), you can add the name - Silver Summit. On their self-titled debut, the duo of Sondra Sun-Odeon and David Shawn Bosler, supported by a stellar cast (Greg Weeks, Gillian Chadwick, Margie Wienk, and so on), delivers 10 tracks of stunning crystalline acid folk and excellent psych stylings.

Hopefully, there will be a variety of opportunities for people in Northern California to see them in early September, during their upcoming West Coast tour!

Did Not Add -

None

Running Count For The Year

Adds 46/94%

Did Not Add 3/6%

Music I Liked And Didn't - 6/6/08

2008-06-06T05:29:00.000-07:00

Adds -

SUN CITY GIRLS: Live At The Sit & Spin, Seattle, May 17, 2002 LP (Abduction) - This LP (issued in a limited edition of 1000 copies) was sold only during the recent “Brothers Unconnected” tour, which featured Alan and Richard Bishop paying tribute to their long-running project, the Sun City Girls, and their fallen partner in sound, Charles Goucher. As the title states, this LP documents the Sun City Girls live experience as captured at The Sit & Spin club, in Seattle, WA, on May 17, 2002.

Did Not Add -

None

Running Count For The Year

Adds 44/94%

Did Not Add 3/6%

Music I Liked And Didn't - 6/5/08 - A Portland Explosion!

2008-06-05T05:22:00.000-07:00

Adds - 2

NUDITY: The Nightfeeders 12” Single (Discourage Records) - Pretty cool 12" single from this new Portland, OR kraut/spacerock jam band. Two versions of a side-long piece called, "The Nightfeeders", with the B-Side version being a remix by Tim Green.

PIERCED ARROWS: Straight To The Heart LP (Tombstone) - The debut full-length from Fred and Toody's post-Dead Moon trio, Pierced Arrows. No big surprize that it contains 12 tracks of classic, raw, garage punk rave-ups! SF Bay Area locals can look forward to seeing them live soon at the Bottom of The Hill on Thursday, July 17.

Did Not Add -

None

Running Count For The Year

Adds 43/93%

Did Not Add 3/7%

THIS IS OUR MOMENT!!!!!

2008-06-04T04:12:00.000-07:00

The best chance we've had in our lifetime to make a real change in our country and our county's profile in the world. Obama represents the kind of forward thinking that America needs to thrive in the "Post American" world of the 21st Century. THIS IS OUR MOMENT!!!!! LETS NOT BLOW IT PROGRESSIVES OF AMERICA!!!!!

DAMN STRAIGHT!!!!!

Music I Liked And Didn't - 5/19/08 - 6/4/08

2008-06-04T02:55:00.000-07:00

Adds - 5

BISHOP, ALAN AND RICHARD: The Brothers Unconnected - A Tribute To Charles Goucher & Sun City Girls CD (Abduction) - Tour Only CD. Excellent document of an excellent show/tour that paid tribute to a legendary group and their fallen comrade in sound, Charles Goucher.

FERN KNIGHT: S/T CD (VHF) - More killer acid folk and psych sounds from this mainstay of the vibrant contemporary Philly scene!

INDIAN JEWELRY: Free Gold! CD (We Are Free) - The latest from Indian Jewelry is a triumph, with an awesome mix of sounds, ranging from psychosludge to lo-fi, punkish, indie-rock, and even an neo-acid folk/pop leaning track or two.

SPECTRUM MEETS CAPTAIN MEMPHIS: Indian Giver CD (Birdman) - Certainly one of the more interesting, more Spacemen 3 sounding, and best releases from Sonic in quite a while. The tracks featuring legendary producer, Jim Dickinson (Big Star, Alex Chilton, The Replacements, Mudhoney, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and so on), on vocals are also interesting, especially "The Lonesome Death of Johnny Ace".

ZEDEK, THALIA (BAND): Liars and Prayers LP (Thrill Jockey) - More touching, world worn ballads and rockers from this overlooked and underappreciated underground veteran and personal favorite.

Did Not Add - 1

NALLE: The Siren's Wave CD (Locust)

Running Count For The Year

Adds 41/93%

Did Not Add 3/7%

Music I Liked And Didn't - 5/4/08 - 5/18/08

2008-05-18T05:12:00.000-07:00

Adds - 3

NOTHING PEOPLE: Anonymous LP (S-S) - Sorry, I couldn't find any cover art for this excellent new LP yet. No surprize, I guess, as I was privileged to be the first paying customer to have a copy, getting it directly from a band member after he picked them up! An amazing dose of punk/kraut/psych grooves!

V/A: Nigeria Rock Special: Psychedelic, Afro-Rock & Fuzz Funk In 1970s Nigeria 2LP (Soundway)

V/A: Radio Myanmar (Burma) CD (Sublime Frequencies) - Another fascinating release from Sub Freq. An ironicly timely sonic portrait, too, of a land about which little is known, but is currently the focus of much attention in the aftermath of the devastating cyclone that recently hit the country. The political messages were especially interesting/chilling.

Did Not Add - 1

GRAILS: Take Refuge In Clean Living CD (Important) - Grails have been one of my favs over the past few years, but their latest really left me cold. A big disappointment. These black tar prophets shouldn't have taken refuge in clean living, as their art has surely suffered for it!

Running Count For The Year

Adds 36/95%

Did Not Add 2/5%

Music I Liked And Didn't - 4/28/08 - 5/3/08

2008-05-03T03:23:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I'm still not really doing many proper reviews, due to all the work I'm putting into producing a special program on the Vandermark 5 for KFJC's annual "Month Of Mayhem", but, I am still enjoying and keeping up on new releases and here's what I've liked and not liked, since my last post.

Adds - 2

CLOUDLAND CANYON: Lie In Light CD (Kranky)

V/A: African Scream Contest: Raw & Psychedelic Afro Sounds
From Benin & Togo 70s CD (Analog Africa)

Did Not Add -

None

Running Count For The Year

Adds 33/97%

Did Not Add 1/3%

Also, for those of you in Northern California... there's another very cool show being put on by the fine "Folk Yeah!" gang at the Henry Miller library in beautiful Big Sur!!!!! Lots of great acid folk and psych sounds from the likes of Ex-Reverie, Fern Knight, Entrance, and more!!!!! Check out http://www.henrymiller.org/, for more info and tix

And remember...

DAMN STRAIGHT!!!!!

Music I Liked And Didn't - 4/18/08 - 4/27/08

2008-04-27T05:48:00.000-07:00

Announcing A Five Hour Special On The Vandermark 5 On KFJC 89.7 FM!!!!!

2008-04-18T09:06:00.000-07:00

Ken Vandermark in full flight on baritone!

I'm proud to announce that a friend and I are producing a special program on the Vandermark 5 as part of KFJC's annual "Month Of Mayhem".

This special, "Applying The Principles Of The Jazz Dialectic: An Aural History of the Vandermark 5", will be aired on Tuesday May 13, from 10am to 3pm. Among the highlights of this special, will be an interview with Ken Vandermark and the presentation of some free CDs and LPs (!) from the Vandermark 5 catalog to a few lucky listeners!

Here's a brief description of the special:

Through his efforts as a performer, composer, leader, and organizer, 1999 MacArthur Fellows selection, Ken Vandermark, has been exploring and working to expand the possibilities of jazz/improvised music for over 20 years. To that end, the Vandermark 5 has been his flagship ensemble since 1997. During that time, varying line-ups of the Vandermark 5 have produced 14 releases, consistently delivering diverse sets of contemporary jazz, with material that strikes an almost perfect balance between composition and improvisation and which integrates a wide range of sonic elements from hard bop and blistering free jazz to slamming funk and searing out-rock. Join hosts Thurston Hunger and Daryl Licht as they present an overview of the history and recordings of this influential and legendary ensemble, which, now in their second decade, continues to evolve and create compelling contemporary jazz with an almost unparalleled passion and artistry.

Left to Right: Dave Rempis, Kent Kessler, and Fred Lonberg- Holm of the Vandermark 5

Readers are encouraged to click on the KFJC link on the right side of this page for more info about KFJC's "Month Of Mayhem" or other information regarding KFJC.

Tim Daisy of the Vandermark 5

Music I Liked And Didn't - 3/17/08 - 4/17/08

2008-04-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I'm still not really doing many proper reviews, due to all the work I'm putting into producing a special program on the Vandermark 5 for KFJC's annual "Month Of Mayhem", but, I am still enjoying and keeping up on new releases and here's what I've liked and not liked, since my last post. I've included the cover art from the most noteworthy of these releases.

Adds - 14

AHMED, ILYAS: The Vertigo Of Dawn LP (Time-Lag)

BAR KOKHBA: Lucifer: Book of Angels Volume 10 CD (Tzadik)

BIRDS OF MAYA: Vol. 1 LP (Holy Mountain)

BORIS: Smile CD (Diwphalanx)

BRIAN JONESTOWN MASSACRE: My Bloody Underground CD (A Records)

BURKETT, JOSHUA: Where’s My Hat? LP (Time-Lag)

BY ANY MEANS: Live At Crescendo DCD (Ayler)

CLUTCHY HOPKINS: Walking Backwards LP (Ubiquity)

DER BLUTHARSCH: The Philosopher’s Stone LP+ One-Sided 7-S (WKN)

ERSEN: S/T CD (Finders Keepers)

KAWAGUCHI, MASAMI (NEW ROCK SYNDICATE): Cat vs. Frog LP (Palindrone Recordings)

ORCHESTRE REGIONAL DE KAYES: S/T LP (Mississippi)

ZORN, JOHN: The Dreamers CD (Tzadik)

V/A: Shadow Music Of Thailand LP (Sublime Frequencies)

Did Not Add -

None

Running Count For The Year

Adds 29/97%

Did Not Add 1/3%

Music I Liked And Didn't - 3/13/08 - 3/16/08

2008-03-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

OK, here's another review of an item that I was "commissioned" to write for one of the many websites to which I occasionally contribute.

Since this item was already included in a list I previously published, it will not change any of the running totals for the year that I post at the bottom of each entry.

Adds -

BROWN, ROB (ENSEMBLE): Crown Trunk Root Funk CD (AUM Fidelity) - Despite being a respected presence in the contemporary jazz scene for many years now, alto saxophonist, Rob Brown, remains somewhat overlooked and under appreciated, in my humble opinion. During his 20+ year career, he has produced very few recordings as a leader, a fact which I find unfortunate, as I’ve always enjoyed his unique tone and distinctive style. His 1989 release on Silkheart, “Breath Rhyme” is still a personal favorite. Brown originally formed this current quartet (which includes the legendary, William Parker, on bass, Gerald Clever, on drums, and the well-known, but often lightweight, Craig Taborn, on piano and electronics) for a performance at the 2006 edition of NYC’s great Vision Festival.

Supported by this ensemble, Brown explores new sonic territory on “Crown Trunk Root Funk”, incorporating elements of funk and experimental electronics into his music. Brown slowly immerses listeners into his expanded vocabulary, opening the disc with the solid “Rocking Horse”, a funky, slightly fusion-inflected free bopper that doesn’t stray too far from his earlier work. By the set’s third track, however, Brown is deep into uncharted waters. In “Sonic Ecosystem” Taborn and Cleaver lay down a minimal (but slowly building) foundation of experimental electronics and sporadic percussive accents over which, eventually, Brown, with an almost mournful alto, and Parker, with bowed bass, play a plaintive theme in unison. In sharp contrast, the next track “Ghost Dog” is the album’s most accessible piece, a slick, nearly regrettable, pop-leaning, funky strutter. The group returns to familiar ground with “Exuberance”, an excellent blast of classic Brown free bop stylings. The CD closes with the beautiful “World's Spinning”, in which Cleaver, Parker and Taborn create a dark, impressionistic backdrop for Brown’s soulful, lyrical lines. While his experiments on “Crown Trunk Root Funk” are not uniformly successful, it still contains plenty of great contemporary jazz and Brown is to be commended for attempting to explore new sonic horizons.

Did Not Add -

None

Running Count For The Year

Adds 15/94%

Did Not Add 1/6%

Music I Liked And Didn't - 3/10/08 - 3/12/08

2008-03-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm back in the game, after being asked by one of the many websites to which I occasionally contribute, to provide a review for this release .

This will not change any of the running totals for the year that I post at the bottom of each entry, as this release was already included in a list I previously published.

Adds -

VANDERMARK 5: Beat Reader CD (Atavistic) - “Beat Reader” is the tenth studio recording from esteemed performer/composer/leader Ken Vandermark’s flagship ensemble, the Vandermark 5. As always, Vandermark and crew deliver a diverse set of contemporary jazz over the eight tracks of this set, with material that strikes an almost perfect balance between composition and improvisation and which integrates a wide range of sonic elements from hard bop and blistering free jazz to slamming funk and searing out-rock. The ongoing evolution of the group is clearly displayed on “Beat Reader”, with the quintet’s newest member, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm (pictured above), being featured more prominently than any other performer, except Vandermark. From the beginning of the excellent opening piece “Friction” to the conclusion of the scorching final track “Desireless”, Lonberg-Holm makes his mark, with contributions ranging from subtle, chamber music stylings to driving, angular riffing and raucous, electrified skronk, the latter of which providing the group with its most acidic, rock-tinged edge since former trombonist/guitarist Jeb Bishop retired his electric guitar after 2000’s “Burn The Incline”. Personal favorites included “Further From The Truth”, a subduded, yet tasty, little piece that almost sounds as if it could have been taken from Zorn’s Masada songbook, the funky free bop of “Speedplay”, and the aforementioned “Desireless”. Although they are now in their second decade, as “Beat Reader” clearly demonstrates, the Vandermark 5 are not resting on their laurels, rather, they continue to evolve and create compelling contemporary jazz with an almost unparalleled passion and artistry.

Did Not Add -

None

Running Count For The Year

Adds 15/94%

Did Not Add 1/6%

And remember...

Damn Straight!

Music I Liked And Didn't - 1/6/08 - 3/9/08

2008-03-09T06:03:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I'm still alive, but, barely. It's been a hectic and bad few weeks. Maybe I'll feel like writing about cool music again sometime, but not yet. Sorry.

Anyway, as badly as life has turned on me, I am still (trying) to enjoy and keep up on new releases and here's what I've liked and not liked, since my last post...

Adds - 14

BERNSTEIN, STEVEN: Diaspora Suite CD (Tzadik)

BROWN, ROB (ENSEMBLE): Crown Trunk Root Funk CD (AUM Fidelity)

DEAD MEADOW: Old Growth DLP (Matador)

EX REVERIE: The Door Into Summer CD (Language Of Stone)

LUMERIANS: S/T 12” EP (Subterranean Elephants Recording Company)

RUDOLPH, ADAM (MOVING PICTURES): Dream Garden CD (Justin Time)

RUSALNAIA: S/T CD (Camera Obscura)

SHALABI, SAM: Eid CD (Alien8 Recordings)

SPEER, D. CHARLES (& THE HELIX): After Hours LP (Sound@One)

ULAAN KHOL: I CD (Soft Abuse)

VANDERMARK 5: Beat Reader DCD (Atavistic)

ZORN, JOHN: Filmworks XIX: The Rain Horse CD (Tzadik)

V/A: Asian Flashback: Underground Music From Asia CD (PSF)

V/A: Nigeria Special: Modern Highlife,Afro-Sounds & Nigerian Blues 1970-6 2CD (Soundway)

Did Not Add - 1

SUISHOU NO FUNE - Prayer for Chibi DCD (Holy Mountain)

Running Count For The Year

Adds 15/94%

Did Not Add 1/6%

Music I Liked And Didn't - 1/1/08 - 1/5/08

2008-01-05T05:02:00.001-08:00

Another year and the hits keep on comin'...

Adds -

V/A: A Kind Of Awe And Reverence And Wonder CD (Twisted Nerve) - “A Kind Of Awe And Reverence And Wonder” is another in the seemingly endless (and let’s hope so!) stream of collections issued by the Twisted Nerve/Finders Keepers/B-Music empire. Unlike most of its predecessors, for example, “Bearded Ladies, Volume One” (femme folk and psychedelia) and “Welsh Rare Beat” (archival recordings from the diverse Welsh music scene of the 1960’s and ‘70’s), this collection doesn’t seem to have any unifying theme. It simply contains 12 tracks of contemporary folk, pop, and psych from around the globe, mostly from emerging artists. Highlights included Welsh group 9Bach’s beautiful dose of crystalline acid folk “Pontypridd”, the flowing, lysergic pop gush of “Chlorine Fields” from Chicago’s Speck Mountain, and the incredible psych raga “Waiting By The Window” from England’s Booger Red (pictured above). Not a mindblower, overall, just a nice set of enjoyable tracks that also provide a useful and welcome introduction to some promising new artists that deserve further investigation.

In fact, I have already contacted Speck Mountain and 9Bach regarding their debut full-length and EP releases, respectively, so, stay tuned to Sonictroubadour for more info about these artists and their music in the near future!

Did Not Add -

None

Running Count For The Year

Adds 1/100%

Did Not Add 0/0%

The Big Losers On Thursday Night? Hillary, Mitt, And Rush!!!!!

2008-01-04T12:47:00.000-08:00

For your entertainment and enlightenment I reproduce a copy of an actual email message that I sent to Rush Limbaugh. Needless to say, I expected and received no response. For the record, I was correct in my prediction that he would focus much more on the negative aspects of Hillary's poor showing, than on the fact that his efforts to affect the outcome on the Republican side failed, his desires to that end are in disarray, and, generally, he was just flat out wrong, wrong, wrong!

Enjoy!

From: borb@earthlink.net
To: ElRushbo@eibnet.com
Subject: The Man Who Runs America? Huckabee Slaps Down Little Rushie!!!!!
Date: Jan 4, 2008 3:48 AM

Dear Lush Limpballs, you drug addled, limp dick,

Let me preface this by stating that I'm not a Huckabee supporter. That all being stated, I was thrilled with his success in Iowa because it illustrates what a completely full of shit, out of touch with reality, egomanic you are! Despite the best efforts of you, a man who claims to be (more like lies about!) being right like 98%+ of the time and who claims to "run America", to discredit and defeat Huckabee, he won! Slap down for you little Rushie, ya draft dodging pussy posing as a patroit! Don't expect you to acknowledge all this on your show, of course, but hey, knowing it's the truth is good enough for me! I suppose all you'll be doing is exhulting in Hillary's defeat. Good, go for it, as that won't hurt me any - I don't want her to be President, anyway! I'll admit that I liked Bill, but I'm sick of all the Clintons and Bushes. 20 years of them (practically half my life!) is enough! It is time for change in America! That's what last night demonstrated, Americans want a change and they voted for who they perceived to be the strongest outsider candidates (though, obviously, not the most outsider candidates, just to be clear). You were blindsided by this because you're a rich celb and, as a result, are isolated from the "real man in the street", despite your posturing to the contrary. Yep, little Rushie, next to Hillary and Mitt, you were the big loser on Thursday night! Ha Ha! Ha Ha!

Steve

DAMN STRAIGHT!!!!!

2007 - My Personal Music Year In Review - Part Two

2008-01-01T09:17:00.000-08:00

Top Ten New Modern Music Releases Of 2007

(Listed Alphabetically, Not By Ranking)

AKRON/FAMILY: Love Is Simple DLP (Young God)

ANGELS OF LIGHT: We Are Him DLP (Young God)

ENTRANCE: Prayer Of Death LP (Tee Pee)

GRAILS: Burning Off Impurities CD (Temporary Residence Limited)

JACKIE-O MOTHERFUCKER: Valley Of Fire LP (Textile)

MV + EE With The Golden Road: Gettin' Gone DLP (Ecstatic Peace)

PINK REASON: Throw It Away + 2 7” EP (Savage Quality Recordings)

RACOO-OO-OON: Behold Secret Kingdom CD (Release The Bats)

VALERIE PROJECT: S/T DLP (Drag City)

WOODEN SHJIPS: S/T LP (Holy Mountain)

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Greg Weeks

Between performing in numerous projects, highlighted by the great Valerie Project and Espers, running the very cool Hexham Head studios, and establishing the cool, new imprint, Language Of Stone, Weeks is clearly one of the leading lights in the international underground music scene.

Music I Liked And Didn't - 12/26/07 - 12/31/07

2007-12-31T03:28:00.000-08:00

My List Of Personal Shame - Part Two:

Presented below is the second installment of several releases that I liked and have added to my library in 2007, but for which I have failed to publish a review. As time passes and, due to embarrassing good fortune in life, the new releases pile up (I currently have over 30 items that I haven't even listened to yet, let alone reviewed!), older items tend to lose the focus of my attention. So, knowing that I'll, regrettably, never get around to publishing any proper reviews for these items, and wishing to wrap up '07 in order to start '08 with a clean slate, I do wish to, at least, publicly acknowledge them in order to give them some of the kudos they deserve.

Adds -

ANGELS OF LIGHT: We Are Him DLP (Young God) - One of the year’s 10 best and one of Gira’s best (and most rockin’) efforts in years!

AI ASO: Chamomile Pool CD (Pedal) - “Chamomile Pool” is the third full-length release from ethereal pop chanteuse Ai Aso. Aided on this album by some of the Japanese underground’s most prominent figures, including her husband, legendary guitarist Michio Kurihara (Ghost, Stars, White Heaven, etc.) and You Ishihara (Stars, White Heaven, Pedal “mogul”, etc.), the ten tracks of beautiful, lysergic, dream pop and psych on “Chamomile Pool” clearly represent a more fully developed and highly-polished sound from Ai Aso.

CASTANETS: In The Vines CD (Asthmatic Kitty) - Another solid and enjoyable album of indie-leaning folk and lysergic-tinged pop sounds from Ray Raposa's Castanets.

FURSAXA: Alone In The Dark Wood LP (Eclipse) - Philadelphia resident Tara Burke has been intriguing us for years now with her solo project Fursaxa. On her sixth full-length release, “Alone In The Dark Wood”, Burke continues her acid folk explorations, making only minor modifications in her established sound.

GRAILS: Burning Off Impurities DLP (Temporary Residence Limited) - On their latest release “Burning Off Impurities”, Grails continue to build upon the sonic evolution they first displayed on their great “Black Tar Prophecies Vol’s. 1, 2, & 3”. Grails deliver the straight dope with this incredible blend of indiginous folk music, communal jamming psych, and, even, hints of the influences of dub and experimental jazz minimalism. Another of my 10 best for ‘07!

GROUP INERANE: Guitars From Agadez (Music of Niger) LP (Sublime Frequencies) - The Sublime Frequencies’ crew returns with their second vinyl only release documenting the authentic sounds of modern African music, this amazing LP by Niger’s Group Inerane. Led by guitarist Bibi Ahmed, Group Inerane has been active for several years now and these ten incredible tracks are a combination of amplified roots rock, blues, and folk in the local Tuareg style that, at times, borders on full-blown psychedelia with its mesmerizing, wild, electric guitar solos.

MV + EE WITH THE GOLDEN ROAD: Gettin' Gone DLP (Ecstatic Peace) - Another of my top 10 for ‘07, MV, EE, and their crew deliver their most cohesive and rockin’ effort to date!

ALAN PASQUA: The Antisocial Club CD (Cryptogramophone) - Pasqua, a big-time studio cat, recruits some of the finest players in the current LA improvised music scene (Cline, Amendola, and so on) to create this album of amazing contemporary fusion. Yes, I used the F-word, so often rightfully disparaged by the music cognisenti - fusion - but this disc is great, containing both cool jazz rulers and slammin', funky winners.

S. T. MIKAEL: Mind Of Fire LP (Subliminal Sounds) - After 11-years of silence, the mysterious and legendary Swedish psychedelic multi-instrumentalist. S.T. Mikael returns with this LP containing 5 lengthy tracks of surreal lyrics, detached, reverbed vocals, cool keyboards, heavy fuzz riffs, eastern influences and progish moves. A little too contrived sounding at times, perhaps, but still, an enjoyable dose of contemporary home-made psych.

SCORCH TRIO: Luggumt DLP (Rune Grammofon) - Guitarist Raoul Bjorkenheim’s Scorch Trio may be one of the most aptly-named groups on the scene today. Over the course of this album’s 10 tracks, the trio (completed by the all-world rhythm section of Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on double-bass, electric bass, and electronics, and Paal Nilssen-Love on percussion) combines the searing energy of a rock power trio with the broadest freedom and exploration that jazz has to offer to devastating effect.

SIX ORGANS OF ADMITTANCE: Shelter From The Ash LP (Drag City) - Shelter From The Ash LP (Drag City) - I honestly haven’t had the opportunity to drop the needle more than once on this new one from Ben Chasny’s Six Organs Of Admittance, but I know I liked what I heard. On this outing, Chasny is backed by Tim Green, Matt Sweeney, fellow Comets On Fire member Noel Harmonson, and the Magik Marker’s Elisa Ambrogio. Despite the unusual amount of support, however, the material on “Shelter From The Ash”, in general, covers similar territory to that of his earlier work. No big surprises, not a watershed album, just more cool acid folk and psych sounds from Six Organs Of Admittance.

SMITH, STEVEN R.: Owl CD (Digitalis Arts And Crafts Editions) - “Owl” is the latest solo release from overlooked and underappreciated multi-instrumentalist Steven R. Smith, who delivers another excellent set of soundscapes of fractured, distorted beauty.

TERRITORY BAND - 6 WITH FRED ANDERSON: Collide CD (Okka Disk) - The Territory Band is an international collection of musicians that was first organized by Ken Vandermark in 2000 after being awarded a grant from the prestigious Chicago-based MacArthur Foundation Fellows Program. “Collide” is a suite in five parts that was recorded by the MK VI version of the ensemble live in Chicago on August 24, 2006, as part of the “Made in Chicago: World Class Jazz” concert series. Continuing in the tradition of such boundary pushing large ensembles as those led by Coltrane and Mingus in the ‘60’s, the material on this release features modern, large form composition and improvisation of a high order, highlighted by experimental electronics, incredible group freedom chases, and incendiary solos.

(VxPxC): Porchmass CD (Digitalis) - After many limited edition CDR and cassette releases in their brief two years of existence, the free psych improvisations of LA-based trio (VxPxC) will, hopefully, reach a larger audience of welcoming ears and minds with their first “proper” full-length release “Porchmass”.

VOICE OF THE SEVEN WOODS: The Journey CD-EP (No Label, Self-Released) - Another self-released CD-EP of material from Rick Tomlinson's Voice Of The Seven Woods project. Like most Voice Of The Seven Woods' efforts to date, "The Journey" focuses on a specific (and different) facet of the group's multi-dimensional sound. This time around, the six tracks on this release use sparse instrumentation to explore a fairly minimalist form of folk and pop sounds.

WEAVER, JANE: Cherlokalate CD (B-Music) - Talented vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Jane Weaver has been a figure in the vibrant Mancunian underground music scene since the ‘90’s. Her latest release “Cherlokalate” contains 12 excellent tracks, ranging from beautiful acoustic-based pop and to lush, flowing psychedelia that reminded this listener of Cyann And Ben, for example. Another truly overlooked and underappreciated artist that is deserving of your attention and money.

MICHAEL YONKERS WITH THE BLIND SHAKE: Carbohydrates Hydrocarbons LP (Nero’s Neptune) - After years of doggedly pursuing his muse in relative obscurity, suddenly Michael Yonkers is seemingly everywhere. Recently there were a couple of new CDs and LPs in the shops and, if the many CDRs of material that my man Karl at Anopheles Records (you are encouraged to check out his cool label and distribution service via the link on the right side of this blog!) has played for me are any indication, there’s also a motherlode of additional potential releases for the future. This album, made with the support of Minneapolis’ heavies, the Blind Shake, features 14 tracks of driving, distorted, and, at times, experimental rock sounds. A mind-blowing revelation, to be sure!

V/A: Lipa Kodi Ya City Council LP (Mississippi) - The fine folks at Mississippi Records return with another collection of archival recordings (made between 1967 and 1972) of pan-African music. 12 tracks from countries such as Mali, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Somalia, Uganda and Rwanda featuring styles ranging from R&B (Moussa Doumbi) and pop (Kabushi & Mwenya) to highlife (Marehamu George Mukabi), Juju (Sami Kamar & The Black Diamonds) and beyond! Despite the raw nature of some of these recordings (and/or, to be fair and accurate, their transcriptions), this is, overall, a pretty solid collection of rare and real "world music".

V/A: Scream Loud!!! The Fenton Story 3LP (Music Maniac) - V/A: Scream Loud!!! The Fenton Story TLP (Way Back) - Although the internet, laptops, samplers, and a variety of modern noise makers have made it easier than ever for people to create and distribute their own music, the fact is that kids fueled by some combination of youthful energy, booze and/or illegal substances, a love of music, a desire for money and fame, and a lust for sex have flexed the D.I.Y. aesthetic for decades. Case in point, the 61 tracks on this collection which documents the obscure Fenton label. Based in a movie theater in Sparta, Michigan, Fenton (and its various custom imprints), was like hundreds of small, local record labels that operated throughout America during the 60’s, recording and releasing (on a fee basis) material from dozens of Western Michigan garage bands. And what a fertile ground for garage sounds Western Michigan must have been, as this collection is chock full of power pop pleasers and snotty garage punk ravers. One of the best collections of 7” releases by 60’s garage bands in this (or any) year!

For the record, I must admit my personal bias/tangental connection to this fabulous collection. Although I won’t claim to recall ever actually hearing any of these tracks played on local radio when I was a kid, I did grow up in the 60’s in Western Michigan where Fenton and these bands were based. It just blows my mind to think that in redneck, conservative, rural Western Michigan, bands such as the Mussies were shredding speaker cabinets just 15 miles up the road in South Haven! Furthermore, I now know that the writer of the liner notes for this box, Frank Uhle, attended the same college as I did (Kalamazoo College) at the same time I did and made his first discovery of Fenton (that incredible Mussies 7” of all things; no wonder it ignited an obsession for him!) at the radio station (WJMD) where I had my first radio show! Damn, six degrees of separation?!? More like two...

V/A: Songs From Dracula’s Dulcimer CD (B-Music) - A very cool collection of supernaturally themed exploito-psych-pop tracks from around the globe, as compiled by Andy Votel.

V/A: Thai Pop Spectacular (1960's-1980's) CD (Sublime Frequencies) - “Thai Pop Spectacular (1960's-1980's)” is the second (and lesser, in my humble opinion; the other, superior set being the “Molam - Thai Country Groove From Isan, Vol. 2” CD) of two CDs recently issued by Sublime Frequencies featuring authentic archival sounds from Thailand. It focuses on recordings of Thai Pop from the 1960’s-1980’s. As such, it contains 20 respectable, but fairly derivative, tracks of Thai pop, soul, and exploito-psych sounds, complete with killer fuzz/wah leads, blazing organs, tight, funky horn sections, and over the top vocal stylings.

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Final Count For The Year

Adds 140/89%

Did Not Add 18/11%

Music I Liked And Didn't - 12/23/07 - 12/25/07

2007-12-25T03:34:00.000-08:00

Adds -

No Adds Of New Releases

Archival Additions - My obsession with all things Vandermark related continues with my investigation of these two releases from his School Days project.

SCHOOL DAYS: Crossing Division CD (Okka Disk) - “Crossing Division” was the debut release from Vandermark’s School Days project. Formed in the Spring of 2000, School Days was a quartet (now, when they perform/record, it is as a quintet, with the addition of Swedish vibist Kjell Nordeson) comprised of Vandermark (reeds), his fellow Vandermark 5 member, Jeb Bishop (trombone), and the peerless Norwegian rhythm section of Ingebrigt Haker-Flaten (bass) and Paal Nilssen-Love (drums). This disc contains six original compositions from Bishop (two) and Vandermark (four), as well as two pieces by the legendary trombonist Roswell Rudd. Continuing in the tradition of the classic free jazz groups since the ‘60’s, the material on this set demonstrates a nice balance between composition, with suavely executed ensemble passages, and spontaneous, high energy improvisation. Personal favorites included the dynamic opening track “Bookworm” and the showcase for Bishop “Broad Daylight”. Overall, “Crossing Division” is a nicely varied and high quality set of contemporary free jazz that's worthy of repeated spins.

ATOMIC / SCHOOL DAYS Nuclear Assembly Hall CD (Okka Disk) - On this release from 2004, Vandermark’s School Days project combines forces with Scandinavian quintet Atomic. Nine tracks stretch out over the two discs, with each member of the octet (both groups feature the all-world rhythm section of Paal Nilssen-Love on drums and Ingebrigt Haker Flaten on bass) contributing one composition, except reedist Fredrik Ljungkvist, who provides two.

As it turns out, Ljungkvist is well deserving of the additional opportunity, as both of his pieces are among the highlights of the set. The tasty free-bop of “W Meets A” opens the proceedings and, perhaps, the best cut on the album “Kerosene” closes out the first disc. It begins as a smokey, old school showcase for Vandermark’s soulful baritone that gives way to a cool transitional segment of complementary piano and vibes out of which the group emerges with a simple vamp that provides the launching pad for an amazing solo flight on trombone by Bishop, who is joined at the end of the track by Ljungkvist on clarinet for a subdued, poignant duet. The other highlight of the first disc is Broo’s bright and hard swinging “Transparent Taylor”.

The material on the second disc tends to focus on longer compositions that are more expansive in scope. Personal favorites included Wiik’s lush and beautiful “Light Compulsion” and Bishop’s “Conjugations”, in which almost every member of the ensemble gets a solo shot under the spotlight before the track closes with the rhythm and horns laying down a simple, repetitive line that provides the foundation for incredible solos by, first, Bishop on ‘bone and, then, Vandermark on baritone. Overall, I’d have to give the slight edge to the more compact and tuneful compositions on the first disc. That being stated, however, “Nuclear Assembly Hall” is winner from start to finish, holding the listener’s attention for the full 90 minutes with slamming grooves, virtuoso solo performances, and furious group blowouts.

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2007 - My Personal Music Year In Review - Part One

2007-12-24T02:50:00.000-08:00

Well, It's that time again, time to recap my personal music year in review! In this first part, I'm listing my favorite jazz releases of 2007 and the best live shows I witnessed this year.

Top Ten New Jazz Releases Of 2007

(Listed Alphabetically, Not By Ranking)

BUCHBINDER, DAVID: Odessa/Havana CD (Tzadik)

CLINE, NELS (SINGERS): Draw Breath CD (Cryptogramophone)

EL SAFFAR, AMIR: Two Rivers CD (Pi Recordings)

MEKURIA, GETATCHEW, AND THE EX AND GUESTS: Moa Anbessa CD (Terp Records)

MITCHELL, NICOLE (BLACK EARTH ENSEMBLE): Black Unstoppable CD (Delmark)

MORRIS, JOE/VANDERMARK/GRAY: Rebus CD (Clean Feed)

PARKER, WILLIAM/RAINING ON THE MOON: Corn Meal Dance CD (Aum Fidelity)

PASQUA, ALAN: The Antisocial Club CD (Cryptogramophone)

POWERHOUSE SOUND: Oslo/Chicago: Breaks (Atavistic)

TERRITORY BAND - 6 WITH FRED ANDERSON: Collide CD (Okka Disk)

JAZZ ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Ken Vandermark - Pictured Above In Full Flight On Baritone Sax!!!!!

Top Three Live Shows 2007

(Again, Listed Alphabetically, Not By Ranking)

Nels Cline Singers - 4/25/07 - At Yoshi’s in Oakland, CA (Pictured Above)

The Valerie Project - 11/2/07 - At the Brookdale Lodge, located deep in mountains near Santa Cruz, CA.

The Wooden Shjips / The Nothing People - 3/29/07 - At the Hemlock Tavern in San Francisco, CA

Music I Liked And Didn't - 12/22/07

2007-12-22T08:40:00.000-08:00

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V/A: Bearded Ladies, Volume One (Bird) - Talented performer and Bird Records founder Jane Weaver (pictured above) joined forces with the uber-collectors over at Finders Keepers to produce this collection of femme folk and psychedelia. It’s a well balanced collection, too, featuring recordings from the 1960’s up until the present and containing a roster of artists from around the globe. Among the current generation’s entries my favorites included Speck Mountain’s sublime blend of organ drones and cool, repetitive guitar figures “Hey-Moon” and the contribution from the set’s co-curator “All These Rivers”, in which Weaver’s beautiful vocals and acoustic guitar are tastefully augmented by sweet string work. The dark folk of “Refuge” by Heaven and Earth, Brigitte Fontaine’s psych raga “Le Goudron”, Turid Lundqvist’s intoxicating concoction of lazy lounge pop with undercurrents of psychedelic jamming “Lat Mig Se Dig”, and Bonnie Dobson’s (pictured below) incredible dose of acid folk “Milk & Honey” were among the highlights of the nuggets from yesteryear. With its stylistically diverse array of high quality lysergic aural treats, “Bearded Ladies, Volume One” is a welcome addition to any collection.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 12/18/07 - 12/21/07

2007-12-21T07:50:00.000-08:00

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WOODEN SHJIPS: Loose Lips / Start To Dreaming 7” (Sub Pop) - For their latest 7” blast, the Wooden Shjips have moved up to the big time with Sub Pop. The A-Side’s “Loose Lips” is a tasty dose of chugging spacerock that features an outstanding solo by guitarist Erik "Ripley" Johnson. “Start To Dreaming” is an equally killer, but slightly more old school psychedelic jam. While there’s certainly nothing groundbreaking about the simple sounds of the Wooden Shjips, the appeal of their updated interpretation of classic psych jamming forms can’t be denied. This is another crowd pleaser from the Wooden Shjips, for sure!

Note - The picture of the Wooden Shjips above, is from their 3/29/07 show at the Hemlock Tavern in San Francisco, which was one of the best live shows I saw in '07!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 12/14/07 - 12/17/07

2007-12-17T04:51:00.001-08:00

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HABIBIYYA: If Man But Knew CD (Sunbeam) - This is a reissue of the debut (and only) album from the Habibiya, which was originally released by Island in 1972. The group was formed by three members of the underground outfit Mighty Baby, who made an extensive journey to Morocco in 1970 which profoundly influenced them, both spiritually and musically. After returning to London, they joined forces with two additional, like-minded, multi-instrumentalists from Northern California to complete their group dedicated to creating flowing, organic, Middle-Eastern influenced music.

The set starts a bit slowly, with the first two pieces being fairly minimal and only using spare instrumentation. Beginning with the third and, perhaps, the disc’s best track “The Eye-Witness”, they apply their full sonic arsenal, combining the common instruments of modern, Western music (acoustic guitar, flute, piano, organ, viola, and so on) with more exotic instrumentation (such as bina organ, mandola, nay flute, shakuhachi, zither, and all manner of percussion) and mesmerizing vocal stylings to craft beautiful and hypnotic psychedelic ragas of the highest caliber. This CD also contains five tracks of bonus material which was intended for a second, never released LP. They are similar in nature, although they are, obviously, less fully developed and also tend to lean slightly towards the more modern, Western spectrum of sound. Still, “Another Ode” is another very authentic sounding psych raga and “Bird in God's Garden”, while clearly exemplifying more modern, Western forms, is simply too damn cool, with its droning keyboard washes and primal percussion (which reminded this listener of underground legends the Silver Apples!), to overlook. Although “raga rock” reissues are quite in vogue of late, “If Man But Knew” by the Habibiyya is clearly one of the most authentic sounding and best of the class!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 12/13/07

2007-12-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

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Archival Additions -

FRED ANDERSON / DKV TRIO: S/T CD (Okka Disk) - I picked up this 1997 collaboration between legendary tenor man Fred Anderson and the DKV Trio (Hamid Drake - percussion, Kent Kessler - bass, and Ken Vandermark - reeds) as part of my ongoing exploration of all things Vandermark related. This is a significant document, as it marks the first recorded encounter between Vandermark and Anderson. The six compositions on this set are split evenily between soulful, blues-based numbers and more modern, expressive, free-blowing tracks. Highlights among the former category included “Black Woman” and, perhaps, the album's best piece, the beautifully crafted “Lady’s In Love”. Of the more outre fare, “Aaron’s Tune” and, especially, the high-energy dual freedom chase “Our Theme” were my personal favorites. While I’d certainly be hard-pressed to assert with any conviction that the material on this disc even remotely represents the pinnacle of achievement for any of the artists involved, this release is, nevertheless, an interesting, enjoyable, and worthy addition to any jazz collection.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 12/12/07

2007-12-12T06:12:00.000-08:00

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V/A: Welsh Rare Beat 2 LP (Finders Keepers) - The audio archivists at Finders Keepers return with the second volume in their excellent “Welsh Rare Beat” series. It contains 21 rare recordings which document the diverse Welsh music scene of the 1970’s, with material ranging from folk to pop and, even, some rock. Some of the biggest names in the history of modern Welsh music, like Meic Stevens and Heather Jones return for this volume, sharing the platter with the series debut of more obscure, but equally cool artists, such as Hergest (pictured above) and Galwad Y Mynydd. Personal favorites included two tracks from Heather Jones, the crystalline, lysergic folk of “Can I Janis” and the pop-rock of “Can O Dristwch”, Y Gwenwyn’s beautiful interpretation of the traditional “Hen Benillion”, the popish folk of “Niwi Y Mor” by Galwad Y Mynydd, the slinky funk of Sidan’s “Ar Goll”, the funky rock of “Rosi “ by Edward H. Dafis, and the classic, Mid-70’s rock stylings of “Gwr Bonheddig Hael” from Chwys. While I can’t say that I was quite as impressed with this second edition as I was with the first (and the number of tracks by “returning” artists or that have been, unfortunately, recycled from other collections previously issued by Finders Keepers or one of its “subsidiaries”, like the aforementioned “Gwr Bonheddig Hael” by Chwys, which also appeared on B-Music’s recent, “Cross Continental Record Raid Road Trip”, may hint that the well of high quality material may be nearly running dry), “Welsh Rare Beat 2” is still another solid, entertaining, and welcome overview of the underexposed and under appreciated Welsh music scene of the 1970’s.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 12/3/07 - 12/11/07

2007-12-11T05:41:00.000-08:00

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JACKIE-O MOTHERFUCKER: Valley Of Fire LP (Textile) - One of America’s top free music collectives, Jackie-O Motherfucker, returns with their first studio release since 2005. The three tracks on the A-Side of “Valley Of Fire” represent some of the most tuneful, song-oriented pieces the group has ever produced. The opening cut “Sing Your Own Song” is an outstanding, flowing psych groover, which features the excellent vocal stylings of Eva Salens (Inca Ore) delivering a metaphoric theme of self empowerment. The set’s title track is next, a stunning dose of acid folk, with earnest vocals and acoustic guitar strummage being augmented beautifully by washes of gurgling, alien synths. The side closes with a stark (only acoustic guitar and vocals), but beautiful, interpretation of the Beach Boys’ “A Day In The Life Of A Tree” from 1971’s “Surf’s Up”, listed on this album as simply “The Tree”. The B-Side contains only a single, side-long composition “We Are/Chanel Zero”, a sonic montage of minimal, late-night drones, experimental tones, loops, turntablism and free psych sizzle, that builds until it reaches a satisfyingly noisy, throbbing peak during the last few minutes of the track. It’s a respectable piece that has its moments, but, in my humble opinion, is not particularly noteworthy among the larger lexicon of such sound collages. Overall, however, “Valley Of Fire” is certainly one of Jackie-O’s most “user-friendly” and best efforts to date!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 12/1/07 - 12/2/07

2007-12-02T09:58:00.000-08:00

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VOICE OF THE SEVEN WOODS: Seventh Step CD-EP (No Label, Self-Released) - “Seventh Step” is one of two new self-released EPs from Rick Tomlinson’s Voice Of the Seven Woods. It was originally sold only at shows during their 2007 Summer tour and it contains four tracks. After the overloaded drone of the short opening title track, this set really kicks into high gear with “Blizzard Of Two”, a ripping psychedelic jam of the first order, featuring a righteous groove and killer electric leads. Next comes “Broken Hearts”, another brief droner, this time, more atmospheric in nature, which leads nicely into the disc’s lengthy (14+ minutes!) closing track “Eight Red Lights Atop The Hill”. The first half of the piece is consumed by more atmospheric drones and minimal percussive clatter which slowly build until they form a mellow, but still satisfying, segment of lysergic jamming, once again, highlighted by Tomlinson’s work on electric guitar. While “Seventh Step” from Voice Of the Seven Woods is certainly not a major musical statement, it is an enjoyable dose of contemporary psychedelia.

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Happy 48th, Steven John Hamper!!!!!

2007-12-01T04:44:00.000-08:00

AKA, the legendary Billy Childish!!!!!

Music I Liked And Didn't - 11/27/07 - 11/30/07

2007-11-30T04:18:00.000-08:00

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DAVID BUCHBINDER: Odessa/Havana CD (Tzadik) - “Odessa/Havana” by Canadian brassman David Buchbinder is the latest release in Tzadik’s long-running and consistently fascinating Radical Jewish Culture series. Although it might seem, in theory, that the fusion of klezmer music and Cuban jazz that Buchbinder and award winning pianist/composer Hilario Duran have created might come off sounding incongruous and forced, the fact is that it actually works quite well, as both musical forms share such stylistic elements as an emphasis in minor chord modalities, intricate rhythms, and so on. This successful synthesis of sounds is best displayed on tracks such as “Impresionés”, the ultra-suave “Colaboracion”, and the slow-burning, smokey “Cadiz”. The ensemble is incredibly tight throughout the set and the solo features of the principles, Buchbinder and Duran, as well as those by Quinsin Nachoff (reeds) and Aleksander Gajic (violin) are first rate. Bright and bold, “Odessa/Havana” is a unique and compelling blend of sounds that transcends genres and geography.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 11/22/07 - 11/26/07

2007-11-26T04:50:00.000-08:00

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THE VALERIE PROJECT: S/T DLP (Drag City) - When I initially heard about this self-titled double LP by the Valerie Project, I must admit that I didn’t intend on purchasing it, as the reissue of the soundtrack to the film “Valerie and Her Week of Wonders” was one of the few releases from B-Music that I didn’t enjoy and didn’t keep. Upon further investigation, however, I learned that this album did not contain a mere modern recreation of that soundtrack, but rather, entirely new music inspired by the soundtrack. In addition, my research revealed that the Valerie Project was comprised of some of the premier practitioners of modern acid folk and psychedelic sounds, including Tara Burke (Fursaxa), Margie Wienk (Fern Knight), and several members of Espers, among others. Then, by amazing coincidence, it turned out that the Valerie Project was actually doing a live performance of this material at a screening of the film (one of the very few times the film has ever been shown in the US!) at the historic and very cool Brookdale Lodge, located deep in mountains near Santa Cruz, CA. So, needless to say, I had to check that out and, not surprisingly, the music was incredible, even if it didn’t always seem to correspond exactly to the action on the screen. So, of course, still in the high of the moment after that positive experience, I bought a copy of album, which was available, well in advance of its actual “street date”, at their merch table.

I’m certainly glad that I did, too, as the 30, mostly instrumental, tracks on this release even surpass, perhaps, the music I witnessed live that night. Rich organ drones, alien synth oscillations, fuzz leads, sweeping strings, delicate harp tones, ethereal vocal choruses and an assortment of percussion (bells, etc.), are all woven together to form a beautiful sonic tapestry, a seamless collage of traditional folk, modern acid folk, psych, and, even, prog sounds. In fact, as glorious as this material sounds rolling out of the grooves, I almost wish I had the CD version of this album just so I could let this lush flow of psychedelia wash over me for 75 minutes uninterrupted. “Tour de force”. “Masterpiece”. One can almost always dismiss such descriptions as merely being the hyperbolic ad copy of overly aggressive record label marketing, with respect to this debut by the Valerie Project, however, the use of such superlatives is both accurate and appropriate.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 11/9/07 - 11/21/07

2007-11-21T11:16:00.000-08:00

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MOUNTAIN HOME: S/T CD (Language Of Stone) - Mountain Home is a collective led by the duo of Joshua Blatchley (acoustic guitar, harmonium, and vocals) and Kristin Sherer (dulcimer) and this is their first full-length album. It is also the second release on Espers leader Greg Weeks’ new Drag City-affiliated label, Language Of Stone. Supported by an outstanding cast of musicians, including Marissa Nadler (her trademark haunting vocals gracing all but the last of the disc’s tracks), Margaret Wienk (strings), and Weeks, himself (electric guitar and who also produced this glorious sounding album entirely in analog formats at his Hexham Head studios!), Blatchley and Sherer have crafted five tracks of beautiful, crystalline acid folk with skillful precision. In fact, the only slight criticism I can really make about this material is that it is a little too perfect, it seems a little too “by the numbers” at times. I might, personally, prefer a bit more personality, more edge, some dissonance, some slight imperfection to cause ripples on the perfectly glass-like surface of this sonic lake of acid folk. These are trivial concerns, however, and gorgeous tracks like the lengthy "Battle, We Were" and the one track that features Blatchley on vocals, the amazing rendition of the traditional Celtic ballad “Nottamun Town”, make Mountain Home’s eponymous debut a clear winner that makes me look forward with great anticipation to hearing the group’s continuing development on future releases.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 11/8/07

2007-11-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

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NICOLE MITCHELL’S BLACK EARTH ENSEMBLE: Black Unstoppable CD (Delmark) - Acclaimed jazz flutist Nicole Mitchell has been among the leading lights of Chicago’s thriving improvised music scene for many years now, performing with projects such as Frequency, the Indigo Trio, and Rob Mazurek’s Exploding Star Orchestra. The Black Earth Ensemble, however, is the primary vehicle for Mitchell’s compositions and creative vision and “Black Unstoppable” is their fourth full-length release.

As would befit a group led by the current co-president of the legendary Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM), the material on this album incorporates the diverse range of “Great Black Music” from the blues, the sounds of New Orleans, pop vocals, and straight forward jazz to more modern, avant-garde jazz, and even hints of R & B/soul and African musical influences. Mitchell is excellent on flute and piccolo throughout and the ensemble, which includes such luminaries as Josh Abrams (bass), David Boykin (tenor saxophone), Jeff Parker (guitar/mindblowing effects), and rising star David Young (trumpet/flugelhorn), is incredibly tight, the somewhat brief solo segments impressive, and the overall production top notch, clear and clean. Highlights include the alternately swinging and slammin’ opening track "Cause & Effect", the blues stomper "Love Has No Boundaries" (which is one of several tracks featuring vocalist Ugochi Nwaogwugwu), the better of the disc’s two more experimental pieces “Sun Cycles”, and the album’s centerpiece "The Creator Has Other Plans For Me". With “Black Unstoppable”, Mitchell’s Black Earth Ensemble have created an excellent set of music that honors the traditions of jazz, while also looking forward to potential future musical horizons.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 11/1/07 - 11/7/07

2007-11-07T04:16:00.000-08:00

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THE THING: Action Jazz CD (Smalltown Superjazzz) - “Action Jazz” is the appropriately titled fourth full-length release from Scandinavian free jazz trio the Thing. Led by reedmaster, Mats Gustafsson (alto, baritone, and slide saxophones), the group rips through a nicely varied set of originals and surprising covers of compositions by artists ranging from Ornette Coleman to Lightning Bolt. So, there’s a couple of short, pummeling, jazz-punk tracks, like “Sounds Like A Sandwich”. Then, there are several, more standard, free jazz compositions (if that description isn’t oxymoronic?!?), like “Chisma” and “...Through BBQ”, in which Ingebrigt Haker Flaten (double bass) and Paal Nilssen-Love (drums) laid down an incredible sonic foundation for the aggressive growls and wailing cries of Gustafsson’s adventurous solos. There’s even one fairly straightforward and soulful track “Danny’s Dream”, a cover of a melody by one of Gustafsson's musical heroes, Swedish jazz pioneer and great baritone sax player, Lars Gullin. Finally, there are also a couple of minimal improv pieces that failed to satisfy. Overall, however, the Thing delivers a powerful dose of challenging 21st Century improvised sounds - “Action Jazz”, indeed!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 10/24/07 - 10/31/07

2007-10-31T04:46:00.000-07:00

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V/A: Black Mirror: Reflections in Global Musics (Dust To Digital) - The sonic ethnographers at the fine Dust To Digital imprint return with this collection of recordings of folk music from around the globe. It contains 24 tracks, all transferred and mastered from 78 rpm discs of recordings originally issued between 1918 and 1955. Among my personal favorites were the double reed mayhem of India’s Thiruvazhimilalai Subramanian Brothers and Needamangalam Meenakshisundaram Pillai (yeah, easy for you to say - maybe!) “Manasa Sri Ramachandra”, Irishman Patrick J. Touhey’s amazing solo performance on the Uillean pipes "Drowsy Maggie", the evocative, haunting "Smyrneiko Minore" from Greek folk singer Marika Papagika (pictured above), the hypnotic “Nakhone Prayer” by Laotian Buddhist monk Sathoukhru Lukkhamkeow, and the incredible mix of tortured vocal stylings and percussion of "Songs in Grief" by Japan’s Sinkou Son and Kouran Kin. There’s even a Burmese Pwe (I assume that all but the most hard core musicologists among us just received our primer on this form of ceremonial folk music via Sublime Frequencies recent collection “Music of Nat Pwe: Folk and Pop Music of Myanmar, Vol. 3”), the disc’s final track, "Yein Pwe". Stylistically diverse and consistently interesting, “Black Mirror: Reflections in Global Musics” is a solid collection of archival recordings of international folk music and a welcome addition to any music collection.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 10/23/07

2007-10-23T06:58:00.001-07:00

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PAAL NILSSEN-LOVE / KEN VANDERMARK: Dual Pleasure CD (Smalltown Supersound) - Ken Vandermark and Paal Nilssen-Love began their musical relationship in 2000, when the group School Days was formed. Since then, they have collaborated on numerous projects, such FME and the Territory Band, among others. They have also recorded a number of duo dates, with this title “Dual Pleasure” being their debut in 2004.

This release is a model of conceptual continuity, with everything being in pairs: two players, Vandermark focusing on a different horn (baritone sax, tenor sax, and Bb clarinet) for two tracks each, even the cover artwork (see above) is composed of duplicate images. The disc begins with “ Flashpoint”, an outstanding freedom chase, with Nilssen-Love providing a solid foundation for Vandermark’s aggressive baritone work. “Anno 1240 “ is next and features Vandermark on tenor sax. It, too, is a fairly aggressive freedom chase until the closing moments of the track. Which provides a suitable lead-in to the next piece “Closed Doors, Open Windows”, a minimalist improv feature for Vandermark on the Bb clarinet that failed to satisfy this listener. The album’s other Bb clarinet showcase “Storefront Materials“ follows and, while still fairly subdued, it is decidedly more lively and entertaining than its predecessor. On “Jean S” Vandermark returns to the tenor and delivers a very soulful, slow burning improvisation of a high order. “Dual Fiction” closes out the set, with Nilssen-Love, once again, both propelling forward and providing excellent splashes of color for Vandermark’s solo flights on the baritone sax. Consistently creative and highly entertaining, “Dual Pleasure” is an outstanding release that displays two world class improvisors at the top of their game!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 10/16/07 - 10/22/07

2007-10-22T05:47:00.001-07:00

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AMIR EL SAFFAR: Two Rivers CD (Pi Recordings) - I must confess that I had never previously heard of Iraqi-American Amir El Saffar nor of any of the members of his solid ensemble. As the material on the appropriately titled “Two Rivers” (referring, literally, to the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, but also, symbolically, to the combination of two different musical traditions in the music on this CD) reveals, he’s a talented multi-instrumentalist, composer, and bandleader. Not only has El Saffar received extensive training in classical and jazz music in the United States, but he has also traveled to Iraq and immersed himself in a traditional form of the Iraqi music, the maqam.

Your introduction to maqam begins with the opening track “Menba’ (Maqam Bayat) / Jourjina”, a showcase for El Saffar on trumpet, voice, and the beautiful and hypnotic santoor, which is an Iraqi hammered-dulcimer. While a few other cuts, most notably, the album’s other lengthy piece “Blood and Ink (Maqam Awshar) / Aneen (Maqam Mukhalif)” also focus mainly on the traditional sounds of maqam, the majority of the compositions on this disc are an excellent synthesis of the instrumentation (like the buzuq, dumbek, and oud) and stylistic elements of the maqam form and those of modern jazz. The resultant music is what one might expect/hope for: an organic, flowing, Middle Eastern-influenced style of ethno-jazz, which is best exemplified by tracks such as “Flood (Maqam Hijaz Kar)”, “Diaspora (Maqam Lami)”, and “Khosh Reng (Maqam Awj)”, in which El Saffar and Mahanthappa engage in a fiery exchange of short solos. Genre-blurring, innovative, and well-executed, “Two Rivers”, for the most part, hits all the right notes!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 10/4/07 - 10/15/07

2007-10-15T03:33:00.000-07:00

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V/A: B-Music - Cross Continental Record Raid Road Trip CD (B-Music) - The record stack rummagers at B-Music return with their latest international collection of rare funk, pop, psych, and rock sounds from the 60’s and 70’s. It contains eighteen tracks which cover a lot of ground, both geographically and stylistically: ranging from a variety exploito-psych sounds (Caribbean steel drum funk, faux Middle Eastern themes, and so on) and fuzzy, Eastern European pop-rock to dated, stereotypical sounding 70’s hard rock and lightweight, jazz-influenced lounge pop stylings. Personal favorites included the Stylers excellent dose of asian psychedelic pop “For You” (which would be consistent with the material on any number of Sublime Frequencies releases!), the groovin’ sitar beat of “Da Klagar Mina Grannar” by Sweden’s Charlie & Esdor, “Un Soir Chez Norris “ a driving, exploito-psych track, featuring massively effected guitars and an ethereal space chorus, by Frenchman Pierre Cavalli, and Zafer Dilek’s swinging Andolu pop instrumental “Yekte”. Always interesting, if not uniformly successful, B-Music’s “Cross Continental Record Raid Road Trip” is, overall, another fairly satisfying fix of vintage sounds from around the globe.

Sonictroubadour readers may look forward to learning more about the efforts of the B-Music crew in the near future, as I have already ordered copies of their forthcoming “Bearded Ladies” LP (a collection of psych-tinged femme folk from luminaries of the past, such as Wendy & Bonnie, Heather Jones, and Susan Christie, as well as the revivalists of today, including Emma Tricca, Magphai, and Cate Le Bon) and the second volume in their “Welsh Rare Beat” series.

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Space Is The Place!!!!!

2007-10-04T11:02:00.000-07:00

What better way to commemorate the 50th anniversary of man's entry into deep space than with a little celestial jazz from the great Sun Ra?!?

Music I Liked And Didn't - 10/1/07 - 10/3/07

2007-10-03T08:09:00.000-07:00

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SAMARA LUBELSKI: Parallel Suns CD (Social Registry) - Amidst her busy schedule, providing support for luminaries such as Thurston Moore and MV and EE with the Golden Road, talented vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Samara Lubelski, somehow found enough time to craft her third solo album. While the material on this CD, as that of her previous releases, would still be properly categorized as falling under the general rubric of psychedelic folk and pop, the nine tracks on “Parallel Suns” display a somewhat sharpened sonic focus. Whereas some of the material on her earlier solo efforts reflected the more dark, lo-fi, and improvisational modern free folk approaches favored by the groups with which she has previously participated, such as Hall of Fame and the Tower Recordings, on this outing Lubelski (backed by a solid supporting cast, including members of Metabolismus, P.G. Six, and Hamish Kilgour of the Clean) has created nine tracks of polished, light, and dreamy psychedelic folk and pop that almost perfectly capture the sound and spirit of those classic and highly prized private press rarities from the 60’s. I’ll readily admit that listeners who were expecting and seeking the somewhat more experimental sounds of her earlier work may be slightly surprised and disappointed by “Parallel Suns”, but lysergic pop gems like “Taste The Candy”, “The Cloistered Palace” and “Ego Blossoms” make this disc a winner (if also a slightly guilty pleasure!) in my book.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 9/26/07 - 9/30/07

2007-09-30T20:01:00.000-07:00

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V/A: You Got Yours!: East Bay Garage 1965-67 CD (Big Beat) - In this reissue crazy era, there is an almost endless stream of 60’s garage/punk/psych collections being released, most of which are pretty marginal, at best. Each year, however, there are a handful of real winners, like “Scream Loud!!! The Fenton Story” triple LP set (issued earlier this year by Way Back) and, now, this CD, the latest installment in Big Beat’s Nuggets From The Golden State series “You Got Yours!: East Bay Garage 1965-67”.

This collection focuses on the mid-60s garage scene in the San Francisco Bay Area’s East Bay, which contains cities and towns in the counties of Alameda and Contra Costa, like Berkeley, Castro Valley, Hayward (my home since 1985!), Oakland, and San Leandro. Its 24 tracks contain a nice mix of tracks from rare singles and previously unissued material, ranging from blue-eyed soul rave-ups (such as the Donnybrookes and the Spyders) to post-British invasion power pop pleasers (like the Baytovens and the Shillings) and, of course, tough garage punk. Personal favorites included “Her Heart Said No” by The Blue Lite Conspiracy, “I’m Feeling Good” from The Bristol Boxkite, The Gants’ “Look At The Sun”, “Humpty Dumpty” from The Epics and “Get Out Of My Eye” by The Soul Vendors.

My only slight criticism might be that this collection could have even been more representative of the overall scene during those years if it had tracks by groups such as the Crystal Garden, Misanthropes, and the Remaining Few (all of whom had either singles or, at least, recorded material with the legendary Leo de Gar Kulka at Golden State Recorders!), rather than multiple tracks from groups like the Baytovens and the Harbinger Complex (who were certainly one of the premier bands of the era, but whose tracks here pale in comparison to their other material) or, even worse, recycled tracks that Big Beat has already used on previous collections in the Nuggets From The Golden State series. That all being stated, “You Got Yours!: East Bay Garage 1965-67” is still a pretty solid and welcome overview of a previously overlooked and underappreciated scene.

Two Additional Notes - For the record, I must admit my slight personal bias/tangental connection to this collection, as I am an acquaintance with the curator of this set, Alec Palao, and have actually done business with Bill Quarry, the promoter who, to a great extent, enabled so much of this scene.

Also, if you’d like to get more info on the East Bay scene in the 60’s, I’d encourage you to check out Bruce Tahsler’s (of US Male) somewhat amateurishly written, but fairly definitive book, “Garage Bands From The 60’s - Then And Now. The San Francisco East Bay Scene” (more details are available at www.teensntwenties.com).

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 9/25/07

2007-09-25T05:40:00.001-07:00

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AI ASO / WATA: She's So Heavy Split 7” Single (Diwphalanx) - This limited split 7” single from Japan’s Ai Aso and Boris’ guitarist/vocalist Wata has got to be one of the ultimate fetish items in recent memory. It comes enclosed in a 60 page booklet, the majority of which contains a series of full color photos of the two stars of this disc. Ai Aso initiates the proceedings with an excellent lysergic space pop version of King Crimson’s “Islands” on the A-Side, in which her ethereal vox and sweeping mellotron are combined with You Ishihara’s (White Heaven, Stars) tasteful, shimmering, tremeloed guitar tones. On the B-Side, Wata makes her "solo" debut (backed by an outstanding supporting cast which includes all the other members of Boris and legendary guitarist Michio Kurihara of White Heaven/Ghost/Stars fame) with the track "Angel". It's another dose of lush psychedelic pop, with the rhythm section and Kurihara’s beautiful guitar work providing the foundation for Wata’s soft, almost spoken word vocals until Wata takes the track out with one of her trademark sustained feedback solos - sweet! Given the steep price ($30+) of this single, it would be hard for me to make a compelling argument that a lot of people would view this as being an essential purchase, but it is a very cool and rare sonic artifact that’s a welcome addition to my library.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 9/24/07

2007-09-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

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LITTLE CLAW: Spit and Squalor Swallow The Snow LP (Ecstatic Peace) - Little Claw is a trio that recently relocated from Metro-Detroit to Portland, OR, whose musical efforts continue in the spirit, if not the actual sound, of the noisy, boundary-pushing experimentalists of each city, running from OGs such as Destroy All Monsters (Detroit) and Smegma (Portland) to modern artists like Jackie-O Motherfucker (Portland) and Wolf Eyes (Detroit). “Spit and Squalor Swallow The Snow” is their second full-length release. It contains nine tracks ranging from dark, driving, lo-fi, vaguely pop-leaning pieces like “Hobo Baby Zeus” and “Polar Bear” to damaged punk with strong blues undercurrents such as “Brackish Stratum” and the slinky “Lake Crescent Freeway” and, even, a couple of blasts of primitive noise rock, “Wayward Chief” and the excellent “Shoplifting Cart pt.II”, which closes out the set. While Little Claw certainly aren’t charting any new sonic territory on this album, charismatic vocalist Kilynn Lunsford and the energetic performances make “Spit and Squalor Swallow The Snow” an LP worthy of repeated spins.

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Another Terrastock?!? Big Fuckin' Deal!!!

2007-09-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

So, that egomaniac poseur, Phil Mc Muttonhead, has conned another group of wide-eyed, well-intentioned, sycophants into doing 90% of the work of producing yet another Terrastock Festival, while he’ll take 90% of the credit. Yawn...This whole Terrastock scene is sooooooooo played out. Many of these bands are way past their creative primes and just goin' through the motions. Furthermore, to the extent that some still have some relevancy, I find it hard to believe that people still come running, frothing at the mouth, like some Pavlovian dog, to see this festival, year after year, when 50%+ of the line-up is comprised of the exact same bands! To each his own, I guess, but, for me - not now, no way!

Music I Liked And Didn't - 9/23/07

2007-09-23T17:34:00.000-07:00

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V/A: West Coast Post-Asiatic LP (Urck Records) - The label’s website claims that this LP is dedicated to admirable goal of documenting “artists on the Western Coast of the US who focus on or dabble in Asian/Eastern influenced avant-garde art”. The psych ragas by the Refrigerator Mothers and, especially, Amps For Christ and the two short tracks of acoustic-based folk by Auto Da Fe are relatively successful examples of interesting, modern "Asian/Eastern influenced" sounds. The remaining material, however, consisted of rather unimpressive experimental drones and/or cacophony that failed to satisfy. Like I said, a solid concept, but the inconsistency of the performances makes “West Coast Post-Asiatic” a marginal addition to my library.

PS - At least the gray splatter vinyl provides some aesthetic compensation for the very unattractive cover art!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 9/21/07 - 9/22/07

2007-09-22T01:07:00.000-07:00

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V/A: Music of Nat Pwe: Folk and Pop Music of Myanmar, Vol. 3 CD (Sublime Frequencies) - Sublime Frequencies returns with the third volume in their ongoing series of releases documenting the folk and pop music of Myanmar. This set focuses on the ceremonial folk music created by various Nat Pwe “orchestras”.

In Myanmar, many people still believe in a folk religion (yeah, I know, ALL religions are really folk religions; some are merely able to present a more deceptive facade of legitimacy due to their large, formal, organizational structures and their varying, but significant, levels of influence over both cultural attitudes and governmental policies, but, I digress...) based on ghost spirits called Nats. Believers participate in ceremonies called Pwes in order to pay tribute to the various Nats with the hope of enjoining their assistance or, conversely, avoiding their wrath. The music on this disc was recorded live at various Nat Pwes throughout Myanmar and features some of top practitioners of the form.

These groups use an assortment of percussion (such as bamboo sticks, bells, cymbals, gongs, wood blocks, and xylophones, in addition to a wide variety of drums) to create an incredible foundation for layers of alternately melodic and chaotic oboes and reverb-drenched vocal stylings. The resultant music is an maniacal and hypnotic vortex of authentic, organic, asian folk sounds, which have been beautifully captured on these sixteen glorious tracks. Another fine and very much appreciated release from the sonic ethnographers at Sublime Frequencies!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 9/16/07 - 9/20/07

2007-09-20T03:06:00.000-07:00

My List Of Personal Shame - Part One:

Presented below are several releases that I liked and have added to my library in 2007, but, for a variety of reasons, for which I have failed to publish a review. As time passes and, due to embarrassing good fortune in life, the new releases pile up (I currently have over 50 items that I haven't even listened to yet, let alone reviewed!), older items tend to lose the focus of my attention. So, knowing that I'll, regrettably, never get around to publishing any proper reviews for these items, I do wish to, at least, publicly acknowledge and briefly describe them in order to give them some of the kudos they deserve.

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NELS CLINE SINGERS: Draw Breath CD (Cryptogramophone) - Having witnessed two mind blowing live sets by the Nels Cline Singers at Yoshi’s in Oakland, CA, earlier this year, I greeted their latest release ”Draw Breath” with much anticipation. As was the case with his recent live performances, Cline and his co-conspirators deliver a sylistically diverse set of musical creations ranging from somewhat minimal, yet spacious, free jazz experimentations to precise and beautiful post-rock stylings to incendiary outre rock extravaganzas, often punctuated by blasts of extreme experimental electronics, and, even, the occasional little pop-leaning gem. A couple of tracks tend to meander a bit and, as a result, are less satisfying, but overall, this a worthy release that displays three amazing improvisors using all of their collective powers to create an assortment of challenging and genre-blurring sounds.

EL-P: I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead DLP (Definitive Jux) - Legendary producer, rapper, and record mogul, El-P, returns with his first solo full-length release in almost 5 years. It was well worth the wait, too, as “I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead” is a worthy successor to his critically acclaimed solo debut “Fantastic Damage”. Clever rhymes, creative sounds (which incorporate many influences beyond hip-hop, such as hard rock, jazz, and so on), and outstanding production make “I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead” a winner with wide appeal.

GROUP DOUEH: Guitar Music From The Western Sahara LP (Sublime Frequencies) - This is a compilation of material from Morrocan guitarist, Doueh, whose real name is, Baamar Salmou. Doueh and his group (comprised mostly of family members) have been performing for over 20 years. Much like the people and culture of the disputed land which Doueh calls home, the music on this release reflects a unique mixture of Arabic and West African traditions, as well as the unmistakable influence of western blues and rock. Unique and genre-defying, this is a prime example of the kind of music fuels the fire of your Sonictroubadour and is another great musical discovery from the fine folks at Sublime Frequencies!

LA OTRACINA: Tonal Ellipse of the One CD (Holy Mountain) - La Otracina is a Brooklyn-based project led by drummer Adam Kriney. “Tonal Ellipse of the One” is this trio’s second full-length release. It contains five heavy and somewhat schizophrenic jams, which incorporate a wide array of influences ranging from classic psychedelia, prog, and krautrock to the noisy, improvisational psych of the modern Japanese underground. An excellent album of "user friendly" jams that earned repeated spins for me!

LOS YORKS: 68 LP (Get Back) - This is a reissue of the second LP by 60’s Peruvian garage-psych group Los Yorks. Originally released in 1968 (hence the album’s title) on the legendary MAG label (which also issued releases by groups such as Laghonia, Tarkus, and Traffic Sound among others!), this LP contains ten tracks of respectable garage-psych. Like so many bands from south of the US during that era, Los Yorks do rely heavily on covers of “hits” by the famous bands of the era. Unlike the majority of their counterparts, who merely sounded like cheap imitators of the classic groups/styles of the time, Los Yorks, for the most part, make the material they cover their own; check out "Mira Tu", which interpolates the Seeds' classic "Tripmaker". In addition, they do perform some cool originals. Certainly not among the top tier of non-anglo 60's psych artists, but surely worthy of the attention of collectors of authentic psych sounds.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 9/15/07

2007-09-15T07:01:00.001-07:00

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WILLIAM PARKER/RAINING ON THE MOON: Corn Meal Dance CD (Aum Fidelity) - William Parker must either go without ever sleeping or somehow be able to suspend time. His masterful bass work graces seemingly almost every significant contemporary free jazz release and he leads several of his own ongoing projects, in addition to working as a music teacher and author. This disc is the second full-length release from his Raining On The Moon project and all the material was composed (both the music and the lyrics) by Parker. In addition to Parker on bass, this sextet is rounded out by an outstanding cast of musicians: Rob Brown (alto saxophone), Hamid Drake (drums), Lewis Barnes (trumpet), Eri Yamamoto (piano) and Leena Conquest on vocals.

This album may be somewhat of a surprise to the uninitiated. There are very few moments of the extraordinary free jazz for which Parker is famous; although, the players do perform quite admirably in their limited opportunities to step out, with Yamamoto’s contributions being particularly noteworthy. The nine tracks on this album focus on music in the long-running tradition of jazz pop vocals. In particular, it would seem, comparisons to the Sun Ra Arkestra seem unavoidably appropriate. Musically, this fine ensemble, like the Arkestra, creates swinging celestial afro-jazz of a high order. In fact, “Gilmore's Hat” (a nod to long-time Sun Ra collaborator/right hand man John Gilmore, one might presume) includes lines such as “rocketship to the moon” and “a place in space”. In addition, the big star of this set, incredible vocalist Leena Conquest, sounds uncannily like Sun Ra’s famous “space vocalist” June Tyson, beautifully delivering socially conscious lyrics which focus on issues such as poverty, oppression, and racism. Despite the heavy subject matter, however, the overall tone of this material is joyous and optimistic. Highlights include “Doctor Yesterday”, “Tutsi Orphans”, “Soledad”, and the amazing “Land Song”. “Corn Meal Dance” is another triumphant release from one of the giants of contemporary American music.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 9/14/07

2007-09-14T11:11:00.001-07:00

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VOICE OF THE SEVEN WOODS: S/T CD (B-Music) - Over the course of just a few releases the folks over at B-Music have proven themselves to be record stack rummagers and reissuers of a high order. It was, therefore, quite a surprise to learn that their latest release, this self-titled CD from Voice Of The Seven Woods, featured recordings by a contemporary project. Voice Of The Seven Woods is, essentially, the solo project of Rick Tomlinson, who plays a variety of stringed instruments (oud and sitar, in addition to guitar), piano, and miscellaneous percussion. On this release he is supported by Chris Walmsley on drums/percussion and piano and Pete Headley on electric bass and violin.

For the most part, the material on this disc continues in the tradition of the more adventurous British folk of the late 60s/early 70’s, when both individuals and select groups incorporated Eastern musical influences and exotic percussion into their sound, with “Sayat Nova” and “Return From Byzantium” being my personal favorites. There are also three tracks, however, which use awesome, Eastern-influenced electric fuzz leads and drums to increase the volume and intensity of the music, taking it from folk to psych, of which the excellent and pleasingly titled “The Fire In My Head” was the best example. While there are currently many practitioners of acid folk and retro-psych, with this strong self-titled release the Voice Of The Seven Woods moves to near the head of the pack and I look forward to hearing Tomlinson’s continuing development on future releases.

Note for Bay Area readers - Voice Of The Seven Woods will be opening for Prefuse 73 at Slim's in San Francisco on December 8, 2007.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 9/13/07

2007-09-13T06:33:00.001-07:00

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AKRON/FAMILY: Love Is Simple CD (Young God) - The talented crew from the Akron/Family return with their third full-length release “Love Is Simple”. The material on this disc seems to constitute some vague sort of “concept album” or, at the very least, a “song cycle”, based on the premise contained in its title that “Love Is Simple”. They’re not singing about “romantic love” in the micro, interpersonal sense (although one would suspect that they would readily acknowledge the role of such “love” as part of a greater, more generalized “love”), they’re singing about “love” in the macro sense; about love of life, love for humanity and, by extension, love for the planet. Everything about the material on this set, from the actual lyrical content to the heavy emphasis on choral passages to the pan-genre scope of the music, is intended to evoke the spirit of communal experience and brotherhood.

Over the course of this album, the Akron/Family, once again armed with a wide array of instruments and musical influences, delivers an amazing cornucopia of sonic diversity; sometimes all in one track! For example, “Ed Is A Portal” begins like some kind of rural freak folk revival, complete with chorus, which builds in intensity until it morphs into a beautiful segment of acoustic-based, uptempo pop, before abruptly changing gears to conclude with 90 seconds of neo-electronica. There are two additional excellent, lengthy, and similarly scizophrenic tracks “There’s So Many Colors” and “Of All The Things”; the former featuring the disc’s most straight-up “rock” moments, while the latter is highlighted by an incredible out-rock eruption. Still, other cuts are more focused, but equally stellar. Case in point, “Lake Song/New Ceremonial Music For Moms”, which is a riveting dose of communal psych, dominated by steady, almost tribal, percussion, layers of primal vocalisms and “Crickets”, a beautiful, countrified lullaby, tastefully augmented with field recordings.

Despite vibe of brotherly love that they’re obviously trying to promote with this recording, it is clear that the Akron/Family is also aware that the choatic nature of their approach may not always provide a welcoming, “user friendly” experience for some members of their potential audience. For example, in “Phenomena” they acknowledge, “Some might think this isn’t the right sound”. Although such introspective self-awareness is wise, I would submit to you that, for the most part on “Love Is Simple”, the Akron/Family has gotten the sound exactly right and the result is their best work to date.

Note - As a special bonus, the initial pressing of this CD also contains a DVD with footage from one of their live performances. Sweet!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 9/6/07 - 9/12/07

2007-09-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

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WOODEN SHJIPS: S/T CD (Holy Mountain) - After a couple of limited 7”s and one 10” EP comes the highly anticipated the debut full-length release from the Bay Area’s Wooden Shjips. It contains five tracks of excellent psych jamming. The rhythm section of Dusty Jermier (bass) and Omar Ahsanuddin (drums) lays down steady, stone grooves which provide the foundation for layers of Nash Whalen’s droning, pulsating keyboards and Erik "Ripley" Johnson’s fuzz/wah/echoplexed guitar freakouts. The tracks on this release seem to build in intensity as the album progresses, with the final two cuts “Blue Sky Bends” and “Shine Like Suns” being the highlights of this disc. A solid debut that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser. I look forward with great anticipation to hearing the Wooden Shjips fulfill their full potential with even more peaked performances in the future.

Note - The first 2000 copies of this CD also include a bonus disc which contains all the tracks from their first 7” and 10” EPs. Since both of these releases were reviewed here on Sonictroubadour at the time they were first issued, I won’t waste time, space, nor energy by discussing them again at this time. Readers are encouraged to use the “search” utility on this blog if they wish to review my comments regarding those releases. If you, like so many people, however, were not fortunate enough to score the original vinyl editions, do yourself as favor and move on this quickly, as that material remains some of their most compelling work to date.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 8/30/07 - 9/5/07

2007-09-05T11:00:00.001-07:00

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JOE MORRIS/KEN VANDERMARK/LUTHER GRAY: Rebus CD (Clean Feed) - Portugal’s respectable and always interesting Clean Feed imprint brings us these six improvisations from the trio of Joe Morris (guitar), Ken Vandermark (saxophone), and Luther Gray (drums). Although it is not always readily apparent in the mix and nothing else (such as the writing credits), besides the listing of Morris’ name first, on this CD would necessarily indicate it - Morris is the leader on this date and the man that ties it all together.

On the majority of the tracks, Vandermark, who on this date focuses only on the tenor saxophone, is clearly the “lead” soloist. As such, he is excellent in all settings, whether adding minimalist skronk, crafting soulful phrases, or pursuing aggressive solos. Gray is solid throughout this disc, as well, keeping the proceedings moving along nicely, while also adding tasteful accents and colorful splashes of sound. Which brings us to Morris, the all-star utility player on this set. For example, in “Rebus 3”, Morris’ guitar work contributes beautiful textures to the sonic foundation for Vandermark’s solo flights of fancy in a style that recalls William Parker’s recent work on the hypnotic douson ngoni. On the next track “Rebus 4”, Morris engages Vandermark in a fiery dual freedom chase. Then, on “Rebus 5”, Morris focuses mainly on the lower register of the guitar and his playing takes on more of a role traditionally associated with the bass, reflecting, undoubtedly, his recent studies on that instrument. Still, on other tracks, such as “Rebus 2” and “Rebus 6”, Morris employs more familiar contemporary jazz guitar moves, providing both artistic comping support and pointillistic leads. Masterful musicianship, combined with stylistic diversity, makes “Rebus” an intriguing and satisfying release that features some of Morris’ most transcendent work since his efforts on the great “Eloping with the Sun” album from a few years ago.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 8/29/07

2007-08-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

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WOODEN SHJIPS: SOL '07 (Pts 1 and 2) 7" Single (Sick Thirst) - In advance of their highly anticipated debut full length on Holy Mountain (street date 9/11/07), San Francisco’s Wooden Shjips tease us with this tasty 7” single. Released in conjunction with Holy Mountain on the band’s own Sick Thirst imprint, this 7” is limited to 500 copies and the proceeds from it will go to benefit the fine grassroots organization Food Not Bombs. This extended track “SOL ‘07” stretches over both sides of the 7” and is intended as a sonic commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the infamous “Summer of Love”. It’s a respectable psych jam with droning organs, echoplexed vocals, and lysergic electric guitar leads being propelled by driving Krautrock rhythms. Now I’m fully primed for the debut full length - bring it on!

By the way, S. F. Bay Area locals will have the opportunity to catch the Wooden Shjips live a couple of times in the next few weeks:

On Saturday, September 15 they’ll be appearing with Seiichi Yamamoto (ex-Boredoms) and Suishou no Fune at the Bottom Of The Hill in San Francisco.

and

On Sunday, September 16 they’ll be appearing with Suishou no Fune at Delta of Venus in Davis, California.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 8/22/07 - 8/28/07

2007-08-28T04:20:00.000-07:00

TREE PEOPLE: S/T CD (Tiliqua) - This expensive, limited edition, Japanese-only import CD reissues a rare 1979 private press LP from Oregon’s Tree People. Over hyped, in my humble opinion, as being an acid folk classic, the nine tracks on this disc certainly do feature many of the requisite instruments (acoustic guitar, flute, recorder, bells and other miscellaneous percussion) and moves typical of the (sub)genre, with tracks like “Pot Of Gold”, “Opus”, and, most notably, the excellent acid folk raga “Space Heater” clearly delivering the goods. Unfortunately, an almost equal percentage of the material on this album is of the more mainstream pandering folk variety, which tries too hard to be arty and musicianly and, in addition, often contains suspect lyrics and vocals. While this disc is enjoyable enough in parts, in the final analysis, it was still barely a “keeper” for me and probably not worth the fare for anyone who is not a pretty dedicated collector of vintage folk sounds.

On a related note, it seems as if this reissue, rightly or not, has rekindled some interest in the Tree People. Their second album “Human Voices”, from 1984, is being reissued later in the year and the group has begun rehearsing together again, with the goal of recording and performing live again.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 8/21/07

2007-08-21T21:46:00.001-07:00

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KINSKI: Down Below It’s Chaos DLP (Sub Pop) - Dependable Seattle spacerockers, Kinski, return with their latest full length on Sub Pop. Dependable being the operative word here, as the nine tracks on “Down Below It’s Chaos” reflect no more than a few minor innovations in the group’s familiar sonic attack. The scorching “Crybaby Blowout” kicks off the proceedings in fine fashion and is the best of the set’s several rockers. The excellent “Passwords & Alcohol” follows and may be the most accessible piece on album, opening with a few minutes of angular, indie rock before culminating in an eruption of satisfying, dissonant, distorto-riffage. Two of the final three tracks are both the album’s longest and best cuts. “Plan, Steal, Drive” begins with a segment that combines droning keyboards and cool guitar figures that eventually gives way to a blast of rock heaviness that displays a vague hint of prog/metal influences, as well. My personal favorite “Silent Biker Type” is a mellow, yet engaging, groover in which layers of drones and tremoloed/delayed guitar tones slowly evolve until the rhythm section kicks in to provide a solid foundation for a beautiful psychedelic wash of guitar feedback, wah wah freakouts and classic Hammond B-3 sounds, courtesy of stellar guest keyboardist, Joe Doria. The remaining tracks are merely less compelling variations on the themes/styles developed on the tracks previously described. Like I indicated above, overall, there’s nothing particularly new nor groundbreaking about the material on this release, still, Kinski’s “Down Below It’s Chaos” is an enjoyable, if not noteworthy, listening experience.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 8/17/07 - 8/20/07

2007-08-20T20:57:00.000-07:00

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SUN SUPREME: S/T LP (MEDS) - Hot on the heels of the “Beginnings Dark” one-sided 12”, comes this new and limited LP from a mysterious ad hoc collective that features members of the Sun City Girls (Alan Bishop and Charlie Gocher), Sun Supreme. This LP contains four tracks of minimal, disjointed improvisational basement racket created on guitar, bass, drum, banjo, piano, and all manner of percussion (including gamelan and marimba!) that completely failed to impress this listener. I’ve really been a big supporter of the Sun City Girls over the years, so it gives me no pleasure to state this, but it is hard for me to not view this release as merely being another cynical attempt to exploit passionate fans and collectors with substandard material from the vaults. It’s a disgrace, in my humble opinion, to tarnish the legacy of the Sun City Girls and disrespect the memory of the late Charles Gocher in such a fashion, especially for a few bucks!

Don't be a fool, like me - save your money!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 8/15/07 - 8/16/07

2007-08-16T08:18:00.000-07:00

V/A: Molam - Thai Country Groove From Isan, Vol. 2 CD (Sublime Frequencies) - Whenever the great Sublime Frequencies label releases another batch of CDs, it’s a cause for celebration at the lair of the Sonictroubadour. “Molam - Thai Country Groove From Isan, Vol. 2” is one of two new CDs from Sublime Frequencies featuring authentic archival sounds from Thailand. It focuses on recordings from the 1970’s and 80’s which feature a unique hybrid of traditional Northeastern Thai (the geographic area known as Isan) folk song structures and instrumentation (like the khaen, a bamboo mouth-organ, and the phin, a Thai lute) and modern Western pop and rock influences and instruments. The resultant sound was (and still is!) something entirely new - a mesmerizing blend of organic Asian folk rhythms, hypnotic, bleeding keyboards, repetitive guitar figures, and amazing, jaunty, freestyle vocals*. Although the material on this disc is almost uniformly great, several tracks still deserve special note for their transcendent qualities: “The Generosity Of Our Fans” by White Leg Group, Chai Mungpon’s “Lady With the Big Eyes”, “Two Brothers Leave Town For Bangkok” from Doi Intanon And Group Suthep, “Give Responsibility To the Son-in-Law” from Soonton Chairoogruen (now there’s one in your face rock and roll statement of counter cultural defiance for you, huh?!?), and “Finishing My Business In Burma” by Aungkana Kunchai. Perhaps even better than the first volume, these unique and genre-defying tracks represent another great musical discovery from the fine folks at Sublime Frequencies and are a prime example of the kind of music that fuels the fire of the Sonictroubadour!

I can’t wait to dive into the other new CD from Sublime Frequencies that features authentic archival sounds from Thailand, “Thai Pop Spectacular”, next! Look for a review of it on Sonictroubadour soon.

* One final, related note - The vocals on many of these tracks and the rhythms on a few less sounded to me almost as if they were proto-rap, hip-hop, or, even, in a few cases, DJ “toasting”. That makes me wonder if there is, perhaps, some (as of yet undocumented, at least to my knowledge) connection between this music and those, seemingly, unrelated genres. Could some of these tapes have come back with veterans of Vietnam and to then be picked-up on by their younger brothers? Brothers who later may have become the OG’s of the genre? Obviously, I don’t know, as that is not among my areas of expertise, and it very well may simply be the case that both Molam and Rap/Hip-Hop were influenced, in part, by the same American R & B, Soul, and psychedelic Funk. All I’m certain of is that I detected some strong similarities in these two, otherwise, rather divergent musical styles that may merit further investigation.

If there are any old school Rap/Hip-Hop experts out there who may have something of significance to relate on this matter, I’d surely appreciate your commentary.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 8/14/07

2007-08-14T08:34:00.001-07:00

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ZELIENOPLE: His/Hers LP (TYPE) - As fate would have it, mere days after I first, belatedly, discovered the pleasures of Zelienople (via their 2006 LP “Stone Academy”), comes “His/Hers”, the latest full-length release from this Chicago-based trio. It’s their fifth, overall, and, coincidentally, contains five relatively lengthy tracks. While the material on this album contains similar sonic elements, the band has definitely shifted its focus to the more electric and improvisational aspects of their sound. Two tracks, “Family Beast” and “Parts Are Lost”, feature Zelienople‘s trademark blend of slow motion, hazy, acid folk, with reverb drenched tones, softly spoken vocals/moans and, in general, lots of ambient atmosphere. The beginning segment of the LP’s best track, “Moss Man”, continues in that vein before erupting at around the midway point with a blast of dense, noisy, free improv glory. “Forced March” reverses that approach, opening with an excellent segment of drone rock, before drifting off into a combination of minimal drones and echoing tones. Only the album’s closing track “Sweet Ali”, a very minimal, experimental piece, failed to satisfy. Overall, however, “His/Hers” is another intriguing and engaging collage of sound from Zelienople.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 8/9/07 - 8/13/07

2007-08-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

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MARISSA NADLER: Songs III: Bird on the Water CD (Kemado Records) - On “Songs III: Bird on the Water” Marissa Nadler continues her exploration of both traditional (with the accompanying lyrical themes of death, love lost, and so on) and more modern outre-folk forms. Unlike her approach in making previous albums, where the majority of the tracks were solo performances, on this outing Nadler (who is a talented multi-instrumentalist, in addition to being blessed with an incredibly beautiful singing voice!) receives excellent support from members of the great Espers. On nine of these eleven tracks her vocals and acoustic guitar work are augmented only by minimal embellishments like Otto Hauser’s lysergic bells/percussion on “Dying Breed”, Helena Espvall's excellent string work on "Thinking of You" and “Feathers”, Orion Rigel Dommisse’s haunting keyboards on “My Love And I” and the cover of Leonard Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat", and Greg Weeks’ trademark acid leads on “Rachel”. Two tracks, “Mexican Summer” and “Bird On Your Grave”, however, are given a more full band treatment and the combination of droning keyboards and psychedelic guitar takes Nadler’s music to new heights of acid psych beauty. “Songs III: Bird on the Water” is certainly Marissa Nadler’s most fully realized and best effort to date. I look forward with great anticipation to hearing her continuing development on future releases.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 8/6/07 - 8/8/07

2007-08-08T18:31:00.001-07:00

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SUN CITY GIRLS: Beginnings Dark One-Sided 12” (Enterruption) - For hard core collectors like me, a new Sun City Girls one-sided 12”, in a limited edition of 320, with elaborate packaging and lots of cool inserts is an irresistible fetish item. As nice as all those little trinkets and the feeling of smug superiority of being among the limited few, “the cool”, may be, it is still, ultimately, the music that really matters. Unfortunately, the music on "Beginnings Dark" is merely a backwards mastered version of the classic Sun City Girls’ track “The Venerable Song (the meaning of which is still unknown)”. Now look, I realize full well that art, beauty, and merit are in the ear, eye, and mind of the beholder. In addition, I’m no neophyte nor mere dilettante. No, I’ve been exposed to and, in many cases, down with the most extreme forms of sonic art from Anal Cunt and Bertoia to Fluxus and Zeni Geva. So, it’s not that I’m some “square” who just doesn’t “get it" and I'm, therefore, compelled to state it plainly: "Beginnings Dark" is an utter waste of vinyl, time and money on the part of all parties involved, from producers to consumers. I’m still not sure how being a avid collector who supports the scene (and in many ways, not just through the purchase of albums!) means that I deserve to be played for a sucker, but I hope that at least the Bishop Brothers and the “geniuses” at Enterruption are getting a good laugh at me and the other 319 unfortunate saps who bought this turkey.

Since I was truly sincere when I stated that I realize that art, beauty, and merit are in the ear, eye, and mind of the beholder, if any of you readers by some unlikely chance disagree with my assessment and would like to purchase this lovely art project, I’d be glad to part with it for the same fucking $36 I paid for it! Just drop me an email. I won’t be holding my breath, though...

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And All You Conservatives Wonder Why I Don’t Trust “The Private Sector” As Being The Best Way To Handle Everything?!?

2007-08-07T01:38:00.000-07:00

Lets examine this recent mine disaster in Utah.

According to a report by Paul Foy of the Associated Press on August 07, 2007, the mine uses a method called "retreat mining," in which pillars of coal are used to hold up an area of the mine's roof. When that area is completely mined, the company pulls the pillar and grabs the useful coal, causing an intentional collapse. Experts say it is one of the most dangerous mining methods.

Robert E. Murray, chairman of Murray Energy Corp. of Cleveland, a part owner of the Crandall Canyon mine said no expense would be spared to save the men. The company had enlisted the help of 200 employees and four rescue crews, and brought in all available equipment from around the state.

*****Yeah, no expense is being spared now, after the fact, when there are probably six dead men who can not benefit from any/all the money and efforts being expended. They probably could have benefitted greatly if the company had made expenditures on safer mining practices. Or, in other words, if the company really cared about their employees’ welfare more than they did about only the “bottom line”, which, I might further note is the only thing they still really care about at this point - saving face and minimizing the financial damage!

The Associated Press report continues:

Government mine inspectors have issued 325 citations against the mine since January 2004, according to a quick analysis of federal Mine Safety and Health Administration online records. Of those, 116 were what the government considered "significant and substantial," meaning they are likely to cause injury.

The 325 safety violations is not unusual, said J. Davitt McAteer, former head of the MHSA and now vice president of Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia.

"It's not perfect but it's certainly not bad," McAteer said. "It would be in the medium range."

In 2007, inspectors have issued 32 citations against the mine, 14 of them considered significant.

Last month, inspectors cited the mine for violating a rule requiring that at least two separate passageways be designated for escape in an emergency.

It was the third time in less than two years that the mine had been cited for the same problem, according to MSHA records. In 2005, MSHA ordered the mine owners to pay $963 for not having escapeways and the 2006 fine for the same problem was just $60.

Overall, the federal government has ordered the mine owner to pay nearly $152,000 in penalties for its 325 violations with many citations having no fines calculated yet. Since January, the mine owner has paid $130,678 in fines, according to MSHA records.

*****Several interesting and shocking things to note here. 325 citations against the mine since January 2004, of which 116 were what the government considered "significant and substantial" and that’s “not perfect but it's certainly not bad" according to J. Davitt McAteer, former head of the MHSA and now vice president of Wheeling Jesuit University (ah, not only pro-business, right-wing political fundamentalist, but an actual christian fundamentalist, to boot! What a surprise!) in West Virginia?!? Hmm, with attitudes like that, it’s a wonder there aren’t more mining (and other types of industrial) disasters! Am I the only one who thinks that the concept of a mine operator getting 325 citations and it seemingly being no big deal is an indication that there are some serious problems that need to be dealt with, not only at that site, but in the industry, in general?!?

Furthermore, look at the fines imposed for these violations of safety standards, both the fines for individual incidents and the aggregate total. $963 for not having escapeways? The mine owner has paid $130,678 in fines? Uh, please tell me, how much profit did that mine generate during that same period? While I don’t know the answer to that question, I’m willing to wager that those fines are a drop in the bucket compared to their profits. So, what deterrent are those fines? What incentive does the mine operator have to do the right thing, as opposed to rollin’ the dice, taking a chance, and, if all works out well, banking the money? Answer? None, and so they continue to choose profits over the safety of their employees. Nice.

This is why people like me bristle when right-wing fundamentalists insist that the private sector can handle everything better, if it were only left to its own devices. Yeah, in this ever more connected and interdependent world that’s exactly what we need to survive and thrive - the dog eat dog mentality of the Capital Darwinists! Yeah, right.

Upcoming In The Bay Area Clubs...

2007-08-06T07:20:00.000-07:00

...lots of good acid folk and free noise:

Monday August 13th - Tom Carter, Fursaxa, Axolotl and Family Underground at 21 Grand, 416 25th Street Oakland, CA

Wednesday August 29th - Marissa Nadler (pictured above!) at the Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA

Wednesday September 19th - Samara Lubelski at 21 Grand, 416 25th Street Oakland, CA

Thursday September 20th - Samara Lubelski at the Hemlock Tavern, 1131 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA

Also, Marissa Nadler has a new CD coming out this week "Songs III: Bird on the Water" on Kemado Records, which promises to be very good, as it features major contributions from various members of the great Espers! Look for a review of this new release soon on Sonictroubadour.

Music I Liked And Didn't - 8/1/07 - 8/5/07

2007-08-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

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JESU / ELUVIUM: S/T Split LP (Temporary Residence) - This pairing of Justin Broadrick’s Jesu and Eluvium is the second release in a series of split LPs being issued conjointly by Temporary Residence Ltd. and Hydra Head Records. The material on Jesu’s side continues in the vein of their recent “Conqueror ” double LP. The opening track “Farewell” is the longest and best of the side’s three tracks, combining mechanical loops and beats with layers of droning keyboards to create a retro-shoegaze gem. “Blind & Faithless” uses a similar formula, but increases the BPM, to produce a respectable track of almost danceable ethereal dream pop that wouldn’t sound out of place on any number of albums on the 4AD label, circa 1991. The final and least satisfying track “Why Are We Not Perfect?” is a plodding, somewhat electronica-leaning pop dirge. Eluvium’s contribution is the appropriately titled “Time-Travel Of The Sloth Parts I, II, & III”, a fairly standard, side-long, post-rock instrumental dronescape that failed to impress this listener. Enjoyable enough in parts, but hardly essential to anybody other than pathetic Jesu vinyl completists, like me.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 7/31/07

2007-07-31T06:08:00.001-07:00

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ZELIENOPLE: Stone Academy LP (Root Strata) - I recently scored this very limited (only 300 copies) vinyl version of this 2006 release from Chicago’s Zelienople on the Tarentel curated Root Strata imprint while I was in San Diego. The majority of the 9 tracks on this LP feature Zelienople‘s unique and pleasing blend of slow, drifting, acid folk and thick, hazy, ambient drones, of which “Fuck Everything”, “More Mess”, and (the somewhat more focused and polished sounding) “When You Were 9” were my personal favorites. The band takes their music to a higher plane, however, on “Bird’s Face”, delivering a dense drone rock epic which is clearly the highlight of the album. There are also a couple of dronescapes and less successful, dark, experimental improvisations to round out this set. While the Zelienople crew certainly isn’t breaking any new ground, I’ll readily admit that I found the lush, psychedelic beauty of “Stone Academy” to be quite seductive and, therefore, worthy of repeated spins.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 7/10/07 - 7/30/07

2007-07-30T22:44:00.000-07:00

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V/A: Tokyo Flashback, Volume 6 CD (PSF) - Back in 1991, the initial volume of PSF’s “Tokyo Flashback” blew the minds and opened the ears of many uninitiated afficianados of various forms of underground culture (including yours truly - thank you PSF!) to the glories of the modern Japanese underground music scene. This now legendary series of “psychedelic samplers” continues to be among the scene-defining documents of the Japanese underground and, 16 years later, has now reached its sixth volume.

Although those halycon days of the early 90’s when all the insane sounds of these mysterious and now, in some cases, almost mythical groups can never be completely recaptured, “Tokyo Flashback, Volume 6” is, perhaps, the closest throwback to the original “Tokyo Flashback” in the sense that almost all the groups presented on this set are completely new. In fact, only three of these groups even contain members whose names I recognize from previous bands - Ogikubo Connection (which features Fukuoka Rinji of the Overhang Party), S. A. R. O. D. (Mondo Bohachi from Aural Fit), and Kawaguchi Masami’s New Rock Syndicate (Kawaguchi has long been a major player in the scene as leader of the Broomdusters, LSD March, and Miminokoto).

As always, a wide variety of musical styles are represented, from acid folk and arty no-wave to acid punk and beyond! Highlights include: the awesome blast of heavy psych from Kawaguchi Masami’s New Rock Syndicate “Oblivion”; the sweeping, lysergic pop grandeur of “The World Of Mirror” by Hananoyouni; the noisy, experimental rock of S. A. R. O. D.’s “Bobby-Dick”; a couple of rough hewn, acoustic guitar based folk pieces, Onna’s “Prophet” and the Ogikubo Connection’s cover of the late Kaneko Jutok’s “Staring At Blood”; the 60’s acid-flash influenced psych rocker “Mugen” by Yakouchu; and the fragile acid folk of "A Moonlight Night" by Genshi.

“Tokyo Flashback, Volume 6” is certainly the best release in this series in many years and has renewed my interest in a scene that had, in my humble opinion, grown somewhat stale (with a few limited exceptions, most notably, Boris) and had suffered a bit, as well, from over exposure (helloooo - Acid Mother’s Temple?!? and, yes, I’ll reluctantly admit, the aforementioned, Boris, too!). I look forward with great anticipation to hearing more from these exciting new artists. Until then, however, I strongly encourage anybody who is even remotely interested in the Japanese underground music scene to pick up “Tokyo Flashback, Volume 6” for a satisfying aural fix!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 7/9/07

2007-07-09T12:35:00.001-07:00

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SUNRAY (Featuring Sonic Boom): Ocean 12” EP (Earworm) - Sunray is the long-running project of Jon Chambers. Since 1993 Chambers has collaborated with an ever changing cast of supporting players and the material they’ve created has sporadically been released on a variety of compilations, 7”s, 12”s, and even a couple of full-length LPs/CDs. This 12” EP was released on the UK imprint Earworm in 2006 and contains three tracks.

An amazing 13-minute cover of the Velvet Underground’s “Ocean” which features the talents of Spacemen 3’s Sonic Boom takes up the entirety of the A-Side. The track starts out in a manner that’s fairly faithful to the original, with Sonic’s trademark vocals being accompanied by some pleasant, distorted guitar riffage, before heading to the heart of 3AM with a segment of beautifully layered guitar feedback, droning organs, and psychedelic synth treatments. Although Sonic Boom is no longer involved in the proceedings, the homage to Spacemen 3 continues on the first track of the B-Side with the languid, acoustic guitar based, lysergic pop strum of "I Wish You Were Mine", which sounds very much like it could have been composed by Jason “Spaceman” Pierce. "One Note Jam (Reprise)" is a rather dodgy recording (for example, there’s lots of crowd noise interrupting the music; recreating, unfortunately, the all too often real experience of seeing bands in clubs!) of some fairly standard live psych jamming that closes out the set. Frankly, it is hard for me to view it as being anything more than something to fill out the remaining space on this EP. This final flawed track, however, is of little consequence to the overall merits of this brief set, as the return of Sonic Boom, coming as close to recapturing the glories of the classic, late-80’s Spacemen 3 sound as he (or anybody else, for that matter!) has in years, makes Sunray’s “Ocean” EP an essential addition to any collection of contemporary psych sounds.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 7/3/07 - 7/8/07

2007-07-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

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SILVESTER ANFANG: Kosmies Slachtafval CD (Aurora Borealis) - Only a couple of months after “Echte Vlaamse Geiten” was released by Eclipse, prolific Belgian free psych collective Silvester Anfang returns with another dose of their trademark “funeral folk”. “Kosmies Slachtafval” contains two lengthy improvised jams. The disc is kicked off with the appropriately confrontational "Mijn vader was een wolf en mijn moeder was een hoer"; a title I don’t believe you necessarily need to be from Belgium to read and understand! The track opens with an outstanding segment of heavy distorto-psych jamming which gives way after a few minutes to a more “free music” oriented style which is highlighted by droning keyboards and driving, improvised, percussive racket. The second and final track “Konfituur voor de Satanjeugd” begins with a lengthy segment that features an almost trance-inducing combination of late night organ drones, percussion, and somewhat minimal, meandering guitar work. Around the fifteen minute mark, a biting electric lead guitar enters the mix and soon conjures up a prominent, steady drum beat, which transforms the track into an awesome, droning, basement psych raga that continues until the close of the album. Dark and druggy, “Kosmies Slachtafval” is good 'til the last glow of the coal in the bowl!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 7/2/07

2007-07-02T00:07:00.000-07:00

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MICHAEL GARRICK TRIO: Moonscape CD (Trunk) - This CD reissues an early (1964) and rare (only an edition of 99 copies!) 10” release from British Jazz pianist Michael Garrick. On these recordings Garrick works in a traditional piano trio setting, ably backed by Dave Green on bass and Colin Barnes on drums. This album has long been hyped by hard core Jazz enthusiasts as being an early example of British Free Jazz, but, personally, I’d say that’s a bit of an overstatement, as the material is split evenly between compositions of fairly straightforward, yet pleasing, piano-based Jazz and somewhat more abstract improvisations, which never really go too far “out”. Garrick is solid, though never overwhelming, throughout, with a very clean playing style and sound that is marked by an excellent sense of space and that classic, rich, grand piano timbre. Highlights include two bright, fairly uptempo tracks “Music For Shattering Supermarkets” and “Man Have You Ever Heard”, the slightly subdued, but beautiful theme “Sketches Of Israel”, and the best of the album’s more free-leaning tracks “ A Face In The Crowd”, which features some particularly transcendent interplay between Garrick and Barnes. While there are certainly no mind blowing revelations to be found on these recordings, the short length (22+ minutes) of this disc allows the somewhat limited charms of this set to be fully displayed without wearing out its welcome.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 7/1/07

2007-07-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

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MARC RIBOT: Asmodeus: Book of Angels, Volume 7 CD (Tzadik) - “Asmodeus” is the seventh release of material from John Zorn’s expansive second “book” (AKA The Book Of Angels) of compositions written for his various Masada projects. For this recording, Zorn assembled a trio of outstanding musicians to perform “rock” interpretations of ten pieces.

Led by guitarist extraordinaire and long-time Masada veteran Marc Ribot, who is given, no pun intended, rock solid support from the outstanding rhythm section of Trevor Dunn (Electric Masada, Fantômas, etc.) on bass and G. Calvin Weston (Ornette Coleman, James Blood Ulmer, etc.) on drums, this trio rips through an absolutely smokin’ set of material ranging from slammin’, but still tuneful rock (best exemplified by "Yezriel", "Mufgar", "Zakun", and "Dagiel") to metallic outre-jazz (personal favorites include the pummeling opening track “Kalmiya” and the scorching “Sensenya”, which closes out the album) of a high order. Throughout this disc, Ribot displays an impressive combination of technique, passion, and power, making this truly one of highlight’s of his extensive career and also one the most mind blowing releases in the Masada discography to date. A sonic tour de force, “Asmodeus” is not to be missed!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 6/30/07

2007-06-30T14:53:00.001-07:00

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LARRY YOUNG Lawrence Of Newark LP (Perception) - Larry Young was a jazz organist who was known for his modal playing style and performed with some of the biggest names in the jazz world of the 60’s and 70’s, including Grant Green, Elvin Jones, Sam Rivers and, most notably, Miles Davis, on his legendary album “Bitches Brew”. He also had several releases as a leader in his own right on the esteemed Prestige and Blue Note labels. This is a reissue of his rare 1973 release on the tiny Perception label. It features five tracks of engaging, organ-led, celestial afro-jazz, highlighted by the mind-blowing “Khalid Of Space, Part Two (Welcome)” which crosses over into the drone rock zone with a battery of percussionists laying down a foundation for Diedre Johnson’s droning cello, Young’s bleeding organ, James “Blood” Ulmer’s wah wah workouts and blasts of freaked out electric sax and trumpet. A sweet treat for the ears, mind, and soul, that’s a welcome addition to the Sonictroubadour’s archives!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 6/28/07 - 6/29/07

2007-06-29T20:34:00.001-07:00

Adds - Finally, I get around to reviewing this fine LP, as it was long overdue!

HALA STRANA: Heave The Gambrel Roof LP (Music Fellowship) - Steven R. Smith is, in my humble opinion, a nearly criminally overlooked and underappreciated musician who has been creating great music as both a solo artist and as a member of such projects as Thuja and Mirza for many years. He began his Hala Strana project in 2002 and “Heave The Gambrel Roof” is the fourth full length release under the Hala Strana name. Although numerous musicians have contributed to the project over the years, most Hala Strana recordings are solo productions and only the opening track of this LP features any outside contributors. As always, Smith uses an array of instruments (many which he built himself!) such as the bouzouki, cello, harmonium, hurdy gurdy, spike fiddle, and, of course, the more common tools of the modern music trade, the electric guitar and organ, to create this collection of dronescape miniatures and dazzling, pan-global acid folk.

Four of the eleven tracks are interpretations of Albanian folk tunes and two of these are among the highlights of the album. The spectacular “Wedding Of The Blind” opens the B-Side with a rich dronescape that builds until Smith cuts in on guitar with a righteous, almost rockin’ groove. The title track displays, at least, a reflection of its Balkan roots, combining layers of plucked, strummed, and frenetically bowed acoustic instruments to mesmerizing effect. Several of Smith’s original pieces are also quite impressive. “Grain” is the best among several more contemporary sounding acid folk tracks on the LP. “Molars Of Smoke” exhibits a Far Eastern influence, with lots of hand percussion, bells, and, in general, a spacious ambience that makes it the album’s most psychedelic track. “Marl” is a jubilant piece that borders on “pop” territory. “Heave The Gambrel Roof” is a carefully constructed, beautiful, and hypnotic release that’s truly one of Smith’s best!

Oh - And hell yes I bought one of the collector scum, limited to 250 copies, first pressings of the LP, with the 12"x12" hand cut and hand sanded, screen printed wood cover!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 6/17/07 - 6/27/07

2007-06-27T06:44:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the lack of reviews I've been posting lately. I've been out of town a lot this month, which makes it difficult to do a lot of serious listening/writing of reviews; especially since 50% of what I purchase is vinyl. Unfortunately, I don't have the technology to listen to records while hurtling across the desert at 90 miles per hour!!!!!

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TIED + TICKLED TRIO: Aelita CD (Morr Music) - The Tied + Tickled Trio’s 2003 album “Observing Systems” was one of my favorite releases of that year. Its unique and well-executed combination of upbeat electronic pop and funky jazz elements really appealed to me. Unfortunately, the group’s fifth album “Aelita” has a decidedly different sonic focus. The majority of the material on this disc is somewhat dark, minimal, mechanically precise electronica. Nary a hint of the jazz influences that were so prominent and successful on “Observing Systems” is to be heard. And only a few tracks (the pop-oriented “Other Voices Other Rooms”, the dub-wise “Tamaghis”, and “You Said Tomorrow Yesterday” which is, more or less, a sonic synthesis of the two aforementioned tracks) are vaguely upbeat. While 2007, like all years, has already yielded a substantial quantity of great new music, it has also been a somewhat bittersweet year for me, having relegated releases by long-time favorites such as Ghost, Low, and, now, this disc by the The Tied + Tickled Trio, to the rejection pile.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 6/13/07 - 6/16/07

2007-06-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

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RACCOO-OO-OON: S/T 7” EP (Gilgongo) - Hot on the heels of their amazing LP “Behold Secret Kingdom", comes this excellent three song 7” EP from Raccoo-oo-oon. The A-Side features two outstanding tracks. “Mud Mound” opens the side with a dark, organic, acid folk vibe created with miscellaneous percussion, cello, and a murky, low-level mix of tripped-out electronics and patented Raccoo-oo-oon outro-vocalisms. “Behold Secret Kingdom” (which is not on the album of the same name) is probably the group's most "pop" sounding track ever, with waves of synths and joyous, soaring (and almost "normal"!?!) vocals propelled by a driving beat and guitar. The B-Side's "Slobbery Masses" is a less focused and, as a result, in my humble opinion, a slightly less successful affair. It begins with a segment of percussive racket and vocal moans which eventually evolves into a jammin’ basement psych groove. Stylistically diverse, while maintaining a fairly high quality level throughout, this is truly one of the best 7" slabs I've heard in quite a while. All hail another triumphant blast from Raccoo-oo-oon!!!!!

I can hardly wait for their Northern California shows coming up in a couple of weeks:

7/02 - 21 Grand, Oakland,CA

7/03 - Hemlock Tavern, San Francisco, CA

7/04 - Terrestrial, Sacramento, CA

7/05 - Boy's Club Santa Rosa, CA

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 6/7/07 - 6/12/07

2007-06-12T06:15:00.000-07:00

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SIR RICHARD BISHOP: While My Guitar Violently Bleeds LP (Locust) - Sun City Girls’ co-founder Richard Bishop returns with his fourth solo release “While My Guitar Violently Bleeds”, which contains three distinctly different explorations on guitar. The opening track “Zurvan” is a flamenco influenced improvisation that sounds very similar to the material from his 2006 album “Fingering The Devil”. The second piece “Smashana” is an out-guitar extravaganza which combines layers of droning feedback and other miscellaneous guitar destruction. Sir Richard returns to the acoustic guitar (accompanied by excellent droning tambura!) to close out the LP with an intricate and lengthy raga. “Mahavidya” begins with a relaxed pace and graceful guitar work that builds in intensity until it develops into an impressive and fiery display of both speed and precision. “While My Guitar Violently Bleeds” is a unique and well-crafted album that is Bishop’s most varied and best solo release to date.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 6/6/07

2007-06-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

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BOY IN STATIC: Violet CD (Mush) - I swear that my experience with releases on the Mush label are much like those of a gambler - while the majority of my “plays” (i.e., purchases) are losers, there are enough occasional winners to cause me to keep exploring their catalog, rather than just give up on the label. Unfortunately, this over-hyped new release from Boston resident Alexander Chen’s project, Boy In Static, is another release that can be added to Mush’s list of losers. Yes, “Violet” certainly contains 10 tracks of delicate and precise dream-pop electronica which reflects the strong influence of a variety of British pop movements since the late 80’s, but they’re just too calculated, too precious to really strike an emotional chord - at least with me.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 6/1/07 - 6/5/07

2007-06-05T06:40:00.000-07:00

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Iowa City’s prolific Racoo-oo-oon returns with their most cohesive, raucous, and best release to date, “Behold Secret Kingdom”. The
Racoo-oo-oon sound is built on a foundation of percussion - ranging from simple, heavy tribal pounding to minimal, organic basement percussion improvisations, and even the percussive effects of elements not traditionally associated with the “rhythm section” of a "rock" band, such as tripped-out electronics. They then pile on (in varying combinations and intensities on each track) noisy blasts of guitar, droning, gurgling synths and electronic washes, wailing saxophone, and seemingly wordless, reverbed and delayed vocals (more like moans and wails) that function more as an additional instrument in this awesome aural assault, than as a means to convey any actual lyrical content. The final result of this sonic synthesis are these eight incredible tracks of joyous free-psych
noise-rock.

The excellent opening track “Black Branches” sets the tone for the entire album. Like most of the tracks on this release, it begins with a vaguely “normal” heavy rock progression that builds as it develops, with additional dissonant guitar, wailing vocals, electronic noises, and percussion increasing the tempo, intensity, and volume of the piece until it reaches the breaking point - collapses - and then coalesces, only to begin the cycle all over again on the next track. So proceeds the rest of the disc: from the epic “Antler Mask” to the absolutely scorching “Invisible Sun” and on to the ultra-heavy stoner crush of the album’s closing track “Tail At Prospect Peak”. There are a couple of more ambient pieces that provide a brief respite from this outstanding sonic onslaught, but even these, especially “Fangs And Arrows”, eventually evolve until they reach a fairly feverish peak. With “Behold Secret Kingdom”, Racoo-oo-oon has delivered a potent dose of artistic psychedelic out-rock that’s not to be missed!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 5/28/07 - 5/31/07

2007-05-31T07:56:00.001-07:00

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ROBEDOOR/YELLOW SWANS: “Tremor Deliverance”/Untitled Split 7” Single (Arbor) - L. A.’s Robedoor and Portland’s Yellow Swans each contribute a track to this split 7” single on the up and coming and inspirational (as it is owned and operated by 17 year-old Chicagoland resident, Mike Pollard!) Arbor label. Robedoor's “Tremor Deliverance” combines droning keyboards, cello, guitar, and reverbed and delayed vocal wails (ala Raccoo-oo-oon) to create a gorgeous, but somewhat dark, dronescape. The Yellow Swans’ untitled track provides a brief and accurate sonic snapshot of their sound - a dark, powerful, slowly evolving mass of droning psychedelic noise.

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In Other News...

I've been remiss in noting that reviews by the Sonictroubadour of new releases are now also appearing on the fantastic Foxy Digitalis website (http://www.digitalisindustries.com/foxyd/index.php). For reasons too numerous and tedious to detail here, some future reviews will be exclusive to Foxy Digitalis, some will remain exclusive to the Sonictroubadour blog you're currently reading, and others will be published in both. So, readers may wish to check out both sites, if they're interested in keeping up on all the latest musical ramblings of the Sonictroubadour.

Music I Liked And Didn't - 5/27/07

2007-05-27T20:45:00.000-07:00

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NORTH SEA: Exquisite Idols CD (Type) - After many limited edition CDRs and compilation appearances comes “Exquisite Idols”, the debut full-length release from the North Sea, the solo project of Digitalis Industries mogul Brad Rose. Over the course of this album’s 8 tracks, Rose executes all the required moves to earn his “acid folk” merit badge. So, you’ve got a couple of takes on contemporary acid folk sounds such as “Guiwenneth Of The Green Grass” (which combines field recordings, hand percussion, and beautiful acoustic guitar work), the country-tinged “Children Of The Ashes”, an acid folk raga featuring sitar “And Then The Solstice Disappeared”, and the jubliant stomp of the disc’s closing track “Feather-Cloaked Silver Priestess”. There’s also a couple of more experimental pieces, the opening dronescape “Eternal Birds” and the orgy of echoplexed percussion and electronics “Cover Me With Knives”. Like the majority of the many releases currently flooding the scene under the general rubric of “acid folk”, there’s nothing particularly ground breaking on this disc, but with “Exquisite Idols”, Rose has delivered a well-crafted, nicely varied, and engaging set of contemporary acid folk that deserves repeated play.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 5/15/07 - 5/26/07

2007-05-26T11:48:00.000-07:00

Been a long time...

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POEM ROCKET: Invasion! DCD (Atavistic) - Poem Rocket is a long-running NYC-based project led by the duo of Michael Peters and Sandra Gardner. “Invasion!” is their first release since 2000 and contains two discs, each of which focuses on a particular aspect of the group’s sound.

Disc 1, which is subtitled “A Parade Of Vigilance”, features 10 tracks of gorgeously recorded, acoustic guitar-based pop, often augmented with little lysergic touches such as droning synths, miscellaneous percussion, and various loops and samples. Personal favorites included “Underwater”, “The Keeper”, and the disc’s one sonic outlier, the densely layered dronescape ”The Ocean As Itself (Reprise)”. Disc 2, which is subtitled “The Abdomen Of Memory”, contains 9 tracks of pop-rock that I found to be very reminiscent of the kind of material that was quite popular within certain softer circles of the international underground in the early 1990’s as represented by such diverse labels as Creation, Sub Pop, Too Pure, and so on - a pleasant blend of simple drums patterns, rumbling bass lines, distorted guitar chords and jagged, multi-effected electric leads, and tasteful keyboard treatments. Highlights from the second disc included “Sound Byte Hit” and “Pulse (I Hope You Dream Something)”.

When listening straight through, I found that both discs tend to be a bit sonically monolithic. Perhaps, some editing (like taking the strongest tracks from each disc and combining them into a single disc) would have yielded a more dynamic and higher quality final product. Still, there's enough solid material on these two discs to merit adding this enjoyable, but far from innovative, album to my ever expanding music library.

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Good Riddance To Jerry Falwell!!!!!

2007-05-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

It's a great day. One of the darkest forces for regressive thought and social action, Jerry Falwell, has become worm food. On days like this my only regret is that there really isn't a god, a heaven, and a hell, because if there was, a regressive scumbag like Falwell would surely (and deservedly!) be quite surprised to find himself roasting in hell right now!!!!!

Music I Liked And Didn't - 5/13/07 - 5/14/07

2007-05-14T02:33:00.001-07:00

HOWARD, NOAH: The Black Ark CD (Bo’Weavil) - It’s no secret to regular readers of this blog that I’m a big fan of the almost criminally under recorded and under appreciated alto saxophonist, Noah Howard. Ever since first hearing the Eremite reissue of “Patterns/Message to South Africa”, I’ve scoured the ‘net and the racks to purchase any of Howard’s all too few titles I could find (even scoring rare original vinyl issues of some releases such as “Space Dimension”!), but “The Black Ark” remained elusive. And it was one of his most intriguing titles, too, with that colorful psychedelic cover and an excellent cast of supporting musicians that included Sirone (who was then still going under the name Norris Jones and is excellent throughout this disc) and (in his recording debut) Arthur Doyle. Recorded in 1969 in NYC and later released on the UK’s Freedom label, this was also one of Howard’s earlier releases as a leader. Now, the fine folks at Bo’Weavil have ended my quest with this welcome reissue of “The Black Ark”.

This album features four solid compositions by Howard, who is also excellent on alto throughout, whether crafting soulful themes or pursuing more aggressive solos. While it has its moments, most notably the solos by Howard and pianist Leslie Waldron (Howard often leaves a lot of space for/relies on the contributions of the excellent pianists who have graced his recordings), the opening track “Domiabra” is, overall, a somewhat rough and less than fully satisfying initial shakedown for the group. The disc’s best track “Ole Negro” is next. It features the expanded rhythm section (Rashid’s brother, Muhammad Ali, on drums and Juma on conga, along with the piano and bass) laying down an incredible, almost hallucination producing foundation for the soloists. The other real winner on this CD is the longest piece “Mount Fuji”, which contains trumpeter Earl Cross and Doyle’s most significant contributions and some fine free ensemble playing (vaguely reminiscent of Coltrane’s “Ascension”) in the segments which connect the solos. The album’s closing track, the pleasant, but all too brief “Queen Anne”, is highlighted by the solos of Waldron and Howard.

Like many similar releases from the period on labels such as ESP, BYG/Actuel, and so on, both the performances and the recording quality on this disc are, at times, somewhat uneven. Nevertheless, the music contained on this CD represents another interesting and appreciated document from a seminal era in the development of free jazz that richly deserves further exposure to a wider audience.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 5/12/07

2007-05-12T06:27:00.000-07:00

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V/A: Bougouni Yaalali CD (Yaala Yaala) - Yaala Yaala is a new imprint from Drag City that focuses on world music. They recently launched the label with a trio of releases of music from West Africa, from which I selected the one which appeared to be most interesting, “Bougouni Yaalali”.

All that is revealed by the minimal liner notes is that the material on this CD was recorded at various social events in the rural town of Bougouni, Mali (hence the disc’s title, which apparently translates to “wandering around Bougouni”), obviously on some form of hand-held device. After that, you’re left to rely on your senses to derive any additional information regarding these recordings, as there are no artists, instruments, nor track titles listed! These unknown musicians use percussion (created on all manner of instruments such as djembe, nkerinye, home made metal shakers, and so on), hypnotic figures plucked on, I suspect, the ngoni (usually, again, a home made multi-stringed spike lute made out of wood or gourds), and vocals (sometimes in a more Arab-influenced style, other times displaying attributes associated with traditional West African vocal styles) to create these excellent authentic African folk grooves! Even with a lifetime of exposure to “lo-fi” recordings (having seen it develop into an aesthetic, instead of merely being a pleasing sonic byproduct of financially challenged musicians!), I can’t deny that the music on this release would benefit from a variety of improvements in the documentation process. Nevertheless, the music contained on this CD provides another intriguing and unique (and very much appreciated!) sonic snapshot of a remote and relatively unknown region’s musical culture for the continuing enlightenment of audio-ethnographers (like me!) everywhere.

With “Bougouni Yaalali”, Yaala Yaala is off to an excellent start and I’m going to check out additional titles from the label’s catalog soon.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 5/9/07 - 5/11/07

2007-05-11T07:04:00.001-07:00

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OLAUSSON, JAKOB: Moonlight Farm LP (Destijl) - “Moonlight Farm” is the debut (and almost entirely solo) release from Sweden’s Jakob Olausson. Using an assortment of instruments such as banjo, bells, flute, violin, and, of course acoustic and electric guitars, Olausson created these 10 little gems of lo-fi acid folk and basement psych. Personal favorites included two tracks which feature dark, but beautiful and well-developed melodies “What Will Tomorrow Bring” and “Silhouette V”, “Welcome Traveler” an acid folk track featuring flute, and “Live To Tell” which is highlighted by soaring, reverb-drenched electric guitar and vocals. While there’ll certainly be no big surprises for aficionados of similar late night fare contained inside these grooves, Olausson’s “Moonlight Farm” is, nevertheless, another solid entry into the canon of contemporary loner/outsider recordings.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 5/5/07 - 5/8/07

2007-05-08T10:07:00.000-07:00

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ZALATNAY, SAROLTA: S/T CD (B-Music) - The record stack rummagers at Finders Keepers return with this compilation of recordings from Hungarian multimedia celebrity, Sarolta Zalatnay. Although the vast majority of the work in her lengthy and varied (music, films, etc.) career in the entertainment industry was aimed at popular mass consumption, she did produce (with the backing of some of Hungary’s best known musical groups of the era such as Locomotiv GT and Skorpio) some fairly unique sounding and high quality, if still mainstream leaning, recordings during the earlier years (the 1970’s) of her career.

This release contains 19 tracks which range from pop to heavy, exploito-psych sounds and funky, hard rock. Throughout this CD, Zalatnay demonstrates that she, unlike so many “celebrity” pop vocalists, is actually a very accomplished singer, delivering full-throated rock wailing; smooth, sultry vocals; and almost childlike pop chanteuse stylings with equal skill. Highlights include the lysergic-tinged folkish pop of “Munanyag Almok” and “Adj Egy Percet”, the hard rockin’ "Itt A Nyar" and “Fekete Arnyek”, the rockin’ funk of “Hadd Mondjam El” and "Egyser", and a couple of jazz informed tracks “Egy Szot Se Szolj” and "Zold Borostyan". As was the case with the Phil Trainer reissue I recently reviewed, some of the material on this CD is just too mainstream pandering to be of merit, but the tasty fuzz wah and heavy percussion, present throughout the majority of this release, combined with the use of Eastern European phrasing and the exotic sound of Zalatnay’s Hungarian vocals and make this compilation yet another “guilty pleasure” with too many charms to be denied.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 5/1/07 - 5/4/07

2007-05-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

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ANDERSON, FRED, AND HAMID DRAKE: From The River To The Ocean CD (Thrill Jockey) - “From The River To The Ocean” marks the latest reunion of Fred Anderson and Hamid Drake, one of the Jazz world’s longest-running and most productive partnerships. On this disc they are joined by Jeff Parker (guitar), Harrison Bankhead (bass/cello/piano) and Josh Abrams (bass/guimbri), who provide excellent support throughout. In fact, referring to Abrams, Bankhead, and Parker as mere “support” is probably both unfair and inaccurate, as the performances on this CD have a cohesion that sounds as if it could only have resulted from the collaborative efforts of an engaged and fully functioning group and each member (except for Parker) contributes to the composing duties.

“Planet E” is a suitably swinging opening shakedown for the ensemble that features Anderson and Parker. The lengthy and, perhaps definitive, version of Anderson’s venerable Blues “Strut Time” is highlighted by Parker, both comping tastefully in support and delivering excellent pointillistic solos, and Bankhead, who is masterful on cello. “For Brother Thompson” is a slow burning and spiritual piece that features Anderson’s soulful tenor wailing, Bankhead on piano, and Drake’s chanting and celestial percussion textures. The title track is also the album’s centerpiece, with Drake and Abrams providing a foundation of incredible tribal rhythms for the solos, of which Bankhead’s masterful eastern-influenced bow work on bass (or perhaps, though uncredited, it’s an arco bass?!?) was the most transcendent. The closing track “Sakti/Shiva”, is another soulful showcase for Anderson, accompanied only by Abrams on guimbri. While Anderson, Drake and company certainly aren’t blazing any new trails to the frontiers of Jazz on this date, “From The River To The Ocean” is, nevertheless, a very engaging collection of skillfully crafted contemporary Jazz as informed by pan-global ethnic musical traditions.

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Regarding The Ridiculous Proposal To Boycott Gas Stations On 5/15/07

2007-05-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve issued a few posts that discussed fuel prices, how they’re manipulated by “Big Oil”, and, most importantly, that decried the ongoing negative environmental and geopolitical effects on all the peoples of our world which result from our inability to kick our collective addiction to oil. I, furthermore, can sympathize with the frustrations of those who wish to do something about these matters and can admire, at least to some small extent, emotionally, if not intellectually, the spirit behind those who wish to promote this “Gas Out” on May 15th. That all being stated, however, I have to state plainly that such an action is based on false urban myths and equally faulty logic and, as a result, will have no effect whatsoever on gas prices nor oil company profits.

Here are some of the obvious fallacies with the proposed "Gas Out” on May 15th effort:

The myth that this will lower gas prices - Unless the boycotters do not drive their cars on May 15th, their overall gas consumption will remain exactly the same. Boycotters will simply pump more gas either immediately before or after May 15th. and the companies will, ultimately, sell the exact same amount of gas that they would have, with or without this boycott. Furthermore...

No "Gas Out" occurred in April 1997 - Even after an exhausting search of the internet, I could find no record of any "Gas Out" having ever occurred in April 1997. Even if one did occur, it, as I similarly project above, obviously did no good, as the claims that this non-event caused gas prices to drop,” 30 cents a gallon overnight” are not borne out by the statistics provided by the US DOE at:

http://www.energy.ca.gov/gasoline/retail_gasoline_prices.html#1997

1997 - Unleaded Gasoline Statewide Averages:
The weekly California statewide average prices are compiled by the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) from a telephone survey that includes a sample of 38 California gasoline stations. These stations were sampled with a likelihood equal to the company's proportional size to the total annual volume of gasoline, by grade, sold in California.

Price Per Gallon Of Regular Unleaded By Date:

4/28/97 - $1.374
4/21/97 - $1.381
4/14/97 - $1.384
4/7/97 - $1.372

As you can see, during the course of the month of April ‘97, there was actually a slight increase in fuel prices, not a 30 cent decrease, as claimed in this ridiculous email that’s circulating.

So, hey, be frustrated about skyrocketing gas prices, if you want. I don’t blame you.

And don’t buy gas on 5/15, too, if it will make you feel better psychologically. More power to you.

Just don’t delude yourself into thinking that your actions will really have any effect, because they won’t. Fuel prices will continue to spiral upward without end, until we find a replacement for oil - period.

Music I Liked And Didn't - 4/30/06

2007-04-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

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EFTERKLANG: Under Giant Trees CD (Leaf) - The marriage of electronics with real orchestral instrumentation (strings, brass, and so on) applied by Efterklang to create these pieces of precise, minimal, almost cinematic sounding electronica was conceptually solid, but a somewhat less than scintillating listening experience. Better luck next time.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 4/28/06 - 4/29/06

2007-04-29T10:23:00.001-07:00

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PLANTS: Photosynthesis CD (Strange Attractors Audio House) - Plants are a new and appropriately named project from Portland Oregon. Centered around the husband-wife team of Joshua and Molly Blanchard and supported by a variety of guest musicians, Plants use a wide array of instruments (cello, saw, banjo, organ, bells, recordings of “found sounds” and, of course, both acoustic and electric guitars) to create these eight tracks of rich drones and fragile acid folk. Although there’s certainly nothing groundbreaking about material on “Photosynthesis”, there’s no denying its charms as a soundtrack for mindlessly gazing at the smoke as it floats away through the filtered light of the trees on a breezy, but hot, summer day.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 4/26/06 - 4/27/06 ...and a brief book recommendation, too!

2007-04-27T07:02:00.001-07:00

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TRAINER, PHIL: S/T CD (Underground Masters) - This CD reissues the debut album by singer-songwriter, Phil Trainer. Although this was recorded and released in the UK in 1972, Trainer was an American and the material on this release certainly reflects the well-produced, mainstream leaning pop emanating from the studios of SoCal during that era. In a fashion somewhat similar to that of the Travel Agency (whose 1969 LP on Viva I recently reviewed), the 10 tracks on this CD almost constitute a sampler of the various styles of contemporary pop and rock from the period. So, among the disc’s highlights you have “No No No “ a pop rocker with tasty fuzz-wah leads, the easy West Coast pop psych of “She’s Gone West”, the more uptempo, yet primarily acoustic-based “In The City” (which sounded reminiscent of Stephen Stills’ early solo work), the folkish showcase for dulcimer “Leave Me Alone”, and the rocking braggadocio of “Stud”. Honestly, several of the tracks on this album pander disgustingly to the goal of mainstream pop success, but the remaining tracks, which, admittedly, still rate as “guilty pleasures”, are pleasurable, nonetheless, and, in no small part, that is due to the stellar instrumental support Trainer receives from members of the legendary UK underground group, Trees. All that being stated, this was still barely a “keeper” for me and probably not worth the fare for anyone who is not a pretty dedicated student of obscure 60’s sounds.

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Might I also take a moment to make a positive recommendation for the new book by Christopher Hitchens, “God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything". Although Hitchens’ verbose and academic writing style prevents this from being an “easy read”, it is, nevertheless, an excellent book. The arguments it contains provide unbelievers with more ammunition regarding the nonexistence of god with which to confront believers. More importantly, it details well the dangers and damages which result from allowing the organized bodies (i.e., the many churches of the various religions, especially those dangerous, control freak “fundamentalists” of all stripes, not just Muslim!) of these disparate believers in what are, at best, “fairy tales” and, at worst, outright lies purposefully created in order to control and subjugate the masses, to completely dominate all aspects of our personal lives and collective culture(s).

It is this issue, not its major subsidiary industry of distraction and coercion, the “Global War On Terror” (as the organized religions of the warring world, by and large, have historically supported, even if indirectly at times, many similar actions on all sides!), that is really the great issue that needs to be confronted, the battle that needs to be won in our time!

In The Clubs!

2007-04-26T06:21:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the honor to witness one of the all-time geniuses of the guitar, Nels Cline, in action at Yoshi’s in Oakland, CA. Performing in a trio setting with Devin Hoff (whose interplay on bass with Cline on several pieces was nothing short of amazing!) and Scott Amendola (percussion and some very tasteful electronic treatments) as the “Nels Cline Singers” (of course, there were no vocals), Cline was masterful throughout two mind-blowing sets. A wide range of material was covered: straightforward, yet modern, Jazz guitar interpretations of compositions by the late, great Andrew Hill; somewhat minimal, yet spacious, free jazz experimentations; precise and beautiful post-rock stylings; and incendiary outre rock extravaganzas, often punctuated by blasts of extreme experimental electronics. In summary - two great sets which displayed three amazing improvisors using all of their collective powers to create an assortment of challenging and genre-blurring sounds. A sonic Tour de Force!

Music I Liked And Didn't - 4/25/07

2007-04-25T06:26:00.000-07:00

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ALEX DELIVERY: Star Destroyer LP (Jagjaguwar) - All the advance hype, which made references to Krautrock icons such as Can and Faust, caused me to check out this debut LP from Alex Delivery. Unfortunately, this heavily electronics-based set of tunes bore, in my humble opinion, little resemblance to the seminal sounds produced by those legends. Rather, the majority of the material on this release just sounded like sub-par electronica, lacking both the flow and charm which characterizes the best pop-oriented electronica and certainly not pushing any boundaries of hard core electronic experimentation, either. Ultimately, this didn't even interest me enough to "burn and return", it's just getting returned. Can?!? Don't believe the hype!

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 4/23/07 - 4/24/07

2007-04-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

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SILVESTER ANFANG: Echte Vlaamse Geiten LP (Eclipse) - After many limited releases on CDR and cassette, this is the second proper full-length release from the prolific Belgian free psych collective Silvester Anfang. Armed with an arsenal of acoustic and electric instruments, the group (who describe their music as “funeral folk”) create a dark, druggy mess of improvised pieces, ranging from the lumbering, lo-fi, heavy psych of “Satanische Slang Vernietig De Aarde” to the excellent droning basement psych raga “Mag Ik Eens Met Uw Viool Spelen”. As is often the case with recordings made by such collectives, there are certainly some segments where things break down and the result is less than captivating. Overall, however, this is a relatively interesting and worthy addition to the collective body of work produced by the burgeoning international scene of free psych jam bands.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 4/21/07 - 4/22/07

2007-04-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

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WILLIAM PARKER AND HAMID DRAKE: Volume 2: Summer Snow CD (Aum Fidelity) - I was very impressed with Parker and Drake’s first duo release, 2001’s “Piercing The Veil”, so it was with much anticipation that I greeted their long awaited second volume of studio recordings “Summer Snow”. Once again, Parker and Drake use an interesting assortment of instruments (doson'ngoni, shakuhachi, dumbek, water bowl, talking drum, frame drum, gongs, and tablas, in addition to their normal tools in the Jazz trade, the bass and drum kit) to create these intriguing, hypnotic, and beautiful tracks which incorporate Jazz improvisation with pan-global ethnic musical traditions. Although they apply a similar basic approach and instrumentation, this material on this set is decidely more focused on quieter, more meditative pieces and, as a result, I found this to be, overall, somewhat less impressive than “Piercing The Veil”. Still, with excellent ethno-groovers like “Sky”, “Pahos”, and “Faces”, there’s plenty of material to satisfy those who crave unique, genre-blurring sounds.

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Music I Liked And Didn't - 4/18/07 - 4/20/07

2007-04-20T13:22:00.001-07:00

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VIBRACATHEDRAL ORCHESTRA: Wisdom Thunderbolt CD (VHF) - The prolific Vibracathedral Orchestra returns with another pleasing blast of their patented take on "Free Music", highlighted by stoney drones, bleating synths, noisy guitars, skronking horns, and improvised percussion racket. In fact, this release may be one of their more "accessible" titles (if such a term can properly be applied to any Vibracathedral Orchestra recordings!), with "A Natural Fact" and "Order Of The Broad Eraser" displaying moves that could be described as being vaguely "rock" in nature.

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VALET: Blood Is Clean CD (Kranky) - Murky, minimal drones and experimental tones provide the back drop for the hazy vocal meditations of underground veteran (JOMF, etc.) Honey Owens. While I’ll readily admit that the best tracks (the title track, which is highlighted by some excellent distorto guitar and “My Volcano’) are pretty intriguing, this release simply does not contain enough memorable moments to save it from a fate of “burn and return”!

Running Count For The Year

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