Time for my end-of-the-month update of records that fly in the face of the commonly heard assumption/argument/untested hypothesis that all the good music’s already been made. Based solely on what I’ve heard–much, but I know ears that have taken in far more–this calendar year’s produced 85 records I’d give a B+ or better to (I’m a teacher–as much as I think grades are institutionalized violence), it’s what I’ve got. By the way, they are ranked in order of most powerful in their effects upon me to least–but even #76 reaches me.
It’s a damn great year, in particular, for creative, outspoken women (no surprise), improvising musicians, artists of color and guitar bands (how ’bout that?). And, as always, plenty of old digs are proving they still got game–including one of the very oldest, and very best.
You’ve got the power at your fingertips to stream any of these, so dig in; do what I made my students do, and just pick 5-10 you’ve never heard of and try two-three tracks from each. But do keep an open mind, and remember what millennium you’re traipsing around in.
- Tracy Thorn: Record
- Nona Hendryx and Gary Lucas: The World of Captain Beefheart
- Berry: Everything, Compromised
- CupcaKe: Ephorize
- Mary Gauthier and Songwriting with Soldier: Rifles and Rosary Beads
- Sons of Kemet: Your Queen is a Reptile
- Janelle Monae: Dirty Computer
- Bettye LaVette: Things Have Changed
- Joe McPhee: Imaginary Numbers
- Chloe x Halle: The Kids are Alright
- Superchunk: What A Time to Be Alive
- Young Fathers: Cocoa Sugar
- Jinx Lennon: Grow a Pair
- Parquet Courts: Wide Awake!
- Sly & Robbie and Nils Petter Molvaer: Nordub
- Orquesta Akokan: Orquesta Akokan
- Sidi Toure: Toubalbero
- Quelle Chris & Jean Grae: Everything’s Fine
- Grupo Mono Blanco: ¡Fandango! Sones Jarochos from Veracruz
- John Prine: The Tree of Forgiveness
- Evan Parker, Barry Guy, and Paul Lytton: Music for David Mossman
- Jonghyun: Poet / Artist
- Halu Mergia: Lalu Balu
- Jeffrey Lewis: Works by Tuli Kupferberg
- Willie Nelson: Last Man Standing
- Bombino: Deran
- Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids: An Angel Fell
- Rapsody: Laila’s Wisdom
- Courtney Barnett: Tell Me How You Really Feel
- Peter Brotzmann and Fred Lonberg-Holm: Ouroboros
- Toni Braxton: Sex & Cigarettes
- Car Seat Headrest: Twin Fantasy
- Salim Washington: Dogon Revisited
- Angelika Niescier: The Berlin Concert
- Charge It to The Game: House with a Pool
- JPEGMAFIA: Veteran
- Various Artists: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun…and Rights!!!
- Wussy: What Heaven is Like
- No Age: Snares Like a Haircut
- Marc Sinan & Oğuz Büyükberber: White
- Meshell Ndegeocello: Ventriloquism
- Cardi B: Invasion of Privacy
- Shopping: The Official Body
- The Thing: Again
- Ebo Taylor: Yen Ara
- Alice Bag: Blue Print
- Dana Murray: Negro Manifesto
- David Murray (featuring Saul Williams): Blues for Memo
- Pusha T: Daytona
- Shame: Songs of Praise
- Henry Threadgill: Dirt..and More Dirt
- Hot Snakes: Jericho Sirens
- Ceramic Dog: YRU Still Here?
- Van Morrison & Joey DeFrancesco: You’re Driving Me Crazy
- Various Artists/Sahel Sounds: Field Recordings
- Kendrick Lamar, et al: Black Panther—Music from and Inspired by the Film
- MC Paul Barman: Echo Chamber
- Kris Davis and Craig Taborn: Octopus
- Tal National: Tantabara
- Rodrigo Amado (with Joe McPhee): History of Nothing
- Rich Krueger: Life Ain’t That Long
- MAST: Thelonious Sphere Monk
- Tallawit Timbouctou: Takamba WhatsApp 2018
- Amy Rigby: The Old Guys
- Migos: Culture II
- Parliament: Medicaid Fraud Dogg
- Apolo: Live in Stockholm
- Yo La Tengo: There’s a Riot Goin’ On
- The Del McCoury Band: Del McCoury Still Sings Bluegrass
- Superorganism: Superorganism
- Laurie Anderson and Kronos Quartet: Landfall
- Sleep: The Sciences
- Ibibio Sound Machine: Eyio
- Various Artists: I Only Listen to The Mountain Goats
- Afternoon Freak: The Blind Strut
- Princess Nokia: A Girl Cried Red
OLD MUSIC NICELY REPACKAGED
- Sonny Rollins: Way Out West (Deluxe Reissue)
- Neil Young: Roxy—Tonight’s the Night
- Gary Stewart: “Baby I Need Your Loving” / “Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yester-Day”
- The Revelators: In which the Revelators perform live renditions of selections from the Billy Childish songbook
- Against All Logic: 2012-2017
- Entourage: Ceremony of Dreams—Studio Sessions & Outtakes 1972-1977
- Camarao: The Imaginary Soundtrack to a Brazilian Western Movie
- Various Artists: Africa Scream Contest, Volume 2
- Wussy: Getting Better
Short-shrift Division:
Nicole and sailed home from our vacation on the vibraphone mastery of the great Milt Jackson. I put five albums together on a playlist, but these two made leaving Excelsior Springs a shade less painless:
Living To Listen 