Honestly, folks: so much good music for the times lies in wait for you out there–right now. If you’re having beers or cocktails with someone who’s mourning the days when music was really, good man, do me a favor: fart in their general direction. And blast some Mexstep or Balvin/Bunny in their faces.
Blurt re: new developments.
1) Mexstep’s Resistir came out in December ’18 but I’m claiming it for ’19. Dude behind “the mask” is a college professor I’d love to sit in with, but he can rhyme and write. I’m tired of this national bullshit and this album is bracing for your earhole. Dig:
2) I fucking love freely improvised music–jazz just doesn’t describe it anymore. I’m of Dutch heritage and I spent most of the month listening to the thinking person’s ICP (that’s Instant Composers Pool, homeslice), and damned if July didn’t deliver multiple new albums by artists working in this niche. It’s not escapist, it’s not hummable, but when I engage with it, it keeps me in the moment and matches the buzzing of my nerve endings. To wit, items #32, 63, and 64. Here, try some:
3) Anyone notice this is a stellar year for rap music? I have. Little Simz, Gibbs ‘n’ ‘lib, South African Queen Blakrok, fuckin’ 2 Chainz!, Woods ‘n’ Segal, Esq., Maxo Kream, Balvin / Bunny, Megan Thee Stallion, DaBaby, and–I am sorry to break from the contemporary wisdom, but I know good shit when I hear it–Chance (come on, admit it: even his big fans are too ready to jump his ass, but it’s a justifiably sunny piece of work loosed upon overcast days).
4) Hellllllooooooo Cleveland!!!! Impressive new Ubu (can you believe David Thomas has forced his art to work for almost 50 years?) and a Peter Laughner box that even cognoscenti were doubting, but which intelligently honors a complicated subject. I was a doubter, and it revelated me.
5) As far as archival finds go, under the radar shimmers a UA rareties collection of tracks by the world’s greatest country singer, George Jones, which should not be missed by anyone who isn’t on the Bear Family mailing list. Also, if you’re a jazz fan of B+ intensity or higher, you might want to check out the work of Brit sax, flute, and vibe maven Tubby Hayes, whose ’69 Fontana Records session called Grits, Beans, and Greens just came to the surface. None other than Rahsaan Roland Kirk annointed him, so don’t just trust me. And we’re in a UK jazz moment, doncha know.
My Album-Lover’s Honor Roll for 2019 (as of July 31st, 2019)
(bolded items are new additions to the ongoing list)
- Little Simz: Grey Area
- Various Artists: A Day in the Life–Impressions of Pepper*
- Freddie Gibbs & Madlib: Bandana
- Jamila Woods: Legacy! Legacy!
- Beyoncé: Homecoming
- Control Top: Covert Contracts
- Peter Perrett: Humanworld
- Mexstep: Resistir
- Billie Eilish: WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?
- Royal Trux: White Stuff
- Yugen Blakrok: Anima Mysterium
- Pere Ubu: The Long Goodbye
- J Balvin & Bad Bunny: OASIS
- James Brandon Lewis: An Unruly Manifesto
- Billy Woods & Kenny Segal: Hiding Places
- Damon Locks / Black Monument Ensemble: Where Future Unfolds
- Kel Assouf: Black Tenere
- Teodross Avery: After the Rain–A Night for Coltrane
- The Comet is Coming: Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery
- Mdou Moctar: Ilana (The Creator)
- 2 Chainz: Rap or Go to the League
- Senyawa: Sujud*
- Dave: PSYCHODRAMA
- Sote: Parallel Persia
- Quelle Chris: Guns
- Heroes Are Gang Leaders: The Amiri Baraka Sessions
- Ben Lamar Gay: Confetti in the Sky Like Fireworks
- Tanya Tagaq: Toothsayer EP
- Abdullah Ibrahim: The Balance
- Various Artists: Weaponize Your Sound
- Maxo Kream: Brandon Banks
- Leila Bourdreuil / Michael Foster: The Caustic Ballads
- Aesop Rock & TOBACCO: Malibu Ken
- Lizzo: Cuz I Love You
- DaBaby: Baby on Baby
- DKV and Joe McPhee: The Fire Each Time
- Saul Williams: Encrypted & Vulnerable
- The New Orleans Dance Hall Quartet: Tricentennial Hall Dance 17. October
- Mario Pavone: Philosophy
- Joachim Kuhn: Melodic Ornette Coleman—Piano Works XIII
- The Coathangers: The Devil You Know
- Chance The Rapper: The Big Day
- GoldLink: Diaspora
- Megan Thee Stallion: Fever
- Lee Scratch Perry: Rainford
- The Paranoid Style: A Goddamn Impossible Way of Life
- Joel Ross: Kingmaker
- Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys: 30 Years Live
- Resavoir: Resavoir
- Flying Lotus: Flamagra
- Angel-Ho: Death Becomes Her
- JD Allen: Barracoon
- Usted Saami: God is Not a Terrorist
- Youssou N’Dour: History
- Guitar Wolf: Love & Jett
- Mannequin Pussy: Patience
- LPX: Junk of the Heart (EP)
- Chuck Cleaver: Send Aid
- Deerhunter: Death in Midsummer
- Various Artists: Typical Girls Three
- Various Artists: Travailler, C’est Trop Dur–The Lyrical Legacy of Caesar Vincent
- Nots: 3
- Josh Berman / Paul Lytton / Jason Roebke: Trio Correspondences
- Jacob Wick & Phil Sudderberg: Combinatory Pleasures
- Leyla McCalla: Capitalist Blues
- Santana: Africa Speaks
- Judy and The Jerks: Music for Donuts
- Denzel Curry: Zuu
- Tyler, The Creator: IGOR
- Fennesz: Agora
- Salif Keita: Un autre blanc
- Robert Forster: Inferno
- Harriet Tubman: The Terror End of Beauty
- Whit Dickey Tao Quartets: Peace Planet / Box of Light
- The Art Ensemble of Chicago: We Are On the Edge
- Ibibio Sound Machine: Doko Mien
- Solange: When I Get Home
- Freddie Douggie: Live on Juneteenth
- Joe McPhee / John Butcher: At the Hill of James Magee
- Branford Marsalis Quartet: The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul
- Helado Negro: This is How You Smile
- Blood Orange: Angel’s Pulse
- Ahmed Ag Kaedy: Akaline Kidal
- Lost Bayou Ramblers: Rodents of Unusual Size (Soundtrack to the Motion Picture)
- slowthai: Great About Britain
- Silkroad Assassins: State of Ruin
- Steve Lacy: Apollo XXI
- Mekons: Deserted
- Zeal & Ardor: Live in London
- Que Vola: Que Vola
- Miguel: Te Lo Dije EP
- Kelsey Lu: Blood
- Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba: Miri
- Hama: Houmeissa
- Steve Earle: Guy
- Mdou Moctar: Blue Stage Session
- Beth Gibbons with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Krzysztof Penderecki): Henryk Gorecki—Symphony #3 (Symphony of Sorrow Songs)
- Ill Considered: 5
- Girls on Grass: Dirty Power
- Stella Donnelly: Beware of the Dogs
- Matthew Shipp Trio: Signature
- Shovels & Rope: By Blood
- The King Khan Experience: Turkey Ride
- Angel Bat Dawid: The Oracle
- Alfredo Rodriguez and Pedrito Martinez: Duologue
- Spiral Stairs: We Wanna Be Hyp-No-Tized
- Our Native Daughters: Songs of Our Native Daughters
- Rosie Flores: A Simple Case of The Blues
- CZARFACE & Ghostface Killah: Czarface Meets Ghostface
- Jenny Lewis: On the Line
*Technically, these are 2018 releases, but for now, I’m claiming their impact is being felt more strongly this year.
New Releases of Older Material
- Peter Laughner: Peter Laughner
- Eric Dolphy: Musical Prophet
- Burnt Sugar: 20th Anniversary Mixtapes—Groiddest Schizznits, Vols. 1-3
- George Jones: United Artists Rarities
- Horace Tapscott and the Pan Afrikan Orchestra: Why Don’t You Listen–Live at Lacma, 1998
- Various Artists: Outro Tempo II–Electronic and Contemporary Music from Brazil 1984-1996
- Various Artists: All the Young Droogs–60 Juvenile Delinquent Wrecks
- James Booker: Live at Onkel PO’s, Carnegie Hall, Hamburg 1976
- Tubby Hayes: Grits, Beans and Greens—The Lost Fontana Studio Sessions 1969
- Big Stick: Some of the Best of Big Stick
- Primal Scream: Maximum Rock ‘n’ Roll—The Singles
- Masayuki Takayanagi New Directions Unit: April is the Cruellest Month
- Various Artists: Rhapsody in Bronze
- Sir Shina Peters and His Internation Stars: Sewele
- Sounds of Liberation: Sounds of Liberation
- Prince: Originals
- Various Artists: Nigeria 70–No Wahala, Highlife, Afro-Funk & Juju 1973-1987
- Lee Moses: How Much Longer Must I Wait? Singles & Rarities 1965-1972
- John Carter & Bobby Bradford Quartet: No U-Turn
- Johnny Shines: The Blues Came Falling Down–Live 1973
- Terry Allen & The Panhandle Mystery Band: Pedal Steal + Four Corners
- Neil Young & The Stray Gators: Tuscaloosa
- Sonic Youth: Battery Park, NYC: July 4th 2008
Living To Listen 