RIP Shane MacGowan.
PREJUDICES:
- I don’t trust critics’ positive evaluations of art when they’re mostly grounded in politics (of one sort or another). Yet I am frequently guilty of it here.
- Related: For much of my life I have thought women were clearly the superior of the two traditionally recognized genders. My wife has helped me sustain that viewpoint; the last seven years of public mad, toxic explosions has convinced me we are equally flawed. Just sayin’: if the upper reaches of my list are dominated by women, it’s not because I’m still guided by romantic notions.
- I love jazz right now more than any other major genre. Within that larger genre, I find experimental and free jazz more interesting than its other subgenres. It engages my mind and skin more regularly than other kinds of music. That said, it’s really hard to rank such records. I could spend another hour rearranging my favorite experimental and free jazz records, and I’d change that arrangement again this afternoon. In addition, it’s been a GREAT (and scintillatingly varied) year for those.
- Few country records are on my list. I’m not resistant to that genre; I just insist on distinctly unique singing (it’s a tradition) and interesting lyrics. I was weaned on George, Merle, Willie, Dolly, Lorretty, and Tammy–what can I say?
- As a writer, I “come out of” punk, garage rock, and rock when it rolled–my first writing “gigs” were with punk zines. Over the last decade, a group of friends on Facebook have given me a great crash course (if a crash course can last a decade) in busting out of that particular popular/semipopular music pen, though I still like galloping around in it. It could be, as a result, that I am too eager to enthuse about intriguing poptimistic sounds. Also, some eyebrows might jump at the exclusion from the list of a certain mega-phenomenon in light of that admission. I still struggle with blandness, even impressively mounted and executed blandness. Oh, and about my punk-pen-past: if the band Dredd Foole & the Din is unfamiliar to you, change that (see “Excavations and “Reissues”).
- I like music made by melanated people more than the pale offerings. I don’t think about it beforehand–it just turns out that way. Sue me.
TRUNCATED OBSERVATIONS–PAIRINGS!:
–So-called “desert blues”? Folks, if you don’t know about it or have never gotten on the train, it’s not too late to hop on, and your first stop should be Bounaly’s glowing-orange-hot wailing guitar record Dimanche a Bamako. All hail the Sahel Sounds label. Next stop: Bombino’s Sahel.
–Prolific rappers? From Canada? Yep–it’s old news. BUT…Buck 65’s placed two releases in my Top 25 records of the year, and I had to think and listen awhile before I moved one of those out of the Top 10. Crisp beats, consistently engaging words, and a confident flow. I want to pose a question to aficionados: Buck 65 or Homeboy Sandman, if you could only take one of these fecund MCs’ oeuvres to a desert island?
–Brazilian music: I forgot a prejudice! I start out leaning forward when I put on a new Brazilian record, especially if it’s been touted by Rod Taylor of the Brazil Beat blog. And this year my Top 40 (so far) contains two great and VERY DIFFERENT–yet uniquely Brazilian–releases: Adriana Calcanhotto’s addictive samba-with-Waitsian-rhythmic-flecks Errante and Filipe Catto’s dark-toned tribute to the departed tropicalia legend Gal Costa, Belezas Sao Coisis Acesas por Dentro. Note 1: Catto’s album and Anohni’s still-chart-topping My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross is a terrific pairing as well.
The Updated List
–If an album makes the list, it sounds and feels to me like the equivalent of a Pitchfork 7.5 or better, an All Music 3 ½ stars or better, or an Xgauvian **Honorable Mention or better.
–It can be assumed that my Top 30-40 sound to me the equivalent of an A-, but I’m a teacher in my other incarnation so watch me for grade inflation. It cannot be assumed safely, though, that my Top 10 are all straight A’s.
–After the first 50, my “rankings” are a bit loose; similarly, the entirety of my “Excavations and Reissues” I rank pretty loosely other than the Top 3. Also, I usually jigger the rankings every month upon reflection.
–Items in bold are new to the list I posted at the end of the previous month.
Note 2: I’ve repeatedly pored over this month’s list and rearranged it, after some re-listening and simple reflection. My Top 50 is approaching as much permanence as I’m capable of, though Bounaly’s record so thoroughly kicked my ass last night it may take the top spot. We also have four weeks to go….
- Anohni: My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross (Secretly Canadian)
- Bounaly: Dimanche a Bamako (Sahel Sounds)
- Gina Birch: I Play My Bass Loud (Third Man)
- James Brandon Lewis: For Mahalia (with Love) (AUM Fidelity 2-CD version)
- boygenius: the record (Interscope)
- Buck 65: Punk Rock B-Boy (self-released)
- Olivia Rodrigo: Guts (Geffen)
- Jamila Woods: Water Made Us (Jagjaguwar)
- Romy: Midair (Young)
- Noname: Sundial (AWAL Recordings America)
- Jessie Ware: That! Feels Good! (Universal)
- Robert Finley: Black Bayou (Easy Eye)
- The Mark Lomax II Trio: Tapestry (CFG Multimedia)
- billy woods & Kenny Segal: Maps (Backwoodz Studios)
- Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo: El Arte del Bolero, Volume 2 (ArcArtists)
- Wild Up: Julius Eastman, Volume 3—If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich? (New Amsterdam)
- 100 gecs: 10,000 gecs (Dog Show/Atlantic)
- Corinna Bailey Rae: Black Rainbows (Black Rainbows)
- Adriana Calcanhotto: Errante (BMG)
- Big Freedia: Central City (Queen Diva)
- Buck 65: Super Dope (self-released)
- Ohad Talmor: Back to the Land (Intakt)
- Gard Nilssen’s Supersonic Orchestra: Family (We Jazz)
- Aesop Rock: Integrated Tech Solutions (Rhymesayers)
- Mark Turner: Live at the Village Vanguard (Giant Step Arts)
- Assiko Golden Band de Grand Yoff: Magg Tekki (Mississippi Records)
- Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: Spirit Gatherer—A Tribute to Don Cherry (Spiritmuse)
- Wadada Leo Smith: Fire Illuminations (Kabell)
- Tyler Mitchell Octet: Sun Ra’s Journey featuring Marshall Allen (Cellar Live)
- Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah & Chief Adjuah: Bark Out Thunder Roar Out Lightning (Ropeadope)
- National Information Society: Since Time is Gravity (Eremite)
- Allen Lowe and the Constant Sorrow Orchestra: In the Dark (ESP-Disk)
- Armand Hammer: We Buy Diabetes Test Strips (Backwoodz Studios)
- Hamell on Trial: Bring the Kids (Saustex)
- Liv.e: Girl in The Half Pearl (Real Life / AWAL)
- Jelly Roll: Whitsitt Chapel (Stoney Creek)
- Fire! Orchestra: Echoes (Rune Grammofon)
- Filipe Catto: Belezas Sao Coisis Acesas por Dentro (Joia Moderna)
- Dropkick Murphys: Okemah Rising (Dummy Luck Music)
- Ashley McBryde: The Devil I Know (Warner Nashville)
- Kari Faux: REAL BITCHES DON’T DIE (drunk sum wtr records)
- Jason Adasiewicz: Roscoe Village—The Music of Roscoe Mitchell (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
- William Hooker: Flesh & Bones (Org Music)
- Tyshawn Sorey: Continuing (Pi Recordings)
- Yaeji: With a Hammer (XL Recordings)
- Bettye LaVette: LaVette! (Jay-Vee)
- Brandy Clark: Brandy Clark (Warner)
- Jason Moran: From the Dancehall to the Battlefield (Yes Records)
- Janelle Monae: The Age of Pleasure (Bad Boy)
- Zach Bryan: Zach Bryan (Belting Bronco)
- London Brew: London Brew (Concord)
- J.D. Allen: This (Savant)
- Ryoko Ono & Satoko Fujii: Hakuro (label unknown)
- Rodrigo Campos: Pagode Novo (YB Music)
- Kali Uchis: Red Moon in Venus (Geffen)
- Bobby Rush: All My Love for You (Deep Rush / Thirty Tigers)
- Kelela: Raven (Warp)
- Les Raillizes Denudes: Citta’ ’93 (Temporal Drift)
- Isach Skeidsvoll: Dance to Summon (Ultraani Records)
- Killer Mike: Michael (Loma Vista)
- Emil Amos: Zone Black (Drag City)
- Marina Sena: Vicio Inerente (Sony)
- Shabazz Palaces: Robed in Rareness (Sub Pop)
- Young Fathers: Heavy Heavy (Ninja Tune)
- Maria Jose Llergo: Ultrabella (Sony)
- Irreversible Entanglements: Protect Your Light (Impulse! / Verve)
- Jaimie Branch: Fly or Die Fly or Die ((world war)) (International Anthem)
- David Mirarchi: Ink Folly, Orchid Gleam (Unbroken Sounds)
- Superless: Superless (Oyvind Jazzforum)
- Algiers: Shook (Matador)
- Buselli – Wallarab Jazz Orchestra: The Gennett Suite (Patois Records)
- Lewis Capaldi: Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent (Vertigo Berline)
- Tyvek: Overground (Gingko)
- corook: serious person (part 1) (Atlantic)
- Ice Cold Bishop: Generational Curse (Ice Cold Entertainment)
- Allen Lowe and The Constant Sorrow Orchestra: America—The Rough Cut (ESP-Disk)
- Tri-County Liquidators: cut my teeth (Hitt Rex)
- ensemble 0: Jojoni (Crammed Discs)
- JLin: Perspective (Planet Mu)
- Sexxy Red: Hood Hottest Princess (Open Shift)
- Henry Threadgill: The Other One (Pi)
- Zoh Amba & Chris Corsano & Bill Orcutt: The Flower School (Palilalia)
- Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids: Afro-Futuristic Dreams (Strut)
- Amanda Shires & Bobbie Nelson: Loving You (ATO)
- aja monet: when the poems do what they do (drink sum wtr)
- Knoel Scott (featuring Marshall Allen): Celestial (Night Dreamer)
- Steve Lehman & Orchestre National de Jazz: Ex Machina (Pi)
- Emmet Cohen & Houston Person: Houston Person—Masters Legacy Series, Volume 5 (Bandstand Presents)
- Peso Pluma: GENESIS (Double P)
- Chappell Roan: The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (KRA)
- Elijah Shiffer: Star Jelly (self-released)
- Grupo Frontera: El Comienzo (Grupo Frontera)
- Ember: August in March (Imani)
- Kevin Sun: The Depths of Memory (Endectomorph Music)
- Florian Arbenz: Conversation #10—Inland (Hammer)
- Withered Hand: How to Love (Reveal)
- Lafayette Gilchrist: Undaunted (Morphius)
- Meshell Ndegeocello: The Omnichord Real Book (Blue Note)
- The Fugs: Dancing in the Universe (Fugs Records)
- Taj Mahal: Savoy (Cheraw S.C.)
- Haviah Mighty: Crying Crystals (Mighty Gang)
- Willie Nelson: I Don’t Know a Thing About Love—The Songs of Harlan Howard (Legacy)
- Morgan Wade: Psychopath (Ladylike)
- Parannoul: After the Magic (Poclanos/Top Shelf)
- Felo Le Tee & Mellow & Sleazy: The Ill Wise Men (New Money Gang)
- The Necks: Travel (Northern Spy)
- Lori McKenna: 1988 (CN Records / Thirty Tigers)
- Tyler Keith & The Apostles: Hell to Pay (Black & Wyatt)
- KAYTRAMINE: KAYTRAMIUNE, Amine, & KAYTRANADA (CLBN)
- Rome Streetz: Wasn’t Built in a Day (Big Ghost)
- Hein Westgaard Trio: First as Farce (Nice Things)
- The Urban Art Ensemble: “Ho’opomopono” (CFG Multimedia 16-minute single)
- Itamar Borochov: Arba (Greenleaf)
- Rodrigo Amado / The Bridge: Beyond the Margins (Trost)
- ANTiINDSTRY: Numinous Interference (Muteant Sounds)
- Islandman (featuring Okay Temiz and Muhlis Berberoglu: Direct-to-Disc Sessions (Night Dreamer)
- Edward Simon: Femeninas (ArtistShare)
- Trio San (featuring Satoko Fujii and Taiko Saito): Hibiki (Jazzdor)
- Susan Alcorn: Canto (Relative Pitch)
- Kill Bill—The Rapper: Fullmetal Kaiju (EXO)
- Speaker Music: Techxodus (Planet Mu)
- Andy Fairweather Low: Flang Dang (The Last Music Company)
- ARO40: On the Blink (Aerophonic Records)
- Money for Guns: All the Darkness That’s in Your Head (CD Baby)
- Matana Roberts: Coin Coin Chapter Five—In the garden (Constellation)
- Bombino: Sahel (Partisan)
- Rough Image: Rough Image (WV Sorcerer Productions)
- Ingrid Laubrock: The Last Quiet Place (Pyroclastic)
- Victoria Monet: Jaguar II (Lovett Music)
- Homeboy Sandman: I Can’t Sell These Either (self-released)
- Havard Wiik & Tim Daisy: Slight Return (Relay)
- Rob Mazurek & Exploding Star Orchestra: LightningDreamers (International Anthem)
- Kaze & Ikue Mori: Crustal Movement (Circum/Libra)
- DJ Black Low: Impumelelo (Awesome Tapes from Africa)
- Belle and Sebastian: Late Developers (Matador)
- Satoko Fujii & Otomo Yoshihide: Perpetual Motion (Ayler Records)
- feeble little horse: Girl with Fish (Saddle Creek)
- Rocket 88: House of Jackpots (12XU)
- L’Rain: I Killed Your Dog (Mexican Summer)
- DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ: Destiny (Spells on the Telly)
- Nasty Facts: Drive My Car (Left for Dead)
- Taiko Saito: Tears of a Cloud (Trouble in the East)
- JPEGMAFIA x Danny Brown: Scaring the Hoes (self-released)
- Kalia Vandever: We Fell in Turn (AKP Recordings)
- Water from Your Eyes: Everyone’s Crushed (Matador)
- Lakecia Benjamin: Phoenix (Whirlwind)
- Amaarae: Fountain Baby (Golden Angel/Interscope)
- Blondshell: Blondshell (Partisan)
- Satoko Fujii: Torrent (Libra Records)
- Javon Jackson: “With Peter Bradley”—Soundtrack and Original Score (Solid Jackson)
- Doja Cat: Scarlet (Kemosabe)
- Tianna Esperanza: Terror (BMG)
- YMA & Jadsa: Zelena (Matraca)
- Palehound: Eye on the Bat (Polyvinyl)
- J Hus: Beautiful and Brutal Yard (Black Butter)
- Das Kondensat: Anderen Planeten (Why Play Jazz)
- Iris DeMent: Workin’ On a World (FlariElla)
- David Murray, Questlove, and Ray Angry: Plumb (J.M.I.)
- Tyler Childers: Rustin’ in the Rain (Hickman Holler)
- Baaba Maal: Being (Atelier Live/Marathon Artists)
- Ed Sanders: The Sanders – Olufsen Poetry and Classical Music Project (Olufsen)
- Bob Dylan: Shadow Kingdom (Columbia)
- City Girls: Raw (Quality Control/Motown)
- Grrrl Gang: Spunky (Kill Rock Stars)
- Lana Del Rey: Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd (Polydor)
- Teenage Jesus and The Jean Teasers: I Love You (Triple J Unearthed)
- Caroline Davis: Alula—Captivity (Ropeadope)
- Kiko El Crazy: Pila’e Teteo (Rimas)
- Romulo Froes & Tiago Rosas: Na Goela (YB Music)
- Florian Arbenz: Conversation #9—Targeted (Hammer Recordings)
- James Brandon Lewis: Eye of I (Anti-)
- Sofia Kourtesis: Madres (Ninja Tune)
- DJ Manny: Hypnotized (Planet Mu)
- Josephus and The George Jonestown Massacre: Call Me Animal—A Tribute to the MC5 (Saustex)
- Joanna Sternberg: I’ve Got Me (Fat Possum)
- Tracey Nelson: Life Don’t Miss Nobody (BMG)
- Etran De L’Air: Live in Seattle (EP) (Sahel Sounds)
- Everything But the Girl: Fuse (Buzzin’ Fly)
- Tomas Fujiwara’s Triple Double: March On (self-released)
- Ice Spice: Like…? (10K Projects / Capitol Records EP)
- otay:onii: Dream Hacker (WV Sorcerer Productions)
- Sylvie Courvoisier & Cory Smythe: The Rite of Spring—Spectre d’un songe (Pyroclastic)
- Nourished by Time: Erotic Probiotic 2 (Scenic Route)
- Walter Daniels: “From Death to Texas” / “Seems Like a Dream” (Spacecase Records 45)
- Nakimbembe Embaire Group: Nakimbembe Embaire Group (Nyege Nyege Tapes)
- Shirley Collins: Archangel Hill (Domino)
- Karol G: Manana Sera Bonito (Universal Music Latino)
- Tinashe: BB/ANG3L (Nice Life)
- Hollie Cook: Happy Hour in Dub (Merge)
- Andrew Cyrille: Music Delivery / Percussion (Intakt)
- Kate Gentile: b i o m e i.i (Obliquity)
- Yves Tumor: Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) (Warp)
- Dan Ex Machina: Ex’s Sexts (self-released)
- Open Mike Eagle: another triumph of ghetto engineering (AutoReverse)
- Yonic South: Devo Challenge Cup (Wild Honey)
- Rudy Royston: Day (Greenleaf Music)
- Chien Chien Lu: Built in System—Live in New York (Giant Step Arts)
- Pangaea: Changing Channels (Hessle Audio)
- Lewsberg: Out and About (Lewsberg / 12XU)
- Basher: Doubles (Sinking City)
- That Mexican OT: Lonestar Luchador (Good Talk)
- Daniel Villarreal: Lados B (International Anthem)
- Staples Jr. Singers: Tell Heaven (EP) (Luaka Bop) Note: the vinyl gets you more great minutes of testifying.
- Brandee Younger: Brand New Life (Impulse!)
- Babe, Terror: Teghnojoyg (self-released)
- Heinali: Kyiv Eternal (Injazero)
- Vinny Golia Quartet: No Refunds (Unbroken Sounds)
- Kresten Osgood / Bob Moses / Tisziji Munoz: Spiritual Drum Kingship (Gotta Let It Out)
- The Art Ensemble of Chicago: From Paris to Paris (Rogue Art)
- Clarence “Bluesman” Davis: Shake It ForMe (Music Maker Foundation)
- The War and The Treaty: Lover’s Game (Mercury Nashville)
- Aroof Aftab, Vijay Iyer & Shahzad, Ismaily: Love in Exile (Verve)
- Asher Gamedze: Turbulence and Pulse (International Anthem)
- Normal Nada the Krakmaxter: Tribal Progressive Heavy Metal (Nyege Nyege Tapes)
- Natural Child: Be M’Guest (Natural Child Music)
- Tanya Tucker: Sweet Western Sound (Fantasy)
Excavations and Reissues
- Mahlathini and the Mahotella Queens: Music Inferno—The Indestructible Beat Tour 1988-89 (Umsakazo Records)
- Kashmere Stage Band: Texas Thunder Soul 1968-1974 (Now-Again)
- The Replacements: Tim—Let It Bleed Edition (Rhino)
- Dorothy Ashby: With Strings Attached (New Land Records)
- Walter Bishop, Jr.: Bish at the Bank—Live in Baltimore (Cellar Live)
- Various Artists: Yebo! Rare Mzansi Party Beats from Apartheid’s Dying Years (BBE)
- Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra: 60 Years (The Village)
- Os Tincoas: Canto Coral Afrobrasiliero (Sanzala Cultural)
- Various Artists: Ecuatoriana (Analog Africa)
- Leon Keita: Leon Keita (Analog Africa)
- Hiroshi Yoshimura: Surround (Temporal Drift)
- Balka Sound: Balka Sound (Strut)
- Sonic Youth: Live in Brooklyn (Silver Current)
- John Coltrane: Evenings at The Village Gate (Impulse!)
- Various Artists: Playing for The Man at The Door (Smithsonian Folkways)
- Gabe Baltazar: Birdology (Fresh Sounds)
- Hiatus Kaiyote: Choose Your Weapon (Flying Buddha / Sony Masterworks)
- Dream Dolphin: Gaia—Selected Ambient & Downtempo Works (1996 – 2003) (Music from Memory)
- Various Artists: The Soul of Congo – Treasures of the Ngoma label (1948-1963) (Planet Ilunga)
- Sonny Stitt: Boppin’ in Baltimore—Live at the Left Bank (Jazz Detective)
- Ihsan Al-Munzer: Belly Dance (BBE)
- Dredd Foole & The Din: See God 1985-1986 (Corbett vs. Dempsey)
- Johnny Griffin: Live at Ronnie Scott’s, 1964 (Gearbox)
- Nina Simone: You’ve Got to Learn (Verve)
- William S. Burroughs: Nothing Here But the Recordings (Dais Records)
- Eddie & Ernie: Time Waits for No One (Mississippi Records)
- Various Artists: Purple Haze from East, Volume 1 (WV Sorcerer Productions)
- Various Artists: Purple Haze from East, Volume 2 (WV Sorcerer Productions)
- The Southern University Jazz Ensemble: Goes to Africa with Love (Now-Again)
- Roy Campbell / William Parker / Zan Matsuura: Visitation of the Spirits—The Pyramind Trio Live, 1985 (No Business)
- Sonny Rollins: Live at Finlandia Hall, Helsinki 1972 (Svart)
- Various Artists: The Best of Revelation Records 1959-1962 (NarroWay)
- Shizuka: Heavenly Persona (Black Editions)
- Jacqueline Humbert & David Rosenboom: Daytime Viewing (Unseen Worlds)
- Bob Dylan: Time Out of Mind Stripped Naked (Columbia)
- Various Artists: Blacklips Bar—Androgyns and Deviants / Industrial Romance for Bruised and Battered Angels 1992-1995 (Anthology Recordings)
- Wes Montgomery: Maximum Swing (Resonance)
- Various Artists: Con Piano, Sublime—Early Recordings from the Caribbean 1907-1921 (Magnificent Sounds)
- Various Artists: Space Echo—The Mystery Behind the Cosmic Sound of Cabo Verde Revealed! (Analog Africa)
- Ibrahim Hesnawi: The Father of Libyan Reggae (Habibi Funk)
- RP Boo: Legacy Volume 2 (Planet Mu)
- Les Raillizes Denudes: ’77 Live (Temporal Drift)
- Alon Nechushtan: For Those Who Cross the Seas (ESP-Disk)
- Eddie Lockjaw Davis and Shirley Scott: Cookin’ With Jaws and The Queen (Craft)
- Professor James Benson: The Gow-Dow Experience (Jazzman Records)
- Little Bob and The Lollipops: Nobody But You (Mississippi Records)
Living To Listen 