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Sunday, February 7, 2016
Music Week
Music: Current count 26231 [26199] rated (+32), 421 [412] unrated (+9).
I don't have much to say this week. Most of the records below are
still 2015 releases (11 are 2016, only one of those non-jazz). Since
I froze the 2015 file, belatedly
graded 2015 releases are appearing in green. (Note to self: this
greatly increases the likelihood of a coding error making the file
unviewable, so check it more often.) I have decided (for now) to
continue adding to the
jazz and
non-jazz EOY lists,
and I've added a few things to the
EOY aggregate -- I'm
not really looking for more lists, but occasionally stumble onto
one (like
this one from If
Men Had Ears -- supposedly objective because numbers were
crunched, but there's still selection bias, and anything that
elevates Tame Impala to second place is a bit suspicious).
A fair number of the records below are alt-country. Last year
I got a lot of good tips from
Saving Country Music.
Less so this year, but I checked most of their nominees out --
even Don Henley's not-so-bad album (much better than the James
Taylor album that also appeared on Rolling Stone's EOY
list). I complained last week about not being able to find Arca's
Mutant on Rhapsody -- thanks to the reader who encouraged
me to try again. The Eszter Balint album appeared on Christgau's
EW post (also Thomas Anderson and Donnie Fritts). It's worth
noting that Balint's superb album was totally missed by the 700+
EOY lists I've compiled -- the second (or third) time Christgau
has picked something that far from the spotlight. (Foxymorons was
the other, with Mark Rubin only appearing on the list of a well
known fan.)
Old music has a couple albums from the wonderful Sheila Jordan.
I noticed Better Than Anything in Downbeat, and when
I found it on Rhapsody, I noticed a couple more albums I hadn't
heard. I commented that she hadn't recorded anything new since
turning 80 in 2008. Rummaging around a bit I found notice of an
85th birthday concert with Steve Kuhn in 2013, and her website
showed events at least into 2014. No doubt she's moving into a
treacherous age.
Some more EOY list links:
New records rated this week:
- Arca: Mutant (2015, Mute): [r]: A-
- Thomas Anderson: Heaven (2016, Out There): [r]: B+(***)
- Allison Au Quartet: Forest Grove (2015 [2016], self-released): B+(*)
- Eszter Balint: Airless Midnight (2015, Red Herring): [r]: A-
- Blue Muse: Blue Muse Live (2015, Dolphinium): [cd]: B
- Brooklyn Blowhards (2015 [2016], Little (i) Music): [cd]: B+(***)
- Brandi Carlile: The Firewatcher's Daughter (2015, ATO): [r]: B+(***)
- Benjamin Clementine: At Least for Now (2015, Virgin EMI): [r]: B+(**)
- Anderson East: Delilah (2015, Low Country Sound/Elektra): [r]: B+(***)
- Mike Freeman ZonaVibe: Blue Tjade (2014 [2016], VOF): [cd]: B+(**)
- Bill Frisell: When You Wish Upon a Star (2015 [2016], Okeh): [cdr]: B
- Donnie Fritts: Oh My Goodness (2015, Single Lock): [r]: B+(***)
- Michael Monroe Goodman: The Flag, the Bible, and Bill Monroe (2015, MammerJam): [r]: B+(***)
- Grandpa's Cough Medicine: 180 Proof (2015, self-released): [r]: B+(*)
- William Clark Green: Ringling Road (2015, Bill Grease): [r]: B+(*)
- Anna von Hausswolff: The Miraculous (2015, Other Music): [r]: B
- Heads of State: Search for Peace (2015, Smoke Sessions): [r]: B+(**)
- Don Henley: Cass County (2015, Capitol): [r]: B+(*)
- Left Lane Cruiser: Dirty Spliff Blues (2015, Alive Naturalsound): [r]: B+(*)
- Urs Leimgruber/Alex Huber: Lightnings (2015 [2016], Wide Ear): [cd]: B+(**)
- Rob Mazurek/Exploding Star Orchestra: Galactic Parables: Volume 1 (2013 [2015], Cuneiform, 2CD): [dl]: B+(***)
- Mekons/Robbie Fulks: Jura (2015, Bloodshot): [r]: B+(***)
- Whitey Morgan & the 78s: Born, Raised & Live From Flint (2011 [2014], Bloodshot): [r]: B+(**)
- Whitey Morgan & the 78s: Sonic Ranch (2015, Whitey Morgan Music): [r]: B+(***)
- Matt Parker Trio: Present Time (2015 [2016], BYNK): [cd]: B+(**)
- Ken Peplowski: Enrapture (2015 [2016], Capri): [cd]: B+(***)
- Danilo Pérez/John Patitucci/Brian Blade: Children of the Light (2015, Mack Avenue): [r]: B+(**)
- Valery Ponomarev Jazz Big Band: Our Father Who Art Blakey (2014 [2016], Zoho Music): [r]: B+(***)
- J. Peter Schwalm: The Beauty of Disaster (2015 [2016], Rare Noise): [cdr]: B+(**)
- Shatner's Bassoon: The Self Titled Album Shansa Barsnaan (2015, Wasp Millionaire): [bc]: B+(*)
- Mike Sopko/Simon Lott: The Golden Measure (2015 [2016], self-released): [cd]: B+(***)
- Turnpike Troubadours: Turnpike Troubadours (2015, Bossier City): [r]: B
- Ward Thomas: From Where We Stand (2015, WTW Music): [r]: B+(*)
Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries rated this week:
- Sheila Jordan: Better Than Anything: Live (1991 [2015], There): [r]: B+(***)
Old music rated this week:
- Sheila Jordan: Confirmation (1975 [2005], Test of Time): [r]: B+(***)
- Sheila Jordan: Believe in Jazz (2003 [2004], Ella Productions): [r]: A-
- Sheila Jordan & E.S.P. Trio: Straight Ahead (2004 [2005], Splasc(H)): [r]: A-
Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:
- Dave Anderson: Blue Innuendo (Label 1): April 1
- Andy Adamson Quartet: A Cry for Peace (Andros)
- Thomas Borgmann Trio: One for Cisco (NoBusiness): CDR (LP only)
- Jean-Luc Cappozzo/Didier Lasserre: Ceremony's a Name for the Rich Horn (NoBusiness): CDR (LP only)
- Chaise Lounge: Gin Fizz Fandango (Modern Songbook)
- Ari Erev: Flow (self-released)
- William Hooker: Light: The Early Years 1975-1989 (NoBusiness, 4CD)
- Vijay Iyer/Wadada Leo Smith: A Cosmic Rhythm With Each Stroke (ECM): advance, March 25
- Marilyn Lerner/Ken Filiano/Lou Grassi: Live at Edgefest (NoBusiness): CDR (LP only)
- Joëlle Léandre: No Comment (Fou)
- J Mancera: Mancera #5 (self-released): March 1
- Christian Perez: Anima Mundi (CPM): March 4
- Rhythm Future Quartet: Travels (Magic Fiddle Music): February 26
- Alfredo Rodriguez: Tocororo (Mack Avenue/Qwest): March 4
- Vladimir Tarasov/Eugenius Kanevicius/Ludas Mockunas: Intuitus (NoBusiness): CDR (LP only)
- The U.S. Army Blues: Live at Blues Alley (self-released)
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