Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Music Week

Music: current count 29839 [29818] rated (+21), 349 [344] unrated (+5).

A day late and a few records short of a normal week. We attended a reception for the opening of the Sacred Space Exhibition at Wichita State University. My nephew, Mike Hull, came to Wichita for the reception, and has stayed on to continue photographing artwork my late sister Kathy Hull. My modest contribution to all this hasn't gone much beyond cooking, including a roast chicken last night, and some Korean ribs today. Unfortunately, I didn't feel up to doing a big Korean thing today, so I decided to accompany with my everyday Chinese fried rice and lima beans. [PS: Wound up also making three distinctly Korean little dishes: sliced cucumbers with garlic, sesame, and Korean red pepper; dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and stir-fried with garlic, sesame, and scallions; and dried squid softened up in a sweet-and-spicy glaze.]

Started working on the Korea piece back on Thursday, thinking of a different entry angle -- one that would focus on how Democrats should talk about Trump when he veers away from neocon warmongering. But I didn't do my due dilligence there, and as the dumb chatter died down decided not to beat myself up over it. (When Colbert last night announced he'd be doing something "after the break" on Kim, Trump, and Putin, I hit delete.) And, as I noted, the family separation at the border story has taken over. I have little to add there, and don't even feel much like piling on. (Although, here's a link to a video Mike and Ellyssa Roberson did on a demonstration here in Wichita.) Nor am I the least bit obsessive about the Russia collusion/obstruction news, but it's hard to believe that even Trump's diehard supporters aren't picking up on how guilty he's managing to look -- of course, some of them are actually get off on his criminal side.

Mixed bag of records this week, including four very different ones at A-. Also a couple of lower-than-usual grades. Not much jazz. I wasn't able to find the new Skadedyr record Chris Monsen likes, so checked out the old ones but didn't get into them. Next week should be similar, maybe even shorter.

New records rated this week:

  • Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore: Downey to Lubbock (2018, Yep Roc): [r]: A-
  • Toni Braxton: Sex & Cigarettes (2018, Def Jam): [r]: B+(**)
  • Chromeo: Head Over Heels (2018, Big Beat/WEA): [r]: A-
  • The English Beat [Dave Wakeling]: Here We Go Love (2018, Here We Go): [r]: B-
  • Satoko Fujii/Joe Fonda/Gianni Mimmo: Triad (2017 [2018], Long Song): [cd]: B+(***)
  • Jon Hassell: Listening to Pictures (Pentimento Volume One) (2018, Ndeya): [r]: A-
  • Allegra Levy: Looking at the Moon (2018, SteepleChase): [r]: B+(**)
  • Lykke Li: So Sad So Sexy (2018, RCA): [r]: B+(*)
  • Melody's Echo Chamber: Bon Voyage (2018, Fat Possum): [r]: B
  • Marieann Meringolo: Between Yesterday and Tomorrow: The Songs of Alan & Marilyn Bergman (2017 [2018], Blujazz): [cd]: C+
  • Rolling Blackouts C.F.: Hope Downs (2018, Sub Pop): [r]: A-
  • J. Peter Schwalm: How We Fall (2017 [2018], RareNoise): [cdr]: B+(*)
  • Ebo Taylor: Yen Ara (2018, Mr. Bongo): [r]: B+(**)
  • Will Vinson: It's Alright With Three (2017 [2018], Criss Cross): [r]: B+(**)
  • Jerry Vivino: Coast to Coast (2005-17 [2018], Blujazz): [cd]: B+(**)
  • Tim Warfield: Jazzland (2017 [2018], Criss Cross): [r]: B+(*)
  • WorldService Project: Serve (2017 [2018], Rare Noise): [cdr]: C-

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries rated this week:

  • Gene Clark: Gene Clark Sings for You (1967 [2018], Omnivore): [r]: B

Old music rated this week:

  • Gene Clark: Gene Clark With the Gosdin Brothers (1967, Columbia): [r]: B+(*)
  • Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen: We've Got a Live One Here (1976, Warner Brothers): [r]: B+(**)
  • Skadedyr: Kongekrabbe (2013, Hubro): [r]: B
  • Skadedyr: Culturen (2016, Hubro): [r]: B+(*)

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

  • Rodrigo Amado: A History of Nothing (Trost)
  • John Bailey: In Real Time (Summit): June 22
  • Big Heart Machine: Big Heart Machine (self-released): August 24
  • Benje Daneman: Light in the Darkness (ACI): August 31
  • Jeremy Ledbetter Trio: Got a Light? (Alma)
  • Charles Pillow Large Ensemble: Electric Miles (MAMA): June 22
  • Pocket Aces: Cull the Heard (Creative Nation Music): September 7
  • Sibarg Ensemble: Cipher (self-released)
  • The Thing: Again (Trost)
  • Toronto Jazz Orchestra: 20 (2018, self-released)

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