Streamnotes: August 30, 2026

Most of these are short notes/reviews based on streaming records from Napster (formerly Rhapsody; other sources are noted in brackets). They are snap judgments, usually based on one or two plays, accumulated since my last post along these lines, back on July 30. Past reviews and more information are available here (26500+ records).

New Music

Marshall Allen: 101: An Audio Odyssey (2026, Ropeadope): Alto saxophonist, longtime member and ghost band leader of Sun Ra Arkestra, title possibly for his age, main driver here appears to be producer Jamaaladeen Tacuma (electric bass), started around the Big Ears Festival, which brought in name musicians Nels Cline (electric guitar) and Immanuel Wilkins (alto sax, acoustic upright bass), with extra recording later (including a vocal by Tara Middleton). The funk groove reminds me of Tacuma at his best, but he hasn't had this much to juggle since Ornette Coleman. A− [sp]

Ancient Infinity Orchestra: It's Always About Liberation (2024 [2026], Gondwana): English spiritual jazz ensemble, 16 members (winds but no brass, strings including harp and banjo) from Leeds, led by bassist Ozzy Moysey, third album. Another venture into the church of Coltrane. B+(**) [sp]

Angles 4: Angles 4 (2024 [2026], Relative Pitch): Quartet version of Swedish saxophonist's Martin Küchen's Angles project, the 10th since 2007 in my database, ranging from 3 to 9 in size, here with Mattias Ståhl (vibes), Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (bass), and Kjell Nordeson (drums). They all sound superb here. A− [bc]

Babalwa M: Acquiescence (2025, Babalwa M/Empire): From South Africa, surname Mavuso, amapiano singer-songwriter, started with an EP in 2020, seems to be her second studio album. Nice beats, pleasant voice, could grow on you. B+(***) [sp]

Baby Queen: I Hope You Don't Remember Me (2026, Insanity): Pop singer-songwriter Arabella Latham, born in South Africa, moved to London at 18 to conquer the pop world. Second album, after an EP and a mixtape. B+(*) [sp]

Baby Rose: Yearnalism (2026, Secretly Canadian): Singer-songwriter Jasmine Rose Wilson, from DC/North Carolina/Atlanta, third album, draws on "early r&b and soul legends" (Discogs names Donnie Hathaway and Nina Simone). B+(**) [sp]

Badger Hunt: Full Moon in My Pocket (2026, self-released): Brooklyn-based duo of Miles Lee Elissor (TX) and James McCarthy Walker (SC). Looks to be their second album, skipping three Free Noise compilations on their Bandcamp. Noisy, often in a good way. B+(**) [bc]

Dr. Gianni Bianchini: A Study in Songbook (2025-26 [2026], Gianni Bianchini Entertainment): Pianist-singer from Florida, takes on nine standards (including a Jobim) in 36:49, backed with bass (Ross Kratter) and drums (Sam Hart). Piano is nice, voice fair. B [cd]

Cindy Blackman Santana: Coherence (2026, Mack Avenue): Drummer, studied at Berklee with Alan Dawson, has a jazz discography back to 1987, but also played with Lenny Kravitz over 18 years, and with Carlos Santana, whom she married in 2010 (a big star in the early 1970s, he is 22 years older). He plays lead guitar here on six pieces here (with John McLaughlin joining on one), the band: Emilio Modeste (sax), Zaccai Curtis (keyboards), Aurélien Budynek (guitar), and Felix Pastorius (bass, with Matthew Garrison on three tracks). Some fancy guitar, but at 80 minutes, runs long. B+(*) [sp]

Michael Blake: Piccolos Before Rifles (2025 [2026], Baby Tank): Canadian saxophonist, a couple dozen albums since 1997, many more group- (Blake Tartare, Slow Poke) and side-credits. Plays tenor/soprano here, plus flutes, with Guilherme Monteiro (guitar), Skye Soto Steele (violin), Gil Lopes (bass), and Rogerio Boccato (drums) — three of those from Brazil, the other Puerto Rican. B+(**) [sp]

Blu & Exile: Time Heals Everything (2026, Dirty Science): Underground rapper Johnson Barnes and producer Alexandr Manfredi, from Los Angeles, fifth duo album since 2007, many more albums separately or with others. B+(***) [sp]

Geof Bradfield/Myra Melford/Ben Goldberg/Dana Hall: Open or Close (2025 [2026], Calligram): Tenor/soprano saxophonist (also bass clarinet), based in Chicago, albums since 2001, ranges mainstream to free, has recorded with Goldberg (clarinets) and Hall (drums) before, but the pianist (connected through Goldberg) is the major addition here. A− [cd] [09-04]

Phoebe Bridgers: Lost Weekend (2026, Dead Oceans): Singer-songwriter, third solo album since 2017, with her girl group Boygenius (2023) splitting the break. Huge critical support here (91/25 at AOTY), Spencer Kornhaber calls it "a perfect album for a frustrating decade," Ann Powers dubs her "the most revered singer-songwriter of the selfie generation." I've listened enough to verify that there's something here, so I take my indifference as further evidence that I'm over the hill. Love and grief themes have little resonance for me these days. Sonically, the synths sweep away the folk roots (which make "Haunted" so appealing). The shifts convince me of her mastery. B+(***) [sp]

Rachel Brooke: This One's for You (2026, Mal): Country singer-songwriter, from northern Michigan, fifth album since 2008, plus a couple of duos with Lonesome Wyatt. Fine voice, good songs, lots of steel guitar. B+(***) [sp]

Billy Childs: Triumvirate (2026, Mack Avenue): Pianist, from Los Angeles, straddles classical and jazz, with "chamber jazz" a middle position, early albums (1988-93) on new age Windham Hill, has had some Grammy success. Trio with Matt Penman (bass) and Ari Hoenig (drums). Nice little record. B+(*) [sp]

Isaiah Collier: Joy (2026, Brownswood, EP): Chicago saxophonist, has made a strong impression with his Chose Few group, even more so with the Ancients (a trio with Williams Hooker and Parker), comes out singing here with the title track, lifted by big band and strings, and ends with another gospel-inflected vocal ("God's By Your Side"). In between, three instrumental pieces, with flute and keyboards. Total: five songs, 27:13. Not my thing. B− [sp]

Concrete Rock: New York DIY (2026, Desert Island): Eleven short songs (35:09) by eleven groups, only one I've heard of (CS Cleaners, and that just last week), all new songs written for this release, inspired by Sidney Salk's "collection of comps from the 70s-90s," from punk to no wave to generic indie. B+(*) [bc]

Elizabeth Cook: Great Television (2026, Agent Love): Country singer-songwriter, eighth album since her self-released debut in 2000, three from 2007-16 barely scratched the country charts, all A− in my book, this coming back after a six year break. Too soon? The strings that kick off the album weren't a good idea. And the songs struggle until she rips off "Caldonia and the Love Convoy." And while I like the Rolling Stones cover, I don't quite get the point. B+(*) [sp]

Jeff Cosgrove/Jeff Lederer/Mark Lysher/Tom Teasley: Two Jeffs (2026, Grizzley Music): Drummer, from DC, label and dates uncertain, I would normally have parsed the cover as giving him sole credit, but title suggests including Lederer (sax/clarinet), and the bassist and percussionist names are on the same level. Cosgrove is best known for his Motian Sickness group, but also shows up on many free jazz dates, especially with Ivo Perelman. This showed up on the Motian Sickness Bandcamp page, but is mostly standards, from "Cheek to Cheek" to "Summertime" via "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." A− [sp]

Graham Coxon: Castle Rock (2026, Transgressive): English singer-songwriter, ninth studio album since 1998, was in Blur 1988-2002, leaving before the band's first hiatus, but also later reunions (2009, 2023). Some catchy songcraft, at least to open. B [sp]

Rodney Crowell: Then Again (2026, New West): Country singer-songwriter, 25th album since 1978, many superb. Not so much this time. B+(*) [sp]

CS Cleaners: What's This? (2026, Wharf Cat): Brooklyn-based post-punk band, first album after a 2023 EP, claim influences from "NYC downtown music from CBGB's diverse first wave through no-wave's mutations and deconstructions," but with hooks as well as overtures. B+(***) [sp]

Mike DiRubbo: Way Out Northwest (2026, Cellar): Alto saxophonist, has mostly recorded for mainstream labels since 1996, but can bust loose an impressive solo. Quartet with piano (Tilden Webb), bass (Jodi Proznick), and drums (Jesse Cahill). B+(**) [sp]

Rob Dixon: Naptown Soul (2026, Strikezone): Saxophonist (tenor/soprano), originally from Baltimore, raised near Atlanta, but long based in Indianapolis (aka Naptown). Nice soul jazz groove, co-produced by Dave Stryker (guitar), with Sam Fribush (organ) and Richard "Sleepy" Floyd (drums). B+(*) [cd]

DJ Fantôme: Zando Beat! (2026, Palenque): "Electro Madness from Congo Kinshasa," which Bandcamp offers as a subtitle but doesn't appear on the cover, but Bandcamp also credits this to "Electro from Congo Kinsasa," as if "DJ Fantôme is a self-aware algorithm, wandering through servers and materializing a body for each performance." Each of the 12 tracks comes with a "Feat" artist, presumably the rapper-singers. B+(***) [sp]

DOMi & JD Beck: Who Asked? (2026, Apeshit/Blue Note): French keyboardist Domi Louna (Domitille Degalle) and American drummer JD Beck, second album, has some vocals (probably Domi), a lot of extra orchestration (flute, clarinets, oboe, bassoon, violin). B− [sp]

Denise Donatelli: Take My Breath Away (2024 [2026], Savant): Standards singer, has at least six previous albums since 2007, this one directed and arranged by Geoffrey Keezer, with the usual Berlin, Jobim, and Stevie Wonder. [PS: Pretty good "How Deep Is the Ocean."] B− [sp]

Doseone & Height Keech: Wood Teeth II (2026, Hands Made, EP): Rapper Adam Drucker, from Idaho, was a cofounder of Anticon. Six songs, 15:42, kind of a metal vibe. B+(**) [sp]

Open Mike Eagle/Kenny Segal: Doomed! (2026, Backwoodz Studioz): Underground rapper, more than a dozen albums since 2008, and a producer who has his name on even more albums since 2008, and many more side-credits. Focuses on a failed relationship, and soft-pedals that, when there's much more to be worried about. B+(**) [sp]

Jeff Evans Porkestra: Telling the Bees (2026, self-released): Atlanta-based country-rock band, the namesake on guitar and vocals; two previous EPs, this one weighing in at 12 songs, 42:49. The EPs ended before I could really get into them, but this one keeps coming, especially with songs like "Born to Read" and "Big Enough." A− [sp]

Ferg's Imaginary Big Band: The New Atomic (2024 [2026], Trash City): UK (Leeds) bandleader-composer Fergus Quill, leads a band of 30 or so, aiming for that Basie big bang, and then some. B+(*) [sp]

Satoko Fujii Orchestra Kobe: After the Storm (2026, Libra): The second of this year's promised batch of five big band albums, a new recording where Bunker Ulmenwall Orchestra was an archive from 2014. That was around the time when Fujii released four big band albums with different orchestras. At the time, I compared one of them to Basie's Atomic Orchestra from the 1950s, at least in terms of power and sheer brassiness. The new series is impressive so far, and this is one of the most immediately appealing of her large-scale efforts. A− [cd]

Margaret Glaspy: I Am Both (2026, ATO): Folkie singer-songwriter, fourth album since 2016, has a similar number of EPs. Spotify tells me she's my favorite artist, which makes me wonder about the modern surveillance state (I have her down for 1 A-, 2 ***, and 1 **; based on recent plays in the car, I would have guessed Chuck Berry). Skeletal songs, so direct they demand attention. "Turns out freedom ain't free," but at least "they're allowed to change their minds." A− [sp]

Glass Triangle [Zeena Parkins/Mette Rasmussen/Ryan Sawyer]: 3 X 1 (2026, Relative Pitch): Electric harp, alto sax/voice/preparations/bells, drums/percussion/voice. B+(*) [bc]

Ariana Grande: Petal (2026, Republic): Pop singer-songwriter, eighth studio album since 2013, seventh chart topper (the other album only got to 2). This goes down as easily as ever, not that it seems to offer much sustenance. B+(**) [sp]

John Hollenbeck & Hot Club Jazz Orchestra: Peace & Justice (2022 [2026], Flexatonic): Drummer, perhaps best known for his Claudia Quintet, which this group sounds more than a little like, although the Portuguese band here, conducted by Luis Cunha, is much larger. The music was commissioned by Olha Bekenshtein, based on Ukrainian sources, a project which started in 2021, and was disrupted by the war. B+(***) [cd]

Homeboy Sandman/Jack Splash: Resonance Frequency (2026, Dirty Looks): New York rapper Angel Del Villar III, prolific since 2007, with a Los Angeles-based producer Matthew Kahane, whose work started with Cee Lo Green in 2002. He lifts this with much more than the usual slack beats. Unlike most of Homeboy Sandman's output, this runs to real LP length: 13 songs, 40:20. A− [sp]

Hurray for the Riff Raff: Live Forever: Live at the Old Town School of Folk Music (2025 [2026], Nonesuch): Singer-songwriter Alynda Segarra, born in the Bronx, moved to New Orleans to play folk music, has moved on to Chicago, where this live set was recorded. Fourteen songs, ten from her best-ever 2024 album The Past Is Still Alive. Seems to me like the anti-ICE "Precious Cargo" could be angrier, but "Ogallala"'s "to watch this world burn, with a tear in my eye" seems about right. B+(***) [sp]

Iceage: For Love of Grace & the Hereafter (2026, Mexican Summer): Danish post-punk band, sounded solid on their 2011 debut, uninteresting on three (of four) 2013-2021 efforts, but getting a lot of hype for this sixth album. Not punk in any meaningful sense, but upbeat, engaging, with a few hooks. I like the song that goes "life is for the weak," for the words but also for the extra noise. B+(**) [sp]

Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds: Mutiny After Midnight (2026, High Top Mountain/Atlantic): Country singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson, debut 2013, second album as Johnny Blue Skies, first to add the band name. Strays far from country, but offers protest songs to open and close (the "Extended Edition" tacks on three extras, including "A Whiter Shade of Pale"). B+(**) [sp]

Mike Jones: Mike Jones With Strings (2025 [2026], Capri): Pianist, common name (75 on Discogs), from Buffalo, studied at Berklee, has a dozen or so albums since 1993, including The Show Before the Show from when he was opening for Penn & Teller. Title is misleading: no goopy orchestral string section here, just fast-paced swing with a couple of stringed instruments: bass (Alex Frank) and guitar (Graham Dechter). B+(**) [cd]

Leven Kali: LK99 (2026, Def Jam): Dutch-born American singer-songwriter, couple albums since 2019, first vocal here is a dead-ringer for Prince, especially as he's already established a funk groove. B+(*) [sp]

Karol G: No Me Arrepiento De Sentir Tanto (2026, Interscope): Colombian singer-songwriter Carolina Giraldo Navarro, sixth album since 2017, last year's (Tropicoqueta) was a top album for me. B+(***) [sp]

Kelela: New Avatar (2026, Warp): Singer-songwriter from DC, last name Mizanekristos, parents Ethiopian, third studio album since 2015 (also has remixes and a live album), electropop with soul airs. B+(**) [sp]

Kiss Facility: Khazna (2026, Ambient Tweets): Arabic-influenced dream pop duo of Mayah Alkhateri (from UAE) and Salvador Navarrete (from Egypt); first album after several singles (from 2023). B+(**) [sp]

Caroline Kraabel/Pat Thomas/John Edwards/Steve Noble: Transgressive Coastlines (2024 [2026], Shrike): Alto saxophonist, born in California, moved to London as a teen, has a fair number of records since 1997, but not much I've heard. The piano-bass-drums trio is long acquainted. B+(**) [bc]

Lalu: Lalu (2026, self-released): Australian group, not finding much about them. I can hear the "coherently arranged folk-rock." B+(*) [sp]

Jeff Lederer/Mary LaRose With the Wildebeest Quintet: There's a Yearnin': Music for Winds and Voice (2026, Little (i) Music): Names on clarinet and voice, with the quintet adding flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and horn, for something "third stream"-ish. B+(*) [sp]

Ravyn Lenae: Blue Island (2026, Atlantic): Alt-R&B singer-songwriter from Chicago, third album. B+(***) [sp]

Ari Lennox: Vacancy (2026, Interscope): R&B singer-songwriter Courtney Salter, from DC, third album since 2019. B+(***) [sp]

Mark Lomax, II & the Urban Art Ensemble: Black Odes: A Reclamation Suite (2026, CFG Multimedia): Drummer from Columbus, Ohio, with many records since 1999, should be a major figure but few people are aware of him, or for that matter his brilliant saxophonist, Edwin Bayard. Part of the problem is that the streaming interface on his website is hard to find let alone trust. This seems to have four pieces, of indeterminate length, promising "jazz, classical, hip-hop, and poetry are brought together to imagine a world where racism never existed." Long on concept, but hard to track in this form. B+(***) [os]

Low Cut Connie: Livin in the USA (2026, Contender): Retro-rock group from Philadelphia, led by Adam Weiner, who plays some mean piano, and usually rocks out. But the title cut is a lament, which I suppose makes it "timely." B+(**) [sp]

Madonna: Confessions II (2026, Warner): Conceived as a sequel to 2006's Confessions on a Dance Floor, which could just as well have been a sequel to 1987's You Can Dance. Down side is that everything here sounds like something you already know. Good news is that it all sounds great (except maybe for the soft landing). A− [sp]

Joanna Mattrey/Camila Nebbia/Camiolo Ángeles/Violeta Garcia: Heavy Handed (2024 [2026], Relative Pitch): Live set of free jazz improv from Bern, with viola, tenor sax, flute, and cello, with various FX. A little noisy. B+(**) [bc]

Nick Mazzarella: Siena Sessions (2025 [2026], Corbett vs. Dempsey): Alto saxophonist, from Chicago, recorded this trio in Italy with Silvia Bolognesi (bass) and Cristiano Calcagnile (drums), adding trumpet (Emanuele Marisco) on two tracks. B+(***) [bc]

Paul McCartney: The Boys of Dungeon Lane (2026, Capitol): Twentieth "solo studio album" (per Wikipedia; 27th if counting Wings) since 1970. I liked the Beatles as much as anyone during their prime, somewhat less for their post-Pepper period. But his solo career has ranged from disappointing to embarrassing: the best record I've heard was an oldies set from 1999, but I haven't heard most (this makes 11). This one promises Liverpool nostalgia, but on first pass, only the final song ("Momma Gets By") delivered much. A revisit showed considerable songcraft, and more than a few details of interest. B+(**) [sp]

Mon Rovîa: Bloodline (2026, Nettwerk): Folkie singer-songwriter, but in Monrovia, Liberia, but adopted by an American family when he was seven, and grew up in Chattanooga, where he developed a fondness for folk music. B+(*) [sp]

Glenn Morrow's Cry for Help: Our Final Album Vol. 1 (2026, Bar/None): Indie rock band from Hoboken, debut an eponymous album in 2017, released 2 in 2020. Morrow was a partner in Bar/None Records, whose first album was by a group Morrow was in, the Individuals (1982), with other bands leading up to this one. Title unclear. Record has some appeal. Less sure about point. B+(**) [sp]

The Mountain Goats: Days (2026, Thirty Tigers/Cadmean Dawn): Singer-songwriter John Darnielle, 24th studio album since 1994, first few songs sound like exemplars of current alt/indie rock, a sound that thins out soon, but the songs remain solid. B+(***) [sp]

Navy Blue: Sir Render (2026, Freedom Sounds): Rapper Sage Elesser, more than a dozen albums since 2020, serious thoughts over mild underground beats. This winds up his "Knighthood" trilogy, following on Memoirs in Armour and The Sword and the Soaring. Probably worth more study than I can muster. B+(***) [sp]

Linda May Han Oh/Melissa Aldana: Beneath Lifted Skies (2026, Biophilia): Bass and tenor sax duo; the former born in Malaysia and grew up in Australia, the latter from Chile, both based in New York with substantial critical following. This is a nice record, especially when they tackle something familiar, but stays within its limits. B+(***) [sp]

Odd Okoddo & Ogoya Nengo: Palagoma (2026, From Cool Waters): From Nairobi, Kenya, the former a duo of dodo singer-songwriter Olith Ratego and drummer Sven Kacirek, the latter an 83-year-old folk artist. B+(***) [bc]

Oliver-Smith Incomparables: Stomp Your Stuff (2025 [2026], Turtle Bay): Trad jazz group led by pianist Andrew Oliver (2 at Discogs, which credits him with one album, but 30 more performances, including Sextets from 2008-10) and veteran drummer Hal Smith, with cornet (Colin Hancock), clarinet, trombone, guitar/banjo, and bass/tuba, playing vintage goodies from the 1920s. Instant joy. A− [cd] [08-28]

Henrik Olsson: Antumbra Ensemble (2025 [2026], Cuneiform): Guitarist, (13) on Discogs (1 is a Swedish drummer; no bio here, but album was recorded in Denmark), debut album, a septet with alto sax, trumpet, trombone, tuba, electric bass, and drums, loosely modeled on Henry Threadgill's Very Very Circus and "Rock in Opposition" bands like Henry Cow. Frenzied, for sure, but that's all I hear here. B [dl]

Arlo Parks: Ambiguous Desire (2026, Transgressive): British alt-pop singer-songwriter, third album, first two very good, this one a bit more, uh, ambiguous. B+(**) [sp]

Nicholas Payton/Butcher Brown: A Supreme Blue (2026, Concord): Trumpet player from New Orleans, albums since 1993, mostly a mainstream player, established his trad chops on a 1997 album with Doc Cheatham, has dabbled less successfully in jazztronica. Backed by the Richmond-based band, which has a dozen albums since 2014. Idea here is to play Kind of Blue followed by A Love Supreme, updating both to show their contemporarly relevancy. That's an amusing thought, and the groove treatment on Kind of Blue is rather pleasing, but I draw the line well short of the synthesized voice on A Love Supreme. B− [sp]

Justin Pierce: Sway (2025 [2026], Justin Pierce Music): Tenor saxophonist, based in Dallas, seems to be his first album (Discogs has some credits with UNT lab bands, c. 2012), hype sheet says he's been playing locally to "delighted audiences," with wife Ashley Pierce singing. She jumps right in with the title tune, then "Honeysuckle Rose," sits out for an instrumental ("Jody Grind"). Two more instrumentals, from Duke Ellington and Miles Davis, with her returning on well-chosen standards — "Moon River" and "L-O-V-E" are standouts. As for the sax, imagine Harry Allen playing the Nat King Cole songbook, with a perfectly fine replacement for the late Rebecca Kilgore. A− [cd]

Sarah Pillow: Wanderer (2026, Buckyball): Jazz singer, three albums (1997-2003), some standards but also draws on the vocalese practice of writing lyrics to jazz themes, and adds some of her own (Mingus most prominently). Band includes Donny McCaslin (tenor sax) and Dave Kikoski (piano). Good take on "Nature Boy." B+(***) [cd] [10-05]

Lido Pimienta: Caribenya (2026, Anti-): Singer-songwriter from Colombia, grew up in Canada (Toronto), fifth album since 2010, titles and lyrics in Spanish. B+(*) [sp]

PLRLS: Sleeping in a Dress (2026, Si): Baltimore quintet, pronounced "plurals," post-punk "with a certain operatic/surfy twang and bizarre danceability," which is to say they sound a lot like the B-52s, or perhaps even more like the Waitresses. Ten songs, 28:23. B+(***) [sp]

Prairie Princess: Jewish American Prairie Princess (2026, self-released): Singer-songwriter Emerson Borakove, from Nebraska but recording in New York City, with a band she calls the Ruby Slippers. Somewhere between alt-country and anti-folk, which doesn't preclude a little rock noise. B+(**) [sp]

Margo Price: Days of Unrest (2026, Loma Vista): Country singer-songwriter, sixth album since 2016, or actually it's being dubbed a "protest mixtape," as the album is rather thin (9 songs, 29:00), and the originals (mostly Mexican-themed) are outnumbered 5-4 by covers (Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Blaze Foley, Charlie Daniels, trad.). The Dylan is the liveliest, but the Foley is the most sharply pointed. A- [sp]

Pussy Riot: Cyka (2026, Stem): Russian feminist performance art collective, fiercely anti-Putin (and these days pro-Ukraine), founded in 2011, membership fluid and often jailed or otherwise harassed, has released an EP and several singles, appears here with a full album, probably because co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova (and possibly others) escaped to Iceland. A fairly wide range of sounds and styles, where the punk/hardcore may be the most compelling because there the message comes through even without words, but the rap and electropop and something that sounds like a Kate Bush hit ("Pain") also impress, suggesting a worldview that goes beyond rage, but doesn't flinch from it when needed. A− [sp]

Alex Roitman Tango Ensemble: La Cocina De Tango (2025 [2026], ARTE-FL): Bandoneon player, based in Florida and/or Boston. Tangos, half originals, mixed in with Piazzolla and others, running through 10 songs in 32:41. Seems like a fine example of the art. B+(***) [cd] [08-25]

Rolling Stones: Foreign Tongues (2026, Rolling Stones/Polydor): Major group, rivaled the Beatles in the 1960s, has lasted much longer, survived the death of Brian Jones, the retirement of Bill Wyman, and more recently (and more importantly) the death of Charlie Watts. But the two singer-songwriters, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, are still active, however improbably, as is Jones replacement Ron Wood. But their ontogeny basically ended with 1972's Exile on Main Street. Since then they've mostly engaged in buckraking, with regular tours, concert films, live albums, and the occasional studio effort — most lukewarm, but some significant enough to be hailed as return-to-form comebacks. Those too have trailed off and thinned out, but this is the best in quite a while (probably since 2004's A Bigger Bang, or 1986's Dirty Work, or maybe 1981's Tattoo You. The key word is "return," as they virtually defined "classic rock," and can tap into any time they want — at least half of this overly long album. Key wisdom for the aged: "Life's too short for just making money." The irony is palpable, but the line is credible nonetheless. A− [sp]

Claudio Scolari Project: Lines of Now (2025 [2026], Principal): Italian drummer, also plays synths, third Project album, has several more going back to 1995. Group has a second drummer, Daniele Cavalca, who also plays synths, with Simone Scolari (trumpet), Ilaria Cavalca (voice), and Michele Cavalca (bass). The trumpet-led parts recall Miles Davis fusion. The vocals are artier: I'm less taken by them, but not without recognizing some point. B+(**) [cd]

Serengeti: Kenny V (2026, CC King): Chicago rapper David Cohn, underground, huge number of albums since 2003, one series based on "alter ego Kenny Dennis," running from Kenny Dennis LP (2013) through KDIV (2024), promises "this sets up the true finale." Mostly I'm getting dense and murky, but I've never been able to keep this character line straight. [PS: A reader reminded me that the Kenny Dennis character goes back at least to 2008's Dennehy, and includes albums other than the ones explicitly named for him.] B+(*) [sp]

Slow Tiger: Slow Tiger (2024 [2026], Endectomorph Music): New York quintet organized by JP Schlegelmilch (playing organ; I know him mostly from the group Old Time Musketry, which had two very good 2011-13 albums), with Kenny Warren (trumpet), Adam Schneit (tenor sax/clarinet), Andrew Dow (electric bass), and Nathan Ellman-Bell (drums). B+(**) [sp]

Speaker Music: Synoptic Audio (2026, Planet Mu): Techno producer DeForrest Brown Jr., from "the deep South," based in New York, has several albums since 2019, long on theory as well as esoteric technology. This one, for instance, is manipulated then played on a speaker array and re-recorded using an omnidirectional mic to pick up all the room vibrations. No doubt the method adds to the sonic depth, but I was more interested before it consumed the album (and I felt the need to turn it down a bit). B+(**) [bc]

Vince Staples: Cry Baby (2026, Loma Vista): Los Angeles rapper, seventh studio album since 2015, has come up with a different sound here, thin beats, moderate speed, words basic enough for rock, a combination I find appealing, much more than anything else he's done. A− [sp]

Ringo Starr: Long Long Road (2026, UME): Christgau pointed out that the Beatles broke up because "three of them believed they were geniuses and only one of them was." The other Beatle was drummer Richard Starkey, who had earned his keep within in the band, but didn't have a lot of prospects, let alone ambition, on his own. Still, like the rest, he embarked on a solo career in 1970, and has stuck with it, grinding out 22 solo albums so far (he's 86, 2 years older than McCartney). I've hardly ever bothered, but after hearing the warmly-received one by McCartney, I figured, how bad could this be? T-Bone Burnett produced, wrote most of the songs (Starkey has 3 co-credits), and vast resources. And how hard is country? Well, minimally you need a credible singer, and this album doesn't have one: not just Starr, but I didn't notice any other vocals — although I do recognize a half-dozen names from the credits. C+ [sp]

The Strokes: Reality Awaits (2026, RCA/Cult): New York alt/indie group, considered a big deal with their 2001 debut, releases have slowed down since 2005, this just the second since 2013. Surprisingly good groove band, until they aren't. B+(**) [sp]

AJ Suede: Atomic Justice (2026, Knowhatimean, EP): Seattle rapper, underground, lots of albums since 2015, this one 12 songs, 25:34. B+(*) [sp]

Skúli Sverrisson/Bill Frisell: For All Your Flowers (2026, Newvelle): Guitarist from Iceland, based in New York, albums since 1997, side credits with groups like Alasnoaxis and Yeah No, as well as working as music director for Laurie Anderson. Duo with the famed American guitarist. B+(*) [sp]

Sweeping Promises: You Say I Romanticize (2026, Sub Pop): Post-punk duo, Lira Mondal and Caufield Schnug, met in Arkansas, moved to Boston, then to Lawrence KS (unless I got that backwards). Third album. First one claimed a Liliput influence. They've only gotten stronger and more direct. A− [sp]

Syd: Beard (2026, Free Lunch/Warner): Neo-soul singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, third album, has a nice, easy flow. B+(**) [sp]

Antony Szmierek: Decoding Birdsong (2026, Mushroom Music): English poet, spoken word artist, and electronica musician. Second album. I love the basic sound, but have yet to dote on the words, which seems like what should be called for. B+(***) [sp]

Technocrats: Passionata: The Music of Gregg Hill (2025 [2026], Cold Plunge): I must have heard a dozen albums of Hill's compositions, performed by various of his Michigan State alumni over the last 3-4 years, many (most? all?) under his own direction. No composer in recent years has worked harder at getting his work played by others, except perhaps John Zorn (who owning his own label, often claims credit for the albums). Septet here, I filed it under first-listed bass trombonist Chris Glassman, but the only other band members I recognize are Walter Blanding (tenor/soprano sax) and Bryn Roberts (piano). I've never learned how to separate compositions out from performances, so I'm no fair judge of someone like Hill. But this flows as well as any of the volumes I recall, and the larger band is deftly arranged, especially for the bass trombone. B+(***) [cd] [08-28]

Henry Threadgill Zooid: Cut You Where You Was (2025 [2026], Pi): Alto saxophonist, also plays flute, started in Air in the 1970s, third group album since 2014, with Liberty Ellman (guitar), Jose Davila (tuba/trombone), Christopher Hoffman (cello), and Elliot Humberto Kavee (drums). Tricky rhythms and shadings, the sort of thing that in an artist of his stature could win a poll, but feels a bit slight to me, although it does have some bright spots. B+(***) [cd] [08-28]

Henry Threadgill/Vijay Iyer/Dafnis Prieto: Fifteen (2025 [2026], Nonesuch): Alto sax/flute, with piano and drums, some sources say the title is how long this trio has been playing together, but this appears to be their first album. Three pieces by Threadgill, two each by the others. Very impressive at speed, but interesting always. A− [sp]

Tipps and Obermiller: Little Kid Heart (2026, self-released): Married singer-songwriters Hilary Tipps and Steve Obermiller, both play guitar, with Taylor Tatsch (more guitar, mandolin, bass, keys, drums, and production). Google tagged this as "children's music," but it's actually parents' music. I can't particularly relate to either, but I like the easy flow and writerly details. A- [sp]

Trio Sowari: Further Reflections (2024 [2026], Shrike): Trio of Phil Durrant (synth/electronics), Bertrand Denzler (tenor sax), and Burkhard Beins (drums); fourth album since 2004, their third in 2018. Three long tracks, "Scratches and Scars" an appropriate title. B+(*) [bc]

Frank Trompeter/Richard Gilman-Opalsky: Antifascist Freedom Music (2026, Mahakala Music): Saxophonist (tenor/alto/soprano) from Chicago, has several albums going back to 2001, in a duo with the drummer, who also plays wood flutes. The jazz is certainly free, if a bit shrill. But maybe that's what the times call for. B+(**) [bc]

Juanma Trujillo/Kenneth Jiménez/Vasco Trilla: Nada Es Nada (2026, Ramble): Venezuelan guitarist, based in New York, several albums since 2018, with Costa Rican bassist (also based in New York) and Spanish drummer, recorded in Barcelona. Works through some tricky changes. B+(**) [bc]

Twisted Teens: Florida Water Blues (2026, Going Underground): New Orleans-based post-punk band, third album in quick succession, songs written by bassist C.P.N. Hollywell, sung by guitarist Cas P. Ian, 13 songs run an unrushed 42:29. Gets more interesting when it veers into swamp rock. B+(***) [sp]

Gebhard Ullmann: Coffee and Berries (2024 [2026], Trouble in the East/ESP-Disk'): German tenor saxophonist, many albums since 1985, also electronics here, along with Steve Swell (trombone), Joe Morris (bass), and Charles Downs (drums). Strong showing for Swell. B+(***) [sp]

Visible Cloaks: Pradessence (2026, RVNG): Electronica duo from Portland, Ryan Carlile and Spencer Doran, fifth album since 2015. Starts on the edge of annoying, then backs off a bit. B [sp]

WDR Big Band: Jagged Edges & Elegant Lines: The Music of Ayn Inserto (2024 [2026], Summit): Inserto (b. 1976) studied at New England Conservatory, was a protégé of Bob Brookmeyer, teaches at Berklee, has two albums as Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra, a couple more where her compositions are performed by others (she also conducts here). I tend to dismiss European big bands, but this group, featuring Sean Jones (trumpet), is pretty sharp, possibly because that's what the compositions demand (or inspire?). B+(***) [cd]

Westside Cowboy: It Goes On (2026, Island): British indie rock group, from Manchester, first album, easy-going, prototypically indie-rock sound. B+(**) [sp]

Wiki: Ancient History (2026, Wikset): New York rapper Patrick Morales, started in Ratking c. 2011, eighth album since 2017. B+(***) [sp]

Willow: The Thread (2026, Three Six Zero): Pop singer-songwriter, from Los Angeles, last name Smith, as in father Will Smith, eighth album since 2015, when she was 15, only one of them with any chart presence, although she had a platinum single in 2010. B+(*) [sp]

Gaia Wilmer Large Ensemble Featuring Mônica Salmaso: Parabólico: Reflections on Gilberto Gil Volume I (2025 [2026], Sunnyside): Brazilian saxophonist, several albums since 2017, two originals and five songs by Gil, featuring singer Salmaso. B+(**) [cd]

Yard Act: You're Gonna Need a Little Music (2026, Universal Island): British post-punk group, from Leeds, singer James Smith, third album since 2022, most impressive when most intense. B+(**) [sp]

Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts: As Time Explodes (2025 [2026], Reprise): New group, came up with a pretty good album in 2025, Talkin to the Trees, first A− in my book since Barn (2021), Psychedelic Pill (2012), Fork in the Road (2009), Prairie Wind (2005), Are You Passionate? (2002), more before that, though I haven't logged any full-A albums since Freedom (1989), or A+ since Rust Never Sleeps (1979, a grade I also gave to 1975's Tonight's the Night). Of those, the only albums I've replayed in recent years are the ones from the 1970s, but clearly he can evoke his unique legacy whenever he feels the need. This live set is from the album tour, but only repeats one album song ("Silver Eagle") and offers one new title — the album's "Big Change" ("could be bad and it could be great") having quickly resolved to "Big Crime" ("got to get the fascists out, got to clean the White House out . . . got big crime in DC at the White House, no more great again"). Beyond that, we get legacy songs, some obscure, most not, a couple ("Cortez the Killer" and "Like a Hurricane" stretched past 10 minutes, because that's what he does. This doesn't strike me as essential, given that these days we get more live Young several times a year, nor is "Big Crime" a big deal (although it's good to see that he's gotten over his foolish Reagan infatuation). But reviving "Ohio" is not unlike John Prine's revival of "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore," "Vampire Blues" is an old one I was delighted to hear again, "Be the Rain" is a later one that surprised me, and any time Young wants to stretch out, I'm game. A− [sp]

Adrian Younge: Jazz Is Dead 27: Joyce & Tutty Moreno (2026, Jazz Is Dead): Brazilian singer Joyce Moreno and drummer Moreno are featured, as this producer's series continues to round up 1970s icons. Eight songs, 28:46. B+(*) [sp]

Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo: El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 3 (2025 [2026], Miel Music): Alto sax and piano duets, from Puerto Rico and Venezuela, play eight songs by others, in the style that emerged in Cuba in the 1880s, one they consider "perhaps the most pan-Latin of genres." B+(***) [cd]

Recent Reissues, Compilations, Vault Discoveries

Lekan Animashaun: Low Profile (1977-86 [2026], Strut): Nigerian baritone saxophonist, a long-time fixture in the bands of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, seems to be the only album under his name, two tracks totaling 23:03. Original album didn't come out until 1995. B+(***) [sp]

Art Ensemble of Chicago: Les Stances a Sophie (1970 [2023], Play Loud!): Free jazz group, grew out of Chicago's AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians), partly formed in 1966 to back Roscoe Mitchell (sax), recording as a group in 1967 — Lester Bowie (trumpet), Joseph Jarman (sax), Malachi Favors (bass), and Famoudou Don Moye (drums) — but their discography really explodes when they toured Europe in 1969. This future film score was recorded late in their tour, with a Fontella Bass vocal to open, and a shorter one to close, and a balance between tradition and the cosmic future that Sun Ra is so famous for. A− [dl]

Art Ensemble of Chicago: People in Sorrow (1969 [2026], Play Loud!): Recorded earlier in Paris, drummer Famoudou Don Moye had not yet joined, but everyone was tasked with various percussion instruments. One 40:10 piece, split over the original LP. B+(***) [dl]

The Joshua Breakstone Quartet: Wonderful! (1983 [2026], Capri): Guitarist, first album he released (in 1984), a couple of originals, some standards, ranging to Django Reinhardt and Lennie Tristano, with Barry Harris (piano), Earl Sauls (bass), and Leroy Williams (drums). B+(**) [cd]

Los Orientales De Paramonga: 1972-1976 (1972-76 [2026], Analog Africa): Peruvian group, from somewhere north of Lima, recorded several albums in this time period. Really nice guitar and percussion. Vocals come and go, over 25 songs (73 minutes). Probably not major, but very pleasant. A− [sp]

Gary Stewart: One Track Mind (1970-73 [2026], Delmore Recording Society): Country singer-songwriter (1944-2003), made a big splash with his 1975 debut album (Out of Hand), which got MCA to finally round up a bunch of older singles and miscellany as You're Not the Woman You Used to Be. The search for his juvenilia continues here, in the label's third collection of "previously unreleased, pre-RCA recordings." Starts strong, in excellent voice, but my mind slides off the track by the end. Recording dates approximate. B+(**) [sp]

Gary Stewart: King of the Honky Tonks Live (1981 [2025], Gary Stewart): Live shot, from near the end of his RCA phase. So lots of familiar songs, a fair alternative to the many best-of compilations RCA has released from the period. B+(**) [sp]

Old Music

Jeff Cosgrove/Scott Robinson/Ken Filiano: Hunters & Scavengers (2018, Grizzley Music): Drums, saxophone, bass, improv aside from "Lonely Woman" at the end. B+(**) [bc]

Jeff Cosgrove/Jeff Lederer/Mark Lysher: Welcome Home (2023, Grizzley Music): Drums, sax/clarinet, and bass, live at Town Run Brewing Company in Shepherdstown, WV. Good free improv. B+(***) [bc]

Jeff Cosgrove/Noam Preminger/Kim Cass: Confusing Motion for Progress (2023, Grizzley Music): Another drums/sax/bass trio. B+(**) [bc]

Pee Wee Erwin: Dr. Jazz Vol. 14 (1952 [2000], Storyville): Trad jazz trumpet player (1913-81), group credits include Benny Goodman, Enoch Light, Frankie Trumbauer, Henry "Red" Allen, Ray Noble, and Tommy Dorsey, as well as various bands he led. Live radio shot, with Gene Cedric (clarinet/tenor sax), Vic Dickenson (trombone), and Morey Feld (drums) listed on the cover, plus Teddy Roy (piano) and John Giuffrida (bass). Fine set. B+(***) [sp]

FunkGASM: Funk's Greatest Hits (1969-86 [1997], Relativity): From the heyday of CD compilations, Christgau mentioned this as "jamful" in a review that picked Rhino's Millennium Funk Party as the one to have. I bought it, and keep it in my travel cases, which is my first resort for something surefire. But Joe Yanosik never fails to track down a side-comment, and pictured this in a recent "listening today" post. It's out of print, of course, but someone assembled a Spotify playlist, so I thought I'd give it a spin. It hit the spot, even with no P-Funk (aside from a late Bootsy), even with groups I didn't recall, or didn't think of as funky. [PS: Also nice that AI nailed down the release dates in just two questions, instead of taking me the better part of the record to track that info down.] A− [sp]

Mary Lee's Corvete: Mary Lee's Corvette (1996, Lenora): Singer-songwriter Mary Lee Kortes, first album, "intended as a promotional sampler," but with 7 songs, 28:40 comes close enough. B+(**) [bc]

Mary Lee's Corvette: True Lovers of Adventure (1999, Wild Pitch): Billed as her/their "first full length album after the eponymous Mary Lee's Corvette 8-song live to two track that got it started for me." Good songs, nice delivery. B+(***) [sp]

Mary Lee's Corvette: Love Loss & Lunacy (2006, Western Force): Fifth (and last) group album, I'm finding them out of order. Good songwriter, doesn't always keep my interest. B+(**) [sp]

Mary Lee's Corvette: Blood on the Tracks: Arlene Grocery, NYC (2001 [2002], Bar/None): Live exercise, song-for-song rendition of Bob Dylan's 1975 album, almost universally acclaimed at the time, after several albums that weren't so beloved — I'd guess you'd have to go back to 1968's John Wesley Harding, and forward to 2001's Love and Theft, to find albums with comparable reputations. Or so I gather. I quickly soured on the album, and hate it to this day — at least as I remember it, but this exceptionally vivid remake brings back the exaggerated vocal tics and general oiliness I always found so annoying. B− [bc]

Mary Lee's Corvette: 700 Miles (2003, Bar/None): Bandcamp lists: "Main band: Mary Lee Kortes, Andy York, Brad Alberta, Joe Chiofalo, Graham Hawthorne. Spotify says 2011, and has the label as Lakeside Lounge. Discogs offers a second 2003 release, on Southbound (UK). B+(**) [sp]

Dolly Parton: Hello, I'm Dolly (1967, Monument): First album, at 21, although she had written hit songs for others (some with her uncle, Bill Owens). The two most emblematic songs were written by others, including the one announcing "this dumb blonde ain't nobody's fool," a point more than clear from the ten songs she did write (six with Owens). B+(***) [sp]

Dolly Parton: Just Because I'm a Woman (1968, RCA): Second solo album, following her first duet album with Porter Wagoner, first on RCA, where her singles produced major best-ofs in 1970 and 1975, starting with the title song here. Fewer of her own songs, but most have gravitas (exception: the gold-digging "I'll Oilwells Love You"). B+(***) [sp]

Dolly Parton: In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) (1969, RCA): Third solo album, half the songs originals, the title cut a modest hit single. The others include a couple covers of big recent hits for others ("Harper Valley PTA," "D-I-V-O-R-C-E"). The latter is superb, but her own "Don't Let It Trouble Your Mind" seems more authentic. B+(***) [sp]

Dolly Parton: My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy (1969, RCA): Fourth solo album, still looking for a hit, which was still a year away with "Muleskinner Blues" (and if that seemed too easy, "Joshua"). Her originals are down to four. Opening with other folks' hits ("In the Ghetto" and "Games People Play") seems a bit unworthy, but she aces them. B+(**) [sp]

Dolly Parton: The Best of Dolly Parton (1967-70 [1970], RCA): None of the singles from her four very solid RCA solo albums produced a top-ten single ("Something Fishy" and "Just Because I'm a Woman" both topped out at 17), but her non-album "Mule Skinner Blues" hit number 3, so the label celebrated by including it as bait here, along with a previously unreleased "How Great Thou Art" to rope in the holy rollers, 10 songs in total. The quickie product went gold, setting her up for the better-charting singles to come, again summed up in 1975's The Best of Dolly Parton. A- [sp]

PLRLS: Your Situation (2015, Amalgamated Widget): Baltimore group, first album (after a 2012 EP), 9 songs, 26:54, album cover spells out "Plurals," established their sound here, with mixed male/female vocals, and dreams of hits. B+(***) [sp]

PLRLS: Have You Seen My Fancy Pony? (2017, Amalgamated Widget): Second album. Credits: Bowen, Fox, Glass, Pumphrey, Wilson. Sounds like they're down a female voice. 10 songs, 29:57. B+(*) [sp]

PLRLS: Curses (2018-21 [2023], Amalgamated Widget): Third album, from multiple sessions. A little scattered, but the energy is high. B+(**) [sp]

Riverside Jazz Collective: Stomp Off, Let's Go! (2018, self-released): New Orleans trad jazz group, seems to have been a one-off, as even Bandcamp doesn't offer more. Benny Amon (drums), Alex Belhaj (guitar), and Kris Tokarski (piano) seem to be the leaders, but the only other player I recall is trombonist Charlie Halloran. Several members take vocals (Belhaj twice). A superb set. A− [bc]

The Rolling Stones: Welcome to Shepherd's Bush (1999 [2024], Mercury): Live album from the "No Security Tour," which was itself built around a live album (an album I didn't even put in my database after Christgau dud-bombed it; it was evidently meant to recover from Bridges to Babylon). 19 songs, 85 minutes, no surprises, some as good as ever, some just part of the show. B+(**) [sp]

Ringo Starr: Sentimental Journey (1970, Capitol): Ex-Beatles drummer, clearly adrift after the band broke up, with the three geniuses off doing their solo projects, sings a dozen moldy standards, backed by anonymous orchestras with bits of banjo and organ. Christgau explains: "reports that he did this collection of standards for his Mums are obviously true". It's the sort of thing one does 20 years down the road, when you're stuck. Trying to reframe it as such does help, but even so: if the best one can hope for is camp, what if you can't even do that? C [sp]

Ringo Starr: Beaucoups of Blues (1970, Capitol): Second solo album, recorded in Nashville by Scotty Moore, with pedal steel guitarist Pete Drake producing. I don't doubt that Ringo loves his country music, but it doesn't exactly love him back. B− [sp]

Ringo Starr: Ringo (1973, Capitol): After two quick and flimsy albums, he took a bit of time to put together something a bit more substantial. For starters, he wrote some songs, and he got some help from his friends (John, Paul, George, and Randy Newman). Richard Perry produced, and I recognize at least two dozen names on the credit sheet. Some songs I like here, especially "Photograph" and "Oh My My." The CD bonus tracks are also a plus, especially the non-album single "It Don't Come Easy." B+(**) [sp]

Tipps and Obermiller: Love (And Other Mysteries) (2023, self-released): Hilary and Steve, married for a decade before they started writing songs together, so by the time of this debut album, they have seasoned reflections to share, like: "I don't care where we're going, I'm along for the ride." Good songwriting, harmonies, leads (mostly hers). Choice cuts: "These Hands," "Trouble in Mind." B+(***) [sp]

Tipps and Obermiller: MacGuffin (2024, self-released): Second album, cover provides a dictionary definition for the title: "an object that solely exists as a reason for a story to move forward." Shows their literary smarts, but also that they weren't clear where to go next. B+(**) [sp]

Twisted Teens: Twisted Teens (2024 [2025], Chain Smoking): New Orleans-based post-punk group, first album, looks like the initial releases were on cassette, first in Germany then in the US before other labels got involved. 11 songs, 32:08. I was expecting something tighter and grimmer, but instead they remind me of the Dead Milkmen. B+(***) [sp]

Limited Sampling

Records I played parts of, but not enough to grade: -- means no interest, - not bad but not a prospect, + some chance, ++ likely prospect.

Grade (or other) Changes

Sometimes further listening leads me to change an initial grade, usually either because I move on to a real copy, or because someone else's review or list makes me want to check it again. Also some old albums extracted from further listening:

Emperor X: Unified Field (2026, Bar/None): Singer-songwriter Chad Metheny, albums since 1998, first one I really noticed was Western Teleport (2011). First pass through I complained that I didn't get much, but I had to give it another shot, especially after Michael Tatum raved about it (adding that he had seen them live, which was "transcendent"). Three, maybe four, plays later, and I'm getting if anything too much. I jotted down some lines: "praise Jesus, hail Reagan"; "I'd like to burn it down, but I'm not dumb"; "the market's not good, the market's not evil"; "you're so mad, what are you going to do about it?" Of course, you'll need more for context. But what I'm left with is a sense of so much anger. Also a songwriter who knows the difference between gallium and lithium. And, since I'm more into sound than words, this only gets sharper. I doubt I'll ever love this album, but it's hard to deny. [was B+(**)] A− [sp]

Ratboys: Singin' to an Empty Chair (2026, New West): Chicago indie rock band, Julia Steiner the singer, guitarist David Sagan the other principal, sixth studio album since 2015. Sounded fine when I gave it an initial play, but evidently not much of a listen. [was: B+(**)] A− [sp]

Rechecked with no grade change:

Additional Consumer News:

Grades on artists in the old music section.

Music Weeks

Music: Current count 36534 [36534] rated (+0), 149 [149] unrated (+0).

Excerpts from this month's Music Week posts:

Notes

Sources noted as follows:

• [cd] based on physical cd
• [cdr] based on an advance or promo cd or cdr
• [lp] based on physical lp (vinyl)
• [dvd] based on physical dvd (rated more for music than video)
• [bc] available at bandcamp.com
• [r] available at napster.com (formerly Rhapsody)
• [sc] available at soundcloud.com
• [sp] available at spotify.com
• [yt] available at youtube.com
• [os] some other stream source
• [dl] something I was able to download from the web; may be freely available, may be a bootleg someone made available, or may be a publicist promo

Grades are probably self-explanatory, aside from B+, which is subdivided 1-2-3 stars, because most records that come my way are pretty good, but they're not all that good.