Streamnotes: September 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 August 29. Past reviews and more information are available here (26500+ records).

New Music

Nicki Adams and Michael Eaton Featuring Francisco Mela: Arrival (2024 [2026], J-man): Pianist, from Arizona, based in Brooklyn, has a previous duo album with Patrick Adams (trumpet, probably related), and a couple albums with saxophonist Eaton (tenor/soprano). Modern postbop, originals by Adams (2) and Eaton (3), with covers of Cole Porter, Andrew Hill, Wayne Shorter, and Thom Yorke. The drummer just makes the others sound better. B+(***) [cd]

Agriculture: The Spiritual Sound (2025, The Flenser): Black metal (blackgaze) band from Los Angeles, second album, holds the dubious distinction of being the highest-rated unheard album in my 2025 EOY Aggregate, so I don't expect much. As metal goes, this has its tolerable moments. But as metal goes, I don't much care. B [sp]

Amyl and the Sniffers: Truth or Consequence: Live From El Coyote (2025 [2026], Rough Trade): Australian post-punk group, three good albums since 2019, but not like I remember songs and such. Sounds a bit flat, takes a while to get in gear, typical of live rock albums. B+(*) [sp]

Willow Avalon: Pink Pocket Pistol (2026, Assemble Sound/Atlantic): Country singer-songwriter, last name Martin, from Georgia, second album, first was called Southern Belle Raising Hell. Voice seems weak, but comes up with several interesting songs, including one about disposing of a dead husband. B+(**) [sp]

Erykah Badu & the Alchemist: Before the World Blows (2026, Control Freaq/Young): Neo-soul singer-songwriter, five hit albums 1997-2010, mixtape in 2015, returns with hip-hop producer Alan Maman. Not much of a departure until late, when the rappers (Westside Gunn, Earl Sweatshirt) and Kamasi Washington appear. B+(*) [sp]

Kimmi Bitter: Bittersweet (2026, self-released): Country singer-songwriter, second album, "produced and co-written by throwback wizard Michael Gurley," loves 1960s countrypolitan, even the strings, but also mixes in some steel and surf guitar, harmonica or Tijuana brass. Doesn't quite hold my attention to the end, but opens with a near-perfect Pasty Cline impression, followed by one that tops Marty Robbins. B+(***) [sp]

Christer Bothén/Oren Ambarchi/Johan Berthling/Andreas Werliin: Serpentine (2023 [2026], Black Truffle): The leader, 82 at the time, plays bass clarinet and donso n'goni, accompanied by guitar, bass, and drums. Shades into ambient. 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]

Greg Chako: Hard Bop for the Record (2026, Mint400): Guitarist, Discogs lists 9 albums, starting in 1996. All originals, quintet with Brooks Giles (tenor/soprano sax), Spencer Merk (trombone), bass, and drums, recorded in Cincinnati. More what I'd consider postbop. B [cd]

Rasheed Chappell: No Era for Margins (2026, Perfect Time): New York rapper, debut 2011, regular albums since 2019, solid and steady through rough waters. B+(**) [sp]

Corook: How Do I Relate to You? (2026, Atlantic, EP): Singer-songwriter, writes and sings odd but catchy ditties, has an album, some EPs, a Best of Coroook (So Far) where may be the first one in rock history where the "(So Far)" didn't turn into a tombstone. Six songs, 17:43. B+(**) [sp]

Liz Cracchiolo: Just a Girl I'm a Woman (2025 [2026], Pacific Coast Jazz): Jazz singer, standards, loosely speaking ("These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," "Tainted Love"). Benny Benack (trumpet/vocals) joins in, with Erica von Kleist on alto sax/flute, and various others. B+(**) [cd] [09-18]

Zaccai Curtis: Sonoluminescence Vol. 1 (2026, TRRCollective): Pianist, born in New York City, has several albums since 2000, some as Curtis Brothers Band with brother Luques Curtis (bass, 4 tracks here, the other 4 with Mike Boone). Plays some electric here, and takes a vocal. With Joe Dyson (drums, Craig Handy (strong tenor sax, some flute), Brevan Hampden (congas & percussion), and a couple of guest spots. B+(***) [sp]

Czarface/Frankie Pulitzer: Czarface Meets Frankie Pulitzer (2026, Silver Age): Hip-hop duo of 7L and Esoteric, from Boston, started 2001, recorded their superhero comic spoof Czarface in 2013 with Inspectah Deck (from Wu-Tang Clan) and kept the trio going for another dozen albums, with occasional guests (most notably MF Doom). Pulitzer is an English rapper, long-time Wu-Tang fan, jiu-jitsu master, and actor, better known as Tom Hardy — although he has a long list of movie credits, I recall him mostly from intense roles in the TV series Taboo and Peaky Blinders. I've always loved the mix, and try not to sweat the lyrics, although I did jot down, "I don't even take a pee without monetizing the streams." Doesn't that suggest some level of celebrity behind the masks? B+(***) [sp]

Echo Party: Who Does Not Seek the Sky? (2025 [2026], Mahakala Music): Quintet, recorded in Memphis, last names on the cover: Chad Fowler (flute/stritch), Art Edmaiston (tenor/soprano sax), Alex Greene (keyboards), Khari Wynn (bass), Steve Hirsh (drums). Edmaiston has a lot of studio work, mostly on blues albums, but this is kaleidoscopic free jazz, even more so than his earlier album with Fowler this year. B+(***) [bc]

Fatboi Sharif & Elucid: Invasion Body Camera (2026, Fused Arrow, EP): Rapper from NJ, several albums since 2021, along with a rapper/producer from Queens, a member of Armand Hammer. One track, 11:50. B+(*) [sp]

Fatboi Sharif & Child Actor: Crayola Circles (2026, Backwoodz Studioz): NJ rapper with producer Max Heath. Longer, even slower. B [sp]

Fatboi Sharif & Roper Williams: Goth Girl on the Enterprise (2025, POW/Fused Arrow, EP): NJ rapper, slo-mo aiming at horror show creepy, with producer, several previous releases together. 8 songs, 12:35. B [bc]

FLO: Therapy at the Club (2026, EMI): British neo-soul vocal trio (Stella Quaresma, Jorja Douglas, Renée Downer), second album after a couple of EPs, both UK hits, barely charted in US. Pretty upbeat. B+(***) [sp]

Sullivan Fortner: Leave That in There (2026, Artwork): Pianist, from New Orleans, seems like he's only recently emerged as a major player, but his debut was 2015, on Verve, and Discogs lists 78 performance credits since 2005 (he's 39). Trio with Tyrone Allen II (bass) and Kayvon Gordon (drums). Impresses first with clever rhythms. Winds up for some reason on organ, with some chorus. A talent, for sure, but never quite connects for me. B+(**) [sp]

Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin: Second Attempt (2026, Libra): The third of five big band albums coming out in quick succession this year, the first an older tape from 2014, this like the second from earlier this year. Starts a bit slow, but finishes with a strong vocal eruption. B+(***) [cd]

Eric Harland: Vipassana II (2026, Ropeadope): Drummer, lots of side credits since 2002, his own albums mostly credited to Eric Harland Voyager, including Vipassana (2014), but this just under his own name. Some fusion — keyboards, guitar, bass — but the percussion (Keita Ogawa as well as Harland) is fancier, and Ben Wendel plays some tenor sax. B+(*) [sp]

Stefon Harris + Blackout: Legacy Dances (2024 [2026], Motéma): Vibraphonist, debut on Blue Note 1998, three previous group albums from 2004, cover here says "feat. Casey Benjamin," the saxophonist (alto/soprano) and vocalist who died shortly after this was recorded. Opens with a "What a Wonderful World," and closes with a spoken word piece called "We Are an African People." Both seem a bit off. B [sp]

Julia Holter: Materia (2026, Domino): Art pop singer-songwriter, self-released albums start in 2007, got some attention on RVNG in 2012 and more on Domino since 2013. Nice enough, but she's never clicked for me. B [sp]

Inpatient: Asylum (2026, Sick Boi/EighthHD): Joint project of rappers Ren Gill and Chris Webby with producer JP On Da Track. Ren seems to have more medical/mental history than discography, but has two good albums that I've heard; from Connecticut, Webby (Webster) has an analogous history, and an edge in mixtapes, and a freestyle flow that draws on Eminem. Producer has worked with Mike., as well as Webby. First couple tracks reminded me of Manu Chao for the ease with which they straddle genres, but they don't settle there, or anywhere else, and get heavier. Grim medicine: "gotta crack some eggs to make this muiltimillion dollar omelet. . . . for the science to prevail, gotta live with the losses." Or "don't forget to medicate; it's a sick sick sick world, but I feel great." Or "nothing left that we could say, 'cause it looks like we're fucked either way." A− [sp]

Braxton Keith: Real Damn Deal (2026, Warner Nashville): Country singer, from Midland TX, first album, co-wrote most of his songs, pretty trad sounding. Seems likely to do well in Nashville. B+(*) [sp]

L'Rain: Fata Morgana (2026, Mexican Summer): Singer-songwriter Taja Cheek, from Brooklyn, fourth album since 2017, usually described as experimental pop or neo-psychedelia, neither of which is much of a description. Sounds more ambient to me, but I'm probably missing something. Title refers to a kind of mirage. B [sp]

Frank London/Loisada Fife & Drum Corps: Touzle Your Kurchy (2026, Adhyâropa): Trumpet player, has played in Klezmer groups like Hasidic New Wave and the Klezmatics as well as in jazz. Fife & drum music has long been associated with the military, especially around the time of the US Revolutionary War, although they also bear some resemblance to New Orleans funeral marches (where a little brass is always welcome). A throwback, and sort of a novelty. B+(**) [sp]

Mama's Broke: Reunion (2026, Free Dirt): Folk duo from Nova Scotia, Amy Lou Keeler and Lisa Maria, third album since 2017, a little down and out. B+(*) [sp]

Ami Molinelli: Raízes Do Choro E Samba (2026, Amimo): Brazilian "roots" music, from a San Francisco-based percussionist. Sounds very classic, with several nice vocals. B+(***) [cd]

Orquesta Akokán: América! (2026, Daptone): Cuban-American mambo band, fourth album since 2018. The problem with retro is that unless you're really sharp on the details, it can just sound old. B+(*) [sp]

Nino Paid: Somewhere Over the Rainbow (2026, Signal/Columbia): Rapper Jacquan Andrews, from the DC suburbs in Maryland, third album. Understated gangsta, not the worst option. B+(**) [sp]

Carly Pearce: Honest Woman (2026, Stoney Creek): Country singer-songwriter, from Kentucky, fifth album since 2017, another good batch of songs. B+(***) [sp]

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]

Punkt.Vrt.Plastik: Kompress (2026, Intakt): Trio of Kaja Draksler (piano), Petter Eldh (bass), and Christian Lillinger (drums), fourth group album since 2016, merges words from their three languages, squeezing out the space meant to signify their increasing tightness. B+(**) [sp]

Quagmire & Christer Bothén: Rörane (2026, Relative Pitch): The former is a Swedish trio of Nina De Heney (bass), Karin Johansson (piano, some prepared, and zither), and Kenrik Wartel (drums), joined by the 85-year-old clarinetist (on bass and contrabass). B+(**) [sp]

Andrew Sa: American Rough (2026, Bloodshot): Singer-songwriter, based in Chicago, "courageously subverts the heteronormative traditions of country music," where "country" is some kind of merger of Patsy Cline and Roy Orbison. B+(*) [sp]

Sweet Pill: There's Still a Glow (2026, Hopeless): Philadelphia-based emo band, Zayna Youssef the singer, Jayce williams (guitar) also continuous from the band's 2018 founding. Second album, following a 2022 debut and a 2019 EP. B+(*) [sp]

Ayumi Tanaka/Thomas Morgan/Thomas Strønen: Windflower (2025 [2026], ECM): Japanese pianist, based in Norway since 2011 (when she was 25), has several albums since 2016, this a trio with bass and drums. B+(**) [sp]

Saul Williams: Leap Life (2026, Big Dada): Poet, spoken word artist, was featured in the 1998 film Slam, has recorded albums since 2001, including collaborations with musicians like Trent Reznor, DJ Krust, David Murray, and Carlos Niño. He's never quite grabbed me (unlike Anthony Joseph, or Gil Scott-Heron), and this seems to meander much. B+(**) [sp]

Charlie Worsham: Once Upon a Second Time Around (2026, ONErpm): Country singer-songwriter, from Mississippi to Berklee to Nashville, third album, after two 2013-17 Warners albums. Since then he's been a journeyman guitarist, but seems to have picked up some tricks, and considerable trad feel. B+(***) [sp]

Recent Reissues, Compilations, Vault Discoveries

The Cramps: Gravest Gravy (1977 [2026], Vengeance): One of the lesser bands to inhabit the CBGB's scene in mid-1970s New York City, I must have seen them 3-5 times, always opening for other groups, usually with Robert Christgau, who didn't think much of them. I wasn't much impressed either, but they finally made a record (Songs the Lord Taught Us) in 1980, and kept at it until singer Lux Interior (Erick Lee Purkhiser) died in 2009. His partner was guitarist Poison Ivy [Rorschach] (Kristy Wallace), who co-wrote the songs but didn't sing much. These were leftovers from the Alex Chilton-produced EP Gravest Hits, 5 originals and 7 covers (most obviously "Hungry" and "Rocket in My Pocket"). Unlike other CBGB's bands, they never sounded like the future. But nearly 50 years later, they're safely retro. They even have a genre tag: psychobilly. B+(**) [sp]

Junglist! Old Skool Ragga, D&B, Jungle 1993-95 (1993-95 [2026], Soul Jazz): I'm more familiar with ragga, which seemed to be the logical progression as the dance grooves of reggae, hardened and intensified through dub, dancehall, and dubstep, with ragga itself transitional to the more UK-dominant forms of jungle, drum and bass and grime. This catches a fairly narrow moment, and never lets up. A− [sp]

Old Music

Nicki Adams & Michael Eaton: Paraphrase (2021 [2022], SteepleCase LookOut): Piano and tenor sax duo, their first album, Adams had a previous duo album with trumpet, Eaton a couple previous albums to 2014. Originals by Adams (1) and Eaton (3), plus covers of Shorter, Monk, Coltrane, and Tim Hagans. While I didn't notice the drummer on the new one, I miss him here. B+(**) [sp]

Cátia De França: 20 Palavras Ao Redor Do Sol (1979, Epic): Brazilian singer-songwriter, from Paraiba in the Northeast, first album, of eight through 2024. Rhythm is strong, bits of accordion and violin add a distinctive texture. A− [sp]

Novos Baianos: Acabou Chorare (1972, Som Livre): Brazilian group, from Salvador — Bahia, in the northeast, home of forró, although experts say "samba rock" or "tropicalia." Second album (of 8 from 1970-78), tabbed by Rolling Stone Brasil in 2007 as tops among the "100 greatest Brazilian music records." Not much I've heard (or remember) on that list, but this is not just nice but pretty great. A− [sp]

The Rough Guide to Bachata (1993-2005 [2009], World Music Network): A genre of popular dance music from the Dominican Republic, started in the 1960s in the impoverished countryside, so less classy than the nationalized merengue, a distinction that escapes me — especially as what little I know has come from other Rough Guides: Merengue, Merengue Dance, and Merengue and Bachata. B+(***) [sp]

Rumble in the Jungle (1991-95 [2007], Soul Jazz): Earlier compilation of the UK jungle scene, captures the intensity of the beats as they drive out the sheer humanity of classic reggae. 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:

Barcelona Art Orchestra & Miguel Zenón: Expressions: Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra (2025 [2026], Miel Music): Barcelona-based group, has at least one previous album, led by Néstor Giménez (piano), Lluc Casares (tenor sax), Joan Vidal (drums), and Lluis Vidal (piano), each composing a section here, featuring the alto saxophonist. The strings not really my thing, but the extra play helped. [was: B+(*)]: B+(**) [cd]

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.