#^d 2016-05-02
#^h Music Week
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<tr><td><img src="/ocston/img/cds/haggard-swinging.jpg"></td></tr>
<tr><td><img src="/ocston/img/cds/haggard-lonesome.jpg"></td></tr>
<tr><td><img src="/ocston/img/cds/haggard-pride.jpg"></td></tr>
<tr><td><img src="/ocston/img/cds/haggard-30th.jpg"></td></tr>
<tr><td><img src="/ocston/img/cds/haggard-nowhere.jpg"></td></tr>
<tr><td><img src="/ocston/img/cds/tacocat-lost.jpg"></td></tr>
</table>

<p>Music: Current count 26594 [26541] rated (+53), 422 [413] unrated (+9).</p>

<p>Spent first half of last week wrapping up the
<a href="/ocston/arch/rhap/rh1604-1.php">April Rhapsody Streamnotes</a>
column. One thing I did there was to compile a list of A/A- records in
my database by the recently departed Merle Haggard and Prince. I noted
that I was unable to use Rhapsody to fill in holes in my listings.
Indeed, it appears that Rhapsody has none of Prince's albums online.
However, I spoke too hastily regarding Haggard. Rhapsody's store is
badly organized, and the old Capitol albums have reissue dates so it's
not immediately clear what the chronological order is. But I finally
went back and sorted that out, and blitzed through as much back catalog
as I could find. The result is that the rated count this week exploded.
Old country LPs are short, and I worked fast, rarely bothering with a
second spin.</p>

<p>Also helped the record count that various aches and pains kept me
from working on my sister's house all week. Not sure how much more
Haggard there is to find -- none of the 1990s Curb albums are online,
and I'm still missing <i>Sing Me Back Home</i> (1968), <i>I Love Dixie
Blues</i> (1973), <i>I'm Always on a Mountain When I Fall</i> (1978),
<i>The Epic Collection (Recorded Live)</i> (1983), duets with Bonnie
Owens (1966) and Leona Williams (1983), the Strangers' instrumental
albums (1969-73), scattered compilations, and bootlegs I don't care
to get into. Still, this trawl doubled the number of Haggard albums
in my database.</p>

<p>I also added Haggard's <i>Songs I'll Always Sing</i> (1965-74 [1977],
Capitol) to my A-list. The 2-LP compilation was one of the first tastes
I had of Haggard, and I thought it was definitive until the 1990 CDs
came out (<i>Capitol Collectors' Series</i>, Rhino's <i>More of the
Best</i>). Sometimes I'm reminded of an album that should have been in
my LP-era database but I somehow missed -- I don't recall when I started
keeping the list, but it was just a memory aid before 2000 or so when
I started to take it more seriously.</p>

<p><hr class="brk"></p>

<p><b>Recommended music links:</b></p>

<p>For some reason, Mikal Gilmore's excellent <i>Rolling Stone</i> piece
on Merle Haggard, "The Outlaw," doesn't appear to be online.</p>

<p>Some recommended pieces I did find:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/inside-merle-haggards-last-decade-20160420">
Jason Fine: Inside Merle Haggard's Final Years</a></li>
<li><a href="http://nodepression.com/article/talking-david-cantwell-about-merle-haggard">
Talking with David Cantwell about Merle Haggard</a></li>
<li><a href="http://noisey.vice.com/blog/1999-to-infinity-robert-christgau-remembers-prince">
'1999' to Infinity: Robert Christgau Remembers Prince</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/magazine-feature/7348527/prince-tribute-greatest-musical-talent-of-his-generation">
Tom Carson: Remembering Prince: The Greatest Musical Talent of His Generation</a></li>
</ul>

<p><hr class="brk"></p>

<p><b>New records rated this week:</b></p>

<ul>
<li><b>Cyrille Aimée: <i>Let's Get Lost</i></b> (2016, Mack Avenue): [r]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Katy B: <i>Honey</i></b> (2016, Virgin EMI): [r]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>Bill Charlap Trio: <i>Notes From New York</i></b> (2015 [2016], Impulse): [r]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Rob Clearfield: <i>Islands</i></b> (2016, Ears &amp; Eyes): [cd]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Jeremy Cunningham Quartet: <i>Re: Dawn (From Far)</i></b> (2016, Ears &amp; Eyes): [cd]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Orrin Evans: <i>The Evolution of Oneself</i></b> (2014 [2015], Smoke Sessions): [r]: <b>B+(***)</b></li>
<li><b>Nick Fraser: <i>Starer</i></b> (2015 [2016], self-released): [cd]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>GoGo Penguin: <i>Man Made Object</i></b> (2015 [2016], Blue Note): [r]: <b>B+(***)</b></li>
<li><b>Sari Kessler: <i>Do Right</i></b> (2016, Ruby Street Music): [cd]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Gary Lucas' Fleischerei: <i>Music From Max Fleischer Cartoons</i></b> (2015 [2016], Cuneiform): [dl]: <b>A-</b></li>
<li><b>The Tony Lustig Quintet: <i>Taking Flight</i></b> (2016, Bimperl): [cd]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>Adam Meckler Quintet: <i>Wonder</i></b> (2015 [2016], Shifting Paradigm): [cd]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>Scott Neumann/Tom Christensen: <i>Spin Cycle</i></b> (2015 [2016], Sound Footing): [cd]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Renee Rosnes: <i>Written in the Rocks</i></b> (2015 [2016], Smoke Sessions): [r]: <b>B</b></li>
<li><b>Kendrick Scott Oracle: <i>We Are the Drum</i></b> (2015, Blue Note): [r]: <b>B</b></li>
<li><b>Nana Simopoulos: <i>Skins</i></b> (2016, Na): [cd]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
</ul>

<p><b>Old music rated this week:</b></p>

<ul>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>Strangers</i></b> (1965, Capitol): [r]: <b>B+(***)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>Swinging Doors and the Bottle Let Me Down</i></b> (1966, Capitol): [r]: <b>A-</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>I'm a Lonesome Fugitive</i></b> (1967, Capitol): [r]: <b>A-</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>Branded Man</i></b> (1967, Capitol): [r]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>The Legend of Bonnie &amp; Clyde</i></b> (1968, Capitol): [r]: <b>B</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>Mama Tried</i></b> (1968, Capitol): [r]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>Okie From Muskogee</i></b> (1969, Capitol): [r]: <b>B</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>Pride in What I Am</i></b> (1969, Capitol): [r]: <b>A-</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>A Portrait of Merle Haggard</i></b> (1969, Capitol): [r]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>The Fightin' Side of Me</i></b> (1970, Capitol): [r]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>Hag</i></b> (1971, Capitol): [r]: <b>B+(***)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>Someday We'll Look Back</i></b> (1971, Capitol): [r]: <b>B+(***)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>Let Me Tell You About a Song</i></b> (1972, Capitol): <b>B+(***)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>It's Not Love (But It's Not Bad)</i></b> (1972, Capitol): [r]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>Vintage Collections</i></b> (1965-72 [1996], Capitol): [r]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>If We Make It Through December</i></b> (1974, Capitol): [r]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>Merle Haggard Presents His 30th Album</i></b> (1974, Capitol): [r]: <b>A-</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>Keep Movin' On</i></b> (1975, Capitol): [r]: <b>B</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>It's All in the Movies</i></b> (1976, Capitol): [r]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>My Love Affair With Trains</i></b> (1976, Capitol): [r]: <b>B</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>The Roots of My Raising</i></b> (1976, Capitol): [r]: <b>B+(***)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and the Strangers: <i>A Working Man Can't Get Nowhere Today</i></b> (1977, Capitol): [r]: <b>A-</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>Ramblin' Fever</i></b> (1977, MCA): [r]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>My Farewell to Elvis</i></b> (1977, MCA): [r]: <b>B-</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>The Way I Am</i></b> (1980, MCA): [r]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>Back to the Barrooms</i></b> (1980, MCA): [r]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>Rainbow Stew: Live at Anaheim Stadium</i></b> (1980 [1981], MCA): [r]: <b>B+(***)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>Big City</i></b> (1981, Epic): [r]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard and George Jones: <i>A Taste of Yesterday's Wine</i></b> (1982, Epic): [r]: <b>B</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>Going Where the Lonely Go</i></b> (1982, Epic): [r]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>That's the Way Love Goes</i></b> (1983, Epic): [r]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>It's All in the Game</i></b> (1984, Epic): [r]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>Kern River</i></b> (1985, Epic): [r]: <b>B+(*)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>Amber Waves of Grain</i></b> (1985, Epic): [r]: <b>B-</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>A Friend in California</i></b> (1986, Epic): [r]: <b>B+(**)</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>Out Among the Stars</i></b> (1986, Epic): [r]: <b>B</b></li>
<li><b>Merle Haggard: <i>5:01 Blues</i></b> (1989, Epic): [r]: <b>B-</b></li>
</ul>

<p><hr class="brk"></p>

<p><b>Grade changes:</b></p>

<ul>
<li><b>Prince and the Revolution: <i>Parade</i></b> (1986, Warner Brothers): [lp]: [was: B+] <b>A-</b></li>
<li><b>Tacocat: <i>Lost Time</i></b> (2016, Hardly Art): [r]: [was B+(***)] <b>A-</b></li>
</ul>

<p><hr class="brk"></p>

<p><b>Unpacking:</b> Found in the mail last week:</p>

<ul>
<li><b>Jane Ira Bloom: <i>Early Americans</i></b> (Outline): May 13</li>
<li><b>Mike Bogle Trio: <i>Live at Stoney's</i></b> (MBP/Groove): May 6</li>
<li><b>Etienne Charles: <i>San Jose Suite</i></b> (Culture Shock): advance, June 10</li>
<li><b>Rhys Chatham: <i>Pythagorean Dream</i></b> (Foom)</li>
<li><b>Gunwale [Dave Rempis/Albert Wildeman/Ryan Packard]: <i>Polynya</i></b> (Aerophonic): June 21</li>
<li><b>Barry Guy: <i>The Blue Shroud</i></b> (Intakt): advance, May 25</li>
<li><b>Naftule's Dream: <i>Blood</i></b> (self-released)</li>
<li><b>Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp: <i>Corpo</i></b> (Leo): May 20</li>
<li><b>Ivo Perelman: <i>Soul</i></b> (Leo): May 20</li>
<li><b>Ivo Perelman/Karl Berger: <i>The Hitchhiker</i></b> (Leo): May 20</li>
<li><b>Ivo Perelman/Joe Morris: <i>Blue</i></b> (Leo): May 20</li>
<li><b>Ivo Perelman: <i>Breaking Point</i></b> (Leo): May 20</li>
<li><b>Dave Rempis/Joshua Abrams/Avreeayl Ra + Jim Baker: <i>Periheleon</i></b> (Aerophonic, 2CD): June 21</li>
<li><b>Ron Stabinsky: <i>Free for One</i></b> (Hot Cup): June 10</li>
<li><b>Matt Wilson's Big Happy Family: <i>Beginning of a Memory</i></b> (Palmetto): May 27</li>
</ul>