Monday, January 29, 2018

Music Week

Music: Current count 29253 [29219] rated (+34), 378 [373] unrated (+5).

Ran out of time again, so I'll have to let the lists speak for themselves. The reviews will show up in Streamnotes later this week/month, so I probably mean Wednesday, although I'm not sure how I'll manage that either. My mother's birthday -- she would have been 105 -- I usually mark the day with some home cooking (or Chinese, which is most of what we ate together in 2000). But I'm likely to take a break this year and go out for some inferior fried chicken. (I can match hers, but for some reason Strouds can't.)

Wednesday is also the likely freeze date for my 2017 list. Seems too early, partly because I didn't get much closure from the Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll. Some hope they will eventually manage to post the ballots, but I'm informed their web platform change made that difficult. Nothing on Glenn McDonald's site either, so they've probably frozen him out -- I have little doubt that if he had the data it'd be up now. Still, I noticed a few more pieces dribbling out at the Voice. Here's what I know about so far:

After a long hiatus, I did manage to make a bit of progress on the jazz guides. Up to Adam Schroeder in the Jazz '00s file, 80% (minus the groups which I've been collecting for later), bringing the 21st Century guide to 1351 pages. Still, progress is erratic, and I wouldn't bet on much soon.

As I said, no time left to comment, but I will note that one album I initially graded B+(***) based on a download but bumped up after the publicist sent a CDR. Doesn't happen often, but sometimes extra plays do help (at least if the record is good to start with).

New records rated this week:

  • Cardi B: Gangsta Bitch Music Vol. 1 (2016, KSR): [r]: B+(**)
  • Cardi B: Gangsta Bitch Music Vol. 2 (2017, KSR): [r]: B+(*)
  • Stefano Battaglia: Pelagos (2016 [2017], ECM): [r]: B+(**)
  • Beck: Colors (2017, Capitol): [r]: B
  • Dave Bennett: Blood Moon (2017, Mack Avenue): [r]: B+(**)
  • Bibio: Phantom Brickworks (2017, Warp): [r]: B
  • Bicep: Bicep (2017, Ninja Tune): [r]: B+(**)
  • Raoul Björkenheim Triad: Beyond (2016 [2017], Eclipse): [r]: B+(**)
  • The Clientele: Music for the Age of Miracles (2017, Merge): [r]: B+(***)
  • The Courtneys: II (2017, Flying Nun): [r]: B+(**)
  • Charlotte Gainsbourg: Rest (2017, Because Music): [r]: B+(**)
  • EMA: Exile in the Outer Ring (2017, City Slang): [r]: B+(**)
  • Peter Evans/Agustí Fernández/Mats Gustafsson: A Quietness of Water (2012 [2017], Not Two): [r]: B+(*)
  • Mary Gauthier: Rifles & Rosary Beads (2018, In the Black): [r]: B+(***)
  • Nona Hendryx & Gary Lucas: The World of Captain Beefheart (2017, Knitting Factory): [r]: A-
  • Robyn Hitchcock: Robyn Hitchcock (2017, Yep Roc): [r]: B+(*)
  • Ibeyi: Ash (2017, XL): [r]: B+(*)
  • Ted Leo: The Hanged Man (2017, SuperEgo): [r]: B
  • Aimee Mann: Mental Illness (2017, SuperEgo): [r]: B+(*)
  • The Ed Palermo Big Band: The Adventures of Zodd Zundgren (2017 [2018], Cuneiform): [cdr]: C+
  • Leslie Pintchik: You Eat My Food, You Drink My Wine, You Steal My Girl! (2018, Pintch Hard): [cd]: B+(**)
  • Christian Sands: Reach (2017, Mack Avenue): [r]: B+(**)
  • Rev. Sekou: In Times Like These (2017, Zent): [r]: B-
  • Siama: Rivers From the Congo to the Mississippi (2016, Siama Music): [r]: B+(**)
  • Harry Styles: Harry Styles (2017, Columbia): [r]: B
  • Kevin Sun: Trio (2017 [2018], Ectomorph Music): [cd]: A-
  • Steve Swell: Music for Six Musicians: Hommage Ā Olivier Messiaen (2017, Silkheart): [cd]: B+(***)
  • Zola Jesus: Okovi (2017, Sacred Bones): [r]: B

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

  • Kenny Burrell: A Generation Ago Today (1966-67 [2018], Verve): [r]: B+(*)
  • The Replacements: For Sale: Live at Maxwell's 1986 (1986 [2017], Rhino, 2CD): [r]: B+(**)
  • Buddy Terry: Awareness (1971 [2017], Wewantsounds): [r]: B+(**)

Old music rated this week:

  • Fast 'N' Bulbous: Waxed Oop (An Impetuous Stream Bubbled Up) (2009, Cuneiform): [bc]: A-
  • The Replacements: All Shook Down (1990, Sire): [r]: B+(*)
  • The Replacements: All for Nothing/Nothing for All (1985-90 [1997], Reprise, 2CD): [r]: B+(***)

Grade (or other) changes:

  • Raoul Björkenheim Ecstasy: Doors of Perception (2017, Cuneiform): [cdr]: was B+(***) A-

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

  • Louise Baranger: Louise Baranger Plays the Great American Groove Book (Summit)
  • Sarah Buechi: Contradiction of Happiness (Intakt): February 16
  • Kaze: Atody Man (Libra)
  • Daniel Levin/Chris Pitsiokos/Brandon Seabrook: Stomiidae (Dark Tree)
  • \\livingfossil//: Never Die! (self-released): February 2
  • Evan Parker/Barry Guy/Paul Lytton: Music for David Mossman: Live at Vortex London (Intakt): February 16
  • Samo Salamon/Howard Levy: Peaks of Light (Sazas)
  • Dolores Scozzesi: Here Comes the Sun (Café Pacific): March 1
  • Mike Vax & Ron Romm: Collaboration (Summit)

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