Monday, October 13, 2025

Music Week

October archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 45001 [44977] rated (+24), 29 [29] unrated (+0).

Week is a day short, but the rated drop is mostly because I haven't been paying much attention. Indeed, I'm surprise the drop isn't worse, but I've lost track of time. Last Monday we had insurance out to look at the roof, and they decided that he had enough hail damage to replace the whole roof, but that the most visible wounds were our own fault, so didn't merit them putting a tarp up to stop the leaking. Since then, I've been talking to roofing contractors, who curry favor by admitting that insurance companies are really criminal enterprises, then lose with sales pitches that make me as wary of them. The only things are are clear right now is that this is going to cost us a lot of money, and I'm not really going to trust whoever I wind up picking. The whole experience has me reeling so severely that I took time out today to work up my solution to a much simpler problem: peace in the Middle East.

This will be the subject of two Notes on Everyday Life pieces: one on the actual plan, and another on what I think would be a better, albeit far from ideal, plan (links to local drafts, the former nearly done, the latter just barely outlined). Events are moving fast, with the hostage exchanges today, the ceasefire and very partial withdrawal presumably started, and Trump off to Egypt to wax eloquent on the art of the deal. I'm hoping to post those on Tuesday and Friday, with the latter shortly followed by an updated Loose Tabs. The draft file is close to ready now, with nearly 10,000 words so far (193 links), but I figure I should keep it open until the second post is ready, as the Israel section (27 links so far, plus whatever I find during the week) will help document.

Aside from this writing, I need to concentrate on house matters next week. It's going to be rough.

New records reviewed this week:

Agnas Bros.: Sista Försöket (2025, Moserobie): Swedish group: Kasper Agnas (guitar), Max Agnas (piano), Mauritz Agnas (bass), and Konrad Agnas (drums). They have several albums going back to 2012, as well as solo credits, especially Konrad (the eldest, b. 1990; there was also a previous generation of Agnas Bros., with their father, Urban, and his brothers, Tomas and Joakim; Urban's wife Sabrina, niece Maja, and nephew Nils also have Discogs credits). Live, moves along nicely (32:54). B+(***) [cd]

Eric Alexander: Like Sugar (2024 [2025], Cellar Live): Mainstream tenor saxophonist, has a lot of records since 1995, especially quartets like this one, with David Hazeltine (piano), Dennis Carroll (bass), and George Fludas (drums). Title is a nod to Stanley Turrentine, but not quite a tribute. This suits him very nicely. B+(***) [sp]

Bright Eyes: Kids Table (2025, Dead Oceans, EP): Conor Oberst, has been releasing albums under this group/alias since 1998, has some songcraft but that's never sufficed for me. Not sure this should be called an EP (8 songs, 29:06). B+(*) [sp]

Lucrecia Dalt: A Danger to Ourselves (2025, RVNG Intl): Sound artist from Colombia, María Lucrecia Pérez López, based in Berlin, has a dozen albums since 2011. B+(***) [sp]

Maya Delilah: The Long Way Round (2025, Blue Note): English singer-songwriter, plays guitar, first album after two EPs and some singles. Nice batch of songs, with an easy flow. On a jazz label, but not really. B+(**) [sp]

Earscratcher: Otoliths (2024 [2025], Aerophonic): Free jazz quartet with Dave Rempis (soprano/alto/tenor sax), Elisabeth Harnik (piano), Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello), and Tim Daisy (drums), second album, first I've heard all week that's just pure delight to listen to. A- [cd]

Margaret Glaspy: The Golden Heart Protector (2025, ATO, EP): A singer-songwriter of considerable interest, although these 7 songs (25:23) seem to be covers, all but one duet features. The most familiar song is also the most distinctive ("Have You Ever Seen the Rain"). B+(***) [sp]

Phil Haynes & Free Country: Liberty Now! (1996-2025 [2025], Corner Store Jazz, 2CD): Drummer, wide range of releases since working with Paul Smoker in the 1980s. This appears to be two albums in one package, a nightmare configuration for anyone trying to run a poll that distinguishes between new and old archival music. First disc is a recent set with Hank Roberts (cello), Jim Yanda (guitar/vocals), and Drew Gress (bass), each contributing new songs. The second is probably the same group, but playing old Americana, including "Revolution," "What's Going On," and "Respect" -- a 71:16 sampler from their previous albums, or possibly stray tracks from those sessions. The scattered vocals aren't much good, but the melodies take you back. The new material (61:15) is a bit harder to connect with, but the vibe is the same. B+(**) [cd] [10-17]

Hunx and His Punx: Walk Out on This World (2025, Get Better): Punk band from California, principally Seth Bogart, three albums 2011-14, regrouped here for a fourth. B- [sp]

Charles Lloyd: Figure in Blue (2025, Blue Note): Tenor saxophonist, also plays some flute, he's been a big name since the 1960s, recorded this on his 87th birthday, in a trio with Jason Moran (piano) and Marvin Sewell (guitar), with 14 tracks stretching out to 98 minutes. He takes it easy for the most part, with most of the muscle (and sinew) from the guitar. B+(*) [sp]

Jim McNeely: Primal Colors (2025, Challenge): Pianist, composer and big band director, working here with Frankfurt Radio Symphony and Frankfurt Radio Bigband, for a major production. B+(*) [sp]

John Michel/Anthony James: Egotrip (2025, Loudmouth): Underground rapper and producer, first album I can find by either. Pretty splashy. B+(**) [sp]

Rhett Miller: A Lifetime of Riding by Night (2025, ATO): Singer-songwriter from Texas, leader of the alt-country-rock band Old 97's (20+ albums 1994-2024), has also released 8 studio solo albums since 2002 (one previous one from 1989). Easy to listen to, and not without merit. B+(**) [sp]

Neal Miner: Invisibility (2025, Cellar Music): Bassist, a name I thought I recognized from Lou Kaven's Smalls labeld, but I find I hadn't made any note of his 2006 album there -- I do have several side-credits from then and since. This is a trio with Chris Byars (tenor sax, also on his Smalls album) and Jason Tiemann (drums), playing his compositions ("mostly contrafacts over classic American standard songs"). Bryars is the leading talent who came out of that scene, a retro player jumping off from bebop, much like Scott Hamilton did with swing. B+(***) [sp]

The Prize: In the Red (2025, Anti Fade): Australian power pop band, "equal parts brains and bravado." B+(**) [sp]

Jason Rigby: Mayhem (2024 [2025], Endectomorph Music): Tenor saxophonist, first noticed as one of Fresh Sound's new talents (2006, or for side credits 2002), several albums since, 40 credits total. Also plays bass clarinet, flute, piano and other keyboards, percussion, electronics, along with Mark Guiliana (drums, electronics). Fast stuff up front is most appealing. B+(***) [sp]

Bill Scorzari: Sidereal Days (Day 1) (2025, self-released): Singer-songwriter, originally from Kansas, moved to New York City, seems to have gotten a late start after years of practicing law, his 2014 debut was interesting, and three (now four) subsequent albums have only gotten better. Not much of a voice, but orks for him, probably because the songs justify the lyric sheet but wind up sounding even better. A (Day 2) sequel is promised, but not until Sept. 2026. He has more confidence than I that we'll still be here. A- [cd] [10-17]

Grant Stewart: Next Spring (2024 [2025], Cellar Music): Tenor saxophonist, from Toronto, mainstream ("steady swinging, muscular hard bop"), couple dozen albums since 1992, a couple co-led with Eric Alexander, this a quartet with Tardo Hammer (piano), Paul Sikivie (bass), and Phil Stewart (drums), playing standards including Monk, Shorter, Barry Harris, and Bob Mover. B+(**) [sp]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Ray Charles: Best of Country & Western (1962-85 [2024], Tangerine): Thirteen songs, including three each from the two 1962 volumes of Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music, where his customary application of strings and chorus to country standards just added to his genius reputation. This picks up some later hits like "Crying Time" (1964), but only includes two songs after 1967: a Johnny Cash cover from 1970, and a Willie Nelson duet from the latter's 1985 Half Nelson. Some classics here, but this can slip into formula. B+(**) [bc]

Old music:

Agnas Bros.: Lycka Till Med Musiken (2017 [2018], Agnas Musikproduktioner): Third group album (first was 2012) for Urban Agnas' sons Konrad (drums, b. 1990), Kasper (guitar, b. 1992), Mauritz (bass, b. 1995), and Max (piano, b. 1997). B+(**) [bc]

Agnas Bros.: Frya (2022, Haphazard Music): Fourth album. B+(**) [bc]

Ray Charles: The Complete Swing Time and Down Beat Recordings (1949-1952) (1949-52 [2004], Night Train, 2CD): First recordings for the blind pianist-singer, before he moved on to Atlantic and stardom. He had a few minor r&b hits during this period ("Confession Blues," "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand," "Kissa Me Baby"). I've always heard that he was a Charles Brown wannabe early on, and there's a fair amount of that here, but other undeveloped styles as well. B+(*) [sp]

Ronald Shannon Jackson and the Decoding Society: Eye on You (1980 [1981], About Time): Drummer (1940-2013), from Fort Worth, part of Ornette Coleman's mid-1970s Prime Time group. This is a similar-sounding group, with two saxophonists (Byard Lancaster and Charles Brackeen), two guitarists (Vernon Reid and Bern Nix), electric bass (Melvin Gibbs), violin (Billy Bang), and percussion (Erasto Vasconcelos). Still, none of them (even Bang) can quite pull off the sort of miracles Coleman so often delivered. B+(***) [bc]

Jim McNeely Quintet: Rain's Dance (1976 [1978], SteepleChase): Pianist (1949-2025), owns one of the few solo piano albums I've rated A- (his Vol. 20 entry in Maybeck Recital Hall Series), but is best known for extensive work in big bands, starting with Thad Jones/Mel Lewis in 1978, including its later Vanguard Jazz Orchestra edition, and work with several European big bands. Quintet with Larry Schneider (tenor/soprano sax), Mike Richmond (bass), Bob Merigliano (drums), and Sam Jacobs (percussion). B+(***) [sp]

Grade (or other) changes:

Margo Price: Hard Headed Woman (2025, Loma Vista): Country singer-songwriter, fifth studio album since 2016 (plus a live Perfectly Imperfect at the Ryman). Strong upbeat pieces, doesn't lose much on the ballads. [was: B+(***)] A- [sp]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

  • Agnas Bros.: Sista Försöket (Moserobie) [09-26]
  • David Greenberger & the Hi-Ho Barbers: Ginger Ale (Pel Pel) [11-17]
  • John O'Gallagher/Ben Monder/Andrew Cyrille/Billy Hart: Ancestral (Whirlwind) [10-24]

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