It seems reasonable to call Devin Grey the apex point between the worlds of avant-prog and Frank Zappa’s weirder, cooler moments. I’m surprised he’s not better known, as he and his band sound so incredibly tight. He’s become someone whose music is worth hunting down. Quite a find, this one!
Mari Kalkun – Ilmamõtsan
Attached are three mini-reviews for one of Estonia’s finest mixes of traditional and alternative music: “”Kalkun’s singing is at the heart of things; joyous and lamenting by turns, but always poised and melodious, her poeticism apparent even without translation. A magical creation.” – The Guardian “Gorgeously intimate record. There’s nothing Continue Reading
Rocketship – A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness (30th Anniversary Edition)
30 years. I was still working off and on at record shops when this came out, and for an indie record, it has held up remarkably well. This will appeal to fans of Hüsker Dü and The Pixies.
Denis Frajerman, Marc Sarrazy, Loïc Schild – Paysages du Temps
Composer Denis Frajerman was once part of one of France’s most experimental troupes, Palo Alto. I wondered for years what happened to them, and today I see that Denis is active, making long-form music that combines Neu!, Klaus Schulze, Pink Floyd, and his own aesthetic.
Nikolay Smagliev & Dr.Jazz – Tailagan
I had some dear friends who were members of the Siberian jazz scene many years ago. Names like Roman Stolyar, Sergei Belichenko and others produced music equal-to or better than their contemporaries in Moscow and St. Petersburg for a while. Nikolay Smagliev & Dr.Jazz seem to be keeping in that Continue Reading
Damon & Naomi – The Sub Pop Years (1995-2002)
Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang have about the best pedigree any indie rock band has ever had, being part of such legendary projects as Galaxie 500 and Luna. Their catalogue under Damon & Naomi is equally impressive, and this Sub Pop compilation gives a nice snapshot of their work during Continue Reading
Easter Monday
No post today. Time for a wee break for Bright Monday.
Chronos Ensemble – Life of the Savior
As we celebrate Pascha (Easter) today, I had the good fortune to find this CD. From the Chronos Ensemble Bandcamp site: “The polyphony emerged in Russia long before its musical culture experienced European influence. Even the earliest survived examples of western polyphony of 10-11 centuries are mostly composed according to Continue Reading
Fairouz – Wa Habibi
As today is Good Friday, as celebrated by the Julian Calendar, I will be taking tonight off for late-night prayers. I leave you with a track by Lebanese singer Fairuz (or Fairouz) celebrating the darkest day of the year. Have a blessed Paschal season.
Esbjörn Svensson Trio – HOME.S.
The world lost one of jazz’s most incredible players in 2008 when pianist Esbjörn Svensson was killed in a diving accident. He and his trio were at the peak of their creative powers in this album, where the playing is gentle but dynamic. One could only imagine what sort of Continue Reading