Our dear friend Hubert Heathertoes collaborates with longtime partner Zan Hoffman on a release which pairs oddly satisfying spoken word with music that could rightfully be described as Berlin-School electronics. My only complaint about the tracks is its brevity. One minute and thirty-six seconds was just barely enough to whet Continue Reading
United Kingdom
A Second Life for The Avant-Jazz of Leo Records
Today is a travel day, so there will be no posts, but it seems Bandcamp has a great article on Leo Records. Leo Feigin was the man responsible for introducing me to people like my old friend Roman Stolyar, Sergei Belichenko, and the work of Sergei Kuryokhin, who I ended Continue Reading
Soft Machine – Høvikodden 1971
Canterbury jazz-rock legends Soft Machine need little introduction, but this release might. This release comes from a Norwegian gig the band played, and though the master tapes aren’t absolutely pristine, the sound, for a live recording, is quite good. “Soft Machine’s two concerts at the Henie-Onstad Art Center near Oslo, Continue Reading
Exit North – Anyway, Still
Exit North is a revelation to me. The instrumentation reminds of the sort of progressive rock one would expect to hear from Tim Bowness, Steve Jansen (who happens to provide backing vocals on this album), or in parts, David Sylvian, but singer Thomas Feiner is blessed with a voice so Continue Reading
Matt Berry – Heard Noises
I thank my dear friend Hubert for pointing me to this disc. Matt Berry is a new name for me, but this album, which combines psychedelic folk, Americana and elements of soundtrack music, is a pleasantly heavy listen. This compares well with similar music which came out during the 1970s. Continue Reading
Breichiau Hir – Y Dwylo Uwchben
Though I’m a little disappointed that the band only offer one track to hear on their Bandcamp site, it’s not everyday you get to hear Welsh post-rock sung in actual Welsh. Breichiau Hir mix a basic rock sound with emo, post-rock and post-metal touches to it. Solid.
six by seven – The Closer You Get (Reissue)
Nottingham, England’s six by seven are heirs to the post-punk mantle whose sound compares well with The Stooges with a more amped up feel on some tracks, but on others, the sound has a swaying, gentle quality reminiscent of Joy Division’s more tender moments. This will be seen as a Continue Reading
Hawkestrel – Hawkestrel Presents Pre-Med – Old Habits Die Hard
This was a very pleasant surprise to run into. Former Hawkwind alumni gathered to make this record, and the sounds is as sharp as it was in the 1970s. Space rock is alive and well.
The Meteors – 40 Days a Rotting
The Meteors are, and will always be, the apex of the psychobilly scene, but it doesn’t mean that their sound cannot continue to grow and mutate. In their latest album the first track sets the tone perfectly. The psychobilly twang is still there, but there is a drop of surf Continue Reading
Yazz Ahmed – A Paradise In The Hold
It has been a long time since I had a chance to dig into the work of Bahraini/British trumpeter Yazz Ahmed’s works. She has a new album due on January 1, 2025, and judging by the one track available, it will be blending of deep fusion with Middle Eastern musical Continue Reading