self-release - TL:DR (That's Long, DID Read)

Inevitably, the Releases of the Year 2017 (part two)

The list continues, at this point with no rhyme or reason and in no particular order, so…

The Doom Trip label went from strength to strength in 2017. The Doom Mix Vol 1. compilation should be heard as a matter of course (personal favourite: the brilliantly atmospheric Sink Into Skin by Unbloom that reminds me of post-punk/early goth things like Bauhaus and The Cure but has a tune I haven’t heard before), but in addition they released some fantastic albums this year, the two standouts (for me) being –

Rangers – Texas Rock Bottom

I haven’t heard a lot of Rangers’ previous stuff, but the bits I remember are kind of lo-fi/psych/chillwave/Ariel Pink-ish – no bad thing, but not really my thing. Texas Rock Bottom is a different beast entirely. More song-based, it has a timeless melodic appeal, in some ways reminiscent of the more laid-back US indie rock of the 80s/90s, like The Replacements or early REM, with a Byrdsian jangle but also some distinctively underground/indie quirks; It’s really good.

Skyjelly – Blank Panthers/Priest, Expert Or Wizard

This long, bizarre album/double album is an ear/brain-addling mix of yammering experimental things: psychedelia/krautrock/punk/no wave/pop/noise and stuff like that – it’s not all great, but there’s so much of it, and it’s so completely peculiar that after months of listening I’m still not used to it, but it’s still good.

My Favourite Things – Fly I Will, Because I Can (self-release)

I can’t remember how I came across Dorothea Tachler’s Brooklyn-based band, My Favourite Things, but their self-released album Fly I Will, Because I Can became one of my favourite things (…) in 2017. Melancholy, warm and dreamy, Tachler and her bandmates have created an affecting, beautiful and strangely intimate listening experience. I kind of don’t want anyone else to like it, but I also want everyone to hear it; that kind of album.

Grift – Arvet (Nordvis)

I’m not sure that I like Arvet quite as much as Grift’s brilliant debut Syner; but I’m almost certain that it’s a better album. In many ways it’s very similar – bare, sparse, wintry pastoral black metal-inflected but very individualistic atmospheric music. In fact, Erik Gärdefors’ vision has barely changed, perhaps it’s just that it’s familiar to me now, so feels less like a forlorn soul wandering the woods and more like Grift; great album either way.

More to follow, no doubt!

Inevitably, the releases of the year 2017 (part one)

I’ve been thinking about the releases of the year for the past few weeks and made some (naturally very similar) lists for various places, so I thought I’d begin my countdown of releases of the year (as usual, in no order) here with some worthy things that I somehow overlooked/forgot about when compiling my other lists. So just to start…

Quinta – The Quick Of The Heart (Peeler Records)

Released back in July, The Quick Of The Heart is a beautiful and magical album that took a while to grow on me, but that has stayed with me through the many ups and downs of a year that was often not much fun. Quinta is a multi-instrumentalist and member of the experimental string quartet Collectress (whose superb 2014 album Mondegreen was my release of the year back then) and this album ranges from minimalistic piano pieces to lushly arranged songs, all with their own unique, delicate atmosphere. The album is more song-oriented than I expected, and the fresh, breezily unorthodox tunes are both accessible and unusual. The Quick Of The Heart is one of those albums that creates its own discrete sound world, quite unlike anything else I can think of; a lovely, refreshing record.

Recommended track: A Tutorial For Little Karen

Julie’s Haircut – Invocation And Ritual Dance Of My Demon Twin (Rocket Recordings)

This great album was released back in February, far back enough, in fact that I thought it was out last year. While I like some psych/spacerock/krautrock type stuff, the problem with the genre (if you can call it that) for me is that it can be completely immersive and thrilling or, if not feeling it, extremely boring. Italian band Julie’s Haircut are not immune to the latter kind of non-hypnotic meandering, but when they are good they’re great and there is far more good stuff on this album than filler.

Recommended track: Zukunft

Jesca Hoop – Memories Are Now (Sub Pop)

Again, released at the beginning of the year and so escaping my lists until now, Jesca Hoop’s latest album is a superbly focussed set of songs grounded in folk, Americana and experimental pop. Any way of describing it makes it sound more complicated than it is, and the most obvious points of comparison (she occasionally sounds a bit like Kate Bush) are a bit misleading; but it’s a really good album.

Recommended track – Unsaid

Zeal & Ardor – The Devil Is Fine (self-release)

Z&A’s black metal-infused blues or whatever you want to call it is one of the strangest-sounding (as a description), but at the same time most accessible (as music) melanges of styles I’ve come across; unholy gospel music that gets better and stranger every time I hear it.

Recommended track: Blood In The River

Islaja – Tarrantulla (Svart Records)

I didn’t really realise I liked this album a lot until songs from it kept popping into my head at random times after I’d given it a few listens. Over the last few weeks though, the slightly queasy mix of experimental synth pop, honking sax, Blade Runner-atmospherics and alternately fragile and vocoder-heavy vocals has proved extremely addictive; I like it a lot.

Recommended track: Sun luona taas

and more later…

Play For Today – Current Playlist 25th November 2016

After many delays, another week, another playlist…

1. Kristin Hersh – Wyatt At The Coyote Palace (Omnibus Books, 2016) Review here!

2. Stench Price – Stench Price EP (Transcending Obscurity Records, 2016)

3. Baby Tears – Succubus Slides (Choice Records, 2016)

4. Bethlehem – Bethlehem (Prophecy Productions, 2016)

5. The History of Colour TV – Wreck (Cranes Records / Weird Books, 2016)

6. Lush – Gala (4AD, 1990)

7. A Tree Grows – Wau Wau Water (Rufftone Records, 2016)

8. Kristin Hersh – Sunny Border Blue (4AD, 2001)

9. LL CoolJ – Radio (Def Jam, 1985)

10. Rachel Mason – Das Ram (Cleopatra Records/Practical Records, 2016) Review here!

11. Ela Orleans – Circles of Upper and Lower Hell (Night School Records, 2016)

12. Eric Dolphy – Out To Lunch! (Blue Note, 1964)

13. Wu-Tang Clan – Wu-Tang Forever (BMG, 1997)

14. Paul K – Omertà (2016)

15. Christine Ott, Tabu (Gizeh Records, 2016)

16. The Raspberries – The Raspberries (Capitol Records, 1972)

17. Isasa – Los Días (La Castanya, 2016)

18. Daniel Land – In Love With A Ghost (2016)

19. Miles Davis – Jack Johnson (Columbia, 1971)

20. Matriarch – Revered Unto The Ages (self-release, 2007)

Play For Today – current playlist

It’s been a while, so without further ado or elucidation, here’s some of what’s on the turntable (and equivalents) at present:

Kristin Hersh by Billy O’Connell

1. Kristin Hersh – Wyatt At The Coyote Palace (Omnibus Books, 2016)

2. Jingo de Lunch – Perpetuum Mobile (We Bite Records, 1987)

3. Rachel Mason – Das Ram (Cleopatra Records/Practical Records, 2016)

4. Naia Izumi – Natural Disaster EP (self-release, 2016)

5. Hobbs’ Angel of Death – Heaven Bled (Hell’s Headbangers/High Roller Records, 2016)

6. Suzanne Vega – Lover, Beloved; Songs from an Evening with Carson McCullers (Amenuensis Productions, 2016)

7. Bessie Smith – The Complete Recordings, Vol 1 (Columbia/Legacy)

8. Ghosts of Sailors At Sea – Red Sky Morning (Faded Maps, 2016

9. Dorje – Centred & One EP (Invisible Hands Music, 2016)

10.Drudkh/Grift – Betrayed By The Sun (Nordvis/Season of Mist, 2016)

11.The Mothers of Invention – Burnt Weenie Sandwich (Reprise Records, 1971)

12. Gentlemans Pistols – Hustler’s Row (Nuclear Blast, 2015)

13. Kaada/Patton – Bacteria Cult (Ipecac, 2016)

14. Maki Asakawa – Masi Asakawa (Honest Jon’s, 2016)

15. Nightsatan – Nightsatan and the Loops of Doom (Svart records, 2014)

16. Pilot – From the Album of the Same Name (EMI, 1974)

17. Haar/Ur Draugr – split (ATMF, 2016)

18. Wardruna – Runaljod – Ragnarok (By Norse Music, 2016)

19. Scott Walker – Scott 3 (Phillips, 1969)

20. The Stupid Daikini – Everything is Fine (self-release, 2015)