Gregory Porter "Nat 'King' Cole & Me" (2017)

Nat 'King' Cole & Me
release date: Oct. 27, 2017
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Vince Mendoza
label: Blue Note Records - nationality: USA

5th studio album by Gregory Porter is as the title suggests a tribute to and an album exclusively featuring songs recorded by Nat "King" Cole arranged and produced by Vince Mendoza.

The songs are not that far from Porter's usual style and it really gives you the opportunity to hear from where he got much of his influence. The songs are nicely arranged with the abundance of strings and brass that were associated with Nat Cole, and needless say, it also fits Porter's smooth vocal like hand in glove.

The album comes in various formats - in a standard single cd edition containing twelve tracks, a Deluxe edition containing fifteen tracks like the double vinyl album.

The album hasn't been met by the 'usual' overwhelming positive reviews, and I do understand some of the critics indicating that it's like Porter's voice doesn't compare to the strengths of Cole. In these vocal jazz standards Porter contributes with his honey-dripping warm vocal but doesn't add new dimensions to already classic songs and in that regard has made a bit of the redundant tribute.

Bill Frisell "Ghost Town" (2000)

Ghost Town

release date: Mar. 7, 2000

format: Digital (16 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,81]

producer: Lee Townsend

label: Elektra Nonesuch - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Tell Your Ma, Tell Your Pa" - 2. "Ghost Town / Poem for Eva)" - 3. "Wildwood Flower" - 5. "Variation on a Theme" - 9. "My Man's Gone Now" - 10. "Outlaw" - 13. "Winter Always Turns to Spring" - 14. "Justice and Honor"

Studio album by Bill Frisell following his fine interpretations The Sweetest Punch (Sep. 1999) with songs by Costello and Bacharach is almost as rule of thumb with producer Lee Townsend, but the album differs from many other Frisell releases by being a solo album with Frisell as only instrumentalist. It's not recorded live but it contains multi-layered tracks with the artist playing a diversity of string instruments and using overdubs. Alas, the album has only been issued in digital formats for cd or download.

Stylewise, it's in the quiet and introspective section of his releases, which in many ways guarantees great compositions. The 16 tracks are mainly by Frisell himself - 5 are covers - with an overall genre touching country, folk, standards, and instrumental jazz as the repertoire, and with a total tunning time beyond 70 minutes it never feels too long.

Ghost Town was met by positive reviews, which I perfectly understand. On this, Frisell excells with great emotional strength, and although he masters all sorts of styles and genres, I really enjoy it when he incorporates americana with a gentle approach. This is the closest I've so far found Frisell approaching the sound of Ry Cooder making a made up soundtrack to a fine forgotten film by Wenders.

Highly recommended.

[ 👍allmusic.com 4 / 5, The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings 3,5 / 4 stars ]

Björk "Utopia" (2017)

Utopia

release date: Nov. 24, 2017

format: digital (14 x File, FLAC)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,73]

producer: Björk, Arca

label: One Little Indian - nationality: Iceland

Track highlights: 1. "Arisen My Senses" - 2. "Blissing Me" - 3. "The Gate" - 4. "Utopia" - 7. "Courtship" (live Later) - 9. "Sue Me" - 13 "Saint"

9th studio album by Björk following almost three full years after Vulnicura (Jan. 2015). As was the case for the predecessor, Björk has teamed up with Venezuelan artist Arca - only this time Arca appears to have been granted a more dominating role, partly as co-composer on five compositions (tracks #1, #3, #9, #11, and #14) but also by being credited electronics, synth melodies and beats, while no one else is credited programming, electronics, or 'beats', which were roles Björk almost alone stood for on her 2015 album. Aside from being songwriter and composer on all tracks, and apart for lead vocal, she is (only) credited for playing digital flute - which appears as a minor role as 13 others are credited exactly that instrument - and for arrangements of vocals, flute, choir, and cello, thus placing her more in the role as a musical arranger leaving programming and 'beats' in the hands of Arca. The album is a quite lengthy one with 14 tracks and a total running time going beyond 71 minutes.

Utopia was met by critical acclaim with Spin setting it as number #29 on its list of the 50 best albums of 2017, Pitchfork ranged it number #20 on its year-end-list also counting the 50 best albums, and Slant put it at number #11 of the 25 best albums of the year.

Despite leaving much responsibilty in the hands of Arca, the album still reeks 'Björk' above anything else. There's no questioning that she's in complete control. And as a result, I think it has turned out as her most delightful studio effort since the great Vespertine (2001).

Highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com, NME, Q Magazine, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, Pitchfork 8,4 / 10, The Guardian 3 / 5 stars ]

Elvis Costello & The Attractions "All This Useless Beauty" (1996)

All This Useless Beauty
release date: May 14, 1996
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: Geoff Emerick and Elvis Costello
label: Warner Bros. Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "The Other End of the Telescope" - 2. "Little Atoms" - 3. "All This Useless Beauty" (4 / 5) - 4. "Complicated Shadows" - 5. "Why Can't a Man Stand Alone?" - 6. "Distorted Angel" - 10. "You Bowed Down"

16th studio album by Elvis Costello following Kojak Variety (1995) is his first in a decade since Blood & Chocolate (1986) but also his final to feature his old backing band The Attractions on all tracks [see Brutal Youth]. And then it's also his last studio album on the Warner Bros. Records label (a best of album, Extreme Honey, subtitled "The Very Best of Warner Brothers Years" from '97 would be his final issue releasing him from his contract with Warner).

All songs here is a collection of songs that Costello intentionally wrote for other artists to record and two of the these were written and composed with other artists: track #1 with Aimee Mann, and track #7 with Paul McCartney.

It's not a return to the sound and tempo of former albums delivered together with The Attractions, but it's neither a follow-up to other recent releases, where he has experimented with classical material and roots rock, country and traditional folk. Before his '95 album he released the acclaimed Brutal Youth (1994) with reminiscences of his heydays with his renowned backing band, but not really in that neighbourhood either. Then what is it? To compare with former Costello works it sits somewhere in between - and could be described as the combination of three albums: the stripped-down and pure Brutal Youth, the softer Mighty Like a Rose (without the heavy arrangements) and the personal, much varied, and yet unique sound of Spike.

Personally, I had stopped following new material from Elvis after his '95 album. My impression at the time was that he had peaked long before that and had his best years behind him, Although, what years they were! 'Cause no mater what, how could he come up with anything new without risking to to fail?! At this point in his massive career, he has been around all corners of genres and styles, he had covered and played with music greats. And perhaps that's what he cleverly unfolds here when he mix EVERYTHING he has done and showcases his 'roots rock' fascination, perfections his Dylanesque composer skills, points to popular music icons of the sixties and plagiarises his older self in completely new tones. It's all Costello, and he can do anything. I still think his best years were back then in the '70s and 80s, but nevertheless, I should have paid this album some attention in '96 'cause fact is, it's much better than many of his other recent releases and up there close to his '94 album. It contains many strong compositions - perhaps not as musical originals but as a songwriter, boy, he really still delivers.

[ allmusic.com, NME 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone, Uncut, Q Magazine 4 / 5 stars ]

Love Shop "Brænder boksen med smukke ting" (2019)

Brænder boksen med smukke ting
release date: Mar. 8, 2019
format: vinyl / cd
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,82]
producer: Mikkel Damgaard
label: A:larm / Universal - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Folkets hus" - 2. "Til jorden kommer" - 3. "Underdanmark" - 5. "Leve er at dø med stil" - 6. "British Racing Green" - 7. "Brænder boksen med smukke ting"

12th studio album by Love Shop released exactly two years succeeding Risiko from 2017 is the continued one-man project band by Jens Unmack, who keeps the old flame burning. Around him, a handful of stable collaborators help shaping a sound and style that pays tribute to the heritage of a band that basically ceased to exist in 2003, but which was re-awoken in the shape of a reduced duo in 2009 only to be cut down to a single-man project in 2011. Officially, that is, because some of these musicians have played on several Love Shop albums and toured as part of the live set. Mikkel Damgaard has been an essential keyboardist of Love Shop since 2003 - he has produced the band's studio albums since 2009 - and he has become an unofficial core member at the point when Unmack decided to continue Love Shop in 2011. Guitarist Mika Vandborg has been part of the project since 2009; Nis Tyrrestrup has played bass on the band's last three albums (since 2014), and Thomas Duus has played the drums in Love Shop without becoming official member ever since 1994, which means he is only absent on the band's first two studio albums. With this in mind, it's still a one-man project kept alive for as long as Unmack has the will, but Love Shop is also held together with musicianship that is more than mere nostalgia.
Brænder boksen... is a mature delivery, which bonds perfectly with the Love Shop heritage on one hand but also transports the band onto new solid territory laid out by the last four studio releases. A slow transformation has been on its way, arguably since the start of the band, but with the reduction of official members in the last two decades, we have witnessed various attempts in continuing a familiar style with new elements - sometimes bolder, sometimes more subtle, and with the last three albums it has become clear that a new sonic balance has occurred. Kærlighed og straf (2014) was the first to really embrace the combination of uptempo synthpop and evident singer / songwriter styles. That tempting outing was very successfully continued on Risiko, and with this, I think Unmack and co. have made another strong conglomerate of what is the essence of Love Shop. Unmack has always been a fine lyricist, and in the past that may have been secondary to the musical output, but since 2012 it has become quite clear that he has sharpened his pen, and together with a handful of strong musicians who make up a solid backbone, Unmack has created a very fine and strong document of this band's vitality where the true strength is the complete picture rather than the single songs.
Highly recommended.
[ Gaffa.dk, Soundvenue 4 / 5 stars ]

The Prodigy "No Tourists" (2018)

No Tourists
release date: Nov. 2, 2018
format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,35]
producer: Liam Howlett
label: Take Me to the Hospital - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Need Some1" - 2. "Light Up the Sky" - 6. "Timebomb Zone" - 7. "Champions of London" - 9. "Resonate"

7th studio album by The Prodigy, which is the continued band-project consisting of dancer Keith Flint on vocals, Maxim Reality (aka Keith Palmer) on vocals and Liam Howlett as the musical mastermind behind it all, as he has made the music with various samples, mixed and produced it all. Flint and Maxim are credited as co-writers on three of the songs and basically "only" contributes with vocals on three and four songs respectively. Aside from the three official band members, the album has been made with various guest musicians, including guitarist Olly Burden, who has co-written four of the songs - on which he's also credited as co-producer - with Howlett and who also plays guitar on three comopsitions.
As the predecessor The Day Is My Enemy from 2015, the album continues in a more aggressive "rave revival" or big beat known as hardcore breaks, which bonds nicely with the first three albums by the band.
The album is the band's 7th consecutive album to peak as #1 on the UK albums chart list (including the compilation album Their Law: The Singles 1990-2005 from 2005), which seems like some sort of record, although, the band hasn't released a No. 1 single since "Breathe" in 1996.
After some time, I have come to enjoy this album more and more - and without comparison, I see it as no less than their best album since The Fat of the Land from 1997.
No Tourists became the last to feature dancer and vocalist Keith Flint as he ended his life in Mar. 2019.
[ allmusic.com, The Guardian, Mojo 3 / 5, Uncut 3,5 / 5, The Observer, The Irish Times 4 / 5, NME 5 / 5 stars ]

Etta James "Blues to the Bone" (2004)

Blues to the Bone
release date: Jun. 8, 2004
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,18]
producer: Etta James, Donto James, Sametto James
label: RCA Victor - nationality: USA

Studio album by Etta James in her autumn years. The album was to be her third last studio release as she passed away in 2012. The album is dominated by blues standards and rhythm and blues. She does very well, although, the songs are not new nor at her best level of performance but she's still able to add a certain soul and liveliness to every track. The album was handed a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Traditional Blues Album of the year.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

The Raveonettes "Raven in the Grave" (2011)

Raven in the Grave

release date: Apr. 4, 2011

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,38]

producer: The Raveonettes

label: Vice Records - nationality: Denmark

Track highlights: 1. "Recharge & Revolt" - 3. "Forget That You're Young" (4 / 5) - 5. "Summer Moon" - 7. "Ignite"

5th studio album by The Raveonettes follows 1½ years after the fine In and Out of Control (Oct. 2009). The album is a relatively short experience with 9 tracks and total playing length under 36 mins., but this has often been the issue with this band's studio albums, so in that respect it doesn't represent a big change. What appears as something new, though, is a bolder dream pop feel in combination with the typical garage rock sound. This doesn't sound all too bad if only the songs were evenly formed to this shape but that's not the case as too many stick out as mere fillers, or what could have been compositions for a soundtrack, e.g. "War in Heaven", "Evil Seeds", and "My Time's Up" - with the abovementioned highlights sticking out as great singles.

All in all, I feel this doesn't really meet the expectations and falls somewhat flat after a strong tendency with the previous albums. "Recharge & Revolt" and "Forget That You're Young" are however standouts that could sell most albums but they stand much alone and only add to the sensation of an incoherent and unfinished album from a great duo.

Not recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, 👍Spin 3,5 / 5, Pitchfork 5,7 / 10, 👎Slant 1,5 / 5 stars ]

Richard Hawley "Further" (2019)

Further
release date: Jun. 7, 2019
format: digital (11 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: Colin Elliot, Shez Sheridan, Richard Hawley
label: BMG - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Off My Mind" - 2. "Alone" - 3. "My Little Treasures" (4 / 5) - 4. "Further" - 5. "Emilina Says" - 6. "Is There a Pill?" (4 / 5) - 8. "Not Lonely" - 10. "Midnight Train" - 11. "Doors"

8th studio album by Richard Hawley released after his longest hiatus - a nearly four years brake is yet another return to Hawley's preferred "co-assistants", long-time producer Colin Elliott - with whom Hawley has made all of his eight studio albums - and Hawley's usual guitarist Shez Sheridan, both of which have co-produced the album with Hawley as was the case on his most recent album, Hollow Meadows, from 2015.
The album contains 11 new compositions and with a total playing time at just over 35 mins it does seem in the short end of long playing albums these days.
Stylistically, there are no groundbreaking news here, but given an artist carrying so much originality in terms of sound and style, I guess most people wouldn't have expected major changes in that respect. It's almost like a look down memory lane where he showcases the different styles from previous albums - indie pop singer / songwriter on his earliest albums, the striking chamber pop ballads from his most memorable albums, Coles Corner and Lady's Bridge to more hard-rockin' neo-psychedelia experiments from Standing at Sky's Edge but with a nice stress on his chamber pop ballads. Hawley does what he does so well: He delivers sincere ballads and sing-along pop / rock songs about everyday life, dwelling on subjects about being alive, being male and over 50 as one of the best crooners of British popular music.
The album has been met by positive reviews and it peaked at #3 in the UK. Two singles preceded the album release - tracks #1 and #3 respectively. Dave Simpson of The Guardian pretty much wraps it up when writing: "In the album’s 40 minutes, there is scarcely any flab. Twenty years into his solo career, Hawley certainly isn’t tearing up the blueprint, but within the boundaries of his domain, nobody does it better".
Yes, there's a distinct resonance from his two finest albums, Coles Corner and Lady's Bridge, but it's not about copying or a mere repetition that leaves you with the idea that here's an artist with nothing new to offer, it's really a matter of style - and Hawley still delivers new songs about familiar subjects in the finest wrapping.
Recommended.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Mojo, Q Magazine, Uncut, 👍The Guardian, Record Collector 4 / 5 stars ]

The Gun Club "Divinity" (ep) (1991)

Divinity (ep)

release date: Aug. 1991

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]

producer: Jeffrey Lee Pierce

label: New Rose Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Sorrow Knows" - 2. "Richard Speck" - 3. "Keys to the Kingdom" - 4. "Black Hole" - 6. "Yellow Eyes" (Live) - 7. "Hearts" (Live)

EP release by The Gun Club following 10 months after Pastoral Hide & Seek (Oct. 1990). The album was originally released as a 7-track double vinyl ep consisting of 4 new compositions and 3 live tracks stemming from the band's farewell tour from a concert in France. The cd issue comes with 8 tracks, adding a remix of "St. John the Divine", a song that appears in its original version on Pastoral... - with the three live tracks put at the end of the cd. The band's drummer Nick Sanderson had left the band after Pastoral..., and back here is Desi (aka Desi Desperate, aka Peter Kablean), who previously stood in as an untrained substitute to handle drums on the final performances for the band's farewell concerts in Dec. '84 as Terry Graham already left before Jeffrey Lee Pierce then finally broke up the band. Pierce and girlfriend and bassist Romi Mori stayed in Amsterdam but Kid Congo Powers is now back on guitar, and with Desi these four constitute the new quartet. This is however, the final release with Powers, who should leave again the following Spring of '92.

Dvinity appears to have been made at point when Pierce wanted to record a follow-up to the 1990 album but apparently had been unable to write enough material for a normal album. Also, it seems that Pierce went through a rough period with poor health due to his substance abuse. Anyway, all four new compositions are strong songs that recount some of the characteristics of the band, but the album is a strange breed. The first half takes you into the sensation of what could've been another full-length and then a new mix of an old song, which basically sounds like the original, but it transports you elsewhere before we enter three good live recordings, which in a way both document the energy in the vocal and instrumental performance / the very presence of Jeffrey Lee Pierce, yet also show us another side of the coin of a former great unity, which just isn't the same as the starting point of the album. The end-track is a live version of "Fire of Love" from Miami which in a way takes the sound downstairs in a muddy and distorted chaos of what sound more like a bad recording.

Divinity is a difficult album to review, but I think it will of course appeal to die-hard fans, but for others, it probably could feel like something is missing out. After this, Pierce' condition saw him hospitalised and the band activity was on a halt, although, the line-up once again went through some changes. Desi  was replaced by Simon Fish in early '92, shortly after, Powers left for good, and in early '93 the band was back as a trio of Pierce, Mori, and with Sanderson back on drums - ready to record what would turn out to be the band's final album, Lucky Jim (1993).

Phoebe Bridgers "Stranger in the Alps" (2017)

Stranger in the Alps [debut]

release date: Sep. 17, 2017

format: digital (13 × File, FLAC) (Deluxe Edition)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]

producer: Tony Berg, Ethan Gruska

label: Dead Oceans - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 1. "Smoke Signals" - 2. "Motion Sickness" (4 / 5) - 3. "Funeral" (live at WFUV) - 5. "Scott Street" - 6. "Killer" - 7. "Georgia" - 9. "Would You Rather" - 10. "You Missed My Heart" - *13. "Motion Sickness (Demo)"

*Bonus track on Deluxe Edition

Studio album debut by American singer / songwriter Phoebe Lucille Bridgers, who previously played in a number of bands including Einstein's Dirty Secret and Sloppy Jane before Ryan Adams helped in putting out her debut ep Killer (Mar. 2014) on his label Pax Americana - two of the three songs from her ep debut (tracks #6 & #7) are included on this album in new recordings. The album was preceded by the release of three singles: in Jan. 2017 "Smoke Signals" came out, in July it was followed by her so far biggest (and only) hit "Motion Sickness", and five days before the album release the single "Funeral" was issued. All tracks except track #10 (by Mark Kozelek & Jimmy Lavalle) and track #12 (bonus track by Tom Petty) are credited Bridgers, and of these six are co-composed by drummer Marshall Vore. Conor Oberst appears on vocals, and together with Bridgers the two would go on and found the project Better Oblivion Community Center in 2018.

Style-wise Bridgers resides deeply in 'melancholy valley' with strong bonds to Cat Power, Sharon Van Etten and classic folk artists, although, Bridgers clearly contain enough originality to keep your ears and eyes out for whatever she's involved in.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com, 👍Pitchfork 3,5 / 5, Mojo, NME, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Exclaim! 4,5 / 5, Uncut 3 / 5 stars ]

Lily Allen "Alright, Still" (2006)

Alright, Still [debut]

release date: Jul. 26, 2006

format: cd

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,58]

producer: various

label: Regal / EMI - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Smile" (4 / 5) - 2. "Knock 'Em Out" - 3. "LDN" (4 / 5) - 4. "Everything's Just Wonderful" - 5. "Not Big" - 6. "Friday Night" - 8. "Littlest Things" - 11. "Alfie"

Studio album debut by Lily (Rose Beatrice) Allen is produced by a long list of various producers just as the songs on the album are credited a different group of people with Allen as central songwriter.

The album rocketed to number #2 on the albums chart list well promoted by the number #1 single hit "Smile", which came out a fourthnight earlier, and the second single "LDN" from Sep. made it to number #6 on the singles chart list - Allen had basically taken Britain by storm playing a simple retro-style of pop, which both paires artists like Amy Winehouse, The Streets, and Blur with a mix strongly influenced by ska, reggae, and grime, and Allen appears as the first UK artist to blend these styles in simple arrangements combined with humour-founded lyrics from a fictional character's everyday-life. A year later, Katy Perry and Kate Nash looked to Allen and both experienced solo success with music bonded to this very debut.

I recall being quite pleased by the first two singles from the album, and although, the album does contain other fine songs, it still comes out as a bit shallow, easily forgettable but yet perfectly refreshing.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Spin 4 / 5, Pitchfork 8,3 / 10, 🤯The Guardian 5 / 5, Rolling Stone, 👍NME 3,5 / 5, Q Magazine 3 / 5 stars ]

Billie Eilish "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" (2019)

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? [debut]
release date: Mar. 29, 2019
format: digital (14 x File, MP3)
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,48]
producer: Finneas O'Connell
label: Interscope Records - nationality: USA

Track highlights: 2. "Bad Guy" - 3. "Xanny" - 7. "When the Party's Over"

Studio album debut by 17-year old Billie Eilish (full name: Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell - yeah...) produced by her older brother, 21 year old Finneas O'Connell [aka FINNEAS]. The two are children of actors Maggie Baird and Patrick O'Connell.
Stylised as new enfant terrible prodigy Billie and brother Finneas have made a tight collection of art pop and electropop compositions that are... nicely bottled.
The album and Eilish have been lauded with critical acclaim almost world-wide where common denominators use phrases as "game-changer", "artistic vison[ary]", "haunting", "impressive cohesiveness" and Will Hodgkinson of The Times describes the nature of the album, when stating that it "captures one of those rare moments when an artist knows exactly how her audience feels because she feels the same way too." All right, all right, hold your horses, Will... when will that ever occur??
I do not agree, and others also point to opposite stands when eg Roisin O'Connor of The Independent says it's "dull and bloated" and simply rates the album below average. Because once you have listened through the album, it turns out more like a collection of artsy fartsy material that the music industry promptly swallows up like art critics when facing new art by Jeff Koons. All others find themselves as uninvited guests asking themselves what it is they don't get - and what the in-crowd praise as a new-found treasure.
I don't enjoy it one bit. It's over-the-hill hyped because she's predestined to fill out some spot (that really wasn't there). Nothing more. And there's nothing there except The Emperor's New Clothes. After having read several positive reviews it's quite a disappointing affair.
Not recommended.
[ 👎allmusic.com, The Guardian, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, 👉The Independent 2 / 5 stars ]

Sun Kil Moon "Admiral Fell Promises" (2010)

Admiral Fell Promises
release date: Jul. 13, 2010
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: Mark Kozelek
label: Caldo Verde Records - nationality: USA

Tracklist: 1. "Ålesund" (4,5 / 5) - 2. "Half Moon Bay" - 3. "Sam Wong Hotel" - 4. "Third and Seneca" - 5. "You Are My Sun" - 6. "Admiral Fell Promises" (4 / 5) (live) - 7. "The Leaning Tree" - 8. "Australian Winter" - 9. "Church of the Pines" - 10. "Bay of Skulls"

4th studio album by Sun Kil Moon following two years after April (Apr. 2008) is like that produced by Kozelek and released on his own label, Caldo Verde. His follow-up is the Mark Kozelek live album Lost Verses - Live (May 2009) consisting of material written for Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon, as well as songs released under his own name.

On Admiral Fell Promises, the music is acoustic guitar-driven compositions and they are according to Kozelek inspired by the great Spanish classical guitarist Andrés Segovia. Despite being released under the name of Sun Kil Moon, the album consists of tracks written and composed entirely by Kozelek and they all basically only feature his vocal accompanied by his acoustic nylon Spanish guitar. The title track is one of Kozelek's finest compositions.

Sun Kil Moon had basically been the continuation of Red House Painters, however, songwriter Kozelek made nearly all of the band's studio releases on his own and the band only existed as a live constellation and even at this point it seems that Kozelek did whatever he felt like regardless any of the former members. Former guitarist Phil Carney founded the duo Desertshore with pianist Chris Connolly. Drummer Anthony Koutsos had turned to real estate business and occasionally supported Kozelek on live tours when playing under as Kozelek or as Sun Kil Moon. Bassist Jerry Vessel soon founded Heirlooms of August with Frances Everett, and other bassist Geoff Stanfield began work as studio musician and producer.

[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Show lyrics <- click...

~ ~ ~

"Admiral Fell Promises"

"Come out from the burning fire, butterfly
Let me lock you in my room and keep you for a while
Could you be the answer to my every prayer?
Could you be the one now for who I care?

Come into my arms and let your worries die
Come out from the web of all your tangled lies
But be true to me and I’ll be true to you
Judge me not for what I’ve done but what I’ll do

A million nights have led
to this one that we are spending
And I know it’s better here
than anywhere I’ve been going
Where every morning grew
a void more wide and endless"

Come out from the burning fire butterfly
Let me lock you in my room and keep you for a while
You watch over me and I'll watch over you
And if you go tomorrow, choke me till I'm blue

A thousand days have passed
In this house, she and I were sharing
And I hate myself for it
But I have stopped caring
The Marilyn sky tonight
Is so black and blue and beautiful"

~ ~ ~

Thom Yorke "Anima" (2019)

Anima
release date: Jun. 27, 2019
format: digital (9 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Nigel Godrich
label: XL Recordings - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Traffic" - 2. "Last I Heard (...He Was Circling the Drain)" - 4. "Dawn Chorus" (live at Montreux) - 6. "Not the News" - 8. "Impossible Knots" - 9. "Runwayaway" (live at Montreux)

3rd solo studio album by Thom Yorke is very much 'business as usual' by being produced by Nigel Godrich. Apparently, Yorke found inspiration to the songs in readings about dreams and the subconscious, and the entire album was recorded partly through live studio recordings, Godrich's collaborative takes on Yorke's musical drafts, and eventually Yorke writing lyrics to pieces they came up with along the way.
Stylistically, the result is not far from his two previous solos, The Eraser from 2006 and Tomorrow's Modern Boxes from 2014, as well as drawing on similar elements from the Radiohead album A Moon Shaped Pool from 2016 with a clear glitch pop twist and the usage of musical loops.
The album release was followed by American film director Paul Thomas Anderson's 15 mins. short "Anima" featuring Yorke and his partner, actress Dajana Roncione as choreographed dancers with music from the album [excerpt from the film].
The album has generally been met by positive reviews with The Guardian and its 3 out of 5 stars review presenting the perhaps most luke-warm reception, and the Telegraph and a 5 out of 5 stars review as probably one of the most positive responds.
I find it quite fascinating and clearly bettering his second solo Tomorrow's Modern Boxes, and it took me quite a long time wondering whether the album, as some critics suggest, is his best. I finally settled with a similar judgement and rate it close to his solo debut from 2006, and I can only say that it's a very fine and originally sounding album, which is worth a great many spins.
[ 👎The Guardian 3 / 5, The Independent, 👍NME, Rolling Stone 4 / 5, The Telegraph 5 / 5 stars ]

Black Grape "Pop Voodoo" (2017)

Pop Voodoo

release date: Jul. 7, 2017

format: digital (12 x File, MP3)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]

producer: Youth (aka Martin Glover)

label: UMC Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Everything You Know Is Wrong - Intro" - 2. "Nine Lives" (live) - 4. "Whiskey, Wine and Ham" - 5. "Money Burns" - 7. "Pop Voodoo" - 8. "I Wanna Be Like You"

3rd studio album by Black Grape released twenty years after Stupid Stupid Stupid (Nov 1997). The band has in essence become a moniker for Shaun Ryder and a band effort is a difficult term in regard to this album. Black Grape is here made up by the two vocalists Ryder and Paul 'Kermit' Leveridge, and all lyrics and music is here credited the two in collaboration with producer Martin 'Youth' Glover - long-time recurring bassist of Killing Joke as well as an established remix-producer for a long list of acts. As instrumentalists, Ryder and Kermit are solely credited for their vocal performances, while Youth is also credited on guitar, bass and for programming. Other musicians contribute as session musicians but the album is without the participation of former Black Grape members Danny Saber and Bez.

Musically, it's very much the continued cycle when it comes to music with Shaun Ryder. It's alt. dance music building on old school funk and soul mixed with neo-psychedelia and bits of electronica. Both in 2012 and again in 2015 Ryder spoke of a new Happy Mondays album in the making, but that never materialised, or: it turned out that it was easier for him to release it under the Black Grape moniker.

The album was met by better reviews than Uncle Dysfunktional (2007) by The Mondays, and it went as high as to number #15 on the UK chart list. Two songs were chosen for single releases: "Nine Lives" and "I Wanna Be Like You".

Pop Voodoo might as well be credited Happy Mondays - it's hard to tell the difference, and what remains are the fingerprints of Shaun Ryder's presence: the characteristic vocal and the half-mad, witty and semi-offensive lyrics. And then there's Kermit, or: where is he? He's there, at times popping up, adding rap, but it's mostly Ryder you notice. My guess is, Youth made most of the music, and he does a fine job composing, playing, programming, producing and mixing a style that fits Ryder's voice. It's neat, warm, funky and danceable club-music, but it does sound a bit outdated, and it just lacks outstanding hooks and rifs, although, it's quite coherent and also clearly bettering Ryder's many recent attempts.

Not great, not bad - somewhat easily forgettable BUT with a nice groove, entertaining moments, and ultimately slightly bettering the '97 album as a more coherent release, although, it's without a great hit like "Get Higher".

[ 👍allmusic.com, PopMatters, musicOMH 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Papir "IIII" (2014)

IIII

release date: Feb. 11, 2014

format: digital (4 x File, FLAC - Impetus Series 09)

[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,22]

producer: Jonas Munk [recorded by]

label: El Paraiso Records - nationality: Denmark

Tracklist: 1. "IIII.I" - 2. "IIII.II" - 3. "IIII.III" - 4. "IIII.IIII"

4th studio album by Papir following one year after III seems like the continued series of instrumental space rock, prog rock, and post-rock releases on El Paraiso, again with recording engineer Jonas Munk and with artwork by Jakob Skjøtt.

Even the album title and the track titles differ little from the 2013 album giving a minimalist variation, and you could argue that also the soundscape remains intact with little progression from the two previous albums. In fact, the Papir has played more or less the same instrumental and experimental prog rock founded on 70s krautrock and progressive psychedelic rock and then to some extent: more contemporary post-rock influences. "IIII.I" appear as a strong post-rock compositions, whereas the following tracks repeat the pattern from the 2013 album by being more like jam session-oriented. The final track "IIII.IIII" does, however, again point to a more original melodic universe. The album is in every detail a close new chapter in an ongoing journey that could use some more variation. That said, I still find this band of skilled instrumentalists a rather fascinating acquaintance.

[ bandcamp ]

Morrissey "California Son" (2019)

California Son
release date: May 24, 2019
format: digital (12 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,82]
producer: Joe Chiccarelli
label: Étienne / BMG - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Morning Starship" - 5. "Days of Decision" - 6. "It's Over" - 7. "Wedding Bell Blues" (live) - 9. "Lady Willpower"

12th studio album by Morrissey is his second on his own label and his third consecutive album to be produced by Joe Chiccarelli. Perhaps Morrissey's interest and acclaim for covering other artists - a lovable trait he often exercises at live concerts - made him decide to record an album entirely made up of covers. Fact is, this new album is just that, and perhaps not exactly in the way fans have come to really enjoy his choice of covers, because playing live, he has often showed his affection for energetic punk rock and new wave familiar songs from his youth, which is to say from late 1970s to early 1980s, covering artists like Ramones, The Pretenders, and Magazine - and a bit contrary to that, he has selected more obscure songs from artists primarily of the 1960s. In chronological order the songs have originally been released by Jobriath, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Phil Ochs, Roy Orbison, Laura Nyro, Dionne Warwick, Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, Carly Simon, Tim Hardin, and Melanie, all of which very likely could be sources of inspiration to the music by Morrissey's former band, The Smiths.
The promotional single "It's Over" (Roy Orbison) was released in February and "Wedding Bell Blues" (Laura Nyro) was released in April, and the album has fared quite well peaking at number #4 in the UK; however, critics have been less positive about the album, and I really do understand that. I simply find California Son his least enjoyable album ever released - even "under-passing" his most recent low point, Low in High School from 2017. It has been labelled a collection of protest / anti-war songs, but that's really a rather forced opinion. It's basically a bunch of highly different songs varying from political protest songs, songs about identity and pure love songs, and the arrangements reflect the same sort of diversity as some have been recorded as if made in the Phil Spector heydays with multi-layers of violins and horns, whereas others are cut to fit a contemporary production state of the art with no obvious bonds to the 60s.
Perhaps his ever more bizarre statements in recent years have a say in my conclusion about his music in recent years. In 2010 he allegedly called Chinese people a 'sub-species', and in the last few years he has been the explicit supporter of right-wing politicians, e.g. Nigel Farrage (of the Brexit Party) and a certain Anne Marie Waters (of For Britain) who speaks against Islam and who is for British / English sovereignty (generally speaking). Morrissey is in this regard cited for stating that "all people like their own race the most"... - and other [extremely] stupid right-wing stuff that alienates him from his audience. Of course it makes you take a stand as to whether it's not possible to distinguish the artist from the person - as in the case of Michael Jackson, who undoubtedly made truly great music. On the other hand we do not really mind what political preferences Da Vinci, Wagner or Lord Byron shared, and instead we look at what they wrote and composed of artistic value, but it does seem to be a difficult, if not impossible process when speaking of contemporary active artists.
As Helen Brown of The Independent concludes: "I could have forgiven this album its missteps if I could dissociate the music from the man. It’s really not bad. But I can’t. Alright, mum. I’m turning it off now." Morrissey's low point is not a recommended listen, although, you cannot take away from him that he is still a mighty fine modern crooner.
Not recommended.
[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, 👍Mojo 3 / 5, NME, The Independent 2 / 5 stars ]

Ike & Tina Turner "Nutbush City Limits" (1973) (single)

Nutbush City Limits, 7'' single

release date: Aug. 1973

format: vinyl

[single rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,56]

producer: Ike Turner

label: United Artists Records - nationality: USA

Tracklist: A) "Nutbush City Limits" (4 / 5) - - B) "Help Him"

Single release by Ike & Tina Turner taken from the forthcoming studio album of the same name from November that same year. The song is credited Tina Turner and is one of the duo's final hit songs.

The single appears to have various front covers depending on national imprints. This particular Danish print comes from my parents' record collection. I do recall playing this at 7-12 years of age and found it one the better singles in my parents' collecion.

~ ~ ~

This post is part of MyMusicJourney, which enlists key releases that have shaped my musical taste when growing up and until age 14. Most of these releases come from my parents' and / or my older brother's collection.

Chet Baker Quintet "Groovin' " (1966)

Groovin'
Release date: 1966
format: digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5]

This is released as The Chet Baker Quintet featuring Chet Baker (trumpet), George Coleman (tenor sax), Kirk Lightsey (piano), Herman Wright (bass), Roy Brooks (drums). The album is another mighty fine Chet collection in his heydays, and again a late hard bop jazz album.