@@@ Angel Olsen: MY WOMAN (Jagjaguwar, 2016). Indie folk queen at the top of this week’s All Music weekly email. They are damned correct in saying this is a bold new direction because this is not folk music. At all. This first tune seems to be a bit of a snoozer for an opener so let’s peep more. The second tune opens up strummed clean electric guitar and a big retro vocal melody. This is indie rock and she may be the folk queen but I don’t think I love her voice. I don’t hate it, but I ain’t jumping up and down. The third tune (clipped below) is the best of what I’ve heard thus far but it’s not enough to keep me going further into the record.
@@@ Soundwalk Collective & Jesse Paris Smith: Killer Road (feat. Patti Smith) (Sacred Bones, 2016). I’m not a huge Patti Smith fan but a mash of ambient music and pretentious ’70s spoken word works for me. Patti Smith isn’t pretentious but she is mad dramatical. This first tune has some decent sounds, there’s a lot of hammered percussion/mallet-y kinda sounds in this first tune and some whirling business as well. Let’s peep more. The second tune is insect-y and it’s more Patti Smith spoken word and I don’t think this is for me. But you’re not me so maybe you’ll peep it.
@@@ Eluvium: False Readings On (Temporary Residence, 2016). Some ‘experimental’ ambient I got to via the All Music weekly email. It’s opening up centered around some minimal organ playing. Other elements are drifting in, mostly slow synth clouds and a dull string pluck. It’s aight, let’s peep. This second tune (clipped below) is opening up more kaleidoscopic and a tad classic (as the title would suggest) with underneath mournful pulsing. This is more engaging than the opener and I like the contrast. Thus far I’m noticing slow rotation of musical elements, not quite static but close to static. There’s a screeching angel sound that is both interesting and a tad grating that somewhat takes over the piece. I like this fourth tune, Regenerative Being, the best of what I heard. Solid B.
YTD recordings listened to: 702
Good music, not recommended for purchase: 394
Not good music: 259
Honorable Mentions: 12
Buys: 11
Possibles: Chris McGregor, Dave Arner Trio, Zomby, Retox, Defeater, Jonwayne, Okkyung Lee, The Ballantynes, Slidhr, The Chewers, Toxic Holocaust, Susie Iberra/Roberto Rodriguez, Lenguas Largas, The Coral, T.O.M.B., Fofoulah, Lozen, Erase Errata, Mastery, Leviathan, Hartley C. White, Weed, Cold Water, Janelle Monae, Luther Dickinson, Destruction Unit, Graeme Barrett, Fast Asleep, Goldlink, Cavanaugh, Gentleman Surfer, Satoko Fuji, Mystic Braves, Divanhana, Unrestrained, Moken, Systema Solar, Brian Eno, Juan Atkins, Drone, Lantern, The Lickshots, Twin Peaks, Djelimady Tounkara, Miramar, The Oh Sees, Denny Zeitlin, MILF, Changui Majadero, Joe Sticky, Vieux Kante, Keefe Jackson, Unfun, De La Soul
The Cross Pollinator 