New Music of Note 1/26/2021
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Sleaford Mods/Spare Ribs
"I wish I had the time/to be a wanker just like you/And maybe then I'd be somewhere lovely and warm/just like you" is a lyric that pops out of the snappy, snarky track "Elocution" from Sleaford Mods' latest, Spare Ribs. Recorded partly during the lockdown in Great Britain, the album's nervous, anxious energy sounds plenty relevant in post-insurrection America.
Part of the real charm of Sleaford Mods is in the delivery of Jason Williamson, the band's lyricist and vocalist. He's capable of delivering the most guttural putdown and investing it with Shakespearean import in the manner of Mark E Smith or John Lydon.
Sonically it's rather similar to the poetry of John Cooper Clarke filtered through the politico-social commentary of Gang of Four. In fact, the title track reminded me of that band directly with its bassline the main attraction outside the spare beatbox and Williamson's lyrics.
Musically, when the basic, "Mass Production" lo-fi beat is interrupted by other electronic sounds, as on "I Don't Rate You" the Mods manage to be reminiscent of Joy Division. At other times they reminded me of Trio in their devotion to a specific sound and energy.
Lest you think that the sturm und drang of British life in the shadow of Brexit and Tory austerity doesn't translate well to post-Trump America, rest assured that it does. In the wake of a rogue presidency, a herd immunity approach to COVID-19, police brutality, and a violent attack on the country from the crazy hard right, there's plenty of pent up fury and fear. If you enjoy post-punk and don't know Sleaford Mods, now is the perfect time to become acquainted.
Viagra Boys/Welfare Jazz
Swedish punk (or post-punk) group Viagra Boys are back with their second album, Welfare Jazz, and there is definitely no sophomore slump here. The banger of an album opener, "Ain't Nice" finds singer Sebastian Murphy doing his best Hugh Cornwell sneer while bassist Henrik Hockert takes a page from the Peter Hook book.
Topics of the new album include toxic masculinity, relationships, fascists, and a healthy dose of self-reflection. Make no mistake--Viagra Boys hate fascists and the lockstep macho corruption and criminality of the patriarchy. In that, they are decidedly in touch with the OG punk ethos, but musically they are way more experimental. The Viagra Boys have the political insight of Gang of Four, the intensity of The Birthday Party, and the stylistic restlessness of the Clash, yet none of those comparisons really describes what the band brings to Welfare Jazz.
Hockert says of the album's title: "Welfare Jazz is like free jazz--the kind of music you can't live on." And the band don't live on their music, with all members having day jobs (Murphy is a tattoo artist, Hockert a carpenter). That might be one element of Swedish democratic socialism that American conservatives have missed. Seriously, though, the free jazz comparison is most apt. Artists on the outside of their disciplines, their societies, cannot expect to support themselves through their music--it would be like expecting to be paid for participating in the revolution. The struggle is the prize.
Exactly halfway through Welfare Jazz's thirteen tracks comes "6 Shooter," an instrumental blast that manages to tie up all the strands of Viagra Boys' sound--punk instrumental, secret agent soundtrack, noise-punk drone burner, free jazz screecher (they employ a saxophonist full time, so again points for that), spoken word, even a little sound collage.
The album's second half is just as good as the beginning, and the band ends on a strong note. First is the recitative "To The Country" wherein Murphy waxes poetically about how moving to the country with his girl and dogs could solve all their problems--the Green Acres fantasy that many have had during the worldwide pandemic. I can’t help but think of this song as the antidote to McCartney’s “Heart of the Country.”
Then they kill it with a cover of John Prine's "In Spite of Ourselves" and are joined by Amy Taylor (Amy and the Sniffers). It sounds like a Music From Big Pink jug and guitar-style session and it demonstrates the understanding of humor that Viagra Boys possess, something else that sets them apart from many of their brethren.
Admittedly it's still January, but I imagine this album will stick around my playlists long enough to be a serious contender for a Best of 2021 list.
Various Artists/Saturday Night: South African Disco Pop Hits - 1981 TO 1987/(Compilation)
Until the absorption of American dance music ('disco') South African music was dominated by mbaqanga, local jazzy music that held sway during the years of apartheid. This was due to the fact that different tribes of Black people were not allowed to interact with each other, so the musical style became heavily localized. That began to change during the 1980s as apartheid was being challenged both internally and across the globe.
The music included in this excellent collection is sometimes highly derivative of American disco and soul music of the mid-seventies, but there are moments that demonstrate the liberating effect the music had as musicians and producers worked to create a distinctly South African sound to the new sounds. There's plenty of variation here--Varikweru is influenced not only by disco but also by funky studio musician bands and the dance-pop-soul of Earth, Wind & Fire, while diva Margino is clearly influenced by Madonna, right down to recording "Holiday" (officially released before Madonna's single in South Africa and a big regional hit). A collection of good dance tracks, and if you are into dance and soul music of the 70s and 80s or are interested in the development of pop music in South Africa, this is a collection you'll enjoy.
George Coleman Quintet/In Baltimore
At 85, George Coleman is one of the great living post-bop tenor saxophonists. Though known most widely for his 1963-64 tenure with the second great Miles Davis quintet, Coleman has played with a wide array of jazz artists. This session is one of the famous Left Bank Society performances recorded at Baltimore's Famous Ballroom on May 23, 1971. "I really enjoyed playing there," remembers Coleman. "The people were nice, too. A lot of black folks used to go there, too. It was integrated—I mean, black, white, whatever. They were there to listen to the music. It was a really great era.” Coleman's first album release as a leader was in 1977, so this performance of him leading a group that includes Danny Moore (tpt), Albert Dailey (p), Larry Ridley (b), and Harold White (d), is a lost gem. The performance is a high energy affair, and you can hear Coleman and Moore feeding off the energy of the room and crowd. With a nice cover photo by Francis Wolff, Reel to Real has created a classy package for this release, as befits an artist of Coleman's status.
AceMo/All My Life 2
This follow-up to AceMo's 2019 debut All My Life demonstrates the creativity that the NYC producer brings to electronic dance music. Nominally deep house music, AceMo presents sounds and beats that are different enough to hold your attention as a listener. The opener, "Celestial Nights" will take many listeners right back to the late-night clubland vibe of pre-COVID New York, Tokyo, or whatever destination you prefer, while "Through the Pressure" bubbles with street-level drama and a hint of anxiety. "New Daft Punk" features a stuttering synth pad rhythm, chunky handclap, and bright snare sounds. The final track, "Phone Tag," features AceMo's sister Yunie Mojica on saxophone and vocals, both of which are ably manipulated by AceMo to produce a track that is both unusual and strangely beautiful as well as being well outside the bounds of normal house-styled techno. Here's hoping that AceMo will continue to be as prolific and on the money in 2021.
Here Lies Man/Ritual Divination
Afrobeat and jazz influences mix with heavy rock to create a fairly unusual and effective hybrid. The L.A. quintet was formed by Marcos Garcia of Antibalas and jazz drummer Geoff Mann (son of famed flutist Herbie Mann). Basically, the Here Lies Man concept is Black Sabbath guitar riffing played with an Afrobeat rhythm section, but it must be that by now, on their fourth album, the Afrobeat is taking a definite backseat to what is otherwise a groove-heavy metal riffing mud mix with chorused vocals. It's difficult to criticize the band because they are doing exactly what they set out to do, and they are doing it damn well. Personally, I'd rather just think of Here Lies Man as a pretty good metal/prog/horror film soundtrack. I will say that at fifteen tracks and over an hour of running time Ritual Divination does start to sound a little same-y. I mean, you can say that about records by The Doors or The Ramones, but neither band presumed to think their audience wanted such a lengthy record. The bottom line, though, is that I really like some of the songs, and so I'd at least download a couple of tracks to shake up some future playlists.
Dere Moans/a direliction
Dere Moans is a nom de studio of Tony Lien, or it's one of them. He also creates what he refers to as 'lo fi tape collage music' under the banner Moon Dream, and he also runs the DIY cassette label Bad Cake Records. The biggest difference between the Moon Dream I was able to listen to and Dere Moans is that the latter is percolating with idiot energy, just waiting to bubble over into the 'real' world, while the former is more languid and, in its way, comforting. You also have to be a certain type of listener to consider what Dere Moans is doing here to be 'music' per se, but it is sound that is recorded and manipulated electronically and magnetically and that means there is potential for any of us to draw meaning from it. Or think of it as a palette cleanser.
Jason Moran/The Sound Will Tell You
For my money, Jason Moran has been one of the most interesting pianists around since his earlier Blue Note days. Here he presents a solo piano program that is by turns beautiful, stately and searching. That is was recorded quickly and recently (January 4-6, 2021) makes it that much more intimate and immediate. Moran spent a lot of time during quarantine this past year reading Toni Morrison, and several of the track titles demonstrate Morrison's influence on this music.
.On several tracks Moran utilizes a filter called DRIP that allows the sound of his playing to cast a shadow and results in a slowing down of melodic lines. These songs have a dreamlike effect that contrasts with the brighter sound of the naturally recorded tracks.
One satisfying element of Moran's artistry is his tendency to return again and again to ideas and themes that inspire him, such as his Gangsterism series. Here he returns to "Body and Soul" exploring it again with inspiration from Lamar Hendricks' "Intimate Friends."
Coming Soon
Cylinder Loops by Chicago artist Hali Palombo is coming out on January 28th. Limited edition copies of the cassette release are available for pre-order as are digital album downloads.
Two new ECM records will be released on January 29th: