Monthly Archives: October 2020
Ani diFranco – Do or Die (single), [Righteous Babe Records]
Does what it says on the tin. This feels like a very welcome throwback Ani sound with soft jazz, like Not So Soft meets Knuckle Down. The lyrics all pertain to what’s happening right now in the United States, and I think we can all agree that we need Ani to keep releasing songs until […]
Graham Nash – Vote (single) [Blue Castle Records]
Gentle and insistent, much like you have to be when you convince your family to head to the polls this year and do the right thing. While he originally wrote this tune back when all the American people had to contend with was Richard Nixon, legendary American folk songster Nash only released this understated and […]
Derrick Hodge – Color of Noize [Blue Note]
Bassy, electronic, groovy music. Straddles the line between an astral funk record and a jazz record. Highly recommended for fans of modern jazz rap.
Ron Miles – Rainbow Signs [Blue Note]
Gorgeous music that is contemplative and whimsical. Bill Frisell’s guitar is wonderful.
Joel Ross – Who Are You? [Blue Note]
Joel Ross’ highly anticipated sophomore effort, Who Are You?, was released on Blue Note Records October 23rd. The mature, narrative songwriting style that combines structure and free stretching is something of masterful proportions. Listen to how Brandee Younger blends her harp so well with Immanuel Wilkins alto.
Deftones – Ohms
Release date: September 25, 2020Label: Reprise Records If you like early 2010’s Deftones, you’re going to like Ohms. Genesis starts off full of hazy crushing glory. The chorus for Ceremony will stick with you for days. Urantia satisfies the way that only a Deftones song can – it begins with a jagged riff that’s reminiscent […]
CUT COPY – Freeze, Melt // Cutters Records
From Promoter: “Grammy-nominated electronica act Cut Copy returns with their sixth studio album, Freeze, Melt, breaking from their traditionally dance-oriented music to provide a more thoughtful, ambient record. With tracks averaging over five minutes and creating a textural landscape of synths, drum machines, and (sometimes) founder DJ Dan Whitford’s melodic vocals, Freeze, Melt is certainly […]
ELDERBROOK – Why Do We Shake In the Cold? // Parlophone/Atlantic
From Promoter: “London based artist Elderbrook’s debut full-length, Why Do We Shake In The Cold? is a lyrical ode to his singer-songwriter roots set in a modern electronic sound. After dropping his first EP Simmer Down in 2015, his collaborations and remixes have since garnered acclaim with fans. Elderbrook (a.k.a. English musician and producer Alexander […]
YELLOW DAYS – A Day In A Yellow Beat // RCA
From Promoter: “Self-described as an “upbeat existential millennial crisis”, A Day In A Yellow Beat is the newest album from indie-pop R&B project Yellow Days. The brainchild of Manchester-born George Van Den Broek, Van Den Broek’s latest album serves as a long-awaited followup to his first two albums, released in 2016 and 2017 respectively when […]
Andy Scott–Westland
Contemporary works for saxophone and piano, meandering, floating or very fast. Play!
Nubya Garcia – Source [Concord Jazz]
Really dope soul infused jazz from this titan of the tenor sax. Smoother than Melissa Aldana, kind of aligning with a grittier Walter Smith III. Pretty fun stuff here!
Asher Gamedze – Dialectic Soul [On The Corner]
A powerful show of compositional abilities and musical poetry with the deep, research-oriented ethnomusicology that would make the most booky academic blush. Asher Gamedze recorded Dialectic Soul to be submitted in conjunction with his doctoral thesis in South African music, specifically jazz in the age of apartheid. The juxtaposition between the percussive freedom of African […]
Selene Saint-Aime – Mare Unadrum [Komos]
Foreboding, dark music from Saint-Aime and a chamber jazz-like lineup. Obvious comparisons to Esperanza Spaulding could be made, but the bassist has so much more of her own sound and style. Classically informed, as well as the m-base movement of saxophonists. Incredible and requires a multitude of listens.
Giveton Gelin – True Design [Self Released]
The Nassau-born trumpet player present incredible maturity and compositional prowess on his debut recording. Possessing a tone informed by Freddie Hubbard and Booker Little, he fires off gorgeous melodic statements along with alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins. Phenomenal record. PLAY.
JOBS – Endless Birthdays [Clandestine]
Minimal, beautiful music that doesn’t adhere to a set genre. The viola work here is really great.
Pat Keen – Cells Remain [Clandestine]
A mellow ambient record that has some freakier moments. Hauntingly beautiful and surprisingly heady work, though that is expected from Clandestine.
Zoe Polanski – Violent Flowers [Clandestine]
Arpeggiated, lightly synthesized ambient music that is reminiscent of Deer Hunter. Gorgeous vocals.
Butcher Brown – #Kingbutch [Concord Jazz]
Funky, borderline lofi vibes that shade in tight beats with loose jazz harmonies. Definitely something to play.
Sarah King – Nightstand (Self-released) [LOCAL]
The latest track from this Vermont blues artist is a dark, smoky murder ballad led by distorted keys and crunchy guitars, topped off with Sarah’s powerful and convincingly sinister vocals. Truly “music to bury a body by.” FCC: Clean RIYL: Susan Tedeschi, Warren Haynes, Kat Wright, Beth Hart
Christopher Parker & Kelley Hurt – No Tears Suite [Oxford American]
Beautiful on the nose music about the Black experience in America. Contributions from Brian Blade are strong.
Eivor – SEGL [Self-Released]
Comparisons to Bjork, another prominent Scandanavian artist, could be made when speaking of Eivor and her new album Segl. Eivor presents lilting, semi-electric beats with lilting voices and a myriad of textural playing.
Emma Kupa – It Will Come Easier [Palo Alto]
Kupa presents an album with material very much in line with much of the newer indie wave today. Strong influences of Phoebe Bridgers can be heard in her arrangements, though her voice is unique though acknowledges a host of other from the early 2010’s emerging art folk genre.
Gregory Porter – All Rise [Blue Note]
Singer Gregory Porter releases another soulful and striking record of originals. His low, controlled voice and nuanced phrasing is truly something to behold.
Willverine – Hope It All [Self-released] (LOCAL)
The lead single from VT multi-instrumentalist and producer Willverine’s upcoming album Goodnow is a low-key indie pop number with vocals from Francesca Blanchard, wobbly synth bass and trumpet coming together for a chill vibe all around. FCC: Clean RIYL: Men I Trust, Crumb, Jungle, Hippo Campus
Erin Cassels-Brown – Dreamin’ On Overdrive [Self-released] (LOCAL)
Local singer-songwriter Erin Cassels-Brown’s debut album is simply one of the best collections of classic Americana-style tunes to come out of Vermont in recent years. Erin’s music has a timeless feel, clearly influenced by “classic records” of the past but not redundant, with its own identity. Highly recommended! Track Picks: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 […]
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