It’s always difficult—and rather arbitrary—to call on the best of something, anything; especially when there are to be only four chosen ones, amongst a sea of candidates. I probably already alluded to this challenge when I came up with my recommendations series, but I want to state it again, as a memory refresher. Here, I emphasize four albums, out of a sea of potential releases that came out during this passing month, but, really, all albums mentioned in this post—including the “Honourable Mentions”—could have starred on the podium. The choice of these four might be more of an effect of … Read more
Category Archives: Music
Monthly Recommendations:
Pete Lee – The Velvet Rage
The Music
The Words
Once in a while, you stumble across an album that really clicks with you; and, once in a blue moon or so, you find one that does so while remaining criminally in darkness. One such album is Pete Lee‘s The Velvet Rage, out on June 29, after a successful Kickstarter campaign. The London-based pianist here plays original compositions in a quintet formula, with drums, electric guitar and bass, and saxophone. Amika Strings, a quartet, also makes an appearance.
The seven tracks make up for an eventful fifty minutes, with variegated moods and atmospheres, from … Read more
Weekly Release Dump
Saturday, 23
Hans Anselm Big Band – Kreisfrequenz (modern jazz)
MRW (Emerwu) – Outmasters (progressive rock)
Sunday, 24
The 8-Bit Big Band – Press Start! (big band, jazz fusion, VGM)
Monday, 25
Jason Rubenstein – Four Points of Focus (progressive metal/rock)
Joliette – El alphabiotista (mathcore)
… Read moreBook of Sand, Virgil, The 8-Bit Big Band, Valia Calda, Similar Fashion, Juuichi, Harmolodic String Band, Us, Today, and Karmic Juggernaut
Book of Sand – Postmodern Witchcraft
Book of Sand is no different to strange, unsettling experiments [1] [2], and Postmodern Witchcraft continues to defy expectations. The album is blackened post-punk for satanic surfers, which opens a new branch in the vast tree of music, and that is always cause for celebration. It’s strange, and it’s probable that you will be offset by it, but it’s something much worth listening to.
Virgil – The Pacer
Prog fusion is hardly a rarity, these days, but good bands keep pouring out, warranting a listen! Today’s subject is Los Angeles’ Virgil, with … Read more
Charlie Looker – Simple Answers
The Music
The Words
Charlie Looker, of Psalm Zero and Zs renown, just unleashed a new amalgamative full-length under his own name, titled Simple Answers. The album stems from taking a deep look at oneself in a context where far-right extremism and fascism are ideologies on the rise. “Am I a fascist?” All of this process is recorded and expressed through an amazing musical journey.
The record is very “modern classical”, in essence, and takes many influences from industrial music, post-punk, and metal music. The orchestra-electronic ambivalence of Simple Answers reflects well the left-right divide of the world’s … Read more