Something nice in the post this morning: a copy of Donald Fagen’s memoir, “Eminent Hipsters”. It’s not always the greatest idea to judge a book by its chapter titles (though I do always think that Clive James’ “A Prong In Peril” and “The Sound Of Mucus” are a good example of delivering what they promise), but definitely looking forward to “Henry Mancini’s Anomie Deluxe” and “The Cortico-Thalamic Pause: Growing Up Sci-Fi” Gonna have a wingding, or such like, at the weekend, and will report back.
In the meantime, good news here with the arrival of a characteristically brilliant new Necks album (a very spacious one-tracker that reminds me a bit of “Aether” or “See Through”), and a second set of 2013 from Lubomyr Melnyk. Plenty to play too, as you’ll see: please pay special attention to the Eiko Ishibashi clip (produced by and co-starring Jim O’Rourke, back in chamber pop mode), another White Denim leak (Thin Lizzy!), the amazing Desert Heat live set (stay tuned for the Velvet Underground cover), and the latest episode in Mark Kozelek’s ongoing soap opera (this month: James Gandolfini, more serial killers, Steve Shelley on drums, prostate issues…).
I still can’t find anything to share from the Alasdair Roberts album, which gets stronger by the play. Next week, hopefully.
Oh, and a final discreet word of warning. As usual, not everything here comes fully approved and endorsed (it’s just a checklist of stuff we’ve played in the office this past couple of days). One entry this week, though, is among the worst things I’ve heard this year. Tread carefully…
Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnRMulvey
1 The Necks – Open (Northern Spy)
2 The Limiñanas – Costa Blanca (Trouble In Mind)
3 Eiko Ishibashi – Resurrection (Drag City)
4 Toy – Join The Dots (sampler) (Heavenly)
5 Trans – Trans Red EP (Rough Trade)
6 Daniel Bachman – Jesus I’m A Sinner (Tompkins Square)
7 Swearin’ – Surfing Strange (Wichita)
8 Connan Mockasin – Caramel (Phantasy)
9 Flower Travellin’ Band – Satori (Atlantic)
10 White Denim – Corsicana Lemonade (Downtown)
11 Cross Record – Maybe I’m Crazy (Ba Da Bing)
Cross Record – Maybe I’m Crazy (Official) from Lavalette on Vimeo.
12 Dean Wareham – Emancipated Hearts (Sonic Cathedral)
13 Lubomyr Melnyk – Three Solo Pieces (Unseen Worlds)
14 Evan Parker & Joe McPhee – What/If/They Both Could Fly (Rune Grammofon)
15 Luke Sital-Singh – Tornados (Parlophone)
16 Various Artists – New Orleans Funk 3 (Soul Jazz)
17 Desert Heat – Live at Hopscotch Music Festival 2013 (www.nyctaper.com)
18 Miles Davis – The Original Mono Recordings (Sony)
19 Cults – Static (Sony)
20 Gonga – Concrescence (Tonehenge)
21 Way Through – Clapper Is Still (Upset The Rhythm)
22 Yes – Close To The Edge (Panegyric)
23 Howlin Rain – Magnificent Fiend (Birdman)
24 Sun Kil Moon – Richard Ramirez Died Today Of Natural Causes (Caldo Verde)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgaquGird4w
25 Alasdair Roberts & Robin Robertson – Hrta Songs (Stone Tape)
26 Date Palms – USA & Europe Dusted Sessions Tour 2013 (Date Palms)