For some reason, this week’s list seems intensely skewed towards Chicago music, not least because of the Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society album that I flagged up last week. A first track has emerged from that one now, along with the news that Abrams’ new European label, tak:til, will also be giving a wider reissue to my favourite album of last year from 75 Dollar Bill.
Anyhow, more interconnected Chicago goodness: a solo album on Drag City from Ryley Walker’s sometime sparring partner, Bill Mackay; The Cairo Gang, Bottle Tree and a transatlantic reconfiguration of the Chicago Underground Duo; a new track from Will Oldham; Brokeback; and a reissue of maybe Califone’s best album.
Special attention, too, to the Anthony Pasquarosa/John Moloney set, that captures that devotional Bull/Higgins guitar/drums vibe in honour of Pharaoh Sanders. A terrific album – click on the link to hear a bit of it, and let me know, as ever, how it vibrates with you…
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1 Anthony Pasquarosa With John Moloney – My Pharaoh, My King (Feeding Tube)
2 Joshua Abrams & Natural Information Society – Simultonality (tak:til/Glitterbeat/Eremite)
3 Charlie Watts – …Meets The Danish Radio Big Band (Impulse)
4 King Ayisoba – 1000 Can Die (Glitterbeat)
5 Piri – Voces Querem Mate (Far Out)
6 Jake Xerxes Fussell – What In The Natural World (Paradise Of Bachelors)
7 Joan Shelley – Joan Shelley (No Quarter)
8 Trouble Funk – Drop The Bomb (Sugar Hill)
9 The Go-Betweens – Liberty Belle & The Black Diamond Express (Beggar’s Banquet)
10 Jidenna – The Chief (Wondaland/Epic)
11 Chicago / London Underground – A Night Walking Through Mirrors (Cuneiform Records)
12 Various Artists – Running The Voodoo Down (Festival)
13 Ride – Charm Assault (Wichita)
14 Bill MacKay – Esker (Drag City)
15 Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Treasure Map (The End Of All Music)
16 Bottle Tree – Bottle Tree (International Anthem Recording Co)
17 Penguin Cafe – The Imperfect Sea (Erased Tapes)
18 Califone – Slowness (Dead Oceans)
19 Zeitkratzer – Performs Tracks From The Albums Kraftwerk and Kraftwerk 2 (Zeitkratzer Productions)
20 The Cairo Gang – Untouchable (God?/Drag City)
21 Brokeback – Illinois River Valley Blues (Thrill Jockey)
22 Growing – Disorder (Important)