Possibly there may be other matters preoccupying English readers today (and some American ones, come to that), and I can’t pretend that all the records here – the new MIA album, for instance – might be suitable for taking the potential pain away.
A little Ralph Vaughn-Williams, maybe, which worked well this morning on the way to work, inspired by digging into Rob Young’s “Electric Eden” – every bit as stimulating as I hoped it’d be.
Also this week, kind of fascinated by Janelle Monae in a way I haven’t been by R&B for a while (check the psychedelic slow jam “Mushrooms And Roses” for a terrific, if not entirely representative, introduction), and slightly depressed by at least one of the other records in the list (a pox on mainstream contemporary rock producers!). Finally and sadly, respect to Gary Shider, whose death a couple of days ago prompted the playing of the first two records here.
1 Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Westbound)
2 Funkadelic – Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On (Westbound)
3 Various Artists – Picture Music: Instrumental (Sky)
4 Mogwai – Special Moves (Rock Action)
5 MIA – ///Y/ (XL)
6 Darker My Love – Alive As You Are (Dangerbird)
7 Janelle Monae – The Archandroid (Atlantic)
8 Richard Thompson – Dream Attic (Demos) (Proper)
9 Olof Arnaldis – Innundir Skinni (One Little Indian)
10 Autechre – Move Of Ten (Warp)
11 Imbogodom – The Metallic Year (Thrill Jockey)
12 James Chance – Twist Your Soul: The Definitive Collection (History)
13 Ballake Sissoko/Vincent Segal – Chamber Music (No Format)
14 Various Artists – We Are All One In The Sun: A Tribute To Robbie Basho (Important)
15 Black Mountain – Wilderness Heart (Jagjaguwar)