The Reds, Pinks & Purples - Mountain Lake Park

 

We would never tell you that the only music you need is by The Reds, Pinks & Purples. But we will tell you, and often have told you in the past, that you need his music. His offerings have expanded yet again with the recent release of Mountain Lake Park. The album, which is comprised of eleven instrumental tracks, was originally an limited release, vinyl only add on to the Summer At Land's End LP. However, Glenn has made it available now as a digital download. Give the relaxing set of music a listen and, if you are so-inclined, get it at the Bandcamp link.

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Carlos Niño & Friends - More Energy Fields, Current

 

Carlos Niño & Friends' new record, More Energy Fields, Current, is out, and you will enjoy spending some time with it. Niño is a DJ, producer and percussionist, but his most important talent appears to be his ability to pull groups of artists together and sort of inspire their best work and collaboration. This album is carefully arranged and layered to create quietly spectacular moments one after another, like the way the gently swinging but insistent drumbeat fades into a flute by way of what sounds like a treated B3 or synthesizer along with some ambient sounds (water, woods), before building to a crescendo on "Salon Winds":

   

 That video is a film by Cara Stricker, who has done videos for Blood Orange and Alicia Keys, among others, and the track was recorded at a backyard concert at Mike D's Malibu home by the team Nino assembled for this record: Jamire Williams, Nate Mercereau, Jamael Dean and Aaron Shaw. Every song on here provides an opportunity to explore new sounds or combinations of sounds, and Niño's collaborators are completely in sync. Spend some time with it, and please be sure to put on your best headphones, or find a quiet night for driving and put it on. The final track, "Please, wake up" is a reflection of the opener and it has a patient but insistent feel, and sort of gently glitches out into a quiet set of chimes, which is the perfect way to end the record:

 

 Wake up! it says. From Nino's liner notes: "We’re all in this together. I look forward to living in a much higher, much more conscious, harmonious state, here, with You, on this Magical Planet Earth.” The digital is out now, available from International Anthem and the vinyl will be out on June 25.

International Anthem Records - Bandcamp

Peter Frampton Band - Frampton Forgets the Words

Do you like rock guitar? Then you will love this record. Peter Frampton’s guitar work doesn’t need any introduction, and neither do most of these songs. That said, the creativity displayed in his playing and in his band’s work make this an exhilarating listen, and certainly more than you might expect. There are some older, less “radio-exposed” choices from 60’s superstars that make a lot of sense as you listen to them, like Stevie Wonder’s “I Don’t Know Why”, Marvin Gaye’s “One More Heartache” and Sly and the Family Stone’s “If You Want Me to Stay”:

Frampton always played a soulful take on guitar rock, from his time in Humble Pie through his solo career, and he clearly is comfortable putting his lead guitar in place of some soulful vocals here. His band flexes both their sense of rhythm and rock and roll chops on these two tracks. Some of the other song choices seem inspired by the sense of melody in the originals - “Isn’t It a Pity” would be a great example of this:

There is not a weak number on here. Some seem to track more closely to the originals; “Avalon”, “Are You Gonna Go My Way” and “Loving the Alien”, particularly, seem to lend themselves to having a rock guitar fill in for the vocal and still retain a lot of the original song’s spirit. It’s a great set of song choices, played with enough creativity to render these versions worth coming back to. Highly recommended, and available wherever you get music. 

Peter Frampton website

Carlos Niño and Friends - “Thanking the Earth” from forthcoming More Energy Fields, Current, out May 7

Carlos Niño is a Los Angeles-based producer, arranger, DJ and is the leader of the ensemble that created these wonderful tracks from his upcoming album More Energy Fields, Current. It is quiet, unhurried, fairly self-contained instrumental music, with a theme of our relationship with our planet. Carlos has a good-sized contingent of collaborators, each bringing something unique to the mix. In true DJ fashion, Carlos is able to pull it all together within the bounds of the length of a single track.

And here is a track released earlier, "Pleasewakeupalittlefasterplease". It is also fantastic:

 

Stay tuned for more - the album is due to be released digitally May 7, with physical copies (vinyl, cassettes, etc) due to arrive in June. You can preorder and check out some of his other music (recommended) at his Bandcamp site.

Carlos Niño at Bandcamp

Three Days From Retirement - Empty Chinese Cities

Yes, the name of the band and the title of the album are a bit unusual. But the self-described cinematic and euphoric instrumental post-rock soundscapes on Empty Chinese Cities deliver exactly what Edinburgh project Three Day From Retirement promise. A pleasingly-fleshed out soundtrack that pleasures your ears and lifts your spirits. Give it a chance.

Empty Chinese Cities is out now in CD and digital formats. See the Bandcamp link.



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Mikey Young - Your Move Vol. 1

I don't think there is anything related to music that Mikey Young could do that would surprise me.  Well, upon reflection, if some future performance, recording or mixing work was sub par, I would be surprised, but that isn't a surprise that is likely to happen.  Whether it is his work as a musician with Eddy Current Suppression Ring, Ooga Boogas, and Total Control, among others, or his recording and mixing for numerous projects on several continents in recent years, Young has proved himself to be adventurous, talented and inspired.  He is wedded to no specific genre, but rather seems to seek out challenges wherever he sees an opportunity.

For Your Move Vol. 1, Young becomes an electronic producer, creating five spacious instrumental tracks that are upbeat, sunny and cinematic, with a solid core of pop smarts.  Young is a Jedi master of aural seduction -- catching your ear and rubbing it where it produces the most pleasure.  And if we weren't all consenting adults here, there could be some codes violated.  But happily, we are adults and can sit back and enjoy one of the premier left-field standouts of the year.

Your Move Vol. 1 is out now in digital, vinyl and cassette formats.  It is the first of a series of synth pop albums by different artists that will be released by Moniker Records in the ensuing months.  The unusual name has an interesting explanation.  Each artist will make a move on a chess board when the artist's album is released.  Then Moniker will make a move, followed by the next artist, and so on.





Bandcamp for Your Move Vol. 1
Moniker Records

Noveller - A Pink Sunset For No One

That Sarah Lipstate is an extraordinary electric guitarist is amply demonstrated by her work with the bands of which she has been a member, including Cold Cave, Parts and Labor and One Umbrella, and her collaborations with JG Thirlwell, Carla Bozulich, David Sims, and Lee Ranaldo.  But full appreciation of her talents is best achieved by experiencing her work as Noveller.  In this guise, she creates expansive, cinematic soundscapes, devoid of vocals but richly detailed nonetheless.  Her latest album as Noveller is A Pink Sunset For No One.  Layering sound on sound, with drone elements holding the lower end while Sarah's inspirations take flight in delightfully directions.  Her guitar, pedals and fingers conjure and entire assembly of synths, pianos, bass, woodwinds and other instruments.  One moment you can close your eyes and visualize fairies, another you sense an ominous presence or anticipate a revealed mystery.  You luxuriate in warm chimes, or shiver at the approach of thunder.  The detail is breathtaking, the timing is impeccable.   If you don't think you like instrumental music, you probably haven't given Noveller a chance.

A Pink Sunset For No One is out now on vinyl, digital and CD formats via Fire Records.  See the Bandcamp link below for details.









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Fire Records page for Noveller

The Olympians - The Olympians

The Olympians is a big, bold name for a music project, conjuring images of Greek gods, heroic deeds and epic stories.  In a world where 'go big or go home' means something because, in part, not everyone who attempts to 'go big' succeeds, the name sets a high and very public bar to jump over.  But when you have a label like Daptone, and a roster of musicians from the bands of Charles Bradley, The Dap-KIngs, Menahan Street Band, Budos Band, Tonight Show Band, Lee Fields, El Michels Affair, The Arcs, and Sugarman 3, plus the musical director for Steely Dan and David Byrne, perhaps the attempt isn't so brash after all.

The project is the brainchild of vibraphonist and pianist Toby Danzer, who dreamt he was asked to tell the tales of ancient Greek gods.  Toby's accepted the challenge, and chose to fulfill it via instrumental soul music with the assistance of some of New York's best musicians.  And the results are fantastic -- vibrant, evocative soul music that manages to connect with the listener despite the absence of any spoken words.  Pazner and company set the stage, provide the backdrop and inspiration, and let your mind paint the rest of the picture.  It is indeed digital magic, my friends, and you owe it to yourself to give The Olympians a try.

In addition to Toby Pazner, The Olympians are Thomas Brenneck, Dave Guy, Leon Michels, Micholas Movshon, Homer Steinweiss, Michael Leonhart, Neal Sugarman, Aaron Johnson, and Evan Pazner.










The Olympians on Twitter
Bandcamp for The Olympians
Daptone Records page for The Olympians
Daptone Records

A Sudden Burst of Colour - Waves Will Rise On Silent Water

Generally, I like my music with lyrics.  That doesn't mean I study the lyrics, or even can distinguish all of the words.  But I am accustomed to listening to pop music with lyrics, and I don't actively seek out instrumentals (for this discussion, I am excluding techno and dub reggae).  But today I received a lesson about the dangers of being too rigid, because I almost overlooked A Sudden Burst of Colour.  In fact, if it hadn't been of the eye-catching name of the band, I probably wouldn't have listened at all.  It would have been my loss, and, if you rely on me for recommendations in new music, your loss as well.  This four piece from Motherwell, Scotland has crafted a soaring, engaging, multi-layered kaleidoscope of sounds titled Waves Will Rise On Silent Water.  Just four songs (albeit with a 25:30 running time), but I suggest that it will be one of the more thrilling musical journeys you have experienced in a while.  Evocative and intricate, it had me captivated from start to finish.

I've provided a couple of tracks below, but you can stream and buy the entire EP at the Bandcamp link below.  A Sudden Burst of Colour are Luke Duncan (guitar), Callum Brand (guitar), Liam Shaw (drums), and Calum Farquharson (bass).





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REVIEW: Mogwai - Rave Tapes

Mogwai's not wandering far from their established style on their latest studio album Rave Tapes - they offered an advance track, "Remurdered", that did change things up a bit... but the majority of this album features their slow building, eventually ferocious guitar work - the overwhelming beauty of a style of guitar rock that they do better than anyone else. There is majestic piano work, an evocative vocal chorus here and there, and a few of their usual tricks, but it's a Mogwai album, and to me, it's to be celebrated as such. Perhaps they will be criticized for not stretching or pushing the limits, but not here. To have 10 new songs of this high quality from them is an occasion to be celebrated.



Last year's soundtrack showed how well Mogwai's atmospheric approach accompanies striking visuals - of course, their videos have always shown that. Previously we shared their video for album track "The Lord is Out of Control":



That's an excellent example of the sounds here, but my favorite track is "Hexon Bogon", mainly because the guitars are strong and the pace upbeat from the beginning of the track. There's a spoken word track that juxtaposes what sounds like a radio preacher's explication of Led Zeppelin's subliminal satanic messages with a particularly beautiful instrumental - reminiscent of Come On Die Young's "Punk Rock", except that the spoken word continues throughout the track.

But it's moments like the dizzying heights reached by the guitars on tracks like "Hexon Bogon" and "Mastercard," and the majestic swell of keyboards, drums and vocal chorus on the consecutive tracks "Deesh" and "Blues Hour" that keep me coming back to Mogwai records. In that respect, this album is a success -- the latest in a long line of successful releases from them.

Fortunately, you don't need to read much from me - you can stream the album at the Guardian website now. It's out tomorrow on Sub Pop in the US, and today on the band's label Rock Action elsewhere.

Mogwai website
Mogwai on Sub Pop
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New Jazz/Funk Discovery - Jyoti - Denderah

Jyoti is the name under which Georgia Anne Muldrow makes thoughtful, invigorating instrumental music that touches on jazz, soul and funk. She comes by her jazz interests and talent by way of her parents. Her father, Ronald Muldrow, was an accomplished multi-instrumentalist best known for his work with Eddie Harris. Her mother, Rickie-Byars Beckwith, singer/songwriter/composer who served as lead singer for Pharoah Sanders Ensemble, Roland Hanna, Howard Johnson & The New York Jazz Quartet. If any of these names, or the names Coltrane, Tyner or Hancock make you sit up and pay attention, then you will be well-served to check this out. It is excellent, top-shelf instrumental jazz, at the level of contemporary artists like Brad Mehldau and Yesterday's New Quintet. And there is a not-insubstantial connection to both the spirit and approach of funk artists like George Clinton.

Here's "Turiya's Smile" - a beautiful piano ballad that really does call to mind McCoy Tyner:



And for a taste of the funkier, electronic side, here's "Optimus Prime" - all Mothership-inspired synths and beats:



I also love the swing of "Siderealin'", which calls to mind great instrumentals like "Elizabeth Reed" or "Peaches En Regalia". (All roads, for me, lead to guitar rock...)



If I am to understand the press release on this record, she wrote, arranged and played everything herself. I am beyond impressed. She is a tremendous talent with a very engaging style. If you like jazz and funk and great keyboard playing, this is recommended to you most highly. You can listen to the rest of it, and buy the download or physical via Bandcamp (click through the songs above), or read more at her links below.

Georgia Anne Muldrow at SomeOthaShip
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REVIEW: BELLS≥ - Solutions, Silence, or Affirmations

Brooklyn-based BELLS≥’ Solutions, Silence, or Affirmations, shows a confident, tough and sometimes achingly beautiful approach to instrumental writing and performing. The pace is set throughout by former Jawbox drummer Zach Barocas, along with guitarists Stephen Shodin and Chris Ernst, cellist Gordon Withers and producer/bassist J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Channels, Office of Future Plans). D.C. bass duo Argos contributed basses on “Promenade.” Tom Broucksou is now the band's bassist.

Barocas and Robbins, who have over a 20-year friendship and collaboration in Jawbox and elsewhere, create a lively, muscular base for the music... and the guitars and cello interplay masterfully. This is music that will appeal to fans of instrumental rock of any stripe, especially the stuff that often gets labeled "math rock" or "post rock". It's fiery, but at the same time it exhibits a sort of quiet confidence and patience. On the opening track "Apostatic", as on most of the record, the drums set the pace throughout and create a framework within which the guitars sort of swing back and forth and the cello fills the sound. On "Brothers, Sisters" the cello and guitars at the outset are laid sort of quietly on top of the drums, until both swell up to fill the room about 2:30 in.

Here's "No More Water", which makes good use of the contrast between sound levels and tempos the band plays with:



And here's "Metatron" - which calls to mind, in places, a revved-up Mogwai track:



As you listen, it's clear this is a drummer's band, and the guitars and cello follow Barocas' lead and make one of the strongest records of 2013. It's out now (July 30) and available now via Bandcamp or all the usual outlets... though the band makes the statement that, to get the album they intended, with the interstitial pieces intact, you're best with the vinyl or the Bandcamp download. You can read more about that at their website.

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REVIEW: Haiku Salut - Tricolore

Haiku Salut constructs instrumental indie pop from classical, folk, electronic and experimental elements.  And I urge you not to reject sampling the charms of their LP, Tricolore, even if some of those elements are not found among your usual musical fare.  This is music played with intelligence, passion, craft and wit.  The players are capable of noodling on small scale, and blasting with wide-screen cinematic grandeur.  Without the need for lyrics they can convey love, confusion and sadness.  Well, they do have an assist with song titles such as "Sounds Like There's A Pacman Crunching Away At Your Heart" (ouch, I've been there).  Instrumentation includes pianos, glockenspiels, accordions, ukuleles, and electronics.  One of the revelations is how well the electronic contributions mesh with and complement the more traditional instruments, while adding an element of playfulness.

Tricolore is a promising debut from an inventive band, and I expect we will hear more good things from them in the future.






The group consists of Gemma Barkerwood, Sophie Barkerwood and Louise Croft, and are based in Derbyshire.  They also had the assistance of other musicians in making Tricolore.  The album is released by the How Does It Feel To Be Loved label, and is available in vinyl, CD and digital formats from the Bandcamp link below.

And by the way, the band is too kind to leave us adrift as to the pronunciation of their name, so their have guided us on their website.  Repeat after me: High-coo Sa-loo.

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REISSUES: Twin Bakersfield Country Gems: The Buckaroos Play Buck & Merle and That Fiddlin' Man, due out July 23

If you've enjoyed the Omnivore country reissues we have featured recently, you're in for another treat. These two albums, released in tandem, are both instrumentals, but are played in somewhat different styles. The Buckaroos Play Buck & Merle is a combination of two old records - the 1965 LP The Buck Owens Songbook and 1971’s The Songs of Merle Haggard. It features a full, straight-up rendition of both albums - with no vocals. From the Omnivore release:

The Buck Owens Songbook was released in 1965 and gave fans a chance to sing along with their favorite Buck hits with The Buckaroos as their backing group — lyrics provided. Six years and ten albums later, the band paid tribute on their last LP to the man who named them: The Songs of Merle Haggard appeared in 1971, and featured The Buckaroos’ instrumental take on classics like “Mama Tried” and “Okie From Muskogee.” That LP, unfortunately, didn’t come with a lyric booklet like its predecessor.

Don Rich’s That Fiddlin’ Man is a 1971 release made to showcase Don's incredible fiddle playing. While instrumental, it's not missing anything. Rich's fiddle is a great lead instrument, and the album doesn't suffer for lack of vocals. It's country/bluegrass at its finest. Again, from the Omnivore release:

While  “Orange Blossom Special” was a live staple at a Buckaroos show, Don’s fiddle carried through to many of Buck’s studio releases, too. In 1971, ten tracks were compiled from a number of Buck Owens & The Buckaroos albums and released as That Fiddlin’ Man. The album was an instant hit with fans. Sadly, on his way to becoming Bakersfield’s next big country star, Rich was killed in a motorcycle accident in 1974.

Out of print for decades, That Fiddlin’ Man will be reissued for the first time ever on compact disc. Omnivore has added ten additional instrumental tracks from the Owens catalog that showcase The Buckaroos, Don Rich and his fiddle. That amounts to 20 tracks of prime Buckaroos — taken from 13 different albums recorded between 1963 and 1970.

Both will be released by Omnivore on July 23, shortly after local heroes Buck Owens and Merle Haggard are awarded honorary degrees from Cal State Bakersfield.

Within the past year, Omnivore Recordings has also issued Buck Owens’ Honky Tonk Man, a compilation of unissued early ’70s recordings from the Hee Haw era (WYMA review here), the 10” vinyl EP Buck Sings Eagles, plus an eerily appropriately-timed release of Don Rich’s only solo album, the previously unissued Don Rich Sings George Jones (WYMA review here).

Omnivore Recordings - Don Rich
Omnivore Recordings - The Buckaroos

REVIEW: Dupree - Nuestro Camino

Dupree is an Austin, TX based trio -- a bit of a throwback -- playing an upbeat take on the Hammond B3-based blues/soul instrumentals of artists like Jimmy Smith and Booker T & The MG's. This week they are releasing Nuestro Camino, and anybody with a taste for instrumental rock, blues and soul ought to check it out.

The band consists of Mike Flanigin, Jake Langley, and Kyle Thompson, and they play at the Continental Club in Austin on a regular basis. I imagine their live groove is something to behold, because the one on record sure does swing. Partly, I suppose that is due to the fact that this record was produced by Spoon's Jim Emo, live in a single take, to 2-track tape with no overdubbing or "fixing it in the mix" possible. The results are delightful, with some amazing B3 runs throughout, perhaps nowhere as soaring as on the 6:00 "All Or Nothing At All".

Here's a short video they made about the making of the record:

Here's "The Turtle":

Langley's guitars on here are great too - you'll be put in mind of the West Coast jazz of Wes Montgomery, particularly on "KC", which also features some tremendous runs and held notes on the B3 - as you listen, you can picture a crowd being played into a frenzy by this stuff.

Eno is not only the producer of this record, he's created a music label and distribution system, named, after his studio, Public Hi-Fi Records. You can buy physical copies (including, no kidding, a white 8-track tape!) from Public Hi-Fi here, or you can buy the digital version here. The digital contains four more tracks, including the fast-paced jazz piece "Cookin' at the Continental" and the delightfully mellow "Nightcap" - so maybe get an 8-track for your pleasure van or muscle car, and a download to carry around on your phone.

William Tyler Tour Info - Go See a Guitar Legend in the Making

William Tyler's Impossible Truth is one of the best records I've heard this year - as I said in my review, I feel it compares well to John Fahey, Skip James and the like. He's a guitar player's guitar player - regarded as one of the very best in Nashville. After touring with Telekinesis and Mount Moriah a bit this spring, he's headed out on tour for the summer, including an appearance at Bonnaroo, where I'm certain he'll gain a bigger following. It's fitting for an album as expansive as Impossible Truth, with tracks called "Country of Illusion", "Geography of Nowhere" and "Cadillac Desert" to send Tyler on a tour that takes him to the West Coast and back in less than a month.

Love this video where he talks about the making of the album, essentially spooling out the stream-of-consciousness lyrics he didn't put on the album of instrumentals:



Tour dates:

Apr 27 Bloomington, IN — Landlocked Music Free in-store performance at 3PM
May 31 Nelsonville, OH — Nelsonville Music Festival
Jun 13 Toronto, ON — The Garrison- Panache NXNE Festival Showcase
Jun 15 Manchester, TN — Bonnaroo Festival
Jul 19 Columbus, OH — Ace of Cups
Jul 23 Boulder, CO — Fox Theater
Jul 24 Salt Lake City, UT — Kilby Court
Jul 25 Boise, ID — Visual Arts Collective
Jul 26 Seattle, WA — Capitol Hill Block Party Vera Stage
Jul 27 Portland, OR — Mississippi Studios
Jul 30 San Francisco, CA — Rickshaw Stop *
Jul 31 Monterey, CA — Golden State Theatre Lobby
Aug 2 Los Angeles, CA — The Echo *
Aug 3 San Diego, CA — Casbah *
Aug 4 Phoenix, AZ — Rhythm Room *
Aug 5 El Paso, TX — Lowbrow Palace
Aug 7 Austin, TX — Mohawk Inside
Aug 9 Oxford, MS — Lamar Lounge
* w/ Daughn Gibson

Pioneers of Rock - The Ventures

Don Wilson, an original guitarist in The Ventures, is 80 today.  The impact of The Ventures on guitar based rock is arguably the equal of any other RnR group. The number of musicians naming them as major influences is impressive:  George Harrison, Lindsey Buckingham Ray Davies, Terry Kath, Mark Knopfler, The Ramones, Keith Moon, Stevie Ray, Vaughan, Jimmy Page, Brian May, and Ted Nugent.  They provided the impetus for many to start their own bands.  The first question asked of any aspiring 60's drummer was "Can you play Wipe Out?"  The some tonal quality and sound can be heard in the music of many current cutting edge groups.

Can your drummer play this?:



Their first charting single:





 Some more:



And the one we have heard the most:

 



The Ventures Website