The Golden Palominos - A Dead Horse 1989

By and large, A Dead Horse tosses out the supersession approach of previous Golden Palominos efforts to concentrate on a steady core roster of Anton Fier, Bill Laswell, and Nicky Skopelitis; vocal chores are evenly divided among the Numbers Band's Robert Kidney and Amanda Kramer, formerly of Information Society. A subdued, moody effort, A Dead Horse lacks the energy and spark of the group's earlier work; only Kramer's lovely "Darklands" makes much of a lasting impression. AMG.

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Peanut Butter Wolf - My Vinyl Weighs A Ton 1999

Digger of crates, master of tracks, Peanut Butter Wolf has an influences list that stretches into the hundreds (nearly all of them are actually listed in the credits, broken down by year) and a working knowledge of beats and samples that must number in the thousands. There aren't quite that many on his first production album, but he winnowed it down to a cool 75 or 100 to create one of the grooviest, funkiest underground records of the '90s. Unlike fellow NoCal mixer/producer DJ Shadow, PBW has plenty of space for collaborations, with nearly a dozen different rappers stopping by, along with nearly every top turntablist of the era: Babu, Q-Bert, Rob Swift, Cut Chemist, Kid Koala, Z-Trip, Shortkut, and A-Trak (granted, quite a few of them all show up for one gigantic posse track, "Tale of Five Cities"). My Vinyl Weighs a Ton boasts deep beats and choice samples, all of them working brilliantly together, and enough great cutting to keep each track raw and full of energy. Obviously learning a few lessons about sequencing and pacing from classic mixtapes (of his and of others), PBW sprinkles the rappers throughout this record and only recruits the best. Vocal highlights come with Planet Asia's mid-tempo grind "In Your Area," Pablo's feature on "Rock Unorthodox," and a two-part soundclash for the excellent Lootpack crew on "Styles Crew Flows Beats." He name-checked Wild Man Fischer along with Erick & Parrish; got recommendations from rare-groove heroes like Reuben Wilson, Galt MacDermot, and Fred Wesley; and delivered an excellent record that offered just as much to fans of rare grooves, great rappers, and deft DJs. AMG.

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Chico César - Chico César 2000

His melodies and lyrics reflect the centuries of European-African-Indian intercultural strife and matings that provide the essence of modern northeastern Brazilian music. César's style draws heavily on the region's signature off-center, chugging forro rhythms and breathlessly fast, unrelenting frevo beats, but hearty helpings of Carioca samba and African-based imports like reggae, R&B, and rock are also grist for his busy mill. His songwriting is influenced by the rebellious art-song esthetic of the Tropicalismo crowd, but also reaches further back to the chilled-out, boozy intellectualism of '60s bossa nova. He surrounds his high, reedy vocals with undulating vocal chorales, mellow guitars, blithe squeezeboxes, and percolating drums and shakers, and occasional lush overlays of brass, violins, and flutes. Despite his obvious taste and aplomb, César's compositions tend to come across as pleasing, graceful exercises that don't aspire to touch a deeper chord. Nonetheless, despite the fact that he seldom approaches the complexity and passion so often exhibited by, let's say, Caetano Veloso or Milton Nascimento, his work has considerable charm. His melodies are easy to fall into, they are catchy enough to augment the pleasure of an idle hour but barely avoid being facile. This confection is would add a festive, relaxed ambiance to al fresco pursuits like picnics, cocktails on the patio, and beach parties. Detailed liner notes and English lyric translations are included. AMG.
 

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Amina Claudine Myers - The Circle of Time 1984

In terms of depth, spirit, originality, and diversity, this is the recording that best brings those vibrant elements of Aminda Claudine Myers' musicianship to ultimate fruition. With bassist Don Pate and drummer Thurman Barker, Myers freely explores jazz, blues, and gospel-tinged creative music in her own inimitable way. All of these six pieces were written by Myers, each showcasing a different side of her joyous persona, making her music deep, listenable, tuneful, and emotional. Starting off with the hot instrumental modal bop number titled "Louisville," the pianist proves to be a capable, refreshing melodicist in this area, with Pate's complimentary lines to the piano and Barker's crackling drums setting the upbeat pace nicely. "Plowed Fields" has a loose structure with equally peaceful and soulful, tender and poignant motifs. Myers sings the line "seeing the plowed fields, made me want to go barefooted, until my mother spoke of soles (souls?) tied to her feet." "Do You Want to Be Saved?" is an anthem for the ages -- organ and piano strains are overdubbed for this hip, steady tempo gospel blues. Inexorable caravan-like processional pacing for "Christine" has a dual line of Myers cascading piano apreggios with a deft chordal four-bar line that is dramatic and dynamic. Pate's avant bowed bass introduces "The Clock," which has several aspects of time musically represented. Creaking bass, meandering piano, free stride, and completely free segments are featured, and are liable to speed or slow at a moment's notice. "The Circle of Time" further illuminates this with the lyric "time moves by slowly, time moves by quickly." Myers adopts a little girlish falsetto over another patiently slower, steady rhythm, injecting ai-yi-yis in a rather Native American inflection on this song that represents Myers at her creative, free-flowing zenith. This recording and Sings Bessie Smith are must-buy items for fans of this brilliant musician, and iconic signposts for where African-American expressionism can be directed. AMG.

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Cowboy Mouth - Word of Mouth 1992

This is passionate, professional rock from a tight quartet whose members seem to enjoy playing their all-original material en masse. You wouldn't know from their sound that they're from New Orleans. The first track leads off like Omar and the Howlers from Texas. While most of the songs here are smoking hot, "Maggie Don't Two-Step" is a waste of time for this talented band. AMG.

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Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues 2010

Justin Townes Earle's previous records were promising -- if uneven -- offerings that revealed a considerable talent trying to find his own musical identity as a songwriter, apart from his parental heritage. It may have taken him three albums, but Harlem River Blues delivers in spades what his earlier offerings only hinted at. With co-production by Earle and Skylar Wilson and the backing of a killer, intuitive band, the songwriter drops 11 weighty originals steeped in American musical tradition yet bearing his own inimitable lyric and stylistic signature. The title track is an electrifying rockabilly-cum-truck-driving shuffle adorned by slapping bass, guitars, snare and cymbal, and a Hammond B-3. Despite the upbeat tempo and finger-popping rhythmic thrust, Earle's lyrics reveal the protagonist's intention to commit suicide by drowning. With a country gospel vocal chorus complete with handclaps on the refrains, the lyrics and music are intriguingly at odds; somehow the sense of near gleeful purpose in the protagonist's view -- revealing a sense of relief at the prospect of release from this plane of existence -- makes the tune gell. On the breezy summertime groove of "One More Night in Brooklyn," the Tennessee backwoods meets the urban street corner, led by guitars, a skeletal drum kit, Wilson's vibes, and a popping upright bass. "Move Over Mama" is a scorching rockabilly-and-reverb number, full of erotic bravado à la Warren Smith or Billy Lee Riley. (And does that bass ever get slapped!) "Wanderin'" captures the spirit of early Bob Dylan under the influence of Cisco Houston and Woody Guthrie, but the lyrics and sense of necessity and acceptance of the situation at hand are pure Earle. With a country fiddle added to the mix, you can also hear traces of early string bands and even the ghostly presence of A.P. Carter in the refrains. The horns on "Slippin' and Slidin' marry the late Eddie Hinton's brand of Muscle Shoals R&B to laid-back country rockabilly. The narrative love song "Christchurch Woman" is among the moving things here; Earle's vocal is underscored by a female backing chorus and organic instrumentation that also includes beautifully arranged horns -- as if Tom Waits' "Downtown Train" or "Jersey Girl" were filtered through Memphis R&B and Waylon Jennings' early-'60s country. "Ain't Waitin'" is a rockabilly blues, so skeletal it could be played on the back porch. Anyway you cut it, Harlem River Blues is utterly balanced, skillfully crafted, and exquisitely written and produced. Earle proves that he is a force to be reckoned with; in these grooves he embodies the history, mystery, and promise of American roots music. AMG.

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Stone Raiders - Truth to Power 2012

This excellent trio formed by guitarist Jean-Paul Bourelly, Darryl Jones bass player with the Rolling Stones, and Will Calhoun former Living Colour drummer. This album it's a mix of rock, jazz, and funk. Don't miss it. 

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Youssou N'Dour - Nelson Mandela 1985

The debut album from Senegalese singing sensation Youssou N'Dour was originally dedicated to Nelson Mandela during his stay in prison (as the title track would suggest). The arrangements are tight, laden with horn riffs and keyboard flute loops. Aside from "The Rubberband Man," all songs were penned by N'Dour himself here, and it is N'Dour that powers the album throughout with his vocals. With the exception of "The Rubberband Man," all of the songs have a nice groove to them, with some outstanding vocal prowess soaring over the arrangements. The songs have the feeling which has come to be associated with his work, with simple grooves hailing both from Paris and Dakar studios, and his singing providing a focus. Any pre-existing fan of N'Dour should be pleased by this album, and those who are just looking to make inroads into Senegalese music wouldn't find this a bad starting point, although Immigrés might be a more standard place to begin. Pick it up for a nice wander through the early sounds of one of the ambassadors of African music. AMG.

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Calamity Jane - Martha Jane Cannary 1992

Calamity Jane was an all-female American grunge/punk band, formed in Portland, Oregon, United States, in 1989.

Gilly Ann Hanner (vocals/guitar) and Lisa Koenig (drums) started playing together as a band in 1988 along with Ronna Era (bass). After a few live appearances Hanner's sister Megan took over on bass and the band was renamed Calamity Jane the following year. Their first gig was supporting Scrawl. The band then supported Fugazi on their 1990 tour. The band released three singles and an album Martha Jane Cannary with their original line up, and a final single with Marcéo Martinez - later of Team Dresch) on drums and Joanna Bolme (later of Quasi and The Jicks) on bass.

The band played two support slots with Nirvana. One of these shows, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, ended in Calamity Jane being booed off the stage, which motivated Nirvana to intentionally sabotage their own performance.

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Cake - Fashion Nugget 1996

Sounding like a suburban, melodic white-funk-injected version of King Missile's performance art/standup comedy, "The Distance" became a novelty hit in the fall of 1996, sending Cake's second album, Fashion Nugget, to platinum status. Certainly, "The Distance" was the only reason Fashion Nugget went platinum, because the remainder of the album is too collegiate and arcane for mainstream music tastes. It isn't because it's obscure or intellectual -- it's because the band is smirking. An "ironic" cover of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" is the key to the album, sending the signal that Cake consider themselves above everyone else, and nothing is too insignificant to make fun of. And that wouldn't necessarily have been a problem if they had the wit or musical skills that would make their music either funny or listenable. Instead, they wallow in sophomoric jokes that rely on self-consciously elaborate wordplay. Occasionally, their blend of collegiate musical styles -- funk, hip-hop, alternative rock -- makes the music easy to digest in small doses, such as "The Distance," but it isn't varied enough to prevent the album from becoming tedious when played straight through. AMG.

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J.J. Cale - Travel-Log 1989

Cale's first album in six years finds him taking a more aggressive stance in terms of tempos and playing, although he remains a man with a profound sense of the groove and, especially as a singer, a minimalist. But as he says, "Shuffle or die." AMG.

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Carl Hancock Rux - Rux Revue 1999

 

Move over Gil Scott-Heron and Michael Franti, there's another poet on the loose and he's got a mind to speak out: enter lauded New York writer, the deep-voiced Carl Hancock Rux and his recording debut. Rux wastes no time cutting to the chase on the first track "Intro To (r)Evolution," while conjuring the spirit of the aforementioned musicians. His backing band is a dream roster who threaten to overshadow his message: Money Mark on keyboards, Joey Waronker on drums, and the legendary Carol Kaye on bass, among others. They twist and turn the jazz, folk, hip-hop, and rock rhythms inside out, helping to complete Rux's thoughtful commentaries on ghetto life and his place as a black male in the (art) world. In the end, Rux's soul power, delivered from various points of view wins out, proving difficult to ignore. AMG.

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Big John Wrencher - Maxwell Street Alley Blues 1982

 

While most blues albums bear romantic-sounding titles like the one used here, this is the real deal. Wrencher's one-armed amplified harp playing is perfectly supported by the lone guitar of Little Buddy Scott and the bar-bones basic drumming of Playboy Vinson. Listing titles is superfluous, since the feel and the ambience is the important thing. But blues albums seldom capture that elusive quality the way it is here, and that's the secret of its charm. Superlative in every regard, this is a great album by a very under-recorded artist. AMG.

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Carmen Sandim - Play-Doh 2019

Pianist Carmen Sandim's sophomore album, 2019's Play Doh, is a harmonically dense and artful production borne of several years of difficult life circumstances. The Brazilian-born/Boulder, Colorado-based performer and teacher had initially intended to finish the album soon after her 2011 debut, Brand New. However, in the years following, she gave birth to her children, went through a break-up, and found herself having to balance teaching, performing, and being a single mother. She eventually began pulling all-nighters to finish writing the charts for Play Doh, a choice that no doubt led to some tired days, but ultimately resulted in an album rich with themes of openness and fluidity; one that feels directly connected to her transformative experiences. Helping her achieve this fresh quality is longtime friend, producer Art Lande, who again helmed the sessions as he did on Brand New. Also coming along are Kneebody trumpeter Shane Endsley, saxophonist/clarinetist Bruce Williamson, trombonist Alex Heitlinger, guitarist Khabu Doug Young, bassist Bill McCrossen, and drummer Dru Heller. Together, Sandim and her group play with a searching, forward-thinking quality that balances kinetic group arrangements with adventurous soloing. The title track perhaps best expresses Sandim's aesthetic here, as she draws inspiration from the classic modeling clay (one of her children's favorite activities) as well as a three-note mantra they sing while molding shapes. The result is a roiling, tumultuous track marked by a fiery solo from Endsley. Elsewhere, "Aruru, Juju" is a dusky and angular piece with Latin undertones, while "Undergrowth" draws on '70s jazz-rock fusion as it's continually punctuated by Young's woozy electric guitar lines. Sandim also draws upon her classical training on "Isaura," a yearning ballad dedicated to her grandmother and featuring a delicate clarinet solo by Williamson. Conversely, the pianist offers the breezy, Dave Brubeck-esque "Waiting for Art" and closes with the similarly luminous, bossa nova-tinged "Free Wilbie." AMG.
 

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Cold Chisel - East 1980

 

Cold Chisel's following had been steadily building for a number of years when their third -- and slickest to date -- album, East, broke them through to a wider audience in 1980. More commercial without compromising on the rawness of their roots, the band hit pay dirt with a clutch of songs it seemed everybody could get into. The virtuosity of the Chisel's musical abilities still comes through on songs that were, nevertheless, compact enough to be radio-ready. The up-tempo loner anthem "Standing on the Outside," the enchanting ballad and breakthrough single "Choirgirl," and the tongue-in-cheek "Ita" all had the hooks to land a singalong audience. On "Star Hotel," the sonic fury of the chorus captures the essence of the subject matter: a wild street battle between angry pub patrons and police that took place in the city of Newcastle, Australia, in September 1979. And the customary, all-out rockers are here, as well: "Rising Sun" (singer Jimmy Barnes' love-lost song about his Asian girlfriend) and the rousing closer "My Turn to Cry." As always, the rhythm section gymnastics of drummer Steven Prestwich and bassist Phil Small provide an alternately swift and delicate undercurrent for Ian Moss' guitar heroics, Don Walker's exuberant piano playing, and Barnes' banshee wails. Walker still holds down the job of head songwriter, but the duties are more shared on this album: five of the 12 tracks were written by the other members of the band with Barnes penning two and Prestwich, Small, and Moss one each. The album peaked at number two on the Australian national charts and even broke into the Billboard 200. With East, Cold Chisel signaled that they had moved on up without selling out. The glory days had come at last. AMG.

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