Man, what a week of releases this week is turning out to be. Apparently if you're a music freak, Christmas is coming about two and a half months early, because Santa apparently is making an early delivery today. Why so much stuff is crammed into the release schedule on this one day, I can't imagine. I'd better get started on this or it's going to take me all night to get this typed up . . .
The Black Keys - Magic Potion: Every genre seems to get reinvented every so often. Jazz had its renewal a few years back, and now the blues seems to be burbling under again, what with the White Stripes having been so successful the past few years. But the White Stripes got nuthin' on this (also) duo of guitar and drums. The Black Keys reach back into the blues' swampy past to pull at the greasy, grimy roots and get something good and gritty. This is the kind of stuff you always hear modern guitarists talking about listening to, but you never hear a whole lot of proof in their own music that they actually listened to anything beyond some old Zeppelin records. The Black Keys actually deliver.
Ornette Coleman - Sound Grammar: I really can't tell you much about this - I'm just intrigued to see something new from free-jazz pioneer Ornette. All I know is that the material on this was taken from recent live dates with his son on drums, Denardo, and bassists Greg Cohen and Tony Falaga. Your guess is as good as mine as to the rest.
Bill Frisell, Ron Carter, Paul Motian: I have been a big proponent of jazz guitarist Bill Frisell's explorations into Americana for quite a long time now, but I have to admit that I'm really excited to see this trio set getting him back to hard-core jazz again. There just comes a time when maybe it's best to get back to where it all began, and it seems that right now might that time.
Following on the heels of the very successful (music-wise) East/West live album, which found Frisell straying back into jazzier territory with his Americana-based material, this album pairs him with his long-time associate, drummer Paul Motian, with whom he's recorded a number of albums, but never together with bassist Ron Carter. Hopefully this won't be a one-off.
Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
dangit, i just got back from the record store. wish i'd a known about that new Ornette.
good week for stuff, i tell ya.
2 - Mark Saleski
two of the tunes from the Ornette have already piqued my interesting. a version of his old song "Turnaround" and also a version of "SongX". yummy.
3 - Brad Schader
Black Keys are a band I found by accident a few years ago and quickly became one of my top 5.
4 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Yes.. I have to say it.
Mastodon,"metal album of the year"....
I have to disagree, especially when compared to Gory Blister, which is THE most Overlooked Alternative in Metal right now because they are from Italy.
5 - Tom Johnson
Well, I have to admit you've scooped me on Gory Blister, Brian.
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
I got tired just reading the headline.
7 - DJRadiohead
I mostly just love Yo La Tengo's album title.
8 - Eric Berlin
REM sounds really good, thanks for the round-up, Tom !
9 - Mark Saleski
I simply can't cover it all....
yea? why not?
;-)
10 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
I can't out-scoop the best, Tom... I'm just a metalhead freak.
You should also try: Arsis, Neuraxis & be on the look out for Illogicist(also from Italy).Their 2004 release was awesome but I hear their new one is gonna be pure punishment
Plus, for all the oldschool dudes(like me):
Flotsam & Jetsam "Dreams of Death" came out last year and has been higly overlooked but it kicks some a$$.
11 - Mark Saleski
got a copy of the Mastodon cd this weekend.
killer stuff.