THE LOUDER STUFF
BOYSETSFIRE – Boysetsfire
Fierce but melodic post-hardcore heroes release a fantastic album, almost as good as “After The Eulogy”. (8)
DEAFHEAVEN – New Bermuda
Hipster metallers take it easy on the post-rock atmospherics this time around focusing on their black metal side, still look like altar boys. Sounds much better the third time you play it, ask me again after three more spins. (7)
EAGLES OF DEATH METAL – Zipper Down
Περνάμε καλά κι αυτό βγαίνει στον κόσμο. (7)
GRAVEYARD – Innocence & Decadence
Enough already with the fucking 70’s worship. (6)
HORISONT – Odyssey
Did I say fucking 70’s worship? This is for fans of Uriah Heep, Rainbow (1st album only), Thin Lizzy etc., but the singer’s no Dio or Byron and the lyrics are no Lynott. (6)
KYLESA – Exhausting Fire
Kylesa have been gradually instilling their southern groove metal with more melody, and this is their most melodic album yet. (7)
MUSTASCH – Testosterone
Hook-laden, good-times hard rock from the band with the best band name ever. (7)
MY DYING BRIDE – Feel The Misery
Dude, will you lighten up already? (7)
SABBATH ASSEMBLY – Sabbath Assembly
More metal than the weird religious cult stuff they did before but still, if you play this backwards make sure you’re holding something you can kill goats with. (6)
TESSERACT – Polaris
They keep changing singers more often than I change underwear (i.e. approximately once a year) and now Daniel Tompkins is back. If you liked the previous ones you’re gonna like this one as well. (7)
VI – De Praestigiis Angelorum
Members of Antaeus, Aosoth and Aborted create unholy black metal racket and make Deafheaven look like altar boys – oh wait. (8)
THE OTHER STUFF
CHRIS CORNELL – Higher Truth
Listening to a Cornell solo album in 2015 is like stalking an old girlfriend from 20+ years back on social media, you secretly hope that she might still be able/willing to give you pleasure but it won’t happen buddy plus you’re an idiot. (6)
DAVE ALVIN & PHIL ALVIN – Lost Time
Deep blues cuts by Big Joe Turner, Blind Boy Fuller, Leadbelly and others interpreted by the brothers from the Blasters. (7)
DRUNKEN PLAYER – The Bible And The Blues
Hillbilly barstool poets mix it up with blues, doowop, rockabilly, and country gospel. (7)
JOHN GRANT – Grey Tickles, Black Pressure
Pure genius. (9)
LANA DEL REY – Honeymoon
Lots of style and quite a bit of substance, so far this is probably Del Rey’s best set of torch songs for the terminally hip. (8)
MERCURY REV – The Light In You
Outsider pop cult heroes return after a 7-year hiatus, not much has changed in the meantime. (7)
PATTY GRIFFIN – Servant Of Love
Fantastic veteran Americana songwriter and former Robert Plant collaborator/love interest expands her sound with some jazz and Middle Eastern elements. Simply beautiful. (8)
RYAN ADAMS – 1989
He actually manages to make a Taylor Swift album sound like a Ryan Adams album. (8)
STEEP CANYON RANGERS – Radio
Great bluegrass sextet, made famous for backing comedian Steve Martin (an excellent banjo player) and Eddie Brickell on their musical adventures, hold their own on this fun album inorporating folk, blues and pop elements to their sound. (8)
THE NECKS – Vertigo
Minimalist experimental jazz trio, one 44-minute improvisation, induces trance state but could be challenging for those with short attention spans. (8)
THE LOUDER STUFF
AGAINST ME! – 23 Live Sex Acts
Totally live, warts and all, no overdubs, Laura Jane Grace & Co put on a hell of a show leaving you breathless and proving that the punk spirit still burns inside. (8)
CHRISTIAN MISTRESS – To Your Death
Heavy fucking metal the way it should fucking be. (8)
GRAVE PLEASURES – Dreamcrash
Grave Pleasures have risen out of the grave of Beastmilk, but offer slightly less pleasure. (7)
MAD SEASON & THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY – Sonic Evolution
Live recording with Chris Cornell and Duff McCagan filling in for the two dead guys: It would’ve ruled if it wasn’t for the fucking orchestra. (6)
RABBIT RABBIT – Rabbit Rabbit Radio, Vol. 3: Year of the Wooden Horse
Husband and wife team (un)known for their work with Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and featuring a bunch of noisy guitarist guests start out with an avant-garde experiment and end up with a bunch of weirdly Pixies-like gems. (8)
SLAYER – Repentless
It sounds like Slayer and it looks like Slayer, all the signifiers are in place, yet somehow
it doesn’t feel like Slayer without Hanneman. But maybe it’s just me. (7)
THE LEGENDARY SHACK SHAKERS – The Southern Surreal
Another eclectic southern gothic mix of punk, rockabilly and country. Party time! (8)
TONY VISCONTI & WOODY WOODMANSEY’S HOLY HOLY – The Man Who Sold The World, Live In London
Tribute band led by Bowie’s original rhythm section from 1970, on stage, kicking ass. CD1 is “The Man Who Sold The World” album performed in its entirety, CD2 is other selections from Bowie’s 70s repertoire. Heaven 17’s Glenn Gregory does a passable Bowie and Marc Almond makes a special guest appearance on a chilling “After All”. This has Bowie’s seal of approval so who are you to argue? (8)
UNCLE ACID & THE DEADBEATS – The Night Creeper
Releasing “The Night Creeper” around the same time as Ghost’s “Meliora” is like offering a choice between brussels sprouts and lobster for dinner, and only vegans would choose this. (5)
THE OTHER STUFF
BEIRUT – No No No
Beirut’s melancholy pop worked fine for a couple of albums, but sounds much less exciting today. (6)
CHRIS CONNELLY – Decibels From The Heart
Always had a sweet spot for this cult early 90’s figure who, when not singing in 25 different industrial bands with assorted members of Ministry and Killing Joke, creates lush solo albums like this one which sounds like a cross between David Bowie and Marc Almond. (7)
CRAIG FINN – Faith In The Future
How can you NOT like an album with song titles like “Maggie I’ve Been Searching For Our Son”, “Sarah, Calling From A Hotel” and “I Was Doing Fine (Then A Few People Died)”? As a storyteller the guy’s Dylan, Springsteen and Waits all rolled into one! And the tunes are great even without the Hold Steady’s epic rock bombast. (8)
GIL SCOTT-HERON – Small Talk At 125th And Lenox (Re-issue)
His 1970 debut sounds quite different from the jazz-funk Scott-Heron became known for – this is militant spoken word, raw black poetry straight from the streets of Harlem, with just a couple of percussionists providing minimal instrumentation on most tracks. Re-issue of the year. (10)
JEFFREY DEAN FOSTER – The Arrow
Great tunes, catchy choruses, beautiful production, a sound that’s hard to categorize but might remind you of everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Fleetwood Mac, what’s not to like? (7)
JOAN SHELLEY – Over And Even
Shelley’s songs will make you dream of mountains, rivers, forests and a life you never had, city boy. (8)
JULIA HOLTER – Have You In My Wilderness
Holter’s orchestral/baroque pop is quite unique and hard to describe, all I can say is that this is gorgeous. (9)
MADDY AND TAE – Start Here
Pop-country music’s latest sensation come across as a hybrid between Taylor Swift and a teenage version of the Pistol Annies. (7)
NILS FRAHM – Late Night Tales
A strong addition to this exciting compilation series, modern classical composer Frahm goes for an eclectic mix that moves with ease between Vladimir Horowitz, Boards Of Canada, Miles Davis and Colin Stetson. (8)
Δεν έχω Σποτιφάϊ, δεν δουλεύει στο Ντουμπάϊ (I'm a fuckin' poet and I didn't even know it).
Άκουσα κάποιον τις προάλλες να λέει ότι το rock 'n' roll έχει πεθάνει και μου γύρισε το μάτι ανάποδα. Και αφού δεν έχω Spotify, είπα να καταθέσω τα αποδεικτικά στοιχεία για το αντίθετο the old-fashioned way: Mixtape.
Η συλλογή που έφτιαξα για εσάς ακολουθεί μια πολύ απλή λογική: 60-άρα (περίπου) κασέτα, μόνο κυκλοφορίες του 2015, όσο γίνεται πιο ομαλή ροή και πλήρης απουσία electronica, progressive black metal, dubstep, synthwave ή funkrockethnicedeliarap: Εδώ έχουμε μόνο μουσική απλή, οργανική, φτιαγμένη με μεράκι και αγάπη - όπως το mixtape μου δηλαδή. Καλή ακρόαση.
ΠΛΕΥΡΑ Α
1. Ray Wylie Hubbard - Chick Singer, Badass Rockin'
Γερόλυκος που δε δίνει δεκάρα για το αν θα του κολλήσεις ταμπέλα ροκ, μπλουζ ή κάντρι αφιερώνει ύμνο στη Chrissie Hynde, τη Joan Jett και τις υπόλοιπες του συναφιού τους. Προσπάθησε να μη χορέψεις.
2. JD McPherson - Head Over Heels
Τέτοιον ήχο στην κιθάρα είχα να ακούσω από την εποχή του "Help You Ann" των Lyres. Και αυτά τα δεύτερα φωνητικά...
3. The Sonics - The Hard Way
Οι άνθρωποι είναι 70 χρονών. 70! Ακούστε με τι λύσσα διασκευάζουν Kinks κι ευχηθείτε να είστε κι εσείς έτσι στα 70 σας.
4. The Young Novelists - Singer-Songwriter
Αφού πιάσαμε cult ήρωες από τα 60's, προχωράμε σε μερικές σύγχρονες μπάντες που αναβιώνουν το Pebbles/Nuggets κλίμα εκείνης της εποχής: Οι Young Novelists μόλις έχουν βγει από το garage όπου προβάρουν το μεγαλύτερο hit που δεν θα ακούσει κανείς, ποτέ...
5. Imperial State Electric - Maybe You're Right
...Oι Imperial State Electric του Nicke Andersson θα μπορούσαν κάλλιστα να έχουν ηχογραφήσει αυτό το power pop διαμάντι με τις a-la Beatles αρμονίες κάπου στο Texas το 1966...
6. The Orange Humble Band - You Close Your Eyes
...Και οι Orange Humble Band παίζουν ακριβώς όπως θα περίμενε κανείς από μία μπάντα που περιλαμβάνει μέλη των Big Star, Posies και Lime Spiders.
7. Jimbo Mathus - Ready To Run
Αλλαγή ρότας με τον Captain Jimbo και το αγαπημένο μου τραγούδι από ένα από τα κορυφαία outsider άλμπουμ της χρονιάς. Αν δεν σου αρέσει δεν είσαι φίλος μου.
8. Tom Russell - He Wasn't A Bad Kid, When He Was Sober
Ο άνθρωπος έχει γράψει τραγούδια για τον Johnny Cash, έχει εκδώσει σε βιβλίο την αλληλογραφία του με τον Μπουκόφσκι, έχει πτυχίο Master's στην Εγκληματολογία, και μεταξύ άλλων έχει εργαστεί ως δάσκαλος εν μέσω εμφυλίου πολέμου στη Νιγηρία, ως μουσικός σε τσίρκο στο Πόρτο Ρίκο, και ως ταξιτζής στη Νέα Υόρκη. Για πες μου λίγο τι έχεις κάνει εσύ στη ζωή σου να δω κάτι;
9. Jason Isbell - 24 Frames
Τι ωραίο!
ΠΛΕΥΡΑ Β
1. Pentagram - Earth Flight
Όλοι συνδέουν συνειρμικά τους Pentagram με τους Black Sabbath και ξεχνάνε τους Stooges και τους MC5.
2. The King Khan & BBQ Show - Illuminations
Πιο lo-fi δε γίνεται. Πιο fun δε γίνεται.
3. Barrence Whitfield & The Savages - I'm A Full Grown Man
Νωρίτερα αναφερθήκαμε στους Lyres: Το μυστικό όπλο του Barrence (φωνάρα!) είναι τα δύο μέλη των Lyres στη μπάντα του. Α, και στα 90's ο Barrence είχε κάνει και 2 δίσκους με τον Tom Russell.
4. Vintage Trouble - Angel City, California
Καλά, όσο εσείς ψάχνεστε με τους Death Grips και τη Myrkur, αφήστε με εμένα να ακούω boogie.
5. Blackberry Smoke - Holding All The Roses
Νότιο ροκ μαριναρισμένο σε μπέρμπον.
6. Lindi Ortega - Run Amuck
Απλή και όμορφη ροκαμπιλιά από ένα κορίτσι που αγαπώ.
7. Whitey Morgan & The 78's - Waitin' 'Round To Die
Πλησιάζοντας προς το τέλος ρίχνουμε τους τόνους για λίγο με την καλύτερη διασκευή της χρονιάς. Ύμνος.
8. Mischief Brew - Lancaster Avenue Blues
Πανκ ροκ με κελτικό υπόστρωμα, για πολλές μπύρες. Όποιος ερεθίζεται στη σκέψη ενός New Model Army/Gogol Bordello υβριδίου εδώ θα βρει τη σωτηρία του.
9. Frank Turner - Get Better
Get better λέει αυτός, δεν ξέρω αν γίνεται καλύτερα.
Κατεβάστε το Mixtape εδώ.
