Bob Mould - Blue Hearts (2020)

Bob Mould - Blue Hearts (2020)

Bob is very angry! Hunkered down in his bunker while America burns and Trump tries to chip his way out, Bob creates some of the most vitriolic, heart-on-his-sleeve commentary he’s ever recorded.

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Jarv Is... - Beyond The Pale (2020)

Jarv Is... - Beyond The Pale (2020)

I could listen to Jarvis Cocker recite the phone book (do we still get those?) or possibly of more practical application and in keeping with this record, “The Origin Of The Species” The second song “Must I Evolve” is a question I ask myself every day.

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Dexys - One Day I'm Going To Soar (2012)

Dexys - One Day I'm Going To Soar (2012)

My mind is mush, any thoughts of being productive went out the window a week ago, it’s survival mode only. Another work do (which was great), good wishes to all and it’s now time to let go completely.

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Elton John - Caribou (1974)

Elton John - Caribou (1974)

Being sandwiched between “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and “Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy” doesn’t help. To me, “Caribou” it was just another great Elton John record which I enjoyed as much as the others.

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Sault - 7 (2019)

Sault - 7 (2019)

A punk-funk-soul one-two that leaves you dazed and delighted. That’s the headline. I just love taking risks with music but at the same time I’m quite hesitant when considering my choices.

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Jamie XX - In Colour (2015)

Jamie XX - In Colour (2015)

Jamie Smith (XX) and his main collective The XX, are very hard to define musically. Despite borrowing from many different sources they still seem to be bereft of any definable genre.

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Animal Collective - Feels (2005)

Animal Collective - Feels (2005)

You’ll want to listen to this record sober. Just saying. After returning from one of many end-of-year work dos, and putting this record on - my advice would be to play something a bit more conventional.

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Giant Sand - Glum (1995)

Giant Sand - Glum (1995)

I’ve been saving this. This is Giant Sand’s 10th record. I bought my first, and only prior Giant Sand record, 2015’s “Heartbreak Pass”, a few years ago.

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Jonathan Richman - SA! (2018)

Jonathan Richman - SA! (2018)

Here comes the Martian Martian! Even for Jonathan Richman, this record is totally unexpected, extraordinary and otherworldly. And that is saying a lot about a Jonathan Richman record.

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Grimes - Miss Anthropocene (2020)

Grimes - Miss Anthropocene (2020)

This is a great example of some of the most challenging, original and richly rewarding music being made in 2020. It’s been a feeble, and in many cases, a febrile year for most people.

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Espers - Espers (2004)

Espers - Espers (2004)

At home feeling a bit under the weather today. Not really in the mood for anything too abrasive so reached for some neo psychedelic alt folk music.

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Lord Huron - Lonesome Dreams (2012)

Lord Huron - Lonesome Dreams (2012)

This pre-loved record has obviously been played to death and there’s a few pops and crackles in evidence. However, it wasn’t until I saw the debris on my stylus that I realised that I needed to do some immediate needle maintenance.

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The Bats - Foothills (2020)

The Bats - Foothills (2020)

This new record by The Bats is like a big warm sneaky hug. As each song meanders along on it’s lackadaisical way, it’s easy to think “what’s happening here?

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Trees - Trees (50th Anniversary

Trees - Trees (50th Anniversary

“Acid Folk, Folk Rock, Freak Folk, Whatever”. This anniversary edition (currently streaming via Tidal) is another revelatory experience from yester year.

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Pylon - Chomp (1983)

Pylon - Chomp (1983)

A big box arrived via courier today. Now here’s something. I ordered this on Friday morning - it arrived mid Monday morning.

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Pylon - Gyrate (1980)

Pylon - Gyrate (1980)

This is actually my very first listen to this highly revered, post punk band from Athens, Georgia (now hasn’t that been in the news lately?

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Iggy Pop - Lust For Life (1977)

Iggy Pop - Lust For Life (1977)

Iggy looks extremely happy on the cover of this record with a grin a mile wide. Why wouldn’t he? He’d just been thrown a great big life line from David Bowie - who co-writ and recorded this and the preceeding “The Idiot”.

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Mansun - Six (1999)

Mansun - Six (1999)

This record never ceases to reveal something new each and every time I take pleasure in listening to it. (Now that’s a bit spooky, I googled a review of the record and found the following echoing my thoughts.

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Trees Speak - Shadow Forms (2020)

Trees Speak - Shadow Forms (2020)

Even though the world has gone completely bonkers, this sounds perfectly out of place and refreshingly unhinged. Heavily influenced by Krautrock, “Bitches Brew” Mile Davis and spooky soundtrack music for non-existent horror movies, it’s a bit disconcerting to say the least.

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Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Press Color (1979)

Lizzy Mercier Descloux - Press Color (1979)

Another fabulous example of late 70s New York No Wave that’s further perpetrated by French invader Lizzy Mercier Descloux. Take some of Serge Gainsbourg’s Afrobeat, combine with Blondie’s disco-inflected punk and Talking Heads’ world music-inspired art pop and you get the drift.

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Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures ( 1979)

Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures ( 1979)

I was completely absorbed and inspired to play this following a recent bus commute from Richmond to Nelson. (if I’m honest, the bleakness of this record is warmly welcomed after another day working in that dreadful town they call Richmond!

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Throwing Muses - Sun Racket (2020)

Throwing Muses - Sun Racket (2020)

I just couldn’t resist picking this beauty out of the forever expanding bins of prestige new records at JB-Hifi (at The Hutt) and adding it to my ever increasing haul of vinyl-worthy, North Island souvenirs.

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David Bowie - Let's Dance (1983)

David Bowie - Let's Dance (1983)

If you started your Bowie introduction with this record, that would be a bit unfortunate but palatable at least. It was definitely the beginning of the slide into his own level of mediocrity that lasted the next 10 years.

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Moon Duo - Occult Architecture Vol.1 (2017)

Moon Duo - Occult Architecture Vol.1 (2017)

More dirgey psychedelia from the Wooden Shjips’ trippy guitarist and leader Erik Johnson et al. While it gets a bit samey across several albums, (this is my forth Moon Duo record), it’s exactly the samey that I really like!

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Madlib - Shades Of Blue (2003)

Madlib - Shades Of Blue (2003)

More “Jazz Club”! Madlib invades Blue Note. With unfettered access to the Blue Note catalogue, this record is a mangle of classic jazz that’s completely reinterpreted and re-flavoured.

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Mantronix - The Album (1985)

Mantronix - The Album (1985)

Along with Cabaret Voltaire, who had taken a bit of a right turn mixing menacing electronic textures with funky dance rhythms in the early to mid 80’s, I was totally hooked on the electronic/hip hop mashups of Mantronix.

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ESG - Keep On Moving (2006)

ESG - Keep On Moving (2006)

There’s some truly gut-busting, funky minimalism going on here! It’s dance-punk if you really want to label it. The Scroggin sisters, which hail from The Bronx, which now include a new generation of daughters playing in the group, have been around since the late 70’s.

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Elton John - Elton John (1970)

Elton John - Elton John (1970)

I give Elton’s “Your Song” the same respect as I do for Bowie’s “Space Oddity”. Both fantastic songs released within 6 months of each other, but the albums from which these songs originated were never on my radar until much later.

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Yo La Tengo - There's A Riot Going On (2018)

Yo La Tengo - There's A Riot Going On (2018)

This band couldn’t make a bad album if they tried. Over nearly 30 years, and since 1992’s revelatory “May I Sing With Me”, I have been totally absorbed by their unique and consistently brilliant musical journey.

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Matt Berry - Phantom Birds (2020)

Matt Berry - Phantom Birds (2020)

I must admit, I was expecting a bit more of a sideways move from Mr. Berry. (He of “Frost Of London”, “The Mighty Boosch” and the US version of “What We Do In The Shadows”).

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Slowdive - Souvlaki (1993)

Slowdive - Souvlaki (1993)

A gorgeous mid-nineties dreamy shoegaze record of the highest order. For the unsuspecting, it can be an otherworldly swirl of guitar noise and way-down-in-the-mix vocals, but it’s never short of a spine tingling melody within that dirge.

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The Microphones In 2020 (2020)

The Microphones In 2020 (2020)

Douglas R Hofstadter would have a field day with this one. Hofstadter’s Law states that “It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s Law.

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    Tricky - Maxinquaye (1995)

    Tricky - Maxinquaye (1995)

    I finally picked a vinyl copy of this mid-90’s trip hop (whatever?) classic today. If ever there was a record that was vinyl-worthy - it’s this one.

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    Yo La Tengo - Electr-O-Pura (1995)

    Yo La Tengo - Electr-O-Pura (1995)

    Along with Low, Pavement and Stereolab, the Tengos have been nothing but consistently great. This record is a wonderful blend of early Velvets and post-Daydream Nation Sonic Youth.

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    Linton Kwesi Johnson - Bass Culture (1980)

    Linton Kwesi Johnson - Bass Culture (1980)

    This is a great relic and snapshot of life in Thatcher’s England. “Inglan is a bitch, there’s no escaping it!” While it is politically and socially charged in places, (Mr Johnson could really getaway with singing about anything), the reggae/dub soundtrack in support of Linton’s wonderful prose is just fabulous!

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    Son Lux - Brighter Wounds (2018)

    Son Lux - Brighter Wounds (2018)

    I hate always playing it safe with music and this certainly takes me well out of my comfort zone. And this record which I’m listening to for the first time since picking it out of a bargain bin, does so in such a welcome and refreshing way.

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    Moon Duo - Occult Architecture Vol.2 (2017)

    Moon Duo - Occult Architecture Vol.2 (2017)

    Another sonic gem from Portland’s Ripley Johnson (Wooden Shjips) and Sanae Yamada. Some very tasty and oh-so-spacey guitar playing over hooky keyboards and some great drum work from John Jeffrey, elevate this to a thing of mesmeric beauty.

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    Viv Albertine - Flesh EP (2010)

    Viv Albertine - Flesh EP (2010)

    Viv Albertine (once guitarist with The Slits) is my new hero. I’ve just finished reading her brilliant autobiography. (This should be compulsory reading for every man on the planet!

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    Public Service Broadcasting (2017)

    Public Service Broadcasting (2017)

    It’s wet and cold outside this afternoon as this tribute to Welsh miners spins on my turntable. In contrast to the bleakness of the elements, it’s warm and cosy inside as the fire pushes out some serious heat.

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      The B-52's (1979)

      The B-52's (1979)

      This relic from the very late 70’s is as infectious as Covid-19! At just under 40 minutes, there’s not one wasted note.

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        Moon Duo - Mazes (2011)

        Moon Duo - Mazes (2011)

        Guitar-driven, wall-of-fuzz, melodic mayhem courtesy of Wooden Shjips front man Erik Ripley Johnson and non-affiliated keyboard player, Sanae Yamada. This records gives you a great big warm hypnotic hug.

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        The Pop Group - Y (1979)

        The Pop Group - Y (1979)

        The antithesis of “pop” this is as abrasive and challenging as it gets. There’s no hiding. The dog is currently nestled under my legs somewhat disturbed by the dissonance.

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        Arthur Russell - The World Of… (2014)

        Arthur Russell - The World Of… (2014)

        This FANTASTIC remastered 2014 compilation on 3 great slabs of vinyl just sounds well…. FANTASTIC! These 11 tracks, all released as 12” remixes, were clearly made for the dance floors of the late 70’s, early 80’s, but really blur the links between Disco, Classical, Jazz and Dub.

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        The Slits - Cut (1979)

        The Slits - Cut (1979)

        I’m half way through Viv Albertine’s very candid 2014 book “Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys” She was brought into The Slits as the guitar player who had never actually played guitar.

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        Electronic - Electronic (Fact 290) (1991)

        Electronic - Electronic (Fact 290) (1991)

        The Smiths and New Order. Two of the most influential bands of the 80’s. This masterpiece is the bastard offspring of Bernard Sumner and Jonny Marr, two key members of those respective stalwarts of British post punk.

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        Santana - Moonflower (1977)

        Santana - Moonflower (1977)

        OK it’s not a “proper” live album - it’s got studio recordings interspersed with the live stuff - but as a 17 year old totally immersed in guitar hero worship, this thing still stings the synapses.

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        The Beths - Jump Rope Gazers (2020)

        The Beths - Jump Rope Gazers (2020)

        More vinyl I’ve never listened to. It’s great to just buy stuff like in the old days when you only have reference to music choices courtesy of NME, Melody Maker, Sounds and local music rags like Rip It Up.

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        Royal Blood - Royal Blood (2014)

        Royal Blood - Royal Blood (2014)

        It’s hard to believe that this duo from Old Blighty’s Briton can make such a god forsaken racket. Playing just drums and bass, they could cause all sorts of inferiority complexes for many a larger ensemble.

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        D'Angelo - Voodoo (2000)

        D'Angelo - Voodoo (2000)

        The bottom end on this record is quite extraordinary. You do risk serious damage to your viscera and your speakers if you turn that knob too far.

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        Cranes - Forever (1994)

        Cranes - Forever (1994)

        A voice like an angel and a band that plays like the devil incarnate! It’s a beautiful contrast - Elfin meets charging Mastodon.

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        Thom Yorke - Anima (2019)

        Thom Yorke - Anima (2019)

        Another stunner from the Radiohead front man. I loved Radiohead’s last record, A Moon Shaped Pool, and it’s obvious that this is a hangover from those sessions.

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        Lambchop - Awcomon (2004)

        Lambchop - Awcomon (2004)

        Put on as background music this afternoon while tidying the cave, I was also trying to convince myself that when compared with vinyl, CDs sound like shit.

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        Cranes - Forever (1993)

        Cranes - Forever (1993)

        One of the finds of my recent trip to Wellington was this amazing record. Very tastefully remastered, individually numbered and pressed on gold and black vinyl, it is physically, visually and sonically a thing of great beauty.

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        Kristin Hersh - Crooked (2010)

        Kristin Hersh - Crooked (2010)

        I could listen to Kristin Hersh play the bongos while reciting “The Lord’s Prayer”. It would still be mesmerising. To me, she has one of the best and most distinctive voices of all the rock ‘n’ roll women.

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        Poliça - When We Stay Alive (2020)

        Poliça - When We Stay Alive (2020)

        Poliça are a really difficult band* to try and explain or categorise. (* Poliça is really just singer/songwriter Channy Leaneagh and producer Ryan Olson from the larger and just as uncategorisable collective Gayngs).

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        Various Artists - Lie To Me (1989)

        Various Artists - Lie To Me (1989)

        This year, as Jessie from the “Fast Show” would say, I have been mainly eating compilations. In a most cases this makes for more enjoyable and “active” listening sessions as opposed to just recycling old CDs or “safe” vinyl.

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        Van Morrison - Common One (1980)

        Van Morrison - Common One (1980)

        This morning I discovered a wonderful new podcast for the proper music nerd. It’s called “ The Album Years ” and is presented by one of my familiars - Steven Wilson and his close buddy Tim Bowness.

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        The Who - Who’s Next (1971)

        The Who - Who’s Next (1971)

        I’ve always wanted to re-get this on vinyl (I gave my first LP away in the early 2000s) and was seething with jealousy when fellow shut up and listener, brother Ricardo showed me his big blue.

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        Califone - Echo Mine (2020)

        Califone - Echo Mine (2020)

        Aside from a resurgence of vinyl in my world, I’m tending more and more towards playing music via a streaming service or off ripped files on network attached storage devices.

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        Julia Jacklin - Crushing (2019)

        Julia Jacklin - Crushing (2019)

        Since coming out of lockdown, I’ve decided to take a few punts and purchase a bit of vinyl from my local “Family Jewels” record shop on the strength of reputation and Smithies recommendations.

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        T.Rex - The Slider (1972)

        T.Rex - The Slider (1972)

        This is another one of my big influential records I listened to as a bored, shy and self-absorbed 12 year old at my uncle’s house in Palmerston North.

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        Kraftwerk - 3-D The Calalogue (2017)

        Kraftwerk - 3-D The Calalogue (2017)

        RIP Florian Schneider 01010010 01001001 01010000 00100000 01000110 01101100 01101111 01110010 01101001 01100001 01101110 00100000 01010011 01100011 01101000 01101110 01100101 01101001 01100100 01100101 01110010

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        Porcupine Tree - Deadwing [DVD-Audio] (2005)

        Porcupine Tree - Deadwing [DVD-Audio] (2005)

        OK I concede. The only thing better than Porcupine Tree’s Deadwing on vinyl is Porcupine Tree’s Deadwing on Hi-Res DVD-Audio. Renown for his production and high resolution recordings, Steven Wilson does not hold back on this beauty.

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        Built To Spill (2006)

        Built To Spill (2006)

        OK, I’ve never been a big fan of Old Cranky throughout his musical lifespan. With the exception of his early days with CSN&Y, “On The Beach” “Zuma” and “Arc-Weld”, I’ve mainly stayed clear of his guitar and song-writing histrionics.

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          The Beatles - Revolver (1966)

          The Beatles - Revolver (1966)

          This record seems to get a hell of a lot of hyper-praise. I’ve never really singled out albums in the Beatles catalogue to measure or compare against each other but in the case of this particular record, I really can’t see what all the fuss is about.

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          Santana - Abraxas (1969)

          Santana - Abraxas (1969)

          I really forgot I even had this in my record collection when I went hunting for something substantial today. And this remastered gem on Antarctic Ice Shelf-thick vinyl IS truly substantial.

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          David Bowie - Outside (1995)

          David Bowie - Outside (1995)

          I’m actively re-assessing Bowie’s records since 1980’s “Scary Monsters”. I have openly stated my apparent unwillingness to accept there was still genius lurking past “Ashes To Ashes” This isn’t Covid-19 related cabin fever talking either, it’s a genuine regret that I’ve followed the sway of the critics rather than making up my own mind.

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          Tool - Fear Inoculum (2020)

          Tool - Fear Inoculum (2020)

          It’s been full-on 12 hour plus days over a 13 day solid stretch as I rolled up my sleeves and gave all the techy stuff a kick up the pants.

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          Monks - Black Monk Time (1966)

          Monks - Black Monk Time (1966)

          A monumental day today in Godzone as we all prepare to go into lock down. It might be time to trawl through your collection or even, God help us, explore some new music!

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          Supergrass - Diamond Hoo Ha (2008)

          Supergrass - Diamond Hoo Ha (2008)

          Super-G’s very last record continues with the high-calibre, riff-heavy pop-rock they are renowned for. Over their six studio albums they have made consistently great and seemingly effortless records that without failure, completely kick arse.

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          Zed - Silencer (2001)

          Zed - Silencer (2001)

          I took a big punt on this one during my weekly Warehouse bin trawl. Dropping from $49 to $29 and a couple of well known tracks, including the anthemic “Renagade Fighter”, convinced me to part with my cash.

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          Jenny Morris - Shiver (1989)

          Jenny Morris - Shiver (1989)

          Lovely late-80’s album from Tokoroa-Born Australian citizen, Jennifer Patricia Morris. While it’s got a definite 80’s production vibe, all of songs stand up really well.

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          Tame Impala - The Slow Rush (2020)

          Tame Impala - The Slow Rush (2020)

          You know what, I’m getting sick of the same old same old. Three albums in and on the fantastic “Currents” Kevin Parker was getting flogged by the sky’s falling brigade for adding squelchy keyboards and turning his back on his guitar fuelled hazy psych.

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          Stereolab -Switched On (1992)

          Stereolab -Switched On (1992)

          This really early collection of singles and EPs that were recorded prior to their first album Peng! shows just how far they haven’t come.

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            Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1996)

            Stereolab - Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1996)

            This album, their fourth, may have been my very first exposure to the Stereolab collective back in the late 90’s. Many a CD was thrust into my mitts, including this one, as I ventured into Everyman Records.

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            Supergrass - I Should Coco (1995)

            Supergrass - I Should Coco (1995)

            Literally just out of Kindy, these Oxford youngsters thrust themselves into mid-90’s Brit-Pop obsessed England. This debut is surprisingly competent for such tiny tots and remains a highly listenable and classic pop record.

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            Pink Floyd - The Wall (1979)

            Pink Floyd - The Wall (1979)

            There’s no getting away from it - Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” is quite good. It’s certainly the Waters and Gilmour show with some killer songs amongst the more operatic/filler stuff.

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            Run The Jewels II (2014)

            Run The Jewels II (2014)

            Just a great big slab of shit-kicking R&B on double teal vinyl to upset the neighbours and add an edge to the Friday night “no work tomorrow” alcohol fueled exhortations.

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              Kids See Ghosts (2018)

              Kids See Ghosts (2018)

              This is a brilliant collaboration between Kid Cudi and Kanye West. While it’s only an 20 minute EP, it does one hell of a lot during those 1200 seconds.

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                Torres - Three Futures (2017)

                Torres - Three Futures (2017)

                This record was a complete impulse buy whilst trawling the JB-Hifi bins in Wellington. I heard mention of Torres via the “Sound Opinions” podcast a while back where she was highly revered by Greg Kot.

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                Gruff Rhys - Pang! (2019)

                Gruff Rhys - Pang! (2019)

                Wowee, we’ve got a right one here! It’s the perfect way to see in the new year. Bereft of any English, this collaboration with South African artist Muzi, is mostly sung in Welsh, with a bit of Zulu thrown in.

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