Announcement time! I suspect everybody reading this is aware, but just in case, my friend Grant and I have started a new blog over at Game and Tonic. We'll be chatting about games, booze, music, all kinds of stuff. Just a warning: it's entirely possible that I'll end up posting here less, as I only have so much time to spend writing. Anyway, on to the music!
The Karl Hendricks Trio, "You're The Man"
There aren't that many people that were as good as Karl Hendricks at the quietLOUDquiet thing. It's a combination of his aggressive guitar tone during the loud parts, his ability to project emotion in both sections, as well as a fine sense of buildup and release. He also recognizes that sometimes you turn up the guitars and stay even on the vocals.
Your Old Droog, "Chasing Ghosts"
Packs was one of my favorite albums of 2017, so I was excited to hear the 2019 followup It Wasn't Even Close in 2019. And it was worth the wait - his wry, agile delivery is still totally present, along with his great, dusty, jazzy beats. It's in the same vicinity as, say, Madvillain, which is a high complement.
Pat Van Dyke, "Like They Used To Say"
Goddamn, this is good! I really gotta stop getting stuff lost in the collection. I'm enjoying this thoroughly, even if I've never heard it before.
Lootpack, "Likwit Fusion"
Lootpack are the group that first got Madlib attention, when they got signed out of the underground on Stones Throw and put out Soundpieces: Da Antidote. The resulting attention set Madlib on his path of a billion different projects and ensured that this would be their only full album. It's interesting to hear some of that Madlib sound here, even in this early form.
White Denim, "Burnished"
D is widely regarded as the breakthrough album for White Denim, as they added another guitarist and the resulting filled out sound really suited them. This is all sunshine and warmth, reminding me of nothing so much as a latter-day Steely Dan.