The third album from the Melbourne (Au) violin/guitar/drum trio consists of loose, drifting instrumentals that conjure images of vast, open plains. Though the music here is often melancholic and lethargic, it is occasionally swept up with bursts of passionate energy and possessed by cathartic longing (especially the pleading and utterly beautiful violin solo on “Warren’s Lament”). All three instrumentalists have very individual styles that complement and dialogue with each other in refreshingly unique ways.
Tag: Passionate
The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band – “Born Into Trouble as the Sparks Fly Upward.”
Released in October, 2001 on Constellation Records. Recorded at the mighty Hotel2Tango Format: 10″x2
Tim Buckley – Goodbye and Hello
Tim Buckley – Happy Sad
Released in 1969 on Elektra Records
Gene Clark – No Other
No Other is a masterpiece of Cosmic Americana from Gene Clark (Ex-Byrds). Here his amazing songwriting is complemented by lush instrumentation, psychedelic production, and grandiose choir arrangements.
John Coltrane Quartet – Afro Blue Impressions
Released in 1977 on RCA Recorded live on a European tour in 1963 Format: LPx2
Young Jesus – The Whole Thing is Just There
The Whole Thing is Just There is another beautiful and life-affirming release from Young Jesus, the second with the current L.A. iteration of the band. Their inter-band chemistry seems stronger than ever, with telepathic improvisations, symbiotic catharses, and a mutual love for each other that is easily felt from a listener’s perspective. The lyrics deal with self-exploration and one’s relationship with the world around them, finding solace in spirituality, existentialism, literature, and the ethos of free jazz. Stylistically the music seems rooted in late-90’s indie rock and emo, with seamless but adventurous detours into post-rock, noisy post-hardcore, and free improvisation. Excited to see where these guys go next.
Ravi Shankar – Three Ragas
Released in 1966 on World Pacific Records Recorded in 1956
Stevie Wonder – Innervisions
D’Angelo & the Vanguard – Black Messiah
Released in 2014 on RCA Records Format: LPx2 Includes 12″x12″ lyric booklet
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree
On this mournful offering, Cave’s poetic reflections on loss, longing, and loneliness slowly float down a river of gloomy synth drones, somber strings, and sparse piano. While not exactly uplifting, the album has a sense of peace and beauty that continues up through the repeating final refrain, “and it’s alright now”.
The Cure – Disintegration
Originally released in 1989 on Fiction Records 2010 pressing, Digitally Remastered by Robert Smith Format: LPx2
Irreversible Entanglements – Irreversible Entanglements
“Four relentless bouts of inspired fire music forged from the true spirit of free jazz, driven by searing poetic narrations of Black trauma, survival and power” (from press release)
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Neil Young with Crazy Horse – Live Rust
Neil Young – Decade
Neil Young with Crazy Horse – Everybody Knows This is Nowhere
Alice Coltrane – Universal Consciousness
Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning
Ornette Coleman – The Shape of Jazz to Come
Released in 1959 on Atlantic Records 1970’s Pressing
Talk Talk – Spirit of Eden
Released in 1988 on Parlophone Records 2012 Pressing
Joanna Newsom – Ys
Released in 2006 on Drag City Records Format: LPx2
Port St. Willow – Syncope
Released in 2015 on People Teeth Format: LP
Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People
Released in 2002 on Arts & Crafts Records Format: LPx2
McCoy Tyner – Enlightenment
Information: Released in 1974 on Milestone Recorded on July 7, 1973
Billie Holiday – Billie’s Blues
Information Released in 1973 on Columbia Records Recorded between 1936-1958
Poliça – United Crushers
Poliça’s brooding, atmospheric trip-hop/synth pop consists of the passionately dynamic vocals (from co-leader/lyricist Channy Leaneagh), prominent, groovy basslines, driving double drums, and occasional string and horn arrangements all run through effects and mapped into intricate, quantized webs of programmed beats and synthesizers by co-leader/producer Ryan Olsen. Lyrically, the album centers around themes of isolation, fading love, and even addressing on police violence on “Wedding”.
For fans of Portishead, The Knife
John Martyn – Solid Air
British singer-songwriter John Martyn fuses folk, jazz, and psychedelic experimentation to create an album that is both eclectic and cohesive, tied together by his flowing voice and virtuosic acoustic guitar fingerpicking.
FFO Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Ryley Walker
Larkin Grimm – Chasing an Illusion
Lush, beautiful psych-folk with a spiritual jazz fluidity that comes from Larkin inviting her close musician friends to improvise over her passionate songs with harp, trumpet, strings, woodwinds, etc. Think Tim Buckley meets Alice Coltrane
Jerusalem in My Heart – If He Dies, If If If If If If
Neurosis – Times of Grace
The apocalyptic sounds of spiritual warfare.
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin III
Album Information: Originally released in 1970 on Atlantic Records 1974 Repress
Akron/Family – Akron/Family
Sigur Ros – ( )
Erykah Badu – Mama’s Gun
Album Information: Released in 2000 on Motown Records 2016 pressing on Motown Format: LPx2
A Silver Mt. Zion – He Has Left Us Alone But Shafts Of Light Sometimes Grace The Corner Of Our Rooms…
Album Information: Released in 2000 on Constellation Records Recorded November 1999 at the mighty Hôtel2Tango
Kamasi Washington – The Epic
Kamasi Washington and his band The Next Step, pick up where their forefathers and mothers left off by making spiritual jazz that respects the jazz canon without getting stuck in the past. This album ranges from free to groovy to melodic without losing sight of its mission. The inclusion of such a large band, an orchestra, a choir, and even a turntablist allows an infinite, colorful array of tonal and dynamic possibilities.
Joanna Newsom – Have One On Me
Album Information: Released in 2010 on Drag City Records Produced by Joanna Newsom Arranged & Conducted by Ryan Francesconi Recorded … More
SZA – Ctrl
Album Information: Released in 2017 on RCA Records
Big|Brave – Ardor
Sludgy drone-metal with heavy, feedback-laden guitars, sparse but viscerally pounding drums, and cathartic, impassioned vocals reminiscent of Björk during her punk years. FFO Neurosis, Swans, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Sunn O)))
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Shakti – Shakti with John McLaughlin
Shakti means “Creative Intelligence, Beauty & Power” and trust me, these are all in abundance on these devotional jazz ragas. Featuring John McLaughlin joined by a quartet of Indian master musicians, this album is a blissfully uplifting and meditative release.
Shakti – Natural Elements
In this energizing exploration of Hindustani classical music from a jazz perspective, John McLaughlin joins a virtuosic trio of Indian musicians who inspire some of the most impassioned and impressive playing of his career. His acoustic guitar shredding veers close to the bendy sounds of the sitar and fits nicely with the dense web of percussion created by Vikku Vinayakram and Zakir Hussain. Violinist Lakshiminarayana Shankar’s emotive themes and fiery solos make him a perfect foil to McLaughlin.
Akron/Family – Set Em Wild, Set Em Free
Album Information: Released in 2009 on Dead Oceans Format: LPx2, 45rpm Catalogue: DOC012 Description: These guys are my favorite American … More
Charlie Haden – Liberation Music Orchestra
“The music in this album is dedicated to creating a better world; a world without war and killing, without racism, without poverty and exploitation; a world where men of all governments realize the vital importance of life and strive to protect it rather than destroy it. We hope to see a new society of enlightenment and wisdom where creative thought becomes the dominant force in all people’s lives” – Charlie Haden
Tim Buckley – Blue Afternoon
Blue Afternoon continues the flowing jazz-folk of Tim’s previous release (Happy Sad) while starting to detour into the avant-garde atmospheres that would manifest more fully on his next two albums, Lorca and Starsailor. The songs and lyrics refuse to be boxed into one category as “joyful” or “lonely” or “sad” and instead reflect the intangible multi-dimensionality of feeling.
Joni Mitchell – The Hissing of Summer Lawns
Jazz Fusion-inflected Folk Rock with poetic lyricism, ethereal atmospheres, spacey synths, and a lot of fretless bass.
Ought – More Than Any Other Day
An anxious, eccentric celebration of the mundane informed by post-punk, noise, no wave, and drone.
Sturgill Simpson – Metamodern Sounds in Country Music
Psychedelic, cosmic country with a raw emotional core.
Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On
Album Information: Released in 1971 by Tamla/Motown
Ryley Walker: Primrose Green
Jazzy Folk-Rock with dynamic songwriting, passionate vocals, and acoustic shredding accompanied by fluid drums, watery vibraphones, distorted keys and groovy upright bass. FFO Astral Weeks, Joni Mitchell, John Martyn, and Tim Buckley
Björk: Vulnicura
Album information: Released by One Little Indian Records in 2015. Produced by Björk & Arca, except tracks 1 & 9 produced … More