Ear Relevant: Ellington/Mingus/Roach - "Money Jungle"

Mingus starts. Then Roach. Then Ellington. And then? And then we're in. We're in the 'Money Jungle.'

You don't really have to know too much about jazz to know you are listening to something incredible. Believe me: I don't know that much about jazz. But I do know that these are three of the greatest musicians to have performed the form at all, let alone together at the same time.

Mingus doesn't hold back. Roach never lags. Mingus is abrasive, but Roach counters gently. And Ellington is as smooth as ever, keeping up with the younger guys.

'Le Fleurs Africaines' is a mellow departure but Charlie pairs Duke's elegance with ominous pulls from the double bass, while Max keeps track of the background. 'Very Special' picks it back up again and 'Warm Valley' showcases a melancholic Duke.

This session was recorded September 17, 1962 at Sound Makers Studio in New York City. I bought this album February 6th, 2016 at the Jazz Record Mart in downtown Chicago a week before the store closed. These dates might not matter. It was my only time at the Jazz Record Mart. I should have gone more. Nothing lasts forever.

My copy of the record is a 2015 reissue: may we do what we can to preserve this music, not just this album, not just these three men, but for every artist, if you believe in the art, acquire something physical of it. That's why I'm starting to write about my records more. There needs to be record of these records. I forget about the records I have sometimes.

'Switch Blade' ends side one. Mingus ends it, his bass sounds like a guillotine swaying over a single note, bending it this way and that. I take a sip of tea and get up the flip the record. And then

Ear Relevant: 7.27 - 8.10

Been awhile since I've done one of these. I've bought an absurd amount of records lately (well, for me at least. It's been a particularly diverse group of records too. 

First off, things started with getting a little buzzed and heading over to Permanent. Picked up 60s French pop star Claudine Longet's self-titled debut, the reggae-filled soundtrack to "The Harder They Come" featuring plenty of Jimmy Cliff, soulman Syl Johnson's Dresses Too Short (my first Numero LP), and Ray Manzarek's hypersynth version of Carmina Burana produced by Phillip Glass. Yes, that's just as weird as it sounds.

The next week there was a release show for Vamos and Ego, two mainstays in Chicago's punk / garage / DIY scene. They each had LPs out on Maximum Pelt so I got both of them; each have some rad album art. The show was at the Empty Bottle and I forgot my ear plugs like a stupid fucking idiot. Think it was worth it though. Made sure to bring the plugs the following night for Twin Hits (Twin Peaks + Today's Hits), Heavy Times, and the Lemons. No music purchased that night.

Ear Relevant: 05.03.14 - 05.09.14

Here's what's good for your ears, albeit a bit abbreviated this week. A new mixtape, album, and DIY galore!

Taylor Bennett (why does that last name sound so familiar...) released a new mixtape. Check it out on soundcloud.

Montreal based experimental folk artist YouYourself&i released a new album called Octembuary.

Check out this mini-doc about DIY joint Hostel Earphoria.

Speaking of DIY joints, two new places are looking for funding. Read about then donate to Pure Joy and Chicago Arts and Music Center. 

Ear Relevant: 04.12.14 - 05.02.14

So apparently I go weeks at a time without listening to new music! Weird! Anyway, here's what's good for your ears that I've heard recently. New mixes, music videos, film soundtracks, and albums ahead!


DJ /rupture helped curate this mixtape inspired by the film The Act of Killing. Heavy on the African and Middle Eastern vibes. Some older tracks, some electronic. A very different world of music than I (and probably the five of you reading this) normally listen to. Now I must watch that film.

Teju Cole tweeted that this song could be the soundtrack to the fantastic "Everyday is For the Thief." Get down with the sounds of Nigeria:



Good friend of mine Otherly contributed to the improvised soundtrack for the upcoming film "Burnt in Memory, My Lover has Steel Legs and Street Lights for Eyes" about Chicago. The film's description:

"An homage to Dziga Vertov and Koyaanisqaatsi, Burnt in Memory chronicles life in Chicago. Its impressionistic tableau has no dialogue, no characters, no story, and no acts. It is just a glimpse of people and their places, their in between places, and their forgotten places. "

 Sounds cool. Looks cool. Can't wait to see it. Watch the first of three trailers right here.

I interviewed Beijing group Carsick Cars after their show at the Burlington in March. They released their third album, 3, a couple months ago. But you already knew that, right, RIGHT?!

Local dudes Archie Powell and the Exports also released their third album Back in Black. Listen to the Exports at their most Pixiesist on Bandcamp, and catch their record release show tonight at Subterranean!

Ear Relevant: 04.05.14 - 04.11.14

Here's what's good for your ears this week. New singles, albums, tributes, and music videos ahead!

Ed Schrader (hey, that dude's album is in the banner to this website!) in his continuous quest to take over the world with his floor-tom-of-destruction released the second single off forthcoming Party Jail. Listen on his soundcloud.

Guitar superpower Ryley Walker has his new album streaming on Self Titled Mag and you can read his brief descriptions about all the songs. Yes, most of them are about drugs.

KSRA (aka Rachel Thomas) looped and wailed her way through a Chicago Singles Club showcase on Monday at the Empty Bottle and I picked up a copy of her album Petra. It's gooooood (listen here).

By now, most people know that Aimee Mann and Ted Leo have teamed up to form the Both. Besides making great music, the duo makes funny music videos (those things still exist?!). Watch below.

John Yingling premiered a new song by Beijing noise-pop trio Hedgehog called "DDDDDDreaMMMMMM"on Impose. Listen here.

And the music world lost another of its finest. Leee Childers, most well known for documenting the CBGB's scene passed away earlier this week. Watch this video from last year where he recounts interactions with David Bowie, Lou Reed, Sid Vicious and more:

Ear Relevant

This is "the shit everyone else has turned me on to recently" edition.

Joey Bada$$
First head this at Justin Martin's apartment. I think he was cooking me some food. Or we were just drinking. Either way, this is tight. He (Joey, not Justin) collabed with Chance the Rapper recently, one of my Chicago hip-hop favs. Good beats, tight rhymes. Beats the shit out of the drill scene. Stream or download on this website RIGHT HERE.

Follakzoid
I missed these guys at the Empty Bottle the other week, but Peter saw them twice at SXSW and for good reason apparently. Chilean krautrock that you must check out. 



Faun and a Pan Flute
Greg Fox tweeted about this band at SXSW aaaannndd yeah, check 'em out. Atlanta experimental psych-rock in a word:



Alla
Jon Graef loves this band. I waited way too long to listen to them. Chicagoist has the exclusive download RIGHT HERE.

Sabina Sciubba
Singer from Brazilian Girls doing some solo stuff. Yes, this video is just as weird as you'd expect it to be, and her voice and the song is just as good as you'd expect it to be.



Gabe Liebowitz
Singer of Dastardly covers some good shit (Smiths, Bowie, the Stones), some funny banter, and not afraid to let his voice crack every now and again. WARNING: depressing as shit. ALSO: moving. ALSO: funny.



Still not enough music? Check out The Reader's Jukebox, featuring my suggestion of Marquee Moon.

Ear Relevant

Damn, last week was a busy music week. Writing and going to shows. Recap time:

Monday:

First part of Frontier Psychiatrist's timeline of the 22 years between between My Bloody Valentine's Loveless and the new album, mbv. My pieces include albums by the Lilys, the Swirlies, and Spiritualized' smashterpiece Ladies and Gentlemen We're Floating in Space. 

That night, I saw the Ex Cops at the Empty Bottle. A short set, a little sloppy, but definitely a band with potential. Like a shoegaze version the Go Betweens, more melodic, than wall of noise sound. Songs are short and sweet, and their new album True Hallucinations gets better with each listen.

Tuesday:

Part two of FP's timeline. I reviewed Autolux, and discovered I didn't hate No Age as much as when I first heard them.

That night saw Bosnian Rainbows at the Bottom Lounge, then hightailed it over to a basement in Logan Square to catch the end of Dada Trash Collage's set. Wish I caught more. New EP just came out. Surprise hit of the night was catching Selectronics, also with a new album. Very visual live show with projections, a red light-up cube, tapedeck rapping, hip-hop beats and lo-fi analog aesthetics. Definitely one to catch if you see the name around.

Wednesday:

Nearing exhaustion, managed to catch Mountains at the Hideout with White/Cream and Bitchin Bajas. Recap up on Windy City Rock. Mountains' experimental/ambient Centralia is one of the best this year so far, although they unfortunately didn't perform any of it.

Thursday:

Reviewed the new Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album Push the Sky Away for Frontier Psychiatrist as well as previewed Conductive Alliance's upcoming album, Opticks, on Windy City Rock.

Sunday Funday (#fuckyourgrammys Edition)

It is raining outside. I ate a sandwich earlier from a Mexican restaurant. I finished reading A Moveable Feast last week (yes I know it's by Hemingway; no, I'm not including it in my 52 books). I have a hangover today. What that means is I rewatched multiple Arrested Development episodes and prowled the Internet for new music. So here's some musical treats for you:

Beck. Covers David Bowie. With a 167 piece orchestra. Some stupid car company had something to do with it, so I can't embed, but I promise it's worth the extra click. SOUND AND VISION. Stupid car company actually had a cool idea though; this is the first in a series. Consequence of Sound has full details.

Netherfriends x Fess Grandiose. Hot jams, funny opening, and a silly little video.




I didn't post this Jamaican Queens video last week, so here you go:



Three and a half years ago, I stumbled across a bizarre and surreal singer/songwriter named Natti Vogel at a venue in Beijing. Weird mix of Amanda Palmer, Fiona Apple and Oscar Wilde. It was just him and a keyboard, and was exactly what I needed at that point in my life. Having rediscovered him, I found out he is a part of something called the Bushwick Book Club, which writes albums based on books. Their most recent session was about Slaughterhouse Five, my first favorite book. Natti is featured on the compilation.





And oh, some guy named Nick Cave is releasing a new album. It's streaming on NPR right now. 

Ear Relevant

Been really shitty about updating this, but much planned for the next few weeks. For now, here's some music-shtuff I've been into:

I reviewed Speck Mountain's newest album for Windy City Rock last week and managed to namedrop Nietzsche at the same damn time; read it here.

Bosnian Rainbows. Teri Gender Bender from Le Butcherettes and dude from The Mars Volta. Pretty wild, and unexpected change halfway through the song. Very 80s post-punk.



Marnie Stern never fails to disappoint. Looking forward to new album later this year:



Dance time, y'all. Not sure why I dig this so much. Lindstrom is Swedish, probably has something to do with it.



Oh, and one of my highest anticipated albums of the year is from the Knife. Rumor has it they'll be at Pitchfork. Wouldn't be a surprise. Here's a short film accompanied by one of the new songs. Makes their early stuff sound like the Postal Service:

Ear Relevant: The High School Years (Pt. 1)

So I found some mix CDs I made for myself in high school that had a bunch of awesome music I totally forgot about. This stuff blew my mind in high school and surprisingly holds up pretty well after years of ignoring/forgetting it. Let's start off with some indie tunes for tonight:

The horns in this song are just killer. Classic melody executed wonderfully:




I never got too much into Pinback, but I love the guitar in this. The rapping...eh...




Apollo Sunshine may be one of the most underrated bands around. Very experimental while remaining very poppy. They've been quiet for a few years, but I hope they come back.




Classic Saddle Creek coming up. Rilo Kiley knows how to tug at the heartstrings.

Ear Relevant

Front Psych completed our top 50 albums of 2012. I'll throw my personal list up here eventually. 

Re-discovered this gem last night. Whatever happened to Kaada anyway?




Also, went to Logan Hardware this week and picked up High Energy Plan by 999. Forgotten punk rock classic:



And now that I have tickets purchased, getting excited about New Year's Eve at the Hideout. Chandeliers and the Eternals. Gonna get weird with it.

Ear Relevant

The Evens (Ian MacKaye) released a new album last week (The Odds) that will probably be next to ignored for how late in the year it was released. What a shame. 
Cartright is one of the bands that keeps Austin weird. If you listen to one track, make it 'Necessarily Afraid:'


I first heard this gem by Massive Attack at a random bar in  a Beijing hutong. It was the middle of the afternoon, it was dank as hell, and I was getting way too cocky in a game of War I was playing with my girlfriend.



Speaking of China, Carsick Cars are amazing.Check out some tunes on their soundcloud.

Last but not least, been listening to the Waking Life OST a lot. That time of the year. I dare you to fall asleep to this: