Stooges A Thousand Lights
Easy Action's recent mopping up of live 1970 material. Not sure if this is 100% Independent of Rhino Handmade having had Live At Ungano's coming out around now. Anyway sound is somewhat improved, Soldier's Field is now a lot more dynamic I think, was a bit of a mess in previously circulated version. Now joined by the audio of the 2 video clips - Gooselake & Cincinatti Pop. & 2 tracks from New York which I haven't heard before. Plus a booklet with several new photos.
Can Delay 1968
Interesting, possibly more garagey sounding archive release when it first appeared. Sound is comparable to a similar era Beefheart, Man From '70, possibly the psychedelic revisitings on Chess artists Electric Mud & Howling Wolf Has a New Lp.... oh & The V.U of White Light, White Heat.
Karoli's guitar sounds pretty psychedelic and spaciousness is present.
Some of this sounds like a great archetype for a band sound, like add your own personal colours. But some of the lyrics are a bit twee (presumably down to spontaneous improvisation).
Swans Koko
The Best of the recent live sets. Nice clear sound on here.
Swans revisiting a sound around the White Rabbit era and playing some much earlier material. Hypnotic tranced out material. Lp is great too, hope some more video appears.
D.O. Misani & Shirati Jazz The King Of History
Had to get my brother a copy of this for Xmas. I think it's about my favourite music ever. Had been trying to get more by these since my discovery of a single by them mid 80s. Now I have a full cd.
Hypnotic repetitive melodies over funky though non funk referencing repetitive rhythms. Can see this appealing to fans of Television, Fall, Cold Sun and a few others though it is all in Luo, my dad's tribal language.
Tomorrow 24 Hour Technicolour Dream
part studio, part live set by UK psych also rans. Twink's drums seem overly one-dimensional but Howe's guitar is already mesmerising.
CCR Cosmo's Factory
Classic r'n'r lp from late 60s. Has them jamming out 2 tracks in a style no longer ballroom sounding. Bonus tracks include a jam with Booker T & MGs a band they claimed great influence from.
Orchestra Poly-Ritmo de Cotinou
Wasn't as immediately struck by this as I thought I'd be, but it's growing on me.
Esquerita Definitive
Over the top R'N'B shouter's first lp with bonus tracks. Little Richard was apparently exploring a different direction until he met Esquerita and co-opted a lot of his style. I think Richard takes it further out but this is pretty fine
Gilberto Gil El 2fer
1st 2 lps by Gilberto Gil, first has him backed by Os Mutantes who he seems to meet halfway. 2nd has a lot of dublike psychedelic echo on some of the tracks. Both pretty fine.
Teeth Of The Sea Your Mercury
Epic sounding largely instrumental lp. Bought it in HMV Oxford street and was told they worked in there. Will take checkout guy's word for it.
This is really really good, so not surprised it's on year end lists
loads of other stuff which I might fill in later.
reading
bomp Saving The world A Record at A Time
Xmas present from brother. Very interesting book showing Greg Shaw edited fanzines from mid 60s start to about 1980. Very very interesting, need to pick up vol 2 now.
Jeanette Leech Seasons They Change
Interesting but flawed history of acid & psychedelic folk. Not sure exactly how one would improve it, it is a bit list-y and covers some stuff in a paragraph I'd like more in depth. She also manages not to mention Lee Underwood once while talking about Tim Buckley's several lps with him.Then dismisses the last 3 TB lps as mediocre, think that's only true of 1 or 2 of them, definitely not Greetings From L.A.
& I can't see how you could write a book like this & not include a discography. But overall, pretty interesting.
Keith Richards Life
fascinating book, even before the Stones form. Have got half way through the book and it's still only discussing Goat's Head Soup.
Paolo Hewitt The young Mod's Forgotten Story
Out of print Small Faces bio reappears on Acid Jazz imprint. Haven't read any of it but it does have some great photos.
Also picked up the Day By Day book on them since Sister Ray had it
The Man With The Golden Gun. The '67 Ian Fleming book which might seem even earlier. I was a little surprised to discover the 3-nippled scaramanga was actually in the book. One of my uncle's original paperback copies.
