John Luther Adams - In the White Silence, The Light That Fills the World and The Place We Began
JLA sits somewhere near the intersection of Oliveros, Reich, Jarrett's "Spheres", Feldman's "Rothko Chapel" and the other John Adams. Music with a glacial stillness than makes "Odin" (which I love btw) sound a bit half baked by comparison.
Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa - Don't Explain
Got to mention Beth Hart at The Forum. An astonishing performance from a powerhouse of a rock/soul stylist. Fairly horrible band mind - decent on the slow stuff, heavy handed at mid tempo, pornographically brutal at the gallop. If you ever saw Ghost World you will know all about what happens when Americans turn the Blues into an athletic event. BH herself is a bona fide genius on stage so I had to play this when I got home to remind myself of what was missing. Many of her albums sound like someone hit-chasing at the behest of idiot a&r men. "Don't Explain" however is a proper record by a genuine star of the stage. Amy in top form meets a pre AOR Elkie. If she is passing your way I can't recommend seeing her play live highly enough.
The Runaways - s/t & Queen Of Noise
Chugtastic, snotty glam pop but with a swagger that records like LAMF and most of the class of 77 could only dream about.
Stones - The Brussels Affair
Not sure The Stones have ever been better than on the 73 European tour.
Stones - It's Only Rock 'N Roll
By 74 any remaining believers in the media were heralding this as the final fag-end of the Stones as a vital force. 38 years later (!) it sounds fantastic. If you can listen around Jagger's silly voices then it is worth it for some lovely clavinet and piano moments (from non Stones Preston and Hopkins) and for Mick Taylor's bass on Fingerprint File alone.
ACR - to each ...
Funny bass end, actually funny production all round but an interesting listen none the less. I remember being disappointed with the thinly coated, watery sound at the time but it stands up remarkably well as a piece of highly experimental post punk and stands up very well next to Skidoo's "Seven Songs" and "The Gospel Comes To New Guinea".
Prince - Come
His last really good 45 minutes worth. Not as good material-wise as the pre Purple Rain records but a much tougher sound.
Miles - Porgy & Bess : The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings
This record seems to have fallen into disrepute amongst the hipster crowd but whatever you think about P&B as an opera/musical the tunes are killer and the Davis/Evans axis extract every ounce of beauty and pathos from them.
Kleptones - Cherry & The Dubmaster
13th Floor Elevators - Bull of the Woods (8 track mix)
Cassandra Wilson - Blue Light Til Dawn
Christina Aguilera - Back To Basics
Red Crayola - The Parable of Arable Land
The Herbaliser - Very Mercenary
Various - Cold Blue Two
