John Paul Davis
Micro Reviews
Begun as a series of posts on BlueSky, these are 300 character max reviews of albums I enjoy. I post them here & they are promulgated to BlueSky.
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Owens features her own ethereal singing more confidently on an album of warm, captivating compositions that lean into repetition as an almost spiritual kind of change.
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Black Thought delivers some of the most vulnerable & personal lyrics of his career, backed by the cinematic bottom-heavy smooth grooves of El Michels Affair
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A musically bold, lyrically rich, almost hedonistically-arranged debut. Artistically daring, infectiously hooky & big big fun.
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The composer revisits his solo piano works, recording them during the pandemic in the room where he writes, resulting in an intimate & tender intensity.
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Beautiful & catchy as it is ambitious & lush, this record was a leap forward not just for writer/arranger/producer Brian Wilson but for recorded music as a whole. A masterpiece.
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Lanois literally deconstructs his own liquid, deft guitar playing, & that of veteran session musicians then plays the studio itself, in an ever-inventive ambient gem.
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The band distills their sound into 10 groovy, catchy, melodically-pristine bangers that harnesses the energy of their live act resulting in their most engaging record since 2005's Z.
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Unpretentious poetry about friendship & love sung in resonant baritone backed by layered guitars, spidery bass & fluttering, complex drums yielding dramatic yet comforting intensity
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Dreamy, gentle guitar-based, melodically catchy tunes & graceful, expressive singing give a glow to the lyrics' quiet, quirky domestic cozy.
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Breakup songs elevated by energetic arrangements, impassioned singing & rewarding lyrical metaphors to theater-filling anthems that transubstantiate to joy.
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Versatile, sharp, expressive singing breathes edgy, new life into this set of mid-20th-century American standards tastefully arranged, buoyed by bright, emotive piano.
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Shifting in production between bare-bones tenderness & crowded dancefloor rapture, the duo embrace their quirks & showcase their writing. A pandemic album celebrating live performance.
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The sonic adventurers turn the distortion down & sing quietly, close to the mic, to deliver this dreamlike, emotionally rich slice of night.
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Adventurous, boundary-pushing compositions & improvisations from a quartet of young risk-takers who ride the balance between groove & experimentation made this album a classic.
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Smith comes into his own as a writer/arranger, playing & singing everything on this exquisite balance between ambitious compositions & lo-fi production. Lovely melodies; sad poetry
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An unflinching examination of addiction, its causes & effects, all achingly sung & supported by metamorphic, searing & gorgeous arrangements of shifting time signatures & tempos.
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Lush, steady, interlocking grooves pulse above eclectic samples providing a sure foundation for shapely melodies well-suited to the emotionally intimate lyrics.
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Mindful of tradition while original, the band explores young adulthood, romance & responsibility in these funky, smooth, fun, songs, elevated by silky, effortless singing.
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By their 7th album the band were masters of their craft & it shows on this compelling, danceable collection of bangers & ballads. Michael Hutchence's bluesy, swaggering singing was never better.
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Crystalline, emotive singing, evocative, poetic lyrics, sometimes sparse, sometimes lush arrangements make these songs of devotion, love, & yearning glisten timelessly.
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Dynamic, shapeshifting compositions that are also warm, catchy tunes with oblique memorable lyrics, sweetly sung, examining both inner turmoil & middle-aged revelation & joy.
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Lyrical, inventive, gentle interplay, tightly interlocked & playfully loose, between three masters of their instruments. Simultaneously adventurous & contemplative.
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Buckley's versatile, shapeshifting, aching singing & dexterous, stirring guitar playing elevate these gorgeously-written tunes of longing to emotional & spiritual transcendence.
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Infectious melodies & a swinging, nimble, boisterous band imbue these lean, expertly-crafted songs of losing love & finding oneself with joy in home, & the glittering world
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Necessary & sometimes difficult truths & steadfast resilience delivered in exquisite lyricism sung sweetly over finely-crafted, warm, textured beats.
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Bright, jubilant singable songs of gratitude, reflection & joy in the face of mortality backed with arresting, winding, textured layers.
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Deftly, gorgeously layered eclectic instrumentation supports the strophic songs' backbone of acoustic guitar & Sam Beam's impressionistic lyrics tenderly, achingly sung.
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Heartbreak, anger, pain & longing fill this album of baroque, amibitous, sweeping moods achingly inhabited by Wainwright's powerful, emotive singing.
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Wit, wordplay, charm & character all woven together in these deceptively complex but catchy tunes. Sting is an arresting singer, baring his heart & having fun doing it.
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Expertly balanced between sincere, emotive philosophy & witty, cutting satire, captivatingly sung, set against gorgeous, lush arrangements.
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The brothers Gutiérrez play warmly, exploratoritavely, kaleidoscopically, expansively over spare percussion to craft a sound larger than the sum of its parts.
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Analog synths, old-school drum machines, acoustic guitars & Lanegan's soulful baritone evoke a spellbinding catharsis of a life's sorrows, looking toward a new dawn.
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Simultaneously adventurous & accessible arrangements of imaginative, satisfying compositions of elevated joy & sorrow. Could be from 50 years ago or 25 years in the future.
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Delicate, intricate, tightly-structured songs that evolve into melodic & rhythmic complexity, paired with tender quiet singing & haunted, introspective lyrics of growth & change.
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If anything is proof critics are usually full of shit, it's this brilliant, joyful, weird, moving & gorgeous album which was universally panned by everyone, all of whom were dead wrong.
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Sturdy, textural beats, lo-fi & hi-fi synth voices, gritty & lush production, tension & release, all sounding like the entrance to a new world, the doorway into a spring morning.
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Kinetic rhythms & intricate but not overwrought arrangements showcase the sublime melodies & interplay between musicians at the heart of this adventurous, ambitious album.
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Trading the glossy, electronic sound of her previous work for acoustic & organic sounds, the big-voiced singalongs handle weighty reflections deftly & effortlessly.
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3 established artists collaborate in this testament to teamwork & friendship, enthusiastic & energetic, highlighting each member's best artistic qualities with top-notch songcraft.
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Wood's arresting, elastic singing, along with his band's funky, upbeat arrangements gives these plaintive, catchy, & fun love songs life beyond just their hooky appeal.
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Deeply personal lyrics & striking imagery matched by new vocabularies for the guitar all wrapped in songs expertly & hookily crafted to balance experimentation & accessibility.
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In a time of fear & sorrow, an album of joy. Ecstatic exultation, optimism & faith, weathered by decades of experience with doubt, grief & hard times.
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Beguiling blood harmonies soulfully-delivered over minimalist cajón-grounded beats on a collection that explores & celebrates love, familial, spiritual & romantic.
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Cinematic & imaginative music, exquisitely-crafted melodies sung with verve, wittily & abstrusely exploring nostalgia, disillusion, creativity & the tension between art & commerce.
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Glorious gorgeous collages of analog synths, live drums, funky guitars, catchy melodies. Reflections on the cycles & patterns of adult life: love, death, forgiveness, healing.
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Songs of financial & spiritual anxiety but also songs of restoration & return. Inviting, languid arrangements, eerie cinematic atmospheres, earnest lyrics.
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Stunning & elegant compositions charged with tumultuous energy that pay homage to Mingus's influences without being derivative. Suave & bluesy solos abound. A masterpiece.
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Melodic guitar leads, room-filling riffs, winding song structures, inventive effects make anthems of the angry, grieving, frustrated lyrics. One song is aptly titled "Big Riff."
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Introspection, yearning & spiritual ecstasy set against spacious, dreamlike but driving songs marked by daring, provocative melodies.
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Backed by the Metropole Orkest, Mvula performs inventively-arranged, transcendent, shimmering, magical versions of her songs. expansive & yet somehow also intimate.
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Lush, expansive, ambitious arrangements & ascending, anthemic melodies paired with spiritual introspection & grand expressions of love & healing.
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Heartbreak without the 808s. Beck exorcises the demons of his divorce via his postmodern lyrics over acoustic guitars & sweeping, haunting strings & subtle analog synth soundscapes.
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Acoustic instruments & the human voice, eloquently arranged. Warm & radiant, potent & graceful meditations on love, death & the human spirit. A masterclass in songwriting.
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Adventurous, opulent, groove-heavy covers of 1970s classics by Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield & others that crackle with life & urgency
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Witty, literate lyrics woven into tender, pretty melodies accompanied by energetic acoustic guitar-driven songs of frustration & faith surviving "the daily grind of being what we are."
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An everyman's lament at the state of the world - war, racism, poverty, climate change, set to deft, fervant melodies against a symphonic backdrop of daring arrangements.
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Gritty & groovy, boisterous & bluesy, lively & funky, showcasing Saadiq's tight songwriting & ear for a great hook.
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This quartet interact flawlessly, almost telepathically. Melodic, effortless solos, impeccable timing. The art that hides the art. A pure delight.
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Shapeshifting arrangements of acoustic guitars over warm synths bloom into magnificence just as it seems they'll fall apart, much like the album's meditations on love, anxiety & loss.
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More melodic, sometimes anthemic, the band are cohesive, expressive & exquisite on every track. More reflective in places, while sacrificing none of their fire.
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Working class stories, probing protest songs & contemplations of faith & the American dream set to smoky, bluesy, rocking tunes by a tight, world-class band. Still timely, 40 years later.
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Graceful evocative piano, perfect chord progressions, luxurious horns, cadent, swaying melodies.
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Endlessly inventive arrangements, operatic in scope, these songs celebrate the birth of a child & new love with idiosyncratic brainy lyrics.
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Rainy, psychedelic, haunted, questioning, questing songs, lushly-arranged, tenderly sung.
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Vibrant arrangements & spectacular melodies support the reflective, pastoral lyrics that meditate on aging, longing & love.
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The band cements their longevity with these finely-crafted, mature tunes that retain all their early-career energy. Searing guitars, spidery bass, thundering drums & a whole lot of heart.
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Hassell defies expectations of what sounds a trumpet can make, gliding, soaring, soothing over polyrhythms, synth pads & stuttering pulsing bass lines. Brian Eno & Michael Brook sit in on some songs.
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His first with a full band, exploring themes central to his 55 year career: spirituality, love, progressive politics. Lush arrangements, tender melodies & his intricate guitar picking abound.
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Adroit & lively lyricism set to compelling, dynamic melodies over mostly solo acoustic guitar played energetically.
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Without deviating from their warm melange of soul, R&B, disco & hip-hop Jungle expand their sonic palette for a richer, more spacious sound.
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Groovy, skittery percussion & funky basslines over string ensembles as Byrne's quirky, metaphoric lyrics capture the paranoias & anxieties of post-9/11 America.
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Washington's spacious, glimmering electric funk never looses its way, thanks in large part to bassist Louis Johnson's nimble grooves & Washington's always-ascending soprano sax.
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Soulful & spare, this album of mostly ballads evokes the almost monastic 3 year period Rollins spent alone, honing his technique by playing on the Williamsburg Bridge.
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25 years in, the indie band delivers a brooding collection of songs that sound like soundtracks to films that don't exist. Gritty, rapturous, cutting, this quiet music should be played loud.
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The Dublin rock band expands their sound while staying true to the elements that made their first 2 albums so compelling. Still hard to believe these lads are 25 & under given how well they write & play.
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Breakup songs that celebrate moving away from unhealthy love & find joy in the music itself which ranges from R&B, soul, psychedelia, rock & jazz that comes together as a unified whole guided by Howard's genius.
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Gabriel fronts an all-star cast of musicians from around the world, blending alt-rock & subtle electronica to house his plaintive, incisive, musing explorations of love, grief, reconciliation & healing.
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The band evolves their alt-country Mexo-Americana, focusing here on intimate examinations of love & self-exploration. Fetching melodies & disarming, quietly poetic lyrics, tenderly sung.
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The quartet Redman assembled for his solo debut reunites 25 years later. 4 giants of contemporary jazz deliver a set of lively, masterful interplay, deeply felt.
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Which sets previously-unheard lyrics of Woody Guthrie's to music written by Bragg & Wilco. Vibrant glittering folk-rock with infectious melodies highlighting Guthrie's still-applicable fiery politics.
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Their most recent, full of winding post-prog song structures, big satisfying riffs, soaring vocals, mystical contemplative lyrics, thundering drums. The godfathers of emo made the Platonic ideal of area rock records.
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A majestic, expressive & expansive set that finds the band at its finest. Simultaneously uplifting & daring. Wordless hymns of boundless love & hope. Sunday morning on Saturday night.
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Layers of cozy, textured analog synths & Jenn Wasner's fuzzy indie-rock guitar licks foreground her warm, inviting singing on an album that explores the twin pulls of relationships & artistic work.
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A love-letter to his family & celebration of his Latine heritage. Synth-driven avant-pop that sounds wholly original backs his soft, tender singing & joyous, evocative bilingual lyrics.
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Percussive acoustic guitar, minimalist beats, occasional piano & a solid spine of bass, as Doughty explores love & sobriety with his Beat-poetic lyrics, sing-rapping & gift for hooky melodies.
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Their 2nd as a trio. Moody, dreamy, introspective, it blends daring & gorgeous electronics with Buck's jangly riffs & Stipe's soaring melodies. An album that grew on me, now one of my favorites by this band.
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Shimmery orchestral folk-rock with intricate arrangements, unusual song structures & poetic lyrics on the need for love & the difficulties in loving & being loved. Case's singing is seductive & powerful.
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Angular, funky, melodic improvised tunes highlight both their technical mastery & emotional sensitivity & Mehldau's Beat-poetry style spoken word. Pushes the envelope of what jazz can be.
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Dynamic, genre-bending folk-jazz driven by musical curiosity reveling in the joy of discovery, all supporting Aftab's versatile crooning, which is simultaneously tender & passionate.
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The 2 masters recorded versions of their own songs with a quartet. Lyrical, playful, & dynamic. Everything you hope for from a record called Duke Ellington & John Coltrane.
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his 1957 comeback album with Miles Davis's band at the time. He struggled with addiction, was in & out of prison. His wife arranged the session & he showed up surprised. 5 hours later this brilliant record existed.
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I have to "develop" in Webflow this morning, so I'm listening to this classic. They shake off the constrictions of "nu metal" & forge their own unique daring sound. Aggressive riffs over gorgeous soundscapes; melodic soulful vocals.
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Infectious, groovy, funky, sublime, melodic & sometimes delightfully weird, this double album more than lives up to the promise of its title.
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The album finds him paring back the lush arrangements to focus on the songwriting, which is magnificent & sorrowful. Minimalism blended with orchestral soul gives room for aching anthemic melodies & heartbreak.
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In which they expand their sonic palette & songwriter John Baizley unlocks the versatility & power of his voice (writing & singing). Infectious riffs; beautiful playing by a band discovering their potential.
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A left turn for him, from straightforward jazz, in which he blends pop, rock and chamber music elements with assistance from producer Jon Brion. The gorgeous, moody & daring first act of his evolution.
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Folk rock sometimes layered with elements of trap, indie rock, & ambient over gorgeous melodies. Incisive poetic lyrics examine the impact of smartphones on our love lives, politics & art.
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A dystopian, agitated, restless but rewarding creative leap showcasing Grian Chattan's growing & imaginative ability in both singing and writing. The band charts new sonic territory while remaining true to their sound.
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A sometimes dreamy, sometimes joyous genre-blurring collection that is simultaneously earthbound & ascending. Lush rootsy, bluesy layers beneath her endlessly versatile expressive voice.
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The post-punk band expand their sound with the help of Kenny Beats & Nigel Godrich, adding more experimental soundscapes & beautiful melodies while not compromising on their aggressive, fun, transgressive and danceable foundation.
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The album teams him with bassist Christian McBride & drummer Brian Blade for a buoyant, rhythmic, inventive & fun set. Three masters of their craft just enjoying the hell out of playing together & improvising.
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My first purchase of 2025. Anxiety & tension lift off & ascend. Arpeggiated synths, epic post-rock progressions, smeary pedal-mutated transcendent guitar melodies. Perfect soundtrack for the early days of 2025.
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A pristine, glittering jazz fusion set, with Bley on organ. Winding but melodic organ / piano / electric guitar solos abound, over the solid spine of Steve Swallow, Victor Lewis & Don Alias’s tight rhythm section.
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Simon imagines an alternate self who never made it big & tours the bar circuit. The band is amazing (Steve Gadd! Tony Levin!) - what if jazz musicians played bar rock? & the lyrics are poetic & probing.
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Explores the impact of race & racism at home & in the larger world, over over gorgeous music blending classic R&B & soul with elements of hip-hop, electronica, indie rock & jazz, set to matchless melodies.
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Stylistically adventurous, wide-ranging in its influences, this empathetic, witty, soulful record is daring, but in ways that draw you into the finely crafted songs & tightly written poetic lyrics.
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Melodic, playful & swinging, a melange of bebop, cool jazz, and heavily inspired by Duke Ellington. At this point in Burrell’s career he was a master of his craft & this album is testament to that.
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A landmark for ambient music but also just a gorgeous record, uncertain as it is calming, melancholy as it is optimistic, haunted as it is playful.
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Barron is one of the most lyrical jazz pianists I've heard, & this 2016 album melds that with impeccable rhythm, effortless swing & accents of Latin jazz. Saw them at the Vanguard recently - a delight.
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The band examines love & loss in many forms (of place, romance, friends, family, God, country etc) over piano-driven alt-pop. One of their masterpieces.
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(did Bowie name *his* “Changesone” inspired by this?) Opening track “Remember Rockefeller At Attica” is one of my favorite jazz songs of all time. The song’s playful, serpentine melody is 51 bars long.
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Secular hymns of questioning, wandering, rock bottom & redemption. Lots of harmonies between Bono / Edge / Lanois / Eno. The most prog U2 ever got. Pitchfork hated it. But I think it's gorgeous.
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Dylan's band on this includes members of the Heartbreakers and Los Lobos. Modern anxieties shot through with love & anger.
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Joyful, masterful interplay between oud, santour & percussion.
