Sleeping Bag Records Greatest Mixers Collection: Larry Levan, Francois K., and Danny Krivit all on one record?! The two mixes by John Morales & Sergio Munzibai are the immediate highlight, but Krivit’s mix of “Chill Pill”—which is somehow tied to a junior high in Brooklyn—is definitely the coolest thing here.
Pink Floyd – Animals: I’m grateful that 15-year-old Chuck skipped this record so I could discover it 40 years later as I look from the pigs to the dogs to the sheep and find it impossible to say which is which as they collectively fall on the neck of democracy with a scream.
Beth Gibbons – Lives Outgrown: I went to put on The Secret of Us then switched direction at the last moment as I recognized that my brain wanted songs with more substance and experience than Gracie Abrams could offer. In spirit, Lives Outgrown reminds me of Robert Plant’s recent(ish) work, in that both Gibbons and Plant occasionally nod to their early success but refuse to rest upon it. This isn’t an album for background listening: it is filled with subtlety and secrets that are best heard in a dim room at night.
Fela Kuti – Yellow Fever: A co-worker from Nigeria pointed me to Fela’s rage against Nigerians who try to lighten their skin. It’s a solid peak Fela record.
Hollie Kenniff – We All Have Places That We Miss: Last week, I wrote about the beautiful imperfection of Gracie Abrams’ voice breaking down to a breath. The creaking of Kenniff’s piano has the same effect on me.
Stereo MCs – Connected: I hated Connected when I was forced to hear both the ubiquitous title track and the full CD at my record store job back in ’92. Revisiting it, I like the laid-back, pot-smoking vibe but mostly I’m bored. The early ‘90s are one of my favorite eras of house and house-influenced dance music, but like Beyonce’s Renaissance, this is way too watered down to hold my interest.
David Sylvian – Words with the Shaman: Even though I listened to these songs regularly during my 20s, hearing them now was like listening for the first time. I’m hearing things I swear I’ve never heard before. This is instrumental Sylvian at his best.
Deftones – White Pony: I listened twice this week, first in the car (which did nothing for me) and then on headphones, which was amazing. I’m still not sure I’ve ever emotionally connected to this record but that 2nd pass through is the closest I’ve come.
Maribou State – Hallucinating Love: I had a bad day Friday that capped off a rough week. I listened to Hallucinating Love on my drive home and it made the day a little better.
Ellie Goulding – Lights (The Remixes Part 1): This has been a staple since it came out. The mixes are all different and all good.
Grateful Dead – Grateful Dead (1967): Maybe 15 years ago, Bob and I decided to listen to all the Dead studio albums in order, starting with their self-titled debut. The record didn’t make a great impression on me then, and despite listening to countless hours of live shows over the past 15 years, I haven’t revisited it until this week. Four things strike me:
- It’s got more energy than I remember. There’s a bite to this recording that surprises me.
- Pigpen’s keys and vocals stand out to me in ways they didn’t before. Talk about bite!
- It’s fun hearing the “original” versions of songs that I’ve heard on countless live recordings.
- The band’s decision to allow people to record live shows was brilliant, because otherwise I can’t imagine this album being more than a footnote in rock history.
Grateful Dead – Dick’s Picks Vol. Seven (Alexandra Palace, London, 9/1974): Comparing this stunning performance of “Morning Dew” to the lackluster version on Grateful Dead makes me appreciate the deep well of live Grateful Dead recordings. Everything from “Big River” through “Morning Dew” is fierce on this recording, and “Truckin’” is a particularly high note. I’m generally not a huge fan of Phil Lesh’s bass playing, but he is so solid and so exciting at these shows that no matter what I’m trying to focus on, I find myself concentrating on the bass.
Record store finds this week: This was a week for cheap, slightly beat up records. I couldn’t pass up Queen A Night at the Opera with a water-stained cover, and I found a half-dozen old 12” singles, including Taana Gardner’s Heartbeat mixed by Larry Levan on West End Records.