Every so often an album is released that seems to have been made exactly to my idiosyncratic specifications. Ornette Coleman's harmolodics? Check. Intellectually ambitious hip hop? Check. Sprawling narrative? Check.
I'm compelled to believe that Soweto Kinch crafted his new The Legend of Mike Smith with me in mind. Can there really be anyone else in the universe who loves The Streets' A Grand Don't Come for Free, Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City, Ornette Coleman's In All Languages, Steve Coleman's Sine Die and the first Run the Road grime compilation?
The Legend of Mike Smith is the story of a day in the life of an aspiring rapper in which the seven deadly sins lay a series of traps. Kinch employs instrumental jazz and uncommonly eloquent hip hop to track Smith's saga over the course of 140 minutes. While kept separate, the album explicates the natural symbiosis between the two forms. Even so, I wonder if the absence of a single representative track will cause the album to get overlooked. It's my understanding that the recording is a spinoff of a theatrical production. And it's possible that those elements- despite my immediate enthusiasm- will ultimately prevent the project from standing up to repeated listening.
For now, at least, I'm over the moon for The Legend of Mike Smith. The album inspires me to make grandiose comparisons. It's the British answer to Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City! It's the Sandinista! of the new millennium! Or how about this- it's There Stands the Glass' 2013 album of the year.
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Magic Slim has died. He was one of my favorite touring artists during the last great blues boom. Howard Reich wrote a fine obituary.
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Kevin Ayers, best known for his work with Soft Machine, has died.
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"Roses" is a track from Red Line Chemistry's forthcoming album.
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The ACBs have a gory video for "Television."
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After shoveling snow for ninety minutes on Thursday, I unthawed to Nicola Benedetti's Silver Violin. Nodding out to the often syrupy album with the violinist's visage dancing through my head was exceedingly pleasant. I may make crossover classical albums my new thing.
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I'm digging these new reissues: Leon Thomas' The Creator 1969-1973: The Best Of The Flying Dutchman Masters and Pied Piper Presents - A New Concept In Detroit Soul.
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Inspectah Deck's Czarface gets my seal of approval.
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Chicago Red, the new release by Brad Goode, contains much of the same rhythmic funk and guitar skronk of Christian Scott's exemplary 2012 album Christian aTunde Adjuah. So good.
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Euphoric Defilement!
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Kevin Eubank's new album The Messenger is a nice surprise. RIYL: Weather Report, Charlie Byrd, Dave Holland.
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The zeitgeist: Miranda Lambert's "Time To Get a Gun". ("I could afford one if I did just a little less drinkin'.")
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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.
(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)
6 comments:
So...Kevin Eubanks channels Weather Report, Charlie Byrd and Dave Holland? Cool!
I do like the Brad Goode by the way. Nice cover of St. Louis Blues.
Magic Slim was one of my all time favorite people. Raw, gutsy, honest, kind, generous, et al. I think this short and sweet obit gives context to his residency in Nebraska.
http://bit.ly/YFccDC
Yes to Eubanks.
Jazz's artistic renaissance continues. (Too bad so few are listening.)
Magic Slim was a great guy.
Have you tried MOG yet? I like it.
I have not, BGO. I've heard nothing but good things.
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