As the rest of an audience of about 100 watched five athletic dancers at La Esquina on Sunday, October 5, I studied Brad Cox as he manipulated sound at the back of the room. I have nothing against ballet, but Cox's stunning score for The Owen/Cox Dance Group's production "A Body of Work" demanded my full attention. Using a combination of prerecorded backing tracks, ambient beats derived from the dancers' movements, a drum machine and the live vocals of Victoria Botero, Cox crafted a compelling soundscape. Additional percussion emanating from four hanging columns and a quadrophonic mix made the experience even more dizzying. Cox's exceptional performance was a civilized version of the futuristic work of groundbreaking acts like Marijuana Deathsquads.
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I reviewed Tuesday's concert by Gaslight Anthem, Against Me! and Cory Branan.
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The Kronos Quartet's performance at Helzberg Hall floored me on Saturday.
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Ikey Owens of Mars Volta has died. Owens recently produced Various Blonde's Summer High album.
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John Holt of the Paragons has died.
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Here's a video tour of the Vinyl Underground at 7th Heaven.
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Local Customs: Cavern Sound, a compilation of forgotten bands from Independence, will be released this week. The only name that rings a bell is Morningstar, a band I hadn't thought about in at least 25 years.
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Iceage's Plowing Into the Field of Love is shockingly raw. RIYL: The Fall, drunken stupors, the Birthday Party. Here's "How Many".
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The video for Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's "Quail and Dumplings" is almost as good as the song.
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It's not fair to Vince Staples, but almost all I could think about as I listened to Hell Can Wait was how much I still love Earl Sweatshirt's Doris. RIYL: OFWGKTA, Los Angeles, the Cool Kids.
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On Worker, the latest studio album by Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, the Oklahoma band veers into electronic territory. RIYL: Soulive, acting on impulses, Galactic.
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SZA's fine new album Z is RIYL: Sade, slow motion, Frank Ocean. "Babylon" is the best track.
(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)
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