February 2020 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Top Five Performances
1. Post Malone- Sprint Center
My review.
2. Roddy Ricch- Uptown Theater
My review.
3. Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin- Folly Theater
My Instagram image.
4. Matt Villinger, Peter Schlamb and Zach Morrow- Blue Room
My review.
5. Joseph- Madrid Theatre
My Instagram clip.


Top Five Albums
1. Beatrice Dillon- Workaround
My review.
2. Obongjayar- Which Way Is Forward?
My review.
3. Blackstarkids- Surf
N.E.R.Ds.
4. Jóhann Jóhannsson- Last and First Men
End times.
5. Tame Impala- The Slow Rush
Smooth sailing.


Top Five Songs
1. Pongo- “Uwa”
Sonic sunshine.
2. Boosie Badazz- “Mop Wit It”
Cleanup on aisle America.
3. yMusic- Gabriella Smith’s “Tessellations”
Classical pops needn’t be lame.
4. BTS- “Ugh!”
Get on up.
5. Sam Hunt- “Hard To Forget”
Webb Pierce for the win.

Last month’s selections are here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Boosie Badazz- BooPac

The incendiary Southern rapper Boosie inists that “I’m that n----- now" on his stunning new 90-minute album BooPac.  While I’m not about to challenge the assertion that he’s 2Pac's successor, I’m unable to stifle inappropriate cackles at some of the audaciously awkward lines on bangers like “Motherless Child”, “Me, Myself & I” and “Webbie I Remember”.  I’m not laughing at Boosie- I’m laughing with him.  It’s shocking that a man who’s spent a substantial portion of his life behind bars can be so guileless.


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My remembrance of Kevin Mahogany was published at Plastic Sax.

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A list of my ten favorite albums of 2017 by musicians based in the Kansas City area is part of a compilation of ballots titled best of 2017 lists from 20 KC music influencers.

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I write weekly music previews for The Kansas City Star.

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Trombonist Roswell Rudd has died.

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Jaimie Branch’s Fly or Die would have figured prominently on my year-end listings had I encountered the magnificent free jazz recording before the final days of December.  RIYL: Don Cherry, purposeful chaos, Ambrose Akinmusire.

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Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho, a collaboration between Travis Scott and Quavo, is unreasonably engaging.  RIYL: Migos, intoxicants, Future.  Here's “Saint Laurent Mask”.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)