Album Review: Childish Gambino- 3.15.20

I was among the millions of Prince fans who rushed to record stores on Tuesdays to buy the nine albums he released in the 1980s.  Alternately hedonistic and apocalyptic, the communal soundtrack was admirably adventurous and challenging.

Childish Gambino’s 3.15.20 is a splendid evocation of that era.  While the musician born Donald Glover isn’t as innovative as Prince, his ingratiating references to the vintage sounds of Cameo, George Clinton, Marvin Gaye, Sly and the Family Stone and Prince are balanced by astute allusions to Frank Ocean and Kanye West.

3.15.20 is an invigorating reminder that not everything is awful.  Arriving nine days after Jay Electronica’s essential A Written Testimony, 3.15.20 is the second classic album of the coronavirus era.


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I yakked about Kansas City artists including Deborah Brown, Julia Lee, Marilyn Maye and Mary Lou Williams on an episode of 90.9 The Bridge’s Eight One Sixty.

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I reviewed Eldar Djangirov’s Rhapsodize at Plastic Sax.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

The 20 Best Kansas City-Related Albums of 2013 (so far)

Much of the Kansas City music community is rightfully engaged in self-congratulatory praise inspired by the notably strong showing of new releases in 2013.  A comment made by Matt of Jeopardy of Contentment at this site last week compelled me to join the chorus.  Here's a list of my twenty favorite Kansas City-related new releases of the past four months.  I created a Spotify playlist that includes all but five of my selections.


1. Mark Lowrey- Tangos For 18th Street (review at Plastic Sax)
2. The Grisly Hand- Country Singles
3. Pat Metheny- The Orchestrion Project
4. Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle- The Freedom of Expression (review at Plastic Sax)
5. Cherokee Rock Rifle- Ta-Li (review at There Stands the Glass)
6. Alaturka- Yalniz (review at Plastic Sax)
7. Dutch Newman- Schorre's Son
8. Cowboy Indian Bear- Live Old, Die Young
9. Reach- Live at the RecordBar (review at There Stands the Glass)
10. Ces Cru- Constant Energy Struggles (review at There Stands the Glass)
11. The Eldar Djangirov Trio- Breakthrough
12. Kutt Calhoun- Black Gold
13. The BD Trio- Live (review at Plastic Sax)
14. Appleseed Cast- Illumination Ritual
15. Heartfelt Anarchy- Heartfelt Anarchy
16. The Matt Kane Trio- Suit Up! (review at Plastic Sax)
17. Beau Bledsoe/Victoria Botero- Un Ramo de Voz
18. The Great Vehicle- The People's Cathedral of Wavelengths
19. Tate Stevens- Tate Stevens
20. Soft Reeds- Blank City


My list is not comprehensive.  I haven't heard a lot of stuff.  And there's plenty of music that simply doesn't appeal to me.  I encourage readers to investigate the sites linked to the right for additional commentary about the music being created in Kansas City.  The Mailbox features several new releases in today's podcast.  And The Mills Record Company Blog has been on fire lately. 

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)