Album Review: Brad Mehldau and Mark Guiliana- Taming the Dragon

In the recollection of a dream that opens Taming the Dragon, a man is characterized as "a cross between Joe Walsh and Dennis Hopper."

In that spirit, I'll suggest that the collaboration between Brad Mehldau and Mark Guiliana is a cross between Herbie Hancock's Head Hunters and Tangerine Dream's Rubycon.

The collage of synths and percussion is less a response to EDM than an homage to the synth pioneers of the 1970s.   Taming the Dragon is a nice companion piece to Daft Punk's Random Access Memories.

Folks in nearby Atchison should note that one noodly track is titled "Elegy for Amelia E."  "The Dreamer" goes nowhere fast but I love the casual funk of "Sassysassed Sassafrass." A live version of "Hungry Ghost" is illuminating.   I understand why many Mehldau devotees are disappointed by the recording, but I like it.   

Taming the Dragon is a decidedly minor album by one of our time's most important musicians.


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I reviewed Thursday's concert by 2 Chainz, Pusha T and August Alsino.  Here's my analysis of Friday's performances by Black Joe Lewis and Pickwick.

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The Missouri Arts Council recently recognized There Stands the Glass and Plastic Sax.

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"Keep Me in the Dark" is the latest video from the Noise FM.

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Paco de Lucia has died.  A lot of people I knew played Friday Night in San Francisco constantly in 1981-82.

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The audio of Leonard Feather's legendary blindfold tests are available as free downloads.  (Incredible tip via Big Steve.)

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The lineup of Moogfest 2014 is amazing.

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I continue to root for Lisa Marie Presley, but the tone of her promotional material is all wrong.

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I'm calling it right now- this is the single worst pop hit of all time.  Watch and listen at your own risk. 

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It turns out that I liked the idea of Neneh Cherry's first proper solo album in 16 years more than the album itself.  Blank Project isn't nearly as good as her 2012 jazz-based album with the Thing.  RIYL: Portishead, feeling underwhelmed, Robyn.

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Amerigo Gazaway created a "conceptual collaboration" between Marvin Gaye and Mos Def.  RIYL:

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Haiti Direct: Big Band, Mini Jazz & Twoubadou Sounds, 1960-1978

The crazed shouting of a man on Les Loups Noirs' "Pile Ou Face" matches my reaction to Haiti Direct: Big Band, Mini Jazz & Twoubadou Sounds, 1960-1978.  The vocalist's manic wailing is consistent with the combination of elation and shock I felt as I realized that such amazing music had eluded me until now.  Given the massive scope of the collection, there's not much continuity.  The quality, however, remains high.  Almost every track features a novel twist on merengue, salsa, mambo, boogaloo, cumbia, R&B, mento, Afrobeat and/or psychedelic rock.  (Initial tip via Big Steve.)

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I contributed to a review of the final day of the Folk Alliance Festival.

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Your Friend's Jeckyl/Hyde was picked up by Domino Recording Company.  Here's the video for "Tame One".  RIYL: Hospital Ships, epic sadness, Angel Olsen.

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Tech N9ne and I share a long-standing infatuation with the same album.

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I prefer a little bit of nastiness in my throwback psych rock.  Temples' Sun Structures is just too nice for me.

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Akuma, the new album by Sly 5th Ave, makes most new jazz recordings seem boring.  Here's a trailer.  RIYL: Randy Weston, real roots music, Don Cherry.

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Rufus Reid's Quiet Pride: The Elizabeth Catlett Project is an unconventional big band album.  RIYL: Charles Mingus, left field, Duke Ellington.

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The future of popular music probably sounds much like a mashup of the sounds produced by the lineup of the Snowball Music Festival.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Young Fathers- Dead

A certain subset of my friends doesn't realize it yet, but Young Fathers' Dead is going to be our shared go-to album of 2014.  It's often difficult to find common musical ground in friendships that aren't based on music.  The Scottish trio has us covered.  Dead's synthesis of hip-hop and indie-rock appeals to listeners partial to Joy Division, Chvrches, Yeezus and/or Death Grips.  "Get Up" and "Low" are the album's would-be hits.  As the gloomy title suggests, Dead isn't a typical party album, but the stuff my friends and have been going through lately isn't exactly a picnic.


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Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, El DeBarge, SWV and Slick Rick made me happy on Sunday.  Here's my review.

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Here's a list of the hundreds of artists performing at this week's Folk Alliance Conference in Kansas City.

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I finally listened to the Shy Boys' self-titled album.  It's solid.  RIYL: The Four Freshmen, dreaming, Weezer.

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Look at those fuc… Wait a minute- Hunter Long's "Preliminary Studies #3" is really good.

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Bob Casale, Devo's guitarist, has died.

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"The Worst Songs of All Time?" episode of All Songs Considered has become a meme of sorts.  Because mocking incontestably "bad" music is pointless, I made a list of ten songs I loathe by artists I love: Chuck Berry- "My Ding-A-Ling"; Beyoncé- "Drunk In Love"; The Clash- "Train In Vain"; Aretha Franklin- "Freeway of Love"; Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell- "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"; Jay-Z- "Girls, Girls, Girls"; Bob Marley- "Jamming"; Dolly Parton- "9 to 5"; Bruce Springsteen- "Glory Days"; Tech N9ne- "Slacker."

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Zara McFarlane's If You Knew Her has all the attributes of an important album.  I expect If You Knew Her to be the toast of the Starbucks and Pitchfork cliques in the next few months. RIYL: Nina Simone, the next big arty thing, Cécile McLorin Salvant.

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The dudes in Behemeth might hunt me down if they happen to stumble upon my perspective, but the Polish metal band's new release The Satanist is actually an excellent Christian rock album.  After all, people who expend so much energy quoting scripture and denouncing God obviously has a thing for J.C.

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9th Wonder was a "Hip-hop Fellow" at Harvard.

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I'm not really interested in Chino Moreno's Depeche Mode fetish.  Here's Crosses' audaciously titled "Bitches Brew".

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Morning… Dreaming… by Thomas Clausen and Steve Swallow is RIYL: Chick Corea, zen, Carla Bley.

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I don't even recognize Grieves in the rapper's new video for "Shreds".  RIYL: Atmosphere, weird changes in physical attributes, Ces Cru.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Angélique Kidjo- Eve

Two things struck me as I saw Angélique Kidjo perform in the midst of the African music scare of the 1990s- her diminutive size and her obvious pop aspirations.

Kidjo has probably become even smaller in the intervening years, but her new album Eve indicates that her ears continue to grow.  The recording is a purist's nightmare.  Thankfully, I'm no purist.  I take great delight in hearing Kidjo recklessly commingle a multitude of African styles and Western forms.

I wouldn't think twice about featuring many of Eve's tracks on a playlist that also included hits by Rihanna, Imagine Dragons, Kanye West and Aviici.  Kidjo explains her eclectic philosophy in an EPK for the album. 


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The Bahia Orchestra Project's energetic performance Tuesday at Helzberg Hall was thrilling.  Here's my review.

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I reviewed the Pat Metheny Group's Kin at Plastic Sax.

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The third best-selling album at Amazon is by a Missouri-based ensemble.  Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles is punking other musicians from the Show Me State with the success of Lent at Ephesus.

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Strange Music released two videos for Tech N9ne's "Fragile."  Watch here and here.  The label also signed Murs.

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Scruffy & the Janitors made a video for "Shake It Off".

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Matt Prior goes left of the dial.

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Lawrence's Kliph Scurlock is featured in an episode of "What's In My Bag?".

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The Midwest Music Foundation posted a 53-track MidCoast Takeover 2014 compilation at BandCamp.

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Frank Wess' Magic 201 isn't quite as nice as its predecessor.  RIYL: Ben Webster, elegance, Lester Young.

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Ces Cru released a video for "Smoke".

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Young Thug does Danny Brown better than Danny Brown on Black Portland.  RIYL: 2 Chainz, weirdos, Danny Brown.

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The 71-minute 1955 film Rhythm & Blues Review is now available for your viewing pleasure. 

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Kid Rock, Staind, Deftones, Motorhead and Black Stone Cherry are among the acts playing at the 2014 edition of Rocklahoma.

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The trailer for a new round of Camper Van Beethoven reissues made me smile.

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Tavis Smiley's interview with Catherine Russell is fascinating for anyone interested in the veteran jazz vocalist's background.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Toni Braxton and Babyface- Love, Marriage & Divorce

I suppose my obsession with adult-themed duet albums began when I first put a ring on someone's finger.  Whether it's Womack & Womack or Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn, hearing a man and a woman address difficult themes in song thrills me. 

That's why I had high hopes for Love, Marriage & Divorce, a new collaboration between Toni Braxton and Babyface.  I was initially disappointed that the album sounds exactly like a Toni Braxton and Babyface project. 

Obviously, I shouldn't have been surprised.  Babyface gave a genre a name with the title of his 2004 album Grown & Sexy.  Braxton is the quiet storm version of Céline Dion.  It's tempting to suggest that the soundtrack to Disney's Frozen may be funkier than Love, Marriage & Divorce. 

Mocking the album's smooth aesthetic is easy, but the truth is that I've had the album on repeat all week.  It speaks directly to me.  What tracks like "Hurt You" lack in sonic grit is made up for in the raw emotion conveyed by the blunt lyrics and exceptional vocals.

I intend to remain faithful to Love, Marriage & Divorce for the remainder of my life.


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Here's the promotional video for the 2014 edition of the Middle of the Map festival.

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Conflict's cover of Tech N9ne's "It's Alive" is solid.

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Making Movies covered "Aguanile".

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My favorite entry in the latest episode of the KC Cypher Series is Info Gates.

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The 2014 edition of the Gathering of the Juggalos will take place in the Ozarks.

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I somehow missed the news of the passing of jazz trumpeter Roy Campbell, Jr. until this week.  Here's how I'll remember him.

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Danilio Pérez has an impressive track record of making entertaining albums.  Panama 500 is no exception.  The related EPK, however, is terrible.  RIYL: Chick Corea, the unexpected, Ruben Bladés.

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"Move That Dope" is undeniable.  RIYL: Pusha T, crime, Pharrell. 

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James Brandon Lewis' Divine Travels showcases the saxophonist in a free jazz trio setting.  RIYL: David Ware, conversing with God, Cecil Taylor.

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I'll probably never listen to it again, but the strong moments outnumber the embarrassing moments on David Crosby's new album Croz.

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Indian's From All Purity is truly devastating.  It took me three sessions to get all the way through the metal album.  RIYL: pain, suffering, hopelessness. 

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I'm looking forward to "Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton", a documentary about Stones Throw Records.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Electric Needle Room- It's Getting Personal

Electric Needle Room missed an opportunity to perpetrate a great hoax. 

Had the Kansas City band anonymously posted a few songs from the new album It's Getting Personal and claimed they were home recordings from Brian Wilson's lost years, disheveled material like "Please Don't Forget To Take Care of Yourself" and "We'll Make It" might have become internet sensations.  The endearingly amateurish lo-fi songs contain the sort of melodies and song structures associated with Pet Sounds. 

Other guileless Electric Needle Room songs bridge the divide between untrained anti-folk and geeky nerdcore hip-hop. "Maybe Not" is like a dismal rebuttal to the Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize."  "The Colic Song" resembles a Ben Folds Five outtake. 

While it's only going to appeal to listeners receptive to its unprocessed aesthetic, It's Getting Personal is a brave little record.


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I reviewed the Winter Jam festival and a Stone Sour concert last week.

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Stan Kessler is Plastic Sax's 2013 Person of the Year.

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"So long, it's been good to know you."  I never acquired a taste for the music of Pete Seeger.  Even so, the subversive "What Did You Learn In School?" and "Little Boxes" reflect my world view.  Here's my friend Dale W. on the Weavers- "These people were reviled in their time ... the biggest pop stars and a threat to the establishment that made Johnny Rotten look tame."  Amen, brother.  Seeger died last week.

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The Marr Sound Archives posted an essay about the late Anne Winter's donation to its collection.  (Via Mark Manning.)

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Kansas City's Mime Game has a video for the Evan Dando-esque "Do You". 

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The video for Matt Pryor's "Kinda Go to Pieces" is hilarious.  (Via I Heart Local Music.)

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"Fed Up" is the latest video from Kansas City rapper Beama.

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I don't know why I expected to be bored by Helen Sung's Anthem For a New Day.  It's tasteful but not tedious.  RIYL: Chick Corea, eclectic swing, Ingrid Jensen.

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I feel like a number.  Business Week examines the demographic mining that fuels the commercial aspirations of the revived Okeh label.

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Too True, the new album by the Dum Dum Girls, doesn't contain a single original idea.  I like it anyway.  RIYL: The Jesus and Mary Chain, unvarying formulas, Siouxsie And The Banshees.

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Metal Albums With Googly Eyes is genius.  (Via Mike Stover.)

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The ballyhooed electronic elements of Mogwai's Rave Tapes are fine, but it's really nothing to write home about.  RIYL: Loud new age music, Explosions In the Sky, sterility.

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Morgan Delt's self-released spot-on recreations of kaleidoscopic psychedelia were recently re-released.  RIYL: The Dukes of Stratosphear, paisley, Red Krayola.  

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I didn't smash a single thing as I auditioned Throwdown's Intolerance. RIYL: Cro-Mags, rage, Hatebreed.

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Curtis Harding's "Keep On Shining" is an advance track from his forthcoming Soul Power album.  RIYL: Aloe Blacc, the ghost of Curtis Mayfield, Charles Bradley.

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I was initially thrilled to discover Get the Blessing.  Yet I've decided that the band is less concerned with forging a new direction for jazz than with updating the Canterbury scene.  RIYL: Soft Machine, jazz that's not really jazz, Pink Floyd.

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I'll be spending a lot of time with Mutations, the forthcoming album by Vijay Iyer.

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The Hold Steady used to be my favorite rock band.  Here's a trailer for the band's forthcoming album.  (Fingers crossed.)

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Finnish Tango and Gamelan Grief

Finnish tango has been a big deal for decades.

That's just one of many things I learned as I camped out at the intimate world music stage at last weekend's Jazz Winterlude festival.  Correctly anticipating a line outside the door of the 100-person capacity Recital Hall, I arrived early with an empty bladder.

I refused to give up my seat for the next five hours.  The education I received made my social and physical discomfort seem immaterial. 

Accordionist Juha Silfverberg clued me in to the scene of his native Finland.

Ensemble Ibérica, a guitar trio led by Beau Bledsoe, played music of Spain, Portugal and Latin America with impressive precision. 

I'm ashamed to admit that I hadn't taken in a performance by Marimba Sol de Chiapas until Saturday.  Although I could have done without the patronizing  tone of the bandleader- "can you say Chiapas?"- the quartet made absolutely gorgeous music. 

Did you know that musicians in gamelan orchestras use hammers as mallets?  I didn't.  Gamelan Genta Kasturi made one hell of a racket.  The sonic assault was made even more overwhelming by the raucous Arturo Sandoval sound check that bled into the room. 

My head still hurts. 


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My notes about Terri Lyne Carrington's concert at the Jazz Winterlude festival are published at Plastic Sax.

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I mourned Keith Whitley's death in 1989.  That's one reason Jason Eady's Daylight & Dark instantly hit home with me.  Another reason is the reference to Kansas City on the opening track "OK City".  Refusing to drink 3.2 beer in an Oklahoma tavern during a pit stop on a southbound drive toward Texas, a man has an ill-fated encounter with whiskey.  RIYL: Gary Stewart, heartaches and hangovers, Alan Jackson.

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Listeners who are don't speak English and are unaware of the backstory of Against Me! might think that Transgender Dysphoria Blues is just another solid third-generation punk album.  But the lyrics- many of which take on self-referential gender issues- are great.  RIYL: The Clash, the new sincerity, F*cked Up.

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I admire how organizers of Plano's Suburbia Music Festival own it.  Besides, the lineup is truly impressive.

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I'm going to skate to one album and one album only.  Jennifer Holliday's The Song Is You is a completely over-the-top collection of standards.  And I can dig it.  RIYL: Eartha Kitt, gay cabaret, Luciano Pavarotti.

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I've always loved the Grammy Awards.  A ranking of yesterday's performances follows.  (Roomful of Teeth knocked me out during the non-televised segment.)  Kendrick Lamar/Imagine Dragons, Beyoncé/Jay-Z, Paul McCartney/Ringo Starr, Pink/Nate Ruess, John Legend, the Sound City all-stars, Carole King/Sara Bareilles, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis/Mary Lambert/Madonna, Lang Lang/Metallica, Daft Punk and company, Kacey Musgraves, Chicago/Robin Thicke, Lorde, The Highwaymen, Billie Joe Armstrong/Miranda Lambert, Ringo Starr, Taylor Swift, Gary Clark Jr./Keith Urban and Katy Perry.  Sorry, Katy- that was wack.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image of a portion of Gamelan Genta Kasturi by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Dhafer Youssef- Bird's Requiem

I'm going to spend Saturday afternoon listening to a Gamelan orchestra, a Finnish accordionist, a Spanish art music ensemble and a Mexican folk music collective at my local jazz festival.  And that's just how I like it.

That's why Bird's Requiem, the new album by Dhafer Youssef, makes me proud to be human.

The album sounds as if Peter Gabriel produced Pat Metheny at a studio in Beirut.  Bird's Requiem will appeal to people who appreciate Passion: Music for 'The Last Temptation of Christ', Metheny's collaborations with Naná Vasconcelos or Kansas City's Turkish jazz band Alaturka. 

A video of a live performance of "39th Gülay (To Istanbul)" and a multilingual EPK provide context.


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Steve Fromholz has died.

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And the winner of the latest episode of the KC Cypher Series is… J Lee.

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Hank Wiedel, the drummer for Connor Leimer, make me aware of the Kansas City-based singer-songwriter.  Here's a recent televised performance.  RIYL: Ed Sheeran, precocious teenagers, Teddy Geiger.

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The Grisly Hand posted a fine version of "The Shape I'm In" at Bandcamp.

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A new episode of Reach's GoodButta podcast pays tribute to Joc Max.  Reach is featured in a video for JB Hood's "Do You Believe."  (Via Tony's Kansas City.)

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"The Worst" is a music video by Kansas City rapper Rayne.  (Via Tony's Kansas City.)

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Beau Bledsoe posted footage of a performance with vocalist Victoria Bledsoe.

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Only the fussy production prevents me from being head over heels in love with Rosanne Cash's River & the Thread.  RIYL: John Hiatt, adulthood, Rodney Crowell.

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Consisting of two drummers and a saxophone, John Lurie's National Orchestra is every bit as good as longtime fans could hope on The Invention of Animals.  RIYL: Oliver Lake, being alone, Chico Freeman.

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The Step Brothers' Lord Steppington is ridiculously inconsistent.  RIYL: Action Bronson, old-school hip-hop, Eminem.  At least the packaging is dope.

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I survived Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra's F**k Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything.  Where's my t-shirt?  RIYL: Godspeed You! Black Emperor, hipster cred, Colin Stetson.

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I thought I'd heard all of Bob Seger's early work, but a recent Facebook comment by Peter Holsapple (!) made me aware of Mongrel.  Rock!

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I enjoyed Another Day, Another Time, a documentary of a folk concert commemorating the music of Inside Llewyn Davis.  The film's breakout star is clearly Rhiannon Giddens. 

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Robert Glasper leads a band in a Tiny Desk Concert.

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I'm not immune to the charms of material like "Let Me Teach You How To Eat", but I've never been a member of the Rev. Horton Heat fan club.  The new album Rev is RIYL: Social Distortion, dancing tattoos, Volbeat.

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The very fine Craig Handy & 2nd Line Smith is  RIYL: Dirty Dozen Brass Band, struttin' with some barbecue, Galactic.

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In This Moment documents a collaboration between saxophonist Mikolaj Trzaska and drummer Tim Daisy.  RIYL: Ken Vandermark, skronk, the Art Ensemble of Chicago.

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I saw guitarist Nir Felder perform in Terri Lyne Carrington's band last night.  He looks like he's 15.  His debut album Golden Age is RIYL: Nels Cline, jazz that's not really jazz, Todd Clouser.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are (usually) published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Paul Cebar- Fine Rude Thing

Albums like Fine Rude Thing, the new release by Milwaukee's Paul Cebar, provided the primary soundtrack of my mid-20s.  Cebar's sound is rooted in a divine combination of Creedence, Otis Redding and the Faces.  When my life started getting complicated, however, my taste for party-oriented roots music diminished.  It's a drag- Fine Rude Thing is a good time.  Perhaps I'll add regaining an undiluted enjoyment of cheerful bar bands to my list of long-term goals. 


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I reviewed a concert by Kenny G and the Kansas City Symphony at Helzberg Hall on Friday.

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From my friend Chris Doolittle: I don't know if you remember Symetrix from the late 80's and early 90's but a friend of mine, Eason Pritchard, is an old high school friend and the band's leader. His drummer and friend, Jerry Bayton, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer… Eason asked me to help him finish these few songs he has been working on for a couple of years before Jerry left for treatment in New York earlier this month. This mission was accomplished. Now I am trying to spread the good word to all and especially my music friends about this release as all proceeds go to Jerry's treatment. There are only 3 songs and I play lead on the first two.

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Making Movies made a video for "Pendulum Swing."

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Kansas City pianist Mark Lowrey filmed a performance of a new composition.

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A video was made for D/Will's "Pure."

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My favorite album of the first three weeks of 2014 is the self-titled outing by the supergroup De La Tierra. RIYL: Sepultura, metal en Español, Deftones.

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NPR's coverage of GlobalFest is impressive.  And why didn't any of you jerks tell me about Brushy One-String?

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Fusion lives!  "Just Call Me Nige" is a track from Mehliana, a collaboration between Brad Mehldau and Mark Guiliana.

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A new album by Neneh Cherry will be released next month.  The advance track "Everything" is RIYL: Four Tet, the future, Dessa.

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I hadn't realized that Anthony Braxton was (the best kind) of hippie until I heard his fascinating speech at the 2014 NEA Jazz Masters Concert.  Braxton's segment begins a bit before the one-hour-17-minute mark here.

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I'm a Rick Rubin fanboy, but I have to call him out for whatever role he played in spoiling Jennifer Nettles' That Girl.  The new album might have been as impressive as Gwen Stefani's Love. Angel. Music. Baby. had Nettles' enormous voice not been allowed to overwhelm the mix.  RIYL: ibuprofen, Ethel Merman, epic production fails.

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"CS60" is a track from BadBadNotGood's forthcoming album.  RIYL: Jack DeJohnette's electronic albums, jazz with a young and enthusiastic audience, OFWGKTA.

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I don't want to be "that guy," but really, Jazz Fest?

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A$AP Ant "See Me" fails to impress me.

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I was excited to hear that Plague of Babylon was Iced Earth's "heaviest album in years."  It's not all that.  Legion of the Damned's Ravenous Plague is more like it. RIYL: Vader, punching walls, Morbid Angel.

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The trailer for Mary Chapin Carpenter's new orchestral album is appropriately overblown.

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I recently discovered Ausmuteants' 100 Ausmuteants Fans Can't Be Wrong?100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can.  RIYL: T.S.O.L., the spirit of rock and roll, 999.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Stephen Malkmus- Wig Out at Jagbags

I happened to listen to Trey Anastasio's 2012 album Traveler the same day I played Stephen Malkmus' new album Wig Out at Jagbags for the first time.  The only real difference between the two recordings is the Phish man's sincerity and the Pavement man's irony.  Both guys are obviously in thrall of the Grateful Dead.  ("Lariat" is my jam.)  I need a miracle- how about a co-headlining tour of the two oddly compatible men during the second half of 2014?

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I reviewed Allen Toussaint's concert at the Folly Theater on Saturday.

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I had an out-of-body experience on Sunday as a trio of women from the Midwest Chamber Ensemble played Claude Debussy's "Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp" at a Lutheran church.  I also enjoyed hearing "Pendulum Quartet" by the young composer Joseph Kern.

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My review of a Steel Panther concert was referenced by the Huffington Post.

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Amiri Baraka has died.

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I didn't see the trippy video for Reggie B's "Hypnotized" until last weekend. 

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A&R veteran Peter Lubin's new essay about the Everly Brothers is loaded with invaluable insights.

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John Newman's new album Tribute  is solid British blue-eyed soul.  RIYL: Adele, pure pop for yesterday's people, Dusty Springfield.

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I like Leo Welch's Sabougla Voices even though it's reminiscent of those awkward albums that paired the likes of Howlin' Wolf with his young English devotees.  RIYL: boogie, unblinking musings about impending death, Mississippi.

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Wayne Kramer's picks are superior to Billy Bragg's choices in an entertaining "What's In My Bag" segment.

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Kid Ink's My Own Lane is one of the most cynical boardroom-constructed albums I've heard in some time.  The gambit- creating a watered-down version of the catchiest work of 2 Chainz/Tiga/Big Sean- works.  RIYL: Katy Perry, high school, Bruno Mars.

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The Tord Gustavsen Quartet has five American gigs booked in February.  I'm eyeing the Chicago and Portland dates as I listen to samples from the forthcoming Extended Circle album.

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Have I no shame!  I genuinely enjoy Martynas' self-titled crossover-classical/Euro-pop accordion album.  RIYL: cheese, hokum, watching TV at nursing homes.

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Even though Juana Molina's Son topped my album list in 2006, I simply wasn't prepared to listen to her new release Wed 21 until recently.  RIYL: Gal Costa, dreaming, Tom Zé.

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Matt Pryor's Wrist Slitter is shockingly good.  RIYL: Elvis Costello's first five albums, contemplating suicide, the Get Up Kids.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Bruce Springsteen- HIgh Hopes

I introduced my friend J. to alcohol and Bruce Springsteen when we were juniors in high school.  J. could never get his fill of booze or Bruce after that fateful year.  He caught Springsteen over two dozen times as he drank himself to death.

We imbibed before a 1981 concert in support of The River at Kemper Arena, the first time either of us saw Springsteen perform.  The River was among the handful of Springsteen CDs I delivered to J. while he was on his deathbed three years ago. 

J. would have loved his hero's new album High Hopes.  "Harry's Place" is far too melodramatic and polished for my tastes, but I'm pretty sure it would have been J.'s favorite track.  It's easy for me to imagine J. singing along while pouring himself another cocktail. 

Listening to High Hopes objectively is extremely difficult, but it's almost certainly my favorite Springsteen album since 2002's The Rising.  The fresh versions of "American Skin (41 Shots)" and "The Ghost of Tom Joad" are excellent.  I like Tom Morello's contributions.  And- are you serious!- Springsteen covers songs by The Saints and Suicide.

"Got a special sin, mister, you can't quite confess," Springsteen groans on "Harry's Place." 

Well, J., this untoward confession will have to do for now.  I take responsibility for my role in killing you. 


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The Deli published a list of my ten favorite locally-released albums of 2013.

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Beama's Growing Pains is RIYL: Rich the Factor, thug life, Berner.

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Stik Figa raps over Keith Sweat's "Make It Last Forever."

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Kyle James' Finally Off Papers is RIYL: marijuana, molly, pills.

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The video for Sauce Remix's "Gunshots" is tough to watch.  (Via Tony's Kansas City.)

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I almost fell out of my seat at the Folly Theater in November when Kenny Barron mentioned that his former employer Yusef Lateef was still alive.  I had no idea.  Lateef died on December 23 at the age of 93.

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I have yet to process the death of Phil Everly.

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Jazz trumpeter Al Porcino has died.

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Jaimeo Brown's Transcendence was one of my year-end discoveries.  RIYL: Don Cherry, high concept, Charlie Haden.

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The Marc Cary Focus Trio's Four Directions is refreshing.  RIYL: pre-fame Robert Glasper, relevant piano trios, Herbie Hancock.

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Texas Monthly's lengthy profile of Guy Clark is worthwhile.  (Tip via There Stands the Glass reader Tom.)

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I appreciate Hopsin's Knock Madness in spite of myself.  RIYL: Eminem, constant references to genitalia, Tech N9ne.

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Drew Williams' Live at Pianos is RIYL: Gil Evans, brainy jazz, Matt Otto.

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Joe Boyd is featured in a "What's In My Bag" segment.  His picks, not surprisingly, are great.

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Anyone who appreciates the early solo work of T Bone Burnett will adore Cass McCombs' "Big Wheel".

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I can't wait to hear Sabougla Voices, a wild-and-wooly effort by blues man Leo Welch.  RIYL: R.L. Burnside, old men, John Lee Hooker.

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Snoop is back! 7 Days of Funk is the shiznit.  RIYL: Doggystyle, pre-laughingstock Snoop, Tha Doggfather.

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I started a Spotify "radio station" based on the Gap Band's "You Dropped a Bomb On Me" in the hopes that it would serve as a genial soundtrack for the low-key New Year's Eve celebration at my compound.  It turned out to be a stroke of genius.  The robot-generated playlist featured the likes of Barry White, Cheryl Lynn, Ice Cube, Heat Wave, LL Cool J, Newcleus and even Wham.  The multi-generational revelers were delighted. 

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

The Top Ten Kansas City Music Videos of 2013

The Grisly Hand's "Country Singles" joins Making Movies' "Tormenta" (2010), Hidden Pictures' "Anne Apparently" (2011) and SSION's "Earthquake" (2012) as the obvious choice for There Stands the Glass' top video of the year by a Kansas City-area artist.  I added current YouTube view counts to provide a bit of context regarding the relative popularity of each act.

1. The Grisly Hand- "Country Singles" (481 views)

2. Tiny Horse- "Ride" (877 views)

3. Tech N9ne- "Straight Out the Gate" (3,986,084 views)

4. Josh Berwanger- "Time Traveler" (1,414 views)

5. Krizz Kaliko- "Why Me" (276,203 views)

6. Cowboy Indian Bear- "Let It Down" (98 views)

7. Gee Watts- "Nasty" (45,963 views)

8. Minden- "What's More Than Appropriate?" (1,250 views)

9. The ACBs- "Television" (4,372 views)

10. Rich the Factor- "I'm Hustlin'" (121,029 views)

I conducted similar exercises in 2012, 2011 and 2010.

No Postcode Envy: The Top Albums of 2013

My lifelong fantasy of securing instant access to most of the world's recorded music was realized in 2013 when streaming services became seamless.  I listened to almost 1,000 new releases in their entirety this year.  It's no coincidence that 96 of my favorite 100 selections are represented on this corresponding Spotify playlist. 

1. Earl Sweatshirt- Doris
2. Pat Metheny- Tap: John Zorn’s Book of Angels, vol. 20
3. Kanye West- Yeezus
4. The Grisly Hand- Country Singles
5. José James- No Beginning No End
6. Dave Holland- Prism
7. Kvelertak- Meir
8. Ghostface Killah- Twelve Reasons To Die
9. Tech N9ne- Something Else
10. Lorde- Pure Heroine

11. Beyoncé- Beyoncé
12. Terri Lyne Carrington- Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue
13. Fidlar- Fidlar
14. M.I.A.- Matangi
15. A$AP Rocky- Long Live A$AP
16. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds- Push the Sky Away
17. Mark Lowrey- Tangos for 18th Street
18. John Legend- Love In the Future
19. Daora: Underground Sounds of Urban Brasil
20. Barbara Hannigan and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France- Dutilleux: Correspondances

21. George Strait- Love Is Everything
22. Revocation- Revocation
23. King Khan & The Shrines- Idle No More
24. Gary Burton- Guided Tour
25. Otis Clay- Truth Is
26. Baptists- Bushcraft
27. Joe Lovano's Us Five- Cross Culture
28. Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba- Jama Ko
29. James Blake- Overgrown
30. The Architects- Border Wars Episode 1

31. Pusha T- My Name Is My Name
32. Bill Frisell- Big Sur
33. Charles Bradley- Victim of Love
34. Alaturka- Yalniz
35. The Haxan Cloak- Excavation
36. Pat Metheny- The Orchestrion Project
37. Buika- La Noche Mas Larga
38. Orrin Evans- It Was Beauty
39. Frank Wess- Magic 101
40. Childish Gambino- Because the Internet

40. Diarrhea Planet- I'm Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams
41. Jay Z- Magna Carta... Holy Grail
42. Monsieur Doumani- Grippy Grappa
43. Brandy Clark- 12 Stories
44. Skeletonwitch- Serpents Unleashed
45. Janelle Monáe- The Electric Lady
46. Rudresh Mahanthappa- Gamak
47. The Delfonics- Adrian Younge Presents the Delfonics
48. Vieux Farka Touré- Mon Pays
49. Willie Nelson- Let's Face the Music and Dance
50. Ka- The Night's Gambit

51. Il Sogno del Marinaio- La Busta Gialla
52. Ben Goldberg- Subatomic Particle Homesick Blues
53. Brad Goode- Chicago Red
54. Deafheaven- Sunbather
55. Deer Tick- Negativity
56. Action Bronson- Saaab Stories
57. King Carnage- Ounce of Mercy, Pound of Flesh
58. Umphrey's McGee- Live From Summer Camp
59. Salif Keita- Talé
60. Cowboy Indian Bear- Live Old, Die Young

61. Pistol Annies- Pistol Up
62. Booker T- Sound the Alarm
63. Soweto Kinch- The Legend of Mike Smith
64. Dan Nicholls- Ruins
65. Mulatu Astatke- Sketches of Ethiopia
66. L'Orange & Stik Figa- The City Under the City
67. Bad Rabbits- American Love
68. Marc Cary Focus Trio- Four Directions
69. Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell- Old Yellow Moon
70. DJ Muggs- Bass For Your Face

71. Dutch Newman- Schorre's Son
72. Quest- Live In Paris
73. Matmos- The Marriage of True Minds
74. Wavves- Afraid of Heights
75. Eddie Moore and the Outer Circle- The Freedom of Expression
76. Psychic Ills- One Track Mind
77. Damir Out Loud- Graduation Day
78. Helker- En Algun Lugar del Circulo
79. Lyal Strickland- Balanced on Barbed Wire
80. Broadcast- Berberian Sound Studio

81. Hospital Ships- Destruction In Yr Soul
82. Children of Bodom- Halo of Blood
83. Wayne Shorter- Without a Net
84. No Age- An Object
85. Wampire- Curiosity
86. Kasey Musgraves- Same Trailer Different Park
87. Pissed Jeans- Honeys
88. Samba Touré- Albala
89. Reggie B- DNA
90. The Relatives- Electric Word

91. Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside- Untamed Beast
92. Ellery Eskelin- Mirage
93. Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals- Walk Through Exits Only
94. David Binney- Lifted Land
95. Run the Jewels- Run the Jewels
96. Akkilles- Something You'd Say
97. Son Volt- Honky Tonk
98. Jaimeo Brown- Transcendence
99. Linda Oh- Sun Picture
100. Justin Timberlake- The 20/20 Experience

I conducted similar year-end surveys in 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

The Top 40 of 2013

These songs- each is a single released in 2013- made me glad that I still listen to the radio.  Here's a corresponding Spotify playlist.

1. J. Cole featuring TLC- "Crooked Smile"
A most unlikely civil rights anthem.

2. Lorde- "Royals"
The zeitgeist.  

3. David Bowie- "Where Are We Now?"
The lion in winter.

4. Pusha T- "Numbers On the Boards"
Barbarous. 

5. Gary Allan- "It Ain't the Whiskey"
Drinking the pain away.

6. K. Michelle- "V.S.O.P."
Classic old-school R&B.

7. Janelle Monae featuring Erykah Badu- "Q.U.E.E.N."
"Am I a freak for getting down?"

8. Miley Cyrus- "We Can't Stop"
Can't stop, won't stop.

9. B.o.B- "We Still In This Bitch"
The soundtrack of the January 20  inauguration.

10. Ace Hood- "Bugatti"
Ridiculous but undeniable.

11. Action Bronson- "Strictly 4 My Jeeps"
12. Kelly Rowland- "Dirty Laundry"
13. Robin Thicke- "Blurred Lines"
14. Alice In Chains- "Stone"
15. Jay-Z featuring Justin Timberlake- "Holy Grail"
16. Toby Keith- "Drinks After Work"
17. A$AP Rocky- "Fashion Killa"
18. Marc Antony- "Vivir Mi Vida"
19. Justin Timberlake- "Suit & Tie"
20. Charlie Wilson- "My Love Is All I Have"

21. Volbeat- "Lola Montez"
22. Ms. Jody- "Still Strokin'"
23. Black Sabbath- "God Is Dead?"
24. Future- "Karate Chop (Remix)"
25. Foxygen- "San Francisco"
26. Jaheim- "Age Ain't a Factor"
27. Carlos Vives- "Como Le Gusta a Tu Cuerpo"
28. Ashley Monroe- "Like a Rose"
29. Tamar Braxton- "Love and War"
30. Yo Gotti- "Act Right"

31. Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly- "Cruise (Remix)"
32. Chris Brown- "Fine China"
33. Arctic Monkeys- "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?"
34. Bruce Springsteen- "High Hopes"
35. Lady Antebellum- "Downtown"
36. Dr#@e- "Started From the Bottom"
37. Alicia Keys featuring Maxwell- "Fire We Make"
38. The Uncluded- "Delicate Cycle"
39. Steel Panther- "Party Like Tomorrow Is the End of the World"
40. 2 Chainz- "Feds Watching"

Here's a Spotify playlist of my favorite singles of 2012.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Ray Price, 1926-2013

Now blue ain't the word for the way that I feel…

I had a rocky relationship with my dad.  The outlaw country of Waylon, Willie, Kris and Bocephus was one of the few things we could agree on.   My dad also kept a more conventional hits collection by Ray Price in regular rotation.  I've continued to love those songs in the two decades since my dad died.  I saw Price for the first time at Knuckleheads in 2007.  Although I was "working," I shed simultaneous tears of joy and grief during much of the legend's vital concert.  Here's a representative performance.  Price died earlier this week.

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I reviewed concerts by Steel Panther and Stone Temple Pilots.

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I played music by Terri Lyne Carrington, Bobby Rush, Brandy Clark, Frank Wess and Stik Figa on KCUR's Up To Date yesterday.

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Guitarist Dave Higgs, a founding member of Eddie and the Hot Rods, has died.  (Tip via Big Steve.)

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My favorite tracks on the The 12 Days of Christmas (and Voting) compilation are by the Doo-Dads and Making Movies.

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Because the Internet is the first Childish Gambino recording that speaks to me.  RIYL: emo rap, sad guys, Kid Cudi.

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I can't stop thinking about last month's spectacular Kanye West concert.  An intriguing detail- ambient music including Burial's "U.K." provided the low-key soundtrack to the construction of the imposing mountain that served as West's backdrop.

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There will always be a place in my life for albums like Scott Hamilton's Swedish Ballads… and More. RIYL: Ben Webster, moldy figs, Coleman Hawkins.

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"As the Palaces Burn", the new documentary about Lamb of God, looks great.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

The 30 Best Live Performances of 2013

I caught a relatively meager 300 live performances in 2013.  The following list is a ranking of the ten percent I enjoyed most.


1. Bobby Rush- Living Room at Knuckleheads

2. Kanye West- Sprint Center

3. François Rabbath- Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel at Park University

4. Mary J. Blige- Sprint Center

5. Julian Lage and Jorge Roeder- Yardley Hall

6. Rakim- Riot Room

7. Miranda Lambert- Sporting Park

8. Miguel Zenón- Blue Room

9. Mumford & Sons- Cricket Wireless Amphitheater

10. Grizzly Bear- Uptown Theater

11. Alejandro Fernández- Sprint Center

12. Volbeat- Penn Valley Park

13. Dave Douglas- Blue Room

14. Vusi Mahlasela- Yardley Hall

15. People's Liberation Big Band- RecordBar

16. Diana Krall- Midland Theater

17. Lisa Henry- The Conference Center at Kansas City Kansas Community College

18. The Grisly Hand- Take Five Coffee + Bar

19. Limp Bizkit- Granada

20. Bonnie Raitt- Midland

21. Eliane Elias Trio- Folly Theater

22. Appleseed Cast- Riot Room

23. Iron Maiden- Sprint Center

24. The Mavericks- Knuckleheads

25. Kurt Elling- Gem Theater

26. Elena Urioste and Gabriela Martinez- Folly Theater

27. Bettye LaVette- 18th & Vine Jazz and Blues Festival

28. Ben Sidran- White Theatre

29. They Might Be Giants- Crossroads KC

30. Sweet Honey In the Rock- Muriel Kauffman Theatre

I conducted similar exercises in 2012, 2011, 2010 and 2009.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: Ben Sidran at White Theatre

A bit of ugliness marred an otherwise engaging presentation by Ben Sidran at the Jewish Community Center on Sunday afternoon.

Following Sidran's lecture and demonstration, a befuddled man in the audience of about 200 seemed to mistake a question-and-answer session for a meeting of Racists Anonymous.

In a jarring monologue, a man who identified himself as a Christian repeatedly upheld a handful of Jewish stereotypes.  The subsequent commotion spoiled the remainder of the presentation and was the only thing I heard people discussing as they exited White Theatre.

It's too bad.  While promoting his current book There Was a Fire: Jews, Music and the American Dream, Sidran made a convincing case for the importance of what he called "the Jewish meme" in American society.  He suggested that that not only is American popular music shaped in large part by Jewish musicians, composers and businessmen, but that Americans in the 20th century adopted the Jewish dream as the American dream.

Sidran performed material by Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Bob Dylan and Billy Joel to make his case.  He also parsed "Take Me Out To the Ballgame" and "Over the Rainbow" as (his phrase) "Jewish music."  During one of his many digressions, Sidran implied that a significant portion of Louis Armstrong's brilliance was inspired and guided by Jewish culture.

Sidran touches on many of the same themes in this recent discussion.

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Joe Bihari of Modern Records has died.

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Sterlin, the new album by She's a Keeper, was released on December 11. RIYL: The Lumineers, kids with banjos, Punch Brothers.

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Eight months late- here's the video for Devon Allman and Samantha Fish's version of "Stop Dragging My Heart Around".

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My top jazz albums of 2013 are posted at Plastic Sax.

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Beyoncé!

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Concert Review: He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the Sprint Center

What kind of jerk spends $50 to see an artist he dislikes?  Me, that's who.  I can't even mention the name of the headliner at the Sprint Center on Saturday.  Google sends me a takedown notice every time I publish his name.  But that's not why he bugs me.  I just don't enjoy his raps. 

Yet there's no denying that he's changed the game.  And I've always relished seeing popular musicians at the peak of their fame.  That's why I bought the cheapest available ticket to see the Canadian.  Jeneé Osterheldt and Natalie Gallagher convey the excitement of the evening in their reviews.

Unlike them I was disappointed in Miguel's opening set.  It was my first time seeing Miguel, and I'd hoped that I'd finally understand why so many people I respect have been raving about him.  Maybe it was the lousy mix, but I remain unconvinced.

I am certain, however, that I spent my $50 wisely.  He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named may become even more popular, but he had his "moment" in Kansas City in 2013.  And I was there to hate it.


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Chick Willis has died.  I spent a few nights dancing to his performances at area clubs and at festivals on both sides of the state line.  (Via BGO.)

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Jim Hall has died.

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I like the lineup of the Big Ears 2014 festival so much- Steve Reich! John Cale! Television! Marc Ribot!- that I looked at airfare between Kansas City and Knoxville.  It's not gonna work.

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Dessa's Tiny Desk Concert is RIYL: Ani DiFranco, talent, Doomtree.

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I finally made it all the way through (the official) Black Flag's new album What the….  It's not very good.  I liked it anyway.  RIYL: Greg Ginn, impotent rage, SST Records.

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Albums discovered via 2013 year-end album lists (continued):
#9- Chucho Valdes' Border Free, RIYL: Gonzalo Rubalcaba, 1952 Havana, piano heroics.
#10 Sadao Watanabe's Outra Vez, RIYL: Stan Getz, octogenarians, Clare Fischer.
#11 SimakDialog's The 6th Story, RIYL: Soft Machine, wanky instrumentals, Tom Coster.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Toyokana!

Here's yet another confession that reflects poorly on my character.  During Vusi Mahlasela's performance at Yardley Hall a couple months ago, I kept wishing that the South African would focus on showcasing his rapturous singing rather than talking at length about Nelson Mandela. 

My companion didn't share my frustration.  She's since repeatedly reminded me of the Mandela-inspired ideal of forgiveness that Mahlasela spoke of that night.  Furthermore, it was apparent that Mahlasela viewed art and politics as inseparable parts of the same entity.

Much of my anxiousness derived from the fact that so few performers from the African continent appear in the Kansas City area.  The only African musicians I saw in 2013 were Mahlasela and the Malian kora master Yacouba Sissoko.  It wasn't always this way.

There was a glorious, twerk-filled era- I'll estimate that it spanned the years between 1985 and 1995- when African musicians regularly toured the midwest.  I frequently caught acts like Congo's Kanda Bongo Man and Nigeria's Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey in clubs.  These types of shows were so common that I can't recall if I ever saw Congo's Tabu Ley Rochereau.  I do remember that the pictured CD was in heavy rotation in my apartment in 1994-95.  Such joy!  Tabu Ley, one of the originators of soukous, died on November 30.  (Initial tip via Big Steve.)

"Toyokana," Tabu Ley sings on "Requistoire".  We must understand. 


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My review of Tuesday's under-attended concert by Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar became a meme.  Reddit (over 4,000 comments), the Drudge Report, Radar, the Huffington Post and Gawker are among the outlets that picked it up.  As the most read story at The Kansas City Star's site for several hours, it's racked up over 800 comments.  The general consensus: 80% hate West, 15% defend West, 5% think the reviewer is an idiot. 

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The Kansas City Star published a few year-end top ten lists, including my own.  Fear not, There Stands the Glass readers- an expanded list will appear at this site soon.

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I reviewed Bobby Watson's Check Cashing Day at Plastic Sax.

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Here's Tim Finn's wrap-up of the "best local music of 2013.

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Billboard published a breathless profile of the Strange Music empire.

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Akkilles' video for "Your Only One" works for me. RIYL: Sea Change, stock footage, Wilco.

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"Blind Tiger", the latest video from L'Orange and Stik Figa's collaboration, is excellent. RIYL: J Dilla, backpacks, Gang Starr.

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Radkey's video for "Start Freaking Out" is representative of the band's shows.  RIYL: The Misfits, teen angst, Danzig.

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DJ and producer Wrillez Basics is profiled in a five-minute video. RIYL: awkward dudes, basements, EDM. (Via Tony's Kansas City.)

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"Wanna Go" is the latest video from Chase Compton.  RIYL: Tyga, marijuana, Mac Miller.

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Junior Murvin has died.

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Dick Dodd of the Standells has died.

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Uh...

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Last week's Soul Train Awards may have been a crass vehicle to promote programs on BET and Centric, but the music was excellent.  I loved performances by Big Daddy Kane, Ron Isley, Bobby Caldwell, Slick Rick and Tamar Braxton.

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Phox may become huge.  The band recently appeared at Lawrence High School's Classroom Sessions.

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Doomtree is "Team the Best Team".

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Albums discovered via 2013 year-end album lists:
#1-Charlie Parr's Barnswallow, RIYL: Split Lip Rayfield, the real deal, Dave Van Ronk.
#2 Oblivians' Desperation, RIYL: The New York Dolls, body odor, Fidlar.
#3 Dawn of Midi's Dysnomia, RIYL: headaches, Philip Glass, metronomes.
#4 Karnivool's Asymmetry, RIYL: Tool's first album, Tool's second album, Tool's third album.
#5 Suun's Images du Futur, RIYL: Deerhoof, motion sickness, Spiritualized.
#6 Violent Soho's Hungry Ghost, RIYL: Wavves, nostalgia for 1993, Silverchair.
#7 Tim Easton's Not Cool, RIYL: Wayne Hancock, new sounds from artists you'd pigeonholed, Nick Lowe.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)

Album Review: Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals- Walk Through Exits Only

A friend asked me if I liked Nine Inch Nails shortly before the band's concert at the Sprint Center a couple months ago.  I explained that Trent Reznor's anger is quite different from my anger.  My form of rage sounds like Walk Through Exits Only, the 2013 album by Philip H. Anselmo & the Illegals.  Anselmo, of course, is best known as the front man of Pantera.  That only hints at the extreme mayhem of his latest recording.  The title track contains my new catchphrase- "Everybody ruins music- not just me."


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I reviewed the Kenny Barron Trio at the Folly Theater on Friday and Alejandro Fernandez at the Sprint Center on Saturday.

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Chico Hamilton has died.

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"Truly a facile and completely meaningless list."  That's the verdict of a commenter regarding a listing of my twenty favorite jazz performances of 2013.

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Kansas City's the Architects has long been one of my favorite bands.  The excellent new Border Wars: Episode 1 is RIYL: Craig Finn, Joe Strummer, Gaslight Anthem.

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The video for She's a Keeper's "Plattsburg" was released earlier this month.  RIYL: the Lumineers, Plattsburg, foliage.

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The video for the Grisly Hand's "Country Singles" is a hoot.  RIYL: Roger Corman, the Boulevard Drive-In, Red Sovine.

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Tech N9ne made a video for "Hiccup," a song from his new metal EP.

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Here's a video for Gee Watts' "199x (Sixteen Nineteen)". (VIa Demencha.)

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I shed a tear when I learned that Turntable.fm was closing up shop.  Although I logged on just a couple times in the past year, I was addicted to the socially-driven music streaming site a few years ago.

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Am I the only person who thinks that Blood Orange's Cupid Deluxe sounds like an unholy alliance between Wang Chung, Sheila E. and Don Henley?

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After Blue, Tierney Sutton's tribute to Joni Mitchell, features the Turtle Island Quartet.  RIYL: Karrin Allyson, Elvis Costello's The Juliet Letters, Laura Nyro.

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Lily Allen's send-up of pop culture  on "Hard Out Here"  is very amusing.

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Matthew Shipp's Piana Sutras is RIYL: Cecil Taylor, math, Thelonious Monk.

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Jean Grae is back with a vengeance.  RIYL: De La Soul, Erick Sermon, Black Star.

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There's something about Brandy Clark's 12 Stories that doesn't sit well with me.  RIYL: John Prine's first album, Guy Clark, Mary Gauthier.

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The man-on-the-street discussion about music on Pharrell Williams' channel is both interesting and frustrating.  There are really cool people (3:16), utter twits (6:16) and a guy who almost made my day (3:00).

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Eric Revis' City of Asylum is sublime.  The album by the trio of bassist Revis, pianist Kris Davis and drummer Andrew Cyrille is RIYL: all things out, Charles Mingus, Paul Bley.

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I'd like to thank the commenter at the previous There Stands the Glass post who shared a bit of good ol' Grampa Jones.

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Kansas City Click: My official picks are published here.

(Original image by There Stands the Glass.)