Back from the dead as always. Going to try and be more punctual on creating more content, I’ve just been hibernating for the past couple of weeks and have been focused on other things at the moment.
Wanted to share more records and music I’ve been listening to lately and give some of my thoughts on the matter
have had this record on repeat for the past couple of weeks. Donald Fagen is an amazing songwriter and he really hit a home run on this solo record. It still has that quintessential Steely Dan jazziness and vocal inflections that make the music very witty and almost comedic at points but this record has a great balance of ballads and faster tunes. Apparently they used this record in the 80's to test HiFi audiophile systems due to its great production by Gary Katz who also produced for Steely Dan. He really captures well a time in America right before the British Invasion and in tunes like Maxine and New Frontier, I think this ambience shines amazingly. The keyboard playing and harmonies on this record are top-notch and I really recommend everyone give this one a listen. Favorites on this one are Green Flower St, Maxine, New Frontier and the Goodbye Look. I'm a sucker for a good bossa groove
.While we're on the topic of Steely Dan, wanted to talk about this record which I've also been getting into. I feel like Steely Dan is a band that takes some effort at times to get into. But this record hooks you pretty well with the first tune Bodhisattva which has a great blues groove going. I think this record is where the Steely sound really begins to develop into the more jazzy-rock sound that you hear on Aja and Gaucho. Walter Becker has some great guitar runs on this record. Favorites on this one are My Old School, Your Gold Teeth and Pearl of the Quarter
Unfold by Melody's Echo Chamber is a great record. While not necessarily new considering these are older songs that were produced almost 10 years ago with Kevin Parker, it is good to be able to listen to it in full quality on streaming services. I remember listening to Norfolk Hotel on repeat for months a couple of years ago on Youtube when it was uploaded as Father's Day. It's great to have more music that has the sound of Melody's debut which is one of my favorite records of the 2010's. The fuzzed out KP guitars complement Melody's ethereal voice very well and it's very euphoric music in my opinion. Melody has always shown herself to be an extremely talented artist in many regards from My Bee's Garden to her solo work. I loved her latest work Emotional Eternal and also Bon Voyage but this is a great treat of a record to get more of that debut sound. Hoping to catch her live when she comes to New York next year. Her music has been the soundtrack to many moments in my life. Favorites of this one are Norfolk Hotel, From Pink they Fell into Blue and Pêcheuse de Lune
had a dive into miles' catalog again a couple of weeks back and stumbled on this gem. This is a pretty weird record in my opinion but it has some great moments on it. It gets very psychedelic at times and the bitches brew sound that came soon after shines on this record. The off kilter drums and the sporadic Rhodes make a great ambience that complements Miles' horn pretty well. A very drastic change of sound from Kind of Blue which was only 9 years before this record was released in 1968. Miles was hanging with Hendrix around this time so it's no wonder we get this tripped out jazz fusion. Favorites of this are Tout de Suite and Frelon brun.
one of my favorite projects i've heard recently. My first introduction to Ginger Root was thru his song "Loretta" which played on the City Pop revival which Youtube spurred relatively recently. I'm a big City Pop fan and love artists like Tatsuro Yamashita, Masayoshi Takanaka and Anri. City Pop and Yacht Rock go pretty much hand in hand. What I particularly love about Ginger Root is how he constructs his own entire universe where after having to fill in for a pop singer, he becomes famous and starts his own pop career as a big star. He creates amazing music videos and gets even the smallest details right to where you can't help but be fully immersed in the world he creates. The music also has that City Pop flair to it and gets very funky at times. Favorites off this are Loneliness and the title track.
another great recent release by my wonderful friend Frank. I've known Frank for years and have been in the studio with him countless times listening to him fine tune this record again and again but in the end it was all worth it. This record has a great ambience and the synth work and drums on it really shine. that's what happens when you have a $3,000 synth and a great vintage ludwig kit hahah. The album has a very silky sound as should be expected from an artist named Morning Silk and it walks a great balance of full on pop yet with tinges of goth and rock at times. I remember walking into H&M last year and hearing Don't Try Hard Enough playing on the speakers so whatever's he doing, it seems to be working. Favorites on this one are How You Do It, So Fun and Not the Only Way.
That’s all for now.
Thanks for reading and will be back soon with more records that’ll tickle your brain and drive you insane…
-Michael
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