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Halfway through 2007, part 3
My favorite compilations, reissues, and historical releases of the year so far, part 2. I’m painfully aware that my lists are far from comprehensive. I don’t get everything; I don’t even get everything I’d like to get. That said, a few other points that might explain why your favorite isn’t here. 1) If a record label takes an album that’s already in print and throws in a few bonus tracks (making fans buy the album a second time to get a few more tracks, some just alternate takes), I may enjoy it a lot, but I’m not impressed enough to list it here. 2) If a record label takes an album that’s already in print, throws in one demo as a bonus track, and then adds an entire new disc containing a concert and four covers mostly from tribute albums, well, they should have released the second disc separately. I’m talking to you, Geffen Records, about Daydream Nation – yeah, I bought it, and I like the second disc a lot, but I got it wholesale; most people won’t be that lucky. Finally, yeah, it’s August now, but I’m taking the “halfway” part seriously: these are releases from January-June 2007.
This compiles two soundtrack recordings by the iconic minimalist. A lot of his stuff has been reissued lately, and that’s a good thing, but which one should a neophyte get as an introduction? Well, maybe this one, because not only is the music fine, the sound and production are too, and with Riley that’s often not been so. Les Yeux Fermes (The Closed Eyes), from 1972, has two sections, “Journey from the Death of a Friend” and “Happy Ending,” each about 18-1/2 minutes. At times, these recall Krautrock, but (even though he’s overdubbing) they feel more organic, sometimes even jazzy, in their repetitions as Riley stacks soprano sax and keyboards. Lifespan is a varied set of six tracks. The opening “G Song” is nearly poppy in its sunny melodicism. Most stunning is “In the Summer,” mixing organ drones, burbling electronic sequences, and Riley’s weathered wordless vocal into an intoxicating concoction. To call this music hypnotic barely begins to describe its sensual power.
Coming in the middle of a fertile period when Hill was cutting two or three albums a year for Blue Note (though some weren’t released at the time), this October 3, 1965 session is both more complex and freer than much of his work. The frontline of Freddie Hubbard (trumpet, flugelhorn) and John Gilmore (tenor sax and bass clarinet) is excellent. In particular, it’s great to hear Gilmore in this context; he rarely played outside the Sun Ra Arkestra (this is one of only thirteen sideman gigs listed for him, most in 1962-67). And Joe Chambers, the secret ingredient in so many of Blue Note’s more avant-garde sessions, is on drums along with two percussionists, while bassist Cecil McBee is joined on one of these four lengthy tracks by Richard Davis to thicken the foundation. Hill’s playing could sometimes seem more rudimentary than his composing, but here he stretches out and delivers some of his most active performances. This is a great album that all Blue Note fans need.
The second release in Young’s concert archive series is a solo acoustic show where Young accompanies himself on guitar and piano, quite a contrast to the earlier album’s loud and rowdy Crazy Horse electricity.. It took 36 years for this to be officially released; Read why I think it was worth the wait.
This hugely underrated 1979 post-punk LP from Bristol, England’s ironically named band appears for the third time on CD, having finally acquired a bonus track: “3:38,” the B-side to the lead track, “She Is Beyond Good and Evil,” is actually just A-side’s instrumental track played backwards. Grab it while you have the chance; read my full review here if you don’t already know how great this album is.
Read my review here.
The “early” is four 1962 demos by the Lacy-Rudd Quartet, with Bob Cunningham on bass instead of, as on the much-loved 1963 recording School Days, Henry Grimes. About 24 minutes, it’s especially noteworthy because, at that date, the group still had a slightly broader repertoire than the all-Thelonious Monk focus on School Days, meaning we get to hear them take on Cecil Taylor’s “Tune 2” (with trombonist Rudd in especially fiery form). Furthermore, the two Monk tunes aren’t on School Days either: “Think of One” and two takes of “Eronel.” The bulk of this two-CD set, however, comes from 1999 and 2002 concert recordings where Lacy’s regular trio with bassist Jean-Jacques Avenel and drummer John Betsch are joined by Rudd. The focus is quite different, mostly tunes by Lacy, with the soprano saxophonist’s playing having evolved considerably in the intervening decades, more elliptical and sometimes freer, though there’s one Rudd tune and one each by Monk and Herbie Nichols. This is heavy listening; not only is both discs in a row an overdose, even the individual discs are best broken up. Nonetheless, quite worth acquiring.
This is an odd but fascinating compilation of three very disparate items. The title piece, for ten electric guitars and drums, is previously unreleased; a 31-minute Branca work from 1981 finally appearing is enough reason in itself to acquire this – which is good, because the other two aren’t. Read my review for more info.
Greensleeves is celebrating its 30th anniversary with a slew of reissues, and I’m currently captivated by this extremely spacey 1982 dub album appearing on CD for the first time. The cover’s got a bit of a Space Invaders theme going on, and this is much more electronic than most dub (you won’t know whether to fire up a joint or an Atari 2600!). A few years later, Jammy would go entirely digital (aside from the vocals) with the famous “(Under Me) Sleng Teng.” Here, though, he’s still using the great Roots Radics Band, and their mellow grooves here are classic and timeless.
One of the stranger albums to reemerge in the freak-folk revival of psychedelic artifacts – and that’s saying something! – this 1975 LP is one of the few that genuinely qualifies for the much-abused “lost masterpiece” designation. Read why here.
This late-’60s English band name-checked by Jimi Hendrix finally becomes more than a track on Nuggets II for me with the reissue of this debut and the follow-up, 1969’s If Only for a Moment. This album’s sunny, whimsical psychedelia (the second album is darker), but with real depth in the arrangements. You never know what out-of-left-field style is going to crop up to provide color/variety/humor, but it all coheres quite well. Both discs have abundant bonus material.
