Sonic Youth Gossip - Best new/most anticipated albums: 2017

Sonic Youth Gossip (http://www.sonicyouth.com/gossip/index.php)

- Non-Sonic Sounds (http://www.sonicyouth.com/gossip/forumdisplay.php?f=4)

- - Best new/most anticipated albums: 2017 (http://www.sonicyouth.com/gossip/showthread.php?t=114364)

Quote:

Originally Posted by noisereductions

sev, have you listened to the Flaming Lips "live" thing yet? I noticed it's on Spotify now.

Nope. Don't have Spotify. Only Apple Music. And it's not there for some reason, so... blah.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Severian

Wait what? There's a Babyfather album coming out this year?

Where/when did you hear about this? I haven't (I don't think), but hot damn I loved BBF.

Hmmmmm...

I do think that some of today's most daring artists are a little too bogged down with identity politicking for their own good (another example is ANOHNI — nothing against her, but it almost feels criminal to take such a unique and weird voice and to confine it to gender and political anthems. I would like to hear her venture into truly experimental territory on her next outing, assuming she remains ANOHNI. HOPELESSNESS was a really good record, but it's also the kind of thing you can only do once.

With Arca I'm less familiar with the visual aesthetic of the work. I like Arca becaue Arca seems to be carrying on in the bending of electronic genres and rules that my dearly beloved Aphex Twin did (and does) so goddamn well.

I remember liking the new Arca (haven't listened to it a ton) but I also remember feeling that it was a bit "ballad" heavy for an artist labeled "experimental." The tones and chopped melodies certainly do tend to run a bit heavy on the yearning and melancholy. I'm more interested in musical textures and variety, especially from electronic artists.

I'm going to listen to it again though so I can be sure we're even talking about the same thing.

it's already out...?? it's just a little mixtape, think it's vanished from the internet again though. called 'cypher'. even slighter than 419 and platinum tears but violent in a way blunt hasn't been since the hype williams days.

re arca, he pretty much is aphex from my perspective in relation to the 'undercarriage' of whatever this movement's become: a glossier, more palatable take on things that crystallises them really deftly but isn't really obliterating things the way a lot of other stuff in that sphere tends to. like it's good, I'm not going to pick at it and say that it isn't bad or anything but it's not *that* necessary, I don't need to listen to it.

that whole chopped melodies thing seems a bit outdated to me, like skyh1 has been doing it, visionist's been doing it, all the boxed and halcyon veil guys have been doing it for years, and I don't really think arca's contributing that much, even as he's been doing it since those early tapes (which I will say were fucking great). that's why, as many problems as I have with this record, they're only niggling as this record's more important in terms of what it's representing for him -- it's an upward development where all his other records have been sidesteps. my issue is that he's yet to put together a record that's unassailable, where it's not blighted by some noticeable flaw, hopefully he'll be able to figure it out eventually.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Severian

Nope. Don't have Spotify. Only Apple Music. And it's not there for some reason, so... blah.

I checked this Spotify nonsense yesterday for the first time because Wilco did a live "single" (two songs) for them. Nothing to install or anything, just a "Spotify Web Player" via Firefox. And in this particular case listening to it was free (I did have to sign up, though). Best of all was the Wilco Recommends list and all y'alls should check it out!

Yeah I saw that too.

Wait, is Wilco coming out with a new album this year?I forget now.

Jeff Tweedy acoustic album

Apologies if this has been mentioned before. From pjharvey.net:

Quote:

"A Dog Called Money" and "I'll Be Waiting" were recorded at London's Somerset House during The Hope Six Demolition Project sessions in January 2015. The two tracks, which are currently being offered exclusively as a Double A-Side 7" Vinyl on PJ Harvey's North American tour, are now available digitally worldwide.

The 7" is now commanding some serious bucks on eBay and Discogs, so if you want the real deal... well, you've been warned.

Time-traveling deutsch dispatches:

This Friday (May 19), Bureau B releases Cluster's Konzerte 1972/1977. From the label's site:

Quote:

The two authorized recordings presented here vividly conjure up the atmosphere, perhaps even the magic, of a Cluster performance back in the day. One took place in 1977 during a science fiction festival in Metz (France). The other dates back to an earlier show in Hamburg's Fabrik venue. Cluster played three gigs in the city in 1971/1972, including the one partially included on Cluster II.

Cluster shows routinely lasted six hours or more, luring both the band and the audience into a state of intoxication, no doubt acutely enhanced by the intake of certain substances. The buzzwords of the moment were: psychedelic, magical, ritualistic, corresponding more or less to the Dionysian hedonism which pervades certain styles of contemporary music culture today. It is worth noting this context as useful background when listening to the live recordings presented here.

In the beginning, Cluster's music was rough, brutal and spontaneous, created with the most rudimentary tools. Unlike many of their colleagues in this pioneering age, Cluster did not use any synthesizers, sequencers or high-end amps. But this proved to be their strength, rather than a disadvantage. Roedelius and Moebius played in the truest sense of the word, untroubled by mechanical processes. They used their machines but were not dependent on them. Intuition was the dominant force, the risk of potential failure was readily understood to be as much a part of their vibrant art as success. Perfection had become a concept associated with convention. Indeed, anyone who was lucky enough to witness Cluster play in the 1970s will testify that things sometimes went badly wrong. But mostly they did not, and then the real magic was tangible. A utopian, previously undiscovered world of sound was created in the presence of the beholder.

The sound quality of these two documents is average. A successful performance was considered more important than a perfect recording thereof. We as listeners should accept that today. Our reward is a short journey into the nascent heart of Cluster's creative universe, just after the big bang.

A month later it's the turn of Can's The Singles. You may have already seen this if you checked out Mute's announcement of having signed Mr. Lee R. Before you say "Screw this, I have all of Can's albums, I don't need these 'single edits' and bullcrap", read the details. From the label's site:

Quote:

CAN, Mute and Spoon Records are pleased to announce Can – The Singles, a brand new collection of all of the band's single releases, out on 16 June 2017 on triple vinyl, download, CD and to stream.

This unique document is the first time the singles have been presented together and shows the breadth of their influential career, from well loved tracks like "Halleluwah", "Vitamin C" and "I Want More" to more obscure singles such as "Silent Night" and "Turtles Have Short Legs".

Listen to "Turtles Have Short Legs", the rare 1971 7" single release. This was the band's third single, never appeared on a studio album and was recorded around the time of the Tago Mago sessions with the line up of Holger Czukay, Michael Karoli, Jaki Liebezeit, Irmin Schmidt and Damo Suzuki – https://youtu.be/my8T7hB992k

Tracklisting and whatnot at http://mute.com/mute/announce-the-singles

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Soup Nazi

Time-traveling deutsch dispatches:

This Friday (May 19), Bureau B releases Cluster's Konzerte 1972/1977. From the label's site:

Holy fucking horny fuck I need that Can shit like yeterday.

I would totally rock a Can singles comp. Sometimes that's the best way to listen to a band. I'll admit it never crossed my mind for Can before, but I'm psyched on the idea. Plus the gatefold art is baller

Interesting upcoming stuff. (In principle, at least! To me! Besides the Jeff Tweedy, Lee Ranaldo, Royal Trux and Spiritualized albums!):

May 26:
Demolition 9 — Martin Rev

June 16:
Chuck — Chuck Berry. I haven't listened to any previews; I'm hoping he came up with some sort of motherfucker of an album.

June 23:
Dust — Laurel Halo HOLY SHIT I HAD ZERO IDEA A NEW LAUREL HALO ALBUM WAS COMING OUT SOON IT'S ALREADY THE ALBUM OF THE YEAR FUCK EVERYTHING ELSE.

September 8:
Hippopotamus — Sparks. This would have been a sure purchase had they not done that atrocious bullshit with Franz Ferdinand [spit]. I'll consider it...

And apparently there'll be a new St. Vincent album this year, no title or date revealed yet.

did we talk about the OK Computer reissue yet?

Black Origami is out tomorrow, bitchaaaz

No we haven't talked about the OkNotOk reissue (or whatever it's called). I have been meaning to check that out.

I've honestly been way more into "old" albums this year than new ones. But um, let me take a look at what I've got saved to my Albums folder in Spotify right now since we're almost mid-year...

Bush - Black And White Rainbows
It sounds like a Bush album. Which is either good or bad depending on if you like Bush albums. I do.

Charli XCX - Number 1 Angel
This is pretty good. She called it a mixtape I guess. Which I don't know. Just means it's not really radio singles or soemthing? Whatever. It's pretty good. I'll prob listen to it more in the summer when the weather fits better.

Elliott Smith - Either/Or: Expanded Edition
Good stuff on here. I mean classic album of course. But the live stuff is very good as well.

Flaming Lips - Oczy Mlody/Onboard The International Space Station
Oczy has grown on me consistently. I keep meaning to listen to the "live" album but I keep forgetting to actually do so.

Gorillaz - Humanz
I've only heard the singles so far. Kind of meh on it. I love Gorillaz, but I don't think I'm in the mood right now. Again, maybe as the weather warms up.

Grandaddy - Last Place
solid album. If you like Grandaddy, you'll like this (I think).

Kendrick - Damn
(I don't do stylized album titles haha). This is certainly good. Better for me than TPAB and UU.

Mark Lanegan - Gargoyle
keeping meaning to listen to this. bah.

Ryan Adams - Prisoner/Prisoner B-Sides
Prisoner is amazing. I love this album so much. The B-Sides I haven't really absorbed yet. They're good but I just haven't spent as much time w/ them.

Soundgarden - Supermega OK: Expanded Reissue
(embarrassed) I actually never heard this album until the reissue. I knew Badmotorfinger and Superunknown and Down On THe Upside... This is really good tho. I'm glad I finally got around to it.

Spoon - Hot Thoughts
Great great album. Spoon is such a consistent band, man.

Thundercat - Drunk
dig this quite a bit. Has some pretty weird Zappa/Duke type stuff going on.

Thurston Moore - Rock N Roll Consciousness
I should listen to this already.

Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 2
great collection of old tunes. Just like Vol. 1 was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by noisereductions

Charli XCX

I want to fuck her. I actually like a few of her songs, particularly "Boom Clap." But mostly I just want to fuck her.

Quote:

Originally Posted by noisereductions

DAMN. is better than TPAB and untitled unmastered. It just is.

Also, it's Ultramega OK. Unless they named the reissue something else. But I think "ultra" trumps "super" anyway.

Weird that you haven't listened to the new Thurston. Do that!

I remain underwhelmed by the new Kendrick.

From Black Origami the track "Carbon 7 (161)" is probably my favorite track. Kickass music video too.

The new Bing and Ruth is good, if you're into ambient music.

Sheeit the new Kendrick is awesome. I don't like a couple tracks ("Loyalty" sucks a butt), but the overall vibe is perfect. If you're underwhelmed, then... well... get fucking whelmed, dawwwg!

I love Black Origami. It's just ferocious — almost a bit ugly and nauseating. Melody-less. Borderline beatless. But oh my god, it's magnificent. I think it's a stronger album than Dark Energy, and that's fuckin' saying something. I wish Vladislav Delay would drop some new shit, but it's good to know Jlin is out therecarrying the torch for Rashad, and that RP Boo isn't alone on the front lines of footwork.

Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile have made an album together! "It'll be released world-wide later this year by Matador Records, Marathon Artists and Milk! Records. Keep your ears open for more info coming soon..." Not only that; in October and November they will tour the U.S. with Jen Cloher and an ad-hoc band called The Sea Lice, which at least on some dates will include Janet Weiss and Katie Harkin (the fourth Sleater-Kinneyer).

http://mailchi.mp/courtneybarnett/co...-going-on-tour

My band opened for Courtney last year, she's very nice in person