Staff Picks for April 2021
April 30, 2021
Boogaloo legend Willie Bobo followed up Spanish Grease with the equally funky Uno, Dos, Tres 1-2-3, a mix of gritty Latin grooves and soulful interpretations of contemporary '60s tunes. The highlight of the album is the original composition "Fried Neck Bones and Some Homefries," a slow slinking burner that feels like a languorous summer night in some overheated city.
April 29, 2021
On the eve of a retirement that didn't stick, O'Connor delved deep into her rare, B-side, unreleased, and compilation tracks, and gave listeners a live album to boot over two discs. Released stateside on Vanguard, this is, despite its disparate nature, one of the most satisfying recordings she's ever delivered, and features numerous standout guest appearances and palpable emotional release.
April 28, 2021
Five years on from his breakout Endtroducing..., hip-hop's reigning recluse showed he still had plenty of tricks up his sleeve -- as well as many more rare grooves left for sampling. Shadow had kept a low recording profile during the preceding years, and that lack of product actually helps The Private Press display just how good a producer he is; the depth of his production sense and the breadth of his stylistic palette prove just as astonishing the second time out.
April 27, 2021
Short, savage, and pummeling, Broken was the turning point where Trent Reznor set aside his dark synth-pop ambitions and went for a more visceral, metallic sound. Guitars play a much more prominent role than on Pretty Hate Machine, while the electronics are more jagged and caustic, which set the table for the career-defining The Downward Spiral two years later.
April 26, 2021
The Jayhawks drifted from their roots-oriented alt-country sound once Gary Louris became the primary frontman, moving toward a larger power pop sound, filled with rich harmonies and swelling keyboard and organ movements. Electric guitars replace acoustics for the most part, and the structure of the songs evolved into long bridges and anthemic sing-along choruses. Akin to Wilco's Summerteeth, Sound of Lies bursts from the speakers like a super-pop phoenix.
April 25, 2021
By the release of their second album, Replicas, Gary Numan was the undisputed focal point and leader of icy electro-punkers Tubeway Army. The band had made a conscious effort to streamline the sound heard on its 1978 self-titled debut -- the distorted guitar riffs were played on Moog synthesizers instead, and Numan had perfected his faux-space-age persona. And the paranoia that is very evident in the lyrics and vocals on Numan's next release, The Pleasure Principle, can be detected on Replicas.
April 24, 2021
The follow-up to the former X Factor contestant's chart-topping 2017 release I Hope You Don't Mind Me Writing, the aptly named Today Was a Good Day delivers an affable, versatile, and relatable blast of mostly cheery, hook-laden folk-pop that evokes names like KT Tunstall, the Lumineers, and Courtney Barnett.
April 23, 2021
Ground Zero's most accessible album is like a jump cut through the music of the 20th century. The Otomo Yoshihide-led group turns '60s pop tunes like "Those Were the Days" and "I Say a Little Prayer" into free jazz maelstroms, reinterpret Chilean protest music, merge Japanese psychedelic noise with a Sousa march, and so much more.
April 22, 2021
Chiming guitars, melancholic tunes, and loads of jingle-jangle '60s-inspired goodness distinguish California band Cairo Gang's second album.
April 21, 2021
From a tour following 2013's Lousy with Sylvianbrair, this 90-minute, then-career-spanning live album captures the freewheeling, rapturous spirit of the bands' theatrical live shows. The recurring studio lineup of Kevin Barnes, Bennett Lewis (guitar), JoJo Glidewell (keyboards), Bob Parins (bass), and Clayton Rychlik (drums) attack performances with punky, funky gusto, and by the end of the second song, there's already a respectful sense of wonder at how Barnes remembers all of the lyrics to their verbose, often rapid-fire tomes.
April 20, 2021
Originally released in 1980, this rare, deeply soulful gem from an obscure West Coast family gospel act was rescued and remastered thirty-five years later by Light In the Attic Records.
April 19, 2021
Maybe alt-J were a little too ahead of the curve. Upon release, this debut was a buzz-worthy hit that cemented them as weirdo art darlings for the Radiohead crowd, but that momentum fizzled after two subsequent albums. Which is why 2021 is a fine time to revisit glorious oddities like "Tessellate," "Breezeblocks," and the funky "Fitzpleasure." An ideal entry point to their world, An Awesome Wave lived up to its title and shouldn't be forgotten.
April 18, 2021
Portishead's third album came eleven years after their self-titled second album and reflected the time passed by a drastic turn away from the eerie sampled beats and moody minimalism of the trip-hop formula they had a large hand in creating. While the essence of their haunted pop was still in tact, they explored cinematic synthesizer runs, krautrock repetition and even some ukulele. The songwriting and performances are still one of a kind, and the boldness shown on Third made it a favorite for many listeners.
April 17, 2021
Mos Def's partnership with Talib Kweli produced one of the most important hip-hop albums of the late '90s, the brilliant Black Star. It raised expectations sky-high for Mos Def's solo debut. He met them all with Black on Both Sides, a record every bit as dazzling and visionary as Black Star. It strives to not only refine but expand the scope of Mos Def's talents, turning the solo spotlight on his intricate wordplay and nimble rhythmic skills -- but also his increasing eclecticism. Its ambition and execution rank it as one of the best albums of 1999.
April 16, 2021
Though it may seem unlikely that Frank Zappa had much of an influence on the work of Lalo Schifrin, one can detect some cultural crossover on There's a Whole Lalo Schifrin Goin' On. Schifrin was as much a jazz-pop genius as ever, but on this album rock rhythms, musical satire, sound effects, and exotica are all used as camp in a way that is eerily reminiscent of Zappa's more thoughtful efforts. Schifrin being Schifrin, every cut has a distinct and catchy melody, but there are whimsical and satirical themes embedded in the music.
April 15, 2021
Tom Northcott was a talented Canadian folkie who landed an American record deal with Warner Bros., went to California, and cut a handful of singles with some of the finest producers of the day. Sunny Goodge Street collects his WB sides, and features some of the most glorious sunshine pop of the era; Northcott's tenor vocals are otherworldly, his own songs are insightful, and his covers of "1941" and "Sunny Goodge Street" are definitive.
April 14, 2021
There are shades of classic Stereolab in En Attendant Ana's stylish analog tone and sizzling vintage organs, though their garage-pop aesthetic and spiky attack feels ultimately more human. Infectious in spirit and boasting numerous memorable songs, Juillet is a marvelous album and a great improvement on the group's debut.
April 13, 2021
Without seeming to emulate Nick Drake while surely taking influence from him, Stratton produced something stirring and hyper-personal yet universally beautiful with this, his official debut. Recorded between high school and college, it combines a breathy, close-mic vocal style, accomplished fingerpicking, and a poetic vision, both musically and lyrically. Even though the songs seem to come from a nearly monkish vantage point of isolation, there is lifting beauty here, a need for connection, and breathtaking flights, swoops, and turns of melody.
April 12, 2021
Wailer's solo debut remains one of the most extraordinary albums of the roots period, a complex but instantly attractive and occasionally heartbreaking record that never rises above a whisper in tone but packs as much political and spiritual wallop as the best of Bob Marley's work.
April 11, 2021
The murder of DJ Scott La Rock had a profound effect on KRS-One, resulting in a drastic rethinking of his on-record persona. He re-emerged the following year with By All Means Necessary, calling himself the Teacher and rapping mostly about issues facing the Black community. His reality rhymes were no longer morally ambiguous, and this time when he posed on the cover with a gun, he was mimicking a photo of Malcolm X. As a social commentator, this is arguably KRS-One's finest moment.
April 10, 2021
Neko Case, the Decemberists, and Mavis Staples have all hired Kelly Hogan to sing backup on their albums, but she can make just as good an LP on her own. 2012's I Like To Keep Myself In Pain is an overlooked triumph, with a dream band (featuring Booker T. Jones on keyboards), songs from the likes of Stephen Merritt, Andrew Bird, and Robyn Hitchcock, and a powerful, effortlessly versatile vocalist in the spotlight.
April 9, 2021
One of ambient music's defining releases, Steve Roach's 1984 opus is the best of his minimalist works. Using soft, glowing textures, he captures a feeling of blissfully floating, anticipating an arrival on a new frontier. "Reflections in Suspension" is the most melodic, spine-tingling piece here, but the half-hour title track is nothing less than a warm bath of sunlight.
April 8, 2021
The solo debut from the brilliant free funk bassist showcases him in six different settings, including four wonderfully noisy, funky numbers with his road band. "Tacuma Song" is offered as an unaccompanied bass feature. The Ebony String Quartet, and pianist Anthony Davis offer accompaniment on "The Bird of Paradise,” as do four percussionists on "From the Land of Sand.” Add a couple of jams with altoist Julius Hemphill, cornetist Olu Dara, and guitarist James "Blood" Ulmer, and the end result is a set of stimulating, unpredictable music.
April 7, 2021
Composer, bandleader, and arranger Gerald Wilson compiled this 16-track selection of personal favorites, offering an excellent introduction to his Pacific Jazz recordings. During the four-year period (1961 through 1966) represented by this collection, numerous jazz greats passed through the ranks of Wilson's big band, including Harold Land, Teddy Edwards, Richard "Groove" Holmes, Joe Pass, and Roy Ayers.
April 6, 2021
Aerosmith's third album, 1975's Toys In The Attic, was the moment where they hit their stride and found the sound that would make them heroes of America's high school parking lots. Boasting top notch guitar riffing, enough swagger for a small nation, and a dash of humor that makes their sexual obsessions funny instead of creepy, this is a brilliant hard rock album whose influence would be felt for decades to come.
April 5, 2021
The 1979 debut from the James Chance led Contortions was one of the most high-energy documents of New York's No Wave scene. BUY mixed the bubbling excitement and non-stop forward movement of James Brown with the threat of punk, adding some free jazz chaos to the mix to ensure maximum overdrive. The Contortions presaged a lineage of furious funk punks that included the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, the Black Keys, the Gossip and countless others.
April 4, 2021
Rae Morris radiated personality while taking her music in a more challenging and overtly pop direction on her fantastic sophomore album.
April 3, 2021
Fun and campy like the eponymous movie, this sophomore set found the quintet at the top of the world and at their prime. Even though "Wannabe" has outlived everything else, Spiceworld is impeccably produced and executed, warranting repeat listens for the wild "Spice Up Your Life," classic Motown "Stop," and the tear jerking "Viva Forever." If this had been their last album, it would have been the perfect way to go out on top.
April 2, 2021
Even as his Blue Note contemporaries were working commercial soul-jazz grooves, the alto saxophonist pushed at the borders of jazz, embracing the avant-garde. This is one of his most explicitly free albums. The alto saxophonist pushes a quintet with trumpeter Woody Shaw, pianist Lamont Johnson, bassist Scotty Holt, and drummer Rashied Ali, into uncompromising wide open tonal territory, resulting in cerebral music that is nevertheless played with fiery passion.
April 1, 2021
Schoolly D is often cited as the creator of gangsta rap for his frank, unapologetic tales of urban violence, and decades after he broke through with 1985's "P.S.K. -- What Does It Mean," his best work is still genuinely startling. The brutalist production, with booming drum machines, aggressive scratching, deep echo, and little else, cuts as deep as Schoolly's rhymes, and this music still intimidates with its icy, mean-spirited, minimalist fury.