Here are my year-end list – a top 20 of new music, and a 25 A-Z list of reissues and archive releases because “there’s more old music than new music.” (Bob Dylan)
1. THE NITS | Angst
Weird chamber-pop from the Dutch masters, est. 1975 and still the best band in the world.
2. COLIN HARPER | Titanium Flag
Cinematic psych-folk which I already praised here.
3. GAS | Narkopop
Pulsing neoclassical techno from the deep dark German forests.
4. MARTY STUART & HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES | Way Out West
Twanging psychedelic country with a bit of Benny Goodman thrown in from Connie Smith’s husband.
5. ANDROMEDA MEGA EXPRESS ORCHESTRA | Vula
Berlin’s avant-prog orchestra/big band goes Sun Ra.
6. STEVEN WILSON | To The Bone
Wilson does strange Eighties. Also strongly recommended – this year’s other albums from him: “Blackfield V” (pop-prog with his buddy from Israel) and “Last Days Of June” (Game soundtrack album of instrumentals and remixes).
7. EMEL | Ensen
Like some femme arabian version of Massive Attack.
8. PAUL WELLER | A Kind Revolution
Edgy and adventurous Weller-rock with an especially groovy instrumental bonus disc. Also recommended – his other albums from this year: “Jawbone” (Paul writes Ellington-style epic soundtrack) and Stone Foundation’s “Street Rituals” (in case you’re still wondering if the Mod Revival is over).
9. YASMINE HAMDAN | Al Jamilat
Haunting middle-eastern trip-pop via Paris and New York (with a little help from Sonic Youth drummer).
10. MERIDIAN BROTHERS | Donde Estas Maria?
Is there such a thing as melancholic psych-cumbia? (Sure it is.)
11. THE FEELIES | In Between
More Feelies stuff is always great.
12. DIAGRAMS | Dorothy
Pastoral english folk-electronica with esteemed poetry.
13. OUMOU SANGARÉ | Mogoya
Forget all those self-proclaimed divas – this is the real thing: groovy modern pop from a strong woman.
14. CHUCK JOHNSON | Balsams
Widescreen ambient steel guitar soundscapes.
15. JUANA MOLINA | Halo
Shimmering alternative tropicalia with a touch of electronic trickery.
16. SLOWDIVE | Slowdive
The return of dream pop (or is it shoegazing?).
17. LILA DOWNS | Salon, Lagrimas y Desea
Darkly romantic Mexican songs with strings and horns.
18. BJÖRK | Utopia
Probably Björk’s idea of a happy pop album. With flutes.
19. FLAMING LIPS | Oczy Mlody
Reliably out-of-their-minds pop from the ‘Lips.
20. ALEXANDER THARAUD | Barbara
French artists like Jane Birkin, Vanessa Paradis and Helmut Berger pay tribute to singer/songwriter Barbara. Slightly less recommended: “Gerard Depardieu Chante Barbara” where the old walrus does the same (and sounds like Jack Nicholson grumbling the songs of Joni Mitchell). Both albums include covers of the brilliantly great song “Göttingen”.
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And so, here’s some “Old”:
A.R. & MACHINES | The Art Of German Psychedelic (10 CD + hardcover book)
The legendary “Green Journey” and “Echo” albums (inspiration for Eno, Bowie and many others) finally reissued: pulsing echo guitar over motorik beats. Plus lots of outtakes, live albums, remixes, etc.
ACTION PACKED! (6 CDs)
Trashy red hot rockin’ tracks from the original compilation LPs, plus bonus tracks and booklet with sleazy sexist pulp illustrations. What’s not to like?
LUTHER ALLISON | A Legend Never Dies (7 CD + 4 DVD + 7″ + hardcover book)
Remastered albums and lots of live gigs on DVD from the blues guitar legend.
AT THE LOUISIANA HAYRIDE TONIGHT (20 CD + 224-page hardcover book)
24 hours of country/hillbilly radio shows from the 1940s, 50s and 60s, featuring comic skits, audience quiz, advertisement breaks, and fantastic live music from Hank Williams, Elvis, Johnny Horton, June Carter and a couple of 100 more…
THE BEATLES | Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (4 CD + BR + DVD + hardcover book)
Everybody knows this.
DAVID BOWIE | A New Career In A New Town (11 CDs)
Don’t be put off by the alleged “Heroes” mistake – the real version (in English/German) is included and not affected.
THE BRAIN BOX | Cerebral Sounds Of Brain Records 1972-1979 (8 CD + hardcover book)
Krautrock, acid guitars and weird jazz from 70s Germany. Not everything sounds like what the BBC wants you to believe that “Krautrock” sounds…
BOB DYLAN | Bootleg Series Vol. 13 • Trouble No More (8 CD + DVD + hardcover book)
Sadly lacking his furious sermons.
ESQUIVEL | 4 Jackpot reissues (8 albums on 4 CDs)
Wonderful stuff.
JETHRO TULL | Songs From The Wood (The Country Set) (3 CD + 2 DVD + digibook)
Another one in a great series.
GEORGE JONES | Birth Of A Legend 1954-1961 (6 CD + 172-page hardcover book)
All his early recordings – including pre-rockabilly stuff like “White Lightning”, and all his anonymous cover recordings for budget hits compilations. And great haircuts.
KING CRIMSON | Sailor’s Tales (21 CD + 4 BR + 2 DVD)
see my review at https://chickswithdisks.wordpress.com/2017/12/03/sailors-tales
PAUL MCCARTNEY (& Elvis Costello) | Flowers In The Dirt (3 CD + DVD + 4 books + downloads)
Includes Paul’s best song (“This One”, since you ask)
NEW JAZZ FESTIVAL BALVER HÖHLE 1976-1977 (8 CD)
All surviving recordings from two festivals (held in a German cave) – 8 hours of weird jazz with Archie Sheep, Willem Breuker, Mal Waldron and Peter Brötzmann
PENTANGLE | The Albums (7 CD + big booklet)
All the original albums (sounding better than before) with lots of bonus tracks. Perfect!
PRINCE & THE REVOLUTION | Purple Rain Deluxe (3 CD + DVD)
How it should be done: all the 12″ mixes, 80 minutes of stuff from the archives, and a great concert on DVD. (Next time with a Jethro Tull-style book, please.)
R.E.M. | Automatic For The People (3 CD + BR + hardcover book)
Wonderful album, great string arrangements, and lots of fine demos and live versions.
RADIOHEAD | OK Computer OKNOTOK (3 LP + MC + 3 books + downloads)
Fabulous looking set (even the cassette sounds quite nice…).
RONI SIZE & REPRAZENT | New Forms (4 CD + digibook)
Brilliant reissue of trip-hop/jazz album with lots of 12″ mixes
THE SMITHS | The Queen Is Dead (3 CD + DVD)
The world stops turning: the Smiths release outtakes! (But why did they change the cover?)
STARDAY CUSTOM SERIES #500-675 (10 CD + hardcover book)
Rockabilly, country, hillbilly and gospel singles from private pressing singles (incl. Willie Nelson’s first & self-financed single)
LAL & MIKE WATERSON | Bright Phoebus (CD)
Slightly left field roots of folkrock.
XTC | Black Sea (CD + BR)
Another one in a great series.
I like the sound of that Esquivel collection.
Quite a few things to check out, Fatima. That Crimson sounds terrifying, and the Hayride tantalising. And The Nits BBITW? Next stop then.
Anyway, I’ve been to Balver Hoehle a couple of times, a cave, astonishing venue and the terraced seating was a bit wobbly with a few hundred stamping along to Lester Bowie’s Brass Fantasy or Shannon Jackson’s Decoding Society or John Zorn’s Naked City or whatever (yeah it was a long time ago). Unique place, wonder why they stopped.
Frohes Neues.
I think the Balve Festival stopped because the organizer retired. A German label (something like the weird version of Bear Family) got in contact with his son and discovered that the promoter, a certain Mr. Klüter, had recorded all the shows with professional equipment for his own record label (which never really took off). The tapes and contracts were quietly rotting away on some Greek island until the current series of box sets was started (there are also sets on 1972/1973 and 1974/1975). They all have fab booklets with great (unpublished) pictures and lots of press clippings.
Balve Höhle looks like a pretty amazing place for a gig.
Hard to think of a 2017 album I enjoyed more than Sun Kil Moon’s Common as Light. Totally engrossing if you take it in actively (all two hours of it)
Thank you, Fatz… 🙂
It’s difficult to comprehend how anyone can afford to acquire all of this reissued stuff. The Brain Box would be right up my street, as would the King Crimson and the Balver Hohle sets (there are two the buggers!), but my other half would murder me in my sleep if I spent that much money on stuff she doesn’t like! Just the ones I’ve mentioned come to something like £500.
Me too.
I’m determined to keep up with reissues in 2018 but, with a goal of about 20 purchases, I’m (albeit optimistically) not planning to spend more than £200 for the privilege.
Re. affording all that stuff – we actually did the math a couple of years ago (when it felt like a new Led Zeppelin box set was released every month). Seems like other people spend a lot more money on their car or for ciggies and beer (even taking into account the cost for Berlin’s one-year-all access card for tube/busses/boats). The REAL problem is furniture! Especially if your other half collects comic books, graphic novels and psychedelic posters…
Still sore at having to miss the GAS concert here because of work.
There was another Weller release this year – not sure if you didn’t mention it because you’re unaware (unlikely!) or because it wasn’t a full album. Weller does Ethiopian jazz may sound like an unenticing prospect, but it was pretty good.
Weller does Ethiopian Jazz was indeed something of a surprise!
The Modfather is still able to surprise.
More Krar Collective than Weller perhaps but hats off to him for giving them a little publicity.
I love the sound of that Marty Stuart album you describe. Will be checking it out.
One of my 2018 intentions is to expand my collection of ’50s – ’60s jazz box sets. Fortunately, a lot of this material is cheap as chips on CD lately. Recent acquisition: A 10-CD/19-album box of Lionel Hampton recordings.
Also to download plenty of jazz “recordings of independent origin” as I find them. Latest acquisitions: A stunning live concert by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet from 1969 in Austria (with Joe Zawinul) and others from Pharoah Sanders and from Oregon which I haven’t played yet.
That is a stupendous list, Fatima. I am looking forward to browsing through it!
The Bowie Heroes CD has been fixed. I won’t link to SDE, but here’s the text:
We can now confirm that the “Heroes” audio has been updated via all digital download and streaming partners. CD and LP discs (in a plain sleeve) will be ready to ship week commencing 11th December.
Those who have bought the ANCIANT box set and would like an updated disc of “Heroes” should send an email to heroes@wmgcustomerservice.com. Your email should contain the following info:
• NAME
• SHIPPING ADDRESS (and any delivery instructions)
• EMAIL ADDRESS
• PHONE NUMBER (required by some delivery providers)
• FORMAT PURCHASED (CD or LP)
• PROOF OF PURCHASE (email attachment / photo / scan / screen grab / etc.)
Please ensure that you limit the content of your email to these details only so that the Warner Music Customer Services team can process your order as quickly and efficiently as possible.
As I said above – don’t bother. Only the Brexit version of “Heroes” is affected. There are 4 other versions in the box that are OK. 😉
Many of your Reissues do not seem to be on Spotify. But I have found a few and am having great fun reading about them.
Action Packed is missing but it looks like a cracker. Love the cover art too.
https://www.bear-family.com/various-it-s-gonna-be-action-packed-6-cd.html
No Louisiana Hayride either. But this playlist may help to compensate.
The Fatima mixtape is going down a treat in the car. A very nice variety of different styles. Haven’t listened to The Nits in ages.
Hi, @fatima-Xberg – would you be prepared to provide a review/précis of the Brain Box? Or a link if you have reviewed it elsewhere?
Many thanks in advance……