That's The Spirit

Lo and behold: yet another exemplary volume in the adventurous Spiritual Jazz compilation series has hit the shelves. Guess you need 'em all. So go cats go, get inspired and go bandcamping.

Jackie McLean & The Cosmic Brotherhood - Camel Driver

Coming Through

Travelling to Bakersfield with the late great Vic Chesnutt, albatrosses and all.

Vic Chesnutt - Bakersfield

Ace In The Hole

If you're an aficionado of modern country rock, anything Drive-By Truckers remains a sure bet for quality. Be it dropout Jason Isbell, who just delivered another classy album with Reunions, or the remaining Truckers. Last February, that innocent time when there was still live music going, Patterson Hood & co recorded three subsequent shows in the intimate 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia. The registration, which means a whopping 82 tracks, can now be yours through Bandcamp. So what are you waiting for?

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Only Children
Drive-By Truckers - Where The Devil Don't Stay (live)

Always Be Sung

Many happy returns to the poet laureate of rock & roll. 79 today with a new album on the way. Forever young indeed.

Bob Dylan - Forever Young (live Paris '02)

I Will Roam

A second helping of the Rose City Band, countryrock hobby horse of Ripley Johnson, the bearded one of Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo. Summerlong is a tad more country - with prominent pedal steel - than the selftitled debut, but plenty trippy and krauty nonetheless. Guess I'll really be spinning it summerlong. Pick this wildflower, folks.

Rose City Band - Wildflowers

Plant My Flag

Quite a cool concept: each song on Mark Lanegan's new record is linked to a chapter in his recent autobiography Sing Backwards And Weep. Dark, experimental and often dissonant, Straight Songs Of Sorrow is no easy listen, and that's cool with me, but to be honest not everything works as well as the Lou Reed-channeling highlight below.

Mark Lanegan - Ketamine

Make Time

A fun song for troubled times - in Funkadelic lite mode - by the one and only Archdruid. "Deep in the lost luggage of your mind, time for a rummage sale..."

Julian Cope - That Ain't No Way To Make A Million

Day Is Done

Just got the sad news that Phil May has passed away. The founder and frontman of the legendary Pretty Things, one of the longest running bands in history who invented the rock opera with their fine SF Sorrow album, was 75. Miss him.

The Pretty Things - I See You
The Pretty Things - Rosalyn

First One's Always Free

"We're catching bullets in our teeth, it's hard to do but they're so sweet..." Presenting yet another six pack for your listening pleasure, with explosive artwork by Tinca. Number one with a silver bullet, baby, and it's got your name on it.

Observer All Stars & King Tubby - Silver Bullet
Tom Waits - The Right Bullets
The Dream Syndicate - Bullet With My Name On It
Cosmic Psychos - Bullet
Tunng - Bullets
Calexico - Bullets & Rocks

Bring Your Own Thing

This double live album was my introduction to the late great Gil Scott-Heron, and this here marathon funk version of Angel Dust never fails to lift my spirits. Ain't no turning back...

Gil Scott-Heron - Angel Dust (live)

On My Way

Hey now, you'll probably agree one can never have enough early seventies live Dead. And this clear-sounding 34th installment of Dave's Picks proves the point with verve. The sunny location is the magic city of Miami, the year is 1974, and Garcia & co. sound remarkably mellow. Don't think twice, my amigos da musica.

Grateful Dead - Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo (live Miami '74)

Fool No' Mo'

Just got the sad news that Richard Wayne Penniman, better known as Little Richard, no longer walks among us. The flamboyant rocker, who wasn't called the innovator, the originator, and the architect of rock & roll for nothing, was 87. Miss him.

Little Richard - Long Tall Sally
Little Richard - Slippin' And Slidin'

Por Favor

Presenting a pleasing six pack for your musical pleasure, with oh so pretty artwork provided as usual by Tinca. "If it seems alright, pretty please me right..."

Erroll Dunkley - Please Stop Your Lying
Herbal Mixture - Please Leave My Mind
Jake Whitren - A Little Bit Extra Pleas
The Quick - Pretty Please Me
The Sneetches - Please Don't Break My Heart
Flat Duo Jets - Please Please Baby

Darkly

A jagged mountain melting at dawn, while we move slowly through the past? Well, why not. If far-out psychedelic spacedrones with hints of early Floyd and Dark Star Dead are your thing, give this exemplary split between Prana Crafter and Tarotplane a chance. The piece below is just a tiny fragment of course: one has to take the whole trip.

Tarotplane - We Move Slowly Through The Past, Pt. 4

Third Bardo

As I'm kind of obsessed with the huge recorded output of Philly's Bardo Pond at the moment, here's a triple shot of prime Bardo for ya. Psych merchants supreme since 1991, they've honed their craft to near-perfection over the years. Never saw them live, so if the concert situation ever improves, here's hoping.

Bardo Pond - Kali Yuga Blues
Bardo Pond - Kailash
Bardo Pond - Under The Pines

Drummer Drummer

Just got the sad news that Tony Allen has passed away. The Nigerian master drummer, co-creator of afrobeat with Fela Kuti, was 79. When Allen finally left Kuti's band Africa 70, Fela apparently needed four drummers to replace the man, while Brian Eno called Allen 'perhaps the greatest drummer who ever lived'. Miss him.

Tony Allen & His Afro Messengers - No Discrimination
Tony Allen with Afrika 70 - Progress