MUSIC MAGAZINE – 30 SEPTEMBER 2022

More music-flavoured items for you this week but I’m majoring on vinyl news – and I might have to do the same next week too – because vinyl is piling up here in a worryingly uncontrolled fashion and I fear I might be falling behind! Onwards, then.

ON MAN

Released on the Houndstooth label (www.houndstoothlabel.com) is the self-titled album from On Man. This is meaty electronica that uses vocals to a great or lesser degree, with a weighty, heavy drama. If you’ve ever seen the accompanying, rather disturbing videos that run alongside, you’ll understand.

BUY HERE:

USA – https://amzn.to/3E6gcuc

UK – https://amzn.to/3RyDJHy

EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3fyVgC4

WILLIAM ORBIT

Oddly enough the only song by Madonna that I ever liked was arranged by Orbit. Same with the girl trio, All Saints. This new album, The Painter (Warner) features more collabs with the likes of Beth Orton, Katie Melua and more. There’s a dreamy, half awake feeling to much of this release.

BUY HERE:

USA – https://amzn.to/3rhMWJB

UK – https://amzn.to/3CjyAP4

EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3RFDHxD 

TRAFFIC SOUND

An intriguing one this: a 3-disc, 7″ pack set within a slip cover from Spain’s Munster (munsterrecords.bandcamp.com/album/traffic-sound). A Bailar Go-Go features seven tracks. This was a Peruvian rock band and these tracks span 1968-69. They sing in English though and sound exactly like those obscure, cultish British rock bands of the day. Definitely worth a look for any rock fan out there.

BUY HERE:

USA – https://amzn.to/3RrdQt9 

UK – https://amzn.to/3y5Jm96 

EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3flwqoW 

MARK LEE ALLEN

Called Lock Down (Bear Family; www.bear-family.com), this 10″ features 12 tracks from artist and noted rockabilly collector, Allen.  They include Sonny Anderson’s Lonely Lonely Train, Act Like I Love You which emerged on a small record label, Von and F-olding Money which I have here as a cover by The Fall but it’s great to hear the original. Includes a postcard insert.

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USA – https://amzn.to/3C4obFM 

UK – https://amzn.to/3rl54lC 

EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3rhNQ8X 

MACK STEVENS

Also from Bear Family but this time a 12″ LP, Stevens is also a collector and performer. This time the subject is Sun. Ain’t That Right – An Unconventional Tribute to Sun Records focuses on songs that “…nobody in their right minds would cover,” said Stevens. They include Carl Perkins I’m Sorry, So Sorry, Rosco Gordon’s Weeping Blues and Rufus Thomas’ Tiger Man – the track Elvis said he recorded but no tape has ever been found.

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USA – https://amzn.to/3fxB6bB 

UK – https://amzn.to/3UUcZEf 

EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3RkI0y9 

PAUL JONES

I assumed that the 21 tracks on this vinyl double gatefold (Umbrella) were all covers, standard stuff and all that but no. The contents here are all Jones’ originals or they are co-written ditties plus interesting liners written by Jones. That includes Without You (not that one, the B-side to 5-4-3-2-1, which is also here), Noah Lewis Blues and Sonny Boy Williamson (with Jack Bruce) and the Dog Presides with Jeff Beck, Paul Samwell-Smith and Paul McCartney on drums!

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USA – https://amzn.to/3y4KlX4 

UK – https://amzn.to/3dYdZGD 

EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3RrXcJR 

TALK TALK

The 40th anniversary of the LP, The Party’s Over (Parlophone), would you believe? This synth-pop debut LP is sometimes accused of being an early Duran Duran rip off but I just don’t get that. The songs here are far more sophisticated and mature, even at this stage of the group’s career. I do hear a tonal pop similarity but you’re hearing an 80s thing there. Duran Duran, my bottom.

BUY HERE:

USA –https://amzn.to/3rqQCZf  

UK – https://amzn.to/3BUQrKN 

EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3fly6yK 

OKJOS

Mensa Rotunda (Odin; www.ojkos.no) features compositions by Andreas Rotevatn this LP is populated by 14 musicians, all freelance (the group name relates to a medieval knight was was just that, a freelancer) playing jazz, jazz fusion, jazz rock. It’s interesting stuff. There’s rhythm, there’s melody but there’s also avant constructions. Definitely worth a look if you like ya jazz.

BUY HERE:

https://ojkos.bandcamp.com/album/mensa-rotunda 

BENEDICTE MAURSETH

On the Hubro label (www.hubromusic.com) comes Hárr. This is a folk album with jazzy filigree but the meat here is folk and an homage to the wildlife and mountain people of Maurseth’s home area in Hardanger, in Norway. Maurseth uses a fiddle but there’s other organic accompaniment adding layers and it’s all rather atmospheric. Quite dark, in fact.

BUY HERE:

USA –https://amzn.to/3SsW5L5 

UK – https://amzn.to/3Ckr9qK 

EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3ChAZZx 

MIMAN

This new LP, 1000 Bitar (Motvind; https://miman.bandcamp.com/album/1000-bitar) features the trio of Egil Kalman, Hans P. Kjorstad and Andreas Hoem Røysum. As they guys themselves say, there’s an Art Ensemble of Chicago, Terry Riley thing going on here with improv, electronica, loops and some jazz experimental pathways.

BUY HERE:

https://miman.bandcamp.com/album/1000-bitar 

 THE CHEMISTRY SET

On Pink Felt Trip (thechemistryset.bandcamp.com/album/pink-felt-trip-plus-bonus-tracks), the band continues its neo-psychedelia direction The Chemistry Set helped pioneer in the mid 80s. This is group release, number 61. Oh yes. Offering mid-tempo rockers, this one certainly sends you back to the mid to late 60s when music really was, out of sight.

BUY HERE:

https://thechemistryset.bandcamp.com/album/pink-felt-trip-plus-bonus-tracks

LINNÉA TALP

Arch of Motion (https://linneatalp.bandcamp.com/album/arch-of-motion) comes from Linnéa Talp, a lady from Sweden who delves into sonic spaces, tones and drones, using a pipe organ and a modular synth. She’s in no rush with this one, it’s quite a meditative affair. Slowly examining each point of arrival before moving to the next stage.

BUY HERE:

https://linneatalp.bandcamp.com/album/arch-of-motion

MADNESS

Blimey the boys have been busy. Ne’er a month goes by, it seems, without a new reissue release and this one is no different with Mad Not Mad from 1985, their final studio album as a group, before their initial split. It’s heavy on the production but there remains some excellent work here – it’s an under appreciated album. Yesterday’s Men is a case in point.

BUY HERE:

USA – https://amzn.to/3SureOk 

UK – https://amzn.to/3SpQg0V 

EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3RFGU09 

THE BABYS

From Chrysalis, Anthology is a reissue of the original 1981 release. The band itself, a sort of British AOR entry into the  Journey or Foreigner territory but this lot never found the same sort of fame. The 10 tracks here include hits and album tracks and offers a great entry point into the band’s work.

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USA – https://amzn.to/3Eak25A 

UK – https://amzn.to/3SJjuaN 

EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3RrZpoD 

LONDON ODENSE ENSEMBLE

For the Jaiyede Sessions Volume 1 (El Paraiso; elparaisorecords.com), Tamar Osborn and Al MacSween from the London jazz scene team up with Danish psychedelic underground members: Jonas Munk, Jakob Skøtt and Martin Rude to offer a combined Miles Davis/krautrock combo. There’s something very early 70s about this one. Noodling vibes, long excursions down instrumental pathways, it’s a complex, head-nodding, almost prog-like outing.

BUY HERE:

USA – https://amzn.to/3E6J99B 

UK – https://amzn.to/3E7sbIa 

EUROPE – https://amzn.to/3USjCGP