Author Archives: birddog

https://djshadow.bandcamp.com/album/the-mountain-will-fall Genre: Hip hop Rating: 5/5 released on Bandcamp June 24, 2016 MLF went heavily underrated. I take it a little personally, tbh. People are taking him for granted. These are top tier hip hop hooks. Join the correction.

After Emerson took his own life with a 38 revolver people speculated why. His girlfriend blamed nerve damage in his hands that deteriorated his playing and fans reacting negatively online. ELP has always been the whipping boys for critics. Being the sort that tends to see a place for everything artistically I don’t respect theContinue reading “Five Years Since Keith Emerson’s Suicide”

Déjà Vu turns 51 today. Let me take a moment to express my gratitude. This was a statement the sixties were gone but the change was here to stay. From every bit of my life that was enjoyable because of the bites out of the cultural status quo taken by the long haired hippy freaksContinue reading “Déjà Vu”

Today is the 55th anniversary of the release of RDW#12&35. I first heard this on a greatest hits compilation I cherished as a kid. It came with a poster that always inspired my dad to exclaim, “Bobby Dylan!” Counter that with his reaction to my orange felt black light sensitive Jim Morrison poster, “This fuckingContinue reading “Rainy Day Women ♯12 & 35”

Genre: Free Jazz Rating: 5/5 Both Ware and Shipp are crucially important jazz masters. I rarely get sentimental about musicians passing away but I wish Ware, who died in 2012, could have heard all the fantastic free jazz over the last 8 years or so. About this record in particular, it’s a great chance toContinue reading “Live in Sant’Anna Arresi, 2004 by David S. Ware & Matthew Shipp”

https://boguscollective.bandcamp.com/album/mtv-takeover Genre: Plunderphonics Rating: 2/5 released on Bandcamp March 6, 2021 Plunderphonics is trickier business than it might seem at first. Now that novelty has worn off the artist really has to touch something to standout. The next song has to surprise you and make you feel like it was always unavoidable in a serendipitousContinue reading “MTV Takeover by Aggressive Human Heads”

https://boguscollective.bandcamp.com/album/plastic-garden Genre: Vaporwave Rating: 3/5 released on Bandcamp February 27, 2021 Old newspapers pizza boxes TV dinner refuse. If panpsychism is real this is how the music these objects create for Jaime Sommers sounds.

https://sicrecords.bandcamp.com/album/skyline-vapors Genre: PlayaWave Rating: 3/5 released on bandcamp March 2, 2021 SIC RECORDS which successfully builds on the legacy of the legendary hip hop genius DJ Screw continue to release high quality interesting music and this is no exception. A smooth blend of the leaned-out Houston vibe with the vapor of the twenties. Some vocalContinue reading “Skyline Vapors by Mackjunt.”

https://andrewlampert.bandcamp.com/album/lush-valley Genre: Experimental Rating: 4/5 released on Bandcamp February 26, 2021 Read this guy’s Bandcamp page and run a google search and you’ll find he’s some kind of Renaissance Man artist. I’d have my doubts about the authenticity of his web presence if it the proof wasn’t in the pudding on this record right here.Continue reading “Lush Valley by Andrew Lampert”

https://passepartoutduo.bandcamp.com/album/epigrams Genre: Contemporary Classical Rating: 4/5 released February on Bandcamp 26, 2021 The write up on the Bandcamp page is interesting. This is atonal piano/synthesizer music that stems from the traditions of Schoenberg and Cage. It’s short and not particularly aggressive. Solid measured music.

https://pnlrecords.bandcamp.com/album/new-dance Genre: Free Jazz Rating: 5/5 released on Bandcamp February 26, 2021 Free jazz is still the best and most important genre going and I’d like to be gushing praise on more releases but unlike the other genres I’m mostly focused on these folks actually expect to make a living playing music and in caseContinue reading “New Dance by Neumann/Gutvik/Håker Flaten/Nilssen-Love”

https://spark.bandcamp.com/album/agost Genre: Experimental Electronic Ambient Drone Rating: 4/5 released on Bandcamp December 11, 2015 If you’re reading this in 2021 and the release date is not from 2021 it’s something that has done a fine job of tickling my fancy. Some churches were quite progressive in the 1960’s. That was then and this is now.Continue reading “Agost by Edu Comelles”

https://highpriestofsaturn.bandcamp.com/album/son-of-earth-and-sky Genre: Stoner Rock Rating: 5/5 released on Bandcamp February 26, 2016 Ever since I fell in love with Acid King I’ve wondered why every stoner band doesn’t have a droney female vocalist. Well, Merethe Heggset is another. You may ask: 5/5 for an Acid King rip off and I will answer unapologetically that yesContinue reading “Son of Earth and Sky by High Priest of Saturn”

https://awvfts.bandcamp.com/album/invisible-cities Genre: Ambient Rating: 3/5 Released on Bandcamp February 26, 2021 I recommend reading the information on Bandcamp for some interesting background. Musically this is a solid ambient release by artists that enjoy more popularity than the many hobbyists that crowd the field. The thing is ambient music attracts a lot of talented creative peopleContinue reading “Invisible Cities by A Winged Victory for the Sullen”

https://aindulmedir.bandcamp.com/album/the-winter-scriptures Genre: Winter Synth Rating: 3/5 Bandcamp Release Date: February 11, 2021 Unlike a lot of drone and ambient that is at least a kissing cousin to this recording Swedish Aindulmedir dares to throw their hat in the ring with those willing to play melodic themes. Writing a decent melody is a rare skill andContinue reading “The Winter Scriptures by Aindulmedir”

https://kawabata-makoto.bandcamp.com/album/fugitive-from-pluto Genre: Avant Garde Drone Rating: 5/5 released on Bandcamp February 5, 2021 Kawabata Makoto is one of the greatest guitarists of our lifetime. Perhaps it has been a response to covid that he has been releasing A LOT of music. This Sunranian titled solo bowed guitar release is nothing less than a sound monster.

https://synphaera.bandcamp.com/album/manifolds Genre: Psybient Rating: 4/5 released on Bandcamp February 23, 2021 As far as I remember, this is the first taste I’ve had of this artist and I’ll be damned if it isn’t delicious. No bones are made about the Klaus Schulze inspiration and this has Timewind stamped all over it. Absolutely mesmerizing music. ThisContinue reading “Manifolds by Arjen Schat”

https://cryochamber.bandcamp.com/album/division-cycle released February 23, 2021 on bandcamp Genre: Dark Ambient Rating: 3/5 If you’re familiar with dark ambient you’re familiar with the cryochamber label. You get what you expect. At this point, these recordings are hardly revolutionary but they are consistently high quality. This album is no exception. Terrific sonic landscapes great for drowning outContinue reading “Division Cycle by Hilyard”

https://seikomart.bandcamp.com/album/w-i-n-d-o-w-a-v-e Genre: Vaporwave released on Bandcamp on February 22, 2021 Rating: 3/5 Even though this may be a fairly generic release for Seikomart it’s such a good label that even their standard fare is very worthwhile. Pop music that’s like your favorite t-shirt after a thousand wears and a thousand spins through the wash. MusicContinue reading “W I N D O W A V E 深い思考 by パラ D A I S U シ”

https://healingsoundpropagandist.bandcamp.com/album/meet-the-rising-sun-with-infinite-stillness Genre: Ambient Released on Feb. 24, 2021 on Bandcamp Rating: 3/5 Speaking for ambient music in general as well as this release which is a fine representative of the genre as it stands here in 2021: An album like this with song titles all of which honor nature is music that instrumentally represents theContinue reading “Meet the Rising Sun with Infinite Stillness by Blanket Swimming + Gallery Six”

https://youtu.be/tmp9cZP4F9o This album, called The Takeoff by hip hop artist Ball seems to have gotten lost in the insane google madness of the vague search terms. I don’t think it’s the Migos rapper Takeoff. Musically this falls somewhere between Tupac and Future. I’d be interested if anyone has any further information.