Weekend Music Roundup

The end of the working week has arrived and with it comes my weekly blathering about music I've been listening to during the week. This was another week that mixed old with new as I try to clean through a backlog of music that has been awaiting my ears. There were some real surprises this week, some good ones, some surprisingly disappointing. Either way, all music is enjoyable in some way and I know that many people will have an opposite reaction. So give it try and see what you think. Enjoy.

Jerusalem - Jerusalem: Released in 1972, this was the only album that the heavy UK band would release before breaking up, only to reform a decade ago. This album, and band, was one that was getting attention and could've been huge. This falls somewhere between Jethro Tull and Deep Purple, with fantastic heavy riffs. In fact, it was produced by Deep Purple's Ian Gillian. "Hooded Eagle," "Frustration," and "Murder's Lament" are standouts on an exceptional record. 

Black Sabbath - The End: This EP contains four unreleased tracks recorded during the 13 sessions, and while they are straight forward Sabbath songs, it's not hard to see why they were left out of the final track list. Not embarrassing, just nothing terribly special. It also includes a few live tracks from the recent tour. Worth checking out for fans.

Nacho Picasso - Blunt Raps II: Released last summer, this is the Seattle rapper's latest mixtape, a follow up to one done a few years ago. Over the past few years, Nacho has become my favorite rapper. His flow is like no other, and he always comes out with some lines that make me smile. This is classic Nacho, some of his best work and highly recommended.

Tales of Murder and Dust - The Flow in Between: The newest release by the Danish psych band is their second album. This falls somewhere between drone and shoegaze in it's style, meaning that it is an expansive soundscape with minimal changes in tempo. It's been a few months since I've picked an album like this to listen to and it was kind of refreshing. There is always the issue of boredom when it comes to this genre, but I didn't feel that with this record. It was nice summer drive time album, just zoning out and watching the cars pass by.

Ike & Tina Turner - Hits & Classics The Archive Series Volumes 1 & 2: I'd been meaning to check out some Ike and Tina for awhile and finally checked this out. This set includes a lot of covers, including some great Beatles covers. To be honest, I was expecting this to be better. I had high hopes, but in the end, it was just okay.

American Folk Singers and Balladeers Vanguard Recordings: A few years back, I bought this four album box set a few years back in Washington state for $1. I've always been a fan of Vanguard folk recordings and this is great collection of lesser known folk artists from the label. The Odetta and Rooftop Singers sides are exceptional.