Weekend Music Roundup!

It's the weekend which can only mean it's time for ramblings about music, because honestly, what else is a weekend for. This week I take a look at some releases from last year that I just got around to hearing, as well as some recent old time finds. There's a wide range of music on here, from psychedelic rock, to hip hop, jazz, folk and indie pop. There's something here for everyone, so hopefully you'll find something new to listen to. Enjoy.

Pink Fairies - Never Never Land: This 1971 debut from the psychedelic rock band is an album that has eluded me for twenty five years. It was never available on CD in the early 90s when I first tried to track it down and I hadn't come across it on vinyl in the wild before recently. Of course, I snatched it up. This is one of the first heavy psych albums. The band, led by Twink, were contemporaries of Pink Floyd and Hawkwind and were cut from the same mold. It opens with the iconic proto-punk "Do It" and leads into the Floydian "Heavenly Man" and right away you know you're hearing something special. Other standout tracks on this masterpiece are "Thor" and the epic "Uncle Harry's Last Freakout." 

Wizard Must Die - In the Land of the Dead Turtles: The debut album from the French stoner rock band has an Alice in Chains meets Helmet mixed with noise rock feel that I really dig.  There isn't a ton of range in this genre, so when I hear something that sounds refreshing, I take notice. This is one of those albums. "From the Blood to the Sea," "Umibe no Kafuka," and "Odyssey" are standouts. Definitely worth checking out and a band worth watching.

The Essex Green - Hardly Electronic: The Elephant Six band released three great albums in the late '90s and early '00s before morphing into The Sixth Great Lake. They went quite about 15 years ago, until this album appeared over the summer, without me even knowing. I came across it in the store and was shocked. Like their earliest albums, this is an indie pop record with 60's psych garage influences. They've always been a bit of an American Belle and Sebastian and this record is no different. "Don't Leave It In Our Hands," "Sloane Ranger," "Modern Rain," and "Bristol Sky" are personal favorites of mine. 

Erroll Garner - Afternoon of an Elf: This 1955 album is one of the classic swing / bop jazz records that is not quite as well known as some of the bigger figures of jazz, but no less fantastic. These are all solos, but at times is sounds like a whole orchestra. More amazing, these sessions were recorded while he had the index finger of his left hand in a splint...so yeah, nine finger jazz piano. Legendary stuff. "Don't Be That Way," "St. James Infirmary," and "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby" are my personal favorites.

MIKE - War in my Pen: Released late in December, this is the newest mixtape release from Bronx native. Over the past few years, he's been making a lot of noise and getting some attention, so I figured it was about time to check out his work. He has the kind of lethargic flow that has been gaining popularity recently, but what really makes this standout is the amazing beats. They bring the tempo up, masking his words with an eerie allure. Very worthwhile.

Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou - Fair Lady London: Originally recording under the name Indigo Moss, this duo was on the forefront of the British folk revival last decade. With the fourth album under their names, they continue to draw on traditional British folk to create beautiful music. One of the problems most folk artists have is the difficulty in sounding at all different from what they (or others) have previously done, and they are no different. "When Spring Calls," "Minds on the Run," and "Johnny the Lightning" are standouts.