Favorite Music :: 2024
Some singles, some EPs and some full-length albums.
These have been 50 of my favorite releases of 2024. Selections are in alphabetical order because you can’t rank music.
Can’t wait to hear your thoughts.
2024 Favorite Music (So Far)
Here are my favorite 20 releases of 2024 so far.
Ghosted II by Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin
Live in Paris 1973 by Can
Lives Outgrown by Beth Gibbons
the Collective by Kim Gordon
Blu Wav by Grandaddy
the Handover by the Handover
Bright Future by Adrianne Lenker
Drop 7 by Little Simz
Two Improvisations by Joshua Massad & Dylan Aycock
Locust Land by Bill MacKay
Funeral For Justice by Mdou Moctar
the Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis by The Messthetics
David Nance & Mowed Sound by David Nance
Bite Down by Rosali
Water Still Flows by Rich Ruth
Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace by Shabaka
Exotic Birds of Prey by Shabazz Palaces
Time Is Glass by Six Organs of Admittance
Africa Yontii by Tidiane Thiam
Tiger’s Blood by Waxahatchee
Sons of Kemet :: Live From The Basement
Many thanks to Harvey G. Cohen for pointing out this fantastic live set on Twitter. Harvey says:
“Earlier this year, Sons of Kemet, quite possibly the best band in jazz today, announced they are disbanding by the end of the year. Terrible news. But here is a newly filmed concert of theirs, live in London. Awesome. And not just because they have a tuba:”
Setlist:
Pick Up Your Burning Cross
Think Of Home
In Remembrance Of Those Fallen
Throughout The Madness, Stay Strong
Soundtrack to the Collective Meltdown (2021) :: A Holiday At The Sea (MEGA) Playlist
The next time you’ve got nearly 5 hours to kill, I’ve got the mix for you! These are not necessarily my “favorite songs of 2021.” Instead, these are choice cuts; one representative track from each of my favorite 50 albums of the year. Regardless of length.
Get ready for a ride.
Tracklist:
Pray for Peace by Ustad Saami from East Pakistan Sky
Recessinater by Birds of Maya from Valdez
The People vs. the Rest of Us by Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble from NOW
Bell Song by 75 Dollar Bill featuring Barry Weisblat from Social Music at Troost Vol. 1
Ya Rossoul by Khaira Arby from Khaira Arby In New York (Live In 2010)
Movement by Bell Orchestre from House Music
Broken Mirror (A Selfie Reflection)/Composition 9 by Matthew E. White and Lonnie Holley from Broken Mirror: A Selfie Reflection
Riddim Rek Sa Niouy Mom by Wau Wau Collectif from Yaral Sa Doom
All That They Left You by Six Organs of Admittance from The Veiled Sea
Days Like These by Low from Hey What
VBS by Lucy Dacus from Home Video
Brothers by Phil Cook from All These Years
Dark In Here by the Mountain Goats from Dark In Here
Djougoh by Nahawa Doumbia from Kanawa
The Call by Madlib from Sound Ancestors
Beat Up Born Where I Come From by Ghost of Vroom from Ghost of Vroom 1
Dovetail by Girls in Airports from Leap
descension (Out of Our Constrictions) III by Natural Information Society and Evan Parker from descension (Out of Our Constrictions)
Beowulf’s Trip by Jeffrey Alexander and the Heavy Lidders from Jeffrey Alexander and the Heavy Lidders
World is Turning by Rose City Band from Earth Trip
Disposable Thumbs by Endless Boogie from Admonitions
Staggering With a Lantern by Mountain Movers from World What World
Albuquerque by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis from CARNAGE
OUR SIDE HAS TO WIN (for D.H.) by Godspeed You! Black Emperor from G_d's Pee At States End!
Juvenescence by Yasmin Williams from Urban Driftwood
Invisible Map by Derek Piotr from Making and Then Unmaking
You Can Regret What You Have Done by Matt Sweeney and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy from Superwolves
This Old World by Billy Strings from Renewal
Kelp Highway by Drew Gardner from Drew Gardner
Jnoun ! by Bachar Mar-Khalifé from Ghost Songs
In Remembrance Of Those Fallen by Sons of Kemet from Black To The Future
Bertha The Cool by Marc Ribot’s Ceramic Dog from Hope
Give Me Back My Loving by Leo Nocentelli from Another Side
Don’t Let The Tears by Howlin’ Rain from The Dharma Wheel
Tree of Tule by Daniel Lanois from Heavy Sun
Way To Cairo by Native Soul from Teenage Dreams
Ethiopian Sunshower by Adrian Younge And Ali Shaheed Muhammad from Brian Jackson JID008
Zengadyw Derekou by Hailu Mergia from Tezeta
Ya Habibti by Mdou Moctar from Afrique Victime
Tropicale Moon by Mouth Painter from Tropicale Moon
Natural Facts by Wet Tuna from Eu’d To A Fake Boogie Volume 4
Shrinks the Day by Ryley Walker and Kikagaku Moyo from Deep Fried Grandeur
Musungu Elongo Paints His Face White to Scare Small Children by Kasai Allstars from Black Ants Always Fly Together, One Bangle Makes No Sound
Trap Life by Sault from Nine
Désert by Dobe Gnahoré from Couleur
Part 1 by Elkhorn from The Golden Lag
If It Comes In The Morning by Hiss Golden Messenger from Quietly Blowing It
Morning River by Steve Gunn from Other You
Shiva With Dustpan by Ryley Walker from Course In Fable
Cortez the Killer (live) by Neil Young and Crazy Horse from Way Down In The Rust Bucket
Browse my favorite albums of the year
Browse my “2021 Yearly Wrap-it-Up” which is really a ramble about seeing Phish
Browse my favorite books of 2021
Browse my favorite movies of 2021
Browse my favorite television of 2021
Listen to a nearly 5-hour very low quality mix of one song from each of my favorite albums of 2021 called “Soundtrack to the Collective Meltdown”
Sons of Kemet Live at Big Ears Festival (2019)
“This concert was recorded at The Mill & Mine on March 24, 2019, as part of the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tenn.”
Setlist:
"My Queen is Ada Eastman"
"My Queen is Angela Davis"
"The Itis"
"Breadfruit"
"Mo' Wiser"
"My Queen is Harriet Tubman"
"My Queen is Mamie Phipps Clark"
"Inner Babylon"
"My Queen is Berta Cáceres"
"My Queen is Albertina Sisulu"
"Afrofuturism"
Players:
Shabaka Hutchings (saxophone)
Theon Cross (tuba)
Tom Skinner (drums)
Eddie Hicks (drums)
Shabaka and The Ancestors :: Live at the NTS Live at Jazz Cafe (2017)
Shabaka and The Ancestors :: Live at the NTS Live at Jazz Cafe (2017). Sorry, I don’t know much else about this show. The Youtube page doesn’t include any further information or setlist.
Oh well.
Enjoy.
2020 Year-End Music Round-Up Wrap-Up Extravaganza
No one could have predicted a year like 2020. The live music industry is on life support. Bandcamp came through just about better than anyone else to support music. And there was a ton of great music released this year.
Per the norm, I do not rank albums. Music is not a competition and my taste is not your taste. So, after lots of thought and list-shuffling and winnowing, these are the 75 albums that really stood out for me. My original list was quite a bit longer (and you can always keep up in real-time by following the Yearly Bookkeeping page), so I can tell you that this list provides a great overview of my music listening for this crazy year.
Here are my favorite 75 albums of 2020.
The Visual List:
The Alphabet List:
Live at Tubby's by 75 Dollar Bill Little Big Band
Shaman! by Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids
Time is A Gift Which We Share All The Time by Afriquoi
Rejoice by Tony Allen and Hugh Masekela
Live by Angel Bat Dawid & Tha Brothahood
Fu Chronicles by Antibalas
Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple
Roy Ayers JID002 by Roy Ayers, Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad
Ex-Voto by Jamie Barnes
Please Advise by Beauty Pill
Crash Test Kid by Sammy Brue
Long In The Tooth by the Budos Band
Regresa by Buscabulla
Shadow Talk by Café Racer
Echo Mine by Califone
Gold Record by Bill Callahan
Have We Met by Destroyer
I Just Wasn't Made For These Set Times by Dire Wolves (Just Exactly Perfect Sisters Band)
Rough and Rowdy Ways by Bob Dylan
Afternoon Tea at Six by Eishan Ensemble
Acoustic Storm Sessions by Elkhorn
Kahil El’Zabar’s Spirit Groove by Kahil El'Zabar & David Murray
Wake Up! by Hazel English
Shore by Fleet Foxes
A Hero’s Death by Fontaines D.C.
Peoples Motel Band by Chris Forsyth and Garcia Peoples
SOURCE by Nubya Garcia
Nightcap at Wits' End by Garcia Peoples
Big Dark Bright Futures by Growing Concerns Poetry Collective
Women In Music Pt. III by Haim
Infinity Of Now by the Heliocentrics
National Freedom by Lonnie Holley
Muerto, Carcel o Rocanroll by Huntingtons
Beginners by Christian Lee Hutson
Reuinions by Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit
Babani Koné by Babani Koné
Mutation by Les Freres Smith
2020 by Magik Markers
Eno Axis by H.C. McEntire
Joshua Massad & Dylan Aycock by Joshua Massad & Dylan Aycock
Microphones in 2020 by the Microphones
Circles by Mac Miller
Dimensional Stardust by Rob Mazurek/Exploding Star Orchestra
Annual by Modern Nature
Getting Into Knives by the Mountain Goats
Staunch Honey by David Nance
Three by the Necks
Rob Noyes & Sam Moss by Rob Noyes & Sam Moss
We No Be Machine by Onipa
Jams From The Sun by Oregon Space Trail of Jazz
High Upon The Mountain by Pacific Range
Suite For Max Brown by Jeff Parker
Summerlong by Rose City Band
RTJ4 by Run The Jewels
Landwerk demos by Nathan Salsburg
Acoustic by Oumou Sangaré
Untitled (Black Is) by Sault
We Are Sent Here By History by Shabaka and the Ancestors
The Don of Diamond Dreams by Shabazz Palaces
Ocean Bridges by Archie Shepp, Raw Poetic & Damu the Fudgemunk
Companion Rises by Six Organs of Admittance
Shall We Go On Sinning So That Grace May Increase? by The Soft Pink Truth
Optimisme by Songhoy Blues
Swirling by Sun Ra Arkestra
Oh Yeah? by Sunwatchers
Wooden Flower by Tambourinen
Folklore by Taylor Swift
Nomad by Tengger
Sun Racket by Throwing Muses
Siftorde by Tidiane Thiam
New Vanitas by William Tyler
The Great Mountain by Waterless Hills
Eau’d To A Fake Bookie Volume 3 by Wet Tuna
Strange to Explain by Woods
Homegrown by Neil Young
Holiday At The Sea's Favorite 2020 Music Mix (Volume 04)
Volume 04 of some of Holiday at the Sea’s favorite 2020 music. I chose 75 albums this year and the playlists total 74 songs since “Microphones in 2020 by the Microphones” is 45 minutes long and I didn’t want to include the whole album as part of a mix.
Anyways, enjoy!
Tracklisting:
“Solace” by Adrian Younge And Ali Shaheed Muhammad
“Theme For Cecil” by Idris Ackamoor and The Pyramids
“Venom” by The Heliocentrics
“Slow Bones” by Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela
“Eurasia” by Tengger
“Galaxy 1000” by Rob Mazurek and the Exploding Star Orchestra
“Two” by Joshua Massad & Dylan Aycock
“The Message Continues” by Nubya Garcia
“Makoma” by Onipa
“Ju$t” by Run The Jewels
“The Coming Of The Strange Ones” by Shabaka and the Ancestors
“Wet” by Shabazz Palaces
“No Talk Talk” by Les Freres Smith
“Strange To Explain” by Woods
“Go Away” by Jeff Parker
“Pray Up Stay Up” by Sault
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Half-Year Half-List? 20 Fantastic Albums of 2020
20 isn’t half of 2020, but here are 20 fantastic albums of 2020:
In Alphabetical Order:
Rejoice by Tony Allen + Hugh Masekela
Fetch The Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple
Rough and Rowdy Ways by Bob Dylan
Joshua Massad & Dylan Aycock by Joshua Massad & Dylan Aycock
Circles by Mac Miller
Annual by Modern Nature
Snapshot Of A Beginner by Nap Eyes
Three by The Necks
Jams From The Sun by Oregon Space Trail of Jazz
Suite For Max Brown by Jeff Parker
Summerlong by Rose City Band
RTJ4 by Run The Jewels
Acoustic by Oumou Sangaré
We Are Sent Here By History by Shabaka & The Ancestors
Ocean Bridges by Archie Shepp, Raw Poetic & Damu the Fudgemunk
Companion Rises by Six Organs Of Admittance
Oh Yeah? by Sunwatchers
Tamotait by Tamikrest
The Great Mountain by Waterless Hills
Strange To Explain by Woods
What am I missing?
What’s been some of your favorite music of the year?
The Comet Is Coming: Tiny Desk
Since you, dear friends, trust my musical explorations, I know you remember my recent post about Shabaka and the Ancestors: Soul Jazz For The End of Days.
Between Shabaka and the Ancestors, Sons of Kemet, and The Comet is Coming, I dig the musical universe of Shabaka Hutchings in a way I have dug a musical universe in quite a while. While Shabaka and the Ancestors scratch my soul/spiritual-groove-roots-jazz itch, The Comet Is Comet channels my Quarantine angst with electronics, pulsating beats and skreeking skronks and some of the most evocative playing I’ve heard in a while.
The group’s Facebook page says:
“The Comet is Coming to destroy illusions. It will manifest new realities, perceptions, levels of awareness and abilities to coexist. It is a musical expression forged in the deep mystery. It is the overcoming of fear, the embracing of chaos, the peripheral sight that we might summon the fire.
Through the transcendent experience of music we reconnect with the energy of the Lifeforce in hope of manifesting higher realities in new constructs. Because the end is only really the beginning.”
Late last year, the group recorded an NPR Tiny Desk Concert, performing tracks from Trust in the Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery.
Setlist:
"Super Zodiac"
"Summon The Fire"
"Blood Of The Past"
Musicians:
King Shabaka: saxophone;
Danalogue: synthesizer;
Betamax: drums
Visit the official Shabaka Hutchings website.
Visit the official website for The Comet Is Coming.
Follow The Comet Is Coming at Facebook.
Visit The Comet Is Coming’s Bandcamp page.
Purchase The Comet Is Coming’s Music at Amazon.
Visit Shabaka and the Ancestors’ Bandcamp page.
Follow Shabaka and the Ancestors at Facebook.
Shabaka and the Ancestors (Cosmic Soul Jazz For The End Of Days)
Bandleader Shabaka Hutchings has made a name for himself as an adventurous player in the adventurous London jazz scene. Perhaps most well known for his role in Sons of Kemet, or The Comet Is Coming, Hutchings recently released his sophomore release with Shabaka and the Ancestors, We Are Sent Here By History.
While Hutchings is the constant between the three projects, each has its own unique personality. Shabaka and the Ancestors finds Hutchings collaborating with a group of South African artists. The album’s page at Impulse Records says:
“We Are Sent Here by History’ is a meditation on the fact of our coming extinction as a species. It is a reflection from the ruins, from the burning. a questioning of the steps to be taken in preparation for our transition individually and societally if the end is to be seen as anything but a tragic defeat. For those lives lost and cultures dismantled by centuries of western expansionism, capitalist thought and white supremist structural hegemony the end days have long been heralded as present with this world experienced as an embodiment of a living purgatory.”
The album is out now on Impulse! Records.
Watch the band live at North Sea Jazz 2017: