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Two two twenty two. Neat date!

Guided by Voices, “Hot Freaks”

Bee Thousand, the Guided By Voices breakthrough record, isn’t really notably different from their previous records. It’s as ramshackle and distracted as their previous albums, with the same penchant for memorable melodies floating in as frequently as they stagger out. Just as soon as a tune gets going properly, it’s on to the next. The hit rate on this album is higher than the previous records, so it’s probably the apotheosis of their early approach. After this, they’d slowly start getting more professional, so if you want the raw shit, this is your starting point, and then you can work backwards as far as you can stand.

Deltron 3030, “Virus”

Hmm, gotta say this song hits a little different than it used to.

Cinerama, “Maniac”

Yet another live-in-studio thing! Two yesterday, another today. This is from John Peel Sessions, the progenitor of all these projects. Well, not this particular one, the John Peel sessions in general. John Peel loved David Gedge, so Cinerama did a bunch of these things (as did the Wedding Present). This session actually preceeds the release of Va Va Voom, and this song would end up as their debut album opener. If you’re a huge Cinerama fan, it’s fun to hear things in an earlier form.

Oneida, “Every Day is a Child With Teeth”

This is from the split EP that Oneida made with Liars, Athiests, Reconsider, where both bands contributed two originals and a cover of the other band. Both bands are pretty restless in their styles, and true to form, the EP covers quite a bit of territory. It’s not a bad introduction to both bands, honestly, although it frankly won’t really tell you that much about how each band typically sounds. But it’ll give you a sense for if you like the general approach of both.

Foetus, “Ramrod”

This track was originally the A-side of a single, and it was later pulled onto the compilation Sink. It’s a fantastic example of the mid to late 80s stuff that Foetus was up to, this kind of noir-inflected, orchestrated industrial noise stuff. There’s something familiar about this song, with gestures towards obsolete but recognizable types of music. But it’s all arranged in disquieting ways, like a musical Frankenstein’s monster, all bolts and dead flesh arranged in a groteque parody of life.

Curtis Mayfield, “Move on Up”

Curtis Mayfield was the leader of the Impressions, but when he went solo, he found another gear. This is the centerpiece of his first solo record, and it’s just incredible stuff. The urgency of the percussion, the punchy horns, just everything about this is a joy. This entire record is one of the greatest soul records ever made, and it along with Mayfield’s other early 70s records set a benchmark for other soul artists to try for.

Danny Brown, “Greatest Rapper Ever”

I love the hubris in naming the first track on your debut album “Greatest Rapper Ever”. It’s a little like the now forgotten Cinder Block naming their first LP Greatest Hits, something I think about a lot even though I’m probably the only person who ever thinks about Cinder Block. Including, likely, the members.

I’m sure other bands have done the same bit, but that one sticks with me.

Freddie Gibbs, “Careless”

Freddie Gibbs came off the triumphant Piñata, an album-length collaboration with Madlib, riding high. For his follow-up, Shadow of a Doubt, he worked with a variety of producers, and while the production is solid, it’s really all about Gibbs and his rhymes. I’m not the first to say it, but Gibbs comes across kind of like 2Pac, only with much more variation in his flow. I think this album really kind of demonstrate it, as there is so much focus on his delivery. While I think his work with Madlib is his best work, this is a very good record.

Gas Huffer, “Crooked Bird”

As Gas Huffer moved into the middle of their run, they added a little touch of sruf. A little more reverb takes us in a slightly different direction on their garage rock. Still very recognizable as Gas Huffer, mind you, but they didn’t just keep re-making Janitors of Tomorrow either.

Jr. Walker & the All-Stars, “Shotgun”

Goddam, listen to that recording. The compression on everything just adds so much to the urgency of the track. It’s so sweaty!

Buildings, “Smell the Pool”

I really kind of tend to think of noise rock as mostly a 90s thing, with it kind of falling out of fashion after that point. But, of course, it’s alive and well, and bands like yesterday’s Pile and today’s Buildings are showing that there’s plenty of excellent stuff being made. I miss you, Amphetamine Reptile, but there are plenty of bands keeping the sound alive.

Krallice with Dave Edwardson, “Rank Mankind”

For their seventh album, Krallice brough in Dave Edwardson (Neurosis) to change things up. It’s still very much a Krallice record, with all the dizzying ideas that entails, so Edwardson mostly just kind of inflects the proceedings some. He gives the vocals a certain visceral grounding that gives this all a little bit more of a gutteral feel, as opposed to the sometimes purely cerebral feel of Krallice. The band is incredible as always, and this album rips.