Five Songs, 4/17/2021

James Plotkin, “Caught In Your Orbit”

Well, I don’t remember getting this one. It’s from 2002, old enough that I don’t think it was from a grab bag or anything. It does sound like the kind of thing that might have caught my attention, some kind of strange combination of grindcore and drum’n’bass. At any rate, this is pretty interesting, might put on the rest of this album after I’m done with this entry.

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Five Songs, 10/30/2020

Modest Mouse, “3rd Planet”

The opening of The Moon & Antarctica, “3rd Planet” sets the expectation that Modest Mouse had moved beyond the sound of The Lonesome Crowded West to a little bit more of a melodic place. While this is still unmistakably the same band, it’s a cleaner, more mature sound. It suits them very well, and the album fulfills the promise of this first song.

Phil Ranelin, “Vibes From The Tribe”

Another cut from Soul of a Nation, this falls squarely into music I’m not qualified to talk about. But goddamn, just listen to that!

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Five Songs, 9/29/2020

Philip Cochran and the Artistic Heritage Ensemble, “Malcolm X”

This is from a compilation called Soul of a Nation: Afro-Centric Visions in the Age of Black Power - Underground Jazz, Street Funk & the Roots of Rap 1968-79, and, well…it’s pretty much that. I’m afraid I’m extra unqualified to talk about this album, but it’s outstanding.

They Might Be Giants, “Nanobots”

I always like it when TMBG build a chorus out of two distinct vocals lines like this. And the arrangement is lovely on this song, the horns adding a richness that really helps it stand out. Nanobots has too many only OK tunes for to be top-tier, but it’s still a good album. I’m going to create an album ranking for them one of these days. Multiple albums have been released since I started doing this!

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