Ulthar

Wilco, “Bright Leaves”

Wilco returned from hiatus for 2019’s Ode to Joy, although their hiatus only lasted three years, which is like a normal inter-album pause for many bands. Anyway, the album kind of feels like it’s looped back to The Whole Love in terms of the song construction - setting aside the (relative) noise of Star Wars and the sort of confessional feel of Schmilco (this track notwithstanding). Is it good? Well, I think it’s good, but maybe not great. It’s not an essential Wilco record, but I like it just fine.

Ulthar, “Undying Spear”

Ulthar are a blackened death metal band from Oakland who have two records out so far. They’re apparently Lovecraftian, but I’d have to read their lyrics to hear that. I’m never really sure how I feel about blackened death (in this case, it’s mostly the vocals that are blackened more than anything), I think I generally prefer the two styles separate.

The Midnight Hour, “Gate 54”

The Midnight Hour is Adrian Younge (who had scored a bunch of things and has also worked with a bunch of folks, we’ve seen his work with Ghostface Killah on here) and Ali Shaheed Muhammad (from A Tribe Called Quest), putting together a jazz/hip-hop hybrid. As you’d expect from that pedigree, it’s outstanding stuff. Younge and Muhammad both are multi-instrumentalists, and combined with their immense compositional talents, you’ve got amazing stuff.

Ulthar, “Through Downward Dynasties”

Periodically, I kind of take a step back and really try and focus on some of the stuff I listen to, and this is utterly ridiculous. Why do I like any death metal? This is bonkers!

The Beautiful South, “You Keep It All In”

The first Beautiful South record is the peak that the band hasn’t ever really approached since. The later records were certainly pleasant enough, and it’s all nice to listen to, but there’s enough of an edge to the songwriting on the first record that it stands out from the rest. That mix of sweet and sour is an important dynamic, and they manage it at times later on, but never as consistently.

Another month in the books here! NOT BAD.

Boss Hog, “Winn Coma”

Straight-ahead rock from the most straight-ahead record Boss Hog made.

Krallice, “Inhume”

The third Krallice album, Diotima, was the last they did with Profound Lore before striking out on their own. It contains the usual elaborate black metal craziness, and while it’s good, it’s maybe the Krallice album that sticks with me the least.

Ulthar, “Undying Spear”

Shuffle is in a metal mood these last couple days. This is from the 2020 album Providence, and if you were wondering what black metal vs. death metal was like, these two tracks might help. The pounding riffs here are very death metal, as opposed to the tremelo picking madness of the Krallice song. The vocals here are kind of black metal, though.