My personal recommendation for a starter Charles Mingus album that distills his style into an approachable yet non-compromised package. So Long Eric is a warm sendoff filled with eclectic twists and turns, funneled through the ever so dynamic post-bop style of Mingus. I've always seen Mingus as someone who has the mind of a classical composer, but the instincts of an avant-garde artist; an idea that is full encapsulated in the final piece Praying With Eric.

Described by Mingus as a ... read more

A colorful equilibrium is reached in Archie’s set that is difficult to articulate with specificity. The dynamic interplay has a wild pulse (both in terms of speed or irregularity) matched up with lush textures (reminds me how much a vibraphone can offer in the right context.) Resulting in something you can sink yourself into with enough suspense to keep you on your toes, but not to the point of feeling uneasy while listening. A fascinating combination I’ve yet to encounter anywhere ... read more

Tyner is a marvel & the inspiration he picked up from surrounding himself with Coltrane for so long is so evident. Finding his own singular path to the infinite; in a manner that takes those divides between tension/release - light/dark and blurs the lines completely. Showcasing the infinite possibilities for melody & harshness equally on both spectrums. What remains is unbridled energy & it's a powerful warm glow across every moment of this LP. Alphonze Mouzon is the ideal ... read more

Oddly the thinnest production I've ever heard from Coltrane, and it doesn't totally neuter the music. The fact that is seen as the first step into Coltrane's avant-garde phase is baffling considering how odd this record is in general and in the context of his career. Much more subtle and ambiguous, yet it still manages to be over the top. I can't lie and say I wasn't compelled by the stark contrast in approach to his blend of spiritual free jazz here; I've never ... read more

I've been putting this off for about a year now. Meditations is easily my favorite album of all time as things currently stand & my favorite work by John Coltrane. It's a perfect record for all the reasons that this album could never be. First Meditation's is the product of an alternative reality where Ascension never happened, and Coltrane hadn't shoved himself off his own proverbial cliff and into new artistic territory. This may have been recorded first, but ... read more

Coltrane's ready to push beyond the confines of hard bop and modal jazz but still playing within the lines here that sits between a little too restrained to become great and some unyieldingly captivating material.
"Nature Boy" is an exceptionally strange cut in a way I highly appreciate though; Coltrane's sheets of sound run through tension & release in as great of a way as you can imagine but it's the degree of sparseness and dissonant atmosphere that throws me ... read more

La Dispute are back and in better form than ever!

A stream of consciousness laid awash in broken dreams; pushing forward is all we can and must do, but the prospects are low and the madness granted in a matured self awareness breaks the bend.

Now coming together for a concept so fitting for a dry & rustic style (especially in the acoustic sections!) Making the anger feel less volatile & panicked akin to WIldlife; more calloused & fatalistic. Making for what is hands down my ... read more

"There is never any end. There are always new sounds to imagine; new feelings to get at. And always, there is the need to keep purifying these feelings and sounds so that we can really see what we've discovered in its pure state. So that we can see more and more clearly what we are. In that way, we can give to those who listen the essence, the best of what we are. But to do that at each stage, we have to keep on cleaning the mirror."

Perfectly circular; the energy of an ... read more

A step into the avant-garde yet stands in total harmony with his complex modal music. While I always prefer my Coltrane fully wrapped in his spiritual/free jazz work. The combination here is pretty immaculate especially with Dolphy laying down some real idiosyncratic yet touching stuff and while India & Impressions are juggernaut tracks that speak with concise indulgence. After The Rain is perhaps my all time favorite Coltrane ballad with the shimmering ambience over the cymbals, Tyner ... read more

Not as mind blowing or in depth as its spiritual precursor, but I get the feeling that this is seen as one of the hallmarks for NIN's generic period & for a record that manages to fully immerse itself into a totally new sound that allows the band to channel their stylistic sensibilities through a world where texture becomes the guiding principle and doesn't share space with the traits of rock music that Reznor held way to close to himself during the making of "With ... read more

Better than I expected!

Scott Walker's pop background really comes through given how direct the experimentation is here, I guess you can never really abandon your roots and the music that made you. Blunt is a word for it, but that's not to imply a lack of nuance. Walker uses a variety of juxtaposed textures to highlight emotional complexity, trading silent dread with maximal terror. Both the music and the lyrics offer the atmosphere a flexibility that serves to heighten an unsettling feeling where you never ... read more

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Through his music John Coltrane sought to capture a sense of universal transcendence.
A deeply resonate & uniting sense of the sublime where spirit & emotion were inseparable; to be in awe of & to embody something greater than the self through music means you must form a connection so closely rooted inside of oneself, the duality is key to this manifestation, emerging from an unknown but deeply familiar place. A feat he accomplished ... read more

Okay I'll take the hit for assuming this wouldn't be my thing and not looking into it whatsoever, cause damn this is some really great stuff. I think there's room to improve in the songwriting department to make these songs feel a little less typical. But it's overall a small gripe when they are all very well performed & enhanced by a smokey, luscious atmosphere and Ethel's voice which is just so damn emotionally gripping. Top to bottom this is an incredible blend ... read more

This is exactly what I needed right now holy shit…

A perfect rock/post punk sound. Articulates just about everything I could ever ask for from an album that roots themselves into a tried and true style of music. The combination of influence's makes this soar in capturing "the moody rock album." The production and mixing is perfect, the vocals/lyrics are cryptic and at other times cut deep; Paul Banks is perfect for this album and this sound. The compositions are all ... read more

I’m so glad I spent more time exploring the world of jazz before coming back to this one. Among many reasons, I had no idea Eric Dolphy was featured on here and so immediately recognizing him was a tasteful surprise! Hearing these two trade solos across a multitude of instruments was such a welcome touch that I totally forgot about and really helped
breathe excitement into the air; in what is an exquisite record from a still young and hungry John Coltrane. Aisha is a touching ballad that ... read more

Back on my Coltrane shit annnnnnnd this is solid!

Nothing to write home about but even so, “Central Park West” is a tightly composed ballad that works really well, the interplay between Trane & Tyner is swift & captivating in the moment. “Liberia” is a swift & danceable cut that takes a lot from hard bop cliches, but jones has some fun chops & Steve Davis’s riding bass line really sinks in here, but it’s really Coltrane’s ability to ... read more

Holy shit I was so wrong...this is fucking incredible!

Few albums can claim to have texture's this vividly luscious, serene and warm. Between the enveloping texture's & Sade's voice achieving a level of intimacy that few artists could ever hope to achieve, this thing was set up to be among the best pop record's I've ever listened to! Unfortunately, these songs outstay their welcome. Which is a shame given how enjoyable most of this album is! The core ideas are all quite good, they just run themselves dry more often than ... read more

And so I start this year's genre deep dive, last year it was jazz and now we're finally tackling pop.

Not much of a rational for this being the first album in this series aside from curiosity with city pop. A style that most of the time feels like cheesy passerby music and although this album doesn't throw up any pretensions about itself it really makes this grandiose sound work...Everything sounds huge, sentimental, and fun above all else. but with enough space underneath each ... read more