48 or so ’20 short album reviews

Matt Berninger – Serpentine Prison: This guy should be nationally famous, National treasure, alla that.
5/5 olives

Tom Petty – Wildflowers & All The Rest (2 CD):Always a reference,sounds amazingly better, and the 2nd disc is a treasure.
5/5 olives

Phamarkoi / Distance Crunching Honchos With Echo: This Denomination has just Koppes on guitar, but that’s OK, as is the record, tho’ a little muddy production-wise.
4/5 olives

Thurston Moore – By The Fire: Smokin’, and I am liking Moore’s Post-SY just as much as SY.
5/5 olives

Lou Reed Live – Extended Versions – The Encore Collection: RnR Aminial Lou, this is supposedly like the 2nd half or RnR Animal, previously released under another title (vs. the usual “extendeds” which are singular out takes and different sourced live tracks.)
5/5 olives

Bob Mould- – Blue Hearts: A bit of a step back, not a bad thing, less pop more punk, except the audio is rather murky, like say, Beaster but not quite as dense. But great, and political songs, and he flat-out freakin’ rocks.
4/5 olives

Bruce Springsteen: Letter To You: A Message from E-Street, because I was going thru withdrawal for some new, E-Street Bruce, altho’ his last two records are also 5/5, they were different sides of Bruce (solo Western, then Cali/movie/western).
5/5 olives

The Immediate family -Slippin & Slidin: Waddy and the boys, Great playing, good singing, excellent song choices, incl. Zevon.

the dirty knobs – Wreckless Abandon: I like MC w/ TP, but I love me some Petty, I love the bad boy song, I was kinda bored with the rest. Mebbe it’ll grow on me, but I’m digggin’ the new version of Wildflowers so much more …
2/5 olives

Nick Cave – Idiot Prayer: Nick Cave Alone at Alexandra Palace: Answered! I’m a big NC fan, consider him an influence on my own stuff, but – I rock, dammit. So does this, just Nick on the piano, and it’s mesmerizing. What I thought would be back ground-ish (and it can be, on at low volume – turns out his piano playing is really good inna solo setting) takes full attention for the awesome lyrics and his wonderful vocals. This may in fact be the best recording to introduce NC to the newbies; he’s giving it everything here.
5/5 olives

Pretenders – Hate For Sale: I’m Lovein’ the hate. The last record was better than average in a consistently good-to-great career; this one is on the great end. I’ll note that it’s less late-Chrissy (and yet all Chrissy, of course) and more the Pretenders sound, from the chorus’d guitar to Chambers’ drums, the breaks in her voice to the concise writing. Love the artwork, also.
5/5 olives

Bully – SUGAREGG: A little over-cooked. I know, easy pun (over-easy) but I like the Electrical Audio stuff better. I’m a fan, but this is my least fave of hers.
3/5 olives

Ghostpoet – I Grow Tired But Dare Not Fall Asleep: Late Night Chill-out. I don’t know that I’ll like anything else by Joseph, I’m not a hip-hop fan, but it all comes together here, like a dream.
5/5 olives

Ed O’Brien – Earth: Ya Knew It wasn’t/couldn’t be All Thom. And Ed is just as interesting solo as RH, and just as danceable as solo TY. And headphone-ish, as well.
5/5 olives

Khruangbin / Leon Bridges – Texas Sun: Not Hot Enuff, Khruangbin is hip on the forums, but I don’t feel ’em. Leon is aiight, but I much prefer Black Joe Lewis and Curtis Harding for what they call, “retro-soul” …
3/5 olives

Bush – The Kingdom: A Treasonous Pleasure, the voice and the Helmet/NIN guitars and arrangements make it easy to ignore the insipid lyrics, and thankfully the basketball snare sound was de-throned.
4/5 olives

The Psychadelic Furs – Made of Rain: Let It Wash O’er Ya’s. For the 80’s punters, and yer little sisters and brothers; dance, or immerse yerselves in headphones. Extra credit for Mars, and Tim sounds awesome.
5/5 olives

Bob Dylan – Rough and Rowdy Ways: It’s Bob. Laugh, cry, think – he’s at his best, and the band is right there with him.
5/5 olives

Dream Syndicate – The Universe Inside: Stereo Blues. This might be only for those who understand the review’s title, those who like psych and mebbe hallucinogenics, and those who appreciate guitar work-outs, with a great rhythm section and keys.
5/5 olives

Slothrust – The Pact: Agreeable Slickness, I liked ’em better raw.
3/5 olives

Joe Strummer – Joe Strummer 001 [2 CD]: For Completists. For fans.
5/5 olives

Foals – Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost (Part 2): I am not their intended audience, but damn, I love great dance music. Try ’em in cans, too.
4/5 olives

Lucinda Williams – Good Souls Better Angels: Top 10 of ’20. Lucinda is a fave, and this is just terrific writing on her bluesy side, typically unique vocals (I like the exaggerated accent – really) and a wonderful band – that lead guitar blows me away every listen. Great production, also.
5/5 olives

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit- Reunions: Another Top 10 of ’20. I can’t always start to listen to Jason, because when I do I wanna drop everything and just listen to Jason and his band. Bonus for AS, as always.
5/5 olives

Greg Dulli – Random Desire: I Miss the Bands. What I really want, tho’, is another The Gutter Twins.
3/5 olives

Miles Davis – On the Corner: Yep. It’s prime, primal, street-wise Miles.
5/5 olives

Drive-By Truckers – The Unraveling: I hate the sounds. I love the performances, the songs, the sentiments, but IMO it’s way over-produced, AOR-sounding. But I hadda give it 4, because the sounds bring it down 1.
4/5 olives

KIWANUKA – KIWANUKA: Slick sounds but … Like, I don’t know, hip-hop Fogelberg? Cool production, and that one song with the acoustic guitars that I can’t be bovvered to try and find again …
2/5 olives

Jim Jones Review – CollectiV: What you expect. I was a huge Thee Hypnotics fan, and I just dig me some goood garage rock, see.
3/5 olives

Mark Lanegan – Somebody’s Knocking: Top 10 of ’20. Alain Johannes? Rob Marshall? They made him Rock! And I love “Straight Songs of Sorrow” and his Garwood collabs, but this, and Gargoyle, Phantom Radio and especially Blues Funeral and Bubblegum – this is what I love best.
5/5 olives

David Bowie – A Reality Tour: It’s Live Bowie; Ya know it’s good. Great band, here, too.
5/5 olives

Miles Davis- Bitches Brew (Legacy Edition – CD / DVD Combo): Magic Potion. I think my 3rd version of this, mebbe 4th, but I needed the DVD, needed to watch these B’s brew.
5/5 olives

Prince – Piano & A Microphone 1983: Historical. It documents the process, documents the man alone at the piano, but loses the funk, which for me is a great part of the attraction. And his guitar solos, of course.
5/5 olives

The Cure – The Cure – 40 Live Curaetion 25 + Anniversary [DVD]: Yep. I’m a fan-boy … of Bass VI, 80’s dance, and especially Reeves Gabrels. That Smith guy is pretty good, too.
5/5 olives

Neil Young and Crazy Horse – Colorado: I don’t like mountains. And CO has lotsa snowcaps, right? This left me a little cold, sorry, Brad. Gonna go put “Psych Pill” on now.
3/5 olives

Prince- Purple Rain Deluxe (Expanded Edition)(3CD/1DVD): This is the One. There’s others, yep, the man was ridiculously, consistently great and prolific beyond belief, but this has no better, and more hits than the rest, and the outtakes and the live stuff …
5/5 olives

Nick Cave – Ghosteen: Heartbreaking. Not heartbroken, but mellow, sorrowful Nick.
4/5 olive

Trixie Whitley – Lacuna: Trixie! Trixie! Trixie! Trixie!
5/5 olives

The Church – Future Past Perfect (live At The Enmore Australia) DVD: Perfect. Not the best picture but pretty good sound and great performance.
5/5 olives

Twin Peaks – Lookout Low: Local to me but … … did nothing much for me. Course, they are like my kids’ ages. Mebbe if I catch ’em live.
2/5 olives

Iggy Pop – Free: It’s Torchy Ig. Man, I thought it was just salamanders what could change so much, and yet stay the same ol’ lizard.
4/5 olives

John Scofield- Combo 66: This is my fave current fusiony jazzer … fusiony jazzin’.
5/5 olives

Pixies – Beneath The Eyrie: Sell out… and slickly, loudly and weird as ever, just sounding more commercially better.
5/5 olives

Bryan Ferry – Best of Bryan Ferry-Special Edition: The Voice. The voice, the clothes, the hair, the mannerisms, the songs. And a hilariously dated DVD of the MTV stuff.
5/5 olives

David Bowie – Let’s Dance (2018 Remastered Version): Let’s! The original was mixed so well that the re-master is just a little punchier and clearer. Nota bene: I have a boot of the tour-practices before SRV left, worth seeking out, but the guitar work here, and not just his, is stellar – the whole band just couldn’t be better. And telling caz fans about the origin of “China Girl” is always fun. But where are the bonus tracks?
5/5 olives

Brittany Howard – Jaime: Growin’ on me. Love her band, not a hip-hop fan, but every time I listen to this, I like it better.
4/5 olives

Liam Gallagher: Why Me? Why Not (Deluxe): I’ll tellya’s. My English friends laugh, but I just love the snotty voice, ‘tude, and guitars. Songs are good and melodies can be sublime, also. Bonus: not as nuts as his bro.
5/5 olives

Sturgill Simpson – Sound & Fury: Prince of Country. No, really, and this rocks so cool and weird. (Like “e” before “i”, see.)
5/5 olives