Music Discoveries July-Aug 2024 #33

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I am determined to use up my emusic credits as soon as possible and cancel my membership once and for all! Also — ugh! at about the same time, two of my three library accounts cancelled the Freegal music download service, so I’ll be downloading substantially fewer songs from them.

Articles and Interviews

I was too distracted to blog about articles and interviews. Will catch up next month.

Emusic Purchases

1. Quatuor Pour La Fin Du Temps, performed by Trio Classico de Xalapa. 47 minutes, 99 cents. Known in English as QUARTET FOR THE END OF TIME by Olivier Messiaen from 1941. Definitely a random obscure gem as performed by a Mexican chamber music group. Dissonant, flighty, mysterious, written while he was in prison by the Germans.
2. Traditional Chinese Music. 3.99, 98 minutes. Random beautiful instrumental music.
3. I’ll be so happy by the Fairfield Four. 3.99 Culturally lauded men’s black gospel group. 33 minutes. Originally titled The Bells are Tolling, which came out in 1962.
4. 1986 by Ekathe. 8 tracks, 33 minutes. Argentine jazz, mostly with guitars.
5. What You’ve Got to lose to win it all by the Howlers. 42 minutes, 6.99
6. Come Back to Life (Deluxe Edition). by the Zolas. 13 tracks, 51 minutes. 5.99
7. SALAMAT ALI GHAZALS by Salamat Ali. , 71 minutes, 4.99. 1968 album of Pakistani ghazals.
8. I hate ur guts by Madisyn Gifford. 48 minutes , 6.49. Young Canadian singer. Also Learning to Exist (27 minutes/2.99) which is delightful.
9. Amanita Pantherina by Cabbage. 38 minutes, 4.99
10. Ultimate Lounge Sunday Sexy Soothing Jazz by Kovimi Music label (Compilation). 95 minutes/6.49 Konstantin Klashtorni (bio) is a multitalented Ukrainian saxophonist/pianist/guitarist who composes and performs these easy listening Kenny G-type pieces. They’re all relaxing and nice (maybe a little bland?) but still enjoyable. Klashtomi goes by several different names: Kool&Klean, Chillaxonic, eJazz Artistry, but they’re all the same person (I think).
11. New Rock by Buffalo Daughter. 6.99, 69 minutes. Absurdist 90s Japanese rock-pop. Lots of messing around with sampling.
12. Recollected Memories by George Kaplan Conspiracy. 35/3.99
13. There’s a Big Star Outside by Swim Deep, 46 minutes/4.99.
14. Steyoyoke Perception, Vol. 1 (Compilation). 105 minutes/6.49. This is a Berlin-based ethereal techno label. Lots of releases and compilations, but for this one I liked the laid back vibe of every track. Techno music to take a nap to.
15. Okay by James Muller and SCJO. 37 minutes/2.49 Muller is an Australian jazz guitarist who is playing with a brassy jazz ensemble. (Review here)
16. The Takeover by Poppy Jean Crawford. 13 minutes/1.49. Nice EP by a Los Angelas singer.
17. Dust: Recordings 1980-1984 by 22 Beaches. 31 minutes/3.49. Short-lived low-key Scottish punk band who at times sound like Devo a little or a lot.
18. Phoenix Flies by Asia Philharmonic Orchestra. 57 minutes/0.99. The now-defunct APO was a Pan-Asian orchestra consisting of Asian artists from symphonies around the world started by a South Korean named Myung-whun Chung. It got together regularly to perform special concerts. Great performances of Asian pieces totally unknown to me. This album has lots of ballads sung by a male vocalist with orchestral backing. The singer sounds traditionally Chinese, but the orchestral arrangements sound very Western, even jazzy. Also check out “Ching Ming Festival of Bianliang River” which seems to be by the same group.

Reviews (Rateyourmusic/Personal Reviews, etc)

See also my rateyourmusic profile and my review spreadsheet.in Google Docs.