International Anthem: S/D

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This Chicago-based jazz label has been dropping masterpieces at an alarming clip. I went with S/D since most label threads do, but I haven't heard anything that hasn't been worth at least a listen yet. And really only the Damon Locks album hasn't wowed me--and hell, I only listened to that once I should revisit.

Search:
Makaya McCraven (all three I've heard are fantastic, but if you're not sure where to start Universal Being is amazing & beloved on ilm)
Jaimie Branch (I've only heard Fly or Die II, which is great, but I noticed Fly or Die I was one of unperson's best of the 2010s)
Resavoir, s/t (a personal fave)
Junius Paul, Ism (big double album that covers a lot of ground; reminiscent of Universal Being at times but with much more stretching out and less beat-driven)
Angel Bat Dawid

Curious about:
Jeff Parker's stuff. I used to love Parker/Tortoise/Isotope/CUD and love hearing his highly recognizable guitar on UB, but he's been off my radar for at least a decade.
Ben LaMar Gay.
Irreversible Entanglements (also on unperson's list)
basically everything else they've put out

rob, Thursday, 23 January 2020 23:28 (five years ago) link

oh yeah: https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/

rob, Thursday, 23 January 2020 23:30 (five years ago) link

I shouldn't start threads when I'm exhausted; it's Universal Beings (plural)

rob, Thursday, 23 January 2020 23:30 (five years ago) link

great label — i loved the Damon Locks album from last year.

tylerw, Thursday, 23 January 2020 23:34 (five years ago) link

ah ok that settles it, I'm going to give that another try right now

rob, Thursday, 23 January 2020 23:37 (five years ago) link

Pretty sure everything they put out is good. Angel Bat Dawid is my hero, she is so awesome

https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/angel-bat-dawid-oracle-international-anthem-brothahood-jazz/Content?oid=67155097

weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Thursday, 23 January 2020 23:49 (five years ago) link

ooh will read that later, thanks

um yeah this Damon Locks album rules, and I love Phil Cohran, which this is very much in the vein of, so I don't know what happened last time?

rob, Friday, 24 January 2020 00:02 (five years ago) link

They really do have a pretty amazing catalog. Don't overlook stuff like Hear In Now's Not Living In Fear (a violin-cello-bass trio featuring Mazz Swift, Tomeka Reid and Silvia Bolognesi) and the Nick Mazzarella Trio's Ultraviolet (NM on alto sax, Anton Hatwich on bass, Frank Rosaly on drums).

shared unit of analysis (unperson), Friday, 24 January 2020 00:12 (five years ago) link

The new Jeff Parker album is really great. More on this (maybe) when I'm not so tired

Paul Ponzi, Friday, 24 January 2020 01:23 (five years ago) link

Parker's gearing up for a hell of a year. In addition to the new solo disc (which is excellent), he's on a disc with saxophonist Chris Speed and drummer Matt Mayhall (under Mayhall's name) and there's a Chicago Underground Quartet album, their first in 19 years, coming in March.

shared unit of analysis (unperson), Friday, 24 January 2020 01:37 (five years ago) link

Haven't heard the new one yet, but I love The New Breed.

jaymc, Friday, 24 January 2020 01:47 (five years ago) link

I too love The New Breed, and that CUQ album, can't wait for the new stuff.

fetter, Friday, 24 January 2020 11:20 (five years ago) link

Yes! This label is taking all of my money. All the Makaya McCraven records are fantastic. I especially like Highly Rare and Where We Come From. The Jaimie Branch record is great too.

stop torturing me ethel (broom air), Friday, 24 January 2020 11:37 (five years ago) link

Haven't heard the new one yet, but I love The New Breed.

― jaymc, Thursday, January 23, 2020 8:47 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink

I like almost everything he's done (solo or otherwise) and I think Max Brown is maybe his best work

His Eremite LP--while very different--was also excellent and kinda slept on imo

Paul Ponzi, Friday, 24 January 2020 13:19 (five years ago) link

speaking of which, this
is an excellent review that for me encapsulates this record's greatness (and the kind of thoughtful piece that provides a nice antidote to the stuff in the 'worst music writing' thread)

I haven't had a proper headphone listen yet, but I could swear I heard some beatboxing on one of these tracks. One other observation: "Go Away" has the dopest bassline of the year

Paul Ponzi, Friday, 24 January 2020 14:01 (five years ago) link

The New Breed is my favorite Jeff Parker work and my favorite IA record, can't wait to get into the new one.

All the Makaya records are worth a listen of course, but Universal Beings is the one I go back to.

Not so into jaime branch personally, great bands and the records are cool, but I can't get past the trumpet playing.

Loved Junius Paul when I've seen him live, but haven't been able to give his record (or the Angel Bat Dawid one) a real listen yet.

change display name (Jordan), Friday, 24 January 2020 18:20 (five years ago) link

Confirmed, new Jeff Parker is where it's at.

change display name (Jordan), Friday, 24 January 2020 21:36 (five years ago) link

Not so into jaime branch personally, great bands and the records are cool, but I can't get past the trumpet playing.

Is it the tone, technique, or melodic lines / choices? Or something else? Genuinely curious as I find I like a very specific trumpet sound (a more breathy, less 'sharp' sound is the best way I can describe it--Tomasz Stanko, Miles obvs) and certain players really get on my nerves in a way that reeds players rarely do

Paul Ponzi, Friday, 24 January 2020 22:08 (five years ago) link

Definitely the former, she just doesn't sound like a great trumpet player to me. I know I'm being a snob, but I'm spoiled by great technical trumpet players in the New Orleans mode (which is really a trumpet city), and for me that instrument is about having a big sound (even if you're not necessarily playing loud or high). For some instruments technique doesn't matter so much and you can express your ideas without having a lot of it, but idk, trumpet is pretty unforgiving, there's so much that goes into just having a decent sound on it before you even get to anything else.

change display name (Jordan), Friday, 24 January 2020 22:37 (five years ago) link

I've heard her in a variety of contexts (she recorded a bunch as a sideman before coming out as a leader) and she's an extremely skilled player who can make the horn do whatever she wants. She sounds the way she does on her own albums by choice. Just listen to the way she shifts from slurry blues to brassy mariachi horn on "Prayer for Amerikkka."

shared unit of analysis (unperson), Friday, 24 January 2020 23:38 (five years ago) link

Great track, and everything works in context, but I still find the trumpet playing in the last couple minutes a little cringe-y, sorry! She definitely has her own thing though.

change display name (Jordan), Saturday, 25 January 2020 22:37 (five years ago) link

Maybe slightly off topic (since the album isn't actually on IA), but what does everyone think of the Moses Boyd full length? I'm one of the only people (judging by ILX, anyway) who didn't love "Rye Lane Shuffle," but I absolutely adore "Drum Dance" and was wondering how much of the album sounds like the latter as opposed to the former.

Paul Ponzi, Monday, 27 January 2020 18:36 (five years ago) link

love the new jeff parker great stuff

Mordy, Monday, 27 January 2020 20:12 (five years ago) link

I am pretty into all the Ben LaMar Gay stuff, though admittedly it is all kind of all over the place so yr mileage may vary
Jeff Parker's stuff for the label is just fucking fantastic

chr1sb3singer, Monday, 27 January 2020 20:18 (five years ago) link

Paul, I listened to that once and don't really remember what I thought (but loved both Rye Lane and Drum Dance, so not a great sign). You might get more of a response on the general rolling jazz thread, or there could be some past discussion on the Shabaka Hutchings one as it sort of evolved into a broader London jazz thread

my to-listen pile for IA is intimidating right now

rob, Monday, 27 January 2020 20:19 (five years ago) link

bookmarked, thanks all

The Squalls Of Hate (sleeve), Monday, 27 January 2020 20:20 (five years ago) link

If you haven't checked out Angel Bat Dawid at all, this song is a great place to start. It's what I remember from the first time I saw her play. Her rise has truly been meteoric and she is a gracious wonderful person afaict

https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/track/we-are-starzz

weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Monday, 27 January 2020 20:24 (five years ago) link

thanks, will listen tonight

The Squalls Of Hate (sleeve), Monday, 27 January 2020 20:24 (five years ago) link

great album and that profile you posted, LL, made me <3 her

rob, Monday, 27 January 2020 20:26 (five years ago) link

does anyone know anything about angel bat dawid's black hebrew israelite background/ which community or temple she belongs to? just curious.

Mordy, Monday, 27 January 2020 20:27 (five years ago) link

i feel like i read an article/interview where they talked about it a little but i don't remember which one or where
that's not very helpful sorry

weird woman in a bar (La Lechera), Monday, 27 January 2020 20:32 (five years ago) link

Mordy, all the articles I have seen about Angel Bat Dawid mention her parents being Black Hebrew Israelites, but never say much about her faith . They do say she practices her music a lot and travels a lot. Plus her name is a reference to being a daughter of David ( Old Testament) but that’s about all I have noticed

curmudgeon, Tuesday, 28 January 2020 16:05 (five years ago) link

This has become one of my favorite labels in the last few months. I just picked up the new Jeff Parker, but I'm still working my way through all of the stuff from the past few years I picked up - Angel Bat Dawid, Jaimie Branch and Damon Locks. Was already into the Makaya McCraven album from last year.

soaring skrrrtpeggios (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Tuesday, 28 January 2020 17:22 (five years ago) link

Resavoir, s/t (a personal fave)

Damn, thanks for this recommendation. This is really great in a way I wasn't expecting (strings! Fourth World vibes!)

Paul Ponzi, Thursday, 6 February 2020 14:54 (five years ago) link

Yes! I've struggled to articulate what is so good about that album, but while I'm not sure I'd argue it's the best IA release, it is my most played

rob, Thursday, 6 February 2020 17:45 (five years ago) link

It just does so many things, and in a way that seems natural and doesn't draw attention to the fact that its "eclectic" or whatever. It's just really good music!

Paul Ponzi, Thursday, 6 February 2020 17:57 (five years ago) link

Yall know Moor Mother is Present on Art Ensemble of Chicago o We Are On The Edge, right? Got this press release yesterday---heavy hype, but for who better:

Irreversible Entanglements Announce New Album, Who Sent You?,
Out March 20th on International Anthem/Don Giovanni

Watch the Video for Lead Single, “No Más”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLm3HEQgW50&feature=youtu.be

Free jazz collective Irreversible Entanglements announce their new album, Who Sent You?, out March 20th on International Anthem/Don Giovanni, and today present its lead single/video, “No Más.” The group is comprised of Camae Ayewa (aka Moor Mother), saxophonist Keir Neuringer, trumpeter Aquiles Navarro, bassist Luke Stewart, and drummer Tcheser Holmes. Who Sent You? is the punk-rocking of jazz and the mystification of the avant-garde. This record weaves kinetic soul fusion, dreamy yet harrowing poetry, and intricate rhythms into warmth-giving tapestries that comfort and conceal, confront and coerce all at once.

“No Más” was composed by the Panamanian-born Navarro in a harmonic echo of a Strata East free jazz classic over a movement-inducing Latin rhythm. Over its peak moments, poet/MC Ayewa professes: "No mas. No more... No longer will we allow them to divide and conquer, divide and oppress, define our humanity..." Its stunning accompanying video was shot in Johannesburg, South Africa by filmmaker and photographer Imani Nikyah Dennison. The video explores the concept of Africans escaping planet earth, on a path to liberation. A story of migration told through collage, stock footage, and movement, all being driven by the sounds of free jazz and poetry.
Originally performing as two different ensembles at a Musicians Against Police Brutality event in 2015 (in response to the NYPD slaying of Akai Gurley), the future members of Irreversible Entanglements recognized a shared ethos, and shortly after, assembled as a single unit for an impromptu studio date at Seizure’s Palace in Brooklyn. That session yielded their debut album, 2017’s Irreversible Entanglements. Critical and communal acclaim for the album (including “Best of 2017” nods from NPR Music, WIRE Magazine, Bandcamp, and others) fueled a high demand for the band in the live setting, and the group have since spent much of 2018 and 2019 on the road. They have collaborated in performance with many legends of creative music including Amina Claudine Myers, Pat Thomas, and Nicole Mitchell; and their highest profile shows have included Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, Le Guess Who Festival In Utrecht NL, Barbican in London, and the Smithsonian in Washington DC.

Where the band’s self-titled debut was all explosive noisy anthems and glorious cosmic bluster, Who Sent You? is a focused and patient ritual. Irreversible Entanglements take their time in between these grooves, stalking the war-torn streets of the Deep South and post-Columbian apocalypses—taking their time to dream up an amalgamation that sounds truly euphoric. More than the sum of its parts—war-like basslines, haunting saxophone, cyberpunk brass, the unwieldy storm of drums, and the oracular phyletic incantations of Ayewa—Who Sent You? is an entire holistic jam of “infinite possibilities coming back around,” a sprawling meditation, a reminder of the forms and traumas of the past, and the shape and vision of Afrotopian sounds to come.
Who Sent You? Tracklist:
1.The Code Noir / Amina
2. Who Sent You - Ritual
3. No Más
4. Blues Ideology
5. Bread Out Of Stone

Irreversible Entanglements Tour Dates:
Tuesday, March 31 - Chicago, IL @ Co-Prosperity Sphere
Wednesday, April 1 - Iowa City, IA @ Mission Creek Festival
Saturday, May 23 - Atlanta, GA @ Atlanta Jazz Festival
Praise for Recent Non-Album Track "Homeless/Global"https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/homeless-global

“Just 30 seconds into this 23-minute improv, upright bassist Luke Stewart and drummer Tcheser Holmes hit the runaway-train pocket hard and fast. Folks, the track doesn't let up from there...a dense, moving preview of the group's upcoming album.” - NPR Music

“Against a simmering backdrop, Ayewa holds forth rivetingly on border violence and
forgotten black history.” - Pitchfork

“seriously compelling” - Stereogum

“23 searing minutes that consist of breathtaking, brutal saxophone leads, mournful trumpet drones, and a nervy rhythm. Over the fray, Ayewa ruminates, states and repeats indelible phrases and images” - WXPN’s The Key

“When at full flight, the group is a volcano of emotional sound — a radical, unapologetic Blackness of so-called avant-garde emanating from its every note and syllable, chronicling the pain, rapture and circumstance of our shared moment.” - Afropunk

dow, Thursday, 6 February 2020 18:15 (five years ago) link

Dunno what's happening with that video link; it opened instantly in gmail. Another ILM thing--anyway, it's on youtube.

dow, Thursday, 6 February 2020 18:19 (five years ago) link

Here's the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLm3HEQgW50

And here's an hour-long performance from 2018:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diLI9m5PFXs

but also fuck you (unperson), Thursday, 6 February 2020 18:44 (five years ago) link

This new Jeff Parker record is a holy mess but I keep coming back to it.

Ngolo Cantwell (Chinaski), Monday, 10 February 2020 22:13 (five years ago) link

I was going to ask what the consensus was on the new album. Just ordered the CD.
By holy mess, do you mean it's unfocused? I really hope it's as good as The New Breed.

millmeister, Tuesday, 11 February 2020 13:37 (five years ago) link

Not unfocused as such, skittish, certainly, and fragmented. I've not made sense of it a whole yet, but it is coming together.

Ngolo Cantwell (Chinaski), Tuesday, 11 February 2020 14:04 (five years ago) link

Could be a slow burner then. They're generally the best.

millmeister, Tuesday, 11 February 2020 15:36 (five years ago) link

So far I don't like it as much as The New Breed, but I think it will be a slow burner. "3 for L" is fantastic.

fetter, Tuesday, 11 February 2020 16:12 (five years ago) link

one month passes...

Digging the Makaya McCraven / Gil Scott Heron thing at the moment.

fetter, Thursday, 12 March 2020 11:31 (four years ago) link

It's really good! I actually really like that Alabaster Deplume album too.

soaring skrrrtpeggios (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 12 March 2020 14:29 (four years ago) link

otm! big up calzino for mentioning the DePlume on the rolling jazz thread: it is achingly beautiful

rob, Thursday, 12 March 2020 14:39 (four years ago) link

Agreed!

Vanishing Point (Chinaski), Thursday, 12 March 2020 14:49 (four years ago) link

i could use some achingly beautiful today; queuing up now.

Fuck the NRA (ulysses), Thursday, 12 March 2020 16:45 (four years ago) link

Oh, the dePlume is really nice!

Sund4r, Saturday, 14 March 2020 15:59 (four years ago) link

I didn't realize Bex Burch was also involved in the Flock album from last year that I really liked.

https://flock.bandcamp.com/album/flock-2

Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Friday, 20 October 2023 15:47 (one year ago) link

I’m off to see Bex Burch tonight and am looking forward to it a great deal. “Messy minimalism”, yes please.

Tim, Friday, 20 October 2023 16:05 (one year ago) link

Bex Burch was every bit as good as I’d hoped. The show was mostly solo with some interjections on violin.

They encored with a version of “O Superman”, using whatever member of the xylophone family she was playing. I couldn’t believe my luck. That verse that starts “When love is gone, there’s always justice” always seemed like a punch in the guts to me- now, more than ever.

Tim, Friday, 20 October 2023 20:55 (one year ago) link

four weeks pass...

unperson recommended the new Thandi Ntuli with Carlos Niño record on another thread. Absolutely lovely Sunday morning music and I imagine just excellent at other times. Ordered a copy.

il lavoro mi rovina la giornata (PBKR), Sunday, 19 November 2023 12:47 (one year ago) link

two months pass...

new chiu, honer & kalma 👌🏽

LaMDA barry-stanners (||||||||), Friday, 16 February 2024 19:20 (eleven months ago) link

Yes, real good.

three of the doctor's valuable bats are now dead (broom air), Friday, 16 February 2024 22:06 (eleven months ago) link

otm x2

the defenestration of prog (voodoo chili), Monday, 19 February 2024 18:59 (eleven months ago) link

yeah, I was underwhelmed by Recordings from the Åland Islands, but this is beautifully immersive

rob, Monday, 19 February 2024 23:08 (eleven months ago) link

one month passes...

Anyone else enjoying the new Villarreal/VV Lightbody Valebol album? I’m absolutely loving it — so springy, reminds me of Antena

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Wednesday, 10 April 2024 13:06 (ten months ago) link

It’s very accessible and I can see people well outside the IA world enjoying it.

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Wednesday, 10 April 2024 13:06 (ten months ago) link

This one (Row Row Row) is my favorite so far https://open.spotify.com/track/3UZv2dCGfVS1cllt4oVPhO?si=b592c32c71fe4934

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Wednesday, 10 April 2024 13:37 (ten months ago) link

Woops this is not released via IA — a different label called Otherly Love Records

It’s still good!

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Thursday, 11 April 2024 16:54 (ten months ago) link

agreed, really enjoyed that one. thanks for the mixup haha

the defenestration of prog (voodoo chili), Sunday, 14 April 2024 20:49 (nine months ago) link

This is really fun, thanks LL! Her voice reminds me of someone. I want to say Liz Fraser?

rob, Tuesday, 16 April 2024 00:38 (nine months ago) link

Always I am mixing up this label with the very different but equally good Imaginational Anthem label.

henry s, Tuesday, 16 April 2024 15:16 (nine months ago) link

one month passes...

I feel like a chump getting psyched about promo copy but this sounds amazing (and the one available track is p cool): https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/small-medium-large

rob, Monday, 20 May 2024 21:26 (eight months ago) link

Yeah, I'm really excited for that one!

Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 20 May 2024 21:29 (eight months ago) link

Cool advance single by SML--more than any of the big-name comparisons in the one-sheet hype, though, I'd compare the production style and funk-jazz approach to something contemporary like "Ekuté" off of the still-quite-recent Pino Palladino & Blake Mills jawn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXQUVKko5J8

River Through Howling Ska (Craig D.), Monday, 20 May 2024 21:59 (eight months ago) link

this one is great too

https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/mestizx

I painted my teeth (sleeve), Monday, 20 May 2024 22:02 (eight months ago) link

That’s my first drum teacher! He’s the best.

Piggy Lepton (La Lechera), Monday, 20 May 2024 22:04 (eight months ago) link

three weeks pass...

I was a little worried the new Carlos Nino & Friends was going to be too similar to the new age Andre 3000 stuff, but it's really good and weird! I mean, most definitely still some new age moments (I mean, Iasos is on it!), but it's all over the place, in a good way. Just lots of different things to latch onto.

Maxmillion D. Boosted (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Monday, 10 June 2024 20:19 (eight months ago) link

three weeks pass...

This album from SML (which is Jeremiah Chiu, Anna Butterss, Joshua Johnson, Gregory Uhlmann, and Booker Stardrum) is pretty great: https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/small-medium-large. It's pulled from two two-night concerts at ETA in L.A. Josh Johnson's solo album from earlier this year "Unusual Object" is really good too.

kmhydex, Monday, 1 July 2024 04:43 (seven months ago) link

I'll never get why Josh Johnson's records aren't more popular. Consistently innovative artist making great music. And yes, the new one is fantastic

Paul Ponzi, Monday, 1 July 2024 05:30 (seven months ago) link

i love unusual object, thanks for tipping me of on this - i do sometimes find Chiu's stuff too polarized formless/klaxony, curious to hear what they're doing here

sean gramophone, Monday, 1 July 2024 16:03 (seven months ago) link

Johnson has some great videos up on his site of him playing stuff from Unusual Object: https://www.joshjohnsonmusic.com/#video

I'd love to see him play live. SML has two free shows in L.A. next week, really wish I could make it to those.

kmhydex, Wednesday, 3 July 2024 06:32 (seven months ago) link

Ooh I gotta check this one out. Anna Butterss - Activities is one of my fav albums to just throw on whenever, great vibes (not the instrument)

The king of the demo (bernard snowy), Wednesday, 3 July 2024 11:34 (seven months ago) link

^^ yes, yes, yes

i am generally more miss than hit w/ this current jazz-adjacent stuff, but Butterss, Johnson, SML and Chiu all are "hits" for me over the past couple of years.

alpine static, Wednesday, 3 July 2024 14:49 (seven months ago) link

Speaking of JJohnson live: here he is at Enfield Tennis Academy again, with Butterss, Parker , and Bellerose; he's seated and using two foot pedals (w embouchure, yas):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T9yEgppRYo

dow, Wednesday, 3 July 2024 19:40 (seven months ago) link

that SML album is awesome

alpine static, Tuesday, 9 July 2024 21:57 (seven months ago) link

yeah it is! not sure it lives up to the promo copy I mentioned upthread, but it's probably better for that as it sounds totally contemporary

rob, Wednesday, 10 July 2024 14:02 (seven months ago) link

one month passes...

and new Butterss solo coming out in November: https://intlanthem.bandcamp.com/album/mighty-vertebrate

rob, Tuesday, 20 August 2024 14:40 (five months ago) link

three weeks pass...

Press release now saying Oct release for album---new video here

http://international-anthem.lnk.to/MightyVertebrate

ANNA BUTTERSS LIVE
September 28 - Marz Brewing - Chicago, IL
October 4 - 2220 Arts + Archives - Los Angeles, CA

ALBUM CREDITS
Produced by Ben Lumsdaine and Anna Butterss.
Recorded by Chris Schlarb at BIG EGO Studios and Ben Lumsdaine at Laundry Works II Recording Services.
Mixed by Ben Lumsdaine.
Sequenced by Scott McNiece.
Mastered by David Allen.

Artwork by John Herndon.
Layout by Jeremiah Chiu.
Photographs by Robbie Jeffers.

Josh Johnson - alto saxophone, effects
Gregory Uhlmann - guitar, effects
Ben Lumsdaine - drums, percussion, guitar, lap steel, drum programming
Anna Butterss - upright bass, electric bass, guitar, synths, flute, drum machine
Jeff Parker - guitar (on “Dance Steve”)

All compositions by Anna Butterss

dow, Friday, 13 September 2024 03:21 (five months ago) link

That link leads to audio options and to the video, which is on youtube.

dow, Friday, 13 September 2024 03:22 (five months ago) link

two months pass...

that SML album is awesome

― alpine static, Tuesday, July 9, 2024 4:57 PM (four months ago) bookmarkflaglink

this is great, never really clicked with this label, based on descriptions of stuff in the catalogue, i guess the SML album is closer to what i would've expected/hoped but never got

budo jeru, Wednesday, 27 November 2024 21:22 (two months ago) link

it definitely is for me.

i kinda think Jeremiah Chiu is the secret ingredient that i need in there. not just him, but i like everything he does.

alpine static, Wednesday, 27 November 2024 21:55 (two months ago) link

label is extremely hit and miss for me, but the good stuff is very good

Paul Ponzi, Wednesday, 27 November 2024 22:36 (two months ago) link

They were much stronger in their first couple of years. They've diversified their "sound" and allowed in way too much watery indie psych disguised as post-New Age spiritual jazz, but they still manage to pull it together about half the time.

Instead of create and send out, it pull back and consume (unperson), Wednesday, 27 November 2024 22:40 (two months ago) link

watery indie psych disguised as post-New Age spiritual jazz

yep, this is my primary complaint. I have a hard time taking some of these guys seriously (Alabaster and Carlos in particular)

Paul Ponzi, Thursday, 28 November 2024 13:07 (two months ago) link

The ETA IV is quite good.

The Whimsical Muse (Boring, Maryland), Thursday, 28 November 2024 21:31 (two months ago) link

I'm not keeping up with this label like I once was, but running down their catalogue I'm not seeing such a huge change. You could say they've gone from "jazz label that releases other stuff" to "other stuff label that releases jazz" but it's a fairly subtle shift imo

Paul, you praised Carlos upthread -- did you change your mind or am I misreading that post? Not trying to gotcha you or anything, I'm curious because I liked the first couple of his but lost interest. I like 2/3 De Plume albums but would rather not talk about him on ILM ever again (will make one point I've made before: he makes more sense viewed as post-punk than jazz)

rob, Thursday, 28 November 2024 21:40 (two months ago) link

I find Carlos Niño to be a fascinating dude (I had him on my podcast this summer and it was a really good conversation) but I don't listen to his records very often.

Instead of create and send out, it pull back and consume (unperson), Thursday, 28 November 2024 21:47 (two months ago) link

my primary complaint is the prodigous release schedule.

stirmonster, Thursday, 28 November 2024 23:35 (two months ago) link

Paul, you praised Carlos upthread -- did you change your mind or am I misreading that post? Not trying to gotcha you or anything, I'm curious because I liked the first couple of his but lost interest. I like 2/3 De Plume albums but would rather not talk about him on ILM ever again (will make one point I've made before: he makes more sense viewed as post-punk than jazz)

― rob, Thursday, November 28, 2024 4:40 PM (three hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

I was definitely crazy about Chicago Waves, which in retrospect was relatively light on some of the more conspicuous new age love guru aspects I find objectionable. I bought a few Carlos records after that one, and to say it was diminishing returns would be an understatement.

I also think that, in my mind, I sorta bundled Chicago Waves with Aquiles Navarro & Tcheser Holmes’ Heritage Of The Invisible II, a truly great record that, if I'm remembering correctly, came out around the same time. Those two, along with To Cy & Lee – which I also loved – had me thinking I’d found a new favorite label. I still think IA does great work, and almost always check out new releases, but the spiritual-jazz-as-hippie-ambient stuff is a big buzzkill for me, and Carlos and DePlume are the biggest offenders.

Paul Ponzi, Friday, 29 November 2024 01:45 (two months ago) link

New Anna Buttress album does not disappoint.

Chris L, Monday, 9 December 2024 18:36 (two months ago) link

SML is very nice but washes over me even more than other similar records, I don't remember anything after it's over. It seems like I should love it, but Lados B and the new Jeff Parker have more to grab on to.

Jordan s/t (Jordan), Monday, 9 December 2024 20:16 (two months ago) link

thanks for the response, Paul. I had a similar trajectory w/ Carlos Niño

The new Butterss is a notch below Activities for me, but still very good.

I've also found the SML to be fun while it's playing but not super memorable, though I can't quite decide if I think that says anything about its quality or not.

I haven't gotten to the new Parker yet -- stirmonster otm!

rob, Tuesday, 10 December 2024 13:48 (two months ago) link

Jordan, I'm with you on the SML take. I think they are just editing together live recordings run through a modular synth and other processing. So on the one hand it's the Miles/Teo thing which is my favorite thing ever, but on the other hand they're just editing together live takes run through a modular synth. There is not a lot of structure to the songs.

bbq, Tuesday, 10 December 2024 14:53 (two months ago) link

i don't put it on to remember every little bit. i put it on to vibe / work / write.

i wouldn't argue that disappearing from the brain after it's done is a positive, but it does what i need it to, and i enjoy how it *sounds* when it's on.

alpine static, Tuesday, 10 December 2024 16:47 (two months ago) link

Ah yeah that’s a good way of phrasing it

rob, Tuesday, 10 December 2024 17:26 (two months ago) link

Don't get me wrong I listen to tons of vibey ambient jazz these days - I can't remember much about the new Jakob Bro record after I listen to it, but I keep feeling compelled to go back to it. I'm just not getting that feeling from SML after a couple listens.

Jordan s/t (Jordan), Tuesday, 10 December 2024 17:55 (two months ago) link


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