Best Ever Albums

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

baystateoftheart — Mon, 8 Mar 2021 22:56:49 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 03/09/2021 03:56

Following up as promised

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A Delay Is Better by Pamela Z

Rec from: KitchenSink
Thoughts: I love the one Laurie Anderson album I've heard and I really dislike the one Meredith Monk album I've heard, so it makes sense that my feelings on this are somewhere in the middle. I like the instrumentals and the tape music a lot. However, her vocals are very hit and miss for me, with the Monk-esque ones bringing this album down from the quite good to the pretty good range.

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

baystateoftheart — Mon, 1 Mar 2021 20:13:18 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 03/02/2021 01:13

Reporting back on the other recs I heard last week:

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Heaux Tales by Jazmine Sullivan

Rec from: Repo
Thoughts: This got my 2021 listening off to a good start. Jazmine Sullivan has a great voice as always, and the production and songwriting are quite solid. Definitely a good entry in the sex-positive feminist music tradition. Really enjoyed it.

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Uprising by Miles Mosley

Rec from: EyeKanFly
Thoughts: Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling this. The songwriting (lyrics and otherwise) and vocals are subpar. This might have been surmountable if the album were more freeform and not structured to depend on the strength of its songs. But as it is, the musicianship isn't enough to make up for these weaknesses. It was okay.

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City On My Back by Rio Da Yung OG

Rec from: Skinny
Thoughts: Rio Da Yung OG is a good rapper flowing over good production, but I found his lyrics to be hit and miss. My favorite track is the one where the beat sounds like it's echoing Fast Life, because that's one of my favorite hip-hop songs. A pretty good listen overall.

As an addendum, I do like minimalism and enjoyed the first disc of Unjust Malaise. Planning on hearing the other two at a later date. And I will get to the Pamela Z album soon, as it's compatible with the Women's History Month Listening Project.

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

baystateoftheart — Mon, 1 Mar 2021 19:52:32 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 03/02/2021 00:52

Here's what I heard during week 4 (February 22-28). Albums I've heard in full before = *

Great

Kaya - Bob Marley & The Wailers*
Dialogue - Bobby Hutcherson*
Afro-Cuban - Kenny Dorham*
Philip Cohran And The Artistic Heritage Ensemble - Philip Cohran And The Artistic Heritage Ensemble
Jeffery - Young Thug*

Quite Good

Blazing Arrow - Blackalicious*
The Queen Alone - Carla Thomas*
Pilot Talk II - Curren$y*
Let My People Go - Darondo*
Blackheart - Dawn Richard*
The State Vs. Radric Davis - Gucci Mane*
On Top - The Heptones*
Heaux Tales (EP) - Jazmine Sullivan
Black Reign - Queen Latifah*
Vergangenheitsbewältigung (Crater Speak) (EP) - Slauson Malone
FM! - Vince Staples*

Pretty Good

I Am... Sasha Fierce - Beyoncé*
Visions Of Bodies Being Burned - Clipping.
City On My Back - Rio Da Yung OG

Okay

Uprising - Miles Mosley

~~~~~

Verdict: the best album I discovered this week was...

GOLD

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Philip Cohran And The Artistic Heritage...e Ensemble

This is a great rec from travelful. Really expressive playing by the whole ensemble on a wide variety of instruments, even some good vocals, and enough avant-garde edge to keep me on my toes. Exactly what I'm looking for in spiritual jazz, and instantly enters my top 20 for 1967.

(I didn't listen to any other 4/5+ albums for the first time this week, so no silver and bronze.)

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

baystateoftheart — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 00:18:28 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 02/23/2021 05:18

And reporting back on the recs I heard last week:

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Dogon A.D. by Julius Hemphill

Rec from: Streams
Thoughts: Really enjoyed this one. It hits a sweet spot for free jazz, with plenty of energy but just enough to hold onto if that makes sense. And there's instrumentation that goes beyond the typical jazz combo, which is almost always a plus for me. Can see it being a grower.

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Black, Brown And Beige (1958) by Duke Ellington And His Orchestra Featuring Mahalia Jackson\

Rec from: Fischman
Thoughts: This was very good as well. I have only good things to say about the composition and performance, even though it's not exactly in my aesthetic wheelhouse. I would have liked there to be more Mahalia on the album though - the vocal tracks are my favorites here.

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Power To The People by Joe Henderson

Rec from: Fischman
Thoughts: Three for three on the recs for the week, and this might be my favorite. The three songs in which Herbie Hancock plays electric piano are great. The others are quite nice too, but feel less essential and dynamic.

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

baystateoftheart — Tue, 23 Feb 2021 00:03:03 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 02/23/2021 05:03

Here's what I heard during week 3 (February 15-21). Albums I've heard in full before = *

Great

Point Of Departure - Andrew Hill*
Free For All - Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers*
Our Man In Paris - Dexter Gordon*
Little Dominiques Nosebleed - The Koreatown Oddity
The G.A.T. (Gospel According To...) - Mach-Hommy
Center Of Attention - Pete Rock & InI
Big Fish Theory - Vince Staples*

Quite Good

Paraffin - Armand Hammer*
Shrines - Armand Hammer [x2]
Poor Man Style - Barrington Levy*
Burden Of Proof - Benny The Butcher
Tana Talk 3 - Benny The Butcher*
10 Day - Chance The Rapper*
Black, Brown And Beige - Duke Ellington And His Orchestra Featuring Mahalia Jackson
Power To The People - Joe Henderson
Dogon A.D. - Julius Hemphill
808s & Heartbreak - Kanye West*
Blood - Lianne La Havas*
Da Capo - Love*
Brass - Moor Mother & Billy Woods
The Soul Album - Otis Redding*
Konnichiwa - Skepta*
Cellar Door: Terminus Ut Exordium - The Underachievers*

Pretty Good

Playboi Carti - Playboi Carti*
Organix - The Roots*
Lese Majesty - Shabazz Palaces*

~~~~~

Verdict: the best three albums I discovered this week were...

GOLD

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The G.A.T. (The Gospel According To...) by Mach-Hommy

baystateoftheart in canon game wrote:

Well I finally had to bite the bullet and download [censored] to hear this, as there's only a single legal physical copy of it and no legal digital version. Great, compact album with jazzy production and some serious bars from Mach-Hommy. The first track is iffy, but the rest is heat (although I wouldn't pay $3000 for it). It may be conscious hip-hop, but it's still hard as bricks. I've enjoyed his features, but this is my first time listening to one of his projects. I expect I'll seek out more in the future.

SILVER

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Little Dominiques Nosebleed by The Koreatown Oddity

My first time checking out The Koreatown Oddity, and I am charmed by the wit and emotional depth of his writing here. The beats and his technique are both strong, but the biggest strengths of this record are the autobiographical concept and the songs written in its service. The best way to improve the album would be leaning into that concept harder, as there are a bunch of songs that don't integrate into it and those tend to be the weaker ones.

BRONZE

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Center Of Attention by Pete Rock / InI

baystateoftheart in canon game wrote:

The obvious place to start this review is by gushing about the beats. They're great - prime Pete Rock, and smooth as butter. They set the tone for this album. The obvious thing to say next is that the rapping is rather pedestrian throughout much of the album. None of the members of InI have gone on to successful solo careers. But the thing is, the rapping here is almost always average in a smooth way that fits and accentuates the beats, instead of detracting from them. And there are some genuinely strong verses here and there. Center Of Attention alternates between good and great, but enough of its 68 minutes are great to earn the record a 4/5.

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

baystateoftheart — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 12:55:19 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 02/15/2021 17:55

Here's what I heard during week 2 (February 8-14). Albums I've heard in full before = *

Great

The Mixpak Elpee - Eric B. & Rakim
EP1 - FKA Twigs*
Magdalene - FKA Twigs*
...To Be Continued - Isaac Hayes*
BlackSUMMERS'night - Maxwell*
Santigold - Santigold*
No More (EP) - Shlohmo & Jeremih*
Fresh - Sly & The Family Stone*
More Hits By The Supremes - The Supremes*

Quite Good

Songs For Distingué Lovers - Billie Holiday*
Masters Of The Universe - Binary Star
Paid In Full - Eric B. & Rakim*
Ideas+Drafts+Loops - Flying Lotus*
Welcome To Fazoland - G Herbo*
Livin' Proof - Group Home
Rise - Guerilla Maab
Due Rent - Lojii & Swarvy
Dying Is A Wild Night - Melissa Laveaux
Græ - Moses Sumney
Train Of Thought - Reflection Eternal*
In Search Of Stoney Jackson - Strong Arm Steady*
Meet The Supremes - The Supremes*

Pretty Good

Charlie Hustle: Blueprint Of A Self-Made Millionaire - E-40
The Message - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five*
Shamir - Shamir
8th Wonder - Sugarhill Gang
Vagabon - Vagabon

Okay

My Ghetto Report Card - E-40

~~~~~

Verdict: the best album I discovered this week was...

GOLD

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The Mixpak Elpee by Eric B. & Rakim

I realized this week that this had been hanging out in my library for 8 years and I had never listened to it all the way through. Released on its own in the UK and Canada, this remix record is more readily available in bonus track editions of Paid In Full. The two remixes of Paid In Full are the highlights, especially the Coldcut Remix, but there are other quality remixes here too, plus one of the best tracks on the album thrown in for good measure. I actually prefer this to their debut, but I'd rank Follow The Leader above both.

(I didn't listen to any other 4/5+ albums for the first time this week, so no silver and bronze.)

P.S. I expect to start getting to your recs this week.

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

Fischman — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 10:51:24 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 02/15/2021 15:51

Of late, have been focusing on early seventies black jazz/jazz-funk/avant garde artists.

Three who have really blown me away this week:

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Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

Fischman — Sat, 13 Feb 2021 20:29:41 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 02/14/2021 01:29

KitchenSink wrote:

Florence Price is wonderful, would very much recommend this if you can find it

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Florence B. Price: Concerto In One Move...ren Walwyn

Thanks for the recs!
I'm now on the hunt.

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

KitchenSink — Sat, 13 Feb 2021 19:11:56 GMT

Author: KitchenSink

Posted: 02/14/2021 00:11

Florence Price is wonderful, would very much recommend this if you can find it

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Florence B. Price: Concerto In One Move...ren Walwyn

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

Fischman — Sat, 13 Feb 2021 19:10:53 GMT

Author: Fischman

Posted: 02/14/2021 00:10

So I'm driving along listening to my new local classical station and they announce they will be bossing on black composers and musicians for black history month.

William Grant Still had long been one of my favorite composers, but black classical composers seemed to be few and far between, and I really couldn't recall having found more I'd fallen in love with.

Then they announce they're going to play the fourth symphony by someone I'd never heard of named Florence Price, composed in 1954. So not only is she a black composer working so in a time of segregation, she's a woman composing at a time of even greater male domination in her field (sounds like she's a great candidate for next month as well, women's history month).

Anyway, the symphony was simply marvelous. I'll now be seeking more of her works.

Link

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

RoundTheBend — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 01:07:56 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 02/11/2021 06:07

Sorry... one more 🫢

Link

From his wikipedia page:

Quote:

Beginning in 1940, White established a long and close relationship with the family of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, and would become the closest African-American confidant to the President of the United States; and the Roosevelts were the godparents of Josh White, Jr. (born November 30, 1940). In January 1941, White performed at the President's Inauguration, and two months later, he released another highly controversial record album, Southern Exposure, which included six anti-segregationist songs with liner notes written by the African-American writer Richard Wright, and the subtitle of which was An Album of Jim Crow Blues. Like the Chain Gang album, and with revelatory yet inflammatory songs such as "Uncle Sam Says", "Jim Crown Train", "Bad Housing Blues", "Defense Factory Blues", "Southern Exposure", and "Hard Time Blues", it also was forced upon[clarification needed] the southern white radio stations and record stores, caused outrage in the South and also was brought to the attention of President Roosevelt. However, instead of making White persona non grata in segregated America, it resulted in Roosevelt asking White to become the first African-American artist to give a command performance at the White House, in 1941.

After that first White House command performance ended, the Roosevelts invited White into their private chambers, where they spent more than three hours talking about White's life story of growing up in Jim Crow South, listening to his songs written about those experiences, and drinking Café Royale (coffee and brandy). At one point during that evening, the President said to White, "You know, Josh, when I first heard your song 'Uncle Sam Says,' I thought you were referring to me as Uncle Sam....Am I right?" White responded, "Yes, Mr. President, I wrote that song to you after seeing how my brother was treated in the segregated section of Fort Dix army camp.... However that wasn't the first song I wrote to you.... In 1933, I wrote and recorded a song called 'Low Cotton,' about the plight of Negro cotton pickers down South, and in the lyrics I made an appeal directly to you to help their situation." The President, interested and impressed at the candor of his response, then asked White to sing those songs to him again. A friendship developed, and five more command performances followed, in addition to two appearances at the Inaugurations of 1941 and 1945; and the White family would spend many Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays with the Roosevelts at their Hyde Park, New York mansion (Springwood). The President sent White to give concerts overseas as a "goodwill ambassador", and he was often referred to in the press as the "Presidential Minstrel".[9] More importantly, it was White's songs of social protest, such as "Uncle Sam Says"listen and "Defense Factory Blues",listen which caused the President to begin exploring how to desegregate the U.S. armed forces.[citation needed] Meanwhile, White's recordings of "Beloved Comrade" (the President's favorite song), "Freedom Road", "Free and Equal Blues", and "House I Live In (What Is America to Me)", were great songs of inspiration to the Roosevelts and the country during World War II.[citation needed] After the President's death, White's younger brother William White became Eleanor Roosevelt's personal assistant, house manager and chauffeur for the remainder of her life.

In 1949, Fisk University honored White with an honorary doctorate; and the local Chicago NBC radio series Destination Freedom, written by Richard Durham, aired a half-hour dramatized biography of White's life entitled "Help the Blind". In 1950, Eleanor Roosevelt (then the United Nations ambassador in charge of war relief) and White made a historical speaking and concert tour of the capitals of Europe to lift the spirits of those war-torn countries. The tour built to such proportions that when they arrived in Stockholm, the presentation had to be moved from the Opera House to the city's soccer stadium where 50,000 came out in the pouring rain to hear Mrs. Roosevelt speak and White perform.[citation needed] All during this tour, audiences across Europe enthusiastically requested White to sing his famed anti-lynching recording of "Strange Fruit", but on each occasion he would respond, "My mother always told me that when you have problems in your background you don't give those problems to your neighbor....So, that's a song I will sing back home until I never have to sing it again, but for you, I would now like to sing its sister song, written by the same man ('The House I Live In')."

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

RoundTheBend — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 01:04:08 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 02/11/2021 06:04

Also important to remember this history:
https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/black-composers-who-made-classical-music-history/

This jam came to mind as well:

Link

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

RoundTheBend — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 00:54:32 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 02/11/2021 05:54

Wow - 4 years. Good memories :).

I remember talking about how much of an influence on my life this history of black people in music has been on me in years past, but somehow missed this thread until now.

Anyway, possibly my favorite Motown collection is this one for just being so all encompassing, even if it's restrictive to Motown #1's, it is still 208 songs

I jammed through the whole thing a month or two ago. I'll admit the end of it was less exciting for me than the beginning (although definitely a few gems at the end to).

https://open.spotify.com/album/58pGMCX1LxShUleatShB4x?si=TXnmNzscQAKBMn84pbS30A

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Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

KitchenSink — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 17:44:46 GMT

Author: KitchenSink

Posted: 02/10/2021 22:44

PossiblyMichigan wrote:

Glad you like We Insist! so much. Genuine masterpiece. I don't really know if you're into minimalism but Julius Eastman is one of the best to ever do it and is worth checking out for the final trilogy alone as well as the spoken word intro for Joan of Arc

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Unjust Malaise by Julius Eastman

always here to second Mr. Eastman 🥰

I'm looking at making a chart of Black composers in classical (+classical-adjacent) music before the month is out, so I'll save my extremely limited brainpower for writing notes there, but for now I'd at least like to recommend the incredible Pamela Z.

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A Delay Is Better by Pamela Z

in particular wanna hardcore recommend this album to fans of Meredith Monk and Laurie Anderson (although IMO what she does here, while having parallels to Monk, Anderson, and others in those spheres, is extremely unique and distinct from any of them)

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

PossiblyMichigan — Tue, 9 Feb 2021 15:16:43 GMT

Author: PossiblyMichigan

Posted: 02/09/2021 20:16

Glad you like We Insist! so much. Genuine masterpiece. I don't really know if you're into minimalism but Julius Eastman is one of the best to ever do it and is worth checking out for the final trilogy alone as well as the spoken word intro for Joan of Arc

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Unjust Malaise by Julius Eastman

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

travelful — Mon, 8 Feb 2021 23:03:47 GMT

Author: travelful

Posted: 02/09/2021 04:03

On The Beach by Philip Cohran And The Artistic Heritage Ensemble

Here's a discovery I made recently. Philip Cohran was a trumpeter for Sun Ra. I'm still sort of developing my palate for jazz music but this one clicked right away and immediately jumped to my second favorite jazz album I've heard released in 1967 just behind Straight, No Chaser by Thelonious Monk. It's listed as Spiritual Jazz on RYM and is quite tribal. The title track especially blows me away but the whole thing was an incredible listen that seems to be quite underrated.

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

baystateoftheart — Mon, 8 Feb 2021 21:54:13 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 02/09/2021 02:54

Here's what I heard during week 1 (February 1-7). Albums I've heard in full before = *

Great

Fishscale - Ghostface Killah*
Are You Experienced? - The Jimi Hendrix Experience*
Axis: Bold As Love - The Jimi Hendrix Experience*
O Boso - Manu Dibango
High Priestess Of Soul - Nina Simone*
Stankonia - OutKast*
Tonight's The Night - The Shirelles*
Still Brazy - YG*

Quite Good

Black Fire - Andrew Hill*
E. 1999 Eternal - Bone Thugs-N-Harmony*
Pilot Talk - Curren$y*
Freudian - Daniel Caesar*
On Top Of The World - Eightball & MJG
Truth And Soul - Fishbone*
Calypso - Harry Belafonte*
Maiden Voyage - Herbie Hancock*
Act 1: Eternal Sunshine (The Pledge) (EP) - Jay Electronica*
Makossa Man - Manu Dibango
SlaughtaHouse - Masta Ace Incorporated
Nostrum Grocers - Nostrum Grocers*
Life After Death - The Notorious B.I.G.*
Monkey Barz - Sean Price
Où Je Vis - Shurik'N
Temptin' Temptations - The Temptations*
Rodeo - Travis Scott
Live Convention 81 - Various Artists

~~~~~

Verdict: the best album I discovered this week was...

GOLD

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O Boso by Manu Dibango

Whether you're listening to the original release or the one with hit single Soul Makossa tacked on, this is some serious fire. Dibango's saxophone playing is vibrant, the band cooks, and there are plenty of great tracks. This was my first taste of makossa, and has definitely piqued my interest in the genre. R.I.P.

(I didn't listen to any other 4/5+ albums for the first time this week, so no silver and bronze.)

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

Repo — Sat, 6 Feb 2021 20:13:21 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 02/07/2021 01:13

baystateoftheart wrote:

And Repo, I'm feeling pretty ambivalent haha. I'm leaning toward rooting for the Bucs, but if I do it will be more for Gronk than Brady. How about you?

Oh. I think what Brady has done at 43 is pretty inspirational! Just a testament to his incredible will & drive. Plus this settles the whole Brady vs. Belichick debate. It was BOTH! lol.

GO BUCS!!!

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

EyeKanFly — Sat, 6 Feb 2021 17:21:26 GMT

Author: EyeKanFly

Posted: 02/06/2021 22:21

baystateoftheart wrote:

Thanks all for the recs so far! I've added at least one album to my queue from each of those posts and will report back.

Already a fan of We Insist! and The Epic.

And Repo, I'm feeling pretty ambivalent haha. I'm leaning toward rooting for the Bucs, but if I do it will be more for Gronk than Brady. How about you?

Since The Epic was mentioned, I always like to recommend:

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Uprising by Miles Mosley

Mosley plays bass on The Epic, and Washington plays sax on Uprising. I believe they were recorded during the same sessions.

Kamasi Washington is awesome and I always feel like his run time is a little long and daunting for some people who aren't jazz-inclined. Mosley's a little more accessible I guess? Both equally good in my opinion, I've got a soft spot for bassist-songwriters though.

Re: Black History Month Listening Project (Fourth Annual)

baystateoftheart — Sat, 6 Feb 2021 16:14:25 GMT

Author: baystateoftheart

Posted: 02/06/2021 21:14

Thanks all for the recs so far! I've added at least one album to my queue from each of those posts and will report back.

Already a fan of We Insist! and The Epic.

And Repo, I'm feeling pretty ambivalent haha. I'm leaning toward rooting for the Bucs, but if I do it will be more for Gronk than Brady. How about you?