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Monday, August 31, 2020

"Wandering Boy" by House and Land

Song: Wandering Boy
Artist: House and Land
Album: self-titled album (2017)
Commentary: Sometimes I get bored with people trying to do traditional folk music, but this is just beautiful. Love love love.

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Friday, August 28, 2020

"pull up" and "SMD" by Pink Siifu

Songs: "pull up" and "SMD"
Artist: Pink Siifu
Albums: im still. (2018) and NEGRO (2020)
Also try:  Death Grips, Ho99o9 (if you like SMD)
Commentary: I thought Pink Siifu was an above average, talented rapper. Then NEGRO came out this year and I was like, "Shoot." Nice mix of experimental, punk ethos. I wanted one from each of those 2 phases here (rap, then the combo). ensley was the first album I heard of Siifu's (a rapping one) -- liked that too.

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Thursday, August 27, 2020

"Indivisible" by Lungfish

Song: Indivisible
Artist: Lungfish
Album: Indivisible (1997)
Commentary: Oops, guess I'm posting more drone-y guitar music. I've already posted Daniel Higgs' solo stuff on here because I like his style, musically speaking. Lungfish is an interesting precursor to the solo stuff.

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Wednesday, August 26, 2020

"Fransa" by Kel Assouf

Song: Fransa
Artist: Kel Assouf
Album: Black Tenere (2019)
Commentary: If you ever get tired of desert blues, Tuareg Rock, etc. maybe find another blog site. Love this album and its cover.

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Tuesday, August 25, 2020

"White Oak" by Daniel Bachman

Song: White Oak
Artist: Daniel Bachman
Album: Oh Be Joyful (2012)
Also try:  John Fahey, other American Primitive guitarists
Commentary: I'm a sucker for finger-picked guitar, especially a là American Primitive.

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Monday, August 24, 2020

"Slave" by Duval Timothy

Song: Slave (ft. Twin Shadow)
Artist: Duval Timothy
Album: Help (2020)
Commentary: Think I saw this album on Pitchfork. It's great. Intrigued to encounter more of their multidisicplinary work.

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Thursday, July 30, 2020

"Ruff Ryders' Anthem" by DMX

Song: Ruff Ryders' Anthem (prod. by a teenaged Swizz Beatz)
Artist: DMX
Album: It's Dark and Hell Is Hot (1998)
Commentary: An acquaintance referenced this on Facebook and I'd never heard it or of it. It's dope though. Definitely an earworm. "Stop! Drop! Shut 'em down, open up shop!"

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Tuesday, July 28, 2020

"The Roving Cowboy / 阿瓦尔古丽" by Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn

Song: The Roving Cowboy / Avarguli (阿瓦尔古丽)
Artist: Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn
Album: self-titled (2020)
Commentary: You know how I try to appreciate various folk music traditions from around the world? Well, this album merges two of them beautifully. They blend "material from the hills of Appalachia to the prairies of Xinjiang region." I wish there were more of this -- so many folk musics, so little time (and collaboration!) There is a weird thing where it seems like Wu Fei is appropriating Uyghur music as a Han woman from Beijing?

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Monday, July 27, 2020

"Carbon 7 (161)" by Jlin

Song: Carbon 7 (161)
Artist: Jlin
Album: Black Origami (2017)
Commentary: Jlin is a very talented and interesting artist. I keep an eye on her work.

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Sunday, July 26, 2020

Claude Cormier M'y’s choreography to Kyle Edward's remix of Fun's "We Are Young"

Song: "We Are Young" (Jersey Club remix)
Artist: originally by Fun and featuring Janelle Monáe, remixed by Kyle Edwards & Dj Smallz 732; choreographed by Claude Cormier M'y
Commentary: This is all about the video. I have rewatched this so many times. The choreography is impeccable and the dancers are magnificent (even just watch their faces at the turning point!!). No spoilers, but watch the whole thing.

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Saturday, July 25, 2020

"NYC Cops" by Heems

Song: NYC Cops
Artist: Heems (Himanshu of Das Racist)
Album: Stroked: A Tribute to [The Strokes’ 2001 album] Is This It (2011)
Commentary: I've liked this song since it came out in 2011, but it's been in my head and heart a lot lately. A heavy listen, but an important chronicle of New York City's police murders
#BlackLivesMatter

You can also read this weblog commentary on the song.
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Sunday, May 24, 2020

"HokayHokayHokay" by Slug Christ

Song: HokayHokayHokay
Artist: Slug † Christ
Album: The Crucifixion of Rapper Extraordinaire, Slug Christ (2015)
Also try
Commentary: You don't need to tell me I like too many goofy White rappers. I'm already embarrassed. For whatever reason, I did enjoy the album.

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Saturday, May 23, 2020

"Just Like Heaven" [cover] by Dinosaur Jr.

Song: Just Like Heaven [cover of the Cure]
Artist: Dinosaur Jr.
Album: You're Living All Over Me (1987)
Commentary: Love me some grungy, late 20th century rock music. Dino Jr's great; they were trendsetters and I love that they're still rocking. Not a fan of the original version of this song.

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Tuesday, May 12, 2020

"The Queen Who Stole The Sky" by Sarah Mary Chadwick

Song: The Queen Who Stole The Sky
Artist: Sarah Mary Chadwick
Album: The Queen Who Stole The Sky (2019)
Commentary: Obviously, I love her singing. An album of organ music though? Magnificent.

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Monday, May 11, 2020

"Mallorca" by Pipe Major Forsyth

Song: Mallorca
Artist: Pipe Major Henry Forsyth
Album: Black Mirror: Reflections in Global Musics 1918--1955 (originally 1935, re-released in 2007)
Commentary: I agree that sometimes bagpipes are insufferable. Have you ever heard good pipe music though? (these might be Uillean pipes or something)

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Sunday, May 10, 2020

"Building Steam with a Grain of Salt" by DJ Shadow

Song: Building Steam with a Grain of Salt
Artist: DJ Shadow
Album: Endtroducing..... (1996)
Commentary: A watershed. Listen to the whole album.

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Wednesday, April 29, 2020

"Fetiche" by Arca

Song: Fetiche
Artist: Arca
Single: Fetiche (2018)
Commentary: Arca is an interesting artist. As a producer, she's worked with Kanye on Yeezus, with Björk, with FKA Twigs. And also makes cool, weird electronic music. This is another of those posts where I like the artist, like their albums, but have no idea what track to post. I picked the first one on youtube, which I'd never heard, but is great and has a cool video

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Just the audio, which is not age-restricted:

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

"Rejoice" by Julien Baker

Song: Rejoice
Artist: Julien Baker
Album: Sprained Ankle (2015)
Also try:  Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers
Commentary: Member of boygenius supergroup. Lesbian, socialist, but also Christian. Julien Baker is a pretty cool cat. "I rejoice and complain" is a relatable lyric, even as a theology.

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Wednesday, March 25, 2020

"Green Eggs & Ham" by Princess Nokia

Song: Green Eggs & Ham
Artist: Princess Nokia
Album: Everything is Beautiful (2020)
Commentary: I've liked Princess Nokia, but this year's double album is good times.

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Tuesday, March 24, 2020

"The Sakalava Vezo 3"

Song: The Sakalava Vezo 3
Artist: Sakalava & Vezo are both ethnic groups of Madagascar. Not sure which describes the group(s) of people singing and playing here!
Album: Madagascar - Traditional Music From The South-West (1991)
Also try
Commentary: This just sounds like a good time. Turn your auto-play on and, if you're lucky, Youtube will give you #4 next.

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