Birdloom (self titled)

What we have here is an imaginative mashup of traditional style folk music with early 2000s electronica, Loop Guru style. It was actually made around then and I think you can tell, from the beats perspective at least, but that isn’t to say it isn’t any good; it is. But some songs do have quite a timeless feel to them, particularly Bold Lamkin.

It’s interesting to note Sharon’s notes on the page which say that despite interest from fRoots magazine and appearances on BBC radio, they couldn’t get a label to release it at the time. Now, of course, with the democratization of music that is the mayhem of internet disruption style, anyone can realease anything (and I do). I read in a recent Cober interview that this might be bad because if music is free everywhere – and it kind of is, isn’t it? – then people will devalue it.

I think there’s a lot of ways of looking at this, and no right one. On the one hand, it means the people left making it will be the people who genuinely have a calling to do it rather than those who think it might be a ticket to fame or adoration – they have social media for that now, and something else probably soon. On the other it does mean you may have to wade through a lot of music you personally don’t like in order to find stuff you do. I don’t have a problem with that but not everyone has my restless quest for new music, and I can see that the retreat of many people into only going out to see covers bands and tribute bands may be related to this. They know what they like and the like what they know, not realising that there was a time when they didn’t know that thing, and also not admitting that something they don’t know now can become known and liked by giving it a chance.

But as long as people like Sharon and Dave (R.I.P) keep the experimental flame alive, the good thing about this democratization is that they have an avenue to share that and inspire people.

Crow Tongue – Ghost: Eye : Seeker

Well, since I linked this on a recent post, and in so doing discovered that it was on bandcamp now, I figured I’d add it to the Soundbergs pantheon. Old classic albums that have been with me for years surface here every now and again. Like those I just linked, this still gets played on the Soundbergs stereo from time to time, and never fails to bring joy.

This is the very definition of trancey, droney, hypnotic, catatonia-inducing music, the first section especially. It’s the sort of album that needs no words to describe it because it cannot be described, which may say more about my limitations in description than it does about the music (or it may say that all other attempts at description you read are in fact superfluous – you choose).

Emanative – The Light Years Of The Darkness

It’s rare I buy an album on one play only though it does happen. This is the most recent example, and the song that did it was Music is the Healing Force of the Universe, which is a Pharoah Sanders tune (I think). And absolutely true.

This album seems to be a collection of standards from the spritual jazz canon rendered in frankly ecstatically joyous fashion. This is a positive vibes album at its most positivest, which is a real word and is described at length in the famous Dictionary of Really Real Words, available from all good book stores. Your book store no got it? It no a good book store…

And if my brain is working properly, this should post on a Saturday. I think this is a perfect Saturday afternoon album, but will undoubtedly work on many other occasions also. Recommendations for times, and places if you also desire, can be put in the always busy* comments section.

*comments section may not actually be always busy.