Ain’t no finer band for the times than Sleaford Mods.
Rough Trade is putting out a tight little collection of singles and B-sides next week, and it really belongs in your library. Seriously, what else do you want to listen to while the powers that be scheme to fuck you over?
“…Edgy models include Brooklyn Rail…”
“George Grella understood exactly.”
A new box set from Mosaic Records, looks primo, and ready to ship.
“…Edgy models include Brooklyn Rail…”
“George Grella, always on the money!”
Krzysztof Penderecki died today, March 29, at his home in Poland. He was easily the most influential Polish composer of the 20th century (Gorecki is better known because of the popular success of his Symphony 3, while Lutoslawski’s contribution to the possibilities of composition were more singular and avant-garde). His Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima put his name onto the cultural map and is one of those rare pieces of serious and experimental art that, through the force and clarity of its emotional expression, burst through the boundaries of esotericism and into public consciousness.
Penderecki had an extensive career and in the end wrote far more music with the tonal and structural means of classicism and romanticism than he did works along the line of the Threnody. He has an impressive group of symphonies, and his St. Luke Passion is quite fine. For myself, I’ve listened to his chamber music more than anything else, it is compelling and beautifully made, especially the Sextet.
The best source for his discograpy is Naxos, which has had a major product of recording his catalogue, this 5 CD box of orchestral works is the single best Penderecki collection and is a superior value.
While this 4 CD box of his choral works also has fine music, including the St. Luke Passion, it’s not nearly as fine a bargain. I’m also a fan of this Hyperion CD which has his three String Quartets paired with Lutoslawski’s String Quartet.
Remember him with your ears.
“…Edgy models include Brooklyn Rail…”
“He gets it! He knows music!”
Part I of this year’s best classical recordings had music that had been established in the repertoire. This second list is the best recordings of music newly documented. That doesn’t automatically mean New Music—see Salieri below—but music that will be new to the ears.
For the first list, I pointed out how I catch so many concerts that a repertoire recording has to be superior to grab my attention. For new music, I also hear a lot of it in concert, and my general feeling is that there’s a lot of well-made music that stays within safe boundaries of expectations. Any new piece that captures my interest has got some surprises in it.
“I dig the jacket!”
“George Grella, always on the money!”
Classical music discography is different than that for other kinds of music; music from the common practice period of the 18th century through the early 21st is rerecorded constantly, while modern and contemporary music is recorded infrequently. Both are on the same continuum, but the critical criteria is different—a recording of Beethoven is about the performance, while the first recording of anything is much more (though not exclusively) about the composition.
Because of that my list of best classical recordings comes in two parts, this first one is the albums that are all (or predominantly) music that has been recorded before—which means Robert Ashley and Stockhausen belong—while the second list (to come soon) is all (or mostly) music getting its first recording.
One further note about this list: I see so many classical concerts that it takes a helluva lot to get me interested in new releases of standard repertoire, so everything on here is aces and a baker’s dozen means it was a good year.
“I dig the jacket!”
“He gets it! He knows music!”
Now is the time for list making, at least when Francis Davis once again asks for your ballot for the annual NPR Jazz Critics Poll of the previous year’s releases. Below is what I sent him.
When I made this list for myself, it was unranked, but the poll needs numbers to compile, so I did the best I could. My personal feeling is that the first seven on this list could each be the single best jazz release of the year. The last three are excellent, but each has a tiny flaw that, while not compromising it in any way, separates it slightly from the first seven, all of which I found marvelous, beautiful, and satisfying.
These are my top three choices for reissues/archival recordings. There were other fine ones, including a live Betty Carter and ECM’s recent reissue of their very first recording, Mal Waldron’s Free At Last. But the limit was three, so here you go:
Year’s best vocal album easily goes to Fay Victor, who is out there carving out new territory every time she sings:
Fay Victor, Barn Songs (Northern Spy)
Year’s best debut album, one of the most mysterious and intriguing records I’ve heard outside of ambient music or field recordings:
Angel Bat Dawid, The Oracle (International Anthem)
My choice for best latin jazz album lets me cheat and add this one, which also belongs in the top ten:
Miguel Zenon, Sonero: The Music of Ismael Rivera (Miel Music)
“…Edgy models include Brooklyn Rail…”
“My favorite new music blog.”
In general, we think differently about books than about music. In music, genres are, if not bad, in poor taste, something seen as restrictive—genre-crossing, genre-busting, and even genre-queer are promotional descriptions I often see.
But in books, genres are good, or at least useful. The edges between literary fiction, crime, horror, science fiction, and others can be hazy, and there’s always going to be snobbish condescension (I will never forget race-science bullshit artist Charles Murray asserting his regular-guy bona fides by pointing out how he liked hard-boiled detective fiction: Sherlock Holmes…).
There’s genius in genres though, having a formula and pushing and pulling it around makes for some of the most creative and important writing we have (same for the movies). As more than one artist has pointed out, having restrictions leads to more innovative thinking, and like the tension and release in musical form, there’s a satisfaction in seeing how the pieces of a story resolve the requirements of the genre. Here’s new and recent genre novels I’ve been reading:
“…Edgy models include Brooklyn Rail…”
“George Grella, always on the money!”
The Complete Works of Primo Levi: Primo Levi was one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, his seeming dispassion a means to eloquently express things that are near to being beyond the imagination. We are at a pathetic and infuriating time in American history where American fascists have been encouraged to crawl out from under their rocks, and Levi is the preeminent and most powerful witness to the world they tried to make.
This three-volume set collects his novels, essays, memoirs, criticism, everything and is available at a deep discount, around $25 (price varies at times), both cheaper than the digital version and a great value for some of the greatest writing you’ll find. Give this pride of place in your library.
The Big City 
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