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Good morning… the first part of a double header today. The other half and I have been watching quite a bit of the Netflix show Loudermilk recently. Its soundtrack reminded me how much I like singer-songwriter Andy Shauf’s 2016 album The Party. ‘Quite Like You’ is a lovely tale of misplaced love. “Jeremy walks over, and to my surprise / Sherry puts her arm around his side.”
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Indie popsters Glass Animals released their sophomore LP How To Be A Human Being in 2016. The album opens brilliantly with ‘Life Itself‘ and ‘Youth’. The latter uses a sample of an owl’s hoot to create the rolling synthesised sound, while the band’s songwriter Dave Bayley sings “You were clearly meant for more”. Very effective.
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Whilk & Misky is/was the alias for Charlie Dickens and Nima Khaste’s teamwork. In 2016, Jordon Alexander (aka Mall Grab) remixed one of the duo’s singles. ‘All By Myself’ is a gift to to those still dancing in the New Year…
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I am new to the works of Jason Collett this week. I am loving the Talking Heads x Kevin Morby vibes. ‘Song And Dance Man’ is the title track off the Canadian singer-songwriter’s 2016 long player.
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As is the way in Brazil, Alcione Dias Nazareth is simply known as Alcione. After a few years touring South America and Europe as a singer and trumpet player, she returned to Brazil in 1972 and recorded her first first single. Written by Nei Lopes and Reginaldo Bessa, ‘Figa de Guiné’ is my type of worldly music – uptempo and with a bossa nova groove.
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Singer-songwriter Laura Mvula has her dedicated fans and by 2016 they included legend Nile Rodgers. They decided to collaborate on her album The Dreaming Room. The single ‘Overcome’ features his unmistakable guitar work.
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Good morning! I had some remarkable fun at the Coronation Concert last night, but there wasn’t really any musical references to post in this space today. (Unlike the King, I still prefer to hide my love for Lionel Richie.) Instead, this weekend I revisited Will Toledo’s 2016 album Teens Of Denial. The opening track ‘Fill In The Blank’ is a lyrical delight. “If I were split in two, I would just take my fists, so I could beat up the rest of me.” Have a great week.
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In 2016, Brooklyn-based Parquet Courts released Human Performance, their most melodic album to date. If there is a template for soulful garage rock, then the title track from their fifth album is probably close to it. It has the depth of a break-up track that Bob Dylan or Bryan Ferry might deliver, but then, of course, the feedback and guitars descend.
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The talented, quirky D’Addario brothers have recently announced the release of their fourth studio album Everything Harmony. As The Lemon Twigs, the NYC-based pair delivered their debut album Do Hollywood in 2016. Opening track ‘I Wanna Prove To You’ immediately revealed their love of musical theatre. Think The Beatles, Small Faces and The Kinks. Have a great week.
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I love a bit of Kevin Morby. In 2016, he uttered the words “If you ever hear that thunder / Put your eye to the sky, boy, and wonder….” ‘Beautiful Strangers’ was released as a single. It was a protest song. It is beautiful.
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Ever wondered what a marriage of The Walkmen and Vampire Weekend might sound like. Probably not, but thankfully Hamilton Leithauser and Rostam Batmanglij had greater vision. The remorseful ‘A 1000 Times’ deserves to be a timeless standard.
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Ural Thomas is Portland’s “Pillar of Soul”. Back in the day, Thomas’s talent saw him sharing the stage with the likes of James Brown, Otis Redding and Stevie Wonder. Like fellow soul revivalists Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and Charles Bradley, the 2010s was a fruitful time to revisit a vintage sound. The culmination of some local gigs was a self-titled compilation in 2016. The positivity of ‘Smile’ jumps out. Have a great weekend.
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Good morning folks. In 2016, the actor and musician Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) released his third studio album Awaken, My Love!. The trippy ballad ‘Me And Your Mama’ opens the LP, with more than a spoonful of Sly Stone mixed in. Have a great week.
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Written and produced by Frank Ocean and Pharrell Williams, ‘Pink + White’ was released as a part of Ocean’s 2016 studio album Blonde. The love song features additional vocals from Beyoncé and is a soothing way to finish the week. Have a great weekend folks.
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Produced by Danger Mouse, Michael Kiwanuka’s second album Love & Hate is contemporary and nostalgic at the same time. The title track is a case in hand … slow-burning soul with a warped acoustic guitar.
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