The second half of this week's Well-Played List, which features the most listened-to, jammed-out songs, albums and artists of the week as submitted by the CL Music Team along with a rotating crew of tastemakers — local music promoters, record store and venue owners, music fans and scenesters, DJs, musicians, and a radio personality or two; check Wednesday's edition here.
Audio and video included, along with any applicable show info. And on that note, what are you jamming this week? Tell us in the comments…
Humble Pie, Performance: Rockin' the Fillmore - The Complete Recordings Box set (2013) One of the greatest and most dynamic live albums of all time gets the lavish expanded (4-CD) treatment and the results are ridiculously good. The original 2-LP set was released in 1971 and included seven extended jams sprawled out over the four sides of wax. This album helped to introduce America to firecracker Steve Marriott, who they might have remembered from his earlier stint with Mod rockers Small Faces. Future mega-star Peter Frampton was still a member of the Pie lineup when this live document was captured, and his sheer star power bubbles over here. For the first time, all four shows from the band’s stand at the Fillmore are contained within one tidy package. While the average fan might complain that all four discs contain mostly the same setlist, the real beauty here is in the improvisation and the oomph that the band pour into each and every performance. Fans of Black Crowes take note: I’m willing to bet the Robinson brothers studied the album closely and based their own band's muscle and on-stage swagger on this stunning and rocking live masterpiece. The rest of this week's entries, and a Spotify Playlist after the jump...
[jump]JESS GROOM | music fan with discerning taste
Just been playing Bahamas at work the last two days, just because it's chill and I love his voice. He's a Canadian (real name Afie Jurvanen) that used to play with Feist and various others for a bit before he went solo under the name Bahamas. Guess you could say he's been helping to ease me back to reality after a long holiday break, especially 2012 album Barchords. "Never Again" is a great track though for something more upbeat, I recommend "I Got You Babe."
INFINITE SKILLZ | Emcee; promoter/owner/main dude, B.A.S.E. Inc. Music
Infinite Skillz, Late To The Party (2013) Thankfully, my own album release has occupied most of my post-holiday downtime. We recently (today) released the video for the title track, that restores balance.
Meek Mill featuring Nicki Minaj, Fabolous & French Montana, "I Be On That" (2013)
Spending time with family apparently got me in the mood for some ratchet rap because I can't get this song out of my head.
JULIA STEWART / MoonGoddess Entertainment LLC
The Mike Dillon Band, Urn (2012) Have you ever seen punk rock performed on a vibraphone? Didn't think so. The mad scientist of percussion, Mike Dillon, released his latest full length LP via Royal Potato Family Records and has spent the last two years touring relentlessly with his gang of merry pranksters in support. You can try to pigeonhole his music into a specific genre but you probably won't be successful. New Orleans punk meets jazz fusion meets Dr. Seuss. The time he's spent touring with Les Claypool is evident in tracks like "Leather On." This act has become one of my very favorites to catch in recent years; high energy, no holds barred and an all around mesmerizing performance. Catch them at Crowbar this Friday with support from DJ Wyllys (Brooklyn)
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Give The People What They Want (2014) They just don't make em' like Sharon Jones anymore. The last unicorn of revivalist soul is set to release her sixth studio album next week. The fiercely shining star has released the first single off the LP, "Retreat," and just as I suspected, she's on FIRE. Per usual, the album captures the true spirit and sound of funk n' soul as it was in the 1960s and '70s via analog recording techniques. After a brief hiatus while she battled cancer earlier last year, Jones is back and stronger then ever. I once witnessed her perform in a canary gold, sequined mini dress in 20 degree weather at Bear Creek Fest without missing a beat. In my eyes, there's nothing this woman can't do. She's tough as nails. You go girl. (Jones and the Dap Kings land at State Theatre on Thurs., Feb. 20.) "Retreat" video below.
CHRIS NADEAU | non-musician Permanent Makeup
Lately I've been listening to the crushingly good Priests from DC. Their mix of angry riot grrl vocals and dissonant No Wave-inspired guitar and bass held together by tough drums is basically my favorite style of music. Whatever genre this is, I love it to death. Priests come to St. Petersburg this Tues., Jan. 14, to perform at Planet Retro (2414 Central Ave.) with Permanent Makeup for our 7" release show along with our pals Nude Tayne from Tampa. Seriously can't wait!
I've also been listening to the new band from the lead singer of Shoppers (have you heard Shoppers?? OMG, y'all) called Perfect Pussy. Fast, intense, brutal — so, so good. Permanent Makeup will be playing with them in Gainesville on Sun. Jan. 12, but more importantly to you, Perfect Pussy will perform at Unit 19 (5805 N. 50th St., Tampa) on Thurs., Jan 16.
COLIN JOYCE
Void, Sessions 1981-'83 (2011) After (finally) picking up a copy of The Faith/Void split at Microgroove a couple of days ago, I've spent a fair amount of time re-listening to Void's collection of unreleased material that came out a few years back on Dischord. It's so crazy that the entirety of this band's recorded material was composed when they were in high school; this sort of shrieking nihilism usually takes more than an adolescent mind to conjure.
The Jesus and Mary Chain, Stoned & Dethroned (1994) I've spent a fair amount of time with the JAMC discography, but Stoned & Dethroned is strangely one that never clicked until today. It's the Reid brothers screeching noise rock funneled down through acoustic guitars — their version of a Mazzy Star album with a standout track ("Sometimes Always") featuring Hope Sandoval herself. It's like a desert-bound version of the sort of Velvet Underground worship that Jason Pierce was doing with Spiritualized at the same time, and a compelling document of an unfairly ignored period of the band's history.
DAN DRUMMOND | Mojo Books & Records
Wooden Shjips, Back to Land (2013) San Francisco's Wooden Shjips have been around the psychedelic underground for years. Back To Land (Thrill Jockey) is their most accessible album ever. Famous for their spacey psych rock, here we find them in a more laid back groove, probably due in part to their recent re-location to Portland. Psych boogie music you can dance to can be found here. Standouts include the title track, "Ruins" and "Ghouls." Comes with a groovy die-cut cover reminiscent of Led Zeppelin 3. Available on vinyl at Mojo.
Toy, Colours Running Out (2013) I discovered this album by chance after submitting my Best of 2013 list. Had I heard it earlier, it would have been right up near the top. Toy hails from Brighton, England, and is part of the neo-psychedelic movement that also includes such bands as Temples and Wooden Shjips. They've been been compare to the likes of Syd Barrett, Can, MBV, The Stone Roses, Neu! and Wire, just to name a few.
Many tracks on this debut sound like something you may have heard before — in a good way. Toy does indeed sound like band from a different era, but uses their influences to craft a sound all their own. Most of the songs on Colours Running Out consist of processed guitars, buried organ work and the echo-laden, dead-pan vocals of Tom Dougall, all combined into a heady mix of hooks and melody that'll keep you coming back for more. Some of the many highlights on this album include the title track, "Dead and Gone" and "Kopter." Available on vinyl at Mojo.