One thing I learned quickly is you have to always be going with the flow. Make
a mistake, get hit, get out of position, you're just working from wherever
you're at.
All this made me start listening to more jazz (either that or because fall is
starting). I honestly think it's helpful in making the most out of any
situation you find yourself in. Improvisation.
For me, listening to more jazz usually starts with
Thelonious Monk. He is a
musician I really look up to. Through thick and thin he stayed true to himself
musically, was always pushing boundaries, and with that "impose my will" on
music attitude, solidified himself as one of the greats.
His album that I've been loving the most this week is a 1959 recording of his
in San Francisco.
↗
1959
Thelonious Alone in San Francisco
Thelonious Monk
jazzsolopiano
Those little genre tags will show you how little I know about jazz. What I do
know is Monk was known for saying "There are no wrong keys," and that does come
through on this album.
I love solo Monk because:
He strips down the compositions, making it easier to digest and know what's
going on.
Keys frequently sound "off" until you're more into his improvisation and it
starts to come together beautifully.
I think Blue Monk showcases this best. The melody is an earworm, somehow he
makes the left hand playing sound like a small band, and you can hear some
paths he's taking within the song.
Yo La Tengo's 11th studio album just turned 20, so that's been in rotation a
ton as well. For anyone unfamiliar with
Yo La Tengo, they're a legendary indie
rock act from Hoboken, with most of their heyday in the 90's. If you aren't
familiar with their most popular albums I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One
and And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF!
Return to Hot Chicken is one of my favorite album openers of all time,
Autumn Sweater's percussion and that deep organ are like a warm, weighted
blanket, and Our Way to Fall is one of the best love songs ever.
There are several vocalists for the project (Ira & Georgia, who have been
married basically since the formation of the band) and the vocals are likely
going to sound awkward at first, but you'll get used to it quick.
Anyways, this is the album that turned 20:
↗
2006
I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass
Yo La Tengo
indie rockindie poppsychshoegaze
Hilarious title (apparently a quote from 2 Knicks players bickering on the
bench during a game?) for a great collection of songs that sound very "Yo La
Tengo".
First one to point you to is Mr. Tough, an upbeat, piano driven song about
letting loose.
Beanbag Chair and The Race Is On Again both capture a
strong theme of the album: keep pushing, keep growing, keep learning. It'll be
uncomfortable, but it is necessary.
I also love Pass the Hatchet, an 11
minute motorik groove with an electric guitar layered on top whose screams get
louder as the song progresses.
Lots of good unconventional love songs on this project as well. Songs about
hope, or just plain making it by.
Organized Noise
I also need to quickly shout out
YHWH Nailgun, saw them live this week and the
show was amazing. They're a noise rock/post hardcore band from NY who put on an
amazing show. They're one of those bands where listening to them on Spotify vs.
seeing them live is almost a 2D vs 3D experience. They're incredibly talented.
If you've sufficiently braced yourself, Penetrator is probably the song I'm
supposed to recommend, but Iron Feet might be my personal fav.
Picked this album up at Randy's Records this week. Natalie's got an undeniably
90's voice, and sounds incredible on the whole album. The groove on this one,
the opener, is probably what it feels like if you reached a flow state in
surfing or some other board sport. Lyrically, it's a slow burn and a little
ominous.
I'm sure I'll go down a Kieran Hebden/Four Tet rabbit hole one of these weeks
for the newsletter, but this song is from one of his many side projects. The
way the soul sample comes in for a sort of chorus and cuts directly back into the
beat gets me fired up.
