
It’s Robert Finley New Vinyl Thursday at The Vinyl Underground at 7th Heaven. Check out this weekâs list of new vinyl arrivals:
Aaron Frazer- Introducing…
Annette Peacock- X- Dreams
Annette Peacock- The Perfect Release
Weekly Review:
Singer, pianist and composer Annette Peacock has yet to receive her due as a pioneer of both psychedelic culture and electronic music. Her work has been covered, sampled or referenced by no less than David Bowie, Busta Rhymes and Wilco guitarist Nels Cline. Reissues of a pair of her seminal late â70s albums will hopefully elevate her standing.
Released in 1978, X-Dreams finds Peacock working with former Spiders from Mars guitarist Mick Ronson and King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford (among a host of other musicians). The X in the title could mean explicit â Peacock isnât afraid to tread sexual waters on opening track âMama Never Taught Me How To Cookâ and âReal and Defined Androgensâ â but it likely also refers to her XX chromosomes. If you can peer through the free-range saxophones, rock guitars and pounding pianos, Peacock examines male-female romance through a variety of prisms. A cover of the Elvis Presley song âDonât Be Cruelâ is as transformative as it is revelatory.
The Perfect Release followed one year later. Here, Peacock works with the same set of musicians on each track and emerges with a sound a little closer to the jazz-fusion of Steely Dan. The subject matter is expansive as the seven lengthy tracks, range from ecology, on âSolar Systems,â to sex, on âThe Succubus,â and the existential, on âSurvival.â
Peacock doesnât attempt to be accessible and as such, it may take a few listens to warm up to her approach â particularly on X-Dreams â but those who can embrace her will be rewarded.- Joel Francis
Arrested Development- 3 Years 5 Months & 2 Days in the life of…
Aurora- All My Demons Greeting Me As a Friend

Amy Winehouse – At the BBC
Weekly Review:
Perhaps no single artist is more responsible for the popularity of the contemporary neo-soul movement as Amy Winehouse. Her sultry contralto voice was both mysterious and comforting, a mix of classic soul and modern pop.
Sadly the arc of her career also mirrored some of the great classic soulful jazz artists like Billy Holiday when she died of alcoholism in 2011 at the age of just 27.
Due to her addictions, for a time, her live performances became infamous train wrecks of forgotten words and prematurely ended sets. But when she was on, there was no other performer quite like her.
To quote music critic Dan Cairns, âShe was shy, warm, funny, cheeky, complicated, a mass and a mess of contradictions, affectionate, loyal, a tricky customer when she chose to be, occasionally too hot to handle.
UMC and Island have just reissued this lovely, comprehensive, three record set: Amy Winehouse At the BBC compiling some her best live performances including: Later With Jules Holland and BBC Sessions Live at Porchester Hall in 2007. This is a fitting tribute to a truly singular talent. -Major Matt
Billie Eilish- When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Bruce Springsteen- Greatest Hits


Busta Rhymes – Extinction Level Event 2
Weekly Review:
Busta Rhymes most recent album, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath Of God is a dark, sweeping, apocalyptic nightmare predicting the end of the world and inevitable self destruction of the human race… or is it?
It is clear that even though Mr. Rhymes might be approaching the sunset of his highly impactful, over 30 year career in hip hop, heâs still got some important things to get off his chest.
The dark cover art and biblical intro to this album sets the stage for a tone that sadly we are all too familiar with in these days of pandemics, racial tensions, and global warming. But the album is not void of irony. Like all true masters, Rhymes knows how to flip a script and reveal these doomsday scenarios for the bandwagon schemes that they sometimes are.
âFuck your plague and disease and sickness brought on by colonization.â Claims Rhymes on the end of the opening track.
The features on this record read like a list of hip-hop and r&b royalty of past and present including: Kendrick Lamar, Rick Ross, Anderson .Paak, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige, Q-Tip, Bell Biv DeVoe and more.
Rhymes has always been a difficult MC to pin down, weaving in and out of Top 40 and more cutting edge East coast factions. This record is no different. Depending on your point of view not every thing on ELE 2 will be easy to digest.
To quote the man himself, heâs here to provide, âA good balance of science, and a good balance of heat, Classic shit, as I continue to give you that food. Feast on this full course meal, as I welcome you allâ. -Major Matt
Charlie Quintet Parker- Bluebird
Colter Wall- Imaginary Appalachia
Death Cab for Cutie- Codes and Keys
Death Cab for Cutie- Transatlanticism (Anniversary Edition)
Denzel Curry- Unlocked
Dr. Dre- Chronic
Dropkick Murphys- Turn Up That Dial (Coke Bottle Green) [INDIE EX]
Weekly Review:





Indie folk artist Elliott Smith has long been held in hushed, exalted reverence, but in many ways his third album, 1997âs Either/Or established that legacy.
Either/Or is Smithâs final album before he jumped to a major label. It is also the album filmmaker Gus Van Sant heard, which inspired him to place three of its songs in the movie Good Will Hunting and to ask Smith to record a new song specifically for the soundtrack.
The first side of Either/Or functions as a mini greatest-hits set, starting with âSpeed Trials,â a subtle yet catchy single. âPictures of Meâ and âAngelesâ are two of the best songs Smith ever wrote. Thereâs also âBetween the Bars,â Smithâs best-known (and oft-covered) song.
Side B isnât as celebrated, but is nearly as sturdy, containing âCupidâs Trick,â the most electric performance on the album, preceded by the lovely âAngeles,â one of Either/Orâs most delicate performances. Spend as much time as you need sifting through the dozen songs looking for a weak track, but it canât be found.
This reissue of Either/Or retains the 20th anniversary mixes while shedding the editionâs bonus material. It remains the best entry point to Smithâs catalog, but be warned: Once youâve absorbed Either/Or, you will insatiably track down every other morsel from this gifted artist. – Joel Francis








Jon Batiste- Soul (Music From and Inspired by the Motion Picture)

In several ways, Juliana Hatfieldâs latest album, Blood, serves as a continuation of Pussycat, the 2017 album that kicked off a prolific streak of five albums in as many years. Pussycat was a laceration of Americaâs recently elected president. While a different white male occupies the Oval Office today, Hatfield still bears grievances.
On âNightmary,â a song buoyed by a pop hook that could have been taken from Hatfieldâs recent Police tribute, she sings âThe whole world is controlled by fascist bloodsucking thugs.â The next song, âHad a Dream,â is gory analogy of Americaâs gun violence problem. Lead single âMouthful of Bloodâ is what Hatfield winds up with after biting her tongue for so long. âIf I say what I want to say,â she sings, âit might just get me killed.â
Musically, Blood remains as peppy and accessible as its subject matter is gruesome and unflinching. Fuzzy guitars, bubbly melodies and spritely keyboards (all played by Hatfield) make the album pleasing to both the ear and intellect.
After 19 albums, Hatfield isnât out to prove anything to anyone, but her truth and passion make Blood an album that will not only appeal to longtime fans, but will hopefully win Hatfield some new ones as well.- Joel Francis







There is something both classic and essential contemporary about Grayâs music. Her raspy, wise voice rang overtones of Billy Holiday, while her larger than life persona and relaxed boho-style were reminiscent of the early sixties with a dash of club- kid.
Stripped is her ninth studio album and itâs her first foray into a more pure jazz vibe. It was recorded live on April 7 and April 8, 2016, in a decommissioned Brooklyn church. As the name suggests, the record has a stripped down feel featuring Russell Malone on guitar and Wallace Roney on Trumpet.
Stand out tracks are the late night lounge version of I Try and a soulful rendition of Bob Marleyâs Redemption Song. -Major Matt







Vancouver-based quintet Mother Mother is another band in a long line of acts that are huge in their native Canada but canât get arrested in the United States. Which is a shame, because Mother Mother is a lot of fun. Lead vocalist/guitarist/songwriter Ryan Guldemond and his sister Molly Guldemond have a male-female, tag-team vocal pairing that recalls the New Pornographers or Grouplove.
Musically, Mother Mother is effortlessly effervescent without becoming annoying. Plenty of power pop guitar chords and soaring synthesizers keep the proceedings bubbly, but Ryan Guldermond isnât above sneaking a banjo or other musical surprise into the arrangement.
Eureka doesnât have such lofty expectations lyrically, but the words always serve the spirit of the song â to keep the good times going and elevate the spirit.
This first-ever vinyl release drops in commemoration of Eurkeaâs 10th anniversary, but this isnât a bygone time capsule. Mother Mother is still going strong with a new album on the way in June, making Eureka a great way to get up to speed.- Joel Francis





In hindsight, it is easy to understand why Beatles fans may have felt underwhelmed by Sir Paulâs post-Fab offerings. The homespun sounds of McCartney and Ram donât have any of the ambition or grandeur of âHey Judeâ or âLet It Be.â But the low-key charm of these two albums are exactly why they continue to resonate today.
âUncle Albert/Admiral Halseyâ may be goofy and whimsical, but is also a lot of fun and continues the tradition of mini-medley songs that started on Abbey Roadâs second side and carried through to Red Rose Speedway and, most recently, Egypt Station. With the exception of the widescreen album closer âThe Back Seat of My Car,â the rest of Ram is the perfect marriage of whimsy and substance. Whenever McCartney attempted to work in this style again, the results were either lazy or too cute (sometimes both: see, âWonderful Christmastimeâ).Â
The legacy of Ram can be heard in lo-fi indie projects such as Death Cab for Cutie, the Elephant Six collective, the Decemberists, Of Montreal, Fiery Furnaces. In observance of the albumâs 50th anniversary it is being reissued in a half-speed-mastered edition with better sound quality. Regardless of how you get it, Ram should be in any music collection.- Joel Francis




After melding blues, jump, gospel and rhythm and blues into soul music in the 1950s, Ray Charles opened the â60s by combining soul with other genres. His 1961 release (only the second album issued on Impulse Records) places Charlesâ organ (and vocals, sometimes) in a big band setting.
Charles receives immaculate support from members of the Count Basie Orchestra for half the tracks and New Yorkâs finest jazz session players for the other. Quincy Jones, the man who would give us Thriller a little more than 20 years later, arranged many of the songs. Brother Ray tears through a fevered version of âOne Mint Julepâ and sings the blues on âIâm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town.â
While the organ and orchestra motif was well-established by Jimmy Smith by this point, Charles provides a unique take. For one thing, Charlesâ playing has more of a gospel inflection. And despite the undeniable pedigree of the supporting players, itâs not hard to imagine these songs swinging nearly as hard with a standard R&B combo as they do with the big band. In other words, the momentum from these performances comes from Charles, not the charts or the ensemble.  Â
Shortly after releasing this album, Charles melded his sound with country and western for two wildly successful (and celebrated) albums. Part of Charlesâ genius was the ability to convince the public to accompany him into these ventures. When the results are as fun and enthusiastic as they are here, itâs hard not flock to the party.- Joel Francis





On the heels of one of 2020âs best albums, We Are Sent Here by History, jazz man Shabaka Hutchings returns with another strong offering.
With Hutchings on reeds, Theon Cross on tuba and drummers Tom Skinner and Eddie Hick, Sons of Kemet sound different from other jazz ensembles by design. On their fourth album, the quartet ride Afro-Caribbean rhythms and Crossâ mighty tuba for a sound that is danceable yet anxious.
The spoken-word pieces that open and close the album make Hutchingsâ thesis clear. From the introduction: âOne knee on my back/one knee on my lung/telling me to run sprint times in a marathon.â The heavy gets even heavier on âLet the Circle Be Unbroken.â The track opens with an almost Calypso rhythm with the tuba carrying the melody. Hutchingsâ sax enters doubling the tuba line before dancing in its own direction. As the tuba grows more insistent, the sax becomes even more discordant, until it dissolves into a sputtered staccato.
Kemet gets some help along the way from several guest vocalists, but the groupâs thesis is so tight the song titles read like a poem on the back cover. The year is far from over, but Black to the Future is an early contender for 2021âs best jazz release. – Joel Francis













Weekly Review:
It’s no secret the guys in Weezer grew up as 80s arena-rock fans. There’s a song on their 1994 self-titled debut album (the blue album) “In The Garage” that contains lyrics “I’ve got posters on the wall, my favorite rock band KISS.” Twenty-seven years later (almost to the day) Weezer releases a 10 track ode to their hair band heroes titled Van Weezer.

Albums released by Impulse Records are instantly recognizable for their iconic orange and black spines. From its first release in 1961, the label was a safe haven for free jazz and avant-garde experimentation. While John Coltraneâs increasingly experimental work for Impulse has become so synonymous with the label it is often called The House that Trane Built, the Impulse story goes well beyond the iconic saxophonist.
This new four-album set curated in recognition of Impulseâs 60th anniversary includes plenty of Coltrane (claiming all of the first side), but goes out of its way to document the labelâs role in the political and social realm of the Black experience in the 1960s and â70s.
Bop pioneers Max Roach, Charles Mingus and Ahmad Jamal are sequenced alongside free jazz explorers Yusef Lateef, Archie Shepp and Pharoah Sanders. Then there are those that arenât easily categorized, like Michael Whiteâs neo-classical piece âLament (Mankind)â and Marion Brownâs contemplative âBismillahi âRrahmani âRrahim.â
While the 60th anniversary is a bit a misnomer since the label went dark after 1980 save for a few dozen releases (and has only recently become active again), this 25-track collection is a great overview of Impulseâs restless and adventurous spirit over its first two decades. The accompanying essays, song notes and photographs enhance the journey.- Joel Francis



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