Album of the Week

Its Pan Daijing. Its opera.

If you don’t know the music of US-born, Norwegian-Mexican artist and producer Carmen Villain, then Only Love From Now On won’t sound like the radical departure it is.

Black Country, New Road made two great records — Ants From Up There is their second.

Singular voices, singular visions.

Originally released in 1984 in an edition limited to 25 cassettes, the Universal Liberation Orchestra’s Communion offers a heady brew of styles blended into an intoxicating mix.

It’s not every day I hear a record that sounds truly ground-breaking. If I did, the ground would be so broken making it damn near impossible to spot a new disruption.

Some music sounds like it was always there, like it wasn’t made, like it just is.

“I have a Pinegrove tattoo” Kristen Stewart remarked. “I love those guys, that’s my favorite band.”

This is not a Tricky album. Per se. But it has the British trip hop pioneer’s hands all over it along with a wonderfully varied group of collaborators.

I grew up listening to my father’s music. Mixed in among Sinatra, Getz, and Holiday were a number of guitar players.

How did I miss this?

Imagine a mixture of Scott Walker and Nico. Now add bitters.

I enjoy heady music when there’s plenty of body mixed in.

Some of my favorite outsider art was created by people on the inside.

If you ever you meet someone who doesn’t at least like the cello, run.