Wow, at first glance a *really* quiet week. Not seeing much out there. I feel like I'm super behind on the last few week's bigger releases so I'm not mad.

For jazz/improvisational heads, Brad Mehldau has a new record out, Jacob's Ladder. Haven't listened yet but it looks like one of his more experimental ventures and is apparently very prog-inspired (there's a cover of Rush's Tom Sawyer feat Chris Thile). A number of other features including Cecile Mcloren Savant. Some background here: https://www.bradmehldau.com/news-post/2022/1/27/nonesuch-releases-brad-mehldaus-jacobs-ladder-on-march-18


What's everyone checking for, catching up on, or just playing to death right now? Any recent additions to your rotation, new or old?


-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

Copped this.

Larnell Lewis
In The Moment
2018
https://larnelllewis.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-moment

Then a shuffle brought up a joint from Butcher Brown's KingButch album.
Forgot how much I really enjoyed that so I went back and copped
their Grown Folk album.

Butcher Brown
Grownfolk
2015
https://butcherbrownmusic.bandcamp.com/album/grownfolk

Saw Syd announced a new album today.

On the Butcher Brown front, I didn't realize that they had anything prior to KingButch --- will check!

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

But when people suggest a release, I keep wanting to dive down that rabbit hole of musicians.

I know Shaun Martin has a couple albums, but I haven't heard them.

the new raw poetic and damu - laminated skies and the new cypress hill produced by black milk - back in black.

i think both are kind of on the same level. some really good production with lacking vocals. raw poetic is pretty dope and when his style works its so good. sometimes its just too loose though. i feel like cypress needs to just hang it up. theres really nothing interesting in their vocals, its not terrible (mostly) but nothing i want to go back to. hopefully this album still gives black milk some well deserved shine. some of the production is really nice while the rest is good. cypress said the next album after this one is their last..they are going to continue making music though.

the tiana major9 EP is pretty good but just 3* tracks.

im going to check out a few more projects this week but nothing im excited for.
Killah Priest & The Holocaust - Savage Sanctuary
Lil' Flip - La Clover Nostra II: The Mob Lives On
Sy Ari Da Kid - The Shadow In The Shade

Nems - Bing Kong single x 8

on the singles side i liked:
Guilty Simpson & Morrison Ford - What I Dream For
Mahalia - Whatever Simon Says
Syd & Lucky Daye - CYBAH

Production on the opening track is a thumper.

Peace,

Spirit (Alan)
http://wutangbook.com

>i think both are kind of on the same level. some really good
>production with lacking vocals. raw poetic is pretty dope and
>when his style works its so good. sometimes its just too loose
>though.

I really appreciate his approach but his half-melodic/half-rapping is often literally monotonous and repetitive. He has one or two melodic riffs he works through, and one or two primary rhythms that go with them, and those patterns make up so many of his verses. It's a bit disappointing on two fronts: he's a really good lyricist and I feel like it can get lost (i.e. it feels like you've heard it before, so it's easy to tune out); and when he *does* change things up melodically or rhythmically, it's usually really effective, so you want him to step out and do that more often.

All that aside, on first listen this is good, not great, but a number of solid tracks (will list later), just finishing it now. Damu is on point as always and I still wonder why more folks aren't hitting him up for production.


>i feel like cypress needs to just hang it up. theres
>really nothing interesting in their vocals, its not terrible
>(mostly) but nothing i want to go back to. hopefully this
>album still gives black milk some well deserved shine. some of
>the production is really nice while the rest is good. cypress
>said the next album after this one is their last..they are
>going to continue making music though.

I had no idea this was produced by Black Milk ... so I'll probably check on account of that. Hadn't been very interested otherwise.

>Killah Priest & The Holocaust - Savage Sanctuary

Hasn't he put out a *ton* of stuff over the last few years? Has any of it been worthwhile? I've tried to check one or two projects but never got very far, they're always pretty big projects.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

the killah priest starts off pretty good but then became unlistenable to me less than halfway through.

..totally caught me by surprise.

It's called "Back in Black"
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLciLqyN9QXEvPmJBui7itdV1rVX7oyy2-

It's dope.

Always love to see Milk producing whole albums for other artists, and this really surprised me. The combination works.

BReal and Sen Dog are rappin their asses off on this, Sen Dog in particular is ripping it up rather nicely.

No Muggs on here, but that's ok. This is a nice change of pace for them.. something that moves and isn't so dark and moody. They sound as vibrant as ever on some bboy shit.

...and I honestly didn't believe him.
I thought he was making it up.

I haven't copped it yet but man, I'm on board for this.