Haven't seen a whole lot at first glance but haven't done a deep dive yet. What's everyone checking out?

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

Kweli & Diamond D put out this Gotham record. Haven't listened yet but I was *really* let down by the singles. Kweli's rapping has just gotten lazy at this point (imo) .. but I'll still check this at some point, maybe I wasn't clued in at the time.

Anna Wise has a live album, Gently Powerful -- listening now and it's as out there as you might expect, in a good way.

Oscar Jerome live release too, Live at Longreel, but only 3 songs: Sun For Someone, Your Saint, Coy Moon. Performances were good though and is a nice companion to last year's record.

Natalia Lafourcade released a version of "Cien anos" for her upcoming second volume of the Un Canto por Mexico series. A few weeks ago she released an epic version of "Alfonsina y el Mar" (presumably for the same project) which is just beautiful.

Nick Hakim & Roy Nathanson - Small Things - gave this a listen yesterday and thought this was really good on first listen. The title track(s) were immediate standouts. More poetry-over-music (but some of it sung, some of it spoken) -- lots of great instrumentation. If you liked Hakim's release last year, you'll probably like this.




-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

Started listening to her 6 or 7 years ago, she’s become one of my favorite artists.

“So back we go to these questions — friendship, character… ethics.”

Started paying attention a few years ago (might have been someone here that first pointed her out, maybe Kosa12?) and at this point she's a stop-everything-and-listen artist.

It's her voice for me. It is so versatile and so expressive and emotive and yet never veering into the overly theatrical or kitsch.

Her version of Cucurrucucú Paloma from last year's album is my go-to example right now. It is a whole journey guided almost entirely by the her vocal performance -- from volume dynamics to breadth and tone and character, it's just keeps me glued. I've listened to it a thousand times and I still stop everything when it comes up on my shuffle.

And when you start paying attention, you realize that song might be a pinnacle but most of her performances are like that.

I could talk about and swoon over her all day, she's amazing.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

I’m not mad at any of them but probably 50/50 as far as originals v reworks, I love the new version of Lo Que Construimos. Those horns. Agreed on her voice, you can tell she puts her heart and soul into her music.

“So back we go to these questions — friendship, character… ethics.”

Norah Jones has a live record out with the bands she'd been touring with from the last few years pre-COVID -- a pretty stripped-down band with Brian Blade on drums (!). Haven't listened yet but it sounds like an ideal setting for her and am looking forward to checking it out.

Also, Coultrain has a new album out called Phantasmagoria. Wouldn't have noticed except for that overlooked r&b records thread being re-upped. It's been a while since I've listened to any of his stuff but might be worth a listen!

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

Like you, I just happen to stumble on his releases.
Either under his own name or under a "band" name.

https://digife.com

Nothing groundbreaking but it’s Snoop and it’s dope. This is solid all the way through imo.

“So back we go to these questions — friendship, character… ethics.”