February is Music Writer Exercise Month #MWE • Page 73

Writing these down in my MWE spreadsheet so even if I only get one or two this year, I'll keep chipping through them. Malin is a lock.

 

I actually haven't heard a single one of these so very interested in your takes/descriptions. I'm sure I'll get some ideas.

Any reason you picked that Colon/Blades album over Siembra?

 

Was going chronologically on the RYM yearly lists from the 80s and saw that first, haha.

 

Fair enough. I'd definitely follow-up with their collaboration Siembra at some point. It's frequently listed as the best or one of the best salsa albums of all time.

 

I'll sub that in instead, thank you

 

Joining this year for the first time and have no idea where to begin. Anyone have any recs for me. I love all kinds of stuff and I don’t want to limit myself to any genres/countries/time-periods.

@OhTheWater I recommend switching out that Spinetta album for any of Spinetta Jade or any of the Invisible records, or his solo album A 18’ del Sol.

Good looks on the Charly García album.

That Djavan record in particular is nice but he is also not my favorite mpb/tropicalia artist. I could suggest something similar and more of a classic choice that you may enjoy if you’d like.

 

still tooling around. some thoughts....

Popol Vuh - Hosianna Mantra
Ornette Coleman - Science Fiction
Billie Holiday - Lady Sings The Blues
Fishmans - LONG SEASON
Lyrnyrd Skynyrd - Pronounced 'Leh-'Nerd' Skin-'Nerd
Book Of Love - Book Of Love
Linda Martell - Color Me Country
Judy Garland - Judy at Carnegie Hall
Iris DeMent - Infamous Angel
The Cranbettires - Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?
Mary Chapin Carpenter - Stones in the Road
Ann Peebles - I Can't Stand The Rain
John Martyn - Solid Air
Fanny - Fanny Hill
Evelyn "Champagne" King - Get Loose
U2 - Pop
Abida Parveen - Raqs-e-Bismil
The Durutti Column - LC?
Bob Dylan - Hard Rain
One Dove - Morning Dove White (messed up on Spotify)
Modest Mouse - This Is A Long Drive...
Tom Petty - Into The Great Wide Open
Jeff Buckley - Sketches for My Sweetheart The Drunk
Tori Amos - Little Eqrthqakes
Everything But The Girl - The Language of Life
Townes Van Zandt - At My Window
Gin Blossomos - New Miserable Experience


Dire Straits
New Order
Thelonious Monk
Cyndi Lauper
Sinead O Connor
The Feelies

 

Gal Costa
Judee Sill
Akua Naru
Mabe Fratti
Chiwoniso
Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru
Sonya Spence

also great call on those Durutti Column and John Martyn albums

 

listened to Judee Sill's self-titled for last year's #MWE. "Lopin Thru The Cosmos" became one of my favorite songs I heard in 2024.

 

Judy at Carnegie Hall is fucking incredible, dude. Huge co-sign.

The list of songs better than “Baby” by Gal Costa is not long.

I threw some recs earlier in the thread if you want any from me

 

I grabbed MCC and Fanny!

 

Damn right about Baby. Maybe one of the best ever written.

Will absolutely check your recs!

 

I saw and am pumped. The MCC album is like top 20 all-time for me and I just am always happy to evangelize for Fanny, who should be so much better known as pioneers

 

I had a great time with this Au Pairs album last year and Fanny seems like it will be in a similar vein. Recommended for anyone looking for the origins of female fronted post punk / new wave! Don’t let the Spotify date fool you, this dropped in 1981.

 

I can't remember, are you already a Fogelberg fan?

 

I've only listened to The Innocent Age and really enjoyed it.

 

Phoenix is the closest to that one in terms of polish, but to me the songs don't hit as hard as his best stuff. Kind of an in-between record on the way to The Innocent Age. As a full-on stan, I'd definitely recommend Nether Lands (top 15 or so all-time for me) or Souvenirs.

 

I appreciate the rec—I’ll switch to Nether Lands!

 

It's a little more intimate singer-songwriter but with these big beautiful orchestrations. I really hope you enjoy it! Shit's been a lifelong friend.

 

Listening to this today and I’d love to see someone include this one in their list. Unbelievable unique album from 1978 Lebanon

 

Final list. I'll try to go in order but I may skip around. Also giving myself extras for days I want to do two or if I'm not feeling something.

1. Speedy Ortiz - Major Arcana
2. Tony! Toni! Tone! - Sons of Soul
3. Nu Genea - Bar Mediterraneo
4. Mineral - The Power of Failing
5. Brand Nubian - Foundation
6. African Head Charge - Songs of Praise
7. Pepe Maina - Il Canto Dell’arpa E Del Flauto
8. Heccra - The Devil Faces of My Old Friends Beneath Me
9. Talking Heads - Remain in Light
10. Los Dug Dugs - Cambia Cambia
11. Mighty Sparrow - Hot and Sweet
12. Maha - Orkos
13. Sly & The Family Stone - There’s a Riot Goin’ On
14. Colin Stetson - New History Warfare vol.2
15. Sonic Youth - Goo
16. The Third Eye Foundation - Semtex
17. Dan Fogelberg - Nether Lands
18. Ka - Orpheus vs. The Sirens
19. Piglet - Lavaland
20. Rufus featuring Chaka Khan - Ask Rufus
21. Da Connect - Dungeon Family 2nd Generation
22. Terumasu Hino - The Enja Heritage Collection
23. Sweet Trip - Velocity: Design: Comfort
24. Orbital - Orbital 2
25. Sheena Ringo - Kalk Samen Kuri No Hana
26. Aretha Franklin - I’ve Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
27. Boris - Akuma No Uta
28. Janet Jackson - Janet
29. Prefab Sprout - Jordan: The Comeback
30. Tim Maia - Nobody Can Live Forever: The Existential Soul of Tim Maia
31. Esthero - Breath From Another
32. Ja Rule - R.U.L.E.
33. Alfredo Zitarrosa – El Violín De Becho
34. Jan & Dean - Drag City
35. Eblen Macari & Juan Valdes - Trayectos
36. Sylvia Moore and Bernard Broere - Windows on the World
37. 2Pac - All Eyez on Me
38. Bajaga i Instruktori - Prodavnica Tajni
39. Sandy Denny - Like an Old Fashioned Waltz
40. David Rudder - Beloved

 

1. David Sancious and Tone - Transformation (The Speed of Love)
2. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
3. Aretha Franklin - Live in Paris
4. Jesse Malin - Glitter in the Gutter
5. Nuyorican Soul - Nuyorican Soul
6. Patrick Simmons - Arcade
7. Dillard and Clark - The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard and Clark
8. The Jacksons - The Jacksons
9. Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 - Herb Alpert Presents...
10. Ray Thomas - From Mighty Oaks
11. James Talley - Tryin' Like the Devil
12. Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (')
13. Living Legends - Classic
14. Petey - U.S.A.
15. Mark Dimond - Brujeria
16. NRBQ - At Yankee Stadium
17. The Osmonds - Crazy Horses
18. Bergendy - Aranyalbum
19. Knuckle Puck - Copacetic
20. Elis Regina and Antoinio Carlos Jobim - Elis & Tom
21. Baaba Maal/Mansour Seck - Djam Leelii
22. Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven!
23. Nat "King" Cole - After Midnight
24. Cris Williamson - Blue Rider
25. Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance
26. Wilson Pickett - In Philadelphia
27. ZZ Top - Tejas
28. John Sykes - Loveland

 

Jealous you get to hear Illinois for the first time. Also Elis & Tom is wonderful.

 

think you'll love dillard and clark

 

or at least, like, you should lol