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Today’s features on New Music Friday include a band going back to their roots, a jazz disciple of Gil-Scott Heron and a chameleon of an artist. Let’s get to it.
Albums of the Week:
Cruel Country by Wilco
Is it 1995 again? Harkening back to their debut, A.M., Wilco toes the line between songs from Jeff Tweedy’s past and present. Sprawling through 21 songs, the new one from one of my favorite bands is warm and classic, yet the band seems to be hitting a new stride. It’s political, from the title of the album to the biting lyrics in songs like “Hint” (with the line ““There is no middle when the other side would rather kill than compromise”). Another stand-out is “Hearts Hard to Find”, a bleak song underneath a sweet swaying sound. Wilco dives back into a pool filled with Chris Stapleton, Sturgil Simpson and many more. It’s great to have them back.
This Is Brian Jackson by Brian Jackson
He’s a great keyboardist and flutist best known as Gil Scott-Heron’s songwriting partner during their heyday of the 1970s and early ‘80s and he’s got an amazing release out today that brings old and new music together. Recently, Jackson has worked with producers/collaborators Ali Shaheed Muhammad of A Tribe Called Quest and Adrian Younge on Brian Jackson JID008, their 2021 trio work released on that pair’s Jazz Is Dead label. His vocals shine on tracks like “Nomad” and the disco-like “Hold On” which will certainly get you up out of your seat. It’s one of the best jazz releases this year.
‘Flicted by Bruce Hornsby
What an amazing 36-year career (with no end in sight) for Bruce Hornsby. From the early days with his band The Range (Grammy in 1987 for Best New Artist) to his work with Dead and Company and his eclectic solo work. He continues to put out interesting, bold music. His latest is no exception. Experimenting with different instruments, sounds and rhythms, Hornsby doesn’t color within the lines. Take the opener, “Sidelines” (with Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig), its pulsing rhythms and layered vocals create a sonic wave with lyrics that touch on hysteria in various forms, starting with the Salem witch trials of the 1600’s then to the present-day pandemic-era panic. Other favorites include the gorgeous “Is This It” and the duet with Danielle Haim, “Days Ahead” that borrows from so many genres but it works perfectly.
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