The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra is no ordinary musical ensemble. Founded in 1999 by Argentian/Israeli pianist-conductor Daniel Barenboim and the late Palestinian author and academic Edward Said, its core consists in equal measure of Israeli and Palestinian musicians. It regularly visits the UK and readers should look out for future performances.
“We are Bikini Kill, and we want revolution girl style, now”, screamed lead singer Kathleen Hanna on the band’s 1991 debut album, announcing the Riot Grrrl movement had arrived.
The reissue of Bikini Kill’s first album, which includes tracks that have previously been unreleased on CD, reflects renewed interest in ideas from 25 years ago that have re-emerged in recent times.
Kinshasa is the capital of the long suffering Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and From Kinshasa is the latest remarkable music to emerge from it. It is a startling mix of innovation and tradition. The music is recognisable yet new. The album’s cover shows a spaceman in Kinshasa exploring new places and new soundscapes. His suit is a patchwork created from recycled materials.
Given how long DRC has suffered under colonialism — Cold War dictatorship and one of the world’s most brutal and least known wars — the quality and breadth of music it has produced is astounding.
I asked a friend, whose opinion I generally rate highly, what he thought about Sleaford Mods. “I’m glad I went to see them. But I’m not sure I’d go again.”
Nevertheless, in a music scene that often seems crammed full of bands manufactured for reality TV or straight out of public school with shiny new guitars, Sleaford Mods have made a bit of an impression.
Sleaford Mods is Jason Williamson and Andrew Fearn, two men in their forties with a line in angry, sweary banter that means newspaper interviews are a sea of asterisks.
Jazz is a mercurial form of music. Separated from the mainstream by the stamp of “abstract obscurity”, it remains constantly changing and shifting.
Change is generated from the music’s roots in African-American life and culture. It lives and breathes in cities and communities, so it moves alongside all our social lives, loves and struggles.
Jazz follows the contours of struggle, both for freedom and from racism and oppression. It is linked to the struggle of classes.
So when changes start to happen within society generally, this emerges in the music.
Politics and rock music have made for uneasy bedfellows in recent years, but some headway has been made recently with the likes of US rockers The Last Internationale and down-at-heel poets Sleaford Mods putting anti-austerity and anti-capitalist ideas at the heart of their music.
Algiers is the latest addition to this groundswell of politically aware groups. A trio originally from Atlanta, Georgia, their debut album is loaded with everything from enhanced gospel hectoring to blood-boiling electronic noise.
It’s been a while since I’ve heard anything from Kendrick Lamar. Before checking out this new album I took a step back to listen again to the Black Hippy Mixtape and Good Kid In A m.A.A.d City. Both are brilliant collections of work representing where he came from and the guy he wanted to be.
For anyone who has been lucky enough to see Songhoy Blues live, it seemed impossible that the band had no record deal — their sound is so accomplished. For sure, they stand on the shoulders of giants. It sent a shiver down the spine when at their recent Hackney show lead singer Aliou Toure introduced one song saying, “This is for our father…Ali Farka Toure.”
I’ve been a fan of Mary J Blige, the Queen of Hip Hop Soul, ever since What’s The 411? came out in 1992 and so was eagerly awaiting her latest album, The London Sessions. It promised something a little bit different from the Grammy Award winning singer. Then D’Angelo dropped his new album Black Messiah with virtually no warning. I’ve waited 14 years for this to come out, ever since his acclaimed 2000 album, Voodoo. Sorry, Mary!
Run the Jewels 2 is not the sort of album you often find reviewed in these pages.
It is one of the most highly anticipated hip hop albums of the year and on the whole it does not disappoint. But a word of warning is necessary.
It is definitely not for the faint hearted, both in its production and its lyrical content. In terms of the production it is layered, very detailed, aggressive and eerie. Much the same can be said of its lyrical content.
