Odds & Ends 146
10 INPUT SKRONK 20 IF SKRONK = LOUD THEN PRINT "FUN" 30 GOTO 10
Silke Eberhard Trio: Being-A-Ning
Same lineup as Being the Up and Down, with Kay Lübke’s snare and cymbals generating motion that Jan Roder’s bass sometimes reinforces by walking or hopping around and to which Eberhard’s alto has several response strategies, from textural exploration to just blowing—longtime readers will not be surprised that I mostly prefer the blowing, but there’s some sneakily pretty playing too (“Being-A-Ning”, “New Dance”, “Rubber Boots”)
The Deep: Electric Pink EP
Kind of the Korean pre-actually selling records Charli XCX, letting the beats speak for themselves to the extent that her vocals are secondary, so it’s a good thing they’re fine beats (“Oppa”, “Sad Girls Club”, “Girls Like Me”)
A throwback to past New York avantisms that builds from solo work to the full group with a rigor that only philistines could kvetch about; we can skip to the last three tracks when alto Stevie Manning and trumpeter Matt LaVelle arrive and things really heat up (“Laws of Heredity”, “Steam”, “Exhausting Clouds”)
Speak for yourself, Ferdi—wait, did I just recycle that joke recently (“Versatile Switch”, “For Stars of the Air”, “New Auspicious”)
Different supporting musician (Josh Kaufman this time), same preoccupations (catastrophic relationships, self-actualization, the fate of the soul); a bit slow, perhaps, unless it turns out we do have all eternity to listen to Americana (“Angel Canyon (Song for Dan)”, “Free”, “A Stillness So Sweet”)
MINNIE: HER EP
Overachieving Korean group (G)-IDLE’s Thai member and most stylish singer’s mini is notable for K-pop belatedly discovering early Billie Eilish—BreadBeat (good producer name) blatantly rips off “Ocean Eyes” and generally provides pleasantly plump Finneasian synth-rhythms—save that the obsession is probably over streaming numbers (“Obsession”, “Drive U Crazy”, “Her”)
Maybe this wouldn’t have got as much attention if he were a mere nonagenarian, but he got to a round number and he deserves it: his lungs still work, he has a heck of a lot of talent around him, the spacey stuff is used in moderation, and Neneh Cherry does her family business justice (“New Dawn”, “African Sunset”, “Boma”)
Annie and the Caldwells: Can’t Lose My (Soul)
Modern i.e. quasi-late 20th century gospel, undeniably funky and well-sung esp. the backing vox, though I admit the only time I pay full attention to the theology is when they interpolate the Gap band (“I Made It”, “Dear Lord”)
Afro-Peruvian-with-electrobeats collective keeps doing what they’ve been doing for 20-odd years; you should at least add the title track and the one that Brazilian Dom La Nena sings to their hitlist, and I’m not going to turn down a solid Marley cover (“El Tiempo”, “La Danza”, “Exodus”)
Nels Cline Consentrik Quartet
Cline/Laubrock/Lightcap/Rainey is a heck of a lineup, which does suggest the reason the first half of this is more enjoyable than exhilarating is the material; the livelier second half definitely has its moments beyond the Deerhoof tribute (“Satomi”, “Question Marks (The Spot)”)
Destroy Boys: Funeral Soundtrack #4
Alexia Roditis’s slick NorCal punks open with “I wanna spit in your face” and hardly get less hostile from there, but they/them got a right to be hostile (“Boyfeel”, “Amor divino”)
I wanted to love that Allen record...