November 2009 Downloads

hoosfoos

I'll get the ball rolling this month. Here's my haul:

Arrington De Dionyso - Malaikat dan Singa Thanks to 17 Dots for this gem. This is what you get if you combine Tuvan throat singing, Captain Beefheart and "no age" skronk. Worth the 12 credits for 11 tracks.
Blue Aeroplanes - Friendloverplane Somewhere between the Go-Betweens and The Fall. Try sampling 1 and 13.
Chuck Prophet - Let Freedom Ring Another good one.
Damien Dempsey - To Hell or Barbados First 6 tracks are really good Irish folk. The first song is killer. The last 4 songs fell flat for me.
Darcy James Argue's Secret Society - Infernal Machines Thank kargatron. First track is the highlight for me.
Earth - Hibernaculum
F*** Buttons - Tarot Sport Not bad, but prefer the denser harder edge of Street Horrrsing.
Flat Earth Society - Isms FES formed after X-Legged Sally disbanded. FES delves more into progressive jazz whereas XLS delved into avant rock. Their roots really show on this compilation of their first 4 albums. Where else are you going to hear a jazz cover of the Birthday Party's King Ink?
Icebreaker (2) - Cranial Pavement Speaking of avant prog/rock, this fits the bill nicely. This sounds like something that belongs on the Cuneiform label.
Josh Rouse - Valencia
Juaneco Y Su Combo - Masters Of Chicha Vol 1 This was featured on the excellent Roots of Chicha comp. More good stuff.
Klabbes Bank - Je Suis La Mer Thanks jonahpwll.
L'Ensemble Raye - En Frac I have an earlier album that I enjoyed and discovered this. From AMG: L'Ensemble Ray

elwoodicious

Another month where I find I drop more at Amie street over eMusic even though the latter has more of a deeper, more eclectic selection...

Amazon
Ahmad Jamal Trio - The Awakening
Neko Case - Middle Cyclone

Amie Street
Animal Collective - Fall Be Kind
Cymbals Eat Guitars - Why There Are Mountains
Fela Kuti - Confusion
Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit
Fela Kuti - Gentleman
Fela Kuti - Live With Ginger Baker
Fela Kuti - Open & Close
Fela Kuti - Roforofo Fight
Fela Kuti - Zombie
Freeland - Cope Remixed Freeland
Native - Wrestling Moves
Natural Self - My Heart Beats Like A Drum
Nostalgia 77 Octet - Borderlands
Rich Medina - The Connection Vol.1
Soldout - Cuts
The Orange Peels - 2020

eMusic
2563 - Unbalance
Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro Sounds & Ghanaian Blues 1968-91
Jimi Tenor & Tony Allen - Inspiration Information 4
Nyman: The Piano Concerto, On the Fiddle, Prospero's Books
¡Gózalo! Vol 3

Bad Thoughts

[emphasis] The New World/CRI drop put so many albums on my hard drive I have listened but to a third of them. Plus, going over my history, I noticed that there are at least a dozen albums--not listed--I've yet to download. I'd love to come back to say which CRI albums I found most worthwhile.[/emphasis]

Amazon
David Holland, Conference of the Birds

eMusic
Bromst by Dan Deacon (my three-year old loves this)
All Dressed in Yellow by Fiddlers' Bid (Shetland and Scandinavian fiddle tunes--very exciting, and only six credits for 45 minutes)
Musica Mundana/l'estran by Christian Eloy (some INA GRM, only two credits)
Nocturno by Bernardo Sassetti (the softer side of Clean Feed from a Portuguese pianist)
Uam by Julie Fowlis (Gaelic songs--perhaps my favorite trad album of 2009)
Temas Profanas by La Musgana (trad from central Spain)
Seven by Ken Vandermark and Paul Nilssen (still hasn't sunk in yet)
S/T by Nadja and Black-boned Angel (two loud, bombastic instrumentals)
Le bel accent by Les Cireux d'Semelles (Francophonic from Saskatchewan--some good mando playing)
Small Black by Small Black
Segni by All Tiny Creatures (got this from someone here)
Ayrton Senna by Delorean

Amie Street (Purchased and significant albums only)
A Collection Of Sounds And Something Like The Plague by We Are The Willows
All the Rage: Mandolin Ensemble Music From 1897-1924 by Nashville Mandolin Ensemble
It's Time We Met by Terry Gibbs (somewhat innocuous)
The Believer by Billy Harper
2020 by Orange Peels
So Far by Orange Peels
My heart beats like a Drum by Natural Self
96 Gestures by Scott Fields Ensemble (haven't listened to it yet)
Trials Of Van Occupanther by Midlake
Dana Rudhyar by Kronos SQ
Betty Shabazz - A Consistent Voice of Love, An Inspiration For Life (track) by Marty Walker
Ancient Eyes by Mathew Rosenblum
Leroy Jenkins: Themes and Improvisations on the Blues
Wizards & Wildmen: Piano Music of Charles Ives, Henry Cowell and Lou Harrison by Anthony de Mare (flashy piano)
Bang on a Can Live, Vol. 1 by Bang on a Can
Crow Jane Blues by Carl Martin (blues mandolin legend)
Expensive Shit by Fela Kuti
Breeze of Roses by Celer (thanks, brighternow)

Free, but good
The Caterpillar by

hoosfoos

Segni by All Tiny Creatures (got this from someone here)

If you like it, it was me. If you don't, it was someone else...

I really liked Midlakes's Trials Of Van Occupanther a few years back.

Nereffid

This month and last month I've been preparing just in case eMusic Europe celebrates the new year by Sonyfying my 3 accounts. So whereas for years I've tended to balance many-track albums with few-track albums, lately almost everything's been 5 tracks or less. Turns out that's an awful lot of Mahler symphonies for November - the Tilson Thomas and Gielen sets, plus about 25 other recordings. And about 60 other albums last month.
I am such a good eMusic subscriber!!! Where is my loyalty bonus?!

cafreema

Amie Street

White Denim - Fits: Fun stuff.
Julian Casablancas - Phrazes for the Young: Meh. If The Strokes do make another album I hope he goes back to his old style.
One for the Team - Build it Up: Good Twin Cities rock.
Tora! Tora! Torrance! - A Cynics Nightmare: More good Twin Cities rock, thanks for pointing them out froggie!
Stars of Track and Field - A Time for Lions: Sounds good so far, but haven't had much a chance to really listen to it yet.
Better Than Ezra - Closer: My wife is a big fan. It's an enjoyable album.
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros: Very good folkish rock. Quickly becoming a bit overrated though.
Natural Self - My Heart Beats Like a Drum: Haven't had much of a chance to listen yet.
Animal Collective - Fall Be Kind: As good as expected.
Aesop Rock - None Shall Pass: Been meaning to get some of his stuff for awhile.
Dave Rawlings Machine - A Friend of a Friend: Nice and mellow.
Have Nots - Serf City USA: Haven't gotten to hear it yet.

eMusic

Final Fantasy - He Poos Clouds: I just love his technique of sampling himself, but he is better live.
David Bazan - Curse Your Branches: "Bless This Mess" alone is worth it, but the rest of the album is beautiful as well.
The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You: Nothing to say about this one that hasn't already been said much better by others.
Iron & Wine / Calexico - In the Reins: Sam Beam's writing plus the Calexico horns/guitars? Sign me up.
The Hold Steady - Separation Sunday: It's shameful that a Minnesotan just got around to getting this.

Amazon

Bowerbirds - Upper Air: Absolutely gorgeous.
Glasvegas - Glasvegas: Wanted this album for a long time, glad to finally add it.

Craig

Brighternow

- Starting up with downloads from INA-GRM (French Musique Concrete):
Fran