Around this time in 2012, I came up with 40 records, released between January and June, that I liked enough to include in a six-month Best-Of list. Either I’m being more diligent, or less discerning, or else 2013 is shaping up to be a better year: as you can see, I’ve managed 67 here.
A momentous week, one way or another, though I can’t help wishing the resonant and thought-through fury of “Tramp The Dirt Down” was heading into the Top Ten instead of “Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead”.
A fairly eclectic selection here this week, including some great proto-Takoma guitarists from the 1920s, chamber music reimaginings of the Kompakt back catalogue, that lost Romanian kosmische record you’ve always been looking for, and Prince making a stoner jam out of “Let’s Go Crazy” (which you can hear below, along with a bunch of interesting other stuff).
Lots going on here, not least the fact that I have to write a long review of the mostly amazing Kraftwerk show that I saw next door at the Tate Modern the other night.
To Matthew E White’s first London show tonight, all being well, but in the meantime this week’s playlist, with a few things to listen to and watch, as is becoming a hopefully useful habit.
The Stone Roses have announced plans for one-off gig in Dubai next year.
The reformed Manchester band will play the Media City Amphitheatre on February 21, 2013. Tickets for the concert go on sale on Sunday (November 18). Fans can register for tickets at Thestonerosesdubai.com.
The band are also set to play two shows at Finsbury Park in London and another at Glasgow Green in June next year. Support for the Glasgow show includes Primal Scream, Jake Bugg and The View. Support for the London shows will be announced shortly.
Kraftwerk have announced a residency in Düsseldorf this coming January.
After their residency at New York's Museum of Modern Art in April, where the group played one album per date along with additional works from their back catalogue, the band will follow a similar programme in their hometown.
The performances, called 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8, will take place at the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen Museum, first from January 11 - 13, then 16-20. Like the MoMA shows, Kraftwerk will play one album per date and will be accompanied by 3-D visuals.
A few cool things to play and/or download on the playlist this week, kicking off with a couple of free new tunes from the characteristically profligate White Denim, which come highly recommended.
A distinct late ‘80s/early ‘90s feel to the list this week, with generally good new releases in here from Bob Mould, Mark Eitzel and Sebadoh. Couple of other things to flag up, though.
One terrible absence from this week’s playlist is, of course, Bob Dylan’s “Tempest”, which Allan heard a while back. If you haven’t read his preview yet, please check it out here. Some fairly lively discussion in the comments thread, too.
