windy chien's Favorite Records Of 2002

This list isn't in order except for the first item, Deerhoof. But I have to admit that I loved (and played most) the three old, prog-ish records included here -- Goblin, Blast Furnace, and Amon Duul II.

1. Deerhoof, Reveille (5rc)
2. Amon Duul II, Wolf City (Repertoire)
   originally issued 1972.
3. v/a, Nothing Left To Lose: A Tribute To Kris Kristofferson (Incidental)
   Participants include Souled American, Calexico, Radar Brothers, Zmrzlina, Virgil Shaw (Dieselhed), Richard Buckner, Howe Gelb (Giant Sand), Grandaddy, Deanna Varagone (Lambchop), Court and Spark, Califone, Handsome Family, etc
4. Goblin, Il Fantastico Viaggio Del Bagarozzo Mark (Cinevox)
   If you don't have any Goblin records then you want to forgo this temporarily (it's just not typical of their material) and get Suspiria first. But if you already have at least one Goblin album, then get this one now. Of course, at first you had to be a little trepidacious about Il Fantastico Viaggio Del Bagarozzo Mark, released in 1978, for the following reasons: [1] it's one of only two Goblin albums that weren't commissioned as soundtracks (the other being Roller), and [2] it's also supposedly their only album with *vocals*. Coulda crashed and burned if you ask me, but it turns out this album is awesome and the vocals just send it over the top! Massimo Morante's voice is dramatic and urgent yet at the very same time super melodic. And it sort of makes sense that without filmic visuals to provide visible stimulation, the vocals provide just the right amount of narrative "human" element. The songs here are so melodic and hook-filled, with tremendously beautiful minor-key climaxes that really satisfy. So great! Comes with mpeg footage of the band (in 2001) playing music in the same Cinevox studio where they'd always recorded, and also there's a rare interview where they reveal that much of Il Fantastico Viaggio Del Bagarozzo Mark is about saying no to drugs.
5. Blast Furnace, s/t (Long Hair)
   Copenhagen's rock scene in the early 1970s was so small and fertile that bands formed and reformed in various combinations of the same people. Case in point -- Blast Furnace came together in 1970, released a single great LP in 1971, and by 1972 3/4 of Blast Furnace had joined the band Culpepper's Orchard. It's kind of amazing that this record has been lost to all but the most die hard fans of Danish progressive rock, because it's so clearly great. The angst-filled (almost Faust-ish) vocals of Brit singer Tom McEwan take turns with super-expressive organ lines. And there are flutes eveywhere (which fills our flute obsessive Andee with joy). And the arrangements are really good, making the most of minor key melodies so that nothing need be overstated. There aren't extended wanky instrumental passages here, for a prog band Blast Furnace edited themselves so well, leaving us wanting more. And, in fact, there is more -- a non-album track intended as a single has also been included on this cd. The disc starts off as classic and firece seventies prog, with complex melodic passages and some instrumental spacy jamming, but as the record progresses, the record veers dramatically from mostly instrumental prog, to super dramatic, almost goofy (in a good way) balladeering. The vocalist's deep baritone waxes poetic on ridiculous and far out subject matters, like the plight of Toytown, or poor sad Bobo the Clown. Sounds silly, and it sort of is, but it's really really good. Reminds us a little of AQ faves Paternoster (although not nearly as insane) or some super melodramatic seventies singer songwriter. But the combination of heartfelt ballads and searing prog action make this a weird and great find.
6. The Necks, Athenaeum, Homebush, Quay & Raab (Shock)
7. Boom Bip, Seed to Sun (Lex)
8. Alice Coltrane, Universal Consciousness (Verve)
   from 1971.
9. Kreidler, Eve Future (Wonder)
10. Radar Bros, And the Surrounding Mountains (Merge)
11. DJ Q Bert, Complete Do-It Yourself Volume 1: Skratching (DVD) (Thud Rumble)
    DVD
12. 2 Many DJ's, As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt. 2 (PIAS)
13. Devendra Banhart, Oh Me Oh My... (Young God)
14. The Anniversary, Your Majesty (Vagrant)
15. v/a, In the Beginning There Was Rhythm (Soul Jazz)
    Gang of Four, Cabaret Voltaire, 23 Skidoo, The Pop Group, A Certain Ratio, The Slits, This Heat, Human League and Throbbing Gristle
16. Boris, Heavy Rocks (Inoxia)
17. DJ Shadow, The Private Press (MCA)
18. El-P, Fantastic Damage (Def Jux)
19. Notwist, Neon Golden (City Slang)
20. Tony Conrad w/ Faust, Outside The Dream Syndicate (Table of the Elements)
    from 1972.