There’s something wildly life affirming about this song, and it’s not the title lyric. It’s the pure sound of it, the melody played out in chiming bells and wordless coos. It could be the centerpiece of a hit pop song, but it’s buried in the gothic fire of Swans‘ best album.
This is my official shout out to all the great albums that didn’t make the cut for the 50 best albums of 2017. Some of these are albums I know I need to spend more time with. Some of them I simply didn’t get to until late in the year. The point is, I keep … Continue reading 50 More Must-Hear Albums of 2017
Here’s an album that received so little mention upon its release, I’m surprised to learn that anyone else got to hear it. Gabriel Saloman’s Movement Building Vol. 2 is a self-contained explosion. It made my best of 2015 list, but I didn’t see it on literally any other. Here’s my bid for wider recognition. This is the … Continue reading Gabriel Saloman – Movement Building Vol. 2
I hear a lot of great music almost every day, and it really adds up. I might not be rich or famous, but my life is wealthy with incredible music. I want to make everyone else as wealthy, too. Every single year, there are so many great albums that I’d recommend anyone, far more than … Continue reading Best of 2015: 25 More Great Albums
My morning news just brought word that Edgar Froese, founder of one of my favorite bands of all time, Tangerine Dream, has died at age 70. The cause of death was pulmonary embolism. Tangerine Dream, for those only familiar with the name via a smattering of mostly-great 1980s film soundtracks, were one of the most … Continue reading Rest In Peace, Tangerine Dream founder Edgar Froese
I’ve been depressed lately. Melancholic. In this state I gravitate toward music that either obliterates with minimalism or force, for the most part. I can drown myself in a long piece from Oren Ambarchi or Klaus Schulze or even Swans. I can really get lost in something wordlessly spiritual like Alice Coltrane or Pharoah Sanders. … Continue reading Atlas Sound – Te Amo (live on KEXP)
So I know I’ve been sluggish this year with Optimistic Underground. I relish being able to share the music enriching my life with you. I hope to rectify this laziness starting now, with The Psychic Paramount and their (hopeful) breakthrough album II. I had this whole through-line about jet engines and surgical instruments and LSD … Continue reading The Psychic Paramount – II
Optimistic Underground 