The Early Bird: Top New Recorded Releases 5-5-23 – 5-11-23 Reviewed
ALBUMS
United Blood l.p. – Agnostic Front – released as part of Record Store Day, originally recorded and released in 1983, it helped lay the foundation for the New York hardcore scene. It beyond stands up, especially Adam Mucci on bass who at this late date is revelatory – A
Won’t He Do It – Conway The Machine – His best to date is adult rap from the Buffalo master who can really rap despite being shot in the face eleven years and being partially paralyzed, there is a run from the dynamic “Flesh Of My Flesh” to the dramatic soulfulness of “Water To Wine” and including the ode to “Kanye” that is as great as you’ve heard this far – B+
‘-‘ (subtract) – Ed Sheeran – Save us Marvin Gaye, you’re our only hope. MOR dreck without a “Happier” or “Thinking Out Loud” in the bunch, it’ll be huge and while Ed can write a song he is also a simpering blow hard. It will find an audience and we might be punished all summer – C
I Love You, I’m Trying – grandson – the electronic one man band from Canada can write a song that finds the sweet spot between shyboy and bedsit, though the lyrics are a little stifling – B-
Guardians Of The Galaxy: Volume 3 – Various Artists – there are two mixtapes battling it out, the one with original songs finds us dealing with a matter of taste so if you are need to hear Radiohead’s “Creep” again, please help yourself , the other one I’ve heard is a ton of covers of classic songs for no discernable reason – C
SINGLES
It’s Fine – Bethany Cosentino – Best Coast was a fave band of mine for years, they never released an album I haven’t enjoyed. But if Bethany insists… Butch Walker co-writes and produces and while it is a very good self-portrait of the evolved singer, I don’t see what she gained by killing the brand – B+
Go Hard – Lil Baby – Lil Baby has one of the top voices in rap and if his flow was a little more effective, say as good as DaBaby, he’d be the biggest. As it is he is top ten and this is a brilliant track with a tongue twister to close it out – A-
Tutti Frutti – Little Richard, The Brains, Danny B. Harvey – a sped up psychobilly take – B
Buy My Round – Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – when will I ever learn? Nathaniel is the guy Bob Lefsetz claimed greatness for in his review of Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday at the Hollywood Bowl but Nat’s soulfulness was always OTT and this is just a nothing special Bonzo Band piece of vaudeville – C
Chastity – Pussy Riot, Boys Noize, Alice Glass – great little rhythm and who doesn’t love all three artists, but it is no “Make America Great Again” – B-
