Pushing the limits, raising the bar

Saurabh Chadha

Absolutely power packed

Kamasi Washington — Heaven & Earth (Young Turks)

Los Angeles-based saxophonist, producer and composer, Kamasi Washington shook the jazz circle with his massive 2015 debut, The Epic, and his work on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly. Heaven and Earth sees the return of all of Washington’s key members, including Thundercat on bass, Cameron Graves on piano, Ryan Porter on trombone and Miles Mosley, among others and positions itself with the same orchestral power that defined his music. Split over two CDs, this is a concept album of sorts that finds Washington contemplating “the world that I am part of” (Earth) and “the world that is part of me” (Heaven). Theme song from the classic Bruce Lee film, Fist of Fury, opens the album with blistering saxophone, raucous Latin rhythms and powerfully positive lyrics — “Our time as victims is over/ We will no longer ask for justice/ Instead We will take our retribution” — as sung by vocalists Dwight Trible and Patrice Quinn. Kamasi has composed most and arranged and produced all of the 150 minutes of music included here. Show Us The Way, the album’s penultimate moment from the Heaven disc, is triumphant and high-spirited, reaching for spiritual nirvana with its repeated chorus of “Dear Lord, show us the way”. Street Fighter Mas offers an appealing funky beat, assisted by Washington’s long-time collaborator and the current jazz pioneer, Thundercat. One of the album’s biggest highlights is The Invincible Youth. It begins with an explosion from all three horns over roaring drums and ringing piano; it’s as close as this band has ever come to free jazz. The closer, Will You Sing, mellows the album down a bit, with dark chords launching the song as progressive, frenzied beats meet the grand orchestra. Heaven & Earth once again features the saxophonist’s characteristic mix of powerful solos, heavy grooves and celestial jazz influences, including strings and choir, with his West Coast Get Down band all through its 16 tracks.

Essential tracks: Fist of Fury, Show Us The Way, Will You Sing, Vi Lua Vi Sol, Journey

Rating ****

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An intense experiment  

Parquet Courts — Wide Awake! (Rough Trade) 

Experimental post-punk outfit Parquet Courts returns with its strongest album to date. Wide Awake! is Parquet Courts’ fifth album since its formation eight years ago. It is also their most innovative one. The band’s last proper album, Human Performance (2016), was their most accessible, yet, showing a tender and emotional side of the band, further crafted by vocalist and guitarist Andrew Savage on his debut solo album Thawing Dawn. In the album’s signature-style opener, Total Football, Savage sings, “and I bet that you thought you had us figured out from the start.” An organ adds delightfulness to the lovable Freebird II, a harmonious tune with a sing-along theme. Max Savage’s drumming takes centrestage on Almost Had To Start A Fight supported by Andrew’s unmatched vocals. The tracks, penned by Austin Brown and Andrew, are filled with their traditional punk rock passion, elevated to even greater heights by the vibrant rhythmic momentum of Sean Yeaton’s bass and Savage’s drums. The most notable digression from Parquet Courts past are tracks like Freebird and Mardi Gras Beads with slower vibe and sustained guitar chords. Extinction is a brief pop punk tune with characteristically magnetic guitar riffs weaved in a dramatic pattern. The album sees the band discover the extreme reach of its sound, implementing art-punk while indulgung in its most intense experiments.

Essential tracks:  Freebird II, Normalization, Total Football, Extinction

Rating * * * 

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A mélange of style & substance 

Sophie — Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides (Future Classic) 

Sophie has managed to keep her image relatively under wraps. She has kept a rather low profile even after earning a huge online following and critical acclaim, and collaborating with Madonna. Her latest outing is a follow-up to Product EP and is an audacious artistic statement that establishes Sophie as a torchbearer of a new pop sound. Releasing three years after her LP, Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides is being rightly labeled as Sophie’s debut album. The initial three tracks that debuted before its release form an excellent introduction to the many styles of the singer. The opener, It’s Okay To Cry, sounds as dazzling as ever even a year after its release, while Ponyboy is a harsh detour with razor sharp production and is sure to put some listeners on edge. And then there is Faceshopping, the most intricate track of the album, which most closely follows the subjects laid forth by the rest of the album. This is also the best lyrical effort put by Sophie, as she sings, “My face is the front of shop/ My face is the real shop front/ My shop is the face I front/ I’m real when I shop my face.” Is It Cold In The Water? is the first of the previously unreleased tracks, with vocals by Mozart’s Sister, a long time collaborator of Sophie. The album ends with the epic, Whole New World/Pretend World, which sounds equal parts political and fun. Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides succeed in displaying a series of different moods with scrupulous exactness. There is something here for everyone.

Essential tracks:  It’s Okay To Cry, Faceshopping, Infatuation, Whole New World/Pretend World 

Rating * * * 

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They still do it better! 

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks — Sparkle Hard (Matador) 

It has been four years since Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks last put out an album. Recorded last year in Portland’s Halfling Studios with producer Chris Funk, the new album boasts of a wide range of sounds than he is generally used on his previous recordings with the Jicks: guitarist and keyboardist Mike Clark, bassist Joanna Bolme and drummer Jake Morris. Contrary to Stephen Malkmus’ ‘Cryptic’ title, Sparkle Hard, his seventh album with the Jicks surprisingly sounds tender at times. Solid Silk gets a facelift from Malkmus and becomes the album’s most melodic track in the comforts of strummed acoustic guitars. Rattler finds the singer-songwriter’s conversational voice dressed up in Auto-Tune, while Refute is another joyful track. A duet with Kim Gordon, it has the pair exchanging poetry about found and lost. Malkmus plays an amazing guitar on Kite and Bike Lane, the former streaming with youthful energy, while highlighting the golden sound of the classic 1970s’ rock. Some of the best moments on the record come in the moments where echoes of Malkmus’ old band can be heard. The opening guitar chords of breezy lead single, Middle America, one of the album’s best tracks, instantly brings to mind Here, one of Pavement’s most tender moments.

Essential tracks:  Cast Off, Bike Lane, Middle America, Solid Silk

Rating * * * 

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Top 10 Singles

1. In My Feelings Drake (CU)

2. I Like It Cardi B, Bad Bunny & J Balvin (CU)

3. Girls Like You Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B (NM)

4. Nice for What Drake (FD)

5. Boo’d Up Ella Mine (CU)

6. Lucid Dreams Juice WRLD (CU)

7. Psycho Post Malone feat. Ty Dolla $ign (FD)

8. The Middle Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey (NE)

9. No Tears Left To Cry Ariana Grande (CU)

10. Meant To Be Bebe Rexha & Florida Georgina Line (CU) 

Legend: 

CU): Climbing Up (FD): Falling Down    

(NM): Non-mover (NE): New Entry