2023 so far

[Thenop]

That I spend most of my listening time wading through old jazz heroes finding gems everywhere it does not mean I completely neglect my musical heritage.  So far, in these first 3 months there has been enough to peak my interest. Roughly there's categories I divide the newly released music into:

Bands that do exactly as I expect them to or outperform themselves just a little. So far I have noted:
Katatonia – Sky Void of Stars – everyone's favourite sad willows doing their thing
Enslaved – Heimdal – Norsemen mythology across a backdrop of folky (formerly black) metal, chilling but instantly loveable if you enjoyed their earlier output
The Answer – Sundowners – they are back. Nothing more to be said then that. Well maybe that Neeson's voice is still a thing of beauty.
Riverside ID.Entity – still on the fence, they do what they need ot but I am not feeling it yet

Then there's the category I really enjoy listening to for various reasons but was not expecting that much from:
Earth – Even Hell has it Heroes – a truly magnificent soundtrack of this cult band. If you have the time and the patience for their long woven landscapes that sound like well...Earth itself trying to move mountains, give it a listen.
Acid King – Beyond Vision – fantastic that AK is back with this true gem in the stoner / doom section of the genre. Very good album this one.
Ulthar – Anthronomicon – Helionomicon (2 LPs) – 2 counterparts of albums in the more progressive black metal genre, certainly not for everyone but in its genre top of the line.
Hellripper – Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags – probably the best thrash album so far this year
Westing – Future – Led Zeppelin vault has been emptied, in a good way

And then there's the hors categoire albums:
Liturgy – 93696 – not sure what to think yet, but I recognize extraordinary quality when I hear it. Not for the faint of heart, it is an amalgamation of all things modern metal need and then some. Just go and listen if you're a bit adventurous.
DeWolff – Love, Death & in Between – my fellow countrymen have made the album of the year so far. A super organic and warm sounding album that just welcomes you to listen to over & over.

Most of it can be found on Bandcamp by the way.

[pxr5]

Not that much for me so far this year. But up to now:

Riverside - ID.Entitiy
Haken - Fauna
Zopp - Dominion
Solstice - Light Up
The Tangent - Pyramids, Stars & Other Stories
Lazuli - 11
Sunchild - Exotic Creatures and a Stolen Dream
Steven Wilson Presents: Intrigue - Progressive Sounds In UK Alternative Music 1979–89
Black Country,  New Road - Live at Bush Hall

[Slim]

Nothing has piqued my interest so far this year, apart from this single by Ben Castle.

[Slim]

STOP PRESS Just heard this

[Thenop]

You have  seen my thoughts on Metallica and Jason Bieler. This falls well within the listening field of the regular BTW visitor. However, what may be a little left of field is the next one:

London Brew
A collection of 12 UK Jazz (related) artists with an album, or better: a jam session, inspired by Miles Davis' Bitches Brew. I have been playing this non stop over the last few days. It was released some 3 weeks ago and I have fallen head over heels for it. It takes a little 'getting into'. It is by no means an easy listen, there is a lot of freak-ish improv on here but if you're a little adventurous and stick to it it'll click.
Among the artists are Shabaka Hutchings, one of my favourite Sax players of the modern age and again of course, Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner.
These are not ready made jazz features. It sounds like an improv on a celestial jazz plane, with Miles Davis in his best BB days overseeing it. Stretches of 23 minutes, 12 minutes of music that go from low lows, subtle set ups for songs to full blown free (acid) jazz sketches that bounce off the walls from the church recording studio.  Just when you think you can't take anhymore, you get a slght window to draw some breath and they are off again.
The framework set you was the intial setup BB had as well: 3 days of no constraint music making with musicians of the highest quality that let room for each other. It's what you hear as well: nowehere they trip over each other, no ego trips but respect and a lot of listening. there are moments where it it trance inducing, just long enough to get you on the brink of a certain state of mind and then, just like that, it is gone.

Not textbook jazz, not freejazz either, but reimagining what was tried and succeeded by the great early 70's jazz artists, Davis' most notable.

I recommend this highly - but the initial caveat remains - even though the initiator is a guitarist.

https://londonbrew.bandcamp.com/album/london-brew