From the endless well of creativity that is Adrian Younge, to the endless supply of great music from right here in Minnesota, Fresh Picks is here again with your new music update.
Alongside our album of the week, Younge's Afro-Disco Makossa, we've got an indie-pop summer in Loveland from Suki Waterhouse and a career retrospective from MN Blues Hall of Famer PK Mayo in All Before Yesterday.
Then, Danielle Ponder continues her return with the instant soul pop jam "Sun and Moon," Valerie June goes full electric blues on "Smokestack" and MN indie-rocker FINICK says, "Joy Is Revolutionary."
Finally, Kari gets into the mind of Joni Mitchell and her Hejira album in this week's Pick From '76.
Check out this week's suggestions from Music Director Kari Hedlund and Asst. Music Director Malachy Koons.
Albums
Album of the Week: Adrian Younge - Afro-Disco Makossa
In the past six years, much of what we've heard from Adrian Younge is through his Jazz Is Dead (JID) collection with Ali Shaheed Muhammad, connecting listeners today with frequently sampled jazz masters. This solo release is not tied to that collection, but it isn't terribly far removed either.
Younge drew from his JID sessions with Tony Allen, co-founder of the Afrobeat genre, and highlife pioneer Ebo Taylor, in writing these songs, tapping into modern Afrobeat sounds mixed with disco and funk. In other words, it's music made for the dance floor.
Between Younge on percussion and drummer Philip Andy Biney, who has played on past JID releases, the two demand the stage in "Feel the High Life," while the trio of vocalists throughout give the songs warmth and texture. "Shake Down," and most of the album, has a frenetic energy, as if Younge and the other players couldn't wait one more second before dancing their faces off.
In a matter of six songs, Younge made an album that feels freshly rooted while simultaneously tapping into the genre's roots. -KH
Suki Waterhouse - Loveland
Are you ready for an album to be your indie pop savior for the remainder of the summer? It's here in Suki Waterhouse's third album, Loveland. Tracks like "Back in Love," "Happy With It" and "Tiny Raisin" are upbeat and ready for you to move with it, while mellower songs like "Notting Hill" and "Seasons" sound a bit more like Lana Del Rey or Jenny Lewis. There are some lyrics sprinkled in that leave you wanting more, but overall this is a solid album of summer vibes. -KH
PK Mayo - All Before Yesterday
The Eveleth-born Minnesota Blues Hall of Famer is celebrating his over 40-year career with this retrospective release. From his days in the band of Big John Dickerson to his solo music and releases with the Benderheads, All Before Yesterday is a fitting showcase of both his songwriting and guitar skills. For longtime fans, there are also new tracks to discover like the dobro heavy "Too Gone" and the country rock "The Road Behind." -MK
Singles
Danielle Ponder - "Sun and Moon"
I thought I was excited about new music from Danielle Ponder when I heard "Power," but whoo boy, look at me now! "Sun and Moon" is an instant soul pop jam. It's one of the songs where the music is upbeat and playful, with lyrics that are quite a bit sad, about a relationship that is built around the chase rather than true connection. In a press release, Ponder said, "The drums and tempo of the song remind me of the push and pull chase that I’ve been in more than I’d like to admit. It’s not until the end where the drums stop that she realizes how exhausted she is with the game and longs for something deeper.” -KH
Valerie June - "Smokestack"
Following last year's "Rollin' and Tumblin'," we get another taste of a fully electric blues band June, and yeah, I'm gonna need some more of this. The rolling hill country blues guitar, organ swells and motoring rhythm section are a perfect fit for the one-of-a-kind vocalist. In an accompanying press release, June cites "Smokestack Lightning," Sister Rosetta Tharpe's guitar and Nirvana as inspirations for the song. -MK
FINICK - "Joy Is Revolutionary"
One of the rising young voices in the Minnesota music scene, "Joy Is Revolutionary" is another leap forward for the talented indie-rock singer-songwriter. From the acoustic guitar intro, the track quickly grows into a rock belter, with FINICK's declaration "Even when the world is scary / Joy is revolutionary" brought to life by a crowd of backing vocalists. -MK
Pick From '76
Joni Mitchell - Hejira
Released in November of 1976, Hejira was Joni Mitchell’s eighth album and one of the best examples of her restless and fiercely independent spirit.
The word “hejira” means an exodus, departure or, “running away with honor.” That idea runs through the entire record as the songs were written while Mitchell was on the road, seeking and searching. And while it's obvious Mitchell is searching throughout these songs, it's never entirely clear what she's looking for — and that may be the point.
Throughout her career, Mitchell struggled against the expectations placed on women as musicians, professionals and as people. A woman traveling across the country on her own, following her own impulses? That wasn't exactly what society expected or deemed acceptable. Mitchell consistently pushed against those boundaries, sometimes making herself a controversial figure in the process. And sometimes for good reason. Her later portrayal of a Black male alter ego, Art Nouveau, is one example of that complicated legacy.
Mitchell once described herself as a “singing playwright,” and Hejira makes a serious case for that description. Each song is a complete story drawn from her own life. She famously said, “I suppose a lot of people could have written a lot of my other songs, but I feel the songs on Hejira could only have come from me.”
In the album, we hear Mitchell digging even deeper into her jazz explorations, moving away from rock musician session players and instead working with musicians like Jaco Pastorius who helped her channel the sounds she was craving.
“Coyote” is the most familiar song to the masses, as it was the album’s only real push to the broader market. "Black Crow" is the most experimental of the nine, moving in unexpected directions, even for Mitchell.
Hejira is a whole unit, a collection of songs that wander and sometimes meander, very much channeling the journey that inspired them.
I grew up with an older sister, Amy, who was and continues to be intensely influenced by Joni Mitchell. From unconventional tunings, the dulcimer, piano and guitar, Joni opened up an entirely new world for Amy in terms of how music could be approached. Listening to Hejira it’s easy to understand why. Mitchell isn't simply a songwriter. She constantly redefined what a song could sound like, what a woman could say, and where a musician could go when she refused to stay put. -KH
