The 2022 & 2023 BJM albums are the next peak after Revelation, maybe go there next and then the classics.

Someone should volunteer to do this next.

You should do it

I’ll do 2 albums. Let’s go.

The Nels Cline 4 - Currents/Constellations

Under The Big Black Sun - X

(it's a classic so you may have already heard it)

I’ve never heard either of those. I’ll try to give them a listen in the next couple days or over the weekend. Thanks.

I ordered this one and "Share the Wealth" (and a couple other things) through Blue Note a bit ago, in order to bring my order for the new Bill Frisell up to free shipping. They're both so good. I really need to deep-dive his catalog.

Have fun!

Nels' catalogue is all pretty fantastic.

I’ve had “Initiate” for like ten years (on your recommendation!) and “Lovers” and love them both. Any recommendations beyond that?

i listened to & liked all of the first batch, although it was a few weeks ago and i didn't take notes or anything... some of them ive listened to again since..

Minutemen - What Makes a Man Start Fires?
highly entertaining, energetic and easily held my attention the whole way through. watt is awesome and although the bass is mixed to be the centerpiece, i think the frenetic funk guitar playing/tone is what makes this album so enjoyable. its a great recording and one i would now recommended to anyone (great drum sound lol)

Andrew Hill - Black Fire
this album flew by, from memory i particularly enjoyed "subterfuge" and "cantarnos" the drummer roy haynes was cookin' the whole time.

Local H - Whatever Happened to PJ Soles
being a mid 2000s hard rock album, i didn't think i was going to like this, and after the first 2-3 tracks i was a bit concerned. but a lot of different styles were covered and there was something to like across most of tracks after the first 3. "money on the dresser" had energy like the stooges fun house, and there was also psychedelic rock in "buffalo trace" as well as nirvana/soundgarden +shoegaze influences. also the cover is pretty cool. Local H seems like they would be a great live band, being able to lock in to a lot of different 90s styles

The Necks - Sex
highly meditative and hypnotic.. every note has thought and there was so much space to anticipate all the little changes and keys. i envy the restraint shown to create something like this

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your impres, Cop.

Word.

KD, have you done Lovers yet? Nels with a chamber orchestra, and they split the double album between doing their take on classic compositions, with original music sprinkled in. It's stunning.

Absolutely -- just a couple posts up!



The cover of "Snare, Girl" is spine-tinglingly good.

Do you have any favorites beyond these? Nels is one of those guys that I feel like spotlights my idiocy as a consumer -- I am literally riveted by everything I ever hear him do, yet I am so slow to explore his work. How have I been aware of this guy for almost 20 years but only have 4 of his albums (not including Wilco stuff of course)?

Some long-term favourites are first Nels Cline Singers record from 2002, the amusingly named Instrumentals, and the final Nels Cline Trio album from 1998, Sad.

Macroscope by the Singers from 2014 is also fantastic, the album that followed on from Initiate.

I don't think any of his records as a bandleader aren't worth checking out, so you really can't go wrong.

For something a little less noisy, Coward from 2009 is a solo, primarily acoustically-based album.

Thanks, friend!

I don’t think Draw Breath is his strongest collection, but it has two of his best tracks: Confection and Angel of Angels.

Also his work on Mike Watt’s Contemplating the Engine Room is a career highlight.

They are tremendous live, and if you go to see them, it will likely be in a room with 150 people. This year is the 20th anniversary of this album, and while it hasn’t been announced yet, they will certainly tour and play it in its entirety.

During the pandemic they played some live shows in parking lots. I was lucky enough to be able to drive to Schaumburg, Illinois, to see them on Halloween as Nirvana. I never got to see Nirvana. I honestly think this is as close as it gets. One of the best concerts of my life.