The Retrographer: Issue 111 (February, 2 0 2 4)

New songs, same old me

Author

Charlie Kaplan
March 18, 2024

DIIV, Jessica Pratt, The Lemon Twigs, Brittany Howard, Little Simz, Heems, Lapgan, Sir Michael Rocks, Open Mike Eagle, Joel Ross, Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey, Alena Spanger, Gabriel Bernini, and more!

The Retrographer, Issue 111 (February, 2 0 2 4)

Bulletins

Hello? Am I coming through?

This is my first newsletter on a new platform following the shutdown of TinyLetter. I’m pretty late on this issue because I was both avoiding, and also struggling with, switching to this new platform. Hopefully this works okay now. If this is appearing in your inbox for the first time in a long time, it means I’m newly evading spam filters. I hope you stick with me.

For those folks: The Retrographer is currently in its 10th season; the network executives forgot about it entirely and haven’t bothered to get around to canceling it. I’m still out here picking ten favorite songs each month and February was a really good month for music. I hope you find something to enjoy here.

But first, some videos you might dig…

Ten Songs for February, 2 0 2 4 | Listen to these songs on  Spotify and YouTube

“Brown Paper Bag”, DIIV – An early contender for song of the year for me. Zachary Cole Smith has explored the contours of shoegaze for over a decade but here finds a shape that is both melodious and apocalyptic. As PW pointed out, I love the “Only Shallow” homage at the end.

“Life Is”, Jessica Pratt – A chimera of pastiche and originality, Pratt channels Phil Spector with her characteristic regality and refinement. She sounds like a memory, lost in the time she’s singing in tribute to; elegant and abandoned.

“My Golden Years”, The Lemon Twigs – This one’s all pastiche though. It might seem like a trick if the songwriting and performance weren’t as good as they are, channeling the Beach Boys, the Byrds, the golden oldies shining like the years flying by.

“Samson”, Brittany Howard – Howard is capable of so much with her voice; tenderness, explosiveness, intimacy, vulnerability, longing, regret. Sitting in this minimal palette of Rhodes and trumpet, she sounds like she’s practicing a conversation she wish she wouldn’t have to have.

“I Ain’t Feelin It”, Little Simz – Simz is so stylish that even this seven-song, 14-minute castoff release carries irresistible moments. This one is shorter than two minutes and essentially all hooks, but tightly-screwed enough to stick after the first listen.

“Yellow Chakra”, Heems, Lapgan, Sir Michael Rocks, and Open Mike Eagle –  “Used to drink to excess until I remembered I’m the bestest”; A timeless sentiment from Himanshu, whose talent and charisma can never be suppressed by the ills he’s encountered. He’s back and has more music coming too.

“central park west”, Joel Ross – Ross’s new album nublues is a fresh and soulful compilation of original compositions and standards like this beautiful Coltrane song, whose work with vibraphonist Milt Jackson comprised some of the best of his career. It’s a pacific end to a beautiful, energetic, sometimes tumultuous album.

“Ghostrumental”, Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh, and Tyshawn Sorey – One of the best ensembles working in jazz returns with a record as good as anything they’ve released so far. Resting on a bassline shared by Iyer and Oh, Sorey swings with the lightest touch on the ride and a thundering kick and snare.

“Difficult People”, Alena Spanger – One thing I love about Spanger is her singing isn’t just about carrying melody and delivering lyrics; similar to Shelley Hirsch, her performance is so often nonverbal, like the little “hm” after “I want to intervene”; it’s the hint of an interior narrative that won’t expose itself in verse.

“Monday Soup”, Gabriel Bernini – Jaunty yet private, like a guy who can’t help but dance but doesn’t want anyone to see, so he wriggles down the street to a rhythm he can only hear.

This section is under construction; stay tuned for the back-issue archive!