MUSIC 2022: TOP 7 live albums

And here's round two of 2022's end of the year music rankings! After my TOP 5 reissues I now present and recommend: My seven favorite live albums. I don't think this needs more introduction, or does it?

The next upcoming category will be my TOP 13 live shows. 

TOP 7 LIVE ALBUMS:

1. ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF - Live at Montreux Jazz Festival
   
   
   
   In a mixed ranking of best live and studio releases this album would probably still occupy the top position. As videos of this show already suggested since 2018 it has indeed been the monumentally droning, otherworldy culmination of Anna von Hausswolff's "Dead Magic" tour. In a performance that doesn't know one weak moment the mesmerizing duets of the exceptional Swedish artist with her sister Maria are only one among many highlights. Even with the show's finale "Gösta" sadly missing this beautifully packed album is perfect proof that magic is still very much alive.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. TEMPLE FANG - Fang Temple
   
   
   
   Dutch heavy space rockers Temple Fang are so all around complete and authentic in their 1970's sound between Purple, Floyd, Hawkwind and Blue Öyster Cult, that you could easily sell them as that band from "Almost Famous" that didn't make it onto the original soundtrack, just because their songs were too damn long. While that is of course bullshit, their epic psychedelic hard rock compositions definitely are not. Were it not for three seated pandemic shows, which luckily were recorded in proper quality, these eighty minutes of timeless greatness possibly would have been lost, since the band changed their set when they introduced a new drummer afterwards. Man, that would have been a shame!  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. NEPTUNIAN MAXIMALISM - Set Chaos To The Heart Of The Moon
   
   
   
   The larger than life 2021 Roadburn Redux performance of the Belgian Neptunian Maximalism collective, dubbed Supernova Arkestra for this occasion, was screaming in prehistoric tongues and the languages of doom, psychedelic rock, spiritual jazz and drone to be released. The call was heeded and this beautiful digipak CD including the video of the show on DVD came to be. (Later also available on double-vinyl.) It's nearly impossible to summarize  this boundless genre-defying hour of vivid Eastern/Western monumentalism in all its shimmering transcendent glory. And as I am typing this I'm already waiting for another new pre-ordered  live album of Guillaume Cazalet's big band to arrive. Safe to say that Maximalism had a good year.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. MARTINA VERHOEVEN QUINTET - Driven - Live At Roadburn 2022
   
   
   
   The only live recording from this year's festival issue in my collection so far - and it is a special one, which [spoiler alert!] is very likely to pop up in another upcoming ranking, too. Powered by Martina Verhoeven on piano, Dirk Serries on guitar, Colin Webster on saxophone, Gonçalo Almeida on upright bass and Onno Govaert on drums a perfect free jazz storm blows directly from the Paradox stage into your face. Fifty minutes of pure excellence!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. ACID LUMO - Orange Medicine
   
   
   
   Despite all current problems we're still living in a golden age for music lovers. Who would have made me aware of an album like this thirty years ago? And here I am, a random dude from Germany telling you that my number five pick for live recording of the year are some buddies in a by now disbanded group from Wuhan jamming a mostly chaotic yet incredible atmospheric show with rock instruments, sitar and traditional Chinese lutes, flutes and overtone vocals in Shanghai. Spontaneous ancient mystery. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
6. DEAD NEANDERTHALS - IXXO
   
   
   
   du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du du du tuh du ...
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. CAN - Live in Cuxhaven 1976
   
   
   
   The reason why this third installment in the first official series of live albums from the legendary German krautrock group Can can't reach a higher place in this list is pretty obvious, especially when compared to its two predecessors, which both ran over six record sides: With just half an hour in total "Live in Cuxhaven" is just too damn short. And to make it even crueler it ends with the the band announcing to return after a break - which of course doesn't happen. But what little of this completely improvised performance by Michael Karoli, Irmin Schmidt, Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit we get is just so damn funky, inspired and amazing!
   
   

Schneider Collaborations: SCHNEIDER DAHL / SCHNEIDER SHIROISHI

Ok, irgendwie bin ich heute zu müde und/oder faul, mir ein richtiges Review aus den Rippen zu schnitzen. Aber dafür zwei halbe?

Tatsächlich warteten diese beiden LPs von Jörg Schneider schon gut zwei Monate darauf rezensiert zu werden. Das habe ich allerdings nun gemeinsam mit zwei weiteren Alben anderswo getan. Ihr wisst schon...

THESE TWO ALBUMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN REVIEWED BY ME IN ENGLISH - ALONGSIDE TWO OTHER ONES - HERE ON VEILOFSOUND.COM!

SCHNEIDER SHIROISHI - Schneider Hiroishi (LP) (2022)

Meine erste Bekannstschaft mit Schneider habe ich über das Album "Dual Gaia" der Jazzmetal-Gruppe Roji gemacht. Ein Mitstreiter des Drummers dort ist Saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi, den ich im Oktober erst in einem kleinen Club in Tilburg als Support von Sumac live gesehen hatte.

Das Zusammentreffen der beiden auf diesem Album ist ein wunderbar lebhaftes, dynamisches Freejazzfest, welches nicht nur aufregend gespielt ist, sondern vor allem - insbesondere auf dem schwarzen Rund - ganz phänomenal klingt. Man fühlt sich, als säße man direkt zwischen Trommeln und Tröte und kann jedes Atmen, Klicken und Kratzen hören. Und eben auch sieben tolle Improvisationen in der Tradition von Albert Ayler, Peter Brötzmann, Ornette Coleman... [Nachnamen-ABC bitte beliebig lange fortsetzen!]

SCHNEIDER DAHL - Schneider Dahl (LP) (2022)

Ein anderer Kollaborationspartner und es werden ganz andere Seiten aufgezogen, Bass-Saiten nämlich. Was Tim Dahl allerdings aus diesen herauslärmdröhnt, klingt eher wie eine komplette Kakophonie aus Elektrobrummen, Gitarre and Baritonsaxophon beim Imitieren eines Flugzeugs. Feine Musik also. Und wer auf einen Titel wie "Evil Knows Best" kommt, der hat im Grunde ja eh schon gewonnen. Alternativer Projektname für dieses Duo: Merzbow-DeadNeanderthalsche Freundschaft. Herrlich krankes Krachgepolter.

Zwischen diese beiden LPs passt also beinahe das komplette Spontanjazzspektrum. Ja, beinahe, nicht ganz. Zumindest aber die ebenfalls neulich erschienen Alben "Schneider Kristof" und "Schneider Baker". Wo ich die bereits mitrezensiert habe, erwähnte ich ja schon weiter oben.

harineweekly 47/52

Probably some pictures in here which I have done almost identically before. But maybe not in the same colour mode, so who cares? Here are two days in two modes from this week with the Digital Harinezumi 3.0:

MUSIC 2022: TOP 5 reissues

T'is the season again! Time to start with those dreaded end of the year lists! I'm trying to keep them short, even though it always pains me to leave out so much worthy stuff.

Today I'm starting with one of the "B categories" that doesn't need much explanation: just my personal favorite reissues which came out in 2022. So here we go!

TOP 5 REISSUES:

1. DOLPO - Inner Himalayas
   
   
   
   Seriously? A tape with a not really convenient packaging wins against several vinyl releases including a box set? Of course the value-for-money ratio plays a little bit into that, right?
   Yes, it does. But this WV Sorcerer Productions reissue of Dolpo's 2019 album, wrapped in cloth, with a rice paper credits sheet and a cone of Tibetian ritual insense, also looks cool. But most importantly this very raw cosmic drone doom experience, enriched with authentic Himalayan field recordings and traditional Asian instruments is just a phenomenal intersection of Bong, Bell Witch and Saba Alizadeh. With this run of cassettes long gone I still recommend anyone who digs the merging of doom with ethnic influences (think Rinuwat or SteppenDoom) to give the digital version a listen!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. BLUT AUS NORD - 777 (Sect(s) / The Desanctification / Cosmosophy)
   
   
   
   This box is not perfect (one poster mix-up and why no downloads for that price?), but it comes pretty damn close. The three albums in beautiful colour pressings and gatefold cover plus the slipmat, which is still rotating on my turntable, don't give me any regrets buying Blut Aus Nord's complete "777" trilogy, which was originally released in 2011 and 2012. Musically these avantgarde black metal meets industrial, doom and even French hip hop classics are a class of their own anyway. Enormous! 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. MAGMA - Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh
   
   
   
   This reissue from Music On Vinyl is pretty straight-forward. The album from 1973 is far from being an unearthed obscurity, but an absolutely legendary, genre-defining (the genre of course being Zeuhl) masterpiece. The quality pressing is gold, the cover artwork of the gatefold shines gold, too. Oh sorry, it's not gold, but "copper". Well who cares? It looks and sounds great. No fancy extras beyond that needed. Beautiful edition of an untouchable work of the century.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. KONSTRUKT & PETER BRÖTZMANN -  Dolunay
   
   
   
   This one looks even less spectacular: Just two black records in a single sleeve, a card, that's it. Nothing more, nothing less. But I'm in it for the music and this wild free jazz gathering of Turkish quartet Konstrukt and saxophone giant Peter Brötzmann from 2008 is a fantastic slice of exciting chaotic manic fun. Further proof that Konstrukt and Karlrecords are always a worthwhile combination.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. SINISTRO - Hóspedes Silenciosos
   
   
   
   The doom band from Portugal re-released three demos from 2012 on one CD. Over one hour of cineastic (apart from a couple of rather textural primal screams) instrumental sludge enriched with samples, slightly Mediterranean clean guitars, post rock, synthie scores and trip hop beats. Huge and heavy, deep and visonary emotional music. And of course a perfect reminder that Sinistro were already great before they had a certain fantastic lead singer for a couple of years and releases.
   
   

MARC URSELLI'S STEPPENDOOM - SteppenDoom

You bought a twelve-string bass. Not with twelve strings in a row, but with the regular four strings and two thinner extra strings attached to each of them, so every note you play automatically has two overtones. What do you do with it?
Let's play some doom metal! Yeah, that sounds nice. I wish I could also sing three notes at a time, that would fit so perfectly. Oh wait, there are singers out there who can exactly do that!

Ok, this is not exactly how producer Marc Urselli's many years long journey of creating this album started. But there's also a bit of truth in it. If you want to know more about how this "all star" project of doom and indigenous throat singing came to be, I recommend you consider checking out the artbook CD version of "SteppenDoom"!

AND SINCE I'VE ALREADY WRITTEN ANOTHER AT LEAST MEDIUM-IN-DEPTH REVIEW OF THIS ALBUM HERE ON VEILOFSOUND.COM, I will treat this following text more as an addendum and mainly focus on the haul of the awesome physical product.

MARC URSELLI'S STEPPENDOOM - SteppenDoom (white/müritzblau marbled vinyl LP + clear 7" + artbook CD) (2022)

Yes, I went full let's get myself an early Christmas present from Magnetic Eye Records on this one and purchased the box set, which contains most of the other available formats and adds a couple of extras.

Obviously the most basic version - the digisleeve CD - is missing in the box, but I can tell from afar that it's probably a miniature variant of the LP gatefold with the disc containing the same six regular tracks as its big relative.

On its own the vinyl is available in black and two different coloured version based on red and yellow, while the one in the box set comes in a mountaintop style marbled mix of light blue and white. The gatefold looks great and comes with a sheet for the basic credits.

So if you dig records and are mainly interested in the music, you already have a great album with this.

What you're missing though are the two bonus tracks. And with one of them lasting for thirty-three minutes that's quite a respectable amount of music.

The only physical format which gives you the whole eight tracks is the luscious artbook CD. So if you don't want to go for the whole box, this version of "SteppenDoom" is the one I would recommend the most. Not only the music, but also the photographic art plus the extended credits and liner notes really make this item the heart of the whole release.

There's still a little bit more in the box though! In fact those are the first things you'll see when you open it: prints of three photographs, which also appear in other places of the artwork and photobook - and a neat transparent 7" which again features the two bonus tracks.

And before you're doing the math: Yes, the second one of those - which features the most guest musicians of all tracks, including Dave Chandler (St. Vitus), Wino (The Obsessed), Norman Westberg (Swans), Anders Møller (Ulver) and Alexey Tegin (Phurpa) - is of course not the complete half-hour version, but edited down to a tenth of the original length. That doesn't capture the whole well... Phurpa/Ulver/Swans style meditative grandiosity of it, but it's still something, right? Ok, one could argue why this isn't a 12" extra LP, but since we already have the CD I'm down with this ehm... radio edit. 

So, since I've now finally started to mention some of the participants, I will quickly summerize, what this project actually is.

"SteppenDoom" is the more than successful merger of the worlds of droning doom - think Bong and Sunn O))) or recently Bong-Ra and Rinuwat - with the primeval power and astonishing diversity of the world's indigenous throat singing traditions. Not all of those are covered, since there are also for example forms of overtone singing in South Africa, Sardinia or famously among Tibetian monks. But we have features from the Russian republic of Tuva, where this form of music is the most common, Mongolia and Tanya Tagaq as a representative of the North-American Inuit.
Other big names on the throat singing side are Huun-Huur-Tu, Yat-Kha and the Alash Ensemble, while on the instrumental doom side you're very likely to recognize players from Paradise Lost, Cult Of Luna, Neurosis and Sleep.

The basic skeletons of all tracks were provided by the Swiss-Italian producer Marc Urselli himself. You don't need to care about his Grammy fame, but over eighty-five albums with John Zorn or examples like his work with Toby Driver, Arthur Brown and the jazz metal trio Kilter should indicate that the man knows what counts.

Production-wise alone "SteppenDoom" is an immersive listening experience full of fantastic details. This whole project is more than a well-produced conceptual idea. No, this amplification of ancient vocal art with deep and slow metal transcends the premise of its ingredients and lays bare the deepest roots of doom in a profound place far beyond Black Sabbath.

This is magical stuff. And the doomiest doom of 2022. (But since I've bought this box you probably already guessed that I like it quite a bit.)