When this album was released, I felt a bit of Jam and Lewis fatigue. After doing right by Janet Jackson and the Human League (somewhat), the production duo seemed to be everywhere. Of course, 30 years later, I picked up this album at the thrift store because Jam and Lewis are on it.
Yo Majesty, Return of the Matriarch
It doesn’t feel like they went away.
Dmitri Shostakovich, The Symphonies (Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Philharmonic, Bernard Haitink)
I’m incredibly familiar with the 15 string quartets of Dmitri Shostakovich, but I’ve been ambivalent about his symphonies. So I’ve been picking up Shostakovich symphony albums piecemeal when they show up at the thrift stores. I finally lucked into a box set at the now-defunct Seattle location of Everyday Music.
Of course, I have to agree with consensus about the fifth symphony. I don’t think the seventh is actually that great, but I do like the crunchiness of the eighth.
Arditti Quartet, Arditti
I’ve actually wanted to own this album for a long time, given its proximate release to Kronos Quartet’s first few major label albums. But the flow of time made me forget about this album till I saw it at Everyday Music before the store’s closure. (I do own a disc of Ligeti quartets on which Arditti performs.) I don’t want to enter the debate about which quartet is “better”, but I can understand critics who would side with Arditti.
Everyone’s back! UA, Asai Kenichi, TOKIE and Shiino Kyoichi! I’m hoping there’s a full album in the future.
Tokyo Jihen, Ongaku (Music), June 9
I’ve missed Tokyo Jihen, but the singles that have been released since the reunion haven’t really caught me.
Sleater-Kinney, Path of Wellness, June 11
It feels as if everyone who’s announcing new albums wouldn’t have been working on them had it not been for the pandemic.
Duran Duran, Future Past, Oct. 22
Giorgio Moroder did wonders on Kylie Minogue’s DISCO, and the single “Invisible” is the hardest Duran Duran has rocked since perhaps “The Wild Boys”.
Vinyl
My Bloody Valentine, Isn’t Anything, May 21 My Bloody Valentine, Loveless, May 21 My Bloody Valentine, mbv, May 21
I have an unofficial pressing of Isn’t Anything, so I made sure to order a legitimate one directly from the band themselves. I can’t say I feel much need for mbv on vinyl.
Utada Hikaru, One Last Kiss (US release), Aug. 20
I already have the Japanese pressing of this EP. Will I be getting this domestic pressing? Probably yes.
Guided By Voices, Isolation Drills, Sept. 17
Isolation Drills was reissued for Record Store Day as a single disc. This new pressing spreads the album out over two discs, which is far more prudent for its length.
![[Arditti Quartet - Arditti]](https://musicwhore.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/ArdittiQuartetArditti198265697_f.jpg)
![[Duran Duran - Future Past]](https://musicwhore.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/duran-duran-future-past.jpg)
![[Alexander O'Neal - Hearsay]](https://musicwhore.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/AlexanderONealHearsay19267517_f.jpg)
![[Yo Majesty - Return of the Martriach]](https://musicwhore.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/yo-majesty-return-of-the-matriarch.jpg)
![[Laurie Anderson - Big Science]](https://musicwhore.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/LaurieAndersonBigScience265409_f.jpg)