WMSE PICKS OF 2020 POSTED:: December 21, 2020
FILED UNDER::
Top Airplay
FILED UNDER:: Top Airplay
Maybe there are too many best-of lists by years’ end, but it must be said, that as far as Milwaukee music aficionados go, no group of people knows music, front-to-back, across all genres, than the DJs of WMSE. You see it on our weekly top airplay charts and hear it for yourself on your radios and through your headphones and car and computer speakers. WMSE DJs are volunteers because they love music, and it shows: each program is designed, per DJ, to introduce the listener to both old favorites and newly-becoming classics.
Already got a favorite WMSE DJ? Take a peek at what they liked this past year, then check out the rest. You might find your own tastes aligning with DJs whose shows you might not be familiar with. Here’s the best of the best and the favorite of the favorites, from us, to you. Thanks for another great year of Frontier Radio!
The Good John
alternating Fridays 9am – 12pm / The Chicken Shack + The Blues Drive
In no particular order:
Rev. John Wilkins, Trouble
GA-20, Live Vol. 1
Alastair Greene, The New World Blues
Eric Johnson, Below Sea Level
Songhoy Blues, Optimisme
Sturgill Simpson, Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1: The Butcher Shoppe Sessions
Maggie Iken
alternating Thursdays, 6am – 9am / Poundcake Punk
Fiona Apple, Fetch The Bolt Cutters
LONGMAN, Just A Boy
New Found Glory, Forever and Ever x Infinity
Rough Francis, Urgent Care
The Suicide Machines, Revolution Spring
Jeff Redmon, WMSE Underwriting Director
Aesop Rock, Spirit World Field Guide
Goodie Mob, Survival Kit
Kenny Hoopla, How Will I Rest In Peace If I’m Buried By a Highway?
Chief, The Galleon
Fiona Apple, Fetch The Bolt Cutters
KSI, Dissimulation
Logic, No Pressure
Public Enemy, What You Gonna Do When The Grid Goes Down?
Andy K.
alternating Thursdays, 9am – 12pm / The Five & Dime Show
Gunn-Truscinski Duo, Soundkeeper (Three Lobed Recordings
Sir Richard Bishop, Oneiric Formulary (Drag City)
Jason Wietlispach, Sea Of Drone (Soutrane Recording Company)
Keeley Forsyth, Debris (The Leaf Label)
Mukdad-Rothenberg-Lankow, In The Wake Of Memories (Clermont Music)
Paul Cebar
alternating Wednesdays 9am – 12pm / Way Back Home
Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela, Rejoice
Chuck Prophet, The Land That Time Forgot
Dan Penn, Living On Mercy
Fiona Apple, Fetch The Bolt Cutters
The Flat Five, Another WOrld
Gregory Porter, All Rise
James Hunter Six, Nick Of Time
Robert Cray Band, That’s What I Heard
Erik Void
Fridays 12am – 3am / Everything That Rises Must Converge
Hum, Inlet
Deserta, Black Aura My Sun
House Of Harm, Vicious Pastimes
Star, Violence Against Star
The Nancy Downs, s/t
Travelogue, Death of Conversation
Buzz
Mondays 6pm – 9pm / Buzz’s Garage
The Spits, VI
X, Alphabetville
The Chats, High Risk Behaviour
The Lovesores, Bats From Planet Skull
The Haskels, Taking The City By Storm
Pat Buckley
alternating Mondays 6am – 9am / The Happy Monday Show
Sault, Untitled (Black Is)
Sault, Untitled (Rise)
Joe Wong, Nite Creatures
Field Report, Brake Light Red Tide
Khruangbin, Mordechai
Jason
Wednesdays, 9pm – 12am / Into Battle!!
I had a lot of time to listen to a lot of records this year and I definitely have. Below is my list of what I listened to most/had the biggest impact on me. I condensed it down this year a bit because I’m sure we are all a bit sick of reading stuff on the Internet by now…
Tubal Cain, Summon the Mist
I’ve listened to Summon the Mist probably three times more than any other record this year. Nods to the golden age of Celtic Frost and Bathory, with some subtle amounts of classic Metallica, Evil Blood, and Venom. And their set at the StM record release show added about 20 more years to my metal fandom. But TC is not retro or throwback or any sorta catch words like that…it’s legit and sincere heavy metal played my legit and sincere people. By and far the best thing that has come out this year. The rest are in no order:
Paysage D’Hiver, Im Wald
Paysage D’Hiver’s first “official” release, Im Wald is a two-hour opus of dense black metal dust storms and near Tangerine Dream level ethereal soundscapes. And even at this intimidating length, there isnt a wasted moment to be found on here. Mesmerizing and slightly numbing without feeling droney or repetitive.
Cardinals Folly-Defying the Righteous Way
Cardinals Folly is proof that alcohol and being miserable will always be better than weed based semi hippie doom. Defying the Righteous Way is by and far their most accomplished work, lead track Stars Align Again might be the most catchy heavy metal song Ive heard this year, and they don’t waste any breath on DtRW. Aces people doing incredible things.
Pa Vesh En, Burial
Pa Vesh En make raw black metal seem both sharp and chaotic while also creating an idea of composition. It’s all obviously very strategically assembled, the songs are obviously very thoughtfully constructed, but not so much that they feel neutered. It’s a feat to be able to balance both the mess and the control, but Burial is a great example of it being done pretty flawlessly.
Freeways, True Bearings
Great 70s injected hard rock from the Great White North. Simple, effective, sincerely executed UFO-esque and incredibly easy to listen to. Not metal per se, but definitely heavy in all the right ways.
Mortiis, Spirit of Rebellion
Mortiis going back to his “dungeon synth” ways over his flirtation with Stabbing Westward styled gothyness (you know I’m right) is incredibly welcomed by me. And Spirit of Rebellion has enough variation to make it never seem dry and is catchy enough that you could possibly dance to it, if you dance. Or you can nod a lot to it. Which I have. A brilliant return to form.
Internal Rot, Grieving Birth
Sickest grind band that’s not from Lima or isn’t Na’kay.To the point, near perfect guitar and snare tone, no bull.
Cryptworm, Reeking Gunk of Abhorrence.
Gross, vomit-y sounding death metal. Straddling the lines between Undergang Unmerciless’ execution and Pungent Stench’ss level of grossness, Reeking Gunk of Abhorrence is the best death metal release this year.
Cult of Fire, Nirvana/Moksha
Cult of Fire put out two records that are very much like Cult of Fire. Its layered, thoughtful black metal that hits on all the right spots and never stays too long. It’s what Batushka thinks it’s doing, but never really does.
Records that didn’t come out this year that I have been spinning a bunch:
Satyricon, Rebel Extravaganza
Satyricon’s getting a lil weird. Seriously, this record aged amazingly.
Fifth Angel, s/t
Traditional US power/heavy hair metal. Catchy choruses and hooks about. Listen to Wings of Destiny and be unpumped.
Wormridden, Festering Grave
Gross death metal from Undergang and Anatomia guys. It’s like a mix of those bands, but with a good amount of barf-y uncomfortableness. Listen to loud.
Also, On Cinema at the Cinema is the funniest thing ever made. And wear a mask. And work on listening to the voices that often don’t get heard. Comfort only truly exists if we can all have a chance at it.
Haven
alternating Wednesdays 6am – 9am / Wave Tank
Not all of these albums were released in 2020 – they are simply what I liked listening to this here. Here they are in no particular order:
Grimes, Miss Anthropocene
Kuniyuki Takahashi, Early Tape Works 1986-1993 Vol. 2
Julianna Barwick, Healing Is A Miracle
Terekke, Improvisational Loops
Burial, Tunes 2011-2019
Tom Crawford, WMSE Station Manager
Mondays 3pm – 6pm / The Rock Ride + Thursdays 6pm -9pm / Radio Drill Time
Local
There was so much great local music this year. I could easily list 10 more and then another 10 more.
Black Challenger, Vigilance
Large Print, Winter/Spring 2020
Joe Wong, Nite Creatures
Blood, Testamental
NilexNile, Forest of Giant
Immortal Girlfriend, Ride
Golden Coins, Fade Diagram
Stephen Strupp, The Rest Of My Time
Guerilla Ghost, We Get What We Deserve
Couch Flambeau, “The Pack Is Back”
Planet Earth
There’s all of 2020 and this is what’s some of the musical goodness this year brought in no real order…
Wendy Eisenberg, Auto
Sylvia Hallet, Tree Time
Autechre, Sign
Lamin Fofana, Blues
Aksak Maboul, Figures
Memnon Sa, World Serpent
upsammy, Zoom
Beatrice Dillon, Workaround
Moor Mother, Circuit City
Duma, Duma
Andy Turner
Fridays 12pm – 3pm / Zero Hour
Tyler Keith, The Last Drag (Black & Wyatt)
The Electric Mess, The Electric Mess V (Soundflat)
The Fleshtones, Face of the Screaming Werewolf (Yep Roc)
The Fox Sisters, Bust Out! (Dive)
Foxycontin, This Time You’re On Your Own (Sister Raygun)
Scott Lucey
alternating Wednesdays 6am – 9am / Digital Dumplings In Analog Gravy
Tame Impala, The Slow Rush
Khruangbin, Mordechai
Run The Jewels, RTJ4
Sylvan Esso, Free Love
Cut Copy, Freeze, Melt
Chris Schulist (a.k.a Christreater)
“Fill-in loudmouth!” / various shows
Freddie Gibbs, Alfredo
Benny The Butcher, Burden Of Proof
Conway The Machine, From A King To A God
Khruangbin, Mordechai
Misha Panfilov Sound Combo, Days As Echoes
Tom Wanderer
Thursdays 3pm – 6pm / The Tom Wanderer Radio Experience
Green/Blue, s/t
Habibi, Anywhere But Here
Neil Young, Homegrown
PJ Harvey, Rid Of Me [reissue]
PJ Harvey, Four Track Demos [reissue]
Sid McCain, WMSE Promotions Director
Wednesdays 12:30pm – 3pm / Squid Inc.
Top 5 Local:
Space Raft, Positively Space Raft
Dogs In Ecstasy, Welcome Back
BLOOD, Testamental
Juiceboxxx, It’s Easy To Feel Like a Nobody When You’re Living In The City
Rexxx, Pure Pleasure
7″s:
Abby Jeanne, Stop & Listen b/w Somebody To Love
Top 5 National:
IDLES, Ultra Mono
Cayucas, Blue Summer
Alex The Astronaut, The Theory Of Absolutely Nothing
Bad Cop/Bad Cop, The Ride
Jeff Rosenstock, No Dream
Mickey Comerford
Mondays 3am – 6am / Promethean Sound
Top 2020 releases in no particular order:
Dirty Art Club (every release they’ve got)
Flavian Berger, Contre-Temps
Lafayette Afro Rock Band, Malik
GZA, Liquid Swords
American Flyers [motion picture soundtrack]
Top 5 veggies of 2020 in order:
rutabega
sweet potatoes
collard greens
garlic
brussels sprouts
Sonia
Fridays 3pm – 6pm / The Blues Drive
Elvin Bishop & Charlie Musselwhite, 100 Years of Blues (Alligator)
Shemekia Copeland, Uncivil War (Alligator)
Jimmy Johnson, Every Day Of Your Life (Delmark)
Jonathan Willis, Spectacular Class (Kind Of Blue Music)
Various Artists, Johnny Iguana’s Chicago Spectacular (Delmark)
Damian Strigens
alternating Mondays 12am – 3am / The Truth About De-Evolution
Joe Wong, Nite Creatures
Nick Cave, Idiot Prayer (Alone at Alexandra Palace)
Andy Bell, View From Halfway Down
Bob Dylan, Rough & Rowdy Ways
Mary Lattimore, Silver Ladders
Hum, Inlet
Rose City Band, Summerlong
Bruce Springsteen, Letter To You
Dungen, Live
Thurston Moore, By The Fire
War On Drugs, LIVE DRUGS
Bonny Light Horseman, s/t
Sonic Boom, All Things Being Equal
DJ Zorro
alternating Sundays 6pm – 9pm / Alternating Currents
Patrick Shiroshi, Descension (Thin Wrist Recordings)
Jason Wietlispach, Sea Of Drone (Soultrane Recording Company)
(Z)erpents, Black Mold and Hot Springs, Taipei (Future Proof Records)
You Ishihara, Formula (Zelone Records)
Joe McPhee, Dave Rempis, Tomeka Reid, Brandon Lopez, Paal Nilssen, Love Of Things Beyond Thule Vol. 1 & Vol 2 (Aerophonic Records)
Angel Bat Dawid & The Brotherhood , Live (International Anthem Recording Company)
Dr. Fell
Fridays, 6am – 9am / Jing Jong Triple Play
Tenci , My Heart’s an Open Field.
Nicolas Jaar, Cenizas
Run The Jewels, RTJ4
Mr. Elevator, Goodbye Blue Sky
Quelle Chris & Chris Keys, Innocent Country 2
Paul Host
alternating Saturdays 3pm – 6pm / Milwaukee Rock Posters & Why My Head Hurts
2020 Top 5 Local (high points from an otherwise lousy year):
Indonesian Junk, Life Of Crimes
Haskels, Taking The City By Storm
Juiceboxxx, It’s Easy To Feel Like A Nobody When You’re Living In The City
Guerrilla Ghost, Sound System 7″
Eric Blowtorch and the Bodyguards, “Take You Away” [single]
Erin Wolf, WMSE Music Director
Tuesdays 12:30pm – 3pm + 6pm – 7pm / The Rockleidoscope Show + Local/Live
In no order…
Non-local:
Dehd, Flower of Devotion
Run The Jewels, RTJ4
Coriky, s/t
Khruangbin, Mordechai
Sault, Untitled (Rise)
Local:
Operations, Fog Museum
Space Raft , Positively Space Raft
Joe Wong, Nite Creatures
Field Report, Brake Light Red Tide
Cashfire Sunset, Age Before Beauty
Rob Szocik
alternating Sundays 6pm – 9pm / Alternating Currents
Angel Bat Dawid & Tha Brothahood, LIVE
Don Cherry, Om Shanti Om
Nicole Mitchell and Lisa E Harris, Earthseed
SPAZA, UPRIZE! (music from the original motion picture)
Fred Longberg-Holm, Luis Lopes, Ståle Liavik Solberg, Hullabaloo
honorable mentions:
Jason Wietlispach, Sea Of Drone
Steve Gunn’s cover of “Astro Zombies”
notable discovery of 2020:
Rev. Frank Wright, Run With the Cowboys (1983)
Grant
alternating Mondays, 6am – 9am / The Happy Monday Show
in no particular order:
Waxahatchee, Saint Cloud
Run The Jewels, RTJ4
Fiona Apple, Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Bob Dylan, Rough & Rowdy Ways
X, Alphabetland
Bob Mould, Distortion: 1989 – 2019 (24-CD box set!)
Matt Schoeffler
3rd Wednesday of the month 6pm – 9pm / City Rock Showgram
Hum, Inlet
The Lawrence Arms, Skeleton Coast
Owen, The Avalanche
Shiner, Shadenfreude
Beabadoobee, Fake It Flowers
Dr. Sushi
Tuesdays 9am – 12pm / Dr. Sushi’s Free Jazz BBQ
in no particular order:
A Love Supreme Electric, A Love Supreme and Meditations
Dave Rempis, Stringers & Struts
Dan Weiss, Natural Selection
Ron Miles, Rainbow Sign
Sonar, Tranceportation (Vol. 2)
Jon Blick
Thursdays, 12am – 3am / Overnight Sensations
Hayley Mary, The Piss, The Perfume [EP]
Disq, Collector
Space Raft, Positively Space Raft
Cable Ties, Far Enough
2nd Grade, Hit to Hit
Thriftones, Live EP
Mondo Cozmo, New Medicine
The Milbillies, s/t
Will Butler, Generations
Joe Wong, Nite Creatures
Saebra
Fridays 3am – 6am/ The Music Cauldron
DaveKevinAdam, Lonely Cactus
Steve Monite, Only You
Megan Thee Stallion, Suga [EP]
Kaylee Crossfire, “Baddie Alert”
L.A. Witch, Play With Fire
Extra Picks:
The Beat Index, Volume One: Juvenilia
Abby Jeanne, “Stop and Listen”
Alessi Brothers, “Seabird”
Helene Smith, “I Am Controlled By Your Love”
BEAK>, “Sex Music”
Craig Mertes
Tuesdays 6am – 9am / The Shape Of Rock
Guerrilla Ghost, We Get What We Deserve (Triple Eye Industries)
Operations, Fog Museum (self-released)
Floor Model, Slightly Damaged (self-released)
Cashfire Sunset, Age Before Beauty (self-released)
Fuzzysurf, Sweet Tooth (self-released)
Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends, Dark Passengers (Learning Curve Records)
Mary Bartlein
Saturdays 6pm – 9pm / Instrumental Saturdays
Instrumental Saturdays favorite 2020 releases in no particular order:
I actually have to start off my list with my favorite artist of the year which is Jon Durant. He has created music nonstop this year (both solo and collaborations) and it has all been wonderful. I could take up this entire article talking about his music, but I won’t. Check out the August 1, 2020 interview I did with Jon featuring the fantastic CD Across the Evening (Alchemy Records) that he made with Robert Jurjendal. Then go to his website: https://www.jondurant.rocks/discography and discover the rest of the CDs he put out this year.
My next favorite CD by another favorite artist is Discovery (Terminal 4 Records) by Tigerforest (AKA Gunnar Spardel). For fans of Tigerforest this CD will not disappoint. It is Tigerforest at its best and then cranked up a notch. I am certain every year Gunnar/Tigerforest puts out a CD, it will make my end of the year favorite list, I will never get tired of his music. We did an interview (AKA a Three Hour Tour) together for this CD on April 18, 2020 and it was great fun learning about Discovery and the artists Gunnar chose to work with and why. My very favorite track of 2020 is the last track on the CD called Winter. It is the absolute best.
Next up Hans Christian and his CD After the Fall (Allemande Music). I was given a rare opportunity to hear many of these tracks before the final mix of the album and I could hardly wait for the finished product. My patience was rewarded with a classic Hans Christian album complete with a 18 minute title track! Hans took the Three Hour Tour with me for this CD on May 9, 2020 and he even shared a new unreleased track for a future CD with us. That was awesome.
Darshan Ambient (Michael Allison) is one person I always wanted to interview because I have been a big fan of all his music for a long time. Sadly Michael passed away this year in January right before his CD A Day Like Any Other (Spotted Peccary Music) was released. It is a beautiful bright and cheery CD that holds its own among the Darshan Ambient catalog. I enjoyed programming this CD whenever I could.
AeTopus (AKA Bryan Tewell Hughes) makes the list again this year with a very pleasant surprise that is the CD Variant (12Ton Productions) and the companion EP Deep Variants. I think these are my favorite AeTopus CDs, I am a fan of the whole catalog but these are the best of the bunch. Every track is very rich and earthy and I love the percussion. You can listen to our Three Hour Tour we did on August 29, 2020 to hear the whole CD and find out more.
As usual I have far too many yearly favorites and I could go on forever, but I won’t. However I do want to mention two more CDs. This year Jim Ottaway put out his 34th CD When Eternity Touched Time (Jim Ottaway Music) an excellent electronic music CD with a nod to one of Jim’s major influences, Tangerine Dream. Additionally he appears on a Various Artist CD called Ambient Aid for Australia. It is jam packed with great music and of course proceeds went to help victims of the horrible wildfires that ripped through Australia this year. Yep, there just weren’t enough disasters this year! But at least there was tons and tons of great music to listen to.
Keep your headphones on and your hands washed!
John Komp
alternating Mondays 12am – 3am / The Truth About De-Evolution
IDLES, Ultra Mono (album of the year, IMHO)
Sonic Boom, All Things Being Equal
Thurston Moore, By The Fire
Nick Cave, Idiot Prayer (Alone at Alexandra Palace)
Sun Ra Arkestra, Swirling
Mr. Dr. Dave
alternating Sundays, 6am – 9am / Sunday Morning Jazz
Wayne Alpern, Standard Deviation
Bill Frisell, Valentine
Jason Kao Hwang, Human Rites Trio
Robby Krieger, The Ritual Begins At Sundown
Samoa Wilson & Jim Kweskin, I Just Want To Be Horizontal
plus some notable archival releases and historical documents:
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, Just Coolin’
Miles Davis, Birth of the Cool [film soundtrack]
Thelonious Monk, Palo Alto
Tim Noble
alternating Saturdays 3pm – 6pm / Milwaukee Rock Posters & Why My Head Hurts
Bob Dylan, Rough & Rowdy Ways
Fleet Foxes, Shore
Phoebe Bridgers, Punisher
Fontaines D.C., A Hero’s Death
Thundercat, It Is What It Is
local music worth a listen:
Jason Wietlispach (some of the most interesting music coming out of Wisconsin)
The Haskels (pioneering group finally getting proper releases)
Xposed 4Heads (always entertaining)
Peder Hedman Quartet (catchy songs with clever lyrics)
Peggy James (songstress receiving national attention)
Justin
Thursdays 3am – 6am / Thirty-Three and a Thursday
in no order:
Trees Speak, Ohms
Makaya McCraven, We’re New Again
Sprain, As Lost Through Collision
Idles, Ultra Mono
Pharaoh Overlord, 6
Freddie Gibbs, Alfredo
Lowercase, The Going Away Present
Memnon Sa, World Serpent
Baxter Dury, The Night Chancers
Jeff Parker, Suite For Max Brown
John Radtke (a.k.a Cream City Rocker)
sub / various shows
Large Print, Winter/Spring 2020 (self-released)
Pylon, Pylon [box set] (New West)
Love Tractor, s/t (HHBTM Records)
The Quilz & Xposed 4Heads, original versions + remixes (Internal Combustion)
All Aboard The C.N. Express: Rocksteady and Boss Reggae Sounds – 1967-1968 (Doctor Bird)
Cal Roach
Tuesdays 6pm – 7pm / Local/Live + Midnight Radio sub
Top five albums:
R.A.P. Ferreira, Purple Moonlight Pages
Across Tundras, The Last Days Of A Sliver Rush
Jeff Parker, Suite For Max Brown
Fiona Apple, Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Imperial Triumphant, Alphaville
Top five songs:
Johanna Rose, “Eat The Rich”
B~Free, “Everything (I Am Woman)”
LaFond, “Myself”
Vacancy Chain, “Let It Ring Out”
Immortal Girlfriend (feat. Hailey Orion, Deezie Brown), “Friday Night”
Jerry Glocka
alternating Fridays, 6pm – 9pm / Jerry’s Attic
Dion, Blues with Friends
One of the few remaining pioneers of rock, standing tall and cutting loose with help from some A-list friends like Jeff Beck, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Billy Gibbons, Joe Bonamassa, Samantha Fish and many others. At 81, it’s hard to believe he’s still in such great form and making great music.
Dave Alvin, From an Old Guitar: Rare and Unreleased Recordings
Obscure recordings from the past couple of decades that stand on their own. Some originals but mostly covers that were intended for tribute albums, side projects or just for fun. Plenty of Blues, Folk, Country and Rock, these are not throw-away songs. A great listen, all the way through.
The Mavericks, En Espanol
Rich, Latin-tinged melodies and arrangements, beautifully sung in Spanish by Raul Malo and played by the current road-tested version of the Mavericks. Plenty of reverb-drenched guitar, percussion, horns, accordion and organ.
Tom Petty, Wildflowers & All the Rest [re-issue]
Originally released in 1994, Petty’s second “solo” album contained 15 tracks and showcased some of Tom’s best song writing to date. This beautiful re-issue now includes 10 additional studio songs that weren’t on the original release. The audio mastering, especially on vinyl, is superb. Super deluxe editions have live and documentary material from that period.
Bob Dylan, Rough & Rowdy Ways
With the never-ending tour side-lined for now, Dylan has the nerve to write and record some of his best new material in years. Sure there’s some typical musical thievery here (Billy “the Kid” Emerson should be credited on “False Prophet”). But Dylan’s words, phrasing and delivery continue to amaze. Repeated listening’s are recommended.
Eric Von Munz
Thursdays 12:30pm – 3pm / The Von Munz Vinyl Variety Show
My Milwaukee picks this year:
Space Raft, Positively Space Raft LP
Guerrilla Ghost, We Get What We Deserve LP (plus everything else they brought this year)
Xposed 4heads, “New Wave Apocalypse” single (as well as the Quilz’ remix of their song, “Ultra-Cloud”)
Abby Jeanne. All of it. Damn.
REXXX, Pure Pleasure II
And gosh darn it, we got new Haskel’s stuff on vinyl that just needs to be included.
Not residing here but still Milwaukee:
GGOOLLDD’s latest LP
Static Static, “The Future As Dark”
Not Milwaukee Top 5:
The Spits, VI LP
Fuzz, III LP
Clutch, Live From The Doom Saloon Vol. II double LP
Fu Manchu, 30th Anniversary 10”
ADULT., Perception/is/as/of/deception LP
Shopkeeper Ken
alternating Thursdays, 9am – 12pm / The Five & Dime Show
Here are my favorites NEW releases of the year, no particular order:
Mukdad / Rothenberg / Lankow, In The Wake Of Memories
Mary Lattimore, Silver Ladders
Alabaster DePlume, To Cy & Lee : Instrumentals Vol. 1
Jason Wietlispach, Sea Of Drone
Gunn-Truscinski Duo, Soundkeeper
Favorite reissues of 2020, again, no particular order:
Various Artists, La Locura de Machuca 1975-1980
Duke Ellington, Money Jungle (part of the amazing Blue Note Tone Poet series)
Neil Young, Homegrown (hard to tell where to put this, old recordings, but never released…)
Lou Reed, New York (box set with demos / live recording / alternates)
Horace Tapscott Quintet, The Giant Is Awakened
Rose
Sundays, 10:30pm – 12am + alternating Mondays, 12am – 3am / Female Focus + Rock & Blues
Nightwish, Human. :II: Nature.
Latest recording from Finnish symphonic metal band contains beautiful melodies, vocals and lyrics, 3-part harmonies and orchestral choirs.
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Rendition Was In)
Released posthumously (Jones died in 2016 of pancreatic cancer), this contains great R&B covers of songs by Stevie Wonder, Woodie Guthrie, Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, Prince, Dusty Springfield, and others.
Shemekia Copeland, Uncivil War
Named as #1 Blues Album of 2020 by Mojo Magazine; this album features Copeland’s powerful voice on many socially conscious songs.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, Straight to You Live
Recording of hard-driving, high-energy concert from blues rocker Shepherd.
The Pretenders, Hate For Sale
The Pretenders with lead singer Chrissie Hynde are back in perfect form with another great classic rock ‘n roll album.
The Strokes, The New Abnormal
Their first album in seven years, songs contains an ’80’s rock feel; nominated for 2020 Best Rock album at the upcoming Grammy Awards.
Ella Fitzgerald, The Lost Berlin Tapes
The great Ella really swings on jazz standards from a 1962 recorded concert in Germany.
Delain, Apocalypse & Chill
Dutch female-fronted symphonic metal band with songs containing melodic hooks.
Indigo Girls, Look Long
This folk-rock duo has been together for 35 years and this is their 15th studio album; contains fresh new songs with their same great harmonies.
Local:
Joe Wong, Nite Creatures
Composer / multi-instrumentalist / singer – originally from Milwaukee but now based in L.A.; this album contains beautiful, mellifluous vocals and music with orchestral backing with parts psychedelic and baroque.
The Beat Index, Volume 1: Juvenilia
A very interesting and FUN collection of retro, synth-pop music.
DJ Ascot
alternating Fridays, 6am – 9am / Jing Jong Triple Play
Feng Suave, Warping Youth
Kassa Overall, I Think I’m Good
Sen Morimoto, Sen Morimoto
OOIOO, Nijumusi
Los Cumpleanos, Los Cumpleaños
dumama + kechou, Buffering JuJu
Rich Mars
Wednesdays 6pm – 9pm / City Rock Showgram
Ganser, Just Look At That Sky
Flat Worms, Antarctica
X, Alphabetland
L.A. Witch, Play With Fire”
Drive-By Truckers, The Unraveling
Honorable mentions:
Jarvis Cocker, Beyond the Pale
Baxter Dury, The Night Chancers
Fuzz, III
Throwing Muses, Sun Racket
Songhoy Blues, Optimisme
Tony Allen & Hugh Masekela, Rejoice
Psychedelic Furs, Made of Rain
Luke Haines & Peter Buck, Beat Poetry For Survivalists