November 22, 2016 Playlist

"Floating World" by Jade Warrior (1974)
CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Jade Warrior "Floating World"  1974 (UK)
Jade Warrior was a trailblazing underground group who were never quite "of their time." Before Jade Warrior launched in 1970, main movers Tony Duhig and John Field recorded a classic flower power acid rock album under the name July. Even in this earlier incarnation, the group's sound was distinctive due to a reliance on Field's hand percussion instruments instead of "rock drums", thus giving them a vaguely exotic "world music" vibe. As Jade Warior, the group's first three albums are all highly original prog rock that sounds a bit like Jethro Tull without the drum kit (Field also played a lot of flute and Duhig was not afraid of heavy guitar riffs). Non-Western musical traditions continued to play a larger role as the group progressed, in particular concepts from Japanese art and philosophy, as demonstrated in the "oriental" art on their album covers. This week's CAOTW is their fourth LP and is perhaps the most pivotal in the group's history. At this point it was pretty clear they were never going to be a hot property with the teeny boppers, but the boss of Island Records really dug them, so they were given relatively free reign to do what they wanted as a "boutique" band on the label with no commercial expectations. So they ditched singing and rock songs and released a series of ambient proto-new age/world music albums consisting of sidelong instrumental suites. Floating World is my favorite of these "late period" JW albums, because though it is blissful and meditative it still contains a bit of smouldering distorto guitar. Meanwhile the more tranquil bits compare nicely to Eno's Another Green World album which came out the following year on the same record label.
(N) = New Release
 
Artist Song Album Year Country
Led ZeppelinThank YouLed Zeppelin II1969UK
The BandKing Harvest (Has Surely Come)The Band1969Canada/USA
Dr. John Such A Night (live)The Musical Mojo of Dr. John (N - various artists in concert)2016 (Concord)USA
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings Genuine (part 1)Miss Sharon Jones! (N - movie soundtrack)2016 (Daptone)USA
 
 
Thee Oh Sees Dead Man's GunA Weird Exits (N)2016 (Castle Face)USA
Sonny & The Sunsets Reject Of The Lowest Planet
Moods Baby Moods (N)2016 (Polyvinyl)USA
Tim Presley Goldfish Wheelchair
The Wink (N)2016 (Drag City)USA
The Mystery Lights Too Tough To Bear
The Mystery Lights (N)2016 (Wick)USA
James Leg Dogjaw (Do Some Things You Say)Blood On The Keys (N)2016 (Alive Naturalsound)USA
   
 
Ray LynchCelestial Soda PopDeep Breakfast1984USA
KitaroKaleidoscopeKi1982Japan
   
 
Jade Warrior Clouds
  / Mountain of Fruit & Flowers
  / Waterfall
  / Red Lotus		 Floating World
 CLASSIC ALBUM OF THE WEEK 		1974
 UK
JulyThe WayJuly1968UK
   
 
Flower Travellin' Band21st Century Schizoid Man (King Crimson)Anywhere1970Japan
Far East Family BandNipponjinNipponjin1975Japan
   
 
Goat Goatfuzz
Requiem (N)2016 (Sub Pop)Sweden
Thee Commons Su Sonrisa
Loteria Tribal (N)2016 (self release)USA
New Madrid Dugout
magnetkingmagnetqueen (N)2016 (Normaltown)USA
Synthetic ID Changing Frequencies
Impulses (N)2016 (Castle Face)USA
 
  
Flamingods Mountain Man
Majesty (N)2016 (Soundway)Bahrain/UK
Cass McCombs In A Chinese Alley
Mangy Love (N)2016 (Anti-)USA
Teenage Fanclub Steady State
Here (N)2016 (Merge)UK (Scotland)
Let's Eat Grandma Welcome To The Tree House, parts 1 & 2I, Gemini (N)2016 (Transgressive)UK
 
  
Fela Kuti & Afrika 70Monkey BananaBefore I Jump Like Monkey Give Me Banana1975Nigeria
      
   
   
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