I was moaning earlier in the year that there was nothing much new around, so I went out and spent far too much money looking for things to get excited about. In no particular order, here's a quick run through some of what I've picked up recently (ish).
Fat Freddy's Drop - Blackbird. Good but not great. If you already have their other albums, you don't really need this.
Trombone Shorty - Say That To Say This. I liked his other albums quite a bit, and really wanted to hear him put something together that would sustain over a whole album. This isn't it. It's produced by Raphael Saadiq, who I like, but the two are not well matched. There's a couple of tracks that stand out, but I've been disappointed by this album.
Garifuna Collective - Ayo. Very pleasant, a nice companion to their previous album.
Buika - La Noche Mas Larga. What a horrible CD. I could barely listen to it. Trying much too hard to be "jazz". Dreadful.
Rokia Traore - Beautiful Africa. Forgettable, made no impact on me whatsoever.
Pat Metheny & Anna Maria Jopek - Upojenie. I've already enthused here about this album. I like it, though it may not be to everyone's taste. Classy pop music with a jazz sensibility.
Ry Cooder & Corridos Famosos - Live At The Great American Music Hall. I'm a huge fan of Ry Cooder, but this album is really for completists only. A couple of good tracks, and La Banda Juvenil sound great but, overall, it has the feel of the dreaded 'contractual obligation album'.
Mulatu Astatke - Sketches of Ethiopia. I was very disappointed with this album. It's very dry, and it lacks passion.
Valerie June - Pushin' Against A Stone. I really like this. Her voice might divide opinion, but it's produced by that Dan Auerbach from the Black Keys, and I like his sound. This is a pretty consistent effort.
Chastity Brown - Back Road Highways. This was recommended to me by Garth. It's pretty much mainstream Americana, but she does have a lovely voice. Unfortunately, the material struggles to come across, apart from "Leroy", which is the standout track.
Vieux Farka Toure - Mon Pays. Not bad, but hardly an essential purchase.
Gregory Porter - Liquid Spirit. This is getting better the more I play it. At least as good as his previous efforts, but probably no better.
Allen Toussaint - Songbook. AT sitting at a piano and playing for a small club crowd, running through some of his greatest hits. If you're a fan you won't be disappointed, but these aren't neccessarily the definitive versions of these wonderful songs. The Deluxe version has a DVD with an interview and footage of him playing many of the same songs, but I haven't had a chance to watch it yet.
Let Me Play This For You - Rare Cajun Recordings 1929-1930. This only arrived today and I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, but I mention it because some of you might be interested to discover that it exists. It's on the usually reliable Tompkins Square label, and even before I hear it, I love it just because it features an artist by the name of Blind Uncle Gaspard.