monthly revelations – november

// albums: erik honoré / underworld / kit downes // film: die fotografin (the female photographer) // prose: michael connelly‘s desert star // talk: thomas strônen or thomas morgan or … // poetry: romalyn ante: agimat // binge: slow horses (4) //archive: bo hansson (everything) / csn&y at fillmore east 1969

All „revelations“ will be installed close to the end of October. Nothing is guaranteed. Look at the list: some usual suspects, some surprises. And to be very clear from the start: Erik Honoré’s TRIAGE is one of my few five star albums of the year. Normally a running label for „literary“ crime novels from Scandinavia, TRIAGE is another, special kind of „Nordic Noir“. And my enthusiasm is by no way influenced by the fact I‘ve met Erik many times and seen him so often on stage during two decades of Kristiansand‘s Punktfestival. You can see the album as the third part of a trilogy of Erik Honoré albums, but it is a standalone that, for all the good reasons, should not fall prey to the section of „Buried Treasures“ in a Mojo edition from 2075.

Some people asked me about my encounter with Beth Gibbons in Bruxelles knowing she doesn’t give interviews for ages. And they cannot imagine that would happen an a small blog deliberately running under the radar. So time is ready to spread one’s wings and be blown away. Think of Christmas. (m.e.)

Back to the 60’s, and with the words of Graham Nash: „Hearing the newly discovered tapes that comprise Live At The Fillmore East, 1969 was something of a revelation. When you listen to the acoustic tracks particularly, you can really tell how much we loved each other and the music we were making. This was only weeks after Woodstock, which was only our second time appearing in front of people. It was so early in our career and we were still trying to figure it all out. CSNY is a much different band than CSN. The addition of Neil really kicked us in the ass.”

We could easily add the reissue of „An Electric Storm“ by White Noise, from 1969 again, but let‘s do a little hommage to Phil Aston instead, who recently reviewed the vinyl reissue. Nearly half of us flowworkers know this album, so HERE is Phil remembering the beauty amd madness of a very strange work of early days’ electronica.

2024 is a year full of fantastic albums with female voices, from Beth Gibbons to Sidsel Endresen. And there is „Camelot“ from Canadian singer / songwriter Jennifer Castle HERE her song „Blowing Kisses“. A quote from Rob Hughes from Uncut:

„Released to soundtrack an episode of hit TV comedy-drama The Bear (Castle used to work in a Toronto restaurant with the show’s co-producer and cast member Matty Matheson), it’s an eloquent tune that pushes the value of basking in the moment (that immediately rings a Beth Gibbons bell), driven by jazz-ballad piano and a sumptuous string arrangement from Owen Pallett for Macedonia’s FAMES Skopje Studio Orchestra. There’s all the grace of a spiritual hymn, but it sounds like a fresh vow. “Don’t get it twisted”, sings Castle, gliding around the melody and rising into a soft rapture, “My heart’s still in it / My dedication’s a star”.