A quick look at what’s been spinning on my turntable and/or CD player. Sometimes it’s new, sometimes it isn’t.

GORDIAN KNOT, Gordian Knot & Emergent

A prog rockers dream, full of interlocking grooves, metallic theme statements, and players with remarkable musical dexterity. Leader and bassist Sean Malone has no problem making his presence clear (which is more than allowable), but not at the expense of the prog superstars that join him. Top-tier names like Bill Bruford, Trey Gunn, John Myung, and Steve Hackett among others add their brilliance to the mixes. The interlocking lead lines sound like the next generation of King Crimson, and touch guitarists like Gunn and Myung are given plenty of room to ply their craft. The music is dark and heavy, but not excessively so. It’s good to pull these albums off the shelf every now and then.

PRINCE, Welcome 2 America

To be certain, His Purple Majesty rose to fame by titillating his fanbase in more ways than one. But this is Prince not only at his grooviest, but at his most socially conscious. The songs are still funky and good for unleashing the rock, but there’s a great deal of depth to the lyrics on nearly every song. Be sure to really listen to this album. You just might learn a thing or two.

MILES DAVIS, Rubberband

Throughout the last decade of his life, Miles Davis didn’t just want to make groundbreaking music. He wanted to be popular. This is a collection of tunes recorded in 1985 but not released until 2019. Miles tried and abandoned a couple of directions before settling on the album that did come out in 1985, Tutu. Rubberband was shoved aside for that new direction. Miles was looking for the sound of the streets, using occasional vocals, drum machines, and synthesizers to guide him. While he did help define the genre, it’s best you leave the word jazz in the closet, because this ain’t that. Whether or not Miles attained the sound he wanted is subject to debate. There are some really cool moments, and a couple worthy of a cringe. Buyer beware.

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If you would like to have your music reviewed, please contact me at cirdecsongs@gmail.com