For our first album suggestions post, we receive some love letters from Africa, take a trip to a snowy Jamaica all and finish by giant leap of genius Jazz. Here are 5 albums that you should download/stream/pirate this week:
S.E. Rogie – Dead Men Don’t Smoke Marijuana
S.E Rogie is Sierra Leone’s gift to Highlife music. His music is the kind of music that can make you smile like stupid in a grumpy New York city subway. Dead Men Don’t Smoke Marijuana is the last album released before his death. It contains some tracks that were released on previous albums (like A Time in My life) and new ones (like Nor Weigh Me Like Dat)
Jackson C Frank – Jackson C Frank
Frank released only one album during his lifetime. His musical career was unfortunately cut short due to his mental illness. He had a big influence on artists that came after him (Nick Drake and Paul Simon to name a few) and his songs are still being covered to this day.
Vampire Weekend – Vampire Weekend
This band has a beautiful distinct sound, the one that takes you roadtripping in Jamaica, when you’re actually shovelling the snow in Massachusetts. Their first – self titled – album is a powerful manifest of the sound that will define the two beautiful albums that will succeed it.
Metronomy – Love Letters
The youngest album on this list. Metronomy, largely the brainchild of musician Joseph Mount, released Love Letters in 2014. The title track is probably a result of a meeting between Jefferson Airplane and the Mamas and the Papas, when they travelled in time, forward 2010s.
John Coltrane – Giant Steps
A lot of people call A Love Supreme the ultimate Coltrane album. It is his highest selling work. But Giant Steps was a revolution in the improvisation in Jazz, the same way Charlie Parker redefined it in the 1940s. Giant Steps is what will really show the genius virtuoso that was John Coltrane.