Record reviewer Peter Baker brings you the releases you need to know about. This week’s ensemble cast of music includes the well-travelled oeuvre of Neko Case, an outstanding compilation from Rio de Janeiro, and the fragile voice and enigmatic cello of an avant-garde artist.
Neko Case — Wild Creatures
Neko
Fiercely independent, Case has released eight studio albums during this period and travelled the world, including visits to Aotearoa in 2010 and 2019. She is gifted with a uniquely powerful voice, which over her career has been described as a “lightning bolt”, “flamethrower” and a “vocal tornado”.
Wild Creatures is a career-spanning highlights package, which is difficult, as her career is vast and contains numerous highlights. Featured are ‘I Wish I Was the Moon’, ‘Hell-On’, ‘Wild Creatures’, ‘Deep Red Bells’ and many more, plus newly penned ‘Oh, Shadowless’. An excellent entry point for those yet to discover the joys of Neko Case.
Record label: Anti
Release date: Out now
Listen to: ‘I Wish I Was the Moon’
For fans of: Eilen Jewell, Gillian Welch, and Cowboy Junkies.
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Arthur Russell — Picture of Bunny Rabbit
Avant-garde musician Arthur Russell was an American cellist, composer, singer and musician from Iowa. Trained in contemporary composition, he embraced underground culture. In ‘74/75 he was musical director of New York institution The Kitchen and would go on to produce club hits under the pseudonymous Dinosaur L, Loose Joints and Indian Ocean, as well as establish independent hip-hop dance label Sleeping Bag Records.
Almost crippled by a perfectionist work ethic and poor health, only a handful of official studio albums were released under his name. Sadly, he died from Aids-related illnesses in 1992, with a vast catalogue of unreleased and unfinished works still to see the light of day.
Gathering material from the same era as Russell’s critically acclaimed World of Echo period, Picture of Bunny Rabbit is a stark and cohesive collection. At the forefront of these recordings are Russell’s fragile voice and enigmatic cello, making Picture of Bunny Rabbit the perfect companion release to World of Echo and an essential purchase for fans.
Record label: Rough Trade
Release date: Out now
Listen to: ‘The Boy With a Smile’
For fans of: John Fahey, The Durutti Column, and Young Marble Giants.
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Brighton-based label Mr Bongo reveals another outstanding compilation, Hidden Waters: Strange and Sublime Sounds from Rio de Janeiro, curated by Joe Osborne and Russ Slater. The secret’s in the title. The pair focus on the existing and emerging sounds from Rio de Janeiro, compiling one of the most thoughtful selections of music from cidade maravilhosa (the marvellous city).
The 20-plus tracks featured here highlight a diverse scene, including samba, jazz, funk, avant-garde, lo-fi rock and bossa nova. Showcasing the past and the present, icons like Negro Leo and Ava Rocha appear next to up-and-comers like Antonio Neves, Letrux and Grammy-winning Bala Desejo. The cover is designed by leading Rio music artwork designer Caio Paiva and the album also includes essays from music journalists Bernardo Oliveira and Leonardo Lichote. Marvellous music from this marvellous city.
Record label: Mr Bongo
Release date: Out now
Listen to: ‘Ana Frango Elétrico – Saudade’
For fans of: Mr Bongo Record Club, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Arthur Verocai.
Roger Bekono — Roger Bekono
Roger Bekono was born June 15, 1954, in Atega, the central region of Cameroon. By the age of 7, he had developed his own distinctive vocal timbre and sang with the Catholic Church of Atega for many years. Bekono, a pioneer of modern bikutsi, soon became a well-respected artist, musician, composer and guitarist, leaving an indelible mark on contemporary Cameroonian music. Awesome Tapes from Africa began as a blog in 2006, releasing cassettes, and have since gained a distinguished reputation for showcasing recordings that would otherwise be impossible to source. The four songs on this self-titled release are all considered bikutsi classics and became Bekono’s best-selling album, reflecting an explosive time for both Bekono and Cameroonian music.
Record label: Awesome Tapes from Africa
Release date: Out now
Listen to: ‘Jolie Poupée’
For fans of: DJ Black Low, Nkono Teles, and Nondi.
Peter Baker is a local industry stalwart with 30 years of experience and musical tastes from 80s electronic through to reggae, soul, jazz and country. If you’re lucky, you’ll find him in Tāmaki Makaurau behind the counter at Marbecks.co.nz, sharing his love of music. Read his album recommendations on Viva every Saturday.
