There Stands the Glass

The Top Ten Albums of July 2024

1. Rakim- G.O.D.’s Network: Reb7rth
Old school freshness.

2. Common and Pete Rock- The Auditorium, Vol. 1
Redemption songs.

3. Sault- Acts of Faith
Expansive gospel.

4. Enrico Rava- Fearless Five
The octogenarian is forever young.

5. Pat Metheny- MoonDial
My review.

6. Jimetta Rose & the Voices of Creation- Things Are Getting Better
Cosmic gospel.

7. Zach Bryan- The Great American Bar Scene
My review.

8. Lava La Rue- Starface
Far out funk.

9. Nathan Bowles Trio- Are Possible
Liege and lief.

10. Childish Gambino- Bando Stone and the New World
Angsty party.

The Top Ten Songs of July 2024

1. Jesse Ware and Romy- “Lift You Up”
Higher.

2. Jorja Smith- "High"
Elevation.

3. Jpegmafia- “Sin Miedo”
Fearless.

4. Caleb Calloway, Cloonee and Alvaro Díaz- "Pe$o"
Undervalued.

5. Charley Crockett- "Visions of Dallas"
Reboot.

6. Miranda Lambert- "Alimony"
Warning shot.

7. Porridge Radio- “Sick of the Blues”
Rebirth.

8. Denzel Curry featuring Armani White- "Wishlist"
Thirsty.

9. Speed- “Caught in a Craze”
Anthrax homage.

10. Wingstop Girl- “I Ate Nothing”
Hangry.

The Top Ten Performances of July 2024

1. Sandbox Percussion, Soowin Kim and Gloria Chien at Lincoln Performance Hall
My review.

2. Jah Wobble at Mississippi Studios
My review.

3. Opus13 at Lincoln Recital Hall
My Instagram snapshot.

4. Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore at the Aladdin Theater
My Instagram clip.

5. Trap Jazz, Divine Essence and Justus West at the Ameri’kana Festival at Concourse Park
My Instagram clip.

6. Sandbox Percussion’s masterclass at Lincoln Recital Hall
My Instagram clip.

7. Soovin Kim, Gloria Chien and Radovan Vlatković at Kaul Auditorium
My Instagram clip.

8. Old-timey jam at Northwest Portland Hostel
My Instagram clip.

9. Kyle Rivera’s composition masterclass at Lincoln Hall
My Instagram snapshot.

10. Miami String Quartet at Yardley Hall
My Instagram snapshot.

The previous monthly recap is here.

Screenshot of Dirk Bogarde in the trailer of Cast a Dark Shadow by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums (released in March)

1. Pino Palladino and Blake Mills- Notes With Attachments

My review.

2. Nik Bärtsch- Entendre

Erik Satie in the NFT era.

3. Lana Del Rey- Chemtrails Over the Country Club

Flying high.

4. Pat Metheny- Road to the Sun

My review.

5. Charles Lloyd & The Marvels- Tone Poem

Urbane hillbilly jazz.

6. Danish String Quartet- Prism III

Beethoven, Bartók and Bach.

7. Camilo- Mis Manos

The soundtrack of my imaginary spring break.

8. Gretchen Parlato- Flor

My review.

9. Arab Strap- As Days Get Dark

Everything’s getting older.

10. DJ Muggs the Black Goat- Dies Occidendum

How I could just kill a man.

Top Ten Songs (released in March)

1. Jorja Smith- “Addicted”

Rehab.

2. Denzel Curry- “Track 07” (Georgia Anne Muldrow remix featuring Arlo Parks)

Third eye open.

3. Show Me the Body- “Rubberband”

Snapped.

4. The Streets- “Who’s Got the Bag (21st June)”

Please recycle.

5. St. Vincent- “Pay Your Way In Pain”

In arrears.

6. Benny the Butcher featuring Fat Joe- “Talkin’ Back”

Lean back.

7. Loretta Lynn- "I Don't Feel at Home Anymore"

I feel like going home.

8. SZA- "Good Days"

A time to be born, and a time to die.

9. Connor Leimer- "Little Rules"

Made to be broken.

10. J Balvin- “Tu Veneno”

Poison.

Top Ten Movies (viewed for the first time in March, in lieu of live music)

1. Wings of Desire/Der Himmel über Berlin (1987)

And to think Berlin once topped my list of dream destinations.

2. Nomadland (2020)

State of the union.

3. Juliet of the Spirits/Giulietta degli spiriti (1965)

Fellini’s psychedelic depiction of middle-aged angst.

4. Berlin: Symphony of a Metropolis/Berlin: Die Sinfonie der Großstadt (1927)

Eerie documentation.

5. Paris, Texas (1984)

Ennui never looked so good.

6. Milford Graves: Full Mantis (2018)

Relevant vibrations.

7. Cast a Dark Shadow (1955)

Murder most noir.

8. Sparkle (1976)

Something I can feel.

9. Judas and the Black Messiah (2020)

Big shoulders.

10. The Exterminating Angel/El ángel exterminador (1962)

Death trap.

February’s recap and links to previous monthly surveys are here.

July 2024 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

March 2021 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency