Smokey Robinson

April 2023 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the Irish National Opera’s trailer for Werther by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums of April

1. Tilo Weber- Tesserae

My review.

2. Zsófia Boros- El último aliento

My review.

3. El Michels Affair and Black Thought- Glorious Game

Roots-y.

4. Adam Larson- With Love, From New York City

My review.

5. Tee Grizzley and Skilla Baby- Controversy

Detroit lions.

6. Thomas Adès- Dante

Hell, purgatory and paradise.

7. Danish String Quartet- Prism V

Bach, Beethoven and Webern.

8. YoungBoy Never Broke Again- Don’t Try This at Home

Untold riches.

9. Brandee Younger- Brand New Life

Starting over.

10. Kiko El Crazy- Pila’e Teteo

Dembow frenzy.


Top Ten Songs of April

1. Shirley Collins- “High and Away”

Storm’s a-brewin’.

2. Margo Price and Particle Kid- “Hands on the Wheel”

I feel like going home.

3. Smokey Robinson- "Beside You"

Cruisin’.

4. Stik Figa featuring Blu and The Expert- "Uknowhut?"

What?

5. Killer Mike featuring El-P and thankugoodsir- "Don't Let the Devil"

Nobody speak.

6. MC Yallah- "No One Seems to Bother"

The truest type of world music.

7. Thundercat and Tame Impala- "No More Lies"

Truth.

8. Armani White and A$AP Ferg- “Silver Tooth”

Novocain.

9. NLE Choppa- "Talk Different"

Money changes everything.

10. Jessie Ware- “Begin Again”

Age of Aquarius.


Top Ten Concerts of April

1. Jean-Yves Thibaudet at the Folly Theater

My Instagram photo.

2. Adam Larson, Matt Clohesy and Jimmy Macbride at Westport Coffee House

My Instagram clip.

3. Willi Carlisle and Betse & Clarke at Knuckleheads

My Instagram photo.

4. John Mellencamp at the Midland theater

My Instagram clip.

5. Drew Williams, Seth Davis and Brian Steever at Westport Coffee House

My Instagram clip.

6. Booker T. Jones at the Folly Theater

My review.

7. Joseph Genualdi at Grant Recital Hall

My Instagram photo.

8. Anne-Marie McDermott’s master class at Grant Recital Hall

My notes.

9. Thomas Lacy at Southminster Presbyterian Church

My Instagram clip.

10. Nate Nall, Matt Hopper and Joey Panella at the Market at Meadowbrook

My Instagram photo.

The previous monthly survey is here.

October 2020 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of Galatea Ranzi in Zoroaster, Io, Giacomo Casanova.

Screenshot of Galatea Ranzi in Zoroaster, Io, Giacomo Casanova.

Top Five Albums

1. Anja Lechner and François Couturier- Lontano

My review.

2. Sturgill Simpson- Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1 (The Butcher Shoppe Sessions)

The first trustworthy album from the stylistic chameleon.

3. Marilyn Crispell and Angelica Sanchez- How to Turn the Moon

My review.

4. Blackstarkids- Whatever, Man

My review.

5. Sa-Roc- The Sharecropper’s Daughter

Old-school raps and throwback R&B.

Top Five Songs

1. Bruce Springsteen- “Janey Needs a Shooter”

Tramps like us.

2. Channel Tres- "Skate Depot"

Before I let go.

3. Blackpink- "Pretty Savage"

Green light.

4. Charlie Wilson featuring Smokey Robinson- "All of My Love"

Cruisin’.

5. Metz- "Pulse"

My review.

Top Five Livestreams

1. Bang on a Can Marathon #4 (George Crumb, Tyshawn Sorey, Anna Webber, etc.)

2. Danny Embrey, Bob Bowman and Brian Steever- Black Dolphin

3. James Francies, Matt Brewer, Jeremy Dutton and Ben Heim- Yamaha Artist Services

4. Veronica Swift with Emmet Cohen, Javier Nero, Julius Rodriguez, Philip Norris and Kush Abadey- Smalls

5. Beethoven 250th Anniversary Celebration- UMKC Conservatory

I conducted the same exercise in September, August, July, June, May, April, March, February and January.