PopTodd

CAESARIA EVORA - CABO VERDE

Yup. I got the news in my FB news feed. Right from the horse's mouth.

I still maintain that, for fans of Tropicalia, those Tom Zé records ARE essential. They complete his Estuando trilogy that he started in the 70s. Finished them in HIS 70s.

And, if we're going with merely "excellent" as qualifying, Nick Lowe has had a couple of really excellent albums in recent years: The Convincer At My Age

They've released 2 EPs, including one this year, and they're fantastic. If you're not a fan of Suede (which I know some of you aren't), it's still worth checking out, because it doesn't sound like that band at all. In fact, it kinda sounds like the singer from Television Personalities fronting the band Television. Just thought that I would give you all the heads up.

Tom Zé - Estuando o Pagode Tom Zé - Estuano a Bossa Caetano Veloso - Livros Nick Cave - Dig Lazarus Dig All among their most-essential, or best. And I would say that they are all pretty essential for any fan of Tropicalia or MPB, in general. (And Tom Zé was in his 60s and 70s when he put out those 2 albums!) Are the folks in Yo La Tengo 50 yet? I think that they are. Anything that they put out is essential. And they're still putting out some pretty great records. There are other artists over 50 who are putting out some pretty great stuff, but I'm not sure how you would define "essential

David Fricke? Is that you?

U2's new album gets a 5-star review in Rolling Stone http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/u2-songs-of-innocence-20140911 I mean, I'm not gonna backlash and say that it sucks, because it doesn't. It's one of their better albums in a long time. But, instant classic? Album of the year? No. RS: still sucking corporate cock as eagerly as ever.