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Saturday, October 3, 2026

Music Week

October archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 46680 [46640] rated (+40), 31 [25] unrated +6).

Advance Music Week appeared October 3 on Substack as Music Week (10:1). It is also archived here. My cutoff was done before the Substack post, but the introduction is revised/rewritten.

September in Wichita is usually hot, and this one was hotter for longer than any I can recall. The heat finally broke last week, so the coming of October wasn't such a surprise. But very little of what I imagined doing in September got done, which leads me to the apprehension that October won't be any more fruitful. Take this past week, straddling the two months, for instance. I started the week figuring I should do the minimum effort to close out Loose Tabs, which I finally did on Sept. 30, with 16414 words. As I had, in the meantime, neglected Substack, I figured the least I could do was to write up a short overview, which took two more days. That pushed my cutoff back to Friday evening, this advance synopsis to Saturday, and the full report? Here it is.

While I wound up listening to quite a lot of music last week (40 albums), I didn't write much about most of them, and struggled to pick out six for the advance. (My original plan was to do 6-8 albums, but I've often wound up with 9. I think this is the first time I've settled on six. And two of the A− albums were promoted at the last minute, although they struck me as likely contenders from the first hearing.)

Some of the records below were left over from Christgau's Consumer Guide. More were left over from working off the Brad Luen checklists. While I haven't checked everything off, I've pretty much hit my limit there. I also sent in a ballot for Brad Luen's 1996 poll. I wasn't keeping annual lists then, but I did have a 1996 list that I must have hacked together later (judging from the formatting, around 2005). Once I decided to vote, I did some due diligence and consulted my database for 1996 albums. I compiled them into a much larger updated list, with 68 A-listed new music albums, and 91 old music compilations.

That ratio's probably typical for me in the 1990s: that was a golden decade for reissues, as the industry was urging you to replace all your old vinyl with shiny overpriced discs. I probably bought more new music in the 1990s than in the 1980s, but much less than in the 1970s, when I was just starting out. Sure, I blamed my turn away from new music on grunge and gangsta, but I was also looking for a much better understanding of the past. To that end, I scoured through record guides, compiled lists, and went shopping — mostly in the bargain used piles.

I was obsessive enough at both that when Michael Tatum offered to publish a column by me, my choice was Recycled Goods. I might also note that earlier, back in 1996 in fact, Robert Christgau asked me to review Rhino's jazz anthologies, in a piece the Village Voice published as Jazz for Dummies. It still offers a fair sense of where I was at as a fledgling jazz fan in 1996, including the now quaint line, "some 900 CDs later, I'm still learning new things." Well over 9000 CDs later, I worry that I've finally entered the phase of just coasting, but this week's old music (and not just the ultra-obscure Jon Waine) is mostly still new to me.

Plans for October: try to write up that Israel-genocide essay; add some significant detail to the "Weird" book outline; do the groundwork for the Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll, including at least some rough scaffolding for his future website; sign up for at least one AI tool; clean up some things around the house, including an initial stab at filling up and emptying the recycling kiosk; make a birthday dinner (I'm thinking I'll finally try my hand at Italian, but ingredients are harder to find around here than my recent stabs at Burmese and Indonesian, and I see other problems with selection and staging, so this could get tricky). But the only thing on that list I'm actually looking forward to is the cooking, which I've done far too little of recently.

By the way, I just finished reading Susan Neiman's Call It Evil: Understanding the Trump Era. I may have some minor quibbles, but she's very clear on the need to base one's politics on ethnics and to speak of it in moral terms. The book may already have had some effect in how I approached stories in Loose Tabs. I admit I was so turned off by how GW Bush used "evil" — he meant someone who could only be dealt with by killing — that I gave up on using the word. I now see my mistake as his clever ruse, as his use is precisely what evil means. It's no coincidence that the best book of recent American history is Kurt Andersen's Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America: A Recent History (2020).

By the way, there is not a lot of practical difference between Neiman's book and Daron Acemoglu's What Happened to Liberal Democracy?, but Neiman argues for socialism (while disavowing communism and/or marxism), while Acemoglu tries to fashion something similar out of liberalism, calling his version "working-class liberalism." Both labels are tarnished, both by their enemies and by their adherents. On the other hand, it's hard to speak of something until you give it a name, so we're likely to be struggling with this for some while.

Next on my "nightstand" is James K Galbraith's The Power to Destroy: How Bad Economics Drove America's Decline. Galbraith's books, The Predator State: How Conservatives Abandoned the Free Market and Why Liberals Should Too (2008) and The End of Normal: The Great Crisis and the Future of Growth (2014), are among the best books I've ever read on the politics of economics.

New records reviewed this week:

1-800-Mikey: In Yun (2026, Goner): Australian lo-fi bedroom pop group, principally Michael Barker, fourth album since 2022. B+(*) [bc]

RJ Chesney: A Southern Man (2026, Man of Straw): Singer-songwriter born in Macon, raised in Biloxi, figures he knows better than others what makes a Southern Man, among which he counts Johnny Cash, Jimmy Carter, and MLK. B+(**) [sp]

Mike Dana Jazz Orchestra: Farther (Still) (2025 [2026], Origin): Guitarist, studied at Berklee, taught at Fresno City College (1990-2018), since 2015 has been involved with Jazz Education Abroad, teaching in Lebanon and elsewhere. Has some reputation as a composer, but this appears to be his first album as leader. Big band, a bit short on brass, with two (of five) sax slots given to oboe and bassoon, but "special guests" added for solos: trumpeters Aaron Janik and Ingrid Jensen; saxophonists Eric Marienthal, Bob Mintzer and Tim Ries. B+(*) [cd]

Defcee & Steel Tipped Dove: We Will Be Brief (2026, Fused Arrow): Chicago rapper Adam Levin, several albums since 2018, with producer Joseph Fusaro. Brief indeed: 12 songs, 28:24. But packed with ideas, quips, and deft beats. A− [bc]

Daniel DeLorenzo: Can You Not (2026, self-released): Guitarist, has several albums on Bandcamp and Spotify since 2017, but I can't find a Discogs listing. Trio with bass (Theous Jones) and drums (Casey Toll). Seven songs, originals plus a noise-laced Schumann, 27:57. B+(**) [cd]

Dinosaur Jr.: Near There (2026, Jagjaguwar): Indie rock band, appeared on SST in the 1980s, this their 13th studio album, I was never much impressed by them, although I did like one J. Mascis solo album (Several Shades of Why), and one of Lou Barlow's Sebadoh albums (Barksdale). B+(*) [sp]

FaithNYC: Love Is a Wish Away (2024, Creation Youth): Singer-songwriter Felice Rosser, from Detroit, old enough to recall the 1967 riots, not sure when she moved to New York, but she released an album as Faith in 1997. Plays bass and sings, with Fin Hunt (drums) and Justin Adams (guitar/percussion/keyboards). With notions of funk and punk and dub for context, something that is not like anything else. B+(**) [sp]

Diego Figuerido: Horse Blues (2026, Arbors): Brazilian guitarist, quite a few albums since 2005, first appeared on this retro-swing label in a 2019 duo with Ken Peplowski, and has been a regular since then. With his brother Tacio Figueiredo on bass, plus keyboards (Gi Reis), harmonica (Uira Cabral), and drums (Anderson Matos). Sophisticated easy listening. B+(*) [sp]

Chad Fowler/Eri Yamamoto: Polkadots & Moonbeams (2024 [2026], Mahakala Music): Duets, alto sax/flute and piano, improv pieces, aside from a start with one Fowler wrote, and the title song at the end. B+(**) [bc]

Shelley Hirsch/Christian Weber/Alfred Vogel: Vanish (2024 [2026], Boomslang): Composer/vocalist/performance artist (b. 1952), a dozen albums and many side-credits since 1985, backed here by bass and drums. B+(**) [sp]

Katseye: Wild (2026, HYBE/Geffen, EP): "Global girl group," originally six singer-dancers from four countries but based in Los Angeles, modeled on K-pop — where HYBE is a big label, accounting for their initial sales advantage in South Korea. Third EP, down to five on the cover, but just four performed on their recent SNL feature. Five songs, 13:37, three released as singles so far ("Animal" the best). B+(**) [sp]

Azar Lawrence: Turn the Music Up (2026, Trazar): Tenor saxophonist (also soprano), 1974 debut was an especially strong album, faded away in the 1980s but came back strong in 2007. Returns to his early songs here, pushing the "spiritual jazz" dimensions, even including "The Creator Has a Master Plan." B+(**) [cd]

Carla Marciano: Daydreaming: My Beloved Father Giovanni (2025 [2026], Challenge): Italian alto/sopranino saxophonist, from Salerno, several albums since Trane's Groove in 2002, an influence, backed by piano-bass-drums, supplemented by string orchestra on several tracks. B+(**) [cd]

Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves: Dedicated to You (2026, Blue Note): Presented as a John Coltrane tribute, the idea is to have Reeves sing the six songs from 1963's ballad album, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, backed by the saxophonist and his quartet: Joey Calderazzo (piano), Eric Revis (bass), and Justin Faulkner (drums), who add instrumentals, three as bonus tracks. The Coltrane/Hartman album has long struck me as one that should be great but isn't — although Coltrane's Ballads, from the same year, is so sublime you have to blame Hartman. Reeves is a superb singer, but that doesn't seem to help much here. Most modern saxophonists are indebted to Coltrane, and few more so than Marsalis. But why aim for his most anodyne gestures? B+(*) [sp]

Gretechen Parlato: The Wise Ones (2026, Edition): Jazz singer, from Los Angeles, father is a well-known bassist, and grandfather was a trumpet player; eighth album since 2005, writes some and also draws originals from Alan Hampton (bass) and Josh Mease (guitar), so the closest thing to a standard is a Stevie Wonder song arranged by Robert Glasper (one of three pianists). Rather pretty. B+(*) [sp]

Houston Person: From the Heart (2026, Arbors): Mainstream tenor saxophonist, started with Prestige in 1966, where he also did A&R, continuing with Joe Fields through the Muse and HighNote labels, so it's a surprise to see him show up on a different label (especially one that's been relatively quiet of late). With Eddie Allen (trumpet), John Di Martino (piano), James Chirillo (guitar), Sean Smith (bass), Vincent Ector (drums). Standards, nicely done, easy. B+(***) [sp]

Polyfillas: An Assortment of Punk Originals (2026, Dangerous): Punk band from Sunderland, in far northeast England (just southeast of Newcastle), principally Ava and Jamie Dangerous. First album, an EP (whence "Rude Boys of England") and several singles. Title suggests a formal exercise, more a love letter to history than the upswell of primal rage that drove punk in the 1970s. But now I'm old enough I not only don't mind, I applaud. A− [cd]

Julian Davis Reid and Circle of Trust: Mercy We Need (2026, Too Lost): Pianist from Chicago, also a theologian, has a previous album with this group, side projects like the JuJu Exchange, side credits with Isaiah Collier and Jamila Woods. Five songs feature Tramaine Parker (vocals), four Lenard Simpson (alto sax, one both). My appetite for the gospel vocals is pretty limited. B+(*) [cd]

Andy Sheppard: Salt Catchers (2025 [2026], ECM): Tenor saxophonist (also soprano), albums since 1987, especially with Carla Bley. Trio with Rita Marcotulli (piano) and Michel Benita (bass). B+(*) [sp]

Bria Skonberg: Indigo (2025 [2026], Cellar): Canadian trumpet player and singer, ninth album since 2009. One original, the rest standards, from "Mood Indigo" through Sting, the most striking a Jacques Brel-Rod McKuen song, "If You Go Away." B+(***) [sp]

Skyzoo & Apollo Brown: Luxury Tax (2026, First Generation Rich/Escapism): Underground rapper Gregory Skyler Taylor, from New York, couple dozen albums since 2006, including a previous with Detroit producer Brown. B+(**) [sp]

Wadada Leo Smith: Constellations and Hemispheres (2017-22 [2025], Burning Ambulance Music): Trumpet player, five pieces (59:10) recorded over several years, the first track with piano (Sylvie Courvoisier) and drums (Marcus Gilmore), the others with more players, peaking out at 10 for the 22:05 centerpiece. B+(***) [sp]

Tinashe: Popstar (2026, Atlantic/Nice Life/Tinashe Music): Pop singer-songwriter, last name Kachingwe, father from Zimbabwe, born in Kentucky, grew up in Los Angeles, eighth album since 2014. B+(***) [sp]

Tres Hongos: More Chips (2024 [2026], Relative Pitch): Trio of Jacob Wick (trumpet), Marc Riordan (piano), and Frank Rosaly (drums), third album, widely spaced since 2012. B+(**) [sp]

Lex Walton: Ultimate Love Forever (2026, Sub Pop, EP): Singer-songwriter, some kind of noise-pop, cites Les Rallizes Dénudés as inspiration, Wikipedia cites a discography going back to 2018 but this is probably the first one with any real distribution, a short one at that (7 songs, 19:50), but gets your attention. B+(**) [sp]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Cameron Brown and Dannie's Calypso: Remembrance (2011 [2026], Sunnyside): Bassist, b. 1945 in Detroit, first albums in his Discogs list were: Massimo Urbani, Beaver Harris, and George Adams/Don Pullen Quartet; although his first side credits were with George Russell, and one quickly notices Archie Shepp, Mal Waldron, Dewey Redman, Dannie Richmond, and Sheila Jordan. The band name here is a tribute to Richmond, and song titles name Russell, Jordan, and Don Cherry, and the songs include material by Richmond, Redman, Cherry, and Jobim. Quintet: Lisa Parrott (alto/soprano/baritone sax), Jason Rigby (tenor/soprano sax), Russ Johnson (trumpet), and Tony Jefferson (drums). That roster suggests serious postbop, but the reality is raucous freebop, with a nod toward calypso. A− [sp]

Jon Waine: Second Skin (1975-1983) (1975-83 [2026], Corbett vs. Dempsey): New Jersey experimental/post-punk band, principally Brian McCormack (guitar) and William Pope (vocals, aka Pope.L, who "went on to have an illustrious career as a conceptual visual artist"). They produced one single in 1982 (per Discogs, "Do the Tic/Boogie Down the Congo," now "impossibly rare"). This gathers up 30 recordings, putting the more mature 1980-83 material on the first CD, with home recordings from 1975-81 filling out a second CD. Interesting sound here, some novel kind of fractured no wave funk, the closest analogue Pere Ubu (with nothing quite like David Thomas or Peter Laughner). This could have been edited down, but history is inevitably messy. B+(***) [bc]

John Larkin: Before Scatman: Early Sessions (1978 [2026], Iceberg, EP): Jazz pianist/singer (1942-99), grew up with a stuttering problem, which he overcame first by playing piano, then by scatting. He recorded five albums 1986-99, most as Scatman John. These four songs (23:13) came earlier. Surprisingly intense. B+(*) [sp]

Old music:

Lola Beltrán: Voz E Inspiracion (1975, Peerless): Mexican singer and actress (1932-96), specialized in ranchera and huapango music, many albums from 1954 on. Not hard to identify this is specifically (dramatically, even operatically) Mexican. B+(**) [yt]

Daniel DeLorenzo: Trio (2017, self-released): Guitarist, from North Carolina, first album, with Theous Jones (drums) and Able Jones (organ), plus extra guitar on two tracks (Doug Sours). Seven jazz standards, from "Work Song" to "Straight No Chaser," 38:02. B+(**) [bc]

Fine Young Cannibals: The Finest (1985-89 [1996], MCA): British ska-pop band, founded by David Steele and Andy Cox from the Beat, with Roland Gift as the singer (who also had a star turn in the Stephen Frears/Hanif Kureishi movie Sammy & Rosie Get Laid). They released two albums, reduced to 10 songs here, plus a soundtrack cut and three previously unreleaseds for bait. A− [sp]

Fine Young Cannibals: The Finest: The Rare and the Remixed (1985-89 [1996], MCA): Second disc adds three extra songs and five remixes, total 43:07, nothing essential or important or unlistenable. Just the extras, without trying to factor in the best-of: B+(*) [sp]

F.S.K.: International (1995 [1996], Sub-Up): German group, founded 1980 as Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle ("voluntary self-control"), went with initials around 1989. Kind of a folk-rock grounding, but more eclectic, perhaps even whimsical (not that it's easy to tell). B+(**) [sp]

Violeta Parra: Las Últimas Composiciones De Violeta Parra (1966, RCA): Chilean folk singer-songwriter (1917-67), collected songs from all over, but also wrote these, recorded simply with her guitar and percussion. B+(***) [sp]

Astor Piazzolla: Sinfonia De Tango (1955, Disques Vogue, EP): Argentinian tango composer, first album, 10-inches, 8 songs, 23:04, further credited to "su bandoneon y sus cuerdas" (strings, from Orchestre National De L'Opéra De Paris, along with Lalo Schifrin on piano. B+(**) [sp]

Scatman John: Scatman's World (1995, RCA): John Larkin, recorded a couple of previous albums under his own name, turned his stutter habit into a unique mix of rap, scat, and jaunty pop schtick. This album turned into a novelty hit, especially in Japan (where it sold 1.5 million). Features a utopian anthem, "World of Scatland." B+(*) [sp]

Idrissa Soumaoro & L'Eclipse De L'I.J.A.: Le Tioko-Tioko (1978, Eterna): From Mali, seems prototypical. B+(**) [sp]

Zuhura Swaleh/Matano Juma & Orchestra Morning Star: Karama Zijiri (1973, Pwani): Originally a cassette, split between the two singers, ladies first. While the band could be backing both, Juma's singles credit it, and my rough impression is that he gets the more polished support. Swaleh was born in 1947 in Nairobi, later moved to Mombasa, on the coast with a long history of Arab trade, where the local style is called taarab, and the influence is decidedly Arabic. (The Zanzibara series includes a volume subtitled L'âge d'or du taarab de Mombasa, with several recordings each — Swaleh's are credited to Zuhura & Party or Zuhura & Zein Musical Party; they also appear on Zanzibara 10: First Modern, Taarab Vibes From Mombasa & Tanga.) I know less about Juma, but he is also associated with taarab. B+(**) [yt]

Caetano Veloso: Bicho (1977, Philips): Brazilian singer-songwriter (b. 1942), one of the founders of the Tropicália movement in the late 1960s, and a major figure ever since, but someone I've sampled very lightly over the years. B+(***) [sp]

Yellow Magic Orchestra: Yellow Magic Orchestra (1978, Alfa): Japanese synthpop group, originally a one-shot project of bassist Haruomi Hosono, but developed into a band with drummer Yukihiro Takahashi and keyboard player Ryuichi Sakamoto. Nice beats album, but vocals eventually seep in, and clutter increases. B+(*) [sp]

Yellow Magic Orchestra: Solid State Survivor (1979, Alfa): Japanese electropop group, debut 1978, second album, continued until 1984, then reformed briefly in 1992, 2002, and 2007: Haruomi Hosono (bass/keyboards), Yukihiro Takahashi (vocals/drums), and Ryuichi Sakamoto (keyboards), the best known for his solo career (d. 2023). Opens with instrumentals, lighter and quirkier than Kraftwerk or even Can, then breaks the vocal ice with an amusing "Day Tripper." B+(**) [sp]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

  • Stephen Braude With Yamara Band: Big Dipper (self-released) [10-01]
  • Roni Eytan: Melody People (PKmusik) [10-30]
  • Giveton Gelin: Island Dreamer: III of III (ID) [11-01]
  • Clay Giberson: Moment's Notice (Origin) [10-23]
  • Danny Green: Let the Music Happen (OA2) [10-23]
  • Clarence Hines Jazz Orchestra: Along the Way (OA2) [10-23]
  • Devra Hoff: Baile as Baile (AUM Fidelity) [10-16]
  • Reza Khan: Shadow Dancers (Painted Media) [10-30]
  • James Brandon Lewis/Red Lily: Calling Antonin (TAO Forms) [10-23]
  • William Parker: Waltz for Gregory (AUM Fidelity) [10-09]
  • Matthew Shipp/William Parker: A Whole System Of (TAO Forms) [11-06]
  • Ron Vincent: Ray's Hat Trick (Origin) [10-23]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Loose Tabs

There's no easy way to wrap this up, but as Miles said to Trane, sometimes you just got to take the horn out of your mouth. I rest assured that anything I missed below will only become more glaringly obvious next month, and if it doesn't, good thing I didn't bother.

I wrote some more notes on this piece for Notes on Everyday Life (archived here).

This is an occasional collection of newsworthy links and comments, much less systematic than what I attempted in my late Speaking of Which posts. The name comes from my extensive use of browser tabs. When I get around to cleaning up, I often find tabs opened to old articles I might want to comment on and/or refer back to. So these posts are mostly housecleaning, but may also serve as a very limited but persistent record of what 20+ years ago I started calling "the end of the American empire" and nowadays feels more like "the end of civilization." I collect these bits in a draft file, and flush them out when periodically (12 times from April-December 2025, not much more often in 2026). My previous one appeared 34 days ago, on August 27.

By the way, I've been trying to write some more in-depth pieces on major issues (and/or personal peccadillos), using Substack as an email agent. I call this series Notes on Everyday Life. I used to have a pinned list of pieces here, but as they've grown, I've moved them into separate index.

I also have a Notes feed there. While I've done very little with it so far, it occurs to me that I might be able to use it to publish Loose Tabs items and Music Week reviews as I write them, instead of having to wait for a long compilation post.

Table of Contents:

New Stories

Most stories fit into well-established categories, organized below as Major Threads. Some sources I lean on so regularly they have their own Regular Columnists section. I also have an End Matter section for dealing with regular occurrences like books, obituaries, and tweets. Stories that don't fit into any regular category appear under Miscellaneous Stories. However, occasionally a short-term story blows up to where it needs extra attention, in which case I included it here.

Examples from last time: Trump's War on Canada; Data Centers (see AI); Meta Settles Lawsuit.

That Republican National ("Trumpapalooza") Convention: After some fact checking, I added a missing "pa" to the parenthetical, after noticing that it sounded too much like "Trump's a loser." This was a blatant grab for media attention, but the net effect was to remind everyone that the 2026 elections will be about Trump, even if his name isn't on the ballot. Nothing important happened, but too big to bury the stories under Republicans and/or Trump, where more will no doubt surface.

  • Nia Prater/Chas Danner [09-10]: The wildest, weirdest moments from day one of the GOP Midterm Convention: "From Trump's desperate pleas to Hasan Piker's underwear, here's how Republicans tried to convince Americans to let them keep Congress."

  • New York Times [09-11]: Trump floats $5,000 checks to Americans if Republicans win midterms: "The president offered a 'dividend' to every adult citizen if Republicans keep control of Congress. But his sagging approval ratings could endanger his party's chances in November." Pinned article, among many more "live updates." Wouldn't it be funny if the Democrats swept Congress then sent him the bill? — possibly loaded with a bushel of "poison pills," like funding it with taxes on the rich, and prohibiting the president from implementing tariffs and military operations without congressional approval (things that would make it even more popular). I'm not saying this "dividend" is a good idea. My first thought is: how much does Trump think Republicans can steal by hanging onto Congress? The estimated cost is about $1.3 trillion. Even if they just tack that onto the national debt, that's $1.3 trillion they could steal for themselves. Still, with tax breaks, a 50% bump in useless military spending, sweetheart contracts, lax regulation, and fraud everywhere you loook, they could still come out ahead. Especially if they don't deliver. What's their penalty for that? You're going to vote them out of office? Then why didn't you?

  • Astead Herndon [09-10]: The GOP midterms strategy is Trump and a prayer: "What we learned from the first day of the Republican convention in Dallas."

  • Stephen Fowler [09-11]: Empty seats, socialism and Trump dominate the Republican midterm convention: Link text says "7 takeaways from the 'Trumpapalooza' Republican . . . ," but the article comes up short:

    1. Republicans have an enthusiasm problem
    2. The message emphasized personal attacks over policy
    3. The rise of the -isms: Communism, Socialism, Marxism, Terrorism.
    4. What war?
    5. 2028 looms over everything
    6. It may be too late to turn the tide

  • Joseph Gedeon [09-12]: Calls for Democrats to be shot go unchallenged at Republican convention: "Crowd member repeatedly said some Democrats 'should be shot' during Ted Cruz's speech, without senator responding."

  • David Smith [09-12]: Trump personality cult alive and well in Dallas: I dropped the rest of the title, which continues, "will it power Republican midterm success?"

  • Sarah Jones [09-26]: America last: Picture is from the Convention, but the article is mostly about Trump's pro-immigration policies that offer free rides to white people from South Africa and Zimbabwe. I wonder if there's any polling of the MAGA base on that.

The 25th Anniversary of 9/11:

  • Tom Hull [09-10]: Remembering 9/11: "Notes from a highly personal turning point." I pull some bits from my online notebook, a reminder that even then I realized that America's kneejerk reaction was only going to make matters worse.

  • Thomas Alleman [09-10]: The end of the world as we know it: "Where were you on 9/11? Same place as me: In front of the TV, gritting my teeth."

  • Jon Schwarz [09-10]: The most terrifying thing about 9/11 was America's response: "The fear I experienced that terrible day in New York doesn't begin to compare with the dread I've developed watching our path since."

    In the weeks after 9/11, I told friends who didn't live in New York that Al Qaeda had really put the terror back in terrorism. But the fear I experienced that terrible day does not begin to compare with the dread I've developed since. On September 11, 2001, I realized that I was on Al Qaeda's list. Since then, I've learned that I'm also on the list of the far more mighty people in charge of America, just a little further down. Even with the most concrete dangers facing us — the destruction of a livable biosphere, an enduring pandemic, and much more — they are absolutely committed to following the same path, driven onward by complex delusions. Power tends to corrupt, not just in a standard moral sense but also intellectually and emotionally, and they've held extreme power for a very long time. What I know now that I didn't know then is that if we let them, their corruption will surely destroy us all.

  • Michael Arria [09-11]: 25 years after 9/11, our country is still dominated by the "War on Terror": Its "legacy is everywhere, from rampant Islamophobia, to another open ended war on Iran."

  • Elie Mystal [09-11]: The US had a choice after 9/11. It chose wrong.

  • Nick Turse [09-11]: Osama Bin Laden won: "The architect of the September 11 attacks dreamed of the destruction of America. In the last 25 years, his wish has come true." Well, sure, that part of Bin Laden's plan came true, or is coming true, as the corpse of American empire is still animated, twitching and lashing out, still causing incalculable harm to itself and the world. But the other part of Bin Laden's dream, that devout Muslims would rise up against the impious charlatans who ran Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, and the rest of the Muslim world, that didn't happen, the only flickers of revolt occurring in the vacuum of states that were mere collateral damage of the Americans, like the Iraq/Syria borderlands, Libya, Somalia, and Mali. Meanwhile, Israel, whose leaders were giddy with delight on 9/11, has become ever more genocidal, as US presidents Biden and Trump have given up any consideration of independent thought.

    Bin Laden's bleed-until-bankruptcy plan was designed to sink America's economy — and it continues to work to great effect. And by ushering in the presidencies of Donald Trump, bin Laden left the United States morally bankrupt, too. Twenty-five years after 9/11, the country is a pale shadow of the superpower that emerged from World War II having been laid low not by the Soviet Union — the nuclear-armed power it long considered an existential threat — but by two trust-fund terrorists: the scions of a Saudi construction empire, and an outer borough New York City real estate developer, respectively.

  • Scott Hibbard [09-08]: 25 years after 9/11, the US still doesn't know 'why they hate us': "The War on Terror showed the perils of seeking military solutions for political problems. Policymakers never got the message."

  • Thomas Palley [09-11]: An American tragedy: the woeful self-inflicted consequences of 9/11.

  • Pam Bailey [09-11]: 9/11 began 25 years of nonstop war and abuses of power: "Never forget: the attacks brought us into an era of torture, the erosion of civil liberties, and the destruction of multiple Middle East countries."

  • Robert Wright [09-11]: Always forget: My own personal takeaway from 9/11:

    But if I were in charge of US foreign policy, the message I'd try to get out is: "Forget! Forget! Forget!" Dwelling on 9/11 is what initiated and helped sustain a disastrous quarter century of American adventurism abroad.

    I mean, sure, if America's leaders had rationally assessed the causes of the 9/11 attack, dwelling on it could have been productive. They might have started by looking into the conditions that gave birth and subsequent energy and direction to al Qaeda, and pondered the following possibilities: (1) Maybe the US shouldn't have staged a proxy intervention in Afghanistan two decades earlier that flooded the place with weapons and created the cauldron that enticed, shaped, and revved up a young Osama bin Laden (and also created the violent chaos that allowed the Taliban to take control of Afghanistan — a position the Taliban used, during the runup to 9/11, to provide safe haven for bin Laden and al Qaeda). (2) And maybe, after the Persian Gulf War of 1991, the US shouldn't have established an enduring military presence in the Islamic holy land, Saudi Arabia — a presence that became a persistent and powerful bin Laden grievance and helped direct his belligerence toward America.

    Conceivably, such reflections on the past could have led to such ideas about the future as: Maybe what the US should avoid after 9/11 is further military adventures in Muslim countries. After all, such adventures might continue to be conducive to the creation or growth of militantly anti-American groups — and might also prove a godsend for any terrorist recruiters who wanted to focus their efforts on young alienated men already living in America.

    If the memory of 9/11 had set in motion trains of thought like this, I'd be OK with remembering.

Major Threads

War on Iran:

Israel:The focus here is on Israel's wars, especially against their own people, and on internal Israeli politics. A second section will address Israel's relations with the world, especially the US.

Israel-American-World Relations: This section deals with Israel's relations with the world, especially the US, both at the state level and regarding public opinion.

  • Antony Loewenstein [07-28]: Israel's end game in Palestine is a land with no Palestinians: "A decades-long campaign of dispossession is accelerating fast." I meant to cite this article when it came out, but it keeps slipping my attention. Not much of an article, but the title is clearly the point. Or would seem to be, if you accept that Israel has an "end game" — that it is possible to satisfy them, so that they finally bring the carnage and dispossession to an end. I'm skeptical. It seems more likely that they're so much in love with the game that they will stretch it out as long as possible.

  • Michael Arria:

  • Andrew O'Hehir [09-14]: US allies' dramatic Israel pivot: They're done taking orders from Washington.

  • Xavier Abu Eid [09-15]: Why Latin America is key to Israel's diplomatic impunity: "While alienating traditional allies, Israel is deepening ties with a new wave of right-wing populist leaders who are willing to shield it from accountability."

  • Dave Zirin [09-15]: Justice for Macklemore: "The rapper has been dumped from Ed Sheeran's tour for saying 'Free Palestine.' That's a disgrace." Well, obviously, it's Palestine that needs justice, not Macklemore. But note first that the person who claims credit for blacklisting Macklemore is Robert Kraft, who thanks to the people of Massachusetts owns the stadium Sheeran was scheduled to perform at.

  • Ariana Aspuru/Noel King [09-18]: The film infuriating the Israeli government: "Almost no one has seen NAZA yet, but almost everyone has something to say about it."

    Made by two Israeli filmmakers, Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham, the movie takes place on the rooftops of Tel Aviv, where 24 anonymous Israeli intelligence agents and soldiers discuss things that they did in Gaza and how they did them.

    As Bilge Ebiri writes in his Vulture review of NAZA, "One officer recalls blowing up a building with 500 people in it to go after one target. They admit to knowingly wiping out entire neighborhoods, fully aware of the catastrophic human toll." Another interviewee agrees that Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza.

    Interview with Shany Litman, who also hasn't seen the film, but has been reporting on it. She says, "There's a really long history of films that were criticized, especially by different culture ministers. But I haven't seen anything like this, like what is happening now. This is really frightening." Some more on NAZA:

    PS: From a tweet, I see this quote from an article in the Atlantic (I haven't tracked it down, and it's probably paywalled anyway):

    NAZA could have asked its viewers to identify with these soldiers, to see the potential in themselves to do exactly as they had done, to be vigilant against such corrosive thoughtlessness. But this film does not want to be a mirror. It wants to tell us that there is something uniquely malevolent about Israeli society.

    Perhaps that's because there is?

  • Zack Beauchamp [09-21]: Settler violence is now upending American politics on Israel: "It's so bad now even Mike Huckabee is recoiling."

    But Huckabee's outrage reflects something deeper. Settler terrorism, once relatively uncommon, has exploded in severity in recent years — with wink-nudge support from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

    The violence is so egregious, and so indefensible, that retired Israeli generals have compared the settlers to Nazis and demanded action to stop them. In mid-September, the INSS — Israel's top national security think tank — issued a strategic alert warning that "Jewish terrorism" had become a national crisis and even an existential threat to Israel's future.

    "As history teaches us, democracies that fail to restrain radical forces within them do not survive," the alert argues.

    In Washington, settler terrorism against Palestinians has flipped the Israel debate on its head. Congressional Democrats, who have long been divided over the Gaza war, have come together to support legislation that would impose sanctions on Israeli politicians and corporations implicated in the violence. The Trump administration, the most pro-settlement White House in American history, has very conspicuously stood aside as Canada and European nations implemented sanctions of their own.

  • Gerry Shih [09-24]: An unabashed Netanyahu assails critics in UN speech as election nears: "Israel's leader delivered a blistering defense of his country, appealing to voters back home and condemning critics including New York mayor Zohran Mamdani." So he went all the way to the UN, an institution which Israelis loathe, to give a domestic campaign speech, knowing full well that no one in the UN wanted to hear any of it. (Most had in fact already walked out.)

  • Jonathan Ofir [09-25]: Netanyahu just incited genocide in his UN speech. Here's what you missed.: "At the end of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's unhinged rant at the UN, he recited a seemingly obscure Bible verse. But it's actually a dog whistle for genocide."

  • Varsha Gandikota [09-25]: Israel and the US have battered the international legal order. The impunity must stop.

  • Leon Hadar [09-25]: The worst-case scenario for Israel isn't Tehran: "It's the American electorate." He notes that, "among Democrats, unfavorable views of Israel have reached 80 percent." Sure, Republicans still favor Israel 70-13, but does Israel really want to depend on Trump as a character witness?

  • Khaled Ezzelarab [09-26]: The evolution of New York Times opinion on Gaza: From unconditional support to bounded criticism: "Since the start of the genocide in Gaza, the so-called paper of record has begun to update its language on Israel, reflecting a larger shift in US public opinion." Well, slowly, fitfully, and not at all for Bret Stephens.

  • Joseph Gedeon [09-29]: US Senate blocks resolution demanding accountability over Israeli violence in West Bank: "Nine American citizens have been killed by Israeli settlers or security forces in occupied West Bank since 2022." The only Democrat to vote against Chris Van Hollen's resolution was John Fetterman (D-PA).

Ukraine, and Other World Politics: A catch-all, where the focus is away from, but not unaffected by, Trump's wars.

  • Wen Stephenson [09-08]: A reckoning comes for Nepal: "A year after its Gen Z uprising, Nepal faces a struggle not only for democracy and human rights but for climate survival." Nepal is in the news after catastrophic flodding caused by melting glaciers caused by, well, you know.

  • CJ Polychroniou [09-09]: Germany's fascist party just won control of a state government: "The Alternative for Germany party's victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state election is an ominous coup for the far right."

  • Zack Beauchamp [09-09]: A Nazi-curious party just won big in Germany. The White House approves. "How a very dangerous state election in Germany helps reveal Trump's real foreign policy." Note especially that Elon Musk has spoken at AfD rallies. Vance and Rubio have also spoken out in favor of the AfD. I've sometimes referred to Steve Bannon's efforts to organize a World Brotherhood of Fascists, but what practical value do nationalists have in cooperating with each other? It's true that the US has long supported certain fascists abroad, but that's usually for lack of a liberal alternative in face of a left-wing threat. This just looks like a circle jerk.

  • Sandra Davidovic [09-16]: What NATO leaves behind as it pulls back from Kosovo: "27 years after the Western intervention in Yugoslavia, the alliance is starting to withdraw despite ongoing tensions."

  • Matthew MacKenzie [09-22]: China is outfoxing the US in the battle for Mideast influence: "Washington's military posture comes with huge risks and responsibilities, easing Beijing's burden in the region." As Trump continues to trip up, the US is certain to lose "influence" in the region, but China doesn't seem to be in any hurry to pick up the slack, possibly because they don't view America's idea of "influence" as either tenable or desirable. As usual, Americans are projecting their own character flaws onto others. It's easy for Americans to imagine that China, as our sworn enemy, might want to cause us trouble, like the US did to Russia in Afghanistan. But ask yourself, how well did that work out for America?

  • Steve Bloomfield [09-26]: In his final UN speech, Macron may have given other leaders a valuable parting gift: the guts to stand up to Trump. Some day every reputable politician in Europe is going to claim to have opposed Trump. All Macron did was wait until the last possible moment.

  • Mitchell Plitnick [08-28]: Saudi Arabia's desperate situation: "After relying on an unreliable Trump for defense, suspending normalization talks with Israel, and losing access to the Bab-al-Mandab Strait, Saudi Arabia turns to hesitant allies for help."

Trump's War Department: I set this section up to deal with Trump's threats of war. We're obviously beyond that now, so see the section on Iran for more on that.

  • Heather Digby Parton [09-01]: Trump's Venezuela oil deal is even sleazier than you think.

  • Medea Benjamin/Nicolas JS Davies [09-01]: Throughout Latin America, US backs autocrats in the name of liberty: "Trump regime is supporting a range of ruling-class right-wing leaders who will do as America orders." Assuming what America orders is what they want to do in the first place, which is to rip off their own people. Trump and Rubio are in tune with them, as long as they get their cut.

  • Blaise Malley:

    • [09-02]: What Huckabee is doing about dead Americans in the West Bank: Contrary to the subhed, his job as ambassador to Israel has never been "supposed to protect our citizens," but to service Israel in killing whoever they want, a job that pales next to his true calling, which is to usher in the apocalypse.

    • [09-03]: House to universities: Don't you dare boycott Israel: "Legislation that could strip federal aid from campuses passes by a 236-169 vote."

    • [09-04]: Witkoff & Kushner to spend Labor Day weekend in Russia, Ukraine: "The diplomatic duo is hoping that the window has not closed on a peace agreement," which is a pretty generous interpretation given that they've never shown any actual interest in peace. More likely, they're just sniffing around for bribes.

    • [09-11]: Will 'America First' survive Trump's war-first presidency?. If the definition of America being "Great" is simply that Donald Trump is president, isn't "America First" simply whatever Trump wants? And since Trump's wants are incoherent, anything is possible: first in war? first in peace? At least one Trump prediction proved right: what we'd grow tired of his "winning" and beg him to stop.

    • [09-15]: Vance claims US 'on top' of Red Sea crisis. Houthis say otherwise.

    • [09-16]: New Russia sanctions amid war risk even higher gas prices: "House passes legislation with significant bipartisan support, sending it to the president's desk." Republican vote was 203-7 yea; Democratic vote was 152-58 nay, which suggests to me that Democrats are not as hawkish on Russia as they once were.

    • [09-22]: In UN speech, Trump threatens to 'annihilate' Iran if no deal reached: "Speaking to General Assembly, he also touted both is peacemaking record and an increasingly belligerent US foreign policy." This is too insane to paraphrase:

      Trump presented the past year as proof that military force and economic pressure could resolve conflicts that diplomacy had failed to settle.

      "As president of the most extraordinary nation in history, I have no interest in leaving dangers to grow for another day," he declared. "I do not believe in letting problems fester; they only become harder to solve. So while others have talked, I have acted."

      The leading example of this approach, Trump said, was Iran, which, in his telling, has rejected Washington's diplomatic overtures that had pushed Trump to take military action with Israel in June 2025 and then launch a much larger-scale war beginning at the end of February.

      My bold. The past year has proved exactly the opposite. None of the conflicts are settled. (Even Venezuela, where the still intact Bolivarist regime has chosen to humor him with graft rather than fight him, at least as long as they're in on the graft.) As for the guy who can't stand to let problems fester, what about climate change? Sure, he'd say it isn't a problem, that it's all just a hoax, but we've seen nothing but festering for 30-40 years, and it's feeling pretty real. As for who's willing to negotiate with whom, Trump's two major offensives against Iran occurred during negotiations, not in their breech. More outrageously dumb things follow, like calling people who point to dwindling munitions stockpiles "cowards and traitors," and especially this: "Whoever wins superintelligent wins. That's the group that wins, and we're leading now over China by a lot, and everyone else, and we're going to keep it that way."

  • Mark Thompson [09-03]: Pentagon puts $131 billion price tag on 1970s-era fighter: "The F-15 has been upgraded since it first flew but the sheer size of the sum is staggering." Boeing's contract for upgrading F-15s is more than the entire 2009 Air Force budget. Meanwhile, the more modern (and more useless) F-35 is getting even more expensive.

  • Daniel L Davis [09-08]: Hegseth has been a disaster. It's time for Trump to fire him.

  • Bess Levin:

  • Kelley Beaucar Vlahos [09-15]: Massie tells RS why he went after Hegseth and not Trump: "The Kentucky congressman has rolled out eight impeachment articles against the defense secretary and is forcing a vote on Thursday." [PS: Hegseth avoids impeachment vote with early House election recess.]

  • Chas Danner [09-18]: We almost went to war with China thanks to AI-hallucinated intel: "'AI-first' Pentagon almost tried to seize a Chinese ship after an AI chatbot convinced an analyst it was carrying nuclear components." I'd back up a bit here, and ask whether the US should seize Chinese ships regardless of what they were carrying?

  • Gregory A Daddis [09-20]: Pete Hegseth declares war — on his own troops: "The defense secretary's crusade is inflicting damage unlike any in history. . . . The U.S. military is being impaired not by some determined overseas enemy but rather by its own leadership in a fratricidal war against cultural bogeyman."

  • Andrew Cockburn [09-22]: Nuclear war could be just another hallucination: "Military discussing how to use AI to launch."

  • Lee Schlenker [09-22]: Trump and 14 Lat Am leaders ignite new drug-terror war at UN: "Leaders designated 24 cartels, gangs, and drug trafficking groups as foreign terrorists. Expects lots of guns, ammo, and drone strikes to follow."

  • Ellie Quinlan Houghtaling [09-25]: Hegseth issues veiled order to military to vote Republican in midterms: He says there are 300,000 "warriors" who are not registered to vote. Even if he manages to correct that, I doubt the net vote gain will be as much as he thinks. Could even go negative, as most "warriors" would be better off avoiding war zones.

  • Caitlin Dewey:

    • [09-28]: Trump's China reversal: "The president made confrontation with China core to his political identity. Now he's walking it back." This might be an interesting story, but Trump's too incoherent to give it any sense. Actually, I have no problem with Trump sucking up to Xi. I just wish he had better reasons than trying to get Musk and Zuckerberg an audience with Xi. But I also wish Xi could use his leverage to nudge Trump away from his current warpath.

    • [09-24]: Why Americans are warming to China: "More than half of Americans still say they view China negatively. But that percentage is dropping." No explanation given. Maybe the propaganda is losing its grip?

  • Andrew Day [09-29]: Yes, the Iran War has destroyed Trump's presidency. He's far from unique: Lyndon Johnson and George W Bush are the most obvious precedents; Truman was no less unpopular after Korea dragged on; Biden was unfairly slammed for Afghanistan, but his trenchant support for wars he didn't start in Ukraine and Israel had the same effect. George HW Bush may have claimed two wins, but they did him no credit. Arguably the only American presidents who might have burnished their legacies in war were Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt, but both died before they had to face the voters again. (Unlike Churchill, who was soundly rejected after being widely acclaimed during WWII.) I suppose you could point to Madison, Polk, and/or McKinley, if you go back more than a century. Wilson won his war, but he lost his peace. Still, no American war has been this unpopular this quickly.

Trump vs. Law and/or Law vs. America: From ICE to the Supreme Court and the assault on democracy.

Trump's Administration: Trump can't remake America in his own image (i.e., destroy the country, culture, and civilization) just by himself. He needs help, and having largely purged the government of civil servants and replaced them with his own minions, this is what they are doing — whether he's paying attention or not, and that it's mostly not is no excuse: he sets the tone, then distracts the media with his own insanity.

Donald Trump: The cult (or should I say sinkhole?) of personality. While most of the bad things he has done and is doing are the work of his administration, and many of their bad ideas are deeply ingrained in the Republican Party, he hogs the spotlight, giving them a uniquely pungent odor.

The Elections: Pieces on US elections (recent and future) and, more generally, inter-party politicking. Party-specific pieces in following sections.

  • Ed Kilgore:

  • Michael Tomasky:

    • [09-04]: Donald Trump as no idea of the tidal wave that's coming for him: "There are three groups of voters who matter in this election, and each of them is going to punish the president." He justifies this by having been right once before (1998?), so that's not terribly convincing. His three groups:

      1. "people like you and me — the people who always thought he was a fascist goon and an imbecile"
      2. "swing voters who were naïve enough to believe that Trump could lower prices and fix the economy"
      3. "Betrayed MAGA Pigeons . . . [who thought] Trump would improve the economy; that he was right on immigration and heads needed to be cracked; that Kamala Harris was the real warmonger, and Trump would calmly keep the peace. Well, that defense against reality has been crushed like a grape under a tire." He thinks it's more likely that this group will simply not vote, than that they will turn and vote for a Democrat.

      In a rational world, he's right. In ours?

    • [09-25]: A "bloodbath" will only make Donald Trump more corrupt and lawless: "Most pols would hunker down for an electoral wipeout and take their medicine. Not Roy Cohn's protégé." This piece doesn't venture beyond the tantrums Trump will throw if Republicans lose in November, but as he reminded us in his UN speech, he'll still be president, and as "the most powerful person in the world," he'll still have a lot of leeway to do terrible things. Nor do I take much comfort in "with subpoena power, Democrats could launch investigations that could eventually make their way into federal courtrooms and dog him for the rest of his iron-slicing, well-done-steak-eating life." Haven't we not only heard that before, but seen how ineffective it was? I winced at the "well-done-steak-eating" dis, which says more about the snobbery of the accuser than about the tastes of the accused. I grew up with folks who didn't trust a steak that wasn't fully cooked, and who would take this as evidence of Trump's common touch — unlike, say, his fondness for golf.

  • Chris Lehmann [09-11]: Trump wants voters to pretend he's on the ballot: "But Republican midterm candidates are hoping everyone forgets he exists."

  • Caitlin Dewey [09-15]: 6 other ways Trump is meddling in the midterms: "The Supreme Court ruled against Trump's mail voting rules, but the president is still trying to mess with the election."

  • Miles Bryan/Sean Rameswaram [09-15]: California's audacious plan to tax its billionaires: "And why some tax experts think there's a better way to do it." Interview with Cristobal Young, who wrote The Myth of Millionaire Tax Flight: How Place Still Matters for the Rich. Doesn't sound like he's against it. One complaint here is: "Firstly, it's a one-time tax, but this is not a one-time problem."

  • Toby Buckle [09-23]: Centrists won't tell you where "moderating" on trans rights ends up: "The recent example of the UK Labour Party shows that 'compromising' rarely stops at some acceptable midpoint." We've seen this already on issues like abortion rights, where there is no middle point where the right will be satisfied. This adds some evidence suggesting that seeking the "midpoint" loses more votes than it adds.

  • Cameron Peters [09-28]: Trump's taxpayer-funded propaganda blitz: "Trump is using your money on TV ads to stroke his ego."

    Over the weekend, the Trump administration aired a 30-second spot of Trump promising to "demolish the deep state, expel the warmongers from our government," and "cast out the communists, Marxists, and fascists," paired with black-and-white footage of the president walking down a hallway.

    For the final 10 seconds of the ad, a line of white text appears on the screen: "Paid for by the U.S. Government." . . .

    The other two ads also promote Trump, one with clips from a speech he gave over the summer and the other declaring "America will never be a communist country" over flashing photos of Trump as the song "Love Me" plays in the background. All of them are likely illegal, according to several ethics experts who spoke with the Times. . . .

    The White House has defended the ads as "public service announcements," pointing out that Trump is not currently on the ballot.

    The black-and-white spot, however, is almost a 1:1 duplicate of a 2024 Trump campaign ad — and the others are no less Trump-heavy and substance-light.

    Contra the administration line, Trump has also spent the months leading up to the midterms asking voters to "pretend I'm on the ticket" — including, now, by using their own money to put himself on air.

    If Trump was at all serious with banishing the warmongers, he'd have to start with himself. Also see:

    • No More Mister Nice Blog [09-29]: Trump is finally using his powers for good. Link includes the ad clips, if you're so inclined, and notes:

      But that's great! I'm delighted that he's still so good at getting attention that even people who don't watch the TV programming where these ads have appeared and don't have social media algorithms that would put the ads in their feeds will learn about them anyway. I'm glad because it means that millions of people will see these bad, tone-deaf ads and learn that tax money was squandered on them, in defiance of the law.

      In other words, the usual Trump double-tap -- do a brazen thing that's attention-grabbing, then get more attention as everyone discusses how Trump did the brazen thing -- is working to the Democrats' midterm advantage. Democrats should be thrilled that these bad ads are out there, and thrilled that stories about their illegality and cost are also out there. Without meaning to, Trump is finally using his attention-grabbing and criminal talents for the good of the country.

Other Republicans:

  • John Ganz [08-31]: The Milo and Loomer fall out: "Funny and scary." Loomer claims she alerted ICE to deport former MAGA-darling Milo Yiannopoulos. As it happens, I just noticed tweets by Loomer calling the Democratic Senate candidate in Florida a "ghetto bitch," after which she started to get really nasty (something about ebonics and dogs).

  • Troy Farah [08-31]: Kalshi kicks out George Santos forever: Once again, the former Republican congressman gets caught in a con.

  • Jeet Heer [09-04]: Maria Bartiromo was fired for the wrong reason: "For Fox News, blind servility to Trump is fine until it hits the bottom line."

  • Jennifer Wilson [09-07]: Have conservatives taken sexy back? "The culture wars have come for lingerie as the right, once the advocates of promise rings and purity culture, embarks on a crusade to 'Make America Hot Again.'"

  • Sarah Kliff [09-08]: A doctor sued 700 patients for debts; 81 were arrested. Now he's a Senator: Worse than that, he's Roger Marshall (R-KS) — the doctor who, wanting to curry favor with Trump during the 2020 pandemic, prescribed Trump-recommended ivermectin to his own family.

  • Amanda Marcotte:

  • Aaron Kleinman: [09-09]: Proof from the states: The right wing attempt to repeal the 20th century: "We read the legislation introduced across all 50 states this session and pulled out the worst of it. 1,182 bills, 48 states, everything from abortion bounties to studying chemtrails to a proposal to legalize cockfighting against robots."

  • David A Graham:

  • Laura Jedeed [09-20]: We need to talk about the apocalypse: "End-times prophecy, pro-war prayer circles, Democrats as demons: Christian dominionism's influence is everywhere in the second Trump administration — and increasingly, within America itself. Can democracy survive the assault?" I've always had trouble taking this sort of thing seriously, even though I've known people who were seriously into it. My grandfather was one: I remember him asking me if I thought the gathering of the Jews in the new state of Israel was a sign that the end times were nigh. My father had his own dissenting theories on Revelation, which I never tried to get clarification on, perhaps because my own theory was that the Book was tacked on as a belated reveal that the whole Bible had been a joke. While it's easy enough to understand that most Americans still identify with the religion of their ancestors, that they might actually believe in the literal truth and/or the cosmological extrapolations is hard for me to rationally grasp: so hard, I don't really have an answer to the political challenges they seem to be presenting. How do you reason with people who have none?

  • ProPublica [09-22]: The FBI anti-corruption squad was circling Susan Collins — until Trump got in the way: This was followed by: Susan Collins dismissed our reporting as old news. Also see:

Democrats:

  • Ben Schwartz [09-04]: Hasan Piker and the Democrats' edgelord dilemma: Cited for reference. I don't know enough about Piker to care what he says. And I'll trust politicians like Abdul El-Sayed to speak for themselves. I will say, though, that if you want to complain about "dirtbag trolls," that isn't a left problem, even if you find a few examples that break against the right.

  • Dylan Gyauch-Lewis [09-13]: Centrists are soft-launching the idea that we have a little too much democracy: "As the right attacks mass particpation head on, the center is telling the rest of us to pipe down while the elites are talking." At a time when every day's news is filled with things we should find outrageous, Matthew Yglesias is quoted as saying "what we need is fewer engaged people," another wag is complaining about "the growing obsession with the common good," while consultants are advising a "move away from the dominance of small-dollar donors." Centrists are like hall monitors (or prison guards) assigned to keep rank-and-file Democrats from getting too uppity.

  • Matthew Duss [09-16]: The reality today is that foreign policy hawks are a minority in the Democratic Party. As noted, rank-and-file Democrats are significantly less hawkish than their representatives, especially on Israel. Duss wants more accurate representation on foreign policy roles. What he doesn't do is go further and argue that Democrats need to reconcile foreign policy with their core domestic policy beliefs: that support for war, tyranny, and exploitation abroad is deeply at odds with the way they think that Americans should be treated.

  • Monica Potts [09-24]: Bashing Trump isn't the best way to win these fickle voters: "A new research survey reveals which messages are most persuasive in convincing low-motivation voters to support Democrats." Few beliefs are more common among the American people than the notion that politicians are corrupt, favoring the wealthy donors they spend so much time courting. Fighting against corruption is one issue where the Left has much more credibility than the "centrists" have (see the example below).

    The research found that populist economic messages and anti-fraud messages that named specific harms from corruption won across all of these groups. Some of the most popular messages included statements like, "Our leaders should be fighting to make all of our lives better," and, "We need leaders willing to stand up to right-wing corporate interests that hold influence in both political parties." Other popular messages named no-bid contracts, donor favors, ballrooms, monuments, and corporate price gouging as some of the consequences of government corruption. These messages worked better than the more conservative options, and also worked better than simply bashing Trump, which might feel too partisan for voters. . . .

    Even still, voters don't just want to hear about everything terrible Trump has done since returning to the White House, but what Democrats can actually do to improve these problems. With politicians like Mayor Zohran Mamdani in New York City working to deliver on their promises, voters are more persuaded than ever that these problems are solvable. "People are seeing more Democrats fighting and winning, and so that is also kind of part of the new moment," Fernandez Ancona said.

  • Tim Wu [09-28]: Affordability is a winning message for Democrats. But there's an even better one. But I don't see where he packages his better concept into something one can easily campaign on — although "justice" might work, if you can free that concept from its abusers.

    The most important political division in our times is not between Democrats and Republicans, or socialists and capitalists; it's between those who think today's economic system is fair and working well for most people, and those who do not. While a minority of Americans defend the current system, citing aggregate indicators like growth rates, a majority see things differently.

    A recent CBS News poll found that some 60 percent of Americans think the economy is "unfair" and that most people under 45 say they have fewer economic opportunities than their parents did. In a recent Economist/YouGov poll, 66 percent of Republicans said that the gap between rich and poor is a "big problem." Though the stock market is up and the United States is not suffering a recession or mass unemployment, Gallup's monthly Economic Confidence Index has been persistently negative.

    To run a proper affordability campaign — one that taps into a discontent even deeper than that over high prices — Democrats should cater to this widespread sense of unfairness. The key message is rebalancing: a promise to level out a lopsided economy that favors huge concentrations of wealth.

    That message can risk sounding like generic political talk about standing up for the little guy. Credibility has to come from a platform of policies that shift economic power away from the big guys in ways that voters can readily understand.

    Affordability works because it joins two dimensions: income and prices. Life becomes more affordable when incomes rise and/or prices fall.

Economists and the Economy:

  • Paul Krugman:

  • Dean Baker: For more, look here.

  • Marina Bolotnikova [08-05]: Renting in America can suck. Tenants deserve better solutions than rent control.

    Renting offers many benefits — flexibility, far lower upfront costs, never having to figure out what a "sacrificial anode rod" is — and homeownership is overrated as a savings vehicle.

    But being a renter in America (as roughly one in three people here are) can also be a very undignified experience. In most states, your landlord can kick you out when your lease ends for no reason at all, even if you haven't done anything wrong. Many tenants live in fear of receiving their next lease renewal, not knowing if they'll be displaced by the next rent hike.

    I'll add that moving is expensive, and can be traumatic, so one can easily feel like a prisoner, and landlords can take advantage of that feeling.

  • Cameron Peters [09-16]: Trump's failed Fed takeover: "The Fed is raising interest rates, despite Trump's best efforts." Trump may get to nominate the Fed Chair, but his options have been pretty limited. Nor is that just Trump's failure to do any due diligence: the last three Democratic presidents renominated Republican chairs rather than pick their own person.

  • Robert Kuttner [09-25]: The coming AI meltdown: "The whole economy has been pumped up by unsustainable investment in AI. The unwinding will not be pretty — and could be catastrophic." Brookings is estimating that the "total cost of the AI build-out through 2032 will be $10.3 trillion" (3.63 percent of GDP each year).

Technology (Including AI):

  • Ryan Cooper [08-31]: Big Tech crashes headlong into American democracy: "The AI oligarchs thought they could stuff data centers down the throats of the American people. They thought wrong."

  • Rebecca Gordon [08-31]: It's time to rein in lethal AI drones: Gordon wrote a similar piece in TomDispatch in 2022 (A world of killer robots?), but with all the AI apocalypse talk of late, it's worth noting that some of this is already happening, and that you don't need AGI to start killing people. All you need is to hook a killing machine, like a missile-equipped drone, to a fairly rudimentary computer program. We've already seen a huge acceleration in two things: drone warfare (in Ukraine/Russia, where being used to hit targets way beyond the lines, and in the Middle East (Iran, Yemen, Israel, the US); and Israel's use of AI for target selection in Gaza and Lebanon. I used to think that AI deployment would be slow as people would first have to make sure it works correctly, but Israel clearly doesn't care whether AI target selection meets strict criteria; they only care to make sure that their bomb budget gets applied efficiently. As near as I can figure out, Israel's military strategy in Gaza (and they seem to be applying this wholesale in Lebanon, if anything more effectively, as most residents of occupied southern Lebanon have been able to flee north):

    1. Identify a list of Palestinian leaders ("militants" prominently, but others may be included, like journalists), and kill them all off whenever possible.
    2. Systematically destroy critical infrastructure, making daily life as hard as possible for everyone (greenhouses are a good example here).
    3. And they are killing small numbers of people almost randomly, in a strategy that could be called "stochastic terror."

    AI is certainly useful for sifting intelligence data (especially images, which can involve facial recognition), the likelihood that it will generate false positives in target selection is high. But since that just adds to the stochastic terror, that's their idea of a feature.

  • Rachel Cohen Booth [09-08]: The smartphone trap we built for ourselves: "It's time to end the mandatory QR code."

  • John Herrman:

    • [09-07]: Meta's reckoning: "Like its users, the company is stuck in an endless, unhappy doomscroll."

    • [09-24]: The AI assistant wars are coming: "The world's biggest companies are battling it out to become your trusted personal agent. Things could get ugly.

  • Andrew Prokop

    • [09-14]: The week the AI freakout went mainstream: "Warnings about AI killing many people, or everyone, are going viral. Here are 3 things the government could do." The false premise here is the idea that under Trump, there is a "the government" that can actually do anything. None of these three strike me as especially good: banning some forms of AI; introducing government oversight; increasing civil liabilities. My own preference is to undercut the bubble by reducing the potential economic rewards for owners of AI technology. One could, for instance, deny patent protection to AI tech or anything developed with AI tech. One could require that all AI be open source and publicly auditable and reparable. One could also prohibit suspect organizations, like militaries and security forces, from buying AI-based products (since they are the most likely to abuse them).

    • [09-18]: The man behind Trump's rejection of AI safety: "David Sacks has clashed with safety advocates. He's no fan of Anthropic or OpenAI. Here's what he wants."

  • David Futrelle [09-14]: Time has run out for AI risk deniers: "The recent spate of reports about the technology's destructive power underline two prime directives: Be afraid, and regulate aggressively." But I still don't understand what these "existential threats" are and how they work. On the other hand, it's relatively easy to see how the fearmongering feeds into the mystique of AI, thereby driving up its potential value to owners.

  • Cameron Peters [09-14]: Everyone but Trump is worried about AI: "AI experts want guardrails. Trump wants to go full speed ahead." Of course, nothing could be less reassuring than that Trump is the exception here. This quotes Trump:

    The only control or 'guardrails' that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades. There is a SICK conspiracy going on against AI and Data Centers, and the only one that is happy about it is China. WHOEVER WINS AI, WINS!

    Wins? If the race is to see who can first produce autonomous agents of mass destruction, is "winner" a word that makes any sense?

  • Natasha Lennard [09-14]: Tech CEO's doomsaying is a distraction from real, existing harms of AI: "The binary between AI apocalypse and AI redemption asks us to ignore data centers and AI war machines — all as tech executives get incredibly rich."

  • David Wallace-Wells [09-16]: We may finally be ready to do something about A.I. What took so long?

  • Eric Levitz [09-19]: The scariest AI doom scenario you haven't thought about: "Claude, design a doomsday bioweapon. Make no mistakes." My guess is that most of the people who have thought about AI doom scenarios at least considered this one. Bioweapons have been a sci-fi staple for many years now. As best I can figure it, AI adds to the risk two ways: it speeds up the grunt work, especially modeling and simulation; and it's error prone, so may generate fruitful mistakes at a much faster pace. Still, the real problem isn't what AI might do, but what people might want to do. But why should anyone want to make them? We should recognize that bioweapons are not just dangerous but too unpredictable to target, contain, and/or counteract. They've been called "weapons of mass destruction," but "weapons of mass irresponsibility" is more like it.

    • Sara Herschander [09-17]: We're worrying about the wrong AI apocalypse: "America's infrastructure was already hackable. Then came AI." While it's hard to imagine why anyone would pursue bioweapons, cyberwar is a much lower bar, and one that has few if any guardrails, practiced by people with few if any scruples. I'm far less worried about the non-zero chance that AI could exterminate all humans than by the much greater likelihood that it can be used to cause us a lot of annoyance and aggravation. Again, AI is an accelerant, not the core problem.

  • Kylie Jones [09-22]: Soldiers can refuse to commit war crimes. Can AI?: "The Pentagon wants AI models that can't say no." Actually, I'm not aware of any US soldiers refusing orders, illegal or merely outrageous, so I doubt this is much of a consideration. The bigger advantage that killer robots have is that they're disposable. The US military got much more cautious about wasting their own soldiers after the draft ended and they had to rely on volunteers.

  • Branko Marcetic [09-24]: AI destruction isn't hypothetical. It's already here.

  • Peter Balonon-Rosen/Sean Rameswaram [09-29]: What China wants from AI: "China has its own AI worries — but a robot apocalypse isn't one."

  • Timnit Gebru/Emily M Bender [10-01]: Forget 'superintelligence': error-prone AI nearly sparked world war three this month.

Climate and Environment:

  • Ananya Rupanagunta [09-18]: The wildfire danger we're only just beginning to understand: "Toxic smoke will soon be everyone's problem."

  • Judson Jones [09-09]: Heard about the Super Godzilla Monster El Niño? Here's how it could actually affect you. Argues "that's not always a bad thing," but that depends on where you are. As I'm writing this, there are massive flood watches for much of the midwest and Texas, which are taking our minds away from the recent droughts.

    • Raymond Zhong/Chico Harlan [08-12]: This year's El Niño is huge and already changing the world: "The recurring climate phenomenon is expected to peak later this year, but it is already causing dry spells and crop failures on three continents."

      What's clear is that El Niño's gyrations are adding to the stronger storms, drier dry spells and fiercer wildfires that global warming is already bringing about. El Niño will magnify those phenomena in some regions and could lift global temperatures to record levels next year, as the heat from the Pacific spreads around the world.

      "What we'll see in 2027 is a sneak peek of what the new normal will be in 2035," said Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist at Berkeley Earth, a nonprofit research organization. "We'll see things that have never happened before in our history in terms of temperature, drought conditions, extreme heat."

    • Emma Rosemurgey [09-11]: Five ominous signs of strongest El Niño ever recorded are showing up around the world. Appears to be a typo here: "the worsening drought in [Panama] is reducing the amount of water needed to operate the canal." Sub "available" for "needed."

  • Brian Lada [09-29]: A 121-year-old Atlantic hurricane record could be broken in October: "The Atlantic has yet to produce a hurricane in 2026, putting the season within reach of a record set in 1905 for the latest first hurricane. AccuWeather is now forecasting 0-2 hurricanes through the end of the season." The ocean and seas are warmer than ever, but wind shear, probably related to the ominously developing El Niño

Media:

Regular Columnists

Sometimes an interesting columnist writes often enough on a range of topics that it makes sense to collect their work in one place, rather than scatter it about (especially if they cover a range of topics).

No More Mister Nice Blog:

  • [09-09]: If Trump is hated, why aren't the polls predicting more Democratic blowouts? One reason may be that Democrats don't run and act like a party:

    I think a major problem is that Democrats don't tout the Democratic Party -- progressives attack it from the left, while moderates brag about bipartisanship and wear their Democratic affiliation almost apologetically.

    And Democrats don't attack the Republican Party.

    This was the ideal year for Republican-bashing: not only is the Republican president wildly unpopular, but every Republican is his enabler, apart from a few who are hounded out of the party if they don't enable him.

  • [09-13]: Apart from hating conservative politicians, America is really conservative: Because we like country music? Because Ella Langley has a hit single? With charts, in case you're interested.

  • [09-17]: We still haven't seen how fascist American could become. About Charles Haywood, a Claremont fixture, so this naturally descends to Franco, Pinochet, and JD Vance.

    I believe Vance is an old-school blood-and-soil neo-Confederate, but I also think that while he's trying to maintain credibility among the groyper/neo-fascist edgelords, he's also determined to reassure establishmentarians and advocates of Israel that he's on their side. Vance reminds me of an earlier racist striver, Richard Nixon, who carefully built bridges both to the establishment and to Goldwater/John Birch extremists in his long march to a presidential victory in 1968.

  • [09-22]: Trump is suffering midterm ego death.

  • [09-23]: The Trump administration doesn't seem to know the difference between authoritarianism and ragebait.

  • [09-26]: Trump's media ban is working perfectly — for him: Reviews his ban of "hostile" news organizations, quoting Quinta Jurecic, Timothy Noah, and Greg Sargent on how the ban has backfired. Then he explains:

    If, as Sargent says, news organizations are hurting Trump where he's most vulnerable -- his desperate need for attention -- then why is he continuing to put the media's pool coverage at risk?

    The answer is obvious: Trump might not be getting his ordinary coverage from the press pool, but his fight with the media is getting massive amounts of media attention. The world's neediest attention seeker is getting the attention he seeks.

    The main battle Trump is fighting right now -- the war with Iran -- isn't going very well, so Trump is picking a different battle, with the media, an enemy he knows his (shrinking) base hates. The base loves this, and loves Trump for picking this fight.

    However, I don't see how this helps Trump's party as midterm voting begins. The GOP's numbers just get worse and worse, as do Trump's numbers. But he doesn't care. He's just seeking love from the voters who haven't abandoned him.

  • [09-27]: If the GOP suffers bloodbaths in 2026 and 2028, Republicans will still like themselves more than Democrats did after 2024.

  • [09-28]: Why aren't pundits encouraging Republicans to move to the center? When Democrats underperform, it's always because they're perceived as too far to the left. So when Republicans fall behind, why not chide them as being too far to the right? (Even the obvious slam dunk cases seem to escape scrutiny, while Democrats as conservative as Harris regularly get lambasted.) Probably because so many liberal pundits see patrolling the left as the source of their legitimacy.

Jeffrey St Clair:

  • [09-04]: Roaming Charges: America First, Americans Eventually: I'm shocked to say this, but he's more optimistic than I am. Starts with the story of Brian José Morales Garcia, a US citizen who was snatched up by ICE and deported to Mexico. Further down he quotes a more famous deportee:

    + Milo Yiannopoulos on his arrest and deportation (apparently it's funny when it happens to Haitians, Salvadorans, and Mexicans and an outrage when they come after you): "I didn't really understand the physical reality of how institutionalized the brutality is in America. The manner in which they arrest you, they put you in manacles; everybody is arrested like an MS 13 gang member. It was physically degrading. It was frightening. I don't think I've ever been frightened like that before. I was weeping like an old woman for an hour. I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

    + As they kicked 5 million American families off of food aid, the Trump White House is offering white South Africans $4500 in living expenses to move here . . .

    + Norman Mailer: "Will the time come when we can cease concerning ourselves with the fiction that the rich need large profit incentives in order to keep our economy going? Just as a poor man does all he can to survive under the most wretched circumstances, so will the rich continue to be rich (although less so) if their profits are reduced by the recognition that a modern society cannot take an honest breath until it manages to provide for all of its citizens."

    Unfortunately, I think the answer to this, thirty years after said this during his Chubb Lecture at Yale, is no . . . Not this society, anyway.

    + A new Reuters poll finds that 89% of Americans believe that corruption in government is "widespread." But how many of them think, to rework the line from Wall Street, that "corruption is good," as long as your guy's the one doing the grifting?

    + Trump continued to buy and sell oil and gas stocks throughout his war on Iran. Trump's one-third Roy Cohn, one-third Jay Gould and one-third Baby Huey . . .

  • [09-18]: Roaming Charges: Say hello to my little gear!: Opens with Trump:

    Trump no longer projects power. Only the gilded trappings are left. But the low-rent Versailles decor he has cocooned himself inside only makes him look like an aging potentate well past his prime. He has surrounded himself with sycophants, none of whom have the political skills to save him from the perilous pit he has dug for himself and the country at large. . . .

    Mostly, though, Trump seems bored, out of it half the time, barely engaged the rest. The old fire has burned down to a few smoldering embers. He's distracted by shiny things. His Oval Office bric-a-brac. His ballroom. His arch. His name on the Kennedy Center. Natalie, oh, Natalie.

    He's caught in a war that he can't win and can't bring himself to get out of. It's the mentality of someone he never went to war but has played the role of a bully his entire life. Nothing infuriates Trump more than being called a loser. But he is one. . . .

    Trump is Trump, even in his diminished capacity. There will be no successor. In a sense, there will be nothing to succeed to. The Trump political empire, like his economic empire, is a mirage. . . .

    There was always only the brand and the brand without the man is empty, a void filled only with debts that will never be paid.

    More items:

    + The 100 wealthiest Americans now hold an estimated $5.5 trillion in net worth, which exceeds the $4.3 trillion combined total held by the entire bottom half of the U.S. population (roughly 66 million households).

    + CNBC: "The number of apartments renting for more than $50,000 a month in Manhattan has more than doubled compared with 2025, while the number renting for more than $100,000 a month is up sevenfold."

    + NOAA: "The average temperature for meteorological summer (June-August) 2026 was the warmest for the contiguous United States in the 132-year record, exceeding the previous records, set in 1936 and 2021, by 0.4 degrees." Five years from now, people will be longing for the summer of 2026 . . .

    + Macklemore should put together his own tour with Kneecap and Bob Vylan.

    + Ben Ehrenreich: "It's sort of a weird tell to fervently believe that anything smarter than us would want us all dead."

    + RFK. Jr. on Trump: "I discovered a self-effacing man of superior intelligence, of empathy and compassion with an encyclopedic grasp of the issues and in molecular detail. And most of all a near-reckless courage to challenge vested interests and official orthodoxies . . . who cared about transparency in government and free speech."

  • [09-25]: Roaming Charges: The freaks of caprice:

    + Trump at the UN, sounding like Lex Luthor on ludes: "I have a big decision to make. Will a deal be made with Iran? Or do I annihilate them, and do it quickly? Do I drive them into Hell with no chance of survival and no hope?" No wonder he wants to get rid of the International Criminal Court . . .

    + Fewer stocks are lifting the market than at any time since the dot-com boom/boost. According to MarketWatch, "the last time there were that many S&P 500 components below their 200-day moving averages with the index within 1% of its record high was indeed March 27, 2000 — right around the dot-com bubble peak."

    + If oil prices stay at their current levels, home heating oil customers can expect to pay as much as 31% more this winter.

    + Herman Melville on Trump's plan to sell off part of Yosemite to a billionaire donor for a private airstrip and build sprawling data centers on public lands: "All the world over, the picturesque yields to the pocketesque."

Miscellaneous Pieces

The following articles are more/less in order published, although some authors may have collected pieces, and some entries may have related articles underneath.

Katherine Krueger [09-07]: They tried to make Charlie Kirk a saint. They made him a meme. "By elevating Kirk to a martyr and clamping down on free speech, the right assured that he would be ridiculed even in death." It's been one year since the Republican youth organizer was killed, and the right-wing propaganda machine went into overdrive trying both to sanctify him and to turn his death into a club for use in beating anyone who expressed doubts or indifference. (See, e.g., Alain Stephens [2025-10-14] The right wing desperately wants to make Charlie Kirk its MLK.)

  • Daniel Bessner [09-07]: Seven theses on Charlie Kirk. While I won't pick a fight with Walter Benjamin, I'm skeptical of the other six theses. Even if one sympathized with Kirk in death, his person was best forgotten, as his agenda was quickly replaced by dozens of other right-wing operatives. As for his supporters, they milked his martyrdom for all they could, after which he ceased to have any purpose, or purchase.

Books: Multiple reviews are grouped under book.

  • Jeffrey Sklansky [08-06]: The class struggle in your wallet: "A new book about the meaning of money argues for how to use finance to create a more equitable economy." The book is J.W. Mason and Arjun Jayadev: Against Money.

  • Jimmy So [09-01]: The appalling history that enabled Trump's immigration cruelty: "Trump inherited laws designed over two centuries to benefit slaveholders, eugenicists, and segregationists." Review of Kelly Lytle Hernández: Racist by Design: Two Centuries of US Immigration Control.

  • Vivian Gornick [09-08]: Home truths: "Love and literature in Leslie Fiedler's America." Revisits Fiedler's 1960 book, Love and Death in the American Novel. I recall reading his book later in the decade, and being astonished at how interesting it was to read about books that my previous schooling had convinced me were so dead-ass boring as to be unreadable. I never overcame that early prejudice, but I did read widely about books I never read, and it proved to be a pretty efficient learning strategy.

  • Osita Nwanevu [09-08]: Can we save democracy? "Hélène Landemore's case for an alternative system of popular government." Review of her book, Politics Without Politicians: The Case for Citizen Rule. The critique of the intrinsic flaws of politicians is interesting, and possibly accurate, but they seem like a necessity now and well into the future. It is very rare that one gets a chance to design a political system from scratch. (Where I have thought about this, as in standing up initial consultative governance in a Gaza freed of Israel, where past political parties would be unwelcome, I have come up with similar approaches, starting with a random selection of representatives.) I'd be curious here about what the book has to say about "Bringing the Shy People Out." Also on Landemore:

    • Nathan Heller [2020-02-19]: Politics Without Politicians: "The political scientist Hélène Landemore asks, If government is for the people, who can't the people do the governing?" Which refers back to an earlier (2012) book, Democratic Reason: Politics, Collective Intelligence, and the Rule of the Many.

  • Christian Paz [09-08]: How Christians can fight back against Christian nationalism: "A new book argues that the future of democracy depends on a segment of American Christians." Interview with Robert P Jones, author of Backslide: Reclaiming a Faith and a Nation After the Christian Turn Against Democracy.

  • Jonathan Kaufman [09-09]: Blame Ronald Reagan: Author has a new book, When America Roared: How the 1980s Saved, Then Broke, the Country — and Led Us to Today. Googled summed up the core argument: "While Ronald Reagan's market-driven changes saved the US from 1970s economic stagnation, they also broke the social contract and created modern populist anger." The economic feats of the Reagan years were much less impressive than many people are given to think, mostly because they were so unevenly distributed. From the New Deal in the 1930s through most of the 1970s, workers were able to claim a nice chunk of business profits, sustaining the notion that the country was unified — not that there were no exceptions, but nothing like what happened in the 1980s, when unions were busted, taxes on the rich were slashed, and opportunities for financial shenanigans exploded. Much of this can be traced back to previous presidential agendas — Kennedy (tax cuts), Nixon (ending the gold standard, farm policy), and Carter (deregulation) — but with Reagan profiteering went shameless, creating a cult of the rich that leads directly to Trump. The only boom industry in America in the 1980s was fraud, which is why Reagan wound up with more corruption scandals than any presidents since Harding and Grant, but even more telling is what people got away with. Kaufman drops some names here — evidently his book is built around profiles of people like Jack Welch — but doesn't go very deep. Still, that something significant happened around 1980 is well established. Reagan's popularity rested largely on adoption of a fantasy of American bliss, a stark contrast to the bleak worldview of Carter. What's harder to understand is why Democrats got invested in the same delusions, especially as they became increasingly untenable. It's taken Trump to finally expose Reagan as the ogre he always was.

  • Kai Bird [09-15]: We are living under Roy Cohnian logic: "The political fixer created a career for himself as a self-promoting, ubiquitous hustler. Like Trump, he got away with it by having the right friends." The author, with Susan Goldmark, wrote the book American Scoundrel: Roy Cohn's Dark Journey from Joe McCarthy to Donald Trump.

  • Susan Neiman [09-21]: The Left should start using the word "evil": "According to philosopher Susan Neiman, the Left abandons the concept of good and evil at our own peril. If we refuse to use such morally freighted language, we concede it entirely to people who will use it for immoral ends." Interview, good introduction to her new book, Call It Evil: Understanding the Trump Era. I pulled the following quote from the book:

    Trump and his ilk could never have come to power without one belief: Moral concepts are for suckers who don't know they're being conned. . . . Donald Trump has made it easy to be shamelessly racist, misogynist, and homophobic at a time when we'd made some progress in beating hatred back. Even worse, he has done so by making it acceptable to have no values at all beyond the search for wealth and power. Everything else is for losers.

  • Yahia Lababidi [09-22]: A restored history of Jewish anti-Zionism — and the loss it cannot repair: "Benjamin Moser's new book recovers a tradition of dissenters who paid a price for opposing Palestinian dispossession, even as they could not prevent it." The book is Anti-Zionism: A Jewish History. It is written as a series of biographical sketches, less a tradition than a reminder that anything as domineering as Zionism is bound to generate multiple dissents.

Music:

Obituaries: I had been using the New York Times, but they're giving me aggravation these days, so I'll switch over to Wikipedia, also August), which is probably better anyway. Roughly speaking, since my last report on August 27:

Some other names I recognize:

Tweets: I've usually used this section for highlighting clever responses and/or interesting ideas.

  • Aaron Rupar:

    • [09-30], quoting Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick (pictured behind a seated, snoozing Trump):

      I have the best job, because I get to sit and watch Donald J Trump make the coolest deals I've ever seen in my life. And I have the best time doing it.

    • [09-30]: quoting War Secretary Pete Hegseth:

      It's worth saying again so the fake news understands it. We are no longer the woke department or the weak department. Simple translation of that -- no fatties no trannies no beardos no weirdos no wimps no radicals. Just warriors.

    • [09-30]: Hegseth again:

      The ideological clowns are out. The patriotic cowboys are in, with testosterone testing on top.

  • Norm Ornstein [09-30]:

    I first started working in the Senate in 1970 — 56 years ago. I have loved and revered the institution, worked in it and with it over all these decades, with dozens of senators from both parties. I've seen bad stuff and bad people along with great ones. Nothing quote compares to Eric Schmitt.

  • Zachary D Carter [09-30], referring to a New York Times article, What would John Maynard Keynes say about A.I.? The Keynes Bot told us:

    I am admittedly outraged by absolutely everything about this, but as a matter of basic analytic rigor, a Keynes Bot that is not offended by the concept of a Keynes Bot has failed on its own terms.

  • Matthew Dodd [10-01]:

    Latest WSJ poll:

    "63% want to pause AI development
    61% want a billionaire wealth tax
    59% want Medicare for All
    57% want a $20 minimum wage
    58% want to end U.S. military aid to Israel"

    This is the center of the country politically. It is time all adjust to this political spectrum, esp. media.

Initial published count: 328 links, 16414 words (21476 total).

Current count: 331 links, 16534 words (21667 total)

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Saturday, September 26, 2026

Music Week

September archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 46640 [46602] rated (+38), 25 [23] unrated +2).

Advance Music Week appeared September 25 on Substack as Music Week (9:4). It is also archived here. My cutoff was done before the Substack post, but the introduction is revised/rewritten.

I've had a very frustrating week, nearing the end of a very frustrating month, in a year I nothing nice to say about. About all I have to show for the week is a Music Week that breaks down to 14 new albums, 2 new old music albums, and 22 old albums. The new music count was down around 4 back on Tuesday or Wednesday, when I first ran a count. As I explained last week, I took Brad Luen's decade list posts as a challenge, and converted them into my own checklist. I hadn't heard about a third of the 1950s-1970s records listed, mostly antiquities from Africa and Latin America.

Since I have some longstanding interest in both — my database rates 1194 African albums (+ 140 from North Africa through the Middle East including Turkey and Iran); my investigations into Latin America are much spottier, but add up to 664 albums (279 from Brazil, 358 from Hispanic countries, and 27 from French; Anglo-Caribbean would add another 590, mostly from Jamaica, but that also counts some UK reggae). Luen picked nearly a third of his albums from Africa and Latin America, and to better fit his decadal focus went for original albums of artists I often, having only discovered them much later, knew only from compilations. While I recall records from the late 1950s and 1960s, my own firsthand experience only got serious in the mid-1970s, and took a comprehensive turn in the mid-1990s.

Most of what Luen picked turns out to be relatively easy to find, either on Spotify or YouTube. (The main problem so far has been early Astor Piazzolla.) Still, it's been frustrating, with no language skills, few references, limited background, and not nearly enough time to give anything a fair hearing. About half of the albums I've checked out cleared A− (10 vs. 9 with lower grades this week). Still, I don't have a lot of confidence in these grades. They're first impressions, not considered ones — although I do feel more secure about the ones closer to my areas of expertise, which is part of the reason I included O'Day and Tharpe in the Substack post.

I did decide to cut some corners and not dig up all of the album covers. I could cite various problems, but it's mostly too much (both work and clutter). Looks like I still have another half-dozen or so albums left, so I can see this coming to an end fairly soon (with or without Piazzolla). Of course, there's much more I could look up where these came from. For instance, I ran across the List of Rolling Stone Brasil 100 Greatest Brazilian Music Records, and I've only heard four of the top 10 { 1, 2, 6, 9 }, with 4 more in my "shopping" database, and 2 more completely unknown to me.

With most of my demo queue still slated for future release, and my email still screwed, I struggled a bit to find new albums. I did get a boost when Robert Christgau posted his Consumer Guide: September 2026. I broke this down into four lists:

  1. Albums I hadn't heard: RJ Chesney, FaithNYC; 6 more distributed below.
  2. Albums I've heard that he likes more than I do: Margaret Glaspy (A+ vs. A−), Rolling Stones (A vs. A−), Twisted Teens (A− vs. B+(***)); add Terry Allen, Lenny Kaye, Tom Zé.
  3. Albums I've heard that I like more than he does: Jeff Evans Porkestra (A− vs. ★), Bill Scorzari (A vs. B+), Vince Staples (A− vs. ★).
  4. Albums I've heard where we're pretty close (shades of B+ don't count for much): Open Mike Eagle; add Hobknobs, Tricky, Neil Young (A−).

I assume the higher grades (group 2) represent more listening: I like the three albums just fine, even if my grades look hedged. The three adds I'm more skeptical of. Allen and Kaye end with songs I like, but rechecking Allen didn't budge my grade. I like his previous work, and might like this one more if it was more him and less family. In the latter regard, it's similar in concept to Federico Ughi's My Face Is Dancing, cut up from family tapes (although Ughi is a jazz drummer, and his family is more into hip-hop and electronica).

But group 3 bothers me more, because I've spent enough time with those albums to rate them higher. He's consistently rated Staples higher than I have, so we may be tuning into different things. He's topped me with two A− grades for Evans' EPs. I tend to grade EPs down a bit, not so much because I feel cheated on length as because I find it takes a while to settle into an album, and EPs don't offer that time. But the Scorzari grade, after a full A on (Day 1), is hard to figure. I jumped the gun and reviewed the album a couple weeks ago, but I didn't include it on Substack because it wasn't out yet. It's out now, so I included it on Substack to reiterate my point, and share the Bandcamp. It's currently my number two album of 2026, just behind the live Laurie Anderson, Let X = X.

My email situation is partially fixed: I've given up on trying to access Yahoo via POP3, and set up a IMAP account. That allows me to see my mail using Thunderbird, instead of having to use their webmail app. But it also requires a lot of extra synchronization, and that generates various error messages that I've yet to figure out how to properly check. (My guess is that IMAP is designed to recover from failures, not least because it's designed to fail a lot.) I still have a lot of work to do here: moving messages from the old account to "local folders," removing the old account, and possibly adjusting settings on the IMAP account to do more downloading.

The persistent failures mean I still want to set up a new email address, at least for most of my personal communication. I should do that sooner rather than later, as I want to move the Jazz Critics Poll over to the new address — and verify that it's working before the Poll opens. I haven't done any serious work on the Poll yet, which is a problem, as if I wait for November again, I'll be sandbagged (once again). I need to start, which perhaps first of all means firming up my own plans and intentions.

Before then, I'll try to put up a Loose Tabs. Last one was August 27. I currently have 211 links, 11617 words. The way things are going, it's hard to promise anything more. Not clear whether this will generate anything for Substack, but that will depend more on my will than on what's available to write about. I am increasingly disturbed by the situation in Israel, and by the utter haplessness of the Trump administration — the only bright spot there is that they appear to be completely fumbling the mid-term election (although that's usually what Democrats do). And I still want to do a Substack post on the DownBeat Poll — at this point, mostly to get a start on voter prospecting, as I don't really care that much about good vs. bad picks.

New records reviewed this week:

Terry Allen: Blood Sucking Maniacs (2026, Paradise of Bachelors): Singer-songwriter, born in Wichita, based in Santa Fe, but mostly associated with Lubbock, thanks to his 1979 album Lubbock (On Everything) (1979). Album title can also be read as group name, especially given that Allen only wrote 5 (of 22) songs, while other Allens (Bale, Bukka, Calder, Kru, Sled, and wife Jo Harvey) also contributed songs. Strikes me as a bunch of half-baked ideas: some appealing, some interesting, most requiring more work than I feel up to. (Two plays, with the closing "Family Tree" the one that suggests more effort might pay off.) B+(**) [sp]

Lucian Ban & Elevation: Rush (2024 [2026], Sunnyside): Romanian pianist, moved to New York in 1999, debut album 2002 on CIMP, moved on to ECM and Sunnyside, often reflecting on his roots. Quartet here with Abraham Burton (tenor sax), John Hébert (bass), and Eric McPherson (drums). Burton reminds one of the strong impression he made in the 1990s, after which he seemed to vanish. Mostly postbop, but ends with a Gavril Tarmure vocal that ties this back to the old country. B+(**) [sp]

Ran Blake: Voices (2023 [2026], Tzadik): Pianist, b. 1935, so 88 when this was recorded, his umpteenth solo album since 1965, his main alternative format duos — vocalists start with Jeanne Lee in 1961, up to a new one with Dominique Eade this year, but also saxophonists (Houston Person, Clifford Jordan, Anthony Braxton, most recently Jared Sims), pianists (Jaki Byard, Claire Ritter), and various others (Enrico Rava, David Fabris, Kresten Osgood). I might as well admit I have no idea how to evaluate his solo work. That's not just my opinion: I once pitched a column idea to Bob Rusch, who turned me down because he decided, citing one of my Ran Blake reviews, that I wasn't critical enough to write for Cadence. He joined New England Conservatory in 1967, heading their "Third Stream Department," which opened the academic doors to jazz. He won his Guggenheim Fellowship in 1982, and his MacArthur Genius Grant six years later — one of the first jazz musicians so fêted. I don't doubt that he deserves his reputation, but his solo albums usually leave me unmoved, and his others turn on his accompanists: I've credited him with three A− albums: his 1966-67 duets with Lee, his 2017 duo with Ritter, and his unique 1986 quartet, Short Life of Barbara Monk, with Ricky Ford. But his solo albums more often landed on an indifferent B: my solo piano favorites, where even Tatum and Taylor fall short, are Earl Hines and Don Pullen, and even there I'd rather they add a Budd Johnson or George Adams. Here, Blake tiptoes through 19 pieces, mostly standards, most of which I should have recognized anywhere (but only "You Are My Sunshine" registered on first pass; what does it say about my ears to have missed "Hallelujah I Love Her So" or "La Vie En Rose" followed by "Ain't Misbehavin'"?). Still, I feel fortunate to have this, enough so to grade it in the keep range. After all, with Rusch passed, and me nearing the end, what's to be gained by translating my prejudices into snark? B+(***) [cd]

George Garzone: Themes for Good Friends (2026, Jojo): Tenor saxophonist, b. 1950, from Boston, has a couple dozen albums since 1978, many in the Fringe (1978-2001), more under his own name, but is probably best known as the teacher every saxophonist who passed through Boston wants to thank. Quartet with Luis Perdomo (piano), Santi Debriano (bass), and Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums), plus Randy Brecker on trumpet for five (of 8) tracks. Ends with originals "The Mingus That I Knew" and "To Michael Brecker." What is it about Brecker that never quite works for me? B+(**) [sp]

Ned Hill Band: Saw Jesus at the Park (2026, self-released, EP): Hype sheet says "longtime Nashville icon," Discogs reluctantly listed two albums, Bandcamp says "acclaimed veteran songwriter," and offers 21 releases, including singles, other attributed to the Cowards or Ned Van Go. Six songs, 20:11. B+(*) [sp]

The Hobknobs: Helmets Off (2026, 12XU/THK): Dutch art-pop duo (Arie van Vlilet, Yaël Dekker), first album after a 2025 EP. B+(**) [sp]

Lenny Kaye: Goin' Local (2026, Yep Roc): Early rock critic, compiled the genre-defining Nuggets album of 1960s garage rock, played guitar for Patti Smith, self-released a tape in 1982, followed by an album in 1984, but while he was famous enough for groups like the Fleshtones to seek him out, he never made a star move before. Maybe not here, either. While he has taste and sensibility, he doesn't have an aesthetic, or much of a voice. Leaving him with a batch of fairly good songs, done disarmingly. Choice cut: "The Things You Leave Behind." B+(**) [sp]

Takashi Matsunaga: Ride Five (2026, Ride Five): Japanese pianist, has a half-dozen albums since 2003, recorded this one in New York, original pieces, nearly solo — some bass by Christian McBride, but I hardly noticed it first time through. I was, however, struck by the calm, reassuring piano. B+(**) [cd]

My Face Is Dancing: My Face Is Dancing (2021-25 [2026], 577/Positive Elevation): Drummer Federico Ughi and members of his family, an experimental electronic mix of tapes from "different moments throughout the children's lives, documenting their growth and artistic evolution between the ages of two and ten." B+(*) [dl]

Angela O'Neill and the Outrageous 8: A Live Musical Tribute to Peggy Lee (2024 [2026], Outrageous 8): Standards singer, from California, has at least one previous album, opens with effusive band intros, website includes a full page of band bios, a lot of gray hair in the pics, but no denying their swing. Lee started singing for Benny Goodman in 1941, went on to have many pop hits up to 1969, the main one here being the closer, "Fever." B+(**) [cd]

Matthew Putnam/Hilliard Greene/Francisco Mela: Bright Sun Outside (2025 [2026], 577): Pianist, presumably not the same as the mathcore/metal drummer, as the other piece of information I've been able to find on him is that "he is best known for his work in nanotechnology." Trio with bass and drums, evidently their second. B+(**) [os]

Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra: Royalty: The Music of Duke Ellington & Count Basie (2026, T2 Music): First question was: which Springfield? Answer is Ohio, so I didn't expect to find any familiar names, but was pleased to see that Edwin Bayard (tenor sax) had made it out from Columbus, and I also recognized Pharez Whitted (trumpet), plus "special guests" Jeff Hamilton (drums), Kurt Elling (vocals), and Ekep Nkwelle (vocals). That the band can play the charts, and that the charts are great, is pretty much a given. But the details also stand out. Most obviously, the vocalists, and surprisingly for me, that includes Elling, who missed his calling as a blues shouter. Also Bayard! B+(***) [cd]

Tricky: Different When It's Silent (2026, False Idols): British trip-hop producer Adrian Thaws, his reputation set by his 1995 debut Maxinquaye, 15th studio album, his longest gap from 2003-08. Most tracks feature vocalist Mitch Sanders. B+(*) [sp]

Neil Young & the Chrome Hearts: Second Song (2026, Reprise): Wikipedia says this is Young's 50th studio album. This is his second studio album with this band, along with a live album. In the long run, this is likely to get lost on the shelves, but on first play, he's rarely sounded so comfortable, or quietly compelling. A− [sp]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Amiri Baraka: New Music ~ New Poetry (1982 [2026], Modern Harmonic): Afro-American poet (1934-2014), hard to avoid mention of race with him, even in reference to his early plays, essays (Blues People), and novel (The System of Dante's Hell) published under his original name, Leroi Jones, when he was celebrated in Greenwich Village, before he moved back to Newark, getting arrested in the 1967 riots. (Fun fact: his son, Ras Baraka, wound up as mayor of Newark.) I read much of his early work, and he made a big impression on me. His Wikipedia has a long list of "controversies," but they strike me as ephemeral, distractions from the deeper truths he lived and felt. He's accompanied here by David Murray (tenor sax/bass clarinet) and Steve McCall (drums), as if he wasn't intense enough on his own. A− [bc]

Ella Fitzgerald: Live at the Falkoner Theatre Copenhagen 6th February 1966 (1966 [2026], Gearbox): A previously unreleased live tape, recorded the night before The Stockholm Concert, an appearance with Duke Ellington that's been widely available since 1994. Ellington skipped this tune-up, with Jimmy Jones and his trio picking up the slack, but Ellington's horns were out in force, at least for the first seven tracks. One highlight is a scat from "How High the Moon" through "A Tisket, a Tasket" to "A Hard Day's Night." A− [sp]

Old music:

Sunny Ade & His African Beats: The Master Guitarist Vol. 11: Sunny Ti De (1974, African Songs): Nigerian juju pioneer, was introduced to American audiences by Island in 1982, his albums critically acclaimed but one heard complaints that touring with his big band was prohibitively expensive. I've never made much sense of his earlier Nigerian discography, but two compilations Shanachie assembled were outstanding (The Best of the Classic Years is A+). The Master Guitarist series goes at least to Vol. 12, but Discogs has only half of the titles (1971-74), and there are other series that circle through the same years. This one, which was Brad Luen's pick of the 1970s albums, appears to have been issued as Sunny Ti De and Sunny Tide 2. I can't recommend this over those comps, but on its own, this is superb. A− [yt]

Nelson Angelo/Joyce: Nelson Angelo E Joyce (1972, Odeon): Brazilian singer-songwriter, b. 1949, plays guitar, first album, with singer Joyce Moreno (b. 1948), her third album, with an illustrious career ahead. Angelo I'm not so sure about. B+(**) [sp]

Bembeya Jazz National: Hommage À Demba Camara (1974 [2000], Sylla): Afropop group from Guinea, originally from Beyla but gained national status thanks to state support. Camara was a singer, killed in an auto accident in 1973, hence this tribute. A− [sp]

Nat King Cole: Unforgettable (1946-54 [1954], Capitol): Originally a jazz pianist of some note, ran a trio in the 1940s and developed as a singer, regularly topping the r&b charts from 1942 on, sometimes scoring pop hits. In the late 1940s, he started using string orchestras and backing singers, topping the pop charts in 1946 with "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons," and later "Mona Lisa" and "Too Young" (included here) and "Nature Boy" (not here); the title song, from 1951, was his first certified silver single. This was originally released as an 8-song 10-inch LP in 1952, then reissued as a 12-inch with 12 songs in 1954. I've often had trouble with these arrangements, ranging as they do from treacly to bombastic, marring good songs and a great singer. I've long searched for a quality compilation of his 1950s hits, but found nothing until 2005's The World of Nat King Cole, which cheats from early trio tracks to his posthumous duet with daughter Natalie Cole on "Unforgettable." B+(*) [sp]

Willie Colón & Héctor Lavoe: Lo Mato (1973, Fania): Salsa musician (1950-2026) from the Bronx, many albums 1967-2013, played trombone and sang — backup here, as Lavoe, from Puerto Rico (1946-93) took the leads (as he had since hooking up on El Malo in 1967). B+(***) [sp]

Celia Cruz: The 'Brillante': Best of Celia Cruz with the Orchestras of Johnny Pacheco & Willie Colon (1974-77 [1978], Yaya): Cuban singer (1925-2003), started in Sonora Mantancera, moved to Mexico then to the US after the Revolution, joining Tito Puente and many other salsa bands, including the Fania All Stars. I've only lightly sampled her work, so I have no special insights here. But this is relentlessly up, 1970s salsa at its finest. A− [sp]

Aracy De Almeida: Noel Rosa (1950-54 [2002], Continental EastWest/Warmer): Brazilian singer (1914-88), recorded two sets of 78s in 1950-51 of songs by samba composer Rosa (1910-37). They were collected in a 1954 album, followed by 1955's Canções De Noel Rosa Com Aracy De Almeida (a different album, from what I can tell). The guitar is often fortified with strings, the sound a bit creaky, but the singer is capable. B+(**) [sp]

Heitor Dos Prazeres/Jorge Fernandes/Ataulfo Alves/João Da Baiana: Macumba (1958, Fantasia): Brazilian samba singer-composers, birth dates range from 1887-1909. Same title (refers to Afro-Brazilian Orixas, sometimes combined with Lucumi) as a 1955 album by Heitor Dos Prazeres E Sua Gente, but no songs in common. Unclear whether this is a compilation or collaboration, or whether it has anything to do with the 1958 movie Macumba. Kind of rough, which is rather refreshing compared to the softness of later MPB. A− [sp]

Heitor Dos Prazeres E Sua Gente: Macumba (1955, Discos Rádio, EP): Earlier album, raw samba as its most primal, which seems to be the point. Eight songs, 20:53. B+(***) [sp]

Antonio Carlos Jobim/Luis Bonfa: Black Orpheus (Orfeu Negro) [The Original Sound Track of the Movie] (1959 [1960], Epic): Famous movie, co-written and directed by Marcel Camus, won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1959, set in a favela of Rio de Janeiro. Wikipedia tells me that the film has been criticized for eroticized Afro-Brazilian stereotypes, but that sounds like a plus in a soundtrack. Indeed, the drum tracks are pretty graphic, which could have sufficed, but the proper songs are sensuous too. A− [sp]

Los Calvos: . . . Y Que Calvos! (1968, RCA): Venezuelan salsa group, led by pianist Ray Pérez, debut album 1967, followed by this second album, Pérez then moving on to a solo career, at least through 1992. Hotter than the average salsa band, but hard for me to gauge how much or why that matters. B+(***) [sp]

Los Calvos: Estos Son Los Calvos (1967, RCA): First album, why not? Starts off with an extra noise quotient, which adds excitement and uncertainty to a form I often find just a bit too cut-and-dry. A− [sp]

E.T. Mensah and His Tempos Band: Tempos on the Beat (1959, Decca): From Ghana (1919-96), the King of Highlife, formed his Tempos band in 1946, toured England in 1953, Discogs lists singles from 1953 and several 10-inch LPs from 1958, including this one. 10 songs, 28:25, goes down easy. B+(***) [yt]

Anita O'Day: Anita (1956, Verve): Jazz singer (1919-2006), née Colton, started with Gene Krupa, had several hit singles including "Let Me Off Uptown" (1941) with Roy Eldridge. She sang with other big bands, then went solo, moving into bop and developing her scat technique, but struggled with drugs and men. In the 1950s, she became a Norman Granz project, with this the first of several albums she recorded for Verve. Buddy Bregman arranged and produced a dozen standards. While the strings are best not dwelled on, she nailed every song. A− [sp]

Hermeto Pascoal: Slaves Mass (1977 [2004], Warner Bros./Rhino): Brazilian composer/multi-instrumentalist (1936-2025), albums start in 1964, gained some international fame appearing with Miles Davis in 1971. Plays keyboards, soprano sax, flutes, guitar, and sings some. Band includes Ron Carter (bass), Airto Moreira (percussion), and Flora Purim (vocals on two songs). Original album 42:43, with the CD reissue adding three bonus tracks (34:30). B+(***) [sp]

Le Seigneur Rochereau & L'Afrisa International: À L'Olympia (Paris) 1970 (1970 [1997], African): Congolese superstar (1940-2013), originally Pascal-Emmanuel Sinamoyi Tabu, best known as Tabu Ley Rochereau, composed some 3000 songs over 250 albums, two 2-CD sets on Stern's Africa (The Voice of Lightness) do a good job of representing him, but the well appears bottomless. This was his debut in Paris, a triumph. A− [sp]

Jamaaladeen Tacuma: Hotel Le Prince (2009 [2022], Jam-All Productions): Electric bassist, most prominently a member of Ornette Coleman's Prime Time (1976-87), recorded a series of jazz-funk albums for Gramavision in the 1980s, played in groups like Cosmetic and Free Form Funky Frēqs, with widely scattered albums since. This one features David Murray (tenor sax/bass clarinet), with his son Mingus Murray (guitar), Paul Urbanek (keyboards), and Ranzell Merrit (drums), with a bit of spoken word, from Amiri Baraka to Barack Obama. B+(***) [bc]

Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Gospel Train (1956, Mercury): Gospel singer (1915-73), played electric guitar with such authority she shows up in rock & roll roots anthologies, appeared in John Hammond's 1938 "Spirituals to Swing" concert, and in the big bands of Cab Calloway and Lucy Millinder; she had some crossover r&b hits in the 1940s. This was her first LP, new recordings including some previous hits (e.g., "Up Above My Head There's Music in the Air," from 1947). I haven't tracked the others down, but they sound definitive here. [Note: I played the original 12-song edition, remastered in 2002. There is also a 17-track "Expanded Edition," but it's unclear when it appeared — Spotify says 1956. Also a 14-track Gospel Train: Expanded Edition from 1958, on Decca, but it has different songs, mostly drawn from 1940s singles.] A [sp]

Toots and the Maytals: Sweet and Dandy (1969, Beverley's): Jamaican reggae group, started in 1962 as the Maytals, this the first album with lead singer Frederick "Toots" Hibbert (1942-2020) listed first, although a third just Maytals album came out a year later, and key songs like "Monkey Man," "54 46 That's My Number," and "Pressure Drop" recur on multiple albums (the latter on their 1975 American debut, Funky Kingston and compilations. A− [sp]

Papa Wemba & L'Orchestre Viva La Musica: Mabele Mokonzi (Elou) (1976-77 [1977], Special Molokai): Congolese guitarist, singer, and bandleader, started with Zaïka Langa Langa before organizing his own group here. Huge number of albums. I recommend his 2-CD Sterns comp, 1977-97, which starts here. The guitar sound is classic soukous, and the energy rarely flags. B+(***) [yt]

Edmundo P. Zaldivar (H): Carnavalitos (1955, Pampa, EP): Argentinian musician (1917-78), credits include "(h.)," Spanish equivalent "(hijo)" for "Jr.," recorded this delightful set of folk dances (8 tracks, 23:27) with "su conjunto de Arte Folklórico y Nativo." [Album was expanded to 12 tracks in 1957, as Carnavalitos de Argentina.] A− [yt]

Tom Zé: Imprensa Cantada (2003, Trama): Brazil-only album, as Zé regarded it as too tied to its political context to be comprehensible elsewhere, which given the scattered reactions may have been well-founded (among graders, Christgau rated it A−, while Brazil Beat, which at least entertains the idea of Zé as the "greatest Brazilian musician of all time," went for C). Reports are that it started as an EP, with other odds and sods tacked on. Only song I can really calibrate is his trot of "You're the Top," which I find cringeworthy. Other than that, lots of exercises in style, mostly mild. B+(*) [sp]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

  • Rodrigo Amado/This Is Our Language Quartet: Wailers (European Echoes) [A−]
  • David Maranha/Rodrigo Amado: Desolation Row (Comets Coming) [A−]
  • Jason Robinson: Blue Salience: For Yusef Lateef (2026, Circumvention Music) [10-29]
  • Jamie Safir: Momentum (Chill Tone) [09-04]
  • Trio Imagination: Creative Inspirations (Pi) [09-25]
  • UNLV Combos: Back Home (Vegas) [11-01]
  • UNLV Jazz 1: My Favorite Things (Vegas) [11-01]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Sunday, September 20, 2026

Music Week

September archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 46602 [46568] rated (+34), 23 [25] unrated -2).

Advance Music Week appeared September 18 on Substack as Music Week (9:3). It is also archived here. My cutoff was done before the Substack post, but the introduction is revised/rewritten.

Way too much to complain about this week. I mentioned a few things in my Substack post, and figured I'd go into more depth here, but I'm too tired and too disgusted to follow through. The problem with not feeling well is one lacks even the energy to try to do things. From there, the frustration only mounts.

Main thing to report here is that I spent more time on my checklist of albums from Brad Luen's 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s decade posts. I haven't finished adding my grades to the first two lists, but the jazz picks are impeccable, and the rock/soul/country are problematic only in the choice of compilations — Luen tries to anchor these in the decade, whereas I mostly have expanded CD best-ofs from the 1990s.

What's new for me is the extensive lists of non-English albums, especially from Latin America and Africa. I'm not especially ignorant in such matters, but most of the records he's listed so far were previously unknown by me — or at least unheard, except perhaps partly in later compilations. I've been scrambling to catch up, which is turning into its own fount of frustration, as many albums are clearly good but would require more time and effort to properly address than I'm currently up to. A couple of them appear below, and more are coming next week (and possibly for some time after that).

My impression is that Luen is several decades younger than I am. His lists appear to have been constructed from researched history, picking most items from common lists, as mine would have been for the 1950s and most of the 1960s. Same thing for his 1970s, but my own take on that decade was mostly from lived experience, as I would have snagged more personal picks, including some that very few even knew about. I was born in 1950, so I remember some 45s and radio hits from the late 1950s, and more from my teen years in the 1960s, but I was no more than a casual fan until around 1973-74, when I finally got a job that for the first time in my life gave me some discretionary income. Then I went crazy, greatly expanding my horizons, to such an extent that I feel a certain proprietary interest in the 1970s, unlike any decade before or since. That's why I spent some time constructing my own take on That 70s List.

I should be clear that this is not a response or alternative to Luen's list. This is an exercise that at most might be a tentative step toward a list, or perhaps might cast doubt as to whether such a decade list is even a good idea. What I did was to take my 1,000 Albums for a Long and Happy Life list — created in 2008, and only lightly edited since then, and collected the albums that had 1970-79 dates. I then reviewed the list, and scratched out compilations that crossed decade lines, or that were released after 1979. In some cases, I added replacement albums — earlier compilations, or single albums that stood adequately on their own (e.g., I replace Wire's On Returning with Pink Flag). I got the list down to about 180 albums, but I then went back through several lists and added a few more, bringing it back to just under 200.

New records reviewed this week:

Ralph Alessi: A Sun That Never Sleeps (2025 [2026], ECM): Trumpet player, several dozen albums since the late-1990s, has brother Joseph Alessi on trombone, backed by Matt Mitchell (piano), John Hébert (bass), and Ches Smith (drums/vibes). B+(**) [sp]

ALG Trio: Between the Vistula and the Hudson (2026, Aesthetiko): Gilad Atzmon (alto sax/clarinet), Piotr Lemanczyk (bass), and Adam Golicki (drums). The Vistula is the main river draining Poland, home of the rhythm section. Atzmon was born in Israel, left for Britain in 2002, and has continued to be vocal in his opposition to Israeli policies. I doubt that matters at all here, a trio where the lead is well-mannered but precisely focused. A− [sp]

Gilad Atzmon/Daniel Bulatkin/Taras Volos/Dušan Černák: Praying for More Songs to Come (2024 [2025], Hlava XXII): Leader plays alto sax/clarinet, backed by piano, bass, and drums, with two Atzmon originals, one each from Bulatkin and Volos, and a "My Old Flame" cover. B+(***) [sp]

Baauer: U (2026, LuckyMe): EDM producer Harry Bauer Rodrigues, from Philadelphia, started as Captain Harry, had a hit single in 2012 called "Harlem Shake," third album after 2016 and 2020. B+(**) [sp]

Maja Babyszka/Gilad Atzmon/Nikos Sidirokastristis: In Memory of That Song (2024 [2025], Aesthetiko): Piano, woodwinds, and percussion, the pianist also using voice for harmonic layering. B+(**) [sp]

Alain Bradette: To My Loved Ones (2026, Quantum Gravity): Saxophonist (tenor in pics, also EWI), from Montreal, released a debut album in 2005, mostly originals, postbop with guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums. B+(*) [cd]

BTS: Arirang (2026, Big Hit): K-pop boy group, 6th Korean-language studio album since 2014 (along with 4 Japanese albums), first since 2020, their hiatus occasioned by "military service." I file the few K-pop albums I hear under "Asian," but this is really a hip-hop group, with the crucial difference that it's hard to discern individuality, and not just because it's mostly in a language I don't understand (Korean). What's fascinating about watching their performances is the constant shuffling of focus, but that's much harder to hear. Still, the bits of English are hooks, which may be just enough. B+(**) [sp]

Todd DelGiudice: Mas Alto (2025-26 [2026], OA2): Alto saxophonist, second album as leader (first was 2011), some side credits, including with Jon Hamar (bass here; drums are split between Obed Calvaire and Jim White). Mostly original pieces (one by Hamar), but starts with Tristano, and includes a "Darn That Dream." I do enjoy a good sax workout. B+(***) [cd]

Louis Durra: Mood Music (2026, self-released): Pianist, from California, studied at Berklee, moved to Berlin, recorded this in Los Angeles, has one previous album (per Discogs, although I have two more in my database). Mostly originals, quiet and lovely music with light bass or guitar and drums. B+(**) [cd]

Christian Finger: Zeit Zirkel (2026, Finger Music): German drummer, based in New York, first album after a few side credits, rounded up a fairly prominent postbop quintet, with Ralph Alessi (trumpet), Ben Monder (guitar), Vadim Neselovskyi (piano), and Adam Armstrong (bass). B+(*) [cd] [10-01]

Grex: Auntie + Tebs (2026, Geomancy): Oakland group, with Karl Evangelista (guitar), Rei Scampavia (keyboard), and Robert Lopez (drums), the first two also voice and misc., produce some very noisy experimental rock with jazz moves, with several others helping out — names include Bobby Bradford (cornet) and Zoh Amba (sax). Title references Filipino reform politician Miriam Defensor Santiago and South African drummer Louis Moholo-Moholo. Radical ambitions, realized erratically. B+(**) [bc]

Rich Halley 4: A Distant Land (2025 [2026], Pine Eagle): Tenor saxophonist, from Oregon, has recorded since 1984, but his pace picked up after he hit 65. His usual quartet, with trombone (Michael Vlatkovich), bass (Anadrew Jones), and drums (Carson Halley). Most are terrific, as are the sax leads here. But some stuttering in the flow gives me pause. B+(***) [cd]

Heat On: 150 Swirl (2025 [2026], Cuneiform): Group led by drummer Lily Finnegan, second album, with Edward Wilkerson Jr. (tenor sax and alto/Bb clarinet), Fred Jackson Jr. (alto sax and percussion), and Nick Macri (basses). B+(***) [dl]

Noah Kahan: The Great Divide (2026, Mercury): Singer-songwriter, from Vermont, fourth album since 2019, plays some guitar, co-writes with Gabe Simon (guitars, some keyboards and percussion) and sometimes Aaron Dessner (more of everything). Much longer (96 minutes) than my attention span, at least when listening to this. B+(*) [sp]

Kiwi Jr.: Blowin' Up (2026, Perennial/K): Indie band from Canada, fourth album since 2026. Sounds a bit like Pavement fronted by Jonathan Richman, but if that were the case, wouldn't I be more delighted? B+(**) [sp]

Janel Leppin: The Realist (2024 [2026], Out of Your Head): Cellist, recent albums on Cuneiform have been coming in pairs, this just a trio with Devra Hoff (bass) and Chad Taylor (drums/mbira). Mostly a groove album, but not just. B+(***) [sp]

Roberto Magris Trio: Live in Mexico City (2025 [2026], JMood): New piano trio, released along with four archive tapes as part of his label's 20th anniversary solution (below for the rest). With Roberto Aymes (bass) and Luis Martinez (drums), playing three originals and various standards, opening with a medley of McCoy Tyner and Don Pullen. B+(***) [cd]

Syran Mbenza: Rumba Africa (2025, Hysa Productions): Congo guitarist, b. 1950, based in France since 1981, best known bands are Les Quatre Étoiles and Kékélé, with occasional solo albums since 1980, most recently a fine Franco tribute (2009). Very nice, but hardly exceptional. B+(***) [sp]

Rome Streetz: Sock It 2 My Pocket (2026, Mass Appeal): Rapper Jerome Allen, born in London, moved to New York as an infant, then back and forth. Half-dozen studio albums since 2018, many more collaborations, mixtapes, etc. B+(**) [sp]

Nicolas Souchal/João Madeira/Bruno Parrinha: Parcours D'Impulsions (2025 [2026], 4DaRecord): French trumpet player, has several albums since 2017, with bass and alto sax. Abstract, the horns restrained, but gets somewhere toward the end. B+(*) [dl]

Ross Stanley/Gilad Atzmon/Joel Barford: Organology (2025, Aesthetiko): Some sources take album title as group name, but the individual names are equally prominent on the cover, in the order given: organ, alto sax, drums. British group. Stanley has appeared on many albums since 2006, occasionally on the slug line, rarely listed first. Barford is relatively new. Of course, this comes down to the saxophonist, who is delightful. B+(***) [sp]

This Is Lorelei: The Singer in My Band (2026, Matador): Singer-songwriter Nate Amos, solo side-project aside from the Rachel Brown-fronted Water From Your Eyes. Third album, after lots of EPs and mixtapes. Tuneful, interesting, enough twang for Americana (if not country). I played it three times, and don't doubt it will find followers, but I still don't care. B+(***) [sp]

The Tubs: Hard Life (2026, Merge): Welsh indie band, Owens Williams the singer, also plays guitar, previously from Joanna Gruesome. B+(*) [sp]

Matt Wilson's Good Trouble: Love Is the Whole Thing, We Are Only Pieces (2026, Palmetto): Drummer, own records since 1996, huge number and range of side credits, can play free or any variety of postbop. Second group album, name inspired by Andrew Young, features Jeff Lederer (tenor sax), with alto sax (Tia Fuller or Anisha Rush), Dawn Clement (keyboards/vocals), and Ben Allison (bass). I'm not feeling the vocals, although I can guess at the logic and sentiment behind them. But there's no guessing with Lederer. B+(**) [cd] [09-18]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Herb Geller/Roberto Magris: Come Lately: Archival Recordings 2009 (2009 [2026], JMood): Alto saxophonist (1928-2013), from Los Angeles, his mid-1950s albums were high points in the development of "West Coast Cool Jazz," quit after his wife died in 1958, moving to Brazil then to Europe, where he staged a notable comeback around 1990. His association with the Italian pianist began in 2003, with a live album from 2009 appearing in 2014. Backed by bass and drums, playing standards (one from Geller), familiarity helps, especially the 21:53 "Strayhorn Medley." A− [cd]

Roberto Magris: Live in Hollywood: Archival Recordings 2006 (2006 [2026], JMood): Italian pianist, released an album in 1990, but only found a home when he linked up with this Kansas City-based label, an event they're marking with five "20th anniversary limited editions." The earliest is this live set, with Tony Lakatos (tenor sax), Art Davis (bass), and Alonzo "Scooter" Powell (drums). They all sound terrific here, especially on standards like "St. James Infirmary." Ends with audio liner notes (interesting the first time, but rather long on repeat). A− [cd]

Roberto Magris Europlane Quintet: Broken Barriers: Archival Recordings 2008 (2008 [2026], JMood): The pianist with Tony Lakatos (tenor/soprano sax), Florian Bramböck (alto/soprano sax), Nikola Matosic (bass), and Drago Gajo (drums), recorded in Austria. Again, the saxophone makes all the difference, even though it is, quite literally, less singular this time. A− [cd]

Roberto Magris: Wind Summit: A Kansas City Jazz Session: Archival Recordings 2014 (2014 [2026], JMood): Pianist, with Steven Lambert (flute/clarinet/tenor sax) and Robert Scott Fromm (tenor sax), bass, and drums, plus vocals (Julia Haile) on two tracks (of 7, 6 bebop-era jazz tunes plus 1 Magris original). B+(**) [cd]

Old music:

The 5.6.7.8's: Best Hits of the 5.6.7.8's (1989-2014 [2019], Time Bomb): Japanese garage rock outfit founded 1986, two sisters plus a third woman (on bass, since the early 1990s), first album was called Golden Hits of the 5.6.7.8's (1988), but Early Days Singles collection starts in 1989 (as does their singles discography at Discogs). Evidently, they're still working, with a new album (Run Run Run) out that I can't find, so I thought I'd try this one. Eclectic and trashy, in ways that could be camp but probably aren't. B+(**) [sp]

Chabuca Granda: Tarimba Negra (1978, Pronto): Peruvian singer-songwriter (1920-83), wrote many criolo waltzes, establishing herself as a major figure in Afro-Peruvian music. B+(***) [sp]

Hannibal and the Sunrise Orchestra: Hannibal (1975, MPS): Trumpet player Marvin Peterson (b. 1948), recorded a debut album under that name in 1969, played with Gil Evans in the early 1970s, became Hannibal here, later changing his last name, going as Hannibal Lokumbe, with regular albums through 1995, a couple more later. This is one of his most famed albums, with Michael Cochrane (piano, wrote one song), Diedre Murray (cello), Michael Carvin (drums/percussion), and Chris Hart (percussion). Trumpet is strong throughout, but the rhythm picks up on the second side, with some vocals on "The Voyage" and the 13:46 tribute to Malcolm X. A− [sp]

Thomas Mapfumo & the Acid Band: Hokoyo! (1978, Chimurenga Music): Singer-songwriter from Zimbabwe, b. 1945, created and popularized chimurenga, starting with this debut album, which translates as "watch out," and got him arrested by the Mugabe government. His next decade would be even better. A− [sp]

Nass El Ghiwane: Disque D'Or (1973 [1998], Mélodie): Moroccan Gnawa group, founded 1969, inspired by ancient Sufi poetry, but also introduced modern western instruments like banjo, many albums, at least up to 2007. This was their first album, eponymous on Polydor, where this is one of several reissue titles. B+(***) [sp]

Celestine Ukwu: Igede (1971 [2007], Premier): Nigerian (Igbo) highlife star (1940-77), first album was called True Philosophy, credited to Celestine Ukwu & His Philosophers National, and is reproduced in this reissue, named for the first song. B+(***) [sp]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

  • Rahsaan Barber: Eternal (Jazz City Music) [10-09]
  • Daniel DeLorenzo: Can You Not (self-released) [09-01]
  • Louis Durra: Mood Music (self-released) [07-12]
  • Phil Haynes 2 Horns & What?: Avant Modern/Jazz Now (Corner Store Jazz, 2CD) [10-02]
  • Carla Marciano: Daydreaming: My Beloved Father Giovanni (Challenge) [09-25]
  • Angela O'Neill and the Outrageous 8: A Live Musical Tribute to Peggy Lee (Outrageous 8) [08-21]
  • Julian Davis Reid and Circle of Trust: Mercy We Need (Too Lost) [09-25]
  • Fumi Tomita: Yokai: Songs of the Japanese Supernatural (OA2) [10-16]
  • Jerry Z: Break Allegro (Drawbar) [10-09]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Music Week

September archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 46568 [46539] rated (+29), 25 [23] unrated +2).

Advance Music Week appeared September 11 on Substack as Music Week (9:2). It is also archived here. My cutoff was done before the Substack post, but the introduction is revised.

I figured September as the only breathing room I'm going to get before the Jazz Critics Poll wipes out the end of my year, so I should figure some things out, and get some work done. One thing was to revisit outlining my political book (aka, Something Weird). So I spent a couple days on that, then I remembered I should post some Notes on Everyday Life, so I knocked out my reminders of 2025 A-listed obscurities, for Non-Jazz and Jazz. Then I took another day and compiled some notes on Remembering 9/11.

Good thing I got the latter out a day early, so I didn't get a chance to react against the day's overwhelmingly pathological press. Was this simply a major milestone effect? 25 years, a quarter century, a third of my life, was bound to garner more attention than 23 or 27, although Pearl Harbor Day and D-Day still get major press every year — unlike VE or VJ Day, or the formerly recognized Armistice Day, let alone the more ignominious ends of wars in Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan, or the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. Evidently, victimhood and outrage used as pretexts to start wars are better for militarism than peace (either victorious or not), let alone our own atrocities. (D-Day is slightly different, less focus on sacrifice than on military prowess. Armistice Day was turned into Veterans Day, another celebration of the American war machine.)

I'll probably collect a few Loose Tabs pieces on this, starting with Robert Wright: Always Forget:

But if I were in charge of US foreign policy, the message I'd try to get out is: "Forget! Forget! Forget!" Dwelling on 9/11 is what initiated and helped sustain a disastrous quarter century of American adventurism abroad.

The problem here is that memory is selective, and powerful people with their own militarist agenda are the ones deciding what we should remember. Wright gives two examples of things we might have learned from, but have instead already forgotten: US recruitment of mujahideen like Bin Laden to fight the communists in Afghanistan; and US military bases occupying Saudi Arabia after the 1990 Gulf War. Wright notes: "If the memory of 9/11 had set in motion trains of thought like this, I'd be OK with remembering." Wright's points are well-founded, but the history of American culpability for setting the context in which 9/11 happened goes much deeper. At least by 1953, when the CIA orchestrated a coup in Iran, the US was trying to use Islam as a weapon against "communists." During the 1970s, the US was encouraging Saudi Arabia to export its form of Salafism, even before Iran and Afghanistan became obvious targets. That Iranian clerics who did our bidding in 1953 would turn against against us in 1979 shouldn't have been surprising: we helped them against some of their enemies then, so why should we be surprised when they went on to help themselves? Bin Laden didn't become an American pawn because he wanted to serve Washington. He saw us as a stepping stone toward his own dreams. And why shouldn't he? We certainly had no compunction about using him for our own ends.

I suspect that what the "never forget" crowd wants is not historical memory so much as emotional: they want us to feel the same as we did then, so they can claim our support for their own agenda. Forgetting might thwart their plans. As would remembering it all: the context that led to the events, and more importantly the consequences of indulging those feelings in retaliatory war. While I'd be happy to argue every facet of the history both before and after 9/11, in my piece, I sought a conclusion that depends very little on memory or history:

We cannot allow anything that came before to justify the WTC attack, nor can we allow the WTC attack to justify further attacks on innocent people. The bottom line here is that there is no way that someone like Lucy can be held accountable for any aspect of US or US-backed violence in the Islamic world. Nor should she be cause for further violence.

I'll leave this subject for now, but one I feel like pointing out one fleeting line from the 9/11 post: "Before [1975], I was studying. Later [after 2000], I've been reflecting." I think it was 1974 when I got my first real job, typesetting in St. Louis. I moved back to Wichita, got work, saved some money, moved to New York, and then got a programming job in New Jersey. My career as a software engineer ended in 2000, when SCO laid me off after I had moved back to Wichita. This period was one when I could easily ignore the political world, and I pretty much did. But prospects for a decent jobs in Wichita were slim, and my wife was making enough money for both of us to live on. I thought I might set up some kind of open source software business, possibly involving home automation, possibly websites. Or I could try my hand at writing.

My leftist wife, who got me thinking about politics again (and especially on Palestine, where she was very critical of Isarel), chose the latter option. I'm not sure what I expected to write about, possibly the book I started in the 1990s about engineering and political philosophy? But music was a minor consideration. Michael Tatum and Robert Christgau were mostly responsible for that. It turned out to be a major time sink, but all the while I kept my eyes focused on the unfolding trainwreck of democracy in America. There's nothing much I can do about it, but I do have some fairly well developed thoughts on the subject, even if the articulation is proving difficult. Hence "reflecting" above. The link above, however, is very premature. It's something I should be working on now, instead of this, but everything I do write seems to be pointed in that direction.

Back to this, two quick notes on the music below:

  1. Three albums below haven't been released yet (Kris Davis, Jason Kao Hwang, and Bill Scorzari). The release dates are noted, as I've always done. I mention them here because I excluded them from the Substack "advance" Music Week. I'm including them here, because I don't want to keep track of deferrals. (I tried that years ago, and it's more trouble than it's worth.)

  2. The two old Brazilian classics were the first two unheard albums I checked out from from Brad Luen's 77 favorite albums of the seventies (actually four posts, including his That Seventies list: A debrief. While his Anglophone albums are well known to me (aside from some compilations where I have others), his world music picks are mostly unknown to me, at least in the period album format he mostly picked (it's harder to tell how much overlap my later compilations provide). I'm working on a checklist, which will give me a better handle on what's there (and what's not).

I'm near the end of Acemoglu & Robinson's Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty. One thing that's missing from the book is a serious discussion of power, but there are hints of the truism that "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." I had other plans, but might just move on to Acemoglu's latest book, What Happened to Liberal Democracy? I have my theories, and they're not quite his, but his encyclopedic grasp of history is good food for thought.

New records reviewed this week:

Nicki Adams and Michael Eaton Featuring Francisco Mela: Arrival (2024 [2026], J-man): Pianist, from Arizona, based in Brooklyn, has a previous duo album with Patrick Adams (trumpet, probably related), and a couple albums with saxophonist Eaton (tenor/soprano). Modern postbop, originals by Adams (2) and Eaton (3), with covers of Cole Porter, Andrew Hill, Wayne Shorter, and Thom Yorke. The drummer just makes the others sound better. B+(***) [cd]

Amyl and the Sniffers: Truth or Consequence: Live From El Coyote (2025 [2026], Rough Trade): Australian post-punk group, three good albums since 2019, but not like I remember songs and such. Sounds a bit flat, takes a while to get in gear, typical of live rock albums. B+(*) [sp]

Towa Bird: Gentleman (2026, Interscope): British singer-songwriter Victoria Vergara-Bird, born in Hong Kong (parents British and Filipino), grew up in Thailand and London, second album. Mostly upbeat dance numbers, as it should be, but even the pace changers sneak up on you. Discogs had this on 2025, which had me wondering how such a major label album could have escaped notice, but other sources say 2026, and the artist website is promising to ship vinyl in September. A− [sp]

Bitchin Bajas: Isle Peaks (2026, Drag City, EP): Chicago band led by Cooper Crain, who also plays guitar/organ in alt-rock band Cave, with Dan Quinlivan and Rob Frye. Discogs lists 21 albums since 2010, with this 2 song, 26:03 remix from the Inland See sessions counted among 7 EPs. First track is minimalist groove with extra sauce. Second is ambient with extra shimmer. B+(**) [sp]

Liz Cracchiolo: Just a Girl I'm a Woman (2025 [2026], Pacific Coast Jazz): Jazz singer, standards, loosely speaking ("These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," "Tainted Love"). Benny Benack (trumpet/vocals) joins in, with Erica von Kleist on alto sax/flute, and various others. B+(**) [cd] [09-18]

The Kris Davis Trio: Lost in Geneva (2025 [2026], 4166): Covers continues: "featuring Robert Hurst & Johnathan Blake" (bass and drums). She's a superb pianist, with albums back to 2004, including one poll winner. I'm not much of a piano trio fan, so I usually need a horn to put an album over (Tony Malaby was prominent on her early albums). Still, this one holds up remarkably well. A− [cd] [09-25]

Michael Dease: City Life: Music of Greg Hill (2024 [2025], Origin): Trombonist, meany albums since Dease Bones in 2007, including two previous albums of Hill's Compositions. This one is extended to 19 songs, 108 minutes, with two originals, two J.J. Johnson tunes, and one each from Sharel Cassity, Gregory Tardy, and Emily Remler, with Hill producing. Trio first set with Linda May Han Oh (bass) and Jeffrey "Tain" Watts (drums), with vocals on two tracks; second set adds Geoff Keezer (piano) and Nicole Glover (tenor sax). B+(***) [sp]

Julia Holter: Materia (2026, Domino): Art pop singer-songwriter, self-released albums start in 2007, got some attention on RVNG in 2012 and more on Domino since 2013. Nice enough, but she's never clicked for me. B [sp]

Ray Wylie Hubbard: Reel 2 Reel 4 Real (2026, Soundly Music): Country singer-songwriter, from Oklahoma but gravitating toward Texas (not Nashville), had a band in the 1970s called the Cowboy Twinkies. I never paid him much heed until he co-wrote a song for Hayes Carll's 2008 album, then liked it enough to cover it on his 2010 album — the first one that caught my ear, but they've been all aces since. A− [sp]

Jason Kao Hwang/Human Rites Trio: Second Life (2024 [2026], Flying Panda Music): Violinist, from near Chicago, has a couple early albums c. 1990, picked up the pace around 2005, becoming my automatic poll pick after Billy Bang died. What both have in common is their ability to turn violin into a distinctive lead jazz instrument (as opposed to those who used it to swing with guitar leads, or to import from classical). Trio with Ken Filiano (bass) and Andrew Drury (percussion), follows an eponymous 2019 group album, distilling his art into its purest form. A− [cd] [10-01]

Braxton Keith: Real Damn Deal (2026, Warner Nashville): Country singer, from Midland TX, first album, co-wrote most of his songs, pretty trad sounding. Seems likely to do well in Nashville. B+(*) [sp]

The Necks: Disquiet (2025, Northern Spy, 3CD): Australian keyboards (Chris Abrahams), bass (Lloyd Swanton), and drums (Tony Buck) trio, several dozen albums since 1989, have developed a crossover following which gets them taken seriously as jazz and beyond. I resisted playing this due to sheer length (4 pieces, 179:28), but with some writing to do, I figured this wouldn't require much attention. It doesn't, although the first 15 minutes were pretty seductive, and I had to struggle to get back to work. B+(**) [bc]

Carly Pearce: Honest Woman (2026, Stoney Creek): Country singer-songwriter, from Kentucky, fifth album since 2017, another good batch of songs. B+(***) [sp]

Queen Herewin & PA. Dre: DOTOM: Death of the Old Me (2026, Matic): New York rapper, third album after a 2015 debut and last year's return, with a producer I can find nothing on. Draws on a lot of guest rappers, but she's probably sharper than they are. B+(**) [sp]

Rapsody: God Gotta Afro & Gold Hoops (2026, We Each Other/Roc Nation): Rapper Marianna Evans, from North Carolina, fifth album since 2012, 43 now, moving boldly into a new phase of life. Extended meditations on blackness, the African group Karabo Ya Morena powering some cuts, another tune with George Clinton expressing "Love to Sun Ra." Pretty deep. A− [sp]

Jim Rotondi & Dena DeRose: Out of the Past (2024 [2026], Cellar): Mainstream trumpet player, from Montana, debut 1997, a regular in One for All (18 albums 1997-2024), recorded this in Austria two weeks before his sudden death at 61, with the pianist-vocalist (she sings 5 of 8 songs), bass (Danny Ziemann), and drums (Mario Gonzi). B+(*) [sp]

Bill Scorzari: Sidereal Days (Day 2) (2022-24 [2026], self-released): New York City attorney, originally from Kansas, decided to try out as a singer-songwriter around 2015, his productivity and skills picking up after retiring from his day job. Second batch of songs saved over from the sessions that produced his 2025 Sidereal Days (Day 1). His scratchy voice is approaching Tom Waits territory, but he's made good use of a chorus. The electric guitar has depth and resonance. The pace is moderate: no need to outrun the songs, which are deeper than ever. "And my mind's inclined to fix on only things I truly need." A [cd] [09-25]

Co Streiff/Russ Johnson Quartet: Oracle (2023 [2026], Intakt): Swiss alto saxophonist, scattered credits back to 1984, but not a lot under her own name (two Sextet albums, a duo with Irène Schweizer, and a 2011 Quartet with Johnson, a Brooklyn-based trumpet player, also in her Sextet). With Christian Weber (bass) and Gerry Hemingway (drums). B+(***) [sp]

Trevor Watts/John Edwards/Tollef Østvang: In the Know (2024 [2026], Motvind): Alto/soprano saxophonist, one of the founders of the British avant-garde (Spontaneous Music Ensemble, Amalgam, LJCO), which made him just shy of 85 when this was recorded: one 37:21 improv, with bass and drums. He's in terrific form here. A− [bc]

Brennan Wedl: Brennan Wedl (2026, Anti-): Singer-songwriter from Minneapolis, based in Nashville, played guitar and sang in the group Dazey and the Scouts (one album, 2017). First solo album, after a 2019 EP and several singles. "Will you still want me when the crazy comes out?" B+(***) [sp]

Charlie Worsham: Once Upon a Second Time Around (2026, ONErpm): Country singer-songwriter, self-described Marty Stuart disciple, from Mississippi to Berklee to Nashville, third album, after two 2013-17 Warners albums. Since then, he's been a journeyman guitarist, but seems to have picked up some tricks, and considerable trad feel. B+(***) [sp]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Irène Schweizer: Piano Solo: Prelude to a Kiss and More (1986 [2026], Intakt): Swiss avant-pianist (1941-2024), is best known for her duo albums with free jazz drummers, but is a powerful solo performer — as at least eight previous solo albums attest. B+(***) [sp]

Sittin' With Blaze: A Tribute to Blaze Foley (2026, Lost Art): Texas country legend (1949-89), released few singles and a so-so album in 1984, but since his death numerous scraps have come out, as well as tributes — Gurf Morlix's Blaze Foley's 113th Wet Dream (2011) is probably the best. This batch of pretty good songs from the mid-1970s appeared in 2010. They get new singers with better voices here, including Lucinda Williams, John Moreland, Lucy Dacus, Phosphorescent, and others I'm less familiar with. B+(***) [sp]

Old music:

Nicki Adams & Michael Eaton: Paraphrase (2021 [2022], SteepleCase LookOut): Piano and tenor sax duo, their first album, Adams had a previous duo album with trumpet, Eaton a couple previous albums to 2014. Originals by Adams (1) and Eaton (3), plus covers of Shorter, Monk, Coltrane, and Tim Hagans. While I didn't notice the drummer on the new one, I miss him here. B+(**) [sp]

Cátia De França: 20 Palavras Ao Redor Do Sol (1979, Epic): Brazilian singer-songwriter, from Paraiba in the Northeast, first album, of eight through 2024. Rhythm is strong, bits of accordion and violin add a distinctive texture. A− [sp]

Blaze Foley: Sittin' by the Road (mid-1970s [2010], Lost Art): Twelve demo songs, dates uncertain, raw material for the Sittin' With Blaze various artists tribute. Songs are true enough. Not a very magnetic singer. B+(**) [bc]

Blaze Foley and the Beaver Valley Boys: Cold, Cold World (1979-80 [2006], Lost Art): "First Texas studio recordings," with a band that included drummer Gurf Morlix. Repeats "Big Cheeseburgers & Good French Fries," possibly others. Voice is a bit more settled, and the band adds a little swing. His cult is such that they've scraped together quite a few posthumous releases (8 in my database, 5 heard so far). This is as enjoyable as any I've heard. B+(***) [bc]

Blaze Foley: Live at the Austin Outhouse (1988 [1999], Lost Art): Live set, "recorded over two nights in 1988 just days before his tragic murder" at 39, so repeats several early songs. B+(*) [bc]

Novos Baianos: Acabou Chorare (1972, Som Livre): Brazilian group, from Salvador — Bahia, in the northeast, home of forró, although experts say "samba rock" or "tropicalia." Second album (of 8 from 1970-78), tabbed by Rolling Stone Brasil in 2007 as tops among the "100 greatest Brazilian music records." Not much I've heard (or remember) on that list, but this is not just nice but pretty great. A− [sp]

Queen Herawin: Metamorphosis (2015, Matic Entertainment): New York rapper Peridot Smith, cover identifies her as "of the Juggaknots," a group with siblings Paul Smith (Breeze Brewin) and Kevin Smith (Buddy Slim) that released two albums (1996, 2006). Runs noisy, but as one song points out, "there's a method to this madness." B+(***) [bc]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

  • Ran Blake: Voices (Tzadik) [06-18]
  • Andrea Brachfield: A Holiday Celebration of Light (Pacific Coast Jazz) [11-13]
  • Alain Bradette: To My Loved Ones (Quantum Gravity) [06-16]
  • Alexis Cole: Taking My Seat: A Musical Inheritance (Tiger Turn) [11-09]
  • Azar Lawrence: Turn the Music Up (Trazar) [09-15]
  • Takashi Matsunaga: Ride Five (Ride Five) [07-06]
  • Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra: Royalty: The Music of Duke Ellington & Count Basie (T2 Music) [08-07]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Saturday, September 5, 2026

Music Week

September archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 46539 [46502] rated (+37), 23 [19] unrated +4).

Advance Music Week appeared September 4 on Substack as Music Week (9:1). It is also archived here. My cutoff was done before the Substack post, but the introduction is revised/rewritten.

I opened the Substack post as follows:

This week's music doesn't need much of an introduction, and I don't dare reopen the various cans of worms from last week's brain dump. But I should note that what I described as a "very minor facelift" to the Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll website is done now (or at least presentable). I doubt that what I've come up with quite qualifies as "modern website design" (minimal graphics, no dynamic adjustments for phones, no javascript or cookies, no links to like on Facebook, or much of anything else today's hip designers fancy), but the available information is presented reasonably.

Still more to do there: I've set up skeletal files on Francis Davis and myself, which should be expanded. Also, some essays are missing, and the ballot framework for the early polls is inconsistent with the later polls. But it's a minimal first step, which can be incrementally improved short of a major redesign. I'm not ruling out such a redesign, but I'll need to send out ballot invites in two months, which doesn't leave a lot of time.

I'm continuing to have a lot of trouble with Yahoo Mail. I'm still a long ways from solving the problems. The current status is that I can read email only through their webmail page, which is awful. The net effect is that I delete most of the mail I receive there without looking at anything but the sender and subject line. I do have an alternate address that I can use, but I'm not ready to publicize it yet.

I'll write more when I post full Music Week, probably tomorrow.

My prediction that it would take another day proved right. We watched another of the Danish "Department Q" movies last night, A Conspiracy of Faith (2016). Qualifies for the "thriller" category as well as anything I've seen lately — a genre we watch often, but not an attribute I particularly enjoy. My main complaint is with the people who can't accept disbelief in religion at face value, and insist that caring about anything signifies tacit belief in "something bigger than oneself." (We do watch a lot of police/crime shows, which may or may not be "thrillers." I seem to have a soft spot for detectives who are super smart and highly principled, not that I assume there are common in reality.) I didn't feel up to writing after that, so worked a bit on the jigsaw puzzle, then went to bed.

It looks like the only way I can salvage my email account is to reconfigure Thunderbird to use IMAP. This shouldn't be terribly difficult, but leaves open the question of how to sort out the 12000 email messages I have kept in my inbox, as well as thousands of sent emails I've retained. I'll work on that this week. I'm also likely to set up a new email address, and start steering people toward using it. I've had several "heart to heart" discussions with Google AI on this matter, and it at least is convinced that hosting my own address is the best solution. The thing I worry most about there is that major providers will classify messages from my server as spam. But I guess they do that anyway. I figure I can take the week to sort this out. It absolutely has to be done before the poll kicks up, but that's another month or two.

I should note that I did a database update to the Robert Christgau website. Not sure when the last one was, but probably close to a year ago. Christgau does want everything to eventually be free on his website, but he has directed that I impose a 9-month embargo on new Consumer Guide reviews, and a 30-day embargo on other new Substack And It Don't Stop posts. While I respect that, it doesn't give me a lot of motivation to keep the database in sync, so I've tended to let things slip. While there once was a time when I could be called a "self-starter," that no longer seems to be the case. I'm still happy to work on things, but a little nagging may be needed to get me in gear.

I still want to do a 2.0 version of the Christgau website, as my thinking about what it should entail continues to evolve. I need to write a proper design document, but I see a few needs, as well as a few opportunities. Higher priority items up top (off the top of my mind, while I'm in the mood):

  1. Update the PHP code to current standards, including objects for page layout and database abstraction. (Originally written in PHP 3, with intermittent fixes as they've broken old code, on the way to PHP 8.)
  2. Update all pages to HTML5. (Originally 3.01 Transitional. Newer pages are OK, but lots of pages still have old fromatting.)
  3. Convert character set from ISO-8859-1 to UTF-8.
  4. Modernize page layout, including viewport fix and dynamic style support for viewing on phones.
  5. Change directory indexing to use database. Allow for virtual directories. Not sure exactly what the structure here would be, but it is probably comparable to Categories in WordPress.
  6. Add a keyword database and indexing.
  7. Add header metadata, possibly for SEO. (I'm less concerned about SEO than indexing, but these are related.)
  8. Review the album-artist-label schema, possibly adding optional artist/label fields to album for odd cases. This also concerns the alias table. (I'll give you an example here: searching for Peter Stampfel or Neil Young should give you all of the expected albums, but not necessarily all of the albums get_album2 returns.)
  9. Closer integration with Substack, which could, for example, allow paid subscribers to see embargoed reviews on the website.
  10. Better technical documentation on all aspects of website design and maintenance.

One thing to note at this point is that we have a lot of data (2897 .php files; 18402 albums in the database), so while the programming I suggest above isn't trivial, most of the work is going to be munging data. So one thing I don't anticipate doing is moving the pages into a database. That might have been a good idea early on, but it would be a lot of unnecessary work now, and would make fixes and updates harder to do.

I also don't plan on building an administrative structure — I actually started doing that in 2002, but it turned out to be easier for me to maintain the site with conventional tools than with a user interface, and Christgau actually had very little desire to manage it himself. That could still be done as a later project, and a better data model could help, so it's something I will keep in mind. Of course, I could save some of that work by migrating to a CMS like WordPress. I've done that on smaller sites, and it's good up to a point. I will probably use it to build a Francis Davis website, but it's not worth contemplating here.

As I said, that list is just off the top of my head. While writing it up, I thought of another dozen possible developments, but they're not necessary, and could kill a project that's having trouble getting off the ground. Part of the reason I was reminded of this is that I got a question about why I never organized my reviews as usefully as the Christgau website. I tried to answer that there, but rather than just making excuses (including why the Christgau website code doesn't quite work for me), I speculate a bit on possible fixes. I might add that while I'm frustrated that my writing projects aren't going anywhere, I'm starting to feel better about my tech work. Sure, email is a major setback, but I'm finding it easier than ever to research problems and come up with solutions.

And I'm just dabbling here and there. Along with the database update, I slipped in a minor code change to a function which formats grades (at least when pulled from the database) so that A- is now A−, and *** is now ★★★. Joe Levy had complained about not being able to tell whether *** grades were really bold on Substack, so I suggested the alternative coding, then realized it would be easy to demonstrate it. I asked for comments, and got none, so so far it's stuck.

I was going to write something here about writing projects, but this is already way past long, and judging from the Substack stats on last week's More Intro Ideas, you probably don't want to read about that anyway.

The music haul seemed pretty thin on Wednesday, when I considered running this. I did managed to scrounge up more late in the week, largely thanks to Christian Iszchak, Phil Overeem and Steve Pick. I'm also getting into Brad Luen's 77 favorite albums of the Seventies, which is long on Brazilian and African albums I haven't heard. Among the high-B+ records, Czarface and Echo Party came closest.

I expect things to pick up in September, but I doubt it will all be good news.

New records reviewed this week:

Agriculture: The Spiritual Sound (2025, The Flenser): Black metal (blackgaze) band from Los Angeles, second album, holds the dubious distinction of being the highest-rated unheard album in my 2025 EOY Aggregate, so I don't expect much. As metal goes, this has its tolerable moments. But as metal goes, I don't much care. B [sp]

Willow Avalon: Pink Pocket Pistol (2026, Assemble Sound/Atlantic): Country singer-songwriter, last name Martin, from Georgia, second album, first was called Southern Belle Raising Hell. Voice seems weak, but comes up with several interesting songs, including one about disposing of a dead husband. B+(**) [sp]

Erykah Badu & the Alchemist: Before the World Blows (2026, Control Freaq/Young): Neo-soul singer-songwriter, five hit albums 1997-2010, mixtape in 2015, returns with hip-hop producer Alan Maman. Not much of a departure until late, when the rappers (Westside Gunn, Earl Sweatshirt) and Kamasi Washington appear. B+(*) [sp]

Kimmi Bitter: Bittersweet (2026, self-released): Country singer-songwriter, second album, "produced and co-written by throwback wizard Michael Gurley," loves 1960s countrypolitan, even the strings, but also mixes in some steel and surf guitar, harmonica or Tijuana brass. Doesn't quite hold my attention to the end, but opens with a near-perfect Pasty Cline impression, followed by one that tops Marty Robbins. B+(***) [sp]

Christer Bothén/Oren Ambarchi/Johan Berthling/Andreas Werliin: Serpentine (2023 [2026], Black Truffle): The leader, 82 at the time, plays bass clarinet and donso n'goni, accompanied by guitar, bass, and drums. Shades into ambient. B+(**) [sp]

Geof Bradfield/Myra Melford/Ben Goldberg/Dana Hall: Open or Close (2025 [2026], Calligram): Tenor/soprano saxophonist (also bass clarinet), based in Chicago, albums since 2001, ranges mainstream to free, has recorded with Goldberg (clarinets) and Hall (drums) before, but the pianist (connected through Goldberg) is the major addition here. A− [cd]

Greg Chako: Hard Bop for the Record (2026, Mint400): Guitarist, Discogs lists 9 albums, starting in 1996. All originals, quintet with Brooks Giles (tenor/soprano sax), Spencer Merk (trombone), bass, and drums, recorded in Cincinnati. More what I'd consider postbop. B [cd]

Rasheed Chappell: No Era for Margins (2026, Perfect Time): New York rapper, debut 2011, regular albums since 2019, solid and steady through rough waters. B+(**) [sp]

Corook: How Do I Relate to You? (2026, Atlantic, EP): Singer-songwriter, writes and sings odd but catchy ditties, has an album, some EPs, a Best of Coroook (So Far) where may be the first one in rock history where the "(So Far)" didn't turn into a tombstone. Six songs, 17:43. B+(**) [sp]

Zaccai Curtis: Sonoluminescence Vol. 1 (2026, TRRCollective): Pianist, born in New York City, has several albums since 2000, some as Curtis Brothers Band with brother Luques Curtis (bass, 4 tracks here, the other 4 with Mike Boone). Plays some electric here, and takes a vocal. With Joe Dyson (drums, Craig Handy (strong tenor sax, some flute), Brevan Hampden (congas & percussion), and a couple of guest spots. B+(***) [sp]

Czarface/Frankie Pulitzer: Czarface Meets Frankie Pulitzer (2026, Silver Age): Hip-hop duo of 7L and Esoteric, from Boston, started 2001, recorded their superhero comic spoof Czarface in 2013 with Inspectah Deck (from Wu-Tang Clan) and kept the trio going for another dozen albums, with occasional guests (most notably MF Doom). Pulitzer is an English rapper, long-time Wu-Tang fan, jiu-jitsu master, and actor, better known as Tom Hardy — although he has a long list of movie credits, I recall him mostly from intense roles in the TV series Taboo and Peaky Blinders. I've always loved the mix, and try not to sweat the lyrics, although I did jot down, "I don't even take a pee without monetizing the streams." Doesn't that suggest some level of celebrity behind the masks? B+(***) [sp]

Echo Party: Who Does Not Seek the Sky? (2025 [2026], Mahakala Music): Quintet, recorded in Memphis, last names on the cover: Chad Fowler (flute/stritch), Art Edmaiston (tenor/soprano sax), Alex Greene (keyboards), Khari Wynn (bass), Steve Hirsh (drums). Edmaiston has a lot of studio work, mostly on blues albums, but this is kaleidoscopic free jazz, even more so than his earlier album with Fowler this year. B+(***) [bc]

Fatboi Sharif & Elucid: Invasion Body Camera (2026, Fused Arrow, EP): Rapper from NJ, several albums since 2021, along with a rapper/producer from Queens, a member of Armand Hammer. One track, 11:50. B+(*) [sp]

Fatboi Sharif & Child Actor: Crayola Circles (2026, Backwoodz Studioz): NJ rapper with producer Max Heath. Longer, even slower. B [sp]

Fatboi Sharif & Roper Williams: Goth Girl on the Enterprise (2025, POW/Fused Arrow, EP): NJ rapper, slo-mo aiming at horror show creepy, with producer, several previous releases together. 8 songs, 12:35. B [bc]

FLO: Therapy at the Club (2026, EMI): British neo-soul vocal trio (Stella Quaresma, Jorja Douglas, Renée Downer), second album after a couple of EPs, both UK hits, barely charted in US. Pretty upbeat. B+(***) [sp]

Sullivan Fortner: Leave That in There (2026, Artwork): Pianist, from New Orleans, seems like he's only recently emerged as a major player, but his debut was 2015, on Verve, and Discogs lists 78 performance credits since 2005 (he's 39). Trio with Tyrone Allen II (bass) and Kayvon Gordon (drums). Impresses first with clever rhythms. Winds up for some reason on organ, with some chorus. A talent, for sure, but never quite connects for me. B+(**) [sp]

Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin: Second Attempt (2026, Libra): The third of five big band albums coming out in quick succession this year, the first an older tape from 2014, this like the second from earlier this year. Starts a bit slow, but finishes with a strong vocal eruption. B+(***) [cd]

Eric Harland: Vipassana II (2026, Ropeadope): Drummer, lots of side credits since 2002, his own albums mostly credited to Eric Harland Voyager, including Vipassana (2014), but this just under his own name. Some fusion — keyboards, guitar, bass — but the percussion (Keita Ogawa as well as Harland) is fancier, and Ben Wendel plays some tenor sax. B+(*) [sp]

Stefon Harris + Blackout: Legacy Dances (2024 [2026], Motéma): Vibraphonist, debut on Blue Note 1998, three previous group albums from 2004, cover here says "feat. Casey Benjamin," the saxophonist (alto/soprano) and vocalist who died shortly after this was recorded. Opens with a "What a Wonderful World," and closes with a spoken word piece called "We Are an African People." Both seem a bit off. B [sp]

Inpatient: Asylum (2026, Sick Boi/EighthHD): Joint project of rappers Ren Gill and Chris Webby with producer JP On Da Track. Ren seems to have more medical/mental history than discography, but has two good albums that I've heard; from Connecticut, Webby (Webster) has an analogous history, and an edge in mixtapes, and a freestyle flow that draws on Eminem. Producer has worked with Mike., as well as Webby. First couple tracks reminded me of Manu Chao for the ease with which they straddle genres, but they don't settle there, or anywhere else, and get heavier. Grim medicine: "gotta crack some eggs to make this muiltimillion dollar omelet. . . . for the science to prevail, gotta live with the losses." Or "don't forget to medicate; it's a sick sick sick world, but I feel great." Or "nothing left that we could say, 'cause it looks like we're fucked either way." A− [sp]

L'Rain: Fata Morgana (2026, Mexican Summer): Singer-songwriter Taja Cheek, from Brooklyn, fourth album since 2017, usually described as experimental pop or neo-psychedelia, neither of which is much of a description. Sounds more ambient to me, but I'm probably missing something. Title refers to a kind of mirage. B [sp]

Frank London/Loisada Fife & Drum Corps: Touzle Your Kurchy (2026, Adhyâropa): Trumpet player, has played in Klezmer groups like Hasidic New Wave and the Klezmatics as well as in jazz. Fife & drum music has long been associated with the military, especially around the time of the US Revolutionary War, although they also bear some resemblance to New Orleans funeral marches (where a little brass is always welcome). A throwback, and sort of a novelty. B+(**) [sp]

Mama's Broke: Reunion (2026, Free Dirt): Folk duo from Nova Scotia, Amy Lou Keeler and Lisa Maria, third album since 2017, a little down and out. B+(*) [sp]

Ami Molinelli: Raízes Do Choro E Samba (2026, Amimo): Brazilian "roots" music, from a San Francisco-based percussionist. Sounds very classic, with several nice vocals. B+(***) [cd]

Orquesta Akokán: América! (2026, Daptone): Cuban-American mambo band, fourth album since 2018. The problem with retro is that unless you're really sharp on the details, it can just sound old. B+(*) [sp]

Nino Paid: Somewhere Over the Rainbow (2026, Signal/Columbia): Rapper Jacquan Andrews, from the DC suburbs in Maryland, third album. Understated gangsta, not the worst option. B+(**) [sp]

Sarah Pillow: Wanderer (2026, Buckyball): Jazz singer, three albums (1997-2003), some standards but also draws on the vocalese practice of writing lyrics to jazz themes, and adds some of her own (Mingus most prominently). Band includes Donny McCaslin (tenor sax) and Dave Kikoski (piano). Good take on "Nature Boy." B+(***) [cd] [10-05]

Punkt.Vrt.Plastik: Kompress (2026, Intakt): Trio of Kaja Draksler (piano), Petter Eldh (bass), and Christian Lillinger (drums), fourth group album since 2016, merges words from their three languages, squeezing out the space meant to signify their increasing tightness. B+(**) [sp]

Quagmire & Christer Bothén: Rörane (2026, Relative Pitch): The former is a Swedish trio of Nina De Heney (bass), Karin Johansson (piano, some prepared, and zither), and Kenrik Wartel (drums), joined by the 85-year-old clarinetist (on bass and contrabass). B+(**) [sp]

Andrew Sa: American Rough (2026, Bloodshot): Singer-songwriter, based in Chicago, "courageously subverts the heteronormative traditions of country music," where "country" is some kind of merger of Patsy Cline and Roy Orbison. B+(*) [sp]

Sweet Pill: There's Still a Glow (2026, Hopeless): Philadelphia-based emo band, Zayna Youssef the singer, Jayce williams (guitar) also continuous from the band's 2018 founding. Second album, following a 2022 debut and a 2019 EP. B+(*) [sp]

Ayumi Tanaka/Thomas Morgan/Thomas Strønen: Windflower (2025 [2026], ECM): Japanese pianist, based in Norway since 2011 (when she was 25), has several albums since 2016, this a trio with bass and drums. B+(**) [sp]

Saul Williams: Leap Life (2026, Big Dada): Poet, spoken word artist, was featured in the 1998 film Slam, has recorded albums since 2001, including collaborations with musicians like Trent Reznor, DJ Krust, David Murray, and Carlos Niño. He's never quite grabbed me (unlike Anthony Joseph, or Gil Scott-Heron), and this seems to meander much. B+(**) [sp]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

The Cramps: Gravest Gravy (1977 [2026], Vengeance): One of the lesser bands to inhabit the CBGB's scene in mid-1970s New York City, I must have seen them 3-5 times, always opening for other groups, usually with Robert Christgau, who didn't think much of them. I wasn't much impressed either, but they finally made a record (Songs the Lord Taught Us) in 1980, and kept at it until singer Lux Interior (Erick Lee Purkhiser) died in 2009. His partner was guitarist Poison Ivy [Rorschach] (Kristy Wallace), who co-wrote the songs but didn't sing much. These were leftovers from the Alex Chilton-produced EP Gravest Hits, 5 originals and 7 covers (most obviously "Hungry" and "Rocket in My Pocket"). Unlike other CBGB's bands, they never sounded like the future. But nearly 50 years later, they're safely retro. They even have a genre tag: psychobilly. B+(**) [sp]

Junglist! Old Skool Ragga, D&B, Jungle 1993-95 (1993-95 [2026], Soul Jazz): I'm more familiar with ragga, which seemed to be the logical progression as the dance grooves of reggae, hardened and intensified through dub, dancehall, and dubstep, with ragga itself transitional to the more UK-dominant forms of jungle, drum and bass and grime. This catches a fairly narrow moment, and never lets up. A− [sp]

Old music:

The Rough Guide to Bachata (1993-2005 [2009], World Music Network): A genre of popular dance music from the Dominican Republic, started in the 1960s in the impoverished countryside, so less classy than the nationalized merengue, a distinction that escapes me — especially as what little I know has come from other Rough Guides: Merengue, Merengue Dance, and Merengue and Bachata. B+(***) [sp]

Rumble in the Jungle (1991-95 [2007], Soul Jazz): Earlier compilation of the UK jungle scene, captures the intensity of the beats as they drive out the sheer humanity of classic reggae. B+(***) [sp]

Grade (or other) changes:

Barcelona Art Orchestra & Miguel Zenón: Expressions: Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra (2025 [2026], Miel Music): Barcelona-based group, has at least one previous album, led by Néstor Giménez (piano), Lluc Casares (tenor sax), Joan Vidal (drums), and Lluis Vidal (piano), each composing a section here, featuring the alto saxophonist. The strings not really my thing, but the extra play helped. [was: B+(*)]: B+(**) [cd]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

  • Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya: Kore Kara (Libra) [10-02]
  • Rich Halley: A Distant Land (Pine Eagle) [09-11]
  • Herb Geller/Roberto Magris: Come Lately: Archival Recordings 2009 (JMood) [09-01]
  • Roberto Magris: Live in Hollywood: Archival Recordings 2006 (JMood) [09-01]
  • Roberto Magris Europlane Quintet: Broken Barriers: Archival Recordings 2008 (JMood) [09-01]
  • Roberto Magris/Wind Summit: A Kansas City Jazz Session: Archival Recordings 2014 (JMood) [09-01]
  • Roberto Magris Trio: Live in Mexico City (JMood) [09-01]
  • Polyfillas: An Assortment of Punk Originals (Dangerous) [09-04]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Sunday, August 30, 2026

Music Week

August archive (final).

Music: Current count 46502 [46464] rated (+38), 19 [16] unrated +3).

Advance Music Week appeared August 29 on Substack as Music Week (8:4). It is also archived here. Look in either of those places for the original introduction. I tried to keep it on subject, but in my haste, I sent it out with formatting errors and without an album cover gallery that I actually commented on. At this point I feel like writing a completely different introduction. You can figure out what's going on with the albums below. I've got other shit on my mind, more personal and more troubling, so let's go. Only saving grace is the knowledge that I need to wrap this up tonight, so I can start a new week tomorrow.

OK, that didn't work. Laura wanted to watch a movie, and picked the second of the Danish "Department Q" movies, The Absent One, from 2014. We watched the first one, The Keeper of Lost Causes (2013) a few weeks back, and the story there was familiar from the British Dept. Q (first season 2025, on Netflix; evidently there will be more). Anyhow, that kept me from writing and posting last night. I'm not sure I had anything to say, anyway. Or maybe I have too much to say, but I'm embarrassed at how little of it results in anything useful.

Some time ago, I had the thought that when I give up on the world, I'll switch from reading nonfiction to fiction. Or maybe I should just watch movies? I realize that fiction is a valid, and in some ways even superior, path to learning about the world. What reading it lacks is a sense of direction. When I pick up a nonfiction book, it's usually because I have a specific set of questions, derived from some kind of research project. And I have tons of projects. I worry, though, that none will ever come to fruition, as I'm tempted to turn them over in my head endlessly.

Still, what's bothering me is less the endlessness of the writing projects than the one project that I'm actually likely to force myself to complete: the 21st Annual Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll. While I don't need to do much on this until November, and that may well be the easy way out, I've never been more conscious of how much time it will take, what the demands will be, the wear and tear, and how much more I could have done to prepare in the past. I keep telling myself that this will be my last one, but that just makes the task heavier. Could we turn it into some kind of self-perpetuating institution? I have lots of ideas on that, fewer skills, and no fucking idea how to proceed.

Well, I do have some ideas. I always have fucking ideas — just too many of them. I'll start to sketch some of them out in the next month or so, initially on my jpadmin email list, then as things shape up (assuming they do), on my other lists (jazzpoll is for voters, jpmedia was initially for publicists, but I'll probably open it up for anyone who wants updates). One thing that's fairly urgent is that I need to figure out my email situation. Yahoo still sucks, but it's working today, at least so far. Beyond that, I need to review the voter list, and try to figure out who to add, who to drop, and how to best communicate with them. Then there's the website. I can always hack another year onto the current framework, where each new year is cloned from the last, and hitched to the end like a caboose. But the very minor facelift I started a month ago is still far from complete, and I still haven't incorporated several of the files Francis Davis sent me before his death, let alone filled in the rest of the holes.

One bit of prep here would be to write a piece on the DownBeat critics poll, which came out in their August issue, just before our own poll got wrapped up in July. I still haven't looked at it, but I can refer back to my own ballot. The thing I'm most interested in is the list of voting critics. I'll try to get that done in the next week or two. Another newsletter piece I've been thinking about is a list of albums that made my non-jazz A-list in 2025 that went unreviewed by Robert Christgau. I wanted to do this after his Dean's List appeared belatedly (May 7). As I recall, mostly underground hip-hop and country: 2025 was a banner year for the former, and pretty good for the latter. Perhaps it seems too late, but most end-of-year lists are way too early. One of my complaints about DownBeat's polls is that they roll the album boundaries up to the moment of voting instead of taking advantage to reflect on the previous year — April for critics and August for readers seems about right to me.

Of course, there are many more things I'd like to write about that don't involve music. The August 27 Loose Tabs, which has since expanded to more than 22k words, not counting my summary, has lots of ideas that could be developed. I mention one there that I even have a title for: "Is It Possible to Negotiate a Gentler Genocide?" I've written much of that before, but I've never quite broached the idea that it might be better for Palestinians just to leave their homeland. Neither side wants to hear this, and Trump is unable to hear or act — although, oddly enough, he could lay claim to the idea, but is too combative to consider the essential idea of "gentler." But even if Trump is followed by a president who cares (not Biden, and not Obama-Bush-Clinton either), I don't see any chance to impose a better solution on Israel, or for Israel to change before much more harm is done.

There are other mini-essays there that could easily be expanded. I talk about data centers as a political issue; about what's wrong with the ICC, and why we need something like it; about Trump's feint toward North Korea; I talk about the drone war in Ukraine, and how it's moving toward AI; I consider "has America crossed the asshole threshold?"; I puzzle over the notion of "Woke 1.0"); I have two long sections on Democratic Party strategy: whether to campaign for Trump voters (yes), and whether centrists are the answer (no); I talk about Medicare for All; I have a section on the Canada trade war nonsense, among many more Trump stunts, some dumb, some evil, most both; I write about estate taxes; I mention a book on Israel's Lobby, which I will probably read; I also consider the late critic Dave Marsh, and my relationship to him. I could spend the rest of the year on such things.

One specific piece I am thinking about is an effort to sum up the five worst things Trump has done. The idea started as a top ten, but that would be too long, and too aggravating — and also too short, as fifty wouldn't be much of a reach, and I doubt I'd run out before 500, except of patience and sanity.

  1. Trump's power grab during his first days was unprecedented, a blitzkrieg against federal bureaucracy, which sought to destroy the very notion of civil service, replacing it with a ruthless political machine.

  2. Trump took ICE and turned them into a paramilitary gang, to commit conspicuous violence with impunity against politically designated targets. Along with his pardons and politicized prosecutions, he's establishing the principle that violence is fine for people on his side, but free speech is criminal for people who oppose him.

  3. Trump has created numerous channels for corruption, many quite unprecedented, throughout government and especially through his businesses and person, while fostering a culture of corruption in business and around the world.

  4. Trump has fully embraced the notion that foreign policy is a contest of power, mostly but not just military, and that its purpose is to extort tribute from other countries. His war against Iran is the prime example, but it's consistent with his other wars (e.g., against Somalia and Venezuela), and his cynical indifference to Ukraine (which is good for US business, as long as Putin wants to keep fighting). Not sure whether his alliance with Netanyahu goes deeper, but the mix of grift and gore suits him perfectly.

  5. His unprecedented and unique obsession with naming things after himself goes deeper than his considerable vanity: he seeks what the Israelis call "facts on the ground" (markers that become virtually impossible to erase or dismantle), and he seeks to trivialize the opposition everything he does provokes by making it personal. He seeks to dismiss us all as suffering from TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome), while by any previous understanding of the word, Trump is the one who is deranged.

  6. As we attempt to run out the clock, it becomes increasingly clear that much of the long-term damage that America incurred by electing him president will be "opportunity costs": things that we didn't do because we were so preoccupied with dealing with this horrendous asshole. Climate change has long been a prime example, at least since the 1990s — why didn't Clinton let Gore run with this, instead of assigning him to count paper clips (what he called "reinventing government")? But there are many more examples, like inequality, world conflicts, environment, trade, technology, mostly things that policy doesn't control but has to cope with. Not only has Trump not helped manage any of them, he's actively made matters worse — such as his efforts to undo Biden's renewable energy focus, and to block vaccination programs.

Sure, that's six points, all worthy of inclusion, each capable of being grossly expanded. Although I suppose the sixth goes so "without saying" that I could save it for the conclusion: "and as if all that wasn't bad enough, . . ." But I see this leading to a second piece, which lists things that Trump has done that will make it easier to respond with real effective change. For starters, he's demolished the credibility of the centrist ("pro-business") camp in the Democratic Party, both as political strategy and as a policy paradigm. I'm not sure how hard to push this: as long as Trump is in power, we don't have many real options, but the horizons for possible change have opened up considerably. I've developed a theory that a large segment of Americans really wanted some kind of revolution in 2016, but were denied any sort of meaningful change from the left (which appeared as Bernie Sanders) — blame this on the Democratic Party, if you want, but I think the corporate media had much more to do with defining what was allowed and not. On the other hand, Trump appeared to promise a revolution that corporate America (oligarchy) could live with, and that drew just enough people in to tilt the vote. Obviously, if you had a left analysis, you didn't fall for Trump, but how many people really did? (I got mine the hard way, reading Genovese, Sweezy, and Adorno, but my orientation came earlier, in reaction to the 1960s.) But if you didn't, and weren't among the people that Trump obviously hated, you might be gullible enough to think that someone like Trump would fight selflessly for you, go to Washington, "drain the swamp," and fix all the obvious problems. Whatever else, Trump promised change.

Even in 2024, clearly out for revenge and redemption, he came off as the revolutionary, while Harris courted the rich. And what he's done since taking office surely counts as some kind of revolution. And while he hasn't seized power as completely and dramatically as Hitler in 1933, that's not for scruples, and not for lack of will. It's harder to do that in America, mostly for structural reasons, but disturbing that he's seized as much power as he has: proof, I think, that America wasn't built to suffer so much inequality.

I grew up admiring revolution: especially the American, and as I increasingly identified with the left, with others like the French, the Russian, and the Chinese, even if they didn't turn out as well as one had hoped. But as I grew older, I came to see revolution not as a striving for a better world, but as proof that the old regimes were not just fatally flawed, but incompetently managed. And I came to see the pain of revolution as unnecessary and undesirable. And I'm not alone in this: very few people on the left in America look forward to revolution. (Bernie Sanders' carefully couched "political revolution" line always bothered me, even though I was pretty sure I understood and approved of what he meant.)

So I've largely come around to the idea that the only revolutions that are possible today are ones from the right, and the only thing they can do is to cause pain and destruction. And, indeed, that's about all you can say for Trump's revolution. But it will be interesting to see how much damage he does to the reactionary forces that brought him to power. I could speculate, but on what basis?

Of course, there is much more I've been thinking about. I read a book on Venezuela, and have moved onto Acemoglu & Robinson's Why Nations Fail. I should write a piece on the failures of the Chavez-Maduro regimes, and also what Trump is doing there: why this looks to Trump like a massive win, and why it's really just another chapter in the misery there, and in the Trump's debacle here. I've read several books on Israel, and specifically on Jewish anti-Zionism, and I have more to say about that. (I also have more books on Israel waiting, and still mean to do at least one more post on Agha & Malley's Tomorrow Is Yesterday.)

I've also read a small pile of books on AI, which I'm starting to figure out. One not-too-distant project is to sign up for some tools, and start using it, mostly for research, but also perhaps for organizing my own voluminous writings. In fact, I can think of enough interesting technical projects to dispense with writing (even on music) altogether. Of course, dropping the music is an idle threat: just looking at my Substack stats, the music reviews get a good 30% more attention than anything else I write. Especially when I ramble, as I suspect I'm doing here.

Still, at this point, I'd be much happier if I could just round up some friends and cook. That seems to be about my size limit on projects, and I can tell whether I did good or not.

I'll refer you to the Music Week (8:4) notes on the music below. The Emperor X grade, the Golems of the Red Planet revisit, and several new albums came after reading Robert Christgau's August Consumer Guide, as did the back catalogue dives into Mary Lee's Corvette and Tipps & Obermiller. The Jeff Evans Porkestra was a tip from people who try to anticipate Christgau by jumping on new albums by people he is known to like. The Art Ensemble of Chicago reissue downloads were belatedly begged from the label. The Bandcamp page just offers extracts.

The Dolly Parton is very limited. I started looking for The Best of Dolly Parton, and not finding it, I listened to the albums it was drawn from. After listening to the "Muleskinner Blues" single, I figured I had heard enough to review it. I didn't realize that the 1975 Best Of was billed as Vol. 2 until I saw the cover scan in a Tom Carson post (although I must have had the LP at one point, as it is graded in my database). I may still fill in 1971-75 albums I haven't heard, but several of them I have. Looking at my grade list, I'd say her later stuff is pretty hit-and-miss, but I've certainly missed some. Sorting out the compilation is a hopeless task, although pretty much any of them are fine for remembrance.

Aside from the Parton obituaries, I didn't include a music section this Loose Tabs. Wrapping it up is always a rush, and there's little time to search out everything.

One piece I would have mentioned had I found it in time is RiotRiot's The 50 Best Rock Bands Right Now in 2026. They're in countdown order, and I thought it was brilliant to list the Rolling Stones at 50, then the Butthole Surfers at 49. After that I'm not so sure, especially as I haven't converted this into a personal listening checklist, as I did in 2024. I will note that only one band from his 2024 top-10 is still up there: Big Thief. Also that a couple I have looked up have albums coming out later this year, so he's better connected than I am.

I'd also like to note the latest Christian Iszchak An Acute Case: 29 August 2026. His favorite album this column is Asylum, by Inpatient, which seems to be two rappers, Chris Webby and Ren Gill. I played it: thought the first half was brilliant, enough that I went ahead and noted an A− review, but the second half gave me pause. After two further plays, I decided to downgrade it, while adding lyric quotes that suggest otherwise. I'm happier with the lower grade, but much of it is indeed brilliant, and you may well figure it's worthwhile. I'll publish my review next week, but you can find it on Spotify or Bandcamp.

New records reviewed this week:

Marshall Allen: 101: An Audio Odyssey (2026, Ropeadope): Alto saxophonist, longtime member and ghost band leader of Sun Ra Arkestra, title possibly for his age, main driver here appears to be producer Jamaaladeen Tacuma (electric bass), started around the Big Ears Festival, which brought in name musicians Nels Cline (electric guitar) and Immanuel Wilkins (alto sax, acoustic upright bass), with extra recording later (including a vocal by Tara Middleton). The funk groove reminds me of Tacuma at his best, but he hasn't had this much to juggle since Ornette Coleman. A− [sp]

Ancient Infinity Orchestra: It's Always About Liberation (2024 [2026], Gondwana): English spiritual jazz ensemble, 16 members (winds but no brass, strings including harp and banjo) from Leeds, led by bassist Ozzy Moysey, third album. Another venture into the church of Coltrane. B+(**) [sp]

Blu & Exile: Time Heals Everything (2026, Dirty Science): Underground rapper Johnson Barnes and producer Alexandr Manfredi, from Los Angeles, fifth duo album since 2007, many more albums separately or with others. B+(***) [sp]

Rachel Brooke: This One's for You (2026, Mal): Country singer-songwriter, from northern Michigan, fifth album since 2008, plus a couple of duos with Lonesome Wyatt. Fine voice, good songs, lots of steel guitar. B+(***) [sp]

Elizabeth Cook: Great Television (2026, Agent Love): Country singer-songwriter, eighth album since her self-released debut in 2000, three from 2007-16 barely scratched the country charts, all A− in my book, this coming back after a six year break. Too soon? The strings that kick off the album weren't a good idea. And the songs struggle until she rips off "Caldonia and the Love Convoy." And while I like the Rolling Stones cover, I don't quite get the point. B+(*) [sp]

Jeff Cosgrove/Jeff Lederer/Mark Lysher/Tom Teasley: Two Jeffs (2026, Grizzley Music): Drummer, from DC, label and dates uncertain, I would normally have parsed the cover as giving him sole credit, but title suggests including Lederer (sax/clarinet), and the bassist and percussionist names are on the same level. Cosgrove is best known for his Motian Sickness group, but also shows up on many free jazz dates, especially with Ivo Perelman. This showed up on the Motian Sickness Bandcamp page, but is mostly standards, from "Cheek to Cheek" to "Summertime" via "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." A− [sp]

Rodney Crowell: Then Again (2026, New West): Country singer-songwriter, 25th album since 1978, many superb. Not so much this time. B+(*) [sp]

Jeff Evans Porkestra: Telling the Bees (2026, self-released): Atlanta-based country-rock band, the namesake on guitar and vocals; two previous EPs, this one weighing in at 12 songs, 42:49. The EPs ended before I could really get into them, but this one keeps coming, especially with songs like "Born to Read" and "Big Enough." A− [sp]

Hurray for the Riff Raff: Live Forever: Live at the Old Town School of Folk Music (2025 [2026], Nonesuch): Singer-songwriter Alynda Segarra, born in the Bronx, moved to New Orleans to play folk music, has moved on to Chicago, where this live set was recorded. Fourteen songs, ten from her best-ever 2024 album The Past Is Still Alive. Seems to me like the anti-ICE "Precious Cargo" could be angrier, but "Ogallala"'s "to watch this world burn, with a tear in my eye" seems about right. B+(***) [sp]

Lalu: Lalu (2026, self-released): Australian group, not finding much about them. I can hear the "coherently arranged folk-rock." B+(*) [sp]

Jeff Lederer/Mary LaRose With the Wildebeest Quintet: There's a Yearnin': Music for Winds and Voice (2026, Little (i) Music): Names on clarinet and voice, with the quintet adding flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and horn, for something "third stream"-ish. B+(*) [sp]

Low Cut Connie: Livin in the USA (2026, Contender): Retro-rock group from Philadelphia, led by Adam Weiner, who plays some mean piano, and usually rocks out. But the title cut is a lament, which I suppose makes it "timely." B+(**) [sp]

Glenn Morrow's Cry for Help: Our Final Album Vol. 1 (2026, Bar/None): Indie rock band from Hoboken, debut an eponymous album in 2017, released 2 in 2020. Morrow was a partner in Bar/None Records, whose first album was by a group Morrow was in, the Individuals (1982), with other bands leading up to this one. Title unclear. Record has some appeal. Less sure about point. B+(**) [sp]

Linda May Han Oh/Melissa Aldana: Beneath Lifted Skies (2026, Biophilia): Bass and tenor sax duo; the former born in Malaysia and grew up in Australia, the latter from Chile, both based in New York with substantial critical following. This is a nice record, especially when they tackle something familiar, but stays within its limits. B+(***) [sp]

Nicholas Payton/Butcher Brown: A Supreme Blue (2026, Concord): Trumpet player from New Orleans, albums since 1993, mostly a mainstream player, established his trad chops on a 1997 album with Doc Cheatham, has dabbled less successfully in jazztronica. Backed by the Richmond-based band, which has a dozen albums since 2014. Idea here is to play Kind of Blue followed by A Love Supreme, updating both to show their contemporary relevancy. That's an amusing thought, and the groove treatment on Kind of Blue is rather pleasing, but I draw the line well short of the synthesized voice on A Love Supreme. B− [sp]

Prairie Princess: Jewish American Prairie Princess (2026, self-released): Singer-songwriter Emerson Borakove, from Nebraska but recording in New York City, with a band she calls the Ruby Slippers. Somewhere between alt-country and anti-folk, which doesn't preclude a little rock noise. B+(**) [sp]

Margo Price: Days of Unrest (2026, Loma Vista): Country singer-songwriter, sixth album since 2016, or actually it's being dubbed a "protest mixtape," as the album is rather thin (9 songs, 29:00), and the originals (mostly Mexican-themed) are outnumbered 5-4 by covers (Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Blaze Foley, Charlie Daniels, trad.). The Dylan is the liveliest, but the Foley is the most sharply pointed. A- [sp]

Alex Roitman Tango Ensemble: La Cocina De Tango (2025 [2026], ARTE-FL): Bandoneon player, based in Florida and/or Boston. Tangos, half originals, mixed in with Piazzolla and others, running through 10 songs in 32:41. Seems like a fine example of the art. B+(***) [cd]

Slow Tiger: Slow Tiger (2024 [2026], Endectomorph Music): New York quintet organized by JP Schlegelmilch (playing organ; I know him mostly from the group Old Time Musketry, which had two very good 2011-13 albums), with Kenny Warren (trumpet), Adam Schneit (tenor sax/clarinet), Andrew Dow (electric bass), and Nathan Ellman-Bell (drums). B+(**) [sp]

Antony Szmierek: Decoding Birdsong (2026, Mushroom Music): English poet, spoken word artist, and electronica musician. Second album. I love the basic sound. Words are clear enough, but didn't especially grab me at first, but eventually the savvy and smarts convinced me, at least that they add to the sound appeal. A− [sp]

Technocrats: Passionata: The Music of Gregg Hill (2025 [2026], Cold Plunge): I must have heard a dozen albums of Hill's compositions, performed by various of his Michigan State alumni over the last 3-4 years, many (most? all?) under his own direction. No composer in recent years has worked harder at getting his work played by others, except perhaps John Zorn (who owning his own label, often claims credit for the albums). Septet here, I filed it under first-listed bass trombonist Chris Glassman, but the only other band members I recognize are Walter Blanding (tenor/soprano sax) and Bryn Roberts (piano). I've never learned how to separate compositions out from performances, so I'm no fair judge of someone like Hill. But this flows as well as any of the volumes I recall, and the larger band is deftly arranged, especially for the bass trombone. B+(***) [cd]

Henry Threadgill Zooid: Cut You Where You Was (2025 [2026], Pi): Alto saxophonist, also plays flute, started in Air in the 1970s, third group album since 2014, with Liberty Ellman (guitar), Jose Davila (tuba/trombone), Christopher Hoffman (cello), and Elliot Humberto Kavee (drums). Tricky rhythms and shadings, the sort of thing that in an artist of his stature could win a poll, but feels a bit slight to me, although it does have some bright spots. B+(***) [cd]

Henry Threadgill/Vijay Iyer/Dafnis Prieto: Fifteen (2025 [2026], Nonesuch): Alto sax/flute, with piano and drums, some sources say the title is how long this trio has been playing together, but this appears to be their first album. Three pieces by Threadgill, two each by the others. Very impressive at speed, but interesting always. A− [sp]

Tipps and Obermiller: Little Kid Heart (2026, self-released): Married singer-songwriters Hilary Tipps and Steve Obermiller, both play guitar, with Taylor Tatsch (more guitar, mandolin, bass, keys, drums, and production). Google tagged this as "children's music," but it's actually parents' music. I can't particularly relate to either, but I like the easy flow and writerly details. A- [sp]

Visible Cloaks: Pradessence (2026, RVNG): Electronica duo from Portland, Ryan Carlile and Spencer Doran, fifth album since 2015. Starts on the edge of annoying, then backs off a bit. B [sp]

Westside Cowboy: It Goes On (2026, Island): British indie rock group, from Manchester, first album, easy-going, prototypically indie-rock sound. B+(**) [sp]

Willow: The Thread (2026, Three Six Zero): Pop singer-songwriter, from Los Angeles, last name Smith, as in father Will Smith, eighth album since 2015, when she was 15, only one of them with any chart presence, although she had a platinum single in 2010. B+(*) [sp]

Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts: As Time Explodes (2025 [2026], Reprise): New group, came up with a pretty good album in 2025, Talkin to the Trees, first A− in my book since Barn (2021), Psychedelic Pill (2012), Fork in the Road (2009), Prairie Wind (2005), Are You Passionate? (2002), more before that, though I haven't logged any full-A albums since Freedom (1989), or A+ since Rust Never Sleeps (1979, a grade I also gave to 1975's Tonight's the Night). Of those, the only albums I've replayed in recent years are the ones from the 1970s, but clearly he can evoke his unique legacy whenever he feels the need. This live set is from the album tour, but only repeats one album song ("Silver Eagle") and offers one new title — the album's "Big Change" ("could be bad and it could be great") having quickly resolved to "Big Crime" ("got to get the fascists out, got to clean the White House out . . . got big crime in DC at the White House, no more great again"). Beyond that, we get legacy songs, some obscure, most not, a couple ("Cortez the Killer" and "Like a Hurricane" stretched past 10 minutes, because that's what he does. This doesn't strike me as essential, given that these days we get more live Young several times a year, nor is "Big Crime" a big deal (although it's good to see that he's gotten over his foolish Reagan infatuation). But reviving "Ohio" is not unlike John Prine's revival of "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore," "Vampire Blues" is an old one I was delighted to hear again, "Be the Rain" is a later one that surprised me, and any time Young wants to stretch out, I'm game. A− [sp]

Miguel Zenón & Luis Perdomo: El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 3 (2025 [2026], Miel Music): Alto sax and piano duets, from Puerto Rico and Venezuela, play eight songs by others, in the style that emerged in Cuba in the 1880s, one they consider "perhaps the most pan-Latin of genres." B+(***) [cd]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

Art Ensemble of Chicago: Les Stances a Sophie (1970 [2023], Play Loud!): Free jazz group, grew out of Chicago's AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians), partly formed in 1966 to back Roscoe Mitchell (sax), recording as a group in 1967 — Lester Bowie (trumpet), Joseph Jarman (sax), Malachi Favors (bass), and Famoudou Don Moye (drums) — but their discography really explodes when they toured Europe in 1969. This future film score was recorded late in their tour, with a Fontella Bass vocal to open, and a shorter one to close, and a balance between tradition and the cosmic future that Sun Ra is so famous for. A− [dl]

Art Ensemble of Chicago: People in Sorrow (1969 [2026], Play Loud!): Recorded earlier in Paris, drummer Famoudou Don Moye had not yet joined, but everyone was tasked with various percussion instruments. One 40:10 piece, split over the original LP. B+(***) [dl]

Old music:

Jeff Cosgrove/Scott Robinson/Ken Filiano: Hunters & Scavengers (2018, Grizzley Music): Drums, saxophone, bass, improv aside from "Lonely Woman" at the end. B+(**) [bc]

Jeff Cosgrove/Jeff Lederer/Mark Lysher: Welcome Home (2023, Grizzley Music): Drums, sax/clarinet, and bass, live at Town Run Brewing Company in Shepherdstown, WV. Good free improv. B+(***) [bc]

Jeff Cosgrove/Noam Preminger/Kim Cass: Confusing Motion for Progress (2023, Grizzley Music): Another drums/sax/bass trio. B+(**) [bc]

FunkGASM: Funk's Greatest Hits (1969-86 [1997], Relativity): From the heyday of CD compilations, Christgau mentioned this as "jamful" in a review that picked Rhino's Millennium Funk Party as the one to have. I bought it, and keep it in my travel cases, which is my first resort for something surefire. But Joe Yanosik never fails to track down a side-comment, and pictured this in a recent "listening today" post. It's out of print, of course, but someone assembled a Spotify playlist, so I thought I'd give it a spin. It hit the spot, even with no P-Funk (aside from a late Bootsy), even with groups I didn't recall, or didn't think of as funky. [PS: Also nice that AI nailed down the release dates in just two questions, instead of taking me the better part of the record to track that info down.] A− [sp]

Mary Lee's Corvete: Mary Lee's Corvette (1996, Lenora): Singer-songwriter Mary Lee Kortes, first album, "intended as a promotional sampler," but with 7 songs, 28:40 comes close enough. B+(**) [bc]

Mary Lee's Corvette: True Lovers of Adventure (1999, Wild Pitch): Billed as her/their "first full length album after the eponymous Mary Lee's Corvette 8-song live to two track that got it started for me." Good songs, nice delivery. B+(***) [sp]

Mary Lee's Corvette: Love Loss & Lunacy (2006, Western Force): Fifth (and last) group album, I'm finding them out of order. Good songwriter, doesn't always keep my interest. B+(**) [sp]

Mary Lee's Corvette: Blood on the Tracks: Arlene Grocery, NYC (2001 [2002], Bar/None): Live exercise, song-for-song rendition of Bob Dylan's 1975 album, almost universally acclaimed at the time, after several albums that weren't so beloved — I'd guess you'd have to go back to 1968's John Wesley Harding, and forward to 2001's Love and Theft, to find albums with comparable reputations. Or so I gather. I quickly soured on the album, and hate it to this day — at least as I remember it, but this exceptionally vivid remake brings back the exaggerated vocal tics and general oiliness I always found so annoying. B− [bc]

Mary Lee's Corvette: 700 Miles (2003, Bar/None): Bandcamp lists: "Main band: Mary Lee Kortes, Andy York, Brad Alberta, Joe Chiofalo, Graham Hawthorne. Spotify says 2011, and has the label as Lakeside Lounge. Discogs offers a second 2003 release, on Southbound (UK). B+(**) [sp]

Dolly Parton: Hello, I'm Dolly (1967, Monument): First album, at 21, although she had written hit songs for others (some with her uncle, Bill Owens). The two most emblematic songs were written by others, including the one announcing "this dumb blonde ain't nobody's fool," a point more than clear from the ten songs she did write (six with Owens). B+(***) [sp]

Dolly Parton: Just Because I'm a Woman (1968, RCA): Second solo album, following her first duet album with Porter Wagoner, first on RCA, where her singles produced major best-ofs in 1970 and 1975, starting with the title song here. Fewer of her own songs, but most have gravitas (exception: the gold-digging "I'll Oilwells Love You"). B+(***) [sp]

Dolly Parton: In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) (1969, RCA): Third solo album, half the songs originals, the title cut a modest hit single. The others include a couple covers of big recent hits for others ("Harper Valley PTA," "D-I-V-O-R-C-E"). The latter is superb, but her own "Don't Let It Trouble Your Mind" seems more authentic. B+(***) [sp]

Dolly Parton: My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy (1969, RCA): Fourth solo album, still looking for a hit, which was still a year away with "Muleskinner Blues" (and if that seemed too easy, "Joshua"). Her originals are down to four. Opening with other folks' hits ("In the Ghetto" and "Games People Play") seems a bit unworthy, but she aces them. B+(**) [sp]

Dolly Parton: The Best of Dolly Parton (1967-70 [1970], RCA): None of the singles from her four very solid RCA solo albums produced a top-ten single ("Something Fishy" and "Just Because I'm a Woman" both topped out at 17), but her non-album "Mule Skinner Blues" hit number 3, so the label celebrated by including it as bait here, along with a previously unreleased "How Great Thou Art" to rope in the holy rollers, 10 songs in total. The quickie product went gold, setting her up for the better-charting singles to come, again summed up in 1975's The Best of Dolly Parton Vol. 2. A- [sp]

Tipps and Obermiller: Love (And Other Mysteries) (2023, self-released): Hilary and Steve, married for a decade before they started writing songs together, so by the time of this debut album, they have seasoned reflections to share, like: "I don't care where we're going, I'm along for the ride." Good songwriting, harmonies, leads (mostly hers). Choice cuts: "These Hands," "Trouble in Mind." B+(***) [sp]

Tipps and Obermiller: MacGuffin (2024, self-released): Second album, cover provides a dictionary definition for the title: "an object that solely exists as a reason for a story to move forward." Shows their literary smarts, but also that they weren't clear where to go next. B+(**) [sp]

Grade (or other) Changes

Sometimes further listening leads me to change an initial grade, usually either because I move on to a real copy, or because someone else's review or list makes me want to check it again. Also some old albums extracted from further listening:

Emperor X: Unified Field (2026, Bar/None): Singer-songwriter Chad Metheny, albums since 1998, first one I really noticed was Western Teleport (2011). First pass through I complained that I didn't get much, but I had to give it another shot, especially after Michael Tatum raved about it (adding that he had seen them live, which was "transcendent"). Three, maybe four, plays later, and I'm getting if anything too much. I jotted down some lines: "praise Jesus, hail Reagan"; "I'd like to burn it down, but I'm not dumb"; "the market's not good, the market's not evil"; "you're so mad, what are you going to do about it?" Of course, you'll need more for context. But what I'm left with is a sense of so much anger. Also a songwriter who knows the difference between gallium and lithium. And, since I'm more into sound than words, this only gets sharper. I doubt I'll ever love this album, but it's hard to deny. [was B+(**)] A− [sp]

Rechecked with no grade change:

Golems of the Red Planet: Surf Masada: The Compositions of John Zorn (Heyday Again): Quartet from Akron, with "members of Tin Huey, Pointless Orchestra, and Trial of Lucy." I love the concept, but I'm slightly underwhelmed by the execution. B+(***) [bc]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

  • Mike Dana Jazz Orchestra: Farther (Still) (Origin) [09-18]
  • Todd DelGiudice: Mas Alto (OA2) [09-18]
  • Tommy Muellner: Solitary Moon (Calligram) [10-02]
  • Kevin Sun: Kevin Sun, I (Endectomorph Music) [09-25]
  • Kevin Sun: Kevin Sun, II (Endectomorph Music) [09-25]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Thursday, August 27, 2026

Loose Tabs

The decision as to when to publish a Loose Tabs is pretty arbitrary. It's a neverending project, with no clear breakpoints. But after collecting a fair number of links over the first three weeks of August, I started to focus on wrapping this up after my August 22 Music Week (on Substack that's: (8:3)), and Wednesday night, I got to the end of my usual sources list. I did a bit of cleanup on Thursday: compiled the Table of Contents, made sure the internal anchors were set, added a couple pieces where categories seemed thin, but didn't make the rounds. So I don't have much that actually happened today. I'll move on to Music Week next. I may add a few things here (look for red change bars), or I may not. I expect it to be hot here for another 3-4 weeks, so I can't quite say that summer is done, but I'm running out of time to get many things done before the Jazz Critics Poll runs again — assuming it does.

I've also written a short summary and introduction for my Notes on Everyday Life newsletter (archived here).

This is an occasional collection of newsworthy links and comments, much less systematic than what I attempted in my late Speaking of Which posts. The name comes from my extensive use of browser tabs. When I get around to cleaning up, I often find tabs opened to old articles I might want to comment on and/or refer back to. So these posts are mostly housecleaning, but may also serve as a very limited but persistent record of what 20+ years ago I started calling "the end of the American empire" and nowadays feels more like "the end of civilization." I collect these bits in a draft file, and flush them out when periodically (12 times from April-December 2025, not much more often in 2026). My previous one appeared 26 days ago, on August 1.

By the way, I've been trying to write some more in-depth pieces on major issues (and/or personal peccadillos), using Substack as an email agent. I call this series Notes on Everyday Life. I used to have a pinned list of pieces here, but as they've grown, I've moved them into separate index. While I think they are all likely to be useful, the peace plan pieces on Iran and Israel are especially relevant today.

Table of Contents:

New Stories

Most stories fit into well-established categories, organized below as Major Threads. Some sources I lean on so regularly they have their own Regular Columnists section. I also have an End Matter section for dealing with regular occurrences like books, obituaries, and tweets. Stories that don't fit into any regular category appear under Miscellaneous Stories. However, occasionally a short-term story blows up to where it needs extra attention, in which case I included it here.

Examples from last time: The World Cup; Lindsey Graham; Trump's Nuclear Proliferation Deal with Saudi Arabia.

Trump's War on Canada: Wasn't this a South Park story? Or was that Wag the Dog? I added some background on wildfire smoke, which is what initially set Trump off.

Data Centers: I knew something was brewing when my most fascist cousin posted an anti meme about data centers. Cindy Holscher won the KS Democratic primary for governor riding the issue, as it works well against her Democratic opponent (endorsed by the current KS governor) and her future Republican opponent (who never saw a corporate graft he didn't like). I filed the first article under Electoral Politics, as it's not exclusively a Democratic issue, but when I found more, I moved them here.

  • Sabrina Tavernise [05-01]: 'The most bipartisan issue since beer': Opposition to data centers: "Americans have soured on data centgers, polls show, and the sentiment is profoundly bipartisan. How will that change our politics?"

  • Perry Bacon [06-16]: How opposing data centers can save democracy: "Author and organizer Astra Taylor explains why Democrats should capitalize on the growing opposition to AI data centers." I wasn't inclined to see data centers as an important political issue, but I've learned better than to argue tactics with Taylor. They are visible targets for several much deeper problems.

  • Adam Kaiser [07-14]: How DSA organizes against data centers.

  • Boston Review [08-20]: The AI data center backlash: "Robinson Meyer, Nicholas Rabb, and Astra Taylor on the groundwell of local organizing and the movement's political shockwaves." Moderated by Lily Hu.

  • Dylan Scott [08-21]: The week the data center backlash exploded: "Politicians on the left and right are suddenly jumping aboard the anti-data center bandwagon."

  • Gabby Miller/Owen Dahlkamp [08-24]: Data centers' 'oh s--t' moment: "Some industry leaders fear voter backlash is turning into a lasting political crisis."

  • Nia Prater [08-24]: Politicians are suddenly competing to hate data centers the most: This is becoming a bipartisan issue, which means it's gotten a lot of negative attention. Trump remains clueless, but you knew that.

  • Astead Herndon [08-25]: The real reason voters hate data centers so much: "How the tech buildout became a defining midterm issue."

  • John Herrman [08-26]: The data-center backlash looms large ahead of the midterm elections: "The playbook for Democrats was already easy. Trump is making it even easier."

    If Republicans think you can't sell data centers in Texas, a deregulatory paradise with, for example, more visible oil infrastructure than anywhere else in the country, it's reasonable to wonder how they might be sold elsewhere. And it's easy to imagine how Trump circa 2016 would have weaponized an issue like this: with low conviction about the underlying issue but a strong instinct for which way the wind was blowing. They are building data centers and taking jobs from you; "big tech" is steamrolling real America to build its censorship/disemployment/cultural-influence machine.

    Instead, today everyone but the president is finding their place in the backlash.

  • Andrew Howard [08-26]: Everyone is making a U-turn on data centers as public support craters: "Democrats and Republicans, including those in battlegrounds, have rushed to take a more skeptical tone on the issue."

  • Aaron Regunberg [04-29]: Stop the AI build-out, start the fight: "Across the country, working-class communities are rising up against Big Tech's data center boom. A moratorium isn't the end goal — it's the only leverage we have to force real democratic control over artificial intelligence."

Meta Settles Lawsuit: I haven't figured out what this means yet, but it seems too big to bury under the Tech/AI news. The amount of the settlement ($18 billion) is staggering, but like the top of an iceberg, suggests that there is much more mass that we can't see yet. And that the company was willing to settle suggests that they have much more to hide. These pieces were collected after my initial post [08-27], which came just a day after the settlement broke, so I've only picked a couple of links to note the fact. News of the suit has been bubbling under my consciousness: I recall earlier pieces, but they were background and/or speculative.

Major Threads

War on Iran: The war seems to have entered its absurdist, "waiting for Godot" phase. Trump started the war, based on Netanyahu's assurances and his own legendary "gut" instinct, that Iran had a glass jaw, and one punch would knock them out. He was wrong, as anyone who knew anything about Iran since 1979 could have told him, but evidently one of the qualifications when you only hire "the best people" is that they never talk back. Since then, neither Trump nor Iran particularly want to slug it out, but neither side will surrender, or settle for less, so we're stuck in this endless cycle where Trump makes insane threats, Iran calls his bluff, and the Gulf States quietly, behind the scenes, ease Trump down. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is happy as a clam, having secured cover for his slow-moving but systematic genocide.

  • Nolan Denaro [08-03]: Fox News screaming desperately into wind as Trump loses grip: "The popular rightwing network spent months building a case for the Iran War. Now they are invested in keeping up support, even if hosts have to skirt the truth."

  • Trita Parsi:

  • Jonah Shepp [08-05]: Trump needs to choose how to lose the Iran War: "It's time to accept strategic defeat and find the least bad way out." By the way, the "least bad way out" is the one that turns Iran into our closest possible buddy. Otherwise, both sides will just stew in resentments, which will lead to further conflicts, which will be as self-defeating as this one. Trump is actually blessed in this regard, as he's so mercurial he can spin on a dime and claim he was dancing. The problem is that he's allowed himself to be surrounded by hawks, who know that the easiest way to scuttle any peace overture is to flatter his self-concept as being a tough guy.

  • Kori Schake [08-06]: Why we should fight: "And where Trump went wrong."

  • Nahal Toosi [08-12]: The Iran War is a whole new level of quagmire for the US. The first statement here is laughably wrong: "The situation is reminiscent of the darkest days of the Iraq war, in the mid-2000s, when the US seemed unable to pull that country back from insurgency and civil war." The biggest difference is that the US isn't fighting in Iran now, like it was in Iraq. But if it was, the situation wouldn't be "reminiscent": it would be a whole lot worse, because the numbers would be worse, and the logistics would be worse. But also the US had a solution in Iraq: that was to turn the insurgency into a civil war, playing both sides against one another. It was kind of like trying to put out a wildfire with dynamite. It was ugly, and did America no credit, but it worked well enough that US forces were able to make a slightly more graceful exit then they did in Vietnam or Afghanistan. That, by the way, is not an option with Iran, as they don't have the sort of social fissures that the US can exploit like in Iraq. (Afghanistan arguably did, but the US wasn't able to exploit them there.) Quagmire in those cases was caused by inserting US troops into the middle of a population that didn't want them in the first place, and really hated them once they were there. So if there are no US troops in Iran, what kind of quagmire can there be? Well, it's the one in Trump's mind. He's trapped, not just by Iran but by his own allies, by his own subordinates, and above all by his own ego, especially his self-conception as a tough-guy leader.

  • Ryan Cooper [08-12]: Donald Trump invented a new forever war: "In Iran, he can't win and he can't lose either."

  • David Klion [08-12]: Trump's Iran disaster is making all his cronies look like fools: "Two foreign-policy camps are claiming Trump for themselves, while the Middle East fiasco humiliates every single one of them." Most prominently, Vance ("restrainers") and Rubio ("neocons"). "The restrainers see the neocons as Israel firsters and warmongers, while the neocons see the restrainers as antisemites and isolationists." The problem with this distinction is that while the neocons have been true-to-form since the 1990s, with antecedents among Cold War hawks, the "restrainers" have little in common with others outside of the administration that use that label and actually, you know, try to restrain America's hawkish impulses. Whatever Vance's beliefs may be, and sure, it's never been clear that he actually has any, his effectiveness has been nil. He is, more than anything else, a guy who's willing to go along for the ride. As for Tucker Carlson, and others critical of the neocons, he's simply out in the cold, having no effect at all. I am tempted, however, to identify a third group within the administration, mostly Kushner and Witkoff. While they are deeply tied to Israel, they're less wedded to its cult of power, and more inclined to view foreign policy as an auction game, with the spoils going to the highest bidder. Thus they can broker a deal that Netanyahu doesn't like, but only if the grift is worth the effort. In this they're closer to Trump than either of the ideological camps. Unfortunately, the problem with all three is that they have no concern whatsoever for justice, decency, or even propriety. Which means that they have no real chance of making a deal that any other side will be willing to live up to.

  • Cameron Peters [08-13]: The Iran war's mental toll on US sailors: "Sailors are sounding the alarm about conditions on the USS Lincoln."

  • Noah Berlatsky:

    • [08-17]: "Suckers and losers" as policy: "The plight of the USS Lincoln lays bare Trump's disdain for the troops." I think it also shows that for much of the post-Vietnam era, soldiers could sign up for the perks, knowing they'd be exposed to little danger or hardship, safe in the belief that their mere existence would deter war, and that their officers wouldn't risk starting one. That started to change with the neocons insisting on making shows of "shock and awe." What's new with Trump are three things: his war gamesmanship is completely unhinged; he's purged and reoriented the officer core so they support him over their troops; and the corruptness of the supply chain has reached the point where everything is breaking down, not that much of it ever worked in the first place.

    • [05-28]: Trump has no way out on Iran: "He can't win; he won't say he's lost. So he dithers." I was surprised by the date after I started adding this, as it could just as well have been written this week.

  • Djavad Salehi-Isfahani [08-18]: How Iran has staved off economic collapse despite the US-Israeli war: "Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has promised 'unprecedented' squeeze on Tehran. Why hasn't this worked already?"

  • Andrew M Leonard [08-24]: US can huff & puff, but without a political fix Iran won't come down: "Military force — and even economic pressure — without clearly defined outcomes has been the downfall of US war policy for decades."

  • Sam Fraser [08-25]: After 6 months of war, why aren't oil prices even higher? Interview with markets analyst Rory Johnston. It's mostly been China stabilizing the system: having bought up substantial reserves before the war, they've been able to cut back demand since the war ended. How long this will last isn't clear.

  • Derek Seidman [08-25] Big Oil is seeing windfall profits as Trump's war on Iran drives up prices: "Amid the destabilization and devastation caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran, oil executives are raking in billions."

  • Chas Danner [08-27]: Trump's Iran War was even more reckless than we realized: "A (still-growing) list of all the warnings he ignored, dismissed, or maybe didn't understand."

PS: I see that Marc A Thiessen wrote: "Trump's attack on Iran was not a blunder; it was the bravest foreign policy decision any president as done in my lifetime." Looks like Douglas Feith is no longer the "fucking stupidest guy on the face of the earth." In fact-checking this (there's also a version that says "dumbest" instead of "stupidest"; the quote is from Tommy Franks, so there's no disputing the expletive) I also found a 2004 piece that refers to Feith as "undersecretary of defense for fiascos." Thiessen is far and away the worst opinion writer the Washington Post has ever had, which is probably why Bezos kept him.

Israel: The focus here is on Israel's wars, especially against their own people, and on internal Israeli politics. A second section will address Israel's relations with the world, especially the US.

  • Eyal Weizman [06-26]: Why 'ungrounding' is the defining feature of Israel's genocide: "Discussing his new book, Eyal Weizman explains how the systematic erasure of Gaza's built environment is aimed at extinguishing Palestinian life in the Strip." Weizman has written several books on the architecture of Israeli occupation. His new one is Ungrounding: The Architecture of Genocide. I have a copy, and will look at it in due course, but the point is clear. Consider this quote:

    So, what are the conditions of life? They are effectively a basic kind of question for an architect or geographer to say, "What is the relation between the environment and life?" The way in which the environment is conceived as an infrastructure for life and in a traditional settler colonial context — 18th century settler colonialism, 19th century settler colonialism — the environment that buttresses life is the natural environment. It's the soil, it's water, it's multiple other forms of, you know, the kind of the flora and fauna that exist within that, that provides a people's conditions of life. In the modern era, these are cities and bits of infrastructure and homes and hospitals, and the systematic, calculated destruction of those are not a direct act of killing, but deny the possibility of society to survive through its being anchored in space.

    So it is a kind of genocide by attrition, a kind of a slow motion genocide. In fact, when Lemkin writes his book in 1944 that comes up with the term genocide and later elements of that are incorporated into the 1948 Genocide Convention. But when Lemkin conceptualizes it, he thinks about the settler colonization of the Americas. And he notes that genocide can take place over decades, if not centuries. And that indigenous people displaced off their land are displaced off the means of survival, displaced onto a much less favorable natural environment with less rain, or soil or less water, and would slowly start a process of decline. Indeed, most casualties from the settler colonial projects occur not through direct kinetic violence, although this always occurred as part of displacement of people, but through that intergenerational effects of the degradation of conditions of life.

    But there is obviously also a cultural life that is grounded in other types of infrastructure: universities, schools, mosques, cemeteries, archaeological sites, that actually bind people culturally to a place. And so there is cultural political life and there is biological life. And somehow those are related because when the cultural infrastructure for life is destroyed, as it has been during the Gaza genocide — we're talking about all universities and majority of mosques and cemeteries and archaeological sites systematically destroyed — it breaks the resilience of society that can also mitigate the threat of a biological existence. So those cultural and biological life with us as a human species are kind of entangled and cannot be seen as totally separate. Although, of course, in the Genocide Convention as ratified in 1948, Lemkin's idea of cultural life was actually ignored.

  • Qassam Muaddi:

  • Saleh Abbas [08-08]: How Palestinians have resisted weaponized 'development' from the British Mandate to the Gaza Board of Peace: "The Gaza Board of Peace is the latest attempt by colonial powers to use 'development' plans to manage, fragment, and dispossess Palestinians. Palestinians have resisted these plans in the past and continue to do so today."

  • Aseel Mafarjeh [08-10]: 'Is this how our story ends?' Palestinian refugees live in fear as Israel takes aim at West Bank camps: "Amid escalating raids and statements by Israeli officials promising a massive military operation against refugee camps in the West Bank, Palestinians in Ramallah-area camps say it's not a question of whether their turn will come, but when."

  • Majd Jawad [08-11]: The struggle to save the Palestinian wheat fields on the front lines of Israeli settler violence: "For generations, Palestinian farmers timed the wheat harvest by the stars and the rain. Now, Israeli settlers set the harvest instead, as their cows graze freely in Palestinian wheat fields across the West Bank after displacing Bedouin herders."

  • Jamal Kanj [08-14]: The Gaza peace Trump announced, and the rejection Netanyahu delivered: "Since the ceasefire of October 10, 2025, Israel has violated it more than 4,000 times, murdering 1,300 Palestinians — more than all the Israelis, soldiers and civilians, killed on October 7. The territory Israel was supposed to withdraw from has instead expanded from 53% to 70%."

  • Connor Echols [08-18]: US cries foul as Israel bombs Turkey-linked airbase in Syria: "Tel Aviv's quest to portray Ankara as the 'new Iran' is leading to tensions with the Trump administration."

  • Seamus Malekafzali [08-20]: The Mossad suffers a crushing defeat entirely of its own making: "High profile firings show that none of the Israeli spy agency's promises about the war with Iran have come to pass."

  • Ghada Majadli [08-24]: What's behind Israel's growing assault on West Bank healthcare: "Seeking to push Palestinians off their land, Israel is targeting the infrastructure that sustains life — and the institutions long tied to the anti-colonial struggle."

  • Janet Abou-Elias [08-25]: Forest fires just the beginning of Israel's destruction of Lebanon: "US aid is allowing IDF to systematically blow up villages, spray herbicide, shoot white phosphorus — making the land uninhabitable in the south."

    In early 2026, Israel added a third tactic: aerial spraying of glyphosate, a controversial herbicide, across roughly 11 miles of the southern border. Israeli officials described this to Lebanon's U.N. peacekeeping mission as routine vegetation management using "approved substances," intended to clear dense brush that could conceal infiltration. Lebanon's agriculture ministry found levels 20 to 50 times higher than normal agricultural use, which could sterilize soil and prevent regrowth for years. Independent Dutch research organization PAX estimated between 1,000 and 1,600 acres of land affected on the Syrian side of the border alone, with additional spraying on the Lebanese side that satellite imagery did not fully capture. . . .

    The herbicide is blanketing land already stressed by years of phosphorus and heavy-metal contamination, compounding damage to soil, pollinators, and an agricultural economy that roughly 80% of southern Lebanon depends on.

  • Jason Ditz [08-25]: UNIFIL reports Israel wiping out entire neighborhoods in Lebanon: "Systematic not selective."

    This is not incidental damage done in the course of an invasion. Rather there is substantial evidence that this destruction is broadly the point of the invasion and occupation, with Israel displacing well over a million civilians from southern Lebanon and Defense Minister Israel Katz saying in June that certain villages, which Israeli troops were actively burning to the ground at the time, "must disappear."

    How much of Lebanon is being made to "disappear" remains a matter of substantial contention rhetorically, but Israeli forces persistently are attacking civilian targets across Lebanon's south and setting fires in towns and even forests in the area.

    A more substantial concern is that occupied southern Lebanon seems to be facing a more or less permanent Israeli occupation, and the Israeli Foreign Ministry published a map earlier this month, on a totally unrelated issue, which showed Lebanon as a substantially smaller country and much of the south as effectively Israeli territory.

    Demolitions continued today, and the Israeli military set fire to olive groves in the area of Bint Jbeil. That area, like much of southern Lebanon, is heavily dependent on an agriculture economy, and the invasion has focused its attention in part on destroying farmlands and orchards.

  • Inès Abdel Razek [08-25]: Why we shouldn't call colonial Israeli settlers 'terrorists': "We need to collectively rethink describing Israeli settlers as "terrorists." The label was designed to serve imperial interests, and it implies that settler violence is an aberration, not a systemic part of Zionist settler colonialism."

  • Ioannis Vlahos [08-25]: Israel developing offensive space capabilities: "Israel is currently prepared to begin development of offensive space capabilities, including systems designed to defend Isareli satellites from hostile spacecraft, and weapons (including lasers) capable of striking targets from space." Quotes Netanyahu: "As of today, no country has the ability to mount attacks in space. We must be the leading country in the world with this capability." Why?

  • Sami Sawalmeh [08-25]: Under Israel's watch, Palestinian gangs are sowing chaos in the West Bank: "By turning a blind eye to armed criminals while constraining Palestinian police, Israel is 'engineering lawlessness' to deepen its control over the territory."

  • Aharon Porath/Roei Kleitman [08-26]: Armed Israeli settler 'hikes' aren't new — but they're becoming deadly: "A spate of recent killings have resulted from settlers trekking the West Bank under military escort, expanding Jewish presence at Palestinians' expense."

  • Meron Rapoport [08-27]: Netanyahu's 'total victory' vow kept him in power. Now it may be his undoing: "With the coalition trailing in the polls, it seems the severe costs and unattainable goals of Israel's ever-expanding wars are coming back to bite."

Israel-American-World Relations: This section deals with Israel's relations with the world, especially the US, both at the state level and regarding public opinion.

  • Shaul Magid [07-28]: The hate at the "united against hate" Jewish anti-Mamdani rally, NYC, Sunday July 26: A first-hand reflection. One note here is how the pro-Israel demonstrators directed their hatred at anti-zionist haredim counter-demonstrators. I'm not surprised by any part of that, but I imagine many people will be.

  • Shaiel Ben-Ephraim [07-28]: The disastrous Bibi-Trump meeting: July 28, 2026 insider briefing: "Bibi had to pay a price to get this meeting, but Trump gave him nothing but a photo. Trump is angry now. Will anything change?"

  • Michael Arria:

  • Mitchell Plitnick:

    • [08-07]: Trump and Israel are demanding that Palestinians disarm. Here is why that is wrong and unjust. "Demands that Hamas disarm follow decades of international calls for a 'demilitarized Palestinian state.' These demands insist that Palestinians surrender their right to self-defense, a right no people should relinquish." I've run out of patience with anyone's "right to self-defense," as it's very hard for anyone armed to recognize limits in real time. Sure, self-defense is sometimes an acceptable excuse. But to call it a right invites abuse, especially when one side has such disproportionate power that no one dares to hold them accountable: Israel, most obviously. And aren't rights, by definition and necessity, universal? Israel never admits as much. They insist on their right to self-defense, but deny that right to anyone else. Why should anyone respect a "right" that is denied to oneself and others? Still, the more you scratch, the more problems arise here. One is whether arms are always useful for self-defense? I'd argue that often they are not. There is considerable historical evidence that Palestinians are even more vulnerable when they are armed than when they are not, and that their self-defense has made their situation more precarious, not more secure. But that's not due to arms. That's due to living in an area where powerful groups are able to inflict violence without fear of consequences (again, like in Israel). But while I would like to see everyone disarm, I don't normally lose much sleep about it. I live in a state where lots of adults own guns (Google says 48.9%) yet very few of them ever shoot anyone (Google says "a tiny fraction of 1%" but admits nobody's really counting). Arms are certainly more dangerous in Israel, and especially in the Occupied Territories, but the same number of arms would be much less dangerous if there was a system of justice that worked to protect everyone, as opposed to the current one where only some people have rights, including the right to kill others with impunity, and others have none.

    • [08-13]: The Mecca Pact is the latest sign of US's declining influence in the Middle East: "The new defense agreement among Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, and Pakistan highlights how Israeli aggression is compelling the region to reconfigure its alliances and serves as the latest evidence of the United States' declining global influence." I'm not making much sense out of this, beyond the obvious point that the more aggressive states in the region (including the UAE as well as Israel, Iran, and the US) are not to be trusted, but the three states still overly rate their own militaries.

    • [08-23]: The real reason Netanyahu added Mamdani to his 'enemies list': "Netanyahu's campaign billboard lumps Zohran Mamdani with Iran and Hezbollah as an 'enemy,' an admission that he's losing America, and that no successor will fix Israel's underlying apartheid problem." Netanyahu's campaign billboard, proclaiming "They want Netanyahu to lose. Don't let them succeed", pictures Mamdani along with the heads of Iran, Türkiye, and Hezbollah. Is it worth noting that Israel has already murdered the predecessors of two of those?

  • Caitlin Dewey [08-10]: Israel can afford to lose US aid: "Ending military aid would mark a real break with Israel. But it may not change Israeli policy toward Palestinians." This is a rather bogus argument. Israel's behavior after a cutoff of US military aid could get more restrained, or it could get even more murderous. In theory, the US would lose whatever leverage the aid offered, but the US has rarely tried to exercise any leverage: last time I recall was when Bush II threatened a hold to get Sharon to pay him more lip service, but the move ultimately had no effect. One problem here is that when pundits look at this, they assume everything else stays the same. If the US wanted to restrain Israel, there's lots more they can do: like cutting economic aid, and stopping diplomatic cover in the UN. But Trump doesn't want to restrain Israel — at least not as long as war returns profits to him.

    • Eric Levitz [08-10]: What would actually happen if the US cut off aid to Israel? "The left is winning the debate on military aid. But changing Israel's behavior likely requires going further." If "changing Israel's behavior" is the standard, we're doomed. I'm not quite saying that nobody ever changes behavior, but it's really difficult. Israel is an intensely racist, intensely violent society, and those traits go very deep in their psyches. US policy isn't going to change all that. About the best the US can do is to stop reinforcing that. As long as they think that America will always have their back, it's only natural that they'll push their limits, just to see how much they can get away with. That goes all the way back to 1948, and very rarely have they had to back down (e.g., to Eisenhower over Suez in 1956, to Carter over Lebanon in 1978, to Bush over Iraq in 1990; is there a more recent example?). It may be true that without American aid, Israel could become even more unhinged. (While they've been charged with genocide, they haven't fired up the oven yet.) But cutting off American aid would reduce American complicity in everything they do, which would be good for how the world views America, and for how we think of ourselves. It might push Americans to look for peace via diplomacy elsewhere — a good thing, given that we've pretty clearly demonstrated that peace based on deterrence is a completely bankrupt theory.

  • Ramzy Baroud [08-14]: Solidarity is not enough: Why the world must force accountability on Gaza now: But there is no world. At least there's no world that thinks coherently, much less can force anything on Israel. Trump will never cross Israel. Europe doesn't dare challenge Trump. Same for the Arab or other Muslim states, where the notion that the US has gone insane in love of Israel has been normalized. China understands the virtues of minding their own business. The Left everywhere is pinned up against the wall. One might sympathize, but feeling solidarity is easy; acting on it is impossible. Even sympathy is being treated as criminal by out-of-touch prosecutors in the US, UK, and Germany. It's not like no one knows or feels better. If public shame could budge Israel, wouldn't it have at least registered by now? I find myself contemplating an essay which asks, "Is It Possible to Negotiate a Gentler Genocide?" The deal is that the UN ("the world") would agree to facilitate the transfer of most Palestinians, provided that Israel pulls back and restrains its military and civilian groups. I say "most" because I'm assuming that there is a minimal number of Palestinians that most Israeli will find tolerable (30%? 20%? 10%?), and that once that level has been reached everyone left can enjoy equal rights. Sure, there are Israelis for whom the only answer can be 0%, much as there were racists who invented the one-drop rule (which even Hitler found ridiculous). I will be clear that this would still be genocide (or "ethnic cleansing" if you prefer that fundamentally obscene term), but it could be more tolerable if one could rig incentives so that most Palestinians would want to leave, and feel like they had a degree of free choice in doing so. My belief is that perpetual war and resistance only makes matters worse. Still, one has to suspend conscience to propose such a thing, and Palestinian leaders, whose careers depend on conflict, will be unhappy. And even conceding so much, it's probable that the rulers of Israel would still reject. At least some of them seem to crave the sense of power that comes with killing, capturing, torturing, razing, crippling, and otherwise harassing Palestinians. I doubt they would even take such a prospect seriously unless the US and EU signed on to such a deal, and backed it up with the threat of sanctions. And they have their own reasons for avoiding the subject: those who still hope for international law, where opposition to genocide is fundamental, don't want to admit how badly they have failed, and those (like the US) who have built up an irrational belief in pure power politics see peace and diplomacy as signs of weakness.

  • Thomas S Karat [08-14]: The two terrorists: Britain jails tweets while the West crowns al-Qaeda's man in Damascus.

    Next Monday, at Kingston Crown Court in London, a 72-year-old grandfather goes on trial for terrorism; the evidence is a tweet of seven words, and the maximum sentence is 14 years. . . .

    Take the pensioner first, and take his record in full, because the prosecution will. Greenstein was expelled from the Labour Party in 2018; he lost a libel action against the Campaign Against Antisemitism, which had called him a "notorious antisemite," the court finding the phrase protected as honest opinion; he accepted a suspended sentence over a Palestine Action attack on an Elbit arms factory. He is abrasive, litigious and unrepentant — a Jewish socialist from Brighton, a carer, the son of an Orthodox rabbi who marched against Mosley's Blackshirts. None of that is the charge. The charge is that in November 2023, goaded by an anonymous account demanding he declare himself, he posted: "I support Hamas against the Israeli army." Five weeks later, at 6:30 in the morning, counter-terrorism officers took his computers and phones, held him for nine hours, and released him under conditions that banned him from posting about the war at all.

    Much more in the article about the prosecution of Greenstein and others caught up in the trap of not saying the right things about Israel. As for the guy in Syria, I don't much care about him. Things change, and it's easy to move from "terrorist" to upright citizen. (If Menachem Begin isn't a very good example, then Nelson Mandela.)

  • Yoav Litvin [08-14]: The crocodilian logic of Zionism: "The latest example of this dynamic came when Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir proposed surrounding Ketziot prison with a moat of Nile Crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) to guard Palestinian prisoners" — an echo of Trump's "Alligator Alcatraz" proposal. Author is a psychologist, with a book coming out, co-authored by historian Ilan Pappé: Wired to Steal: Zionism and the Shaping of the Western Mind.

  • Ali Abunimah [08-14]: US judge tosses Harvard case branding Gaza solidarity as anti-Jewish terror.

  • Blaise Malley:

    • [08-14]: The road to Trump's heart goes through Israel: "String of newly elected governments in Latin America strengthen ties with Tel Aviv, in hopes of currying favor with Washington." Wasn't that also the rationale when most Latin American nations voted for the UN partition of Palestine in 1947? Still, with Trump and Netanyahu, this time is more of an ideological tell. And while it's unclear what America gets from the deal, fascists in Latin America should be good customers for Israel's advanced police-state tech.

  • Nick Cleveland-Stout [08-17]: Israel creates fake think tank in likely attempt to dupe AI chatbots: "In just over a week, the Hanover Institute has published at least 100 articles that appear tailor-made to influence chatbots."

    The organization churns out think-tank style reports on questions such as "Does AIPAC Use 'Dark Money' in Elections?" and "Is Israel Carrying out a Deliberate Campaign of Starvation in Gaza?" . . . A small disclaimer at the bottom of the webpage notes that the organization was created on behalf of the Israeli Government Advertising Agency by Piro, Inc. . . . The institute's "data reports" have footnotes and tables of contents, and they present arguments in a neutral tone, helping them appeal to chatbots like Claude or Gemini. Piro's website says that it "author(s) content engineered for how LLMs evaluate credibility," describing this service as "AI Story Optimization." Others refer to this practice of influencing artificial intelligence as "LLM poisoning." . . .

    Israel has also contracted former Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale to create pro-Israel websites engineered to influence chatbots as part of a $46.5 million contract. A Drop Site investigation last month found that many chatbots, particularly Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini, had been successfully trained on data from those websites. Other chatbots frequently cite those websites without flagging them as part of an Israeli influence operation.

Ukraine, Other Hot Spots, and World Politics: A catch-all, where the focus is away from, but not unaffected by, Trump's wars.

  • Stephen Crowley [07-31]: Russia, Ukraine, and the danger of escalation: The essential fact is that the Ukraine war is a stalemate. That should mean some kind of settlement based on current lines, but neither leader feels they can settle for that, so the temptation to escalate on some other plane may seem like the only way out. An example of this was the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, which after the lines froze turned into a missile war. We're already seeing examples of that. I don't care to speculate on how bad it might get, but both sides are already way beyond what we should accept.

  • Giorgio Cafiero [08-12]: When US left Afghanistan, China moved in. So how's it going? "Five years on, Beijing's relations with the Taliban are a study in pragmatism and patience, but not exactly as expected."

  • Vijay Prashad:

    • [08-14]: Cuba after six months of the oil blockade: Crisis and the road to recovery.

    • [08-21]: The ugliness of Latin America's angry tide: "Of the twenty states generally thought of as being part of Latin America, eleven now have governments of the far-right." I'm surprised at this, especially given that many of these same nations had left-leaning governments in recent years. This suggests to me that power in those countries is so deeply entrenched that it tends to survive mere electoral change. Or that typical leftist policies are so limited in their reforms that they are unable to build up any mass constituency. Either way is a shame, as the right has nothing but violence and corruption to offer.

  • Stephen Costello [08-17]: US diplomatic incompetence is tanking hopes for Korean peace: "It's time for South Korea to take the lead in seeking detente with the North." Actually, there has been detente since 1953. The problem is that the US and/or South Korea have never felt the need to take the next step and normalize relations. The relationship between the US and the South has helped the South grow prosperous, while the sanctions and isolation against the North has made them poor and bitter. The gap has grown so enormous that bridging it, like the Germans did in 1990, is inconceivable. It's not like it actually worked very well in Germany. We have many more examples of former communist economies collapsing after liberalization, so the sort of triumphal march Washington has been dreaming of is probably the worst-case scenario. The best-case is probably just to let the South take baby steps toward opening the North up: increase trade, acting as a gateway, while holding the US military at bay, with mutual measures to reduce security anxiety. I doubt Trump's gang can or will do anything to help here, but maybe a bribe can ease them out of the way?

  • Branko Marcetic [08-18]: The never-ending myth of a looming Ukrainian 'breakthrough': "For years, hawks have used rosy analysis of Kyiv's military momentum to make the case against real negotiations."

  • Anatol Lieven [08-20]: "A decent respect to the opinions of mankind" mandates a search for peace in Ukraine: "Why the new American left should take up the quest for peace if the Democratic Party wins control of Contress this November, and of the presidency in 2028." I don't see how winning in 2026 will make much difference here. Where cutting aid to Israel may slow down their warmaking, peace in Ukraine depends on Putin coming to an agreement with Trump and/or Zelensky and/or Europe, none of which depends much on US appropriations. A new president would be a different manner.

Trump's World of War: I set this section up to deal with Trump's threats of war. We're obviously beyond that now, so see the section on Iran for more on that.

  • Ariana Aspuru/Noel King [08-01]: Why Trump is at war with the International Criminal Court: "Secretary of State Marco Rubio has promised to 'dismantle the ICC.'" I have a lot of problems with the way the ICC was designed, and with how it is run. I don't mind their focus on individuals, but they should also be able to target states, and non-state organizations. They should investigate charges, and issue findings of fact based on the best available evidence. Those findings should be reopened and revised as new evidence becomes available. They should seek out all views, but shouldn't depend on cooperation of those charged. They may be tried in absentia. On the other hand, they shouldn't have powers of enforcement, or of incarceration. Their findings may be used in evidence by various state courts that choose to prosecute such things. I think it proper that this only be done in one's own state, so it is up to Russia to prosecute Putin, Israel to prosecute Netanyahu, the US to prosecute Trump. Prosecuting other nation's leaders is improper interference and unnecessary hostility. In any case, I believe that there should be a global right to exile, which would severely curtail the ability of any nation to prosecute its former leaders. (However, if someone is charged by the ICC, any state that wanted to do so could lay claim to that person's property, which may cramp the style of some such criminals.) On the other hand, the need for something like the ICC is pretty clear: people and organizations that start wars and commit crimes against humanity should be clearly identified, with their crimes fully detailed. The problem that Trump, Rubio, Netanyahu, etc., have with the ICC is that they wish to be exempt from investigation, and free to commit their crimes with impunity.

  • Jennifer Kavanagh [08-04]: US is the real loser if Senate passes virtue signaling Russia sanctions: "Lawmakers will feel good voting for Lindsey Graham's 'passion project' but ti won't end the war and if anything hurts American economic and political interests."

  • Khaled Elgindy [08-05]: Bored of Peace: Why is Trump undermining his own Gaza plan? "For a few fleeting days, there was a deal that would have disarmed Hamas and secured an Israeli withdrawal from the strip."

  • Dave DeCamp:

  • Dan Grazier [08-11]: Trump's $23 billion ship will be outdated before it even hits water: "In an era of cheap drones, the new battleship is overly reliant on expensive and highly vulnerable technology."

    The U.S. Navy has a poor shipbuilding record in the 21st century. The Zumwalt-class destroyer, the Littoral Combat Ship, and the Constellation-class frigate have been complete failures. The final verdict of the Ford-class aircraft carrier is not yet in, but when the ship's crew can't even rely on the sewage system to work properly, the case isn't looking too good.

    It becomes clear reading through the CBO's report that Navy officials in Washington have learned nothing over the past 25 years from their shipbuilding mistakes. In typical Washington fashion, the new ship is being touted as "the fastest, the biggest, and by far 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built," as President Donald Trump put it. In practical terms, the ship will be armed with "antiair, land-attack, and antiship missiles, hypersonic missiles, nuclear cruise missiles, large lasers, and a rail gun (a weapon that uses electromagnetic energy to fire nonexplosive projectiles at hypersonic speeds)," according to the CBO.

    All of these systems will require a tremendous amount of electrical power to operate. To meet this challenge, the new ship will also be nuclear-powered. The addition of a nuclear reactor will dramatically increase both the cost and complexity of the ship's construction.

    The original sin of all the Navy's 21st century shipbuilding failures is a lack of design discipline. The architects of each program attempted to incorporate every gadget the technologists could imagine, several of which (including cutting-edge rail guns) remain unproven to this day. Excess complexity drives up costs and delays delivery, often by years.

    Of course, it's not just the Navy that's been designing overly expensive "cutting edge" weapons systems that rarely live up to their billing. Like the F-35.

  • Mark Thompson [08-13]: US looking for 'new creative' ways to fight a war it's already 'won': "Trump attempts to spend his way out of a politically disastrous conflict with Iran, while the Air Force and Navy grapple with the usual production problems."

  • Andre Pagliarini [08-15]: Trump gets real about US dominance of Latin America: One thing I've found curious is how rarely the Monroe Doctrine has been tested, let alone invoked. Granted, it suggested an imperial sphere of influence, but both US corporate penetration of Latin America in the 19th century and the gunboat diplomacy and Cold War exploits of the 20th followed their own logic, regardless of Monroe. Same for Trump today, but Monroe doesn't offer any legitimacy for what is basically just gangster culture.

  • Cameron Peters [08-17]: The Trump-Kim Jong Un bromance comes roaring back: "A new test for the US-South Korea relationship as Trump curtails joint military exercise." I wonder which of Trump's idiot-sycophants thought this would be a good idea. I don't doubt that there is a deal to be had here, but it's basically the same one Trump is denying in Iran: give them normal relations and the imagined threat will wither away, but don't expect them to disarm while you continue to treat them as an enemy. But Trump couldn't do that when he had the chance — sure, Bolton and Pompeo, who sabotaged every move he made, are no longer there, but their replacements are little better, and he's proven to be utterly untrustworthy.

  • Austin Campbell [08-19]: Officials says 'America-hating' media to blame for USS Lincoln outrage: "Yet upon request, the Pentagon won't say whether reports of dire conditions on the aircraft carrier, at sea since 2025, are inaccurate."

  • Jesse Coburn/Ruth Talbot [08-20]: The $trillion black box: "The US military budget is vast and opaque. Projects end up facing delays and ballooning costs." This doesn't even go into the real beauty of defense procurement: you're buying stuff that doesn't do anything useful, so you'll never know whether it works or not (at least until it doesn't).

  • Jason Linkins [08-22]: Trump hates the troops. The troops are taking notice. "The administration is desperately trying to spin the hopeless war in Iran as a success, but our service members and their families are telling a different story."

  • Stavroula Pabst [08-25]: A trillion budget but military can't 'afford' to attack mold on bases? "New GAO report says there is a $285 billion repair backlog behind toxic conditions in housing and facilities across the country."

Trump vs. Law and/or Law vs. America: From ICE to the Supreme Court and the assault on democracy.

Trump's Administration: Trump can't remake America in his own image (i.e., destroy the country, culture, and civilization) just by himself. He needs help, and having largely purged the government of civil servants and replaced them with his own minions, this is what they are doing — whether he's paying attention or not, and that it's mostly not is no excuse: he sets the tone, then distracts the media with his own insanity.

  • Julian Scoffield [05-22]: Who died when Elon Musk killed USAID?: "Nicholas Enrich's new memoir details the human toll of the agency's dismantling." The book is Into the Wood Chipper: A Whistleblower's Account of How the Trump Administration Shredded USAID (with a foreword by Atul Gawande).

    The memoir also documents something more deliberate than incompetence. Mark Lloyd, whom Trump tapped as USAID's assistant administrator for global health, for example, was not ignorant of the agency's work; he was contemptuous of it. Enrich recalls how Lloyd's "eyes lit up" at the opportunity to enact vengeance on the "list" of agency employees that had apparently wronged him.

    It was a combination of administrative incompetence and malice, and the book illustrates the grim process by which dull bureaucratic procedures can end up killing human beings en masse. Meetings are held, emails are sent, phone calls are made, and something like 520,000 children die of malnutrition, diarrhea, tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV. As the book goes on, it becomes clear it was more the second explanation rather than the first — DOGE's destruction of the agency was driven primarily by animosity rather than ignorance.

    The death toll continues to grow, as in this report, at 762,000.

  • Tomy Romm/Brad Plumer [07-24]: Trump administration admits canceling grants to states that did not vote for him: "Federal officials said in court documents that they halted billions of dollars in funding for energy projects to states 'based solely' on whether they backed President Trump in the 2024 election."

  • Martin Austermuhle [08-03]: Let's talk about the massive parking garage Trump wants to build at Dulles: "The 32,000-spot deck would surpass both existing parking capacity and what airport officials have said is needed."

  • Cameron Peters [08-10]: Trump takes aim at childhood vaccines: "Fewer vaccines, more uncertainty: What to know about Trump's vaccines order."

  • Anat Shenker-Osorio [08-13]: Stephen Miller's secret campaign against helpless kids: "That it's happening in the shadows doesn't make it less of a moral blight."

  • Mike Young [08-13]: The registry is dead: "The treasury just made permanent the deletion of a shell-company ownership database the first Trump administration once praised. The stated reason was paperwork burden." Quotes Casey Michel as saying: "Creating this new shell company registry a couple years ago was the single-greatest anti-corruption step the US had taken in decades." Just in case you wonder why Trump would want to get rid of it.

  • Brian Karem [08-14]: The worst White House press secretary of all time: "Karoline Leavitt is leaving the White House. She won't be missed by the media she mocked and despised." More on Leavitt:

  • Sasha Abramsky [08-14]: Trump is trying to sabotage the health of all our kids: "His executive order on vaccines is classic Trump: authoritarian, nonsensical, and deadly."

  • Kristin Collier [08-14]: What happens when 8 million people lose their student loan repayment plan: "As the Biden-era SAVE plan ends, borrowers are facing unaffordable bills, lost payment records, and errors that have falsely put some into default."

  • J David Goodman [08-15]: Trump backed away from a wall at Big Bend. But the bulldozers are here: "Over the objections of environmentalists, local sheriffs and some state leaders, the Trump administration appears to be moving ahead with border infrastructure in one of Texas' most beloved parks."

  • Bess Levin [08-17]: Trump admin gave the Trump family's crypto company the okay to start a bank: Sen. Elizabeth Warren: "This is the most brazen act of self-dealing our financial system has ever seen."

  • Cameron Peters [08-17]: Trump's latest assault on public lands: "Why the Trump administration wants to build roads through protected forests."

  • Elie Mystal:

    • [08-19]: The Trump plan to cook the census books: "From adding a citizenship question to not tracking race and ethnicity, the administration wants to minimize Black and brown political power."

    • [08-21]: Trump's ballroom isn't just a farce anymore — it's a threat: "how the ballroom could gut key environmental protections." By the way:

      In other terrible environmental news, the Trump administration has authorized the sale of a 31 million-acre tract of seafloor off American Samoa for deep-sea oil mining. The planned sale, which represents yet another depressing first (the first time this country has opened its waters for deep-sea plunder), threatens the precious and vulnerable ecosystem off the Rose Atoll.

  • Anne Kim:

    • [08-23]: DOGE has made Americans less safe: "Hurricanes. Terrorism. Identity theft. DOGE's year-long campaign of destruction has left all of us more vulnerable to threats." Or just ordinary predation.

    • [07-29]: Businesses should step up to defend democracy: "The business community's silence could accelerate America's slide into autocracy, warns the founder of the pro-democracy business coalition Leadership Now." Shouldn't she be using the past, or at least the present, tense? Interview with Daniella Ballou-Aares. My impression is that most businesses heaved a giant sigh when Trump give up all their Woke/DEI efforts.

  • Ryan Cooper [08-24]: Why Scott Bessent can't fix the bond market: "Every Trump lackey must indulge his whims, no matter how stupid."

  • Eric Katz/Anna Kramer [08-25]: 'They want us all to leave': Interior reassigns dozens of senior staff: "Around 30 top staffers have been reshuffled, with some people moving to teams outside their area of expertise."

  • Melody Schreiber [08-26]: Meningitis is a horrible way to die. Trump will make it more common. "Mothers who have lost children to the disease are sharing their stories to warn the public about Trump's recent anti-vaccine executive order."

  • Tom Perkins [08-26]: Groups sue Trump's EPA over fast-track approval of toxic datacenter chemicals: "Exposure to two compounds approved can result in 'sudden death' and range of other serious health risks, lawsuit warns."

  • Mike Bader [08-27]: Five horsemen of the envrionmental apocalypse:

    1. The Department of the Interior redefined "harm" under the Endangered Species Act so that habitat destruction is no longer considered harmful to threatened and endangered species.
    2. The US Fish & Wildlife Service proposed to remove Endangered Species Act protection for grizzly bears less than 2 years after concluding that a host of cumulative threats puts the species at increased risk of extinction.
    3. The Fish & Wildlife Service proposed an expanded "4(d) rule" that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum says turns grizzly bear management over to the states that want trophy hunting and to kill them whenever near livestock, even on public lands.
    4. The Department of Agriculture proposed canceling the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Tens of millions of acres of the wildest National Forests would be opened to new roads, logging, motorized use and other development.
    5. The Department of Agriculture has proposed to shred National Travel Management Planning on National Forests, opening the way to off-trail cross-country travel by ATVs, snowmobiles and four-by-fours.

Just Trump: The cult (or should I say sinkhole?) of personality. While most of the bad things he has done and is doing are the work of his administration, and many of their bad ideas are deeply ingrained in the Republican Party, he hogs the spotlight, giving off the uniquely pungent odor that we notice first. Much of this is petty. Some of it is probably meant as distraction.

  • Margaret Hartmann:

  • Maxine Joselow/David A Fahrenthold/Tyler Pager/Clarence Williams [08-07]: How the reflecting pool came to mirror Trump's Washington: "A hospitality manager for the Trump Organization traveled to Las Vegas to find a solution to problems at a national landmark. This is the untold back story of the fallout."

  • Tom Carson [08-10]: Drunk history in the making: "No, Trump isn't an alcoholic. He just might as well be, and that goes double for the Trumpified GOP." Quotes Trump as saying "I never had alcohol, for whatever reason. Can you imagine if I had? What a mess I would be." To which Carson replies, "We don't have to imagine it anymore."

    Some alcoholics — and some mental patients, too — exhibit completely altered personalities when the fit is on them. In many cases, though, we get an unhinged exaggeration of what they were like all along. That's Trump's crass cross to bear. Always prone to focus on inessentials, he now has a drunk's fixation on them, seemingly for the same reason: an escape from reality.

    He can barely muster interest in his war with Iran even when it comes to figuring out how to conceal that we've lost it. (The Pentagon recently invited any interested military personnel to chip in with inventive ideas.) But don't get him started on Reflecting Pool "vandalism" or his idiot ballroom or how do you solve a problem like Melania or how he got cheated in 2020 or how he might run again in 2028. He'll talk his own wounded-warrior ear off.

  • Cameron Peters [08-11]: Does Trump even have an agenda anymore? "The president's August doldrums, briefly explained." He never really had an agenda, at least as regards governing. Aside from his decorating projects, which do appear to be near and dear to his heart, most of what he's done has been to allow his flunkees to implement their agendas without the least regard for how it would work out, or he whether he'd be blamed for the results. Much of this stuff is rooted in standard Republican moral and mental rot, especially their media cess pool, but not even they could have thought bringing back measles was a good idea. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss the days when Trump had actual strategists, like Steve Bannon and Kellyanne Conway, to impose some discipline on his evil impulses. Lacking any progress on the Iran war or the SAVE America Act, Peters does point to Trump's enduring interest in "zombie priorities — previously dead Trump agenda items that are coming back to haunt the news cycle," like:

    • The Reflecting Pool
    • Birthright citizenship
    • Fed independence
    • The slush fund

  • Jeet Heer [08-14]: Jared Kushner finds trouble in a gangster's paradise: "The Trump princeling's deal with alleged mobsters illustrates the depth of MAGA corruption."

  • Jonathan O'Connell/Sarah Blaskey [08-14]: Trump administration set to spend at least $900 million on White House construction: "The price tag is much larger than what has been previously reported, according to a Post review of confidential contracts, and taxpayers would cover most of it."

  • Hannah Furnell [08-19]: Donald Trump's staffers claim maintaining MAGA beauty standards is 'exhausting' for top aides: "Several anonymous employees in President Trump's administration are reportedly not shocked that Karoline Leavitt is leaving her role as White House Press Secretary this month."

  • Amanda Marcotte [08-19]: Trump aide Natalie Harp nurses his decline: "The president's defensive reaction to rampant speculation reveals his fear of aging." Maggie Haberman has dubbed her Trump's "human binky."

  • Robert Kuttner [08-26]: How Trump is destroying Detroit: "His takedown of the US auto industry can't be good for Republicans in Michigan either."

Electoral Politics: Pieces on US elections (recent and future) and, more generally, inter-party politicking. Party-specific pieces in following sections.

  • Anna Wiederkehr [05-09]: Poll: Republicans and Democrats agree on 1 big election issue: The question is agreement with "There is too much money in American politics." 80% of Harris voters agree. 77% of Trump voters agree. 72% of Americans overall agree. Disagree doesn't exceed 5% for any group. Neither party has an answer to this, probably because the candidates they field are the ones most adept at raising money, and the bipartisan struggle for dollars keeps the oligarchy in power. Republicans, including their Supreme Court, are proud apologists for this system. Democrats are more likely to question it, but not when they have a chance to outspend Republicans (as Obama, Clinton, and Harris did, without extending any real coattails to their party). When you hear centrist Dems complain about the left, what they're really worried about is losing their big-money funding. They see keeping the left bottled up and powerless as a big part of the value proposition they present to wealthy donors, and they'd rather lose elections than funding.

  • Ed Kilgore:

    • [08-05]: Kansas primaries give Democrats a shot at a big upset: I'm generally pleased with the results, but I'm skeptical for November. The big win, not mentioned here, was a resounding vote to save abortion rights. But even though Democrats were motivated and organized around that issue, the Republican primary still drew more voters than the Democratic. But all the major race Democratic primaries were contested, which suggests much more interest (and hope) than usual, and most were won by pretty good people. Hamilton is still a long-shot for Senate, as is Tyndell in KS-4. The governor's race is more up for grabs. Holscher should be a good campaigner. Masterson is one of the worst ogres the Republicans have nominated, with a lot of baggage to defend. And a critical number of Kansans are getting used to the advantages of divided rule in Topeka.

    • [08-07]: Trump's grip on GOP slips again with Tennessee loss: Trump fave Rep. Andy Ogles lost his Republican primary.

    • [08-09]: What happens if Democrats blow the midterms? "It's also entirely possible that Democrats will be all over the place in their reaction to an unexpected defeat." In other words, that they will wind up where they started. But the centrists have the most to lose by losing: a big part of their pitch is the assertion that they are more electable than the leftists. Losing, especially to Republicans as offensive as Trump, is really inexcusable. Left-democrats have their reasons for thinking their approach is better. For one thing, they have better ideas of how to handle problems. A big problem with the centrists is that even when their programs get implemented, and even when those programs help (as with ACA), they still don't solve the problems. The other problem is that centrists are so preoccupied with compromise, and with catering to business interests, that it's hard to see them as really committed to most Democratic voters. It's not clear to me how anyone fell for the line that "Trump will fix it," but at least he said it. People desperate for a leader to fix things may more easily jump from Trump to someone like Sanders, who actually promises things, and identifies the opponents he's up against, than to any of the DNC centrists.

    • [08-17]: Polls show Trump's MAGA base is all he has left: "Trump's job-approval numbers are awful any way you slice it. And there's little chance that will change before the midterms."

    • [08-20]: Midterm-convention Trump-fest may backfire on GOP: On September 9-10, in Dallas, "Republicans are putting their unpopular president at the center of their midterms pitch. Democrats should enjoy the show."

    • [08-26]: Darline Graham fumbled debate, won Senate primary anyway: "South Carolina GOP voters cared more about President Trump's endorsement than the interim senator's gaffe." By the way:

Other Republicans:

  • Carlyn Beccia [07-02]: Has America crossed the asshole threshold? "Civilizations can carry a surprising number of parasites and live. But there's a line — Rome crossed it, the Gilden Age toed it, and for the first time in history, we can measure it." This characterization of the Gilded Age, and the reform movements that pulled America back from the abyss, is pretty good, although it omits a few major recessions/depressions that helped discredit the oligarchy. Rome and Greece I'll have to take on faith. The measurements involve things like Peter Turchin's End Times theory of the overproduction of elites, which I don't like but can't totally dismiss. More promising is: "Cooperators survive by clustering, finding one another, and repeatedly dealing with one another, so honesty compounds." I think we're seeing more and more of that. I'm not wild about data centers as an issue, but we're seeing good people coming together to fight them for good reasons that can reach out to tie together more good causes, so I have to see that as a net positive.

  • Sarah Jones [08-07]: The GOP's missing moral compass: I resisted the sub here — "Republicans' refusal to condemn Max Miller reflects the party's history of dismissing abuse claims" — possibly because I don't care much about such claims. But the title is true, and of much more than just abuse cases.

  • Pedro Gonzalez [08-14]: The new right's toxic addiction to racial conflict: "A former fellow with the Claremont Institute explains how white nationalist dogma sets the terms of political belonging on the MAGA right."

  • Norman J Ornstein [08-16]: The Republicans are going to kill people — but not until after they vote: "In the Big Beautiful Bill, the GOP put off Medicaid cuts until after the midterms. America is about to find out why."

    Bad as the first Trump term was, it was nothing compared to this one. And the key components of the anti-science, anti-government nihilism, combined with willful ignorance about the consequences of their actions, and the interrelationship across policy areas, is about to play out big time starting next year, with health care and policy on the front lines. Three components of horrible policies across disparate areas will interact to engender a catastrophe in an already stressed health ecosystem. . . .

    Now comes the biggest problem. When the Republican Congress enacted Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill in July 2025, it included massive cuts in the Medicaid program, totaling around $1 trillion over 10 years — but made sure to postpone them until 2027, conveniently after the midterm elections. The cuts focused on adding onerous work and paperwork requirements, all designed to force recipients off the rolls, and will remove somewhere between 10 and 15 million people from the program, leaving them without any health coverage. That is in addition to the millions losing coverage or facing huge premium increases with the erasure of subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. But the impact will go far beyond those directly losing their health insurance. Medicaid money does not go to Medicaid recipients. It goes to the providers. The loss of a major chunk of the money going out to them will have big reverberations.

  • Zach Beauchamp [08-18]: The worst primary in America just ended: "An Islamophobic Congress member beat an antisemitic influencer. It may be a sign of the GOP to come." The former is Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL). The latter is Dan Bilzerian, "an open antisemite and Holocaust denier with millions of social media followers who has said that 'most of the problems today are caused by Jewish supremacy.'"

  • Troy Farah [08-19]: Mike Lindell refuses to accept he's an election loser: "On Wednesday, he offered to fund a recount in the Minnesota governor primary." He lost by 11 points, but at least he's "on brand."

  • Branko Marcetic [08-21]: If Woke 1 was crazy, MAGA Woke is absolutely insane: "Much of the Left has been debating 'Woke 1' recently. Less discussed has been the Right's own version of wokeness, characterized by censorship, attacks on free speech, and even jailing and deporting critics." Look, moves to suppress free speech, and to control what you are allowed to think, almost always come from the right. If anyone on the left got too pushy, or too worked up, disapproving of your racism, I'm sorry. Most of us respect your right to dumb and even evil thoughts, both privately held and publicly expressed. Granted, we aren't happy about your nonsense. And sometimes we wish you would just shut up and go away. But we're not used to having the power to shut you up or banish you. Not only are we not used to having any power at all, we're pretty skeptical of people who do have power. It's important for people with power to use a substantial measure of tolerance, so as not to abuse that power. But since we don't have that kind of power, we may also feel it is personally important not to simply acquiesce to your racism or other malevolence. One might argue here that the solution is mutual respect. That would be more credible if the right exhibited any, but so far their only response to the charge of "you're not woke" has been to turn "woke" into a slur, assign it to everyone who disagrees with them, and attempt to use their considerable power to stomp it out. The irony is that many of Trump's complaints, like weaponization of the Justice Department and "cancel culture" would resonate with the left if they were applied at all fairly. But Trump only opposes such things when he imagines they are arrayed against him. If he can use them for his own purposes, he's more than happy to do so.

  • Sharon Zhang [08-27]: Jury finds DeSantis admin diverted $10M marked for poor children to GOP coffers: "The funds were given to Florida from a settlement with a company that was overcharging Medicaid for prescription drugs."

Democrats: Prog Democrat Abdul El-Sayed won the Senate primary in Michigan over an AIPAC favorite. Francesca Wong lost the Governor primary in Wisconsin after leading in the polls. Both margins were very close, with huge money advantages for the centrist candidates. In both cases, the decision hinged on electability, which is to say the fear that a great many Democrats, including many who lean toward more progressive positions, have of losing close races to Republicans. Some of this debate inevitably shows up below, but I'm not terribly interested in it, except to note that the credibility of the centrists is on pretty thin ice after losing two elections to Trump, and that if they sabotage this year's elections just because they think Democrats have moved left, they will never be trusted again. Well, also that I think the people with real answers to most problems are on the left, so if Democrats ever get a chance to govern again, and want to actually accomplish something for their voters — something Clinton and Obama didn't seem to be very concerned about — they're going to have to move left. But I also think that ideology has very little to do with electability. It's quite possible that the Michigan-Wisconsin split was just a matter of Wong fumbling some questions near the wire, while El-Sayed handled them with aplomb. Perhaps it's more important to be a skilled campaigner than to have the right positions? Other Senate primaries seem to bear this out; Kansas went to the better heeled and more "electable" centrist, while the progressive won in Florida, beating a DNC/AIPAC darling. By the way, for Governor KS Democrats bucked their party leadership pick in favor of a much more progressive candidate, in a race which well may be winnable — not least because Cindy Holscher won her race by campaigning harder and better.

  • Andrew Prokop:

  • Zeeshan Aleem [08-06]: A new study finds the advantage of moderation in elections has vanished. That's a huge deal. This came out after the El-Sayed win, but isn't really based on it. The needle has been moving steadily left since Bernie Sanders launched his 2016 campaign. He's won two general elections since then, vs. zero for Clinton and Harris. And people forget that before him, Vermont was so heavily Republican that it was one of only two states to vote for Alf Landon in 1936 (and Kansas, where Landon was governor, was not the other one).

  • Astead Herndon:

    • [08-11]: Why progressives are backing off "Woke 1": "The Democrats aren't the same party they were in 2020." Well, Trump made sure of that. But "Woke" in any iteration was never a political program. It was at best a self-help program, a set of meditations that might help you become a less hurtful person. It only became a political program for the right, which sensed they could exploit it to get folks riled up over the left blaming them for social problems. Here's a rule of thumb: political programs shouldn't try to get people to change — nobody wants to change, especially under duress; political programs should seek to shift power toward better, or less bad, outcomes. So why is anyone on the left talking about "woke," even in an imagined past tense?

    • [08-18]: The real "electability" question is about Donald Trump: "Democratic infighting is distracting from the top story of the midterms."

  • Jason Linkins [08-15]: Third Way doesn't care about the Democratic Party: "The centrist organization is spending millions of dollars of corporate money on a campaign to manufacture right-wing talking points to flood the media."

    Third Way's donor base is a "Trojan horse" packed to the gills with scoundrels: Wall Street cretins and private equity goons; "members of the GOP-aligned American Legislative Exchange Council," best known for producing cookie-cutter right-wing legislation that is diametrically at odds with just about every Democratic Party policy priority; and supporters of the Republican Attorneys General Association, "which helps elect Republicans who fight federal environmental and other regulations." In addition, [Robert] Reich points out that two of the organization's former honorary co-chairs are Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema. Enough said!

  • Jared Abbott/Joan C Williams [08-17]: Donald Trump's coalition is coming apart: "The working-class voters who delivered Donald Trump's 2024 victory have steadily slipped away in 2026 according to new polling. But few of them are switching to the Democrats." Their main complaint about the Democrats is "corruption and self-interest": "The biggest obstacle for the Democatic Party is a question of trust and competence — whether the party can be trusted to act for people like them." Williams, by the way, has written several books on this. One I've read and recommend was White Working Class: Overcoming Class Cluelessness in America (2020). There's a more recent one: Outclassed: How the Left Lost the Working Class and How to Win Them Back. The latter book starts out with 14 chapters phrased as questions. They're worth listing:

    1. Is there really a diploma divide?
    2. Isn't it just the white working class?
    3. Isn't it bizarre when the left denies the impact of inequality on politics?
    4. Why are rural and rust belts red?
    5. Is the solution to move to the center?
    6. Why does the culture wars formula work so well?
    7. Isn't it ironic that red "family values" states have weaker families than blue states?
    8. Can't people see through Trump's truculent retro masculinity?
    9. Doesn't the diploma divide just reflect "grievance politics"?
    10. Smart people get ahead; isn't that just the reality?
    11. It's a battle between sophisticated global citizens and parochial ethno-nationalists, right?
    12. Aren't the college-educated just more enlightened?
    13. Aren't elites just less racist?

    The first chunk of these are under the Part I title of "Aren't you sick of losing elections or just scraping by?" The others are "What's the matter with Kansas?" and "What's the matter with Cambridge?" The rest of the book promises "The path past far-right populism." Lots of stuff there, but here's the basic pitch:

    My message to liberals is that we will lose elections, or scrape by so narrowly we can't implement progressive changes, unless we can secure more votes from these middle-status voters in routine jobs feeling left behind. So if you care about climate change or abortion rights or defending democracy, you need to care about these lower-middle-class voters.

    One thing I'd add is that a distinguishing characteristic of Trump voters in 2016 and 2024 was that they were mad as hell. Those people have even more to be made about right now. And that makes them more accessible than the comfortable white suburban women that were the holy grail for Clinton and Harris. Even Biden got enough of them in 2020. Scanning further down the book, I'll leave you with one more line: "Precarity, not poverty, drives far-right support."

  • Bill Scher [08-18]: Americans like moderate politicians and progressive policies, but not socialism: "If Democrats focus on the vast terrain where liberals and moderates agree, they can build a durable center-left coalition." Scher seems to have a lot of trouble understanding words, which is a real problem for him because he's so hung up on what he thinks they mean. I don't want to go deep here, but let's briefly examine some of these (by the way, I'm avoiding quote marks here, even though they're very tempting):

    1. Moderate Politicians: There is no evidence that Republicans, who make up 35-40% of all Americans, like moderate candidates. They've shown repeatedly that they prefer candidates who promise to fight for their principles, even when they're flat out nuts. There is some evidence that Democrats, a similar-sized group, can be cajoled or panicked into voting for moderate candidates, but those who have won have a very poor track record of delivering the progressive policies that even middling Democrats want, so even Democrats who once could have been persuaded that moderation are responding to candidates who actually show some conviction and principles. As for independents, they're not really in the center, but are variable according to which side they hate most at any given moment. My guess is that there's a sizable chunk of people who voted for Trump against Harris who also would have voted for Sanders against Romney. It's just plain dumb to call those people centrists or moderates.

    2. Progressive Policies: It's hard to decide where to start carving here. I'd just as soon drop the allusion to progress altogether: for many people, progress no longer seems to be beneficial and/or inevitable, at least to the extent it seemed 100-125 years ago. As for policies, there is a big disconnect between what people actually want (peace, freedom from surveillance, equal opportunity, protection from predatory capitalism, public service safe from corruption, public support for recovering from if not preventing disasters) and policies as offered by "the vast terrain where liberals and moderates agree" — which isn't that vast, given that the moderates will veto any policies that aren't acceptable to their corporate sponsors.

    3. Liberals: Liberalism is an honorable political philosophy which helped broaden the definition of "we the people" to extend beyond the powdered-wigs who wrote the US Constitution to virtually everyone. On the other hand, liberalism excessively focuses on individuals, which helps explain why so many liberals, having achieved their own liberation, became conservative, and conspired to deny others their freedom. Those few liberals who do believe in universal equal rights have merged into the left, where the drive for equality started with class consciousness and expanded from there. Scher performs a switcheroo here, substituting liberals for left, because he doesn't want to deal with the left on its own terms. Either that, or he imagines a Democratic Party that offers little or nothing to the vast majority of people left out of the two-party oligarchy system.

    4. Center-left: Not sure if this is a token gesture toward the left, or simply meant to give the center a little credibility as opposed to the right, reflecting the claim that centrists are the only realistic alternative. But the key for Scher is that the center runs the show, setting direction and vetoing anything that might discomfit their wealthy patrons.

    5. Socialism: Still a taboo word for centrist Democrats, even long after the New Deal/Great Society programs they claim to love have been routinely derided as socialist by generation after generation of Republicans — to the point where most Americans react either with "what?" or "duh!" I am personally dubious about the value of embracing the word — as, for instance, DSA does. (I doubt they can build a majority around it, but they can easily build a following, which may be all the current leaders really want.) I doubt that Scher has any idea what socialism means in an American context. He may be thinking of socialism as it claimed to exist in Russia, China, or Cuba, but those systems were built on the ruins of their distinct societies, and no American socialist wants to go back to their pre-revolution states just to duplicate their later failures. Rather, in America, you start from where we are not, and work to improve the situation for everyone. A real socialist program probably involves some combination of:

      1. Shifting effective control over firms from capitalists (owners of capital, which these days are mostly financiers) to workers.
      2. Regulating businesses and markets to prevent monopolies and fraud, to establish standards and ensure compliance, and to reduce and manage externalities.
      3. Using government for public service, to direct investment, to compensate for market failures and other disasters, to make sure that all people have rights to a decent level of support, and to establish justice.

      To some extent, we're already doing these things (unions help on 1, but actual employee ownership would be better). But there is lots of room for improvement, piecemeal as well as systematically.

  • Rachel Cohen Booth [08-21]: Why this year's Medicare-for-all debate is different: "Democrats never resolved their health care war, but they may have found a way around it." Why is this so hard for some people to understand? Problems don't go away until they are solved. The solution to health care — specifically, runaway costs, which goes hand-in-hand with non-coverage and/or bankruptcy — is comprehensive universal health insurance, with investments to make sure that supply meets demand. You can make the system slightly less bad with reforms like ACA, and Democrats have long been willing to go for whatever they can get, but the problem remains until you solve it. Medicare for All is a sales pitch which may or may not solve the problem, depending on the details of its implementation. For instance, Medicare itself has various carve-outs and co-payments that fall short of universal and comprehensive, so simply extending current Medicare to everyone doesn't quite meet the requirement. One way people deal with the shortcomings of Medicare is by buying supplemental insurance. The Sanders plan not only extends Medicare, but it fixes it. If you don't fix it, you still wind up with problems — albeit fewer than you have right now. So the details matter, not just the slogan. One more thing to note here: one reason Medicare for All is becoming even more urgent is that ACA is failing, partly due to its design, but also due to Republican sabotage. That didn't have to happen, but the design of ACA certainly made it easier to blow up.

  • Robert Kuttner [08-21]: That stunning Florida Senate win: "A democratic socialist manages to build the coalition that has long eluded the left." Angie Nixon, a state rep from Jacksonville, beat Alex Vindman by 12 points, after Vindman had a 19-to-1 campaign finance advantage. Vindman is remembered from the Trump I impeachment hearings as a Ukrainian staunchly allied against Putin. He seems to have been completely tone-deaf during the campaign, relying on AIPAC money and his "national security" cred.

  • David Sirota [08-24]: Bernie Sanders reminds me of this conservative giant: "Democratic socialism's ascent mirrors Barry Goldwater's rise." That's a point, but a pretty narrow one. For starters, it gives Goldwater much too much credit for the later rise of Nixon and Reagan. The Vietnam War delivered the White House to Nixon, and Reagan won largely due to the Volcker Recession and the Iran Fiasco, both major Carter blunders. Goldwater was no giant. He was totally out of touch, mired so deep in his anti-communism he was willing and eager to destroy the world to purify it. What few votes he did get in 1964 were mostly due to his hypocritical opposition to civil rights — his "devotion to freedom" was pretty sharply circumscribed. Sanders may well be followed by even more successful leftist candidates, but his runs in 2016 and 2020 stood much stronger than Goldwater's in 1964. He would likely have won if chickenshit Democrats hadn't blocked his path, not just saving us from Trump but paving the way for a much brighter future.

Economists and the Economy: Also see Dean Baker, below.

Technology (Including AI): Also see the section on data centers, which is the political flashpoint, but based not just on immediate concerns like environmental impact but on the public's profound unease with how hugely-valued companies plan to deploy AI and the inordinate amount of influence such companies wield in our currently very corrupt political system.

  • Stacy Mitchell [04-20]: How Amazon's AI algorithms raise the prices you pay: "Online price swings look like fierce competition. In reality, they're part of an invisible strategy that steers the entire market upward."

  • David Dayen/Matt Stoller [06-30]: Organized Money: How to think about AI (with Cory Doctorow): "AI might just be useful once we get through the huckster phase." An interview. I've read, and recommend, Doctorow's book, The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI: How to Think About Artificial Intelligence — Before It's Too Late.

  • Grace Blakeley [08-05]: Nobody asked for AI: "We tend to think that markets reflect consumer choice. But the artificial-intelligence boom has been powered by the investment decisions of concentrated capital rather than by consumer demand."

  • Marina Bolotnikova [08-11]: Everybody needs a personal AI policy. Just ask Hank Green. "How can we reap AI's benefits without melting our brains in the process?" I don't know. I haven't been there/done that, at least yet. I'm just circling around the problem/opportunity.

  • John Herrman [08-20]: ChatGPT is a huge snitch: "Never say anything to AI that you wouldn't want read aloud in a court of law."

  • Ron Knox [08-25]: Amazon's monopoly problem is growing: "Three years after Amazon caught a federal monopoly lawsuit, sellers say the company's fees and policies are even worse."

    With nearly 50 percent of every sale going out in fees, sellers must raise prices to maintain their margins and turn a profit. Earlier this month, the group Million Dollar Sellers found that 60 percent of the nearly 200 Amazon sellers it polled had raised their prices in response to Amazon's fees and policy changes.

Climate and Environment:

Regular Columnists

Sometimes an interesting columnist writes often enough that it makes sense to collect their work in one place, rather than scatter it about (especially if they cover a range of topics).

Dean Baker: Look for links here. They are all worth reading.

  • [08-11]: Trump grift vs. the "Biden Crime Family": "Trump and his family have used the presidency to generate vastly greater financial gains than the Biden family ever did, revealing the extraordinary scale of Trump-era corruption."

  • [08-12]: First, they took our wages; now they want our Social Security: "Social Security can afford to pay full benefits, but decades of policies that shifted income from workers to the wealthy have undermined the program's finances."

  • [08-14]: The price of gas: Trump and Biden: "Gas prices are now above $4 a gallon under Trump, rapidly eroding his advantage over Biden and potentially leaving Americans paying more at the pump."

  • [08-15]: Trump's war sends interest rates soaring: "Trump's war with Iran has pushed up long-term interest rates, raising borrowing costs for homeowners, businesses, and governments while increasing the cost of massive federal deficits."

  • [08-19]: Iran War sends housing starts tumbling: "Higher interest rates and Trump's immigration policies are slowing housing construction, making a major decline in home prices less likely."

  • [08-21]: The $40 trillion debt and Trump corruption: "The $40 trillion national debt is not the biggest threat to the US economy; Trump's corruption and attacks on the rule of law pose a far greater danger to investors and the dollar."

  • [08-22]: Hey Donnie, where's the beef? "Trump's plan to allow more tariff-free beef imports may lower prices somewhat, but it is unlikely to deliver his promised 25 percent price cut." He figures you might get to 5%, but I'm skeptical of even that. I was surprised to find that the US imports about 17-18% of its beef, but it's mostly trimmings that are further processed to make less valuable products like hamburger. On the other hand, more expensive cuts are likely to be exported. Related here:

  • [08-26]: The rich own the media. They want to take your Social Security: "Wealthy media owners are using the national debt to justify cutting Social Security and Medicare instead of taxing the rich or addressing excessive health care costs."

Branko Milanovic:

  • [08-18]: The spirit of the nineties and the malaise of today. Economist, focuses on global inequality, sees the 1990s as a pivot point, perhaps better explained in his recent book, The Great Transformation: The United States, China, and the Remaking of the World Economic Order. I'm not sure there is an order anymore, or that that's a bad thing.

  • [07-14]: Don't ask me about my profits, but let's talk about your wages: "How Western capitalists use China-bashing to deflect attention from their soaring profits."

  • [08-26]: On European hypocrisy and warmongering. This seems to be blaming the Ukraine war on the warmongering of a "Nordic-Baltic alliance." I don't really see this, although the Baltic countries were critical to irritating Russia by NATO expansion, and Finland and Sweden joined NATO after the invasion, adding some fuel to the fire. The historical examples of Serbia dragging Germany and Russia into WWI, and Israel goading Trump into war with Iran are more convincing.

Jeffrey St Clair:

  • [07-31]: Roaming Charges: History hurts: Starts with a pan of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. In other news:

    + Trump and Hegseth have launched at least 67 airstrikes on small boats in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, killing at least 221 people, without any proof they are drug traffickers and, as the Washington Post reported, no evidence that the illegal killings have slowed the flow of drugs, especially cocaine, into the US.

    + Since the Trump-blessed "ceasefire" in October 2025, Israel has killed at least 1,209 Palestinians (including two children this week) in Gaza and wounded 3,943.

    + House Democrats who opposed cutting aid to Israel had pocketed three times as much money from pro-Israel donors . . .

    + Mark Zuckerberg has struck a deal with Chris Ruddy to train Meta's AI apps on Ruddy's right-wing media site, Newsmax.

  • [08-12]: Gaza Diary: Netanyahu calling.

  • [08-14]: Roaming Charges: Footprints dressed in red: Starts with a Gilles Delueze quote: "A tyrant institutionalizes stupidity, but he is the first servant of his own system and the first to be installed within it." Then he declares "the best story of the summer so far is Trump fleeing the NATO summit in a catering cart."

    + France has enacted a new law banning unsolicited telemarketing calls. Someone could be elected president of the US if they ran solely on this issue and reelected if they actually succeeded in doing it. [I've said this more than once. I'd go so far as to add a button to your phone so you can report abuses. It would be easy enough to sort the real abusers out from the occasional mistaken numbers.]

    + It's only August 14, with three months left in the fire season, and Oregon has already broken the all-time record for total acreage burned, at more than 2.3 million acres and counting, surpassing the previous record of 1.93 million acres set in 2024.

    + While the Trump administration denied emergency aid to two of the largest wildfires in Oregon history, both scorching hundreds of thousands of acres, Michael Boren, the tech billionaire Trump appointee overseeing the Forest Service, directed agency air tankers to divert themselves from fighting larger fires in order to douse out the tiny 7-acre fire on his own Idaho ranch . . .

    + The Trump crowd wants the fires to burn all summer, so that they can "salvage" log them without even pretending to adhere to environmental laws. That may be one reason MAGA ranchers in eastern Oregon and western Idaho have been harassing and threatening firefighters on the frontlines of big conflagrations in the Wallowa-Whitman and Boise National Forests.

    + According to the Wall Street Journal, auto insurance companies refused to pay out 45% of claims last year . . . yet, most states require you to buy insurance in order to drive legally.

    + According to Schroders, the London-based asset management company, 1 in 3 working adults in the US has more credit card debt than retirement savings.

    + ICE can't spend all of the money Trump and Congress kept dumping on it. For years, ICE's budget hovered around $10 billion. Then Trump opened the budgetary floodgates, hoping to create his own domestic police force, armed with more lethal weapons than 90 percent of the world's military. But after two reconciliation bills and nationwide raids, ICE has only managed to spend 12% of what Congress has given the agency. It's still got $100 billion in reserves. Is this what Trump plans to use to police polling places in November?

    + According to Border Patrol statistics, there's more fentanyl being trafficked out of the US into Canada than from Canada into the US.

    + The New Yorker's Jia Tolentino on re-reading Gone With the Wind:

    "Gone with the Wind" is evil, and far more interesting for being evil. (Scarlett, one of the finest comic characters ever written in literature, is, terrifyingly and amazingly, a lot like Donald Trump.) The novel registered to me as a paragon depiction of American political consciousness, or lack thereof. Scarlett's world is constructed through immeasurable exploitation; it implodes in war and reconstitutes itself in hideous struggle. It all happens about a half-inch away from her face, and yet all she really thinks about is her wardrobe, her dinner options, her love life, her bank account. Plenty among us, as our country commits atrocities across the globe, might relate.

  • [08-21]: Israel finally admits to killing Hind Rajab, her family and the paramedics who tried to save her. Not exactly news.

Tom Engelhardt/TomDispatch: Editor Tom Engelhardt has retired, which ironically gives him more time for writing. Meanwhile, former intern Nick Turse has taken over, while remaining The Intercept's primary critic of American militarism.

Miscellaneous Pieces

The following articles are more/less in order published, although some authors may have collected pieces, and some entries may have related articles underneath.

Alfred Soto [08-13]: Criticism in an age of discontent: Reaction to:

Eric Levitz [08-24]: Want to tax the rich? Start with the dead. Amen. I don't care for his subhed ("The rich are dying to avoid taxation"). Conventional thought is that taxes disincentivize whatever it is they're taxing, but death is a pretty obvious exception. People won't stop dying just because the estate tax rate is increased. (Maybe heirs will stop murdering them, but how would that be a problem?) The notion is overrated anyway: people don't stop earning, investing, or consuming just because the taxes go up. The Laffer Curve theory doesn't kick in until tax rates go very high (much higher than Laffer thought). And if we could deter some levels of profit-taking by taxing them away, that sounds like a pretty good idea to me. As for estates, I don't mind letting small ones slip through, not least because the hassle isn't worth the loot, but liquidating large estates would be a social, political, and economic blessing. (I could see allowing some beneficiaries, like spouses and minor children, annuities based on the estate, up to some limit.) Of course, confiscatory estate taxes would encourage people to tax evasion through whatever schemes are available. But that's a technical problem. Understanding the principle comes first.

End Matter

Books: Multiple reviews are grouped under book; other pieces by author.

  • JA Cohen [04-16]: The limits of diasporism: "Despite effectively displacing Israel as the center of left Jewish identity, diasporism might sap substance from our anti-Zionism." A review of two books: Benjamin Balthaser: Citizens of the Whole World: Anti-Zionism and the Cultures of the American Jewish Left (2025), and David Kraemer: Embracing Exile: The Case for Jewish Diaspora (2025). I have, but haven't yet read, the former, which caught my attention because I have many friends who are anti-Zionist leftist Jews. Whether their leftism came from initial Judaism or more secular sources is not something I can tell or much care about. I could make a case that my leftism is rooted in the Protestantism I was initially exposed to, but the more salient fact is that the ethics survived the end of religious belief. So, too, with most of my friends. On the other hand, it's clearly possible for believers in Judaism to reject Zionism, basing their rejection on their religious beliefs — Yakov B Rabkin's What Is Modern Israel? is jam packed with examples. I doubt they believe in diasporism so much as they accept diaspora as the shape of their universe. Elevating it to a distinct belief system may strike them as unnecessary, as sort of a back door to rejecting Zionism, which they've already done. Cohen draws this distinction between the two books: "Kraemer embraces diaspora out of pure bourgeois self-concern, while Balthaser argues for a solidaristic diasporism driven by material struggle." Cohen thinks this difference matters. I'm not so sure.

  • Eli Clifton and Ian Lustick: Israel's Lobby: America in the Grip of a Foreign Power:

    • Ian Lustick/Eli Clifton: Excerpts from the book.

    • Trita Parsi [08-11]: The most important book of 2026: Clifton and Lustick's Israel's Lobby:

      Israel's Lobby is neither a sequel to John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt's groundbreaking 2007 book, The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, not simply an update of it. It does something different.

      Eli and Ian provide a systematic history of the moments when, in their telling, Israel and its American supporters have worked against U.S. interests. But they also add a dimension that Mearsheimer and Walt did not explore at length: money — and, specifically, the financial machinery behind efforts to put Israel's interests ahead of America's.

      They follow that money.

      Of course, we already knew about the money. Maybe some of the details were sketchy, but the Adelsons weren't what you'd call subtle, and it shouldn't have taken Ida Tarbell to connect these dots. Still, I suspect that the real difference viz. Mearsheimer & Walt does amount to a sequel: what's new is the amount and flagrancy of the crimes against humanity that today's lobby is tasked with sweeping under the rug. And possibly how they do it, as the old explanations have frayed and torn. The other thing I'm curious about here is what it exposes about the inherent corruption of American politics.

      I'd like to second this quote from a comment:

      The tipping point has been reached. It is no longer possible to support Israel and still be considered a civilized, decent human being.

    • Socialist Worker [08-14]: The Zionist lobby, the left and the far right: Don't let imperialism off the hook: "The movement should reject the idea that US imperialism backs Israel because of a Zionist lobby." Long, unsigned article, starts by attacking the Clifton-Lustick book, so we'll file it here. Argues "it lets imperialism off the hook and opens the door to conspiracy theories that weaken and undermine the movement." I fail to see why we should focus on an abstract noun ("imperialism") when simpler, stupider, and more specific alternatives exist. American foreign policy has long been rooted in notions of hegemony that are only rarely classically imperialist. On the other hand, foreign policy plays a very small role in US politics, which makes it vulnerable to well-targeted lobbies, especially ones that often run unopposed. This, of course, is predicated on how open the US system is to corruption. You may not like the idea of conspiracy theories, but when the system is built from thousands of discrete bribes, you're bound to find conspiracies.

    • By the way, Guardian used this essay to lead to several older articles still worth noting:

      • Noam Sheizaf [2025-09-14]: How to burst the Israeli bubble: "Recognizing a Palestinian state is a limited but welcome step that addresses an enduring blind spot: Palestinian rights cannot be conditioned on Israeli interests." Refers extensively to the Hussein Agha/Robert Malley book, Tomorrow Is Yesterday

      • Diana Buttu [2025-10-05]: A 'magic pill' made Israeli violence invisible. We need to stop swallowing it: "For years, I pressed Palestinian interests in peace talks. The response to Trump's plan proves the international community hasn't learned from catastrophe." Magic pill? "The 'peace process' became a magic pill rendering the occupation invisible to the west."

      • Moustafa Bayoumi [2025-07-06]: The destruction of Palestine is breaking the world: "The rules of the institutions that define our lives bend like reeds when it comes to Israel — so much that the whole global order is on verge of collapse." Quote from Colin Jones: Gaza "is a test of the American public's tolerance for the levels of death that such kinds of warfare entail."

      • Naomi Klein [2024-10-05]: How Israel has made trauma a weapon of war: "A year later, memorials to the 7 October attacks use art, virtual reality and dark tourism to stir support for limitless violence."

    • Blaise Malley [08-24]: Israel's lobby: More powerful and more unpopular than ever: Interview with Eli Clifton and Ian Lustick.

    • John B Judis [08-26]: How Citizens United supercharged 'Israel's lobby': "In their new book, Eli Clifton and Ian Lustick chart the evolution of this powerful special interest and its unmatched influence in the US."

  • Gregory P Williams [08-20]: Immanuel Wallerstein predicted the fall of the US Empire: "Soon after 9/11, world-systems theorist Immanuel Wallerstein warned that US imperial decline was inevitable. But US leaders didn't want to hear that their glory days were in the past, and they've managed that decline in the worst possible way." The article cites other essays, but his 2003 book The Decline of American Power: The US in a Chaotic World seems to sum up the case. As I recall, Kevin Phillips had much of this, including the "wind-fired Dutch and the coal-fired British" eras of hegemony before the US rode the oil boom to world power, with each declining in an orgy of financialization. See his books American Theocracy (2006) and Bad Money (2008). I might also point out that my own blog compilations were started with the title, The Last Days of the American Empire: 2000-2009, followed by two volumes of Last Days With Obama (2009-2013 and 2013-2017) and Last Days with Trump: 2017-2020. (I haven't updated those "books" since 2020, but obviously there is more material available.) Needless to say, the decline has been fitful, where most of the fits come from trying to cling onto the waning sense of superiority. Williams writes:

    Decline did not mean catastrophe. Historically, hegemonic powers do not fall very far. They land among the other great powers, albeit with greater material comfort than most (just look at the Netherlands or the United Kingdom today).

    Furthermore, as Wallerstein wrote in that 1992 essay, decline could be "the greatest blessing of all." The United States had an opportunity to embrace morality. It "was Abraham Lincoln who sounded the moral note: 'As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master.'"

    In the early 1990s, Wallerstein saw two possible futures for America. One would involve neofascism, characterized by social conflict, with the lower strata subject to brutality and prejudice. The second, more hopeful scenario would be a form of national solidarity through social democracy and the movement toward egalitarianism.

    It's no surprise that the latter would never occur to right-wingers like Bush and Trump. That Democrats, especially Biden, have found it equally onerous to support a more equitable world order suggests that they aren't really democrats. I'll note that French Socialists and British Labourites have a comparably bad record. Perhaps the reason the left fails repeatedly in Latin America is that they keep trying to prop up the old order, rather than tearing it down?

  • Yotam Marom [08-12]: How Occupy Wall Street still explains politics today: "It sowed the seeds for a new era of social movements — but its politics of powerlessness should act as a cautionary tale." Author has a book on leftist political strategy: For Louder Days: Reaching Beyond a Politics of Powerlessness, which has been touted as "the essential guide to establishing an effective opposition movement in the age of Trump, from the leading activist and organizer."

  • Sarah Jones [08-21]: The communist conspiracy theory consuming the right: "For conservatives, 'cultural Marxism' is a shape-shifting, decades-old bogeyman." Interview with Aja Woods, author of The Cultural Marxism Conspiracy: Why the Right Blames the Frankfurt School for the Decline of the West. I doubt this book is very useful. Much of it is about Lyndon Larouche and his followers. I ran into them occasionally in the 1970s, and they were imbeciles. That they moved so easily from left to right just shows how little understanding they had of either. Beyond them, you also get more recent right-wing "thinkers" like Christopher Rufo, who see the Frankfurt School as the source of Critical Race Theory, which they don't like because its analysts are good at uncovering racism where the right thinks they have it buried. "Cultural Marxism" is a term only its opponents would use, because it links something they think everyone hates (Marxism) with something they really hate (Culture). They hate Culture because it reflects lived experience, and that tends to reflect capitalism and its order in an unflattering light. But the word we always used to summarize the thought of the various Frankfurt School thinkers was Critical Theory. Where Marx and his followers had focused on economics and political power, Critical Theorists extended their scope to include culture. And not to designate some preferred culture as Marxist: there is no such thing, nor is such a thing possible. Rather, what Critical Theory did was to uncover how economic and power relations permeate art, life, and culture. It is a powerful tool, and I came to see everything through it, almost too reflexively. (I read a lot of Adorno and Benjamin in the 1970s, but not much Marcuse, and my one attempt at Habermas was a dismal failure.) One point I should stress here is that Adorno focused almost exclusively on fascism. I'm not sure how relevant that makes him now, but probably more than 30-50 years ago. But if reading Critical Theory makes young people think like I do — and that seems to be the gist of the right-wing critiques — that strikes me as a good idea, not a bad one.

Other Media:

  • Alex Galbraith [08-21]: Columbia House closure sparks nostalgia for a bygone music scam: "Americans are fondly remembering the kinder, gentler music club swindles of decades past." I remember evaluating their offerings, but I'm pretty sure I never fell for one. (I did for a paperback book club once, which was a somewhat better deal.) Even in the '70s I hated the idea of signing up to pay more later. I didn't know they were still around, but even in the 1980s, I used to say that the only boom industry in America was fraud. I always credited that to Reagan.

    Nowadays, the taboo around scamming has fallen out of fashion with Gen Z, who see devious business models as a way to get ahead in a rigged economy. . . . The internet-savvy and unscrupulous were quick to cash in. . . . Americans lose more than $100 billion to scams every single year. As more and more of the country's citizens feel like they're being had, the Trump administration doesn't seem to be rushing to stop the con. In fact, there's plenty of evidence that they could be in on it.

    I was going to leave it at that, perhaps mentioning that few policy moves would be more popular than one that came down hard on unsavory business practices. But then I read the next paragraph, and had to include it:

    White House insiders are reportedly using privileged information to place wagers on grey-area betting platforms. Nine accounts on the platform Polymarket made millions on U.S. military actions in Iran, winning nearly all of their 80 wagers on U.S. strikes and ceasefire negotiations. The former White House teleprompter operator allegedly made tens of thousands placing bets on what words Donald Trump might use in his speeches. The president himself has spent much of his second term accepting luxurious gifts and donations that sure read like bribes in the right light. Trump has increased his net worth by more than $2 billion in his second term, largely through the launch of a crypto firm operated by his sons. He accepted a $400 million jet from the royal family of Qatar and has pardoned multiple people after their families made large donations to his campaign. Former White House ethics czar Norm Eisen told the Washington Post that Trump had "fully monetize[d] the Oval Office" and was carrying out "corruption on a scale that . . . has few rivals in world history."

    The only thing I have to add to that is that I've seen other sources put the haul above $4 billion.

Obituaries: I had been using the New York Times, but they're giving me aggravation these days, so I'll switch over to Wikipedia August), which is probably better anyway. Roughly speaking, since my last report on August 1:

Some other names I recognize:

Tweets: I've usually used this section for highlighting clever responses and/or interesting ideas.

  • Corey Robin: [07-31:

    Maggie Haberman, chief White House correspondent for the New York Times, "says 70 percent of the president's mind is dedicated to White House renovations." And they say I got Trump wrong. Pff.

    Robin goes on to offer a quote from his book, The Reactionary Mind:

    The attention to external detail, to the surface of things, is not confined to Trump's business career; it informs his political judgments as well. One of Trump's most heartfelt criticisms of Obama was that rather than hosting a celebration of foreign dignitaries in a lavish ballroom, he served dinner to them in "an old, broken, rotten-looking tent" on the White House lawn. "That's no way for America to host important meetings and dinners with world leaders and dignitaries. We should project our nation's power and beauty with a proper facility and ballroom." So enraged was Trump at this failed aesthetics of power that he called the White House and, patched through to Obama senior strategist David Axelrod, offered to build a ballroom there for free: "If there's one thing I know how to build, it's a grand ballroom." Axelrod never got back to him on his offer — yet one more sign, wrote a bitter Trump, of "what's wrong with this country."

    Now in office, Trump has set things right. . . . [quote clipped off scan]

  • Kim, Bestie of Bunzy [08-13]:

    I have a working hypothesis that 98% of people feel incredibly lonely because it's inherently the safest position in an aggressively predatory society.

  • The Onion [08-26]: "Trump pushes to rename sexual attraction to children 'Americaphilia'."

Current count: 349 links, 22051 words (27611 total)

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Saturday, August 22, 2026

Music Week

August archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 46464 [46411] rated (+53), 16 [25] unrated -9).

Advance Music Week appeared August 22 on Substack as Music Week (8:3). It is also archived here. My cutoff was done on Thursday, after I finished my initial draft of my Substack post Consumer Guidance. I posted it on Friday (August 21), then went to worked on the advance, posting it Saturday afternoon (August 22).

Robert Christgau's Consumer Guides usually came out on the second Wednesday of the month. When it didn't appear, as expected, on this one, I rushed my own Music Week (8:2) out, figuring it was an opportunity to clarify what I heard before reading him from what I sought out after. When his August Consumer Guide finally appeared on Sunday (August 16), I was struck by two things: he hadn't touched the rather obvious albums I had reviewed (Rolling Stones, Madonna, Pussy Riot), but instead came up with a very different set of widely scattered albums, most of which I had been completely unaware of. That got me thinking about writing the "Consumer Guidance" post.

Unfortunately, I whiled a couple days thinking about it, then a few more writing, ultimately pushing this Music Week into the weekend. I didn't have time to do a cutoff until I finished a draft late Thursday and circulated it to some friends. By then, I had piled up 53 reviews. I would normally dump them all out, but I decided to hold some back for next week. The main reason is that I wanted a little breathing room between the CG and my later reviews — I will, of course, eventually listen to everything there, possibly revisiting some things I may have underestimated.

But once I decided to hold things back, I saw that I had quite a few jazz promos that I had gotten to before their release dates. While I don't normally worry about publishing those — I just add a release date to the end of the review — there was no urgent need to rush those out. And there was one specific reason for holding back: Henry Threadgill has two releases this month, one on 8/21 that I haven't heard, and one on 8/28 that I have. Why not review them together?

My initial holds reduced the 53 albums to 46, still including a run through the 1996-2006 Mary Lee's Corvette catalog (5 albums, 1 reviewed by Christgau). I had planned on including them here, but when I tried writing up an explanation, I concluded it would be best to hold them all back. So we're down to 41 albums below. Still a pretty robust week, at least by my standards.

Next week will probably include all of the previously unheard albums from the Consumer Guide (plus all of the other Mary Lee's Corvette albums, and for that matter two older Tipps and Obermiller albums). The one album I had listed as heard, and included below (and in the advance), was the Paul McCartney. I had played it right after the previous week's cutoff, before the CG appeared. I gave it a B then, but gave it another chance, and nudged the grade up a bit.

Turns out I erred in including the R.A.P. Ferreira & Kenny Segal album in my "unheard" list. It was released last year, and I reviewed it, rather sketchily, in November, 2025 as a B+(***). The Gurf Morlix album was another I had heard and reviewed but had forgotten about. Christgau seems to have forgotten also, as he previously reviewed it in April, 2026.

The Consumer Guidance piece also has a section on the late rock critic, Dave Marsh. I'm collecting links about him, and expect to have more to say in Loose Tabs. I felt pretty negative about him in the 1970s, regarding him as some kind of posh snob — a feeling that doesn't align very well with how other remember him. I met him once, when Christgau brought Carola and me to his apartment to pick up Yankees tickets. He gave no indication of recognizing me (although I was writing in the Voice at the time). Jeffrey St. Clair has been very vocal about his death. I've read virtually nothing by him since 1980, but I ordered a copy of his latest essay compilation, so I'll give him another look. Scott Woods put together some video here, which is of more than passing interest.

I'll probably shift back to Loose Tabs next week, to make sure I have at least something to show for August. Beyond that, I have very little idea what I'm doing anymore. August is usually the really hot month here in Wichita, and this year is no exception. Not really record-breaking heat, like so much of the world, but palpably hotter than it's been earlier in the summer, or for several years back. Usually lasts through most of September.

New records reviewed this week:

Angles 4: Angles 4 (2024 [2026], Relative Pitch): Quartet version of Swedish saxophonist's Martin Küchen's Angles project, the 10th since 2007 in my database, ranging from 3 to 9 in size, here with Mattias Ståhl (vibes), Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (bass), and Kjell Nordeson (drums). They all sound superb here. A− [bc]

Babalwa M: Acquiescence (2025, Babalwa M/Empire): From South Africa, surname Mavuso, amapiano singer-songwriter, started with an EP in 2020, seems to be her second studio album. Nice beats, pleasant voice, could grow on you. B+(***) [sp]

Baby Queen: I Hope You Don't Remember Me (2026, Insanity): Pop singer-songwriter Arabella Latham, born in South Africa, moved to London at 18 to conquer the pop world. Second album, after an EP and a mixtape. B+(*) [sp]

Baby Rose: Yearnalism (2026, Secretly Canadian): Singer-songwriter Jasmine Rose Wilson, from DC/North Carolina/Atlanta, third album, draws on "early r&b and soul legends" (Discogs names Donnie Hathaway and Nina Simone). B+(**) [sp]

Dr. Gianni Bianchini: A Study in Songbook (2025-26 [2026], Gianni Bianchini Entertainment): Pianist-singer from Florida, takes on nine standards (including a Jobim) in 36:49, backed with bass (Ross Kratter) and drums (Sam Hart). Piano is nice, voice fair. B [cd]

Cindy Blackman Santana: Coherence (2026, Mack Avenue): Drummer, studied at Berklee with Alan Dawson, has a jazz discography back to 1987, but also played with Lenny Kravitz over 18 years, and with Carlos Santana, whom she married in 2010 (a big star in the early 1970s, he is 22 years older). He plays lead guitar here on six pieces here (with John McLaughlin joining on one), the band: Emilio Modeste (sax), Zaccai Curtis (keyboards), Aurélien Budynek (guitar), and Felix Pastorius (bass, with Matthew Garrison on three tracks). Some fancy guitar, but at 80 minutes, runs long. B+(*) [sp]

Phoebe Bridgers: Lost Weekend (2026, Dead Oceans): Singer-songwriter, third solo album since 2017, with her girl group Boygenius (2023) splitting the break. Huge critical support here (91/25 at AOTY), Spencer Kornhaber calls it "a perfect album for a frustrating decade," Ann Powers dubs her "the most revered singer-songwriter of the selfie generation." I've listened enough to verify that there's something here, so I take my indifference as further evidence that I'm over the hill. Love and grief themes have little resonance for me these days. Sonically, the synths sweep away the folk roots (which make "Haunted" so appealing). The shifts convince me of her mastery. B+(***) [sp]

Mike DiRubbo: Way Out Northwest (2026, Cellar): Alto saxophonist, has mostly recorded for mainstream labels since 1996, but can bust loose an impressive solo. Quartet with piano (Tilden Webb), bass (Jodi Proznick), and drums (Jesse Cahill). B+(**) [sp]

Rob Dixon: Naptown Soul (2026, Strikezone): Saxophonist (tenor/soprano), originally from Baltimore, raised near Atlanta, but long based in Indianapolis (aka Naptown). Nice soul jazz groove, co-produced by Dave Stryker (guitar), with Sam Fribush (organ) and Richard "Sleepy" Floyd (drums). B+(*) [cd]

DJ Fantôme: Zando Beat! (2026, Palenque): "Electro Madness from Congo Kinshasa," which Bandcamp offers as a subtitle but doesn't appear on the cover, but Bandcamp also credits this to "Electro from Congo Kinsasa," as if "DJ Fantôme is a self-aware algorithm, wandering through servers and materializing a body for each performance." Each of the 12 tracks comes with a "Feat" artist, presumably the rapper-singers. B+(***) [sp]

Denise Donatelli: Take My Breath Away (2024 [2026], Savant): Standards singer, has at least six previous albums since 2007, this one directed and arranged by Geoffrey Keezer, with the usual Berlin, Jobim, and Stevie Wonder. [PS: Pretty good "How Deep Is the Ocean."] B− [sp]

Open Mike Eagle/Kenny Segal: Doomed! (2026, Backwoodz Studioz): Underground rapper, more than a dozen albums since 2008, and a producer who has his name on even more albums since 2008, and many more side-credits. Focuses on a failed relationship, and soft-pedals that, when there's much more to be worried about. B+(**) [sp]

Margaret Glaspy: I Am Both (2026, ATO): Folkie singer-songwriter, fourth album since 2016, has a similar number of EPs. Spotify tells me she's my favorite artist, which makes me wonder about the modern surveillance state (I have her down for 1 A-, 2 ***, and 1 **; based on recent plays in the car, I would have guessed Chuck Berry). Skeletal songs, so direct they demand attention. "Turns out freedom ain't free," but at least "they're allowed to change their minds." A− [sp]

Glass Triangle [Zeena Parkins/Mette Rasmussen/Ryan Sawyer]: 3 X 1 (2026, Relative Pitch): Electric harp, alto sax/voice/preparations/bells, drums/percussion/voice. B+(*) [bc]

Ariana Grande: Petal (2026, Republic): Pop singer-songwriter, eighth studio album since 2013, seventh chart topper (the other album only got to 2). This goes down as easily as ever, not that it seems to offer much sustenance. B+(**) [sp]

John Hollenbeck & Hot Club Jazz Orchestra: Peace & Justice (2022 [2026], Flexatonic): Drummer, perhaps best known for his Claudia Quintet, which this group sounds more than a little like, although the Portuguese band here, conducted by Luis Cunha, is much larger. The music was commissioned by Olha Bekenshtein, based on Ukrainian sources, a project which started in 2021, and was disrupted by the war. B+(***) [cd]

Homeboy Sandman/Jack Splash: Resonance Frequency (2026, Dirty Looks): New York rapper Angel Del Villar III, prolific since 2007, with a Los Angeles-based producer Matthew Kahane, whose work started with Cee Lo Green in 2002. He lifts this with much more than the usual slack beats. Unlike most of Homeboy Sandman's output, this runs to real LP length: 13 songs, 40:20. A− [sp]

Mike Jones: Mike Jones With Strings (2025 [2026], Capri): Pianist, common name (75 on Discogs), from Buffalo, studied at Berklee, has a dozen or so albums since 1993, including The Show Before the Show from when he was opening for Penn & Teller. Title is misleading: no goopy orchestral string section here, just fast-paced swing with a couple of stringed instruments: bass (Alex Frank) and guitar (Graham Dechter). B+(**) [cd]

Karol G: No Me Arrepiento De Sentir Tanto (2026, Interscope): Colombian singer-songwriter Carolina Giraldo Navarro, sixth album since 2017, last year's (Tropicoqueta) was a top album for me. B+(***) [sp]

Joanna Mattrey/Camila Nebbia/Camiolo Ángeles/Violeta Garcia: Heavy Handed (2024 [2026], Relative Pitch): Live set of free jazz improv from Bern, with viola, tenor sax, flute, and cello, with various FX. A little noisy. B+(**) [bc]

Nick Mazzarella: Siena Sessions (2025 [2026], Corbett vs. Dempsey): Alto saxophonist, from Chicago, recorded this trio in Italy with Silvia Bolognesi (bass) and Cristiano Calcagnile (drums), adding trumpet (Emanuele Marisco) on two tracks. B+(***) [bc]

Paul McCartney: The Boys of Dungeon Lane (2026, Capitol): Twentieth "solo studio album" (per Wikipedia; 27th if counting Wings) since 1970. I liked the Beatles as much as anyone during their prime, somewhat less for their post-Pepper period. But his solo career has ranged from disappointing to embarrassing: the best record I've heard was an oldies set from 1999, but I haven't heard most (this makes 11). This one promises Liverpool nostalgia, but on first pass, only the final song ("Momma Gets By") delivered much. A revisit showed considerable songcraft, and more than a few details of interest. B+(**) [sp]

The Mountain Goats: Days (2026, Thirty Tigers/Cadmean Dawn): Singer-songwriter John Darnielle, 24th studio album since 1994, first few songs sound like exemplars of current alt/indie rock, a sound that thins out soon, but the songs remain solid. B+(***) [sp]

Justin Pierce: Sway (2025 [2026], Justin Pierce Music): Tenor saxophonist, based in Dallas, seems to be his first album (Discogs has some credits with UNT lab bands, c. 2012), hype sheet says he's been playing locally to "delighted audiences," with wife Ashley Pierce singing. She jumps right in with the title tune, then "Honeysuckle Rose," sits out for an instrumental ("Jody Grind"). Two more instrumentals, from Duke Ellington and Miles Davis, with her returning on well-chosen standards — "Moon River" and "L-O-V-E" are standouts. As for the sax, imagine Harry Allen playing the Nat King Cole songbook, with a perfectly fine replacement for the late Rebecca Kilgore. A− [cd]

PLRLS: Sleeping in a Dress (2026, Si): Baltimore quintet, pronounced "plurals," post-punk "with a certain operatic/surfy twang and bizarre danceability," which is to say they sound a lot like the B-52s, or even more like the Waitresses. Ten songs, 28:23. B+(***) [sp]

Claudio Scolari Project: Lines of Now (2025 [2026], Principal): Italian drummer, also plays synths, third Project album, has several more going back to 1995. Group has a second drummer, Daniele Cavalca, who also plays synths, with Simone Scolari (trumpet), Ilaria Cavalca (voice), and Michele Cavalca (bass). The trumpet-led parts recall Miles Davis fusion. The vocals are artier: I'm less taken by them, but not without recognizing some point. B+(**) [cd]

Serengeti: Kenny V (2026, CC King): Chicago rapper David Cohn, underground, huge number of albums since 2003, one series based on "alter ego Kenny Dennis," running from Kenny Dennis LP (2013) through KDIV (2024), promises "this sets up the true finale." Mostly I'm getting dense and murky, but I've never been able to keep this character line straight. B+(*) [sp]

Ringo Starr: Long Long Road (2026, UME): Christgau pointed out that the Beatles broke up because "three of them believed they were geniuses and only one of them was." The other Beatle was drummer Richard Starkey, who had earned his keep within in the band, but didn't have a lot of prospects, let alone ambition, on his own. Still, like the rest, he embarked on a solo career in 1970, and has stuck with it, grinding out 22 solo albums so far (he's 86, 2 years older than McCartney). I've hardly ever bothered, but after hearing the warmly-received one by McCartney, I figured, how bad could this be? T-Bone Burnett produced, wrote most of the songs (Starkey has 3 co-credits), and vast resources. And how hard is country? Well, minimally you need a credible singer, and this album doesn't have one: not just Starr, but I didn't notice any other vocals — although I do recognize a half-dozen names from the credits. C+ [sp]

Sweeping Promises: You Say I Romanticize (2026, Sub Pop): Post-punk duo, Lira Mondal and Caufield Schnug, met in Arkansas, moved to Boston, then to Lawrence KS (unless I got that backwards). Third album. First one claimed a Liliput influence. They've only gotten stronger and more direct. A− [sp]

Gebhard Ullmann: Coffee and Berries (2024 [2026], Trouble in the East/ESP-Disk'): German tenor saxophonist, many albums since 1985, also electronics here, along with Steve Swell (trombone), Joe Morris (bass), and Charles Downs (drums). Strong showing for Swell. B+(***) [sp]

Gaia Wilmer Large Ensemble Featuring Mônica Salmaso: Parabólico: Reflections on Gilberto Gil Volume I (2025 [2026], Sunnyside): Brazilian saxophonist, several albums since 2017, two originals and five songs by Gil, featuring singer Salmaso. B+(**) [cd]

Adrian Younge: Jazz Is Dead 27: Joyce & Tutty Moreno (2026, Jazz Is Dead): Brazilian singer Joyce Moreno and drummer Moreno are featured, as this producer's series continues to round up 1970s icons. Eight songs, 28:46. B+(*) [sp]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

The Joshua Breakstone Quartet: Wonderful! (1983 [2026], Capri): Guitarist, first album he released (in 1984), a couple of originals, some standards, ranging to Django Reinhardt and Lennie Tristano, with Barry Harris (piano), Earl Sauls (bass), and Leroy Williams (drums). B+(**) [cd]

Old music:

PLRLS: Your Situation (2015, Amalgamated Widget): Baltimore group, first album (after a 2012 EP), 9 songs, 26:54, album cover spells out "Plurals," established their sound here, with mixed male/female vocals, and dreams of hits. B+(***) [sp]

PLRLS: Have You Seen My Fancy Pony? (2017, Amalgamated Widget): Second album. Credits: Bowen, Fox, Glass, Pumphrey, Wilson. Sounds like they're down a female voice. 10 songs, 29:57. B+(*) [sp]

PLRLS: Curses (2018-21 [2023], Amalgamated Widget): Third album, from multiple sessions. A little scattered, but the energy is high. B+(**) [sp]

Riverside Jazz Collective: Stomp Off, Let's Go! (2018, self-released): New Orleans trad jazz group, seems to have been a one-off, as even Bandcamp doesn't offer more. Benny Amon (drums), Alex Belhaj (guitar), and Kris Tokarski (piano) seem to be the leaders, but the only other player I recall is trombonist Charlie Halloran. Several members take vocals (Belhaj twice). A superb set. A− [bc]

Ringo Starr: Sentimental Journey (1970, Capitol): Ex-Beatles drummer, clearly adrift after the band broke up, with the three geniuses off doing their solo projects, sings a dozen moldy standards, backed by anonymous orchestras with bits of banjo and organ. Christgau explains: "reports that he did this collection of standards for his Mums are obviously true". It's the sort of thing one does 20 years down the road, when you're stuck. Trying to reframe it as such does help, but even so: if the best one can hope for is camp, what if you can't even do that? C [sp]

Ringo Starr: Beaucoups of Blues (1970, Capitol): Second solo album, recorded in Nashville by Scotty Moore, with pedal steel guitarist Pete Drake producing. I don't doubt that Ringo loves his country music, but it doesn't exactly love him back. B− [sp]

Ringo Starr: Ringo (1973, Capitol): After two quick and flimsy albums, he took a bit of time to put together something a bit more substantial. For starters, he wrote some songs, and he got some help from his friends (John, Paul, George, and Randy Newman). Richard Perry produced, and I recognize at least two dozen names on the credit sheet. Some songs I like here, especially "Photograph" and "Oh My My." The CD bonus tracks are also a plus, especially the non-album single "It Don't Come Easy." B+(**) [sp]

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

  • The Kris Davis Trio: Lost in Geneva (Pyroclastic) [09-25]
  • Ami Molinelli: Raízes Do Choro E Samba (Amimo) [09-05]
  • Matt Wilson's Good Trouble: Love Is the Whole Thing, We Are Only Pieces (Palmetto) [09-18]

Ask a question, or send a comment.

Thursday, August 13, 2026

Music Week

August archive (in progress).

Music: Current count 46411 [46385] rated (+26), 25 [18] unrated +7).

Advance Music Week appeared August 12 on Substack. It is also archived here. My cutoff was done before the Substack post. The introduction started there, but has been extensively revised/rewritten.

I spent a couple hours Tuesday at the local Toyota monopoly, for what was supposed to be a free service — every six months for the first two years (two oil changes and four tire rotations), part of the new car purchase deal. I complained about numerous glitches — disconnects, muting, spurious commands (common with phones, at least in my experience) — with the (looking up the proper term) "infotainment screen" that fills up the middle of the dashboard, where cars used to provide such useful things as a CD player, radio, and various HVAC/lighting controls. The lack of a CD player has kept me in a bad mood for a year now, exacerbated by Toyota's schemes to sell me extra-cost subscriptions (music deals, other crap).

The promise of the system is supposed to be its integration with my cell phone. I have managed to stream some music from Spotify using Bluetooth (thus far, mostly Chuck Berry; it's hard to find things using the Spotify phone interface, especially as I hadn't figured out how to get Android Auto working until two weeks ago.

So I complained to Toyota, and to the dealer. The dealer at least took a look at the problem, and concluded there wasn't one. I've been locked out of the Toyota app for nearly a year, so they gave me a phone number to talk to someone else about that. Not their problem, or deal. Nor is the confusion over the rot of expiring subscriptions to "services" that never made any sense in the first place. I wrote a Substack post earlier this week called Yahoo Mail Really Sucks. I had already been thinking about a Toyota Sucks piece when the Yahoo mess broke. It's still in the works, but it's most likely just another example of how modern companies waste no opportunity to rip off their captive customers.

Still, I feel the need for further research. I have a phone, but it's too old for updates. I hardly ever use it: rare phone calls, a plate pic when I cook, uploaded via email (which otherwise I don't use). I find the browser nearly useless. I resist adding apps, which I mostly regard as infernal plots to control. My wife does much more with her phone. Perhaps I should learn some new tricks?

As for music, it's possible to get a plug-in CD player. Local businesses want about $500 to mount one somewhere, then plug it into the car's one USB port. Amazon has similar devices for about $50. Given the cockpit design, there's no good place to mount it. Another possibility would be a MP3 player (or maybe FLAC: newer ones support multiple formats). Back in the day, I'd load up three travel cases with 200 CDs, then drive cross-country. New ones can hold that much music, maybe more. It would be smaller than a CD player, easier to mount, and more reliable. I'd need some way to load it up, and to find things on it. Researching those questions has been very frustrating, but there must be a way?

I don't like going through life with giant chips on my shoulder, but that seems to be my life these days. I don't understand it very well. I used to be better at coping. But I used to be better at getting all sorts of things done. I probably need to focus on the "serenity prayer," and other "core AA slogans." (Drinking isn't an option, at least one with any appeal.) And as far as chips go, I'm in nowhere near as bad shape as Donald Trump. That's a guy whose neuroses have really screwed up his life — a situation that isn't helped by having the power to inflict his misery on others.

I was pretty despondent when I got up Wednesday morning. Then I saw that Yahoo's POP server had coughed up 124 of my emails, with more arriving intermittently throughout the day. I did nothing to get this working again. And I have no communication from Yahoo saying they did anything, or were even aware of a problem. It may be that someone there did notice my post, or maybe they just looked at their own error log files, or maybe a broken server went offline and the slack got picked up by a working machine. At any rate, dozens of suggestions from their chatbot did no good whatsoever. They mostly served to deflect attention, with not the slightest care as to how much pain and aggravation they cause.

So, not knowing what else to do, I spent Wednesday posting my advance Music Week on Substack. This week is a day or two short of last week, but with fewer distractions I have a bit more to report. I've tried to catch up with more non-jazz, but I don't have much of a plan as to what to listen to. And having posted two long rants to Substack — the Yahoo piece mentioned above, and something on political categories (capitalism, socialism, the Left) occasioned by Jordan Peterson, I wound up skimping on many reviews below — satisfied that I had heard enough to render a grade, without taking the extra time to craft a coherent review. Examples below include pretty good B+(**) records by Johnny Blue Skies, Kiss Facility, Caroline Kraabel, Arlo Parks, The Strokes, Syd, Juanma Trujillo, and Yard Act, and B+(***) for Ravyn Lenae and Wiki.

On the other hand, I did write more about the albums I highlighted, if only because they have more history to frame. I'm surprised to find two of my favorite acts of the 1960s and 1980s have come up with top-tier albums this year, although both have had post-peak albums that I liked quite a bit, even if they never turned into regular plays. (Not much ever does these days.) That's probably the case here, too, but I've played them both a lot this week, and they do hold up.

Pussy Riot was a slightly harder call. I've never paid much attention to their singles, and had little preconception going into this album. I also noted that so far it's gotten poor reviews (AOTY 63/4; I've read several, and they align poorly with what I'm hearing). Conceptually, one problem is that they don't have a signature sound or style: there are 4-6 different approaches here, but most of them are remarkable on their own terms. Also, it's mostly in Russian, which blunts the politics, aside from "Disobey." Not that I know or care much their political agenda: while I blamed Putin for invading Ukraine, I have long thought that the war should be ended as quickly as possible, based on the current stalemate, and not drawn out in some vain hope of justice prevailing. But Putin is still their problem, even as my problem is Trump.

As for Satoko Fujii's second orchestra album this year, she's on a roll. I just got the third one in the mail. I've let my demo queue accumulate, as they're mostly advances, some out to October. I'll catch up in due course.

I omitted the Oliver-Smith Incomparables album from my advance, as it isn't scheduled until later, and I didn't want to confuse with something not readily available. The album had already gotten votes in the Mid-Year poll, and I was anxious to get to it. That happens sometimes, and I note future release dates below.

No idea what I'm going to do going forward. I should finish my facelift of the jazz poll website, and I need to update the database to the Christgau website. I half-expected an August Consumer Guide on Wednesday, but it's running late (no idea how late). I could always jot down more Loose Tabs. But I'm pretty disgusted with the world these days, as I feel not just less able to affect it, but even to survive it. Which is a shame, because in many respects, we as a species have never had more opportunities to live well, and have become so productive that there is no good reason why anyone should be left out.

New records reviewed this week:

Michael Blake: Piccolos Before Rifles (2025 [2026], Baby Tank): Canadian saxophonist, a couple dozen albums since 1997, many more group- (Blake Tartare, Slow Poke) and side-credits. Plays tenor/soprano here, plus flutes, with Guilherme Monteiro (guitar), Skye Soto Steele (violin), Gil Lopes (bass), and Rogerio Boccato (drums) — three of those from Brazil, the other Puerto Rican. B+(**) [sp]

Billy Childs: Triumvirate (2026, Mack Avenue): Pianist, from Los Angeles, straddles classical and jazz, with "chamber jazz" a middle position, early albums (1988-93) on new age Windham Hill, has had some Grammy success. Trio with Matt Penman (bass) and Ari Hoenig (drums). Nice little record. B+(*) [sp]

Isaiah Collier: Joy (2026, Brownswood, EP): Chicago saxophonist, has made a strong impression with his Chose Few group, even more so with the Ancients (a trio with Williams Hooker and Parker), comes out singing here with the title track, lifted by big band and strings, and ends with another gospel-inflected vocal ("God's By Your Side"). In between, three instrumental pieces, with flute and keyboards. Total: five songs, 27:13. Not my thing. B− [sp]

DOMi & JD Beck: Who Asked? (2026, Apeshit/Blue Note): French keyboardist Domi Louna (Domitille Degalle) and American drummer JD Beck, second album, has some vocals (probably Domi), a lot of extra orchestration (flute, clarinets, oboe, bassoon, violin). B− [sp]

Ferg's Imaginary Big Band: The New Atomic (2024 [2026], Trash City): UK (Leeds) bandleader-composer Fergus Quill, leads a band of 30 or so, aiming for that Basie big bang, and then some. B+(*) [sp]

Satoko Fujii Orchestra Kobe: After the Storm (2026, Libra): The second of this year's promised batch of five big band albums, a new recording where Bunker Ulmenwall Orchestra was an archive from 2014. That was around the time when Fujii released four big band albums with different orchestras. At the time, I compared one of them to Basie's Atomic Orchestra from the 1950s, at least in terms of power and sheer brassiness. The new series is impressive so far, and this is one of the most immediately appealing of her large-scale efforts. A- [cd]

Iceage: For Love of Grace & the Hereafter (2026, Mexican Summer): Danish post-punk band, sounded solid on their 2011 debut, uninteresting on three (of four) 2013-2021 efforts, but getting a lot of hype for this sixth album. Not punk in any meaningful sense, but upbeat, engaging, with a few hooks. I like the song that goes "life is for the weak," for the words but also for the extra noise. B+(**) [sp]

Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds: Mutiny After Midnight (2026, High Top Mountain/Atlantic): Country singer-songwriter Sturgill Simpson, debut 2013, second album as Johnny Blue Skies, first to add the band name. Strays far from country, but offers protest songs to open and close (the "Extended Edition" tacks on three extras, including "A Whiter Shade of Pale"). B+(**) [sp]

Leven Kali: LK99 (2026, Def Jam): Dutch-born American singer-songwriter, couple albums since 2019, first vocal here is a dead-ringer for Prince, especially as he's already established a funk groove. B+(*) [sp]

Kiss Facility: Khazna (2026, Ambient Tweets): Arabic-influenced dream pop duo of Mayah Alkhateri (from UAE) and Salvador Navarrete (from Egypt); first album after several singles (from 2023). B+(**) [sp]

Caroline Kraabel/Pat Thomas/John Edwards/Steve Noble: Transgressive Coastlines (2024 [2026], Shrike): Alto saxophonist, born in California, moved to London as a teen, has a fair number of records since 1997, but not much I've heard. The piano-bass-drums trio is long acquainted. B+(**) [bc]

Ravyn Lenae: Blue Island (2026, Atlantic): Alt-R&B singer-songwriter from Chicago, third album. B+(***) [sp]

Madonna: Confessions II (2026, Warner): Conceived as a sequal to 2006's Confessions on a Dance Floor, which could just as well have been a sequel to 1987's You Can Dance. Down side is that everything here sounds like something you already know. Good news is that it all sounds great (except maybe for the soft landing). A- [sp]

Oliver-Smith Incomparables: Stomp Your Stuff (2025 [2026], Turtle Bay): Trad jazz group led by pianist Andrew Oliver (2 at Discogs, which credits him with one album, but 30 more performances, including Sextets from 2008-10) and veteran drummer Hal Smith, with cornet (Colin Hancock), clarinet, trombone, guitar/banjo, and bass/tuba, playing vintage goodies from the 1920s. Instant joy. A- [cd] [08-28]

Arlo Parks: Ambiguous Desire (2026, Transgressive): British alt-pop singer-songwriter, third album, first two very good, this one a bit more, uh, ambiguous. B+(**) [sp]

Pussy Riot: Cyka (2026, Stem): Russian feminist performance art collective, fiercely anti-Putin (and these days pro-Ukraine), founded in 2011, membership fluid and often jailed or otherwise harassed, has released an EP and several singles, appears here with a full album, probably because co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova (and possibly others) escaped to Iceland. A fairly wide range of sounds and styles, where the punk/hardcore may be the most compelling because there the message comes through even without words, but the rap and electropop and something that sounds like a Kate Bush hit ("Pain") also impress, suggesting a worldview that goes beyond rage, but doesn't flinch from it when needed. A- [sp]

Rolling Stones: Foreign Tongues (2026, Rolling Stones/Polydor): Major group, rivaled the Beatles in the 1960s, has lasted much longer, survived the death of Brian Jones, the retirement of Bill Wyman, and more recently (and more importantly) the death of Charlie Watts. But the two singer-songwriters, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, are still active, however improbably, as is Jones replacement Ron Wood. But their ontogeny basically ended with 1972's Exile on Main Street. Since then they've mostly engaged in buckraking, with regular tours, concert films, live albums, and the occasional studio effort — most lukewarm, but some significant enough to be hailed as return-to-form comebacks. Those too have trailed off and thinned out, but this is the best in quite a while (probably since 2004's A Bigger Bang, or 1986's Dirty Work, or maybe 1981's Tattoo You. The key word is "return," as they virtually defined "classic rock," and can tap into any time they want — at least half of this overly long album. Key wisdom for the aged: "Life's too short for just making money." The irony is palpable, but the line is credible nonetheless. A- [sp]

The Strokes: Reality Awaits (2026, RCA/Cult): New York alt/indie group, considered a big deal with their 2001 debut, releases have slowed down since 2005, this just the second since 2013. Surprisingly good groove band, until they aren't. B+(**) [sp]

AJ Suede: Atomic Justice (2026, Knowhatimean, EP): Seattle rapper, underground, lots of albums since 2015, this one 12 songs, 25:34. B+(*) [sp]

Skúli Sverrisson/Bill Frisell: For All Your Flowers (2026, Newvelle): Guitarist from Iceland, based in New York, albums since 1997, side credits with groups like Alasnoaxis and Yeah No, as well as working as music director for Laurie Anderson. Duo with the famed American guitarist. B+(*) [sp]

Syd: Beard (2026, Free Lunch/Warner): Neo-soul singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, third album, has a nice, easy flow. B+(**) [sp]

Juanma Trujillo/Kenneth Jiménez/Vasco Trilla: Nada Es Nada (2026, Ramble): Venezuelan guitarist, based in New York, several albums since 2018, with Costa Rican bassist (also based in New York) and Spanish drummer, recorded in Barcelona. Works through some tricky changes. B+(**) [bc]

WDR Big Band: Jagged Edges & Elegant Lines: The Music of Ayn Inserto (2024 [2026], Summit): Inserto (b. 1976) studied at New England Conservatory, was a protégé of Bob Brookmeyer, teaches at Berklee, has two albums as Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra, a couple more where her compositions are performed by others (she also conducts here). I tend to dismiss European big bands, but this group, featuring Sean Jones (trumpet), is pretty sharp, possibly because that's what the compositions demand (or inspire?). B+(***) [cd]

Wiki: Ancient History (2026, Wikset): New York rapper Patrick Morales, started in Ratking c. 2011, eighth album since 2017. B+(***) [sp]

Yard Act: You're Gonna Need a Little Music (2026, Universal Island): British post-punk group, from Leeds, singer James Smith, third album since 2022, most impressive when most intense. B+(**) [sp]

Recent reissues, compilations, and vault discoveries:

None.

Old music:

None.

Unpacking: Found in the mail last week:

  • Dr. Gianni Bianchini: A Study in Songbook (Gianni Bianchini Entertainment) [08-01]
  • Geof Bradfield/Myra Melford/Ben Goldberg/Dana Hall: Open or Close (Calligram) [09-04]
  • Greg Chako: Hard Bop for the Record (Mint400) [09-04]
  • Christian Finger: Zeit Zirkel (Finger Music) [10-01]
  • Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin: Second Attempt (Libra) [09-04]
  • Gwen Hughes: The First Noel: Jazz Hymns for Christmas (Fairfield) [10-15]
  • Jason Kao Hwang/Human Rites Trio: Second Life (Flying Panda Music) [10-01]
  • Judi Silvano's Garden Winds: First Flight (JSL) [10-01]
  • Technocrats: Passionata: The Music of Gregg Hill (Cold Plunge) [08-28]
  • Chris Whiteman/John Toomey Quartet: Live at Révéler (self-released) [10-02]

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