This episode of Something Like—the last of 2021—started off with the title “Banality and Foreboding”, reflecting that now-familiar cyclical feeling of another covid abyss. But somewhere along the way, I remembered that this little radio show has nothing to do with those two words; that’s not what we’re here for! Instead, we’ll turn to some important 2021 lodestones: Milford Graves, Anne Waldman, and Laurie Anderson (as well as a very transformative jigsaw puzzle) in search of new year’s resolutions. What we find are protest songs, songs in the future past, songs by the ocean shore, songs seeking the overtones of a buzzy field recording, songs for placing your cheek to the earth. Nothing doesn’t matter. Work on your memory. Enjoy the darkness.
- Behind my voice today you hear Joel Andrews & Schawkie Roth’s Love The Earth (1980), from a tape treasure I found on Hornby Island this year.
- Something Like’s jingle comes to us as always courtesy of my dearest friend and collaborator Roger 3000.
- Check out this wonderful podcast, An Invitation to Species
- All of Laurie Anderson’s Mahindra Center lectures can now be found on Youtube.
- You can watch Milford Graves’ memorial at Artists Space in New York here.
Tracklist
Milford Graves, Babi (excerpt), Bäbi, 1977
L’Rain, IV, Fatigue, 2021
Princess Diana of Wales, Choir Chant, Princess Diana of Wales, 2021
Anne Waldman and Laurie Anderson, Rune, SCHIAMACHY, 2020
Claire Rousay, A Kind of Promise, A Softer Focus, 2021
Robert Wyatt, The Age of Self, Old Rottenhat, 1985
Jennifer Walshe, Johannes Ockeghem: Missa Prolationum, Kyrie, A Late Anthology of Early Music Vol. 1: Ancient to Renaissance, 2020
Caetano Veloso, Não Vou Deixar, Meu Coco, 2021
Maya Weeks, War on Time, Tethers, 2021
Els Vandeweyer, Yellow Flower Outro, Trash, 2021
Organic Music Theatre, Butterfly friend, Organic Music Theatre: Festival de jazz de Chateauvallon 1972. 2021
Roger 3000, Fourmis, 2022
Nina Simone, 22nd Century, Tell It Like It Is – Rarities And Unreleased Recordings: 1967 – 1973, 2008