Mark S. Tucker
Perfect Sound Forever
2013 Writers’ Poll
Our Favorite Things
February 2014
Online Article
After pissing off idiot editors at every national magazine and website on Planet Shithole - oops! I mean: Earth - that I've written for over 30 years (save for four gigs, this being one of 'em), I've purposely fallen out and have been freelancing. Good thing, actually, 'cause mainstream PR people suck Godzilla donkey choad. I want nothing to do with the bastards. Nonetheless, reviewing hundreds of discs per year as I do, I caught some damn good'uns that never made it into the media circus, so here they are…'n I'm making my list 21. I push things, it's what I do.
Of course, the real world DOES make a few good choices, sure, so I've noted a coupla mainliners that were fetching as well. Another small deviation: Tom House's *Winding Down the Road* is a 2012 issuance, but, godammit!, it's perfect, and no one's paying attention, so I'm still lauding it a year later. And probably will next year too. It needs to be heard. Seriously. Like I say, I step on the rules. I'm kind of a prick.
Okay then, alphabetically:
Rory Block Avalon: A Tribute to Mississippi John Hurt
Leo Brouwer Beatlerianas
Jeri Brown Echoes
Camel The Snow Goose (reissue - remaster)
Copernicus Worthless!
Pierre De Gaillande Bad Reputation: Pierre de Gaillande sings Georges Bressens, Vol. 2
Dream Theater Dream Theater
Jace Everett Terra Rose
Ayman Fanous / Jason Kao Hwang Zilzal
Tom House Winding Down the Road
Kevin Kastning / Sandor Szabo / Balazs Major Becoming
Peter Kerlin Octet Salamander
King Crimson Road to Red (reissue - deluxe ed.)
Lord Mouse And The Kalypso Katz Go Calypsonian
Melt-Banana Fetch
Van Morrison Moondance (reissue - deluxe ed.)
Meg Okura & The Pan-Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble Music of Ryuichi Sakamoto
Scott Robinson / Frank Kimbrough Afar
Forrest Smithson Dreaming Time
Julien Temple (Director) Oil City Confidential: The Story of Dr. Feelgood (DVD)
Pablo Ziegler & Metropole Orkester Amsterdam Meets New Tango