#72: Vital Transformation
Post-Rock Trio Kiln | Czech Christmas Guitar | Kalia Vandever
Hey everybody. Took my kids to see the Nutcracker this morning. It was beautiful and my first experience with this classic. Sadly, there was not shakedown scene outside of the Ulster Performing Arts Center this time but I’m hoping some jammy bands start to come back and play this beautiful theater.
There’s a new episode of the Trailhead in the archives with a lot of bliss extended jams by some of the finest purveyors of psychedelia conjuring today. Paid subs will find the link ibn their inboxes.
The Trailhead 193 Playlist:
1. Wet Tuna - Stars Can Die > Environments - Epic View EP (Three Lobed, 2025) 00:00
2. Landon Caldwell - What Moon Do You See? - Strategic Light (Medium Sound, 2025) 10:00
3. Fysiikka & Kemia - Tuoreeks Terveeks - Biologia (Ultraääni Records, 2025) 13:25
4. Papir - IX.IIIIII - IX (Stickman, 2025) 23:16
5. Guranfoe - 4 - Guranjam #15 (Self, 2025) 31:58
6. Taper’s Choice - Doner Wrap - Prog Hat (Self, 2025) 1:00:15
7. moe. - Meat - Arts at the Armory, Somerville, MA, 11/22/2025 (Taper: Andy Murray) 1:10:03
Czech guitarist Tomáš Niesner has released a lot of great music over the last couple of years and his latest continues the streak. On adventus mmxxv, Niesner interprets Eastern European folk tunes that traditionally get dusted off in the weeks leading to Christmas. It’s lovely music anytime, I’m sure, but these instrumental ditties hit extra nicely with snow on the ground. In the self-released album’s notes, Niesner notes this is his first release to be completely recorded to tape with only the lightest of digital post-production. Truly lovely stuff.
I guess I’ve been in a Scandinavian jazz kind of mood lately. I picked up this Esoteric Circle LP on Arista Freedom a few months back but it kind of got lost in the shuffle and I hadn’t spent much time with it. I threw it on the other night and, man, what a killer record. The band is led by Jan Gabarek (tenor sax) and features the incredible Terje Rypdal on guitar, Arild Anderson on bass and Jon Christensen and they really whip here. When I came across it I was stupefied that Garbarek had something on Freedom and I hadn’t heard of it. Turns out the session is from 1969 and was originally issued by Flying Dutchman in the US and France in 1971. The original cover is super pop-psych-y and goofy so I wonder who was actually buying it back then. More free and wild than what these cats would get into over at ECM, The Esoteric Circle is in orbit with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Tony Williams Lifetime’s Emergency! LP— also known as the rockier side of fusion. The Arista Freedom reissue I have sounds fantastic but I would like to hear an original one of these days. This record is cheap and easily gripped and I highly recommend the most adventurous seek it out immediately.
I only became aware of post-rock unit Kiln a couple years ago when German label Keplar reissued Holo, their first album from 1998. Formed in 1993, the Michigan trio self-released a couple more after that 1998 debut before starting to work with Ghostly International throughout the 00s and 10s. I missed it back in July when they dropped their new long-player, Lemon Borealis via A Strangely Isolated Place. I actually don’t know if all three of these dudes are on electronics or what but the sound they make is pitched somewhere between Standards-era Tortoise and Boards of Canada. This new one feels more dance-friendly than others I’ve heard but no less dense and layered. There’s a lot of mentions online about their music being best on headphones, while I’m sure it’s great that way, I’ve found Kiln’s attention to detail and imaging best appreciated on the couch in front of the stereo, with every nook and cranny of the room getting filled with exquisite tones and rhythm. This is perfect CD music actually but unfortunately you can only have digital or vinyl this time around. Definitely worth some of your time.
Trombonist Kalia Vandever made her debut on long-running label Northern Spy last month with Another View. Joining the Brooklyn artist on this long-player is Kayvon Gordon on drums, Kanoa Mendenhall on bass and some very sweet guest appearances by Mary Halvorson on guitar. I need a few more weeks with it but the very first spin of Another View on CD left my molecules slightly rearranged and in an altogether better state than they were before the music hit. Recorded beautifully, the album is a sonic treasure with each instrument nicely separated but deeply engaged with the others and a perfectly curated sense of space and movement. A chaotic free jazz session Another View is not. Come to this album fro some dancing in your head like Ornette once said.
moe. is sounding so good lately. Pumped they’re gonna be at the Virginia festival I never miss.
AWESOMENESS