John Morrison’s Philly Top 5: Improv psych rock, live hip-hop, and a Marshall Allen collab
Suzanne Sheer | photo by Kahleel “AyooKanon” Frazier
For the last few months, I’ve been diving even deeper into writing about local music. In addition to my work with WXPN, I’ve been covering local shows for a new publication called Midbrow. From weird rock shows, to jazz concerts and hip-hop showcases, this work has only strengthened my appreciation for Philly’s music scene. Focusing on live shows with emerging artists has reoriented my work beautifully and opened my ears to what’s happening in our city. Here are five local gems that I’ve enjoyed this month.
Suzanne Sheer — Voices
Voices is the stellar new album from Philly-based singer-songwriter Suzanne Sheer. Armed with a rich, smoky voice, Sheer has put together a collection of songs that explore every possible corner of heartache. Whether it’s the dreamy, uptempo jam “Over & Over” or the epic electronic ballad “Those Days,” Voices is a fiery collision of intense Soul, dark dance music, and forward thinking pop.
Soulman — Philadelphia Beat Mission
Renowned record collector and veritable sample encyclopedia, Phil “Soulman” Stroman has been unearthing rare records for decades. His World of Beats mixtape series is the stuff of legend and thankfully, many of those hard-to-find tapes are now available on Bandcamp. Packed with jazzy grooves and neck-snapping drum breaks, Philadelphia Beat Mission has the kind of colorful, scattershot brilliance of a mixtape equally perfect for a long road trip or a short drive to the record store.
Bardo Pond — Vol. 6
One of the most enduring qualities of Philly psychedelic rock veterans Bardo Pond is their ability to improvise. Vol. 6 is the latest release in a series of recorded jam sessions that display the band’s ability to create daring musical statements at will. Recorded at the Lemur House in 2004 and ‘05, Vol. 6 is as ecstatic and gnarly as anything in the band’s extensive catalog.
Marshall Allen — “New Dawn” (feat. Neneh Cherry)
Originally written for Erykah Badu, “New Dawn” is a gorgeous collaboration between Sun Ra Arkestra head Marshall Allen and avant-pop pioneer Neneh Cherry. Composed by Allen and Knoel Scott, “New Dawn” has that swaying, ethereal quality of one of Sun Ra’s best cosmic ballads. The entire New Dawn album is top notch, but the title track alone is worth the price of admission.
Philth Spector — Live at Sights and Sounds 1.04.24
Philith Spector is one of the best hip-hop producers in the city. Somehow I missed this live set recorded a couple years ago at Ortliebs. Pulling inspiration from Chang Cheh’s classic 1982 kung-fu film Super Ninjas, the Sights and Sounds set features Wu-Tang-style vocal samples, instrumentals, and remixes. Clocking in at just over 16 minutes, the set is brief, but it’s absolutely packed with cinematic beats.