Let’s get one thing straight as this is not what FLW was expecting when it came to Janelle Monae’s latest album ‘The Electric Lady’. Considering the cover art giving the impression of a Motown era Diana Ross & The Supremes, our ears were in fact treated to a glorious mix of weird and wonderful funk, pop and soul influenced songs. Early indications that this body of work was not going to be a straightforward Motown collection can be gleaned from ‘Suite IV Electric Overture’ that would grace any opening to a Bond movie, via a brief pit stop with Tarantino, with its western flavoured guitar followed by sweeping orchestral strings assuming full control. ‘Givin Em What They Love’ with its strident vocal delivery and echo beats is appropriately followed by the equally forceful ‘Q.U.E.E.N’ bringing to the fore Janelle’s desire for this latest release to reflect the strong matriarchal figures in her life and need for recognition of such women.  With various collaborations ranging from Erykah Badu to Solange lending a hand with the more direct pop/funk of ‘Electric Lady’, as well as the intriguing and often humorous interludes with DJ Crash – Crash, there is clearly much to digest due to the breadth of creativity on offer (i.e. compare ‘Dance Apocalyptic’ with ‘Look Into My Eyes’) but also lengthy running time. That said, ‘The Electric Lady’ is an audacious album that more often than not delivers in style.

This is beautiful, beautiful music. Recorded in Massachusetts and no doubt in the wee small hours, David Michael Curry and Robert Fisher alias Willard Grant Conspiracy have crafted an album consisting of thirteen songs with the merest of instruments – viola and acoustic guitar – and sounding as if taken in one whole sitting as one can almost hear the furniture creaking. With the majority of the songs expressed in fragile hushed tones and aided by the atmospheric and deft musicianship bringing the songs to life – ‘Rattle and Hiss’ is one such example – ‘Ghost Republic’ sounds as desolate as the imagery of barren landscapes its songs reflect. There is considerable darkness penetrating throughout and evidenced by ‘The Early Hour’ as it steadily awakes from its slumber, strings tweaking and groaning, before walking out into the early morning light portrayed to great effect by a tetchy electric guitar. ‘Incident At Mono Lake’ appears to pick up the pieces where its predecessor left off, as a sprawling howl of feedback illuminates the climaxing tension. There is definite genius at work here, only in this instance it is the work of geniuses as ‘Ghost Republic’ is a dark atmospheric masterpiece.

Spread out over a two-disc set, ‘Another Self Portrait (1969 – 1971): The Bootleg Series, Vol. 10 ‘ is the newest release from Bob Dylan. With a considerably hefty 35 tracks to wade through of rarities and previously unreleased recordings, Bob Dylan reworks traditional and contemporary folk songs without forgetting compositions of his own; ‘Went To See The Gypsy’ is one such example straight off the bat that evokes abstract memories of the latter 60s period whereas ‘Minstrel Boy’ really projects the ambiance of the basement approach to this recording.  It has been cited that ‘Another Self Portrait (1969 – 1971): The Bootleg Series, Vol. 10’ was considered Dylan’s most controversial periods – the transition from the 60s – 70s playing its part – yet at the same time induced a prolific bout of creativity. Considering the aforementioned number of songs covered here and the breadth of narratives – the fantastic ‘Railroad Bill’ for one – it is not difficult to comprehend why this release has been provided with such a description. More than just filler, ‘The Bootleg Series, Vol. 10 – Another Self Portrait’ is an essential addition to all serious collectors but also not a bad place to start for those of the uninitiated to Bob Dylan and his music.

Taken from forthcoming long player ‘Far Faller’, ‘På Rett Kjøl’ witnesses Norway’s Bjørn Eidsvåg team up with fellow Norwegian Kurt Nilsen to deliver a cleverly-crafted song about trying to keep a lid on those inner demons, which is never easy at the best of times. The thin veil of disguise with the almost ghostly quality of the musical accompaniment gives an indication of the thoughts alluded to as ‘På Rett Kjøl’ is a cunning ditty that possesses equal amounts of uplifting qualities. A more restrained Kurt Nielsen proves to be a masterstroke as well, as the dual vocals complement one another without overstating their undoubted qualities. A very intriguing precursor to a much-anticipated album.

Interestingly, The Wild Feathers amalgamated from a number of bands where several of the members were responsible for main vocal duties. One would assume a clash of egos due to their former responsibilities but not for newcomers The Wild Feathers as they merely utilise such clear advantages to their overall benefit. The end result for the band’s eponymously titled album blends country, folk, blues and rock that harks back to a 70s era full of Rolling Stones, The Eagles, Crosby, Stills and Nash yet given a modern sheen. Guilty of such comparisons is opening track ‘Backwoods Company’; a song full of vigour with its raucous guitars spliced with occasional bluesy harmonica. Next up is the driving and melodic ‘American’ that is nostalgic in its outlook and suggestive of open roads. ‘Tall Boots’ reveals a tender side as does ‘Left My Woman’; the latter of which draws out the strength in depth of the vocals. Our money, however, is on the gathering momentum of ‘The Ceiling’ with its uplifting qualities and dramatic finale that render ‘The Wild Feathers’ a resounding success.

Having a longstanding relationship in the music world, John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival fame has teamed up with a number of interesting collaborators ranging from the Foo Fighters Dave Grohl and (modern) country legends Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson, to the more indie obscure My Morning Jacket as the man himself has taken to handpicking a number of songs from his own back catalogue in an attempt to breathe new life into them. The results more than work as the raucous ‘Fortunate Son’ was built for the Foo Fighters with Dave Grohl’s trademark holler almost claiming the song for one of their own. Elsewhere ‘Wrote A Song For Everyone’ sees Miranda Lambert giving it the country touch with Tom Morrello adding the midway guitar break, leading nicely into a slightly more jaunty version of ‘Bad Moon Rising’ with Zac Brown. The highlights remain, however, with the Fogerty solo outings ‘Mystic Highway’- listen out for the gospel interlude – to the gritty country blues of ‘Train Of Fools’ making ‘Wrote A Song For Everyone’ a resounding success.