"Feelings are more dangerous than ideas because they aren't susceptible to rational evaluation." - Brian Eno #quote

In an exclusive extract from his new book, The End of Everything, the Warwickshire-born SF visionary pictures the apocalypse, as seen from the shores of Kent Coastal Time: New Fiction by #MJohnHarrison buff.ly/4FDnRjm

Vinyl reckoning: African Head Charge “Off the Beaten Path” (On-U Sound), 1986. I have a friend who worked at RAS in the ‘90s and would get me in to see folks like Mad Professor and The Congos. She also hipped me to the @onusound.bsky.social catalog, which has been scratching an itch of late #Dub

It's June--the year's 1/2 over--so here's some folks who've put out good 2026 music thus far... Joshua Abrams Morton Feldman Bill Frisell Julian Lage Joe Lovano Paramount Quartet Hedvig Mollestad / Weejuns Neurosis Jeff Parker ETA IVtet The Tomeka Reid Quartet Sunn O)))

Vinyl reckoning: Singers & Players “War of Words” (On-U Sound), 1981. On-U Sound no. 5, released in the U.S. by 99 Records. Features both Keith Levene and Ari Up. Production is remarkably similar to P.i.L. records from that era. Some of the deepest sounds Adrian Sherwood ever produced.

Vinyl reckoning: Singers & Players “War of Words” (On-U Sound), 1981. On-U Sound no. 5, released in the U.S. by 99 Records. Features both Keith Levene and Ari Up. Production is remarkably similar to P.i.L. records from that era. Some of the deepest sounds Adrian Sherwood ever produced.

1980, Townhouse Studios, London. Jeanette Lee, Keith Levine & John Lydon look enthralled by a PIL recording session

Rest in peace, Sonny Rollins. #JazzSky #SonnyRollins

Vinyl reckoning: John Zorn “New Masada Quartet Vol. 1” (Tzadik), 2024. Julian Lage steps in for Dave Douglas. A real head-cleaner. #JazzSky

Just finished: Barbara Comyns “Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead” (Dorothy), 1954. A strange page-turner set in 1930s Warwickshire. A semi-‘cosy catastrophe’ with a high body count and a happy ending. #BookSky

Vinyl reckoning: John Zorn “New Masada Quartet Vol. 1” (Tzadik), 2024. Julian Lage steps in for Dave Douglas. A real head-cleaner. #JazzSky

Just finished: Jorge Luis Borges “Other Inquisitions” (University of Texas Press), 1964. A collection of essays—many of which are about as long as the Argentinian’s short stories. Each one boasts an ‘aha!’ moment that makes the heavy lift worth the effort. #BookSky

1975, Reims, France. Le Rock de Prog....

Vinyl reckoning: Gastr Del Sol “Crookt, Crackt, of Fly” (Drag City), 1994. I was in a weird head-space when this came out, but it served as a beacon to me in the summer of ‘94. Splits the difference between Bastro and what? Math-folk? 20th century classical? Loved it then. Love it now. #GastrdelSol

Rest in peace, Clarence Carter. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/m...

Vinyl reckoning: Joshua Abrams “Music for Pulse Meridian Foliation” (Drag City), 2026. A departure from the hypno-grooves of Natural Info Society and the avant-jazz of Cloud Script, Abrams’ string-driven latest is tough to categorize. I hear echoes of Feldman and Dreyblatt within the drone. #JazzSky

Vinyl reckoning: Dog Faced Hermans “Every Day Timebomb” (Megaphone / Knock ‘Em Dead), 1989/2026. Brilliant post-punk from Scotland. Don’t sleep on this reissue. Very much in the vein of KUKL, Flux of Pink Indians, and the Ex. Wish I had seen these nice folks when they came through with Sebadoh.

Vinyl reckoning: Joshua Abrams “Music for Pulse Meridian Foliation” (Drag City), 2026. A departure from the hypno-grooves of Natural Info Society and the avant-jazz of Cloud Script, Abrams’ string-driven latest is tough to categorize. I hear echoes of Feldman and Dreyblatt within the drone. #JazzSky

Vinyl reckoning: Dog Faced Hermans “Every Day Timebomb” (Megaphone / Knock ‘Em Dead), 1989/2026. Brilliant post-punk from Scotland. Don’t sleep on this reissue. Very much in the vein of KUKL, Flux of Pink Indians, and the Ex. Wish I had seen these nice folks when they came through with Sebadoh.

Vinyl reckoning: Back in the mid-to-late ‘90s, before I started writing for Decibel and Revolver, a few friends and I dreamed up an alternative metal canon. Breadwinner and Zeni Geva were cornerstones. I don’t keep up with much new metal these days, but these two bands stay in heavy rotation.

1978, New York, No Wave...

Vinyl Reckoning: Fairport Convention - “Heyday” (Hannibal), 1987. Mostly covers of American folkies from BBC sessions. I think this was the first time I became aware of Fairport—saw a review of this in Rolling Stone. In 1987, it seemed like these twenty-year old recordings were aeons old.

1984

Vinyl reckoning: Minor Threat - “Minor Threat” (Dischord), 1984. First pressing of the comp of the first two seven-inches. The first side was mixed by Skip Groff, the owner of Rockville’s Yesterday & Today. (I once interviewed Groff about Pentagram.) #MinorThreat

“The past is indestructible; sooner or later all things will return, including the plan to abolish the past.” - Jorge Luis Borges, March 1949 #BookSky

“The past is indestructible; sooner or later all things will return, including the plan to abolish the past.” - Jorge Luis Borges, March 1949 #BookSky

Rest in peace, Beverley Martyn.

Rest in peace, Beverley Martyn.

Vinyl reckoning: Supersilent “10” (Rune Grammofon), 2010. Beautiful, moody jazz that floats more than swings. Drum-less experimentation from @deathprodofficial.bsky.social, Stale Storlokken, and Arve Henriksen, who I caught live in DC a few months before “10” came out. #JazzSky

Vinyl reckoning: Eberhard Weber “Fluid Rustle” (ECM, Germany), 1979. Guitarist Bill Frisell’s first ECM session. One-of-a-kind quintet lineup: bass, guitar, vibes, and two vocalists. Ethereal. #JazzSky

Just re-read: M. John Harrison’s “A Storm of Wings” (Doubleday), 1980. Written in the basement of Manchester’s Savoy Books, “ASoW” is included in Pringle’s “Modern Fantasy: The 100 Best Novels.” But I’d argue it’s too expansive for that, spilling across, and disrespecting, several genres. #BookSky

Just re-read: M. John Harrison’s “A Storm of Wings” (Doubleday), 1980. Written in the basement of Manchester’s Savoy Books, “ASoW” is included in Pringle’s “Modern Fantasy: The 100 Best Novels.” But I’d argue it’s too expansive for that, spilling across, and disrespecting, several genres. #BookSky

Vinyl reckoning: Kenny Wheeler “around 6” (ECM/WB), 1980. More of a Euro-improv sound than trumpeter Wheeler’s two previous ECM outings—especially when saxophonist Evan Parker solos. The lack of animal pun in the title is a giveaway that this more chamber-like album is a departure of sorts. #JazzSky

Just finished: William S. Burroughs “The Soft Machine” (Grove, 2nd printing), 1966. Can’t believe it took me this long to get around to it. Works better as obscene poetry than obscene prose. #BookSky

1972, Washington D.C.

So much talent on one magazine cover...

Supersilent & Lawrence Abu Hamdan soundcheck at Rewire. See you soon, Den Haag!

Sunn O))), Lincoln Theater DC, April 10

Sunn O))), Lincoln Theater DC, April 10

1971(?), RCA Records promo poster

Vinyl reckoning: Dub Syndicate “Tunes From the Missing Channel” (On-U Sound), 1985. Another sci-fi dub classic from @onusound.bsky.social. Features a top-notch psych-reggae team, including P.i.L.’s Keith Levene and Jah Wobble.

Vinyl reckoning: Dub Syndicate “Tunes From the Missing Channel” (On-U Sound), 1985. Another sci-fi dub classic from @onusound.bsky.social. Features a top-notch psych-reggae team, including P.i.L.’s Keith Levene and Jah Wobble.

Just finished: Adolfo Bioy Casares “A Plan for Escape” (E.P. Dutton), 1975. Trippy 1945 novel from my second-favorite Argentinian author. Reminds me of Gracq and Conrad. Probably best to read “Invention of Morel” and “Diary of the War of the Pig” first. #BookSky

#Nowplaying : African Head Charge - “Environmental Studies” (On-U Sound), 1982. An early pinnacle of @onusound.bsky.social’s sci-fi dub experiments. It manages to be simultaneously deep, murky, and laser-precise.

Now this is a bumper sticker. 🧨

I've read a few recent articles celebrating the 100th anniversary of Morton Feldman's birth. But none of them mention this incredible @anothertimbre.bsky.social box set, which came out in January. Essential. anothertimbre.bandcamp.com/album/trios-...

Vinyl reckoning: Labradford “A Stable Reference” @krankyltd.bsky.social, 1995. Slow and reverb-drenched. I saw them in a Sears parking lot a few months after this came out. Recorded by the great Rob Christiansen 2 miles from here.

Vinyl reckoning: Labradford “A Stable Reference” @krankyltd.bsky.social, 1995. Slow and reverb-drenched. I saw them in a Sears parking lot a few months after this came out. Recorded by the great Rob Christiansen 2 miles from here.

Vinyl reckoning: Jack Rose “Red Horse, White Mule” @vhfrecords.bsky.social, 2002. 16 years gone.

R.I.P. Terry Cox. bsky.app/profile/trum...