Music Library Catch Up: Aesop Rock, Afrirampo, Alabama Shakes, Alice Cooper, Alice Donut, Animal Collective, Ass Ponys, Atlas Sound, Avey Tare, Aye-Ayes, Albert Ayler

I have a lot of albums that I've missed out of my regular music library coverage over time. Here's a few.

Aesop Rock - Float (2000). I've written about Aesop Rock a few times over the course of this project: here, here, and here. And yet I've never said anything of substance about his work. I'm a lousy writer about hip-hop, so maybe that's for the best. This is a great album, though.

Afrirampo - WE ARE UCHU NO KO (2010). Psychedelic in a uniquely Japanese way! Two ladies singing, shouting, harmonizing, and screaming, all while kicking out some truly amazing tribal-meets-crazy-noise-meets-heavy-stoner guitar and drum mojo. Fantastic.

Alabama Shakes - Alabama Shakes EP (2011). Nothing new under the sun, as you've probably heard from the infinite number of stories about this young band, but they mine Janis Joplin in a fun way.

Alice Cooper - Mascara And Monsters: The Best Of Alice Cooper (1971-1989). I don't need much Alice Cooper in my life, but a little bit, which nicely coincides with the first half of this collection, is just great.

Alice Donut - Mule (1990). I've had a bunch of vinyl from this band over time, but this is my first digital copy of one of their albums. Great stuff, even if it is very similar to the Butthole Surfers.

Animal Collective - Honeycomb/Gotham (2012). Good lord, have I written about this guys a lot. This is the new one, and I still like them less with each new release. Here, here, here, here, here, and, comprehensively, here.

Ass Ponys - Electric Rock Music (1994). The only other thing I have by these guys is a mix from a friend, which I like a lot. I have yet to explore them as much as I'd like, but this is a good start. Excellent album.

Atlas Sound - Orange Ohms Glow EP (2008). More trippy soundscapes from Bradford Cox. I wrote about another Atlas Sound album very briefly more than four freakin' years ago. Has this project eaten my life? Maybe.

Avey Tare - Down There (2010). I actually like this better than the recent Animal Collective albums. And the previous Avey Tare albums, which I review here. 

Aye-Ayes - It's Immediate (2011). Whereas the previous Aye-Ayes album had the feel of 80s college radio, this one is more like 80s commercial radio, which is much less my thing. Sorry, guys. It's good for what it is, and I think that people younger than me who didn't live through 80s radio may enjoy it more.

Albert Ayler - Holy Ghost (1962-1971). This box set is the greatest thing since the invention of, well, ubiquitous food stuffs. Ayler live and burning down the house over and over again. He sought transcendence and found it in pretty much every song. Covered previously here, here, here, and here.