Sun Ra, Lanquidity (1978)

Lanquidity is one of five albums Sun Ra released in 1978 with various incarnations of his amorphous Arkestra, and one of 16 released between 1976 and the end of 1979. This was not an anomaly. His discography from 1956 until the year of his death in 1993 boasts over 100 studio full-lengths in addition to live releases, making his catalog a nearly impossible task to take on for those who might try to go exploring. What makes Lanquidity stand out is its funky rhythmic insistence, Ra as ever leading the way on piano, synth, keys, organ, etc., while trumpets, sax, bass and percussion build up textures around. Exploration rests at the heart of the album like a mathematical constant, but there’s a purpose to it as well, its five cuts inviting you not so much to sit and analyze each move as be carried off by the whole effect, no less encompassing than Sun Ra‘s decades-long career would lead you to believe.

There’s a saying about jazz that’s been ringing in my head lately, and it goes like this: “Nobody likes jazz.” I can’t speak to the veracity because I neither leave the house nor work as a pollster, but it’s a sweeping claim anyway. If that’s the case, sorry. Seems to me there’s a cross-genre appeal here though for listeners who might take on Lanquidity with an appreciation for its psychedelic or rhythmic aspects, never mind the sheer experimentalism on display in the arrangement of a song like “Twin Stars of Thence,” the guitar taking hold later in the track for clean-toned fret-finagling that would turn the head of even the most noodly of aficionados, only to be swallowed in turn by sax. It uses technology I don’t understand, so therefore I have no real choice but to consider it magic.

I’m not sure I’d advise you go out and buy 100 Sun Ra records — if you have that kind of money to burn, just give it to me instead — but if you’ve never listened before, Lanquidity is worth an honest shot. As always, I hope you enjoy.

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I didn’t get to review the Abbot record this week, which was my intent. I’ll hit that up Tuesday. Will be good to get it out of my system at this point. Tonight All Them Witches and The Well are in town and I’ll be braving the upwards-of-seven-degrees cold (that’s -14 for you celsius types) to catch them at the Middle East, which I can only hope decides to leave a light on during the show. Fingers crossed. Review on Monday.

Also Monday, a track premiere from French stoners Soundcrawler, and later in the week, reviews of Elder and Mansion and whatever else I can fit in. As much as I can do, I’ll do. This week handed me my ass, if you couldn’t tell.

By way of honestly letting you know what’s on my mind, it’s money. I’ve been considering more seriously than ever getting ads on this site. My unemployment insurance is winding down and after that, it’s just The Patient Mrs.‘ salary we’re living on. Even if I can bring in 10k a year — less than I made when I was 17 working at KB Toys — that’s better than nothing at this point, and while that’s selling out what I think of as the editorial integrity of what I do here pretty cheap, anything more than that seems unlikely, I’ve got a mortgage to pay and I can’t decide if I’m protecting editorial freedom or just being a wuss by not making this a professional endeavor. Every fucking day, I think about this. I don’t know how to proceed, and I’m not sure I’m there mentally yet, but even if I could place two ads on each side of the page and get a decent rate for them, it would be a help toward making this thing survive. Because right now it’s pretty much that or march my ass down to some liquor store and get a job there. Everything I’ve tried to get going in Massachusetts has failed, every job I’ve applied for, nothing has come of it. I’ve no contacts here I can exploit, no benefactor to come to my aid. I can’t even bring myself to leave the house to buy lottery tickets, and it’s gotten to the point where there’s just nothing for me. Nothing. It’s excruciating and I’m fucking tired of doing dishes to make myself feel even vaguely useful or like I’m contributing in some way to running this household.

Anyway that’s where my head is at with it. We’ll see what happens, and in the meantime, I’ll keep plugging away because there’s nothing else to really do.

Whatever. At least I’m going to Roadburn, though I will have been unemployed for over a year by the time I get there.

Wow. Things really took a turn here, huh? I hope you enjoyed that Mario Lalli interview.

Have a great and safe weekend. Enjoy and we’ll see you back here Monday for more of whatever it is you want to call this.

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