World Almanac 2023

“Private Press: A custom-made record that is produced and released by the artists themselves, or their close associates. Not to be confused with indie labels who are in the business of releasing other people's music.” While the string of legendary independent labels, from Blue Note and Prestige to Steeplechase and Impulse! loom large in our ¬Spiritual Jazz catalogue, our latest instalment concerns the brave and innovative souls who acted ‘privately’, recording and releasing their music without the aid or involvement of a bona fide record company. Making a custom, private press record on your own, without the backing, status and business acumen of an established record company to help out is no mean feat, but it never really was difficult - it’s just a matter of spending money. And there has never been a shortage of studios & pressing plants willing to take your money! Easy done if you have funding in place of course, but the tricky bit, which remains to this day, is what to do exactly with a pallet load of vinyl that’s just been delivered to your door?

“Private Press: A custom-made record that is produced and released by the artists themselves, or their close associates. Not to be confused with indie labels who are in the business of releasing other people's music.” While the string of legendary independent labels, from Blue Note and Prestige to Steeplechase and Impulse! loom large in our ¬Spiritual Jazz catalogue, our latest instalment concerns the brave and innovative souls who acted ‘privately’, recording and releasing their music without the aid or involvement of a bona fide record company. Making a custom, private press record on your own, without the backing, status and business acumen of an established record company to help out is no mean feat, but it never really was difficult - it’s just a matter of spending money. And there has never been a shortage of studios & pressing plants willing to take your money! Easy done if you have funding in place of course, but the tricky bit, which remains to this day, is what to do exactly with a pallet load of vinyl that’s just been delivered to your door?

A one-of-a-kind exploration of the relationship between culture, politics, history, and wine.

Face to Face was a remarkable record, but its follow-up, Something Else, expands its accomplishments, offering 13 classic British pop songs. As Ray Davies' songwriting becomes more refined, he becomes more nostalgic and sentimental, retreating from the psychedelic and mod posturings that had dominated the rock world. Indeed, Something Else sounds like nothing else from 1967. The Kinks never rock very hard on the album, preferring acoustic ballads, music hall numbers, and tempered R&B to full-out guitar attacks. Part of the album's power lies in its calm music, since it provides an elegant support for Davies' character portraits and vignettes. From the martial stomp of "David Watts" to the lovely, shimmering "Waterloo Sunset," there's not a weak song on the record, and several – such as the allegorical "Two Sisters," the Noël Coward-esque "End of the Season," the rolling "Lazy Old Sun," and the wry "Situation Vacant" – are stunners. And just as impressive is the emergence of Dave Davies as a songwriter. His Dylanesque "Death of a Clown" and bluesy rocker "Love Me Till the Sun Shines" hold their own against Ray's masterpieces, and help make Something Else the endlessly fascinating album that it is.

Finding a moment in our busy lives to appreciate the sublime and expansive beauty of the natural world can be difficult. Wisdom of the Wild teaches us to seek connection in the commonplace.