Moments with Mauro - 'Suddenly girl (?)' (2010)

An unknown ballad (original? cover?) played at a living room concert in Gent, november 2010. Beautiful song.

Moments with Mauro - 'The power of love' (2009)

Moments with Mauro - 'Meet me on the moon' (2009)

Moments with Mauro - 'Babooshka' (2009)

Capsule review: Burt Bacharach - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

(alternate ending)
Butch: 'We're surrounded, Sundance. Police, sherrif, marksmen, the works.'
Sundance: 'I know I should be worried, but listen...'
Butch: 'Worried? We should get armed to the teeth and bust out!'
Sundance: 'Yeah, but listen to the soundtrack. It's so lovely and summery and unhurried. Not a care in the world. I just can't motivate myself for all that violence just now, Butch.'
Butch: '...'

Butch: 'Screw this, I'm busting out!'
Sundance: 'See you on the other side of this bossa, Butch...'

Capsule review: Burt Bacharach - In concert (1974)

You never see this album on those lists of great '70s live albums. Maybe they should've done a sidelong version of 'Close to you' with drum solo and talkbox. Regardless, it's great. As lawsuits erupt between Burt, Hal and Dionne, Hal went into movies, Dionne changed her name, and Burt finds refuge on the road. His stage patter is tremendously stiff ('This. Is. Don't ... Make. Me over'). I only mention it because the band (orchestra?) is swinging. There's a drum eruption in 'Promises promises' that gets me out of my seat everytime. Could've been a drum solo, but he justs plays it under the song. Now there's a thought.

Capsule review: Love substitutes - Meet the love substitutes while the house is on fire (2004)

Put Rudy Trouvé, Craig Ward and Mauro Pawlowski in a room with musical instruments and something is bound to come out. See if you can recognize these musical Rorshach tests... Rudy does his patented monologue intérieure, but to a noisy, energetic Gang of Four/Pop Group jammed backing  like he hasn't had in a while ('Disconnected', 'Hey! Did you see me coming'). Mauro chants the really noisy improvisations (2 parts of 'More than the sun', 'Summer of Mars'). Craig's brought some real songs and a bunch of electrified British folk riffs. Low on classic rock, high on improvisational energy. They feel alive. More or less on fire.

Capsule review: Burt Bacharach - Living together (1973)

Just a gorgeous, gorgeously sad album. Something big disappearing on a lost horizon.

Moments with Mauro - 'Time to fall in love' (2009)

Another unreleased song. It would morph into 'Kinder times', played live by the Hitsville Drunks around 2011, but hasn't been released to my knowledge.

Moments with Mauro - 'Stay inside' (2009)

Moments with Mauro - 'Days to burn' (2009)

Moments with Mauro - 'Grown savage' (2008)

Early solo acoustic rendition of a song which would end up on the Grown Savage vinyl EP in 2012.

Capsule review: Burt Bacharach - Reach out (1967)

Solo Burt Bacharach is in my blood. Yes, my blood is sticky goo. Highlights: 'Bond street', 'A house is not a home'.

Capsule review: Club moral - Living(stone) concert (2004)

One of the more forbidding projects in Mauro's discography - he joined this early '80s electronic noise / modern art Antwerp duo upon their reactivation in the early 2000s. The concert is completely improvised - layers of distorted bleeps and noise, with passionately recited/screeched lyrics from the local newspaper - murder, celebrities, football and horoscopes. (What pop is all about!). It's a relief when they sit down for two minutes to listen to the Shirelles' 'Foolish little girl' through the floorboards, honestly.
This is what people did for fun in the '80s, before tv. The big finale is about suicide. Don't expect anyone to ask you if you're having a good time.

Capsule review: V/A - The look of love. The Burt Bacharach collection (1957-1996) (1998)

Reasons to be happy there ever was a music industry: the work of Burt (and Hal). They should give him all the orchestras he needs. All of human life is here, in slightly operatic form. This collection is the bedrock - started me on a decade long exploration of a vast body of work.

Capsule review: Wand - Laughing matter (2019)

Fast building up one of the more formidable guitar rock catalogs  of the times.

Capsule review: Per W / Pawlowski - Outsider / Insider (2019)

A box of wonders - it'll take a long time to reach the bottom of this avalanche of ideas and songs. Musical styles veer in all directions, but they always return to new wave's cold grooves. Mauro's on a quest to bring his late '70s and '80s Belpop idols back into view. Later generations (like me) discover Kloot Per W as a proto-lo-fi-slacker-punk. Marvelous Mauro single 'Land of the most forgotten' casually tossed off into this 21 song Per W showcase.

Capsule review: Vampire weekend - Father of the bride (2019)

Summer was hot in 2019, never forget.

Capsule review: White Fence - I have to feed Larry's hawk (2019)

Title could've been an advance apology for sell-out record. 'Hey, I've got bills to pay. I've got to feed these birds.' Nothing of the kind. This is out music, no sales pitch. Weird mantra songs and observational lyrics on 'Fog city' (twice).

Capsule review: William Tyler - Goes West (2019)

A dusty, deserted sand road. Sun, cacti, a mind set on travelling on. The soundtrack.

Capsule review: Alex Chilton - Live in Anvers (2004)

Two touchstones meet - Alex Chilton and Mauro Pawlowski on stage together for one night. Chilton plays his standard new Orleans R&B/Italian R&R/jazz standards set. he spent 20 years perfecting this stuff and it shows in every groove. Mauro's on guitar after one afternoon rehearsal and he nails it too. Even the famously self- and others-deprecating Chilton has to own up 'I think we're getting warm now.'

Capsule review: Ex hex - It's real (2019)

Locked in tight to a classic rock / power pop framwork. It's sometimes a relief to hear music this sure of its place in the cosmos in the here and now. Frontloaded though, at some point my mind starts wandering. Still, I'm not saying they should've dropped a St Vincent collaboration in there. Not at all.

Capsule review: NRBQ - Brass tacks (2014)

I can't shake the feeling this reactivated post 2010 NRBQ is a victory lap. Maybe it's my perception at fault, cause there's absolutely nothing wrong with new albums like thisone. More sentimental than prime Q, not nearly as wild, but these are good songs.

Capsule review: NRBQ - We travel the spaceways (2012)

A comfy and goodnatured 2011 live set. Lacks the excitement of recent live sets (2009's Crazy 8's), let alone the '70s and '80s. Opening with Wild Weekend snoozefest 'The one and only' not the best bet. But they're lovely even when they're getting ready for sleep.

Capsule review: NRBQ - NRBQ (1969)

One of the greatest American bands starts here. No band captures the wide-eyed optimism and madcap inspiration of the USA at its best. Sun Ra, Eddie Cochran, Carla Bley, Bruce Channel, and some of the wildest, most wayward selfwritten songs from Terry Adams' and Steve Ferguson's imaginations. And it was only the start.

Capsule review: Mauro Pawlowski & the Grooms - Tired of being young (2004)

The single is one of Mauro's finest and most overlooked. Black Europa's sole devastating pop punch. 26 minute 'Set sail to dream riot' is a feast of songs and fragments, I count at least 6 fully realized songs. Nothing equals the album or is radically different from its template. Mauro zoned in on a very particular mood with the Grooms. A little Queens of the Stone Age-fixation? Maybe. Luckily talent shines, even in trying circumstances.

Capsule review: Miles Davis - Get up with it (1974)

Think you can jam? Think again. Miles can jam.

Capsule review: Faust - Faust IV (1973)

The friendliest experimental record you'll ever meet. Predicts most of what was exciting about '90s rock. (First listen.)

Capsule review: Isaac Hayes - Shaft (1971)

Generations duped by that fantastic theme song.

Capsule review: Delfonics - Delfonics (1970)

Lush, romantic early '70s soul to perfection. Fall in love all over again.

Capsule review: Purple mountains - Purple mountains (2019)

Shaggy country poet for the clinically depressed. At least those who can laugh at their own predicament. In the past I was wary, made my gut think of emotional tourism. And when your gut's doing the thinking, you're in a bad state. No doubts here and now. That's either good news (he's growing as an actor) or good and bad news (he's made a good album, his life sucks).

Capsule review: Kevin Ayers - Joy of a toy (1969)

Ayers is a fauvist painting in a grey city street. He's the picaresk ideal: living the good life, taking off to the Mediterranean sun, dedicating himself to the moment, benign absurdity. Songs about eating cake and cake eating you. And for 45 minutes I can step into that world. What can go wrong?

Capsule review: Mauro Pawlowski & the Grooms - Black Europa (2004)

Fitting that Mauro's tightest and hardest band ever turns out to be him overdubbing every single instrument, at least on this album. It's aggressive, but stylish. It's dark, but not without black humour. Goddamn, makes me want to throw out this pen and get down.

Capsule review: Autumn defense - Once around (2010)

Ah, that's just right. Poco lives.

Capsule review: Avalanches - Since I left you (2000)

I imagine this playing in the background of an Ikea catalogue. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Some of my best friends... Even me...

Capsule review: Autumn defense - Autumn defense (2006)

Too smooth.

Capsule review: Autumn defense - Circles (2003)

Canyon soft rock with subtle country flavor. That frinction between smoothness and grain. A refined pleasure.

Capsule review: Mauro Pawlowski & the Grooms - Ghost rock EP (2003)

Rock action. Nothing spectral here, all physical. The title track's a good one, but not everything on this EP works. They kept the really great stuff for the album.

Capsule review: Ladytron - Ladytron (2019)

Dystopian. No peace, no love, just synth.

Capsule review: Association - Association (1969)

Hey, what if CSN had 7 singers and no egos? A sentimental favorite. Not a shred of revolution in it.

Capsule review: Ashra - New age of earth (1977)

A new age gold standard.

Meanwhile back in 2019...

Ty Segall - Ice planet

File under: Sing it, Ty!

Meanwhile back in 2019...

Diiv - Skin game

File under: Meet me at the same sound tomorrow.

Meanwhile back in 2019...

Taylor Swift - The archer

File under: Love isn't always combat, of course. But that's her thing.

Meanwhile back in 2019...

Joan Shelley - Cycle

File under: Follows nu human time, geological.

Capsule review: Mauro Antonio Pawlowski - Secret guitar (2003)

Intriguing solo acoustic guitar ramblings in an Indian raga style. Mauro's John Fahey album? Once I would have guessed these were completely off the cuff. Now I'm not so sure. There is order in there. Improvisations on a theme.

Capsule review: Manuel Göttsching - Inventions for electric guitar (1974)

The deep. It beckons you in.

Capsule review: Association - Birthday (1968)

None more lush. Lovely. The fact they still look like a conservative think tank is lovely too, in a way.

Capsule review: Maki Asakawa - Blue spirit blues (1972)

Ersatz blues and pre-war jazz from '70s Japan. Hard to tell if it's sung in English or Japanese. So why listen to it now? It's beautifully odd, for one. And emotionally it hits home more often than not. If you've ever felt like life is a bad translation, this is for you.

Capsule review: Shadowgraphic city - Shadowgraphic city (2003)

Calling card for a Mauro / Pascal Deweze / Carol Van Dyck joint tour in early 2003. A compilation of home recordings conceived separately. Carol the exasperated songwriter trying to steer this ship towards normality. Pascal is a folksinger with electronic inclinations, self-absorbed. Mauro test runs the Grooms sound - not as heavy as it would become -, and fills in the gaps with solo electric guitar explorations (avant, bluesy). 'Sit down' a nice surprise.

Capsule review: Sue Daniels - Paris (2001)

Mystery lo-fi folktronica album from before folktronica existed. A guy called Patrick or Sue sings through pitch shifters to sound like a girl singer. Rudy Trouvé, Mauro Pawlowski and Elko Blyweert help out on the music. But why do all the song titles start with a C? Why is he wearing a wig? And why do the vocals at times sound uncannily like speeded up Rudy and Mauro? Just my imagination?

Capsule review: Joan Shelley - Joan Shelley (2017)

Subtle acoustic music to slow down your breathing. It's not the most exciting prospect in the world. Except when it stops you in your tracks. A handful of songs on this beautiful album do.

Capsule review: Connan Mockasin - Jassbusters (2018)

No one does a slow jam like Connan. 'Liquid' is an overused adjective, but for his guitar tone no other will do. Also, music teacher trauma alert.

Capsule review: Sneaks - It's a myth (2017)

Get in and get out-dispatches from the heart and mind. Never overthought, never arranged (a basic programmed beat and bassline will do), always implying more than is actually said. Takes a lot of personality to intrigue under such limitations.

Capsule review: Somnabula - Swamps of simulation (2003)

He wears a cape! From here on in Mauro's career is a series of projects, each with their own twisted internal logic, for us to decipher. 'I am Somnabula', 9 minutes of hilarious doomrock, is the core of this great diversion. The rest is an aural movie, setting the scene to this nightmare world. Gonzoid.

Capsule review: Ariel Pink: Dedicated to Bobby Jameson (2017)

Of the myriad factors in Ariel Pink's hubristic downfall, the one I can't forgive is he made an album (Pom Pom) which sounds like Frank Zappa. Sure, now he sounds rueful and subdued. A partial return, but only partial. Couple of nice songs.

Capsule review: Louis Armstrong - What a wonderful world (1970)

Very late (last?) Armstrong session. He's a guest in his own band and he doesn't really know these songs ('Everybody's talking', 'Give peace a chance' and others). The title track is definitely not the performance we all know. But it works. Moving stuff, filled with his big hearted personality.

Capsule review: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Mature themes (2012)

Ariel deepens his caricature. Still filthy, now he's got feelings too. It works.

Capsule review: Appletree theatre - Playback (1968)

Pre-Saturday Night Live audio sketches (I don't get it) and some period pianosongs (that trademark staccato block chording the Beatles did too - of course). It's alright, but anything from 1965-1968 can/does become a cult.

Capsule review: Louis Armstrong - The definitive collection (1938-68) (2006 released)

Early Satchmo is another world, academic. I don't get it. Later Satchmo, the 'entertainer', is glorious, sentimental, over ripe. Somewhere in the middle is 'That lucky old sun (just rolls around heaven all day)' (1949), one of the best renditions (see also Ray Charles, the Caravans...) of maybe the prettiest song ever written.

Capsule review: Karl Blau - Introducing Karl Blau (2016)

As deceptive yet honest as Dylan's Self Portrait. Classic country songs done right. Karl's voice carries the day and night, the joy and suffering. A ten minute version of Link Wray's 'Fallin' rain' is a remarkable reverie.

Capsule review: Ariel Pink's haunted graffiti - Before today (2010)

Filthy, smeared out sound. Filthy, smeared out mind. Ace.