The Weekly 5×5 is Southwest Contemporary’s top five picks of things to do for the next five days. At least that’s what it was until our to-dos became homebound during the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re now sharing five things to enjoy from home. If you’d like to receive the Weekly 5×5 in your inbox, subscribe here.
We have a very special edition for you this week! George Casey, owner of Lost Padre Records in Santa Fe, has curated a list of five records to listen to now. A longtime record collector and DJ, George brings us a truly eclectic mix of bonafide jams. Lost Padre Records re-opened last week and are also offering curb-side pick-up and shipping.
All the records listed here are available at Lost Padre. Put a record on, turn it up ⚡
Lone Piñon
Días Felices (LM Duplication, 2017)
“I’ve probably been missing energies that come from out-in-the-world interactions the most during this time of social distancing and there’s nothing more energetic than the sprightly sounds of New Mexico’s own Lone Piñon. The strings of their instruments, especially those of the outstanding fiddle, gallop across the grooves of this record and conjure up images of wild mustangs freely roaming the arroyos of our home.”
Alice Coltrane
Journey in Satchidananda (Impulse, 1971)
“One of those records that seems to wind its way into and out of my life over the years, this album captures maybe the most spiritual and soul-seeking moment in jazz. I doubt there’s anyone not doing any soul-seeking at the moment! But it’s also a way to fully leave the confines of your house, if only mentally, for a solid 40 minutes.”
Street Tombs
Self Titled EP (Nuclear Ass, 2019)
“There’s a lot of reasons to be angry right now, but listening to the thrash metal of this Santa Fe band’s debut release isn’t just about that. Think metal is a genre irrelevant to your life? Try lyrics like ‘Beg For Mercy / As You Cry / Pray for Death / Wait to Die’—learning that we can’t run from the darkness around us is difficult to accept but all too necessary in 2020.”
King Tubby Presents The Roots of Dub
(Total Sounds, 1975)
“There’s a wide world of dub reggae to dive into, but Tubby’s vintage experiments blend bright melodies with the most reverb and echo-drenched dub moments of the 70’s. Dub is one of the most meditative of the Caribbean musics, and a perfect way to contemplate a summer day away.”
El Apagon
Peruvian Chicha from the Horóscopo Vaults, 1978-1988 (Pharaway Sounds, 2017)
“Chicha is the distinctly Peruvian cousin of Cumbia, a traditional and evolving Latin American music found from Argentina to Mexico (and even New Mexico!) The Peruvian variety of this music incorporates fuzzed out electric guitar with traditional percussion to create a remarkably hazy psychedelic feel that’s both both danceable and deeply ponderable at the same time. And it might just be the perfect sound for our Summer of Weirdness.”
