June 2026 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer for Glyndebourne’s production of Claudio Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo by There Stands the Glass.

The Top Ten Albums of June 2026
1. SML- Spontaneous Music Live
One of my favorite bands doing a few of my favorite things.

2. Ambrose Akinmusire and Mary Halvorson- Slo-Mo Neon Luminate Hoverings
Interspatial.

3. Patricia Brennan and Sylvie Courvoisier- Talamanti
Crystal silences.

4. Zoh Amba- Eyes Full
My review.

5. James Brandon Lewis- Omni
With Aruán Ortiz, Brad Jones and Chad Taylor.

6. Alden Hellmuth- Tether
With Logan Kane, Miller Wrenn and Justin Brown.

7. Tierra Whack- Whack’s Museum
Whack-a-Mole.

8. Converge- Hum of Heart
My preferred form of rock.

9. BCMC- Stash
My review.

10. Vince Staples- Cry Baby
Undermined by unfortunate production choices.

The Top Ten Reissues and Reimaginings of June 2026
1. Peggy Lee- Too Marvelous for Words
Swinging in 1955.

2. Heiner Goebbels- Walden
A bonkers Thoreau-themed song cycle recorded in 1998.

3. Mekons- Horrorble: Mekons vs. Tony Maimone in Dub Conference 
Remix of the 2025 album Horror.

The Top Ten Songs of June 2026
1. Al Xapo and Benzoo- “Fosta Fosta”
Party in South Africa.

2. Rapsody- "God Gotta Afro"
Natural.

3. Rico Nasty- “Rituals”
Transgressive sacraments.

4. Maxo Kream- “6 Months Clean”
Relapse.

5. Ye featuring Don Toliver- "OK"
KO.

6. horsegiirL- "that's my beach"
Quicksand.

7. Charli xcx- “Wink Wink”
Ha ha.

8. 1010benja- “The Whole Damn World (Ain’t Dry Enough…)"
Soaked.

9. Tinishe- “Too Easy”
Simple.

10. Joyce and Tutty Moreno- “Is This Love?”
What the world needs now.

The Top Ten Performances of June 2026
1. By Storm and Lerado Khalil at the Encore Room
My review.

2. Cimafunk at FIFA Fan Festival KC
My review.

3. Christian Death, Gene Loves Jezebel and Descartes a Kant at recordBar
My review.

4. American Wild Ensemble at White Recital Hall
My Instagram snapshot.

5. Paul Simon at Starlight Theatre
My review.

6. Ensemble Ibérica at Polsky Theatre
My Instagram snapshot.

7. Miles Swaminathan at St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church
My Instagram snapshot.

8. Elisha Israel and Az-One at Thompson Park
My Instagram clip.

9. Made in France at Market at Meadowbrook
My Instagram clip.

10. The Vincents at Meadowbrook Park Festival
My Instagram clip.

The previous monthly recap is here.

Album Review: Zoh Amba- Eyes Full

I forgot about Eugene Chadbourne. The cassettes and albums I bought directly from the musician were in regular rotation in what now seems like a different lifetime. The 1985 document Country Protest was my favorite of that bygone era. 

Chadbourne came to mind for the first time in years during my initial spin of Zoh Amba’s startling new album Eyes Full. Like Chadbourne, Amba is a rare talent capable of successfully navigating the contrary crosscurrents of punk-inspired avant-folk and freak-jazz. 

The thrills Eyes Full provides me are what I suppose other people derive from Big Thief and a dubiously acclaimed unnamed 2026 album. By merging the sensibilities of Anthony Braxton, Woody Guthrie and Minutemen, Eyes Full is the rare singer-songwriter album that speaks to me.

I didn’t see it coming. Amba’s collaborative noise-jazz album The Flower School was my #35 album of 2023. Jazz musicians invariably fail when they turn to rock. Amba and their antecedent Chadbourne are wonderful exceptions who get it right.

July 2023 Recap: A Monthly Exercise in Critical Transparency

Screenshot of the trailer for Bayerische Staatsorchester’s production of George Frideric Handel’s Semele by There Stands the Glass.

Top Ten Albums of July (as of July 25)

1. Anohni and the Johnsons- My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross

Sacral.

2. Zoh Amba, Chris Corsano and Bill Orcutt- The Flower School

Superlative skronk.

3. Hilary Hahn- Eugène Ysaÿe: Six Sonatas for Solo Violin

Sublime scraping.

4. African Head Charge- A Trip to Bolgatanga

Positive vibration.

5. Immy Owusu- LO-LIFE!

Goofball Afrobeat.

6. Mahalia- IRL

Back to life, back to reality.

7. Shapednoise- Absurd Matter

Dank discord.

8. Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band- Kings Highway

Scenic.

9. Black Milk- Everybody Good?

It remains to be seen.

10. Charif Megarbane- Marzipan

Lebanese lounge.

Top Ten Songs of July (as of July 25)

1. Joshua Redman with Gabrielle Cavassa- “Chicago Blues”

All things go.

2. Jamila Woods- "Tiny Garden"

Watered and weeded.

3. Robert Glasper featuring SiR and Alex Isley- "Back to Love"

Slow jam.

4. claire rousay- "Sigh In My Ear"

I hear a symphony.

5. Ryan Castro and Peso Pluma- "Quema"

Fiery.

6. Aluna featuring Tchami and Kareen Lomax- "Running Blind"

Rhythm is gonna get you.

7. JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown- "Guess What B*tch, We Back H*e!"

Knock knock.

8. PJ Harvey- "Seem an I"

Might a you.

9. Colter Wall- "Honky Tonk Nighthawk"

Swinging doors.

10. That Mexican OT featuring Lefty sm- "Barrio"

Still tippin’.

Top Performances of July (as of July 25)

1. The Smile and Robert Stillman at the Midland Theater

My review.

2. The Salvation Choir at Theis Park

My Instagram clip.

3. Henrique Eisenmann and Eugene Friesen at the 1900 Building

My review.

4. Rob Magill with Marshall Trammell, Alber with Alex Mallett, and Krista Kopper, Aaron Osborne and Evan Verplough at Farewell

My review.

5. Final Gasp, Persona and New Obsessions at Howdy

My Instagram clips are here, here and here.

6. Eli Wallace with Ben Baker, Seth Andrew Davis, Aaron Osborne and Evan Verploegh at Stray Cat Film Center

My Instagram clip.

7. The American Legion Band of Greater Kansas City at American Legion Post 370

My Instagram snapshot.

8. Mike Horan and Scott Tichenor at the Market at Meadowbrook

My Instagram snapshot.

9. Natalie Prauser and Marty Bush at Mike Kelly’s Westsider

My Instagram clip.

10. Lee Walter Redding at Volker Park

My Instagram clip.

The previous monthly survey is here.