Possibly not alone in this, but I’ve been very much sucked into Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp A Butterfly” these past few days; the sort of album that’s so dense and consuming that it can be hard to think about much other music in its vicinity.

It’s a record that appears specifically designed to repel glib capsule reviewing and snap responses. But I will say that if, for whatever reason, you’ve become disenfranchised from hip hop these past few years, or if you love the righteous, complex, politically-charged funk and soul of the early ’70s, it’s definitely worth investigating “To Pimp A Butterfly”; let me know what you think. It’s also led me to the lovely Boris Gardiner track below, among other things.

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On standby here, meanwhile, for the imminent arrival of the new Uncut. More news on that very soon. In the nine months, or whatever it’s been, since I became editor, I’ve received more requests to put one artist on the cover than any other. This month, I’m very happy to have made that happen…

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1 The Weather Station – What Am I Going To Do With Everything I Know (You’ve Changed)

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2 The Weather Station – All Of It Was Mine (You’ve Changed)

3 Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Loin Des Hommes: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Goliath Enterprises)

4 Gov’t Mule – Stoned Side Of The Mule Vol 1&2 (Provogue)

5 Ata Kak – Obaa Sima (Awesome Tapes From Africa)

6 Tal National – Zoy Zoy (FatCat)

7 Holly Herndon – Platform (4AD)

8 Giant Sand – Heartbreak Pass (New West)

9 William Tyler – Deseret Canyon (Merge)

10 Bitchin Bonnie Billy Bajas – Pretty Saro (Earth)

11 Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly (Polydor)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AhXSoKa8xw

12 The Fall – Sub-Lingual Tablet (Cherry Red)

13 Mac McCaughan – Non-Believers (Merge)

14 Joanna Gruesome – Peanut Butter (Fortuna Pop)

15 Matthew E White – Fresh Blood (Live on Letterman)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrDO5jEefcI&feature=youtu.be

16 Rob St John – Surface Tension (Surface Tension)

17 Colleen – Captain Of None (Thrill Jockey)

18 [REDACTED]

19 Super Furry Animals – Mwng (Domino)

20 Blanck Mass – Dumb Flesh (Sacred Bones)

21 Thee Oh Sees – Mutilator Defeated At Last (Castle Face)

22 Lapalux – Lustmore (Brainfeeder)

23 [REDACTED]

24 Todd Rundgren/ Emil Nikolaisen/Hans-Peter Lindstrøm – Runddans. (Smalltown Supersound.)

25 Boris Gardiner – Every Nigger Is A Star (Jazzman)