| Thunder of the Gods | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album / Live albumby Sun Ra and His Arkestra | ||||
| Released | April 7, 2017 | |||
| Recorded | 1966/71 | |||
| Venue | Slug's Saloon, NYC | |||
| Studio | NYC | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Length | 42:41 | |||
| Label | Modern Harmonic MHCD-021 | |||
| Sun Ra chronology | ||||
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Thunder of the Gods is an album by Sun Ra and His Arkestra featuring unreleased live and studio recordings which was issued in April 2017 on the Modern Harmonic label. [1]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 77/100 [2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [3] |
| Pitchfork | 8.0 [4] |
| PopMatters |   [5] |
Metacritic assigned album an aggregate score of 77 out of 100 based on 5 critical reviews. [2] The Allmusic review awarded the album 3½ stars out of 5, stating "The first side is a 23-minute portion of a performance at Slug's Saloon in New York, where the Arkestra held an 18-month weekly residence. ... The other two selections on the disc are mono studio recordings taken from the same period as the Strange Strings album, so named because Ra provided the musicians with stringed instruments that they were unfamiliar with. He instructed them to start playing, but not how or what to play. As such, it's some of the most challenging music produced by the Arkestra, filled with atonal scraping, clawing, scratching, clattering, and slapping. Fascinating stuff for hardcore fans, but for most other listeners, the first half of the album is more likely to be played more than once". [3] Pitchfork gave the album 8 out of 10, saying, "This new set of unheard songs is gripping and challenging, as to be expected from the free jazz legend. Using oddball orchestrations, Sun Ra unfurls more complexities of the astral realm". [4] The PopMatters site stated "This is not music for the faint of heart or the impatient of ear, this is bold and strange and difficult, but like secondhand reports of undiscovered countries, it is impossible to comprehend what is being communicated without following to see and experience this strangeness for yourself". [5]
All compositions by Sun Ra
The Magic City is an album by the American jazz musician Sun Ra and his Solar Arkestra. Recorded in two sessions in 1965, the record was released on Ra's own Saturn label in 1966. The record was reissued by Impulse! in 1973, and on compact disc by Evidence in 1993. It is part of the Penguin Guide's Core Collection of recommendations.
Atlantis is an album by American jazz musician Sun Ra and his Astro-Infinity Arkestra, released in 1969 by El Saturn Records.
Lanquidity is a studio album by American jazz musician Sun Ra originally released in 1978 by Philly Jazz and reissued on HDCD by Evidence Records in 2000.
Nidhamu is a recording by the jazz musician Sun Ra and his Astro-Intergalactic-Infinity Arkestra, documenting their first visit to Egypt.
Live in Egypt 1 is a recording by the jazz musician Sun Ra and his Astro-Intergalactic-Infinity Arkestra, documenting their first visit to Egypt.
Horizon is a recording by the jazz musician Sun Ra and his Astro-Intergalactic-Infinity Arkestra, forming part of the documentation of their first visit to Egypt.
Space is the Place is an album by Sun Ra and His Intergalactic Solar Arkestra. The music was recorded in early 1972 in San Francisco, California for the film Space Is the Place. However, the music remained unreleased until Evidence Music issued a compact disc in 1993.
Blue Delight is a jazz album by free jazz pioneer Sun Ra.
Strange Strings is an album by the American Jazz musician Sun Ra and his Astro Infinity Arkestra. Recorded in 1966, the album was released by 1967 on Sun Ra's own Saturn label. The record was reissued on compact disc by Atavistic in 2007.
Strange Strings is a somewhat legendary album from the mid-'60s. "Worlds Approaching" is a great tune, anchored by a bass ostinato and timpani and featuring several fantastic solos... Off and on throughout the tune, Bugs Hunter applies near-lethal doses of reverb, giving the piece a very odd but interesting sound. "Strange Strings" is one of those songs that is likely to inspire some sort of "you call that music?" comment from your grandmother, or even from open-minded friends. It sounds like they raided the local pawnshop for anything with strings on it, then passed them out to the bandmembers. It's difficult to tell if some of these instruments have been prepared in some way, or if they're simply being played by untutored hands. There are also lots of drums and some viola playing from Ronnie Boykins that is also treated heavily with reverb. Despite the cacophony, there is a definite ebb and flow to the piece and what seem like different movements or themes. Whatever you think of the music contained, there's no denying that it produced some of the most remarkable sounds of the mid-'60s. If you don't like "out," stay clear of this one.' Sean Westergaard
Reflections in Blue is an album by American composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra recorded in 1986 in Italy and released on the Black Saint label in 1987.
Hours After is an album by American composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra recorded in 1986 in Italy and released on the Black Saint label in 1989. The album was recorded at the same sessions the produced Reflections in Blue which was released in 1987.
Cosmos is an album by jazz composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra and his Arkestra recorded in France in 1976 and originally released on the French Cobra label in Europe and on Inner City Records in the US.
Unity is a live double album by jazz composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra and his Arkestra recorded in 1977 and originally released on the Italian Horo label.
Pathways to Unknown Worlds is an album by jazz composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra and his Arkestra recorded in Chicago in 1973 and originally released on his Saturn label and rereleased on the ABC/Impulse! label in 1975.
Sleeping Beauty is an album by jazz composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Myth Science Solar Arkestra recorded in 1979 and originally released on Ra's Saturn label and rereleased on CD on Art Yard in 2008.
Strange Celestial Road is an album by jazz composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra and his Arkestra recorded in New York in 1979 and originally released on the Rounder label.
It's After the End of the World is a live album by American composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra recorded in 1970 in Donaueschingen and Berlin and released on the MPS label in 1970. The complete concerts were released in 1998 as a 2-CD set entitled Black Myth/Out in Space.
Black Myth/Out in Space is a 2CD live album by American composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra recorded in 1970 in Donaueschingen and Berlin and released on the Motor Music label in 1998. Selections from the concerts were originally released in 1970 on MPS Records as It's After the End of the World but the rerelease complies both complete concerts adding more than 75 minutes of previously unissued recordings.
Nuits de la Fondation Maeght is a live album by American composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra recorded in 1970 France and released in two volumes on the Shandar label.
Of Mythic Worlds is an album by composer, bandleader and keyboardist Sun Ra and his Arkestra recorded around 1979 and released on his El Saturn label.
