New Music

Posted by: Mike Hanson on 31 July 2000

Over the past week I've been on a quest for "new and amazing" music. (I was wishing that XTC had released more albums.) Here's what I've found so far:

12 Rods "Separation Anxieties" - Really quite amazing, although they tend to sound a little "poppy" at times. However, if you can put up with the occasional bit of sugar coating, the bulk of the material is great fun.
Kevin Gilbert "Thud" - Apparently this guy has been around forever as a session musician, although I had never heard of him before this last week. It's a little bit adult contemporary at times, with lots of acoustic guitar. It also has proggy elements, although these are at a minimum. The lyrics are quite insightful, and the whole album flows very well together. His newest album (and last, because he's dead) is called "The Shaming of the True". It's supposed to be one of those "desert island" discs. I haven't picked it up yet.
Doves "Lost Souls" - This was recommended on the old forum, and it is very enjoyable. Tons of layered guitars, almost like garage rock without being so noisy, and there's something else magical going on. Recommended!
Wilco "Summerteeth" - This album was on many people's "Best of..." lists last year. I finally picked it up, and it's really great. Sometimes veers quite a ways into "Country", but it's very impressive throughout.
XTC "Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume II)" - I may as well mention this one too, even though I've had it for a couple of months now. If you like XTC, this one's a no brainer. The songs are infectious, the arrangements are stunning, and the production is top notch. I had this one in the player for a solid week!

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated, as my appetite for this type of music is horrendous. Catch you later!

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Posted on: 31 July 2000 by matthewr

Death Cab for Cutie - we have the facts an we are voting yes

Splendid dreamy US indie pop album in a similar vein to Built to Spill.

Dianogah - Battle Champions

Absolutely first class post-rock album. The usual mix of repeating, leftfield guitar lines killer drumming and occaisional ill adivised attempts at singing. Unusual in that there is very little lead guitar with most songs being exclusively bass and "sharp bass" (6 string bass half way between guitar and bass apparently).

There's more on Dianogah at Pillowfight

Badly Drawn Boy - Hour of the Bewilderbeast

Bit of a disapointment after all the hype. It is very accomplished, well put together and certainly deserves a try if only for being more ambitious than most. Others may get more from it but, as yet, it I haven't really connected with it.

Sweeder - Swallowed by the Sun

Sparse, world weary folkish songs from moody and depressing three piece. Lyrics are of the "I'm really sensitive and poetic" variety which you either love or find immensely annoying. A bit patchy but definitely has its moments if you like that sort of thing.

Vivid Low Sky - Music for Movies Unmade

Basically an instrumental rock album which is actually quite hard to describe. Its definitely not post-rock and is more like the sort of instrumental album that a US indie rock outfit would come up with. Very conventional and melodic and I had dismissed it as rather unispired but on a few more listens it has grown on me. A bit like Dark Star but less trad rock and more alternative rock.

Matthew

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Andrew L. Weekes

My most played album this year is

David Bowie - Hours

Excellent production, super tunes, very tight band - pop(?) music with depth.

Must get the XTC album.

Andy.

Andrew L. Weekes
alweekes@audiophile.com

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Geoff C

Red Heat by Jimmy Haslip = Red Hot

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Pete

Yes, you must get the XTC album. And Apple Venus, Volume 1 as well, if you don't have it.

Pete.

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Mike Hanson

quote:
David Bowie - Hours

I purchased that a couple of months ago. I gave it a single listen, and it didn't grab me. Because I used to worship Bowie, I kept the album out of respect. I'll give it another listen today. Catch you later!

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Andrew L. Weekes

that I bought was Nonsuch, which was superb (still listen to that one regularly), so I'll seek out the other two (any others inbetween I should know about?).

Andy.

Andrew L. Weekes
alweekes@audiophile.com

P.S. Mike, I was never a fan of Bowie in my youth, but I'm starting to rediscover now, so it may be a question of not comparing his recent output to his previous classics.

All the live performances I've seen recently have been superbly tight, and I think this is captured on the latest album - normally I'm disappointed when I seek out albums of music I've seen live, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Mike Hanson

We'll I've listened again, and I'm still not into it. Yes, the playing is tight, the arrangements are commendable, the production is good, etc. However, the songs themselves are rather dull. There isn't anything "special" about them. When I compare it to the visceral intensity of "Let's Dance", or the sense of caustic melancholy of "Ziggy Stardust", etc., "Hours" just doesn't do it for me.

Regarding XTC, there was nothing released between Nonsuch and "Apple Venus, Volume 1". However, if liked "Nonsuch", then be sure to get "Skylarking" and "Oranges & Lemons". "Mummer", "English Settlement" and "The Big Express" are also great listens, but in a slightly different style.

I'm actually not into much of their early post-punk stuff. It's a little too angry and disorganized compared to their newer material. I do listen to it on occasion, though. It's kind of funny that many of XTC's fans are stratified between the old and new material. I'm definitely in the "new" camp, while many others are in the "old" one. Catch you later!

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Smilies do not a forum make.

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Former member

I really do like the latest Lipuma / George Benson -absolutely.

Ghetto?

Oh and bye the way I reckon Black Sea was the best thing XTC ever did IMHO

[This message was edited by Juan Kerr on TUESDAY 01 August 2000 at 19:56.]

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Mike Hanson

Forgot about Black Sea. Come to think of it, I haven't listened to it for a while either. My favorite is still O&L. Couldn't really tell you why. Catch you later!

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Smilies do not a forum make.

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Chris Metcalfe

>>there was nothing released between Nonsuch and "Apple Venus, vol 1"<< Well, apart from 'Transistor Blast', a great 4-CD set of BBC radio sessions and early 80s live tracks - with the best package a boxed set has ever had IMHO. Fab sound too.

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Chris Metcalfe

How many more before I lose the 'junior'?

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Chris Metcalfe

Some of my favourite LPs are the 3 albums Nick Drake made for Island between 1969 and 1971, partly because they're (mostly) sublime musically and lyrically, but also because they have one of the best pure analogue sounds ever, and on that lovely thick Island vinyl.

Just remastered on CD and the sound of 'Five Leaves Left' is noticeably more etched, but one curious thing - that and 'Bryter Layter' are non-HDCD but 'Pink Moon', one of the lowest-fi albums ever, is! Shame, really.

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Mike Hanson

I don't count "Transistor Blast", since it wasn't really "new". It was material from their early years, which is quite distinct from their later stuff.

BTW, the number is 5, and you've hit it. Catch you later!

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Smilies do not a forum make.

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Former member

I'm so glad that somebody out there also appreciates the Blackwell ethos

In my humble but honest opinion Island Records produced some of the most worthy recordings ever released on real acetate vinyl. I just wished I'd understood the finite physics involved in extracting the information when I was a teenager - my Garrard deck virtually rewrote everything - especially with the sixpenny headshell counterweight {essential after a bottle or two of strong cider in my heyday -listening to Free on a Sunday afternoon whilst playing cards - oh happy days indeed}

Oh well at least I did'nt spend a decade and a few thousand quid trying to recreate what wasn't there anymore!!!

Needle in a Camels eye anyone?

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Former member

I'm so glad that somebody out there also appreciates the Blackwell ethos

Oh well at least I did'nt spend a decade and a few thousand quid trying to recreate what wasn't there anymore!!!

Needle in a Camels eye anyone

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Former member

Dear Vuk

As much as i admire your creativity and as much as I am honoured at your ingenuity and innervention I haven't actually taken acid in many a year and thus i do not reallly appreciate your - albeit rather clever and amusing - err doodles (?) although - oh ****ing ******** i've forgottten what I'm supposed to be going on about now!

Oh yeah - the double post was not bloody well intended and as stated elswhere on this forum - the new format is totally shiiiiiiiiiiiite!

Hmm Hmm

Ps Great name Vuk - made up or what ?

Whoah - what's with all this asterisk nonsense ?
I didn't write that- ****s

TIME STILL TO EDIT - LET'S TRY A NAUGHTY WORD - **** - OR SLIMY TOADY BSTARDS - OR WHO OR WHAT IS EDITING THIS DIATRIBE - HMM - THIS COULD BE A GOOD THREAD - WHICH WORDS CAN GET PAST THE EDITOR

[This message was edited by Juan Kerr on TUESDAY 01 August 2000 at 23:09.]

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Former member

Is Juan a baseball player?

Posted on: 01 August 2000 by Keith Mattox

back Vuk. Your sense of humor hasn't changed I see!

ex-audiophile

Posted on: 02 August 2000 by Paul Stephenson

Vuk please cut out the icon stuff.

Posted on: 02 August 2000 by Paul Stephenson

Just came across this quite interesting double cd, budda-bar by Claude Challe on Mercury, some really cool rythms.

Posted on: 02 August 2000 by Mike Hanson

quote:
Vuk please cut out the icon stuff.

The smilies are the only thing that are superior on this forum compared to the old one, and I don't understand why you would want to limit their use. From a technical perspective, the icons are already downloaded to our machines, so it's not a problem with bandwidth. (Only one copy of a given image is downloaded, even if appears hundreds of times on the page.)

So other than the fact that it's mildly subversive, there is really no reason to ban them. Besides, they're amusing. Catch you later!

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Smilies do not a forum make.

Posted on: 02 August 2000 by Former member

Thanks Mike. If we were on the old forum, I think Paul would have noticed that I stopped the "icon stuff" a day ago.

Vuk.

Posted on: 03 August 2000 by Former member

I think if Vuk looked closely he'd notice that Paul was on the internet after midnight last night - beer induced blindness eh Paul?

Cliff
Trainee Perl Hacker

Posted on: 03 August 2000 by Former member

I bought The Brian Blade Fellowship's CD Perceptual more or less because it caught my eye while looking for something else and it is a great find if you like Pat Metheny jazz circa American Garage or 80/81. Guests on his CD include Daniel Lanois and Joni Mitchell. BB has played drumes for such diverse acts as Brad Mehldau, Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan.

On the strength of it I went back today and bought The Brian Blade Fellowships First CD and one by the bands guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel (CD is called The Enemies of Energy). Fans of John Scofield would appreciate the latter.

Also picked up a copy of Miles Davis' The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel on a business trip to Manila. I paid 3,000 pesos (or USD66) for this 8 CD box set as compared to USD119 retail as listed on Amazon.com so I couldn't pass that deal up, particularly as I had been looking and could not find it in Singapore!

Best, Dave.

Posted on: 03 August 2000 by Todd A

Being the classical glutton that I am, I just can't stop buying more music. This insatiable buying binge is fueled by the fact that my music collection is still rather slim (not quite 300 discs) and the wealth of excellent reissues. And then of course there's Naxos. Damn Klaus. Damn him! I keep giving him my money.

Here's some new stuff, for me:

Brahms Piano Concertos - Emil Gilels on piano on the DG reissue. I don't have any other copies, but the versions I've heard on the radio can't compare.

Bartok's works for piano and orchestra - Gyorgy Sandor plays all the concertos and the the Rhapsody and Scherzo for only $10 on Vox! The 1st is better than Schiff's more recent version, and the 3rd is of the same quailty, but the 2nd suffers somewhat. Guess I better buy Geza Anda's version?

A set of 5 Beethoven Piano Sonatas played by Walter Gieseking. The Pathetique and Moonlight are included. Recorded in 1956 I believe. $4 new on Seraphim. Bless EMI's reissue department. I implore piano music fans to seek this disc out.

I snagged two installments of Philips' Great Pianists series - the Dinu Lipatti and first John Ogdon set. I adore, nay, love the Lipatti. It is better than I expected. The Schumann and Bach works alone are worth the price. The Chopin, Mozart, and Grieg seal the deal. I respect the Ogdon. The Concerto for Solo Piano by Valentin Ogdon is the work for me in the set. The Busoni Piano Concerto is too long and sounds like a showpiece of skilled orchestration without any real purpose or focus. Good, but not great. I do adore Ogdon's early playing abilities, though, so I'm very glad I got the set.

The first disc of Martinu's string quartets on Naxos. Wonderful. Not at the same level as Bartok or Shostakovich, but enthralling all the same.

Karl Amadeus Hartmann's string quartets on CPO. The first is a 20th century masterpiece, no doubt about it. The second is less inspiring, but should definitely not be overlooked.

Piano works by Howard Hanson on Naxos. Thomas Labe is an outstanding pianist. (His work on the Dorian label, especially some Lizst, attests to that.) The works here vary in quality, but the Sonata and Poeme erotiques are outstanding.

Orchestral works by Georges Enescu on Arte Nova. The first rhapsody is of course very good and the other works are good. Not especially inspiring, but for $5, who cares?

There are others, but I can't remember them all. I need to get some more. I'm eyeing EMI's Furtwangler cycle of Brahms symphonies. Any opinion on that set?