New Music

I hate this new forum, it makes it impossible to reply to a particular person / thread.

Anyway, thanks to all for the XTC thing - resulted in my spending more money than planned as I found out there's 2 versions of Apple Venus vol.1, the studio version and 'Homespun' a demo tape, work in progress version. Both feature exactly the same tracks but in very different forms, and both are excellent so had to buy them, as it gives an interesting insight into the creative process.

Even more pleased as I've found Apple Venus vol.1
(both) and 2 on vinyl. All I need now is to do the lottery.

Transistor blast is next on the list.

Andy.

Andrew L. Weekes
alweekes@audiophile.com

In an earlier post in this (ahem) thread, I mentioned that the 3rd Nick Drake CD in the remastered set of 3 (Pink Moon) was HDCD - because the sleeve says so. Actually, it isn't.

It is, however, a stupendous album, which has now almost become my favourite - mostly just guitar and voice, such realism!

60s/70s fans should also be made aware that the Beach Boys' great albums Sunflower and Surf's Up have just been reissued, 24-bit remastered (whatever that means) on a single CD at mid-price!! What are you waiting for?

Vuk - Looks like Paul isn't going to let you have ANY fun!

And, for XTC, if you don't want to buy all the CDs , tho they are good and are available on vinyl, there is also a "Greatest Hits" CD that came out recently. I don't remember the title, but might be worthwhile for the person who doesn't want to get 5+ CDs of the stuff.

Oh, the Greatest Hits CD does NOT include tracks from the two (three?) Apple Venus CDs - only the old stuff.

- GregB
Edited by me today

I purchased Apple Venus II(on vinyl)after recomendations from forum members and loved it.
But I was wondering what opinions members held regarding XTC's alter ego - Dukes Of the Stratosphere?

I'd love to know 'cause (Chips fom the something or other) was one of those albums I never quite got round to buying.

Cheers,
Gary.

P.s.
Mike I enjoyed The Sunday's Static & Silence.

I purchased the single CD compilation of all meterial from the Dukes of Stratosphear. It was quite fun. I don't know how anyone could have questioned whether it was really XTC playing, as it's utterly obvious to me. I tried to pass it by a friend, and he caught it immediately too.

Regarding the Sundays, I've got two of their albums, but I haven't picked up that one yet. I'll have to give it a listen. Thanks for the suggestion. Catch you later!

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Smilies do not a forum make.

This album I suggest you try. It is new, I bought in San Francisco and I believe you can get it in the UK:

Artist: David Gray
Title: White Ladder

Sample it at your favourite Internet music vendor.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
2B || !2B;
4 ^ = ?;

...but still amazing, Mike?

Christian

Which am I (still) enamoured with (that I personally own)?

• 12 Rods "Separation Anxieties" - I still really enjoy this.
  
• Kevin Gilbert "Thud" - This is very good, but not nearly as good as...
  
• Kevin Gilbert "The Shaming of the True" - It's been a favourite for a year now.
  
• Doves "Lost Souls" - This is also very enjoyable, and I play it fairly often.
  
• Wilco "Summerteeth" - It's still great, and I like it better than their newer "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" (although that one's not too bad either).
  
• XTC "Wasp Star (Apple Venus Volume II)" - I still think this is a great album, but I needed to take a break from XTC for a while. I'm just getting back into them, though, and I'll probably give this album a spin later today.
  
• Dukes of Stratosphear (XTC's alter ego) - This was fun for the first while, but its cuteness has grown tiresome.
  
• Badly Drawn Boy "Hour of the Bewilderbeast" - I love this album!
  
• David Bowie "Hours" - It's still poor, AFAIC.
  
• David Gray "White Ladder" - This is a good album, but certainly not the classic that everyone else seems to suggest. The demeanor on this album doesn't vary all that much, and by the end of it I find myself getting rather bored.
  

There ya go!

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

Sounds great, but I must confess that I don't know any of those. What kind of music is it?

Christian

News of new recordings by XTC.

And I hear that Andy Partridge is co-writing and performing on the upcoming Robert Schneider (Apples In Stereo) solo album.

Finally, my music purchases have been reduced to a trickle for a few reasons. First, my music collection is getting unmanageable in size. Second, I'm finding a dearth of good, interesting new music in jazz, my primary genre of interest. Third, I've deliberately slowed down new purchases as a form of quiet protest against the major music companies' forays into copy protection, which I'm convinced is stupid and damages the sonic qualities of CD.

Having said that, I've made a couple of purchases of note over the last few months --

Blues in Time, Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan

A superb pairing. I'm not a great fan of Mulligan but I love Desmond. His playing on this disk is uncharacteristically abstract, a far cry from his normal lyrical self. He almost sounds like Marsh or Konitz!

Glad to be Unhappy, Paul Desmond & Jim Hall

A great title. Two of my favorite musicians playing a series of ballads. Masterful. The whole RCA series is classic.

Aside from the above, I've been digging into the recesses of my collection and finding incredible gems e.g. Bud Powell's Verve recordings, Bird, Gil Evans, etc. Enough to keep me going a long, long, time.

Hockman

quote:

---

Sounds great, but I must confess that I don't know any of those. What kind of music is it?

---

Most of it is what I like to call "intelligent pop". The music is acceptable to most people, although many "pure" popsters will find it too challenging for their desires.

It's not the dreck that usually appears on AC (Adult Contempory) radio stations. It's a little more complicated and less predicatable, yet the hooks are still infectious and fun.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

thanks for clearing that for me!
I'll try to find some of those albums in Germany.
Regards

Christian

A couple of weeks ago I got Fun Trick Noisemaker from The Applies In Stereo. The songs are great, as is the instrumentation. It definitately fits into that "intelligent pop" category of mine. However, The Apples came from the lo-fi cauldron that also spawned Olivia Tremor Control. I really hate listening too all that mush and noise, and cringing at the fact that the artists think it's a "good" thing.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

I have the Apples In Stereo "The Discovery of a World Inside the Moone" album which I bought because I really liked Stream Running Over and Rainbow. On that basis, can anyone recommend which of their other albums I should get?

My friend referred to Apples In Stereo as the Faux British Invasion along with Neutral Milk Hotel and another band (Elves something?). I never really got into the Neutral Milk Hotel stuff though.

-John

The best of I think that was refered to in this thread is probably a two CD set called Fossil Fuel: The XTC Singles 1977-92. It's a great song of songs, the remastered sound is great and it's only £10.99 from Play.com.

Speaking of which, some of the XTC albums on Play.com are designated (Rm), presumably for remaster. I was under the impression that bar some Japanese HDCD (and I think No-Noised)releases only Fossil Fuel was properly remastered and the rest were manky affairs from the bad old days. What gives?

I think all the Virgin XTC albums were remastered last year. They also fixed the running orders - in the original CD releases extra tracks from the album sessions were often inserted in the middle of the original albums, e.g Big Express.