What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XI)

On bandcamp, for Pink Floyd lovers - great album...

Streaming | CD FLAC rip

Harry Manx ~ Mantras for Madmen (2010)

The Barr Brothers album is a hard act to follow but I will try with Harry Manx who's is in good form again accompanied by his trusty 20-stringed Mohan Veena.

"Harry Manx has been dubbed an "essential link" between the music of East and West, creating musical short stories that wed the tradition of the Blues with the depth of classical Indian ragas. His unique sound is bewitching and deliciously addictive to listen to" ~ From his Biography

On original vinyl, freshly cleaned :-

Billy Joel - Songs In The Attic

This is a great live record!

Nice to find another Harry Manx devotee hereabouts. This lovely album contains a track appropriately entitled 'Don't Take His Name Away'.

John.

Yes indeed, well said.

Steve

Another band I've found to be interesting, Jack O' The Clock - Night Loops.

https://jackotheclock.bandcamp.com/album/night-loops 

I also like their previous release, All My Friends.

https://jackotheclock.bandcamp...album/all-my-friends 

On cassette. Early 1980s cassette-culture artiness at its very best. Pretentious, perhaps, but one of my very favourite things ever.

This is the limited first edition (6,000 copies) wrapped in a plastic bag with an A5 32pp booklet which features the work of Keith Breeden, Neville Brody, Panny Charrington, Malcolm Garrett, Hipgnosis and Ian Wright, with manifestos by The Death And Beauty Foundation and The Temple Ov Psychick Youth (written by David Tibet).

Also published were The Rozztox Manifesto (by Gary Panter / The Residents), "Vladimir Mayakovsky" by Alan Reid, Norrie MacLaren's "Video Column", "The New Nubia", and Your Guide To Naming A Pop Group, "Nominal Success" by Shirley Ellis.

Tracklist here: http://www.discogs.com/Various...-Mist/release/308267

On CD:-

Judas Priest   Stained Class   on cd.

Streaming | Spotify Premium

Dave Kertzner ~ New World (2014)

An interesting "find" and suggestion Bert. As you say it has similarities to Pink Floyd. It also has undertones of Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson and ELP amongst other influences . Not surprising then to find Keith Emerson is involved on a Moog synth' at some stage. Keith Hackett on guitar and various others names contribute. Most definitely a new prog' rock work.  I have kept it queued on Spotify and will give it another play sometime, before making a buying decision. 

Steve

More cassette culture, this time from December 1980, on Crépuscule.

This is the first edition, which came with a booklet in PVC wallet and a "Fiche Technique", which explains how use the tape in order to listen to it with or without the interviews.

Tracklist here

PIXIES  Trompe le Monde   on cd.

EJ, 

Yes, he does mention the incident in the Documentary. After Karajan said 'it's in a can!' after recording the Concerto, Richter wanted t do one more take as he wasn't completely happy with it. Karajan said' No no. We have more essential thing coming up!' 

It was the dreaded 'photo shoot' of the cover Karajan was referring to. Watch the video from 5 min. in.

'Ghastly photo where Karajan poses, and we are all smiling like idiots.'

I used to have the famous Karajan recording with Richter, Rostropovich, and Oistrahk on a full priced HMV LP.

All the critics were purring about this great performance, and I tried hard to understand the critical commentary about it. I loved the music, but there was no magical interplay either between the three great Russians, or most devastatingly between the trio and orchestra under Karajan. This documentary gives a hint that much better could have been achieved - quite probably if a properly professional conductor had been engaged. But star billing is today and was even in the 1960s more important for record sales than any particular natural affinity between the artists playing! Few critics dared be disparaging of Karajan in his lifetime, though since he died his recorded legacy has been view much less lopsidedly reported, so reasonable and apt criticism [sometimes seriously critical in detail of various failings] is now much easier to find.

Another example of contemporary Beethoven concerto recording that more or less failed to live up to expectations was the Violin Concerto play by Menuhin with Klemperer conducting the [New?] Philharmonia Orchestra, also at that time on full priced HMV. Neither Klemperer not Menuhin were happy with the outcome. Much better - great even - is the Oistrahk recording with Cluytens , made in Paris by EMI ...

I will recommend a superb recording of the Triple Concerto here.

David Oistrakh; Lev Oborin: Sviatoslav Knushevitsky / Philharmonia Orchestra / Sir Malcolm Sargent

Also for EMI, and recorded in excellent 1956 stereo. An example of how to make a well balanced recording and capture a performance that catches three great Russians seemingly at complete ease with a superb orchestra in London.

I am very fond of this concerto, though it does show that Beethoven had not mastered the art of compression as Bach had demonstrated a century earlier. 

ATB from George

"Can you tell me where my country lies?" said the unifaun to his true love's eyes...

Received today the 1994 Definitive Edition Remaster version which I am currently comparing with the original CD release and I have to say the difference is marginal indeed. This is the only Genesis album on which I've been able to make such comparison since in all other cases I only have the vinyl versions and the 1994 remasters. I'm reluctant to buy the 2008 Tony Banks remasters as well owing to the bad reviews received.

Still have no idea what a unifaun is though.

Hawkwind   Hall Of The Mountain Grill   bonus track cd

Sonic Youth   GOO    2 cd deluxe edition.

Some italian stuff.

Imho this is a great record if you like the lo fi beat.

Poetry and samplers!

(sorry for the non italian speakin' members)

Final bit of cassette culture, this time from 1983.

Tracklist:

Side A

Wendy Chambers - Star Spangled Banner
400 Blows - 399 To Go
A Certain Ratio - Si-Fermir-Ogrido
masse;rebel (behind the front line)
Deux Filles - Airium
The Nocturnal Emissions - Body Count
Jean Tinguely - Meta-Harmonie 11
Derek Jarman - Archaeology of Sound
Matador! - Mother Earth Film Music

Side B

John Foxx - The Quiet Man 3
Bruce Gilbert - Children
Virginia Astley - When the Fields were on Fire
Gorp - Give Me the Moonlight
Pure - Disconnected
Touch 33º - ai
Mulligan & Smith - Walk on By

Die hard Kevin! Cassettes......i remember the back sit of my bmw covered with. Good old times!

I've been a fan of this album since its release.  My CD version is no great shakes reproduction wise - when will Mr Wilson work his magic on this as he did with Benefit? - but the music shines through. Bouree remains a wonderful instrumental.

Vinyl collectors are spoilt with this album, the cover being something of a classic in  my view: what a great pun? 

Might that a play myself later. Have only recently discovered it, courtesy of another member on here. 

Could be a bit more energetic, but still not bad...

I will definitely buy it and even go for the deluxe version which includes prolonged intros and additional songs which fit into the theme (which is quite unique as it's not a "normal bonus"). It's by the way like a lot of great music available through bandcamp.