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

The CD - excellent recording.

The DVD is fun too.

Spooky Gothic Metal fans only,

DB.

Vinyl

Bruckner Symphony 8: Thielemann/Staatskapelle Dresden 2013 Release

Great scale and large presence from the start. Thielemann's 8th is more along the line of Furtwangler style. Incidentally he also chose the same Haas edition of the score. ( the same ed. Furt used for his recording )

A striding tempo and spacious recording makes it a comfortable listen. Dynamic but the music is keeping lyrical organic ebb and flow. Instrument colours and textures are clear as Szell set but the difference here is that there is another wall like layer behind them giving a gigantic Wagnerian backdrop.

Not as angular as Szell maintaining more close and personal perspective with rounded corners. Sprawling Adagio. Not as intense as others I have heard but has a relaxed *Cadeillac ride* approach.  

Final movement starts off crisp and advancing. But somewhat bland lacking a bit of tension. Organisaion is a bit murky on the final movement. He maintains a same legato feel everywhere lacking some dynamic conrasts. Even the beautiful ascend into the finale it would have been even more effective if there was a bit more solidity behind the score. The music unwinds instead of finishing with a big abrupt drop. 

According to the liner notes, this was the performance that clinched Thielmann a musical director contract with the Dresden. Having heard them perform, I can feel the excitement amongst the audience through this recording.

Ramsey Lewis Trio: Gentleman of Swing

Their 1956 debut album. 

Lewis always showing his classical music background with Chopin/Bach influenced arrangement and riffs.

Eldee Young on bass, Isaac "Red" Holt on drums.

Whilst this is far from their best work, it's fascinating to listen to where they all started. Lewis here is only 21 when this album was recorded.

The whole album was too dark for me.

The last 3 last nights listening.

Half a dozen trax off the album due out May

Some trax off this album as well.

Next up this morning and then break.

Streaming | CD FLAC rip

Harry Nilsson ~ The Real Harry Nilsson (2014)

CD 1 of 3 from this very pleasant box set.

I don't see him often around.

This, from Talking Through Pictures, was my night radio program ending theme

Streaming | 16/44.1 FLAC Download

Steve Rothery Band ~ Live in Plovdiv (2013)

A good seventy minute set at the Plovdiv Guitar Festival where the" few ideas" he had for something to play there later went on to become the album "The Ghosts of Pripyat" fifteen months later.

On vinyl from 1990: Robert Cray Band - "Midnight Stroll"

 Immaculate performance as usual from Robert Cray & very good SQ.

Streaming | CD FLAC rip

Marillion ~ Afraid of Sunlight (1995)

Probably chosen because I was listening to Steve Rothery earlier today.

On CD:-

Today's needle drops:

Love her voice. Not my favourite album of her's, which is Dog Eat Dog, but worth the effort.

Another long owned album that I had never listened to. Love the first track, think this will grow on me.

I am a philistine ....doesn't do a lot for me, but needs to be archived!

Again, not an album I like but needs to be captured.

Never listened to it .....let you know later what I think!