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

Streaming | FLAC ripped CD 1 of 2

Steven Wilson ~ Grace For Drowning (2011)

The second album released under his own name, well produced with good sound quality, in the liner notes he encourages us to take this double album as two separate pieces. A mixture of many things managing to create an amazing listening experience. "At times dark, experimental, jazzy, lonely, and erratic are some ways to describe Grace For Drowning..he learned from his [then] recent collaborations and put together a stunning selection of music, which will one moment, wash over you, then blow your brains out, without any warning"

I just had to listen to the second CD after the first, once again quite dark in places.

Streaming | FLAC Download from Bandcamp

In Today Already Walks ~ sleepmakeswaves (2008)

This Australian (post rock, progressive-rock) band, like to incorporate electronic soundscapes with live instrumentation. "Can be a casual or an intense listen depending on your mood, but beautiful either way."

Thanks Bert. I chipped in $30 on Kickstarter to support this recording a couple of years back. I have the CD and the Flac download. I like it a lot. We also have her Goldberg variations, which I prefer to Gould's, partly (mostly?) because of the lack of "ambient noise".

Streaming freshly ripped AIFF copy:-

As an aside it's just been on the news that Chris Squire will be missing some gigs to have treatment for Leukaemia.

http://yesworld.com/…/chris-squire-to-undergo-treatment-fo…/

..and now for something completely different, AIFF CD rip:-

Bones Of All Men - Phillip Picket and Richard Thompson

Streaming | CD FLAC rip

Porcupine Tree ~ Voyage 34:The Complete Trip (2000)

Streaming | FLAC Download from Bandcamp

Samsara Blues Experiment ~ Waiting For The Flood (2013)

Lot's of good reviews for this German band, this is another one of them: 

"Three albums in, Samsara Blues Experiment have crafted their most accomplished work yet, with a seamless and flowing blend of heavy rock and psychedelia, an individual personality and an overarching sense of purpose to each and every one of the parts on the four extended tracks. Taken as a whole, Waiting for the Flood stands as a shining example of what’s best about modern heavy psych - the forward thoughts of classical minds." The Obelisk

From bandcamp

Apparat Organ Quartet - Polyfonia

Kraftwerk-style krautrock from Iceland, courtesy of Jóhann Jóhannsson (modern classical and soundtrack composer) and his mates. They all (in theory) play organ (well, duh) and this is their second  insanely catchy album. Almost impossible to stop toe-tapping/Dad-dancing to some of this, such as 123 Forever:

And the slightly heavier Pentatronik in a live session on the excellent KEXP radio session:

In fact I'd urge you to listen/watch the whole KEXP session

Dynamics are interesting...

Stevie Wonder unreleased 1974 Live album not released due to technical issues with the recording according to Motown.

Streaming | FLAC Download from Bandcamp

Ruby The Hatchet ~ Valley Of The Snake (2015)

The music get's given so many tags but to me its good old fashioned rock of one variety or another led by strong female vocals with great heavy riffs. Of interest to some perhaps is that they were involved with part of the U.S. tour of Blue Pills. 

I've had this Dire Straits album pretty much from it's first release and have always liked most of it.   But I used to skip a few songs and always the first, Calling Elvis, that is until I got Naim amplification and suddenly I began to appreciate the whole album and particularly Calling Elvis which I now find has some great drum work.  Funny. 

Pat has made some brilliant albums in his career. But the nice thing about him that most albums have a base quality which already put's the music on an interesting level, while I don't like some of his fusion type of experiments...

Deliciously jazzy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKWW1BHjcTE

A complete change of pace.

Vinyl

Thelonius Monk: Straight No Chaser 1967 release. Stereo

Another piano genius.

• Thelonious Monk - piano
• Charlie Rouse - tenor sax
• Larry Gales - bass
• Ben Riley - drums

I swear drummer was Art Blakey!