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

On vinyl. Running in my new Kandid!

...and a tremendous album it is, too. Might give it a spin myself.

M 

Because I promised myself a play of this having seen Stevee_S play it.

For me one of those albums with such memorable opening lines:

"Can you tell me which where my country lies?"

said the unifaun to his true love's eyes.

Mike

Free jazz, but not too free.....

A nice base sound under the album by Boris Blank, one of these albums which sound special on a better hifi system...

Airbag Identity 

I only became aware of this album recently, but it's now probably my favourite Dino Saluzzi record. It's very simple; bandoneon, guitar and bass, and really excellent. 

Inspired by recent posts here featuring Genesis albums, Sides 1 and 2 this afternoon, 3 and 4 planned for tonight (vinyl, of course)

Claude

My Brightest Star...

One man show:

John Surman – baritone and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet, recorder, piano, synthesizer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DFr66P0c9w

Who's this?

Catherine the Great?

Rush. Hold Your Fire. On Mercury promo vinyl from 1987. The fast, punchy sound of the direct metal mastering fits the music well. Not well-received on its release, I think this album now fits smartly in the overall Rush discography.

While sorting through some old wine boxes filled with my CD overspill, I picked out Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, one of my first CD purchases back in the '80s, and realised that it had many, many years since I had given it a play.  Between me and my sisters, we had played the original vinyl almost to death back in the '70s and I guess it suffered for me due to over-exposure.  Madman Across the Water took over as my favourite EJ album, closely followed by Elton John and Tumbleweed Connection.  But I had forgotten just what a great album this is.  Takes me back...

Kuma, had you looked at my previous post for My Brightest Diamond, you would have realised it is the same girl. I'm fascinated by her lately. If you enjoy Laurie Anderson,Kate Bush or PJ Havey, you should give her a try. 

Kuma, I have enjoyed this tremendously but have neither the depth or range of knowledge of Schumann to be able to give you a fitting answer and so I will revert to copying some expert reviews for you. However I can say that the sound quality and the recording is truly excellent and worthy of praise. It comes as a two Disc album one is a hybrid SACD, the other a Pure audio Blu-ray. I ripped the SACD to FLAC and as yet have not tried to rip the Blu-ray element that has up to 24/192 quality, DSD and so on. Nevertheless as a cooking 16/44.1 the recording is excellent. Here are some review clips for you:

"If I had to pick my record of the year, there would be a queue. Leading that queue, and ticking every box, is the stunning, revelatory new recording of Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony and Hebrides Overture, with, to my taste, one of the finest performances of Schumann's Piano Concerto that I have ever heard. All feature Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducting the London Symphony Orchestra in electrifying form, and the extraordinary Maria Joao Pires as soloist in an account of the Schumann that, with her moderate pacing of the finale, overcomes technical hurdles in a performance that is as pristine and common-sensical as it is soulful and beguilingly expressive. The whole thing is absolutely wonderful, and an education." -- Michael Tumelty The Herald Scotland, 9th November 2014

"The best piece here is the poetic and rapturously personal account of the Piano Concerto of Schumann, the ivories tickled by the ever-Romantic and always firmly in control Maria Joao Pires ... Pires mines diamonds that are too often overlooked by others ... I look forward to more from these forces, and especially in this magnificent format. -- Steven Ritter - AUDIOPHILE AUDITION, 28th November 2014

"Recording of the Month 'a reading formed by life experience ... Pires is supported by conductor and orchestra magnificently ... I find the two Mendelssohn works to be absolutely outstanding, revealing details hitherto unnoticed, and creating the changing moods of the Scottish landscape perfectly ... the moments of absolute pleasure are too numerous to catalogue ... Bravo. I can only envy the audience at the Barbican in January this year who were privileged to hear this live ... I've never heard so much of the orchestral colour and detail in any other Schumann recording ... My anticipation that this might be a special recording has been met." -- David Barker Music Web International, 30th November 2014

Streaming | CD FLAC rip

(1976)

Inspired by Richard D's Elton John comments, this is one of my favourites of his. Playing CD 1 of 2 from this very nice Japanese SHM-CD import a couple of months ago.

This is a very sunny sounding album, just right for a sunny morning. 

Also inspired by Richard:

Just noticing how Jaggerish Elton's vocal is on It ain't gonna be easy, and would love to hear a Stones cover as a lowdown, dirty ballad.

Good record, great emotional range. Just flipped it over for fly-away, poppy Part-time love.

Chris

Too good to stop... so on with the second CD.

Interesting jazz album...