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

Zimerman's second recording of Brahms I is a rich meal, with no stone left untouched. Brilliant performance and execution, in good but not brilliant sound. 

EJ

On vinyl.

Thanks ewe I spotted that over on your "what releases are you looking forward to" thread, it will be an interesting one. 

Streaming | FLAC Download from Bandcamp

Subsume by Cloudkicker (2012)

Something different after what has been a long day which is my excuse to let other Bandcampers try to describe it...

Instrumental prog metal with djent and post-metal leanings. Pretty intense stuff, with the exception of the last track, which is mellow and relaxing, even after the distortion is turned on.

Emotional instrumental ambient/metal, great stuff on headphones. I usually go for more electronic (synth) ambient, but this is a great combination of metal energy and enveloping soundscape.

This evening has been Dire Straits' first album, followed by Little Feat 'Let It Roll' from my vinyl collection - both sounding most wonderful. I had forgotten what a great recording the Little Feat album is. And the DS album, come to think of it. 

Hi Steve. Sounds pretty good. You were right about the Gazpacho too this is a great album 

Gazpacho - March of the Ghosts on Spotify.

Great album Matt.

EJ,

I thought the sound of this disc was pretty good offering from Emile Berliner Studio I thought! 

My copy ( I think it's a German copy ) had excellent dynamic and vivid tonal shading. Authority, clarity and very little distortion or overload. Plus nicely up close piano.

I agree regarding their performance, tho. 

Zimerman is full of bag of tricks again to pull all the heart strings. Finally this tune is growing on me. They are playing close to each other and compliment nicely. 

I also like Pollini/Abbado set, too. ( now this one, the sound is thin and bass light usual DG's awful 90s digital )

Inspired by the other thread about this great band.

The final of the 1st mov. is incredible good.

Oasis. Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants. CD + bonus CD from 2000. Been a while since I listened to this. The Gallagher brothers certainly are talented artists, good tunesmiths, and adept at creating a wall of sound with a psychedelic bend. Take any individual song or two and the music is excellent, but listen to them collectively as an album and the sound becomes redundant to me. Liam's vocals quickly get whiney/grating after a few tracks. Maybe a band that benefits from the i-tunes playlist or shuffle format?

(2014)

Jakob Lindberg performs the programme on what is possibly the world's oldest lute in playing condition, built c. 1590

'[Lindberg] is unfazed by the virtuosic demands of Bacheler's long, elaborately ornamented variations...what really impress are the security of his playing and the maturity of his interpretations...The instrument Lindberg plays with so sensitive and sure a touch is also of considerable interest. It was made by the Augsburg luthier Sixtus Rauwolf in about 1590' --International Record Review, March 2014

'In a meticulously voices recital that moves between court, theatre and tavern, from music of great sophistication to music of extraordinary bluntness, Lindberg conjures an age that as as perilous as it was rich in musical invention...skillfully handled and sweetly turned.' ***** INSTRUMENTAL CHOICE --BBC Music Magazine, April 2014

'Upon hearing this terrific release for the first time, I remarked to a friend that it could easily have been titled 'Jakobean Lute Music'. Because, apart from its being an excellent survey of early-17th-century English and Scottish lute music, it also finds London-based Swedish lutenist Jakob Lindberg in uncommonly fine form.' EDITOR'S CHOICE --Gramophone, April 2014

Joe Jackson. Greatest Hits. On CD from 1996. A brilliant songwriter, Jackson's recordings have great dynamic range, but whether on CD or vinyl tend toward the lean or cold side to my ears. His sound is fast and punctual with a strong emphasis on PRaT. This an excellent compilation of his music and true to his clean and uncompressed sound.

One of my favourite artists and cruelly underrated. Al lhis recordings are great in content and sound quality (except the live 198/86 vinyl for some reason).

Sound may be my system - recently introduced some new power cables and a new rack and also, unfortunately, an imbalance. That's audio for you. The Pollini/Abbado is live, from a venue that's notoriously difficult to record in under live circumstances - given that, I think the sound is OK. On balance, it's the best of Pollini's three Brahms I recordings.

EJ

Streaming | FLAC

(1994)

Because this is a lovely CD with Bream's interpretations of Spanish Classics being played exquisitely. He certainly was a master of his time with both guitar and lute.

Streaming | FLAC 

(1969)

For no particular reason other than not having listened to this in a couple of decades...

New album of new material out next month or early Oct.

Streaming | FLAC

(1969)

* Edit: I posted this up about an hour ago but I have deleted my original post as I've now found better artwork for it that also includes the back cover and track details.