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

Good to see this getting played here a bit more often, their new album comes out in October...

Dire Straits, Making Movies on CD. A classic. Never gets old to me.

Love Moving Pictures, probably the best album from easily my favourite group but Metallica are one of the few rock groups I just can't get into despiite my wife's best efforts

The Eagles, Hotel California, not listened to these for ages which was my loss because its a brilliant album. 24/196 flac via Audirvana/hugo

You should better listen to his early recordings with Nagano or Gergiev 

2008 CD

Prompted by Dayjay and hearing the title track on the radio yesterday on the CD goes.

BTW you should listen to your Wife Dayjay and give Metallica another go

She has already brainwashed me with Fish, who we are up in Scotland to see on Saturday for about the 20th time, and Tori Amos, I think that's about enough for now! 

Sounds to me like she has good taste. Fish is great. I am going to see him do the End of Childhood tour later this year. I can hear you groan from here

Misplaced Childhood, is going on next.

We're watching him in Dalkeith doing the End of Childhood stuff.  I don't mind Fish, which is good because he probably knows us by sight we've seen him that much.  I'll let ou know how it was on Sunday

Please do, have a great time.

Kevin Ayers: Bananamour

Sadly missed.

Richard

Max Richter’s work is contemporary classical, but with no fear and an embrace of modernity; keyboards, tape loops, electronic and so on. His album Memoryhouse is one of my all time favourites (mind you, it does feature the sublime voice of Sarah Leonard), and this is his latest work. Well, a part of it. Richter has spent a long time composing an eight-hour work (the longest continual piece of classical music to be recorded, or somesuch). It is a true lullaby in the sense that it is designed to send you to sleep and accompany that, which is why it lasts eight hours. He consulted with neuroscientist David Eagleman to learn about how the brain functions during sleep.

The whole work was broadcast on the evening of the album’s release on September 3rd, and people all over the world took part (the performance started when you wanted) and left their thoughts and comments. I did too, although I found myself awake and listening to quite a lot of it (maybe I set it too loud), at least in part thinking that perhaps there might be a Psycho-Shower-Scene-type interlude at 4am as some kind of mad experiment (Richter is British, but born in Germany after all!) Although you can buy the whole eight hour work (on itunes), this record release is one hour, and, according to Richter selected to be listened to rather than slept through. It’s nevertheless very gentle, contemplative music. Unlike his previous work in that respect, but with his characteristic recurring melodies and rhythms, just all slowed down. I suspect this will become a much-listened to record as it is supremely relaxing. You can enjoy a taste of Sleep here.

It is also very refreshing to find that Deutsche Grammophon have now started releasing vinyl records once again! 

In listening again to the later albums, sometimes I am up for a pleasant surprise. But still dreamtheater for me was best in the period inclusing six degrees of inner turbulence. After that the output was of varying quality in my eyes. While I am still a great fan. My highlight is Scenes of a Memory...

Is in my eyes less good as some of the recent other albums from Jamal. It's lives on spaces but I think the spaces are too much there and the room for his companions is too big. While we of course have to respect that the man is still playing...

Streaming | FLAC

(1987)

This one remastered in 2005.

"Decided it was time I had this on CD, not least because "Pleasure of Hope" is one of my favourite prog tracks from any era and hearing it again it does not disappoint. A brilliant sweeping piece of music. The album itself never knocked me out at the time and I drifted away from Pendragon but listening to it again it sounds fresh and not some 28 year old relic from another time. There is a nostalgia factor to lsitening to this, memories of good times down the Marquee in the early 80's to see this lot, Marillion, IQ, Pallas, flood back, which is no doubt comforting but I misjudged this album then as it is a good record. It does wear its influences on its sleeve - Genesis, Camel and surprisingly alot sounds like Marillion but this is no bad thing. Note to self - must listen to what they have been doing since 1985..." - -  An Amazonian

This is a brilliant album, like the others of this ensemble. Highly recommended...

Thanks for reminding me about this great album. Just listened to 24/192 flack version aswell - superb.

That should of course be flac and not flack before anybody gives me any flack - did you see what I did then?

I'll get my coat!

This is an excellent new release, complete with all sorts of ambient noise, which makes it feel like you are really there....

I'll be interested in that too, ewemon.  Thank you.

Mike