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

The Waifs  -  "Beautiful You"  (2015)

Very early Suzanne Vega.  Much of the material on here has been re-worked on her excellent Close-up series but the original still has considerable merit and I find I still enjoy both.

I've not played this for a year or so. What a brilliant record it is.

On vinyl 

I'm not a big Ry Cooder fan so I have to be in the right mood for this album. His albums do seem to have excellent reproduction quality and his lyrics are worth listening to.  

Bert Schurink posted:

good album...

Listening it again on my main system, keeps on being impressive...

That's funny, I was just playing that. It's very good indeed. The pricing is odd though - I got it from highresaudio for £14, yet it's £24 on both Qobuz and HD tracks. 

MDS posted:

I'm not a big Ry Cooder fan so I have to be in the right mood for this album. His albums do seem to have excellent reproduction quality and his lyrics are worth listening to.  

Likewise, not always in the mood though I respect his talents and skills.  One that does sound good most anytime is:  Ry Cooder and Ali Farka Toure "Talking Timbuktu"

regards, Jeff A

On vinyl

Jeff Anderson posted:

MDS posted:

I'm not a big Ry Cooder fan so I have to be in the right mood for this album. His albums do seem to have excellent reproduction quality and his lyrics are worth listening to.  

Likewise, not always in the mood though I respect his talents and skills.  One that does sound good most anytime is:  Ry Cooder and Ali Farka Toure "Talking Timbuktu"

regards, Jeff A

Thanks Jeff. Will explore that tip.

Mike

Bit of a lifelong Cooder fan here, so if you try the above album, and enjoy it, give this one a listen.

On vinyl...

Sergei Rachmaninov:  Boris Giltburg (piano)

Etudes-tableaux, Op. 39 | Moments musicaux

Boris Giltburg has a seemingly limitless technique.  Whatever he wants to do, he can do and so this is an enviable position to be in.  Consequently, he can simply make music and not be controlled or be at the mercy of the many technical demands.   So what has chosen to do? I would say that he is remarkably restrained in his interpretations (where he could easily outmuscle any unsuspecting 9' concert grand).  Many approach the Etudes with an aggressive manner and the result is always distasteful.  Giltburg demonstrates a remarkable range in one direction where he can approach a whisper but at the loud side he seems careful to temper his being too overzealous.  This is admirable yet at times I felt he needed something more but in the end decided that maybe this wasn't the real issue.  Maybe for me it has more to do with the lack of freedom (or rubato) which I longed for more of in the b-flat minor Moments musicaux.

A great release for me though.  It isn't surprising though as the Op. 39 etudes and Moments musicaux are core, basic nourishment for me.  Once you get on with what this music is about your life will never be the same.

Yulianna Avdeeva (piano):  Chopin | Mozart | Liszt

One of my favourite pianist these days.  Similar to Giltburg in that she will never play an ugly note.  Everything is beautiful, intellectual, precise, intentional and never overblown.  

This can be illustrated by giving an example of one of the greatest climaxes on this disc, that is, Liszt's transcription of Verdi's Aida.  Well this transcription is really two selections from the opera put together - the ritual dance and the final duet.  The duet theme starts at around the 6' mark and it is evident already that the tragedy is about to be fulfilled.  What is incredible is that right at the climax Avdeeva is totally controlled and restrained (despite that the music begs you to lose it).  The jewel of this disc for me occurs a split second prior to the 9'-28" mark.  It is but a pin prick size that contains large portions of the universe within it and is completely beguiling.  It is the surprise of such a beautiful low bass octave that is simply rapturous.  On the piano with any less mature player (me) one wants to maximize ones effort (to smash the keys - it is so deceptively satisfying to do this) yet Avdeeva just caresses the low growl.  Anyway, this moment at 9'-28" is worth the price of any ransom.  Such joy it gives me...

A unique interplay of Bluegrass and classical elements, created 20 years ago. Fascinating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jy5h9DxNF54

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcXQcsAOx0I

Buffalo Springfield Again (1967). On HDCD circa 1998. The band's second of three studio albums. Individually the songs play very well, but as an album it's a somewhat disparate conglomeration of rock, psychedelic, and folk tracks. Still, a great listen.

Bush. Sixteen Stone. On CD from 1994. Thought I'd get a bit grungy before I dive into bed for the night .

Streaming | WAV | CD rip

(1976)

Played this nicely remastered ('95) version earlier this morning. 

Joining in with all the Cooder love. On CD.

Streaming | WAV | CD rip

(1993)

Listening to the first part of this (long box set) which covers most of the tracks from their first two albums Can't Buy a Thrill '72 and Countdown to Ecstasy '73.

My favourite Cooder album. On CD.

Listening to Youn Sun Nah  - Album Lento on my mobile setup....