What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XII)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 01 January 2016
2016 has arrived today, so time to start this thread afresh.
Last year's thread (and links to previous years) can be found here;
Plinko posted:Driving, angular rock. Cover by Danielle Dax.
Last time I heard of D.D was back in the early 90's, Blast the Human Flower. Unfortunately her music was not that remarkable and there was a lot of people doing the same Indie/pop stuff. I now see she found other ways to express her inner self. Good for her.
Great music - 1st run, but so far liking it a lot...
I think this album is really wonderful. Strangely and paradoxically uplifting. For me it is like Coltrane's 'Love Supreme' of drone metal. It sounds great through my nait3 but would love to hear it through a system that does real bass. See them live if you can but take earplugs...
Jeff Anderson posted:
Mud crutch "Mudcrutch"
Great album! "Crystal River" is epic! Mudcrutch also released a live EP the same year as their one studio album. It, too, is worth tracking down.
Am a big fan of Hiromi. I think she is one of the most creative and energetic jazz pianists of modern times. At first glance, this seemed like an unlikely trio, but they do make it work. Nice mixture of ballads with more upbeat songs.
50 year old vinyl and quite magnificent.
Stephen Stills. Manassas. On original vinyl from 1972. Stills was in some kind of magical, musical groove in the early 70's. This is just one of many brilliant albums he contributed to during that time. The guitar playing is fantastic throughout.
Emerson Quartet/Rostropovich: Schubert String Quintett D956 1990 recording
Having impressed with Emerson's Beethoven work, I was curious to hear this work with Rostropovich.
This is a recent DG's reissue done last year and I am happy to report that the record is quiet and flat but this will never be mistaken as an analogue recording. A bit stark and there is a slight sharp edge and hardening of upper midrange. Dry overall balance and I suppose on par with and equivalent early 90s DG digital CD release ( altho I have not heard ). Live recording but no audience noise and very little ambient noise and truncated note decays. It sounds very unnatural to my ears.
Its tonal dryness does not lend itself to a comfortable listen. Lovely 2nd movement feels cold and distant not the most sympathetic nor intimate performance for Schubert.
They come together at showy back end but it feels awfully superficial.
Hook posted:Jeff Anderson posted:
Mud crutch "Mudcrutch"
Great album! "Crystal River" is epic! Mudcrutch also released a live EP the same year as their one studio album. It, too, is worth tracking down.
Yeah, at 15-minutes long live Crystal River is epic psychedelia the likes of Neil Young & Crazy Horse.
Rumors have it Petty is going to be working on a second Mudcrutch album this year. Hope it comes to fruition and fingers crossed its another all analog production.
Bernstein/NYP: Mahler Symphony 5 1962 recording
This is a bit more upbeat than his later slowish solemn set with VPO. Tonally this is more trimmed and svelte with crisp rendition. Elegant Adagietto. Excellent cohesiveness of the NYP for the sunny playful 4th movement. Middle movements get a bit tedious but this is a charming rendition from Lenny.
Third volume of Plowright's slowly unfolding Brahms series, released this morning.
Cheers,
EJ
Nirvana. Live At Reading. On CD from 2009. Not for the faint of heart and probably not typical listening for a late Sunday night.
The album is a bit a mix of multiple styles, it becomes a bit messy. Will not be on my top list, while it has some nice moments...
A blogpost was referring to this music. Funny I new the name of the band but have never listened to the music, while I recognized it, most probably through faint radio listening...
He starts with Scarlatti which I like when played by Horowitz, the famous Scarlatti album of Horowitz is one of my favorite albums...
osprey posted:lutyens posted:
I bought this after a review in the guardian last week that intrigued me. It is just fantastic and has barely been out of my CD player since it arrived on Wednesday.
James
This is one side of Finland. Glad you liked it. There is more if you're interested – this is their 13th album.
Osprey. I was aware that they had done several albums but not 13! Is this typical? Are there other albums that you would suggest that I investigate?
atb
james
bunter posted:
I think this album is really wonderful. Strangely and paradoxically uplifting. For me it is like Coltrane's 'Love Supreme' of drone metal. It sounds great through my nait3 but would love to hear it through a system that does real bass. See them live if you can but take earplugs...
I may have to get this - at their gig last year on the South Bank the audience were all given earplugs!
The set which is played with unique warmth and emotional depth includes also Beethoven's own transcription for cello of his his Horn Sonata. Highly recommended.
Streaming | WAV
(2003)
Variously described as masterpiece or tour de force of ambient electronic music, it is certainly one of their best and a band I enjoy alot, if only they would produce a new album its been nearly six years (ignoring their four film soundtracks) since their last studio album.
Streaming | WAV
(1999)
Giving their break beats and electro a walk out with nice orchestral sound additions. On this their first major album, a female lead vocal (Julee Cruise) has a rather good jazzy/nightclub sound to her voice.
MOFI 2 x 45rpm vinyl LP. Can't think of a reason - well it's Bob, innit?
This record has been haunting me for a week. I can't help but think "Blackstar" will now be compared to John Coltrane's "Interstellar Space" which was recorded in 1967, the year of his death. I also thought about Warren Zevon's 'The Wind' "Shadows are falling and I'm running out of breath, keep me in your heart for a while," but Coltrane seemed like the most obvious comparison with the directions, he and Bowie took in their careers.
Graham.
I've just dug out some old cassingles from the 1980s, fired up the Nak Dragon and started listening. This sounds pretty good...
The Honey Dewdrops - Silver Lining. Via Tidal. Getting closer to the wish list.
