What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XIV)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 31 December 2017
On the eve of a new year, it's time for a new thread.
Last year's thread can be found here:
MDS posted:Tony2011 posted:
1969 - UK first pressing....
One of your five-a-day then, Tony
Doctor's orders, Mike!
Deciding to scale back the overly pretty sound on Blue Bell Knoll while experimenting with more accessibility, they ended up creating their best album since Treasure.
Guthrie's inimitable guitar work chimes leading a low-key but forceful rhythm on "Cherry-Coloured Funk" while Raymonde's grand bass work fleshes it out. Fraser simply captivates, her vocals are the clearest, most direct they've ever been, purring with energy and life.
Many songs have longer openings and closings. Rather than crashing fully into a song and then quickly ending, the trio carefully builds up and eases back instead. These songs are still quite focused, though, almost sounding like they were recorded live instead of being assembled in the studio.
Due credit has to be given to the drum programming. Years of working with these machines translated into the detailed work shown throughout the album, right down to the fills. Starting with an ominous bass throb, "Fifty-Fifty Clown" turns into a lovely showcase for Fraser’s singing and Guthrie's more restrained playing.
There are many moments of sheer beauty and power, including the title track, with its great chorus and two spotlight Guthrie solos. "Fotzepolitic", a powerful number building to a rushing conclusion and the album-ending "Frou Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires."
From the start, Heaven or Las Vegas is simply fantastic, a near-perfect album!
nigelb posted:Melody Gardot - Currency Of Man
I have found this is one of the most challenging albums for my system to 'make sense of'. Tonight it is sounding wonderful with nuances I hadn't previously fully appreciated. My mood/state of mind may also have something to do with how receptive I am to this intricate piece of work.
What wonderful, interesting and engrossing music!
As well as wonderful album, it's a great test record for systems. The challenge of presenting the detail and dynamics is a test of any system.
Such a beautiful voice this lady had. A such a loss at her age.
1969 - UK First pressing...
Tony2011 posted:
1969 - UK First pressing...
Don't fancy yours much, T!
Kevin-W posted:Tony2011 posted:
1969 - UK First pressing...
Don't fancy yours much, T!
B'ave, Kev. 
My second listen to this. The reproduction quality is lovely.
1969 - UK first pressing...
Savoy Brown - Blue Matter
Altered Five Blues Band - Charmed And Dangerous
Firstly, respect for a great album title!
This is hard-hitting blues of the first order IMHO. Some great lyrics delivered with edge and grit and a great band too.
It is on Tidal and if you like your blues belted out at a pace you might want to give this a listen.
Oh and thanks to Ewen who first posted this I believe. Impeccable taste as usual from the man.
More blues. One I haven't played in awhile.
I love The White Album, it's my fave Fabs platter, and one of my three or four albums ever. I listen to it maybe five times a year, and always all the way through (even "Revolution 9", but we'll come to that shortly). I love it so much because, of all the Beatles' albums, it's a complete work of art, a statement, from Richard Hamilton's famous cover through to the fragmentary, factured music contained within it.
It's a vast, sprawling and incredibly eclectic work, so inevitably it's uneven.
There are three stinkers here - Paul's godawful "Obla-di Obla-da"; George's sour, sanctimonious "Piggies", representing its writer's misandry at its most wretched; and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", a self-pitying, bombastic dirge and probably the most overrated Beatles track ever.
But there is also some of the best music the group ever made: Paul's playful update of the Beach Boys and Chuck Berry "Back in the USSR", the lovely, lilting "Mother Nature's Son" and his coruscating "Helter Skelter"; George's exquisite "Long Long Long"; and John at his very best with "Yer Blues", "Julia", "Dear Prudence" and the elliptical, multi-faceted "Happiness Is A Warm Gun". Hell, Ringo even throws his hat into the ring with "Don't Pass Me By", a song he actually wrote in 1962, not long after he joined the group.
Then there are the oddities: the danceband pastiche "Honey Pie"; "Why Don't We Do It In The Road" (McCartney parodying Lennon perhaps?); "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey" (love Ringo's "firebell"); "Goodnight" (which Ringo sings brilliantly, I think); George's delightful rock 'n' roll paean to a box of Mackintosh's Good News chocolates, "Savoy Truffle"; and two fragments from Paul, the woozy "Wild Honey Pie", and that eerie 25 seconds of "Can You Take Me Back?" appended to "Cry Baby Cry".
And of course there's the infamous "Revolution 9", which, as the great Ian MacDonald wrote, is "the most widely distributed avant-garde artefact in history". Reflecting the influence of Yoko Ono as well as the likes of Stockhausen and Cage, it uses around 45 sound sources over its 8'22" duration. No other piece of music better illustrates both the tumult of the times and of the Beatles themselves, who were on the verge of collapse, and it's a brilliant, powerful piece of work.
There are those who argue that The Beatles would have been better as a single LP, but that is to miss the point. The sprawl, diversity and inconsistency of the record is its very strength, what makes it so great. And let's not forget the brilliance of the sequencing - everything, from "Back In The USSR" to "Goodnight" is exactly where it should be; and there is nothing, not a note or song, good or bad, should not be here.
That is why it is the Fabs' masterpiece, and why it demands to be listened to from beginning to end, all 94 minutes of it. Which is what I have just done - on mono vinyl. 
Now playing......
Fink - Sort of Revolution
via CD player......... Continuing on with some more Fink!
Last album of the evening for me. Not a bad one to end on
Kevin-W posted:
I love The White Album, it's my fave Fabs platter, and one of my three or four albums ever. I listen to it maybe five times a year, and always all the way through (even "Revolution 9", but we'll come to that shortly). I love it so much because, of all the Beatles' albums, it's a complete work of art, a statement, from Richard Hamilton's famous cover through to the fragmentary, factured music contained within it.
It's a vast, sprawling and incredibly eclectic work, so inevitably it's uneven.
There are three stinkers here - Paul's godawful "Obla-di Obla-da"; George's sour, sanctimonious "Piggies", representing its writer's misandry at its most wretched; and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", a self-pitying, bombastic dirge and probably the most overrated Beatles track ever.
But there is also some of the best music the group ever made: Paul's playful update of the Beach Boys and Chuck Berry "Back in the USSR", the lovely, lilting "Mother Nature's Son" and his coruscating "Helter Skelter"; George's exquisite "Long Long Long"; and John at his very best with "Yer Blues", "Julia", "Dear Prudence" and the elliptical, multi-faceted "Happiness Is A Warm Gun". Hell, Ringo even throws his hat into the ring with "Don't Pass Me By", a song he actually wrote in 1962, not long after he joined the group.
Then there are the oddities: the danceband pastiche "Honey Pie"; "Why Don't We Do It In The Road" (McCartney parodying Lennon perhaps?); "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey" (love Ringo's "firebell"); "Goodnight" (which Ringo sings brilliantly, I think); George's delightful rock 'n' roll paean to a box of Mackintosh's Good News chocolates, "Savoy Truffle"; and two fragments from Paul, the woozy "Wild Honey Pie", and that eerie 25 seconds of "Can You Take Me Back?" appended to "Cry Baby Cry".
And of course there's the infamous "Revolution 9", which, as the great Ian MacDonald wrote, is "the most widely distributed avant-garde artefact in history". Reflecting the influence of Yoko Ono as well as the likes of Stockhausen and Cage, it uses around 45 sound sources over its 8'22" duration. No other piece of music better illustrates both the tumult of the times and of the Beatles themselves, who were on the verge of collapse, and it's a brilliant, powerful piece of work.
There are those who argue that The Beatles would have been better as a single LP, but that is to miss the point. The sprawl, diversity and inconsistency of the record is its very strength, what makes it so great. And let's not forget the brilliance of the sequencing - everything, from "Back In The USSR" to "Goodnight" is exactly where it should be; and there is nothing, not a note or song, good or bad, should not be here.
That is why it is the Fabs' masterpiece, and why it demands to be listened to from beginning to end, all 94 minutes of it. Which is what I have just done - on mono vinyl.
Think you've prompted me to dig this out ready for a play tomorrow, Kevin. Must confess to liking While My Guitar Gently Weeps, though.
Mike
1966 - UK first(mono) pressing...
Not a great cover as the previous ones tonight
but nonetheless a great British blues rock album.
Having already made a fine account of themselves on Today, the three members of Galaxie 500 got even better with On Fire, recording another lovely classic of late eighties rock.
As with all the band's work, Kramer (U.S. producer and recording artist) once again handles the production, the perfect person to bring out Galaxie 500's particular approach. The combination of his continued use of reverb and the sudden, dramatic shifts in the music, never exploding but just delivering enough of a change, makes for fine results.
Consider "Snowstorm" with Krukowski's soft-then-strong drums and Wareham's liquid solo and how they're placed in the mix, leading without dominating. Yang's vocals became more prominent and her bass work more quietly narcotic than before, while Krukowski adds more heft to his playing without running roughshod over everything, even at the band's loudest. Wareham in contrast continues more or less along, his glazed haunting voice simply a joy to hear while adding subtle touches in the arrangements, acoustic guitar is often prominent to contrast his beautifully frazzled soloing.
Leadoff track "Blue Thunder" is the most well-known song and deservedly so, another instance of the trio's ability to combine subtle uplift with blissed-out melancholia, building to an inspiring ending. There's more overt variety throughout On Fire, from the more direct loner-in-the-crowd sentiments and musical punch of "Strange" to the Yang-sung "Another Day", a chance for her to shine individually before Wareham joins in at the end.
Again, a cover makes a nod to past inspirations with George Harrison being the songwriter of choice. His "Isn't It a Pity" closes out the album wonderfully with Kramer adding vocals and cheap organ. Inspired guest appearance from Ralph Carney, Tom Waits horn player of choice, adding some great tenor sax to the increasing volume and drive of "Decomposing Trees".
Now Playing......
Fink - Perfect Darkness
via CD Player......... relaxing with Fink this afternoon, sounding great.....very, very nice.
2 x LP [music on 3 sides] Warner Bros reissue : )
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Echo
My first listen to this fabulous album, the only minor disappointment is after finishing side 3 and flipping it over - then to remember side 4 is nothing but an etching. The only thing to do it play the first 3 sides again,
...an' again : )
Debs
Now Playing......
Sean Rowe - Magic
via CD Player...... Moving on to listen to Sean Rowe, love his music, wonderful songwriter with a baritone voice and sweet guitar. Enjoy all of his albums......
New Jersey indie rockers Yo La Tengo had already been slowly growing into their sound for over a decade by the 1997 release of their revelational eighth album I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One. Their guitar-based pop was steadily finding its legs before this as the band moved toward increasingly dreamy productions on albums like Painful and Electr-O-Pura.
The 16 tracks that made up the ambitious and epic I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One found the group stretching out their whispery vocals and deceptively straightforward pop approach to encompass a variety of unexpected styles. This meant softly wandering guitars and steadfast drums twisted out of their indie rock trappings and morphed into adventurous Krautrock jams like "Spec Bebop" haunting, harmony-driven psych-folk like "We're an American Band" and even a playfully naive take on bossa nova with "Center of Gravity."
As for the blissed-out melodic noise pop Yo La Tengo had been working on for the majority of their existence, this was one of the band's finest hours. Propulsive rockers like "Sugarcube" and a particularly feedback-laden reading of the Beach Boys' "Little Honda" offered Ira Kaplan a fantastic platform for his often dialed-down guitar playing to break into the manic territory he would explore in live settings. These more unhinged moments were counterpointed with hypnotic electronic grooves like "Autumn Sweater" and glowing instrumentals like the Santo & Johnny-channeling "Green Arrow."
The album ends with its only other cover tune, a head-clearingly simple take on Anita Bryant's singsongy bubblegum tune "My Little Corner of the World". Sung by drummer Georgia Hubley in her most Moe Tucker-esque performance, the song gently sets the album back down to earth following the dizzying detours and shifts of the last hour.
While the band turned in standout albums before and after, I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One announced itself as a definitive master statement. The subtly shifting moods and wide, curious palette of stylistic exploration resulted in a lasting indie rock classic, essential listening and also something of a blueprint for much of what followed from like-minded bands for years to come.
Now Playing.......
Sean Rowe - the Salesman and the Shark
via CD Player...... .....continuing on with Sean, just enjoying the afternoon.