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:
The Best of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Go on Eoin you know you should give this a listen
Gram Pasons - Grievous Angel - early ‘80s UK vinyl
Emmylou led me on to this, both in my musical discovery and tonight’s listening. Gram Parsons was in the Byrds, then a founder of The Flying Burrito Brothers, between the two groups he has a good claim to be one of the pioneers of country rock. He was a great songwriter, and a fine singer with a plaintive strong voice. He has the great taste to pick Emmylou as his co-vocalist and use the Presley touring band as his musicians when he went solo. This was his posthumous second solo album, a set of stunning songs both studio and live, wonderfully sung by Parsons/Harris, their voices complement each other so well, superbly backed by a very very fine band, with James Burton on guitar, another of the greatest ever Telecaster masters. The opening and final songs are the perfect way to start and end an album, the brilliant road-trip Return of the Grievous Angel opens, and as a finish to an album (and sadly the writer and singer’s life) In My Hour of Darkness is a beautiful hymn.
A few years ago I was lucky enough to see James Burton and Albert Lee together on stage at Holmfirth Picturedrome, a sadly not sold-out gig, it was a rock’n’roll classic songs set, pure joy from start to end, the songs were great fun, and the beauty of their playing was so memorable.
ALANP posted:
The Best of Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Go on Eoin you know you should give this a listen
I need to go to bed tonight Alan, but I think my weekend guests will have a treat if it’s on Tidal.
Highly recommended
ewemon posted:
Notification has just popped up that this is coming. If it is anything like the last two, evidently this is to be the third in the trilogy, this will be fabulous. I am looking forward to it very much.
Lou Reed - Magic and Loss - Original UK vinyl
A divisive album I think, for me it may be Lou’s masterpiece, others I know don’t like it. A meditation on the loss of two friends to cancer, mainly Lou chanting over sparse backing, with the occasional rockier numbers/passages with Lou/Mike Rathke playing hard guitar over a harsh beat. Lyrically I think it is genuine poetry, relating death to life journey, and the sparse arrangements really reinforce the theme. I personally don’t get the track Harry’s Circumcision, musically good, but thematically I don’t get it. Apart from that I love the arc of the album, lyrics on grownup themes, and superb musicianship enhancing the words.
After my wife died I waited over 12 months before playing this, it was still intensely emotional, but also wonderfully cathartic, a great mediation on death and life.
Hutchinson & Green before sunset, while keeping an eye on the back yard, camera ready, in case the Madame Foxette decides to show her beautiful presence again:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqNhx5TYn-g
Now Playing.......
John Scofield & Pat Metheny - I Can See Your House From Here
Streaming on NAS.......... Released 25 year ago and the two guitarists work well together with great interplay and support of each other, an enjoyable album and worth the time to give a listen.
On vinyl...
On vinyl...
On vinyl...
Inspired by the Tidal playlist Arctic Influences
Eoink posted:
Emmylou Harris - Luxury Liner - early ‘80s UK vinyl
The album that taught a much younger me that country could be serious music, I discovered Emmylou through the Last Waltz album, and based on her song there I picked this up, and it’s a joy from start to finish. Emmylou has a stunning voice, she is a great interpreter of a song, she sings straight from the heart. Her “Hot Band” lived up to its name, on this album on guitar she had Rodney Crowell, James Burton and Albert Lee, the latter 2 being two of the greatest pickers of a Tele ever. A great vocalist with stunning backing, with the taste to pick great songs, the version of Townes van Zandt’s Pancho and Lefty on this is one of my favourite ever tracks.
Eoink, great summation, I wish more folks here would take the time to reflect on the WHY. I don't have much country music in my arsenal but agree this is an album any lover of popular music might enjoy, and Albert Lee is outstanding.
Paul McCartney. Chaos And Creation In The Backyard. On CD from 2005. I'm playing this tonight with high anticipation of the album's vinyl re-release, tomorrow, May 18 in the US. I have a gold-vinyl LP reserved at the local record shop. Among my top five McCartney albums, the CD was quite loudness mastered and I'm hoping the new LP will breathe some sonic air into this splendid album.
Classy musicianship and a great recording.
Dipped my nose in in the expectation that I would hate it. However this is very tastefull done, so I might again review this....
Tony2011 posted:Filipe posted:Clive B posted:Filipe posted:Clive, LZ II is my favourite so far. III doesn’t do anything so far. I’ll give your recommendations a go on TIDAL. Thanks.
Phil
But surely you must like the minor blues, 'Since I've Been Loving You' from the third album. It is one of the band's highlights, particularly Page's guitar solo.
Clive, yes I like that one. Tangerine, That’s the Way and Bron-Y-Aur Stomp are musically interesting. I really like That’s the Way. I like the guitar work in Hats off to (Roy) Harper.
Back to Gigliola Cinquetti on vinyl who won the Eurovision Song Contest back in the Seventies. She has a beautiful voice and I’m really enjoying listening to her.
Phil
Mama Mia, Felipe. What’s next, Domenico Modugno? How about some Carmen Consoli!
Tony, With those I could Volare or maybe I am just Confusa e Felice.
Phil