The records that just don't leave your hi-fi

Posted by: JamieWednesday on 31 May 2003

In the interests of gaining qualified recommendations, I want to know your recent record purchases (OK I'll give you last 12 months) that keep returning to the NAIM. You know, the ones that, for whatever reason, just appeal and keeping getting pulled out again, no matter what else you've bought in the meantime. They don't have to be the darlings of the reviewers or your peers, just what has grabbed you.

Of course it also gives you a chance to show off your knowing and eclectic musical tastes...

Here's mine :


The Libertines - Up the bracket - noisy and clever
Coldplay - A Rush Of Blood To The Head - can't believe how much better it is than the last one
Weezer - Maladroit - one track of guitar sunshine after another
The Coral - The Coral - bizarre
The Mooney Suzuki - Electric Sweat - get's better everytime
The White Stripes - Elephant - yes, I know we all like it and we love the last track with Holly don't we?
Subway Sect - Sansend - is Vic there? it's like your favourite compilation in one album
Dan Bern - Fleeting Days - clever bastard
Ibrahim Ferrer - Buenos Hermanos - wonderful music and fantastic production
The Kills - Keep On Your Mean Side - not a sunday morning record, apart from Wait, which is...

I look forward to your choices.
Posted on: 31 May 2003 by Cheese
Two categories actually. Some of the stuff is permanently ready to play because 1) it's good and 2) it's listenable in pretty ever mood I happen to be. These are:

Dolly Parton - Little Sparrow
Mark Knopfler - The Ragpicker's Dream
Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison
Dido - No Angel
Avril Lavigne - Let Go
Rod Stewart - Unplugged
AC/DC - Back In Black
Joni Mitchell - Court And Spark
Horowitz At The Met
Schubert - Wanderer Fantasy by Alfred Brendel
Schubert - Sonatas D664 and D784 by Sviatoslav Richter


Some records are there because I know they have a potential that has yet to be discovered:

Peter Gabriel - Up
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
Magma - Seventh
Lee Konitz/Brad Mehldau/Charlie Haden

Cheese
Posted on: 31 May 2003 by fred simon
Slightly different benchmark: CDs I'm apparently incapable of removing from my car.

I just can't seem to get enough of:

Personal Mountains - Keith Jarrett
Lyle Mays - Lyle Mays

Neither has left my car for almost a year now. I never tire of them, and they continue to bring me enormous, and seemingly infinite, pleasure.
Posted on: 31 May 2003 by redeye
Bramble Rose by Tift Merritt
Everyday by Cinematic Orchestra
Stereo/Mono by Paul Westerberg
Feast of Wire by Calexico
Kids in Philly by Marah (released in '00 but unkillable)
World without Tears by Lucinda Williams
Posted on: 01 June 2003 by Kevin-W
At the mo' (will be very different in 10 days' time, I would suspect!)

All vinyl:
Black Cherry - GOLDFRAPP
In A Silent Way - MILES DAVIS
Tago Mago - CAN
Man With The Movie Camera - CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA
Looking For St Tropez - TELEX
Blues In Orbit - DUKE ELLINGTON
Presence - LED ZEPPELIN

All CD:
How The West Was Won - LED ZEPPELIN
Live in Paris 2002 - KRAFTWERK
The Decline of British Sea Power - BRITISH SEA POWER
Complete Live At The Festival Hall 2001-2002 - DAVID GILMOUR
Posted on: 02 June 2003 by Andrew L. Weekes
Joe Jackson Band - Volume 4 (this rocks)

Blur - Think Tank (best thing from Blur in years)

Audioslave - Audioslave (growing on me)

and loads of old stuff...

Cheese,

Re: Back in Black - man I'm gonna dig that out for a spin tonight, great album Smile
Posted on: 02 June 2003 by Mekon
At the mo', the following are getting more than their fair share:

Sage Francis - Personal Journals
Mr Lif - Emergency Rations
Blur - Think Tank
Cat Power - You Are Free
Posted on: 02 June 2003 by greeny
For me:

Feast of Wire by Calexico

This has been the only one this year so far that I just keep playing (and loving). There's been plenty other good albums but none get played like this.

My all time, can't go a month without hearing are:

Beatles - Abbey Road (Well Abbel Road side 2 actually)
Rush - A Farwell to Kings (Well Xanadu, the ultimate prog, fantastic)

quote:
all the humour went from AC/DC with Bon Scott. Back in Black is good rock, but less fun than Highway to Hell.

Back in Black and Highway to Hell are THE AC/DC albums, both are quite brilliant, and I'd struggle to separate the 2, bubbling under would mainly be Bon Scott efforts.
Posted on: 02 June 2003 by ejl
quote:
Joni Mitchell - Court And Spark


Coincidentally Cheese this, and "Hissing Of Summer Lawns", has been gracing my record player recently too. Others finding their way into regular rotation of late:

Joan Baez: The Contemporary Ballad Book.
The Band: Music from Big Pink
Fairport Convention: What We Did on our Holidays
Drive Like Jehu: s/t
Unwound: New Plastic Ideas
The Black Keys: Thickfreakness
Television: Marquee Moon
Penderecki: Cello Concerto #2
Gubaidulina: The Canticle of the sun.
Royal Trux: Cats and Dogs

Eric
Posted on: 03 June 2003 by Timbo
The stuff that never leaves my car is:

Thea Gilmore - Burning Dorothy
Rammstein - Mutter
Best of acid jazz (2 CD comp)

At home:
Thea Gilmore - songs from the gutter
Linda Ronstadt - Don't cry now and Hasten down the wind
2 many DJs - as heard on radio soulwax part 2
schehezarade (spelling) - go to be the Beacham version
Bruckner - symphony 5, Furtwangler

Tim
Posted on: 03 June 2003 by the other nickc
mine:

Blur - think tank
The only new album that's really done it for me this year so far. (did anyone catch the marvellous live session on the Jo Whiley show a few weeks back?)


other stuff that's kept me going lately ...

Talking Heads - Fear of Music
Beta Band - 3 EP's
Tom Waits - Blood Money
Nick Cave - No more shall we part
Bob Dylan - Bootleg Series 1-3
Bartok - Orchestral Works Vol 1
Johnny Cash - IV
Beatles - Abbey Road (nice one greeny!)
Divine Comedy - Promenade/Casanova
Fairport Convention - Leige and Leaf

Nick
Posted on: 03 June 2003 by JamieWednesday
Timbo, I can't believe someone else listens to the 'Too many DJs' CD, only mine's in the car. I just can't wait for the Dolly Parton segway when I know it's coming...Surely one of the most unlikely inclusions on any dance comilation.

Maybe folks, that could be a new thread, unusual inclusions in themed compilations. Julie Andrews in a Death Thrash Metal outing perhaps?
Posted on: 04 June 2003 by Rasher
Like Andrew - Audioslave. It still gets better every time. Awesome album.
Both Sigur Ros albums
Nerf Herder - American Cheese
Smashing Pumpkins - The Aeroplane flies high
Brian Eno - Apollo

Andrew- remember - Rock N Roll ain't noise pollution!!
Posted on: 06 June 2003 by JamieWednesday
Kevin - finally got round to playing the British Sea Power album sans famille dans la maison.

What a fantastic record..!
Posted on: 06 June 2003 by Top Cat
Hmmmmm... because there's so much choice and because I have inadvertently blown up my power amp I shall use the horseless carriage as my metric.

In rotation in the carriage's electric disc player:

My choices:

* Shoot out the lights: R. & L. Thompson
* Greatest Hits: Giorgia
* Joshua Judges Ruth: Lyle Lovett
* Blues for Allah: Grateful Dead
* The Old Kit Bag: Richard Thompson

My dear wife's choices:

* the new album by Evan Dando
* the current Coldplay
* the latest Bowie
* some rock compilation

...and that's about as much space as the glovebox has. One of these days we'll get a multichanger Wink

John

TC '..'
"Girl, you thought he was a man, but he was a Muffin..."
Posted on: 07 June 2003 by Minky
Not sure how PC this is. Maybe I should post this under the "guilty secrets" thread. Anyway I was forced at gunpoint to take the new Blur album home a few days ago. I agreed because it seems to be popular with the members of this forum, and I have to admit that it has grown on me like a really fast growing thing.

To say that this record has been on high-rotate is an understatement. My wife who has a low tolerance for repetition has moved the toaster into the bathroom.

It's one of those albums that keep you awake at night because the tunes won't stop playing in your head. Airline pilots - please stay well clear.
Posted on: 12 June 2003 by Mr Sound Perusal
Various Iron maiden albums that I had 3 off 2 months ago has now turned into Ten!!! and every night i'm intoxicated with a Brew of Dave Murray,Dickinson,Nicko McBrain, Steve harris and Adrian smith, copious bottles of wine and my Naim system - no one else gets a look in !!!

Help!!
Posted on: 12 June 2003 by garyi
Man with the Movie Camera, Cinematic orchestra

Lamb Chop, Is A Woman.

Deadly Avenger: Deep Red

PInk Floyd, Wish You Were Here (Just sounds so right on vinyl!)
Posted on: 13 June 2003 by Paul Davies
Porcupine Tree - In Absentia

King Crimson - The Power to Believe

King Crimson - Live at the Zoom Club, 1972 (King Crimson Collector's Club, available from Discipline Global Mobile). Lousy sound but amazing music. Now I understand why the critics damned the wonderful (IMO) "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" with faint praise when it was released.
Posted on: 14 June 2003 by JamieWednesday
garyi, I think you're right about Wish You Were Here, i have the same on vinyl and as per a previous thread, it seems so much better than dark side of the moon which has occupied so much discussion time recently...

Ooh, and I'd like to add the Adam Masterson album to my first list