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

Posted by: Richard Dane on 01 January 2017

2017 has arrived today, so time to start this thread afresh.

Last year's thread can be found here;

https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...e-interested-vol-xii

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by Eoink

Continuing with great singer songwriters who start with B, Brian Wilson isn’t the singer he was before his health issues, but he cleverly surrounds himself with backing singers who pick up the slack when he slips and a superb band. Fantastic album, some of the greatest pop songs sung by their creator.

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by james n

Just finished ripping my latest purchases. First up off the Melco is this...

Baxter Dury - Prince Of Tears

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by seakayaker

Now Playing.....

Helge Lein Trio - Natsukashii

Helge Lien (piano), Frode Berg (bass), Knut Aalefjær (drums).

Through the 2nd track and it is sounding mighty fine, enjoying it!

Recent mention that I moved into the TIDAL queue and taking out for an afternoon spin.

Review in All About Jazz by John Kelman found here:

So, what do you do when you've won, amongst other accolades, the 2008 DnBNor Musicians Award and a Norwegian Grammy Award for Best Jazz Album of 2009? Well, if you're Helge Lien and the album is Hello Troll (Ozella, 2008), you just keep on keepin' on—in this fine pianist's case, continuing to hone the trio that's been his primary focus since What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life (Curling Legs, 2001). With the unfortunate dissolution of Esbjorn Svensson, following the pianist Esbjorn Svensson's tragic death in 2008, there's a bit of a gaping hole in the realm of young European piano trios achieving greater international acclaim. Not that there aren't other fine trios out there, but few are better than Lien at balancing impressive virtuosity with inherent accessibility, and introspective lyricism with buoyant expressionism: a clear recipe for potential crossover success. Expanding on the strength of Lien's previous six-strong discography with his trio, if ever there were a breakthrough record for the pianist, Natsukashii is it.

Not that comparisons to e.s.t. hold too much value, with as many differences as there are similarities. Lien's trio is all-acoustic, and while bassist Frode Berg is as impressive as e.s.t.'s Dan Berglund, he doesn't rely on signature concepts, like the Swedish bassist's overdriven, metal-tinged arco. Instead, it's all about a warm, natural tone that's as instantly compelling at its simplest, supporting the majestically melodic title track (time so elastic as to surprise with the discovery that it isn't rubato), as it is when Berg's a featured soloist, like on "E." And when Berg picks up a bow, as he does on the paradoxically melancholy yet foreboding "Sceadu," it's a thing of soaring, natural beauty.

With all ten compositions coming from Lien's increasingly assured pen, the set covers a lot of emotional territory. Despite drummer Knut Aalefjær's light, brush-driven kit work, "Afrikapolka" dances with the joy of African Highlife, while "Hymne" is, at least initially, more melancholic in complexion. Lien starts alone, pensively building to its singable theme, but supporting himself with an ever-shifting yet economically chosen harmonic underpinning, until the rest of the trio enters with an ambling, waltz-time swing, referencing seminal influence Bill Evans with its unforced three-way interplay. Meanwhile, "E" may well refer to Svensson, its contrapuntal complexities—and Lien's overt virtuosity in one of his most outgoing solos of the set—clearly hinting at the Swede's unmistakable touchstones.

Aalefjær's more powerful stick work drives the two-minute miniature, "Umbigada," with the same kind of freethinking that Berg demonstrates at the foundation of its quirky construction, while "Small No Need" is, compositionally, much sketchier, Berg's a capellaintro leading to an hypnotic, Dave Holland-like groove, as Lien constructs a solo from the ground up, secure in the knowledge that no matter where he goes, Berg and Aalefjær will be there, pushing and pulling the pliant music in new and oftentimes unexpected directions.

It's that kind of unconditional trust that gives Lien's trio its unmistakable voice, and the highly recommended Natsukashii the kind of effortless appeal that truly deserves to place it on the international map.

Track Listing: Natsukashii; Afrikapolka; Bon Tempi; E; Sceadu; Meles Meles; Hymne (Til Jart Asvik); Umbigada; Small No Need; Living in Different Lives.

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by seakayaker

Jeff Anderson posted:
seakayaker posted:
james n posted:
First one of the evening. Got this album playing whilst i'm in and out of the kitchen cooking our dinner.
David Gray - White Ladder
My favorite David Gray album. I saw him play in a small tavern called 'The Tractor' in the Ballard neighborhood in Seattle many years ago and ended up buying most of his albums. For awhile I was playing 'White Ladder' quite a bit, it definitely made a lot of road trips.
That would have been March 25, 2000. I was there with my partner and some friends. Great show of which I was fortunate enough to obtain a "bootleg recording". We saw DG 4 times between that show and September during 2000. I believe that the Tractor Tavern holds 75 to 100 people. That was a great, intimate show. regards, Jeff A

The Tractor is a small venue and I had arrived early that evening with my wife and another couple and was right up front, the place was packed and it felt more like a few hundred squeezed in there that evening. The following year (I believe) he returned to Seattle and played at Key arena with a much larger audience and the price of the ticket went up quite a bit as well. The only two times I caught David live.

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by nigelb

james n posted:
seakayaker posted:
Just finished.......
Sean Rowe - New Lore
A fantastic album!
I've seen this posted enough times by the people i can rely on for interesting recommendations so i'm going to purchase

James, I am sure you will not be disappointed. It really is a wonderful album.

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by ted_p

Mark Knopfler

Privateering - 24/96

Edward

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by james n

I bought this after some of the tracks off the album were played on the recent CH4 'Freedom' documentary.

Very enjoyable - the man was in fine voice and it's a rather nice recording too.

George Michael - Unplugged

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by simon, but not simple

Image result for massive attack mezzanine

on CD. Just right for a dark autumn night. Seriously good music with real heft.

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by Bert Schurink

Nice meditative music...

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by Eoink

Home Service were a great folk-rock band, fine songs, well sung by John Tams, superb guitar from Graeme Taylor, excellent horn and rhythm sections. This was recorded at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 1986, and released 25 years later, I was at the gIg, this is a great reminder, pretty good SQ for a long lost tape, and it captures the flair and excitement of their live shows,

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by Bert Schurink

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by simon, but not simple

Image result for grace jones hurricane

A recent purchase on CD. This is right up there with her classic early 80's music. Long overdue for something new please Miss Jones.

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by TK421

Brothers Osborne - Pawn Shop

Saw the end of their set last night and now wished I'd got there earlier!

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by Haim Ronen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX8yuwoktW4

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by seakayaker

Now Playing......

Mark Knopfler - The Ragpicker's Dream

A really superb album, and worth the time to listen to, over and over....... I think I really like this album

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by seakayaker

Now Playing.....

James McMurtry - Just Us Kids

Streaming on TIDAL........... JUST a super album..... worth the time to give a spin.

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by ewemon

seakayaker posted:
Jeff Anderson posted:
seakayaker posted:
james n posted:
First one of the evening. Got this album playing whilst i'm in and out of the kitchen cooking our dinner.
David Gray - White Ladder
My favorite David Gray album. I saw him play in a small tavern called 'The Tractor' in the Ballard neighborhood in Seattle many years ago and ended up buying most of his albums. For awhile I was playing 'White Ladder' quite a bit, it definitely made a lot of road trips.
That would have been March 25, 2000. I was there with my partner and some friends. Great show of which I was fortunate enough to obtain a "bootleg recording". We saw DG 4 times between that show and September during 2000. I believe that the Tractor Tavern holds 75 to 100 people. That was a great, intimate show. regards, Jeff A
The Tractor is a small venue and I had arrived early that evening with my wife and another couple and was right up front, the place was packed and it felt more like a few hundred squeezed in there that evening. The following year (I believe) he returned to Seattle and played at Key arena with a much larger audience and the price of the ticket went up quite a bit as well. The only two times I caught David live.

Do they still produce White Ladder with the hidden track on it?

Posted on: 13 November 2017 by ewemon