Drubin...thanks for that, was not aware.
Best CD I've heard so far 2011.........
Sarah Jarosz/Song Up In Her Head
Like a breath of fresh air, just great!
Like a breath of fresh air, just great!
267 responses Add your response
Bongo, What's your LA club called? I'm in Calabasas and always looking for interesting opportunities to see live performances. Our local club tends to be more nostalgia driven (good thing I like a lot of the old timers, too). I also get to McCabe's a few times a year to see quirkier artists - but they are often older, as well. Sounds like your approach is a bit different and might be worth checking out. Anything to expand horizons is a good thing, AFAIC. Marty |
Bongo...much closer to the University of Kentucky than United Kingdom! I'm in Ohio. I pretty much spent the 70's and lord knows how long wasted digging through record bins looking for interesting music. It's just always been a passion and now I'm a grown as man with the same passion. Times have changed quite a bit and the internet has become the record bins to dig through. Instead of hanging out all weekend in record stores I jump on line after the wife goes to bed and listen away. There are endless amounts of blogs and music sites for every genre. Lately, I've really connected with the whole UK bass music stuff but that also has led me to German/Eastern European minimal and on and on. I still enjoy folk, americana and that whole thing but love me some variety. That whole UK electronic scene is fascinating. It's really crossed over and now there is dubstep in a lot of the pop music being made in the US. Radiohead has been doing it longer than most mainstream artists and Thom Yorke is pretty much as much a part of UK bass music as he is indie rock. If you like Burial, he did some remixes and EP's with Thom Yorke as did a bunch of other guys from that scene. I think there is 8 or 9 EP's. Some from the last Radiohead record and some from Yorke's solo thing. There is also a single, Ego/Mirror, that's Burial/Thom Yorke/Four Tet on Hyperdub. Gotta run but I could go on and on.... |
Mike 60 Thanks. That means a lot. I also love the 6 CD acoustic box set by Paul Kelly called the A-Z Recordings. Amazingly recorded--just a voice and guitar. Hard to find, as it was issued only in Australia. Dave Alvin has several great albums. I love West of the West, which was a collection of California-inspired songs by key Cali-based singer/song writers. Probably the best intro, but like heroin, you will keep coming back for more. :) |
Richard Given your tastes in music, I suspect you are UK based? Correct? I operate a variety of touring properties here in America and two clubs in SF and LA. I am always on the outlook for new talent before it breaks. We have a long history of showcasing artists who have gone on to become mainstream and music legends over 30 years. We have booked over 7,000 bands. I really love the new music coming out of Manchester, North London and South London areas, especially artists like Burial and Laura Marling. These artists you highlighted are not on my radar. How did you come to them? As for rap, I have already been flamed on this forum. My 30 year old daughter is a huge fan and I love her daily Youtube postings. I love the old school artists, especially Tribe Called Quest, which effortlessly merged jazz with hip hop. |
Thanks Bongo, appreciate the encouragement. It's always been a joy to share music ideas with like minds, I enjoy your suggestions as well. I say it all the time here but this era is a special one for music. There is way more incredible stuff out there than I'll ever have the time to hear and even with the stuff I do, I post a pretty small segment of my faves. It's hard to gauge how far guys around here are willing to move off the mainstream. Heck, there are a bunch of great new rap albums I've been into lately but I don't think I have ever seen any rap recommended on this site. When it is brought up, sadly it's bashed and guys start to sound exactly like my Mom circa 1975! Anyways...keep your recommendations coming and if you enjoy that Shackelton/Pinch record check out Shackelton's Fabric mix (I think it's Fabric 55 but not certain), his album titled 3EP's or the harder to find Soundboy Get's His Nut's Ground Up Proper EP (Skull Disco 3)...a personal fave. Another cool artist just a step beyond that is Senking, his album Pong being a good starting point (on Raster-Noton, a very interesting label). Senking gets much play in my home. If you do give them a go, let me know what you think. |
Another from the fringes: Shackleton & Pinch (ST) UK bass super-union. Sam Shackleton, whose Skull Disco label, may it rest in peace, is to me the most interesting segment of that whole scene (always in heavy rotation here) while Rob Ellis aka Pinch has a near equally impressive resume as founder of Tectonic and his own list of Pinch releases. This record is full of murky deep mountains of bass, tribal rhythms and sparse dubby grooves. To me, Shackleton sets himself apart from all the other UK bass artists with his use of percussion. Plenty of shakers, bells, cymbal crashes and hand drums weave in and out with eerie precision. As you can tell, I love this record. Shackleton has become a favorite of mine in general so I was pleasantly surprised that this album appeared a month before it's scheduled release. Highly recommended. |
On heavy rotation at the moment is Dave Alvin's Eleven Eleven and John Doe's Keeper. Both are nice blasts of guitar-driven Americana. I really have loved the last five releases by Dave Alvin. Caught he and his brother Phil in 1980 when they were the Blasters. Dave's solo work kind of grows on me each and passing year. Always has an intimate soundstage, nice nuances of guitar playing (blues to country) and robust vocals. |
I reckon I'm not much of an audiophile, since the quality of the music is far more important to me than the quality of the sound. You can have Patricia Barber, and I'll take Billie Holiday. You can have Keb Mo, and I'll take Howlin' Wolf. For me, this hobby is just a means to an end--it's just the wave, not the water. Plus, I think the new Simon record sounds pretty good. Not great, but pretty good. Horses for courses, as they say... |
WalterSalas - On these pages (Audiophile driven), an important critique of a record is its sound. Unfortunately, this is Paul Simon's worst sounding album (I think I have all of them). Who could intentially record this album so that it sounds like a wet, wollen blanket is draped over the speakers. I originally got the CD with this sound, so I bought the vinyl version hoping for an improvement and it sounds exactly the same. YUK! Unfortunately it sounds like the same audio guy recorded the new Norah Jones album as well. Double YUK! |
This one comes with a disclaimer: 95% are going to be deeply disturbed by this record but the 5% that dig bass music, dub techno, tribal, minimal, glitch stuff are going to freak on it. If you love Shackleton, Burial, Deadbeat, Scuba, Raime or even some of the Raster-Noton stuff like Senking (brilliant!)then eat this up... Andy Stott "We Stay Together" Equally as brilliant is his last, "Passed Me By" Very heavy rotation here. |
Hey, Thanks Richard. I'm writing from RMAF - I do like Will Oldham, as you know and had no idea he had a new one. Been enjoying the crap out of Diamond Mine! Not the stuff of audiophile dreams but a great album - raw and simple and right to the heart. Hey, one of the more enjoyable rooms today had your Sasha's in it using Dagastinos new amps - just a tad hot on top though - can't recall what amp you are using - you were in the process of pippin' up your amp last time I remember. Looking forward to hearing the new Tom Waits. Got the 16 Horsepower, Yours Truly and that remains on frequent rotation too with some great live cuts on there that put a new spin on old favorites. Buckner is on the way. I heard him do an intimate show at the Tractor Tavern here - great stuff, but prefer his acoustic stuff to the electric, as you might have guessed. Heard a few nice cuts of music in rooms today. Don't think any are from recent years so don't necessarily belong in this thread. But I don't get on the forums that often so I'll take advantage of your hospitality as a recommendation platform. Azad Ali - Portals of Grace Bradford Marsalis - Trio Jeepy Stephen Stills - self-titled |
What's a annual "best of" list without Will Oldham in some form or another... Bonnie "Prince" Billie "Wolfroy Goes To Town" Love this one. It's on the starker side of his stuff, think "Masters & Everyone" if you are familiar with him. For me, this is his best in many years. I seriously think Will Oldham is the hardest working dude making records. He's gotta be closing in on some sort of world record for releases in a career. Between Palace, Palace Music, Palace Brothers, BPB, his self titled stuff....I counted 15 in my library and I'd have more but just can't keep up with him! The man has a lot to say! Marco, this one's for you. |
worth hearing: 1. richard buckner--our blood. he's moved completely away from his alt-country to a brooding, trancelike nick drake-y thing. great late night listening and a very original voice. 2. smith westerns--dye it blonde. very young buzz band recycling classic 60s (beatles, beach boys, bowie) in a surprisingly tuneful manner. not a great band yet, but you can sense they'll get there. 3. great lakes swimmers--lost channels. really purty, low-key melodic folky rock stuff with a great, keening vocalist. not too far removed from elliott smith and the quieter velvet underground. cool obscuro band. |
Richard - there are two DVD's that I'm aware of that are of 16 Horsepower live. I have both. One is a live concert DVD and the other is mixed and includes all their videos (only a few, but all are very good). The two, especially the live concert, really capture the intensity of David Eugene Edwards on stage. |
Richard - glad you are enjoying one of my favorite bands - Yours Truly is on its way - I could not believe there was disc of theirs I actually didn't have. The new Tom Waits studio album, Bad as Me, is coming right up too later this month!!! His latest stuff has been more challenging, but no less brilliant. Can't wait! Another at the very top of my list. |
16 Horsepower "Yours Truly" Wouldn't normally consider a "best of" or compilation for this list but gotta add this one. One of my all time favorite bands (thanks Marco....). Yours Truly is a 2 disc set, the first a list voted on by fans, a sort of fan favorite best of, and the second a collection of B sides and rarities. Overall it is a great introduction if you are new to 16HP and a nice add for long time fans. Highlights for me are the version of Bad Moon Rising, The Partisan, Alt version of Black Soul Choir + American Wheeze as well a remix of Clogger. Disc one include a great mix of classics with Splinters and Hutterite Mile making the list to my delight. Highly recommended. |
Agree with Richard Stacy. I have a really good source at a local record store that scouts records to my taste. I also find Q Magazine out of UK does extensive record reviews and I usually love their 4 and 5 star rated albums. Personal taste is personal taste, but I have 40 new bands in heavy rotation on my iPod. |
As an example, I heard an interesting song at the end of last night's CSI NY that I want to track down. Beautiful. A quick web search revealed that was "If I Fall Behind" by Bruce Springsteen. I love Antony (with or without his Johnsons), btw. I know Richard does as well. For Alt radio, try streaming KEXP (local to me, here in Seattle). |
Thank you so much. I had been stuck in a time warp but hearing different genres such as Anthony and the Johnsons on various tv serial programs has perked my interest. Then I came across some alternate music on a local staion but it didn't succeed financially. As an example, I heard an interesting song at the end of last night's CSI NY that I want to track down. Beautiful. |
Obrown - It's very hard to comment, a very subjective topic. I can only say for myself, I listen primarily to newer music with the exception of jazz and classical where I tend to prefer older material (50's + 60's). Those records you have in your cart are quite far from the artists you listed so it's hard to say if they will fall within your taste. I don't know if you enjoy electronic music but James Blake is VERY far from Joplin, Cocker and Redding so that one you may want to sample first. Again, it's so subjective but I think he is brilliant, just not too much like artists from our youth (I'll be 50 in May). Maybe getting a little off topic but I do not really enjoy older rock/pop music. Classic rock, all the stuff I listened to as a young guy, most of it bores the hell out of me. If I had to listen to DSOM or Eric Clapton one more time I think I'd crack ( a few exceptions...Dylan, Joni, Laurie Anderson among them. Still in heavy rotation and always will I'd bet). I was just talking to another friend from this site about how we used to spend hours, days really, digging through bins at the record store looking for interesting music. It's how I'd spend my Saturday and Sunday afternoons...searching, learning, discovering that next hidden musical gem. I knew way too much about music. Always had stack of strange records piled all over my room and went to a ton of shows. I'm kinda the same way now and find that there is much more interesting music being made today then there was on our day. Prolly because of the internet and how the industry has changed...artists can now produce and distribute their own stuff from their couch so gifted, creative talent that would have gone unnoticed before is accessible today. I could go on and on about the evolution of musical art, the how's and why's as well as the results. Anyway, kinda rambling now but I guess I'm trying to say have fun with your quest and there is gold in them there hills! |
Oh, I just added Hank III "Cattle Callin" after hearing it on Sirius satelite radio. An electronic eclectic sound in the background of a cattle auctioneer - very unusual. One reviewer on Amazon said he would like to see a group of druggies on LSD locked in a room with that mucic playing very loudly. |
All right folks - you have gotten my interest. I have never heard of the following artists which I have in my Amazon cart as of 10 minutes ago: Deep Dark Woods Shara Worden/MBD Dark Was the Night/Compilation Danger Mouse James Blake Mtn Goats Gilliam Welch- Time Girls Now, any comments before I place my order? I am a young 65, recently retired, and a fan of music since Buddy Holly. My favorites since then have ranged from Otis Redding, Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker, Jackson Browne, and Anthony and the Johnsons. I have wanted to branch out and Anthony's songs on a couple of tv series perked my interest in new music outside my comfort zone. I have relied heavily upon Richard Stacy's recommendations and would enjoy his comments, time willing. |
