@bdp24 @pokey77 bdp - You are like a like a walking music encyclopedia!...guess they call them "musicologists"! I have to give credit to pokey77 for turning me onto The Grays and Jason Faulkner. From those I found out about JellyFish. For some reason tho' I found JellyFish's stuff inconsistent and occasionally annoying. By contrast (IMO) Ro Sham Bo is a strong album all the way through. JF's Author Unknown (not quite as consistent but still very good) could have been on the playlist last night but I ran out of time. Apart from Pokey's recommendations, I'm pretty ignorant about that whole (SoCal?) late 80s/90s pop music scene. Don't think those bands were getting much airplay on the east coast back then...leastways not the station I was mostly listening to then (WXPN out of Phila). Anyway - NO. I don't know Great Buildings. Did find Apart From the Crowd on the Spot and will listen more later today. Brief sampling I did sounds promising. Funny, heard of The Rembrandts but I couldn't name you a tune by them, so something else to explore. FWIW, much of my taste in pop music can be explained by this hit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypv1lZlW1WY "Formative" as they say. |
Hey 2psyop - welcome to the thread. Van is certainly one of the greats. Have loved Into The Mystic for a lot of years now; also, It Stoned Me, from the same album. Do you know Beautiful Vision? Cleaning Windows and Dweller On The Threshold are standout tracks for me. Hard to name a favorite album with VM. He's one of the few where I own almost all their studio output.
BTW - What Schiit DAC do you have? |
The Boats - "Sleepy Insect Music" |
@nutty
Hey Nutty - I had not but thanks for the reminder. I have the YouTube clip running now and found the whole thing on Spotify. They reminded me of J. Geils on that first track; on Track 2 sounding like Al Green...well the arrangement a bit, if not the vocal. Thanks for the suggestion. Going to listen to this some more. It’s got that old R&B vibe for sure.
You get a chance, check out The Nines. Pretty hard hitting and bears up to repeated listening. BTW - tracked down a copy of Glenn Hughes’ The Way It Is. Making an offer. That one is starting to get a little bit scarce and pricey. Another one that bears up to repeated listening.
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One thing that JJ Grey band has is a really good rhythm section. Check out Track 6 Florabama. Drum and bass player playing tight makes for a solid foundation.
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@nutty
Let me know if any of the other Nines titles are similar to that S/T download-only-one. I'll be interested in hearing more along those lines but I'm thinking the other stuff I sampled was pretty different. Let me know if otherwise.
I don't know how much "fixing" JJ & Mofro did to those Brighter Days live tracks. Fixin' things can't fake energy tho' and those boys got that in spades. Thanks for another great recommendation.
Got a "like new" The Way It Is CD ordered for under $15 shipped from an eBay seller w/100% rating, Glad to find it.
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Daniel Herskedal, "Slow Eastbound Train" |
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Magnus Ostrom, "Searching for Jupiter"
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Lars Danielsson, "Liberetto" |
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@loomisjohnson
Funny - as in fortuitous timing - for you to post. Was just thinking about your somewhat recent input here re Ron Wood’s "solo" effort, I’ve Got My Own Album To Do. Went and gave it a listen immediately after reading your comments. Though I usually appreciate your insights and critiques, fair to say, I didn’t hear what you heard on that one. Pretty weak songs, I thought...but I quickly add, NO OFFENSE intended! Curious what your further comments (rebuttal!) might be.
On the other hand, have to agree with your appreciation of the FWM that put out Future Games. One of my favs by them. Not sure thas the best iteration but a really strong group of musicians, in any case. Prefer what they did to later Mac w/Nicks & Buckingham. I like Kirwan’s guitar playing and song-writing on it. He is easily overlooked being in the shadow of Peter Green (earlier LPs) and Bob Welch. Thinking I will give Future Games a listen later today.
Getting back to Ron Wood...
Had been feeling pretty bored with a lot of the music I’m hearing lately. Last night, stumbled onto the Faces, Long Player. Gosh. What a nice reacquaintance. Still seems fresh after 45+ years. Economic, tasteful guitar work by Ron. Also struck by Ian McLagan’s great keyboards. Good "ensemble" playing overall. Definitely think Ron was/is better in a group context than working solo. |
Hey, Loomis - okay, you're on...though I gotta pass on the whiskey. I hear you 'bout "Got My Own...". Your overall comments have my mind going in at least 3 different directions. Won't address all except to say it does seem groups/artists get it "figured out" and then something dies. Talking The Who, I draw the line at Who's Next. Some great songs in it but for me not up there with the earlier stuff like on Who Sell Out or Live At Leeds. Keith's death augured something more than the passing of a drummer. I'm sure that's not original to me. Never got too immersed in SonVolt. Have Wide Swing Tremolo only. I'll look for the Ron Wood cover you mention. Later. |
Real Live
Dylan and band are smokin’. In particular, Mick Taylor sounds fantastic. Check out his work on "I & I", e.g., his solo after the last verse...
"Someone else is speaking with my mouth, but I’m listening only to my heart
I’ve made shoes for everyone, even you, while I still go barefoot"
Hey adg, I’ve not yet tried Fallen Angels. Thought it was going to be another curious collection of covers (how’s that for alliteration) like Shadows. Not my cuppa. Guess I’ll give it a try.
Well, it is more covers. Found "Melancholy Mood" on Spotify. Dylan’s band is great (as usual). The arrangement and recording sonics are excellent and, surprise, surprise, Dylan’s voice sounds (almost) smooth and polished crooning this one. While I don’t "get it" like Reviewer Erlewine in the All Music Guide apparently does, I respect Dylan for going down this unexpected path in Shadows and, now, Angels.
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Helios - "Unleft"
Siavash Amini - "What Wind Whispered to the Trees"; "Subsiding"
School of Seven Bells - "SVIIB" |
@reubent
Thanks for the recommendation. I do tend to notice your input here and over on Nutty’s thread. I will check out Straightaways. I like (some) Americana though I probably have a limited range of appreciation...The Band and Levon Helm mostly. Not entirely sure they’re Americana (as opposed to Goth-Country!) but if you don’t know him/them, you might want to check out the Dave Rawlings Machine (a totally misleading name) and also his partner and significant other Gillian Welch. Again, not sure if these are Americana but you be the judge.
For Loomis’ benefit, Son Volt’s cover of Ron Wood’s Mystify was more appealing to me than the original. More carefully rendered which I get wasn’t necessarily RW’s intent.
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@jafant - Who/What is RHCP? TIA
@nutty - Thanks for your various interesting music suggestions. Don't know Budgie but will look them up.
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aolmrd - DOH! of course!! Thanks. |
Magnus Ostrom - Searching for Jupiter
Daniel Herskedal - Slow Eastbound Train |
Beck - Sea Change
Beck - Morning Phase
Strong song-writing throughout: achingly beautiful melodies and soul-stirring lyrics; arrangements that are some of the best I've ever heard in popular music. Two great albums regardless what certain aging drummers might think of Beck's talents...but maybe that was just the arrogance of old age talking.
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Built to Spill - Untethered Moon |
N - Haven't heard the remastered version you refer to but music-wise, his self-titled along with Tumbleweed & Madman are favorites of mine. Some of his best work (not to mention Bernie Taupin's). Played Tumbleweed quite a few times back in the day. Didn't follow him much after Madman and hardly at all after Yellowbrick Road. I remember thinking Capatain Fantastic seemed like a rehash/imitation of his earlier stuff. I'll have to give Tumbleweed a listen this evening. It's been a while. Interesting to read that Mick Ronson played guitar on the original version of Madman that was to be part of Tumbleweed (now included on that remastered version you have).
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Hello again N. Found a remastered version of Tumbleweed on Tidal. Last track was Madman Across the Water. Not entirely sure it's the same version as you have but was impressed with the sonics from the get go AND that version of Madman is very very good. It's a little edgier and has more of live jam feel than the one that ended up on the LP of that name. Mick Ronson's guitar adds a lot. Good tip from you. Thanks.
Reubent - even though you are talking vinyl on this digital thread, I'll be interested in what you think about what you got. Since these recordings are pushing 50 years old, figuring you must already know them. Were the buys today first time ever or just first time on vinyl?? Hope you like the music. |
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Listening regularly, just not posting about it regularly. Last couple of evenings been spending time w/George Harrison's "All Things Must Pass". Surprising to me how well most of the music on this triple album has held up over time. Not familiar with much of GH's other solo stuff (Did listen to Wonderwall a good bit way back. Always liked "When We Was Fab") but based solely on ATMP, the man was gifted with some wonderful melodies. Shouldn't be a surprise, I guess, given his contributions to the Abbey Road album. |
@reubent
Hello there. Wow...8 Track tape. Sounds like we might be contemporaries, or at least near-contemporaries, age-wise. I certainly hope you enjoy those Elton John LPs you picked up. Can’t speak to Captain Fantastic. Never owned or listened to that one extensively (after my early dismissal) but I think the other two are great and have held up well. His self-titled LP (color photo of him in profile against black background) and Honky Chateau are very good too. Some striking arrangements played by the accompanying chamber ensemble on the S/T. They too might be worth hunting for in your record store jaunts. I’m thinking I might have to get the re-masters that Nutty is talking about if what I heard of T’weed via Tidal is representative. |
FWIW on this Elton John topic. Here's a great review posted on Amazon July 15 2013 by one, "Jacktavish" for the Honky Chateau remaster.
"Forget Elton John's Greatest Hits part one. Just buy Madman Across the Water, Tumbleweed Connection, & Honky Chateau to understand why Elton John is a legend. He cranked these three albums out in 2 years!!
It's a blast to hear EJ at the peak of his phenomenal singing: soulful, poppy, but with a rock edge. During this stage, he & Taupin were in love with The Band & Leon Russell, so there is a funkiness, a backbeat, a gospel soul that totally disappears when he becomes a jet-set popstar. For people who hate all the excess & drama that EJ has come to represent, it's a joy to hear him when it was all about the music."
Great comments. Explains for me why I like these and not so much of his later output. I'd include that self-titled, so a "quad" of albums worth having.
WHEN IT WAS ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC - words to live by.
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Nutty - Apology completely unnecessary. You are very welcome here and I've appreciated your posts and input. People talking about what digitally formatted music they are listening to and WHY they like it is what I hoped would happen with this thread. BTW I'm planning to get the remastered Honky Chateau and Tumbleweed Connection from The Classic Years series.
oblgny - Madman Across the Water as an 8th grade record review! Well done. Must say, you are dating ME! 8th grade woulda had to have been been The Beatles or maybe Simon & Garfunkel "Bookends". Why the latter comes to mind is I remember our 8th grade Spanish teacher (younger guy) coming in one day with a copy of Bookends and playing the whole thing for us. Had NOTHING to do with learning Spanish. Based on personal experience years later, am guessing he might have been at a party the night before and had a revelation revolving around that album. It would be a hoot to read your record review now. Post it here! |
Welcome, jo1. I blow hot & cold on Wilco. Jeff can get on my nerves sometimes...he gets a little whiny for me. AGIB never really grabbed me for whatever reason; Sky Blue Sky and, distantly, Summerteeth if I had to pick Wilco favs.
Tonight, however, anyone bothering to read this...do yourself a favor, give some New Mastersounds a listen. Live in San Francisco (2009) is not a bad place to start. You got a cold? Might even cure it. |
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New Mastersounds, "Therapy"
Paul Butterfield, "The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw"
Orange Peels, "Sun Moon"
@nutty ... Nels Cline might be THE single best thing about Wilco. A very good and largely overlooked guitarist (at least that's how it seems to me). |
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Listening again to Lars Danielsson’s, Liberetto. Track 1, Yerevan, has a Jon Hassell-like sound courtesy of Arve Henriksen; not exactly typical of the rest of the album but very enjoyable none the less. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1YQ5WfJuEI |
Enjoyed your last two posts, oblgny. Just for context, I do have 5 more years than you...but who's counting. You had previously mentioned the EJ 11/17/70 live recording. Remember listening to that back in the early '70s. A good one as I recall, though we'll leave your review out of the discussion. "...feeling my skin crawl in repulsion." - self-editing is commendable. More of it would be a good thing in various A'gon threads.
I could certainly relate to your comments about media preferences or, more correctly, your lack of strong media preference. I'm in the same place. Have LPs I've been lugging around for 40+ years now. Have equipment that's more than adequate for playing those. I enjoy them but not interested in pursuing the zenith of vinyl playback. For the same $ spent, it does seem easier to get great sound from digital. Mostly I buy and listen to digital...whether CDs, ripped files, Spotify, Tidal or internet radio. When the spirit moves to get something on vinyl I'll buy old (first issue if I can afford it) original LPs. There is something about holding a 40 or 50 year old "artifact" that can still generate great sound.
Looked at your system. Seems that many would be happy to own such as their best! let alone as the product of simplification. No slight to your Thiels but I'd love to be able to hear the Kestrels some day.
Okay...blathered on enough. Hope you enjoy more good music with great sound today. |
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@reubent Glad someone else remembers. Lee is kinda overlooked nowadays. Personally, probably able to appreciate him more now than back when. Started looking tonight at his material on Tidal because of an obit someone posted a link to on Audio Asylum. Turns out Barry "Frosty" Smith, the drummer Lee worked with on several albums, died mid April. More sad news. https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/vt.mpl?f=general&m=725738&VT=C |
School of Seven Bells - "Ghostory"
@dpatterson - I got a strong feeling this is one you will like...though maybe you already know SVIIB. |
@reubent
I share your appreciation for Comes Alive. Listened to it a ton back when first released. I no longer have it. I do remember enjoying the songs, the playing and the excitement from the crowd noise. Maybe I need to reacquire it. Many strong, well written songs...Lines On My Face being one of my favorites too. Also, Baby, I Love Your Way, especially the lines:
Clouds are stalking islands in the sun
I wish I could buy one
Out of season
You like the sonics on that Doug Sax remaster? Nothing better since 1998???
Talking Frampton: I do have the 1975 studio album (Frampton in large block, mostly white letters w/some rainbow colors) in vinyl. Many of the Comes Alive songs are from this. My vinyl is not an original release, unfortunately. The sonics on it are really excellent though for a nothing special 2nd or 3rd pressing...or whatever. (I'll Give You) Money is a great closing track...crank it UP.
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Cuong Vu Trio Meets Pat Metheny - Cuong Vu
Searching for Jupiter - Magnus Ostrom
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Loomis - I know what you mean. At the risk of insulting Wilco fans, Nels is kind of "slummin'" there. He does bring some amazing solos to their tracks though. His stuff as "Nels Cline Singers" is a real stretch for me, however. I have a hard time listening to it. Do check out his work with Alan Pasqua on the album, "The Antisocial Club". That's a lot more accessible for me but definitely non-commercial. Also on Cryptogramophone Records. |
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Thrupence - Ideas of Aesthetics |
Bibio - Silver Wilkinson
Tycho - Epoch |
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@reubent
Agree with you about Dada...a great recording. I remember when it came out. Track getting airplay on WXPN was "Dorina". Not only are the songs good on that whole album but the sound quality is superior. A Bob Clearmountain mastering job, if I recall correctly. Sad that their subsequent albums did not achieve the same level of excellence. (well...in my opinion, anyway). Highway Flower is decent but not as good as Dada.
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Tony Williams Lifetime: The Collection
Did Allan Holdsworth influence Jeff Beck or the reverse?
Or simply fortuitous? |
stevecham - Thanks for the insights. Maybe I should have had a 4th option..."Or am I simply delusional". I'm not a guitarist and all I know of Holdsworth is what I heard on this Tony William Lifetime compilation (as lamentable as that might be). I had picked up on the difference of "long runs vs short phrases" but I did think I heard a similar tone or sound. Haven't looked into the kinds of guitars they use but maybe it's just a case of Wired & Blow By Blow being from the same fusion genre as the music on the Tony Williams albums included in the compilation: "Believe It" & "Million Dollar Legs". Thanks again. |
a PS - gosh...I'd completely forgotten Holdsworth was part of the band UK's original lineup. |
Neil Finn - Dizzy Heights
Allan Holdsworth - Wardenclyffe Tower
All the above, as is often the case listening at night, courtesy Spotify. |
