Best CD I've heard so far 2011.........
A nice article about Diamond Mine (posted just above) from NPR: "If the year ended right now, I'd know my favorite record of 2011. Out May 24, Diamond Mine does what audio does best: It takes me far from the here-and-now. This labor of love, seven years in the making, opens on a café terrace in a Scottish town. Jon Hopkins sets his field recordings, rich in regional accents and casual conversation, against a lovely, spare piano. It's a few minutes before these soundscapes give way to the quivering vocals of King Creosote, at which point the scope of this collaboration becomes clear. This is storytelling through sounds and with song bring your own pictures. Creosote, a.k.a. Kenny Anderson, and Jon Hopkins describe this unusual record as the "soundtrack to a romanticized version of a life lived in a Scottish coastal village." Hopkins is a sharp musician: Electronics are his tools, dance music is how he fills nightclubs and textures are how he fills songs. Creosote is a prolific songwriter based in Crail, a small fishing village in the northeast of Fife, Scotland. There's acoustic guitar and melodic-yet-ambient accordion holding these tunes together. The words to the songs seem to reflect big dreams perhaps unfulfilled set against the wonders of the everyday. This is a record for your late night or your quiet Sunday. Put it on when you when you need calm or you're prepared for a mental journey, and be grateful that in a fast-paced world, King Creosote and Jon Hopkins stopped and took their time." |
"Seeds We Sow" from Lindsey Buckingham (No surprise for those who've read my posts here before). Nine of the eleven tracks on this CD are IMO wonderful songs, just about perfectly executed. Two others, the title track and "Stars are Crazy" probably suffer a bit from LB's desire to show off his chops, but still work reasonably well in their own right. Disclaimer #1: This is a one-man band arrangement. LB wrote all, played all, recorded all. This has plusses and minuses - judicious editing (and maybe a guest drummer, tho LB holds his own) might have helped here and there. Disclaimer #2: The SQ is just weird. It seems that LB wanted to create a particular atmosphere for each track, so the record may feel a bit incoherent on first listen, with some sound tracks underproduced and others more fully polished. Disclaimer #3: More acoustic guitar on this one than electric. When he breaks out the elecrtic though, he doesn't kid around. Disclaimer #4: Buckingham could take a dump on a plate and I'd probably find it compelling. Marty |
IIRC, the cinematic amulet in question indeed contains a "floater". I haven't followed LB into the loo just yet, but - then, again - I've never had the opportunity. Myabe it's for the best.... Yeah, the mind reels with unpleasant possibilities... you may come face to face with an LB turd in dry dock, which would make the task of extraction a bit more delicate in order to keep the artifact in tact. That scenario also might require a much larger amulet, and let me tell you a large amulet could look really silly hanging around a man's neck. Yes, definitely for the best, Marty, I'd have to agree. |
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. |
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. |
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! |
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. |
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). |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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 |
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. |
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! |
