I enjoy vinyl and digital (lately, with recent changes, vinyl actually sounds better than digital to me), BUT given what seems an overall preference for analog/vinyl on A'gon, I'm curious what the non-vinyl "1/2" is listening to. I tried to see if this was a previously posted question. Did not seem so.
This evening for me, it's Genesis (definitive edition remaster) "A Trick of the Tail".
If you wanna rock, you only need this band. Great drive, strong melodies and lyrics, super musicianship and inventive interplay. Too bad it was so short-lived. Guess that's what comes from a volatile combination of geniuses.
Steve Earl-Guitar Town Masters Of Reality- She got Me Jing Chi -3D Steve Kimmock -Eudmonic This afternoons Listening You can just about as easily get a taste for these on Amazon rather than Youtube.
I would highly recommend these to anyone that likes jazz. The music (and some vocals) are really well recorded. Phronesis album "Life to Everything Kendrick Scott Oracle album Conviction" David Kikoski Standards Cecile Mclorin Salvant album Womanchild" Miguel Zenon, "The Puerto Rican SongBook.
Listening to Pandora's "Christmas Carols" radio tonight in celebration of a most extraordinary event. Merry Christmas to all. Best wishes for a safe, healthy and happy new year.
ghost, hiss golden meesenger's definitely mood music--not something you'd put on at the gym, more like something you'd listen to before a solitary peyote trip. i did listen to the jo johanasson--it's sort of a less electronic take on the ethereal sigur ros thing. also moody and somber as hell, but i dug it a lot--made a long playlist of his stuff for tomorrow at work. i like kelly jo phelps, too--he seems to be less an acoustic bluesman these days and more ambitious in his sound/writing
Kelly Joe Phelps - "Brother Sinner & The Whale"...for them as got ears to hear.
Johann Johannsson - "Englabörn" & "Virthulegu Forsetar". The initial and sophomore releases from this Icelandic composer. Modern classical. Englabörn was the score for a play. Both are beautiful. My preference the Forsetar, however.
Loomis - I did check out Hiss Golden Messenger's "Bad Debt". Had a good listen (headphones) to virtually the whole thing. I can definitely hear the talent in Golden Messenger - lyrics especially. The arrangements are pretty sparse. Sometimes that works for me. Other times, leaves me wanting more excitement. I'll revisit though because with new music, first impressions aren't always the final word...sometimes it takes a little perseverance to breakthrough.
Did some sampling of Liquor Giants, Even & Trespassers William. I have them saved on my Spotify account and will try again in the future. First time 'round not grabbing me too much. (Never was a big Mazzy Star fan).
Hope you aren't put off by my lukewarm reception. Definitely NO need to shut up. Keep 'em coming. Always glad when it's more than just me and Pokey putting up songwriters and titles.
two more, then i'll shut up for awhile: even, "salthill"-- obscure, fantastic aussie power pop somewhere in the realm of badfinger. huge hooks; the principal's a great guitar player. liquor giants, "one day at a time"--ward dotson, who used to play guitar in the quite forgettable gun club, is one of the greatest unknown songwriters in the universe--he has seemingly endless ability to crank out perfect pop gems. the s/t "liquor giants" is also great.
Hey there Loomis, glad you gave SP a listen. Yeah...they're probably not an A-list band though for me personally, I found their music melodic enough...kind of quirky and enjoyable, even. But, hey, horses for courses as they say. I will sample Hiss Golden Messenger and Trespassers William. Spotify's got em both and the exact recordings you mention. Can already tell you I like HGM's song titles.
By the way, to you, Pokey and everyone...have you listened to Gary Clark Jr.? Great guitarist, vocalist and song-writer...blues/rock or rock/blues...whatever. I especially like his 2010 GC, Jr. (photo on the cover of a little kid wearing head phones). Can only find it as MP3, unfortunately. Music styles are all over the map on that one but the song writing and performances are strong. I see he was being compared to Jimi by some. Seems to me to have his own style but on an emotional level does seem able to go where Jimi went Vs just doing Hendrix riffs a la Trower or even SRV. I'm probably late to the party as usual but just in case he's new to any of you....
ghosthouse, i gave smash palace a few spins--i wanted to dig 'em more but they didn't quite grab me. they seem to be betwixt 80s new wave and power pop without the sonic sheen of the former or the melodic hooks of the latter. i do appreciate the rec, as well as your other picks--keep 'em coming.
my current rave is hiss golden messenger, "bad debt"--just a guy and a guitar, with great (no kidding) spiritual-themed tunes that sound somewhere between nick drake and elliott smith. really haunting stuff. his later, fleshed-out discs with a band aren't nearly as good.
final pick is tresspassers william, "cast", a near-perfect mazzy star knockoff with vg femme vox and songs. good late night music.
I do enjoy Bill Lloyd on so many levels. Amazing songwriting, incredible and innovative playing, and just flat out fun to listen to. I was working in a music store back in 1990 or 1991 and heard Feeling the Elephant and was hooked immediately. The records just keep getting better. Check out his website. There's allot to look into there.
The Boats - Sleepy Insect Music (tipped off on this one by my friend GH - big thank you there)
The Postal Service - Give Up (10th anniversary reissue) My long time friend Rico lead me there. Took me some time to come around, but thanks nevertheless. Also see Death Cab for Cutie and Dntel, both with ties to this band.
Loomis - Agreed. I wasn't attempting to put Freedy in the same music category as Bill Lloyd. BUT Lloyd's "Back to Even" did bring Freedy to mind for me. There's something about his chords and lyric style (some wry and self-deprecating humor there) that reminded me of FJ.
Hope you like Smash Palace. Wasn't that taken on first listen but hours and days later I'd have one of their tunes on auto-play in my head...and I don't mean in a bad ear-worm way. So gave 'em some additional time. A pretty strong collection, I think.
ghost, i'm a big freedy johnston fan, though i wouldn't put him in the same genre as bill lloyd--fj's more the thoughtful folkie. "this perfect world" is essentially a perfect album, and sonically incredible (butch vig production). the title track is the saddest damn song ever written. his guitarist, kevin salem, also records in his own name and is well worth checking out. "never home" is also great. haven't heard smash palace before, but got 'em cued up--looks from their influences that they're right up my alley. check out the verlaines, "just too obscure" and lemme know what you think.
Thanks, guys...got Feeling the Elephant cranking now. Great sounds and songs.
Do check out Freedy Johnston...not rocking quite as hard as Elephant but there is something similar to Bill L's. song writing (or so I think).
ALSO - if you have never before, give a listen to Smash Palace. I'm not a big fan of "greatest hits" most of the time but their "Best of '99 - '06" is worth checking out.
nice to hear bill lloyd get a shoutout--his first solo lp, feeling the elephant, is a power pop classic--i just reheard it on spotify and some of the songs remained in my head from 25 years ago.
the robert forster mention inspired me to go back to the go-betweens "before hollywood," a fantastic example of that that mopey/melodic 80s thing (smiths/church, etc.). very poetic
also digging tv on the radio's newest, seeds. you can hear a little bit of lodger-era bowie and a little bit of prince, but they don't really sound like anyone else.
GH, it's so good to hear you like The Grays and Bill Lloyd. Here's another recommendation. Radney Foster and Bill Lloyd did a couple albums together many years ago and then came back in more recent times (2011) with a new one. Very well recorded and nice to hear them playing together again.
Foster and Lloyd - It's Already Tomorrow
Lyle Lovett - Release Me (excellent recording and typical Lyle nuggets)
Hoping all who observe the holiday enjoy a very happy Thanksgiving. I certainly have much to be grateful for. My sincere condolences to those members who experienced loss this year. The holidays can be very cruel in such circumstances.
Pokey - you're on a roll. The Grays' "Ro Sham Bo" is excellent and so is Bill Lloyd's "Back to Even". I did also listen at your recommendation to Jason Faulkner's "Author Unknown", liked that one too.
Listening to Bill Lloyd last night, I was reminded of Freedy Johnston. Check out FJ if you haven't ever. "This Perfect World" and "Never Home" are the 2 I know. Haven't listened to him in a good long while. Need to do some catching up...
BUT TONIGHT cranking Grateful Dead, Skull & Roses. GREAT live recording that captures the magic they could do.
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