The Boats - "Sleepy Insect Music" (for the title alone, if nothing else).
What's in your CDP tonight? the minority report
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".
This evening for me, it's Genesis (definitive edition remaster) "A Trick of the Tail".
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Thanks for the reminder about Francis Dunnery, Pokey. Was living outside Phila. in the '90s. Listening a lot to WXPN Public Radio from the U of P. Heard some great music on that station. Remember hearing tracks from Tall Blonde and liking it. One of those things I always meant to get at the time and never got around to it. Listening to it now on Spotify. He's a good song writer. Got an ear for melody and I like his guitar tones and licks. re The Boats....do check out Our Small Ideas too. It's sort of a companion to Sleepy Insect Music. |
It's about five minutes till 2AM, and I've got David Benoit, Orchestral Stories, in my transport right now from last night.. a 2005 CD I listened to back then, but never cared for until I smoked a joint last night and happened to listen again... WOW!... This recording needs to be turned up to be appreciated, simply because of the melodies and dynamics involved in the music/composition. To me, Orchestral Stories is good music for a solitary experience between you and your stereo system! |
Hey Pokey - Listening to Band of Horses on Spotify...Cease to Begin. Their name seems familiar (maybe you mentioned them previously). They've probably been around for a decade or more and I'm just catching on. Getting to be a misanthropic CRANK in my old age. Lots of male singers in so many of the younger (hipster?) bands annoy the heck out of me. Liking instrumentals more as a result. BofH is a happy exception. Thanks for the tip. Seems like there is something here worth exploring further. Islands on the Coast! Yeah!! Gslone - solitary is the name of the game (mostly). |
You are welcome, Lak. 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. |
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) |
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. thanks all for the interesting picks. |
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. Smash Palace |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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.... Later. Ciao. |
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. |
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. |
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 |
Bruce Cockburn - Rumors of Glory - Disc's 1 - 3 and part of 4 This is from his newly-released box set. The man is a legendary player and lyricist. The re-mastering on this is quite excellent as well. Sampling Kelly Joe Phelps "Brother Sinner & The Whale". I do enjoy the down-tempo numbers and his POV. |
The last two nights; All WAV or FLAC Monk & Coltrane 1957 Riverside sessions High Fidelity Lounge II Putumayo World Music "A World Instrumental Collection" Breathtaking Hayden Violin concertos Led Zeppelin I (Selected tracks on the 1st album have incredible sound quality/dimensionality) Selected Beatles tracks (mother natures son etc.) and now... the incredible Ben Harper "She's only happy in the sun", incredibly beautiful studio song and phenomenal sound quality. Cheers |
