Whats playing on your system today?

@arcam88 - 
+1 on Tull's Benefit.  Long been my favorite by them (along with Stand Up).  I've read Ian Anderson hates it...not sure why.  It's some great music.

@arcam88 - 
You are certainly welcome.  I can't remember why or if that was even covered during the interview.  I thought maybe I'd get lucky and find something about Anderson's opinion in the Wikipedia entry.  Nothing there to support what I said.   Initial critical response to the album wasn't raving praise.  Maybe that's what I recall reading.  Or maybe just a false memory ;-0 (  not so funny. actually).  I do remember it getting played a lot in particular dorm room in 1970/71. 

Now I'm thinking I have to pull it out for a listen.  "To Cry You A Song"...knocks me out.  

The Orange Peels - Begin the Begone

Satellite Song (track 8)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yZZCwBkI4U

Try his stuff with Jack Bruce: BLT, Seven Moons, & Truce.

Glad y'all are liking Robin's stuff with Jack.  You might also like RT's work on Procol Harum's Broken Barricades LP.  (but you probably already know that one).  I'll have to look for his latest release.  Thanks for the heads up, radfrad.

Love Rory too....more than Robin, actually (no offense radfrad). Check out Irish Tour ’74, Nutty. It used to be uploaded to YouTube. If not, it is certainly worth getting although it’s not hi-res or anything but still a great concert movie. Really gives you a sense of who Rory was along with his live show and band. Lou Martin ex-of Killing Floor on keyboard is very good, I thought. I have a bunch of Rory’s stuff on CD. My favorite might be his first solo release after Taste (it’s self-titled).
[Really enjoy talking about the music, by the way.]

Just finished Music for the Divine, all I can say is "Why was I not told about Glenn Hughes way sooner!"

N - I was totally clueless about Glenn Hughes.  Had to look him up on Wikipedia and found a LOT of his stuff on the Spot (that's Spotify for all those Tidal-loving haters...hahaha)...anyway - WOW!  The dude has certainly got some pipes!  Volume, range and dynamics...not to mention able to handle quite a few different styles.  I jumped around a bunch on Spotify.  His From the Archives Vol 1- Incense & Peaches he has this sort of Bozz Scaggs R&B kind of sound.  I liked Jackie Got the Call Today.   Then he's got a Christmas album singing traditional carols pretty straight up.  Now I'm listening to Music for the Divine (a bit of Steven Tyler or maybe Lennie Kravitz style-wise) and I also sampled Building the Machine.  Anyway, glad you mentioned him.  Thanks.

Yup - Glenn Huges has quite a discography.  He's been in the biz since 1969 apparently...so that's nearly 50 years.  

I never followed DP closely.  Only spent time with their In Rock and Machine Head - missed GH's involvement with them. 

tune-man, I will check out Tommy Bolin...don't know his stuff either.   Was thinking Marc Bolan (T.Rex/Bang a Gong) until I looked him up!

Hey there 77...will do.  I'm a fan of James Gang...well at least while Joe Walsh was there.  Don't know them after Thirds.

Hello again 77....
Interesting you mention Bolin w/Cobham. I’m actually, as I write, listening to Bolin on Alphonse Mouzon’s "Mind Transplant" and, earlier today, saved Cobham’s "Spectrum" (all this courtesy of Spotify) - so I will listen to that later.

According to the All Music Guide write up on Mind Transplant, Cobham & Mouzon sort of parallel each other and the AMG reviewer has high praise for both of these recordings which happen to also share Bolin as guitarist.

So far, the sonics on just about everything I’ve listened to with Bolin are pretty attrocious and/or feature lame songwriting (at least to my ear) e.g., Zephyr, Deep Purple’s "Come Taste The Band". This made it hard for me to appreciate his playing. I do need to check out Teaser and Private Eyes. I did not get real far with the James Gang’s Bang. Zephyr’s Sail On is something I’d like to hear more of but it is hard to listen to...being hot and sizzly treble-wise.

You are preaching to the choir re Joe Walsh solo. I have Barnstorm, So What, ...the Player You Get, and But Serouisly Folks. BSF is probably my fav (with the exception of the OVEREXPOSED "Life’s Been Good...". Second Hand Store, Indian Summer, Tomorrow. Gorgeous melodies and great lyrics.

This Mind Transplant has good sound and I can hear the (genius?) in Bolin’s playing...wouldn’t a figured him for the speedy jazz fusion riffing he’s doing. He plays to some pretty complex time signatures too. Several of the "songs" on this MT are a little light on melody and development...being mainly a working over of a short phrase or theme and they do get a little repetitive. BUT I’m also hearing some deeper stuff that will be worth revisiting.

Looking forward to the Cobham. Nice chatting and I apologize to Nutty for monopolizing his thread. [BTW - Mr. N and all...please feel free to post over at The Minority Report (What’s in Your CDP Tonight). I’d welcome your comments there and seeing some of these artists and LPs getting even more exposure].

Slaw - the Russian Wilds and Elephant Stone duly noted. Thanks. Will sample them too.

radfrad - Excellent.  What RG did you order?  

Nutty - got the headphones on and GH's "The Way It Is" (Spotify) cranked.  Ohhh YEAH!  Glad somebody is still making music like this.

Slaw - pleased you are checking out Leslie West.  I am not familiar with that one...my bet is the music will be good but I'm anxious the sound quality will be bad and turn you off.  I'm going to see if I can find it on Spotify (or YouTube).  Get a feel for what that ones about.  By the way - I definitely pay attention to your music posts.  Appreciate them.

Hey Nutty - Don't miss John Wetton's band, UK.  Quite an illustrious cast of players.  S/T 1st & Danger Money are good, I think.  Hope you will check them out if you aren't already familiar with 'em.   

re Peter Green...yeah, we got plenty love for PG too.

BTW - adding further to this threads "sub-theme", if you will, of stellar but under-appreciated musicians and bands...how about Leslie West and Felix Pappalardi?  Talking Mountain of course and in that regard I also think Corky Laing is WAY overlooked when it comes to rock drummers.  Check out Track 3 from "Climbing"...Never in My Life.  He is just ferocious.  My 2 cents.  

Found it, Slaw. A 2015 release...sonics seem very good. Haven’t heard enough of it to know what I think of the music yet (does he still have the fire?). Do like his cover of You Are My Sunshine (several covers on this one).  From Track 6 (A Stern Warning) it seems like he still has decent chops.  His voice seems to have held up pretty well  which kind of surprised me.  Don't know how much auto-tune they had to use.  

As far as BAD sound quality, it’s some of the post-Mountain (archival?) releases of so-called Mountain recordings...from concerts etc. that are just plain terrible sound-wise. There oughta be a law (or a good lawsuit)! to prevent that kind of stuff.

I like reading record reviews while listening.  Here's one on Leslie and this Soundcheck release.  Love the fact that the closing track has Jack on vocals (but geez, couldn't they find a good sound guy to capture ANY of their live recordings???)

http://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/leslie-west-soundcheck-album-review/

Doesn't disappoint me...not married to any one format.  I listen to CDs, HDCDs, SACDs, Vinyl and on-line/digital sources.  To me, the skill and care with which the actual recording was made seems way more important in terms of sound quality than playback medium.  

Robin Trower's "Twice Removed From Yesterday".  Love his guitar tone.

radfrad - just catching up with some of the earlier posts in this thread.  The original release of that self-titled Rory Gallagher you are talking about goes back to 1971 and is WELL recorded for sure.  That comes across very much even on CD.  It was his first solo release after his band, Taste, broke up.  Does your version have, "Gypsy Woman"?  That's a great track for bass (bonus on the CD).  Unfortunate that not all his later stuff is up to par sonically (though the music and playing are compelling).  Have you tried his, "Tattoo" yet?  Well worth it for A Million Miles Away alone.  Glad to see another RG fan made.  Wish he were still around. 

Repeating myself rad, but I definitely agree with you on how good that S/T Rory Gallagher sounds. It just makes me wonder why EVERYTHING can’t sound that good. A subject for a whole ’nother thread I suppose....
If you could find the CD used for cheap, might be worth it for that 1 track. Have fun.

Nada Surf, "You Know Who You Are".


Chris Stamey, "Euphoria".


Well-crafted pop albums and a nice change up from the intensity of Glenn Hughes.  Just leave either of 'em on repeat.

Trower is coming to our little college town.  Got a ticket.  Small venue.  Hope it is a good show.  

Listening to Glenn Hughes' "Addiction"...harrowing and powerful. 

Hey Marty - 
Maybe not so odd, I've commented before about a "simpatico" in our listening tastes.  Thanks for the tip on Holsapple w/Stamey.  I will check out Mavericks.  Do not know much about that whole "jangle pop" renaissance, but I will throw out one song title and you tell me if it connects for you: "Needles & Pins" from back when it all started...
jangle pop indeed.

Hi Loomis - Always value your input.  Thanks for the info about Holsapple and the dBs.  There is some Holsapple/Stamey on Spotify and also the dBs first two:  Stands for Decibels & Repercussion.  Got the cans on listening to Stands for Decibels right now.

Hi Nutty - Thanks for posting over on the minority report thread.  Turns out I had just come across LA Blues Authority today.  Listened to track 1 but did not get much further in that recording.  Have it saved in Spotify for a future listen.

By the way, saw Robin Trower this week.  It was an OK show.  A small venue with decent sound.  A couple hundred people at most.  He played from around 9 to 10:30 or so.  Love his guitar tone…it sounded as good as on the albums.  He’s no shredder but he does have a trademark style and sound. There’s an economy and good musical sensibility at work when he plays.  I call him Mr. Riffs R Us though I did find myself getting a little bored at points during some of the pieces with longer instrumental breaks.  He played a fair amount from Bridge of Sighs.  But since I don't know his latest stuff or his broader discography all that well, can't tell you much more about what he covered.  Did recognize "For Earth Below" as the final piece of his encore.  Two much younger guys with him on bass and drums.  Bass player doing most of the vocals.  Robin did a few but more a sort of "talking lyric".  You wonder what these guys think backing him…he’s been around so long and seen so much. What do they find to talk about on the bus? (assuming they travel together).  Skinny, little old white dude now but one thing I liked to see is he still seemed to enjoy playing.  Small crowd there loved him.  I think he felt that.      

   

Throughout the day, various early Daryl Hall & John Oates recordings...
Whole Oats (1972)
Abandoned Luncheonette (1973)
War Babies (1974) [This one not really happening for me.  More like a Todd Rundgren LP (he produced it) - though I do like some tracks from Todd's uneven discography.]
Self-titled [aka "The Silver Album"] (1975)

Looking forward to getting into:
Beauty on a Back Street (1977)
Along the Red Ledge (1978)

jafant...if you are still looking and want them, Red Ledge and Back Street are available on Amazon.  

Hey, Nutty...hope it is nothing serious and you are back to full health soon.  

YAW :-) jafant.

Mapman - "Ain’t Got No Home"...I take it you are talking Moondog Matinee? Don’t know the version you are familiar with but the re-issue (black cover) includes a great Chuck Berry tune as a bonus track, "Back to Memphis". I really enjoy the lyrics. "You can walk down Beale Street, honey, wearing' your pajamas."

Ain't Got No Home is a good 'un too.  In fact thanks to you, listening to the whole thing right now.  

Thanks for the history lesson, bdp.  Whatever their motivation for making it, MDM is an enjoyable recording.  The Band on track after track in this recording and others displays excellent "musicality"...wonderful arrangements, soulful vocals, technical execution that illuminates the composition and, with the exception of the occasional "over the top" quirkiness of Garth's keyboards/organ registrations, restraint and good taste.  No wonder that going on 50 years now, their music still communicates.  

@bdp24 - I did not know you held The Band in that high regard.  I think we are on the same page as far as what makes them "special"...e.g., 
"technical execution that illuminates the composition" = "playing in a manner so as to benefit the song itself".  Exactly.

Not taking anything away from their individual talents but as with a certain other highly regarded group from England, I think a lot must be credited to the producer of their first two albums, John Simon. Based on the Wikipedia entry for him, he is very impressive.  If you happen to know of a good read about the recording sessions for "Pink"and "Brown", do please advise - I'd be very interested.  

By the way, it is post-Robertson but still great music (sound quality is a little uneven):  The Band - Live in Tokyo 1983.  Talk about three great singers, check out Rick Danko's performance of "It Makes No Difference".  One of my favorites.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHzODm-Ik8

In addition to Richard Manuel's talent as a vocalist, he was capable of writing magical songs that were precious (in a good way) and ephemeral.  Whispering Pines and In A Station are two fine examples of this.  I wish he had lived longer and written more.

The Band deserves its own thread, I suppose.



  

Hi Mitch...I saw Robin a couple weeks back.  Wrote about it 4/22 in this thread.  Did seem like he still enjoyed playing.  His sound was spot on to the records.  He did quite a few songs from Bridge of Sighs.  Hope you enjoy the show.  

Thanks Nutty.  Looks interesting.  Now I gotta go track down that Jerry Lee Lewis recording (though I really don’t care that much for him).

Hope you are back to feeling 100%.

Hey there Nutty...for you and the other blues/rock fans...

Listened to Joe Bonamassa "New Day Yesterday Live"...pretty great live album.  Catch a buzz from the crowd...that guy going, "Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeahyeahyeahyeahyeah!"

Another good 'un: Kenny Wayne Shepherd.  Don't have a lot but his, "Trouble Is", I like quite a bit.  

Also, check out Ian Siegal "Meat & Potatos" he's got a great voice for the blues.  

Hey N - that's the great thing about Spotify (or Tidal, etc.)...the ability to check out so much different music.  The live "New Day Yesterday" (cover of a Jethro Tull song) is on Spotify.  Mind your spelling when searching for Ian, however...it is Siegal.    OK.  I need to try Tin Machine and also more KWS as in Ledbetter Heights.  

Later.

Looks like KWS "wrote or co-wrote" 8 or 12 tracks on his debut but apparently a Corey Sterling did lead vocals.

This is makes for an interesting read on th subject of Mr. Sterling as well as KWS' song writing credits.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/why-did-corey-sterling-leave-kws-band.1187062/

That should be 8 of 12 tracks.  How much of a contribution KWS made to the song writing seems to be a contentious issue (see above link).  (Pardon typos).

Back again, N.  OK, so I found Tin Machine (1st album) on Spotify.  I had heard about this when it came out but never listened.  Not much of a Bowie fan I guess.  Anyway gave it a listen...it's kinda tough to "hear".  A very hard edge to it...lot of anger.  Disturbing even.  BUT, while I'm not usually big on covers, their version of "Working Class Hero"....WOW.  Very impressed with that.  Did not finish the whole LP.  As I said, a tough listen for me though I think the writing and musicianship are very strong.  I know where it is.  Will try and go back to finish at some point.  

Moved on now to Ledbetter Heights.  More in my comfort zone.  This is probably better than "Trouble Is"...to me at least.  Great guitar and good vocals.  I have to read up on it.  Song writing is very good too.  If they are all KWS, it's like he hit the trifecta.   Thanks for the mention.  You be sure and check out that Ian Siegel "Meat & Potatoes".  You'll be glad (I think).  Here's a link to "Butter Side Up" (3rd track from the M&P album).

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&...

Hello again, Nutty.  Glad you enjoyed "Trouble Is".  I especially like Blue on Black (track 3).  You are right, Kenny was all of 18 when he recorded Ledbetter Heights.  

Saw your note over on The Minority Report about Joanna Shaw Taylor.  Spotify has a couple LPs by here including, "The Dirty Truth" and "White Sugar".  I will definitely give a listen. 

Real interested what you think about Ian Siegel.  To me he's another good musician flying under the radar.  Leastways it seems so to me.  On the other hand, I don't listen to commercial radio or watch TV much anymore.  I tend to find things based on recommendations on threads like this or stumble across them looking at the Browse/Discover options on Spotify or hearing a track on Pandora.  Something new and good to me might have been out there 10 years before I find it.  Guess you could say I have turned off, tuned out, and dropped in(to a black hole).

BTW - right now listening to something totally different than what we've been discussing: the 3rd LP from Bersarin Quartett, called III.  His stuff (BQ is mainly one guy) is variously described as modern composition and dark ambient. 

Alright.  Later.

Got Joanne Shaw Taylor playing.  White Sugar.  Couple of tracks in.  Liking it. Her playing is economical with good tone.  Somewhat understated (not necessarily a bad thing).  Her band is good too,  Tight.  Crisp.  Drummer's right on top of the beat.  Just 3 tracks in but the songs are strong.  Good sonics in this recording too.  Never would a guessed her for a Brit.  Thanks for the tip, N.

PS - So I know nothing about Gov't Mule except that a neighbor whose music taste I respect was raving about Warren Hayes.  I went on the Spot to see what of GM they had.  Saw something called, Dub Side of the Mule which struck me as a little odd.  Thought Spotify had mixed things up.  BUT NO...it's a bunch of tracks from a 2006 New Years Eve show at the Beacon Theatre. Lead vocals by Toots Hibbert.  Rhythm section is tight!  Diggin it. Good for what ails you especially if you like Reggae...but even if you don't.

Medeski, Martin & Wood "Friday Afternoon in the Universe".  Doesn't seem to matter that today is Monday, still sounds pretty good.


Hey N, ever check out Ian Siegel?  Maybe not your cuppa tea...lemme know. 

I've been checking that "Obscure Bands" thread Nutty but haven't yet tried to find or listen to City Boy yet.  There is just so MUCH to listen to...it's incredible.  Thank goodness for Spotify and YouTube.  If I can't find it on the Spot, I check YouTube.  

By the way, impressed with the breadth of your listening.  Apart from Gary Moore, don't know The Flower Kings or Haken.  

Later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2KSJ0ld5Ls

Here's an older version (and maybe more original) of the Cuby & The Blizzards "hit", Windows of My Eyes.

Hello Nutty - Found City Boy on Spotify. Listening to Dinner at the Ritz right now. They remind me of Queen quite a bit (vocal harmonies and something about one of the guitars).

Your Radar Love comment reminded me of a related Netherlands band, that being Cuby & The Blizzards (also found as Cuby + Blizzards). They go back quite a ways...check out some of their old albums on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dnpl0cFdN-c

That dynamite blues guitar is Eelco Gelling, later in Golden Earring.

Later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIC1vvP2IpE


N- man, check this out. Dunno if you will like. Almost 50 years old but it still works (at least for me). Back in the day before MTV and fashion poisoned things.

Another good one from Cuby and the boys (Go Down Sunshine)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogcj5FBUFjk

Hey N...not 100% certain, I have to go back and listen to a few of those old YouTube videos.  On one of them the band gets introduced by an off camera announcer.  I think Cuby is pronounced, COO-BEE.

The thing that put me on to C&The B was that Windows song.  It came at the end of a George Clooney movie, "The American" about this American hit man in Italy.  Decent movie but the song at the end really hooked me.  It was so old school, really took me back.  Did a little digging and found out about Harry Muskee and Cuby and the Blizzards.  

Regarding Moondog Matinee...no problem on that.  I only know the name as it relates to an album of covers by The Band.  Not familiar with an actual  group with that name.  I will check around for it.

Hey N...
I’m very happy with the SP4s. I had some ClearDay double shotgun speaker cables I was running before. I liked them a lot but needed a bit more length. Can’t remember what made me go Morrow and not stay with Clear Day. The Clear Day cable really was an eye (ear?) opener when I put them in. However I got there, I think the SP-4s have just a bit more clarity than the Clear Days yet aren’t too edgy or hard. I’m still using Clear Day jumpers with the SP-4s on the Totem Forests. Most of my ICs are Morrow too now. The exception is a Cardas Parsec on my CDP and the DH Labs digital cable from the V-Link 192 to DAC. My system page needs a bit of an update I think. I might trade up from the MA-3 on my TT to an MA-4 on that.

Morrow has a 60 day trial which certainly takes the risk out. I always check out his used stuff too. PLUS he runs a lot of specials. Not so long ago he was offering credit toward his cable for any other brand cable you traded in.  There might not have been any trial allowed on that deal...no returns on his wire.  

Dunno what you are running now but can’t hurt to try some SP-4s. Just be patient. With his stuff, early on, the SQ can change from one night to the next. One night everything will sound great. The next night, like crap. They do seem to take a while to settle in. It’s not like they are atrocious out of the box...more that you will get used to a certain sound and suddenly the next time you listen, it ain’t there. But things get back to normal and sound good pretty quick.  Good luck on what you decide.

By the way, found Moondog Matinee "Carry Me, Rosie" on Spotify. I like their sound. Reminds me of Black Crowes a bit - the singer’s voice and the style of music. This is more my style of music than City Boy.

Nutty - this thread has gotten some legs so not sure if I'm repeating something already mentioned but if you like Deep Purple you probably already know their "In Rock".  Sweet Child in Time is pretty memorable.  

Also to radfrad, been listening to ZZ Top off and on since 1973 or so.  Over the years my appreciation for Tres Hombres has just grown.  That is such a solid album.  No fat.  Nothin' but lean muscle.  Really, really good...especially played LOUD.  

I posted these on the obscure bans thread but give a listen to The Standard:  Swimmer, Albatross, or Wire Post to Wire (3 very good records by them), also Nada Surf - especially The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy or You Know Who You Are.  The Standard is kind of emo/progressive.  Nada Surf more indie rock/pop.  Different than the blues-rock stuff that mostly gets talked about here (not saying anything is wrong with that).  

Later.