Dissolver is my new drug

[Davey]

I had the latest Voyager One disc playing again this morning for the zillionth time in the last couple weeks. Cool cover, huh? Almost like something Troy might do (hopefully that comes across as a complement). Anything you've found lately that you keep playing over and over and ... ?

http://members.mailaka.net/davey/review_images/voyager_one_dissolver.jpg (http://www.obner.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=15397)

Oh yeah, since that Tunesday thing is dead like a dodo, that latest from Archer Prewitt is very nice too. Been playing it a lot. Just got a copy of the Talk Talk Colour of Spring so listened some to that too. Not sure how much I like it so far. Some of it just doesn't really work for me. Also finally got a copy of Harold Budd The White Arcades and really enjoying that one. Very nice. And got in a first listen to My Morning Jacket Z and liked most of what I heard. No idea where it'll wind up yet in my scheme of things.

[ForeverAutumn]

Anything you've found lately that you keep playing over and over and ... ?


That Luke Doucet disk that I've been speaking so highly of is spinning right now....again. Or should I say still.

It's a doozy that has taken the place of that Bird disk for a while. Bird is still my #1 pick for 2005, but Doucet definately takes the #2 spot. This is one fine disk. I walked around the CD store for a while on Saturday, with his previous release in my hand. But at $24.99, I decided to put it back on the shelf and check on-line for a better price.

[BarryL]

Anything you've found lately that you keep playing over and over and ... ?



I need to find something new that blows me away. The new Roine Stolt solo CD is a big disappointment, especially the cynical cliche lyrics.

My album of 2005 is the mind-blowing I AM by Flower King keyboardist Thomas Bodin.

[Dusty Chalk]

Been trying to come up with my year-end list.

Put in an order with a friend of mine who frequently shops at CDBaby for that Voyager One disk, but I doubt I'll get it in time.

Been digging the Supersystem disk, Always Never Again -- think Remain In Light-era Talking Heads as sung/shouted by the Beastie Boys. Not a duff track on there, quite probably taking the top spot.

Also love that Nine Horses disk Snow Borne Sorrow. Definitely a contender for the top spot.

Found a couple disks, at least one of which might make the final list, which I had forgotten about originally -- Ulver, Blood Inside. Metal as played on synthesizers.

Can't seem to find my LCD Soundsystem disk.

[Davey]

Been trying to come up with my year-end list.

Put in an order with a friend of mine who frequently shops at CDBaby for that Voyager One disk, but I doubt I'll get it in time.
Ya know, there isn't really any time limit on year end lists. I'm still tweaking on mine from 1999 ;)

cdbaby took under a week for me but I guess that's beyond the shmoopie date, even if you could condense a few weeks of listening time and critical evaluation into a few hours. Dissolver just might be #1 with me if I submit a shmoo poll :)

[Whooptee]

Ooh! Voyager One! Reminds me, I need to listen to "From the New Nation of Long Shadows" again. Haven't spun that one in forever. I might just have to get this new one.

Other than Electrelane and Andrew Bird, I've been really liking Autolux's "Future Perfect". I keep listening to the song "Turnstile Blues" over and over. I also picked up Girls Against Boys' "Cruise Yourself", Pinback's "Summer in Abbadon" and the National's "Alligator". All are really excellent.

John

[3-LockBox]

retro buy; BestBuy online__ Kevin Gilbert:Thud - bought this based on what I heard on Delicious Agony a few weeks ago. And there it was, one of my fave tunes ever, 'Goodness Gracious'. Ecclectic album though.

Pawn shop finds__two soundtracks- Escape From L.A. ('96) and The X-files ('98). And might I say, nary a duft tune on either CD; bought both together for $5 :)

Cheap find__Dredg:Catch Without Arms - quirky quasi-indie rock band that sound like mid '80s U2 at times (I don't hate U2, btw) and other times they seem to be able to channel late '70s Climax Blues Band or Boz Scaggs with their silky bass grooves and pop beat. But then they run smack out of ideas toward the end, loosing me after about the 8th track. Still, I'm happy with it, considering I only paid $5.99 @ BB new! I can't for the life of me figure out why this band pops up with certain other bands over at Amazon as a related album when I'm parusing prog recs...hhmmm...

Rush:Vapor Trails - poor sonics aside, this is gotta be their best effort in a long time, and I'm glad to see the synths take breather.

Web purchases (courtesy of my $75 BestBuy gift card):

IQ:Seventh House - finally, an album from this group that lives up to the band's hype, but this album gets little of it (hype). Killer actually.

Riverside:Second Life Syndrome I haven't had a whole lot of time with this one, but the first few tracks rock harder than their first CD. Still liking Out Of Myself as well.

Spock's Beard:Octane - I like it more with every listen; FE too.

[Davey]

Ooh! Voyager One! Reminds me, I need to listen to "From the New Nation of Long Shadows" again. Haven't spun that one in forever. I might just have to get this new one.

Other than Electrelane and Andrew Bird, I've been really liking Autolux's "Future Perfect". I keep listening to the song "Turnstile Blues" over and over. I also picked up Girls Against Boys' "Cruise Yourself", Pinback's "Summer in Abbadon" and the National's "Alligator". All are really excellent.

John
You gotta cruise your new baby fly self ...

forget this room forget this time
one more time with feeling
forget this room forget this time
one more time with style

Hehehe, that Girls Against Boys is some fine stuff and some fine memories. You've been listening to some hot diggity damn fine tunes! This new Voyager One is colossal, bombs away, funtastic. Much better than anything they've done before, and I like everything they've done before a lot. I may be suffering the effects of some subliminal messages or delusional beliefs fostered by misinterpreted commands from the godly one, but wow, this is the best thing I've heard in a long time. And I thought that I'd heard a lot of good stuff! Rock on voyagers :)

[Dusty Chalk]

Ya know, there isn't really any time limit on year end lists.Well, there is on Obner. The Shmoo Poll, y'know.

And the problem won't be CDBaby, the problem will be my friend.

[Mike]

Also love that Nine Horses disk Snow Borne Sorrow. Definitely a contender for the top spot.

I just got that recently and it's a keeper, not heard any of his stuff for a while and it proves he still has it.

Mike

[Davey]

Also love that Nine Horses disk Snow Borne Sorrow. Definitely a contender for the top spot.
I just got that recently and it's a keeper, not heard any of his stuff for a while and it proves he still has it.

Mike
Oh wow, I didn't even know who that was. You guys need to be more verbose! Guess I haven't been paying much attention lately, but I love David Sylvian and that does sound like a great disc. Just found out too that with Firefox all you have to do is highlight something with the mouse and then right click and one of the options is a net search. That's pretty convenient. I was always pasting it into the toolbar which is still pretty convenient, but this is real lazyville!

Anyway, for those Sylvian fans like me not in the know yet, here's what popped at ab-cd for the Nine Horses ... http://www.ab-cd.com/icbin/media/SAMAD006CD.html

"Nine Horses' Snow Borne Sorrow is a collaboration between David Sylvian, his brother and frequent collaborator / drummer Steve Jansen (also formerly of Japan) and electronic composer / remixer Burnt Friedman. Lyrically and vocally, Snow Borne Sorrow continues the maturing darkness of Sylvian's last solo release Blemish - songs of struggle, doubt and resolve, Bergman-like glimpses of the realities and difficulties of intimate relationship, flashes of light and humility and caustic words about the excuses our leaders manage to find not to 'love thy neighbor.' Snow Borne Sorrow was made with a cast of contributors, including Norwegian trumpeter and Supersilent member Arve Henriksen, Swedish vocalist Stina Nordenstam, who adds marvellously elliptical responses to Sylvian's vocal on the opening 'Wonderful World,' and Ryuichi Sakamoto on piano. On the title for the album Sylvian says: 'Winter provokes introspection. Even more so the long hard winters surrounded by that cushioning, muted, numbing whiteness. It can also be a time of enormous creativity, of resolutions, resoluteness, clarity and conviction.'" Other guest contributors include: Ryuichi Sakamoto, Stina Nordenstam, Arve Henriksen and many more. This album's sound is expanded, maximalist, full, rooted in traditional song structures like some of Sylvian's classic solo albums like "Brilliant Trees", "Secrets Of The Beehive" and "Dead Bees On A Cake".1 - WONDERFUL WORLD 2 - DARKEST BIRDS 3 - BANALITY OF EVIL 4 - ATOM & CELL 5 - HISTORY OF HOLES 6 - SNOW BORNE SORROW 7 - DAY THE EARTH STOLE HEAVEN 8 - SEROTONIN 9 - LIBRARIAN

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Since my last Tuesday thread post I've gotten a few new things and a few new-old things, (this is a Tuesday - What you been listening to - thread, isn't it?);

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah I like this a lot, no real problem with the "quirky" vocals, and the music works for me.

Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Not as memorable as their debut, but still a fine album that fulfills my need for the occasional loose, whiskey-soaked southern rock.

Cake - Comfort Eagle More of the same from Cake, which is just fine by me. But I think after three Cake albums, there's not much need for any more.

P.J. Harvey - Dry I waited waaaayyy too long to get this f-ing great album. I may end up liking this more than Rid of me, which is saying ALOT!!!

Explosions in the Sky - The Earth is Not a Cold Dark Place Moody, atmospheric instrumental rock with nice shimmering guitars and good to excellent drumming. GYBE-esque, without the pretensious spoken-word stuff.

Rogue Wave - Out of the Shadow Another good band that I'm just discovering. Reminds a little of Beulah, I guess, with a little harder edge...maybe.

Muse - Absolution I guess this what Radiohead would sound like, if they decided that The Bends was the best album they'd ever make, and we'll just try to duplicate it. Likeable enough, but hasn't made a lasting impression.

Elliott Smith - From A Basement on a Hill I've only had Either/Or from E.Smith and like it a lot, and trhis sounds almost as good. Makes me want to dig deep into his back catalogue, at least until I find something that isn't great.

Stars - Set Yourself On Fire I hate to sound like I like everything I try, but what can I say...I usually buy stuff based on people's tastes who I know are similar to mine, so very few missteps. So guess what, Il like this album too. Perfect for fans of Belle & Sebastien, The Lucksmiths, etc...

The Arcade Fire -EP It doesn't have the polish and maturity of Funeral and, dare I say, gets a litlle annoying at times, but it does have a couple of songs that show the potential that was realized on Funeral, particularly the last song; "Headlights Look Like Diamonds", which sounds like it would be right at home on Funeral.

Wilco - Kicking Television No dissapointment here. Fine sound for a live album, and the songs are well chosen. I don't have A Ghost is Born yet, but this live set makes it more likely that I will pick it up at some time in the future.

All-in-all, a whole bunch of new music to digest, with the P.J. harvey album seeming to be the real stand-out.

[Dusty Chalk]

Yeah, I would definitely liken it to his Dead Bees on Cake and Secrets of the Beehive. Definitely not as "difficult listening"/alienware as Blemish. Superb. Recommended. His best in years.

[Davey]

P.J. Harvey - Dry I waited waaaayyy too long to get this f-ing great album. I may end up liking this more than Rid of me, which is saying ALOT!!!

Yeah, that album literally kicks my ass. Did you get the vinyl? I have both and they are both mastered at a very low level. That record prompted me to boost the gain on my phono preamp it was so quiet. And of course it's almost impossible to use a track on a comp cause it requires a ton of compression to get the volume up since it has tons of dynamic range and the peaks still hit max. But it sure sounds good when they all come crashing in. You can almost see them all in the room. Hot stuff. She came out of the gate at full speed.

[Davey]

Yeah, I would definitely liken it to his Dead Bees on Cake and Secrets of the Beehive. Definitely not as "difficult listening"/alienware as Blemish. Superb. Recommended. His best in years.
Thanks to both you and Mike. Definitely at the top of my list. Is it only a UK release right now? Ah nevermind, I can check myself. Thanks for the extra words. That group of musicians he surrounds himself with is first rate. Not surprisingly, many of the same ones that Hector Zazou brings in, as he and Sylvian have worked together in the past. Tight group of excellent musicians :)

[Davey]

Thanks to both you and Mike. Definitely at the top of my list. Is it only a UK release right now? Ah nevermind, I can check myself.
OK, apparently being released here at the end of the month, but found the UK import new for only $11.39 so went ahead and got it. Thanks again!

[Dusty Chalk]

Just got my copy. It is awesome. Thanks for the rec. (Not sure it would've made my top 20 for the year, though -- ask me again in a couple months.)