Hey it's Tuesday - what u listening to?

[Mike]

Me I just got JC's latest comp, great job Jim some good stuff on there especially liked the Trascan Sinatras (not heard any of their stuff for a few years) and Josh Rouse, West Indian Girl and Headset which were all new to me. But I've only listend to it once so I think the rest will grow.

Also listened to Reindeer Section courtesy of JC, I've never even heard of this band and it goes back to 2002! Now this is really good, if you like Snow Patrol you'll love this, great find Jim I'll see if I can pick up the first one and reciprocate.

Libertines - 2nd album, great stuff, much much better than I thought it would be
Razorlight - Up All Night, fans of the Libertines should check this out
Hedkandi - Winter Chill compilation
The Earlies - These Were The Earlies

And a couple of DVD's
Roy Orbison - Black and White film, classic show what a voice that guy had.
AC/DC live in Spain and Germany

Cheers
Mike

[nobody]

Listened to Mooney Suzuki and the Libertines, which I talked about in another thread. Big thumbs up for the Libertines.

Still digging some reggae. This week's reggae pick would be <b>Max Romeo - War Ina Babylon</b> fantastic roots sounds, another Lee Perry Black Ark production. Fantastic album. Traditional sound with great effects mixed in curtesy of Mr. Perry.

Picked up the vinyl reissue of <b>Television - Marquee Moon</b>. Just a fantastic record I hadn't heard in years and years. Don't know why I waited so long for my own copy. Reminds me of the first Modern Lovers record. Angular and edgy with great guitar work throughout, a true classic.

A bunch more, but I gotta run for now...

Getting really anxious about the new Tom Waits about to come out.

Anybody hear the new Jill Scott?

[kexodusc]

I've been spinning more metal in the last 2 days than I have in the last 2 years...starting to think 25 ain't that old...wonder if I'll still be listening at 35 and 45 :)

Megadeth - "The System Has Failed" was released this week and is truly incredible...I thought they were washed up....they've proven me wrong.

Opeth - Damnation was really good...soft melodic music...I liked it so much I gave Deliverance a try this week...once you get past the hilariously stupid vocals this band is incredible. And when the dude does sing, it's even better. Blackwater Park is next...

Dream Theater - Train of Thought...probably their heavyiest, but a bit more melody and harmony than Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence (also great)...the closer "In the Name of God" is quite a theatrical journey...My only complaint is that despite topping 1 hour, this album has only 6 tracks and feels more like an ep...

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II...some say it was the blueprint "heavy metal" album...not sure I agree, but it definitely influenced alot of metal acts...I'm still hearing the blues influences too much to call it metal, maybe if I was around and listening to it back then I'd understand the context better...either way, I always considered this the weakest of I-IV, and it's a 5-star album in itself...

The new Gov't Mule Album is out today too...I expect that'll make the spin list tonight if I can find some cash...

[Dave_G]

That Max Romeo is a great album for sure.

Dave

[tentoze]

Brightest spot of the last coupla weeks has been Mark Lanegan Band's Bubblegum. Great tunes, excellent vocals as always by Lanegan, and a couple of the tunes have a hammer-and-anvil percussion thing going on that reminds me of Tom Waits (i.e., not quiet, Davey).

Norman & nancy Blake's Morning Glory Ramblers. Unlike a lot of Blake's records, this one does not showcase his dazzling guitar playing- very OLD, traditional songs flawlessly performed in a strict, traditional minimalist style. Great stuff, if yr into it, which nobody around here probably is.

The jury came in on that Walkmen disk (Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone) I picked up a couple of weeks ago- biggest turd I've bought in a long time. After two spins, I can fully understand the title. A smelly pig of a record- anyone wants it, say the word, it's yrs with my blessings.

[Jim Clark]

Me I just got JC's latest comp, great job Jim some good stuff on there especially liked the Trascan Sinatras (not heard any of their stuff for a few years) and Josh Rouse, West Indian Girl and Headset which were all new to me. But I've only listend to it once so I think the rest will grow.

Also listened to Reindeer Section courtesy of JC, I've never even heard of this band and it goes back to 2002! Now this is really good, if you like Snow Patrol you'll love this, great find Jim I'll see if I can pick up the first one and reciprocate.

Cheers
Mike

Glad you found something to enjoy. I sent that Reindeer out to a couple of other folks who I though may like it. After two listens I was hooked. While there is some Snow Patrolish sound I'm hopping it will appeal to the more Indie minded amongst us. If not I wasted some postage. If you could find that first one that would be awesome. I've got my name in at the used store as they said they occasionally see a copy.

Be forewarned-that Headset CD isn't nearly as good as that one track. The electronics are very good and similar throughout but the rapping is clearly subpar and not very enjoyable.. That track is cooler than heck though! Ditto for the Josh Rouse. Great reviews but the rest of the CD is very laid back and laden with the more mellow alt. country songwriter stuff. If it had more songs like that I'd be harping on that CD all day long.

For myself I mainly spent time with the CD's used for the comp but also found some time for Stabbing Westword's UnGod. Hellishly good album.

Also should give a nod to the new De/Vision album, 6 Feet Underground.
I've had it since right before I left for vacation in early August. Just never wrote about since around here no one is really gonna care except for Dusty. Very solid album, almost as good as Two and miles ahead of Devolution.

Still debating grabbing the Prodigy album that came out today. AMG doesn't think much of it and I can't find any sound samples anywhere. Probably means I'll pass and wait for it to show up used.

jc

[Davey]

Kinda the same stuff for me as last week and the week before and.....but not quite. Finally finished off a new comp that has been sneaking around on my computer for a couple weeks or so in various incarnations so have listened to that a lot along with the albums used for it. A few new things I've gotten since my Half Gone comp back in June along with a mix of some other recent picks from the last few years. Just a current rotation type of thing. It's posted now at <a href="http://members.mailaka.net/davey/dbicomps.htm#Down_the_Road_Again">this place</a>. Probably send out a few copies today (sans cover - sorry, no printer at the moment) to those I already coerced into accepting it as satisfaction for my trade obligations (whatever <i>that</i> means http://forums.audioreview.com/images/smilies/confused.gif).

Mentioned in another post that I heard some of the new Mark Lanegan Band CD the other night and liked that a lot but don't have it yet. Tentoze gave it a big thumbs up so it's probably gonna be the next thing I get.

[DarrenH]

Gov't Mule - Deja Voodoo. I got this in the mail yesterday along with the bonus CD of live tracks culled from an April '04 Dallas, TX concert. Anyway, if you liked the style of music being played on the Deep End CD's and more specifically, The Deepest End, you're apt to like this. I like the addition of Danny Louis on keyboards and organ. I happen to like the sound of a Hammond organ in the background. The new bass player? Well, he's there. Not as pronounced or as "fiery" as Allan Woody but he's there. And he's not supposed to be another Allan Woody or do the things Alan did or sound the way Alan sounded. Just play along with a damn good drummer in Matt Abts. The primary focus is on Warren Haynes who is top notch thru and thru and just as soulful as ever. After only a couple of listenings I can honestly say that I really dig this release. Just don't expect Dose or Life Before Insanity.

Blackfield - Blackfield. Demetrio is right on with this. A mellow Stupid Dream. I'm also reminded at times of Wilson's side project No-Man. Of course, Wilson vocalizes and plays guitar and was a major contributor in the song writing duties so it's no wonder this sounds like a Porcupine Tree album. Some of Aviv Geffen's influences are heard due to the use of instrumentation from his native homeland of Israel. Bottom line, if you like Wilson's brand of music and production values this won't disappoint.

Darren

[-Jar-]

Meat Puppets - UP ON THE SUN vinyl.mmmm raw and pretty at the same time.

Husker Du - FLIP YOUR WIG (ok, my least favorite Husker Du album.. still has some great stuff)

Wedding Present - BIZARRO (after years of contemplation, I think I do like this one better than SEAMONSTERS.. but. I could change my mind tomorrow)

Lusk - FREE MARS (need drugs)

Black Uhuru - GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER (just doesn't get much more mellow than this one.. the music is almost liquid.. plus each track has a dub section at the end..)

Wilco - SUMMER TEETH (This is just about the loudest cd I own.. mastered VERY high)

Son Volt - WIDE SWING TREMELO (I really like this one, but there's this one spot with a wailin' harmonica that's kind of annoying)

[Javier]

Yes 90125, close to the edge, yes album, rhino remasters, all of them with awesome sonics i'll have to buy all of them.
Opeth Deliverance, damnation and blackwater park still not out from the player enough said in the last week about them.
Roger waters amused to death.
Julieta Venegas bueninvento latin pop rock with great music on it.
Elton Jhon Honky chateau and don't shoot me great 70's throwback.
Supertamp crime of the century and breakfast in america
ELO el dorado.
Bjork Medulla not as catchy as vespertine but is growing in me.

[Troy]

Dream Theater DVD. Sucked. Read my comments in that DT thread nearby.

Beach Boys- Pet Sounds. Impeccable production of some great melodic pop. 5 stars.

Psychedelic Furs- Takl Talk Talk. Classic new wave grit. "All of this and Nothing" is a favorite and showed how smart this kinda music could be.

That Keneally Metropole Orchestra disc I mentioned last week has been seeing a lot of spins. Don't believe me, it just got a 5 star review at AMG:

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:9xcm968o0epc

Talking Heads-Fear of Music- Fiercely angular and open new wave posing as art-rock. Their best album, 5 stars.

[Dusty Chalk]

Bjork, Post -- "It's Oh So Quiet" never fails to make me smile. I have a video clip of her singing it live, and all those screams and such are exactly as they are on the record.

Laurie Anderson, Mister Heartbreak -- I still want to hear William Shatner cover "Gravity's Angel"

Amorphis, the new one -- http://www.classicrockforums.com/images/smilies/headbanger.gif

The Sixths (obviously) -- see other thread

Buckethead, Robots and Monsters -- just in the mood for some insanity

Franz Ferdinand, repeatedly

Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder -- too many remixes, but those first five tracks make me so happy

The new Crematory -- http://www.classicrockforums.com/images/smilies/headbanger.gif

[MindGoneHaywire]

The Slackers, Close My Eyes. Like I really wanted to listen to a ska album. But it's good.

A Stax blues collection, We'll Play The Blues For You. Outside of a few decent tracks, some very solid proof that Stax was great at what it was best known for, and outside of that, well, blues was best left to labels like Chess.

The Lucky Tomblin Band--hey, I LOVE Western Swing. And this rec started off pretty good. But it didn't sustain it. After the first couple of songs, which were quite good, it becomes mostly forgettable.

Jane Monheit--Taking A Chance On Love. Featuring standards from MGM musicals, is the theme here, I believe. Better than her last record, which veered into embarrassingly schmalzy Streisand-ish territory that made me wonder why she didn't stick to the jazz of her first record & most of her 2nd. This is a step back in the right direction, though it's not quite solid all the way through. Can't quite put my finger on it. I still think that she's accomplished pretty much all she needs to or even can in the jazz realm, accomplished it three albums ago, and should look elsewhere. She's a GREAT singer. I'd really love to hear her do some jazz-inspired electronica. I suspect this won't happen.

Geraint Watkins--Dial W For Watkins. This guy has been a sideman with people like Dave Edmunds & Nick Lowe in the past. You reading this, DLD? Well, you can stop now. Being on the fine Yep Roc label, I had high hopes for this one. Nope. It's interesting, I guess, but I don't hear it as being particularly inspired. Decent cover of 'Heroes & Villains,' and Nick Lowe plays bass on this rec. But that's not enough to justify full purchase price on it.

A couple of electronica compilations, probably leaning towards the jazz/house or house/jazz or downtempo side of things. One is called Re:Jazz & started off very well, though I didn't get through it completely. Then there's the Dalminjo album, Fjord Fusioneer. Competent downtempo, nothing special; I liked the Horse Noodles LP better, actually. And I think I might've mentioned the Positive Flow rec a week or two ago? Very good if you like this sort of thing. So long as it doesn't delve completely into the house realm I'll at least give it a fair listen. Too much of it is stacked towards the house end rather than the jazz end. I remain particular about my electronica.

Um, some interesting jazz titles, nothing earthshattering, but pleasant listens nonetheless. Possibly the best of the bunch is a 2-CD live set by Charlie Watts' 10-piece ensemble, recorded three years ago. I seem to remember hearing an album of his I thought wasn't very good, but this is. Good covers, Ellington, Monk, Miles, the Stones' Satisfaction, an original or two, a standard or two. Perhaps not essential, but name one jazz recording from the past 40 years that is. Let's see, a Synergy Music comp, Syncopated Energy. Nothing really jumps out at me, just a halfway decent listen. I wish I could say something more about these, but unless something really sticks...it's amazing, because you think of jazz as a limitless genre, yet it really seems like just about anything that combined being good with being original and being relevant had been done by 1965. Yeah, there are exceptions, but by & large...oh, here's something cool. The Jazz Jamaica All Stars. I honestly can't figure out if this is jazz or reggae. I guess it's a reggae take on jazz, don't know how else I would put it. Definitely the most distinctive of any jazz rec I've heard this week. Then there's the Alex Heitlinger Sextet, the Jessica Jones Quartet, and a Dave Schnitter rec, he once toiled with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Pleasant recs all, and I might never listen to any of them again, save the Jazz Jamaica All Stars rec. Well, I really liked the Charlie Watts, so maybe I'll go back to that, too. But as much as I liked the other stuff, I kinda felt like what's the point.

Shawn Camp. I looked this guy up & the indications were that he was some mainstream Country guy. When I see that I think Garth Brooks & Travis Tritt & all this other nonsense. This is nothing of the sort. It's a live record from the Station Inn...forgive me, I've heard of that place, where is it? This is real gritty old old style country & western to my ears, or at least the first couple of songs was...I put it in the "MUST PLAY AGAIN" pile after determining that's where it belonged, and I didn't get far enough to be able to figure out if it started to suck after the first couple of songs. But what I heard I liked, and liked a lot.

The Black Keys: they're on some subsidiary of Epitaph Records. Never heard of them, but I'll always give a listen to anything Brett Gurewitz figures is worth putting out or distributing. Actually, most of the punk I've heard on Epitaph kinda blows, but it's the same way I thought anything on SST might be good back in the 80s (until I realized that once Black Flag broke up & Husker Du signed with Warners & D. Boon died that the Meat Puppets wasn't really enough to sustain such a foolish belief), I'll at least give it a listen. I saw some kinda buzz somewhere having to do with some lawsuit regarding the label, but I just didn't think this was much good. It has a sliver of a punk edge to it, but it's just some roots rock, with a hint of down-home blues, and quite frankly I'd rather listen to Kings Of Leon or rockabilly or Nick Curran. The vocals are distinctive--sort of like a straight-up version of the Butthole Surfers' 'Moving To Florida'--but the tunes just weren't there for me. This is the Thickfreakness album, by the way, not the new one.

Oh, yeah. I heard the new Bjork album. I guess I sorta get what's been written about it, and it is interesting from a vocal point of view, and it at least starts off more accessibly than the last one, to the point where I thought I might actually like it. By the time it was over, I was thinking I couldn't really hack it. I'm just not a fan of hers. Of course, she'll come close to platinum with this while SMiLE will sell maybe 1/3 or more likely 1/4 of what she moves. But she's an artist, don't ya know. Well, it ain't a sack of kittens being bludgeoned with a hammer, Troy, but there are moments that are close. Maybe I'll give it another listen, if I can try to find a way not to put this Van Hagar-era DVD into the player, that is. I mean, I have to find the time SOMEWHERE.

The Magnificents--anyone heard of them? I got the feeling I'd seen that name on this board before. I didn't expect much, but it was kind of interesting. Another one I have to go back to. Sometime.

Steel Pulse--African Holocaust. Hey, I listened to a ska album & a reggae jazz album. Sit through this? I don't think so. Oh, and I listened to the reggae tribute to Bob Dylan album, which I might've mentioned a week or two ago. But I just couldn't muster up the appetite to sit through this all the way. Sorry.

I have a few things I haven't gotten too--3 of 4 discs from some Cure box set from the era that came after the point when I kinda stopped listening to them. The recent album was a reminder of why I stopped. Which is not to say I don't like them, just that the first singles album is really all I need. I have all of these Yes albums here that I haven't gotten to. Some I've heard, some I haven't. I mean, I've never actually sat through Tormato! If it's anywhere near as awful as Topographic Oceans or Relayer...well, there's always 90125. I have Drama here too. Both I did hear, a long time ago. Every once in awhile it's instructive to throw something like this on as a reminder of why I just don't like this sort of thing, and also because I don't like criticizing music I haven't actually heard. Which is something that I don't do much of, by the way. But as much as I think they suck, I will say this for Yes, and even Rush: I thought it was very interesting, Troy's comments about Dream Theater in that other thread. I'm no fan of either band, but I certainly can't say I've never heard melodies in any of their music. Some of their music, sure, but there is a pop sensibility employed, to varying degrees, obviously more so in Yes' early music...but compared to Dream Theater, they're friggin' Burt Bacharach. I'm sure my curiosity to spin these Yes recs will evaporate MIGHTY quickly...but they're here, so what the hell.

[nobody]

Something I liked but forgot to mention...

<b>Two Lone Swordsmen: from the Double Gone Chapel</b>
Very good mix of electronics and live instrumentation with a gloomy mood throughout. Kinda reminds me of Neubaten a bit. (yeah, dusty I think you'd dig it) Also gives me flashbacks to the moodier side of industrial stuff. A couple tracks remind me of some of what I've heard of Daniel Ash solo. Ominous beats with some 80s influence and a stunningly good cover of the Gun Club's Sex Beat. Thunderous bass in spots. Mostly midtempo but enough variation to keep things interesting. About half the tracks are instrumentals. It veers from fairly experimental electronic stuff to more traditional sounding yet still intriguing rock styles, all with a hazy murk on top. One of the best of its kind I've heard for a long time.

[Davey]

The Slackers, Close My Eyes. Like I really wanted to listen to a ska album. But it's good.
The Slackers rule in my house, but I think the best one is The Question which I've talked quite a bit about around here. That is, if you like the ska, man.


Oh, yeah. I heard the new Bjork album......Of course, she'll come close to platinum with this while SMiLE will sell maybe 1/3 or more likely 1/4 of what she moves.
Not sure I agree with this assessment since Smile has been getting tons of press and I don't think Bjork has ever sold that much in the US except for the first one since it was supported with a big MTV video. No way will Medulla get close to platinum here. She gets a lot of press for being kinda weird but how many people do you know in "real" life that actually buy her albums? Not very many for me but I know a bunch that would scoop up Smile. And BW was just on Larry King not long ago too! He's kinda weird himself, now that I think about it :)

YMMV and I don't have sales figures to support anything I said above but I'll betcha a long distance virtual beer that Smile does as well as Medulla in the USA ;)

[Troy]

I wish I could be there to watch J's head explode while he spins Tormato.

[Stone]

A lot of green and blue, by coincidence:

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drg400/g408/g40824ig9ta.jpghttp://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre700/e755/e75577igvou.jpghttp://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drg300/g394/g39481supb6.jpg
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drg300/g319/g31920dwslv.jpghttp://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drg400/g420/g42034sehi4.jpghttp://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd600/d626/d6267588jtk.jpg
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf300/f390/f39065vh5g6.jpghttp://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drg300/g345/g34537supb6.jpg

Also listened to Bjork's new one once, and it seemed pretty strange to me, but I'll need some serious time with it to digest it.

[Davey]

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd600/d626/d6267588jtk.jpg
Hey, Sunday Puncher lives on! That's a good album. Boy, I miss ol' Cornelius. Hope he's doing well and still making music on occasion. What a wealth of knowledge - I can't remember ever mentioning a band that he hadn't seen play before :)

What's that cover in the bottom right?

[Stone]

Hey, Sunday Puncher lives on! That's a good album. Boy, I miss ol' Cornelius. Hope he's doing well and still making music on occasion. What a wealth of knowledge - I can't remember ever mentioning a band that he hadn't seen play before :)

What's that cover in the bottom right?

Yeah, anyone heard from Cornelius lately and/or know what he's up to?

The cover at the bottom right is I Am the World Trade Center's The Cover Up - accessible eighties-style synth pop mostly. I think Jim C would probably like it.

[Davey]

Yeah, anyone heard from Cornelius lately and/or know what he's up to?
Not me, but I just realized that many of the newer people around here have no idea what we're talking about....so here's a little background info from the archive (dbi=Davey, cc=Cornelius, the rest=the rest)....

http://archive.audioreview.com/10/0EED65E3.php

[Stone]

so here's a little background info from the archive (dbi=Davey, cc=Cornelius, the rest=the rest)....

http://archive.audioreview.com/10/0EED65E3.php

I just read that entire thread. It's interesting (and sometimes pretty entertaining) reading some of the stuff from the "old days." Plus, I really miss what was oftentimes the second conversation going on in the post titles. Even after a significant amount of time, I don't like this format nearly as well.

[Davey]

I really miss what was oftentimes the second conversation going on in the post titles. Even after a significant amount of time, I don't like this format nearly as well.
You ain't gonna get no argument from me! This place took a serious nosedive in fun and community feel after switching to vBulletin and probably will never recover. I do miss the old days and the fun we used to have. Just not the same anymore and so many have left or rarely post anymore. We really had something special going there for awhile, huh?

BTW, I meant to thank you for that cool Fiery Furnaces live review in the other thread but wound up only giving JC some info. Thanks! Sounds like a blast. I love reading stuff like that.

[Mike]

Hey Stone,

How's that Blue Nile album, I didn't realise they had a new one out until I saw your cover shot, still it's hard to keep up with a band as prolific in output as them!

I tried to hear some samples on the web but couldn't find any, anyway how does it measure up?

Cheers
Mike

[PPG]

Tears For Fears - Everybody Loves A Happy Ending - excellent. Picks up where Sowing The Seeds of Love left off, basically, but even better and more consistently good songwriting throughout.

Beatnix - It's Four You - '98 release by Australian Beatle imitators doing songs Lennon & McCartney gave to other artists, and performed like the Beatles might have recorded them.

[Stone]

Hey Stone,

How's that Blue Nile album, I didn't realise they had a new one out until I saw your cover shot, still it's hard to keep up with a band as prolific in output as them!

I tried to hear some samples on the web but couldn't find any, anyway how does it measure up?

Cheers
Mike

I like it so far, but I've only spun it once. It sounds very much like the other couple of albums of theirs I have. Don't know if it will mearsure up to Hats, but it sounds good.