So it's Tuesday what you got - come on now don't be shy...

For me it's been a whole bunch of stuff that Audiobill generously sent over including Earlimart, The Orange Peels, Mars Volta Giant Sand, Chroma Key, Max Richter and loads more. I've been working my way through them Bill and there's some great stuff in there, thanks again and yours should be with you soon.

And a really good comp from Slosh which has opened my ears and wallet to some new sounds, thanks again Sloshy.

Plus time for a bit of....
Super Furry Animals - Lovekraft - solid SFA

Death Cab For Cutie - Plans

Elbow - Leaders Of The Free World, hugely underated band which Davey mentioned a few days ago they deserve more attention.

Bedouin Soundclash - Sounding A Mosaic - Summer's almost over but I'm still playing this a lot, easy on the ear reggae sounds with great vocals.

Silent Type - Of Writing Of Violence - A few people round here might like this

Kate Rusby - Girl Who Couldn't Fly - English folk music is alive and well

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Howl - This is quite a change from their last quite bluesy and acoustic but me likes so far

Cheers
Mike

Mike,

First let me thank you for posting this thread. Now...on to the discs:

David Gray - Life In Slow Motion
The Shore - The Shore
Razorlight - Up All Night
Oasis - Don't Believe The Truth
Whiskytown - Stranger's Almanac
West Indian Girl - West Indian Girl
Ben Kweller - On My Way

Bill

Just got a big shipment of discs (went cd shopping on ebay). Here's a sampling of those and others I've been listening to

M.I.A. - Arular: Awesome! Finally some fresh sounds in rap
Hayden - Skyscraper National Park
Castanets - Cathedral
Amos Lee
Rush - 2112
Magnolia Elec. Co. - Trials and Errors
Derek & the Dominos - Layla (SACD)
Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger: Great disc - full of energy
Josh Rouse - 1972
The Decemberists - Picaresque: This is growing on me. I still prefer Castaways and Cutouts.
Allman Bros. - Fillmore East (SACD): The SACD surround mix rejuvenated my love for this disc. Highly recommended
Minus the Bear - New one (forget the name): My first experience with these guys. I love it.

Hey BillB, how's the new David Gray? I'm a pretty big fan of his other stuff, although I felt that "New Day" was missing something.

Beck - Guero {hadn't listened to this until recently, now in heavy rotation}
Billy Bragg - England, Half English {new to me , impressed}
Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams (Reissue) {stunning!}
Frank Zappa - Apostrophe/Overnight Sensation
Prince - Parade {old fave}
Medeski, Martin, & Wood - End of the World Party, The Dropper
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme {helps me focus}
Bill Evans - Piano Player, Live at the Village Vanguard {now playing, good compilation}
Cannonball Adderly - Dizzy's Business, The Cannonball Adderley Quintet Plus

Spent a bunch of time with a couple of my favorite Arto Lindsay albums. Prize is one of the best albums of the last few years for me and it's on Ani DiFranco's little Righteous Babe Records label which may (or may not) be the reason it sounds pretty fine too and has great production (like most of her albums). I think he spent most of his youth growing up in Brazil so has a strong appreciation of Tropicalia and Bossa-Nova type music. On his last few albums he has used those musical roots coupled with his sense of exploration to craft some soothing, but at the same time very interesting and playful experimental bossa-nova music, somewhat reminiscent of Beck's exploration on the Mutations album. Think maybe Caetano Veloso with some drum 'n' bass rhythms added and played by a very tight jazz band. I have Noon Chill from 1998 and Prize from 1999 and Invoke from a couple years later, and they're all favorites except I never came to love and appreciate Invoke like I do those first two. Noon Chill has a more dreamy and droney feel, while Prize is more upbeat, but both spend a lot of time in my player. Noon Chill is the one I'd call an all time favorite. Brilliant album that almost always sets the perfect mood for me. Lindsay is somewhat well known as a music pioneer from his days in DNA and The Golden Palominos as well as later in The Ambitious Lovers.

And discovered a copy of an old comp I did called Rock Is Dead, this one the 3rd iteration with a more varied collection of some of my favorite undefinable post-rocker type stuff ...

Stereolab - Metronomic Underground
Mouse On Mars - Bib
Mogwai - Mogwai Fear Satan
Slint - Nosferatu Man
Laika - 44 Robbers
Jim O'Rourke - Ghost Ship in a Storm
Matmos - The Banjo's Categorical Gut
Bardo Pond - Flux
Unwound - NO TECH!
Bark Psychosis - A Street Scene
Solex - Oh Cripes!
Cul de Sac - Doldrums
Rachel's - Artemisia

And a bunch of spins of the latest from British Sea Power, which is really growing on me. And a few others that I already mentioned during the week.

Oliver,

I've only given the David Gray discs two spins, once at work and once in the car so both were "distracted listens". His last was a big let down for me and I almost didn't buy this album until I read the reviews which have been good.

Bill

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Originally Posted by Davey

Spent a bunch of time with a couple of my favorite Arto Lindsay albums. Prize is one of the best albums of the last few years for me and it's on Ani DiFranco's little Righteous Babe Records label which may (or may not) be the reason it sounds pretty fine too and has great production (like most of her albums). I think he spent most of his youth growing up in Brazil so has a strong appreciation of Tropicalia and Bossa-Nova type music. On his last few albums he has used those musical roots coupled with his sense of exploration to craft some soothing, but at the same time very interesting and playful experimental bossa-nova music, somewhat reminiscent of Beck's exploration on the Mutations album.

And a bunch of spins of the latest from British Sea Power, which is really growing on me. And a few others that I already mentioned during the week.

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I've nearly bought a couple of his albums in the past but always pulled out at the last minute. I like his use of the Bossa Nova beats, he has some really interesting sounds and the production sounds faultless but I just can't get on with his voice. It's just a tad too light for me and he ends up sounding like a drag queen to these ears.

But I agree with the BSP in my top five for the year, talking of drag queens they should have won the Mercury prize.

Cheers
Mike

...as long as it's not <i>Dave</i> asking! ;)

I just picked up my second Porcupine Tree disc "In Absentia", and I guess it's pretty much what I expected. First spin was a good (not great) listening experience. Surely worth more exploration. For those who are looking for a new era Pink Floyd, the ties are surely there, but hopefully you don't truly expect a new Pink Floyd. Obvious point, but worth saying to dispell a potential let down.

other than that, been spinning a lot of my own comps which I won't bore y'all with :).

hey BillB, if you're reading, I've been thinking about getting that West Indian Girl cd you posted on your list, you likey?

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Originally Posted by Mike

I've nearly ... always pulled out at the last minute... like a drag queen ...

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Yeah, his voice is kind of soft and coy, but also I find it very comforting and tuneful. Mind you, not that I like being comforted by drag queens all that often ;)

I'll send you a copy of Noon Chill some time to explore in the privacy of your own home, without the glare of those street corner harlots in drag to distract you. Nice album. Don't you find Yan on the latest BSP to have some of those same drag queeny traits? Or is that what you were implying in the closing comment?

Best of what I've been playing is Stars-Set Yourself On Fire. There's so much here to love from this Canadian band. There are enough time signature changes and creative instrumentation to make it a bit proggy, enough gorgeous melodies to make the popster happy, enough variation of styles and experimentation to make the indiehipster happy. In parts similar to something like Lali Puna or Notwist, with a touch of Moonbabies and Arcitecture In Helsinki. Even the darker toons have a thinly disguised veil of exuberance just a layer or two underneath. Overall a very worthwhile listen.

Also the newest from John Vanderslice and Sigur Ros. Sig Ros gets a bit tiresome by the end so far. I think the whinning vocals just start to grate after a while, very strong start though and a fun enough disc for my first from Sigur Ros.

I grabbed the General Electriks on a whim. Bad move and this disc will hold the honor of being the first disc I ever sell back.

De/Vision-Fairyland (oh, if only Yech were around)
Clash-Blackmarket Clash
X-Beyond And Back
Paul Simon-Graceland
Echoing Green - Supernova
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah


Let's see...

Boots from Wire, Front 242, Postal Service, Massive Attack, Bow Wow Wow, Ramones, New Order, Sigur Ros, Bloc Party, Clan of Xymox, James, Jesus and Mary Chain, Interpol, The National, and the Casual Dots.

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hey BillB, if you're reading, I've been thinking about getting that West Indian Girl cd you posted on your list, you likey?

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Me likey a LOT! The Verve meets Jane's Addiction possibly mixed by The Chemical Brothers.

Bill

Mostly Twin Cinema by The New Pornographers this past week. I also spun part of the Fruit Bats album and CRSv10.

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Originally Posted by BillB

Me likey a LOT! The Verve meets Jane's Addiction possibly mixed by The Chemical Brothers.

Bill

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Thanks!

Enjoying a massive thunder and lightning display as I type. Hard to beat that gigantic ambient Crack-WHOMP!

Some new stuff:

Echolyn- The End is Beautifiul. Mostly excellent. More accessible than most of this band's outpoot.

Wobbler- Hinterland. Too much of a early 70s euro-prog clone. The sound is just right, but they failed with the writing. No melodies stick with me after several plays.

Riverside- Out of Myself. Best when it's doing the Porcupine Tree spacerock thing. Some erroneous "Cookie Monster" singing ruins sections. Overall tho, a good spin.

Glad you're enjoying some of those musical notes I sent 'cross the 'tlantic, Mike. That Mars Volta, imho, gets better with each listen.

Been a very good week in music for me.

Pixies - Surfer Rosa
Centro-Matic - Love You Just the Same (earthy, emotional album with plenty of cool lyrics to digest)
Josh Rouse - Nashville (gem)
The Go-Betweens - Oceans Apart (textured music with a real conscience; worthy of repeat listens; nice to see this group release again)
Richmond Fontaine - The Fitgerald
My Morning Jacket - Z (going to see this band in October)
Brendan Benson - The Alternative to Love (fun pop for a weekend afternoon, or any pre-dusk romp)
New Pornographers - Twin Cinema (turning to be my favourite of theirs, despite some critics who think otherwise; seen these guys & gal(s) in concert twice and absolutely dig this one most)
The Stars - Set Yourself on Fire (what Jim Clark just said)
Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (finally picked this up & it is thoroughly enjoyable; love the way Stevens weaves small snippets of pop culture references into his songs; i'll have to check some of the U.S. politico-historical references on my own - just for fun)

What a fabulous year in music this is turning out to be (we've had several in a row, now),

Bill

Rotersand, Welcome to Goodbye (link) -- particularly enjoy "Exterminate Annihilate Destroy"
new Paradise Lost
Hafler Trio w/Jonssi (from Sigur Ros)
new Sigur Ros (me likey)
new Friends of Dean Martinez (Live at Club 2, lyrical, sublime)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Davey

I'll send you a copy of Noon Chill some time to explore in the privacy of your own home.

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That would be good Dave cheers appreciate that I'll keep the volume down.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Davey

Don't you find Yan on the latest BSP to have some of those same drag queeny traits? Or is that what you were implying in the closing comment?

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No I love his voice it's a little how shall we say - more manly. It's just the guy who won the Mercury prize Anthony is a former drag queen and it just reminded me how robbed BSP were, I don't think they were even nominated. Anybody who sings about Icebergs and Victorian Ice is good in my books!

Cheers
Mike