Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday...

[nobody]

I'm gonna group my recent listening into a couple categories?

Old Country vinyl from the Record Show
I went to a record show a couple weekends ago and this time ended up finding a stack of fine country albums, along with a couple other things. Last time I went, it was mostly jazz and R&B, but not much luck that way this time, but instead grabbed a stack, including the following...

Johnny Cash: Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous
Classic Sun Records Johnny Cash record from the 50s. His last record for Sun, includes classics like I Walk the Line, Ballad of a Teenage Queen and Big River. Great stuff from a lergend.

The Fabulous Johnny Cash
His first Columbia record after leaving Sun. Its got Don't Take Your Guns to Town, one of my favorite all time Cash songs. A bit more polished than his Sun stuff, but not much. Cash is one of those great artists with huge catalogs you can grab cheaply in the used bins and always uncover a few great songs you?ve never heard before.

Wanda Jackson: Cream of the Crop
This ain't rockabilly Wanda, this is 60s country Wanda, but she's still got a great voice and can pick a song. A Girl Don't Have To Drink To Have Fun is a little tune I hadn't heard before that is rapidly becoming an AA favorite in these parts.

Wanda Jackson: Salutes the Country Music Hall of Fame
Wanda digs into a treasury of classic country and comes up with nothing but winners here. Jealous Heart, You Win Again, Jambalaya and more, a really great listen.

Willie Nelson: Shotgun Willie
Can?t believe I never had a copy of this one. It doesn't have the big hits of some of his other work, but start to finish, Willie's in great form here. The title track is great, as is the rest. If you're a Willie Nelson fan and haven't listened to this one yet, hurry up and get busy.

Lyle Lovett and his Large Band
Lyle's one of those artists I've checked in and out on over the years, but have always enjoyed. This one slipped past me the first time, but I'm really sorry it did now that I?ve heard it. His big band and jazz leanings are all over this record, along with his country drawl and great lyrics. Excellent record.

Dwight Yaokam: Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room
Excellent outing from one of my favorite modern country artists. Of course, it's that he don't sound modern at all that makes me like his work, but whatever. He's on top of his game on this record, featuring a duet with Buck Owens as well as Maria McKee. If you like Honky Ton style music, Dwight's been leading the pack for this era and this one's a keeper.

Recent vinyl gems
Well, I also was digging through my records and was grabbing out a few things that somehow stood out, stuff that was well-pressed, packaged, and had great music, stuff that I just really appreciated as vinyl releases over the last several years. Here's a few that stood out to me...

Bonnie Prince Billy: Sings Greatest Palace Music
This 2 LP set is well recorded and pressed and serves as a rerecorded, more polished production of songs from Palace, Palace Brothers and whatever other names the guy was going by when he did them first. Loyalists may take issue with the Nashville sound on these tracks, but I like most all of them, and in comparison to the originals, I'd say its about 50-50 for me, which I like best.

Air: 10,000 hz Legend
This one has really grown on me over time. It was quite a departure for Air at the time, much more somber and drawn out. It's another great vinyl release from a band that always seems to put out great recordings. A couple nice selections featuring Beck as well.

The Congos: Heart of the Congos
Fantastic heavy vinyl 2 LP reissues with extra 12" versions on side 4. An all-time reggae favorite from the Congos with Lee Perry handling production. If you're a reggae fan and a vinyl fan, this is a serious must-have.

OutKast: Aqumini
OK, the pressing is less than stellar, but damn, a three LP set for close to 10 bucks! And, it's probably their finest outing in my opinion. In fact, all the OutKast stuff is available in cheap multi-vinyl sets. Grab as many as you can find, which should be easy since they're readily available.

Went through a few more, but I'm tired of writing now, so that's enough. Who's next?

[Troy]

One new one to report this week:

RPWL- World through My Eyes. Newish release from this ex-Pink Floyd cover band. Very similar to the past 2 albums, but no tracks have leapt out at me the way a few did on previous albums. I need more time with it.

Others:

Yes- Going for the One. Spun this one about 5 times yesterday. Probably the last great Yes album. Awaken is one of their best songs, period.

Alamailman Vasarat- Kåårmelautakunta. Hardest damn thing I've ever tried to type. Finnish Klezmer-metal. Really strange.

Tears for Fears- Everybody Loves a Happy Ending. Very good, if a bit workman-like.

Jean-Luc Ponty- Imaginary Voyage. Semi-generic mid-70s fusion. Background music.

Pell Mell- Star City. Slow, surfy instrumentals. Quite excellent.

Jethro Tull- Crest of a Knave. Some very forgettable songs and a few great ones like "Farm on a Freeway."

10cc- Original Soundtrack. Great, great undervalued band and album.

The Police- Outlands D'Amour. First album. Shakey/amateurish in spots and really innovative and interesting in others.

IQ- Dark Matter. Big and loud, but harmonically safe modern prog.

Porcupine Tree- Deadwing. Is everyone tired of hearing about this? Playing it in the car a lot. It really IS a grower. I like the quieter, more melodic songs than the crunchy rockers.

[tentoze]

More listening than I can begin to remember, and still back-logged. Newer/ notable releases:

John Prine/ Fair & Square- 1st release of new tunes in 9 years, and still dead on the money. A weariness in his voice that I haven't heard before.

Hayes Carll/ Little Rock- 2nd release from young folk-twanger. Takes it more uptempo on this disk with some good roadhouse rocking going on.

John Doe/ Forever Hasn't Happened Yet- not sure what to point to as a comparison, but I'm liking it.

Solomon Burke/ Don't Give Up On Me- when did this come out? A solid batch of tunes.

A ton of other stuff all day and 1/2 the night on Saturday, mostly vinyl- Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Garland Jeffreys, John Hartford, Gram Parsons, Ellen McIlwaine, Laura Nyro, Laura Veirs, etc........

[BarryL]

One new one to report this week:

Yes- Going for the One. Spun this one about 5 times yesterday. Probably the last great Yes album. Awaken is one of their best songs, period.

I was listening to this in the car on the weekend. There's an instrumental section in Wonderous Stories before the last verse that is absolutely stunningly brilliant. The band is at the top of its compositional skills and plays like a bloody orchestra. Give this whole song a close listen, and try to get behind Anderson vocals to admire the instrumental arrangements. Brilliant.

Today:

PT - Deadwing
Kino - Picture (see review above)
Joni Mitchell - Songs of a Prairie Girl
John Klemmer - Priceless jazz Collection
Shostakovich - Jazz Music

[Slosh]

NIN - With Teeth
I've had this (dowloaded) for a couple of months now and finally got around to listening to it on Sunday. If ya want to take a timewarp back to the early '90s listen to this album. It's like the last 13 or so years never existed in Trentworld. It's probably on par with older NIN but for me it suffers from too much been-there-done-that.

Beck - Guero
My friend burned a copy for me. She said (just like everyone else is saying) since I like Odelay the most it won't take me long to get in a comfort zone with this. Well, it is pretty decent but it doesn't really stand out as anything special. Been there, done that.

NP: Spoon - A Series Of Sneaks (ain't getting Gimme Fiction until I find it on vinyl)

[newtrix1]

Outkast - Souternplaylisticadillacmuzik (sorry Nobody, but this is better than Aquemini )
Tool - Lateralus
Soul Coughing - El Oso
Lori Carson - Stolen Beauty
Billy Joel - Streetlife Serenader
Morcheeba - Who Can You Trust?
Various artists - Music for a Glass Bead Game
Beatles - Help!

Comps:
Don't Fear the Rapper - me
Journey Sampler (something a buddy made for me about a million years ago. Think I'm gonna toss it )
Jazz Ladies (cassette comp I made about 15 yrs ago)

[Snowbunny]

Johnny Cash: Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous
Classic Sun Records Johnny Cash record from the 50s. His last record for Sun, includes classics like I Walk the Line, Ballad of a Teenage Queen and Big River. Great stuff from a lergend.

JOHNNY CASH!!! Now there's an underappreciated legend!

I heard one of the best cryin' in your beer songs by him the other day called' "Hurt".

Hurt

I hurt myself today
To see if I still feel
I focus on the pain
The only thing that's real
The needle tears a hole
The old familiar sting
Try to kill it all away
But I remember everything

What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here

What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way


My LOTW:

Bjork - Vespertine (Still like this better than the new one)
Shins - Chutes Too Narrow (Doesn't have legs for me)
Modest Mouse - Good News!!! (Love, love love this one!)

Coming soon: Elton John - Madman Across the Water and the Tumbleweed One...

[Stone]

I heard one of the best cryin' in your beer songs by him the other day called' "Hurt".

I've fallen into the SB trap before (Exploding White Mice, anyone?), so I choose to say nothing about this.

Bjork - Vespertine (Still like this better than the new one)

Yeah, but isn't Medulla a cool departure? I really enjoy it, but admittedly it's not something that I listen to every day.

[Dusty Chalk]

I like-a Laika, so I-a been listening to-a Good Looking Blues, Sounds of the Satellites, Wherever I am, I am what is missing and...whatever, that fourth one. I can't find that two-disc best-of/rarities set.

Also, that Porcupine Tree, and Nine Inch Nails' With-a Teeth-a.

And some MFSL stuff, before I sell it.

Izz, I Move -- I am still blown over by how good this is.

Mars Volta, Frances the Mute -- some really dang long songs on this. When I ripped and reburned it for the car, found out that several of those songs have subsections, but then some of them are already pre-broken-up for me. Weird, huh?

I'm sure there are other things I've listened to other things, but WRT reporting them...



Did you know...?
"Hurt" was originally by Nine Inch Nails

[Slosh]

Snowbunny, please stop being sooo blonde!

[Snowbunny]

I've fallen into the SB trap before (Exploding White Mice, anyone?), so I choose to say nothing about this.

But, but, butt... it wasn't my fault Genie in a Bottle! It was that cranky guy at the german kaffehaus that refused to take my Canadian money order! He was probably too busy spanking his monkey....

[richmon]

Took Friday off, for a long weekend, so lots of car listening:

King Crimson 'The power to believe' -I believe its the best thing they've done recently.
Jon Luc Ponty 'handmade best of' - most of his albums had one or two good songs.
Frank Zappa 'The Grand Wazoo' -Cletus Awreetus Alrightus is killer.
Farpointe 'Crying in the rain'
PT 'Deadwing' -by the 5th listen it connected. Funny how I always enjoy them most on long car rides, that's happened with all their albums.
Riverside 'Out of myself' -wanted to compare this to PT back to back. It was a tie, this is a great album if you like PT, sounds most like TSMSideways.
Allman Bros 'Hitting the note' - bulls eye.

Johnny Cash fans: Theres a movie about his lifestory coming out in November, with Joaquin Pheonix playing the man in black. Should be interesting, I like Joaquin's acting.

[Snowbunny]

And some MFSL stuff, before I sell it.

Okay, Dusty, help me out here. I finally figured out RIYL and the only thing that comes to mind when I see MF is, well, a guy who really loves his mother...

"Hurt" was originally by Nine Inch Nails

Get outta town! That's pretty amazing!

[Snowbunny]

Snowbunny, please stop being sooo blonde!

What'd I say??? Did somebody send me that song on a comp or sumpin?

JFTR, I am currently uploading all of your comps onto my mp3 player so it will be All Slosh All the Time. Or at least until I'm as sick of the songs, as I am of your silly signature line! Freshen up, will ya, Sloshette!

[newtrix1]

And some MFSL stuff, before I sell it.

Okay, Dusty, help me out here. I finally figured out RIYL and the only thing that comes to mind when I see MF is, well, a guy who really loves his mother...

MFSL: manly female seeks lesbian

Dusty's just going thru another phase.

[Slosh]

What'd I say??? Did somebody send me that song on a comp or sumpin?

Nothing like that. Just that that song was big, and I mean fucking BIG long before Johnny $ every got ahold of it.

JFTR, I am currently uploading all of your comps onto my mp3 player so it will be All Slosh All the Time. Or at least until I'm as sick of the songs, as I am of your silly signature line!

Hmmm . . . sig line. How about?

god is dead and no one cares, if there is a hell I'll see you there

[Kaboom]

-uhm not very musical today.
i listened to Interpol for the first time today. antics. i found it quite lousy
Back to some good ol' Queen. queen, Queen II and Sheer Heart attack
Marillion Misplaced Childhood
Nikolo Kotzev's Nostradamus
Kansas Leftoverture
uhm i think that's about it. And i'm listening to In Absentia at the moment, but i'm only on track 2 and i shall be going to bed shortly
Cheers!

[Hawkeye]

Eric Clapton - From the Cradle
The Who - Who's Next
Marvin Gaye - Collection
Porcupine Tree - Live at Nearfest 2001
Miles Davis - Relaxin
Al Stewart - Down in the Cellar
clips from Pineapple Thief - downloaded from their website
Transatlantic - SMPTe

[3-LockBox]

New (and old) PT

IQ:Subterranea (I need some more time with this one)

Still trying to 'get' Glass Hammer:Shadowlands

revisiting Captain Beyond:Sufficiently Breathless, an unknown jem of an album

I've even been hitting some of RR's old comps (Progressive Pastiche,Rock Is Dead,Disjointed,Slow Summer Songs)

some old band called Fever Tree (just so so)

old Pink Floyd (Relics,More,Atom Heart Mother)

[3-LockBox]

troy sez: One new one to report this week:

-->RPWL- World through My Eyes. Newish release from this ex-Pink Floyd cover band. Very similar to the past 2 albums, but no tracks have leapt out at me the way a few did on previous albums. I need more time with it.

I actually have this one on order

-->Yes- Going for the One. Spun this one about 5 times yesterday. Probably the last great Yes album. Awaken is one of their best songs, period.

Do you have the recent re-issue? Killer bonus stuff. I love to rearrange the bonus tracks mixed in between the original album tracks. Maybe my favorite YES album

-->Jethro Tull- Crest of a Knave. Some very forgettable songs and a few great ones like "Farm on a Freeway."

Yes, this album has its charms. It was my fave back went it came out. I bought this one along with Robert Plant's Now & Zen and played the hell outta them. Both albums sound so dated now though

-->The Police- Outlands D'Amour. First album. Shakey/amateurish in spots and really innovative and interesting in others.

and ironically, not all that 'dated' sounding

-->IQ- Dark Matter. Big and loud, but harmonically safe modern prog.

I like the first and last track a lot, the rest, well....still trying to 'get into' Subterranea

-->Porcupine Tree- Deadwing. Is everyone tired of hearing about this?

NO! Mellotron Scratch is a killer track, isn't it?

[Monkey Bones]

(ain't getting Gimme Fiction until I find it on vinyl)

Hey buddy, I stopped by Streetlight Records on the way home tonight and picked up my copy of the new Spoon and Electrelane. Checked and they had them both in luverly vinyl too. The Spoon looks very nice. Beautiful gatefold cover and heavy vinyl. $15.98 but looked like a high quality package. Cover really comes to life in the big picture. The CD was $11.98 and came with a bonus CD that you don't get with the single LP package (at least as far as I know - no sticker or anything like there was on the CD wrapper). Nice digipak. Cover looks pretty cool in the little package too, but you know it's not nearly the same as a big gatefold LP. They did throw in a free Spoon Gimme Fiction T-shirt so that was cool. Only had a couple left so I made it just in time. The Electrelane vinyl is a nice gatefold double LP for only $13.98. CD was only $10.98. Might have to score a copy of the vinyl if I like it a lot, while I still can. Turntable isn't gonna be on ice forever......

[Dusty Chalk]

And some MFSL stuff, before I sell it.

Okay, Dusty, help me out here. I finally figured out RIYL and the only thing that comes to mind when I see MF is, well, a guy who really loves his mother...

MFSL==Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs -- a record label that specializes in limited edition high quality pressings of classic music titles. For example, I had three sealed copies of Jethro Tull's Living in the Past (one of the holy grails of MFSL collectors). One, I put a Buy It Now of US$100, and it sold in like 4 hours, most of which were pre-dawn. So the second one I put a Buy It Now of US$150, and a reserve of US$100, and it hit reserve in under 24 hours (it's going to sell in like a day).

The third one I'll probably open. And listen to. Once. Then sell it. I'll probably get less than US$100 for it just for doing that, but you know what? I don't care. I want to hear it. At least once. I can't have my grubby little hands on it, and pass up the opportunity to listen to it. There's a couple I have duplicates of, but some I'm just selling, even though I only had one copy. (Like, remind me, for example, why I sold my only copy of Pink Floyd's Meddle?!?!? What was I thinking?!?!?)

So when I say I've been listening to some MFSL, I mean things like Pink Floyd, and Eric Clapton, and Supertramp, and lots of other classic rock type stuff. U2, Blue Oyster Cult, ...

"Hurt" was originally by Nine Inch Nails

Get outta town! That's pretty amazing!

Yeah. Cash did a really good job of making that song his own. You should hear the NINny version.

Oh, and in her defense -- it was only huge if you were already into NIN.

[BarryL]

Al Stewart - Down in the Cellar

Saw Al Stewart in town here last Thursday night. Great solo show by a great song writer. Very entertaining.

I didn't think too much of Down In The Cellar though. What's your opinion?

He has a new album coming out very soon. Looking forward to picking up a copy.

[Stone]

But, but, butt... it wasn't my fault Genie in a Bottle! It was that cranky guy at the german kaffehaus that refused to take my Canadian money order! He was probably too busy spanking his monkey....

Yeah, but you still played me to even get to that stage. How soon we forget, eh? I thought you probably really knew "Hurt" was a NIN song and were just "playing" blonde.

Regarding spanking his monkey, that could be true, especially if he didn't know about this wonderful product:

[Slosh]

Hey buddy, I stopped by Streetlight Records on the way home tonight and picked up my copy of the new Spoon and Electrelane. Checked and they had them both in luverly vinyl too. The Spoon looks very nice. Beautiful gatefold cover and heavy vinyl. $15.98 but looked like a high quality package. Cover really comes to life in the big picture. The CD was $11.98 and came with a bonus CD that you don't get with the single LP package (at least as far as I know - no sticker or anything like there was on the CD wrapper). Nice digipak. Cover looks pretty cool in the little package too, but you know it's not nearly the same as a big gatefold LP. They did throw in a free Spoon Gimme Fiction T-shirt so that was cool. Only had a couple left so I made it just in time. The Electrelane vinyl is a nice gatefold double LP for only $13.98. CD was only $10.98. Might have to score a copy of the vinyl if I like it a lot, while I still can. Turntable isn't gonna be on ice forever......

Hmmm. I haven't been to the record store yet but when I got a few albums last week they said they have the Gimme Fiction LP on order so it should be there when I get around to going. Spoon has always been well-recorded so maybe I'll get the CD instead but comparing Kill The Moonlight vinyl to the few CD-R tracks I have - it's no contest. The vinyl itself is nice and heavy and almost dead quiet. Sonically there's quite a bit more treble extension and it's just fuller and smoother over all, plus there's a little more dynamic range even though it's still a compressed recording. I dunno. Better sound or more songs? Tough choice, especially since vinyl is nearly always cheaper by a couple of dollars around here.

Wish it was coming out on SACD though.

NP: 13&God