30% off a range of their recent releases

https://shop.bluenote.com/

I know there are some here who are ‘heavy’ iTunes users….

The long-heralded replacement for iTunes has apparently arrived on the latest MacOS Catalina.

Kirk McElhearn & Doug Adams are both experts in use/development and modding of iTunes and are off blogging about it.

I’m scared that 15 years of obsessive rating and playlisting is about to get f’d up. Has anyone upgraded?

https://kirkville.com/category/tech/

It’s very good and its only a $1 in your MP3 or WAV variety from their website

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjUblmk4Cyo

https://italiansdoitbetter.com/product/chromatics-closer-to-grey/

Apologies, can’t help myself – but after seeing a few more references to his last tour in the Top 3 Gigs thread, I just have to signal possibly a lone voice of dissent…

I admit that mass enthusing does tend to drive an urge to look for a contrary reaction – even more so when the panting reviews are used as marketing by the artist themselves with DB himself quoting the NME’s ridiculous “The Best Live Show Of All Time”.

But this is an artist I’ve long admired, never seen before live – and he was doing some Remain In Light and Fear of Music tunes. Fab! So I went to Hammersmith wanting to join the throng of superlative givers

And? Just about OK – not a live show but a self-consciously hip performance of – in some cases – average songs. And then you get to the groove monsters from Remain In Light…surely exciting spontaneous wig-outs, or at least get into that groove..no, more mannered smuggery.

Yes, that’s the word that summed it up for me – smug…

So if anyone out there feels the same – great! Otherwise, please just walk on past and shake your head…

Behold the sight of Suede live a couple of days ago in their career peak 2019 form.

Our Bob not above plugging his wares…

But if you have to, at least have a random circus act

I went to see the Smashing Pumpkins last night. It’s fair to say it wasn’t your average gig. There were so many ‘what the’ moments, I could do a detailed review, but 1) I think this article sums it up

and 2) I get the feeling there might be a general sniffyness here with respect to Billy & the boys. He’s not the last person to provoke an adverse reaction…

It was way over the top, too long and probably too expensive (although the ticket prices were pretty steep). But what’s the point in being bland? We all need a Space Oddity cover delivered by Billy up some steps reaching for the stars, don’t we?

https://www.loudersound.com/features/this-is-the-setlist-from-smashing-pumpkins-ridiculous-wembley-arena-show

@minibreakfast ‘s https://theafterword.co.uk/a-question-of-jazz/ thread has been a goldmine of alien jazz recommendations.

But it’s largely in the classic, dudes in suits, vein.

Recently I have been wandering through the forests of classic fusion – I’m not an expert but have been stopping to think whether or not I like Mahavishnu or Weather Report (a bit too ‘dry’ particularly Weather Report?) or Billy Cobham.

Then I got Agharta – this could possibly be the peak of all musical existence , well unless you’re having a dinner party. Stupendous.

And I have now continued my journey, with a bit more groove in my step, to find anything else that hits that vein. So please assume the alien is a groovy one – let me have your wig-outs.

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

A recent discovery, this is melodic, epic but bet of all underpinned by throbbing electronics.

The kscope website tells me, as I am sure the legions of Polish Prog fans will already know ‘Lunatic Soul is Mariusz Duda, the talented creator, singer and multi-instrumentalist behind some of the finest and most captivating progressive music coming from Europe, with Poland’s shooting stars Riverside. Duda has now released his sixth studio album, the companion to 2017’s Fractured and the pinnacle of the first decade of Lunatic Soul.’

So, there you go

Schools are out and whilst i’m not (not for two weeks yet), time for some current, ehem, pop jams

First up Justin Timberlake channels his inner Stevie, great track from his new album (where such things are not in abundance – ‘Flannel’ anyone?)

Fuzz Club are a UK label/site specialising in, they say, “experimental rock’n’roll influenced by psych, post-punk, noise, krautrock, folk”. I found it by a recommendation on here for ‘Our Mother Was A Plant’ by JuJu and have then sampled other stuff, in particular their ‘Reverb Conspiracy’ compilations.

If you like droney, gloomy, psych/kraut grooves then there are industrial quantities here and satisfyingly often from random European places. Anyway…

They are having a sale – certain Cds at £1.99 etc. In particular you can pick up the awesome double cd ‘Reverb conspiracy 5’ for that

https://fuzzclub.shop/

Here’s some Dreamweapon, from Portugal. Some may this this stuff all sounds the same? Maybe, but in a good way…

I have posted on here before about Watertown, Sinatra’s 1970 concept album about the end of a marriage, written by Bob Gaudio (him of the Jersey Boys). It’s a classic.

I have just stumbled onto this dedicated website, presumably for a recent re-release, which makes for great reading. In particular, there is a 90 min documentary you can download – narrated by a slightly odd-sounding individual it includes interviews with the main creatives.

Have a hankie ready

http://www.watertownology.com/

Calling @kaisfatdad!

I saw Black Orpheus for the first time last night. The 1959 Palme D’Or winner is french-directed but set in Rio at Carnival, and largely in the favellas. It is lyrical, colourful, vibrant and nor surprisingly full of Brazilian rhythm and tunes, including by Jobim.

This reminded of the many great Brazilian music threads on here – which I’m sure would have referenced Black Orpheus – and the discoveries I have made – are there any new ones out there?

In the meantime here is a clip

Prices from £6 – small selection but interesting ones – Sandy Denny? Portishead? Chemical Brothers

https://www.recordstore.co.uk/recordstore/Record-Sale/

As noted elsewhere, eg @ahh_bisto, the new Neko Case is very very good.

Good tunes, strong production, variety but really engaging lyrics that have actually for once have you reading the inner bag. (Could do without all the cigarette imagery). It is a modern sound but not pandering to any particular trend. And so much better than her chum Laura Viers recent effort that I found largely twee and lightweight. She really is on a roll, her last one was also fab

Her career box set (8 Lps, D/L, other bits) is relatively good value on her website https://uk.kingsroadmerch.com/neko-case/view/?id=9213&cid=2210

Maybe I need to get out more but the lack of information or consistency with regards to download vouchers provided with your pricey vinyl records is exasperating…

It’s quite clear if there is a sticker. But there isn’t always – which can mean one of two things – there isn’t one (eg Arcade Fire latest) or there is (The Horrors). For me it’s a key part of deciding to buy the pricey 180g blah colour vinyl thing vs. the £10 cheaper CD or nothing at all – so if it is there, why not tell the consumer. And if it isn’t, why? Are you really hoping the mug who just paid £23 should also pay a further £7 to get it into iTunes?

And don’t rip me off. Eg the new Bowie box..£170, but no download voucher offered. But then bizarrely because I purchased through Amazon today I was told I have an autorip download of the set. So if you buy though Amazon you get one but not elsewhere?

And lastly, shops never know (sans sticker) whether it has one or not, and kind of look at you like it is a strange question.

One constantly reads that the » Continue Reading.

In preparing a Bowie ‘deep cut’ playlist for the trip to Brixton on Sunday I came across this version of Bring Me The Disco King that I had never heard before.

The song was remixed by ex-Nine Inch Nails bass player/keyboardist Danny Lohner for the soundtrack to the 2003 film Underworld. Maynard James Keenan, Milla Jovovich, Josh Freese, and John Frusciante also contributed. Not Mr Hudson and Sting’s son, ahem.

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

Went last night. A mixed bag…

On the plus side: 3 hours, awesome band (Garson, Slick, Belew, GAD etc), lots of tunes

On the minus: seemed under-rehearsed and often below-par sound but mainly the ‘special guests’ – Vocals were done by the band (Adrian Belew came off like someone’s dad down the pub) or such mega-stars as….Tony Hadley, Tom Chaplin, Mr Hudson, Simon Le Bon, Joe Elliott.

Still a good night – spine tingling to watch Garson play Aladdin Sane etc – but why could they not get anyone better??? It’s Bowie ferchrissakes….

“Future has saved music magazines Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog following the sudden demise of owners Team Rock just days before Christmas.

The publisher has also taken on the Blues online channel, part of the Team Rock website, and the Golden Gods events operation linked to Metal Hammer magazine.

The £800,000 deal has been struck with administrators FRP Advisory who were called in after Team Rock collapsed on 20 December, resulting in 80 staff being made redundant.

Future sold the titles to Team Rock for £10.2m in 2013.”

My loo reading is safe!

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/future-buys-back-classic-rock-metal-hammer-and-prog-magazines-for-800k-after-collapse-of-team-rock/

Firstly, a bit of context. I approached Lazarus as a life-long DB enthusiast and also a lover of musicals. However that love has never extended to ‘jukebox musicals’ (apart from the film of Jersey Boys – but that doesn’t really count). I just don’t really get the ‘hit song’ being used by actors on a stage with actor voices in forced conditions. So, Lazarus. Interesting ‘new theatre space’ as it is described – bit like a fancy portacabin, but the block design reflects the simple set of the apartment interior well. It’s 1h 50mins with no interval. I’m trying to avoid giving an opinion… Overall I didn’t love it, maybe I liked it a bit (in parts) and I kind of respected it but also had my ‘Emperor’s New Clothes!!’ Alert flashing fast. The staging was very impressive – making imaginative use of video projections – which seems very much the way things are going in order to make a strong artistic impression without stagehands. The band, all looking serious and hipster in black shirts, are in a faux studio at the back of the stage – this works well. The plot? Haven’t got much of a clue beyond the » Continue Reading.

I have made a few forages into the cave of Scandinavian psychedelic rock and have liked what I have found.

Built on a solid Motorpsycho foundation (with a side order of Goat) I have enjoyed Les Big Byrd, Josefin Ohm & The Liberation and recent finds Spids Nogenhat.

But what am i missing? Any experts out there?

There’s fine cheese (Brad, Miranda, Eric), bad cheese (Luke Bryan, Rascal Flatts) plus scary cheese – the close-up it ends on….

It’s new! It’s Wilco!

Firstly, the Mexican Morrissey covers project – a lyric video, sing along!