Evening all.
Quick and dirty survey – what has everybody listened to today?
Quick survey – today’s listening
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Musings on the byways of popular culture
Musings on the byways of popular culture
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For myself, it’s been an uncharacteristically restrained day, due to other issues going on –
Listened to Mahler’s ninth symphony, Barbirolli conducting the BPO;
Frank Sinatra singing the Great American Song Book;
and Translinear Light by Alice Coltrane
and that’s all today…
I put on Elbow’s Leaders Of The Free World in the background when I was doing some work…
Radio 3 in the morning, a couple of Kate Bush albums in the afternoon (inspired by the renewed success of Running Up That Hill), and an Adam Buxton podcast with a comedian I had never heard of while I finished the working week with some dull clerical stuff.
Re: the renewed success of Running Up That Hill – the radio was on at work, as always, and after said song was played the host of the radio show said “I’ve been reading about how this is the most played song in the world now, after so many years; proving that you should never give up!”
Cue me slapping my forehead and rolling my eyes…
Not least because she very much has given up.
After writing a song called Don’t Give Up. Nearly forty years ago.
Might be wrong, but I think it was a Peter Gabriel song, with our Kate as guest vocalist…
(That’s Bush, not Mossman…)
Radio 3 too in the afternoon.
Snob.
He only tunes in for Inneundo Bingo.
Radio 4 then BBC Radio London, back to Radio 4 then The Defiant by TMTCH and back to Radio 4.
I’ve been merrily spending money I shouldn’t be spending, buying cheap records on Discogs. My new record player means I can buy 12” singles, with music I don’t have on CD. So I have marked off everything I want on Discogs and then looked for sellers who have the most records from my wants list (and have them at reasonable prices – you wouldn’t believe the prices some people are asking!). I then, of course, trawl through everything else they are selling and buy loads of cheap records I didn’t know I wanted. Works out cheaper on postage to buy in bulk, and as the records I am buying are cheap I could end up spending a quid on a record and a fiver on postage.
It’s like going to record shops/fairs back in the day, except I don’t have to get off my arse or carry them home. The downside, unfortunately, is the amount of dishonest sellers who seriously overgrade their records. It is happening way too often. At least in shops and at fairs you could look for yourself. It’s got to the point whereby if a batch of records arrive that do match their description it’s a nice surprise. So I’ve had to get used to the surface noise that drove me from vinyl to CDs in the first place. The novelty could well wear off.
So today I have listened to a stack of 12” singles and one album. From memory…
– A couple of Damned ones – Eloise (of which the remix is a bit disappointing) and Is It A Dream
– A couple of Beloved ones – Hello and Outer Space Girl
– Beats International’s Dub Be Good To Me
– The KLF’s What Time Is Love?
– Afrika (spelt Africa on the record) Bambaataa’s Planet Rock
– Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel’s White Lines (for about a minute – that one’s been sent back cos it’s damaged)
– Bowie’s Loving the Alien
– Pet Shop Boys’ Love Comes Quickly
– Voice of the Beehive’s Perfect Place (a 10” picture disc)
– and Talking Heads’ Wild Wild Life
And the album is a £2 near mint copy of Astaire by Peter Skellern with the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, just to change the mood a little! I first bought that album when I was in my teens. A proper 80’s indie kid, eh? It’s brill though, although it would sound better without the choral bits, but at least the choir only pop up a few times.
A Knosti Disco Antistat is what you need, Paul.
Yeah, you mentioned that a few weeks ago, but I thought it was a bit expensive for the few records I had. A few weeks, and dozens of secondhand records later it’s a different matter. I had been cleaning them myself with this spray, a microfibre cloth and a curved velvety antistatic brush thingy, and some come up great, others less so. It does amaze me the state some people sell records in. Surely you’d want them looking their best, so the customer would be impressed, rather than having to pick bits of food off!
It probably makes sense to get one now. The pile of things I’m going to have to flog to cover the cost of this latest obsession is getting bigger and bigger…
Right, ordered one.
@fentonsteve
The machine arrived today. Dead easy to set up and the records have come out looking and sounding great. The only trouble I have is unscrewing the centre pieces when I take the record out, once it has been washed.
I can’t feel my fingers and I have very little strength in my fingertips, so it is difficult to grip the pieces to unscrew them, something that most people will find dead easy. Also, my hands get tired quite quickly, so it gets harder to unscrew them as I go along. I decided to stop for a while after my hands slipped and I managed to put 4 scratches across half a record. They looked pretty horrendous, but surprisingly, and thankfully, they don’t affect the sound. I just need to find that point in between fastening them enough to protect the label, but without over tightening them.
It’s a damned sight easier and more effective than sitting there and attempting to clean them all by hand though. I’m sure I’ll get the technique right eventually.
I pimped my record clamp with some sticky-baked closed-cell (waterproof) neoprene foam which I , ahem, ‘acquired’ from work. It goes in the circular slot in the clamp, at the edge of the record label. Less fluid on the label and easier to unscrew the clamp.
PM me your address and I’ll pop you some foam in the post.
This: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Tac7LXYKXD6FDiIpHHIss?si=o9OssXwLROulAJmyzXNa6Q&utm_source=copy-link
I commend it to the house.
That looks particularly good.
I made it for my other half with her tastes in mind and as something you could listen to with dinner and a few wines. Tunes many of a certain age will know. Nothing obscure or challenging. I realised after that I mostly gravitate to sadder songs whereas she goes for the more upbeat.
That’s right up my strasse too @allium-sativum
Anything with Dancing Barefoot on automatically gets my vote.
It’s a crowd pleasing selection, if the crowd is hip, discerning but still quite mainstream, and of a certain age. Overthinking it now. The sequencing is of the highest order. How much credit can one claim for a playlist? Not so much really. 😋🤓
Nice playlist. A good few cracking songs in there and nicely sequenced too.
I’ve never used Spotify, but I’ve just been playing around with it, to see how easy it is to use. I was unable to move tracks in a playlist I created to test it out. Is it possible to do that?
You move the songs up and down by clicking and holding on laptop.
On a phone, click on the three dots at the top to edit. Use the symbols on the right of titles to move songs up and down or the ones on the left to remove.
Really, really good playlist. Salute!
The new Michael Head album.
Genesis – Foxtrot
Bob Dylan – Another Side Of
and The Barron Knights on YouTube (I got stuck down a rabbit hole)
Yes, I often descend into YouTube hell, and the Barron Knights have featured more than once. It usually ends up with me watching Cardew the Cad of the School on The Good Old Days. I never get tired of that.
Alan A’Dale for me. I’d have that on a continuous loop forever if it was up to me.
Just watched it. I have absolutely no idea why it’s funny, but it just is
I know – I think it’s the mindless enthusiasm, and repetition.
Mrs M says the same about my (Stop this now – ed.)
Tried the new Wilco but gave up about five songs in (wrong time of day, methinks).
Mavis Staples & Levon Helm – Carry Me Home
FKA Twigs – CAPRISONGS
Nia Archives – Forbidden Feelingz
A playlist I’ve made since I realised most of Gene Clark’s stuff is on Spotify
My favourite songs from Two by Dubstar, Sage by Monophonics and, several times the new E.P. by King Princess.
I’m particularly taken (for the moment) by this video which, unusually, mashes two songs together and is probably not something you’d watch at work:
(King Princess – Too Bad/ Cursed)
Depends where you work.
My “Discover Weekly” Spotify playlist.
Grant Scott’s Vinyl Collective on Radio Scotland – a 12” special, mainly 80s tacks. Great memories.
Currently the Stones – Blue and Lonesome
Halestorm – noisy big hearted rock with a terrific lead the singer in Lzzy Hale.
https://youtu.be/QoNlnxYupZc
Driving to work on a hot, muggy afternoon – Trojan compilation
Driving back from work on a light, sultry night – Cowboy Junkies compilation
I’m just home from a sensational; Ivo Neame Quartet show at my local jazz club. This afternoon, I was listening to ‘Continuity Pentangle’ recordings made between 1986-91.
Relax, people – he has a Mellotron
True West – Nothing but a Dream – live album..
Papa Wemba compilation.
Michael Head Scott..
New Wilco (double) album, Cruel Country, lot of good songs, but so far a bit of a struggle to get through it all
Otherwise bits of SiriusXM radio, Beatles channel, 60s channel, Springsteen channel
During the afternoon it was the new Fantastic Negrito album and the new Bear’s Den album. Some BBC World Service on the way up pick up my wife and dinner.
Today was yesterday (TMFTL) so:
Peter Walker – Spanish Guitar
Jaram Lee – Composition 1
A shuffled playlist of acts playing at Glastonbury
The tail end of a short live concert by the Paddington Community Choir
Some radio documentaries about politics in Germany
Taj Mahal – Giant Steps/De Ole Folks At Home
Little Feat – Under The Radar
Cotton Mather -Kontiki
Michael Head – Dear Scott
The Jayhawks – Xoxo.
@Boneshaker that is my favourite Jayhawks album
Bore da.
I rarely post here anymore but what the hell. Hope everyone is ok? Anyone know how RobC is getting on?
I usually post most of my listening habits on that Twotter and a little less often on Flacidbook in real time. Life gets increasingly surreal… Anyway yesterday it was these.
Money Jungle. Provocative In Blue – Terri Lyne Carrington.
Children Of The Light – Perez Patitucci Blade.
The Normyn Suites – Michael Leonhart Orchestra.
Infolding – Spin Marvel.
I was busy finishing a painting and prepping another for today so a little less time spent on musical diversions than is usual.
I’ve got some Alan Wakeman and Ken Wheeler amongst other things in my sights for today but first I need to slap a bit of paint around.
How nice to vada your dolly old eek.
While I’m here, two compos:
James Brown’s Funky People
Classic Acid Mastercuts
Also, for some reason, Better by Chrisette Michelle. It’s all bout that bass for me at the mome.
Today it’s been…
Lei : Music For Solo Bass – Roberto Occhipinti.
Windmill Tilter – Ken Wheeler & The John Dankworth Orchestra.
Dusk – James Copus.
The Octet Broadcasts – Alan Wakeman.
The New Four Seasons – Max Richter
And right at this moment..
Superstore – Sam Gendel.
The hits keep on coming. 😉
Live at the Karma Studios/Curse of Lono: magnificent 5 song EP, released today, sadly digital only.
Valtos eponymous debut: mellow gaelictronica in the mould of Banco de Gaia. Digital only.
An Danssa Dub/Tom Spirals and Euan MacLaughlin: triggered by the above, Euan being the fiddler for Valtos. Ditch the talking track it starts with.
Call This An Album/The Sam Chase: Latest by a fella who I discovered at Maverick fest last year: A gravelier Springsteen with a sense of humour. Big band with trumpet and a string section. Commended.
Started off with Major Parkinson’s “Blackbox” album. Great music, blackly humorous lyrics, and a deep, gruff vocal delivery that I alternate between loving and finding a bit irritating. Then disc 2 of “Banquet: The Underground Sounds Of 1969”, another great Grapefruit boxset with early recordings from the likes of Yes, Edgar Broughton Band, and Colosseum, which I’m loving (there are similar boxsets for ‘68, ‘70, ‘71, and (soon) ‘72). Finally, rounding the day off with a refreshing dose of The Wailers’ “Catch A Fire”, accompanied by a glass of Arran distillery’s smoky, peaty Machrie Moor single malt.
“Natty Universal Dread” – 3CD collection of vintage Big Youth material on Blood & Fire.
Highly recommended.
I’ve been ite and abite quite a lot today, but I did have something of an Art Pepper binge this morning while knocking up a French sorrel soup. This caught my ear particularly – I know Art was a bit of a prannet, but boy he could play, and that Marty Paich could arrange horns a bit.
Agreed on the prannet, but created some boooodiful music. A late highlight:
It’s always a good time for Art Pepper IMO.
It’s hard to find a more graphic example of the distinction between a completely messed up life & the production of sublime music/art.
In a similar vein- Stan Getz. So much gorge music and yet the man was clearly an absolute arse-head.
The artist I always mention in this context is Ken Symonds, an absolutely saint-like man, warm, kind, gently witty, and absurdly generous. However he was shit at playing the sax, which is why you haven’t heard of him.
Honestly, The Afterword, what a bunch you are. WHO GIVES A TOSS WHAT THE SAX PLAYER WAS LIKE AS A PERSON?
I’m a fan of the Kenster – the world just isn’t ready for his avant-garde techniques – playing the sax by inhaling the air out of the horn, for example, and some people think he should get one that’s made of metal instead of papier-mache… fkin straights
PLAY THE BALL AND NOT THE MAN, PEOPLE! How many times do you have to be told?
Oh, I think I am. It’s an Afterword “ball” (as kicked by three commenters already) to “gotcha” artists for being failed human beings (like we’re so perfect). I don’t see the point.
There was no point. It was just something I said.
And that was an ironic riff on what you said, not an instruction to you.
I’m sure someone of note once said ‘ Stan Getz is a nice bunch of people’.
(I think I’ve heard this comment about Jagger as well, but more concerning his ‘Zelig’ like Chameleon nature, sometimes Mockney, sometimes well spoken grammar school boy, then faux good ol’ southern boy, all at time within moments).
Ronnie Scott said that, I believe.
Also “I’ve been suffering from a slipped disc…….I got it bending over backwards for too long…..trying to please Stan Getz…”
Rock Follies and Rock Follies of 77. Before my hearing goes completely (for all I know, could be soon, could be long after I’m dead) I’ve found myself wanting to listen more to my favourites. It got me thinking, hard to think of artists who have made 2 albums of which I really love every single track without exception. Fleetwood Mac (Rumours and Tusk – though there are some tracks on Tusk I like rather than love) and Rock Follies. Not sure if there are any others. Maybe Heaven 17’s first two. I’ll have to give them another listen when I get bored of Rock Follies. Though that might never happen.
That’s tricky – I can think of two, but they’re both progressive acts with lengthy tracks. Maybe an easier task if there’s only three tracks on an LP?
Fairport’s Unhalfbricking and Liege and Leif in quick succession as I was thinking about Cropredy coming up fast, and then Disraeli Gears (I’m learning Sunshine of Your Love at the moment, so that got a couple of repeats).
I general I am dipping into all sorts at the moment as I recently flashed out on some ridiculously pricey Graham Audio speakers a couple of weeks ago and am enjoying discovering new delights in the old collection.
Ooh! Very nice! What model did you get?
Chartwell LS6/f – I got a very good deal on a pair which, apparantly, Graham’s had cleared to my local dealer in Exeter, otherwise they would have been beyond my means….well, beyond what the GLW considered our means anyway. I auditioned 4 different products before the chap wheeled these out – game over at the price they were offered at!
Ooh, which ones did you get?
The best recorded sound I ever heard was a pair of active LS5/8s in a radio mixing studio at BBC Wood Norton. Probably not so much to do with the speakers, as the superb room acoustics.
Chartwell LS6/f – I got a very good deal on a pair which, apparantly, Graham’s had cleared to my local dealer in Exeter, otherwise they would have been beyond my means….well, beyond what the GLW considered our means anyway. I auditioned 4 different products before the chap wheeled these out – game over at the price they were offered at!
*rubs thighs*
Graham speakers, very nice.
I’m further down in the Audiophile pecking order.
I was mad busy at work yesterday, getting ready for a week off, so not much. R4 when it was on.
Next week I will be decorating in my garage, so I’m going to be listening to podcasts and an audio book – possibly the Rickie Lee Jones one.
Fell foul of all the EasyJet cancellations this week – very tiring, quite stressful & a little expensive, so once we got safely back nothing soothes better than some gorgeous Rocksteady (a nice Curry & Rioja helped as well).
Virtue signaling alert: Black – Golden Age.
Tell the Truth – Otis.
Unit Structures – Cecil Taylor.
The Meters debut album.
And yesterday I finally found a James Brown studio album (“Ain’t It Funky”) that didn’t suddenly throw up a “If I Ruled the World” or a Johnny Mercer composition or a Nat King Cole cover or several (really) Nat King Cole covers.
You’re sitting there thinking “‘Cold Sweat’ – what a song” and then he turns into a cross between Frank Sinatra and Harry Secombe for 10 minutes.
I don’t care how hard-working he was – I can’t be doing with that.
Yeah. This is why JB doesn’t feature much on Classic Albums lists. I’ve laboured through dozens of his original studio albums and this is a fairly consistent problem.
Some of Mrs Moose’s comments on JB’s balladry included:
“I didn’t like Val Doonican the first time round”
“No wonder they put him in jail”
“Fuckin’ ‘ell, not another one! Tell him to wake the rhythm section up again!!”
…. If you want any consistency you’re better off with the early, rhythm and blues-based albums where some of the ballads are actually pretty good (I Don’t Mind and the like).
🎵 “Get up offa that rockin’ chair…..” 🎵
I once saw Cecil Taylor live in That London (my chum at UCL was a fan). It was, um, “challenging”.
I’m going through that Uncut Special from a few years ago. 600 60s albums. The weirder (and blacker) the better.
The weirdest so far was New Grass by Albert Ayler.
Three minutes of saxophone which sounds like a Stylophone – followed by a spoken manifesto as to what expect from the album – followed by… erm… Rock ‘n’ Roll (wasn’t expecting that) – before eventually introducing a female backing group who turn the whole thing into a soul album – and all tied-up in 33 minutes.
Ayler blamed the company (Impulse!) for wanting a hit, the critics hated it, the fans hated it.
Funny thing is, my favourite jazz is jazz which doesn’t sound like jazz, so I really like it.
It’s also the only jazz album I have ever heard where I’ve ended up humming a song (Heart Love) afterwards.
After decoration in my listening room, AKA lounge I’ve had to reassemble my Hi Fi stack and the AV set up. Not to mention lugging around heavy furniture all with a busted right wrist (very painful).
So today after I’ve taken the pooch for a walk I’ll be sitting down to listen to some new LPs.
Michael Head- Dear Scott (it was the CD I listened to yesterday.
Joe Pass – For Django
Jake Xerxes Fussell – S/T
Routes – Twang Machine
Neil Young – The Catalyst Club, Santa Cruz 1984
John Doe – Fables In A Foreign Land
Drink will be taken.
Let me know if the John Doe is up to much, please!
This week, and, in answer to the OP, yesterday, I have been mostly listening to Vaughan Williams. Specifically, catching up on Radio 3’s four week extravaganza covering his life and work in the Composer of the Week slot, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of his birth. For a long time he was – still is, in some quarters – patronised somewhat as someone harking back and out of the prevailing modernist 20th century trends. But as time goes on his music seems more varied and soemtimes radical than it has been given credit for. I didn’t know his 1930s ballet score ‘Job’ and its just fantastic. His symphonies also stand as one of the great 20th century symphony cycles. Wonderful stuff.
Only this, so far today.
.
I shall soon continue with this 133-track Tidal playlist “Out There” which I started listening to on Thursday evening. https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/0bfac8e5-4ff8-44e4-b112-5fb71d39bcc1
57 tracks still to go, on that.
I also have a sequence of podcasts, radio show recordings and albums lined up to play later if I’m in the mood.
Surf music – a 3CD compilation for about £2.50. I realised I didnt have enough.
And humming HMHB after seeing them last night.
Fuckin’ ‘ell, it’s Dennis Wilson
Played on Friday night. But oddly they changed the name to Fred Titmuss
How strange!
See also: Time Flies By When You’re The Driver of a Little Deuce Coupe
So yesterday I have been mainly listening to – The new American Aquarium, Tape – the new Patty Griffin , Springsteen – Letter To You and Led Zeppelin 2. Fell asleep to The National – sleep well Beast.
I don’t listen nearly as much as I used to, though I always do whilst making lunch and dinner, and whilst washing up. Yesterday I listened to Karine Polwart – This Earthly Spell. Beautiful songs and beautiful singing! Warren Zevon – Life’ll Kill Ya. Wonderful cover of Steve Winwood’s Back In The High Life Again which I prefer to the original. Guy Clark tribute album(2cd) – This One’s For Him. Willie Nelson’s cover of Desperados Waiting For A Train is fabulous.
A sampler of a new album by Lewis Taylor – due for release in August – and a full track “Final Hour”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOM1-W7Xrsg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWsHGst8A3w
Good to have him back.
Otherwise, at home, the new album by Julius Rodriguez and Kathy Mattea “Favourite Cuts” – while “hypermiling” to Stansted airport to drop my daughter off.
The Julius Rodriguez album is very excellent.
Wow, Lewis Taylor. Thanks for the advance waning @Morrison. I wonder if he’ll be touring? (hollow laugh)
He seems chirpy on twitter @lewistaylorhq – three tweets! – and a new website:
https://lewistaylorsmusic.com/new-album
That Julius Rodriguez is quite something – and though not typical of the album – keep playing the wonderful version of the Tammi Terrell classic:
A hefty stretch of Radio Paradise whilst working.
Some The rest is History podcasts.
And Future Perfect Present Tense by Ten Fe which apparently came out in 2019 but I’ve only just discovered it has been on repeat play for the last week or so.
Test Match Special, yesterday and today. Listening to New Zealand batting Engerland out of the game.
2 hour bootleg compilation of Dylan 1994 from the Never Ending tour.
The Shape of Water soundtrack.
https://tidal.com/playlist/d9c124cd-84ae-457e-b30c-966044e71609
Annoyingly, I’d like to include a couple of Swedish ladies but their album isn’t on Tidal.
Silly Games (single)-Janet Kay,
Bill Evans-Complete Village Vanguard
Garth Hudson Presents: A Canadian Celebration of the Band
Been watching Small Axe, by any chance?
I’ve heard Silly Games on the radio three times in a week. It might be the new Blackbeard comp, it might be Small Axe, it might be (my pet theory) DJs all listen to each other’s shows for ‘inspiration’.
I was briefly in a 6 music group on Faecebork and they played Pull up To the Bumper Bingo. Scratch any DJ and you’ll find Tony Blackburn.
repeatedly
Today I am trying to re-alphabetise some errant cd’s but giving up the will to live because it’s like trying to pour a quart into a pint pot as I don’t have enough space. Whilst trying to do this I am listening to:
Baxter Dury – Mr Maserati – close call but I think he might be better than his old man.
Kelley Stoltz – The Stylist – unbelievable talent for melody.
Gil Scott-Heron – Glory compilation
Elvia Costello – The Boy named if ahead of his gig in Brum tomorrow night – excited.
The Liminanas – Down Underground.
Tom Tom Club -Under the boardwalk extended mix – best version of this song, no contest.
TMS for the last three days, including whilst at Trent Bridge on Friday.
I have the new Laura Veirs which I picked up at her gig in Nottingham Friday evening and I might give that a play later on.
The precise question in the OP notwithstanding: today I have mostly been listening to the Family – Live at the BBC box set:
One of my all-time favourite toons by anyone –
Jimmy Smith – The Cat
Richard ‘Groove’ Holmes – misc stuff
Robert Palmer – Clues
After never really “hearing “ this but reading many good things about this album in recent weeks I streamed “Listen without Prejudice “ on Qobuz today.
So pleased I did. A terrific album on first listen.
The evening was spent in good company – perhaps 50 of us – in the great hall of a castle in Herefordshire, dancing to our own singing and playing. Gavottes, polskas, mazurkas, waltzes, bourrees, all in the folk idiom. There were gurdies; there were nyckelharpas. My happy place.
Today I played and enjoyed the “The Paths Of Pain: The Caife Label, Quito 1960-68” compilation that someone recommended here. Also some of the Art Farmer-Benny Golson Jazztet “Complete Sessions” collection plus “Transcending The Sum” by Organic Pulse Ensemble.
Just about to dive into “Nina Simone: The Montreux Years”.