What Are You Listening To (Non-Jazz) 2013

[jkelman]

Originally Posted by Vaughan

Madness - I had this pre-ordered, but it didn't ship until Saturday. Expecting it to drop through the mail box tomorrow morning.

I also ordered five live CD's of Thompson from his web site. They're here, and I hope to listen soon. He's playing in Cambridge in a couple weeks - just 30 minutes or so from me.....

I have all the live stuff from his site - some great goodies in there. Am writing review of Electric tomorrow, coincidentally!

[walkin]

[Vaughan]

Okay, this is a bit silly. I mean Clannad. And with Bono on one track. I mean honestly.

But I had this way back in the day, and bought the CD for next to nothing. I just played it and it brought back floods of memories, and I remembered every note and lyric. It's a very accessible album - which basically means pop-oriented. Be thinking Fleetwood Mac. Nice, and I'm glad it's come back into my circle.

Right now:



Glass transcribed to Harp is intriguing, and quite nice. I'm not bowled over though, and was somehow expecting more. I don't think the recording is all that great to be honest (note: this is an SACD hybrid with surround sound, and I'm listening to the redbook layer).

But it's not like it's bad. Nice actually.

[walkin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzFfkFj_j6o

[Vaughan]

This is a seriously nice sounding disc. It's almost a cliche to say "it sounds like they're in the room with you", but this disc just does it. Wonderful.

The main piece is a cantata by Julian Marshall, and is performed by The Schoolhouse 6 Ensemble vocal group. The words are from the poetry of Gertrud Kolmar, who died in Auschwitz. The poetry tells the tale of a woman walking the streets and is very evocative without being overbearing. The music isn't too heavy with sentimentality, without giving up any of it's power.

What follows is a nice piece by Gavin Bryars, and a fine rendition of the familiar Arvo Part piece, Spiegal Im Spiegal.

The whole thing is magical. As an added benefit, this really is a reference quality recording. Audiophiles should fall over themselves to grab a copy - it's really stunning.

I'm playing this over and over, without playing anything in between. Really marvelous. The extensive booklet includes all the words, and the majority of the singing is in English.

Highly recommended.

If you want a change of pace, and would also like some audiophile beauty in your life, get this.

[KBerube80]

Originally Posted by slowshoes

She has a new one, Character, coming out in March.

Yeah, I noticed that. Color me excited.

[Jackie P]

Some wonderful acoustic guitar blues and beyond vibes tonight...





The very best of all three versions compiled on this superb (remastered) CD edition....



The Legend Of Blind Joe Death ~ John Fahey

[Vaughan]

I have had some time to live with this now.

There is an inevitability about Thompson, in that every recording is worthy of your time, and oozes class. His ability as a guitarist and songwriter, proven over decades, means his work comes across as almost effortless, fleet of finger and mind almost go unnoticed, because you've just come to expect it to be excellent. As such, this new one doesn't disappoint.

Sound wise this one is pretty much "as usual", with some driving rock tunes, and acoustic numbers. For example, Sally B blasts a Hendrix like riff, while the closer leaves us with the mellow aftertaste of good whiskey.

There are two elements that are special to this release. Firstly there is Thompson's vocals, which have taken on a new quality, a deeper resonance and a slightly rougher hue. He is using melodic lines better than ever before, allowing his voice to reach both up and down in a greater range than we're used to. Check out Salford Sunday and My Enemy for examples.

Secondly he has used, sparingly but none the less telling, a female backing vocalist to great effect. Siobhan Maher Kennedy appears on five tracks, and Alison Krauss on one.

Now it may be heresy, but I have a confession to make. While I am in no doubt that the recordings of Richard and Linda Thompson are essential, the truth is I've never thought Linda was a good singer. Her voice is too toneless and flat for my liking - dare I say tuneless? Of course the songs always won through, but without exception I prefer Richard singing his own songs to when Linda took lead duties. Listening to this new recording, I think the women here are in another class altogether.

One final word on the vocals, Richards's voice is slightly more gravelly than usual. Perhaps this was because the recordings were done after extensive touring, or maybe it's simply maturation over the years. Either way, it really works for him and this release.

In watching a video online, Richard talked about writing for a trio on this one (he comically asked the interviewer "Have you heard of a Power Trio? Well, we're a wimp trio!") So it was slightly a surprise to find the songs were recorded with a quartet (five musicians seem to have been used in all).

One final word - what's with the cover? Horrible. Not that it really matters, but this hardly shines. The deluxe edition ships with an extra disc of seven tracks (I haven't bothered to put it on yet, wishing to luxuriate with the main album first) and costs only a little more than the standard edition. It's in a digipac, along with a booklet with the lyrics as we've come to expect.

You can't ascribe ratings to Thompson, there's simply no point. This is classic writing and performance, enough said.

[Jackie P]

All week I have almost exclusively been listening to and very much enjoying many of John Fahey's earliest recordings.



Your Past Comes Back To Haunt You





The Dance Of Death And Other Plantation Favorites





Death Chants, Breakdowns And Military Waltzes





The Transfiguration Of Blind Joe Death





Guitar, John Fahey, Volume 4 / The Great San Bernardino Birthday Party And Other Excursions

[Vaughan]

Following on from my recent Thompson period - I'm currently listening to a bootleg recording of a charity show performed in 1992 in Brooklyn Heights. It was an evening of two acoustic performances, the first by Richard Thompson, and the second by David Byrne. After each do a short set, they join together at the end to perform together (what an odd combo!)

Lots of classic tunes from both - I Misunderstood, Turning of the Tide, Girls on my Mind, Road to Nowhere, and Dirty Old Town.

Together they do a medley of Who Were You Thinking Of and 96 Tears. (!)

As is common with bootlegs the credits are wonderfully muddled (Thomson is credited with writing Road to Nowhere). There are two songs called Dirty Old Town covered, the Byrne title and one by McColl.

All ends with a duet performance of Psycho Killer. This is probably worth getting just for this - Psycho Killer with Thompson soloing anyone? Let alone the harmonies.

Quality is good, but the venue wasn't designed for high fidelity. There is a lot of reverb on the vocal, but it does nothing to spoil an interesting event. The cover art isn't worth posting, since it'll vary depending on which copy of the bootleg you grab. 17 tracks in all.... nice.

[HutchFan]

Originally Posted by Vaughan

One final word - what's with the cover? Horrible. Not that it really matters, but this hardly shines.

I dunno, Vaughan. Doesn't it sort of evoke a 1970's rock 'n roll album cover? Perhaps that's what he's going for.

I don't love the image -- but I wouldn't call it horrible.

Or maybe I just don't have sufficient graphic design sense.

[Vaughan]

Heh heh. Maybe you're right. But I still think it's at least "not good".

Fantastic music though, and that's what really counts. Unlike his previous two, it's stayed in my turntable for a couple days, and have been played a dozen times. The guy just keeps going and going.



Played this during the afternoon. I've always liked it, though some fans don't rate it highly. I think it's the ballads that work best for me, and the odd echo effect on the voice recalls good old rock and roll.

[HutchFan]

Originally Posted by Vaughan

Played this during the afternoon. I've always liked it, though some fans don't rate it highly. I think it's the ballads that work best for me, and the odd echo effect on the voice recalls good old rock and roll.

"How Will I Ever Be Simple Again": Such a powerful, terrible, lovely song! One of RT's best, imho.

[walkin]

[walkin]