A River of Sound
Wednesday 9 September 2009
Phillip King's documentary about Irish music was interesting (as far as I can remember it) despite being pitched at the non-irish market (we don't need to be told what the Gaeltacht is). The music holds up well too.
I'm a bit ambivalent about Irish music -- I like it well enough, but it can be a bit repetitive. This collection avoids that and has enough diversity to keep your interest. Although one less Micheal O'Sullabhain here or there wouldn't hurt.
A Post Punk Primer
Monday 7 September 2009
Filled with nuggets of "new wave" goodness from Japan, The Monochrome Set and others, this is a little slice of musical history from the time between the Sex Pistols and Duran Duran. As with all compilations there's wheat and chaff, but this has enough roughage and sustinance to go around.
A Period of Transition
Sunday 6 September 2009
The title indicates that this was not where Van was or where he wanted to be and I guess that accounts for the slightly non-committal feeling of this album.
It's pleasant enough, and by no means the worst of his albums, but the best thing you can say about it is it's no too interruptive.
Labels: CDs, van morrison
A Map of the Universe
... by Blink
This is a neglected gem. Pop songs from a time when pop was not a dirty word. I haven't listened to this for some time, but since I have, much of it has has been happily lodged in my head.
Albums that have more than three notable tracks are candidates for notability in their entirety and by this measure A Map... is notable indeed.
A Collection of Songs Representing an Enthusiasm for Recording...
Sunday 30 August 2009
... by Amateurs - The Flaming Lips 1984-1990
I do believe that this is the first time I've listened to this, but it was enjoyable.
Some of the tracks are covers but I don't know the originals well enough to know how faithful or experimental they are. Other tracks feel nice and familiar but not obviously stuff I've heard before.
Stuff that falls into the latter camp is usually a good mental 'fit' -- music that aligns with some internalised Platonic ideal I have for music.
Some of the songs are too experimental for my taste and the fact that these lurk towards the end of the CD lead me to believe that this would have been better on vinyl.
I do believe that this is the first time I've listened to this, but it was enjoyable.
Some of the tracks are covers but I don't know the originals well enough to know how faithful or experimental they are. Other tracks feel nice and familiar but not obviously stuff I've heard before.
Stuff that falls into the latter camp is usually a good mental 'fit' -- music that aligns with some internalised Platonic ideal I have for music.
Some of the songs are too experimental for my taste and the fact that these lurk towards the end of the CD lead me to believe that this would have been better on vinyl.
Labels: CDs, Flaming Lips
3 Years 5 Months & 2 Days in the Life of
Saturday 29 August 2009
I wish I had the intellectual and social wherewithall to place this in the context of Dr. Dre and rappers of that ilk, but I can't. I feel they must be related somehow, but is it just coz theys black?
Anyway, this album is very much more palatable than 2001 and is played quite a lot around here (owing to the fact that it's near the top of the album list and not likely to offend many).
I like Mama's Always on Stage and Give a Man a Fish, hokey? Perhaps. But tuneful, and as is becoming more and more obvious, for me the tune's the thing.
Labels: Arrested Development, CDs
2001
I bought this around the same time I bought an Eminem album, just to see what all the fuss was about. But I don't like it.
I like some of the tunes well enough -- The Watcher and Still D.R.E. being two actual favourites -- but all the bitchin' and niggaz and hos offends me. It may well be that I'm missing the essential irony or something, but I just don't like it.
20 Foot Tappin' Greats
Tuesday 23 June 2009
I approached this with some caution. I realise that he's a legend and all, but country isn't entirely my thing. However, apart from the cringe-worthy Forty Shades of Green which gives me hives, it's good stuff. I can't have listened to this much -- if at all -- as some songs were new to me, but the benefit of the greatest hits package can't be gainsayed.
You can't deny there's strong stuff in there and really, 'I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die', how bad ass can you get?
And look -- my foot -- it's a-tappin'!
Labels: CDs, johnny cash
1979-91 The Best of ...
Sunday 21 June 2009
... Julian Cope and the Teardrop Explodes
This has a much better sub-title -- Floored Genius.
Man this is a good album, from the opening brass section in Reward to the grungy guitar on Safe Surfer, I love every single song. You could argue that Jellypop Perky Jean and Spacehopper are somewhat slight affairs, but the sweep of the twenty tracks is wonderful.
Mr. Cope's eccentricities are on show (especially on Reynard the Fox) but he's just such a good tunesmith and though he's on the madder side of say, Kate Bush, he deserves recognition as one of English pop's true originals.
Definitely in the top twenty.
13
Like most old people I am continually amazed at the passage of time. It's ten years since this album was released -- ten!!
The opening track of this thing, Tender, is one of those songs that's hard to be indifferent about. I like it well enough, but I can see where one reviewer was going when they described it as like Hey Jude.
Depending on how you feel you might be disapointed or delighted when that track in no way indicates what's to come. The mild, bland Coffee and TV aside, the rest is horribly grating and cacophonous. I couldn't even listen to the end.
100th Window
Thursday 11 June 2009
Massive Attack have a great record in getting great singers on their albums. Shara Nelson, Tracy Thorn, yer one from The Cocteau Twins and, on this, Sinead O'Connor.
Sinead sings her little heart out on both the best track -- A Prayer For England -- and elsewhere and in between the beats and grooves trip along nicely. Not as good as Mezzanine, lacking that album's punch and energy, but will not be relegated to the archive hard disc just yet.
Labels: CDs, massive attack, sinead oconnor
100% Columbian
Tuesday 9 June 2009
This is not the Scooby Snacks album, but is not unpleasant listening for all that. These guys don't strike me as the sort of people I'd hang around with, but what with being a card carrying misanthrope, that group is probably a bit small to begin with.
It's all a bit sleazy and feels like they're wannabe Sopranos types. Can't say I'd bother to listen again.
Labels: CDs, Fun Lovin Criminals
