What Are You Listening To?

[shack]

Going through the stack of vinyl that I haven't listened to in a very long time.

Credence Clearwater Revival - Green River




Green River, Commotion, Lodi, Bad Moon Rising and more. Very short LP (30 min.) but good stuff.

[Tour2ma]

See all the "free" music your little TT investment has given you, shack?

Spent last night with some disks. For the most part they were sounding so good, I could not break away to post. Don't you just hate that? ;)

Nick Lowe - Basher: The Best of Nick Lowe
If I had to categorize Nick, and it'd be difficult, I'd have to create one called "Pop Punk". It's clear from the track credits that Nick spent a lot of time working with Dave Edmunds who produced the likes of k.d. lang, The Fabulous T-Birds and the Everly Brothers.

I did a bit of track skipping here, including the two opening singles, as several of the 25 on this generous compilation disk just don't work for me. However, about half of them are stunners, both from the composition and the SQ standpoints. Only one you are likely to know is "Cruel to be Kind", and it's far from the best here.

Argent - The Argent Anthology
Struggled a bit with the SQ here, but hearing both "Hold Your Head Up" and "God Gave Rock and Roll to You" for the first time in a long time, and Rod's lesser known "It's Only Money Part 1" was worth it.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - ELP: The Atlantic Years
Received a full body, ELP/ CA/ Sunfire massage to wrap up the night. Standing waves in abundance, but no recording SQ issues here... However, the neighbors might have had a different view around 02:00 AM.

For me this was a watershed ELP listen. I'd never noticed the pronounced jazz influences in many of ELP's tracks before. Some is there on their S/T release, but it's almost in your face starting with Tarkus.

SIDE NOTE: In my search for the ELP album cover I found this site: Progressive Archives.com. Seems like a fun one to explore.

[Tour2ma]

Twas a grey morning in SE Tejas today, perfect for this AM's line-up. Crackin' and unwrappin' a bunch of new CD's of varying age...

Buddy Guy - Damn Right I've Got the Blues

AMG is luke-warm on it, not pure enough for their reviewer's taste, but Whoa... hot stuff here to my ear. Plenty of guest artists dropping in here (Clapton) and there (Beck) and there (Knopfler). And, FWIW, it won a Grammy... ;)

Robert Johnson - King of the Delta Blues Singers

This is old school blues ala Mississippi Fred McDowell (I Do Not Play No Rock'n'Roll). While it's a decent salvaging of of RJ material (many tracks were re-recorded off of original 78's released in 1936 and '37), it sounds like that was the source much of the time.

In spite of the drawbacks, it's a very serviceable recording of some great music from a Blues legend when you're in a mood that only an old-time blues' fix will satisfy.

Rory Gallagher - Irish Tour

This GG recommendation has been sitting on the shelf for a couple years unopened... my bad. It will not be long before it spins again. And there's a DVD of the concert that I just may have to buy.

I think I was expecting rock when I spun it, and there's a little here, but mostly it's Blues. Predominately electric, but enough acoustic, steel guitar work to make one think an old-time, delta man is at the controls.

Nice SQ, great for a live concert... Superb guitar work... Adequate vocals... As a performer, you'd have to know you did something right when at the end of the evening the crowd starts chanting your name... in this case it's in that British Isles sing-song style heard at football and boxing matches.

Irish Tour is Highly recommended... and not just due to Rory's use of my name...

[seo]

Diana Krall - The Look of Love

Listening in my office, on my laptop w/ cheap computer speakers.

Note to self. Need to work on the office rig.

[Ron-P]

[DAGLJAM6]

A new CD/Artist for me- Sarah Harmer- "I'm a Mountain" her new release. Heard while looking through the used vinyl bins at the local music store. (Good stuff here Reeltrouble, Shack folky but....) The last track-"How deep in the valley" is worth the price of the disc alone. Weird that at the store when this track started a few of us (customers) all looked up and had to ask who that was. (Exceptional vocals)

[DAGLJAM6]

Buddy Guy - Damn Right I've Got the Blues
Robert Johnson - King of the Delta Blues Singers

Both excellent whatever the format.

I've been on a Rory kick since picking up a couple of albums recently. Man did i miss the boat on this guy up 'til recently too!

[BlueMDPicker]

I've been on a Rory kick since picking up a couple of albums recently. Man did i miss the boat on this guy up 'til recently too!

Another one who left us far too early. I was never a fan of his vocals, but his guitar work will stand the test of time.

[DAGLJAM6]

I was never a fan of his vocals, but his guitar work will stand the test of time.

I'll agree on that point and luckily his "live" shows are some of the best for guitar work. Not often has any artist's live shows showcased their singing in the best light.(There are exceptions of course.) This is usually overcome on Rory's live albums by the sheer raw emotion of the show. Funny how the vocals are so wrapped up in true "blues" presentation, look at the greats; Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Muddy Waters, Son Seal (at their best) your focus will tend to be on the delivery of lines ,emphasis being added by guitar. One thing is universal really great blues players play the audience as well or better than there chosen instrument, that i believe makes or breaks a bluesman.

[TroyD]

Got some Elvis going on tonight, picked up two still sealed albums today. Pure Gold (which is an awful recording other than the spectacular Kentucky Rain) and Moody Blue.

Right now, spinning Traffic's Low Spark of High Heeled Boys....one of my faves

BDT

[audiobliss]

IWas over at a friend's house this evening, and he started playing music on his laptop. I immediately recognized Eric Clapton's Tears In Heaven, My Father's Eyes, and Layla. Then Cocaine came on. Again, I immediately recognized the song (though I didn't remember the name), and I very suredly said it was Eric Clapton again, since I recognized the song from my The Cream of Clapton CD and the voice sounded just like Eric Clapton. My friend said his computer said it was Jimi Hendrix, but I maintained that it was Eric Clapton because of his voice. I'm not at all familiar with Jimi Hendrix and his work, so I allowed that Jimi Hendrix might have done it originally, but I still maintained (quite adamantly) that it was Eric Clapton singing on his computer. Well, he (somehow) went online and found Eric Clapton's version and played it back to back with the 'Jimi Hendrix' version. The guitar was obviously different, but I *thought* I remembered the version on my CD having the guitar like on his 'Jimi Hendrix' version, and both voices sounded like Eric Clapton to me at this point. When he turned his laptop around to face me and turned up the volume, I began to question whether or not it really was Eric Clapton. On some of the higher notes I realized it didn't really sound like Eric Clapton.

So at any rate, I'm sitting here at my computer and remember this, so I pull out my The Cream of Clapton CD and play Cocaine. Oops. It is most definitely the Eric Clapton version that my friend pulled up and not the 'Jemi Hendrix' version he originally played.

And now that I've told my story, I fail to see its point; but I still told it! :p I guess I've just been away from Eric Clapton for too long. One thing this little 'experience' has led to, is now I want to explore Jimi Hendrix's work some. Besides Cocaine, I can't say as I know of any of his work. :o

[heiney9]

Got some Elvis going on tonight, picked up two still sealed albums today. Pure Gold (which is an awful recording other than the spectacular Kentucky Rain) and Moody Blue.

Right now, spinning Traffic's Low Spark of High Heeled Boys....one of my faves

BDT

Man.......Elvis is so overlooked. I didn't really care for his gospel period...but holy crap....it's ELVIS.

H9

[BlueMDPicker]

... so I pull out my The Cream of Clapton CD and play Cocaine. Oops. It is most definitely the Eric Clapton version that my friend pulled up and not the 'Jemi Hendrix' version he originally played.

Both versions are covers of J. J. Cale's work. Clapton also covered Cale's "After Midnight" for a pop hit in (I believe) 1970. "Cocaine" and "After Midnight" can be found on Cale's "Troubadour" album.

As for Hendrix, just start at the beginning (Purple Haze, Foxey Lady, The Wind Cries Mary, etc). There's a lot of crap afloat that was released after his death. But, there are also some excellent works. You can even go back a click further and check out his work with the Isley Brothers (as "Jimmy James" in the credits.)

[shack]

As for Hendrix, just start at the beginning (Purple Haze, Foxey Lady, The Wind Cries Mary, etc). There's a lot of crap afloat that was released after his death. But, there are also some excellent works.

I agree with the bold statement above.

IMO there are four Jimi Hendrix must have albums that will give most of the "Experience". Two studio and Two live. Of course there is Are You Experienced? - 1967 - which is Hendrix's first recording. Next is Electric Ladyland -1968 - which is Hendrix at his Psychadelic best. As good as Hendrix's studio work is...the real flavor come in his live stuff. The best to my mind is Band Of Gypsys - 1970 - "Machine Gun" is a fantastic cut and I really enjoy his version of Buddy Miles' "Changes". And last there is Live At Winterland -1987 - This is a 1968 concert that was released many years after his death but it is pretty well recorded. Most of his other stuff is good and you may have a favorite over these but these are four that I feel cover his body of work very well.

[audiobliss]

Thanks for the info on Jimi Hendrix. I'll listen to the 30 second samples of somes songs from those albums on Barnes and Noble's website and pick an order for buying some of his stuff.

Hmm. I've never heard of J. J. Cale. Did he just write stuff, or did he perform, too?

[Tour2ma]

Did J.J. ever... Great voice. The Very Best of J.J. Cale is a must own. It's on the Mercury Chronicles label #314 534 754-2. I got my copy through BMG.

And on Hendrix... Most of his catalog has now been digitally remastered and re-released. They sound great.

[audiobliss]

Thanks. I'll add that JJ Cale album to my list!

[Tour2ma]

Today I cracked another old GG recommendation that'd been sitting around unopened for far too long...

Los Lobos - Just Another Band from East L.A.: The Collection

Nevermind that I could not understand but the odd word here and there in the first few tracks, this is good music. Hardly mattered that they finally shifted into English.

Repeat listening will not be far down the road.

[zingo]

Chris Rice's 'Living Room Sessions'

[DAGLJAM6]

Clapton-"461 Ocean Boulevard"
Emmylou Harris-"Profile-Best of.."
Dixie Dregs-"Night of the Living Dregs"
Someone got rid of some really great LP's today, the used record store bins were packed.

[shack]

Talk Talk - Natural History: The Very Best of Talk Talk



October 30, 1990
Capitol
93976

I bought this on a whim and have really enjoyed their work. Not much a fan of the overall Synth Pop, New Wave genre, but these guys seem to go beyond the standard for this type of music. For me a greatest hits album is "just enough"....an hour or so of good music but not something I would want the entire catalog of. Along with Duran Duran, the two groups pretty much are the top of the heap of the genre and are sufficient for me to get my early 80's "New Romantics" music fix.

[tonyb]

Listening to my dryer go ....thump....thump.....thump....starting to sound like it has a good beat too.Now if I can only hook it up to my stereo....hmmmmm!!!

too many beers...too late at night

[ND13]

Natalie Merchant "Live in concert New York City" June 13, 1999

This is one of the best live cds I've owned. In HDCD, too!!! I'm usually not a huge fan of live cds, some of the "Unpluggeds" the exceptions, but this sounds great with not too much crowd noise.

[seo]

"Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet" on the office rig

Trumpet - Miles Davis
Tenor Sax- John COltrane
Piano - Red Garland
bass - Paul Chambers
drums - PHilly Joe Jones

[audiobliss]

Just listened to a few songs on my Eric Clapton - 461 Boulevard CD. So far I fail to see why it is I bought it. Oh well.

[audiobliss]

Chris Isaak - Heart Shaped World

[seo]

George Winston - Linus & Lucy The Music of Vince Guaraldi

[BlueMDPicker]

10cc - Deceptive Bends
1977, vinyl



One of my favorite albums from my favorite whacked pop group of the 70s.

[DAGLJAM6]

Jimmy Smith- "Organ Grinder Swing" original Verve vinyl on the Rega this a.m.

[audiobliss]

Big Mon