Reviews & recommendations

Deep Purple

dunkyboy

Problem is that Made in Japan really captured a moment, great as Deep Purple MkII were, IMHO the studio performances don't quite make it, but have a listen to In Rock, Fireball and Machine Head for starters (and if you like Ian Gillan try Mr Universe, his first proper hard and heavy solo album)

Also have a look over at PFM for the 'Lets Get Heavy ...' thread

You might also want to try the In Concert (BBC Sessions) CD.

BTW did you get the Remastered CD, with the extra Disc or just the single original CD.

Mr Perceptive

 

It's the remaster. Haven't listened to the second disc yet (with the encores). Looking forward to it. I'll have to have a hunt round the local 2nd hand record shops and see what DP goodies I can dig up.

Dunc

 

Maroon Five - Songs about Jane

This is a very dynamic sounding album with some very catchy tunes.

Guaranteed to give the system a good work out!

 

Permutation is top too, anyone with the first Babel Gilberto album already has one of the tracks off it, Tante Tempo is his. Splinter Cell Chaos Theory is another of his, which is also top

Six Organs of Admitance: School of the Flower
Loopy acoustic drugs guitar over the top of massive distortions. But somehow the distortion comes across as being part of the acoustic sound and the vocals.
All the tracks are a similar feel but quite different, ranging from Neil Young feel, gentle vocals & guitar but with the noise over the top, to the title track which is a full on psyche job with the same riff going for the whole 10-15mins an insane drummer and some amazing overdriven electric guitar noodling.
Amazing album, I'm buying all his other stuff when funds allow.

The Black Keys: Thickfreakness
An old one I just dug out. Just guitar, vocal and drums and some killer riffs. Totally over driven, sounds like it was recorded in a box but in a good way, fits the record perfectly. The title track is amazing with some fantastic note sliding etc. Rock.

Amé: Amé
The first record I've heard using 'classic' house sounds but actually doing something completely new with them. Moves through from jazzy sunshine type acid house, Sun Sugar, to dark dubby bass stuff later on in the set. Really well produced, stacks of bass, loads of top end and plenty of mid-range stereo stuff with things bouncing and spinning all over the place. Really one of the best things that came out last year, anyone into any kind of electronic music should check it out, its a blinder.

 

Just been getting into an album that was released in 1994.

The artist, and her music must have completely passed me by without me even knowing.

ALBUM
Exile in Guyville

ARTIST
Liz Phair

For those that haven't heard it:
Its full of very well written guitar led pop songs. The attitude of the lyrics and the vocal style remind me of Patti Smith's Horses. Thats one hell of an album to live up to, but I think this one pulls it off. Another artist in the same vain would be Tori Amos.

Its available cheap as chips from Amazon, and if you like your womens vocals a bit on the 'nasty and raw' side, and the songs well crafted then go buy it. You wont go far wrong.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos...8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/202-1946414-8402256

 

Just bought Deep purple Platinum collection for £12.99 well worth a listen

 

john scofield blue matter

 

Fat Freddy's Drop: Based On a True Story. It was a Piccadilly record of the week and they've had a lot of play by Giles Peterson. Its great, bouncy dub/ska/soul/dancehall/synthy/jazzy/vocal fusion thing. Its a really clever blend of a lot of different styles, great production, vinyl is a lovely press. Loads of bass, great lyrics, all peace and love. The last track, Roady always has me out of my seat, despite the large similarity between the hook and the irratating mcdonalds jingle. Its top, one of my favs this year

 

Dimanche a Bamako - Amadou and Maryam
Sangonini- Les Quatre Etoiles

this week I have been mostly... African. You should hear my Zairean French accent when singing along to Enfant Bamileke This is all great, uplifting stuff, and Manu Chao is involved to good effect in the A&D one.

 

No thank you

BTW I'm sure Dimanche à Bamako beats Sunday in Suffolk

 

Try also:
- Deep Purple: Made in Europe. Different vocalist (Coverdale), but still a great album, well rocky
- Rainbow: On Stage - IMO one of the best live albums EVER made.
- Guns N Roses: Use your illusion 2
- GnR: Appetite for Destruction
Start with that lot, should keep you happy for a while.

 

just been playing a cd I got for £5.90 on Amazon.

Its a 3 cd compilation of American roots music - bluegrass, country, old time folk and modern americana.

40 songs in total, and although Ive only listened to one cd in depth so far, it was worth the small purchase price on its own.

For less than six quid its a great way to hear some music that isnt so mainstream.


cheers
chris

 

OHM+ The Early Gurus of Electronic Music 1948 - 1980 (3CD/1DVD). It certainly ain't mainstream but it cost me more than six quid. Worth every penny though, for Clara Rockmore's Theremin performance of Tchaikovsky's 'Valse Sentimantale' and Raymond Scott's 'Cindy Electronium' (1959 and it sounds like the Aphex Twin).

= John

 

For great live rock albums look no further than:

1. Live at Leeds by the Who
....go for the reissued CD version cos it's got loads more tracks, it's just brilliant - Moon the Loon is on fire

2. Live and Dangerous by Thin Lizzy

...and I'd also recommend

3. Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes 'Live at the Greek'
...for stunning live renditions of all those Led Zep classics on 2 CD's

 

PLaying Kelly Joe Phelps just now. Shine eyed Mr Zen. Brilliant guitar work on all songs. The album is worth it even for Kelly's amazing treatment of "Good Night Irene". Accoustic guitar playing by a master.

 

Tubular bells

Been duplicating rather than replacing a lot of vynil just recently and have to say I am not dissapointed. I know a lot of stuff has been remastered/altered in a fashion but I dont think any sounded worse to my ears, untill today
I have the 4 album Tubular Bells boxed version on 12" and the dynamics and delicacy and especially the depth is outstanding. So, remastered version of TB 1 & 2 arrived today. I really did expect to favour the CD.
Absolutely not so, the highs and lows are not in the same place, the dynamics have all but disappeared and the exceptional bass depth just is not there.
Anyway what I'm getting round to saying is that I've watched 2 of these box sets through Ebay recently and they have made about £1.99 plus £4 postage. Got to be worth it for the first album alone:band:
Bri.

 

UnLabel 52 series

I've bought a few releases on the Tunbridge Wells based 'UnLabel' over the last few years - typically post-core / math rock stuff. I discovered recently that they are releasing 1 album per week for the whole of 2006, in limited runs of 100 copies. @ £4.75 a pop ! Seemed like a cheap way to hear some unexpected sounds so I signed up for the first 13 (its a subscriber series with limited single sales) and have recieved 4 so far. Really excellent and highly varied

Verbose - Quality melodic electronica. That description would normally put me off, but this I like a lot.
Maps of the Heart - Piano / Guitar / Electronic composition (pick of the bunch do far). Has some really low frequencies on it...
Galena - Tape loop experiments - complemented the storm force winds hitting the front of the house last week in an 'environmental surround sound kinda way'
Soeza - From Bristol. Kinda 'Dischord / DC' rock with two drummers, cello and french horn.

I'm expecting some Finnish Folk, a Parisian Singer/Songwriter, more tape experiemnts and electronica in a couple of weeks.

 

UnLabel

These Tunbridge Wells chaps gave been getting a pile of money from me recently.

Eiger: e

Unhome: A Short History of Houses (Post Rock meets Scott Walker in the Garden of England. Fantastic drumming)

Joeyfat: You Can Change The World With Your Mouth / The House of Fat (1 album, 2 titles, more ideas than most bands have in a lifetime. Surreal)

 

trying out beards and sandals..

been experimenting with a bit of folk this week. this is not something I'm hugely familiar with, though in the past I've enjoyed Kate Rusby, Eliza Carthy's Red Rice and after some initial resistance Steeleye Span (some of which is excellent). so in the HMV sale I picked up a coupl e more Eliza Carthys, June Tabor's Airs and Grace and something by the Silly Sisters (JT and Maddy Prior). As is the way with folk it gets a bit samish, but there are som egems on all of these discs. June Tabor was a welcome revelation - knew she was famous but had never actually heard her. I think I may now have to grow a beard and eat nothing but cheese.

 

I think Folk is getting to be kind of cool. Did anyone see The Culture Show last night? There was a mad Folk band on there can't remember their name though but I quite liked them. Has anyone heard of the Wailin' Jennys or The Be Good Tanyas?

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Paul