What are *you* listening to? (Part 1)

Arts & Sciences Arts & Entertainment
1

My thought is just for people to recommend music that they have discovered that other people might be interested in. There was a similar thread a while back "what are you listening too?’ or something… but here the idea is to post stuff that you’ve discovered but think everyone should be listening to, or at least hear.

The inspiration for this came last night when someone handed me a CD to borrow because they wanted to sing a song off it. I still have goosebumps from listening to this record before coming to work this morning. So if you stumble on something that really blew your mind pass it on to those who might appreciate the heads up. Granted not everyone’s musical tastes are the same but with a bit of a description, people can figure out if it might be be up their alley.

My “shit-you-gotta-hear-this” album choice to kick it off…

Teatro - by Willie Nelson… The album came out in 1999 or something, but I’d not heard it 'til last night. Always liked Willie Nelson (my pop used to play him a lot), but Damn this is hot. Produced by Daniel Lanois, and with Emmylou Harris (damn she was a hottie when she was young – awesome voice) singing backup, Willie Nelson revisits some of his old (some new) songs ‘Lanois Style’ but with some latin distorted electric guitar thrown in there (kind of, Willie Nelson does Marc Ribot). A friend commented that some of it sounded like Neil Young and crazy horse with taste, and apt description. Apparently Wim Wenders made a documentary about this album, or tour or something around the time that he did Buena Vista Social Club. Must get my hands on that.

some lyrics from
“I Just Can’t Let You Say Goodbye”

I had not planned on seeing you
I was afraid of what I’d do
But pride is strong and here am I
I just can’t let you say good-bye–

Please have no fear, you’re in no harm
As long as you’re here in my arms
But you can’t leave so please don’t try–

The flesh around your throat is pale
indented by my fingernails
Please don’t scream please don’t cry
I just can’t let you say goodbye

:smiling_imp: woah… cool :sunglasses:

Okay, so this probably won’t be for the “tsst tsst” crowd but blew my mind anyway. I’m gonna buy my own copy if I can find it… I think Willie still needs the money.

Anyway, I’m always on the lookout for new music to be exposed to, so if anyone else out there is like me. Perhaps such a thread can help people discover some great new stuff.

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I bought Dido’s new CD - Life for Rent, what a great album!! I love her voice and they way she sings. The whole CD is pretty good so go check it out.

Also if you are into Techno/Trance music, Paul Van Dyk came out with his new album after 4 yrs, called Reflections. Great mixed of musics and had some good vocals. He even sang a bit in one of the song. More reviews later…

Happy CD Hunting!

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Fine taste, sir. I’m not a country music fan, but the red-haired Indian is a force unto himself.
If you’re looking for a fun read, try Roadkill by Kinky Friedman (one time frontman for the Texas Jewboys – They ‘Aint Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Anymore – erstwhile author of quirky private dick novels), a detective novel set aboard the Willie Nelson tour bus.

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[quote=“akosh”]Figure I would put this in here as, were there enough conversations about music, they would no doubt belong here.

My thought is just for people to recommend music that they have discovered that other people might be interested in. There was a similar thread a while back "what are you listening too?’ or something… but here the idea is to post stuff that you’ve discovered but think everyone should be listening to, or at least hear. [/quote]
Great thread, Akosh, hope it takes off.

Ha ha! I guess by that you mean techno or something. It’s such a pity when someone can’t get into something just because it isn’t ‘cool’. I mean, I’m sure there are some people who wouldn’t like Willie Nelson anyway, cool or not, but there must be even more people who would never even give country music a chance.

Re. Willie, I’ve been putting him and George Jones singing ‘I Gotta Get Drunk’ on repeat play recently. Far too cheesy for some people but never mind - see my comments above.

I am really very bad at judging what other people might like to listen to and anyway my tastes for obscure Brazilian roots music would surely be enough to scare off most people. Nevertheless, if I just put down a few of my absolute favourite songs/recordings for a few genres there’s a chance that at least somebody will like something.

My top tunes of all time happen to be from the
COUNTRY BLUES ‘genre’:
Michelle Shocked: Hello Hopeville
Bob Dylan: Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright (or alternate version by Waylon Jennings)
Leadbelly: Midnight Special (or alternate version by Johnny Rivers)
Also don’t forget Bessie Smith.

BRAZILIAN
Joao Gilberto: A Primeira Vez -
Of course Joao Gilberto is best known for bossa nova and in fact his work in that genre is amazingly subtle and expressive, but this is a little different; an older song. They’re not his lyrics, but he sings them beautifully;
A primeira vez te encontre
Alimente o ilusao de ser feliz…

The first time I met you
It fed the illusion that I could be happy…
(my very bad translation)

More upbeat than the above; anything by remarkable 50s entertainer Jackson do Pandeiro, especially ‘O Canto da Ema’ and ‘Chiclete com Banana’.
Also anything and everything by 80s and 90s Axe (pronounced ashAY) queen Daniela Mercury, especially ‘Rapunzel’ and ‘Nobre Vagabundo’

IBERIAN
Anything by Joselito (the Spanish child singer of the 50s with the ‘voice of gold’; not the lacklustre Colombian crooner of the same name)
Most stuff by Antonio Molina
Miguel de Molina: La Bien Paga
Anything by Portuguese fado queen Amalia Rodrigues, but especially ‘Uma Casa Portuguesa’

JAZZ
Miles Davis: My Funny Valentine
Gene Ammons: New York Ska - great ska-jazz track by a tenor player better known for more straight-ahead jazz
Clifford Brown: I Get a Kick Out of You - great fast post-bop rendition of the Cole Porter classic
Stan Getz: No More Blues (a bit of Brazilian creeping in again; sounds like bossa nova but actually follows an older form)

REGGAE
Gilberto Gil: ‘Easy Skankin’’ and ‘Three Little Birds’ - cheating a bit here since Gil is a main figure in Brazilian music, but anyway these are great versions and - sacrilege! - I actually prefer them to the original ones.

DANCE
Yes I have been known to listen to - and enjoy - the odd bit of tsst tsst myself. By nature, a lot of this stuff is fairly ephemeral and I actually prefer the cheesier stuff, but here are a couple of things that, for me at least, have more lasting listenability;
Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli (remix) Time to Say Goodbye (club version)
Novaspace: Time after Time (radio edit)
M People: How Can I Love You More (Sasha/John Digweed remix)
Utada Hikaru: Fly Me To The Moon (club mix)

80s POP
Yes! Ultimate cheese! I must be unique in finding something very touching and emotional in this plastic mass-produced stuff

Bananarama: Love in the First Degree
Aha: Take On Me
Boy George & Culture Club: Karma Chameleon

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The new Grandaddy CD - Sumday - these guys just get better with each new release.

Also, the new(ish) JayHawks record is a ripper.

6

Amazon order arrived and have been listening to some new music:

Radiohead “Hail to the Thief”
I have listened to this one a few times over. It’s quite cool but I’m finding it a lot bleaker than past albums though It is standard Radiohead lyricly. More guitars and less electronic. Think OK computer but darker. The first track 2+2=5 is a comment on Big Brother’s absolute authority over reality and the current politics in the states. Tasty.

Interpol “Turn on the Bright Lights”
This album kicks ass. Heard a few tracks on the ‘radio’ and decided to pick it up. Wasn’t expecting it to be this good. Reminecent of the Tragically Hip.

Jane’s Addiction “Strays”
Jane’s hasn’t released any new material since Ritual (with the exception of a live cd with some remixes). P for P was great but there is something about Dave Navarro and Perry Farrell together that is just magic. If you liked old Jane’s you’ll definely dig the new stuff.

Staind “14 Shades of Gray”
Girlfriend ordered this one but I have held on to it because it is pretty good. Has some nice heavy tracks and a few anthems. It’s not KISS but it rocks.

Nickelback “The Long Road”
My hometown favorites are kicking more ass with their new release. If you liked Silver Side Up you’ll definitely like this one. Nickelback has not moved out of their Metalicaisc sound that they perfected with Silver Side Up but they are still pumping out songs that rock with The Long Road.

Sam Roberts “We Were Born in a Flame”
Montreal’s Sam Roberts’ album is full of great little tunes that get stuck in your head and drive you crazy untll you listen to the song again. Noteably are the songs “Hard Raod”. “Where Have All the Good People Gone” and “Paranoia”.

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[quote]80s POP
Yes! Ultimate cheese! I must be unique in finding something very touching and emotional in this plastic mass-produced stuff

Bananarama: Love in the First Degree
Aha: Take On Me
Boy George & Culture Club: Karma Chameleon[/quote]

Far from unique. I’m a big fan of 80s pop myself. The most underrated of genres. The 60s can go fuck itself. Now there’s an overrated decade if ever there was one.

Now my favourite album of the past few years is:

Saint Etienne - Finisterre

Saint Etienne made a small (to middling) splash in the British indy scene of the early 90s with their debut ‘Fox Base Alpha’. They are sometimes also classed with ‘trip-hop’ bands. They had a minor hit with ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’ (Neil Young cover) and then in the late 90s with the more clubby ‘He’s On the Phone’. Their excellent first 3 albums gave way to a not-so-great’ 4th and a dissapointing 5th. Then with their 6th album, ‘Finisterre’, they were back in force. This is a marvellous album. Hard to categorise, but definitely indy-pop with some influences from ‘trip hop’ and electronica. If you’re a fan of Moorcheeba, Portishead, Pizzicato Five, Stereolab, Air, early Primal Scream etc, you’ll almost certainly love this album.

Brian

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Dammit Brian, I keep forgetting. What’s the name of that band you like again? :wink:

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If anyone actually listens to any of the less familiar stuff I mentioned, I would be fascinated to hear opinions and reactions - either in a post or by PM.

Brian, I quite like one or two of the St. Etienne tracks. In particular there was an album of remixes they released maybe mid-nineties that I liked. But I do find that if I listen to any kind of electronic pop for too long my mood tends to sink a bit and I need some Leadbelly to perk up again.

P.S., Buckwheat Zydeco, or Boozoo Chavis are both also very good at cheering me up.

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Joesax, that album of remixes is Casino Classics. It’s all electronic remixes (and damn fine imo), but actually most Sait Etienne stufff is not electronic (at least not dance music) at all.

brian

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For a while there I thought this thread was doomed to oblivion like many another thread I started. But it seems there are some poeple out there who like to wax music on occassion after all, and for that I’m glad…

sandman

Amen… Asked when he will retire, Willie said; “All I do is golf and play music, which one do you want me to give up?” I thought that was funny, and very Willie. Thanks for the heads up on the Willie Nelson mystery novel.

geez JOESAX… you got some obscure taste. Don’t know much about brazilian roots music, other than that I’d probably like it. You find that stuff in Taipei anywhere? Myself, I have no credit card so ordering stuff is kind of out of the question.

HANS… yea… Jane’s Addiction… as bad as they can be sometimes, I always liked them. I think it’s Perry Farrell’s voice… I can understand why it would drive some people crazy but I think he’s great. Sam Roberts, huh? Saw a bit of him on the telly whilst back in the big smoke, didn’t seem too exciting, though. Too much french rock sensibility, though to be fair I didn’t see much.

OK as much I love that Willie Nelson album, I realize no one’s going to rush out and buy that one up (save for sandman), so I got another one that fell in my lap that should appeal to a broader base (I’m giving away gold here). Mosly I’ve been listening to a lot of old-time (American fiddle) music that friends have been burning um… I mean lending me. So that’s mostly what I’ve been listening to, but a friend dropped this on me and it would appeal to anyone into swing, raunchy jazz, Django Reihardt etc… If you’re from Texas (seems a lot of Americans in Taipei are) you probably know ‘The Asylum Street Spankers.’ The album I got is called “Spanks for the Memories.”

Great playing, with a whole wack of instruments thrown in there, ukelele, steel guitar, guitar, fiddle, bass, , harmonica, clarinet, kazoo… they cover a few styles and standard jazz songs and do some originals too. They recorded the album with one microphone in the middle of a room in a house somewhere, and as a result you get a nice natural hiss that makes the record sound like it was made in the 30’s. Some great playing, great vocals and a good energy and musical philosophy.

Thanks for the suggestions guys and gals, keep 'em coming.

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I only just got Willie Nelson “Spirit” the other day, talk about special… minimal playing, just Willie and guitar, some piano… brilliant.

Other new stuff… the Lambchop “Is a Woman” is just beautiful. Caught them here in Oz a few months back - breathtaking.

Altho a little older Wilco “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” - also saw them recently in Oz, by far and away THE #1 live music experience of my life. The new drummer is genius. Whilst playing his kit with one hand he was using the other with 2 mallets to play on a set of vibraphones. Leroy Bach - their mulitinstrumentalist was playing fuzzed out lead with one hand, playing runs on the organ with the other and singing counter melodies. Was a 2.5 hour display of pure brilliance.

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[quote]Other new stuff… the Lambchop “Is a Woman” is just beautiful. Caught them here in Oz a few months back - breathtaking.
[/quote]

Lambchop are a funny group. I heard their fantastic song ‘Life’s Little Tragedy’ on the Moorcheeba ‘Back to Mine’ album, then downloaded a CD’s worth of their songs. A real mix. I can’t place their style at all. Wouldn’t have a clue where they come from (although I’m guessing US), what they look like, or anything. Any Lambchop fans able to recommend which CD of their’s to buy first?

Also another fantastic band I’ve got into via download is Belle and Sebastian, who are British (I think). Anyone recommend whicgh of their albums to buy first? Here’s a (spoken word) quote from one of their songs:

“I used to think that my father was Elvis. I haven’t told him that yet. I haven’t told my father either”.

Brian

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[quote=“Bu Lai En”][quote]Other new stuff… the Lambchop “Is a Woman” is just beautiful. Caught them here in Oz a few months back - breathtaking.
[/quote]

Lambchop are a funny group. I heard their fantastic song ‘Life’s Little Tragedy’ on the Moorcheeba ‘Back to Mine’ album, then downloaded a CD’s worth of their songs. A real mix. I can’t place their style at all. Wouldn’t have a clue where they come from (although I’m guessing US), what they look like, or anything. Any Lambchop fans able to recommend which CD of their’s to buy first?

Also another fantastic band I’ve got into via download is Belle and Sebastian, who are British (I think). Anyone recommend whicgh of their albums to buy first? Here’s a (spoken word) quote from one of their songs:

“I used to think that my father was Elvis. I haven’t told him that yet. I haven’t told my father either”.

Brian[/quote]

Brian

The best Lambchop album to start with is Nixon, then Is a Woman. Nixon is almost soul country if there is such a thing. Is a Woman is quite different… very delicate. What Another Man Spills is good. But yeah their style is odd. Soul country is close enough! :slight_smile: A great band, hailing from Nashville and containing quite few hot shot Nashville players. Rodney Crowell has played with them as has Josh Rouse and legend producer Marky Nevers plays a bit of space guitar work. When they toured Oz last they had 7 in the band. They usually are a 9 piece I think.

The lead singer Kurt Wagner did a great job on that Morcheeba track. He also was involved in a project with Avenue A - a Massive Attach meets country style project. Great stuff.

They are also linked into the Calexico, Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev, Sparklehorse, Grandaddy, Giant Sand world of amazing innovative American music. It used to be all English music for me, but these days I personally feel there is just so much amazing stuff coming out of the US…

Belle and Sebastian are nice. If you like that try Mojave 3 or the Neil Halsted solo stuff.

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[quote=“Bu Lai En”]Also another fantastic band I’ve got into via download is Belle and Sebastian, who are British (I think). Anyone recommend whicgh of their albums to buy first?
Brian[/quote]

“Tigermilk” (1996) is a good start; I think they’re Scottish.

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Just to keep this thing goin’

AWOL, seems we share some of the same tastes. Will check out the recomended Willie Nelson (it’s payday round here). If you like Wilco, then maybe you already know this artist, but If you don’t… well…

My weakness… I’m a sucker for a woman with a great voice.
Don’t know if I’m the last person on the planet to discover her, but DAMN Gillian Welch is GREAT.

She writes songs that are kinda old time country blues, but with modern lyrics, but I don’t know what the hell she’s singing about because when I listen to her voice I just fall into this bissful, zoned-out state: kinda like Homer Simpson eating the potatoe chips in outer-space. Awesome.

her website
gillianwelch.com/

Annabelle, Whiskey Girl, I’m not afraid to die, I dreamed a highway back to you, Leaving Train, Winter’s come and gone, all are great songs if you can find a way to get a listen.

She gained some fame from doing a couple of songs on the ‘O brother where art thou’ soundtrack, but I don’t think the few songs she does on there is enough to get a feel for her music as her original songs would probably appeal to more people than the straight-up traditional stuff she did for that.

right, off too FNAC I go to, spend my ill-gotten wealth… on company time no less :shock:

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[quote]She gained some fame from doing a couple of songs on the ‘O brother where art thou’ soundtrack, but I don’t think the few songs she does on there is enough to get a feel for her music as her original songs would probably appeal to more people than the straight-up traditional stuff she did for that.
[/quote]
Oh, her. I’d forgotten all about her. Thanks for reminding me. In fact, thanks for reminding me about the OBWAT soundtrack. I’ll be digging that one out tonight for sure. Its ages since I’ve heard it.

El Tigerman gave me some great bluegrass a few weeks back. Various artists but leaning mostly toward Jerry Garcia/Dave Grisholm, but the one track that really got me is by a virtuoso mando player called Johnny Staats. Tune is called “Escape from Taiwan” and it is just jaw-dropping. He’s not even a pro musician – he drives a truck for UPS for his day job.

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That’s funny, I just typed his name into yahoo and came up with a review that said…

hee hee…
inspiration, taiwan style

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[quote=“akosh”]Just to keep this thing goin’…DAMN Gillian Welch is GREAT.

She writes songs that are kinda old time country blues, but with modern lyrics, but I don’t know what the hell she’s singing about because when I listen to her voice I just fall into this bissful, zoned-out state: kinda like Homer Simpson eating the potatoe chips in outer-space. Awesome.

her website
gillianwelch.com/

Annabelle, Whiskey Girl, I’m not afraid to die, I dreamed a highway back to you, Leaving Train, Winter’s come and gone, all are great songs if you can find a way to get a listen.

She gained some fame from doing a couple of songs on the ‘O brother where art thou’ soundtrack, but I don’t think the few songs she does on there is enough to get a feel for her music as her original songs would probably appeal to more people than the straight-up traditional stuff she did for that.[/quote]

Ditto all that. Add “One Morning” from Time (The Revelator) and “By the Mark” from Revival. “By the Mark” is an amazing old-timey-gospel/revival-tent song, written by Gillian and her partner in crime, the only other person in her “band,” David Rawlings. I just couldn’t believe this song wasn’t a cover of some Appalachian folk hymn when I first heard it, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. And “One Morning” is one I like to play early in the morning, kind of like an American roots equivalent to U2’s Joshua Tree (to my untrained ears and fairly eclectic taste in music). Actually, I find all of her music pretty inspiring.

And this may be irrelevant, but to me it’s kind of a jaw dropper. Both GW and Rawlings are graduates of Cal-Berkeley’s music school. I thought for sure she was from the hills of W. Virginia or the Appalachian Mountains somewhere. I mean, who writes this stuff outside the Smokys or, less likely, Nashville? Yeah, good stuff.

I have Hell Among the Yearlings, Revival, and Time… on CD here, but I lack her latest release.

20

I recently picked up Yo La Tengo’s And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out. Although I wouldn’t say that it’s the best I’ve ever heard from them, I’ve found myself listening to it over and over. “Cherry Chapstick” and “You Can Have It All” (which would be interesting to hear a cappella, though I’d miss the drumming) are especially catchy.

I first heard the group ages and ages ago in a bar with no more than a couple dozen people in it, counting those who worked there. It was a good show.