What Are You Listening To?

[Jerome]

REM - Automatic for the People - just noticed on the sleeve note that the strings were done by John Paul Jones (of Led Zep fame?) - fantastic album. Like every single track on this album.

[CRAZY-HORSE]

I usually read the sleeve notes etc on albums and I never noticed JPJ previously, either way, brilliant album IMO also.

[Jerome]

As mentioned previously, busy chilling out to 'Tracker' - just a great body of work by someone who never ceases to amaze me. Going to be moving onto Beth Orton's album in a few tracks time. Very unusual arrangements (strings/backing etc.) on this one. Whenever I put one of her albums in the CD player, there is always this distinctive 'shift' in the sound/mood/ambience etc. - call it what you will, but she's very different from the norm. An intriguing lady.

[Ruby]

Chris de Burgh’s Crusader. Haven’t listened to this in forever. Interestingly, it was produced by Andrew Powell of Alan Parsons Project fame, and the other musos on this release, also all belonged to the APP! I did not know that … there’s Ian Bairnson, David Paton, Stuart Elliot and Mike Moran. Quite a retinue Chris got himself for this one.

I was switched off de Burgh by that Lady in Red song – brrrr! shudder - but to give credit where it’s due – this is a most excellent album. I think it’s creative, heartfelt, sentimental, nostalgic and quite beautifully done.

Some links –

“The Girl with April in Her Eyes” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpINpPqYofM

“Old Fashioned People” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4qQA9SEEW8

The title track –

[video=youtube;h6SkaFMTihI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6SkaFMTihI[/video]

[Jerome]

Been listening to a lot of Toto stuff in the past few days in the car. Amazing band that came up with some incredible tracks.

[Ruby]

Jeff Beck’s brand new album, Loud Hailer. Releasing tomorrow, 15 July, but already creating something of a buzz – streaming and links available to listen to via YT and others. Not at ALL what you might expect and a departure from his last offering, 2010’s Emotion and Commotion. JB is apparently Peter Pan!

The album kicks off with him strutting his special brand of blues in gritty, industrial mode, and while doing precisely his own hard rocking thing, he doesn’t sound in the least dated. There’s a whole lot of nasty guitar going on, and I mean that in a good way! Another one who is a master of his craft, which is a point that must be conceded, whether one likes what he’s putting out or not.

The intent is clearly to make a statement (or a few of them) – the album title an echo of the sentiment behind the words – a literal, anti-establishment shout out, and most of the track titles speak for themselves; “The Revolution will be Televised”, “Scared for the Children”, and so on - good timing I suppose, post the Brexit. Rosie Bones is an interesting choice of co-conspirator, and lends a vocal juxtaposition that probably has a lot to do with attaining the contemporary edge. For the purposes of comparison, to me, she sounds similar to Lily Allen with a generous helping of Joan Jett thrown in for good measure. I have reservations about a few of the political plots and topics and am not convinced by some of the lyrics, which on first listen are somewhat disingenuous and a little bit twee - may have to listen again. What is evident though, is that there seems to be a comfortable equilibrium between music and voice – JB’s production skills no doubt have a lot to do with that.

It’s always fascinating to me to hear older artists who no longer have anything to prove and who are completely at ease with themselves, go ahead and unapologetically do whatever they feel compelled to do. Not all of them pull it off. Mysteriously, at the age of 72, I think Jeff Beck does. Good for him. And all that said, I’m unlikely to rush out and buy a copy right now, which I’m quite certain won’t radically impact his sales! :biggrin1:

“Live in the Dark” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6dsffOrOoI

“Scared for the Children” – a ballad …

[video=youtube;G1xukJkcq1k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1xukJkcq1k[/video]

[Whipsy48]

Wild Horses-kathleen Jenkins rendition

What a beautiful song,it amazes me how it is sung by different singers but Jenkins version from Britains Got Talent, made me cry.

[Jerome]

This one is firmly stuck in my mind this morning - https://youtu.be/KFWKJjb9ycw

[bob_32_116]

Just heard this played on radio. I am not normally a fan of "re-imaginings" of songs, but I think this one is astonishingly good:

[video=youtube;cVuh1Ymve2I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVuh1Ymve2I[/video]

(No it's not friggin' "Bittersweet Symphony" by the Verve. easy to see where that song got its inspiration.)

[Music Head]

from the cd room



loved these guys
the hits anyway
if this Rhino compilation is any indication
their albums had a lot of filler
about half of these 20 are worth having

my fav
grainy vid but it was fun to watch

[video=youtube;8O4TqdhtDJQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O4TqdhtDJQ[/video]