What Are You Listening To?

[Music Head]

from my library (cd)



Certainly not up to par with the early stuff, but ok I guess. His first on his own label, so there should have been no restictions. Just Bowie doing Bowie with the producer of some of his best work, Tony Visconti. I can hear some Space Oddity era in here. Guest spots for Dave Grohl and Pete Townshend. Covers of Neil Young (bad) and Pixies (good, with a nice live clip) songs are included. This is around studio album #20 for the legend, with a lot of side projects going on as well. Still one of my favorite artists, but as with all who have been around this long, at some point you have to have reached that peak and the descent begins. A couple of tracks I loved here, but even more that I hated. The album made it to #14 in the U.S. with no singles charting. Surprised to find live clips (my favorite kind) for most of these, all good ones too.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - I Took A Trip On A Gemini Spaceship

Best Track - Everyone Says Hi

Said you took a big trip
They said you moved away
Happened oh, so quietly
They say

Shoulda took a picture
Something I could keep
Buy a little frame
Something cheap
For you

Everyone says hi

Said you sailed a big ship
Said you sailed away
Didn't know the right thing
To say

I'd love to get a letter
Like to know what's what
Hope the weather's good
And it's not too hot
For you

Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi

Everyone says
Don't stay in a sad place
Where they don't care how you are
Everyone says hi

If the money is lousy
You can always come home
We can do the old things
We can do all the bad things
If the food gets you leery
You can always phone
We could do all the good things
We could do it, we could do it,
we could do it
Don't stay in a bad place
Where they don't care how you are

Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi
And the girl next door
And the guy upstairs
Everyone says hi
And your mum and dad
Everyone says hi
And your big fat dog
Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi
Hi hi hi hi

1) Sunday - ** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2zZgA6Xgc4
2) Cactus - ** - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ-vbse8qI0
3) Slip Away - *** - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89mOUDR6zs4
4) Slow Burn - ** - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQaMgMuzgY8
5) Afraid - * - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQXnCT3dB-8
6) I've Been Waiting For You - * - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXmqG4L9A4s
7) I Would Be Your Slave - ** - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chdiyJ0IQ7I
8) I Took A Trip On A Gemini Spaceship - * - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6aRXoFub-8
9) 5:15 The Angels Have Gone - ** - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW6ZICj73Yk
10) Everyone Says Hi - *** - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYj_Wapsu2k
11) A Better Future - ** - audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boX8zNyhaL4
12) Heathen (The Rays) - * - live
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDqrtt0obdM

3's - 2
2's - 6
1's - 4

Rating - 1.8

[Tiggi]

Generally acknowledged to be amongst the best live albums released.

There's so much Blues about this, that it's tempting to post it as a Blues album, but for me they're a Bluesy Rock band.

This was released in '71 as their third album, since they were frustrated that the studio albums weren't capturing the power of their music. Two guitarists, two drummers, plus bass, keys, & vox gave them the flexibilty to stretch out in a live context, so if you don't like lengthy rambling jams, this won't be for you.

A scorching blend of originals and heavily reworked covers.

Fine album.

[Jerome]

The new deluxe edition of Mike Oldfield's 'Hergest Ridge' - amazing stuff. Ethereal for want of a better description.

[Tiggi]

'94 release from the ex-Fairporter.

I'm of the view that RT doesn't put many feet wrong, and this is up to his usual high standard.

Excellent songcraft, combined with fabulous-but-understated guitar makes for a winning combination. There are Folk elements here, but it's predominantly a Rock album.

The song Beeswing is a beautiful thing...

[gryphon]

The new versions of Hergest Ridge.........................Am I right in thinking that that contains a new mix of the original version of Hergest ridge as Mike did not like the original version and vowed that from a particular date all new versions would contain the remix and not the original......................If so you are right about the ethereal sound !

[Tiggi]

Slightly off-topic, but...

Mrs Tiggi & I stayed with some friends a few years ago in Herefordshire, and Hergest Ridge wasn't too far away. We decided to walk it, and whilst it was lovely, I found it a bit underwhelming. Does anyone know what inspired MO to name an album after it ??

[gryphon]

Mike lived for quite a while in a rather run down cottage just off from Hergest Ridge with his first wife /girl friend ( Life with Mike is a little unclear in the books I have read !). During his time their he went for many walks around the area. Now with Mike, walking is part of his composing method ,hence: connected with the walks he makes, is the music he writes................so the countryside around there would give the inspiration for his second work: Hergest Ridge..................It is an interesting place as it is near the Welsh boarder and subject to quite quick changes in weather and mood...............so if you went on a sunny day then that might not be so apparent...................Another point of interest : around 1973 /4 Mike often turned up wearing a Penhros Court T shirt. Penhros Court was his local pub on Hergest ridge. So, I guess that sitting drinking in that pub also help the composition process.......................I have visited the pub and the landlord is quite talkative about Mike and the others who came to drink with Mike and remembers he times well. Sadly he no longer had any T shirts......................

[Tiggi]

Excellent. Thanks for that, Griff.

[gryphon]

Time for a few odd Beatles albums

This one I acquired whilst on Holiday in Spain. It is mostly BBC radio tracks and a few oddities

[Tiggi]

Recently available in it's original form for the first time in ages. Disputes with EMI meant that it hasn't been available, so the band recorded a new version and released it themselves. This however, is the newly remastered original.

The first album of theirs that I heard, back in my teens, so this brings back some fond memories.

An unusual hybrid of synthesised "Classical" sounding music, and gorgeous Rock. Entirely instrumental.

Firm recommendation if that sounds like your kind of thing...