What vinyl are you listening to?

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Jim_W

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Charlie Jefferson said:
Is the Actor Happy? - Vic Chesnutt

Rock Bottom - Robert Wyatt

...just thought I'd say hello. Always fancied listening to Vic Chesnutt but never came across any of his records. Must youtube him. Recommendations welcome.

As for 'Rock Bottom' well it's a favourite here along with 'Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard'. Great stuff.
 

Jim_W

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Two Jaco Pastorius master-clases:

Joni Mitchell: 'Hejira'. The perfect record for winter and associated misery.

Joni Mitchell: 'Mingus'. Underrated, with great Jaco, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock etc contributions.

If you watch any Jaco Pastorius videos on youtube you are immediately in awe of his chops/technical facility, but he was much more than that; on these two records his playing is soulful, melodic and responsive to the songs. Never flashy, just supportive.

Thanks to the discussion re 'Waiting For The Sun', I pulled out:

The Doors: 'Absolutely Live'. Better than I remember it or it's improved with age. Sounds great LOUD.

The Doors: 'The Soft Parade'. Hmm. Nicely recorded though.

The Doors: 'LA Woman'. Solid, bluesy, brilliant.
 

Charlie Jefferson

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Jim_W said:
Charlie Jefferson said:
Is the Actor Happy? - Vic Chesnutt

Rock Bottom - Robert Wyatt

...just thought I'd say hello. Always fancied listening to Vic Chesnutt but never came across any of his records. Must youtube him. Recommendations welcome.

As for 'Rock Bottom' well it's a favourite here along with 'Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard'. Great stuff.

Hi Jim,

Vic really is the "real deal" as they say. I won't do the usual comparison game (there are plenty of artists to put him alongside of course) but I find him utterly compelling.

His voice rings out in each song like a clarion call to otherness and I'd say Is The Actor Happy? is his defining moment. There are several others though that come close.

Rock Bottom and Donestan are two of my RW favourites and yes, Ruth is superb too. I'd link Robert Wyatt and Vic Chesnutt in that they both succeed, albeit in different settings, in achieving something transcendent through use of voice. Voices suffused with truth.
 

Charlie Jefferson

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Jim_W said:
Two Jaco Pastorius master-clases:

Joni Mitchell: 'Hejira'. The perfect record for winter and associated misery.

Joni Mitchell: 'Mingus'. Underrated, with great Jaco, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock etc contributions.

If you watch any Jaco Pastorius videos on youtube you are immediately in awe of his chops/technical facility, but he was much more than that; on these two records his playing is soulful, melodic and responsive to the songs. Never flashy, just supportive.

Thanks to the discussion re 'Waiting For The Sun', I pulled out:

The Doors: 'Absolutely Live'. Better than I remember it or it's improved with age. Sounds great LOUD.

The Doors: 'The Soft Parade'. Hmm. Nicely recorded though.

The Doors: 'LA Woman'. Solid, bluesy, brilliant.

You've made me line up those two Joni LPs when side two of Vic is through.
 

thescarletpronster

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Gogo Penguin – Man Made Object
David Sylvian & Holger Czukay – Plight & Premonition
Björk – Vespertine
Anna Calvi – One Breath
King Midas Sound – Without You
Holger Czukay – Movies
 
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BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW

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thescarletpronster said:
Front 242 – Official Version

How about The Young Gods, like them?

thescarletpronster said:
The Guest Stars – Out At Night (superb British 80s Latin-tinged jazz, incidentally from an all-female group including that Deidre Cartwright from BBC2's Rock School

I was an avid watcher of Rock School, and she was kind of sexy in a tomboyish kind of way.
 
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BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW

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Jim_W said:
Joni Mitchell: 'Hejira'. The perfect record for winter and associated misery.

Another album I picked up quite recently, and must play.
 

thescarletpronster

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BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW said:
How about The Young Gods, like them?

Ah, now that's a good question. An acquaintance – I can't quite call him a friend, because he was very odd – played me one of their albums when I was in my teens, and I liked it a lot. Sort of operatic–industrial, as I remember it. But somehow I've never quite managed to investigate them further. Any recommendations to get me started?
 
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BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW

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thescarletpronster said:
BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW said:
How about The Young Gods, like them?

Ah, now that's a good question. An acquaintance – I can't quite call him a friend, because he was very odd – played me one of their albums when I was in my teens, and I liked it a lot. Sort of operatic–industrial, as I remember it. But somehow I've never quite managed to investigate them further. Any recommendations to get me started?

My best recommendation would be to see them live, but as they rarely make it to the UK these days, you may be waiting a while.

Albumwise, I'd recommend the native language stuff over the stuff sung in English, though'TV Sky' has some great moments, particularly 'The Night Dance' and 'TV Sky'.

I'd seek these albums out in this order:

1. L'eau Rouge

2. The Young Gods

3. Play Kurt Weill

4. TV Sky

Their direction changed a little after 'TV Sky', more groove based, more electronic.

My wife and I went to see them a few years ago, she had no idea what they were like, and considering her taste in music, I was waiting for her to complain after the first song. To my surprise, she thought they were amazing.
 

Charlie Jefferson

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Good discussion/sub-thread, BBB.

I love the Kurt Weill one, it's been appropriated in several slightly edgy drama classes down the years. Certainly makes a decent contrast to Robbie & Buble smoothly crucifying Mack The Knife.

Album of the day, it's still Vic Chesnutt's

Is The Actor Happy?
 
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BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW

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Do you know something, I've only just realised that 'Mackie Messer' is actually 'Mack The Knife'. *blush*

In my defence (though there isn't much of one), it does sound completely different to every version I've ever heard before, and so, SO much better than that **** Robbie Williams destroying it.

With this in mind, there was only one album I could play this morning, and is it's hard to pick out a highlight, but I've always loved 'Speak Low', though nothing is less than great, and 'Alabama Song' and 'September Song' are fantastic, as is the formentioned 'Mackie Messer'.

The Young Gods - Play Kurt Weill

I then followed it up with a bit of:

Schoenberg - Gurre Lieder (Pierre Boulez) double album box set
 

jamesrfisher

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BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW said:
jimbofisher said:
David Byrne - The Catherine Wheel

I picked up a copy of that quite recently, I must give it a play.

Do and let me know what you think.

Arrived today and already given a spin, Whiplash OST, very good., great recording.

Also arrived today and now getting a spin School of Seven Bells - SVIIB. Shame it will be their as love all their albums and really liked Benjamin Curtis' previous band Secret Machines, a shame he died so young.
 

thescarletpronster

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BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW said:
Albumwise, I'd recommend the native language stuff over the stuff sung in English, though'TV Sky' has some great moments, particularly 'The Night Dance' and 'TV Sky'.

I'd seek these albums out in this order:
1. L'eau Rouge
2. The Young Gods
3. Play Kurt Weill
4. TV Sky

Thanks, Big Bern. Looking at the albums, it was L'eau rouge that I heard, as I remember it having an orange cover. Will investigate.
 
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BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW

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Played a bit of vinyl today, but just a bit.

Neil Young - Decade (Record 3 only)

Brand New Heavies - Brand New Heavies

I was a bit surprised by the BNH album, I thought it might sound a bit naff, but on the whole it's really good, especially the funky instrumental (or almost instrumental) tracks.
 
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BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW

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thescarletpronster said:
BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW said:
Albumwise, I'd recommend the native language stuff over the stuff sung in English, though'TV Sky' has some great moments, particularly 'The Night Dance' and 'TV Sky'.

I'd seek these albums out in this order:1. L'eau Rouge2. The Young Gods3. Play Kurt Weill4. TV Sky

Thanks, Big Bern. Looking at the albums, it was L'eau rouge that I heard, as I remember it having an orange cover. Will investigate.

Maybe the order I recommended was wrong, the Kurt Weill album is great, and it's definitely worth listening to the 'TV Sky' album, there's a very Doorsy track on there, and the two tracks I mentioned before are superb. 'Night Dance' is intense, play very loud.
 

Charlie Jefferson

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BBB, have you ever heard the Berliner Ensemble versions of songs from The Threepenny Opera? They are quite something.

Z - MMJ

Okonosos - MMJ

The Waterfall - MMJ

Shot Of Love - Bob Dylan

I Love You, Honeybear - Father John Misty

Scott 3 - Scott Walker

Court & Spark - Joni

The Hissing Of Summer Lawns - Joni
 

Jim_W

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Hi Charlie. Been youtubing Vic Chesnutt pretty much most of today: live and studio stuff. Wow. I don't think I've ever heard such intense and committed performances or such honesty in songs. I was very affected by this brave man and his music. Unbelievable. Thanks. I'll try and get hold of his records asap.
 
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BIGBERNARDBRESSLAW

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Charlie Jefferson said:
BBB, have you ever heard the Berliner Ensemble versions of songs from The Threepenny Opera? They are quite something.

I haven't, Charlie. Will check them if I get a chance tonight.
 

Charlie Jefferson

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Jim_W said:
Hi Charlie. Been youtubing Vic Chesnutt pretty much most of today: live and studio stuff. Wow. I don't think I've ever heard such intense and committed performances or such honesty in songs. I was very affected by this brave man and his music. Unbelievable. Thanks. I'll try and get hold of his records asap.

Hi Jim,

He really had something didn't he? The soul of man dredged from his core in each and every song. Each note, often.

I've got most of it on CD and only Is The Actor Happy (his apotheosis, almost) on vinyl. Forget the formats, though, the guy was really delving deep when he crafted and performed those songs.

For me, it resonates on a different and more affecting level than the not-million-miles-away music of Mark Linkous (Sparklehorse), whose albums I really like too.
 

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