Zarko

I’ll be honest; this was a bit of a spur of the moment thing and given this is out of the blue, it may be heavily skewed to what I am listening to at the moment. I guess that’s what happens when you’ve only been ‘into’ music for three years. I missed the whole boat when it came to experiencing what was going on in music in my youth, which is a lucky thing I guess. Still, I went in a fairly obtuse direction 3 years ago when it came to scouring for music, and as a result I never gained a real taste for any ‘alternative’ rock from the 80’s and 90’s. This includes all of your Sonic Youth’s, Soundgarden’s, QOTSAs, etc etc. This doesn’t mean it won’t happen one day, but considering all of my friends are into these bands I doubt it will happen any time soon.
All that considered, the list is a pretty big mishmash of random albums, and I am guessing I have a number of albums you aren’t expecting of me (Those that have an idea about what I enjoy).

I don’t hope to bore you with overly long album reviews which my blog would. These are bite sized, and if they come with a good enough story I will spread the good word. This is also the worst time (Uni wise) for me to be starting one of these lists so bare with me if it seems to slow down. PM me and I will see what I can do. Also, much like other lists, the numbers aren’t exact, they fall within an approximate. I will also upload top 10 lists if enough people want them as well. Why 75? Dunno.

Either way, enough chit chat. Let’s get this shit going.

James

Very excited.

Zarko

Gustav Holst – The Planets

Okay, this entry is more about the story behind this amazing album I suppose. I had adored this composition since my year 12 heyday, but the adoration reached an apex early this year, and best represents this epic piece. As I was fairly accustomed to, I was passed out at a mates place at 3AM whilst a few of my mates powered on. By all accounts, an hour had passed before my ears started twitching. What was that I heard? Is that the Bringer of Jollity pulsating through my brain cavity? Holy fucking shit, it is... Screw sleeping, this music is better than 50 energy drinks combined. It was as if I had slept for half a day as I went bounding through the house to where the system had been set up, and to the surprise of my mates, started ‘re-enacting’ Jupiter. They had left me for dead, but with new found vigour I powered on, not only through the key Planet songs, but enough albums for the sun the rise. The power of music... Whodathunkit? Either way, not much else to say, Jupiter and Mars are the definite stand outs here.

Black Sabbath – Vol. 4

Gotta admit, this one takes the cake for one reason only – Supernaut and Snowblind are back to back. Both songs just kicked my arse the first time I heard them, and it’s no different now. The only reason Sabbath isn’t higher up the list is because sometimes they get a bit samey, and if you sit there for long enough, Ozzy’s vocals get annoying as hell. I don’t think anyone can dispute this. For all their good points, and that includes the fact that Ozzy’s vocals are actually good in context, they just drill into my brain with any prolonged sitting. Anyway, back to Vol. 4, it isn’t perhaps the most consistent album (Changes being one of the key instigators of trouble) and it does try some interesting moves away from their sludgy doom-ness in songs such as Laguna Sunrise, but it’s better than hearing the same **** over and over again, which is what a lot of Sabbath becomes. Alas, all you need to know is that Supernaut and Snowblind are on this album, back to back no less, so it’s worth a spin.

sidewinder

Looking forward to this. BS 4 is a good one already.

__________________
last.fm | my collection on RYM | vinyl instagram @allthatyouseeandhear
I'd love to see your signature/links too, but the huge and obnoxious ones have caused me to block all signatures.

Bulldog

Fine start, although I'm more of a Sabbath Bloody Sabbath fan over Vol 4, but each to their own

Anyway, I third the 'looking forward to this' notion. Keep up the good work eh.

Zarko

Wayne Shorter – Speak No Evil

Another album that makes the cut on the strength of a few tracks, Speak No Evil is without a doubt Shorter’s magnum opus in regards to popularity, and most importantly, quality. Shorter is a master of post-bop and this album is all you really need to get acquainted with his work. Although I find classic jazz to be a bit of a bore nowadays (I overloaded when I was 17) there are a few albums that simply stick out. The rest I will introduce later on, but SNE is an appropriate starting point in this regard and similarly it is Shorter’s album that finally took him out of Coltrane’s shadow and into his own being. The real strength of the album lies in the title song and Infant Eyes. Speak No Evil has a quirky avant garde style that melds well with the post-bop Shorter style and creates a track with amazing flow with a pulsating melody, with thanks to Han**** on piano. Infant Eyes is what actually caused me to get the album, as it was similar to a few choice Cowboy Bebop tracks in its sublime orchestration and passion for such a low tempo song. Shorter’s ability is on show and pure. Well worth the download for anyone with even a fleeting interest in post-bop jazz.

The Field – From Here We Go Sublime

And now for something completely different... Here is a great album from the biggest douchebag looking Swedish minimalist techno artist going around, also known as ‘The Field’, or Alex Willner. I’m not going to profess some great depth to the music. It is terribly repetitive to most, with the same ‘thump thump thump thump’ slightly altering the surrounding sounds, but overall the album is about making you wait for that single moment, when you KNOW the song is going to blow apart into this amazing crescendo and leave you dumbfounded. Does it ever come you ask? Well sometimes, but not to the bombastic approach you thought it might. Is this a bad thing? No, it simply leaves you wanting more and more. A lot of the samples he borrows offer a very pop-like tinge to the entire techno affair. The first two tracks on the album are absolutely sublime (Over the Ice and A Paw in My Face). They capture what is so great about the music from the get go, and although they are the standout tracks it doesn’t kill the albums overall flow. They are simply the best bites. Overall though, this music isn’t about the big picture – It is about the small moments that captivate a listener, which I am sure we all experience from time to time. Alex doesn’t just capture those moments and loop them – He makes the continuous exposure to them create a much different exposure, to make those moments almost natural and best of all, you don’t get bored of those moments. You simply have a different appreciation for them.

eg

Piss Me Off

A very out-of-character comment on a piece of classical music from me, but Mars kicks the crap out of me. If it's being performed live by a full orchestra it's hard to think of anything else that can so easily send shivers up the spine.

__________________


Last FM
Rate Yr Music
Muxtape

Zarko

The Art Ensemble of Chicago – Les Stances a Sophie

Normally albums tend to struggle when being recorded specifically for cinema. After all, the artist has to create based on a visual media, which whilst it sometimes creates a flurry of ideas, can also inhibit potential ideas as the band is so focussed on creating something for this specific image. That hang up doesn’t happen here. Avant Garde Jazz at its best, Les Stances a Sophie creates the perfect blend of upbeat and catchy jazz to mix and match with their experimental sensibilities. Sometimes it does get a bit loopy, but when it does it is actually fun to listen to, which is amiss in many AG jazz albums. When it’s taken to a ridiculous level, for me there has to be a catch. The enjoyment that the band obviously had when creating this album shines through and also makes it an easier listen because of this fact. Technically the performances are pretty great, and they tend to handle solos well (Which IMO have the most potential to be boring as hell on most jazz albums). That being said, this music was never used FOR the film. Luckily they kept it, as if they hadn’t, jazz fans and music fans in general would have missed out on a lot. The album is also blended well length wise. A few long tracks are interspersed with a whole lot of shorties, which I tend to enjoy rather than 40 minute crap fests. Plus that bass line is just as amazing every time I hear it.

Eivind Aarset – Electronique Noire

Admittedly an album I have cooled on since I reviewed it in my journal, this album still holds up well in comparison a fair chunk of my guitar based ambient-ish music collection. The overall dark tone and lovely beats interspersed between lonely brass solos still works wonderfully, and is a top album when ‘in the mood’. The album, found as a by-product of my Nils Petter discovery, is relatively consistent in its output, even if it does harp on here and there. The problem with Eivind is that his material became pretty same-same, and instead relied on other artists to change things up a bit. It’s not terrible in terms of continuity – At least he got the first step right. The progression is what’s lost later on. But here, the production levels are very nice and crisp, if not a bit overly borrowed from aforementioned artists, and the quality is still solid. My biggest problem though, was that the greatness of the album for situations is difficult to remember when out of that mood or no longer listening to the artists, which is a pretty big problem. If they aren’t memorable beyond the name, they can’t be that good right? Either way, as I said, top album if you’re in the mood for some dark electronic/trip hop jazz stylings, but only okay if listening otherwise.