What's the sound in my headphones today?

Rainfall · 08-29-2009, 11:35 PM

It's sad that so many things like this go unfound for so long. Jackhammer, you do a good deed here, uncovering hidden stashes of beautiful works that should be appreciated.

jackhammer · 09-01-2009, 03:59 PM

If anyone want's a link for the Red Hash album PM away!

FaSho · 09-05-2009, 07:38 AM

I do! I do!

I haven't looked in this thread in awhile, but it's great to see it's still full of music I'm pretty interested in.

jackhammer · 09-05-2009, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FaSho

I do! I do!

I haven't looked in this thread in awhile, but it's great to see it's still full of music I'm pretty interested in.

Link on way and please to all who I have sent the album to-let's have some opinions whether good or bad!

Engine · 09-06-2009, 10:23 AM

Red Hash is definitely a good album. Classic melancholy folk that goes somewhere. Almost every song is really interesting despite how soft and low key they are. My one complaint is that one or two of the songs sound horribly dated. "Unable to Fly" for example is just way too authentically hippie-ish for me. Really cloying flute and high-pitched vibrato vocals remind me of why I don't like much late 60s/early 70s folk. But still - I do really like most of the album a lot. Makes me think of Nick Drake if he was an American hippie.

jackhammer · 09-10-2009, 01:31 PM

A great post there. I can certainly see how Black Uhuru are completely the wrong opening act for someone like King Sunny. It sounds like he hasn't managed to capture his more raw live sound down in his music which is a shame as I was really looking forward to hearing the album.

jackhammer · 09-25-2009, 04:31 PM

Cobalt-Gin (2009)

Black Metal. Not one of the most endearing of genres and even being a fan of Metal myself, I rarely venture into the genre but this album is something else. In the grand scheme of things It's barely a Black Metal album with the trappings usually associated with the genre (intense speed, harsh vocals) kept to a minimum on the album and if truth be told I would class it as a Progressive metal album.

The production and riffs are much more pronounced than on many Black Metal albums with the musicianship very much to the fore but certainly not to the detriment of their sound. All too often bands of this ilk lose sight of actual song structure thus presenting incoherent albums with moments of greatness. Gin is different. It stands up on it's own and you don't need to be a fan of Black Metal to enjoy it. It avoids many of the cliches inherent in the genre and instead it is one of the most individual, enjoyable and easy on the ear metal albums I have heard for a long while.

If you are looking for something other than the multitude of groove based metal bands with no identities of their own then you need to hear this album.

Piss Me Off · 09-26-2009, 04:34 AM

*puts hand up*

I haven't listened to a new metal album in yonks!

jackhammer · 11-18-2009, 06:36 PM

Jackhammer get's your booty shaking:

Gavin B. · 11-19-2009, 09:36 AM

Welcome back Jack, it's been awhile since you did an entry to your venerable Headphones diary. My thoughts on the music:

I loved Mr. Scruff's song, especially the muted trumpet. It sounds like a prime cut from the heyday of acid jazz and trip hop. Isn't one of the samples a Louis Jordan riff ? Damn I wish I could think of the name of the song. This music is right up my alley and I spend a great deal of time listening to similar jazz remix projects like Thievery Corporation's rexmixes of the Verve catalog and the Ultra Chilled collection which just released it's sixth volume of remixes. Mr. Scruff is definitely on my must-have list.

Chinese Man is a group from Marseille that I've heard and love. They have a wacked out sense of humor like Orb and remix some very noirish sounding jazz. I think there's some Cab Calloway samples in Antichaut. In fact I'm thinking the horn samples are either the Calloway band or the Basie band.

Parov Stelar is a relative newcomer that I've heard a lot about but never actually heard. It sounds like swing era jazz with a big beat. It reminds me of Dr. Buzzard's Savannah Band a New York City R&B band that experimented with big beat swing riddims and even had a memorable hit with the song Cherchez Le Femme in the 70s. Once again you've unearthed another jewel from a musical genre that is near and dear to my heart.

The final song (is it by Dita?) isn't as outstanding as the other three songs but the other three are so well selected they blow away most acid jazz remixes. That being said, I'd still listen to and play Dark Burlesque on my radio show because I only have a few minor quibles with the way it was remixed.

All things considered, I give your selections 3.73 "thumbs up" out of 4. It's a fantastic post with some fantastic music.

08-29-2009, 11:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
Rainfall Not your best friend. Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 67	It's sad that so many things like this go unfound for so long. Jackhammer, you do a good deed here, uncovering hidden stashes of beautiful works that should be appreciated. __________________ Rule #7 – Trust only when trusted.

09-01-2009, 03:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	If anyone want's a link for the Red Hash album PM away! __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

09-10-2009, 01:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	A great post there. I can certainly see how Black Uhuru are completely the wrong opening act for someone like King Sunny. It sounds like he hasn't managed to capture his more raw live sound down in his music which is a shame as I was really looking forward to hearing the album. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

09-25-2009, 04:31 PM	#7 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	Cobalt-Gin (2009) Black Metal. Not one of the most endearing of genres and even being a fan of Metal myself, I rarely venture into the genre but this album is something else. In the grand scheme of things It's barely a Black Metal album with the trappings usually associated with the genre (intense speed, harsh vocals) kept to a minimum on the album and if truth be told I would class it as a Progressive metal album. The production and riffs are much more pronounced than on many Black Metal albums with the musicianship very much to the fore but certainly not to the detriment of their sound. All too often bands of this ilk lose sight of actual song structure thus presenting incoherent albums with moments of greatness. Gin is different. It stands up on it's own and you don't need to be a fan of Black Metal to enjoy it. It avoids many of the cliches inherent in the genre and instead it is one of the most individual, enjoyable and easy on the ear metal albums I have heard for a long while. If you are looking for something other than the multitude of groove based metal bands with no identities of their own then you need to hear this album. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

09-26-2009, 04:34 AM	#8 (permalink)
Piss Me Off Moodswings n' Roundabouts Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: At the corner of Dude and Catastrophe Posts: 4,470	puts hand up I haven't listened to a new metal album in yonks! __________________ Last FM Rate Yr Music Muxtape

09-06-2009, 10:23 AM	#5 (permalink)
Engine air quote Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: pollen & mold Posts: 3,108	Red Hash is definitely a good album. Classic melancholy folk that goes somewhere. Almost every song is really interesting despite how soft and low key they are. My one complaint is that one or two of the songs sound horribly dated. "Unable to Fly" for example is just way too authentically hippie-ish for me. Really cloying flute and high-pitched vibrato vocals remind me of why I don't like much late 60s/early 70s folk. But still - I do really like most of the album a lot. Makes me think of Nick Drake if he was an American hippie.

11-18-2009, 06:36 PM	#9 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	Jackhammer get's your booty shaking: __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

11-19-2009, 09:36 AM	#10 (permalink)
Gavin B. Model Worker Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,248	Welcome back Jack, it's been awhile since you did an entry to your venerable Headphones diary. My thoughts on the music: I loved Mr. Scruff's song, especially the muted trumpet. It sounds like a prime cut from the heyday of acid jazz and trip hop. Isn't one of the samples a Louis Jordan riff ? Damn I wish I could think of the name of the song. This music is right up my alley and I spend a great deal of time listening to similar jazz remix projects like Thievery Corporation's rexmixes of the Verve catalog and the Ultra Chilled collection which just released it's sixth volume of remixes. Mr. Scruff is definitely on my must-have list. Chinese Man is a group from Marseille that I've heard and love. They have a wacked out sense of humor like Orb and remix some very noirish sounding jazz. I think there's some Cab Calloway samples in Antichaut. In fact I'm thinking the horn samples are either the Calloway band or the Basie band. Parov Stelar is a relative newcomer that I've heard a lot about but never actually heard. It sounds like swing era jazz with a big beat. It reminds me of Dr. Buzzard's Savannah Band a New York City R&B band that experimented with big beat swing riddims and even had a memorable hit with the song Cherchez Le Femme in the 70s. Once again you've unearthed another jewel from a musical genre that is near and dear to my heart. The final song (is it by Dita?) isn't as outstanding as the other three songs but the other three are so well selected they blow away most acid jazz remixes. That being said, I'd still listen to and play Dark Burlesque on my radio show because I only have a few minor quibles with the way it was remixed. All things considered, I give your selections 3.73 "thumbs up" out of 4. It's a fantastic post with some fantastic music.