Museum Musica

Zhanteimi · 12-30-2018, 04:15 AM

0104 Nest – Woodsmoke
(Finland, 2003, dark folk)

This is the kind of album you put on when you want to both concentrate and chill out at the same time. I know that might sound like a contradiction, but it's not. You're engaged in some activity that takes some measure of concentration, but you're chilling out at home on a winter's evening with a cup of hot tea. Or mead.

Zhanteimi · 12-30-2018, 03:41 PM

0105 Metallica – ...And Justice for All
(USA, 1988, thrash metal)

The multi-sectional feel of the title track pushes this album just the tiniest bit into prog metal. It’s still thrash, of course, but there’s a lot more going on creatively and expressively than just thrash. Also, the themes, like the music, are complex, with a lot of pessimism, political and war commentary, and explorations of death. This all weaves through the album and holds it together as a masterpiece, but “One” is the track that exemplifies the message of this studio document.

Zhanteimi · 12-30-2018, 11:25 PM

On the Seventh Day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:

Spoiler for pic1:

The limited edition deluxe vinyl of Ayreon's debut album, The Final Experiment, the one that started the whole Ayreon mythology that spans several albums. Lucassen's vision starts here, but the narrative itself is in medias res, following the classic Greek model to great effect. The story opens with humans at the end of humanity's timeline sending messages, in the form of visions of the future, into the past to warn humanity of its impending doom. The visions are picked up by Ayreon, a dark-ages bard in the time of Camelot. This Ayreon's third best album, in my opinion, the Medieval Folk Metal perfectly placed.

This is a 180-gram limited edition, as you can see in the photo. This is 861 of 1000. It comes in a lovely, sturdy box.

Spoiler for pic2:

Inside is the double album itself in a gatefold sleeve containing the narrative, acknowledgements, and lyrics. But what really sold me on purchasing this was the bonus disc, a selection of songs from the album re-recorded with new singers and arrangements in semi-acoustic versions.

Spoiler for pic3:

Spoiler for pic4:

And of course the marble vinyl itself is just a joy to watch spin!

Spoiler for pic5:

Zhanteimi · 12-31-2018, 04:25 PM

0106 Dick Gaughan – Handful of Earth
(UK, 1981, Scottish folk)

Apparently this is the first album Gaughan made after taking a couple years away from music to deal with his mental illness. This is very Scottish in content, accent, and the phrasing of the flutes and fiddles. Drawing on traditional English ballads and his own adaptations of poetry, Gaughan, like Johnny Cash, is a storyteller, and he makes you believe him by the effortless power of his simple voice. "The dispossessed come to claim what's theirs...to create a common treasury" sets the political tone of this album as Gaughan uses past injustices to highlight modern ones, namely the oppression of the poor in the UK.

Zhanteimi · 01-01-2019, 03:48 PM

0107 Gryphon – Red Queen to Gryphon Three
(UK, 1974, progressive folk / progressive rock)

Nice acoustics blending with soaring flutes, pleasant medieval and Renaissance instrumentation. For fans of more anachronistic folk. It’s like they’re playing at a Renaissance festival, and they’re trying to convert the people to rock, though.

Zhanteimi · 01-01-2019, 05:18 PM

0108 They Might Be Giants - They Might Be Giants
(USA, 1986, indie pop / alternative rock)

A brilliant debut with fun, catchy songs the whole family can sing along to, this album is an excellent blueprint upon which the band will build with their next three perfect albums. If you think TMBG is all fun and games, though, you’re sadly mistaken. They have deep, sarcastic, and sometimes dark lyrics. They deserve a close listen.

Zhanteimi · 01-02-2019, 03:01 AM

0109 Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (')
(USA, 1974, jazz-rock / art rock / experimental rock)

This is the soundtrack to clubbing a baby seal with a lead snowshoe before going to a pancake restaurant and stealing the margarine. As always, the music is genius, and the lyrics are retarded, puerile, and childish—but I guess that’s Zappa’s goal across his discography.

Zhanteimi · 01-02-2019, 05:04 AM

0110 Hampshire & Foat - Nightshade
(UK, 2018, modal jazz / chamber jazz / library music)

From saxophones in smoky lounges to flutes on lonely mountaintops to mini piano concertos, this album runs the gamut of easy listening.

On Spotify

Key · 01-02-2019, 11:14 AM

I got confused because I thought I was in OH's journal.

The Batlord · 01-02-2019, 04:56 PM

TBF they're essentially the same journal with different albums.

12-30-2018, 04:15 AM	#1071 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0104 Nest – Woodsmoke (Finland, 2003, dark folk) This is the kind of album you put on when you want to both concentrate and chill out at the same time. I know that might sound like a contradiction, but it's not. You're engaged in some activity that takes some measure of concentration, but you're chilling out at home on a winter's evening with a cup of hot tea. Or mead. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

12-30-2018, 03:41 PM	#1072 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0105 Metallica – ...And Justice for All (USA, 1988, thrash metal) The multi-sectional feel of the title track pushes this album just the tiniest bit into prog metal. It’s still thrash, of course, but there’s a lot more going on creatively and expressively than just thrash. Also, the themes, like the music, are complex, with a lot of pessimism, political and war commentary, and explorations of death. This all weaves through the album and holds it together as a masterpiece, but “One” is the track that exemplifies the message of this studio document. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

12-30-2018, 11:25 PM	#1073 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	On the Seventh Day of Christmas My true love gave to me: Spoiler for pic1: The limited edition deluxe vinyl of Ayreon's debut album, The Final Experiment, the one that started the whole Ayreon mythology that spans several albums. Lucassen's vision starts here, but the narrative itself is in medias res, following the classic Greek model to great effect. The story opens with humans at the end of humanity's timeline sending messages, in the form of visions of the future, into the past to warn humanity of its impending doom. The visions are picked up by Ayreon, a dark-ages bard in the time of Camelot. This Ayreon's third best album, in my opinion, the Medieval Folk Metal perfectly placed. This is a 180-gram limited edition, as you can see in the photo. This is 861 of 1000. It comes in a lovely, sturdy box. Spoiler for pic2: Inside is the double album itself in a gatefold sleeve containing the narrative, acknowledgements, and lyrics. But what really sold me on purchasing this was the bonus disc, a selection of songs from the album re-recorded with new singers and arrangements in semi-acoustic versions. Spoiler for pic3: Spoiler for pic4: And of course the marble vinyl itself is just a joy to watch spin! Spoiler for pic5: __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

12-31-2018, 04:25 PM	#1074 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0106 Dick Gaughan – Handful of Earth (UK, 1981, Scottish folk) Apparently this is the first album Gaughan made after taking a couple years away from music to deal with his mental illness. This is very Scottish in content, accent, and the phrasing of the flutes and fiddles. Drawing on traditional English ballads and his own adaptations of poetry, Gaughan, like Johnny Cash, is a storyteller, and he makes you believe him by the effortless power of his simple voice. "The dispossessed come to claim what's theirs...to create a common treasury" sets the political tone of this album as Gaughan uses past injustices to highlight modern ones, namely the oppression of the poor in the UK. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

01-01-2019, 03:48 PM	#1075 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0107 Gryphon – Red Queen to Gryphon Three (UK, 1974, progressive folk / progressive rock) Nice acoustics blending with soaring flutes, pleasant medieval and Renaissance instrumentation. For fans of more anachronistic folk. It’s like they’re playing at a Renaissance festival, and they’re trying to convert the people to rock, though. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

01-01-2019, 05:18 PM	#1076 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0108 They Might Be Giants - They Might Be Giants (USA, 1986, indie pop / alternative rock) A brilliant debut with fun, catchy songs the whole family can sing along to, this album is an excellent blueprint upon which the band will build with their next three perfect albums. If you think TMBG is all fun and games, though, you’re sadly mistaken. They have deep, sarcastic, and sometimes dark lyrics. They deserve a close listen. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

01-02-2019, 03:01 AM	#1077 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0109 Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (') (USA, 1974, jazz-rock / art rock / experimental rock) This is the soundtrack to clubbing a baby seal with a lead snowshoe before going to a pancake restaurant and stealing the margarine. As always, the music is genius, and the lyrics are retarded, puerile, and childish—but I guess that’s Zappa’s goal across his discography. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

01-02-2019, 05:04 AM	#1078 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0110 Hampshire & Foat - Nightshade (UK, 2018, modal jazz / chamber jazz / library music) From saxophones in smoky lounges to flutes on lonely mountaintops to mini piano concertos, this album runs the gamut of easy listening. On Spotify __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

01-02-2019, 11:14 AM	#1079 (permalink)
Key . Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 13,153	I got confused because I thought I was in OH's journal.