Museum Musica

Zhanteimi · 10-05-2018, 07:47 PM

0022 Depeche Mode - Violator
(UK, 1990, synthpop)

I'm not a huge fan of Depeche Mode, but they have a special place in my music memory. First of all, when I was a kid, Martin L. Gore's voice was my first brush with British vocals. I was like, yeah of course there's music outside America. I'd never really thought about that before since my mom listened to a lot of American stuff (and if there was anything British, they didn't have such distinctive vocals as Gore). Second, Depeche Mode was an MTV staple back in its heyday, and since I was basically raised on MTV, the band figures prominently in my memory, especially the singles, "Personal Jesus", "Enjoy the Silence", and "Policy of Truth". I'm not actually a big fan of synthpop as a genre, but this album is just brilliant. It's not "dark synthpop", but the atmosphere evoked by the music--and even more by the vocals--is dark, not in the macabre sense but in the sense of it being urban and night.

adidasss · 10-06-2018, 08:26 AM

Interesting and eclectic choices.

Zhanteimi · 10-07-2018, 07:49 PM

I'm not choosing anything. I'm just hitting randomize on my collection.

adidasss · 10-07-2018, 09:52 PM

Pardon me, interesting and eclectic random items from your collection not chosen by you.

Zhanteimi · 10-07-2018, 09:58 PM

0023 Änglagård - Hybris
(Sweden, 1992, symphonic prog / progressive rock)

This is one of those rare prog rock albums that was released after the onslaught of punk, and it shows punk why prog is still relevant, beautiful, complex, intelligent, challenging, and cannot and will not ever be killed. As for debut albums, this is one of the strongest I've heard from any band. Änglagård owns its stylistic influences, which is a good thing, but its the prog folk touches that really sell this album for me.

Zhanteimi · 10-08-2018, 07:21 PM

0024 Tortilla Flat - Für ein ¾ Stündchen
(Germany, 1974, progressive rock / jazz fusion)

This is one of about fifty albums in my collection that are solitary albums by bands. In other words, this is Tortilla Flat's only studio album, so, of course, I was interested in this recording initially for the obscurity factor. When I listened to it, however, I found it to be pleasant on its own, without meta considerations, especially since its main instrument is the flute, giving it quite a pastoral feeling overall, the guitar-driven second track excepted. What this here is is standard 70s prog / jazz fusion. It's not going to blow you away, but it's a pretty good offering of the time.

Zhanteimi · 10-08-2018, 11:20 PM

0025 Jeremy Steig - Monium
(USA, 1974, jazz fusion)

Two jazz fusion albums from 1974 in a row? Weird. And another flute-driven jazz-rock album? Even weirder. I guess the year I was born was the Year of the Rambling, Vaguely-Psychedelic Flute. Even the cover of this one is a sketch of some dude playing the flute. I wonder how much of this flute obsession is due to Jethro Tull's influence, especially since they released four highly regarded albums between 1969 and 1972. Steig certainly does deviate from the jazz norm, however, with "Djinn Djinn", a nine-minute psychedelic mong-out. Also, props to the guy for continuing to play the flute even though a motorcycle accident left one side of his body paralyzed.

Zhanteimi · 10-09-2018, 06:03 PM

0026 Ella Fitzgerald with Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book
(USA, 1957, vocal jazz / big band)

I can't help but feel happy when listening to this. It's really a false-nostalgia rose-colored glasses experience. Simpler times, kinder people, yadda yadda. You know--those times during the Civil Rights Movement? Anyway, my kids weren't too impressed with this, though.

Zhanteimi · 10-10-2018, 08:14 PM

0027 Various Artists - The Rocky Horror Picture Show
(UK, film soundtrack / glam rock / rock opera, 1975)

I listen to the soundtrack more than I watch the film these days, but there was a time when I watched the film a lot. I guess now it's because I can watch the entire film in my mind just by listening to the music. This is such a beloved album in my collection, one that all my kids love and sing along to, too. I love everything about this--its earnestness, its campiness, its homage, and of course the brilliance of all the songs, especially "Rose Tint My World". If for some bizarre reason you've not heard this cult classic yet, bump this to the front of your listening queue.

Zhanteimi · 10-11-2018, 06:38 PM

0028 Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
(USA, 1998, indie folk / indie rock)

The most beloved darling of hipsters everywhere, this album is a musical document I came to without knowing any of the cultural baggage surrounding it. It wasn't until after I'd heard and loved this album that I found out it was the darling of other music nerds, thus making me more hipster than them. Oh, and just for the record, I love Jesus Christ, too.

10-05-2018, 07:47 PM	#901 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0022 Depeche Mode - Violator (UK, 1990, synthpop) I'm not a huge fan of Depeche Mode, but they have a special place in my music memory. First of all, when I was a kid, Martin L. Gore's voice was my first brush with British vocals. I was like, yeah of course there's music outside America. I'd never really thought about that before since my mom listened to a lot of American stuff (and if there was anything British, they didn't have such distinctive vocals as Gore). Second, Depeche Mode was an MTV staple back in its heyday, and since I was basically raised on MTV, the band figures prominently in my memory, especially the singles, "Personal Jesus", "Enjoy the Silence", and "Policy of Truth". I'm not actually a big fan of synthpop as a genre, but this album is just brilliant. It's not "dark synthpop", but the atmosphere evoked by the music--and even more by the vocals--is dark, not in the macabre sense but in the sense of it being urban and night. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic Last edited by Zhanteimi; 10-24-2018 at 11:30 PM.

10-06-2018, 08:26 AM	#902 (permalink)
adidasss Slavic gay sauce Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Abu Dhabi Posts: 7,993	Interesting and eclectic choices. __________________ “Think of what a paradise this world would be if men were kind and wise.” - Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle. Last.fm

10-07-2018, 07:49 PM	#903 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	I'm not choosing anything. I'm just hitting randomize on my collection. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

10-07-2018, 09:52 PM	#904 (permalink)
adidasss Slavic gay sauce Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Abu Dhabi Posts: 7,993	Pardon me, interesting and eclectic random items from your collection not chosen by you. __________________ “Think of what a paradise this world would be if men were kind and wise.” - Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle. Last.fm

10-07-2018, 09:58 PM	#905 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0023 Änglagård - Hybris (Sweden, 1992, symphonic prog / progressive rock) This is one of those rare prog rock albums that was released after the onslaught of punk, and it shows punk why prog is still relevant, beautiful, complex, intelligent, challenging, and cannot and will not ever be killed. As for debut albums, this is one of the strongest I've heard from any band. Änglagård owns its stylistic influences, which is a good thing, but its the prog folk touches that really sell this album for me. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic Last edited by Zhanteimi; 10-24-2018 at 11:31 PM.

10-08-2018, 07:21 PM	#906 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0024 Tortilla Flat - Für ein ¾ Stündchen (Germany, 1974, progressive rock / jazz fusion) This is one of about fifty albums in my collection that are solitary albums by bands. In other words, this is Tortilla Flat's only studio album, so, of course, I was interested in this recording initially for the obscurity factor. When I listened to it, however, I found it to be pleasant on its own, without meta considerations, especially since its main instrument is the flute, giving it quite a pastoral feeling overall, the guitar-driven second track excepted. What this here is is standard 70s prog / jazz fusion. It's not going to blow you away, but it's a pretty good offering of the time. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic Last edited by Zhanteimi; 10-24-2018 at 11:31 PM.

10-08-2018, 11:20 PM	#907 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0025 Jeremy Steig - Monium (USA, 1974, jazz fusion) Two jazz fusion albums from 1974 in a row? Weird. And another flute-driven jazz-rock album? Even weirder. I guess the year I was born was the Year of the Rambling, Vaguely-Psychedelic Flute. Even the cover of this one is a sketch of some dude playing the flute. I wonder how much of this flute obsession is due to Jethro Tull's influence, especially since they released four highly regarded albums between 1969 and 1972. Steig certainly does deviate from the jazz norm, however, with "Djinn Djinn", a nine-minute psychedelic mong-out. Also, props to the guy for continuing to play the flute even though a motorcycle accident left one side of his body paralyzed. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic Last edited by Zhanteimi; 10-24-2018 at 11:31 PM.

10-09-2018, 06:03 PM	#908 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0026 Ella Fitzgerald with Duke Ellington and His Orchestra - Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book (USA, 1957, vocal jazz / big band) I can't help but feel happy when listening to this. It's really a false-nostalgia rose-colored glasses experience. Simpler times, kinder people, yadda yadda. You know--those times during the Civil Rights Movement? Anyway, my kids weren't too impressed with this, though. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic Last edited by Zhanteimi; 10-24-2018 at 11:31 PM.

10-10-2018, 08:14 PM	#909 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0027 Various Artists - The Rocky Horror Picture Show (UK, film soundtrack / glam rock / rock opera, 1975) I listen to the soundtrack more than I watch the film these days, but there was a time when I watched the film a lot. I guess now it's because I can watch the entire film in my mind just by listening to the music. This is such a beloved album in my collection, one that all my kids love and sing along to, too. I love everything about this--its earnestness, its campiness, its homage, and of course the brilliance of all the songs, especially "Rose Tint My World". If for some bizarre reason you've not heard this cult classic yet, bump this to the front of your listening queue. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic Last edited by Zhanteimi; 10-24-2018 at 11:32 PM.

10-11-2018, 06:38 PM	#910 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	0028 Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (USA, 1998, indie folk / indie rock) The most beloved darling of hipsters everywhere, this album is a musical document I came to without knowing any of the cultural baggage surrounding it. It wasn't until after I'd heard and loved this album that I found out it was the darling of other music nerds, thus making me more hipster than them. Oh, and just for the record, I love Jesus Christ, too. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic Last edited by Zhanteimi; 10-24-2018 at 11:32 PM.