What Are You Listening To Now?

[stegraham]

Currently listening to the new Ulrich Schnauss and Mark Peters (From The Engineers) album - "Underrated Silence". Very nice it is too!!

[sonic124]

kandodo - S/T getting the vinyl treatment via thrill jockey soon. Like a cross between Soul Kiss Glide Divine (the more spaced out moments, Cluster and Maybe Johnn Carpenter. )
The Sufi's - S/T
Goat - 7" Raw as anything Afro influenced band from Sweden!
West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band - Transparent Day (Edsel Comp)
Sylvester Anfang - Perzische Tapijten newbie on Great Pop Supplement
Royal Baths - Better Luck Next Time
Hookworms Live Brudenell 21st Feb
Magic Castles - Songs Of The Forest
Pontiacs (Santiago not the US band!) - Bursting
Holydrug Couple - AWE
Loads of Live Spacemen 3 boots as I finish the last article of Optical Sounds!

[MODLAB]

I Put a Spell On You - The Animals

B,

M

[clewsr]

Aim - Original Stuntmaster - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2H4QF2tJFrs

sublime

[runcible]

Played The Monkees 'Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones Ltd.' last night in memory of Davy Jones. A few rather ininteresting tracks mingle with some really excellent pop songs. I rarely see this album mentioned but it's pretty damn good.

[jadams501]

Played The Monkees 'Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones Ltd.' last night in memory of Davy Jones. A few rather ininteresting tracks mingle with some really excellent pop songs. I rarely see this album mentioned but it's pretty damn good.

I too have been listening to a lot of Monkees. For me Pisces... might just be the best Monkees album of them all. Though I really like Headquarters and Instant Replay too. Hard to choose!

Right now, BRMC - Berlin

[spzretent]

Alphastone- Elasticated Waveband. Forgot how good this is.

[niamhm]

Spiritualized-Hey Jane ,cool as feck

[niamhm]

Spacemen 3-Losing Touch With Your Mind,first time in a few years ,its a f8cking cool compilation,

[MODLAB]

Hearts — I Break Horses

Really nice Saturday afternoon tunes, windows open and enjoying the spring air.

M

[redcloud]

Spirit - Spirit of '76

[mc]

Kode9 and the Spaceape - Black Sun

[jadams501]

Ian Brown - Time Is My Everything

[TheWarmth]

kandodo - S/T getting the vinyl treatment via thrill jockey soon. Like a cross between Soul Kiss Glide Divine (the more spaced out moments, Cluster and Maybe Johnn Carpenter. )
Sylvester Anfang - Perzische Tapijten newbie on Great Pop Supplement

I thought Thrill Jockey was doing a Kandodo 7"? Haven't heard anything about a vinyl issue of the album.

I'm currently waiting on my Anfang LP. Any good???

[Broc]

Wilco - A Ghost Is Born. My favourite Wilco LP. Jeff Tweedy's lead guitar on this record is sublime, wish they got rid of Nels Cline and his fret noodling/wanking.
Tom Waits - Orphans, Disc 2 - Bawlers
Tom Waits - Bad As Me
Broken Bells - Broken Bells. Still get a big kick from from this LP.
Lux n Ivy's Favourites (Bootleg) - various volumes 1 to 12. Wild stuff that inspired The Cramps.
The Pixies - Trompe Le Monde (this record kicks shit, my favourite of theirs along with Surfer Rosa. Great cover version of the Jesus And Mary Chain's Head On)

[shalloboi]

dirty three- 'toward the low sun'
disappears- 'pre language'
tom waits- 'orphans' disc 1
deerhunter- 'halcyon digest'
veronica falls- 'covers ep'
atlas sound- 'logos'
atlas sound- 'parallax' (i'm not going to be able to go see the show tonight- it's sold out. drag.)
the smiths- 'meat is murder'

[runcible]

The Black Crowes - Cabin Fever DVD (watching as well as listening)
This is an amazing viewing session - music stripped back to just a band playing their guts out. Absolutely fantastic.

[spzretent]

This Eat Lights Become Lights remix of The See See is absolutely sublime.

http://www.gimmebadvibes.com/index.php? ... lights_mix

You get a gorgeous download of Mary Soul- Acoustic by signing up to their web site
www.theseesee.com
Dont really understand why this band dont get more mentions here as they seem to tick many boxes of those who post here.
Perhaps the uber limited edition releases have something to do with that? Dunno.

[Minky]

Played The Monkees 'Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones Ltd.' last night in memory of Davy Jones. A few rather ininteresting tracks mingle with some really excellent pop songs. I rarely see this album mentioned but it's pretty damn good.

I too have been listening to a lot of Monkees. For me Pisces... might just be the best Monkees album of them all. Though I really like Headquarters and Instant Replay too. Hard to choose!

Listening to 'The Birds, The Bees, & The Monkees' at the moment. Some great tracks on this one...Auntie's Municipal Court, Tapioca Tundra, and Zor & Zam.

[BVCP206]

Trembling Bells - The Constant Pageant, off to see them live with Will Oldham in April
Mark Lanegan Band - Blues Funeral

Nothing else getting a look in at moment loving both these records.

[spzretent]

Do yourself a favor and go see Mark Lanegan too!

[moop]

Do yourself a favor and go see Mark Lanegan too!

and pick up a copy of the live album they're selling at the gigs while you're there

[bunnyben]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U7lfbada-Y

[mc]

Burial - Kindred EP

Joy Zipper - Time Changed Your Mood http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOKBBnpNUoo

I really hope the fabled new Zoy Zipper album arrives this year. If their new material is anything like this long-lost song (it was on their myspace page 5 years ago and vanished until last month) then it'll be a corker.

[BVCP206]

Do yourself a favor and go see Mark Lanegan too!

That's a sore point he's on at The Cockpit on 10th March and am away for the weekend, bad planning

[TheWarmth]

The Four Season: The Genuine Life Imitation Gazette (original Philips 1969 LP w/insert). This was a fantastic recommendation by semisynthetic. I can't believe I'd never heard of it before. A lot of it really does sound like the Beach Boys. I'm going to transfer it to mp3 as soon as I have a chance.

Here's a nice review that I found online on a blog:

The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette is as good as (if not better) than many of the more vaunted psych pop creations. The songwriting is dense, adventurous and very strong this time around. Like all great legends, Frankie Valli comes through in a big way, delivering some of the best vocal performances of his career.

The harmony singing is breathtaking, never straying too far from what made the Four Season’s such a great mid 60s vocal group (they were often called the Beach Boys of the East!). Three songs exceed the 6 minute mark and are epic productions but the shorter psych pop numbers are just as good.

The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette is no cash-in effort or group attempt at jumping on the psychedelic bandwagon, it’s the real deal. Backward cymbals, phasing and other means of studio experimentation simply add to the group’s strong pop sensibility.

Great hooks, quirky ideas and powerful performances keep this LP grounded – things never sound forced, bloated or too psychedelic. Great pop songs like “Something’s On Her Mind,” “Mrs. Stately’s Garden,” “Saturday’s Father,” and the extended title track expand on the group’s mid 60s sound.

Consistent and original, The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette is a terrific LP that always seems to slip thru the cracks. It goes without saying that this is the best LP the Four Seasons ever released. This is also the achievement that Frankie Valli is most proud of; in 2002, Goldmine interviewed Frankie Valli who reflected on the album’s lack of success: “We talked about some of the social problems on that album.

Nobody was expecting anything like that from us. The record company wasn’t very pleased with the fact that we turned in an album like that. They didn’t do very much work on it. It certainly is an album that I’ve always been very proud of.

I wouldn’t call the album exactly psychedelic, [although] it did have kind of a flow or a taste of that. “Wall Street Village Day” was an incredible song. “Soul Of A Woman” was another really great song, and the title song, “Genuine Imitation Life,” is also great. Of all the bands out there, we have touched on almost every kind of music that there is.

Everything from “Sherry” to the album Genuine Imitation Life Gazette to touches of jazz with “Swearin’ To God” to “My Eyes Adored You” to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You” to “Who Loves You.” I don’t know many acts out there who have done it as successfully as we have done it.”

Four Season main songwriter Bob Gaudio also had some thoughts on the record: “One of the disappointments of our career for me on a creative level was the Genuine Imitation Life Gazette album. It was just something that I had to do at that time. It got wonderful reviews, but obviously it was not an acceptable piece from us. Everybody was expecting Top 40.”

Long time fans usually write Gazette off because it’s a departure from the group’s signature sound. Dealer’s tend to overlook this classic because it’s an LP by a group who was never considered to be hip, making Gazette a cheap, easy to find score. Prepare to be surprised.

[runcible]

Do yourself a favor and go see Mark Lanegan too!

That's a sore point he's on at The Cockpit on 10th March and am away for the weekend, bad planning

Moved to Leeds Met.

[redcloud]

The Four Season: The Genuine Life Imitation Gazette

This is a fun album. By late 68/69 some of the strangest and totally unforeseen records came out by early/mid 60's pop bands and teen idol vocalists. American music in the late 50's had a danger element while American music in the early 60's was pretty safe. It wasn't until the British bands came over and shook things up (and the drug culture went from the small jazz cafe's into mainstream music) that you saw these corny pop bands release arguably their greatest music.

You should also check out Del Shannon's very, very dark LP, 'The Further Adventures of Charles Westover' (1968). It is the furthest thing (no pun intended) from his early 60's teen idol hits such as 'Runaway'. It also gives us a glimpse into some of his demons, which culminated into his eventual suicide. But if you like the poppier side of 60's psych it comes highly recommended. As do a few more albums, which I will email you about!

[Laz69]

Pink Floyd frenzy here...

Obscured By Clouds
Live At Pompeii
Relics
Compilation of first 3 singles
Meddle

Live At Pompeii is such a phenomenal album. Taking out all the snippets of the Dark Side... and the sound bites, the live material is so intense. THIS is the Pink Floyd i love so very much.

[Kurious Oranj]

i really cant listen to any floyd except pre dark side material anymore

[BVCP206]

Aidan Moffat - How To Get To Heaven From Scotland. Just Wonderful

[Broc]

Randy Newman - RN Songbook Vol 1
The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs Vol 2
Wilco - The Whole Love
The Cramps - Off The Bone

[spzretent]

Rolling Stones- Jamming With Edward
Taj Mahal Anthology 1
Led Zeppelin- Physical Grafitti

[Minky]

Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath Vol 4
King Crimson - Earthbound

[jadams501]

i really cant listen to any floyd except pre dark side material anymore

That I do not understand. While I'd say that things were getting pretty ripe by the time The Wall came out, Gilmour's amazing guitars in Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Dogs are surely worth your attention?

Though lately I've been listening to Obscured By Clouds, one of my favorites of theirs.

[moop]

pacific ocean blue...

[angelsighs]

Wilco - The Whole Love

how is this holding up? still put it on occasionally and still fairly underwhelming to me, aside from a few moments.

todays listening:
Television- s/t
Tame Impala- Innerspeaker
Mogwai - Come On Die Young
Six Organs of Admittance- Shelter From The Ash

[Broc]

Wilco - The Whole Love

how is this holding up? still put it on occasionally and still fairly underwhelming to me, aside from a few moments.

I think it's a bit of a mixed bag really. Lots of folks on the Wilco forum think it's fantastic but I don't. I think the songs I've listed below are really good, especially Art Of Almost, Dawned On Me and Born Alone. I don't really listen to it much on vinyl, mostly pottering around with the headphones on late at night smoking out the back door which enables me to skip the tracks that I find dull. I wonder if they or I have moved on a little, probably them! They've definitely changed somewhat with the addition of Nels Cline (and Tweedy kicking his addiction) and I don't care much for his fret wanking. I was cooking last weekend and played A Ghost Is Born and it completely blew me away. This LP is quite far from that. I'd love to see Tweedy take over lead guitar again and for them to maybe shed Nels Cline and Pat Sansone.

Also, maybe they have just peaked. In fairness a run of Being There-Summerteeth-Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-A Ghost Is Born was spectacular by anyone's standards.

I'd listen to these ones mostly:

Art Of Almost
I Might
Dawned On Me
Born Alone
Whole Love
Standing O

Some of the others like Black Moon and capitol City are ok but just haven't given them any time. I find One Sunday Morning pretty boring really though loads of people rave about it.

[olan]

Jesus & Mary Chain: The Complete John Peel Sessions

Blistering...even after all this time

[redcloud]

I agree with Broc's assessment of the new Wilco album. It hasn't had a particularly strong pull on me nor has it sat in my stereo or on my ipod much.

Currently listening once again to the mighty first album by the James Gang ('Yer Album'). I also just posted their haunting tune "Fred" on the "Song of the Day" thread. This record HAS to be heard on vinyl to fully appreciate its greatness. In the annuals of late 60's American hard rock this record is a forgotten and often overlooked gem. Brilliant stuff.

[semisynthetic]

i really cant listen to any floyd except pre dark side material anymore

I COULD certainly understand a VIDEO aspect of this statement; It is very nice to see a Quality Video (ROIO)
of say, "Atom Heart Mother" performed live; the audience, spellbound and otherworldly, listened without some Yahoo in the audience yelling "Yahoo"; or later on, screaming "Play Money" over and over.

My Personal favorite, and this is NOT easy; I am a BIG FLOYD FAN, would be "A Saucerful of Secrets" for all kinds of reasons.

I cannot come up with a single release, or any Unreleased items of the Floyd that I do NOT like!

Have Fun.

[jadams501]

Right now...

Spectrum - Touch The Stars

One of my favorite Pete songs.

I cannot come up with a single release, or any Unreleased items of the Floyd that I do NOT like![/b]

Does that include Delicate Sound of Thunder, Division Bell, Pulse, etc.? I find that the stadium rock period is not offensive to listen to, but I never remember much of it. They make for an interesting curio.

[Kurious Oranj]

i really cant listen to any floyd except pre dark side material anymore

That I do not understand. While I'd say that things were getting pretty ripe by the time The Wall came out, Gilmour's amazing guitars in Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Dogs are surely worth your attention?

Though lately I've been listening to Obscured By Clouds, one of my favorites of theirs.

i just find their music starting with dark side so overblown. it's too polished, lacks any sort of edge. i didn't always feel that way, it's just the way my taste has evolved i guess.

dark side and wish you were here are kind of.. boring? dare i say

[theplasticfang]

whole bunch of stuff. Musics about to get interesting again.
sunray ep with the pastels baby honey cover on
smog a river aint too much to love
portishead - 3
thee waxworks - altamont ep - definate nods to S3 there
Quakers - debut LP

[moop]

j mascis & the fog - more light.
i'd forgotten how many great tracks this album has..

i didnt really know much about his 'fog' incarnation, so checked wikipedia and found this amazing nugget:

At some of the tour dates, the band were frequently joined onstage by former Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton, during which time Mascis and The Fog would play several Stooges classics. Sometimes the group would be joined by guest vocalists like Evan Dando and Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie; a London appearance by The Fog with Asheton and Gillespie was marred when a fan spat upon Gillespie, which provoked the singer into hitting the fan with a microphone stand as The Fog and Asheton were playing "No Fun". The Gillespie incident notwithstanding, these appearances by Asheton later led to a one-time supergroup of Mascis, Watt, Asheton, and Ron's brother and fellow Stooge Scott Asheton, which led to the reformation of the Stooges themselves with vocalist Iggy Pop and Watt replacing the late original Stooges bassist Dave Alexander.

[angelsighs]

Also, maybe they have just peaked. In fairness a run of Being There-Summerteeth-Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-A Ghost Is Born was spectacular by anyone's standards.

I'd listen to these ones mostly:

Art Of Almost
I Might
Dawned On Me
Born Alone
Whole Love
Standing O

Some of the others like Black Moon and capitol City are ok but just haven't given them any time. I find One Sunday Morning pretty boring really though loads of people rave about it .

yeah i think this is a good point- that run of albums is a pretty hot streak. can only go down from there although The Whole Love is pretty solid. there is nothing particularly wrong with it, but theres nothing really right with it either- nothing where you would go "ooh must put this song on, it's got an amazing bit here"

Art of Almost is really great though an hope to hear more like that in future.
I think people are too eager to lay the blame at the door of Nels etc, when in fact could be that Jeffs songwriting itself has got a little less special. the band can only work with the songs they are given.

[Broc]

I think people are too eager to lay the blame at the door of Nels etc, when in fact could be that Jeffs songwriting itself has got a little less special. the band can only work with the songs they are given.

I don't really blame Cline for the de-Cline (!) but I just don't see what he brings to the band at all. For example I find his guitar part on Impossible Germany totally uninspiring, they nearly always play it live, it's my bar/toilet/smoke break. Tweedy's lead on A Ghost Is Born is probably much less proficient but it's dripping with emotion and feeling. Like Sonic says sometimes less is more.

...the band can only work with the songs they are given.

Absolutely. When one thinks of the seven or eight tracks from the YHF demos that never made the cut, the other songs from the More Like The Moon EP, his Loose Fur tracks and then compare that to the last two or three records there is a definite decrease in quality. I'm not even including stuff like the Chelsea Walls soundtrack or the Wilco Book CD (admittedly more ambient/instrumental stuff). And all those are from roughly 2000 - 2004ish.

Anyway this thread made me put on Jeff Tweedy - Live in the Pacific Northwest. Powerful stuff, Tweedy solo with an acoustic guitar, maybe some day he'll release a solo LP, I'd look forward to that.

[Minky]

Gnod - Chaudelande Volume 2
White Hills - Frying On This Rock

Both came in the mail today.

[jadams501]

I don't really blame Cline for the de-Cline (!) but I just don't see what he brings to the band at all. For example I find his guitar part on Impossible Germany totally uninspiring, they nearly always play it live, it's my bar/toilet/smoke break.

Interesting -- Impossible Germany is one of my very favorite Oasis tracks! I generally agree that there's been a decline in quality over the past few albums but that one is untouchable imho.

[TheWarmth]

Gnod - Chaudelande Volume 2
White Hills - Frying On This Rock

Both came in the mail today.

Thoughts? I got Frying in the mail today and will hopefully be able to listen tonight or tomorrow morning, but am still waiting on the Gnod.

[tied up]

The Field - Looping State of Mind

[Broc]

Interesting -- Impossible Germany is one of my very favorite Oasis tracks! I generally agree that there's been a decline in quality over the past few albums but that one is untouchable imho.

Oasis?

[Minky]

Gnod - Chaudelande Volume 2
White Hills - Frying On This Rock

Both came in the mail today.

Thoughts? I got Frying in the mail today and will hopefully be able to listen tonight or tomorrow morning, but am still waiting on the Gnod.

I'm really impressed with both of these releases. I was blown away on the first listen of 'Chaudelande 2'. It may be premature but I think it tops 'Chaudelande 1'. 'Frying on this Rock' looks amazing!!! From the glossy sleeve, printed inner, and of course the half white/half pink vinyl...I wish all releases were this stunning. Listening to 'Frying' as we speak...so far so good..."Robot Stomp" is really fucking good. I can't wait to give Chaudelande 2 a repeat listen.

[Laz69]

j mascis & the fog - more light.
i'd forgotten how many great tracks this album has..

i didnt really know much about his 'fog' incarnation, so checked wikipedia and found this amazing nugget:

At some of the tour dates, the band were frequently joined onstage by former Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton, during which time Mascis and The Fog would play several Stooges classics. Sometimes the group would be joined by guest vocalists like Evan Dando and Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie; a London appearance by The Fog with Asheton and Gillespie was marred when a fan spat upon Gillespie, which provoked the singer into hitting the fan with a microphone stand as The Fog and Asheton were playing "No Fun". The Gillespie incident notwithstanding, these appearances by Asheton later led to a one-time supergroup of Mascis, Watt, Asheton, and Ron's brother and fellow Stooge Scott Asheton, which led to the reformation of the Stooges themselves with vocalist Iggy Pop and Watt replacing the late original Stooges bassist Dave Alexander.

Saw this incarnation play in Glasgow with Ron Ashton... they played a full J Mascis set then promptly unleashed pretty much the entire Funhouse album on the gobsmacked crowd... absolutely bloody amazing!

[mc]

Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden

[BzaInSpace]

Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden

Fantastic record... great to see that mentioned here, first heard this only a few months ago, that first track 'The Rainbow' completely blew my mind - stunning!

I don't really blame Cline for the de-Cline (!) but I just don't see what he brings to the band at all. For example I find his guitar part on Impossible Germany totally uninspiring, they nearly always play it live, it's my bar/toilet/smoke break.

Interesting -- Impossible Germany is one of my very favorite Oasis tracks! I generally agree that there's been a decline in quality over the past few albums but that one is untouchable imho.

Freudian slip...

[moop]

Saw this incarnation play in Glasgow with Ron Ashton... they played a full J Mascis set then promptly unleashed pretty much the entire Funhouse album on the gobsmacked crowd... absolutely bloody amazing!

very jealous!

[jadams501]

Interesting -- Impossible Germany is one of my very favorite Oasis tracks! I generally agree that there's been a decline in quality over the past few albums but that one is untouchable imho.

Oasis?

Oops. I meant Wilco of course. Long day...

I do love that solo.

[spunder]

Lumerians - transmalinnia.

this record blew me away this morning. really great grooves with awesome trippy keyboard / guitar sounds and effects over the top. kinda what i'm hoping the next Spectrum (if it ever gets released elpee might sound like). a solid record chaps.

[olan]

White Hills: Frying on this Rock
White Hills: Oddity II: Night Scene on Mill Mountain

Both excellent on first listen. Oddity II is very, very interesting....

[TheWarmth]

I got Oddity II with my order, as well. Putting it into my iPod right now. Tomorrow I will have a White Hills-soundtracked train ride.

[TheWarmth]

Lumerians - transmalinnia.

this record blew me away this morning. really great grooves with awesome trippy keyboard / guitar sounds and effects over the top. kinda what i'm hoping the next Spectrum (if it ever gets released elpee might sound like). a solid record chaps.

I have been listening to this lately, too. Awesome album. Recommended.

[redcloud]

Blue Oyster Cult - s/t

My son was asking me about BOC tonight. I dug this one out and played it for him. I forgot just how good this debut record is.

[redcloud]

Lumerians - transmalinnia.

this record blew me away this morning. really great grooves with awesome trippy keyboard / guitar sounds and effects over the top.

Saw these guys live last summer. Very intense, haunting and almost bludgeoning on the senses. In between songs a guy next to me said "I think they took the brown acid".

[spunder]

Lumerians - transmalinnia.

this record blew me away this morning. really great grooves with awesome trippy keyboard / guitar sounds and effects over the top.

Saw these guys live last summer. Very intense, haunting and almost bludgeoning on the senses. In between songs a guy next to me said "I think they took the brown acid".

ha! listening to this i'd have to agree...

this morning had Yerself is Steam / Lego My Ego on for the first time in YEARS. Sounded amazing, another psychedelic mess of a record. the guitars in 'chasing a bee' brought me out of my slumber with a jolt.

[herman]

My best Friend - In Ghostlike Fading
very strong album, highly recommended!