What Are You Listening To Now?

[sunray]

The Velvet Underground - Loaded: Sounding like one of the greatest albums ever made right now. Which of course it is. A hard to beat opening triple whammy and a finish of the glorious, majestic, not-enough-superlatives-in-the-world 'Oh Sweet Nuthin'. A constant reminder of friends, fields, sunshine and acid. Times past yet still possibilities ahead.
And yes, i'm at a sad enough place in my life at this specific moment that i am posting here at this particular time Onwards & upwards....

[niamhm]

The Velvet Underground - Loaded: Sounding like one of the greatest albums ever made right now. Which of course it is. A hard to beat opening triple whammy and a finish of the glorious, majestic, not-enough-superlatives-in-the-world 'Oh Sweet Nuthin'. A constant reminder of friends, fields, sunshine and acid. Times past yet still possibilities ahead.
And yes, i'm at a sad enough place in my life at this specific moment that i am posting here at this particular time Onwards & upwards....

I love this album, the only Velvets album I listen to these last 20 yrs or so - Live 69 exception made for - so many memories wrapped up in it, and it’s really very uplifting,

Richard Dawson - The Ruby Cord, daughter got me this for Xmas and with one thing and another including a nasty bout of the flu this is the 1st I’ve had a chance to play it, 3 x today, it’s superb, the 41 minute The Hermit, once you get your head around it is a quiet and understated, masterpiece, although I readily accept many may not agree

[Hans Lucas]

The Velvet Underground - Loaded: Sounding like one of the greatest albums ever made right now. Which of course it is. A hard to beat opening triple whammy and a finish of the glorious, majestic, not-enough-superlatives-in-the-world 'Oh Sweet Nuthin'. A constant reminder of friends, fields, sunshine and acid. Times past yet still possibilities ahead.
And yes, i'm at a sad enough place in my life at this specific moment that i am posting here at this particular time Onwards & upwards....

Great album. And I've been there. A lot. Hope you are well and have a great 2023.

[stegraham]

Don't know anything about this band - Jadu Heart - but I like this track.

[angel-sighs]

Spencer Cullum has been a good recent discovery for me. not even sure how to describe it, he is a pedal steel player but theres also quaint and quirky vocals some have compared to Robert Wyatt. bit of a british folk rock feel but other stuff in the mix too

https://spencercullumscoincollection.ba ... collection

Then theres also a song which is kind of a hoedown version of krautrock!- great live version here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSoGpQbTdKU

[sunray]

King Pong Dub System - System Sound Shock: Sample-heavy Electrodub from Canada that would sit right at home at On-U Sounds. Hit the spot for me. https://kingpongproductions.bandcamp.co ... ound-shock

MADMADMAD - MORE MORE MORE: No-wave Disco, dance-punk etc. with added knob twiddling and effects. ESG meets Battles with a hint of Soulwax? Perfect for a festival https://madmadmad.bandcamp.com/album/more-more-more

Lump Hammer - Beast: First off, what a perfect name for a Sludge/Noise band! Dirty, heavy, repetitive riffing that pummels. Loses marks for the occassionaly crap vocals. At other times they're fine. https://invertedgrim-millrecordings.ban ... a387436953

The Shits - Punishment: More filth, this time in a Noise/Punk vein but still sludgy too. New album coming on Rocket. Be interesting to hear what that's like. https://theshitsrock.bandcamp.com/album/punishment

Orchestra Gold - Medicine: Contemporary Afro-psych i guess. Couple of songs don't quite land but overall a good listen. https://orchestragold.bandcamp.com/album/medicine

Plus a rekindling of my love of Funk with a bunch of different comps

[Rokkenwithdokken]

Acid Rooster - instrumental psych rock from Germany - their latest record Ad Astra from 2022

https://acidrooster.bandcamp.com/album/ad-astra

Two extra long jams. Recorded live with only a few mics I believe, sounds raw but really enjoyable on headphones - the drums on the first track have got a nice stereo field thing going on. I think recorded in a garden. The second track is pure ambient bliss, no drums just synths and guitars - a real trip I found it to be.

Incidently these chaps have recorded the most 1990s Spiritualized era sounding track I think I've ever heard from the record before Ad Astra

https://acidrooster.bandcamp.com/track/remote-places

Well worth checking out!

[aadamm]

[Rokkenwithdokken]

I’ve been enjoying this album recently

https://reflectorband.bandcamp.com/album/echo-colonnade

They’re from Ukraine. Apparently it’s been out for a few years but will be released on vinyl by Sulatron Records soon so that’s how I heard about it.

New Carlton Melton is out too

[sunray]

Incidently these chaps have recorded the most 1990s Spiritualized era sounding track I think I've ever heard from the record before Ad Astra

https://acidrooster.bandcamp.com/track/remote-places

Well worth checking out!

Funny, i have Irrlichter and i don't remember that track at all. Time to revisit i guess.

Not sure about the new Carlton Melton lp. Will need a few more listens.

[niamhm]

Les Big Byrd - Eternal Light Brigade, late to this party but this is so good,

BJM - Fire Don’t Grow On Trees, this has been getting a constant play since it came out, BJM at the Barras this weekend,

Black Sabbath - Heaven And Hell, extremely late to this party but damn this is great album and Dio is some heavy rock chanter

White Heaven - Strange Bedfellow, fabulous 90s Japanese psych reissue

[ro]

the colemanaires w the wonderful ann cole
out on the ocean sailing

https://youtu.be/58iFtvcWYe4

[rapideye]

First heard of Six Organs of Admittance from here during lockdown and it really hit homes in those times. They've now become a favourite. 1st listen of 'Ascent' today. Really liking it. Fair to say an in-between of Comets On Fire and his more folky, acoustic stuff or even more recent releases?

Also, had Mogwai Young Team and CODY on vinyl turn up, CODY is on white vinyl, so let see how that turns out. Young Team is a lovely colour vinyl.

[ro]

the always heartbreaking
down from dover
dolly parton

https://youtu.be/MZ1IL8R5sSY

edit/
and this wild set of songs from lou ragland/love apple

https://louragland.bandcamp.com/album/love-apple

In the late '70s, three do-right women from Cleveland forged a brief partnership with Ohio's everything man, Lou Ragland. Unlike the prefabricated singing combos of the day, Lily Pearson, Annette Warren, and Avetta Henry swapped lead duties as situation demanded. When a Ragland-centric publicity stunt preempted a concert appearance, Love Apple disintegrated, abandoning this rehearsal tape within the lo-fi confines of Thomas Boddie's cherished Eastside studio. Devoid of bass, the sparse instrumentation (only Lou on guitar and piano and Hot Chocolate's Tony Roberson on drums) accentuates each vocalist's aptitude, showcasing some of Ragland's finest songwriting in the process. During any given take, Ragland can be heard calling audibles, directing his singers to repeat a passage, or lending his own sweet tenor to the vocal mix. Never intended for release, Love Apple's six-song sketch is the perfect companion to I Travel Alone, bringing Ragland's unique musical vision into sharper focus.

[angel-sighs]

First heard of Six Organs of Admittance from here during lockdown and it really hit homes in those times. They've now become a favourite. 1st listen of 'Ascent' today. Really liking it. Fair to say an in-between of Comets On Fire and his more folky, acoustic stuff or even more recent releases?

This is really great to hear! I have also picked up key recommdations from this site that have become some of my all time faves.
If you need further pointers on Six Organs happy to supply, its a fairly big and rewarding catalogue

[rapideye]

Cheers, Angel-Sighs. Yes, been picking up a few Laps over he last couple of years - Veiled Sea, Companion Rises, Asleep..., Burning Thresholds, Hexadiac I, Ascent and the release for the music library (Name escapes me ATM) and I think there are a couple I'm getting MP3 only that there was an email about recently. I'll try and pick up whatever I can. Any other standouts? The Marial Keppel (that proper name escapes me too) release I downloaded when Olan mentioned it in a post to someone.

[ro]

rapideye,
re: six organs, i’m not knowledgeable about the catalogue and which pieces fall under what taxonomy, but the two i like to listen to are:

the sun awakens
and
school of the flower

[angel-sighs]

Couldnt pick too many better choices than ro's selections to be honest! Might add Shelter From The Ash. All those are richly textured albums mixing acoustic and electric

I downloaded Maria Kappel too after the raves on here. It's pretty gorgeous, but physical copies do not come cheap so is having to remain on my discogs watchlist for now!

[ro]

Might add Shelter From The Ash.

i’ll have to look this up!
thank you

[rapideye]

I can vouch for Shelter From The Ash as I have a copy of that. I search out the others noted here. They're all on the list.

I found that during COVID, while out walking, escaping the uncertainties of what COVID brought, that his music seemed to fit and help make sense. It felt like music that lends itself to open spaces, nature, running, biking and camping. One of my favourite moments was loch-side camping and listening to Companion Rises. It felt reassuring. I'm not usually spiritual at all, but it was a comfort.

Now hoping for UK gigs at some point.

[Ammuniti0n Train]

Last night I decided to revisit Dr John ... Gris Gris.
1968 and still sounds incredible

[niamhm]

Pigs x 7 - Land Of Sleeper, 4th album of doomy, stoner sludge with a nice dose of psychedelia, now refined and distilled to an art form

[sunray]

Pigs x 7 - Land Of Sleeper, 4th album of doomy, stoner sludge with a nice dose of psychedelia, now refined and distilled to an art form

Spot on. Fine album indeed https://pigspigspigspigspigspigspigs.ba ... nubar=true

GAS - Vol.1 Four tracks, with two long ones bookending the lp and two shorter ones in between. Shorter tunes are similar in style to the single released a few years ago but the extended jams are where it's really at. Opener kicks off with some fuzzed 70s riffing then gets a little spacey before eventually settling at the halfway point into some lovely Indian vibes with flute and sitar. Meanwhile the closer is a droning beauty incorporating some bluesy Spacemen guitar stylings. Hopefully Rocket will release this at some stage like they did with Hills and Centrum and thus make it more affordable. €50 all in was too rich for me.
https://gassweden.bandcamp.com/album/vol-1

Gnoomes - Ax Ox: Nice slice of psych/electronica/shoegaze. Plenty of uplifting sounds https://gnoomes.bandcamp.com/album/ax-ox

Throw Down Bones - Three: Post-punk/Industrial/Electronica/Psych. Pretty good https://fuzzclub.bandcamp.com/album/thr ... nubar=true

Water Damage - Repeater: Similar to France, where they take a drone and ride it till the tape runs out. 3 drummers/2 bassists/bowed guitar/synth setup featuring ex-Swans percussionist Thor Harris and members of USA/Mexico amongst others. Love it https://waterdamage12xu.bandcamp.com/album/repeater

The Telescopes - Experimental Health: An album composed entirely with old toys and cheap synths but this is no Data Rape.It's far more accessible than the EAR album as all the tracks are song based. Worth a listen https://thetelescopes.bandcamp.com/albu ... tal-health

Gina Birch - I Play My Bass Loud: Surprisingly good lp from The Raincoats founder. There are bits of indie (one of the songs is reminiscent of The Breeders 'Cannonball'), Dub, Electronica and a couple of 60s girl group type tracks https://ginabirch.bandcamp.com/album/i- ... nubar=true

Orbital- Optical Delusion: The Hartnoll brothers doing what they do. Not bad, maybe too many guest vocalists though https://orbitalofficial.bandcamp.com/al ... l-delusion

I would suggest all of these albums are worthy of at least one listen and then take it from there.

[jhudson]

6 o’clock by The verve

[olan]

Very nice collection of lo-fi records on ridiculously nicely pressed vinyl. Sourced from Vinyl Me Please.

[SpEnCeR1]

6 o’clock by The verve

Classic. When they reached for the stars before being doomed by the crushing weight of one man's ego.

[runcible]

Steve Mason - Brothers and Sisters
Needs no introduction. Sounds better with every listen.

Black Angels - Wilderness of Mirrors
Not played these guys for a while but some of the descriptions of recent shows made them sound interesting and I do like this album.

The Dolly Rocker Movement - Electric Sunshine
Fantastic garagey psych from Sydney. So many snappy tunes on this - and indeed their other 2 albums which are also really excellent.

Long Ryders - September November
Latest Americana release from these seasoned Californian guys. I'm tempted by their May Brudenell show after hearing this.

Juleah - Melt Inside The Sun
Guitar psych rock from Austria. A few other albums from her to explore too but this is a good one.

Bobby Lee - Origin Myths
Trippy cosmic country from a guy who's touring the UK with Jeffrey Silverstein in a couple of weeks.

Various Artists - Wayfaring Strangers, Cosmic American Music
Compilation of cool cosmic country music. Can't get enough of this sort of stuff at the moment.

Michael Nesmith - Magnetic South/Loose Salute/Nevada Fighter
1st 3 solo albums of seriously good country rock from ex-Monkee bloke.

Trey Anastasio - s/t
I keep coming back to this solo effort from Phish frontman. So many good tunes and riffs on this.