What Are You Listening To? February 2023
- Thread starter Zeeba Neighba
- Start date
Unsomnambulist
Staff member
Yo La Tengo - This Stupid World (2023)
Zeeba Neighba
Staff member
Zeeba Neighba
Staff member
Thomas Tompkins - Choral and Organ Music (Oxford Cammerata)
Dead Prez - Let's Get Free (2000)
I've seen them referred to as the group that picked up the cause after Public Enemy's sales slowed down. No disagreement from me about that.
I've seen them referred to as the group that picked up the cause after Public Enemy's sales slowed down. No disagreement from me about that.
Walter Smith III and Matthew Stevens - In Common III (2022)
For this series of albums, Smith (sax) and Stevens (guitar) partner with three other musicians and create music that incorporates the others' musical essences as much as their own. The three this time are bass legend Dave Holland, Kris Davis and Teri Lynne Carrington.
A cool thing about these In Common albums is all the songs are pop-song in length. No 12-minute explorations of the melody to get lost in. It makes these songs feel ... just right.
For this series of albums, Smith (sax) and Stevens (guitar) partner with three other musicians and create music that incorporates the others' musical essences as much as their own. The three this time are bass legend Dave Holland, Kris Davis and Teri Lynne Carrington.
A cool thing about these In Common albums is all the songs are pop-song in length. No 12-minute explorations of the melody to get lost in. It makes these songs feel ... just right.
Unsomnambulist
Staff member
Naxatras - IV (2022)
Kendrick Lamar - Mr Morale & The Big Steppers (2022)
Trivia: I recently commissioned two of what I hope to be a series of pictures. As a youth, I was that kid you knew who was the kid most into comic books. This went on into my twenties, weening down severely as my 30s approached. Starting in my mid-20s, I bought a few pages of original comic book art. The less expensive corner of that market, but still very enjoyable. That little exploration ended also when my children started being born 21 years ago, but I've had several framed original art pages hanging in my home office for more than 20 years.
A year or two ago, I bought my first page in forever, from an artist who has worked for the big two (DC and Marvel), some independent companies, and done a lot of creator-owned work as well. Recently, I contacted him about a commission featuring Green Lantern, Dr Strange, Tupac and Kentanji Brown Jackson. My wish was to create something that would appeal to me and each of my kids. My 16yo daughter is the only one really into comic books, so I know she'll love this. My son loves Hip Hop more than he likes comics, but he loves the movies. And I added Brown-Jackson to give my girls an example of a strong Black woman.
Then I got the idea to continue this. I convinced another professional comic book artist to take up a second commission. This one features Starfire and Nightcrawler (two characters probably only comic book fans would know), Toni Morrison, and (finally bringing this free-flowing digression back to this album) Kendrick Lamar.
I can't wait to receive these two pages. The preliminary sketches look great! Already got feelers out for a couple more. I have a third professional artist who has expressed interest in doing one, but I'm not sure if he's the right fit ... yet. The cool thing is the artists seem excited about this idea. They both (all three actually, even the guy I may not utilize) lowered their regular price for this sort of commission, partly because they want (like really want) to draw these characters/people in a picture like this. And they're going the extra mile to include a lot of characters/people in the background without charging me. For instance, the first guy is putting Coltrane+Mingus in the corner because he knows I love Jazz.
Trivia: I recently commissioned two of what I hope to be a series of pictures. As a youth, I was that kid you knew who was the kid most into comic books. This went on into my twenties, weening down severely as my 30s approached. Starting in my mid-20s, I bought a few pages of original comic book art. The less expensive corner of that market, but still very enjoyable. That little exploration ended also when my children started being born 21 years ago, but I've had several framed original art pages hanging in my home office for more than 20 years.
A year or two ago, I bought my first page in forever, from an artist who has worked for the big two (DC and Marvel), some independent companies, and done a lot of creator-owned work as well. Recently, I contacted him about a commission featuring Green Lantern, Dr Strange, Tupac and Kentanji Brown Jackson. My wish was to create something that would appeal to me and each of my kids. My 16yo daughter is the only one really into comic books, so I know she'll love this. My son loves Hip Hop more than he likes comics, but he loves the movies. And I added Brown-Jackson to give my girls an example of a strong Black woman.
Then I got the idea to continue this. I convinced another professional comic book artist to take up a second commission. This one features Starfire and Nightcrawler (two characters probably only comic book fans would know), Toni Morrison, and (finally bringing this free-flowing digression back to this album) Kendrick Lamar.
I can't wait to receive these two pages. The preliminary sketches look great! Already got feelers out for a couple more. I have a third professional artist who has expressed interest in doing one, but I'm not sure if he's the right fit ... yet. The cool thing is the artists seem excited about this idea. They both (all three actually, even the guy I may not utilize) lowered their regular price for this sort of commission, partly because they want (like really want) to draw these characters/people in a picture like this. And they're going the extra mile to include a lot of characters/people in the background without charging me. For instance, the first guy is putting Coltrane+Mingus in the corner because he knows I love Jazz.
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Duke Ellington - Live In Newport (1956) disc 2
Ambrose Akinmusire - Origami Harvest (2018)
Ambrose calls in the strings for this one, with the Mivos Quartet joining his trio. Some random vocals wander in and out, as do other musical elements. This is good, but is probably my least favorite of his albums. Probably because it doesn't reward background listening very much at all. Attentive listening brings out a lot more from this album. I have a feeling this was an engaging live show, and that the visual part of the performance would make the musical part even more enjoyable. Kind of like how watching Esperanza Spaulding perform "Emily's D+Evolution" on stage on tour made me go from liking the album to loving it.
Ambrose calls in the strings for this one, with the Mivos Quartet joining his trio. Some random vocals wander in and out, as do other musical elements. This is good, but is probably my least favorite of his albums. Probably because it doesn't reward background listening very much at all. Attentive listening brings out a lot more from this album. I have a feeling this was an engaging live show, and that the visual part of the performance would make the musical part even more enjoyable. Kind of like how watching Esperanza Spaulding perform "Emily's D+Evolution" on stage on tour made me go from liking the album to loving it.
Joshua Redman - Spirit of the Moment: Live at the Village Vanguard (1995)
axolotl
Nunquam non paratus
Procol Harum ~ Shine On Brightly (1968)
This was my first album of the day. I haven't listened to this one in... well... it's been a minute.
Two things - nay, three - I want to say about this album.
Of PH's first three albums, this would be my least likely to be on top of the heap. I normally prefer their first with "Whiter Shade of Pale" or A Salty Dog. Having said that, the second side is as epic as one side of an album can be, to my mind, even on track (see what I did there?) with the second side of Abbey Road.
"Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone)" is the one PH song most likely to pop into my cranium at random moments, even without having heard the song for years. "Though I know the night has fallen, and the sun's sailed out to sea, I will wait here for the band to play the trumpet voluntary. And with one foot on the sea shore, and the other in the sand, I will stand here plaiting daisies whilst you play the piano grand."
"In Held Twas in I" is the 17 1/2 minute conclusion to the album, which contains five segments: "Glimpses of Nirvana," "Twas Tea Time at the Circus," "In the Autumn of My Madness," "Look to Your Soul," and "Grand Finale." This is not news to you, of course, as it has always been this way.
As with "Magdalene," the mere mention of any one of the segments by name can start the whole thing off in my head. These are earworms I choose to live with.
This was my first album of the day. I haven't listened to this one in... well... it's been a minute.
Two things - nay, three - I want to say about this album.
Of PH's first three albums, this would be my least likely to be on top of the heap. I normally prefer their first with "Whiter Shade of Pale" or A Salty Dog. Having said that, the second side is as epic as one side of an album can be, to my mind, even on track (see what I did there?) with the second side of Abbey Road.
"Magdalene (My Regal Zonophone)" is the one PH song most likely to pop into my cranium at random moments, even without having heard the song for years. "Though I know the night has fallen, and the sun's sailed out to sea, I will wait here for the band to play the trumpet voluntary. And with one foot on the sea shore, and the other in the sand, I will stand here plaiting daisies whilst you play the piano grand."
"In Held Twas in I" is the 17 1/2 minute conclusion to the album, which contains five segments: "Glimpses of Nirvana," "Twas Tea Time at the Circus," "In the Autumn of My Madness," "Look to Your Soul," and "Grand Finale." This is not news to you, of course, as it has always been this way.
As with "Magdalene," the mere mention of any one of the segments by name can start the whole thing off in my head. These are earworms I choose to live with.
Hamilton soundtrack (2015)
for me. Once, while driving my son back to his college in Ohio, he fell asleep. He doesn't appreciate this album, so I didn't plan to play it on the drive. But once he fell asleep, I figured why not. As I am apt to do every time I hear any song from this album, I started rapping and singing along to every song, at a low volume, but with all the "acting" the songs demand. Near the end, he opened his eyes and said "I've been awake for an hour and listened to you all that time."
I was happy he didn't see me wiping tears while listening to and singing along with "It's Quiet Uptown"
for me. Once, while driving my son back to his college in Ohio, he fell asleep. He doesn't appreciate this album, so I didn't plan to play it on the drive. But once he fell asleep, I figured why not. As I am apt to do every time I hear any song from this album, I started rapping and singing along to every song, at a low volume, but with all the "acting" the songs demand. Near the end, he opened his eyes and said "I've been awake for an hour and listened to you all that time."I was happy he didn't see me wiping tears while listening to and singing along with "It's Quiet Uptown"
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Zeeba Neighba
Staff member
Joseph Haydn - Seven Last Words of Christ (Rosamunde Quartet)
Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (2007)
After watching the video about today's teenagers discovering "Smells Like Teen Spirit", I was in the mood to listen to In Utero. Oops, not in my computer. Guess I didn't rip it. Went to the incredible growing CD bookcase(s) to get the CD and rip it. Oops, not on my shelves either.
Me: Did I never own this?
Me: I don't know.
So I figured I'd listen to Dave Grohl's other band, maybe something from an early Foo album. Saw "The Pretender" and had to click it just to listen to the beginning ... then the entire song ... then, oooohhhh I like "Let It Die" a lot too ... and so it went and I ended up listening to the entire album.
Now, do I listen to a FF album from a decade earlier like I originally thought I was going to do, or do I listen to something else? I hope that's the toughest thing I have to consider today.
After watching the video about today's teenagers discovering "Smells Like Teen Spirit", I was in the mood to listen to In Utero. Oops, not in my computer. Guess I didn't rip it. Went to the incredible growing CD bookcase(s) to get the CD and rip it. Oops, not on my shelves either.
Me: Did I never own this?
Me: I don't know.
So I figured I'd listen to Dave Grohl's other band, maybe something from an early Foo album. Saw "The Pretender" and had to click it just to listen to the beginning ... then the entire song ... then, oooohhhh I like "Let It Die" a lot too ... and so it went and I ended up listening to the entire album.
Now, do I listen to a FF album from a decade earlier like I originally thought I was going to do, or do I listen to something else? I hope that's the toughest thing I have to consider today.
Nancy Wilson - Broadway, My Way (1963)
One night two years ago, I was driving and listening to the local Jazz station. A song I'd never heard from a voice that didn't seem familiar came on. It was one of those times where you hear the perfect song and are instantly stricken. I listened closely for a long time after that song, hoping the DJ would tell me the singer and title. She did and I pulled over and wrote it down. Looked it up when I got home, ordered it, loved it - and fell deep in love with Nancy's voice. Soon after, ordered a box set of her albums.
Since then, it's always been a good day when I listen to Nancy Wilson. It goes without saying I'm now expecting a great day!
The song that made me hunt down this album is "You Can Have Him". Now that I think about it, I need to figure out which play that's from. It would be nice to see it one day, if it's still being performed.
One night two years ago, I was driving and listening to the local Jazz station. A song I'd never heard from a voice that didn't seem familiar came on. It was one of those times where you hear the perfect song and are instantly stricken. I listened closely for a long time after that song, hoping the DJ would tell me the singer and title. She did and I pulled over and wrote it down. Looked it up when I got home, ordered it, loved it - and fell deep in love with Nancy's voice. Soon after, ordered a box set of her albums.
Since then, it's always been a good day when I listen to Nancy Wilson. It goes without saying I'm now expecting a great day!
The song that made me hunt down this album is "You Can Have Him". Now that I think about it, I need to figure out which play that's from. It would be nice to see it one day, if it's still being performed.
