What are you listening to? July 2018

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JazzyRandy

JazzyRandy

I'm the off-the-shelf model
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Prince - Sign ☮ the Times (1987)

VOILA! The double-album without a flaw, without filler, and ... succinct. The greatest double-album evah!?!! Very possibly.

And yet, as great as it is, it's probably not Prince's greatest album. Damn, that man was something brilliant.
 
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Unsomnambulist said:
John Coltrane - Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album (2018)



Don't ask me how this is, as with any jazz, I never know. :oops:
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I remember listening to Jazz before I really knew Jazz. I could decide whether or not I like a particular album, but I couldn't discern if any particular album was a "good" Jazz album or a "bad" Jazz album. For the longest time, I continued to buy and listen to Jazz CDs, liking or disliking them, and not understanding much about them except that I like or disliked each.

Today, I think I can discern a "good" Jazz album from a "bad" Jazz album more times than not. But I still continue to put more importance on what I like or dislike. Just decide if you (you) like it or not like it. That's all you really need to know. For the longest time, I didn't like but one album from Miles Davis' second great quintet. That made it "bad" music for me. One day, years after that initial assessment, I began to like those albums. That made them "good" albums to me.

When I first learned of this release, I ridiculously wondered if I might pass. Although I now know better than to question that inevitability, I have yet to actually order/receive/listen to it.
 
Kamasi Washington - Earth & Heaven (2018)

Another overlong set. This time, 3 CDs. There is good music here, but let's be honest. No one needs three CDs to speak his musical vision. Especially not when you've previously released a 3-CD set. But, there is good music here. ... ... .... I know the end result for me. After listening to the entire set twice or thrice, I'll end up sticking mostly to one disc and feel like I've wasted the opportunity to give the others a fair shake. :vic:

Also, just like with "The Epic", the mixing here is a little less than crystaline. Kamasi really needs to have his engineers check the equipment.
 
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This band flitted across my radar so I listened, or at least tried to.



By 1-1/2 songs I knew it wasn't for me. But I try to be open to music outside my comfort zone. That lasted until halfway through the third song. Moving along to something I enjoy.
 
Old Uncle Toe said:
This band flitted across my radar so I listened, or at least tried to.



By 1-1/2 songs I knew it wasn't for me. But I try to be open to music outside my comfort zone. That lasted until halfway through the third song. Moving along to something I enjoy.
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You gotta know when to fold 'em.
 
So after several (or maybe it was two) of you commented about Bloodrock, I was curious. But the only album Spotify or Amazon "Unlimited" (ahem) had available was this one.



I think I'd rather have listened to a studio album first. Moving on to the next opportunity for shallow complaints.
 
Ambrose Akinmusire - A Rift in Decorum: Live at the Village Vanguard (2017)

Disc 2/2 only. C'mon, I can't be expected to listen to every disc of a multi-disc set every time these days, can I?

If you like quartet trumpet Jazz, this is highly competent, and very nice to listen to. But, casual Jazz fans probably won't find it easy to get into.
 
Louis Prima - Capitol Collector Series

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I didn't listen to this last month. I listened to it today
 
David Bowie - Live at the Blackout (Live London 1978) (released 2018)
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Now it's my turn - hopeful. Live and Stage just really weren't great representations of Bowie live. Hope this is better
 
Zeeba Neighba said:
David Bowie - Live at the Blackout (Live London 1978) (released 2018)
0004904320.jpg


Now it's my turn - hopeful. Live and Stage just really weren't great representations of Bowie live. Hope this is better
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I find that the music on this is trying for a smooth, mainstream sound. Though I did enjoy it a lot more on my second listen.
 
David Bowie - Hunky Dory (1971)

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With the live album yesterday, definitely have a need to listen to Bowie today. My goal last night was to spin like 8 albums of his today - not real stretches, wasn't gonna break out, say, Never Let Me Down. Just wanted to hear some great music.

Already got a slow start as I slept thru my gym time this AM. So 8 albums may be ambitious. We'll see.

I was driving my 14 yr old to work today (he has a summer job at school - his first) playing this and explaining Bowie's stylistic changes over the years. He was tired, quiet and completely enthused - poor guy having to deal with a dad yapping about old music. Still, you never know what'll stick one day (in my case it's all my dad's old, clunky jokes)
 
David Bowie - Pin Ups (1973)

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After Hunky Dory, I did go ahead and barreled through Ziggy and Aladdin Sane and now on to this. But Zeebs, if you're only gonna get to 7 or 8 albums of Bowie today, why ya choosing this album which could perhaps best be termed an interesting failure. Bowie's covers albums for some reason draws me in though I can honestly say, none of these covers are better than the originals and few bring something different to the table. And why, when (I'm pretty sure) no other solo Bowie album has anyone else but Bowie on the cover (there are those creatures on Diamond Dogs), does he decide to let Twiggy on a cover? Vexing. Still, I chose it today because despite this album's short comings, Bowie is always interesting. And I like cover songs.
 
JazzyRandy said:
Prince - Sign ☮ the Times (1987)

VOILA! The double-album without a flaw, without filler, and ... succinct. The greatest double-album evah!?!! Very possibly.

And yet, as great as it is, it's probably not Prince's greatest album. Damn, that man was something brilliant.
Click to expand...

I don't think I can agree with your post more than I already do.
 
David Bowie - Diamond Dogs (1974)

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Again, not his best - a transition album? Bowie really misses Mick Ronson. But enough good numbers to not pass up. Plus, I'm gonna go to Young Americans next then (one of my personal faves Station to Station) and the musical OCD in me will not let me listen to Hunky Dory to say Station to Station or Low and skip over a studio album :oops:
 
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