What are you listening to? September 2017

[Ojai Sam]

Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica (1969)

I think it's time for me to retire this album from my listening. I've never consciously ruled out an album from my future musical experience, but I own this and break it out once every 1-2 years only to decide that (though I understand and appreciate its fusion of different styles/influences (blues, jazz, etc.) and its experimental nature) I am just never going to enjoy this album. No matter how many critics may tell me "No but you're not seeing..." or "You'll hit this a-ha moment" or "You're missing it", I think I've given this one a fair chance - I'm not missing it. I don't enjoy it and personally I don't think it's that great an album (i.e. one that ranks in the top 100 of all time). Sayonarra, Trout Mask Replica

I'm with you on this one, Zeeb.

 

[Pops]

Prong - Unleashed in the West (Live in Berlin)

 

[Ojai Sam]

Richard Germer - Die Musik Kommt (2009)

Hamburg-style folk music from the legendary artist known as "The Man With The Lute".

 

[Pops]

The Stooges - 1970 The Complete Funhouse Sessions

 

[axolotl]

Andres Segovia & John Williams ~ "Strictly Virtuosity" (1987)

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)

 

[Ojai Sam]

The Stooges - 1970 The Complete Funhouse Sessions

I'm impressed. You didn't listen to it all in one session, did you?

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Lou Reed - Transformer (1972)

 

[Ojai Sam]

Bing Crosby - Rediscovered (American Masters soundtrack 2014)

This is the best introduction to Bing Crosby I have ever heard. Here's why:

Bing Crosby has been a tough sell for decades. Since his 1977 death on a golf course in Spain, he has largely disappeared except at Christmas time. Even boomers recall him, if at all, as the avuncular old guy with thinning hair hawking orange juice on TV.

Crosby's emergence in the late 1920's as a multimedia star of records, radio and film coincided exactly with the massive changes in entertainment technology that facilitated his success: electric recording, nationwide radio networks and talking pictures. Unfortunately, he has been ill-served in the reissue department by his record company, and anyway, records tell only part of the story.

That's why this disc from the PBS American Masters series is so valuable. It combines records and radio transcriptions with film and TV soundtracks to give a fuller picture of Bing's stage persona. The songs date from 1931 to 1964, featuring guest stars like July Garland, Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong. We even get to hear Bing's first wife, the tragic Dixie Lee, and his first musical partners, The Rhythm Boys.

Give this one a spin and you will get a hint of why he became the 20th Century's first superstar.

Highest recommendation...and it's on Spotify!

Bing and Dixie Lee Crosby

 

[Ojai Sam]

The Turnpike Troubadours - The Turnpike Troubadours (2015)

 

[Nickyboy]

Bing Crosby - Rediscovered (American Masters soundtrack 2014)

This is the best introduction to Bing Crosby I have ever heard.

I thoroughly enjoy the recordings of his WWII show for the troops ("sponsored by the good folks at Kraft!") as well as an import I have entitled "The Crooners" which features his early work. His Christmas music is fun, if not schmaltzy, but I have always loved his mellifluous voice from his early years best.

 

[Pops]

I'm impressed. You didn't listen to it all in one session, did you?

I can only handle one disc at a time...on a good day! It does make me appreciate the work that went into that album, but it is for hardcore fans only, IMO....

 

[Pops]

Herscher - Pursuit

 

[Ojai Sam]

I can only handle one disc at a time...on a good day! It does make me appreciate the work that went into that album, but it is for hardcore fans only, IMO....

I worked my way through this set when it came out. Once is enough but I did learn to appreciate the Stooges' work ethic.

 

[Ojai Sam]

Lloyd Bridges - Hear How To Skin Dive (1961)

Best line: "You'd be surprised what you can do underwater without a tank."

 

[Unsomnambulist]

The National - Sleep Well Beast (2017)

 

[Old Uncle Toe]

Bing Crosby - Rediscovered (American Masters soundtrack 2014)

This is the best introduction to Bing Crosby I have ever heard. Here's why:

Bing Crosby has been a tough sell for decades. Since his 1977 death on a golf course in Spain, he has largely disappeared except at Christmas time. Even boomers recall him, if at all, as the avuncular old guy with thinning hair hawking orange juice on TV.

Crosby's emergence in the late 1920's as a multimedia star of records, radio and film coincided exactly with the massive changes in entertainment technology that facilitated his success: electric recording, nationwide radio networks and talking pictures. Unfortunately, he has been ill-served in the reissue department by his record company, and anyway, records tell only part of the story.

That's why this disc from the PBS American Masters series is so valuable. It combines records and radio transcriptions with film and TV soundtracks to give a fuller picture of Bing's stage persona. The songs date from 1931 to 1964, featuring guest stars like July Garland, Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong. We even get to hear Bing's first wife, the tragic Dixie Lee, and his first musical partners, The Rhythm Boys.

Give this one a spin and you will get a hint of why he became the 20th Century's first superstar.

Highest recommendation...and it's on Spotify!

Bing and Dixie Lee Crosby

I know most of you are all about "post an album cover and move on!" but this is the reason I take any look at all at "what are you listening to." When you throw up an album cover image or one line of text per album, it does nothing for me. (Probably why I find scrobbling so annoying.) But when you tell me WHY you're listening to something and why maybe I should too, then I sit up and pay attention. I would rather, instead of these "what are you listening to?" topics, we'd have more "why are you listening to that?" topics.

Thanks Sam, excellent post.

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy (1985)

Well, feel kind of silly being the guy who just posts an album cover after the above post. Still, I don't feel too bad. I don't think I've ever been accused of talking too little about music
I will say - listening to this one again after years away - I'm always surprised that I don't like this one MORE. Alright, I'm not a noise rock guy (and the white noise and distortion overlying here certainly helped influence those 90s noise rockers). Still at the heart of most of these songs are short, pop melodies with influences like the Beach Boys. Plus there's a whole punk aesthetic here (again 70s punk often hearkened back to early 60s pop music too) that I would think I'd enjoy better than the whole flat, morose 80s post-punk tone. Still, this one just never grabbed me.

 

[Pops]

The Tubes - Wild in London

 

[Pops]

Neil Young - Hitchhiker