Felt - Forever Breathes The Lonely Word
(My ratings are far from complete indeed, not to mention many of them are inconsistent or simply out of date.) When it comes to this band, I listened to their debut once, didn’t like it and totally forgot about them, so I wasn’t familiar with this album. Lawrence may not be a good singer in the traditional sense, but that’s not a problem for me in the slightest – quite the contrary, it lets them stand out and adds a personal note, which probably explains why the same applies to many other bands or solo artists that I am highly fond of. Regarding the instrumentation, they are not as guitar heavy as I remember them being, they severely compromise their post-punk roots and dive deep in the jangle pop ocean. Of note is the addition of the organ, whose distinct sound can make or break a song/album/etc. Here, I think it’s sadly the latter, it makes everything too happy and too vivid compared to the state of mind – let’s call it an unbearably euphoric melancholy - that I tend to associate with this style of music and in my opinion suits it the best. Songwriting doesn’t reach the absurd heights of Orange Juice / The Smiths. On the other hand, my emotional involvement with those two artists can’t be ignored, I have endless memories attached to their songs, making it an unfair comparison. All the People I Like Are Those That Are Dead is by far the most interesting song here, I guess Pulp must have liked it as well. All in all, it left me with the impression that they didn’t realise their full potential, but it holds its own both when examined as an individual piece of extremely catchy, sentimental yet thoughtful pop and if viewed as a source of inspiration for quite a few ‘90s bands. When I get the chance, I will dig deeper into their discography.
7.5/10.
Apologies for having to go through This Is IT, I knew it was a long shot, I think this one should be closer to your taste.
I get a free one since it's my first post here, so I got an idea. Am I just hijacking this game to make kokkinos listen to my rec? Absolutely! (But will continue playing, no worries)
Wow, this is a pretty obscure choice, unranked on BEA and with fewer than two dozen ratings on RYM. An American trombonist's take on Brazilian music near the height of its popularity stateside is not something I would have expected to be great, but it is. Brookmeyer's playing is expressive, but it's the supporting cast that really makes this shine, especially the vibes (as I let on recently in this thread, I adore jazz vibes), some excellent jazz guitar, and beautiful piano parts. It certainly helps that I love bossa nova and its derivatives. I probably wouldn't call this a top-tier record in the genre, but it's a very capable American interpretation and starts with a light 4/5.
Speaking of Brazilian music, I don't see any indication you've listened to this yet LedZep, so try my #6 album:
I get a free one since it's my first post here, so I got an idea. Am I just hijacking this game to make kokkinos listen to my rec? Absolutely! (But will continue playing, no worries)
Ha, that little sneaky move definitely gets my stamp of approval because a) it got you in this game and b) this rec rules.
So, this album was brought up as an example of jazz and guitar, but the first thing that caught my attention is that it features another combo, namely vocals and jazz, that usually doesn’t work for me. However, any reservations I may have had were set aside pretty much instantly. This has to be one of the top-two examples of that style I’ve encountered so far and the funny thing is that it’s another case of husband and wife, just like Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln, who is the only case of vocals and jazz that comes close - unless we count Mingus’ barking in Oh Yeah as vocals, that would end up somewhere near the top as well. While on the subject of Max Roach, Black Woman shares even more similarities with It’s Time in terms of the ritualistic atmosphere they establish right off the bat, though they use different means to reach their goal: this one follows a more concentrated approach, it is almost fully invested in the vocals, it’s as if the band is only there to set the tone and provide a framework so that she can go off and simply do her thing,- that’s especially evident in the opening and closing track, which are the most vital parts of the album if you view it as a concept - while It’s Time is the epitome of maximalism, the choir is one of many elements that are treated as equals, it throws everything but the kitchen sink at you. Back to this, it has its roots in gospel and jazz, but the sounds themselves seem secondary, it’s all about the spiritual journey, which is a completely different one than, say, Coltrane’s, it’s a more expressive, extrovert version – but equally rewarding after all. When it comes to the guitar work, which was the point to begin with, it is incredibly elegant, never too flashy or in your face, the only time it grabs the spotlight is in Blind Willie and it’s a wonder to behold. Speaking of which, it might be the odd one out, but that’s exactly where its value lies, it offers us a healthy dose of serenity to catch our breath before the ultimate wave of madness kicks in. Regarding the closing track, Portrait Of Linda In Three Colors, All Black, that was the only instance where I thought she went a bit over the top, though it probably wouldn’t make sense had it been done any other way and I’m sure someone else would claim this was the highlight of the album, the cathartic moment where the human finally meets the divine – for real, I started wondering if she’s possessed by a spirit, her performance here is plain bonkers. Peanut is another nice one, the closest this record gets to psychedelic music, I imagine listening to it and Pink Floyd’s Interstellar Overdrive back to back should be quite an experience. Despite all tracks having their merits, Bialero stands head and shoulders above the rest, it all comes together in a beautiful way. All in all, a phenomenal effort that, even though I’ m still in 1962 and it’s too early to make such a call, is all but guaranteed to make my ‘60s chart when all is said and done.
8/10.
Let's stay in Latin America and try something from Argentina.
I'm really glad you liked it kokkinos, I've only discovered Sharrock this year (late to the party, whatever) but I'll be damned if this isn't already one of my favourite jazz albums. And I too think the madness of vocals and free jazz gets a bit overwhelming at points, especially on the closer. Sometimes when I'm in the right mood that's a highlight, but more often it's just too much. Still love every song on the record.
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
Acabou Chorare by Novos Baianos
I haven't heard this one yet, not only that but it was literally 12th album in my cannon list (2nd below the line). Would've got to this classic eventually, but I'm glad it was sooner rather than later. So right from the first notes, I had a feeling this was very accessible for people who aren't into Brazilian music. It's a 70s folk rock and singer/songwriter album disguised as MPB/Samba. (I'm listening for the second time rn and that may have been an overstatement, but there is a lot of singer/songwriter influences). Basically, perfect for a person who's getting into MPB and isn't into the style as of yet, thanks Bay. Overall liked it a lot, but it isn't among the top Brazilian albums I've heard. Will search for the lyrics translation in the near future, I have a feeling it may improve the listening experience considerably. The highlight was (weirdly) a fun instrumental Um Bilhete Pra Didi, as well as Preta Pretinha. 7.5/10
Kokkinos gets something early 60s (hopefully you haven't heard it yet):
I was not overly familiar with Romanthony before hearing this album, I had heard a few tracks from him and he was on my wishlist because he has 2 albums on Glasgow Underground which is a label I adore. But here I listened to his debut album released on Azuli.
So what about 'Romanworld'? It's a double album with running for around 1h40 (for the CD version) with transitions between tracks. I believe there must be some kind of Sci-fi concept I didn't quite grasp, but in fact, apart from some ambient/experimental tracks, it's classic deep house. The production on the 'electronic' tracks is rather excellent. For example, the bass on 'Now You Want Me' is perfect, and considering the original version was released as early as '91, this is astounding.
I would have liked to complain that the non-danceable tracks are breaking the flow of the album, but that would have been pretty unfair because those tracks are what's making the album more than than just a collection of tracks (most of which had already been released btw). I've seen a lot of Electronic/Dance music producers either make fully experimental albums / or fully dance albums and they usually draw well-deserved critics in both cases. Romanthony sets the mood with experimentation but still uses his dance production skills to great avail. Both sides are complementary and that's rare enough to notice.
To sum up, I love this album. A bunch of tracks out of this are going straight in my house playlist and I can see the album moving it's way up to my decade chart. It's 90s deep/house in its prime but with something else that makes it quite unique. Let's hope Romanthony get more revered for this than for providing vocals on Daft Punk's One More Time in the future.
LedZep, I'm not sure of what I should give you, but it looks like you haven't already heard this yet:
My first time listening to anything tango, and it's quite nice. Talented musicians playing with energy and virtuosity. I know next to nothing about the genre, so I have nothing more to add. 3.5/5.
E2-E4 by Manuel Göttsching
I've not heard this one in 5+ years and honestly it was due a relisten, good pick guzguzgarbit (also glad to see you active on RYM, makes stealing your faves that much easier :)). My friend and I were preparing for the finals and listening to Trans Europa Express, Remain in Light and those 2 Violent Femmes albums, with slight variations every day. One of those variations was Gottsching's E2-E4. I have fond memories of hearing it for the first time, although I don't remember much of the album itself.
There's this comment on RYM which explains it quite well: "the aural equivalent of an out of this world screen saver". Repetitive, hypnotic screen saver music from the 80s. And that's not a dig, the composition is sublime. I'm not in the mood to provide a detailed analysis of my feelings while listening, so I'll just say this is fantastic and proceed with some fun facts/history discussion.
Recorded in one take, it's almost 1h long electronic composition made with sequencers, keyboards, metallic percussion and guitar. A lot of it was improvised. Being a guitarist and perhaps a chess enthusiast, Gottsching had the perfect background to make the album title and cover part of an elaborate pun. For those of you who are at least intermediate in chess, the e2-e4 opening moves are quite familiar. On the other hand, guitarists know that guitar strings harmonic range extends from e2 to e4. Those of us who are chess playing guitarists (incidentally, me, and I suck at both) can easily see the pattern. As for the composition itself: it's definitely akin to the progressive Berlin school of Tangerine Dream, Ashra Tempel and the others but with a notable shift. It's more minimalist and repetitive while also being... groovy and fun? Some say it's the missing link between krautrock and house/techno music of the 80s, I have a feeling it's mostly because Larry Levan closed a lot of his Paradise Garage sets with E2-E4 (Larry Levan has a great life story, highly recommend reading about him). Maybe the influence isn't just theoretical, since people were actually dancing to this! In any case, it's a huge moment in electronic music history which I'm glad I've revisited. And sorry for the rambling. 8.5/10
Well, guzguzgarbit returned for this game. I should as well.
Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.
With this, I do really enjoy the synthwave style of electronic music. And I really enjoy this. Might not hit the cinematic highs that would come out a few years later when this was new back in 2010. Albums like Galactic Melt by Com Truise or 198X AD by Megadrive expanded on this particular aesthetic. As well as others that dabbled in the style but haven't listen to those albums. But this hits a particular high of huge cityscapes, addicting grooves and a refinement of 80's fundamentals. Grade:90
My pick and I think this is going to Ledzep, but while I do enjoy the hell of VocalCity. There is a side of me that prefers this way more. Might be an all time favorite for me. And it is pretty different. That being The Present Lover. Don't know why the image is working. But that is my pick.
With this, I do really enjoy the synthwave style of electronic music. And I really enjoy this. Might not hit the cinematic highs that would come out a few years later when this was new back in 2010. Albums like Galactic Melt by Com Truise or 198X AD by Megadrive expanded on this particular aesthetic. As well as others that dabbled in the style but haven't listen to those albums. But this hits a particular high of huge cityscapes, addicting grooves and a refinement of 80's fundamentals. Grade:90
Nice to see you back Luigii!
I don't remember exactly why I recommended you that Lazerhawk album, I hope that's not what made you leave in the first place. 😲
Anyway I'm glad you like it. Apart from being one of the finest synthwave albums I can think of, that album has had, I think, a decisive influence in the global propagation of synthwave at least in France. I remember hearing Overdrive pretty much in repeat at school when this came out. Although College, Danger, Kavinsky (or even FM Attack to name someone not French) were already making synthwave way before Redline, this album, with the rest of the early Rosso Corsa releases, helped give synthwave the success I think it deserved.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
LedZep
baystateoftheart
guzguzgarbit
