Human Canon Ball Relaunched: A Trip Through Time

[Repo]

Zentropy by Frankie Cosmos

been really loving this lately!

[baystateoftheart]

Just finished the reappraisal of Beat Happening. This was a lot of fun, and they went from being a band I thought was okay to one of my favorites of the genre. I've really warmed up to Calvin's voice with time. Here are the results:

Beat Happening 3.0 > 3.5
Jamboree N/A > 4.0
Black Candy N/A > 4.0
Dreamy 3.5 > 3.5
You Turn Me On 4.0 > 4.0
Music To Climb The Apple Tree By 3.0 > 4.0

So in sum, I found two new records to love and my opinion of two others significantly improved. My ranking of the albums and favorite a-side can be found on the list.

Also, I've downloaded that Frankie Cosmos album and look forward to checking it out
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[baystateoftheart]

Scored Re-Listens For The Week Ending 6/16

The Strong:

You Turn Me On - Beat Happening 78.9

~~~~~

New Listens / Non-Scored Re-Listens [*] For The Week Ending 6/16

The Classics:

Coloring Book - Chance The Rapper*
Dummy - Portishead*

The Strong:

7 - Beach House
Black Candy - Beat Happening
Jamboree - Beat Happening
Music To Climb The Apple Tree By - Beat Happening*
Get Happy!! - Elvis Costello & The Attractions*
Out There - Eric Dolphy
Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles - Françoise Hardy
Channel Orange - Frank Ocean
Howlin' Wolf - Howlin' Wolf
Coltrane "Live" At The Village Vanguard - John Coltrane
Showcase - Patsy Cline
Murmur - R.E.M.*
King Of The Delta Blues Singers - Robert Johnson
Louder Than Bombs - The Smiths*
Life Of Leisure (EP) - Washed Out*

The Solid:

Beat Happening - Beat Happening*
Dreamy - Beat Happening*
Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan
Invasion Of Privacy - Cardi B
Tijuana Moods - Charles Mingus
Surfer's Choice - Dick Dale And His Del-Tones
Knock Knock - DJ Koze
Shame, Shame - Dr. Dog
The Sophtware Slump - Grandaddy
Grid Of Points - Grouper
Beyondless - Iceage
Isolation - Kali Uchis
Primal Heart - Kimbra
Youth Novels - Lykke Li
Death And The Lady - Michael Raven & Joan Mills
Joyride - Tinashe

~~~~~~~~~~

Previously Scored Re-Listens For The Week Ending 6/16

The Classics:

Since I Left You - The Avalanches
The Life Pursuit - Belle And Sebastian
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[Repo]

[baystateoftheart]

Have you heard their album from this year? It's really good!


Vessel by Frankie Cosmos

As is Next Thing from 2016.
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[Repo]

[baystateoftheart]

Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan

Raw folk tunes and blues covers with a definite charm, even if it doesn't match the heights he'd reach later. 3.5/5.


Surfer's Choice by Dick Dale And His Del-Tones

This record is good at instrumental surf and bad at tunes with vocals. It should stick to the former. 3.5/5.


Howlin' Wolf by Howlin' Wolf

Another fantastic compilation of singles from the most charming gravelly voice in American blues music. 4/5.


Live At The Village Vanguard by John Coltrane

This starts with a laidback feel before Coltrane & co. uncork their virtuosity on the latter two tracks. 4/5.


Tijuana Moods by Charles Mingus

Released five years after its recording, this album is a quality mood piece as the title implies, but otherwise I didn't get a lot out of it. 3.5/5.


Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles by Françoise Hardy

Smooth, beautiful, and sunny French pop and the best thing I've heard from her so far. 4/5.


Sentimentally Yours by Patsy Cline

This didn't quite hold up to her previous album. In particular the songwriting was not as good, and thematically one-note (lost love). 3.5/5.

~~~~~

1962 Results:

GOLD MEDAL

Howlin' Wolf - Howlin' Wolf 4/5

SILVER MEDAL

Tous Les Garçons Et Les Filles - Françoise Hardy 4/5

BRONZE MEDAL

Coltrane "Live" At The Village Vanguard - John Coltrane 4/5

HONORABLE MENTIONS

4. Playboy - The Marvelettes 4/5
5. Sentimentally Yours - Patsy Cline 3.5/5
6. Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan 3.5/5
7. Baby It's You - The Shirelles 3.5/5
8. Tijuana Moods - Charles Mingus 3.5/5
9. Meet The Supremes - The Supremes 3.5/5
10. Surfer's Choice - Dick Dale And His Del-Tones 3.5/5

~~~~~

1963:

a. Albums in my collection still to hear front to back:

- Live At The Apollo - James Brown [Soul, Rhythm & Blues]
- Monk's Dream - Thelonious Monk [Hard Bop]
- Surfin' USA - The Beach Boys [Surf Rock, Vocal Surf]
- Please Please Me - The Beatles [Merseybeat, Pop Rock]
- With The Beatles - The Beatles [Merseybeat, Pop Rock]

b. Albums in my collection rated and ranked:

1. The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady - Charles Mingus 4.5/5 [Avant-Garde Jazz, Third Stream]
2. A Christmas Gift For You From Phillies Records - Various Artists 4.5/5 [Christmas Music, Brill Building, Girl Group]
3. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan 4/5 [Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter]
4. The End Of The World - Skeeter Davis 4/5 [Nashville Sound]
5. Night Beat - Sam Cooke 3.5/5 [Soul, Southern Soul]
6. Heat Wave - Martha And The Vandellas 3.5/5 [Girl Group, Pop Soul, Soul]
7. Money Jungle - Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus & Max Roach 3.5/5 [Jazz, Hard Bop]

c. New album selections:

- Impressions - John Coltrane [Avant-Garde Jazz]
- Samba Esquema Novo - Jorge Ben [Samba]
- If You Need Me - Solomon Burke [Southern Soul, Country Soul]
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[baystateoftheart]

Scored Re-Listens For The Week Ending 6/23

The Classics:

My Maudlin Career - Camera Obscura 86.0
If You're Feeling Sinister - Belle And Sebastian 85.9

~~~~~

New Listens / Non-Scored Re-Listens [*] For The Week Ending 6/23

The Classics:

Mother Earth's Plantasia - Mort Garson

The Strong:

Ambient 1: Music For Airports - Brian Eno*
Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks - Brian Eno With Daniel Lanois & Roger Eno
The River & The Thread - Rosanne Cash*
If You Need Me - Solomon Burke
Where's Bill Grundy Now? (EP) - Television Personalities
Raised By Wolves (EP) - Voxtrot

The Solid:

Surfin' U.S.A. - The Beach Boys
Please Please Me - The Beatles
Boodle Boodle Boodle (EP) - The Clean
Zentropy - Frankie Cosmos
Live At The Apollo - James Brown
Singularity - Jon Hopkins
The House Of Tomorrow (EP) - The Magnetic Fields
Nina Simone And Piano! - Nina Simone
Cherry Peel - of Montreal*
Sentimentally Yours - Patsy Cline
The Execution Of All Things - Rilo Kiley*
Foxbase Alpha - Saint Etienne*
Monk's Dream - Thelonious Monk
Frost And Fire: A Calendar Of Ritual And Magical Songs - The Watersons

The Good, But Flawed:

Die Lit - Playboi Carti

~~~~~~~~~~

Previously Scored Re-Listens For The Week Ending 6/23

The Classics:

Chronic Town (EP) - R.E.M.
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[baystateoftheart]

Live At The Apollo by James Brown

Lots of raw energy and soul in this performance, but his early material is not the best and the weak songwriting is apparent. 3.5/5.


Monk's Dream by Thelonious Monk

Great playing by everyone, but this slowly meandering record didn't hold my interest very well. 3.5/5.


Surfin' U.S.A. by The Beach Boys

There are fantastic songs, cheesy songs, and second-rate surf instrumentals all thrown haphazardly together on this album. Still, it's better than many of their other early works. 3.5/5.


Please Please Me by The Beatles

This record exceeded my low expectations in both songwriting and energy. Feels authentic. 3.5/5.


With The Beatles by The Beatles

Loaded down with covers, but this is another early Beatles foray that is better than I thought it would be. 3.5/5


Impressions by John Coltrane

A fantastic live album that never lets up - peppy, intriguing avant-garde jazz from end to end. 4/5.


Samba Esquema Novo by Jorge Ben

My third Jorge Ben experience this year is definitely my favorite so far. The vocals and instrumentals are both fantastic and create an immersive atmosphere. A standout among samba records. 4/5.


If You Need Me by Solomon Burke

Earthy, rich country soul at close to its best, as Burke delivers arresting performances. 4/5.

~~~~~

1963 Results:

GOLD MEDAL

The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady - Charles Mingus 4.5/5

SILVER MEDAL

A Christmas Gift For You From Phillies Records - Various Artists 4.5/5

BRONZE MEDAL

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan 4/5

HONORABLE MENTIONS

4. Samba Esquema Novo - Jorge Ben 4/5
5. Impressions - John Coltrane 4/5
6. The End Of The World - Skeeter Davis 4/5
7. If You Need Me - Solomon Burke 4/5
8. Night Beat - Sam Cooke 3.5/5
9. Heat Wave - Martha And The Vandellas 3.5/5
10. Please Please Me - The Beatles 3.5/5
11. Money Jungle - Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus & Max Roach 3.5/5
12. Live At The Apollo - James Brown 3.5/5
13. With The Beatles - The Beatles 3.5/5
14. Monk's Dream - Thelonious Monk 3.5/5
15. Surfin' U.S.A. - The Beach Boys 3.5/5

~~~~~

1964:

a. Albums in my collection still to hear front to back:

- A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles [Merseybeat, Pop Rock]
- Beatles For Sale - The Beatles [Merseybeat, Pop Rock]
- The Times They Are A-Changin' - Bob Dylan [Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter]
- Another Side Of Bob Dylan - Bob Dylan [Contemporary Folk, Singer/Songwriter]
- 12 X 5 - The Rolling Stones [British Rhythm & Blues, Blues Rock]

b. Albums in my collection rated and ranked:

1. Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica - The Ronettes 4.5/5 [Girl Group, Brill Building]
2. Where Did Our Love Go - The Supremes 4.5/5 [Girl Group, Pop Soul, Soul]
3. Out To Lunch - Eric Dolphy 4.5/5 [Avant-Garde Jazz]
4. Getz / Gilberto - Stan Getz & João Gilberto Featuring Antônio Carlos Jobim 4/5 [Bossa nova, Jazz]
5. Chapel Of Love - The Dixie Cups 4/5 [Girl Group]
6. Whenever A Teenager Cries - Reparata And The Delrons 4/5 [Girl Group, Pop]
7. Etta James Rocks The House - Etta James 4/5 [Rhythm & Blues, Soul]
8. Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus - Charles Mingus 4/5 [Post-Bop]
9. He's A Rebel - The Crystals 3.5/5 [Girl Group, Brill Building]
10. Pain In My Heart - Otis Redding 3.5/5 [Southern Soul]
11. Nina Simone In Concert - Nina Simone 3/5 [Vocal Jazz]
12. The Beach Boys' Christmas Album - The Beach Boys 3/5 [Christmas Music, Vocal Group, Pop Rock]

c. New album selections:

- Live At Birdland - John Coltrane [Post-Bop]
- Empyrean Isles - Herbie Hancock [Hard Bop, Post-Bop]
- Ain't That Good News - Sam Cooke [Southern Soul, Soul]
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[baystateoftheart]

About a week ago my boss started asking me to pick background music for work, so during the day I've been listening to a lot of ambient music and library music, and some classical and progressive electronic. Here's what we've heard so far, and I will edit this post through the end of this work week.

~~~~~

Ambient:

1. Ambient 1: Music For Airports - Brian Eno 4/5
2. Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks - Brian Eno With Daniel Lanois & Roger Eno 4/5
3. Structures From Silence - Steve Roach 4/5
4. Pop - Gas 4/5
5. Ambient 3: Day Of Radiance - Laraaji 3.5/5
6. 76:14 - Global Communication 3.5/5
7. Ambient 2: The Plateaux Of Mirror - Harold Budd & Brian Eno 3.5/5
8. Ambient 4: On Land - Brian Eno 3.5/5
9. Substrata - Biosphere 3.5/5 [listened at home first, declined to play at work]
10. The Pearl - Harold Budd & Brian Eno With Daniel Lanois 3.5/5
11. Rausch - Gas 3.5/5 [listened at home first, declined to play at work]

Library Music:

1. Feelings - Jay Richford & Gary Stevan 4/5
2. To-Day's Sound - Piero Umiliani 4/5
3. Altitude 3000 - Cecil Leuter 3.5/5
4. Music For Commercials - Yasuaki Shimizu 3.5/5

Classical:

1. Glassworks - Philip Glass 4/5
2. The Nocturnes - Artur Rubinstein N/A [out of the room over half the time it was playing]

Progressive Electronic:

1. Mother Earth's Plantasia - Mort Garson 4.5/5 [rejected quickly by boss, listened at home]
2. Oxygene - Jean Michel Jarre 4/5
3. Phaedra - Tangerine Dream 4/5
4. E2-E4 - Manuel Göttsching 3.5/5
5. Rubycon - Tangerine Dream 3.5/5

~~~~~

Library music is a particularly overlooked category of music with some groovy hidden gems. For those who don't know what it is: