What are you listening to?

[Taomeow]

[wilfred]

[Old River]

 

Chinese blues.... guqin music.

[Marblehead]

Yes, that was sad.  Very well played and rather well sung too.

[Old River]

A friend gave me an extra vinyl copy (mono) of the Left Banke's first album he had a couple weeks ago.  I lost my copy in 2014, so it was a pleasure to hear this again today.  

 

Most people know them for "Walk Away Renee" but the whole album is full of great melodic invention and harmonies:  

 

[Aetherous]

 

The bass sounds amazing...can't wait to hear the rest of the album.

[Marblehead]

A friend gave me an extra vinyl copy (mono) of the Left Banke's first album he had a couple weeks ago.  I lost my copy in 2014, so it was a pleasure to hear this again today.  

 

Most people know them for "Walk Away Renee" but the whole album is full of great melodic invention and harmonies:  

That is in my collection although it is not from original vinyl.

[Marblehead]

I'm listening to some Indian Bollywood music this morning.

[Karl]

A friend gave me an extra vinyl copy (mono) of the Left Banke's first album he had a couple weeks ago.  I lost my copy in 2014, so it was a pleasure to hear this again today.  

 

Most people know them for "Walk Away Renee" but the whole album is full of great melodic invention and harmonies:  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7aCF6v8t1s

 

 

Are you aquainted with Belle and Sebastian ?

[Old River]

Are you aquainted with Belle and Sebastian ?

 

Yes, I know them and have heard a few albums (several years ago) but I haven't followed them closely.  They are certainly one of the much better bands out there.

 

There are a few newer rock bands I listen to ("new" for me = anything post-1990!), but they are all in more the indie vein, Mogwai (also Scottish - I've seen them twice in concert, something I rarely do because I don't like crowds), Sigur Ros (I have almost all their music on vinyl), Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Low, Four Tet, Guided by Voices, only a few others.  I can't keep up with it all!  

 

Ages ago, I was on the proggier side of rock, but now I can only stomach 70s Yes, Gabriel-era Genesis, and King Crimson (still love old Floyd but never counted them as prog-rock -- never understood that).  But I can't really abide by it now.  

 

Funny, I tend to listen to rock almost exclusively on vinyl these days, but classical and other stuff in mp3 format.  The bulk of what I listen to has always been classical and "early music" (Bach, Sibelius, Vaughan Williams being special favorites).  Music is my one luxury I often enjoy. 

[Karl]

I've never bought any Sigur Ros even though I like quite a lot of their work. I've several albums by Mogwai, GSYBE and Guided by Voices.

 

If you like the proggy side of things I would recommend Porcupine Tree, Opeth and Tool. All those bands have been through several incarnations which verge on folk softness to full metal jacket so I'm not going to recommend a particular album though I suspect later Opeth and Tool would be better for you than the harder earlier stuff. I manage both, but then I listen to Messugah.

[Old River]

I appreciate the recommendations, Karl.  I do know those bands.  The latest prog-rock band I could listen to was Marillion (but stopped after Fish left, which was 1988 I think? But Steve Hogarth has a fine voice too).  The appeal prog-rock once had isn't there anymore for me, and the heavier metal side of things I've never been able to get into.  I once had a friend who was into Tool, Porcupine Tree, and Dream Theatre and I just failed to develop any appreciation for it -- just not my aesthetic I suppose.  But that's just me -- it's not to deny there's no talent there to be sure!

 

But I still have my fingers in a lot of different musical pies, circling back to a lot of 60s and 70s music I didn't explore as much, British folk and folk-rock, punk, lots of lesser known music that I had little exposure to as a teenager.  My interest in rock music almost completely died 20 years ago until hearing Velvet Underground and Joy Division miraculously revived it. 

[Karl]

I appreciate the recommendations, Karl. I do know those bands. The latest prog-rock band I could listen to was Marillion (but stopped after Fish left, which was 1988 I think? But Steve Hogarth has a fine voice too). The appeal prog-rock once had isn't there anymore for me, and the heavier metal side of things I've never been able to get into. I once had a friend who was into Tool, Porcupine Tree, and Dream Theatre and I just failed to develop any appreciation for it -- just not my aesthetic I suppose. But that's just me -- it's not to deny there's no talent there to be sure!

 

But I still have my fingers in a lot of different musical pies, circling back to a lot of 60s and 70s music I didn't explore as much, British folk and folk-rock, punk, lots of lesser known music that I had little exposure to as a teenager. My interest in rock music almost completely died 20 years ago until hearing Velvet Underground and Joy Division miraculously revived it.

That's how it goes with music. I have a couple of Marilion albums -I saw them live just before the launch of their very first album. I would still consider myself a Genesis fan, but I rarely listen to them, though I can sing a huge back catalogue (I have virtually everything except the very first album and some of the later stuff).

 

Sounds as if you prefer the slightly more twee, whimsical kind of prog Music ? Not so dense but with that Syd Barrett kind of twang.

 

I struggle with Joy Division even though I own their albums I find it very hard to endure for more than 20 minutes.

 

What about Radiohead, split enz, crowded house ? If you fancy something a bit more raw, then the Vaselines are pretty good, very simple.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Karl

[Marblehead]

I thought I was the only one who knew of King Crimson.  Only one I have though is the "Lizard" album.

[Karl]

I thought I was the only one who knew of King Crimson.  Only one I have though is the "Lizard" album.

 

I'm afraid not. I have many, many albums on vinyl and CD. I even went to the trouble of seeking out a Very special copy of ITCOTCK

[9thousandthings]

 

Chinese blues.... guqin music.

This is beautiful.

 

I thought I'd add the translated lyrics for those who don't follow the link through to You Tube:

 

When winds breathed slowly

and carried cotton blossom drifts

floating from the willow strands,

there in the fragrant willowshade,

we rested in green depths. 

 

Sailing round faraway beaches,

sailing as evening falls;

in this total disorder 

of aimless sailing,

where can I make land?

 

I've met my share of mankind,

but none are like the willows by that

gate of departure. None remain.

If trees had hearts like men do,

they would not be so green with life.

 

Night comes on, your high city disappears,

There's only the tangle of endless mountains.

Like Wei Lang, I've left you-

But remember; this bracelet of jade; 

believe this promise that we've made

 

When I left, you begged me "Soon return!"

For fear we'd leave the red flowers loveless.

 

And I didn't take your pair of scissors with me,

but if I had, I still couldn't cut 

these thousand binding, silken threads 

of melancholy exile.

[Old River]

I am something of a Radiohead fan, though their music is terribly bleak so I can only handle it in small doses (actually that is true for Joy Division too).  As far as new stuff goes, I think a lot of it falls under the "post-rock" category for me -- This Will Destroy You is another good band in the Mogwai / GYBE! vein.

 

King Crimson 73-74 period is their peak moment I feel (Fripp/Wetton/Bruford + Cross and Muir lineup) -- but I love all the 68-74 period and 80s Crimson too (which was a gradually acquired taste for me!  I wish they had done more in the 80s now).  The early 90s work is good too, but I've lost track of what they've been doing since then, breaking off into various "modules" or whatever they're doing now.  Old Yes and Genesis I listen more out of nostalgia from my teenage years, but Crimson still gets me worked up.  So far I only have Starless and Bible Black on vinyl.  I used to have Red but lost it, sad to say.

 

I took to Yes and Genesis easily as a teenager, but Crimson I had to work at before I could appreciate them-- which only makes their work more rewarding to listen to.  Definitely a perennial favorite for me. 

[Old River]

 

This is beautiful.

 

I thought I'd add the translated lyrics for those who don't follow the link through to You Tube:

 

When winds breathed slowly

and carried cotton blossom drifts

floating from the willow strands,

there in the fragrant willowshade,

we rested in green depths. 

 

Sailing round faraway beaches,

sailing as evening falls;

in this total disorder 

of aimless sailing,

where can I make land?

 

I've met my share of mankind,

but none are like the willows by that

gate of departure. None remain.

If trees had hearts like men do,

they would not be so green with life.

 

Night comes on, your high city disappears,

There's only the tangle of endless mountains.

Like Wei Lang, I've left you-

But remember; this bracelet of jade; 

believe this promise that we've made

 

When I left, you begged me "Soon return!"

For fear we'd leave the red flowers loveless.

 

And I didn't take your pair of scissors with me,

but if I had, I still couldn't cut 

these thousand binding, silken threads 

of melancholy exile.

 

Thanks for that, 9thousandthings!

 

There is a wistfulness I find in much Chinese (and Japanese) poetry -- it carries over into guqin music too apparently.  I've been listening to quite a bit of it lately.  The aesthetic behind qin music is interesting too.  

[Karl]

I am something of a Radiohead fan, though their music is terribly bleak so I can only handle it in small doses (actually that is true for Joy Division too). As far as new stuff goes, I think a lot of it falls under the "post-rock" category for me -- This Will Destroy You is another good band in the Mogwai / GYBE! vein.

 

King Crimson 73-74 period is their peak moment I feel (Fripp/Wetton/Bruford + Cross and Muir lineup) -- but I love all the 68-74 period and 80s Crimson too (which was a gradually acquired taste for me! I wish they had done more in the 80s now). The early 90s work is good too, but I've lost track of what they've been doing since then, breaking off into various "modules" or whatever they're doing now. Old Yes and Genesis I listen more out of nostalgia from my teenage years, but Crimson still gets me worked up. So far I only have Starless and Bible Black on vinyl. I used to have Red but lost it, sad to say.

 

I took to Yes and Genesis easily as a teenager, but Crimson I had to work at before I could appreciate them-- which only makes their work more rewarding to listen to. Definitely a perennial favorite for me.

Made me smile, that's pretty much my progression. I have Red, King Crimson USA, ITCOTCK, Lizard, three of a perfect pair, Larks Tongues on vinyl. Starless, Poseidon, discipline on CD.

 

I began with Hawkwind and Wisbone Ash around the age of 11 then ELP, Yes, Floyd, Gentle Giant, Amon Dull, Gryphon, King Crimson, PFM, Genesis, Back Door, van De Graaf Generator up to 16.

 

Weirdly I don't find RH bleak- indeed my friend bought a copy of OK computer and hated it so much he gave it to me. I hadn't heard anything by the band, or even heard of them. I gave it a spin one evening and was astounded I hadn't heard of them, brilliant.

 

Joy Division is far to depressing. It's beautifully crafted but hard to listen to.

 

A band you might have missed is 'Television' -Marquee Moon is excellent and Talk Talk as they matured 'spirit of Eden' could well float your boat.

Edited May 10, 2016 by Karl

[Karl]

Particularly for old river-some non Randian Television :-)

 

 

If you like VU and Joy Division, this straddles the divide.

 

 

 

[Songtsan]

[Nungali]

[Nungali]

I'm afraid not. I have many, many albums on vinyl and CD. I even went to the trouble of seeking out a Very special copy of ITCOTCK

 

 

 

Yeah !  

 

This is on my cars play list    ;

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I love this song   ( reminds me of some relationship 'couples' I know    ) 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2016 by Nungali

[Nungali]

?  

 

try again 

 

Edited May 11, 2016 by Nungali

[dust]

Discovering stuff.

 

Been listening to BADBADNOTGOOD this week

 

 

 

Quite enjoying this right now: