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Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 23 June 2013 CE
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Fitter Stoke
Fitter Stoke
2614 posts

Edited Jun 23, 2013, 10:46
Re: Soundtracks of Our Lives week ending 23 June 2013 CE
Jun 23, 2013, 10:33
Nick Drake 'Bryter Layter' - the sound of a perfect spring Sunday morning. Check out the new 180g vinyl reissue: it's superb;

Gong 'Flying Teapot' - the easiest entry into the weird and disturbing Planet Gong, featuring some fabulously funky bass playing on the title track by the short-staying Francis Moze. Make sure you lift the stylus up before the tortuous final section however. (Hey dudes, take note: someone has quoted from my old Unsung review in the booklet notes for the current Charly reissue, ensuring all time fame and recognition (LOL). Writing a review for the Drude can earn you immortality!);

Ian Macdonald & Michael Giles 'Macdonald and Giles' - from the same fertile period of Island's history as the aforementioned Nick Drake LP comes this underrated gem from two then recently departed Crimson musos. Lovers of 'In the Court of the Crimson King' will appreciate how essential these guys were to the success of that record from this. In fact, I didn't miss Robert Fripp once when playing it;

OM 'Kirikuki' - I know I'm not the only member of the HH throng to dig this terminally unsung Swiss free jazz combo - not to be confused with the 'Conference of the Birds' band, by the way. This, the first of four fine (and sadly very rare) LP's on ECM's more experimental JAPO imprint, rocks like a ladydog for most of its staggering 40 minutes. Imagine a keyboard-less Weather Report on speed and you'll get a partial idea of what they were about. There's a retrospective CD by them available which samples the first two tracks from this, one track each from the second ('Rautionaha' 1976) and third ('OM With Dom Um Romao' 1977), and the entirety of the final one ('Cerberus' 1980). I recommend it wholeheartedly;

Julian Cope 'Black Sheep' - any album named after a brewery is okay by me. Seriously, this remains my favourite late-period Drude album and is the one I return to most after 'Fried'. Tale man, tell me the tale of your life 'cos I'm sure is it a good one, indeed;

Ian Gillan Band' 'Clear Air Turbulence' - one of Gillan's most adventurous and unpredictable career turns: I wonder what he now makes of these jazz rock excursions recorded in the year of vacant prettiness and white riots. Although dated in the extreme, I have to confess that I rather like this. John Gustafson's crawling bass licks make me wanna reach for my battered Precision to emulate them;

Elgar 'The Dream Of Gerontius' in the pioneering Malcolm Sargent recording from 1946: limited mono sound, but a truly inspired and committed performance by all concerned, especially the Huddersfield choir. Wonderful - and what a work! I enjoyed this as the final part of a Sargent evening preceded by Grieg's Lyric Pieces, Beethoven's Fourth Symphony and Britten's 'Young Person's Guide To The Orchestra' - all old mono recordings. It ain't rock and roll, but I like it.

Have a great week, all.

Dave
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