The clock struck summertime:
Soft Machine ‘Other Doors’ - repeated plays bring this record’s subtle delights into light. I feel an album of the year contender coming into view. If - like me - you like the jazzier side of Soft Machine of old, forget any misgivings you may have about the validity of the name, and dive in;
Black Star Riders ‘Wrong Side Of Paradise’ - the latest album from BSR follows the hard rocking template they set from the start. No Scott Gorham these days but the Lizzy legacy remains, particularly in Ricky Warwick’s vocals. You gotta dig their take on ‘Crazy Horses’! I like this, a lot;
Blur ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ - I streamed this not expecting much, and was pleasantly surprised. In fact, I’ve ended up going out and buying the CD (yeah, ever the consumerist luddite) and playing it constantly for the last couple of days. It’s mood is much like my own: a bit low, with occasional splashes of vitality. Maybe that’s why it registers with me;
Rory Gallagher ‘Deuce’ (50th Anniversary 2CD edition) - the live and alternative takes on CD2 are so fresh and energetic they make me feel quite emotional. This is real fly on the wall stuff, making what was always a great album sound like it was made yesterday. Fans will have this already but hey, if you’ve even a slight interest in Rory, you’re gonna love this;
The Beach Boys ‘Surf’s Up’ - a fair-to-middling album IMHO, not the great last Beach Boys’ utterance it’s held out to be. I’d go for ‘Smiley Smile’ (and not the version of ‘Smile’ which was eventually put out) above this every time;
Jethro Tull ‘Benefit’ (50th Anniversary Box) - two fine 1970 live concert recordings make this worthwhile, alongside contemporary 45s, b-sides and alternate mixes. It’s a shame that the original album mix is buried away on the DVD-A as I’m not taken by the Steven Wilson remix that heads the set. Whatever, this is probably the last word on what to me is Ian Anderson’s greatest long playing achievement, and I’m glad to have it. Incidentally, I’m perplexed by his stated negativity towards the hard rock repetition fest of ‘17’, which I absolutely adore;
Southern Empire S/T - I’ve just caught up with the six year old debut by this Aussie prog band who rock well hard. There’s nothing earth shatteringly original going down but the verve glares through every note;
Big Big Train ‘Folklore’ - this band has had more than its fair share of bad luck in recent years, but still defiantly delivers its patently English sonic goods. This is just one highlight of an impressive back catalogue, with the late, great David Longdon in rude vocal form and some typically aristocratic guitar work from XTC renegade Dave Gregory;
Joni Mitchell ‘Court and Spark’ - music that never ages;
The Kinks ‘Arthur’ - the more I hear this, the more I’m convinced that this is Ray Davies’ songwriting pinnacle. The affection (or is it mockery) for post-war middle England was never better purveyed than here, not even in ‘Village Green’ (which I also adore, by the way). And the title track is the greatest Kinks’ 45 that never was;
Tony Bennett ‘Astoria: Portrait of the Artist’ - beautiful 1990 album with the great man in typically sublime voice. RIP;
Paul Motian ‘Tribute’ - not really sure who or what this 1975 album was a tribute to, but what the hell: the music meanders most agreeably;
Maynard Ferguson ‘Alive and Well In London’ - in reality as much a Keith Mansfield album as a Maynard one, this 1971 LP features muscular, high voltage big band arrangements of then contemporary rock and pop material, to invigorating effect. And Ferguson’s playing is, as ever, literally off the scale;
Maynard Ferguson ‘New Vintage’ - from Maynard’s ill-regarded disco phase comes an album I’ve loved since my teens. His take on Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Scheherazade’ has to be heard to be believed, with a wondrously overblown flute solo from Bobby Militello. Unashamedly of its time, but so what;
Brahms: Symphony no.2 (Lucerne SO/Michael Sanderling) - drab, staid performance of a wonderful symphony. Sorry, but I was underwhelmed to the point of indifference. I hope for more enlightenment from the remaining three;
Bax: Symphony no.7 (LPO/Raymond Leppard) - the first ever recording of Bax’s mysterious and majestic final symphony is still the best, I think. These sixties Lyritas set a standard of artistic and audio excellence that has yet to be bettered;
Beethoven: Symphony no.5 (Verbier Fest CO/Gabor Takacs-Nagy) - a genial, rather than dramatic, approach to Beethoven - as I’ve found all of the other performances in this new set. But there’s personality here, and loads to enjoy;
Beethoven: Symphony no.7 (LSO/Colin Davis) - the kind of Beethoven I was brought up on: straight, no frills, but with plenty of power in reserve;
Dvorak: String Quartet in G, Op.106 (Takacs Quartet) - this newie is all-round excellent: every phrase played earnestly with all the joy, feel and tension that the music exudes. Beautifully recorded, too - nice one, Hyperion;
This life will be the death of me.
Love to all
Dave x
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