We want the world and we want it…
Sonic Youth ‘Sister’ - the epitome of the Sonics’ weirdly tuned essence, methinks;
Nazareth ‘Surviving The Law’ - sadly, only bassist Pete Agnew survives from Naz’s original lineup, but the band still rocks on. Their latest album breaks no new ground but is good honest hard rock done, er, loud’n’proud;
The Doors ‘Strange Days’ - my fave of The Doors’ six Morrison-era studio albums in either stereo or mono;
Bolt Thrower ‘War Master’ - dug out of the FS vaults after decades of neglect, and what a mind-numbing breath of putrid air it remains. Heaveeee;
Neu! ‘75’ - where everything and nothing happens simultaneously. That this wondrously disciplined music is entirely analogue in its making seems almost incomprehensible. Genius;
Rory Gallagher ‘All Around Man: Live In London’ - this guy still sweated pure rock and roll as late as 1990 when this steaming live date was recorded. A must-hear for fans;
Phil Miller’s In Cahoots ‘Parallel’ - under his In Cahoots moniker, Phil Miller developed the jazzier side of his patent Canterbury Scene chops to most satisfying ends. Pip Pyle - composer of the greatest B side in pop music history (my nom-de-plume refers) - is on fine form here too;
Phil Miller’s In Cahoots ‘Mind Over Matter’ - Phil’s final album features a different line up and some of his best compositions, I think. The lovely ‘E.D. or Ian’ is a case in point. RIP, great man;
T. Rex ‘The Slider’ - there was a brief phase of my life, peaked in the summer between junior and senior school, when Marc Bolan meant the world to me: one of those seminal points between parental influence and peer group pressure. Not that I was ever pressured to love this. I slide;
Jethro Tull ‘17’ - ancient B-side that is threatening to become my favourite Tull track, even though its own composer disses it. Yes, it’s repetitive, but that’s the whole point, innit?
The Rolling Stones ‘Angry’ - well, I’m not really angry with this; just underwhelmed. But doubtless Santa will provide me with its parent album come Xmas time, and there’ll be better things therein;
Bob Dylan ‘New Morning’ - as I’ve aged, I’ve found more to like in much of Dylan’s less profound material. There’s humanity and a true sense of the enjoyment of creation in these grooves. It’s no masterpiece, but ‘New Morning’ still gets a tick and a gold star from me;
Waylon Jennings ‘Good Hearted Woman’ - if only all country singers sounded this good;
Ralph Towner ‘Solstice’ - classic ECM session from 1975 with Jan Garbarek, Eberhard Weber and Jon Christensen;
Miles Davis ‘E.S.P.’ - Miles’ second great Quintet made a fine sequence of albums that found all concerned on fine form. This was their debut, with all the (now jazz superstar) members locked in from the outset. Hard to believe these dudes were mostly very young men when this excellent music was crafted;
Herbie Hancock ‘Secrets’ - one of those aforesaid jazz superstar’s funkier outings from the mid-70s: very much of its time but still - what’s the word? - groovy;
Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit (Vladimir Ashkenazy) - that anyone can play music as complex as this is impressive enough. That it can be played as well as this is little short of amazing;
Beethoven: 12 Variations on ‘See The Conquerer Comes’ WoO45 (Raphael Wallfisch & John York) - suitably spirited playing in one of LvB’s joyful early efforts;
Mozart: Piano Concerto no.24 (Robert Casadesus/Swiss Fest Orch/Herbert von Karajan) - previously unpublished recording newly released. Fine performance, slightly marred by a weird mastering that has the mono sound wavering from left to right. No matter, there’s a wealth of treasure in the box set from this emanates. Further comments to follow anon;
Haydn: Symphony no.84 (London Mozart Players/Jane Glover) - as Haydn should be, as far as I’m concerned anyway. Make your own mind up;
Beethoven: Symphony no.6 (LPO/Klaus Tennstedt) - impressive live reading from 1992, not long before Tennstedt’s retirement;
Beethoven: Symphony no.8 (Cleveland Orch/Christoph von Dohnanyi) - the recorded sound here is a little too bass heavy for my liking, but the interpretation pleases, with Dohnanyi being particularly observant of the music’s dynamic markings. Beethoven’s most unsung symphony? Maybe. Rutland’s county motto ‘Multum in parvo’ comes to mind;
Brahms: Symphony no.2 (Goettinger SO/Nicholas Milton) - measured take on Brahms’ sunny autumn day symphony (well, that’s how I hear it, anyway) with a particularly tender slow movement. If the final movement is a little too mannered in places, it suits the reading overall. I like this;
Bax: Symphony no.6 (LPO/Bryden Thomson) - typically un-English sounding music by this most individual of homegrown 20th century composers;
Parry: Elegy For Brahms (LPO/Sir Adrian Boult) - which, under Boult’s baton, sounds more like Brahms than, er, Brahms. Lovely stuff.
I also listened to the first thirty minutes or so of the new “complete” recording of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ‘Oklahoma’ on Chandos. I mean no disrespect to my gifted north east namesake John Wilson (its worthy conductor) but I had to turn it off. The cod-American dialogue is excruciating and the singers sound tame next to those on the (admittedly bastardised) 1955 film soundtrack with which I grew up. Sorry guys, I wanted to like this but, despite some great music making, there’s too much here that annoys.
… NOW!
Happy trails, dear dudes
Dave x
P.S. John Marshall RIP. Great drummer.
|
