The Lurkers ‘God’s Lonely Men’ - dreary sophomore album by Uxbridge’s answer to the Ramones;
Lol Coxhill & Steve Miller ‘Miller/Coxhill Coxhill/Miller’ - fascinating Canterbury Scene side-road by two fine musicians, sadly no longer with us;
Kevin Ayers ‘Joy Of A Toy’ - another lost Canterbury legend in a masterpiece of indefinable magic;
Daryl Hall ‘Sacred Songs’ - Crimson-eyed soul (geddit?);
Rush ‘Test For Echo’ - continuing my belated quest through Rush’s post-80s albums, this is another great discovery. Much as I generally rated Rush’s prog phase, it’s with shorter songs like these that they really shine. Masters of heaviness and lyricism spontaneously;
Bruce Springsteen ‘Western Stars’ - when I played this on my daily walk, it seemed to lock into my lonely psych and, almost spiritually, lift my spirits. No real reason why it was this particular album (fine as it is), but just one of those invaluable moments when music confirms itself as my one constant companion and truest comfort. May I die before I go deaf;
U-Roy ‘Rasta Ambassador’ - the late toasting supremo at his best. Features some spine-wrenching subterranean bass from Robbie Shakespeare;
Can ‘Tago Mago’ - 50 years old, but 100 years ahead of its time. Jeez, is this class or what? Oh Yeah;
John Illsley ‘Glass’ - very 80s, a bit bland in places, but not without its very well played charm;
REO Speedwagon ‘Hi Infidelity’ - uncool in the extreme, fun in the extremer. Oh to be twenty again;
REO Speedwagon ‘Good Trouble’ - how do you follow up a multi-million selling pop/rock gem? With more of the same, of course. Shame it didn’t do as well commercially, because it’s (well, almost) as good as ‘Hi Infidelity’. Gary Richrath RIP;
Frank Zappa ‘Apostrophe’ - watch out where the huskies go...;
The Moody Blues ‘This Is The Moody Blues’ - earliest and best compilation of the classic line-up;
The Moody Blues ‘To Our Children’s Children’s Children’ - midway through the Moodies’ amazingly productive and inventive ‘67-‘72 phase, this demonstrates a strong songwriting prowess across the whole band. And was there ever a finer Mellotron exponent than Mike Pinder?
The Moody Blues ‘Every Good Boy Deserves Favour’ - as above;
Julian Cope ‘World Shut Your Mouth’ - the Drude’s debut LP under his own name has endured better than most 1984 releases, and contains some precious baroque moments courtesy of Jill St John’s lovely oboe. Who doesn’t adore ‘Lunatic and Fire Pistol’?
Queen ‘Live At The Rainbow 1974’ - watched this ace gig on Sky Arts yesterday, caught just before fame ruined ‘em;
Keith Jarrett ‘The Koln Concert’ - Jarrett’s most famous LP is a little overrated for me (I prefer most of his other 70s solo recordings) but is still an absorbing listen, especially the brief, concluding Part IIc which is as lovely a tune as I’ve ever heard, improvised or not;
Bach: Goldberg Variations (Christophe Rousset) - beautiful rendition of Bach’s masterpiece, played on a 1751 harpsichord;
Mozart: Piano Sonata in C minor, K 457 (Alfred Brendel) - authoritative playing as ever from Brendel, but I found this a little routine to be honest;
Mozart: Flute & Harp Concerto, K 299 (Tripp/Jellinek/VPO/Karl Munchinger) - one of my desert island concertos in its best recording;
Vorisek: Symphony in D (SCO/Sir Charles Mackerras) - charming sole symphony by a lesser-known Czech composer, well performed;
Beethoven: Symphony no.4 (Staatskapelle Berlin/Otmar Suitner) - measured early digital recording of one of Beethoven’s most lyrical utterances;
Schubert: Symphony no.9 (Chicago SO/Carlo Maria Giulini) - Schubert’s sublime ‘Great C Major’ under the civilised baton of Italy’s most aristocratic maestro.
Keep safe all. Dave x
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