Crying won’t help you. Crying will do you no good:
Aereogramme ‘My Heart Has A Wish That You Would Not Go’ - the fourth and final album from the finest band ever to come out of Glasgow. C’mon guys, reform - I need more, and I’m sure I’m not alone;
Kiss ‘Ikons’ - comp from a few years back that allocates a CD apiece to each original member, drawing from the 1978 solo albums as well as group tracks. And surprisingly it’s the Peter Criss disc that delivers the most, his gutteral voice shining through some of Kiss’ most unsung songs - and I don’t mean ‘Beth’. Mind you, Ace Frehley’s ain’t half bad either. His ‘Into The Void’ is a late period gem that got swamped on ‘Psycho Circus’, methinks;
The Cure ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ - The Cure’s spiky debut album has always hit my pleasure button, in either its UK or US guises; in fact, I prefer it to their more acclaimed work. Their early singles still get my toes a-tapping;
The Cure ‘Faith’ - this ain’t bad either, mind. Strangely uplifting in its depressing way;
Wire ‘Pink Flag’ - can you think of any other single album with 21 uniformly fabulous tracks? Well can you?
Led Zeppelin ‘Physical Graffiti’ - the first record of which is nigh-on perfect, the second patchier, but the whole just… phwoor. John Bonham: the only drummer to render comparison with anyone else futile. Talking of whom:
Led Zeppelin ‘When The Levee Breaks’ - their greatest track, and the most awesome album closer EVER. Don’t argue;
Steven Wilson ‘The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories)’ - the only truly “prog” release of Wilson’s solo career carries its influences on its sleeve, but fuses them into a very individual whole;
Rush ‘A Farewell To Kings’ - from that time when Geddy Lee’s voice was just on the wrong side of grating, but the music strong enough to withstand it;
Tangerine Dream ‘Phaedra’ - not their best known album for nothing. This just seems to improve with each passing decade, and always sounds fresh. Play loud;
The Beatles ‘Rubber Soul’ - with just one semi-clunker (‘Michelle’), this is my fave Fabs album, especially in mono. Beep beep beep beep yeah;
Guy Garvey ‘Courting The Squall’ - that Guy’s solo album sounds much like an Elbow release isn’t surprising. That it’s at least as good as one IS. Took a few plays - and nine years - to really hit me, mind;
Fotheringay S/T - no other lady’s voice soothed, moved and cajoled more than Sandy’s, especially around 1970 when this wonderfully downbeat album was crafted;
John Foxx ‘London Overgrown’ - music to lower the blood pressure. Well, it does mine;
Van der Graaf Generator ‘Still Life’ - hard to pick this as Hammill’s greatest achievement amongst at least ten other contenders, but it leaves me so exhilarated I can’t think of a finer one. Doubters: stream ‘La Rossa’ and tell me I’m wrong;
Hank Williams Jnr ‘Strong Stuff’ - well, not that strong actually, but ok in its pre-“new country” sort of way;
Debussy: Images (Boston SO/Michael Tilson Thomas) and Poulenc: Organ Concerto (Simon Preston/Boston SO/Seiji Ozawa) - two excellent recordings streamed on WCRB last night. I discovered the channel quite by accident, and I’m glad I did;
Poulenc: 3 Mouvements perpétuals & Napoli Suite (Arthur Rubinstein) - the recordings may be ancient, but the artistry is undiminished. Lovely music, beautifully rendered by a piano legend;
Brahms: Violin Sonatas (Tasmin Little & Piers Lane) - other recordings may be more profound, but Little and Lane really bring out the beauty in these scores;
Beethoven: Andante favori, WoO57 (Alfred Brendel) - Beethoven’s rejected first thoughts for his ‘Waldstein’ second movement makes a lovely listen in its own right, especially under Brendel;
Beethoven: Piano Sonata Op.31 no.2 ‘Tempest’ (Wilhelm Kempff) - played last night, on what would have been Kempff’s 128th birthday. Intensity without histrionics but with taste: that was his greatness;
Rudolf Serkin ‘The Lost Tapes’ - newly unearthed recordings of two more Beethoven sonatas, played with all the wisdom of Serkin’s years yet with dexterity and panache quite unbecoming of an old man. Mean value in terms of playing time, but artistically worth every penny. I’ve never heard a better ‘Waldstein’, and to confirm it I played Bernard Roberts, Brendel, Schnabel, Barenboim, Solomon and Kempff in the same work: all good to great, but this “new” Serkin really has something special;
And the tap drips (drip drip drip drip drip)
Good vibes to all
Dave x
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