In a week when I discovered the joys of online chat in the Brain Donor room (good to meet you, Squid, Joolio and Seth!), the following aural pleasures were indulged:
Deep Purple 'Inglewood Live In California' - this is an official live bootleg obtainable through the Deep Purple Appreciation Society, of whom yours truly is a fully paid-up member. It is a rare-as-rocking-horse-poo recording of the Mk 1 lineup in 1968. If like me you dig the cabaret vocal style of founder vocalist Rod Evans, you will like this, despite the obvious limitations of the sound quality. Joolio, watch that doormat;
Grateful Dead 'Dick's Picks 16' - I can't get enough of '69 era Dead and this is a winner;
Slade 'Slade Alive' - thanks to Seth for reminding me I had this. Sure it's studio recorded, but it still kicks arse;
Van Morrison 'Veedon Fleece' - anyone who thinks The Man should have retired after 'Astral Weeks' should check this baby out. Quite wonderful;
Caravan 'Caravan' - this lot have really dominated my hi-fi lately; in fact they are starting to rival Hatfield and the North as my all-time favourite band. Maybe it's just that I have a Richard Sinclair thing, I dunno. Anyways, their first album is my major rediscovery of recent times, thanks to the excellent 2002 remaster. It's so good it inspired my first proper review for three months. Every home should have one - the album I mean, not the review;
Caravan 'Green Bottles For Marjorie' - this is another fans' only thing, available through Caravan's official website - a limited edition of once-thought-lost BBC sessions by the original lineup. Fascinating stuff, not least the two versions of the Softs' 'Feelin' Reelin' Squeelin' that appear here. Fans of the band must not miss out on this little gem;
Caravan 'Better By Far' - from the band's underrated pop period of the late 70's - early 80's; this sole excursion for the Arista label proves once and for all that Pye Hastings should have been a household name in the songwriting stakes;
Caravan 'The Canterbury Collection' - comments as per 'Better By Far' apply here. This compilation of the band's two Kingdom label albums includes the excellent, otherwise unavailable 'It's Never Too Late' from 1980;
Robert Wyatt 'Rock Bottom' - not a lot of people know this, but a variation of this album appeared on cassette in 1990 in a not-long available coupling with 'Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard'. It's that version I played this week, with its well-weird track arrangement starting with 'Alifie', possibly the most left-field track in the whole (hardly mainstream) Canterbury catalogue. Review coming up;
Gilgamesh 'Gilgamesh' - half-forgotten Canterbury Scene band led by the late Alan Gowen. Very Eggy and Hatfieldy;
Jake Thackray 'Lah-De-Dah' - call me sad, but this guy's death at Xmas hit me just as much as Strummer's. Witty, funny and heartfelt songs from a unique talent. David Gedge's biggest inspiration I reckon;
The Coral 'The Coral' - annoyingly talented bunch of teenagers with the naughties' answer to 'Kilimanjaro';
Jonathan Kelly 'Twice Around the Houses' - a new discovery for me of a terrific singer-songwriter from the early 70's. Very wise, introspective stuff;
Kansas 'Leftoverture' - terminally unhip they may be, but there's never been a US band so in debt to the British prog scene than Kansas. There are joys to behold in their 70's back catalogue (avoid the Steve Morse 80's era with your life if you dislike AOR) and this is their best-known and most accomplished album. Imagine 'Plump' era Caravan mixed with heavy, early Queen;
Kevin Ayers 'Joy Of A Toy' - well what can I say that hasn't already been said;
Charlie Parker 'The Complete Savoy And Dial Sessions' - text book stuff that feeds my soul every time I dip into it;
plus Glenn Gould playing Bach Partitas and Eduard Van Beinum's first recording of Brahms' First Symphony.
May peace fill your lives, but not your hi-fi.
Dave W
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