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180 results for “philkindermann”
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@philkindermann I was watching one of #jormakaukonen's quarantine concerts, and he said Grace doesn't own a cell phone. That's pretty wonderful.
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Today’s listening is ‘The Fugitive’, the 1983 album by Tony Banks.
On this, his second solo album, Genesis' main man Tony Banks took the plunge and sung lead vocals throughout, something he apparently was not confident about doing. I think it works OK and, to me, from time to time he sounds quite like John Lennon!
This is a good album, with a healthy dose of Banks’ deceptively dark lyrics and quite ‘poppy’ tunes (for him!).
Daryl Stuermer plays lead guitar.
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Today’s listening is ‘Radio City’, the 1974 album by Big Star.
After their first album sank commercially without a trace, Chris Bell left Big Star, leaving Alex Clinton, Andy Hummel and Jody Stephens to eventually pick up the pieces.
This, their second album, is a little rough around the edges, but still full of good power pop/rock tunes.
Although they didn't last long as a band, their influence was to echo down the years!
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Today’s listening is ‘Old Liquidator’, the 1995 album by The Minus 5.
The members of The Minus 5 vary from album to album and on this outing the band comprised Scott McCaughey, Peter Buck, Ken Stringfellow and Jon Auer.
I have to say that I don’t like this album very much!
Any melodies are interspersed with plonky tuneless piano runs and screeches of guitar in a very discordant way.
They went on to much better things!
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Today’s listening is ‘When You’re A Boy’, the 1991 album by Susanna Hoffs.
Susanna’s first solo album was produced during the dark days of The Great Bangles Interregnum of the 1990’s and is a great, poppy-rock listen.
Mind you, with that voice, she could sing the telephone book and I would be transfixed!
The album title comes from the David Bowie song ‘Boys Keep Swinging’, which she covers on this record.
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Today’s listening is ‘Under The Covers vol. 2” the 2009 album by Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs.
This double LP is taken from the 2015 ‘Completely Under The Covers’ Record Store Day box set.
Vol. 2 of this excellent series covers the 1970’s.
If you ever wanted to hear Susanna Hoffs singing “I’ve Seen All Good People” by Yes with Steve Howe on guitar, or her singing “ Second Hand News” by Fleetwood Mac, with Lindsey Buckingham on guitar, then this album is for you!
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Today’s listening is ’Fish Out Of Water’, the 1975 album by Chris Squire.
During 1975/76 the 5 members of Yes released solo albums.
Chris Squire’s terrific album is for me the most ‘Yes-like’ of the lot, probably due to the bass guitar being used as a lead instrument and Chris’ distinctive voice.
On balance, it is also probably the best (though ‘Olias’ runs it close).
Old band-mate Bill Bruford and Patrick Moraz also appear.
An excellent 'lost Yes' album!
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Today’s listening is ‘Tomorrow The Green Grass’, the 1995 album by The Jayhawks.
This was the final album from The Jayhawks with Mark Olsen in the band.
It’s a very good record but I always think that the band went on to greater heights after Olsen had left them. There was something about his song-writing that I always found a little ‘off’, in some indefinable way.
Still though, Olsen and Louris’ combined harmonies were a thing of wonder!
Well worth a listen.
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Today’s listening is ‘Sound Of Lies’, the 1997 album by The Jayhawks.
After founder member Mark Olson suddenly quit The Jayhawks, their future looked uncertain.
However, Gary Louris, Marc Perlman and Karen Grotberg re-grouped, added drummer Tim O’Reagan, significantly changed their musical direction and came up with this excellent album.Some distance from the ‘folksy Americana’ of their past, but all the better for it in my opinion!
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Today’s listening is ‘Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe’, the self-titled 1989 album by said gentlemen (plus Tony Levin on bass).
In the late 80’s there were 2 versions of Yes, the ‘official’ one (Squire, White, Rabin and Kaye) and this one.
ABWH seems musically to pick up where Tormato left off, mostly avoiding the ‘big’ Yes sound of the 1980’s.
It has some lovely moments (and some clunky ones!), but is well worth a listen.
Don't they all look so young!
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Today’s listening is ‘Ooh La La’, the 1973 album by The Faces.
A typically ramshackled collection of good time rock ’n’ roll from Rod and the boys.
The original album sleeve must have been expensive to produce!
The front cover incorporates a sliding panel which, when you push down on the top edge, makes the man smile and his eyes move, in a very Terry Gilliam-esque manner!
The sleeve is also a gatefold and a top-loader. My copy is a bit age-mottled, but it still works. -
Today’s listening is ‘Stars Are The Light’, the 2019 album by Moon Duo.
Moon Duo are Ripley Johnson (from the pronunciation challenging band ‘Wooden Shjips’) and Sanae Yamada.
This is an enjoyable psychedelic rock album of breathy vocals and hypnotic grooves.
The great album art (which comes in 4 different colour schemes) depicts a group of aliens dancing along to the music, which seems quite appropriate!
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Today’s listening is ‘Message From The Country’, the 1971 album by The Move.
This, the final album from The Move, is a great listen and a fine swan-song.
By this point the band comprised just Jeff Lynne, Roy Wood and Bev ‘Basher’ Bevan.
The album was recorded at the same time as they were recording the first Electric Light Orchestra album, which was going to turn out to be a bright future for at least Jeff and Bev!
"Vocals and detectable Midlands Accent: Roy Wood"!
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Today’s listening is ‘Rome’, the 2011 album by Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi.
The conceit is that this album is the soundtrack to a ‘Spaghetti Western’ film that was never made.
Messrs Mouse and Luppi used musicians who had played on the original ‘Spaghetti Western’ soundtracks and also vintage equipment, which gives this album a real late 1960’s sound.
Jack White and Nora Jones sing on the non-instrumental tracks.
It's altogether a very enjoyable listen!
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Today’s listening is ‘Lux Prima’, the 2019 album by Karen O & Danger Mouse.
Karen O is Karen Orzolek, the singer with the ‘Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ and Danger Mouse is the producer Brian Burton (NOT to be confused with Danger Mouse the cartoon rodent secret agent!).
This is a nice package, having a black, textured cloth outer sleeve. The lyric sheet is a bit unmanageable due to it’s size however!
A fairly mellow album, this is a pleasant enough listen.
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Today’s listening is ‘I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight’, the 1974 album by Richard and Linda Thompson.
Another perfectly wonderful album from Richard and Linda T!
Thoroughly depressing lyrics, as you would expect, but terrific musicianship and, of course, Linda’s beautiful voice!
“There’s nothing at the end of the rainbow,
There’s nothing to grow up for any more”. -
Today’s listening is ’Pour Down Like Silver’, the 1975 album by Richard and Linda Thompson.
This is, of course, a majestic album!
It's perhaps a little more low-key than their other records, but none the worse for that.
Weirdly, the track listing on both the outer and inner sleeves is all over the place and the final track (or last 2 tracks, depending on how you look at it), ‘Dimming Of The Day/Dargai’ is/are not mentioned at all!
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Today’s listening is ‘First Light’, the 1978 album by Richard and Linda Thompson.
After a couple of years away from the music business living in a commune in Norfolk, Richard and Linda returned with this superb album.
Having perhaps a slightly more commercial sound than their previous albums, it’s a great listen which really highlights Linda’s wonderful voice.
In particular the track ‘Pavanne’ has to be one of her best recorded performances! -
Today’s listening is ‘Sunnyvista’, the 1979 album by Richard & Linda Thompson.
A terrific album, the stand-out tracks for me being ‘Borrowed Time’ and ‘Lonely Hearts’.
As well as Linda’s ever-wonderful voice, there are other female backing vocals from Kate & Anna McGarrigle, which makes for a nice contrast.
Quite a spiky album in places too, with caustic lyrics pointing a withering finger at the conformity of modern society.
#richardthompson #vinyl #nowlistening #lindathompson #nowplaying -
Today’s listening is ‘Whatever Happened To…..Jugula?’, the 1984 album by Roy Harper and Jimmy Page.
“An ordinary man writing songs for ordinary people”..I’m not so sure about that, Roy!
This is definitely an album of 2 sides!
Side 1 is great, with the Harper classics ‘Nineteen Forty-Eightish’ and ‘Hangman’, plus you can tell that the music for the track ‘Hope’ was written by David Gilmour.
Side 2, however, is less than great, although ‘Elizabeth’ has it’s moments.
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Today’s listening is ‘Come Out Fighting Ghengis Smith’, the 1967 album by Roy Harper.
In particular I’ve been listening to the 2017 remastered album.
This version has a new front cover image, more like what Roy wanted for the original, but which CBS refused (not surprisingly!).
This also comes with some fascinating new liner notes from Roy, putting his second album into context.
Roy was not quite at the height of his powers just yet, but for 1967?
Remarkable stuff.
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Today’s listening is ‘Lifemask’, the 1973 album by Roy Harper.
This album was written when Roy Harper thought he was dying of an incurable disease-hence the ‘death mask’ fold-out album cover.
Note, he is still alive today at the age of 83!
This is sadly not one of my favourite RH albums.
Although side 1 has some good songs, ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ (which takes up the whole of side 2) is a struggle to enjoy.
Thank goodness this did not end up being his final album!
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Today’s listening is ‘Flat Baroque And Berserk’, the 1970 album by Roy Harper.
This is a great album by Roy and contains some of his classic songs, such as ‘I Hate The White Man’ (which, however, could do without the rambling “live” introduction here), ’Another Day’ and ‘Tom Tiddler’s Ground’.
The final song ‘Hell’s Angels’ features members of The Nice (including Keith Emerson) who appear 'incognito'.
The album ends with Roy’s very characteristic stoned giggling!
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Today’s listening is ‘The Unknown Soldier’, the 1980 album by Roy Harper.
An odd Roy Harper album sonically, this one..probably because several songs are co-written with David Gilmour, who also plays guitar.
The song ‘Short and Sweet’ had also previous featured on Gilmour’s first solo album.
To me, the track ‘True Story’ almost sounds like an out-take from The Wall album!
The track ‘You (The Game Part 2)’ features a duet with Kate Bush. -
Today’s listening is ‘Highly Strung’, the 1983 album by Steve Hackett.
Steve must have been so impressed by Genesis’ tradition of having awful album covers that he continued this dismal trend into his own solo career!
A situation not helped by his then wife being the album artist...
Ian Mosley, soon to join Marillion, plays drums.
Steve Hackett sings, which is Not A Good Thing.
Can I say anything positive about this record?
No, I cannot.
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Today’s listening is ‘Invitation’, the 2017 album by Filthy Friends.
Filthy Friends were an indie rock ‘supergroup’ (an over-used term, in my opinion!) from Portland, Oregon, USA.
The band comprised Corin Tucker on lead vocals (Sleater-Kinney), Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5 etc), Kurt Bloch (Young Fresh Fellows) and Bill Rieflin (Robyn Hitchcock etc).
This is a pretty fast-paced, out and out guitar rock album.
Worth a listen!
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Today’s listening is ‘Magnetic South’, the 1970 album by Michael Nesmith & The First National Band.
This was Nesmith’s first solo album after the end of The Monkees and, for me, might well also be his best solo album.
It was certainly going to set his musical template for the next several years and his run of excellent, laid-back, country albums that he was to record during the 1970’s.
The best song for me is 'The Keys To The Car'.
Well worth your time!
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Today’s listening is ‘From A Radio Engine To The Photon Wing’, the 1977 album by Michael Nesmith.
This album contains his hit ‘Rio’.
I can remember the young me first seeing the music video for that song and thinking ‘that’s the guy who used to be in The Monkees!’, as if that was decades before!
Sadly, apart from ‘Rio’, this is not a good album from Papa Nez.
His lyrics descend into pseuo-profound psychobabble and his more 'modern' country style is a bit dull.
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Today’s listening is ‘Live At The Palais’, the 1978 album by Michael Nesmith.
This live album was recorded at the Palais Theatre in Melbourne, Australia on 10th November 1977.
It contains a fine selection of some of Papa Nez’s best solo songs, being extended and re-worked versions (plus a Chuck Berry cover), which makes for an interesting listen if you are more familiar with the original album tracks.
“My name is Burt Lancaster!”
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Today’s listening is ‘Loose Salute’, the 1970 album by Michael Nesmith and The First National Band.
Having left The Monkees behind, this second album by Papa Nez and The First National Band encompassed a number of musical styles, not just straight country.
There are a few Nesmith-penned classics on this album, including ‘Silver Moon’ and ‘Lady Of The Valley’, but I have to say it’s not my favourite from his run of excellent albums throughout the 1970’s.