Sugar Mountain Live at Canterbury House 1968 - Neil Young (I know it's from last year, but I love listening to it in the evening)
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There is variation in SQ between songs, and a reference to Pro Tools in the notes. SQ is generally excellent. His voice holds up pretty well-- more old master than old croaker. The album has blues flourishes not heard from Dylan in a long time, and some of the best lyrics ever about the high cost of romance. |
02-26-09: Shadorne 03-08-09: Nilthepill 04-06-09: Timbrepitch Good music but terrible recording. Have you guys managed to crank up the volume and listen at moderate to high volume levels say 75dB? I am disappointed of not being able to enjoy my favourite track "Magnificent" on the CD that lasted less than 5 minutes in the player. I am not sure whether it would go back into the CDP after the disastrous outcome. |
Some good ones listed already. I'd add: Jeff Beck "Performing This Week" Don Dixon & The Jump Rabbits "Nu Look" Alejandro Escovedo "Real Animal" IMHO, only the Beck record is really notable (he can play a little bit, huh?), but the other two are fun records that disappoint a bit because they just can't quite measure up to the best these guys have done in the past. (I'd say the same about Eno, Wilco and U2.) If you want non-RnR records from RnR(ish) artists, the Van Morrison record and Allen Toussaint's "Bright Mississsippi" combine music and sound quality. The Toussaint is straight jazz/blues, but SQ is off the charts - among the best I own. Marty |
The Wilco album heads in a less experimental direction than where they were a few years ago, but the songs are good, the playing tight, and increasing contributions from guitarist Nels Cline give it a subtle jazzy subtext, reminiscent of Steely Dan in some spots. To paraphrase Jeff Tweedy, "We thought everyone is ready to laugh with us more. These are just some songs we want everyone to enjoy". In the context of a lighter mood, this is a great summer album! Cheers, Spencer |
Ditto Wilco & nice to know Sonic Youth is in good form. Other good recent releases available on vinyl include Grizzly Bear Veckatimest, Elvis Costello Secret, Profane & Sugarcane, and Eels Hombre Lobo(though on Eels albums he makes the unfortunate choice for audiophiles of treating voice with distortion. BTW this is one of the best LP album jackets in recent memory.) Costello has returned to form, and Grizzly Bear like Deerhunter is one of the better alt/folk/psychedelic inheritors of Neil Young sound. |
Son Volt American Central Dust. I was never much of an Uncle Tupelo fan, enjoyed Gob Iron, but the band has really matured with the latest Son Volt. This a straight line back to '70s Neil Young ballads with occasional inflections toward the Byrds. Excellent SQ on Rounder LP after a hosing on the RCM. |
I've really enjoyed Bat for Lashes "Two Suns" and Clutch "Strange Cousins from the West". For those who are not familiar, they are nothing alike. Nothing. The new Wilco is good, and better than the last few Wilco releases, but I don't "crave" it like I did YHF. It's still worth picking up, for sure. I really liked that artsy sonic thread that wove through each of the tracks of YHF. Every Wilco album before and each one after has felt like a collection of songs. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I'm the kind of just that likes the journey just as much as each of the destinations. Just my opinion, and given the passion of Wilco fans, I'm probably part of a small minority. |
As a few others have mentioned, Dan Auerbach "Keep It Hid" is excellent. I will add the following recommendations that I did not catch above. Patterson Hood "Murdering Oscar" Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears "Tell 'Em What Your Name Is!" Deer Tick "Born on Flag Day" Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit self-titled Mastodon "Crack the Skye" (if you dig metal) |
Try Booker T - Neil Young & Drive By Truckers : Potato Hole . Every track is good and the sound is awesome (not compressed like Dave Mathews recent effort) - this is one that can go into heavy rotation. |
Yeah Booker's album also rocks with the best of 'em. |
I saw Booker back Neil Young in Europe, Summer 1993, with the entire MGs as the backup band. Booker loved the feel of those dates and tried to recreate this with Potato Hole. Neil returned a favor by contributing with this album. The shows are legendary in live touring circles. I caught five of the shows. Better than any shows I have seen with the Stray Gators and Crazy Horse. Always closed with a firery rendition of "All Along The Watchtower." Absolutely one of the tightest bands ever. There is an excellent article/interview with Booker in Wax Poetics Magazine you should track down that details this. |
I just picked up Booker T's "Potato Hole". I suspect that it will prove to be my favorite record of the year (over the long haul). It's a little odd, however, since so little of the record (other than the title track) is the funky Booker T of the MGs. This is more a rock record. Definitely a surprise, but a pleasant surprise. A look at the players would have provided a hint, I suppose. Marty |
Shadorne, I agree completely. I've always felt that his band was outrageously good. Their music always seemed to just spontaneously start a party. So, when I was planning my wedding six years ago, I actually tried to hire Booker T. & the MGs for the reception (the cost wasn't too much higher than the local Stax/Volt cover guys I ended up using). Unfortunately, he couldn't clear the date. I'm still bummed when I think about it. |
Another terrific release: "My Old Familiar Friend" by Brandon Benson. I've always loved Benson's solo stuff and I also like White Stripes quite a bit. Therefore, it was a surprise that I found myself disappointed by The Raconteurs material. I figured that maybe Benson's best work was behind him. However, this is a first rate record with very sharp songwriting. Probably goes to the top of the 2009 heap for me. Marty |
I'm on a bit of roll with recent purchases. Just picked up the new cd from the Bottle Rockets, "Lean Forward". This band was basically an Uncle Tupelo spinoff and their first 2 cds were rockin' singer/songwriter stuff with C&W overtones. They steadily added more rock/blues to the mix and the songs become grittier, but IMHO, less finely crafted. This release appears to marry the best of both worlds. I've only been though it once, but on that basis it seems to be a keeper. Marty |
Here are my fave albums: Sonic Youth The Eternal Rancid Let the Dominos Fall Pearl Jam Backspacer Helado Negro Awe Owe Dave Alvin Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women Elvis Costello Secret, Profane & Sugarcane Neko Case Middle Cyclone Wilco Wilco The Vines Melodia Bat for Lashes Two Suns Coldplay LeftRightLeft Rural Alberta Advantage Hometowns Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix Jack Johnson En concert Chasing Kings The current state of our future Kate Havnevik Unlike Me Grizzly Bear Vackatimest Yeah Yeah Yeahs It's Blitz! |
Alice in Chains "Black gives Way to Blue" is outstanding. I was very skeptical about the new singer being able to fit into the band after Layne Staley's passing. Layne was such a huge part of the signature sound of AIC. Then I saw them at the House of Blues a couple of months ago with the new singer, and quite frankly he blew me away. He nails the old AIC material with an almost eerie similarity to Layne, and still has his own sound. I liken the transition to when Bon Scott of AC/DC died and Brian Johnson stepped in and the transition was nearly seamless. I will probably get a few who disagree with me about that, but it's just my opinion. The new material is vintage Chains, and a refreshing injection into today's rock. I sorely missed AIC's presence in music after Layne Staley's death, and somehow AIC has managed to pull off a fully legitimate comeback. If you liked all the old AIC catalog, you will love the new album. It's the real deal IMHO. |
Slithering into December, rather than bore oneself wondering whether Dylan's Xmas album is dark or lite, proceed directly to Ryco's retrospective of unreleased Morphine "At Your Service." Live Disc 2 "Shade" puts Mark Sandman in the ring with Jim Morrison for title of once and future Lizard King. Brilliant trio cutting a path though avant garde jazz, shuffle blues, and "low rock." |
