Day 8 - A gloomy Cave but thank heaven for Christians!

Manu Chao - Clandestino
There is something just fantastic about latin music! It's so happy and morose and vibrant and melancholy at the same time, and you cannot avoid tapping fingers, feet, and head to the rhythm. There is a mystique introduced by the lyrics when they are in a different language (and in several languages in this case, Spanish, French, even Arabic apparently. Oh and English), in the sense that Manu Chao could be singing about how much he hates the English and how we should all be shot, and I still bob my head up and down to it anyway. Fantastic stuff this record! It's very laid back and cool, lots of interesting percussion, rhythm and guitar playing. And I just love the vocals. All in all I give this 10/10 - latin music is very inspiring, I will be listening to this again I am sure.
Standout Tracks: All of them, but in particular Bongo Bong, Lagrimas De Oro, Luna Y Sol, Welcome to Tijuana




Camille - Le Fil
A curious one this. Like a French Tori Amos. I'm reliably informed that most of the music on the album (or at least the haunting stuff in the background) was also recorded by the singer rather then using instruments. Camille sings partly in English, partly in French, and it makes a ... very strange noise. It has that experimental feel about it that the free jazz I heard the other day had, only with a bit more of a tune to it. It's not that bad actually, just very odd and different, but there is nothing wrong with that. It's hard to pick out any standout tracks as they are all rather odd. The codec these were ripped with is a little iffy and doesn't play well in media players, but I have heard enough to make my mind up that this isn't a bad album, if you like experimental and quirky. French Tori Amos about sums it up. Minus the piano. Oh one other thing, all the tracks seem to be underpinned by the same note resonating through the record, which I thought was kind of cool.
Standout Tracks: Um, hard to say ... Ta Douleur (for the humourous farting noises she is making ... vocally I hope).





Nick Cave - Abattoir Blues
My only experience of Nick Cave was that bizarre duet about murder that he did with Kylie one time, so I was interested to hear this record. It's hard to categorise a genre for this music. It's melancholy and deep and odd, but more straightforward rock and roll in places too. There is an intensity to the music, and a darker aspect to the lyrics, resulting in an album that is starting to sound to me like it could be an acquired taste. There are some very good parts, and some not quite so good. Bits remind me of INXS, at least in the places where the band starts belting out their backing to Cave's Billy Idol-esque vocal style. Full of doom and gloom, but kinda interesting in a wierd way, that keeps you listening while you wonder what Cave is going to do next. Seemed to finish rather abruptly though.
Standout Tracks: Cannibals Hymn, Messiah Ward, There she goes my Beautiful World, Fable of the Brown Ape




Nick Cave - The Lyre of Orpheus
More gloom from Nick Cave. His songs tell stories and make me think of fantasy taverns and inns where an old bearded man with a lyre sings songs to bright-eyed attentive children, but in Cave's case with a twisted edge to them. This record is more country than the rock and roll of the previous one (Abattoir Blues), but Cave's voice is laden with more gloom on this one, creating a not too unpleasant mix of happy go lucky music with dark vocals. I would guess that Cave would count Johnny Cash among his influences, as Cash is there to be heard all over this album. All in all I think I prefer this one to Abattoir Blues, as its style is more consistent through the album and the juxtaposition of the brooding vocals over the country influenced music is pretty good to listen to. Cheerfully depressing.
Standout Tracks: Breathless, Easy Money, Supernaturally, Carry Me





Charlie Christian - First Master of the Electric Guitar
This a lovely, warm, scratchy old production of music that's just timeless. This, for me, is jazz, not that Albert Ayler Trio rubbish I listened to the other day (which I'm going to keep by the way and try again, see if I can "get" it), laid back and sultry in places, bebop in others, but always gentle, always soulful, and a wonderful ambience that the age of the recordings creates in the ears. Brings back many happy memories of Thursdays sat with a Guiness or four in the Old White Swan in town listening to the jazz bands play. In addition to the jazz though, there are some solos in there that sound like precursors to rock and roll, suggesting Christian's influence was not solely limited to the jazz scene.
Standout Tracks: I got Rhythm, Tea for Two





Chemical Brothers - Dig your Own Hole
Oh great. More "electronica" according to the ID3 tags. I dunno about these people (and are they even brothers! I'm going to have to look that up). I don't like electronic music, but at least this stuff has an edge to it (a little like the Prodigy) that was missing from the plinky plonky (I like that phrase) Aphex Twin. Not a lot to say about this really, its a collection of electronic noises tightly held together by block rockin' beats. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like it, but I've heard worse since I started this quest. A lot worse. Oh and I just recognised a tune that they are using in an advert on the telly for beer at the moment. Kinda cool I suppose.
Standout Tracks: Block Rockin Beats (I knew that one)

Day 7 - Punk, Metal and .... um, Bowie

Black Sabbath - Master of Reality
Despite being into my metal, Black Sabbath are one band I have not really paid that much attention to. We're going way back to 1971 here with this one, and compared to some of the music I have listened to from around that era, this is pretty heavy stuff. The opening riff is that sort of riff that says, "Here we are, and we are going to rock", much copied, but this feels original and groundbreaking. Hard to believe this was done in 1971, as it sounds pretty fresh but with that warmth of 1970s production that I've alluded to before. This record is riff-tastic, and one that I will be keeping for listening to again I am sure. I can hear lots of Kings X in this record ... and that's a good thing.
Standout Tracks: Sweet Leaf, Orchid (some sweet guitar playing), Into The Void




Blondie - Parallel Lines
Debbie Harry - Well fit, innit. I suppose the best testimony to a good band is that 30 years later people are still playing their songs on the radio, and so it is with the first two tracks from this record (Hanging on the Telephone, One way or Another). It's essentially not my cup of tea, wishy washy guitar pop with a hint of a rebellious punk nature to it. Harry's voice is excellent though, I'm really liking that, but the rest of it, whilst bursting with energy and enthusiasm is not exactly floating my boat. Can't quite put my finger on why I'm not keen on it, the record certainly has me tapping my foot in places, and its a happy record - one for listening to with a beer in the garden in the summer ... there is just something about it that I dislike. Perhaps its familiarity breeding contempt - I've heard many of these songs many, many times before.
Standout Tracks: Fade Away (And Radiate) ..(for the dirty guitar noise), Pretty Baby (not sure why I like it .. but I do), Heart of Glass





David Bowie - Low I was looking forward to listening to this one, as Bowie is another one of those British icons that I have never paid that much attention to. I'm not surprised by the slightly odd nature to the record, but I am impressed with the feel of the music. Bowie's voice is unique, the sort that everyone knows and recognises, but its rather easy on the ear. Some of the guitars need thickening up a little bit, and some of the keyboard stuff is a little wierd, but to be honest, given Bowie's reputation, the album is not as oddball as I expected but rather more "listenable" if you like. Some of the songs are better than others, obviously, but I am finding it hard to pick a standout track or two (although Warszawa is coming close, a lot of depth and hidden lyrics in the synths). As the album wears on, it gets wierder and becomes a bit more like how I expected it to sound (listen to "Art Decade" to see what I mean). All in all, not bad, but not great, it might need another listen I suppose to understand what the album is trying to be, since it started off straightforward and got more oddball as it went on.
Standout Track: Warszawa, Subterraneans (Just for the wierdness)



On a final note - I started listening to an album by Bloc Party (A Weekend in the City), but didn't get very far before giving up:

Bloc Party - A Weekend in the City
Never heard of this lot (I don't think). A shame about this one really, they sound a lot like The Cure or some other morose indie band from the early 90s, which throws me back to my happy University days. However, the CD this selection of MP3's was borrowed from just skips all the time so I'll have to get another copy. As I said a shame, because I think I might have liked that one!

Day 6 - Cashing in, and the return of the Mac

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
For such a famous band I know very little about Fleetwood Mac. The music sounds like the sort of stuff my parents listened to as I was growing up, they were into all this sort of stuff back in the day. Recognise a couple of tunes - one of which was a hit recently (Dreams), which actually reminds of the time I was meeting my wife - happy days! Some of the guitar playing on this album is making this guitarist here smile (listen to "Never going back again"). Oh, and every now and again I get hit by a song that I know extraordinarily well (Don't Stop, Go Your Own Way), but never knew the artists responsible were Fleetwood Mac. All in all decent 1970s pop record, with the warmth that comes with the 70s, and the slightly iffy production that rather ingratiates the record to me. Not to mention the hairs on my arms raising during the famous part of "The Chain" ... it's Formula 1 time !!
Standout Tracks: Dreams, Never Going Back Again, Go your Own Way, The Chain, Oh Daddy





Johnny Cash - San Quentin
The dichotomy of Johnny Cash is that the lyrical content of his work is filled with the more miserable side of life, yet he plays and sings with such energy and vitality that he immediately drags you into his music. The live setting in the prison of San Quentin is perfect for creating an amazing atmosphere to this record. The prisoners love him, and he loves them. All the classics are here, and all warmly welcomed by the inmates. I've always been fascinated by Cash, particularly by the dark side that he had. I think that is part of the attraction to his music. He is actually, as this record shows, a troubled man, but a man with a real sense of humour and despite his earnings, fame and popularity, he still has his finger on the pulse of the average guy with average troubles. One of my favourite records on this odyssey so far, and the mixture of all the prison blues, there are some old school uplofting gospel tunes as well. Excellent stuff.
Standout Tracks: Walk the Line, Starkville City Jail, San Quentin (written the day before the concert), A Boy named Sue, Folsom Prison Blues

Took a few days off ...

Had a few days off. Ran into the problem of having listened to all the music I got a hold of, so went back to some metal for a while, kind of refreshing actually! Well I got myself some more albums, but I thought I would sum up where I am so far.

This is actually (for the most part) a very enjoyable experience. I am listening to albums that I would never have picked up in a million years, and some are proving to be very good (some not so good ... but I will leave you to review the reviews for those!). I worked out (very roughly) that at the rate I am going through music at the moment, its going to December 2010 by the time I finish ... but that's okay, I am not in any rush and rather enjoying the journey.

There are some albums that I will definitely want to hear again, to name a couple the Beastie Boys debut, and the Arctic Monkeys album. Both were excellent in their own ways, and I'll be revisiting them for sure. Some I won't listen to again unless you paid me enough (six figures minimum). Amongst that number I count Albert Ayler Trio and Aphex Twin. And then ther's some that I might want to hear again - ACDC, Syd Barrett, and Arcade Fire to name a few.

Currently (before posting the two I listened to today) I am 2.1% into my task. Not long to go! Anyway, I got two more to put up, which I will do now.

Day 5 - Beatles, Badu ... Bee Gees with no Disco?

The Beatles - Rubber Soul
Let me say from the start I have never been a fan (despite being from Merseyside!). Always thought they were never that talented, just in the right place at the right time, like the Spice Girls, or Westlife or something. But that said, here's to listening with an open mind! There is something comfortable about this album, presumably because I have heard most of the tracks so many times before. The music itself is uncomplicated in a way that Sgt Peppers never is, which kind of adds to its appeal. Just a rock and roll 60s feel to it (missing the psychedelia of Kevin Ayers and Syd Barrett thankfully!). Beep beep and beep beep yeah! The crazy stereo thing they got going on is sometimes disconcerting. Its as though the Beatles figured out how to put some things in one ear, some things in the other, and then thought "lets really mess with peoples heads and splash it all over the album!". All in all, fairly enjoyable, but nothing on there to change the opinion of the Beatles that I started out with. Respect for what they did, like I said, right place, right time. Although I will say one thing, the harmonies in the vocals are excellent, and its easy to see where my favourite band (Kings X) in part got their vocal inspiration from.
Standout Tracks: Nowhere Man, What goes on, Girl, In My Life





The Bee Gees - Odessa
Well this is wierd. No flares, no big hair, no falsetto. Where is all the disco! This album predates the disco days and sounds like a spaced out 60s album. Not as psychedelic as some I have listened to, but still has that wonderful, I would say innocent, vibe to it. There is no cynicism in this music, it sounds like the Bee Gees just producing music for the love of producing music. Sounds nothing like you imagine the Bee Gees to sound however ... where is John Travolta! Lyrically they have lost me, although "Edison" is pretty straightforward - an homage to Thomas Edison, that inventor chap. Musically, it's alright, but its not exactly setting my world on fire - it's almost a hybrid between early 60s style music and late 60s music. Vocally there is a ton of reverb on the mix, lending it an olde worlde feel, but the music and arrangement is distinctly late 60s. It's pretty epic in scope though, with ambitious orchestration and vocal arrangements, that the lads do manage to pull off from time to time. Rounds off with a very nice piece of music, The British Opera.
Standout Tracks: Odessa, Edison, Lamplight, Give your best (for the intro .. which is a nuts coincidence with the names they use), I Laugh in your Face, The British Opera





The Avalanches - Since I Left You
This album is tagged as "Electronica", which doesn't bode well, but here goes. So far this album seems to be composed completely of samples of other albums, I just recognised a part from Holiday by Madonna, and the funny squealy part from Jump Around by House of Pain. There is no consistency here, this is a jumbled up series of samples of music with no thread running through individual tunes, never mind the album as a whole. Around the middle of the album though it all gets a bit chilled and jazzy, and it's better than the opening sequence of tracks. Although that being said there is some humour on this album, and some tracks are quite fun (Frontier Psychiatrist for example, I do like the Western feel to it). On a side note, this record is full of samples that (I guess) were taken of old crackly LPs. I like that ... it's a trip down memory lane to when all records sounded like that. On the whole, I didn't really enjoy this record, although there were some parts that made me smile - it's a happy record, just not my thing.
Standout Tracks: A Different Feeling, Frontier Psychiatrist





Erykah Badu - Baduizm
I was expecting RnB bobbins when I loaded this one up but I'm pleasantly surprised that's not what I am getting. Its a lot more soulful, with real Jazz influences, brush stroked drumming and fretless bass abounds everywhere. Badu's voice is pretty distinctive, with the right amount of emotion when needed, at other times effortlessly gliding through soulful, thoughtful jazz based tunes. It's very laid back and easy to listen to. A little too easy as you arrive at a point where the song sounded the same as the last one, and you wonder if this album is going to go anywhere else. It's not that it's a bad album, its just every song is more of the same, and after around three or four tunes it begins to get a little boring. Not bad background music for a dinner party or something, but as an album to listen to on its merits ... I am not sure. Some real nice jazz/blues parts in there though, it could be worth getting through the mundane to arrive at the soul.
Standout Tracks: Afro, Certainly