Day 20 - Prog, Jazz ... and more Albarn

Unnamed - The Good, the Bad, and the Queen
No idea what to expect from another Damon Albarn offering (that it's him is obvious from the moment the vocals start, although I am led to believe there are other famous musicians on here too). What can I say ... it's not Gorillaz, that's for sure! There is no easy way to categorise the music, which is probably not a bad thing, it sounds fairly original. I find the fact that the band is "unnamed" fairly pretentious, as is much of the over indulgent music on the record. It's not bad, but you just get the impression that Albarn is trying to be different just for the sake of being different. The album lacks a cohesive sound, has very little in the way of direction, and quite often just sounds confused. That said, it's not bad, but I doubt I will be returning to it in the future. In part prog, in part Beatles-esque, it's a strange offering this one, although at one point Albarn refers to us all as a "stroppy little island of mixed up individuals", which I thought pretty accurate.
Standout Tracks: Green Fields


Stan Getz and Charlie Byrs - Jazz Samba
From English progressive rock to American smooth! What can I say about the guitar playing on this album, it's just simply stunning from Charlie Byrd. I will admit I am not a big fan of the saxophone, but Getz has a nice smooth tone that's very easy on the ear. The style is very appealing too, a samba / bossa nova type swing that shuffles along at a fair pace with which the two virtuosos have no problem keeping up. They complement one another perfectly, and trade riffs from time to time brilliantly. The track Desafinado is one I am definitely familiar with from my excursions to jazz nights at a local tavern. On a side note the quality of the recording is excellent given it's 1962 release date. The instruments are clearly heard, and the production has a warm tingle to it that makes you smile as it plays. A good effort from two extraordinary musicians.
Standout Tracks: Desafinado


Genesis - Selling England by the Pound
I've listened to Genesis before of course, and I knew they had an early background in progressive rock, but this is the first time I have listened to an album from that era with Gabriel on vocals, and Phil Collins behind a drumkit (where he belongs as a friend of mine put it). 'Progressive' is a term often used to describe music, and I suppose some people know what it means, but to me I only know it when I hear it. Lengthy songs, with time changes, key changes, virtuoso performances, and lyrics that seem to touch on medieval/fantasy themes. This is a decent album, Firth of Fifth stands out with its superb guitar soloing. Gabriel has that quality to his voice but its softer and less distinctive than on his solo albums. Phil Collins is truly a tremendous drummer, something that got lost somewhere amongst the mists of time on his solo records. All in all, a good effort - probably take a couple of listens to fully appreciate the amount of effort that went into making this recording.
Standout Tracks: Firth of Fifth