What are you listening to? Part III

[Scepticalscribe]

I've never heard of them either, but I looked up this album in Spotify and the first track has a Bob Marley feel to it.

Ah, yes. Thank you - some nights, it is only by trawling through my iTunes library that one trips over artists, whose work was once revered, or greatly admired, and who are now, for a variety of reasons, often forgotten or overlooked, and rarely listened to.

Gosh. I can remember when Bob Marley died, and indeed, a few weeks ago, scrolling idly though my iPod (the very one that the verb 'murder' has been used - perhaps in a surfeit of emotion - to describe the abrupt manner with which Apple has recently announced its unwelcome demise), I came across some of Bob Marley's music……and enjoyed listening to it.

 

[S.B.G]

Ah, yes. Thank you - some nights, it is only by trawling through my iTunes library that one trips over artists, whose work was once revered, or greatly admired, and who are now, for a variety of reasons, often forgotten or overlooked, and rarely listened to.

Gosh. I can remember when Bob Marley died, and indeed, a few weeks ago, scrolling idly though my iPod (the very one that the verb 'murder' has been used - perhaps in a surfeit of emotion - to describe the abrupt manner with which Apple has recently announced its unwelcome demise), I came across some of Bob Marley's music……and enjoyed listening to it.

Sometimes I do that too and find a song or artist I have somehow collected in the past and never knew I had it in iTunes. I'm not a big fan of Bob Marley's music myself, but I do recognize the impact he had on music and society.

I did look up Alan Hawkshaw from your earlier post and and am listening to it. I have to say I am enjoying it.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Sometimes I do that too and find a song or artist I have somehow collected in the past and never knew I had it in iTunes. I'm not a big fan of Bob Marley's music myself, but I do recognize the impact he had on music and society.

I did look up Alan Hawkshaw from your earlier post and and am listening to it. I have to say I am enjoying it.

Re Bob Marley, there are a few evenings when one can sit and listen to a number of his songs; a certain mood seems to call for them.

Alan Hawkshaw is that smooth, silky (and yes, sometimes superficial, but urbane) sixties style that I love at times; Neil Richardson, and John Barry also contributed much to the music of that era and crafted that sound.

 

[mobilehaathi]

Now, that is a group I have never heard of; how do you like them?

I enjoy this album a lot, but I have yet to listen to their other work. I suspect if you enjoy the music and message of Bob Marley, you would find these folks worth checking out.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

I enjoy this album a lot, but I have yet to listen to their other work. I suspect if you enjoy the music and message of Bob Marley, you would find these folks worth checking out.

Thanks, I'll keep an eye out for them.

In any case, your recommendations carry weight with me; the CD you recommended - 'Rome' - which is a sort of homage to the style of music used in spaghetti westerns, is one I like an awful lot and listen to fairly frequently.

 

[Clix Pix]

In my ears right now: Jackie Evancho's "Awakening" album. Actually, the album doesn't drop until Tuesday the 23rd in the US, but some of us were able to get it earlier from the official website/store. Also, right now Amazon.com is streaming the album, too, but that is at a much lower resolution in terms of audio quality, if it matters -- and in this case, since the album is a vocalist doing classical crossover material, IMHO yes, it matters.

Jackie does a great job with interpreting some rock songs in the classical crossover style -- IMHO "With or Without You" is really amazing. Also, "Memories."

 

[kazmac]

Ufomammut = Stigma

 

[mobilehaathi]

 

[JackieInCo]

Hooked up the old Technics turntable and got out the old Vinyl. Had to hook up the old Marantz Receiver with the phono input to get it work since the new receivers don't have preamps.

Listening to Whodini and the original Beatles Let It be Album. Noticed there is a nice folded up poster in the LP cover still in great shape. Let It Be.

 

[JackieInCo]

Found this odd shaped picture disc. Gary Numan, Cars.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Hooked up the old Technics turntable and got out the old Vinyl. Had to hook up the old Marantz Receiver with the phono input to get it work since the new receivers don't have preamps.

Listening to Whodini and the original Beatles Let It be Album. Noticed there is a nice folded up poster in the LP cover still in great shape. Let It Be.

Funny you should mention 'Let It Be'.

Actually, I listened to it (on a CD) for the first time in at least twenty years a few months ago, and my original opinion of the album still stands:It is a very uneven album. Some of the tracks are excellent, easily standing the test of time, whereas others are pretty…….underwhelming.

Listening to the album, it is also equally clear that the band was well on the way to disintegration by the time they were recording 'Let It Be'; they played as individuals who knew one another (and each other's musical preferences and styles) pretty well, but no longer thought or performed as a group.

 

[JackieInCo]

Funny you should mention 'Let It Be'.

Actually, I listened to it (on a CD) for the first time in at least twenty years a few months ago, and my original opinion of the album still stands:It is a very uneven album. Some of the tracks are excellent, easily standing the test of time, whereas others are pretty…….underwhelming.

Listening to the album, it is also equally clear that the band was well on the way to disintegration by the time they were recording 'Let It Be'; they played as individuals who knew one another (and each other's musical preferences and styles) pretty well, but no longer thought or performed as a group.

Agreed 100%. There are a few tracks on my CDs that i just rarely listened to on that disc because they just never caught on for me. Let It Be and I've Got a Feeling were about the only ones I liked.

 

[mobilehaathi]

 

[Scepticalscribe]

In a mood for a little opera with an Italian flavour at the moment; thus, on my MBA (I have yet to unpack and set up my B&W MM1 speakers which will complement and enhance the minimal speakers of the MBA no doubt; however, there are times and places - such as at home late at night - when one does not need or require such volume…….)

Anyway, just now I am listening to Luciano Pavarotti with, firstly, 'E Lucevan Le Stelle' from the opera Tosca by Giacomo Puccini, followed by 'Recondita Armonia' from the same opera.

This, in turn, has been followed by 'Questa O Quella' from the opera 'Rigoletto', by Giuseppe Verdi, again sung by Luciano Pavarotti.

Next up, has been the beautiful 'L'eliser D'Amore - Una Furtiva Lagrima' by Gaetano Donizetti. Again, sung by Luciano Pavarotti.

And, of course, one cannot resist playing the wonderfully uplifting 'Nessun Dorma', from 'Turandot' by Giacomo Puccini.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

YouTube: video

Forgot to acknowledge this earlier; lovely listening.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

A few songs from an exceptionally talented, much overlooked, almost forgotten and rather underrated band (which I have always liked a lot) from the early 80s in the UK.

The band were called XTC, and the tracks I have listened to include "(We're Only) Making Plans For Nigel", "Senses Working Overtime", "Generals And Majors", and the wonderful "Dear God". Great stuff.

 

[JackieInCo]

A few songs from an exceptionally talented, much overlooked, almost forgotten and rather underrated band (which I have always liked a lot) from the early 80s in the UK.

The band were called XTC, and the tracks I have listened to include "(We're Only) Making Plans For Nigel", "Senses Working Overtime", "Generals And Majors", and the wonderful "Dear God". Great stuff.

Nice! heard of all of those songs. Dear God was their most famous title. I think someone else remade that song years ago, didn't they?

 

[macmacguy]

This: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1IGG6cMiBk

 

[impulse462]

This album was released 45 years ago today. It's interesting how much of this album was recorded after the 'Let it Be" sessions which were, as previously mentioned, uneven at best. I think Paul's quote sums it up best: "I think it was in a way the feeling that it might be our last, so let's just show 'em what we can do, let's show each other what we can do, and let's try and have a good time doing it." What is everyones favorite song? Personally, I would say "You Never Give me Your Money", the first song of the medley is mine.

 

[Mr. McMac]

This album was released 45 years ago today. It's interesting how much of this album was recorded after the 'Let it Be" sessions which were, as previously mentioned, uneven at best. I think Paul's quote sums it up best: "I think it was in a way the feeling that it might be our last, so let's just show 'em what we can do, let's show each other what we can do, and let's try and have a good time doing it." What is everyones favorite song? Personally, I would say "You Never Give me Your Money", the first song of the medley is mine.

Image

As much as I love John and Paul's tunes here, I have to say George Harrison's contributions, Here Comes The Sun and Something are by far my favorites...The Beatles have always been my favorite band along with the Stones. Both were great in totally different ways.....

BTW, I was 12 when The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan in 1964. I was hooked ever since then

 

[Scepticalscribe]

This album was released 45 years ago today. It's interesting how much of this album was recorded after the 'Let it Be" sessions which were, as previously mentioned, uneven at best. I think Paul's quote sums it up best: "I think it was in a way the feeling that it might be our last, so let's just show 'em what we can do, let's show each other what we can do, and let's try and have a good time doing it." What is everyones favorite song? Personally, I would say "You Never Give me Your Money", the first song of the medley is mine.

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Abbey Road is a great album, and, as already mentioned, immeasurably better in every single way than 'Let It Be'; actually, it is my second favourite Beatles' album (actually, my favourite is the 'White' album), and both are albums I can easily listen to whenever the mood strikes - which is not the case for many of the other Beatles' albums. To my mind, Abbey Road easily stands the test of time.

The whole album really rocks, and maintains an impressively high standard - in truth, I don't think that there is a single dud track on the whole album.

Re favourite tracks, I must say that I love that whole medley section on side two, and on the first side, I really like 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)'. Agreed, an excellent album. And you have just given me the very good idea of listening to it. In its entirety. So, 'Come Together' is playing now, as I write…...

 

[mobilehaathi]

This album was released 45 years ago today. It's interesting how much of this album was recorded after the 'Let it Be" sessions which were, as previously mentioned, uneven at best. I think Paul's quote sums it up best: "I think it was in a way the feeling that it might be our last, so let's just show 'em what we can do, let's show each other what we can do, and let's try and have a good time doing it." What is everyones favorite song? Personally, I would say "You Never Give me Your Money", the first song of the medley is mine.

Image

As much as I love John and Paul's tunes here, I have to say George Harrison's contributions, Here Comes The Sun and Something are by far my favorites...The Beatles have always been my favorite band along with the Stones. Both were great in totally different ways.....

BTW, I was 12 when The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan in 1964. I was hooked ever since then

By far, 'Here Comes the Sun' is my favorite from Abbey Road.

Which isn't to say I don't love the rest of it.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

By far, 'Here Comes the Sun' is my favorite from Abbey Road.

Which isn't to say I don't love the rest of it.

Funny to see (and quite interesting, too - as it goes to prove just how varied in style and taste the individual songs are)- that while we are all agreed that it is an excellent album from start to finish - we all have strikingly different preferences when asked what our favourite track on the album is.

 

[Mr. McMac]

Funny to see (and quite interesting, too - as it goes to prove just how varied in style and taste the individual songs are)- that while we are all agreed that it is an excellent album from start to finish - we all have strikingly different preferences when asked what our favourite track on the album is.

An amazing album to end it all. Every time I hear "The End", it brings a tear to my eye knowing it was really the end of the Beatles. I know is wasn't the very last track, but it still hits me hard. The Beatles men't everything to me growing up. To see the end it was like a family member has died. I know it sound weird but it's the truth. I never felt that way about any band...

 

[mobilehaathi]

Funny to see (and quite interesting, too - as it goes to prove just how varied in style and taste the individual songs are)- that while we are all agreed that it is an excellent album from start to finish - we all have strikingly different preferences when asked what our favourite track on the album is.

Indeed! For me, 'Here Comes the Sun' is intimately associated with a particular part of my childhood. At this time in my life I started to come to grips with the idea that the world was far more diverse and varied than I had experienced. It wasn't that I was ignorant of that fact per se, but, rather, I realized I wasn't actually bound to a particular way of living, thinking, or being, which was previously a source of internal conflict. Abbey Road was on repeat, and 'Here Comes the Sun' hit home (even if it was a bit on the nose).

I delight in listening to it these days, but it also fills me with melancholy, nostalgia (ironic for a time in my life that was largely unhappy), and sometimes deep contemplation. It isn't a song I can idly listen to...