What albums did you listen to today?...continued

Finnforest wrote: The lyrics kinda hint at challenging times. I've always loved that song and didn't realize it wasn't on a studio album.  I did find this, which is a cleaned up version of the footage/sound. Somebody must have issued a DVD at some point. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5ahrf5

damn, I love that song. Thanks for hipping me to it.

Prog Sothoth wrote: progbethyname wrote: Honestly man. Your descriptions and passion for music is wonderful, man! It is very refreshing to hear others talk about albums with beaming positivity, that you love. Crime of the Century and Breakfast in America are absolute staples in my Prog world. I love CHILD VISION. Reminds me of being on a Boeing 767 coming home from my trip to Nepal looking over the city from my window seat just taking in the view and listening to that incredible Piano work. Thanks! I guess part of it is that I always enjoy trying out new music (or old music I missed out on growing up) in different genres while occasionally giving some old favorites a spin when I just need something I know is going to make me feel GOOD. Even if it's crap, like that Billie Eilish album, I don't feel bad for giving it a shot, and usually I can find at least something positive out of the experience, for example: Billie's soft cooing voice is preferable to that nasal yelping a lot of pop starlets tend to utilize. One thing for sure, I'm nowhere near at your level of passion when it comes to optimal sound quality, which can certainly make a difference in the listening experience, especially for beloved songs. Your enthusiasm for high tech audio is starting to rub off on me though; at least I want to upgrade my turntable and CD player at this point! I'd love to trek around Nepal some day. Last year I explored Iceland while listening to some local acts. I wound up buying a couple of Iclandic language albums I particularly enjoyed during my stay to enhance the wonderful memories.

You’re very kind and I love my audio world and the system synergy I have finally been able to put together. However some areas it can also be very frustrating because of modern day mastering habits on today’s CDs. Good equipment reveals many many flaws. I’m just so thankful that most of my favorite music of all time is recorded amazingly. Mostly because it’s from the 80’s.
Anyhow. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Having expensive gear really has its pros and cons. You have a great and healthy attitude towards your music. I’m sure that any new vinyl or CD player you buy will really work for you.
Happy hunting. And don’t make yourself nuts buying new gear or headphones.

I looked further into that great Canned Heat track you posted cause it’s not on any of my albums. Apparently it’s a bonus track on a later issue of the Future Blues album I have. I’ll have to seek that out now. It may be Alan Wilson’s last song before his suicide. :(

Edited by HolyMoly - April 11 2019 at 21:01

Subhumans | EP-LP — driving home music. But after 30 minutes or so I got the urge to play:

Subhumans | From the Cradle to the Grave — mind-blowing. Been kicking my ass for 30+ years. The meaning of life in punk form.

The Jam | EP (Absolute Beginners/Funeral Pyre) — nice little vinyl EP with 2 of my favorite Jam tunes

Adam and the Ants | Dirk Wears White Sox — random vinyl pick from the wife’s collection. Very cool post-punk, quite different from the sound he became famous for.

Subhumans | Live in a Dive — great live album with great sound

Subhumans | Time Flies But Aeroplanes Crash EP / Rats EP — “Rats” was the first Subhumans song I ever heard. Still one of their best. Dig the psychedelic coda.

Sloan | Action Pact — since discovering Sloan a couple of years ago, I’m convinced they are everything I’d hoped Cheap Trick would be but never was. This album has 2 of my favorite Sloan songs, Live On and The Rest of My Life.
Awesome power pop.

Buttsteak | Fatty’s Got More Blood — Just juvenile 90s punk, a bit of a whimsical buy back then. Not that great.

Elliott Smith | Figure 8 — first listen to this one. Crafty British guitar pop by a one-man-band who offed himself shortly after. Tortured genius stuff. I’m slowly warming up to it. Sounds nice, definitely.

Edited by HolyMoly - April 11 2019 at 20:58

Subhumans - The Day the Country Died: Seems to be their most well known release, and it's good, but probably my least favorite of their major output. I prefer the EPs for the rowdier stuff, and the stuff that came after for being more adventurous. Dig the lyrics and attitude though.

Finnforest wrote: I always enjoyed this Canned Heat live clip

loved that ... thanks! Alan Wilson in action, and the whole band sharing a joint on stage.

Canned Heat | Future Blues — the last one with Alan Wilson, the high-voiced slide and harp player who was the coolest thing about this band IMO . No slight to main singer Bob Hite, a great frontman, but Wilson provided “Going Up the Country” (not on this album, but you probably know it) and several other similarly unique tunes that provided a cool counterpoint to the more conventional blues/boogie this band had. Wilson actually committed suicide in 1970 just before this album was released, and he practically dominates this album with his unique approach. What a sad loss.

Canned Heat | Boogie with Canned Heat — 2nd album, and first to be a hit. Has Wilson’s first hit On the Road Again, practically a drone/raga blues number, really eerie.

Can | Monster Movie — I love Can.

Don Bradshaw-Leather | The Distance Between Us — Guldbamsen hipped me to this years ago. Still one of those Holy Grail records I’m always hoping to find in a store. Of course I could buy it on Discogs today, if I wanted to blow $500+ clams on it.

The Dead C | Eusa Kills — New Zealand noise rock, one of their early ones circa 1990 or so. One of my favorite bands, this might be their most song-like release, as their albums are normally very abstract and freeform.

Car Seat Headrest | Twin Fantasy (orig 2011 version) — I followed this guy when he was a Bandcamp artist, and this was the first album I heard by him. Though it was his next Bandcamp album “Nervous Young Man” that blew me away. But this is considered his “breakout” album, such that he re-recorded it a couple of years ago with a full band and released both versions in one package in a double CD.

This Kind of Punishment | s/t — also New Zealand-based from the 80s. Very spare experimental post-punk indie rock. Singer/writer/pianist/drummer Peter Jefferies first captured my ear in the early 90s when I was listening to college radio and heard a really gnarly song (“Dear Boss”, check it out). It was a solo track and I got the song title and name and it took about a year to find one of his albums. The albums from his prior band recently went back in print (vinyl) by a cool label called Superior Viaduct, so I jumped on that. Just as captivating as his solo stuff, and having the added advantage of additional collaborators and vocalists, including his brother Graeme.

Ty Segall | Freedom’s Goblin — psychedelic garage rocker with a prolific output (probably nearing 20 albums by now), this 2018 release might be my favorite I’ve heard. It’s really structured like a good double vinyl LP and has a very well produced sound and variety of moods. A good place to start with this guy. He’s done a lot of very messy noisy albums but this one is very tight and consistent.

Edited post below

Edited by HolyMoly - April 10 2019 at 20:10

^^ yay Subhumans binge!

I can’t even pick a favorite track on Cradle. They’re all insanely good, and flow together so organically well. As for Split Vision and EP-LP, I know those the least. Split Vision seems to be a trial run for Citizen Fish (i.e. more midtempo and reggae), and EP-LP seems to have a lot of the same creative juices at work as in their later developed works, but I just need to spin it more. Might do that as early as tonight. Oh, and the “Live in a Dive” live album is pretty hot too btw.

Oh, and the Ex, abrasive though they could be (a la Crass) stayed together and their albums from the last 10-15 years (e.g. “Turn” and “Catch My Shoe”, my favorites) are quite advanced musically and very engaging - almost (almost!) prog enough to be considered as RIO/Avant on this site, or at least a Dutch Fugazi.

Monday 8th April of 2019