Music: What are you listening to today?
In the spirit of the books and movies threads, here's one to talk about what you're listening to lately and what you have discovered. Tell us if you like it, what it reminds you of, anything you like, short or not, simple or not.
Like the books thread, I'd ask that we keep it mostly to stuff we are listening to or going to listen to soon, or have just finished listening to (that is, like a log more than a resume).
Below is my first entry.
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Bonnie Raitt, by Bonnie Raitt.
My understanding is that this was her first record, which she made when she was 21. Nine out of the eleven songs are covers; the two she wrote are "Thank You" and "Finest Loving Man," and both are good.
I really liked this album. Bonnie's voice is much sweeter here than I've heard her before, and very warm, traveling between notes more fluently, and not yet as raspy sounding as it became. (Which I also like in its own way.) Despite the sweetness of her voice she manages to put some heart into the bluesy material, and sings with what sounds like a real love for the lyrics. It's great to hear someone who doesn't just walk through lyrics. She sounds like she really thought and felt her way through the songs. Many of the most gifted and popular singers out there don't, winding up leaving a lot of a song's power still on the table, so to speak.*
From an Amazon.com review:
Bonnie wrote two of the songs here (Thank you, Finest loving man) but relied mainly on covers, beginning with a cover of Bluebird (written by Stephen Stills, famous as a member first of Buffalo Springfield then of Crosby Stills and Nash). One of Bonnie's major influences, Sippie Wallace, is represented by two songs (Mighty tight woman, Women be wise) while Bonnie also covers Any day woman (Paul Siebel), Walking blues (Robert Johnson) and Since I fell for you (Bud Johnson) among others.
I really enjoyed Walking Blues a lot and wanted to hear it immediately again, but decided to let the rest of the album play out instead of interrupting its flow. The album is good enough that I think I'm going to listen to it again.
By the way, it's in the Rhapsody's catalogue, if you have that service. It's also at Amazon, and the MP3 256kbps download is on sale there for $2.99. You can listen to samples there too.
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*This reminds me of a biography of John Denver that I saw on PBS the other day. I'm not a big Denver fan, but the biography was so good that this is the second time I felt compelled to watch it. Anyway, in it his manager said that at a particular concert Denver sounded exceptionally good, and it seemed like the audience noticed it. His manager recalls saying something like, "Your voice was incredible today. How did you do it?" Denver replied that he was trying to do what he learned from Placido Domingo when they worked together. He said he was amazed by how deep Domingo's art was; he didn't just sing a line, but put the right emotion into it word by word. If he was going to sing about a piece of steel, his voice would sound like steel. Every line was emotionally full, clear, and precise.
I got a bit of a feeling of that in this Raitt album. Raitt very much inhabited those songs when she sang. Unlike some spoiled divas, the newly emergent Raitt got across the feeling that she was glad to be there.
As I have mentioned before, I listen to my music alphabetically. I start with the A's and work through to the Z's untill I start all over again. I have maybe 600-700 albums on my ipod? Typically takes about a year to roll over. Turned over in October and already up to the J's. Joni is one of my favorites. Watched a documentary about her (amazon prime) a couple of weeks ago and have been jonesing to hear her since. But first had to get through all the other J's which is my biggest letter ( James Taylor, Jefferson Airplane, Jethro Tull, Jimmy Buffett not to metion all the generic J's) Joni is the last J and I probably have 100 J albums. Anyway Carrie is a favorite likely off the greatest album ever recorded (Blue). Listened to Ladies of The Valley, Blue, and For the Roses today. Damn! Still have about 5 more Joni's to get through but those first 5 albums may be the greatest concentration of A+ albums from any artist/band ever.
The dulcimer is awesome!
had never heard of 66Semus until this video, but appreciate his skill and musicianship
thought the whole thing was an enjoyble invitation into his process
I am bummed that I missed the led Zeppelin iMax film...
elp and steely dan are probably the two grandpa bands i never really connected with,
upong further reflection could probably also add springsteen to the same list
If you're not going to connect with bands, elp and steely dan are good ones not to connect with. Bruce is OK if I get to listen to Clarence Clemons.
ELP, meh...
Springsteen on occasion, when the mood kinda strikes, but...
...back in the day, fine Colombian, the right lady friend & Steely Dan made many a night a wonderful thing.
oh ya ought to know i osmosisly rocked their entire catalogue multiple times and
still damn appreciate the musicianship and lyrics
but if the topic is songs to share with a lady and other illegal substances
this guy was captain of my jukebox
exhibit a: live in montreux 1980
Spoiler
exhibit b: live in mom trailer 1980
Spoiler
Emerson, Lake & Palmer -
Piano Concerto No. 1, 3rd Movement
Knife Edge
I love Cohen so much. The smile and the "you're very kind, thank you" at 1:39+ is just too precious. And so is The Answer.
Laurie Anderson... Gravitys Angel
Hmmm. I have to some math. A 30 something could be born ~1990? That's the CD era? Must have been reissued and somehow gotten some airplay. Bewildering. By that date all my local radio stations had been bought by conglomerates and were only playing drek. Maybe some college DJ found it.
90's is the CD era... most definitely.
we're still in the CD era...
most of the ones i've quizzed say they learned about it from their parents.
Makes sense. This album has always had followers--even on this poker forum, i bet a dozen people have commented on it over the years.
I found it in a cutout bin for a dollar and went decades before I heard anyone mention it.
Thirtysomething was definitely the 90s.
And this is almost another end song.
Oingo Boingo - On the Outside
