The reviews by me thread (1 Viewer)

[DanaA]

The 7th is my least favorite. I'll still listen to it trying to find if I'm missing anything, but it doesn't bring any excitement to the table for me.


Sorry Mike, if I can just hijack your thread, which I'm finding very interesting, and ask Seth a question on the side:

Seth, I notice on your CD library list that you own the Szell Schubert 8 and 9 on Sony Essential Classics. Try as I might for the last 6 months, I've been unable to get a copy, either locally or from the online sources I use. Do you happen to know where a copy can be had or do you have any other good recommendations for Schubert's symphonic work?

Thanks

 

[DanaA]

Also, if either of you is interested, there is a copy of the Mackerras conducted Leos Janacek opera Jenufa at Ebay right now. I would bid, but I just ordered the DVD. Mackerras and Ancerl are both pretty great with Janacek.

 

[Seth--L]

Dana,

The Szell/Schubert disc seems to still be shipping from Europe. Try: MDT or Crotchet. Also look at recordings by Mackerras/Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Gardiner/VPO. IMO, out of Schubert's symphonic output, only the 8th and 9th are noteworthy -- his chamber music and songs are much better.

 

[DanaA]

Mike,

I'm reading the list of your CD's with no end of satisfaction. What a great collection of Zappa you have!!!

 

[JasonK]

Let me know what you think if it, Mike. As for other Automator stuff, have you heard Dr. Octagon? It's one of my favorite albums, period. Automator also worked with Mike Patton on an album called Lovage: Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By which isn't too shabby.

And as I mentioned before, Handsome Boy Modeling School is worth seeking out. Prince Paul has done a lot albums to check out - from his work with Stetsasonic, De La Soul, Gravediggaz (their first album has Paul collabo with the RZA it's top-notch) and his own solo efforts, namely A Prince Among Thieves.

 

[Mike Broadman]

An accurate description, but I still enjoy it. However, it's not nearly as satisfying as the 2nd or 6th, two works that leave my head spinning and thinking about them when I go to sleep.


Dana, what a coincidence- I also enjoy my list of CDs.
I've known Zappa fans who put down my Zappa collection because I'm missing 200 Motels, Just Another Band From LA, Reuben & the Jets, and some other "essentials." Eh. I knows what I like.
Zappa is one of the musicians responsible for opening me up to the world of classical music beyond Mozart and Bach. I now consider him to be weak orchestral composer, and that is his only "failing" as a musician. But he's still probably the one that affected me the most. It led me to accept the like of Bartok and Stravinksy (but I'd rather shoot myself than listen to Varese again, his greatest influence).

JasonK, of course I do have Dr Octagon. Didn't realise the producer was the same. Absolutely adore that album. That's what got me to seek out the zany, comic-book style hip-hop of Deltron and MF Doom.

My impression of King Geedorah will be in this thread.

One thing I would like to find more of in current hip-hop is socio-political lyrics. Doesn't have to be outright political or anything, but something in the vein of Public Enemy in terms of spirit, maybe. I heard Mos Def do some rhymes like that, but they were awkward. The groove and flow is most important to me, but I (like you, probably) got tired of the gangsta posturing and bling long ago and can see myself getting over the novelty of the sci-fi cartoonishness of what I'm listening to these days. Actually, that's another OutKast is so great- they really mix up the content. Stankonia alone as Miss Jackson (urban social commentary), Gasoline Dreams (politics), So Fresh So Clean (humurous juvenile bragadicio), etc.

Yesterday's listening:

Duke Ellington - the Ellington Suites

I've recently decided to immerse myself in Duke's suites. I'm not yet a huge fan or anything, as I only have a few albums. But I found the Three Suites CD for real cheap a while back. Those three suites are the Nutcracker Suite, the Peer Gynte (Grieg), and an original. Classical purists are probably sick of the first two piece of music, anyway by now, so they shouldn't mind Duke having some fun with it. Some of it is kinda corny, but it's all very enjoyable, and he succeeds at times brilliantly.
This new CD is the K-20 remaster of the postumously released suites, three of 'em. The first is one written for the Queen of England. The other two are the Goutelas Suite and the Ulwis Suite. Unfortunately, this album isn't as memorable as the first. It has some wonderful moments, and the Ulwis suite is interesting (if a bit convoluted), but it doesn't have the immediacy and charm of his best work.

 

[DanaA]

Thanks very much Seth. Ordered it. Hopefully, I'll finally get it. It has become somewhat the obsession.


Mike, did you know that classicstoday.com has reviewed two Zappa CD's as classical music and both received the highest ratings they give for performance and sound quality.

Here's one.

And, here's the other.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Interesting, Dana. I do enjoy Yellow Shark, so I know the Ensemble Modern can handle Zappa's music well. I just wonder how they pulled off Greggary Peccary- like if they had different people voice the characters or whatever...


It's been a Jones jazz bonanza these past couple of days

Hank Jones- Upon Reflection: The Music of Thad Jones

Thad Jones- trumpeter, composer, is one of the more interesting writers of the 50s/60s. This album was cut after his death by his two brothers, Hank and Elvin, and bassist George Mraz.

Elvin (who recently also croaked :frowning: ) uses brushes the whole album (except for a mallot(!) solo on the last tune). This may come as a surprise for some, but I knew it would be awesome. He uses brushes on a title he did for Frissell (not to mention the 'Trane ballads). Elvin's unique expresssiveness is not diminished at all by the brushes.

George Mraz is a bass player I wasn't really familiar with. He leans heavy on the melody which makes for some nice solos (and he does take quite a few) and very sensitive comping.

Hank is Hank- as always, gorgeous tone and exquisite feel, very pretty to listen to and sensitive. He could play a scale and make it sound beautiful. Dig that playing on Ah, Henry. Mmm.


The Great Jazz Trio- Autumn Leaves
Hank Jones, Elvin Jones, Richard Davis(b)

This album is almost like a "guilty" pleasure given the track list: ridiculously popular standards like the title track, Summertime, Bye Bye Blackbird, etc. It's like they're trying to get into the Library of Congress or something.

But the playing is undeniable. Elvin is in full effect, creating waves of cymbal crashing and snazzy snare hits to drive the whole record. The record is bright is jumpy and played with relish, saving it from being too hokey.

Incidentally, I first ordered the SACD assuming it would be a hybrid. Well, it's not- and it's $30! I promptly sent it back for the refund (after listening to it once, of course, hee) and just picked up the CD in Tower.

Ugh, single layer... ugh.

 

[JasonK]

Here's a few that you might like then, Mike.

1. Dead Prez: Let's Get Free
2. The Coup: Genocide and Juice
3. Paris: Sleeping With the Enemy

 

[Mike Broadman]

Thanks, I'll look those up.

I got King Geedorah in the mail yesterday but forgot to load it onto my iPod, so I'll have to listen to it tomorrow.


NP: Mahler's 4th Symph, Thomas, San Fran Symph, h SACD (2nd spinning, mp3 of redbook layer, 1st listen was stereo SACD)

My first exposure to the 4th, which means I've heard all his symphonies except the 7th.

Quick observations:
- It's short.
- It starts with bells. How uncharacteristically happy. It's odd that this and the 8th are the two symphonies I'm engrossed in. They're so atypical on the surface. However, the first movement does lose its melodic immediacy and drops off into that layered, lose sound of his.
- The adagio is gorgeous.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Meshuggah- Chaosphere

Wow. Wow.
My earlier post in this thread about their album Destroy Erase Improve was reserved, as it was just my first exposure to this extremely dense, involved music. A few more listens and I started to get and appreciate what they were doing.

This album sounds light years ahead of it and it is astoundly engaging and quite possibly brilliant. The barrage of riffs and jackhammer attacks dares the listener to peak closer and once he does, it is oddly inviting.
This music is truly original, and Chaosphere is one hell of a ride.

My only problem is with the final track, which is a great song followed by noise and then a pastiche of sounds from the album. I hate it, hate it when bands do crap like this. Put the garbage on another track if it must be on the CD.

 

[ElevSkyMovie]

Mike, I would hate to see your credit card bill. You spend more on music in a week than I do all year.

My wife makes sure the bank account is empty, so it's not a problem. That's it, you must be single.

 

[Mike Broadman]

I've actually had some of these for a while. But lately, I found a number of great deals I couldn't pass up and a bunch of stuff I won or ordered a while ago all happened to arrive at once.

And the real doozy is that I have three box sets coming the mail!

Yes, I'm single.
There's this girl I'm interested in, so if I decide to pursue that, there will definitely be less music to write about.

 

[gregD]

Two vocalists, Omar Ebrahim and David Moss, handled all the vocals, and they gave it their all, but... I can't imagine anyone else delivering the same knowing, satirical bite that only FZ himself could voice... tough act to follow.

Nonetheless, GP is a great performance... moreover, the entire disc is terrific... a technically sweet recording, as well... Ensemble Modern has got to be the premier vehicle for Frank Zappa performances... I've yet to hear another performance group that 'gets' Zappa like EM... I hope they can be involved in recording future unreleased / unfinished FZ compositions.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Sorry to be off-topic briefly, but I have a music draft going in Polls if anybody is interested.

 

[Mike Broadman]

gregD, thanks for the quick review. If I ever get out of this burning hunt for discount box sets, DCC golds and SACDs I'll check it out.


Last night my 8 CD Charlie Parker: Complete Savoy & Dial Studio Sessions came in the mail. I've been engrossed in it since.

As a jazz fan, Parker is like the Bible is for a devout Christian. Of course I had and was familiar with some of his more crucial recordings, but I felt it was time to really dig deep, both in terms of his catalogue and his musicianship. This is the template for all that came afterwards.

This set is everything he put down as leader and sideman for Savoy and Dial in the mid-late 40s, his peak era. In just listening to the first 3 discs and reading a bit of the liner notes (more like a book!) I've learned so much. Most striking is how little he actually "composed," technically. All the songs are derivatives of blues riffs or I Got Rhythm. Parker is famous for "inventing" be-bop by playing chord changes instead of melodies, but that was also due to copyright laws. He had to play "originals," so he just either put together some melodies on top of chord changes to old songs or, in a couple of occassions, improvised the whole thing. It was also easiest for him that way. There are a couple of instances where he gets more ambitious, but he couldn't concentrate long enough. Had Parker not destroyed himself, who knows what more he could have accomplished. I'm starting to think he was capable of full orchestration, arrangement, and very ambitious composition, and who knows what else.

 

[Mike Broadman]

King Geedorah- Take Me To Your Leader

The latest in my MF Doom collection, which includes Madvillain and Viktor Vaughan.

Well, I do like it. It's by far the most lush, heavily produced of the three, which is its biggest strength and weakness. There's a lot of ear candy- the strings, the big sound, the samples- all taken to a higher level. The rapping itself is a big compromised for this, though.

After a while, some of it can get a bit grating, but its charm is never lost. It's definitely a producer album.

Right now, I prefer Viktor Vaughan, as it's more of a complete album with better flow, where the sound and rapping are more balanced.

 

[JasonK]

Hey Mike,

Good to hear your thoughts on Geedorah. You are correct in calling it a producer's album. Doom raps on only a handful of tracks, but the ones he does are doozies. I love the album opener "Fazers" as well as the track he does with Mr. Fantastik, "Anti-Matter." For non-Doom vocals, "Fastlane" is my favorite track. Love that looped guitar lick.



I'm of the opposite opinion. While I really like Vik Vaughn, I give Geedorah the nod because it all /feels/ like Doom. Vaughn, being produced by a multitude of producers (King Honey, RJD2, etc) has a bit of a different sound - mainly because the producers all have a different sound. It's a bit more polished, slicker, than the rough-around-the-edges sound Doom has.

This isn't to say that multiple producers can't come up with a cohesive album as a whole (DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Large Professor all contributed to Nas's stellar debut, Illmatic,) but of the Doom stuff I've heard (12" singles not on CD included) I've liked his self-produced work the best.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Interesting. I think Vaughan sounds more cohesive to me because it's mostly the same MC, while Geedorah sounds more cohesive to you because it's the same producer. I guess we just listen to hip-hop differently. Actually, while I love the work of great producers and the sound and music are always of utmost importance, I've lately been wanting to get into better MCs, preferrably with something to say. I know you posted some suggestions in this thread and hopefully I'll be able to get around to checking them out.
That's why Blazing Arrow is such an awesome record- phenomenal rapping with sick production and a gorgeous, funky sound. I think it's the most finely crafted and fulfilling hip-hop record I've ever heard (though I've obviously not heard nearly half what you have).


Today's album:

Art Farmer- Modern Art
Got his one on a lark, not being really familiar with the guy. He and Benny Golson, who also appears on this date, would form the short-lived but very popular Jazztet.

This is like a "perfect" jazz album, in that all of the solos are well placed, perfectly timed, not indulgent, and ultimately fulfilling. Farmer's trumpet tone and control is superb. It's a tough instrument to control and often that is audible, but it sounds like a breeze with this guy. He makes it warm without being "smooth" or too sweet. And Golson plays great to match.

The date also features a green Bill Evans on the piano, which is real nice to hear.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Martial Du Solal- Ballade du 10 Mars

French jazz piano player. Very clever performer, interesting harmonies. The highlight after one listen is very wacky cover of Round About Midnight. This done-to-death standard is given a real abstract treatment and its utterly compelling, including other Monk quotes. This re-imagining of standards is remeniscent of Keith Jarrett (though they do it totally differently).