What are you listening to?

[Savonarola]

Johnny Cash at San Quentin - Johnny Cash (1969)

The re-release has the complete concert (including the part where he plays "San Quentin" twice), consequently it's a lot rawer than "At Folsom Prison."  We also get to hear the warm up acts, Carl Perkins, The Statler Brothers and The Carter Family.  His long standing guitarist, Luther Perkins, had died between "At Folsom Prison" and this album; I think this is the reason that the songs are much quicker tempo than they had been previously.  He still has a great rapport with the (captive) audience; and he really does bring down the (big) house with "San Quentin".  The big hit off of this is "Boy Named Sue."

[Savonarola]

Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica (1969)

A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous, got me?

I didn't like this the first time I heard it (several years ago), it just sounded like cacophony and off-key singing.  Now, many free-jazz albums later, I'm surprised this ranks so highly on critics' lists.  It's not challenging even as compared to the Don Cherry album I just listened to (released about the same time); much less so than The Peter Brotzmann Octet.

One of the musicians, Bill Harkleroad, left an LSD cult (it was the 60s) in order to make this album.  By all accounts being in Captain Beefheart's Magic Band was nearly an identical experience.

[The Minsky Moment]

Goldberg Variations

Gould (1955 and 1981 - piano)
Denk (2013 - piano)
Perahia (2000- piano)
Egarr (2006 - harpsichord)

I have no objection to using modern instruments for Bach - who always kept abreast of the latest developments of keyboard instrument technology - but I think I prefer the harpsichord for these pieces with Egarr my favorite so far.  The piano versions are all quite good, Denk was my favorite with Gould 55 (38 mins) as an honorable mention if you're in a rush.

[clandestino]

Listening to plenty of metal in the last couple of years.

What I liked from this week deezer recommendations:

...and Oceans - Cosmic World Mother
The Crown - In the Name of Death
Benighted - Slut
Necrophagist - Fermented Offal Discharge
Brymir - Ride on, Spirit
Mephorash - Sanguinem
Katatonia - Brave

[Malthus]

Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica (1969)

A squid eating dough in a polyethylene bag is fast and bulbous, got me?

I didn't like this the first time I heard it (several years ago), it just sounded like cacophony and off-key singing.  Now, many free-jazz albums later, I'm surprised this ranks so highly on critics' lists.  It's not challenging even as compared to the Don Cherry album I just listened to (released about the same time); much less so than The Peter Brotzmann Octet.

One of the musicians, Bill Harkleroad, left an LSD cult (it was the 60s) in order to make this album.  By all accounts being in Captain Beefheart's Magic Band was nearly an identical experience.

Heh enduring Captain Beefheart and pretending to enjoy it was a common ritual when I was a teen - there was always someone in our extended group of stoners and artists who had just discovered this, and thought it was the greatest thing ever.

I never understood this. But then, I haven't given it a re-listen for decades.

[The Minsky Moment]

Necrophagist - Fermented Offal Discharge

i think you are looking for the Quo Vadis GOP thread.

[The Minsky Moment]

I didn't like this the first time I heard it (several years ago), it just sounded like cacophony and off-key singing.  Now, many free-jazz albums later, I'm surprised this ranks so highly on critics' lists.  It's not challenging even as compared to the Don Cherry album I just listened to (released about the same time); much less so than The Peter Brotzmann Octet.

Ooh you've heard Ornette's Dancing in Your Head, right?

[Eddie Teach]

So I was listening to a Bruce Springsteen song on Spotify. It ends, and an ad exclaims "The Boss is back, baby!"

It was an ad for Boss Baby.

[clandestino]

Necrophagist - Fermented Offal Discharge

i think you are looking for the Quo Vadis GOP thread.

Trying to nail some essentials.

Starting with Windir discography (only 4 albums will get me through the week).

[clandestino]

Listening to Enslaved - Vikingligr Veldi.

One needs some inspiration while playing in Norway in Crusader Kings.

[Savonarola]

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River (1969)

The second of three albums CCR put out in 1969 (Bayou Country and Willy and the Poor Boys are the others) all produced by John Fogerty and done while they were touring full time.  It's remarkable that could be done at all, much less be as good as they are.  This is an improvement from Bayou Country as they've abandoned the long jams in favor of shorter radio friendly songs.  The lyrics are even more evocative, Allmusic describes John Fogerty as the William Faulkner of rock and roll, though he could get to the point much quicker.  The lyrics also take a noticeably darker turn, (probably due to the workload), "Bad Moon" might be the upbeat song about the apocalypse ever recorded.   

[Savonarola]

I didn't like this the first time I heard it (several years ago), it just sounded like cacophony and off-key singing.  Now, many free-jazz albums later, I'm surprised this ranks so highly on critics' lists.  It's not challenging even as compared to the Don Cherry album I just listened to (released about the same time); much less so than The Peter Brotzmann Octet.

Ooh you've heard Ornette's Dancing in Your Head, right?

I hadn't, I just listened to it.  Funky Moroccan free jazz, I'd expect nothing less from Ornette Coleman.   

[Savonarola]

Heh enduring Captain Beefheart and pretending to enjoy it was a common ritual when I was a teen - there was always someone in our extended group of stoners and artists who had just discovered this, and thought it was the greatest thing ever.

I never understood this. But then, I haven't given it a re-listen for decades.

On this past listen I though it has its moments; but it doesn't  deserve the praise it gets.

[Savonarola]

Santana - Santana (1969)

Santana got their big break at Woodstock and this album (released shortly thereafter) proved to be a huge hit.  They're out of San Francisco, and it's obvious here as most of the album is based around loose jam sessions similar to The Grateful Dead or Quicksilver Messenger Service.  That they were able to take Latin percussion and rhythms and combine them with the San Francisco sound is what really makes this stand out (in a year of outstanding albums at that.)  Both singles (Evil Ways and Jingo) are covers; their composition was probably still too free form at that point to come up with a hit single.  Still a great album, though.

[Malthus]

Santana - Santana (1969)

Santana got their big break at Woodstock and this album (released shortly thereafter) proved to be a huge hit.  They're out of San Francisco, and it's obvious here as most of the album is based around loose jam sessions similar to The Grateful Dead or Quicksilver Messenger Service.  That they were able to take Latin percussion and rhythms and combine them with the San Francisco sound is what really makes this stand out (in a year of outstanding albums at that.)  Both singles (Evil Ways and Jingo) are covers; their composition was probably still too free form at that point to come up with a hit single.  Still a great album, though.

I saw Santana live in 1985; they were amazing. They did this super extended jam session for "soul sacrifice" with what appeared to be ten different percussion artists ... it was great. The venue was an outdoor concert, I was with a bunch of guys all of whom were high on large amounts of LSD; we met up with a group of girls, all of whom were also high on large amounts of LSD; it was like the 60s all over again, by teens who never experienced it the first time - for one evening. It was truly an awesome time.

We guys actually met up with the girl group again, a couple of days later, only to discover that when not peaking on Acid and listening to Santana we had ... basically nothing in common. Ah well!