What are you listening to?

[Savonarola]

Marty Robbins - Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs (1959) :Alberta:

The first time she heard this, CB asked "Does someone die in every one of these songs?"  (In fact there's deaths in only two thirds of the songs; and my wife did eventually come round to enjoying this album.)

The greatest cowboy album from the golden age of cowboy albums; this one manages to combine traditional folk songs with then contemporary compositions almost seamlessly.  The show stoppers are all Robbins own compositions (Big Iron, El Paso, The Masters Call, and (from the reissue) Saddle Tramp.) 

[Josephus]

King Crimson. Discipline

Oh, awesome. A favorite of mine (the song and the album).

Nice. They're in town Tuesday.

[mongers]

King Crimson. Discipline

Oh, awesome. A favorite of mine (the song and the album).

Nice. They're in town Tuesday.

Jos, that makes me jealous. 


Though chatting with an older friend a few days ago, I hadn't know he'd seem some of the free Hyde Park festivals in the late 60s, he particularly remembers the Stones gig, the one with King Crimson as a support. 

Of course now I'm jealous of him. 

[Josephus]

LoL..I think that was their first gig ever.

[Savonarola]

Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out (1959)

Revolutionary at the time of its release, due to all the weird time signatures, today it sounds like coffee house jazz (especially the over-played "Take Five.")  It is a victim of its own success, due to its many imitators; but really the album is very good.

I once saw Dave Brubeck perform at Orchestra Hall in Detroit.  He was well into his eighties by that time (as was most of the audience) but he still put on a great show.   

[garbon]

Hole - Gutless

[Savonarola]

The Everly Brothers - A Date With the Everly Brothers (1960)

"Cathy's Clown" is the big hit off of this one; though they do the original version of "Love Hurts" (yes, the same one as the Nazareth song) and not a bad version of Little Richard's Lucille.

The reviewer on Allmusic.com compared it unfavorably with their first album "It's Everly Time."  I listened to that and that was really cool.  It's got a stripped down sound, sort of like The Everly Brothers record at Sun Studios.  There's no big hit on that album ("So Sad" was the only single) but every song is good.

[Liep]

Tycho - Awake

[Malthus]

Johnny Cash - American III - Solitary Man.

I was listening to his version of The Mercy Seat with my wife, and I mentioned it was a cover of Nick Cave's song - she refused to believe it at first.  I played her the Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds original, but we both agreed, the Cash version is better. 

It's an awesome song.

[The Minsky Moment]

Re King Crimson - recent New Yorker article on prog rock:  http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/06/19/the-persistence-of-prog-rock
My own 2c is that the critics have a point - at it's best, prog was still a somewhat watered down version of jazz-rock fusion or classical-rock fusion, what's the point?  Then again, rock itself is subject to the same critique as watered down rhythm and blues: the "authenticity" of the Stones exists by virtue of their ripping off Bo Diddley.  Also article made a good point in the wake of the recent Beatles hagiographies of the clear linkage of the (always cool) Beatles from Rubber Soul on to (uncool) prog. 

[Malthus]

Re King Crimson - recent New Yorker article on prog rock:  http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/06/19/the-persistence-of-prog-rock
My own 2c is that the critics have a point - at it's best, prog was still a somewhat watered down version of jazz-rock fusion or classical-rock fusion, what's the point?  Then again, rock itself is subject to the same critique as watered down rhythm and blues: the "authenticity" of the Stones exists by virtue of their ripping off Bo Diddley.  Also article made a good point in the wake of the recent Beatles hagiographies of the clear linkage of the (always cool) Beatles from Rubber Soul on to (uncool) prog.

To my mind, rock critics blathering about "authenticity" and "coolness" is just that. No modern music is truly "authentic".

Dismissing Rush as "fascists" is of course hilarious in its stupidity, as pointed out in the article. 

[garbon]

Liz Phair - Animal Girl
Janis Joplin - Summertime

[Savonarola]

Joan Baez - Joan Baez (1960)

I'm not a huge fan of Joan Baez; I think most of her hits were done better by other people (yes, even Diamonds and Rust).  This album might have the sole exception "Silver Dagger."  This album was the zeitgeist; the folk revival was becoming the music of college students.  Joan recorded this at age 19 and it sounds like she did it at a coffee house.

Bill Evans - Sunday at the Village Vanguard (1960)

I was listening to this and thinking, "Isn't Bill Evans a pianist?.   Why are they focusing on the bass?" It turns out the bassist (Scott LaFaro) died shortly after this was recorded and Evans chose tracks in tribute to his friend.  If you're a bassist this is a must own; even if not this is a really good jazz album.

[Savonarola]

Jimmy Smith - Back at the Chicken Shack (1960)

Funk-y  I had no idea anyone was this funky back in 1960.

[Savonarola]

And on the subject of albums that sound like they were recorded at the coffee house:

Ramblin' Jack Elliot - Jack Takes the Floor (1958)

Jack was something of a character; the son of Jewish doctor from New York City, he ran away from home at 15 in order to join the rodeo .  His parents found him and dragged him back home after a few months.  Eventually he adopted a vaguely western accent, became Woody Guthrie's partner (Woody Guthrie sings "New York Town" with him on this album), and became a singin' cowboy from New York City.  This album is a mix of folk, country and storytelling.  It's definitely lo-fi and sounds like it was done in one take; but still well worth a listen.