What are you listening to?

[Savonarola]

The Steve Miller Band - Children of the Future (1968)

More of the blues/psychedelia that was popular at the time, than the mid-70s Steve Miller sound.  Even at the time he and his band could still harmonize; and the album comes across something like Blues Breakers with Brian Wilson.  In the spirit of the times there's an awful lot of long jams and even some noise collages. 

[mongers]

The Welsh birdsong on the start of 'Xanadu' from the Rush album 'A Farewell to Kings'. 

Because I was reading a book about the famous Rockfield studios in Monmouthshire, Geddy Lee was interviewed about their time at the studios and recording that album, he said they ended up recording some of the record outside in the courtyard at dawn, where in that rural area lots of birds gathered to sing. 
So the start of 'Xanadu' and 'A Farewell to Kings' has welsh birds singing on the tracks, as those and other acoustic/instrumental parts were recorded outside.

[Josephus]

The Welsh birdsong on the start of 'Xanadu' from the Rush album 'A Farewell to Kings'. 

Because I was reading a book about the famous Rockfield studios in Monmouthshire, Geddy Lee was interviewed about their time at the studios and recording that album, he said they ended up recording some of the record outside in the courtyard at dawn, where in that rural area lots of birds gathered to sing. 
So the start of 'Xanadu' and 'A Farewell to Kings' has welsh birds singing on the tracks, as those and other acoustic/instrumental parts were recorded outside.

So did you only listen to the birdsong, or did you continue on? 

[mongers]

The Welsh birdsong on the start of 'Xanadu' from the Rush album 'A Farewell to Kings'. 

Because I was reading a book about the famous Rockfield studios in Monmouthshire, Geddy Lee was interviewed about their time at the studios and recording that album, he said they ended up recording some of the record outside in the courtyard at dawn, where in that rural area lots of birds gathered to sing. 
So the start of 'Xanadu' and 'A Farewell to Kings' has welsh birds singing on the tracks, as those and other acoustic/instrumental parts were recorded outside.

So did you only listen to the birdsong, or did you continue on? 

Just the birdsong, but later I went back an listened to the whole album. 

[Darth Wagtaros]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk00EVdG7-4

Anne Reburn is a good singer.

[Syt]

Behemoth's "O Father O Satan O Sun", sung by a women's choir? Very appropriate.

https://youtu.be/YWvcdAfdzp4

[The Brain]

Alleylife - Out With The Old

[Savonarola]

The Band - Music from Big Pink (1968)

Not too bad for a debut album.  What remained of The Hawks had been Bob Dylan's backup band for the electric half of his show on his 1966 world tour.  They had moved to Woodstock, NY after the tour and during Bob Dylan's convalescence from his motor cycle accident they had made music with him (some of which is captured in "The Basement Tapes".)  From that they developed their roots/Americana sound (as did Dylan, though, in Dylan fashion, it was only for one album, "John Wesley Harding.")  Dylan painted the album cover and wrote or co-wrote three of the songs ("Tears of Rage", "This Wheel's on Fire" and "I Shall Be Released"), but the band's own compositions stand out as well, notably "The Weight."

This would be the only album where all the members of The Band contributed to songwriting; almost everything afterwards would be written, or at least co-written by Robbie Robertson.

[Savonarola]

Tammy Wynette - D-I-V-O-R-C-E (1968)

More of a collection of songs than an artistic statement; but not bad overall.  (Allmusic describes her version of "Yesterday" as not as cloying as it could have been.)  The strangest song on the album is her version of "Honey" (the Bobby Goldsboro song) which she sings from the perspective of the dead woman.  "Sweet Dreams" I consider her worst misstep; she sings it the same as Patsy Cline and while Wynette is a fine singer, there's only one Patsy Cline.  The title track is the big hit off of this one, which she does a good job with (and was already on her second D-I-V-O-R-C-E when she sang it.)

[The Brain]

Tammy Wynette - D-I-V-O-R-C-E (1968)

More of a collection of songs than an artistic statement; but not bad overall.  (Allmusic describes her version of "Yesterday" as not as cloying as it could have been.)  The strangest song on the album is her version of "Honey" (the Bobby Goldsboro song) which she sings from the perspective of the dead woman.  "Sweet Dreams" I consider her worst misstep; she sings it the same as Patsy Cline and while Wynette is a fine singer, there's only one Patsy Cline.  The title track is the big hit off of this one, which she does a good job with (and was already on her second D-I-V-O-R-C-E when she sang it.)

Justified & Ancient is available again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP5oHL3zBDg

[Eddie Teach]

Tammy Wynette - D-I-V-O-R-C-E (1968)

More of a collection of songs than an artistic statement; but not bad overall.  (Allmusic describes her version of "Yesterday" as not as cloying as it could have been.)  The strangest song on the album is her version of "Honey" (the Bobby Goldsboro song) which she sings from the perspective of the dead woman.  "Sweet Dreams" I consider her worst misstep; she sings it the same as Patsy Cline and while Wynette is a fine singer, there's only one Patsy Cline.  The title track is the big hit off of this one, which she does a good job with (and was already on her second D-I-V-O-R-C-E when she sang it.)

Justified & Ancient is available again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP5oHL3zBDg

https://youtu.be/C2cMG33mWVY

[Syt]

One of the best bands in Austria at the moment, IMHO, is Russkaja, a band led by Georgiy Makazaria (born in Moscow, parents from Georgia (the European one)), mixing Russian folk with ska. Once this whole pandemic is over, I look forward to seeing them live again.

Here they are in Wacken 2017:

https://youtu.be/6PCK0uMfMAw

If you look at him and his background and think he would make a great Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof - he played that role last year in Germany.

[Savonarola]

Tammy Wynette - D-I-V-O-R-C-E (1968)

More of a collection of songs than an artistic statement; but not bad overall.  (Allmusic describes her version of "Yesterday" as not as cloying as it could have been.)  The strangest song on the album is her version of "Honey" (the Bobby Goldsboro song) which she sings from the perspective of the dead woman.  "Sweet Dreams" I consider her worst misstep; she sings it the same as Patsy Cline and while Wynette is a fine singer, there's only one Patsy Cline.  The title track is the big hit off of this one, which she does a good job with (and was already on her second D-I-V-O-R-C-E when she sang it.)

Justified & Ancient is available again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP5oHL3zBDg

  That is amazing.

[Savonarola]

The Moody Blues - In Search of the Lost Chord (1968)

Where do you go after your big breakthrough album?  The Moodies answer was "The astral plane" (which might actually be a airplane... )  They got rid of the orchestra in favor of a Mellotron and wrote music that was way more psychedelic, cosmic and mystical than "Days of Future Past," but they kept the classic MB marks, goofy poems, well done "Arty" arrangements interspersed with catchy pop songs.  With the Indian inspired music, and their painfully earnest paean to Timothy Leary ("Legend of a Mind") makes the album seem more dated than "Days of Future Past."  Even so it's an enjoyable product of its time.

[Josephus]

The Moody Blues - In Search of the Lost Chord (1968)

Where do you go after your big breakthrough album?  The Moodies answer was "The astral plane" (which might actually be a airplane... )  They got rid of the orchestra in favor of a Mellotron and wrote music that was way more psychedelic, cosmic and mystical than "Days of Future Past," but they kept the classic MB marks, goofy poems, well done "Arty" arrangements interspersed with catchy pop songs.  With the Indian inspired music, and their painfully earnest paean to Timothy Leary ("Legend of a Mind") makes the album seem more dated than "Days of Future Past."  Even so it's an enjoyable product of its time.

Great album