The Blog is Back!!!
Yeah, Yeah, I know - its been a while - but the blog is back. My pre-New Years resolution is to try to be a bit more regular about posting. It's right up there with "I will lose 20 lbs before springtime." So we will see.
As we approach the end of the year, we enter the season of the "Top 10." It is the time when critics dig deep into their bags and come up with lists of obscure titles that are bound to make you scratch your head and wonder if you are living on a different planet!!! Today, I offer my list of obscure musical CD's. These are items that are all available in the library collection. Some are so obscure that they actually appear on a few critics' lists. Here are some of my favorites of 2005, in no particular order:
I'm Awake It's Morning - Bright Eyes - MA BRIG IWA B72
I spent a lot of time listening to this one when it was first released and I am still moved by Conor Oberst's quavering voice. It doesn't hurt to have Emmy Lou Harris sitting in on a few tunes. This has got a real rootsy and folk feel to it as opposed to the more energetic Digital Ash which was released simultaneously.
Chavez Ravine - Ry Cooder MJ COOD CR C72
Cooder has given us an incredibly interesting album both musically and conceptually.
He captures the feeling of the largely chicano community of Los Angeles in the 50's as it was about to be displaced by the building of Dodger Stadium. The accompanying booklet is a real treat, too.
De Nova - Redwalls MA REDW DN R27
What a fun group! They remind me of the Black Crowes, but they also sound very much like the Beatles on a lot of these songs. Somehow they manage to find their own voice and the result is a fun album that touches a lot of musical bases.
Gogol Bordello - Gypsy Punks MA GOGO GP G71
One critic says this group does to gypsy music what the Pogues do to Irish music. They are certainly a high energy group - think Boris and Natasha after one too many cups of espresso!! But this music was made to be revved up.
Illinoise - Sufjan Stevens MA STEV CFI S14
This is part of an ambitious project that will eventually yield an album about each of the 50 states. The music is complex, the writing poetic, and the singing terrific. This is unique piece of work. Definitely worth a listen or two.
More to come.
As we approach the end of the year, we enter the season of the "Top 10." It is the time when critics dig deep into their bags and come up with lists of obscure titles that are bound to make you scratch your head and wonder if you are living on a different planet!!! Today, I offer my list of obscure musical CD's. These are items that are all available in the library collection. Some are so obscure that they actually appear on a few critics' lists. Here are some of my favorites of 2005, in no particular order:
I'm Awake It's Morning - Bright Eyes - MA BRIG IWA B72I spent a lot of time listening to this one when it was first released and I am still moved by Conor Oberst's quavering voice. It doesn't hurt to have Emmy Lou Harris sitting in on a few tunes. This has got a real rootsy and folk feel to it as opposed to the more energetic Digital Ash which was released simultaneously.
Chavez Ravine - Ry Cooder MJ COOD CR C72Cooder has given us an incredibly interesting album both musically and conceptually.
He captures the feeling of the largely chicano community of Los Angeles in the 50's as it was about to be displaced by the building of Dodger Stadium. The accompanying booklet is a real treat, too.
De Nova - Redwalls MA REDW DN R27What a fun group! They remind me of the Black Crowes, but they also sound very much like the Beatles on a lot of these songs. Somehow they manage to find their own voice and the result is a fun album that touches a lot of musical bases.
Gogol Bordello - Gypsy Punks MA GOGO GP G71One critic says this group does to gypsy music what the Pogues do to Irish music. They are certainly a high energy group - think Boris and Natasha after one too many cups of espresso!! But this music was made to be revved up.
Illinoise - Sufjan Stevens MA STEV CFI S14This is part of an ambitious project that will eventually yield an album about each of the 50 states. The music is complex, the writing poetic, and the singing terrific. This is unique piece of work. Definitely worth a listen or two.
More to come.
posted by michael at 10:01 AM
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