Reviews & recommendations

michaelab

michaelab

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Gotan Project - La Revancha del Tango

Just copy this one in from the "Album recommendations" thread on GH to get it started. I think we should try to keep it to a new thread for each review/recommendation so things stay on track (and so this place gets more threads :D)

Title: la revancha del tango
Artist: gotan project
Genre: Agentinian Tango meets drum and bass :eek: with a bit of jazz thrown in.
Description: See "Genre" :D ...and www.gotanproject.com. Kind of mellow drum 'n' bass with a serious Latin/Tango flava and the odd bit of French accordion and modern jazz vibes. Stunning.
Choice tracks: tríptico - seriously hipnotic, rhythmic track (RealAudio extract: http://www.gotanproject.com/ram/triptico.ram) which thumps away for a seemingly never-ending 8 and half minutes. Highlight is an incredible jazz violin solo towards the end. If this doesn't get your foot tapping (no need for FE system :MILD: ) then nothing will.

Michael.
 
The Avalanches - Since I Left You

And here's another one I made earlier :)

Artist: The Avalanches
Title: Since I Left You
Genre: Genre of their own :eek: OK, if you must, Dance/Sampling/Psychedelic
Description: 6 blokes from Melbourne, Oz (yes they have music there too :D ) with a container load of 50s, 60s and 70s records who have somehow sampled and slapped them together into this incredible patchwork quilt of funk/psychedelic/dance/trip-hop that has you hooked throughout it's 1 hour (non-stop) duration.

Choice Tracks:
- Since I Left You + Stay Another Season: 2 tracks that are really just one. Wonderfully beguiling, uplifting swinging dance track with vocals completely sampled from other songs. Stay Another Season has AFAIK the only authorised Madonna sample (from "Holiday") in existence. The video is also one of my favourites, see here.

- Frontier Psychiatrist: Undescribable really, the most incredible sample based track I've ever heard. They make samples that most people would just use as jokes (Horse neighing, parrot talking) into coherent musical elements!

A true 'concept' album aswell btw.

Michael.
 
Klassic Kuts

Thought I'd even things up a touch

Thought it was time for us us to do some Classic music reviews, this music is 'Damn Good' and goes from all music Genre's and times, great music is Timeless (even Plinky plinky ).
Tone's going to get things rolling with real barnstormer

Artsist..................................................Rainbow
Title.....................................................Rainbow Rising
Genre'...................................................Hard Rock
Release Year..........................................1976

The Players
---------------

Bass...................................................Jimmy Bain
Guitar.................................................Ritchie Blackmore
Keyboards...........................................Tony Carey
Vocals.................................................Ronnie James Dio
Drums.................................................Cozy Powell (R.I.P)
Orchestration by the Berlin Philharmonic scored and conducted by Rainer Pietsch
Recorded at Musicland studio's In February 1976 (Blackmore had used this place before with Purple)

Tracks
--------

1.Tarot Woman
2.Run with the Wolf
3.Starstruck
4.Do you close your Eyes?
5.Stargazer
6.A light in the Black

A stunning second album from the band, with the rich mixture of Dio's sword and saucery Lyric's, Blackmore's climatic, sonic free reign to do as he pleased, and Cozy piledriving his way throught the lot, with his usual bone crunching power.
Only 2 tracks on side 2 of the record guys , but both absolute gems
Side 1 kicks off with the excellent 'Tarot woman'. first Time I ever heard a synth, when I played this for the first time Carey's little intro, follows blackmores power licks, into a real 'Rocker' this is a fab album starter, just 6 mins of real Rock at it's finest. Next up 'Run with the wolf', a start /stopper of a musical ride, seering riffs and smashed 'Skins' the order of this track
3rd number 'Starstruck' I do believe it was the first 'Single Release' from the album, solid rock 'n' roll turns, with Dio 'Doing his Best'
Do you close your eyes, humm a rock 'Shagging song?' possibly short, but powerful with big licks
High-light of the album here, 'Stargazer' to quote a famous phrase 'Small story about a Wizard', one of the best Rock songs in exsistance, Stairway to Heaven and Child in Time the others, a roller coaster ride of riffs, drums ,vocals and orchestartion that you will ever hear, over 8 minutes long but spellbinding (IMMHO) Live this was 'Awesome'
The album rounds off with another monument 'A light in the black' a grabbing piece of music that is so right. just listen.
For all those guy's and Gal's starting to get into this type of music, Rising is must have album, so much energy and dark medevil, melodic powerhouse rock stuff is on this album, It would be a crying shame to miss it, a lot of future bands/musicians took there inspuration from music of this era, to form there own take on the rock sence later in their careers.
What you have here, is Musicians preforming crafted,skilled inivitive unique powerhouse rock 'n' roll, that has been imitated, but never bettered. atb Tone


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And Another one

Ok, because you've been good Were gunna' do a another one .

Artist.............................................................Def Leppard
Title..............................................................Hysteria
Genre'............................................................Hard Rock (With a splash of Commericalism)
Release Year...................................................1987

The Players
---------------

Drums..........................................................Rick Allen
Guitars.........................................................Steve Clark (R.I.P.)
Guitars.........................................................Phil Collen
Vocals.........................................................Joe Elliott
Bass............................................................Ric Savage

The whole album was recored in Mannhiem, West Germany during the whole of August 1986.

Tracks
--------
1.Women
2.Rocket
3.Animal
4.Love Bites
5.Pour Some Sugar On Me
6.Armageddon it
7.Gods of War
8.Don't Shoot Shotgun
9.Run Riot
10 Hysteria
11.Excitable
12.Love and Affection

This was The Lepp's first really big 'Success', they had serveral good albums previously, notabley 'High & Dry' and 'Pyromania' but 'Hysteria' propelled they into the big time with some force, they was 3 Uk chart hits off this album 'Women', 'Pour some sugur on' and 'Animal' which got to number 2, quite an achievement in 1987, when Big hair/puffa skirts and 5 star/Mel & Kim/Rick Astley were all the rage
They have a instantly recagnisiable style Elliott's vocals, giving the game away, with Ric Allen's electronic Drum synth banging away (he lost his arm in a car crash a few years perviousy, but due to grit and determination, got back in the seat) and the twin lead/rythyum Guitar attack of Clark/Collen, blasting out those Licks, and Savages pulsing bass lines.
This also is one of those Rare Albums, where there isn't really a Crap track on it and considering there is 12, that's no mean feat in this day and age.

I feel all the songs on this albums reflected the groups feels/motivations of this period Thatcherism/Ronnis 'Ray-Gun', after math of the Falklands war/good and bad female experiancies/mental state of some of the band memebers, particulary Steve Clark, who attaction to Booze/Drugs would lead ultimately to his death a few years later. so a total spectrum of emotions on this recording.

Women kicks off this story telling with powerfull, Guitar riff, leading into full onslaught, a great get you into the mood of the album song, some of this song (I feel) was to do with the nurse that looked after Ric Allen during his hospital stay, (whom he ended up marrying) a pure energy rock
Rocket, a tribute to the crew of challenger 2 and all space exporation personnel, not one of more fave tracks of the album but a good one I feel, pulsing along with rythmic power and prowess.
Animal, every one will Know this, got to No.2 in August 87, one the more commerical song's on the albums, great Video in the Tigers/Lions cage.
Love bites, a much slower melodic number, (women problems triggered this one I feel), a crisendo towards the end, good track.
Pour some sugar on me, another single release, great rock 'n' roll song, and a catchy Tune as well, great for those Quiet Air gutiars parties one of the best songs on the disc.
Armeddon it, an anti war song aimed squarely at the yanks and Thactcher, deep and moody fab presence and atmosphere on this track. Gods of war, my least like track on the whole albums great guitar work/rythymun section interplay, but doesn't fire my bow so to speak. Don't shoot shotgun, kicks up the temp so what, fast driving power rock, with a couple of '20 second solo's in here a good en' Run Riot continues in the same vein, nice togetherness of the band, they click on this track and it rocks
Hysteria title track, love this one, more gentler appraoch, good guitar work, between clark/collen, a nice settler of a track, this album does pocess a rollercoaster ride of emotions and feeling which are clearly audiable in the music it self, this a great track even the girlies like this one. Excitable, bangs it again in to top gear, a last flurry of power and great vibes, before chillin' down towards Love and affection the finial track, a quiet (for a rock group), melodic easy song, almost their version of a love song but a good one, now I may of not gone into the nuts and bolts of the players performances, but the whole album is about emotion and energy/feelings and it presents inself in the music in a such a way, you just go to listen to it, then you'll know Def Leppard arn't one of my fave bands, but when they get it right, it's and this album is, a must for anyones collection regardless of musical preferences (I feel) cheers for the interest W.M.
 
In Rock

Thought I would just, 'Bang another one in' as I've been giving it a work out today (while testing some more idea's).
here were go then...


Artist................................................................Deep Purple
Title.................................................................'IN Rock'
Genre'...............................................................Pure Rock
Release Year......................................................1970


The Players
========


Guitar...........................................................Ritchie Blackmore
Vocals..........................................................Ian Gillian
Bass.............................................................Roger Glover
Keyboards.....................................................Jon Lord
Drums...........................................................Ian Paice

The album was recorded at the IBC/De Lane Lea/Abbey Road Studio's between NOV 1969 and April 1970

Tracks
=====

1.Speed King
2.Bloodsucker
3.Child in Time
4.Flight of the Rat
5.Into the fire
6.Living Wreck
7.Hard lovin' Man
8.Black Night

This is for many the start of the 'Real Deep Purple Era', Nick Simper (bass) and Rod evens (Vocals) had just been unceramoniously dumped by the the remaining band (Blackmore/lLord/Paice) electing their management to do the dirty work For them, Simper finding out initaly at first by radio and friend, whoooo not good.
Ian Gillian and Rogor Glover has been 'Head hunted' from Shelia+John Carters pop essemble 'Episode Six' some months earlier, so this was the first time the band had recorded in this Giuise, but the rest as they say is History.

This is be it's very nature a True 'Classic' a real dark and dirty Rock album, that still shines today, with musicianship being at the forefront here.
This is also quite strange reviewing a record that is 33 years old, much has been said about it, Good, Bad and indifferent, although one thing is for sure, it had a hell of an impact on furture generations of emerging bands and artists, also for me as I first bought this album in 1978 (when I was a callow youth 13 years old), I heard playing a friends house it was his Mum's Boyfriends (they didn't do that back then maybe it was a sign of changing Times ).
It had a profound effect on me, for that point on I wanted to be a musician, anyway that's another story, back to the plot .#

Purple had a Way with sound at that point in the young exsistance, they played to max, redlined them VU meter's boy's they played hard 'n' fast for all their worth 110% of the time, which hence won them great praise as 'The Live band' to see, they also played this way in the studio too, Raw energy was always on tap, and that i feel led to the great stage show's that are talked about even today.

In Rock Kick's off, with speed king, a powerful fast and dynamic number with following textures, that sets the Tone of the whole album, Blackmore wanted a set opener, and Glover obliged, Lord's organ opening things up into a full on blast.
Bloodsucker, was the last song to be recorded, some 5 months after the album was started, and it show's how to play nasty/hard and dirty in only the way purple could, and folk lore has it, that it's Paices's fave track of the Album
Child in Time, one of the best songs ever written IME, a real crisendo master this baby,Gillians silver throated screamings, and Blackmores stunning solo in the middle, slow built up great guitar work and majestic climax, not short either at just over 10 minutes, but a real soul mover, this song was used by people in the then eastern block countries as a 'Freedom' song.
Flight of the rat, was a lord inspired organ jaut that turned into this song again the power guitar licks and surging rythmic grooves powerfully displayed
Into the fire is a slower more powerfully solid piece of work, with mid underones of the dangers of drugs, which gave a break from the manic speed that the album could set.Livin' Wreck & Hard lovin man are based on Gillian's off stage antic's, serial piss-head and shag master, both hard/fast and blantly outragous but spirited, this brings up to the first single of the album 'Black Night', which was a 'Borrowed Tune' (Ricky nelson's I think) just firmed up a bit and written on the back of a late night bus ride home 'Black Night, don't feel too right' apprantly related to Gillian's State at the time, it got to number 2 in the UK and the infamous Top of the pops appearance and has the heavy riff/ Purple style that is hard not to recognise.
That's my take on the one of the best Rock albums around, if you haven't got it, then get it won't disappoint W.M.
 
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Tony

You forgot to quote the classic line from 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' in your Hysteria review...

"You got the peaches, I got the cream"

Very Spinal Tap - a case of life imitating art...

reg
 
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Joan Armatrading's latest

Picked it up at Fopp [?] as a suck it and see, Its excellent, nearly on a par with her early stuff.
 
Venus Hum...

A new band whose album Big Beautiful Sky was released about a month ago. A sort of cross between Mulu (anyone know them?), Bjork, Morcheeba and the Chemical Brothers (If that makes any sense). I've been giving this some serious thrashing whilst auditioning new amps and it just sounds fantastic. Give it a try.

Cheers, Liam. :MILD:
 
The Avalanches - Since I Left You
Click to expand...

Great track, I keep forgetting to procure this album.

Really good video too (miners dancing, really dancing)!! Makes J-Lo's dancing video look shiite.

Oh god, the track is stuck in my head now. Grrr.
 
Iron Maiden - Brave New World

Bruce Dickinson: Vocals
Steve Harris: Bass/Keyboards
Dave Murray: Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Adrian Smith: Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Janick Gers: Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Nicko McBrain: Drums

The first album with Bruce Dickinson back on board, and what rekindled my interest in Iron Maiden, after having forgotten about them for a couple or three years. An album that truly doesn't disappoint. It's Maiden doing what they do best, full-on hard driving metal juxtaposed with long epic songs.

The standout tracks on this one for me are The Wicker Man, this was the first single off the album, a full on rock out. Blood Brothers is the first really long epic, and I'd say one of the best tracks Maiden have ever done, and Brave New World the title cut sits somewhere halfway between the two in terms of style, but it's all great stuff. Does exactly what it says on the tin, but so much better than many of the so-called hard rock bands of the moment, yes Linkin Park, Limp Bizkit and your mates, I am talking about you. You could not rock as well as this in your wildest dreams. PLAY IT LOUD!
 
The Waterboys - Fishermans Blues

Mike Scott: Vocals/Guitar/Piano/Hammond Organ/Drums/Bowed Bouzoukis
Anthony Thistlethwaite: Harmonica/Saxophone/Hammond Organ/Slide Mandolin/Fuzz Mandolin/Mandolin
Steve Wickham: Fiddle
Trevor Hutchinson: Upright Bass/Bass/Bouzouki
plus a cast of many:

After the big sound of their first couple of albums, the Waterboys decamped to the west coast of Ireland to dream up their next album. Inspired by the musicians they heard while they were there in the local pub sessions, and by Scottish & Irish folk albums Scott bought on trips into Galway, and the place itself, they cut over 40 tracks for possible inclusion on the album.

There are hints of their big electric sound here, in the title track itself, but it's all stripped back, acoustic based sound really makes it. A great cover of Van Morrison's Sweet Thing, the opening title track driven, as many are, primarily by acoustic guitar and the magical sound of Steve Wickham's fiddle.

We Will Not Be Lovers is the nearest thing to the big sound of This Is The Sea. The more minimal this album gets though, tracks like When Ye Go Away and the instrumental Dunfords Fancy, are where it reaches its greatest peaks.
 
Here's the best rock album of the 1990s IMO.


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Pearl Jam
''TEN''

This is the best album Pearl Jam ever released, and to me, redefined what rock was, and what it could become.

This album was a defining factor in the change of rock music, in fact with Nirvanas Teen Spirit - these releases began 'grunge'.

Nothing Ive just said really matters however, what does matter is that this album is so much above and beyond a humble reccomendation, that its nearly laughable.

Almost beyond reccomending, because if you like rock, you should already have it!! :D

Track Listing:

1. Once
2. Even Flow
3. Alive
4. Why Go
5. Black
6. Jeremy
7. Oceans
8. Porch
9. Garden
10. Deep
11. Release
12. Alive [Live]
13. Wash
14. Dirty Frank

Last 3 tracks have been more recently added, and werent on the original release.

Chris
 
Global Underground 25:Deep Dish in Toronto

well i know most of the music you lot listen to is jazz and classical and whatever but for the few who like dance/house music.

This is a fantastic album over 2cds packed full with quality tunes. it is Deep Dish's second Global Underground album and this one has progressed away from harder and dirtier tunes to a more melodic vibe.

The album is well recorded and will test your systems ability if thats what you want. i bought it for the tunes.

Considered by many to be the one of the best of the Global Underground series.
 
i cant do that because i am only on 56K and besides it is illegal

who is the bird in your pic?
 
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Paul

Ripping and distributing cd's is illegal and deprives the artists of their deserved money.

If you want it enough go and buy it, there's a good chap.:)
 
Then go to your nearest music emporium and ask them to play it. My local MVQ will play anything. They were even playing Phil Collins latest for a punter yesterday.:eek:
 

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