Your last listen

[Fretless]

If 'If 2' (1970)



Managed to snaffle a stack of cut-price CD's by 70's jazz-rockers 'If', a band who who achieved more success in the USA than in their native England.

Funkier and bluesier than the likes of Colosseum or Traffic, If made some thoroughly enjoyable records that deserve more appreciation.

[CN211276]

Slash - Orgy of the damned

[terrybooth]

Can - Tago Mago. Very much of its time. Still trying to figure it out. Ex rock? Pre punk?

[Fretless]

Jean-Michel Jarre 'Zoolook' (1984)



This morning's listen-session was a JMJ marathon including a new LP edition of the experimental 'Zoolook', this is the 2018 remastered version, sounding a lot fuller and more revealing than my old vinyl copy, which is somewhat anaemic in comparison.

On this recording, Jarre brought in additional musicians and singers (Laurie Anderson!) to expand his aural palette, also making much use of the newly-emerging sampler technology.

'Zoolook' is the jumping-off point for JMJ's abstract side which has led to the recent 'Oxymore'. An interesting album and a fun listen - if you give it a chance.

[CN211276]

Thin Lizzy - Night Life

[Fretless]

Slowdive 'Pygmalion' (1995)

I'm usually stuck in the 70's and 80's but here is a 90's album that really impresses me, this time on a superb-sounding 'audiophile' pressing from Music On Vinyl. The sonics from the layered guitars are just wonderful.

As I have recently been in a heavy Krautrock phase, there are certain aspects in Slowdive's approach that remind me of artists like Neu!, Michael Rother and Agitation Free, The shoegaze legends are currently enjoying a revival with a couple of excellent albums released in recent years.

[CN211276]

The Answer - Rise

[Fretless]

'Trips' Long Distance Calling (2016)

Excellent Post-Rock from Germany on a fine-sounding pressing. Heavy and melodic, reminds me a bit of Tesseract.

[CN211276]

100 Hits -;The best 70s albums CD5

A trip down memory lane.

[Fretless]

Pink Floyd 'Dark Side Live 1974' (2023)



Now, I'm not the world's biggest Floyd fan but this was cheap on Amazon - so I thought I'd give it a go.

Recorded by the BBC at Wembley, this is a part of a longer concert that consists of an integral run-through of the entire DSOTM album.

It's a blast! A great performance coupled with astonishing playback quality. Gives a nice, fresh insight to a familiar classic!