Listening to.......

[Shane (Skirky)]

It's Hard (40th Anniversary Edition) - The Who

On listening to this today I realised that, not only was it the only Who album I didn't own but I had never actually heard it all the way through before. I now recogise that it is both not as bad but also worse than its reputation.

I'm amazed that they thought Athena would make a good single as it is kind of a mess and One At A Time may be the worst (and most excruciating) thing they ever recorded. There are also some production and performance decisions that don't serve the songs well. The revelation is that all of the four bonus tracks are rather good and their use in place of the originally released versions would improve the album immeasurably. The Roger vocal Eminence Front is splendid and stomps all over Pete's demo quality vocal on the original. Conversely the frail quality of Pete's lead on One Life's Enough adds a touching vulnerability that isn't there on the Roger fronted version. The early mix of Cry If You Want is massive improvement over the heavily processed album version. All in all I would reconfigure the album as follows for an improved listening experience.

1. Dangerous (1997 Unedited Mix)
2. Cook's County
3. It's Your Turn
4. It's Hard
5. Eminence Front (Vocal: Roger & Pete)
6. I've Known No War
7. One Life's Enough (Vocal: Pete)
8. Why Did I Fall For That?
9. A Man Is A Man
10. Cry If You Want (Early Alternative Mix)

Thanks Gub. Hugely enjoyable and informative write up. 👍

[davidmjs]

R J McKenree - Villager

One of those fictional conceits (from the Tom Cox novel Villager), but a really bloody good one.

https://rjmckendree.bandcamp.com/

[Ian_]

'Wallflower" is indeed excellent. Possibly my favourite 'new' release of the year  

[Alan2]

Blair Dunlop is a fan of Henry's and Iain Matthews has 2 of Katie's CD's

I like "Edge Of The Land " a lot , but as David says do not underestimate Henry Parker , I think he too has a very bright future , such a good guitar player

Also thought I'd listen to some Roy Harper today not a name you see mentioned on here that often
 "Bullinamingvase"

I like RH rather a lot,  and haven't played Bullinamingvase for some time.  I think for me, personally,  it's too tied to a particular era, and a time in my life which I dont like to revisit.  Ditto Lifemask, which nevertheless is one of his finest albums, imo.

[Jules Gray]

Thanks Gub. Hugely enjoyable and informative write up. 👍

Seconded.

Jules

[Jules Gray]

Also thought I'd listen to some Roy Harper today not a name you see mentioned on here that often
 "Bullinamingvase"

I like RH rather a lot,  and haven't played Bullinamingvase for some time.  I think for me, personally,  it's too tied to a particular era, and a time in my life which I dont like to revisit.  Ditto Lifemask, which nevertheless is one of his finest albums, imo.

I've been playing shed loads of Roy lately, as well as learning to play a few of his songs.  Recently bought the Roy Harper book in the  Every Album, Every Song (On Track) series, which got me well and truly back into him.

Jules

[Alan2]

Also thought I'd listen to some Roy Harper today not a name you see mentioned on here that often
 "Bullinamingvase"

I like RH rather a lot,  and haven't played Bullinamingvase for some time.  I think for me, personally,  it's too tied to a particular era, and a time in my life which I dont like to revisit.  Ditto Lifemask, which nevertheless is one of his finest albums, imo.

I've been playing shed loads of Roy lately, as well as learning to play a few of his songs.  Recently bought the Roy Harper book in the  Every Album, Every Song (On Track) series, which got me well and truly back into him.

Jules

I dont think there's really a bad RH album out there. Respect to you for trying to pkay his songs.

[Jules Gray]

I dont think there's really a bad RH album out there.

Commercial Breaks
Work of Heart

Jules

[Alan2]

I dont think there's really a bad RH album out there.

Commercial Breaks
Work of Heart

Jules

Commercial Breaks i don't really count as an album.

Work of Heart i like, though its the least Harper ish album he's done.  I took a while to come round to Descendants of Smith, but I really like it now. Loony on the zBus, again, isn't really a proper album, but has its moments.

[davidmjs]

My favourite discovery from this year's Glastonbury:  Big Thief.  Didn't know them I'm ashamed to say.  Loved their set (available on iPlayer).

[Jules Gray]

Commercial Breaks i don't really count as an album.

Work of Heart i like, though its the least Harper ish album he's done.  I took a while to come round to Descendants of Smith, but I really like it now. Loony on the Bus, again, isn't really a proper album, but has its moments.

I didn't realise that I had to find out what you reckon is a "proper album" before nominating candidates.  

Jules

[wayne stote]

Taken David's advice and spent a few hours this morning given Katie Spencer's music a proper listen. It's confirmed the opinion I formed when I saw her live at the GBFF. Well made, certainly, but not to my taste. To damn it with faint praise, it came across as pleasant background music. Oh well, can't like everything, I suppose.

Bought tickets for next January's GBFF, the other day so I've also been listening to the performers in the line-up, I haven't heard. Adam Beattie, The Mathers Robinson Band and Fred's House have been particularly enjoyable. Looks like I'm going to need a decent CD budget.  

In the same way as Sandy Denny is pleasant background music, I'm guessing?

 I don't mind a little Sandy Denny when I'm in the right mood.  

[Alan2]

Commercial Breaks i don't really count as an album.

Work of Heart i like, though its the least Harper ish album he's done.  I took a while to come round to Descendants of Smith, but I really like it now. Loony on the Bus, again, isn't really a proper album, but has its moments.

I didn't realise that I had to find out what you reckon is a "proper album" before nominating candidates.  

Jules

Maybe I was being subjective. i did a quick search and learned Commercial Breaks was recorded at the end of the 70s and not released till 1994. So I suppose I wonder what was wrong with it. I do know it has merited  fewer plays than almost any RH album in my collection.  Loony on the Bus, according to Wikipedia, comprises demo tracks, and RH released it to raise money to start his own company.

Bests,

Alan.

[Jules Gray]

Maybe I was being subjective. i did a quick search and learned Commercial Breaks was recorded at the end of the 70s and not released till 1994. So I suppose I wonder what was wrong with it. I do know it has merited  fewer plays than almost any RH album in my collection.  Loony on the Bus, according to Wikipedia, comprises demo tracks, and RH released it to raise money to start his own company.  

Yes, in fact both records comprise many of the same tracks. He was working in sub-par studios with less than stellar material. He sabotaged the release of Commercial Breaks in 1978, but stuck some of it out on the heinous Loony record, as you say, to make some money to finance his next record, before finally allowing the whole record to come out as originally intended.

The best songs on it were rerecorded for The Unknown Soldier.

Jules

[Alan2]

Maybe I was being subjective. i did a quick search and learned Commercial Breaks was recorded at the end of the 70s and not released till 1994. So I suppose I wonder what was wrong with it. I do know it has merited  fewer plays than almost any RH album in my collection.  Loony on the Bus, according to Wikipedia, comprises demo tracks, and RH released it to raise money to start his own company.  

Yes, in fact both records comprise many of the same tracks. He was working in sub-par studios with less than stellar material. He sabotaged the release of Commercial Breaks in 1978, but stuck some of it out on the heinous Loony record, as you say, to make some money to finance his next record, before finally allowing the whole record to come out as originally intended.

The best songs on it were rerecorded for The Unknown Soldier.

Jules

Which is a very good album, imo. I intend to give Commercial Breaks a listen this evening,  to see how good or awful it is 🙂

[Jules Gray]

I intend to give Commercial Breaks a listen this evening,  to see how good or awful it is 🙂

Expect to be underwhelmed.

Jules

[Alan2]

I intend to give Commercial Breaks a listen this evening,  to see how good or awful it is 🙂

Expect to be underwhelmed.

Jules

Have to admit I was, but only slightly. There's a feeling of demo ness about some of the tracks.  There are however some good moments -  'Cora',  'Flycatcher'.   The booklet notes go onto the genesis of the album at some length.

Also played Al Stewart :  Chronicles  - best of  (EMI LP,  1991).

[Jules Gray]

There's a feeling of demo ness about some of the tracks.  

Absolutely this.

Jules

[davidmjs]

The new Porcupine Tree.  Didn't expect to like it, but I do.  Lad's come a long way since I saw them in the Penny Theatre, Canterbury in '95.  I only really went to see a member of Japan in the flesh.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

The new Porcupine Tree.  Didn't expect to like it, but I do.  Lad's come a long way since I saw them in the Penny Theatre, Canterbury in '95.  I only really went to see a member of Japan in the flesh.

I’m not sure how often our musical tastes coverage David, but I think this time they will  

I’m off to download it…