Listening to.......

[Dan O.]

Flash:  Out of Our Hands

Picked up an original vinyl copy of this the other week in an excellent record shop in Bridport  (Clocktower) along with Zappa's 'Orchestral favourites', Stanley Clarke's 'School Days' etc.

Rather enjoying this 'old-school' prog from '73.  Vey early Yes-ish (as you would expect as it's Peter Banks on guitar).  not so keen on the vocals but instrumentally it's fine.

First time I've ever heard Flash - even though I remember the album covers (as you do as a spotty youth...

What do other prog-heads think of them?  Bridgwit - are you familiar ?? (Oooh aahh!)  

Cheers,

Slippy

I've had the first Flash album for years and it's pretty good - reminiscent (obviously) of a pre-Steve Howe Yes.

[Dan O.]

First listen to the Beatles Revolver 2022 remix - another cracking job from Giles Martin.
Highlights include Paul's bass on Taxman, the extra clarity of the strings on Eleanor Rigby, the ethnic instruments on Love You To, and the horns on Got To Get You Into My Life. For No One almost has a completely different feel - there's a bass drum beat previously lurking in the background which I've never heard before that's been enhanced.
In fact, "extra clarity" is a description that probably covers the whole 35 minute experience of Revolver 2022.
Even the hot potato that is Yellow Submarine sounds better - and that's saying something !

[Andy]

The original lyrics to "Yellow Submarine" are really, truly, sad.

Working my way though the album. Paperback Writer was a favourite when it came out and it shines again with this release.

[Jim]

The new mix of Revolver,  the clarity of the recordings is amazing considering they are 56 years old and most of the Lp is made up of 2 minute songs . My highlight is the amazing mix on Tomorrow never knows.  I'm just working my way through the sessions discs.  

[GubGub (Al)]

First listen to the Beatles Revolver 2022 remix - another cracking job from Giles Martin.
Highlights include Paul's bass on Taxman, the extra clarity of the strings on Eleanor Rigby, the ethnic instruments on Love You To, and the horns on Got To Get You Into My Life. For No One almost has a completely different feel - there's a bass drum beat previously lurking in the background which I've never heard before that's been enhanced.
In fact, "extra clarity" is a description that probably covers the whole 35 minute experience of Revolver 2022.
Even the hot potato that is Yellow Submarine sounds better - and that's saying something !

I have given this a couple of listens now. Unfortunately it has had to be via streaming as no physical product has yet arrived chez GubGub. I have in any case only ordered the 2cd set as I wasn't going to fall for their ludicrous pricing strategy this time around.

Historically, starting with Anthology, I have found with these sets that there is little amongst the additional material that I will return to after a couple of listens. It is interesting to hear and the evolution of Yellow Submarine is particularly fascinating but it is a little like the Edward Hopper documentary that I went to see the other evening. It is revealing to see the sketches and the notebooks but ultimately I want to look at the finished pictures.

As for the remix, well, it is amazing what has been achieved here isn't it. All sorts of elements that I never noticed before in a resonably natural stereo sound field. But, I did notice while I was playing it through a nice pair of Bose headphones last night that I was sometimes listening to the technology rather than the songs. In that sense it is probably a remix for people who are less familiar with the material than me and who are not caught up in a game of spot the difference. Having said that, Yellow Submarine sounds terrific, as does And Your Bird Can Sing and For No One, to name but three and the only one that suffers from the remix is She Said She Said where the guitar that echoes the vocal line is too low in the mix. All in all a decent and entertaining effort then but my go to version of the album probably remains the mono cd from 2009.

[davidmjs]

I'm quietly guffawing at the thought of anybody feeling they needed an "enhanced" version of Yellow Submarine.  It takes all sorts...

Here, a bitty listening day.  I started with blaring out the Fall's "Dragnet" (on some days of the week my favourite) at considerable volume, then tried out Ms. Swift's new album for size.  Good, honest, intelligent pop music but with a couple of exceptions I think I not surprisingly preferred The National tweaked 'folky' lockdown albums.  Then onto Disc two of the Man Life on the Road box set.  And now I've finally got around to listening to the Dr Strangely Strange Radio Sessions album. It's not brilliant audio quality (a couple of parts of it are of magnificently appalling quality), but there's still enough there to remind me why they're one of my favourite bands on the planet.  All four of these releases are available on a try (reader, I did) before you buy basis at Sp*t*fy

[Jules Gray]

First listen to the Beatles Revolver 2022 remix - another cracking job from Giles Martin.
Highlights include Paul's bass on Taxman, the extra clarity of the strings on Eleanor Rigby, the ethnic instruments on Love You To, and the horns on Got To Get You Into My Life. For No One almost has a completely different feel - there's a bass drum beat previously lurking in the background which I've never heard before that's been enhanced.
In fact, "extra clarity" is a description that probably covers the whole 35 minute experience of Revolver 2022.
Even the hot potato that is Yellow Submarine sounds better - and that's saying something !

I have given this a couple of listens now. Unfortunately it has had to be via streaming as no physical product has yet arrived chez GubGub. I have in any case only ordered the 2cd set as I wasn't going to fall for their ludicrous pricing strategy this time around.

Historically, starting with Anthology, I have found with these sets that there is little amongst the additional material that I will return to after a couple of listens. It is interesting to hear and the evolution of Yellow Submarine is particularly fascinating but it is a little like the Edward Hopper documentary that I went to see the other evening. It is revealing to see the sketches and the notebooks but ultimately I want to look at the finished pictures.

As for the remix, well, it is amazing what has been achieved here isn't it. All sorts of elements that I never noticed before in a resonably natural stereo sound field. But, I did notice while I was playing it through a nice pair of Bose headphones last night that I was sometimes listening to the technology rather than the songs. In that sense it is probably a remix for people who are less familiar with the material than me and who are not caught up in a game of spot the difference. Having said that, Yellow Submarine sounds terrific, as does And Your Bird Can Sing and For No One, to name but three and the only one that suffers from the remix is She Said She Said where the guitar that echoes the vocal line is too low in the mix. All in all a decent and entertaining effort then but my go to version of the album probably remains the mono cd from 2009.

Fascinating and thorough review, Gub. Thanks.

Jules

[RobertD]

Listening to Raise The Roof by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss again. To be honest I have not warmed up to it as much as Raising Sand. There is nothing inherently wrong with it, but I think part of the charm of Raising Sand was the initial and unexpected reaction of ‘wait, they made an album together’? and then realizing it was brilliant. With this one I just don’t find myself excited about it tbh.

[davidmjs]

Listening to Raise The Roof by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss again. To be honest I have not warmed up to it as much as Raising Sand. There is nothing inherently wrong with it, but I think part of the charm of Raising Sand was the initial and unexpected reaction of ‘wait, they made an album together’? and then realizing it was brilliant. With this one I just don’t find myself excited about it tbh.

I think there's truth in that although it too is certainly of a very high standard.

[Yorkshire Chris]

I started with blaring out the Fall's "Dragnet" (on some days of the week my favourite) at considerable volume

Great album! Should have had 'Fiery Jack' on it though in my humble opinion.

Once met MES backstage at the Leeds Irish Centre. He sat in a corner, away from the other band members, reading a newspaper. Me and my mate sat on a tatty settee with the guitarist of the moment, Neville Wilding, who was high as a kite and was trying to steal my watch and trainers. I got up and was on my way out of the room when Mark, who had gone over to a fridge to get refreshments, stopped me and my mate and said, "do you lads want a drink?" offering us both a can of Red Stripe. I declined telling him I was driving and he replied, "fair enough" and we then had a 15 minute conversation about the Leeds Inner Ring Road (rock'n'roll eh?). As we left I said to him, "your guitarist is a bit of a knobhead. You should get rid of him", and he just half smiled and nodded and wandered back to his chair and newspaper. (A fascinating insight I hear you all say...! )

[Nick Reg]

CSNY - Deja Vu
Waterboys - Room To Roam
Lesley Duncan - Sing Children Sing
Rosie Thomas - When We Were Small

and in the car
Jason Isbell - Reunions

[Col D]

Michael Chapman Live at the New Vic, Bristol, newly released CD and DVD of his 2000 gig there. Single camera shoot of the full gig, the DVD is hardly HD quality but pretty decent for what it is. The CD has all the chat edited out, rather savagely in places, and loses the last song to fit it onto a single disc. Always a huge pleasure to watch MC at work, those fingers flying around the fretboard are just mesmerising. A year gone and much missed.

[Jim G]

Been listening to a couple of youngish artists, originally recommended to me by my son

Isaac Gracie https://isaacgraciemusic.com/

and

King Charles https://www.kingcharlesmusic.com/

Some amazing music!

[davidmjs]

Been listening to a couple of youngish artists, originally recommended to me by my son

Isaac Gracie https://isaacgraciemusic.com/

and

King Charles https://www.kingcharlesmusic.com/

Some amazing music!

Has he fully thought this through?

[Jim G]

If you are referring to King Charles - He has been around for  a while so probably the current monarch should be referring to himself as King Charles the IV, and if King Charles the musician has sent the name to himself in sealed postmarked envelope, the monach could be in for a rough time fighting a trademark case.

If you are referring to my lad recommending young artists to an old git like me -  well he has to get his own back on me somehow, I think I am largely responsible for his addiction to a  whole host of 60 and 70's bands - including Jefferson Airplane, Gong,  Hawkwind - I even took him to see Bert Whedon poor lad!

[wayne stote]

Just discovered the music of Skye Wallace, a Canadian rock singer-songwriter. Her writing reminds me of the Greg Keelor songs of Blue Rodeo. Current album is the aptly titled Terribly Good. Here's a track from it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctu1tr35KnM

[davidmjs]

If you are referring to King Charles - He has been around for  a while so probably the current monarch should be referring to himself as King Charles the IV, and if King Charles the musician has sent the name to himself in sealed postmarked envelope, the monach could be in for a rough time fighting a trademark case.

As we've seen in many ways recently I don't think the royal family are subject to 'the law' in quite the same way as us mere mortals....

[Nick Reg]

Alfa 9 - Gone To Ground

[davidmjs]

3 episodes in and I'm very much enjoying SAS Rogue Heroes.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

3 episodes in and I'm very much enjoying SAS Rogue Heroes.

I understand there's quite a lot of Bon Scott-era AC/DC? I've also been told that it's the best thing about it!