Listening to.......

[Will S]

Jethro Tull - Curious Ruminant. Latest from Mr Anderson and whoever he currently has behind him.
Enjoying this a lot. Has all the mayhem of Tull of old.
But maybe too much accordion.

Same here. I’m really enjoying it, great songs and a sense of energy that really brings them to life.

I should have a listen. I don't think I have heard any of their albums since Crest Of A Knave - or the Christmas album, I suppose.

[davidmjs]

Jethro Tull - Curious Ruminant. Latest from Mr Anderson and whoever he currently has behind him.
Enjoying this a lot. Has all the mayhem of Tull of old.
But maybe too much accordion.

Same here. I’m really enjoying it, great songs and a sense of energy that really brings them to life.

I should have a listen. I don't think I have heard any of their albums since Crest Of A Knave - or the Christmas album, I suppose.

Be kind to yourself - don't ruin your memories...

[RobertD]

Horslips-Live At The O2 and Roll Back, the remastered versions from the boxset.

I had both of these on CD previously, so when I loaded the computer with everything from the box I skipped these two. But the other night I decided to and I’m glad I did. Roll Back is especially better than the original, with more nuance and texture. The O2 isn’t vastly different, but the mandolin is more out in front, as well as the keys. However…for the record, both original and remaster are side by side on the phone…ah, collecting!

[Alan2]

Throwing Muses  :  Moonlight Confessions ( Fire LP,  2025).

Rather unusual this-  an LP  of rough mixes preceding the release of  the actual album, due out in a  week or so.  

[PaulT]

Daniel Lanois - Acadie (Opal label)

I bought this on cassette when it first appeared, looked for a CD issue on & off for years, picked one up - in vgc - for £1.50 in a charity shop yesterday.

It's every bit as good as I remember.  

[Andy]

His 1993 album, For the Beauty of Wynona is my go-to DL album.

The album cover photograph, titled “The Knife,” was taken in 1987 by Czech artist Jan Saudek and is a great image.

[Will S]

I also had Acadie on cassette way back, and was fortunate enough to pick a CD copy up some years ago.  It's one of those albums I enjoy so much I have never felt the need to explore his music further.

[davidmjs]

I also had Acadie on cassette way back, and was fortunate enough to pick a CD copy up some years ago.  It's one of those albums I enjoy so much I have never felt the need to explore his music further.

This made me shout "what???!!!" at the screen...but actually, I sort of get it...I can think of the odd artist I have done this with - James Iha being one - Let it Come Down is a beautiful album, and I don't think I've heard another note he's played (apart from a few Pumpkins singles).

[GubGub (Al)]

I also had Acadie on cassette way back, and was fortunate enough to pick a CD copy up some years ago.  It's one of those albums I enjoy so much I have never felt the need to explore his music further.

Yes, I am the same. I always intended to listen to more but somehow never did, perhaps because he was all over so many other artists' records at the time.

[Will S]

I also had Acadie on cassette way back, and was fortunate enough to pick a CD copy up some years ago.  It's one of those albums I enjoy so much I have never felt the need to explore his music further.

This made me shout "what???!!!" at the screen...but actually, I sort of get it...I can think of the odd artist I have done this with - James Iha being one - Let it Come Down is a beautiful album, and I don't think I've heard another note he's played (apart from a few Pumpkins singles).

There are a few artists I have done this with - Tracy Chapman is another - but not many.

[Dan O.]

Listening out of curiosity to Perpetual Change, the new live album from original Yes singer Jon Anderson and tribute band YouTube sensations The Band Geeks.

Not sure how I feel about this one - the Yes classics are present and correct, the Band Geeks play their parts very proficiently and the Astral Traveller of Accrington himself is on fine vocal form at 80 years young.

However, it is exactly what it says on the tin - the Band Geeks perform the songs with precision but none of the dynamics of the original Yes musicians.

Easier said than done, I know - it's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to replace such musical personalities as Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Alan White, Bill Bruford, Tony Kaye and Patrick Moraz.

The drummer's not bad, but he lacks the feel and swing of the late great Alan White and his predecessor Bill Bruford, and he sounds as if he's using gutless electronic drums throughout instead of a properly-mic'ed set of Ludwig or similar tubs, so lacking is their oomph and presence in the mix.

And Chris Squire (RIP) is particularly missed especially in the vocal department - the blend of his voice with Jon Anderson's was THE sound of Yes. The bass sound is Squire via Fisher Price too - technically good but sometimes overly crunchy and lacking the warmth of the Schindleria Praematurus.

Still, the setlist is the stuff dreams are made of, and the presence of Anderson gives this collection as much authenticity as we can hope for in 2025.
I'd still go and see them for a fix of some of my favourite music if they came to a venue nearby - they give the current official lineup of Yes a run for their money. As a life-long (so far) fan, we're lucky to have two very good bands out there playing this stuff - it's not for those who scare easily !

Tracks/Setlist :

Yours Is No Disgrace
Perpetual Change
Close To The Edge
Heart Of The Sunrise
Starship Trooper
Awaken
And You And I
I've Seen All Good People
Gates Of Delirium
Roundabout

[davidmjs]

Listening out of curiosity to Perpetual Change, the new live album from original Yes singer Jon Anderson and tribute band YouTube sensations The Band Geeks.

Not sure how I feel about this one - the Yes classics are present and correct, the Band Geeks play their parts very proficiently and the Astral Traveller of Accrington himself is on fine vocal form at 80 years young.

However, it is exactly what it says on the tin - the Band Geeks perform the songs with precision but none of the dynamics of the original Yes musicians.

Easier said than done, I know - it's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to replace such musical personalities as Chris Squire, Steve Howe, Rick Wakeman, Alan White, Bill Bruford, Tony Kaye and Patrick Moraz.

The drummer's not bad, but he lacks the feel and swing of the late great Alan White and his predecessor Bill Bruford, and he sounds as if he's using gutless electronic drums throughout instead of a properly-mic'ed set of Ludwig or similar tubs, so lacking is their oomph and presence in the mix.

And Chris Squire (RIP) is particularly missed especially in the vocal department - the blend of his voice with Jon Anderson's was THE sound of Yes. The bass sound is Squire via Fisher Price too - technically good but sometimes overly crunchy and lacking the warmth of the Schindleria Praematurus.

Still, the setlist is the stuff dreams are made of, and the presence of Anderson gives this collection as much authenticity as we can hope for in 2025.
I'd still go and see them for a fix of some of my favourite music if they came to a venue nearby - they give the current official lineup of Yes a run for their money. As a life-long (so far) fan, we're lucky to have two very good bands out there playing this stuff - it's not for those who scare easily !

Tracks/Setlist :

Yours Is No Disgrace
Perpetual Change
Close To The Edge
Heart Of The Sunrise
Starship Trooper
Awaken
And You And I
I've Seen All Good People
Gates Of Delirium
Roundabout

I like it.  I'm far from the world's biggest Yes fan but I'd much rather listen to this than any of the studio stuff put out by the mothership this century.

[Peter Allen]

Is that not similar to the story of "Jeff Lynne's" ELO ?
Lead singer hires Take That's backing group , hey presto a proficient but soul-less version of a legendary band
£200+ tickets , nearly always outdoor gigs/ festivals

So do we go , so we can tell the grandkids , we saw ELO (like they'll care) , or admit we saw Jeff That
No tickets left , decision made

[Chris from Fieldtown]

First listen to Thea Gilmore's latest - These Quiet Friends. An album of covers beautifully crafted. Thea in as good a voice as I've ever heard and I'm really enjoying the way she has made the songs her own instead of trying to recreate the originals. I really like this a lot, great choice of songs.

[Andy]

Thanks for the pointer. Listening now.

[Jules Gray]

I like it.  I'm far from the world's biggest Yes fan but I'd much rather listen to this than any of the studio stuff put out by the mothership this century.

Yes without Jon Anderson is a big fat No.

Jules

[Shane (Skirky)]

Is that not similar to the story of "Jeff Lynne's" ELO ?
Lead singer hires Take That's backing group , hey presto a proficient but soul-less version of a legendary band
£200+ tickets , nearly always outdoor gigs/ festivals

So do we go , so we can tell the grandkids , we saw ELO (like they'll care) , or admit we saw Jeff That
No tickets left , decision made

To be fair, Lynne formed, produced and wrote pretty much everything for ELO, so he's a bit more than the lead singer.

[Peter Allen]

yes fair point , I'll take that

[Jules Gray]

yes fair point, I'll take that

 

Jules

[PaulT]

yes fair point, I'll take that

 

Jules

The Gloucester branch of HMV, long gone, had a rack divider in its roots section for "Fairpoint Convention".