The return of the "What are you listening to now?" thread

[JK]

YouTube has it all. From 1977, this is Moon Ju Ran from South Korea and "Rainbow Love" (무지개 사랑):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fmQ7Qhy1DU

[JK]

Here's one I keep returning to: a great double-sider ("You Might Need Somebody" and "Jump To The Beat") sung in Estonian by the ladies of Elektra with some cool accompaniment. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fI36KPUsEaY



I dedicate it to someone dear to me who was born in that year of 1981.

[JK]

After noticing a massive thread on Robyn Hitchcock at Hoffman, I asked (elsewhere) for some advice on where to start when investigating his music. I was told Underwater Moonlight (1980) by his then band The Soft Boys was the best place to kick off. I must admit it's excellent so far. Funny, just when you think you've discovered all you want to discover, something like this happens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lKBIgB3Rh8

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underwater_Moonlight

[JK]

Written and stupendously sung by Dorothy Moskowitz, this is "Tailor Man", a gorgeous bonus track on the 2004 reissue of the lone self-titled 1968 album by The United States Of America.

My attention was called to it by its use in the revisited sync-up (see lower link) of that album and other work by the USA's Joseph Byrd with Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927) as The American Metropolitan Circus. (Some of you may remember the original sync-up, which regrettably went AWOL.)   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yoIUn2-UfA

https://thecarbonfreeze.com/2020/08/21/i-finished-my-final-long-promised-smile-mix-plus-a-special-bonus-project/

[JK]

I keep coming back to this heart-warming video. I like what John Newman does (Tribute is one heck of an album), although Charlie Wilson pretty well steals the show in "Tiring Game":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DI7k3GX8KIg

[JK]

It's confession time, folks. The "General Music Discussion" is my only port of call at Smiley. I have this section bookmarked, and that's it.

Which is why I'm linking Brian's That Lucky Old Sun here (apart from the fact that I really am listening to it now).

For years, I couldn't for the life of me see its attractions. Everyone was yelling its praises and I didn't understand why. BWPS was the one BW album for me. Several ear-opening SMiLE fan mixes later, an enthusiastic review of TLOS prompted me to revisit it and it's as if I'm hearing it for the first time.

I'm about halfway through (my late night/early morning listening strategy) and I'm sold! I somehow missed its warmth and sincerity on all those other occasions. Maybe I just needed to be shown the right way in.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kwax42Q1xTTaIeArI5V0HqCJXZSYx4PjY



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That_Lucky_Old_Sun_(album)    

[JK]

Frank Zappa tips his hat to fellow boundary-pusher Eric Dolphy:

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

R.I.P. both.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasels_Ripped_My_Flesh

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Dolphy

[NOLA BB Fan]

I agree- That Lucky Old Sun is great. That and the Gershwin are my favorite Brian solo albums

Internet went out in my house. One of the joys of rural living.
Not complaining - thousands of people in Louisiana and Texas have more important things to deal with after the hurricane .

So have to listen to the Top 400 summer songs of the 60s on the sixties Sirius XM channel in my car. Lucky to have picked it up at number 30, and that most 60s songs are short
At the top 10 now. Already played one BBs song.

Update: 3 BB songs in top 10. Wasn’t surprised at the number one song - so appropriate for the toasty weather we’re having down here now!
I’ll post top 10 list if there’s interest

They are also doing a top 50 albums of 1970 on the Classic Vinyl channel. Got the top 3, albums CSN (Déja Vu), Beatles (Let It Be), and topped by Led Zeppelin (LZ III). They play one song on the album. Will replay countdown later so will miss it. Could by some miracle Sunflower made the list? If so, what song should they play?

Now inside and will do some reading

[JK]

I agree- That Lucky Old Sun is great. That and the Gershwin are my favorite Brian solo albums

Internet went out in my house. One of the joys of rural living.
Not complaining - thousands of people in Louisiana and Texas have more important things to deal with after the hurricane .

So have to listen to the Top 400 summer songs of the 60s on the sixties Sirius XM channel in my car. Lucky to have picked it up at number 30, and that most 60s songs are short
At the top 10 now. Already played one BBs song.

Update: 3 BB songs in top 10. Wasn’t surprised at the number one song - so appropriate for the toasty weather we’re having down here now!
I’ll post top 10 list if there’s interest

They are also doing a top 50 albums of 1970 on the Classic Vinyl channel. Got the top 3, albums CSN (Déja Vu), Beatles (Let It Be), and topped by Led Zeppelin (LZ III). They play one song on the album. Will replay countdown later so will miss it. Could by some miracle Sunflower made the list? If so, what song should they play?

Now inside and will do some reading

Hi Lizzie. Sorry to hear the internet's playing up but relieved to hear you're safe (and reading).

My other choice would be BW88 in the original mix. There's something about it I find quite magical.

And yes, please post that top ten list. These things are so incredibly subjective but fascinating just the same.

[JK]

I'm not a great fan of prog rock but this 1979 album by Czech band Modrý efekt is pretty cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWPNqeFpvU8

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Effect_(band)

[NOLA BB Fan]

These were the top 10 60s songs released during the summer months, as voted on by listeners:

10.  Sweet Caroline
  9.  Surfer a Girl
  8.  Unchained Melody
  7.  Windy
  6.  House of the Rising Sun
  5.  Under the Boardwalk
  4.  I Get Around
  3.  See You in September
  2.  California Girls
  1.  Summer in the City

Something this old lady didn’t know about the Beatles. Didn’t know that they released another album between Abbey Road and Let It Be.  Was somehow unaware of a Hey Jude album.

Spent a nice morning riding around listening to the Beatles. They were doing all the songs they recorded in order. Happily I came in during the Help! album and not the White Album.
Interesting that I’m Down and Yesterday were recorded the same day.

[JK]

These were the top 10 60s songs released during the summer months, as voted on by listeners:

10.  Sweet Caroline
  9.  Surfer a Girl
  8.  Unchained Melody
  7.  Windy
  6.  House of the Rising Sun
  5.  Under the Boardwalk
  4.  I Get Around
  3.  See You in September
  2.  California Girls
  1.  Summer in the City

Something this old lady didn’t know about the Beatles. Didn’t know that they released another album between Abbey Road and Let It Be.  Was somehow unaware of a Hey Jude album.

Spent a nice morning riding around listening to the Beatles. They were doing all the songs they recorded in order. Happily I came in during the Help! album and not the White Album.
Interesting that I’m Down and Yesterday were recorded the same day.

Thanks for the top ten, Lizzie.

I see the Hey Jude album was released pretty well everywhere but in the UK at the time. It doesn't mean a light to me either.   

[JK]

Velvett Fogg's self-titled 1969 album is okay but nothing special. The best track is the album opener, "Yellow Cave Woman":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJrRAWPTm7w

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velvett_Fogg

[JK]

Time to get down with your bad self to "Bay City" by Junko Yagami:

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junko_Yagami

[Unreconstructed Wilsonite]

Only just discovered this band called Levitation Room over the last few days - a fairly new band, and rather obscure for the most part. Was not expecting to be completely blown away by this track they released in 2018. Which, funnily enough, is called Warmth Of The Sun and is not a cover of the Beach Boys classic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC_DrMK3BAk

[JK]

Only just discovered this band called Levitation Room over the last few days - a fairly new band, and rather obscure for the most part. Was not expecting to be completely blown away by this track they released in 2018. Which, funnily enough, is called Warmth Of The Sun and is not a cover of the Beach Boys classic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC_DrMK3BAk

Lovely track, UW. Good call!

I see they've also done a blissed-out song called "Friends". Is there a pattern emerging?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-cJWkZLy0k

[JK]

Recently I discovered dubstep, most noticeably in the hands of Seven Lions (born Jeff Montalvo). This is his subtle, stunning remix of the song "Satellite" by Oceanlab. I dedicate this to a dear friend "half a world away":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWWopjG9URo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Lions

[Unreconstructed Wilsonite]

Given that Jimi Hendrix passed away 50 years ago today, I figured it was a good time to re-listen to Electric Ladyland for the first time in years. Fantastic album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibJ3VMt6yfU

[JK]

Given that Jimi Hendrix passed away 50 years ago today, I figured it was a good time to re-listen to Electric Ladyland for the first time in years. Fantastic album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibJ3VMt6yfU

I'm criminally unfamiliar with this album. A few tracks, of course, including this extraordinary single (with an extraordinary B-side):

https://vimeo.com/313662875

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_the_Midnight_Lamp

[JK]

Here (with thanks to CB) are the six ingredients of BDSM presented in a mini-concert of contrasts. Enjoy!

Bondage... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRHn6TsvteQ
...and Discipline: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnnUIveM-e0

Dominance and Submission: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpKJUa6IoBs

Sadism... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvO3cirZtec
..and Masochism: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TytGOeiW0aE

[JK]

I've become fascinated by dubstep. Seven Lions aka Jeff Montalvo, purveyor of melodic dubstep and trancestep, is my main man in this department. This is the mix I've been listening to on and off for days now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVQdinyn1fA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Lions

[Unreconstructed Wilsonite]

Given that Jimi Hendrix passed away 50 years ago today, I figured it was a good time to re-listen to Electric Ladyland for the first time in years. Fantastic album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibJ3VMt6yfU

I'm criminally unfamiliar with this album. A few tracks, of course, including this extraordinary single (with an extraordinary B-side):

https://vimeo.com/313662875

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_the_Midnight_Lamp

Oh yeah, I'd never given Burning Of The Midnight Lamp much of a look-in, but these days it's certainly a favourite of mine as far as Hendrix tracks go - and a fresh alternative to the classic but overplayed hits like Hey Joe, Purple Haze and All Along The Watchtower

[JK]

Given that Jimi Hendrix passed away 50 years ago today, I figured it was a good time to re-listen to Electric Ladyland for the first time in years. Fantastic album

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibJ3VMt6yfU

I'm criminally unfamiliar with this album. A few tracks, of course, including this extraordinary single (with an extraordinary B-side):

https://vimeo.com/313662875

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_the_Midnight_Lamp

Oh yeah, I'd never given Burning Of The Midnight Lamp much of a look-in, but these days it's certainly a favourite of mine as far as Hendrix tracks go - and a fresh alternative to the classic but overplayed hits like Hey Joe, Purple Haze and All Along The Watchtower

I don't know whether you're from the USA, UW, but in the UK the first two you mention and "The Wind Cries Mary" were not on the debut album. The most glaring omission from the US edition is the stunning "Red House", the studio version of which I can't find anywhere online. So instead, here's the preposterous B-side of "Lamp", "The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice":

https://vimeo.com/313656728   

[JK]

Today being World Animal Day, and considering the present state of the animal kingdom thanks to its most selfish species, how about this warning issued in 1971 by Captain Beefheart and his wife Jan Van Vliet, who wrote the lyrics: 

"Clean up the air / And treat the animals fair." No such luck, unfortunately.

"Time's runnin' out" -- don't forget these words were written nearly half a century ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag5Xkp3n7PY

[JK]

Right now I'm revisiting an album I first discovered at least a decade ago (on Bandcamp or Soundcloud). I remembered that Sugar Candy Mountain had done a trippy version of "Caroline, No" cunningly retitled "Caroline Mountain" and found the complete album on YouTube. Mystic Hits is very listenable in a bubbly way and heartily recommended:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m-nOckBrC10l7LOPQb7FJvz0B1caZ2-YA

https://imposemagazine.com/features/sugar-candy-mountain-talk-defying-expectations-share-title-track-off-upcoming-666