New Music!

So on the trip to Norway I posted about in the previous post, I bought a bunch of CDs:

NAS - Illmatic


This has been one of my favorite hip hop albums for quite a while now. Sure, it may be a popular choice, but this album just gets hip hop stripped down to the essentials, focusing on them, working them out in great detail. It's a little bit of a grower, but the raw beats and (generally) interesting lyrics really make this shine. It's just bad-ass.

Dinosaur JR. - You're Living All Over Me


Another album I enjoy quite a bit. Unlike Illmatic, which I play a lot, I don't listen to this album that often (at least, not before buying it). However, as I was going to see them live, I was so enthusiastic I picked this one up, remembering how I liked it when I first heard it. And it was definitely worth the money!

Meyvn - Splintered Skies


Here's one I had never heard of. However, for a mere 2.50 euro's and awesome artwork, I really couldn't leave it. I expected something symphonic metal, in the line line of Epica or After Forever, but instead I got something better; a lengthy progressive metal album with plenty of impressive guitar, synths and heavyness. A friend compared them with Dream Theater; I actually don't like them- but if he's right, maybe I should give DT another chance.

Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder


Another 'classic' that I hadn't heard in a while. The RVG edition of this album is impressive like all the RVG jazz remasters I've heard (Ornette Coleman, I'm looking at you). Though perhaps not as avant-garde as I usually like my jazz, this album still has plenty of variety to offer and is a must-hear if you're working yourself through jazz.

Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here

(the text is on a plastic sleeve)

And here is a new album. I got this one with perhaps a little too little thought; I actually thought I was buying an atmospheric metal album. Surprise soon made place for enjoyment, however; this album is extremely pleasing to the ears (Steven Wilson- you actually did a good job here). However, unlike Porcupine Tree, this album doesn't suffer much from boringness (or at least, not yet). Also, this album includes a DVD-A of the album (which I have yet to try). Pretty good, for the price of a regular new CD. Oh- did I mention the carefully crafted packaging?

And that reminds me of yet another task I will probably forget about: documenting my CDs, one post for each, with pictures and all that. If I ever do it, the Anathema album, Fear Factory - Mechanize, Sunn O))) & Boris - Altar, Sigur Rós - Takk.., Municipal Waste - Massive Aggressive, Nine Inch Nails - Ghosts I-IV, will probably be the albums that go first, since (my editions of) these all have awesome/non-standard packaging.

Some great jazz

Okay, here's the deal.
Over the course of the current week, I've been trying to listen to loads and loads of jazz (to rediscover the old and find the new, mainly). I'll recommend you some of my finest discoveries shortly, but first I should note this blog will be (even more) inactive starting next week (probably), since my classes are coming back. I don't honestly have that many hours, but I am really unsure how much time the projects will take. In either case, I hope to file at least one post every other week if possible.

Okay, on to some jazz discoveries. I've been recommended quite some albums in the bop style. I still have a little bit of a hard time describing the sound, but it's pretty upbeat, usually with sax on the front. The sax will likely be quite variated, backed by a tight bass and pretty fast drums (though not as fast as, say, Ornette Coleman's works). Anyway, here are some:



Make sure to check these out.
Also, if you want to hear the big band thing, try these:

One of my first and favorite jazz albums, which lead me to buy the band's album Bring It On (which features vocals and more variety, generally a much more poppier appoach). I'm also (probably) attending their show in my town soon. Also, check this one out:

This was recommended to me at the Music Advice Center last.fm group in response to my query about the intro-song to Cowboy Bebop (for you anime fans, you probably know it, but shame on you if you don't):

Which is, by the way, one of the best intro songs to an anime ever (Texhnolyze and Trigun also have great intro's in the psytrance and stonerish rock respectively).
Enjoy!

By the way, do check out The Needle Drop's youtube channel for hilarious and (imho) well done reviews (though I don't always agree, they're quite fun to watch).

Unknown Metal treats

Hey folks,

It's been a while since I posted. I think it's about time for a metal post. Here are two picks from the recent Unknown Metal posts. First off though, I'd like to point out that the new album that dredg put out in June is quite awesome. Do check it out if you haven't already. If you don't know dredg, then you should check this album out:

Here's the new album's cover:


Anyway, on to business.
First off, Akphaezya. This four-piece band from France plays music that is best described as being jazz piano combined with progressive metal and weird clean female vocals. People call this band as so many others 'avant-garde metal', but I don't think the term works to be honest. Anyway, if you like any of those, check them out. Here's the cover of the re-recorded version of their one and only album:

According to their myspace, which also has some tracks for streaming, they're working on a new album. There's also a buy link there for the above, or if you want to hear it, google can help you.
The Unknown Metal thread might have more information/opinions.
The album cover looks a lot more dark and obscure than it really is. I think non-metal fans will probably be able to enjoy this too (though if you're a jazz-purist, then perhaps not).


On to the next band: Aluk Todolo. This band, also from France, plays something that is probably best described as krautrock, but darker. It takes in quite a bit from noise and black metal, and it has a really metal feel about it. This is the cover of their latest album, Finsternis:

The Unknown Metal thread has more information and buy links. If you're just looking to hear it (or their other works), you can ask google.
I really wonder how this album ages, but right now I'm really digging it. If I buy it, it's probably going to be from Conspiracy Records since they're the cheapest method to buy in Europe that I've seen.

Krzysztof Komeda Quintet - Astigmatic

Hey folks,

Since it's North Sea Jazz festival time this weekend, I'll post some jazz.

First off, I found the following post on /mu/ today:

and for something a little older

Krzysztof Komeda - Astigmatic
>Avant-garde Jazz, Polish Jazz
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?zm10gjzlim2
A true classic and really a must have for any comprehensive jazz collection

Bitrate: 320

And I must say, this is an amazing record. Way up there with Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy. I can't tell you much more about it than this and what the post above says. Amazing in one word. Go listen to it.

Beyond this, I would also like to bring to your attention the slightly less avant-garde, but no less amazing music that Rashaan Roland Kirk:


Out of these two, Rip, Rig and Panic is my favorite. On the other hand, The Inflated Tear's cover is more awesome, showing what Kirk is known for: playing multiple saxophones at once.


Anyway, for all of you people who are in the Netherlands, hop over the radio 6 website and catch some of the shows on the North Sea Jazz festival this weekend! They've got an excellent and variated show with interviews, recordings, live samples and everything you want to know about NSJ.


Information:
Krzysztof Komeda on last.fm
Rahsaan Roland Kirk on last.fm
radio6/NSJ (in Dutch)
radio6 twitter

The Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet - Voodoo

Hey folks, time for some jazz!

The (in)famous John Zorn (sax) plays with Wayne Horvitz (piano), Ray Drummond (bass) and Bobby Previte (drums) on an amazing bop album:

The album is an obvious tribute to Sonny Clark, a jazz pianist that died in 1962 after nine years of activity. I haven't heard the original recordings, so I can't tell you how this performance compares, but I can tell you Zorn is one amazing performer (and composer, but that aside).
Voodoo is a pretty adventurous album, at some point hinting to the avant-garde jazz that Zorn also plays (Voodoo being the most prominent example). Apart from these hints, the tracks are very gentle to the ears (in my opinion, anyway), but they do not avoid showing what each player is capable of. Apart from Zorn, the piano on this album is amazing. This is not that suprising, since Clark was a pianist himself, but the execution is truly magnificent. You can hear it for yourself by hopping over to this blog. I'd provide a beter source, but I don't have one.

Now, I am no jazz expert, but I think this is a wonderful introduction to the world of jazz and that if you enjoy this album, you should explore Ornette Coleman's works. Those are a few steps beyond this, but it's definitely worth checking out.

info:
AllMusicGuide review
Sonny Clark on last.fm
John Zorn on last.fm
Sonny Clark on wikipedia
The album on wikipedia
The Sonny Clark Memorial Quartet on last.fm

thanks to:
MAC at last.fm, for their wonderful forums and advice
Post about this album on MAC's Jazz Desk
beelzbubba for his excellent recommendations.