Unconscious whispers (Melissa Aldana) (LP 3764 - 3769)

Melissa Aldana  Echoes of the Inner Prophet (Vinyl, Blue Note Records, 2024) ***  

Beau Brummels  Triangle (Vinyl, Warner Bros. Records, 1967/ 2019 reissue) ***  

Fleetwood Mac Christine McVie's Fleetwood Mac at the BBC 1970-71 (Vinyl, Rhythm & Blues Records, 1967/ 2019 reissue) Mostly **** (songs on side 2 - 5 to 8 = *) 

Vincent H.L.  Golden Sun (Vinyl, 1:12 Records, 2021) ***

Fenne Lily  Big Picture (Vinyl, Dead Oceans Records, 2023) **** 

Ester Rose  How Many Times (Vinyl, Father/ Daughter Records, 2021) ***

Genre: Jazz, psychedelic pop, blues rock, NZ music, indie-folk, country/ Americana.

Places I remember: JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Crazy 'Bout You Baby, Tell Me All The Things You Do (Fleetwood Mac), Lights Light Up (Fenne Lily)

Gear costume: Nine Pound Hammer (Triangle) 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5; Part 6

Active compensatory factors: JB Hi Fi have been having a big clearout. First it was 75% off, and then those they couldn't move at that price were reduced further to $5 each. Bargains!! And certainly worth a punt. I did a quick Google search while in the store and all seemed worthy of my time, so this was something of a no-brainer. When did you last see a bunch of mint recent releases for five bucks each?

Melissa Aldana (no, I hadn't heard of her either) is a Chilean tenor sax player. The Blue Note label is what made me take the chance on Echoes of the Inner Prophet - her most recent album. Great title - sounds like spiritual jazz which I'm a fan of generally. The album's growing on me, albeit slowly. I'll need a few more listens though to fully appreciate what she is aiming for.

The Beau Brummels album is one I've thought about from time to time. JB Hi Fi must have bought a few of these. Lenny Waronker produced (a good sign), plus it's from 1967 (67 being a magic number for me this year). AllMusic says: All the band's signature styles (folk, country swing, and Brit-pop) are still heard in the mix, but the tunes here assume an added aura of mysticism. Okay. I'll again need a few more listens but I don't quite get it yet.

Christine McVie's Fleetwood Mac Live at the BBC 1970-71 was full price when I visited JB Hi Fi but I couldn't leave it behind. My love of Christine McVie's music has been documented already in this blog.

Three quarters of the album is superb - great audio quality and superb playing, but the other quarter is really rough and while the cover says they are 'very listenable', I beg to differ. Nevermind. For the rest - fantastic songs like Crazy 'Bout You Baby. Side one then is a hoot!

Vincent H.L. looks a bit like Neil Young, sounds a bit like Neil Young and plays a bit like Neil Young. Yikes! Call him the Nu Zild Nil Yung! This album is a slow grower, as in I didn't like it much on the first listen, but then - woh Nelly - second listen, in the spring sunshine, I'm grooving on the sloppy guitars and slurry vocals. This one's a keeper!

The find of the pile though is undoubtably Fenne Lily. Another indie folk singer-songwriter I'd never come across, but for $5 I got a terrific surprise. It helped I heard it first at night. It's perfect at dusk. Then I played it again in the spring sunshine and its magic translated to that scenario as well.

Her delivery is beguiling, as she sings in a hushed tone for the most part. She's reflective but not dour. Songs unwind themselves gently and hauntingly. I'm a fan!

The final $5 purchase is Ester Rose's How Many Times. Ester is an American country musician. This is her third album and, again, I took a punt based on the AllMusic review of her latest album.

How Many Times is a breakup record but it sounds pretty upbeat with some jaunty sounds. Ester's voice is pure and affecting. Nothing wrong with this album and yes, another one that will grow on me in time, I'm sure. The fiddle and pedal steel are particularly fine. 

Where do they all belong? A good haul then with me returning to Fenne Lily every day this week.