Music is the wine that fills the cup of silence - ROBERT FRIPP.
Information is not knowledge;
knowledge is not wisdom;
wisdom is not truth;
truth is not beauty;
beauty is not love;
love is not music;
MUSIC IS THE BEST - FRANK ZAPPA.
I think we're a little happier when we have a little music in our lives - STEVE JOBS.
Music in the soul can be heard by the universe - LAO TZU.
Rock and Roll is fire, man. FIRE. - DAVID BRIGGS.
Music grips you, gets into your soul -
GEORGE MARTIN
Genre: Welsh pop/rock Places I remember: From Samantha's collection that she left behind when she pootled off to university. Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles:Buck Rogers was a hit.
Gear costume:Piece By Piece - a lovely piece of melodic English psychedelic rock.
Active compensatory factors: Although Feeder are very much of their time, and pack a rakish punch at times, they are melodic enough with it to keep me interested. This is the sort of stuff I hear on my ipod and need to check who it's by, because it sounds rather good. Where do they all belong? Living firmly in Britpop land of the early millennium, but on the good side of the ledger.
Arctic MonkeysWhatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not(CD - Domino, 2006) *** Genre: English pop/ rock Places I remember: Fives - Leigh-on-sea Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles:When The Sun Goes Down
Gear costume:Fake Tales of San Francisco. Active compensatory factors: In 2005-2006, there was no escaping Arctic Monkeys if you lived in the UK as we did then. They were exciting. Fresh. Young. Organic. Articulate. Guitar driven. Seemingly new (listen carefully and the sixties beat groups were clearly an inspiration) and not hyped by a record company. Singing in a blatant Sheffield dialect, Alex Turner was clearly right for the time. I'm not too sure that it's aged well but who cares. This is about a new band in 2006, not an aging band in 2017. Take a look at that video and get a feel for a band alive in the moment! Where do they all belong? The next album was my favourite worst nightmare!
Genre: NZ/Australian pop/rock Places I remember: The Warehouse Cambridge Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles:Riff Raff is GREAT rock and roll!!
Gear costume: Take yer pick - a strong collection of yer classic AC/DC filthy funky guitar noise. Try Up To My Neck In You though, it is impossible to sit still during most of these songs but this is especially infectious!!! Active compensatory factors: Five stars Wozza, really? Well, yes. It's a clear classic in my eyes and ears. Bon Scott in all his aussie battler glory! Powerage is a peak moment in the studio albums. Not a duff track to be found and everything clicks. A classic!
Where do they all belong? Next up - If you wanted blood you got it during Akka dakka's finest hour.
Corelli4 Concerti Grossi(CD - Point Classics, 1994) ***
Genre: Classical Places I remember: The Warehouse Cambridge Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles/Gear costume:
Active compensatory factors: The baroque era is by far and away my favourite within the classical genre. I'd heard an edited piece on a sampler, so I knew I liked Corelli's music. This is a nice example - it's very melodic and joyous; surprisingly spritely at times and quietly contemplative at others. Where do they all belong? Nicely nestled within the Baroque section of my limited classical section.
Bob Marley and The WailersRastaman Vibration(CD - Tuff Gong, 1976) **** Genre: Reggae Places I remember:The Warehouse Cambridge Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles:War
Gear costume:Positive Vibration Active compensatory factors: The uplifting start from Positive Vibration is what makes this album such a joy to return to from time to time.
Say you just can't live that negative way
If you know what I mean
Make way for the positive day'
Cause it's news (new day) news and days
New time (new time), and if it's a new feelin' (new feelin'), yeah
Said it's a new sign (new sign)
Oh, what a new day
I love that - it's what connects so many people to Bob Marley and his music - this message. He had some terrible things happen to him in his life and he saw a lot of bad things too. And still - oh what a new day! That's pretty special. Jah love. I've chosen War to highlight here as well because the positivity is maintained until the end of the album (War is track nine of ten). Rather than highlight war's brutality and degradation, Marley looks forward:
And we know we shall win
As we are confident
In the victory
Of good over evil -
Good over evil, yeah!
Good over evil, yeah Bob!
Where do they all belong? This album kind of embedded things for the band after Live! kicked off things properly in the west. Next up - the five star classic, Exodus.
Genre: Jazz Places I remember: Weird little shop in the Souq Waqif (Doha, Qatar) that had an amazing ECM collection of CDs. Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles/ Gear costume: Opener Sull Lull sets the scene.
Active compensatory factors: Anour Brahem was the reason I bought this. Jan Garbarek is an acquired taste as a saxophonist. He can be quite harsh in his tone and I'm more a smooth sax sound lover. But forget that! On this album the Norwegian complements the Tunisian oud master, Anouar Brahem, and Ustad Shaukat Hussain, from Pakistan, on tabla. So much so that these three create something beyond their usual individual sound. The mix of Scandinavian cool, middle eastern oud and the anchoring sound of the tabla works to create some fascinating, and at times, challenging, sound collages. Where do they all belong? Much more Brahem magic to come.
