What Are You Listening To?
- Thread starter Rope
- Start date
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Hard Promises -- CD
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
1981/1990 MCA Records
Amazon.com
Tom Petty's love affair with the more pop-oriented output of the Byrds and Dylan at their mid-'60s prime continued to find an increasingly wide audience in the '80s--and damned if some people didn't persist in calling it "new wave." Go figure. If writing hook-laden, instantly memorable pop-rock songs was both a sign of genius and one of music's toughest feats, Hard Promises (and its FM evergreens, "The Waiting" and "A Woman in Love") confirmed that Petty was one skinny, little, hard-working prodigy. Picking up effortlessly where *** the Torpedoes left off, Petty and the equally conscientious Heartbreakers took nothing about their newfound fame for granted, delivering their fourth strong effort in a row, this one increasingly seasoned with touches of their Southern roots. The title hints at the tough underbelly beneath the jangly veneer of Petty's ever-accessible songwriting, exemplified here by "Nightwatchman," "Something Big," and "The Criminal Kind." All tracks on this edition have been upgraded via digital remastering, and the album's original inner artwork and lyrics have also been restored. --Jerry McCulley
Side one
1. "The Waiting" – 3:58
2. "A Woman in Love (It's Not Me)" (Petty, Mike Campbell) – 4:22
3. "Nightwatchman" (Petty, Campbell) – 3:59
4. "Something Big" – 4:44
5. "Kings Road" – 3:27
Side two
1. "Letting You Go" – 3:24
2. "A Thing About You" – 3:33
3. "Insider" – 4:23
4. "The Criminal Kind" – 4:00
5. "You Can Still Change Your Mind" (Petty, Campbell) – 4:15
Dennie said:
Haunted Heart -- CD
Hilary Kole
2009 Justin Time Records
Product Description
After years performing in the world's top venues with such jazz legends as Hank Jones and Oscar Peterson, here is Hilary Kole's debut, produced by John Pizzarelli, a jazz star in his own right, and who also serves as the album's guitarist. Together, Hilary and John have assembled 13 songs with roots in the great American songbook, but largely unknown, including Tom Waits Old Boyfriends and You For Me, best known from the late Blossom Dearie's interpretation. Here is a jazz vocalist for today!
Hilary Kole co- created and originated the lead female roles in the critically acclaimed, award winning Off-Broadway musicals, Our Sinatra (2000 MAC Award) and Singing Astaire.
Ms. Kole has been hailed by critics as a 'a musical marvel!' (Rex Reed, New York Observer.) Robert Daniels from Daily Variety said 'Kole is quite the prettiest young thrush on the club circuit...it's torch singing at its apex.'
1. It's Love
2. There's A Small Hotel
3. 'Deed I Do
4. I Didn't Know About You
5. Better Than Anything
6. Like A Lover
7. Blackberry Winter
8. The Snake
9. Old Boyfriends
10. How Am I To Know
11. What'll I Do
12. You For Me
13. Haunted Heart
Wow, she is very talented and attractive to boot. I had not heard of her, so i checked her out on youtube. Very nice.
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Stunt -- CD
Barenaked Ladies
1998 Reprise Records
Amazon.com
The Ladies have done more than lie in bed the way Brian Wilson did; they've spent some quality sandbox time mastering the intricacies of catchy pop records, hooks and all. Sounding at times like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young after a week in the Caribbean, the Ladies mix a dash of rap with a pop backbeat on "One Week," while "It's All Been Done" is classic 1960s Top 40, right down to the "woo-hoo-hoo" backing vocals. The lyrics are the hidden joy on this record, with lines like "I love you more than I did the week before I discovered alcohol" and the male voice singing about tying his pantyhose around his neck. The songs are well crafted and the production flushes out the Ladies' hidden musical talents, resulting in their best effort since Gordon. --Katie Sigler
1. "One Week" (Ed Robertson) Steven Page, Ed Robertson 2:52
2. "It's All Been Done" (Steven Page) Steven Page 3:26
3. "Light Up My Room" Ed Robertson 3:36
4. "I'll Be That Girl" (Steven Page, Stephen Duffy) Steven Page 3:34
5. "Leave" Ed Robertson 3:24
6. "Alcohol" (Steven Page, Stephen Duffy) Steven Page 3:43
7. "Call and Answer" Steven Page 5:49
8. "In the Car" (Steven Page) Steven Page 3:53
9. "Never Is Enough" Ed Robertson 3:23
10. "Who Needs Sleep?" Ed Robertson 3:44
11. "Told You So" Ed Robertson 4:21
12. "Some Fantastic" Steven Page, Ed Robertson 3:17
13. "When You Dream" Steven Page 5:19
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Hey Randy,Randy said:Dennie said:
Haunted Heart -- CD
Hilary Kole
2009 Justin Time Records
Product Description
After years performing in the world's top venues with such jazz legends as Hank Jones and Oscar Peterson, here is Hilary Kole's debut, produced by John Pizzarelli, a jazz star in his own right, and who also serves as the album's guitarist. Together, Hilary and John have assembled 13 songs with roots in the great American songbook, but largely unknown, including Tom Waits Old Boyfriends and You For Me, best known from the late Blossom Dearie's interpretation. Here is a jazz vocalist for today!
Hilary Kole co- created and originated the lead female roles in the critically acclaimed, award winning Off-Broadway musicals, Our Sinatra (2000 MAC Award) and Singing Astaire.
Ms. Kole has been hailed by critics as a 'a musical marvel!' (Rex Reed, New York Observer.) Robert Daniels from Daily Variety said 'Kole is quite the prettiest young thrush on the club circuit...it's torch singing at its apex.'
1. It's Love
2. There's A Small Hotel
3. 'Deed I Do
4. I Didn't Know About You
5. Better Than Anything
6. Like A Lover
7. Blackberry Winter
8. The Snake
9. Old Boyfriends
10. How Am I To Know
11. What'll I Do
12. You For Me
13. Haunted Heart
Wow, she is very talented and attractive to boot. I had not heard of her, so i checked her out on youtube. Very nice.
That is the great thing about this thread. I often find Artists/Music I didn't even know about.
So much Music, so little time! :violin: :eusa-clap:
Dennie
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Lonely Runs Both Ways -- CD
Alison Krauss and Union Station
2004 Rounder Records
Amazon.com
Nobody makes somber sound more exquisite than Alison Krauss. She's come an awfully long way from her days as a teenage fiddle prodigy, as her glamour gown on this CD's cover suggests and the bittersweet maturity of the music confirms. Krauss exchanges her bluegrass fiddle for the chamber strains of viola on much of the material, including four songs by Robert Lee Castleman (whose "The Lucky One," "Let Me Touch You for Awhile," and "Forget About It" were previously popularized by Krauss). Castleman's compositions showcase the emotional intimacy and interpretive subtlety of her breathy trill. The yearning harmonies on "Wouldn't Be So Bad" (written by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings) and "Borderline" (written by Sidney and Suzanne Cox) reinforce the album's restless spirit of quiet desperation. Change-of-pace contributions by Krauss's bandmates are more deeply rooted in the bluegrass/folk tradition, with Dan Tyminski renewing Del McCoury's "Rain Please Go Away" and Woody Guthrie's populist anthem "Pastures of Plenty"; Dobro master Jerry Douglas leads the charge on his instrumental "Unionhouse Branch." Few bands in bluegrass can match the virtuosity of Union Station's interplay, but the artistry of Alison Krauss transcends genre. --Don McLeese
1. "Gravity" – 3:36 (Robert Lee Castleman)
2. "Restless" – 2:51 (Robert Lee Castleman)
3. "Rain Please Go Away" – 2:29 (Del McCoury)
4. "Goodbye Is All We Have" – 3:53 (Sarah Siskind)
5. "Unionhouse Branch" – 2:56 (Jerry Douglas)
6. "Wouldn't Be So Bad" – 3:11 (David Rawlings, Gillian Welch)
7. "Pastures of Plenty" – 3:45 (Woody Guthrie)
8. "Crazy As Me" – 3:14 (Melanie Castleman, Robert Lee Castleman)
9. "Borderline" – 3:26 (Sidney Cox, Suzanne Cox)
10. "My Poor Old Heart" – 3:08 (Donna Hughes)
11. "This Sad Song" – 2:21 (Alison Brown, Alison Krauss)
12. "Doesn't Have to Be This Way" – 3:34 (Robert Lee Castleman}
13. "I Don't Have to Live This Way" – 2:04 (Ron Block)
14. "If I Didn't Know Any Better" – 3:48 (John Scott Sherrill, Mindy Smith)
15. "A Living Prayer" – 3:35 (Ron Block)
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Nickel Creek -- CD
Nickel Creek
2000 Sugarhill Records
Amazon.com
San Diego is not exactly known as a hotbed of contemporary bluegrass music, but then again, Nickel Creek are a far cry from most bluegrass bands you've ever heard. On their Alison Krauss-produced debut, they serve up a lilting, ethereal fusion of bluegrass, Celtic, modern folk, and even classical influences, offering exquisite harmonies that would be more at home at a Crosby, Stills & Nash tribute than at a musical salute to the late Bill Monroe. Yet it makes for delightful listening, all the same. The three principals (Sara Watkins on fiddle and vocals; her brother Sean Watkins on guitar, mandolin, and vocals; and Chris Thile on mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, and vocals) are either barely out of their teens or still in them. Individually and as a band, they've already won a slew of awards and notoriety on their respective instruments. The three prodigies (joined by Thile's dad, Scott, on bass) really strut their eclectic hot licks on a few soaring, skittering instrumentals, but even more impressive are Nickel Creek's graceful, heartfelt harmonies on the many lovely ballads. Hot licks, when you get right down to it, are a dime a dozen; this sort of pluperfect tunefulness is a much rarer thing. --Bob Allen
1 "Ode to a Butterfly" Chris Thile 4:10
2 "The Lighthouse's Tale" Thile, Adam McKenzie 5:03
3 "Out of the Woods" Sinéad Lohan 5:19
4 "House of Tom Bombadil" Thile 3:46
5 "Reasons Why" Sean Watkins, David Puckett 4:08
6 "When You Come Back Down" Tim O'Brien, Danny O'Keefe 3:49
7 "Sweet Afton" Robert Burns 5:37
8 "Cuckoo's Nest" Traditional 2:19
9 "The Hand Song" Watkins 4:26
10 "Robin and Marian" Watkins 4:34
11 "The Fox" Traditional 2:30
12 "Pastures New" Watkins 3:53
I thought this was good info.....
I use many different audio tracks for evaluating audio calibration. If I had to choose just one for traditional stereo demonstration, it would be the group Nickel Creek and their album of the same name. With a contemporary bluegrass style focused on vocals and stringed instruments, it is a great way to help someone experience true stereo audio imaging for the first time.Give “The Lighthouse’s Tale” [track] a try with a decent two-channel setup - amazing!
- Dean Rockwell, Grand Home Automation
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Tone Poems -- CD
David Grisman & Tony Rice
1994 Acoustic Disc
Two masters at the height of their craft, July 6, 2000
By William Adair
This review is from: Tone Poems (Audio CD)
David Grisman and Tony Rice are two of the best musicians playing today, and "Tone Poems" proves that this is no idle claim. Yes, the CD has a theme: play vintage-sounding tunes on vintage instruments; and yes, it comes with a 39-page booklet. Before this CD, I never paid any attention to the actual instruments played, but I do now! The booklet is likely to be most useful to musicologists and guitar/mandolin afficionados, but even a cross-fingered tone-deaf dolt like me can appreciate the instruments' beauty and diversity.
Most of the tunes are Grisman originals with an authentic old-time flavor. While most tunes are traditional folk songs, styles range from bluesy (Watson's Blues) to jazz (Django Reinhardt's Swing '42) to that mandolin classic, O Solo Mio.
Don't expect blazing finger work up and down the fretboard, although this CD offers that too. This music is less like a frantic trip down the freeway and more like a quiet early morning stroll down a country road. Wouldn't you rather be there right now?
1. Turn of the Century
2. The Prisoner's Waltz
3. Sam-Bino
4. Grandfather's Clock
5. Good Old Mountain Dew
6. I Am a Pilgrim
7. Mill Valley Waltz
8. Vintage Gintage Blues
9. Don't Want Your Mandolins Mister
10. Dawg After Dark
11. Wildwood Flower
12. Morning Sun
13. Banks of the Ohio
14. Swing '42
15. Watson Blues
16. O Solo Mio
Kazaam
Well-Known Member
Recent purchases:
Dan Fogelberg - "Greatest Hits"
Polyphonic Spree/Elliott Smith - "Thumbsucker (Movie Soundtrack)"
Enuff Z Nuff - "Favorites"
The Fogelberg disc was really cheap, but worth it just for the two songs that I wanted---"Longer" and "Leader of the Band". It was a bonus when I realized that I also recognized one or two other songs on the album. The "Thumbsucker" disc was a bit of a disappointment. Although I knew it was a soundtrack album, I thought maybe I'd like it better than I do most other soundtrack albums. But it's still is fairly worthwhile. The three Smith tracks are definite keepers, and the Spree/DeLaughter tracks are interesting soundscapes reminiscent of 'official' Spree albums, but these are more stripped down to their core. That said... I had to use Audacity to cut down "Acceptance" from 30 minutes to 5 minutes. (Hard drive space is a premium and that song just loops the same thing over and over.) As for Enuff Z Nuff, I haven't had much of a chance to listen to it yet; but it's a hits collection and the band supposedly sounds a bit like Cheap Trick at times, so I figure that'll be pretty good.
Dan Fogelberg - "Greatest Hits"
Polyphonic Spree/Elliott Smith - "Thumbsucker (Movie Soundtrack)"
Enuff Z Nuff - "Favorites"
The Fogelberg disc was really cheap, but worth it just for the two songs that I wanted---"Longer" and "Leader of the Band". It was a bonus when I realized that I also recognized one or two other songs on the album. The "Thumbsucker" disc was a bit of a disappointment. Although I knew it was a soundtrack album, I thought maybe I'd like it better than I do most other soundtrack albums. But it's still is fairly worthwhile. The three Smith tracks are definite keepers, and the Spree/DeLaughter tracks are interesting soundscapes reminiscent of 'official' Spree albums, but these are more stripped down to their core. That said... I had to use Audacity to cut down "Acceptance" from 30 minutes to 5 minutes. (Hard drive space is a premium and that song just loops the same thing over and over.) As for Enuff Z Nuff, I haven't had much of a chance to listen to it yet; but it's a hits collection and the band supposedly sounds a bit like Cheap Trick at times, so I figure that'll be pretty good.
Kazaam
Well-Known Member
Dennie said:Kazaam said:
Funny........ :laughing-rolling: !
I only have two Klipsch La Scala speakers, if I get 3 to 5 more, I may change my "music" listening habits!
I hope you'll still wave if we see each other on the street!bscene-drinkingcheers:
Oh... I suppose. I'll wave and say, "Hey there's that guy who can't do 5.1 audio. He only has a mere two Klipsch La Scala speakers! Ha Ha Haw!!!!!" Yep, just two massively large, high quality speakers.... erm... wait a second. All I've got is some small B&W bookshelves and a subwoofer. Maybe the jokes on me! :music-listening:
Dennie said:
Kazaam said:
Funny........ :laughing-rolling: !
I only have two Klipsch La Scala speakers, if I get 3 to 5 more, I may change my "music" listening habits!
Dennie said:I hope you'll still wave if we see each other on the street!
Kazaam said:
He's selling the La Scala's and going with some in-wall speakers because they're very placement friendly and sound terrific.
bscene-birdiedoublered: Rope
PS, how much are you asking?
Rope
Got this one (along with Drag), had been on the fence on this one for a while as it had come up earlier in my explorations. But wow, I'm glad I went ahead and got it, it's some awesome singing.
Edit: and the instrumentalists with her are very good too, she's not just a solo act.
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Today's work truck music....
The Very Best of the 60's -- CD
Aretha Franklin
1994 Atlantic Records
Amazon.com
This 16-track disc and its companion piece (Volume 2) do a great job of recapitulating Aretha's singles career at Atlantic. Some of the most compelling music ever recorded, these sides bring forth the best of one of the great singers. Whether all but rewriting "Respect" ("That girl stole my song," an admiring Otis Redding said) or barely masking the pain behind "Call Me," she tells some of the truest stories around. And what a piano player. --Rickey Wright
Respect
Baby I Love You
I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)
Chain of Fools
Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
A Natural Woman, (You Make Me Feel Like)
Since You've Been Gone, (Sweet Sweet Baby)
Ain't No Way - (bonus track)
Think
See Saw
The House That Jack Built
I Say a Little Prayer
The Weight
Eleanor Rigby - (bonus track)
Share Your Love With Me - (bonus track)
Call Me - (bonus track)
The Very Best of the 60's -- CD
Aretha Franklin
1994 Atlantic Records
Amazon.com
This 16-track disc and its companion piece (Volume 2) do a great job of recapitulating Aretha's singles career at Atlantic. Some of the most compelling music ever recorded, these sides bring forth the best of one of the great singers. Whether all but rewriting "Respect" ("That girl stole my song," an admiring Otis Redding said) or barely masking the pain behind "Call Me," she tells some of the truest stories around. And what a piano player. --Rickey Wright
Respect
Baby I Love You
I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)
Chain of Fools
Do Right Woman, Do Right Man
A Natural Woman, (You Make Me Feel Like)
Since You've Been Gone, (Sweet Sweet Baby)
Ain't No Way - (bonus track)
Think
See Saw
The House That Jack Built
I Say a Little Prayer
The Weight
Eleanor Rigby - (bonus track)
Share Your Love With Me - (bonus track)
Call Me - (bonus track)
Dennie
Well-Known Member
Rope said:Dennie said:
He's selling the La Scala's and going with some in-wall speakers because they're very placement friendly and sound terrific.
Rope
PS, how much are you asking?
Rope
No, No, No! I'm not selling them, I am building "Walls" around them! :happy-smileygiantred:
Pay attention Rope! :angry-banghead:
Dennie
Dennie
Well-Known Member
PaulyT said:
Got this one (along with Drag), had been on the fence on this one for a while as it had come up earlier in my explorations. But wow, I'm glad I went ahead and got it, it's some awesome singing.
Edit: and the instrumentalists with her are very good too, she's not just a solo act.
That is "Probably" my favorite K.D. Lang album! Although, I haven't found an album of hers that I don't like!
I'm glad you've found her!
This is a great thread! Thanks for starting it Rope! :handgestures-thumbup:
Dennie
