Its cloudy, rainy day, so I just slipped in "Ultimate Chillout 2003" ,some background music while chained to my desk.

I'm on the second go-round of the new Loretta Lynn album, Van Lear Rose. Fantastic! Her voice has barely changed a lick in forty-plus years, and her songwriting is better than ever.

As an aside, though - is it just me, or is there practically a whole new genre of albums by country superstars (with or without a little help from modern day hipsters) that revisit their roots and re-energize their careers? I'm thinking of the recent works of Johnny Cash (obviously), Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton's wonderful return to bluegrass. You could even include Tammy Wynette's single with The Justified Ancients of Mu-Mu, come to think of it. Now here comes Loretta Lynn, produced and arranged by Jack White (of The White Stripes). And, perversely enough, indie superstar Will Oldham's new album as Bonnie "Prince" Billy goes in the opposite direction (hiring Nashville musicians to do glossy, spruced up versions of songs from his own back catalogue).

Personally, I'm waiting for a Glen Campbell/Pet Shop Boys collaboration. Or maybe Tanya Tucker and Brian Eno. wink

Between Here and Gone
by
Mary Chapin Carpenter

ta daa!

[ April 28, 2004, 01:43 AM: Message edited by: gayhawk ]

William1865: Velvet Underground & Nico? The white album with the pink banana? I still have the vinyl LP! Shockingly great stuff, from 1965 or so. Heroin? Amazing, especially when you consider that they did it back when The Ronnettes were popular.

Jim Allen: Claudio Arrau/Beethoven Sonatas? He is wonderful in that music (Schubert too) - better even than the usual Germans, imho. You're right about "sublime", especially in the late sonatas: the simple fugue tune re-emerging from the darkness in Op 110?, or the Op 111 variations trilling off into infinity? he makes this music sound like it's been out there all along, behind some star, waiting for us to discover it. I first heard him live out at Tanglewood, 1980 or so, BSO / Tennstedt. They did a bang-up job on R.Strauss's trashy but fun "Burleske" and succeded in making it sound like great music, an accomplishment that takes great musicianship. I've never heard his Bach, but I bet he'd be wonderful in that music too, as you say, sublime.

My own CD players aren't quite so gainfully emloyed right now.

This morning, here by the computer: Lehar, "Land of Smiles", a schmaltzy old Viennese operetta with some nice singing (Helen Donath / Siegfried Jerusalem) and some gorgeous pad-thai goulash in the orchestra, sort of Siam by way of Budapest by way of Vienna. I love this stuff, but then I'm getting simpleminded.

Out in the car: Roscoe Holcomb, "High Lonesome Sound", East Tennessee mountain music from years ago. His banjo and guitar picking are fine, but it's his voice that is truly amazing, a kind of pre-bluegrass old-timey high keening wail; I've never heard anything quite like it. It's direct and honest and strong, and makes everything else seem bogus and fraudulent by comparison. I played it in the car yesterday afternoon for a racoon I was driving down to the Blue Hills. He liked it too...

Saw Blondie on that A&E show Live By Request. Debbie Harry is just ultra cool. I didn't purchase The Curse Of Blondie but I am listening to the single Good Boys

Finally got the Almighty remx of Agnetha Faltskog's If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind. The song was orginally sung by a singer named Cilla Black in the 60's so the lyrics are really sugary sweet about flowers and stuff like that. It's a typical Almighty remix but the synths are really soaring and it's a real toe tapper.

And to add to my cheese wiz collection, I recently purchased Ultimate Rollers by the Bay City Rollers from a seller on Ebay.

On the Country front, I'm still listening to Josh's I Want To Live. I'm also listening to Montgomery Gentry's If You Ever Stop Loving Me, Lonestar's Let's Be Us Again and Kenny Chesney's When The Sun Goes Down and Nasville Star winner Brad Cotter's I Meant To

Rickinto: You must get the Pet Shop Boys' Pop Art cd! It's the updated version of Discography. And if you like Ultimate Chillout, you should check out Cafe Lounge on the neurodisc label. It's a really nice collection.

Marinerfan ..how was vacation, sweetie darling?

Take That and Party The 1992 American debut by Brit-popsters Take That (yes, this was way back when Robbie Williams swore he'd be with the group forever). I hate to admit it, but they have an AMAZING version of Barry Manilow's "Could It Be Magic". The entire CD is poppin' fun and it's really hard to sit still why listening to it.
Take That photo one

Take That photo two

Take That photo three

[ May 11, 2004, 10:20 AM: Message edited by: bobby78751 ]

The new Luther Vandross CD. "Dance with my Father".

I am a huge Luther fan, adn this is some of his best work. Hopefully he will bounce back from his stroke.

The CD I'm listening to is "The Swing" by INXS.

One Love - Kimberly Locke
Thug Misses - Khia
Broken Silence - Foxy Brown
Gold - Linda Eder

Hmmmm...bit of a variety...

Hey MDB Cancun was Fantabulous!!! I sat on the beach and drank Pina Colada's!!! Of course everyone at work is jealous of my Tan! We did squeeze in some cultural stuff, you know the mayan ruins, and I did some scuba diving.

Sorry about the thread hi-jack.

I have been listening to the following since I left for vacation.

1. Michael Buble (Reminds me of a cross between Harry Connick jr. and Michael Feinstein.)
2. Mixed Live Baby Anne at Club RA in Las Vegas (Great workout CD!)
3. Sade Lovers live (I never travel anywhere without at least 1 Sade CD!)
4. John Mayer (A good CD for traveling.)
5. Jody Watley's midnight lounge (possibly her best work.)
6. Madonna GHV2 (Gotta luv the material girl!)
7. Linkin Park hybrid theory (overall great cd)

Mike

Glad to hear you had fun

And I totally agree with you on Jody's "Midnight Lounge"

AMEN! And a good choice--the Lovers Live DVD is faaabulous!

I recently did a Simple Minds retrospective, taking in all the albums from Reel to Real Cacophony to Sparkle in the Rain. Empires and Dance is a great album.

I just finished reading a book about XTC so they got the retrospective treatment as well. Black Sea and English Settlement are incredible records, and though it gets a lot of bad press, I really like The Big Express too.

The classical music thread has had me digging through a stack of CD's. Saariaho's amazing opera L'amour de Loin got another spin, as did a disc of contemporary Finnish composers (Salonen and Lindberg).

The new Marillion album is very good, but it's a double CD so it's going to take a lot more plays to absorb.

I've been hearing about a band called Particle. They're lumped in with the jamband scene (Phish, SCI, .moe, Dave Matthews Band etc.) but they're coming at it from a more electronica angle. I downloaded a whole concert from their website and it really cooks.

Ohio by Over the Rhine

I agree that tour was Fabulous! I was in the second row. I have been in the first or second row for each of her concert tours!

Van Earl Rose by Loretta Lynn is completely different than any country collaboration I've ever heard. Jack White shows a lot of talent in producing the album. I sense a few Grammy's- the voters love this stuff.

I am also listening to K-Lo's One Love- bit of a disappointment but a few nice tracks. I sense that she and Kelly should have exhanged some of the songs on each others' albums. The album just seems thrown together rather than telling a collective story. I think the next album will be more true to K-Lo if she gets the chance.

VAN LEAR ROSE - LORETTA LYNN, have listened to nothing else since I picked it up two weeks ago when it was released! (Although, I was away in Vegas for 5 days). Hey, I love this lady. I have to admit, I wasn't sure about it the first play. But man, she is still the best in my book. True, her songwriting is better than ever, and I think the raw sound of just her voice on alot of the tracks is so refreshing. And I see the album has debuted at #2 on this weeks Billboard Top Country LPs! Not bad for 'the ol Kentucky girl.

Hey, thanks for the tip. I just bought Van Lear Rose myself yesterday, and it's every bit as good -- nay, better than I could have believed from the reviews. Jack White somehow manages to make me actually like country/bluegrass -- being forcefed Dolly Parton records by a sadistic Wisconsin cousin determined to break me of my city ways scarred me for life.
Right now, after listeining to LL for a day and a half I'm taking a break with "Swing Jazz: Django Reinhardt".

I also bought Van Lear Rose over the weekend -- and it's great! Jack White did a terrific job producing and playing on the songs. I really like "Portland Oregon" in particular.

Also bought Prince's new album -- but was too busy listening to Loretta Lynn, so haven't played it yet.

Hotel Costes 5.

Keith Urban - Golden Road

is that the cd with "You'll think of Me"? I love that song.

Yep same one, Has "you'll think of me" "who wouldnt want to be me" "raining on sunday" very good album

JeffWa, Keith Urban is scheduled to be up in my neck of the woods performing at the Skagit Casino Outdoor Amphitheater. Are you thinking of going to the concert?

I saw Clint Black there last year and tried to get tix to Wynonna but her concert was sold out. Nice venue. Small, but that's what makes it cool.

MiamiSpartan: I love the Hotel Costes series. I have three of them.

[ May 18, 2004, 02:55 PM: Message edited by: Mariner Duck Boy ]

Jennifer Hudson Live MP3 performances

I've been listening to Thievery Corporation "DJ Kicks" Heavenly!

Has anyone heard the new Morrissey CD? I think it came out yesterday, not sure.

Now it's the Dixie Chicks Live...

Mariner Duck boy i didnt know he was going to be. I am going ot have to check it out. i hear he does a great show. I have also been checking out the new seal album. Very smooth voice as usual. Oh yeah and the punisher soundtrack :-) yes i have varied taste in music.

Carlos Santana Divine Light--Reconstruction and Mix Translation Bill Laswell

After hearing much hype and buzz about it, I'm finally giving Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (I think that's it) a listen. I actually like it. Not bad.

This is one cd that will NOT be in my car (actually sounds like an item from The Onion):

Ice-T to produce Hasselhoff rap album

"Ice-T is to produce David Hasselhoff's first hip-hop album.

The pair are neighbours in Los Angeles and are said to have struck up a close friendship.

Hasselhoff has had some success as a singer, releasing seven albums. He's also said to be very popular in Germany.

Ice-T, who was one of the first real hip-hop stars in the late 1980s, said: "The man is a legend. And we are going to show a whole new side of him."

The rapper is said to be convinced that the 51-year-old for Knight Rider and Baywatch actor can take on the biggest names in rap, reports The Sun.

Ice-T added: "He's gonna come out as Hassle The Hoff - I promise you. The Hoff will surprise people with his rap skills and humour."

Hassel the Hoff

Ice-T and Hasselhoff? That's too much! Maybe William Hung will do a duet with David on that one.

Currently in my cd player ... God Bless The Go-Gos and "bootleg copies" of Susanna Hoffs' two unreleased solo albums from 1994 and 2000.

Patience - George Michael

Eurovision 2004 - Various. Compilation CD featuring some of the acts from this year's competition like Sakis Rouvas, Deen, Ruslana, Xandee, Jonathan Cerrada, Lena Philipsson and Lisa Andreas.

Everytime Pt. 1 - Not a huge Britney fan, but I really like this song. The video is interesting with her so-called "suicide". The remixes take the ballad and turns it into a club song.

ADLIDAS - JC Chasez. I still love this song. Apparently due to the "Wardrobe malfunciton" fiasco, tv stations won't air the video and radio stations are afraid to play the song. Sure, you can have a song like Eamon's Fu*k It (I don't want you back) playing on the radio, but you can't have JC singing about wanting to have sex. Puzzling. JC looks good in the video. You can see it if you visit his website. Very 80's. JC's page

Cha Cha Heels - Rosabel featuring Jeanie Tracy. At first I thought this was a remake of the Eartha Kitt/Bronski Beat collaboration but upon hearing it, it's a new song. Could this possibly be my theme song? Could be the G-A-Y song for summer 2004.

And somthing I'm looking forward to: The June 29th scheduled release date for Yoko Ono's Hell In Paradise (Part 1) remixed by Murk (Oscar G and Ralph Falcon), Orange Factory and Minge Binge.

this is truly the end of music

Still listening to BT's Emotional Technology.

There is a lot of good music on it, including two with JC Chasez and one with the charmed one Rose McGowan.

Word of warning for those who don't like techno - stay far away.

French Kicks and Modest Mouse

I am a huge Kimberly Locke fan but was so disappointed at how the producers watered her down so and gave her this generic pop star sound. There is nothing special about her on this CD as there would be live. However, I do like the duet with Clay Aiken.

I too was disappointed with Kimberly Locke's cd...

Right now I'm listening to some a capella music by The Bobs...it has a kitchy song called,

"Hey Coach don't call me a queer."

Shrek 2 soundtrack

has two great versions of Holding Out for a Hero

Allegri's Miserere performed by the Westminster Abbey Choir.
Speaking of choir music, does anyone know of a good version of Pergliosi's Stabat Mater? I liked the version featured in Amadeus, but haven't been able to find it at full length. Thanks.

Sonic Youth

Michael McDermott's newest, "Ashes" ... one of his best ever, especially the dark and moody "Dance With Me"

Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits....
Yes I am old.

Has anybody else heard the new song Move Ya Body by Nina Sky? The song is awesome. I also like Christina Milian's new one Dip it Low. Did Christina have a song out a couple years ago in 2000 or 2001? Her name sounds very familiar but I didn't recognize any of the songs credited to her.

Give it a few more spins, Wm - it's better than not bad. In fact it's one of the rare albums that justifies its ample hype (and renders its backstory irrelevent to boot). wink

As for me, I'm listening to the bewilderingly underrated Erykah Badu. "I want you" from last year's Worldwide Underground to be specific. Phew!

Jim, another Erykah Badu fan!! She is underrated. I like a lot of her stuff, especially some of her live tracks.

I'm listening to David Bowie's "Never Let me Down" CD from 1987. It was panned by critics, but I knew of a number of people , including myself, who thought it was a fun listen with a number of catchy, pop/rock tunes such as Beat of Your Drum, New York's in Love, and Bang Bang by Iggy Pop. Even the silly Glass Spider is fun to listen to. I haven't responded to the 'Music of your Life' thread , but this was background to some good times for me.

I'm listening to Patsy Cline's greatest hits in my car and it amazes me anew how great she was.

Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis.

Tamyra Gray's "The Dreamer" & Dancestar 2004.