August 23, 2010

Music Rotation — 17 Aug

Posted in music at 11:27 pm by berzerkeleyan

This past week:

Villagers “Becoming A Jackal” (2010) — genre: Chamber Folk.
Spiritualized “Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space” (1997) — genre: Space Rock.
“Ken Burns Jazz, Disc 3” (2001) — genre: Jazz. I’ve moved past the Swing era and am now listening to Bebop. This is the subgenre of Jazz I find most difficult to enjoy. I appreciate the technical brilliance of all the musicians. But boy, it sure is dense material. As Joseph II tells Mozart in Amadeus, “…too many notes.”
Everything But The Girl “Eden” (1984) — genre: Pop Jazz.
Air “Love 2” (2009) — genre: Electronic Chill.
Lush “Spooky” (1992) — genre: Shoegazer.

August 16, 2010

Music Rotation — 9 Aug

Posted in music at 9:47 pm by berzerkeleyan

For the past week:

“Ken Burns Jazz, Disc 2” (2001) — genre: Jazz.
Wild Beasts “Two Dancers” (2009) — genre: British Indie Rock.
Athlete “Black Swan” (2010) — genre: Emoschlock.
Spiritualized “Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space” (1997) — genre: Space Rock.
Rush “2112” (1976) — genre: Progressive Rock.
Oasis “Dig Out Your Soul” (2008) — genre: British Rock.
Villagers “Becoming A Jackal” (2010) — genre: Chamber Folk.
Kaiser Chiefs “Off With Their Heads” (2008) — genre: Lad Rock.
Kent “Tillbaka Till Samtiden” (2007) — genre: Swedish Britpop.
June & The Exit Wounds “”A Little More Haven Hamilton, Please”” (1999) — genre: California Pop.
Hard-Fi “Stars Of CCTV” (2005) — genre: Lad Rock.
Cutting Crew “Broadcast” (1985) — genre: 80’s Pop.
Dennis Wilson “Pacific Ocean Blue” (1977) — genre: California Rock.

August 9, 2010

Music Rotation — 2 Aug

Posted in music at 10:46 pm by berzerkeleyan

Last week, the following:

Rush “Moving Pictures” (1981) — genre: Progressive Rock.
The Specials “The Specials” (1979) — genre: Ska.
“Ken Burns Jazz, Disc 1” (2001) — genre: Jazz.
Echo & The Bunnymen “Ocean Rain” (1984) — genre: Post Punk.
Sara Watkins “Sara Watkins” (2009) — genre: Country Folk.

…<yawn>…
Spiritualized “Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space” (1997) — genre: Space Rock. I have heard a lot about this album over the years, and am only just now listening to it. I can hear why it’s so highly regarded.
Lloyd Cole “Antidepressant” (2006) — genre: Folk Rock.
Brett Anderson “Slow Attack” (2009) — genre: Chamber Folk. Oh boy, this is downright funereal. Way too heavy for me at the moment. I’ll have to come back to it when I’m in the mood.
Stephen Malkmus “Stephen Malkmus” (2001) — genre: American Indie Rock.
Villagers “Becoming A Jackal” (2010) — genre: Chamber Folk. In very heavy rotation at the moment.
Young Knives “Superabundance” (2008) — genre: Power Punk. I’m finally getting around to listening to all the albums I’ve accumulated over the past few years. This is one of them. Excellent, excellent, excellent, excellent stuff. Fans of Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, etc. should give this a listen.
Oasis “Dig Out Your Soul” (2008) — genre: British Rock.

August 2, 2010

Music Rotation — 26 July

Posted in music at 4:25 pm by berzerkeleyan

This past week:

Villagers “Becoming A Jackal” (2010) — genre: Chamber Folk. Beautiful debut album. It perfectly speaks to my now decidedly more mellow listening habits. In heavy rotation at the moment.
Spiritualized “Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space” (1997) — genre: Space Rock.
The Stone Roses “The Stone Roses (Collector’s Edition)” (1989) — genre: Madchester. I never felt the original album was mixed all that well. I finally got my hands on this reissue (released last September), and boy does it make a difference! Everything sounds much clearer and better balanced. If you’re a fan, I highly recommend getting this.
Air “Love 2” (2009) — genre: Electronic Chill.
The Verve “Urban Hymns” (1997) — genre: Britpop. Think of all the great Britpop albums from the Nineties. Which ones do you still listen to regularly? For me, it’s this one and Blur’s “Parklife.” IMHO, both are essential pieces in any respectable music collection.
Rickie Lee Jones “Rickie Lee Jones” (1979) — genre: Pop Jazz.
Rooney “Eureka” (2010) — genre: California Pop.
Queen “The Game” (1980) — genre: Glam Rock.
Travis “Ode to J. Smith” (2008) — genre: Emoschlock. Being such a huge fan of their earlier work, I got this the day it came out. Unfortunately, back then the album didn’t take. Two years later, then, I thought I’d give it another go…
…nope, it’s still completely forgettable.
Explosions in the Sky “All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone” (2007) — genre: Post Rock.
Ash “1977” (1996) — genre: Britpop.