So far, on first listen, this is impressing me. Free/NYOP for a few more days I think.
Core Memory is chamber music for the cosmos. Inspired by natural
subterranean caves shaped by millions of stalactites and stalagmites, it
moves effortlessly from dark intimate spaces to vast and bright
surfaces. Only that the latter might not necessarily be on this earth.
"Arthur Brown is back! The original God of Hellfire released his new album Long Long Road this week, on his 80th birthday, featuring multi-instrumentalist Rik Patten.
Arthur Brown released the pulsating, career-defining track, ‘Fire’, in 1968, which became a hit worldwide. He’s inspired the likes of Alice Cooper, Elton John and Pete Townshend, to name a few and is widely respected as an innovator of prog rock and a huge influence on heavy metal. His live performances include dance, outlandish costumes and visuals. But there is more to Arthur than just a theatrical stage presence; he has a powerful blues voice and energy to back it up.
During his 54-year career, he’s been the lead singer of Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Kingdom Come. He’s appeared in the rock opera Tommy, been sampled by The Prodigy, and has worked over the years with The Alan Parson Project, David Gilmour, Kula Shaker and many more. Long Long Road kicks off with Gas Tanks, an atmospheric fusion of thundering drum rolls, prog-rock flutes and birdsong to whet your musical appetite! Coffin Confessions is full of poetry and comic lyrics. ‘Come out of the toilet with your hands up, and put down that bag of crisps, or it’s curtains for you.’ Arthur proves he’s still got what it takes with tracks such as his newly released single I Like Games. Here he pays homage to the blues, a source of his inspiration, combining slide guitar, harmonica and a gutsy, raw energy. It’s a real foot-tapper.
Frenetic guitar introductions and progressive rock waves infiltrate the poignant track Once I Had Illusions (Part 1). There’s an amalgamation of guitar and piano that cleverly twist and weave in and out of this textured song. Shining Brightness has a swagger and bravado that would give Mick Jagger a run for his money. On Goin’ Down, he combines gospel, jazz and rock as the protagonist yearns to be set free.
Long Long Road, the track, is a ballad that reflects on times past and times to come. It succinctly summarizes life in all its riches. ‘The further we come, the further we go’ sums up the album well.
Despite his years, or perhaps because of them, Arthur is still as visionary and challenging as he was at the beginning of his career. This is packed with verve, zeal and wit. With Fire still in his belly, he is deserving of his crown."
This description on the album page gave me a chuckle: "With an acoustic guitar that lays flat on his lap, tuned to unwieldy
scales, he brutalises the instrument in an oddly musical way."
What a crazy world! Arthur Brown doing a new album at the age of 80 - and it's pretty good too! Thanks to @rostasi for mentioning this "Long Long Road" album of Arthur's..
Took me back to the old days and re-listened to his 1968 album, "The Crazy World of Arthur Brown". It was actually much better than I remembered albeit with some really bizarre bits.
and "Galactic Zoo Dossier" the 1972 album by Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come"
If you've never seen it the handwritten and drawn psych rock / comics fanzine (more like a thick illustrated book) of the same name is a thing of wonder.
My favourite modern Progressive Rock group, Porcupine Tree, have just released their first album with new music since 2009 - Closure/Continuation. It is every bit as good as their earlier work.
My favourite modern Progressive Rock group, Porcupine Tree, have just released their first album with new music since 2009 - Closure/Continuation. It is every bit as good as their earlier work.
@peterfrederics the new one is growing on me. And there is Porcupine tree material that I like an enormous amount. I have pretty much the entire PT/Wilson catalogue, including some of the rarer stuff. And I still wish Wilson wouldn't set lyrics like "I'm afraid to be happy and I / Couldn't care less if I was to die" to catchy parts of the melody. He has a right to be honest, and music does not have to be pollyannaish. But I am susceptible to earworms at the best of times, and deeply invested in my listening, and sometimes that nihilistic bent makes tracks like that nigh unlistenable to me; even though the music is excellent I can't get past the affect. It keeps them just outside my absolute favorites, though some of their material is there for sure (Deadwing and most of in Absentia were the peak for me).
And would you believe it, Porcupine Tree’s “Closure/Confirmation” is No. 2 in the UK album charts and No. 1 in Germany and Netherlands! All albums that is, not just Prog!
1 Hoedown – EMERSON LAKE & PALMER 2 Time Take My Life – ATOMIC ROOSTER 3 Get Out of Bed / There’s Nobody There / Side by Side – EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND 4 Medicine Man (single version) – BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST 5 Marie Antoinette – CURVED AIR 6 Skin Valley Serenade – SKIN ALLEY 7 Swamp Fever – OPEN ROAD 8 Don’t Ask Me – LINDISFARNE 9 Songs Out of Clay – AL STEWART 10 Sheep Season – MELLOW CANDLE 11 Epic Forest – RARE BIRD 12 My Friend the Sun – FAMILY 13 Do You Believe in Magic (single version) – NEKTAR 14 Seven by Seven (single version) – HAWKWIND 15 And You and I – YES
DISC TWO:
1 Time Was – WISHBONE ASH 2 A Winter’s Tale – JADE WARRIOR 3 The Love In Your Eye/To Catch Me A Brother/Subsultus/Debouchment/Tilbury Kecks – CARAVAN 4 Brainstorm – HAWKWIND 5 Theme One – VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR 6 Reaffirmation – HELP YOURSELF 7 Burlesque – FAMILY 8 O Caroline – MATCHING MOLE 9 Conquistador (live) – PROCOL HARUM 10 Lost Tribe – BOND & BROWN 11 Speed Queen Of Ventura – VINEGAR JOE 12 Wishing Well – FREE
DISC THREE:
1 The Wizard – URIAH HEEP 2 Prologue – RENAISSANCE 3 Chilly Morning Mama – EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND 4 American Mother – HELP YOURSELF 5 Love Is Good – PRETTY THINGS 6 Turn It All Around – RARE BIRD 7 Blowin’ Free – WISHBONE ASH 8 Bananas – MAN 9 Blue Angel – DAVE COUSINS 10 See the World (Through My Eyes) – VINEGAR JOE 11 Lady Of The Lake – JADE WARRIOR 12 Stranded – KHAN 13 Whiskey In The Jar – THIN LIZZY
DISC FOUR:
1 Two Weeks Last Summer – DAVE COUSINS 2 Nick’s Seven – SKIN ALLEY 3 Choo Choo Mama – TEN YEARS AFTER 4 Hellbound Train – SAVOY BROWN 5 Peter – PRETTY THINGS 6 Rip Off Train – PRETTY THINGS 7 Instant Kitten – MATCHING MOLE 8 The Boys In The Band – GENTLE GIANT 9 Midnight Moses – SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND 10 Walk Don’t Run – PINK FAIRIES 11 Ricochet – JONESY 12 When The City Sleeps – BOMBADIL 13 Desolation Valley/Waves – NEKTAR 14 Melinda More Or Less – CURVED AIR 15 Hollow Stone – KHAN
Shintaro Sakamoto First three solo albums How To Live With A Phantom / Let's Dance Raw / Love If Possible. Funky relaxed city pop with Hawaian guitar etc from former lead guitarist of indie / psych rockers Yura Yura Teikoku (Japan's Yo La Tengo allegedly!)
Comments
Triosk
Triosk Meets Jan Jelinek - 1+3+1 Moment Returns
The Headlight Serenade
Troum
Mort Aux Vaches: Sen Troum & Aidan Baker - Nihtes Niht
Acouasme
Bud Powell: Live at the Blue Note Cafe, Paris 1961
Day 9 of 100. Most have been interesting - some have been tedious - as you might expect, but overall, it's been a nice break from the "standard" fare.
Currently listening (and semi watching!) to Sir Paul McCartney playing at Glastonbury on Saturday evening
Direct From Dakar by Omar Pene & Super Diamono
This new release from Real World Records on Bandcamp reminds me of Youssou N'Dour with a similar Mbalax style of playing.Arthur Brown - Long Long Road
Arthur Brown released the pulsating, career-defining track, ‘Fire’, in 1968, which became a hit worldwide. He’s inspired the likes of Alice Cooper, Elton John and Pete Townshend, to name a few and is widely respected as an innovator of prog rock and a huge influence on heavy metal. His live performances include dance, outlandish costumes and visuals. But there is more to Arthur than just a theatrical stage presence; he has a powerful blues voice and energy to back it up.
During his 54-year career, he’s been the lead singer of Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Kingdom Come. He’s appeared in the rock opera Tommy, been sampled by The Prodigy, and has worked over the years with The Alan Parson Project, David Gilmour, Kula Shaker and many more.
Long Long Road kicks off with Gas Tanks, an atmospheric fusion of thundering drum rolls, prog-rock flutes and birdsong to whet your musical appetite! Coffin Confessions is full of poetry and comic lyrics. ‘Come out of the toilet with your hands up, and put down that bag of crisps, or it’s curtains for you.’ Arthur proves he’s still got what it takes with tracks such as his newly released single I Like Games. Here he pays homage to the blues, a source of his inspiration, combining slide guitar, harmonica and a gutsy, raw energy. It’s a real foot-tapper.
Frenetic guitar introductions and progressive rock waves infiltrate the poignant track Once I Had Illusions (Part 1). There’s an amalgamation of guitar and piano that cleverly twist and weave in and out of this textured song. Shining Brightness has a swagger and bravado that would give Mick Jagger a run for his money. On Goin’ Down, he combines gospel, jazz and rock as the protagonist yearns to be set free.
Long Long Road, the track, is a ballad that reflects on times past and times to come. It succinctly summarizes life in all its riches. ‘The further we come, the further we go’ sums up the album well.
Despite his years, or perhaps because of them, Arthur is still as visionary and challenging as he was at the beginning of his career. This is packed with verve, zeal and wit. With Fire still in his belly, he is deserving of his crown."
Tuusanuuskat - (Goodiepal, Jan Anderzen, Sami Sänpäkkilä)
Nääksää Nää Mun Kyyneleet Toiminnan Aattona
Urpf Lanze - Procession Of Talking Mirrors
Bandcamp Free
Ps I first heard him on this compilation and was delighted to find him on Bandcamp.
Most enjoyable solo guitar!
New Music For Old Instruments
Took me back to the old days and re-listened to his 1968 album, "The Crazy World of Arthur Brown". It was actually much better than I remembered albeit with some really bizarre bits.
I haven’t been this groovy since the 60s!
DISC ONE:
1 Hoedown – EMERSON LAKE & PALMER
2 Time Take My Life – ATOMIC ROOSTER
3 Get Out of Bed / There’s Nobody There / Side by Side – EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND
4 Medicine Man (single version) – BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST
5 Marie Antoinette – CURVED AIR
6 Skin Valley Serenade – SKIN ALLEY
7 Swamp Fever – OPEN ROAD
8 Don’t Ask Me – LINDISFARNE
9 Songs Out of Clay – AL STEWART
10 Sheep Season – MELLOW CANDLE
11 Epic Forest – RARE BIRD
12 My Friend the Sun – FAMILY
13 Do You Believe in Magic (single version) – NEKTAR
14 Seven by Seven (single version) – HAWKWIND
15 And You and I – YES
DISC TWO:
1 Time Was – WISHBONE ASH
2 A Winter’s Tale – JADE WARRIOR
3 The Love In Your Eye/To Catch Me A Brother/Subsultus/Debouchment/Tilbury Kecks – CARAVAN
4 Brainstorm – HAWKWIND
5 Theme One – VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR
6 Reaffirmation – HELP YOURSELF
7 Burlesque – FAMILY
8 O Caroline – MATCHING MOLE
9 Conquistador (live) – PROCOL HARUM
10 Lost Tribe – BOND & BROWN
11 Speed Queen Of Ventura – VINEGAR JOE
12 Wishing Well – FREE
DISC THREE:
1 The Wizard – URIAH HEEP
2 Prologue – RENAISSANCE
3 Chilly Morning Mama – EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND
4 American Mother – HELP YOURSELF
5 Love Is Good – PRETTY THINGS
6 Turn It All Around – RARE BIRD
7 Blowin’ Free – WISHBONE ASH
8 Bananas – MAN
9 Blue Angel – DAVE COUSINS
10 See the World (Through My Eyes) – VINEGAR JOE
11 Lady Of The Lake – JADE WARRIOR
12 Stranded – KHAN
13 Whiskey In The Jar – THIN LIZZY
DISC FOUR:
1 Two Weeks Last Summer – DAVE COUSINS
2 Nick’s Seven – SKIN ALLEY
3 Choo Choo Mama – TEN YEARS AFTER
4 Hellbound Train – SAVOY BROWN
5 Peter – PRETTY THINGS
6 Rip Off Train – PRETTY THINGS
7 Instant Kitten – MATCHING MOLE
8 The Boys In The Band – GENTLE GIANT
9 Midnight Moses – SENSATIONAL ALEX HARVEY BAND
10 Walk Don’t Run – PINK FAIRIES
11 Ricochet – JONESY
12 When The City Sleeps – BOMBADIL
13 Desolation Valley/Waves – NEKTAR
14 Melinda More Or Less – CURVED AIR
15 Hollow Stone – KHAN