Not really a new section, not reviews or anything, just a quick look at the albums I'm listening to at the moment. Some, indeed all, may end up being reviewed at some point, some may not, and some will undoubtedly make it to the journal before others. So why am I bothering with this? Don't know, really, just thought you might be interested. But if that's how you feel about it I'll just take my albums and go .... hey! Wait a minute! This is
my journal!
I pay the rent here! Why should
I go? What do you mean, think of the children? I don't have any ...
Okay look, let's just start over shall we? Have a look at my list and let's forget we ever had that conversation. What conversation? I like your style...!
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger --- Le carotte bleue (2011)
Not so sure about this one yet. The collaboration of Sean Lennon and his girfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl, this is an EP that only relatively recently became available to buy (or download)
as up to 2011 it was only at their gigs you could purchase it. Kind of mix of hippy psychedelic with folk and the obvious Beatles influences. Some tracks, to use the parlance of the time it tries to recreate, I dig, some are bummers (no, I would never have made a hippy, you're right) but I have only given it two or three spins so far so it's still in rotation. I bought it for the odd name and once I heard Lennon was in it my curiosity increased. Will it continue to sustain me through what is slowly becoming a less-must-listen album, or will the novelty effect wear off? What do you think I am: able to tell the future? Let's just wait and see, shall we?
It Bites --- The tall ships (2008)
Reviewed by us lot down at the Prog Rock Album Club a month or more back, and suggested by the all-knowing Anteater, this album has impressed me so much that it will soon feature in the return of the "Gobsmacked!" section. It's just that good. I've always been a fan of It Bites, but their debut and third albums failed to impress me as much as "Once around the world", and I was left to ruminate upon whether that was the best they had in their canon. This album proves that this is very much not the case, and I must have listened to it straight about twenty times. And that's without the listens for the review! One of the best albums I've heard this year, that hasn't been released this year.
Rod Stewart --- Time (2013)
I'm no huge fan of Rod's, but this album has just completely blown me away. I absolutely love it. There's not a bad track on it, almost, and even the ones I don't particularly love I'm getting to like now. For a guy as long as he has been in the music biz to turn out an album of this quality, well, it just restores your faith in music. Top-notch album, definitely getting a review in the near future.
Ice Age --- The great divide (1999)
The debut album from a band who only lasted two years, then changed their name and lasted another five before calling it a day altogether. I just grabbed this as a "better listen to something for Bitesize" choice and was completely astounded by how perfect it is. Every track just gets better and by the end you're left with a feeling that the world really missed out when these guys disbanded. With only two albums under this name and two EPs as Soulfractured, there are bands still going today that deserve success less than Ice Age, who never achieved it. A true mystery. Already "Bitesized", I'll be doing a full review of this in due course, because it simply deserves nothing less.
Blue Sky Riders --- Finally home (2013)
Remember Kenny Loggins? If I sing "Footloose, cut loose, everybody cut footloose" does that ring any bells? Yeah? Well forget that, because the man who made the likes of "Caddyshack", "Footloose" and "Top gun" soundtracks rock is back with his new band, and they're, well, nothing like his older work. Basically a country trio, Blue Sky Riders have the most amazing vocal harmonies I've heard in a long time, and they also seem to take turns on lead vocals, which keeps this album really fresh and interesting. It's their debut, as you may have gathered, and if it isn't already huge then it should be, and hopefully will be. Get in on the ground floor now. Even if you're not a country music fan, I think you may enjoy this. I've been listening to it nonstop for the last few days, and it's still top of my playlist. Don't see it slipping any time soon.
William Shatner --- Has Been (2004)
I wish I could remember who recommended this, cos I'd sure like to thank them. It's not the greatest album I've heard but it's damn interesting, and if you look above you'll see I've featured Shatner's version of Pulp's "Common people" in my "Run for cover" section. With great instrumentation backing his spoken-word poetic vocals, and guest singers like Joe Jackson, Aimee Mann and, er, Henry Rollins (yeah), you really have to hear this album before you die. Oh yeah, he sings about dying on it too!
Headspace --- I am anonymous (2012)
Another one listened to for the PRAC, this is Threshold vocalist Damian Wilson and Adam Wakeman, son of who else, who between them have crafted one hell of a progressive rock album. A concept loosley runs through it, though it's a little hard to follow, but that doesn't matter. With song titles like "Daddy
fucking loves you", what more do you want?
Riverside --- Shrine of new generation slaves (2013)
And another one. This album impressed me so much that I even missed the obvious acronym the title makes up: SONGS. This being my first full album to listen to from Riverside, I'm reliably informed by those who know the band that this is a much more commercial, even poppy venture for the Polish prog rock giants, but I loved it. Well, apart from the additional bonus tracks on the second disc. The first one was great, the second I could have lived without. I also don't like the opener and title track (they're one and the same) but other than that I find this a solid album, and will be reviewing it in the future.
So that's what's currently spinning on my ipod, Zen X-Fi and computer. I'll update this on probably no more regular than a monthly basis, depending on what I find myself listening to. As the announcer says at the start of "Another brick in the wall, part 3": thought you'd like to know. Though maybe not.