Ultra mellow acoustic, primarily instrumental with a couple of vocal tracks.
Standout tracks for me are ‘The Woodcock’s flight’ and ‘Caw of the Crane’.
“A dark and dissonant viola rumbles while glistening cymbals add contrast. The kantele adds a heartbeat, then a harmonic palette for the viola to shift and offer a melodic if soulful, if somewhat mournful melody. The interplay of viola is as beguiling as it is investigative”
A very beautiful album that I cannot stop playing. It’s a lovely way to test different headphones and amps too, with the subtle and voluminous tom toms not even fully formed on Apple’s (pricey) AirPods Mac
Another fave from '83 on an OG UK vinyl pressing. Quite a controversial release in its day, especially amongst jazzers, but this collaboration between The Herbster and Michael Beinhorn and Bill Laswell of Material (with assistance from Grandmaster DXT, Pete Cosey, Daniel Ponce and Sly Dunbar) really works I think. Thanks to the single “Rockit” and its accompanying video, it was a big commercial success.
Fairport Convention - Cropredy Festival 2023 set - YouTube
I missed their set this year as I left early for a family emergency, nice to see them having fun.
More from '83… Another Setting by The Durutti Column. Not their/his best album, but with the hail hitting the windows here in Sarf Lundun it seems appropriate. Original Factory LP (FACT 74) from August 1983.
The preamble to the Silvesterkonzert live from Berlin with a glass of fizz. I always enjoy hearing from the musicians themselves before the concert begins. This year the Philharmonic’s guest is Jonas Kaufmann. They are playing Wagner’s Tannhauser followed by Die Walkure Act 1.
Our New Year’s Eve tradition for a few years now.
Picture courtesy of the Digital Concert Hall.
Wonderful record, I have it on vinyl. Saw them locally in November, as a consequence, Lisa is now a convert and sourced a great used copy of Focus 3 as an Xmas pressie
