Every voice I hear sounds so familiar, every song I know:

Judas Priest ‘Sad Wings Of Destiny’ & ‘Sin After Sin’ - caught on the cusp between hard rock and metal, these were my go-to Priest platters until last year’s awesome (and indisputably metal) ‘Invincible Shield’. Still love’em muchly though.

Love S/T - rarely mentioned as one of the great rock debut albums, or as one of the best albums of 1966. I think it qualifies on both counts. Best heard in mono than its dated, ultra-panned stereo mix;

Siouxsie and the Banshees ‘The Scream’ - another fine debut that has dated less than many albums of its day. Proto-goth or post-punk? I divvent care;

Japan ‘Tin Drum’ - one of the great “What ifs” of rock history must surely be “What if Japan hadn’t split after ‘Tin Drum’?” Talk about finishing on a high. This sounds even more original now than it did over 40 years ago;

Black Sabbath ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ - the quintessential Sabs album. Well, after ‘Paranoid’ anyway. And the first one. And… whatever. It’s just lush, okay?

Julian Cope ‘Fried’ & ‘Friar Tuck’ - which have more in common than their four decade separation might suggest: proper songs, for a start - which isn’t to diss its creator’s myriad instrumental and drone projects. But anyone capable of rhyming “neighbours” with “scabies” deserves his voice to be heard, especially when he’s on at least as great vocal form as he was way back then;

Praxis ‘Sacrifist’ - not sure I agree with the inclusion of this in Andy Edwards’ ‘Ten Essential Heavy Metal Albums’ listing as only a fraction of it IS metal, albeit pretty extreme metal at that. But my, it’s a challenging and invigorating 45 minutes, however you choose to silo it;

Big Big Train ‘Far Skies Deep Time’ - another gem from this fine band’s extensive back catalogue. Listen to ‘Fat Billy Shouts Mine’ and tell me you’re not moved to tears;

Status Quo ‘Blue For You’ - for me, Quo could do no wrong with their classic Rossi/Parfitt/Lancaster/Coghlan lineup. This 1976 LP is probably their finest: all killer, no filler. And that’s a fact;

Bob Dylan ‘The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’ - like most things that are over-hyped, I’ve little interest in a reimagined film take on the Zim’s early career. Far better to listen to the dude himself, especially on his near perfect second album;

Strawbs ‘The Magic Of It All’ - very much an old man’s album (happy 80th birthday, Mr Cousins) but a decent one nonetheless. And it’s not like yours truly’s any spritelier;

AMM ‘Aura’ - what may be AMM’s last release is one of their most “musical”, by which I refer to John Tilbury’s lyrical piano playing (both keys and innards) that perfectly compliments Eddie Prevost’s bowed cymbal work over the piece’s hour long duration. Listen as intently as the remarkably silent audience and the rewards will be evident;

Paul Weller ‘In Another Room’ EP - heard in the context of the last named these brief avant-garde excursions sound like k-pop. By Weller’s own standards this is beyond brave. Yet… I can’t help but dig it. Kudos to him for even considering putting this out, limited as its physical release was. Still available on iTunes, mind;

John McLaughlin ‘Extrapolation’ - John’s first (and most purely jazz) solo album remains one of his best, with the young John Surman blowing up a storm alongside him;

Benjamin Lackner ‘Spindrift’ - newly released ECM album that could have been made 40 years ago, yet still sounds new. It’s almost as if that label constitutes a genre in its own right, and one that never ages. Suffice to say, if you ever liked the ECM aesthetic, you’ll like this. I know I do;

Pat Metheny Group ‘Travels’ - the keyboards and guitar synth lock this in the early-Eighties but, wow, this remains one helluva double live album, moving and viscerally exciting by turn. If I had to restrict myself to just one Metheny album, it’d be this one;

Charlie Parker ‘Bird - The Complete Charlie Parker On Verve’ (selections) - Jeez, we’re not worthy. Makes me wonder if Bird’s art hadn’t been even greater had he NOT been smacked off his heed;

Don Byas ‘Classic Don Byas Sessions 1944-1946’ (selections) - Byas’ session with Thelonious Monk and Hot Lips Page is a belter, and almost worth the considerable cost of his Mosaic box by itself. But there’s so much more quality music across these 10 CDs. Byas deserves more recognition as one of jazz’s true sax greats, I reckon;

Prokofiev: Symphony no.5 (Concertgebouw/Vladimir Ashkenazy) - good but not great take on a work I can like but can’t love. One day I might hear a version to convert me;

Beethoven: Symphony no.3 (Staatskapelle Dresden/Herbert Blomstedt) - satisfyingly straight rendering of the Eroica by Blomstedt, still conducting at 97. Rock and roll;

Beethoven: Piano Concerto no.5 ‘Emperor’ (Arthur Rubinstein/Boston SO/Erich Leinsdorf) - a surprisingly tense performance, strong on instrumental detail, as was Leinsdorf’s way. Was there ever a greater concerto than this?

Beethoven: Moonlight, Pathetique & Appassionata Sonatas (Raymond Lewenthal) - these tremendously exciting 1956 readings, recently reissued, reveal a mightily gifted American pianist I’d never heard until this week. Proof that it’s not only the legendary names that can put a fresh light on this ever great music;

Vikingur Olafsson ‘Mozart And His Contemporaries’ - Olafsson is a rare instance of a talent who lives up to his hype. This is one thoroughly engrossing (and generous) CD of solo piano music.

Everybody means something to someone.

Watch yoursens

Dave x

Hi folks,

Two repeat players this week, both of them excellent:

Biosphere - Wireless: Live at The Arnolfini, Bristol
Dollboy - Ghost Stations/Geisterbahnhofe

Otherwise:

Mozart - Piano Concertos 5-13
Mozart - Symphony #25
Mozart - Oboe Concerto
Mozart - Horn Concertos 2-4
Mozart - Piano Concertos 20 and 21

V/A - Will You Love Me Tomorrow [Disc 2]

The Teardrop Explodes - Treason 7" (2nd version)
Orange Juice - You Can't Hide Your Love Forever
The Glove - Blue Sunshine

Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works II

V/A - The Wire Tapper 28
V/A - The Wire Tapper 29
V/A - The Wire Tapper 30
David Bowie - The Next Day

A Certain Ratio - 1982

Rage Against the Machine - S/T - The Battle for Los Angeles

Roxy Music - S/T

Queen live at Wembley 86. All I really need from them.

The Residents - Not available

Evan Parker - The 50th birthday concert

Lots of Barrington Levy - Robin Hood - Teach me Culture - Bounty Hunter - The Dub Side of Barrington Levy
Cocoa Tea meets Barrington Levy - Poor Man Style. Most of if except the latter 2 were pretty darn good

The Associates - The Affectionate Punch

Bauhaus - In the Flat Field

At the Drive in - Relationship of command

A few weeks worth in there. Whittled out most of the dreck by now so all of it was approved by these ears

American Music Club - Mercury Demos / Live Mountain Stage 1993 / San Fransisco Demos / The Golden Age / Atwater Afternoon

Angelo Badalamenti - Blue Velvet OST / Twin Peaks OST / Fire Walk With Me OST

The Buzzcocks - Times Up! / Another Music In A Different Kitchen

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica / Lick My Decalls Off Baby

Miles Davis - Circle In The Round / Big Fun / Get Up With It / Agharta

Mark Eitzel - Demos Before Love Songs / Ten Years Of Tears

Brian Eno - Ambient 1: Music For Airports / The Drop / Neroli (Thinking Music Part IV) / New Space Music

The Jam - In The City / This Is The Modern World / All Mod Cons / About The Young Idea

Joy Division - Warsaw / Unknown Pleasures

Carole King - Tapestry

Nurse With Wound - Brained By Falling Masonry / Coolorta Moon

Pearls Before Swine - Balaklava

Pentangle - Basket Of Light / Cruel Sister

Minnie Riperton - Perfect Angel / Adventures In Paradise / Les Fluers: The Anthology

The Specials - S/t

Bridget St John - Ask Me No Questions / Songs For The Gentle Man

Underworld - dubnobasswithmyheadman / Second Toughest In The Infants / Beaucoup Fish

Van Der Graaf Generator - The Aerosol Grey Machine / After The Flood: BBC 1968-1977

The Who - A Quick One / Sell Out

XTC - Drums & Wires / Black Sea / English Settlement

Mozart - Piano Sonatas (Christian Zacharias) (discs 1&2 of 5 disc set)

V/A - Lost Highway OST

Pin-Up’s – David Bowie
Resuscitate! – Bill Callahan
Push The Sky Away – Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Friar Tuck – Julian Cope
S/T – The Doors
I/O (Bright-Side & Dark-Side) – Peter Gabriel
Sadness Sets Me Free – Gruff Rhys
Walls Have Ears – Sonic Youth
Soul Mining – The The

Stina Nordenstam - Memories Of A Colour

The Nice - The Thoughts Of Emerlist Dav Jack

Joanna Newsom - The Milk-Eyed Mender
Joanna Newsom - Ys
Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me
Joanna Newsom - Divers

The Moody Blues - The Magnificent Moodies
The Moody Blues - Days Of Future Passed

King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson - In The Wake Of Poseidon

Emerson Lake & Palmer - Emerson Lake & Palmer
Emerson Lake & Palmer - Tarkus
Emerson Lake & Palmer - Pictures At An Exhibition

Vangelis - Sex Power
Vangelis - Fais Que Ton Rêve Soit Plus Long Que La Nuit
Vangelis - The Dragon
Vangelis - Hypothesis
Aphrodite's Child - The Best Of
Aphrodite's Child - 666
Alpha Beta - Astral Abuse/Who Killed?

David Bowie - BBC Sessions 1967-71
David Bowie - Hunky Dory

The Kinks - Give The People What They Want
The Kinks - State Of Confusion
The Kinks - Word Of Mouth

George Harrison - Dark Horse

Bert Jansch - The Bert Jansch Sampler

Yoko Ono - Fly

V/A - The BYG Deal

Jim Sullivan - UFO