Talking to no-one is strange…

The Smiths ‘Meat Is Murder’ - it only recently occurred to me that all four of the opening tracks on The Smiths’ non-comp studio albums are absolutely killer. Knock up a digital EP of them and see if you agree;

Opeth ‘Blackwater Park’, ‘Deliverance’, ‘Sorceress’ and ‘Last Will & Testament’ - I’m immersing myself in Opeth’s back catalogue prior to seeing them in concert next week. I hope my aged eardrums can take it;

Kevin Coyne ‘Marjory Razorblade’ - no-one ever sounded like Kevin Coyne, or wrote songs like him. He played a uniquely bastardised blend of folk, blues and rock and sung with an intentionally wretched, sardonic venom all his own. This 1973 double album is his best work, I reckon;

Wire ‘Pink Flag’ - much as I like most of their later work, the primal joy of Wire’s first album renders it taken from my shelves most often. The riff for ‘Mannequin’ almost makes me cry;

The Jam ‘The Gift’ - so sorry to hear of Rick Buckler’s passing. His recorded legacy is sadly aged but no less impressive for all that. Check him out on this, still modern sounding, album;

Jethro Tull ‘17’ - beautifully minimalist ‘Benefit’ era B-side with a simple chord sequence continually repeated over a driving beat. Unlike anything else in their oeuvre and, I think, quite wonderful - whatever reservations its composer may now hold;

Camel ‘I Can See Your House From Here’ - patchy seventh album from a band who IMHO never really recovered from the departure of Peter Bardens, much as I like Jan Schelhaas’ contribution here. ‘Ice’ is the standout track by a country mile;

Nils Lofgren ‘Wonderland’ - caught just before naff 80s production values got too prevalent. The songs - and the man - rescue it. Talking of Man:

The Clash ‘Give ‘Em Enough Rope’ - IMHO a far stronger album than its overpraised follow up, both in songs and production. But hey, I’m weird me;

Man ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ - remarkably tight live album capturing Wales’ finest’s first “farewell gig” back in 1976. Man, they were good (quite literally);

Bob Dylan ‘Under The Red Sky’ - patchy follow up to the mighty ‘Oh Mercy’, but quite decent on its own terms;

Various ‘Grindcrusher - The Ultimate Earache’ - I’m going to see Opeth in Glasgow next week. According to Setlist, they’re playing a cover version: Napalm Death’s ‘You Suffer’. Should account for at least two seconds of their set;

Fairport Convention at Sunderland Fire Station - I saw Fairport on their annual UK tour this week. The current lineup has lasted for nearly thirty years and includes three members who played on their seminal ‘Full House’ LP way back in 1970, which is a round-about way of saying that these septuagenarian dudes form a drum-tight unit. Well known gems were accompanied by deep cuts and engrossing inter-song banter, making for a thoroughly entertaining evening out. Don’t miss them if they’re playing near you;

Paul Motian ‘Conception Vessel’ - one of very few ECM records I struggle to enjoy, being neither tonal nor abstract in a fulfilling way. I’ve tried, and I’ll keep trying, but… ;

Weather Report ‘Live in Tokyo’ - much as I enjoy WP’s later funky output, it’s their freer earlier stuff that really floats my boat, and never more than on this 1972 live double. Lordy be, Shorter and Zawinul just FLY. In its very different context, this is as primal and exciting a live double as the same year’s ‘Made In Japan’. I wouldn’t be without either;

Weather Report ‘Mysterious Traveller’ - a transitional album where the funk starts to slightly over-dominate (I refer to my earlier comments). Still good though;

Haydn: Symphony no.60 ‘Il distratto’ (AAM/Christopher Hogwood) - a relatively unusual symphony in Haydn’s gargantuan output in that it has six movements rather than five, but his invention is as boundless as ever;

Mozart: Piano Concerto no.25 (Alfred Brendel/SCO/Sir Charles Mackerras) - great music, performed greatly; not much more to say really;

Beethoven: Symphony no.7 (Halle/Sir John Barbirolli) - Sir Snifter’s 70th birthday concert begat his only recording of Beethoven Seventh. It’s good, but not great - which only goes to show that even heroes fall short at times;

Beethoven: Symphony no.7 (VPO/Claudio Abbado) - also not quite great - the third movement seems interminably long* - but this was a young man’s interpretation which would mature with age. The coupled Prometheus Overture is excellent, mind. Needless to say, the Vienna Phil of 1966 was in a different league to the dear old Halle;

Nielsen: An Imaginary Journey to the Faroe Islands (SNO/Sir Alexander Gibson) - a delightful ten minute piece that comes across just as its title describes. I want to go there;

Nielsen: Commotio (Christopher Dearnley) - another lesser known Nielsen piece, for which Dearnley literally pulls out all the stops on the awesome organ of Salisbury Cathedral;

Sibelius: Symphony no.5 (Philharmonia/Vladimir Ashkenazy) - a thoroughly respectable performance, superbly recorded. If I prefer the Barbirolli record I played last week, well… I guess I’m just biased that way;

Ravel: La valse (LAPO/Zubin Mehta) - imagine if Johann Strauss II had been inhabited by Beelzebub. This might have been the result. Wild!

(* Optional repeats in works like this always cause argument but I tend to favour them in first movements and less so in later ones. Abbado’s first recording of the Beethoven Seventh omitted the former yet ran riot with them in the latter, thus creating a tedious third movement. As I say, IMO.)

… Talking to someone is stranger.

Have a great week, all

Dave x