new (to me) music
Thereby Hangs a Tale, Eddy Arnold
I figured since this is the guy that made "Tennessee Stud" famous he's probably a good old-timey cowboy singer. Well, he tries to be, he really tries, but he's just a dork with an affected accent.
- song writing - 2½/3
- performances - 1/3
- listenability & coherence - 1/1
- production & arrangements - ½/1
- art & packaging - ½/1
- does Mr. Comfypants like it? - 0/1 (no.)
Total: 5½/10
The French Suites Vol. 1, Nos. 1-4, Bach/Glenn Gould
It's neat enough to find a Glenn Gould record at Goodwill, but finding the French Suites during a time when we're playing Tetris religiously every day? That is a crazy coincidence.
- song writing - 3/3
- performances - 3/3
- listenability & coherence - 1/1
- production & arrangements - 1/1
- art & packaging - 0/1
- does Mr. Comfypants like it? - 1/1 (yes!)
Total: 9/10
The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, Louis Armstrong
The first two discs are recorded in the early 30's, the second two in the mid 40's. The 30's stuff is pretty bad; Louie tries to be funny a lot and it's just embarrassing. The 40's stuff is mostly good, especially when he plays with his "all star" band, but he's still got a strong impulse to be a goofball.
- song writing - 2½/3
- performances - 2/3
- listenability & coherence - 0/1 (this music just wasn't meant to be listened to for more than a couple songs)
- production & arrangements - ½/1
- art & packaging - 1/1
- does Mr. Comfypants like it? - ½/1 (meh.)
Total: 6½/10
Preludes, Books I & II, Debussy/Paul Jacobs
Another Goodwill find. Not sure who Paul Jacobs is, but he plays a lot better than the discount CD recordings I had had. As for the music, I like two or three of the preludes a lot, but most of them I don't care for. When he bothers to write pretty melodies, Debussy's pretty darn good.
- song writing - 2½/3
- performances - 2½/3
- listenability & coherence - 0/1 (on account of the original "books" not being coherent)
- production & arrangements - 1/1
- art & packaging - 1/1 (Arthur Rackham illustrations!)
- does Mr. Comfypants like it? - ½/1 (meh.)
Total: 7½/10
Chamber Music for Winds, Mozart (Vox Box)
I don't know what possessed me to buy this - a vinyl box set of unfamous Mozart pieces recorded mostly by people I've never heard of. The music is actually pretty good (and I don't care much for Mozart), but the performances might be the worst I've ever heard on a professional classical recording, and the recording quality is pretty bad too.
- song writing - 2½/3
- performances - ½/3
- listenability & coherence - 0/1
- production & arrangements - ½/1 (0 for production)
- art & packaging - 0/1
- does Mr. Comfypants like it? - 0/1 (No.)
Total: 3½/10
And in the-stupid-Ellensburg-library-threw-out-the-packaging-and-liner-notes rentals, I got:
- discs 2 & 4 of the Chess Blues box set (1952-54 and 1960-67) on which I finally hear Elmore James and Etta James (the latter of which is mind-blowingly good), and
- discs 1 & 2 of the Sam Cooke The Man Who Invented Soul box set, which includes his early hits (many of which I could take or leave), and a lot of covers of jazz and blues standards (not the best compliment for his style, but I like the songs, I like his voice, so everybody's happy).
I figured since this is the guy that made "Tennessee Stud" famous he's probably a good old-timey cowboy singer. Well, he tries to be, he really tries, but he's just a dork with an affected accent.
- song writing - 2½/3
- performances - 1/3
- listenability & coherence - 1/1
- production & arrangements - ½/1
- art & packaging - ½/1
- does Mr. Comfypants like it? - 0/1 (no.)
Total: 5½/10
The French Suites Vol. 1, Nos. 1-4, Bach/Glenn Gould
It's neat enough to find a Glenn Gould record at Goodwill, but finding the French Suites during a time when we're playing Tetris religiously every day? That is a crazy coincidence.
- song writing - 3/3
- performances - 3/3
- listenability & coherence - 1/1
- production & arrangements - 1/1
- art & packaging - 0/1
- does Mr. Comfypants like it? - 1/1 (yes!)
Total: 9/10
The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, Louis Armstrong
The first two discs are recorded in the early 30's, the second two in the mid 40's. The 30's stuff is pretty bad; Louie tries to be funny a lot and it's just embarrassing. The 40's stuff is mostly good, especially when he plays with his "all star" band, but he's still got a strong impulse to be a goofball.
- song writing - 2½/3
- performances - 2/3
- listenability & coherence - 0/1 (this music just wasn't meant to be listened to for more than a couple songs)
- production & arrangements - ½/1
- art & packaging - 1/1
- does Mr. Comfypants like it? - ½/1 (meh.)
Total: 6½/10
Preludes, Books I & II, Debussy/Paul Jacobs
Another Goodwill find. Not sure who Paul Jacobs is, but he plays a lot better than the discount CD recordings I had had. As for the music, I like two or three of the preludes a lot, but most of them I don't care for. When he bothers to write pretty melodies, Debussy's pretty darn good.
- song writing - 2½/3
- performances - 2½/3
- listenability & coherence - 0/1 (on account of the original "books" not being coherent)
- production & arrangements - 1/1
- art & packaging - 1/1 (Arthur Rackham illustrations!)
- does Mr. Comfypants like it? - ½/1 (meh.)
Total: 7½/10
Chamber Music for Winds, Mozart (Vox Box)
I don't know what possessed me to buy this - a vinyl box set of unfamous Mozart pieces recorded mostly by people I've never heard of. The music is actually pretty good (and I don't care much for Mozart), but the performances might be the worst I've ever heard on a professional classical recording, and the recording quality is pretty bad too.
- song writing - 2½/3
- performances - ½/3
- listenability & coherence - 0/1
- production & arrangements - ½/1 (0 for production)
- art & packaging - 0/1
- does Mr. Comfypants like it? - 0/1 (No.)
Total: 3½/10
And in the-stupid-Ellensburg-library-threw-out-the-packaging-and-liner-notes rentals, I got:
- discs 2 & 4 of the Chess Blues box set (1952-54 and 1960-67) on which I finally hear Elmore James and Etta James (the latter of which is mind-blowingly good), and
- discs 1 & 2 of the Sam Cooke The Man Who Invented Soul box set, which includes his early hits (many of which I could take or leave), and a lot of covers of jazz and blues standards (not the best compliment for his style, but I like the songs, I like his voice, so everybody's happy).