what I've been listening to for the last three months
Woo, this has been building up for a while...
- Fraggle Rockin': A Collection (2007). Thanks ohsochewy! It's three previously-released short albums put together in a box set, not the anthology I had hoped it would be, so no credits/details, no attempt at comprehensiveness. But still awesome.
- Elvis Presley (1956). His first album, a mix of new material and a few Sun recordings. Uneven, but pretty kick-ass. Better than Elvis.
-Odetta, At the Gate of Horn (1957). Not nearly as good as ...Sings Ballads and Blues (her previous/first album), but still good.
-Hoagy Carmichael, Hoagy Sings Carmichael (1956). I love this stuff.
-The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Quintessential Phase (2005). Thanks luli82! The last radio series, adapting the fifth book. A bit rushed (only four episodes), but entertaining.
LP's from Goodwill:
-Burt Bacharach, Make It Easy on Yourself (1969). Meh.
-Michel Legrand, Legrand Jazz (1958). I guess Legrand was a composer or something? Here he arranges/conducts jazz standards, and does pretty well. Includes a few performances by Miles Davis among other crazy-famous people.
Rented from the library:
-Blondie, Eat to the Beat (1979). Eh.
-Kenny Burrell, Blues - The Common Ground (1968). Jazz guitarist plays blues and blues-influenced jazz with a small group. Very good.
-What Is Hip? The Tower of Power Anthology (1999). Heh. "Funkifize."
-Beck, Mellow Gold (1994). Meh.
-Donovan, Sunshine Superman (1966). Mostly mediocre, but the title track is great.
-R.E.M., Singles Collected (1994). Very early singles - probably the worst possible R.E.M. CD for my taste.
-Dave Brubeck Quartet, Brubeck Time (1955). Kind of like Time Out (minus the gimmicks), in that the only track that stands out is the one written by Paul Desmond.
-Duke Ellington, The OKeh Ellington (1991). Very early Ellington. Good stuff.
-Duke Ellington, Complete Columbia & RCA Victor Sessions with Ben Webster featuring Jimmy Blanton (2000). I've actually rented this before, a couple years ago. Still Good.
-Al Green, More Greatest Hits (1998).
-King Oliver's Jazz Band 1923-1926 (1993). Lots of fun.
-Louis Armstrong, The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (2001). Another second-time rental. This one I rented last only a few months ago, but somehow this time around I absolutely love it, whereas last time I said "meh."
-Count Basie, The Complete Atomic Basie (aka E=MC²) (1957). Fun - great arrangements.
-Miles Davis, The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965 (1995). Eight (mostly full) CD's of some of his worst recorded performances from his least accessible period. Mind you, this is Miles Davis we're talking about, so it's still good - but as bad as he can get outside of the 80's.
-Louis Armstrong, The Hot Fives, Volume I (1988). I am loving Dixieland lately. Weird.
-Count Basie, The Complete Decca Recordings (1992). Great stuff.
-Django Reinhardt, Django in Rome 1949/1950: CD's C & D (2003). Terrible sound quality, but great performances. CD C is mostly with violinist Stephane Grappelli, which is great. CD D is with "Le Quintet du Hot Club de France," which is not so much.
-Nirvana, Nevermind (1991). Yeah, I only just heard this now. I've heard all the songs millions of times, but never the album. It's actually pretty good, although I never cared for the songs separately.
-Original Dixieland Jazz Band, The Creators of Jazz (2001). Did I mention I'm loving Dixieland lately? Because it's awesome.
-The Doo Wop Box II (1996). Four CD's. Corny but amusing.
-Lonnie Johnson, The Essential (2001). Great old-timey blues. And strangely good audio quality.
-Percy Mayfield: Poet of the Blues (1990). Standard 50's R&B (by which I mean I like it).
-The Hollies' Greatest Hits (1973). Standard late 60's/early 70's rock (by which I mean I'm completely indifferent to it).
- Fraggle Rockin': A Collection (2007). Thanks ohsochewy! It's three previously-released short albums put together in a box set, not the anthology I had hoped it would be, so no credits/details, no attempt at comprehensiveness. But still awesome.
- Elvis Presley (1956). His first album, a mix of new material and a few Sun recordings. Uneven, but pretty kick-ass. Better than Elvis.
-Odetta, At the Gate of Horn (1957). Not nearly as good as ...Sings Ballads and Blues (her previous/first album), but still good.
-Hoagy Carmichael, Hoagy Sings Carmichael (1956). I love this stuff.
-The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Quintessential Phase (2005). Thanks luli82! The last radio series, adapting the fifth book. A bit rushed (only four episodes), but entertaining.
LP's from Goodwill:
-Burt Bacharach, Make It Easy on Yourself (1969). Meh.
-Michel Legrand, Legrand Jazz (1958). I guess Legrand was a composer or something? Here he arranges/conducts jazz standards, and does pretty well. Includes a few performances by Miles Davis among other crazy-famous people.
Rented from the library:
-Blondie, Eat to the Beat (1979). Eh.
-Kenny Burrell, Blues - The Common Ground (1968). Jazz guitarist plays blues and blues-influenced jazz with a small group. Very good.
-What Is Hip? The Tower of Power Anthology (1999). Heh. "Funkifize."
-Beck, Mellow Gold (1994). Meh.
-Donovan, Sunshine Superman (1966). Mostly mediocre, but the title track is great.
-R.E.M., Singles Collected (1994). Very early singles - probably the worst possible R.E.M. CD for my taste.
-Dave Brubeck Quartet, Brubeck Time (1955). Kind of like Time Out (minus the gimmicks), in that the only track that stands out is the one written by Paul Desmond.
-Duke Ellington, The OKeh Ellington (1991). Very early Ellington. Good stuff.
-Duke Ellington, Complete Columbia & RCA Victor Sessions with Ben Webster featuring Jimmy Blanton (2000). I've actually rented this before, a couple years ago. Still Good.
-Al Green, More Greatest Hits (1998).
-King Oliver's Jazz Band 1923-1926 (1993). Lots of fun.
-Louis Armstrong, The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (2001). Another second-time rental. This one I rented last only a few months ago, but somehow this time around I absolutely love it, whereas last time I said "meh."
-Count Basie, The Complete Atomic Basie (aka E=MC²) (1957). Fun - great arrangements.
-Miles Davis, The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965 (1995). Eight (mostly full) CD's of some of his worst recorded performances from his least accessible period. Mind you, this is Miles Davis we're talking about, so it's still good - but as bad as he can get outside of the 80's.
-Louis Armstrong, The Hot Fives, Volume I (1988). I am loving Dixieland lately. Weird.
-Count Basie, The Complete Decca Recordings (1992). Great stuff.
-Django Reinhardt, Django in Rome 1949/1950: CD's C & D (2003). Terrible sound quality, but great performances. CD C is mostly with violinist Stephane Grappelli, which is great. CD D is with "Le Quintet du Hot Club de France," which is not so much.
-Nirvana, Nevermind (1991). Yeah, I only just heard this now. I've heard all the songs millions of times, but never the album. It's actually pretty good, although I never cared for the songs separately.
-Original Dixieland Jazz Band, The Creators of Jazz (2001). Did I mention I'm loving Dixieland lately? Because it's awesome.
-The Doo Wop Box II (1996). Four CD's. Corny but amusing.
-Lonnie Johnson, The Essential (2001). Great old-timey blues. And strangely good audio quality.
-Percy Mayfield: Poet of the Blues (1990). Standard 50's R&B (by which I mean I like it).
-The Hollies' Greatest Hits (1973). Standard late 60's/early 70's rock (by which I mean I'm completely indifferent to it).