It's Fer Me Ma Part II
So, around three months ago I promised to follow up with the CD reviews for my Mother, in about a week. I suck like that.
As before, I'm sticking it behind this cut, for those interested.
For a trio of these I couldn't find youtube or similar things to point you at, so I've uploaded m4a files to rapidshare.
Artist: Ella Fitzgerald
Album: Cole Porter Songbook // Rodgers & Hart Songbook
Why: Because I hadn't listened to them in their full.
Thoughts: Anyone who doesn't love this is a godless communist, a traitor, and a paedophile. It came as a three CD set, and I have a strong preference for the Porter, as the selection is far less... sappy than the Rodgers & Hart. That said, the first time I heard Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered, it hit me like a song I couldn't believe I hadn't heard before. Some phenomenal stuff on these albums.
If you're curious: Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered
Would My Mother Approve? I imagine. She's the one who introduced me to Billie Holiday, after all.
Artist: Peter Tosh
Album: Legalize It
Why: It was in the used section when I was going to buy Equal Rights, so I grabbed it as well.
Thoughts: Very laid back album, which I wasn't expecting from what I had read of Tosh. Dunno if they softened him down to start out his solo career, but regardless it's a good album if you like reggae. If you're not a fan, I don't see this album making you one.
If you're curious: Whatcha Gonna Do
Would My Mother Approve? I think so. It's good reggae.
Artist: Peter Tosh
Album: Equal Rights
Why: There was a week or two where I needed to listen to Steppin Razor on a regular basis.
Thoughts: This is a hell of an album. His version of Get Up, Stand Up is, IMHO, better than Marley's. Steppin Razor and I Am That I Am are also fantastic tracks.
If you're curious: Steppin Razor
Would My Mother Approve? Yes.
Artist: Stevie Wonder
Album: Innervisions
Why: Because I didn't steal my folk's copy when I left Santa Barbara.
Thoughts: It's freaking Innervisions. It's considered one of the high points of Wonder's career, and of the genre. As with several records my last round, this isn't really one that needs reviewing.
If you're curious: Living For the City
Would My Mother Approve? I think she was the one who introduced me to this album.
Artist: Dead Prez
Album: Let's Get Free
Why: They cropped up through Pandora.
Thoughts: Considered one of the resurgent acts of Conscious Rap, they do have some interesting tacks on subjects, but nothing really revolutionary. It's interesting hearing atheist vegan rappers, but the song where they rail against the school system being euro-centric? Yeah, if you think the white kids don't notice that too...so it's a problem sure. Solutions? None. That said, I thought their best tracks were the ones where they simply took a positive outlook on situations: Wolves, Mind Sex, or Happiness.
If you're curious: Happiness
Would My Mother Approve? Eh, I doubt it. They're very hit or miss.
Artist: William Elliot Whitmore
Album: Animals In the Dark
Why: I wanted to try another couple of his albums.
Thoughts: By far the best album of his I've listened too. Ashes to Dust was really about 50/50 for good tracks vs lyrical crap, so he seems to be getting better with time.
If you're curious: Old Devils
Would My Mother Approve? She's a fan of folk, and he's got a great voice, so probably so.
Artist: Bob Marley & The Wailers
Album: Exodus
Why: Somehow I had managed to not add this to my CD collection.
Thoughts: Christ, it's where pretty much every greatest hit comes from. Everyone's probably heard the entirety of this album, piecemeal.
If you're curious: Three Little Birds
Would My Mother Approve? Yes.
Artist: Jitterbug Thompson
Album: Jitterbug Thompson
Why: Found through Pandora
Thoughts: This album confuses me on so many levels. I can find nearly nothing about him/them (I think there's a band in there), yet somehow Pandora linked them into my Waits/Cave station. It's a very brief album, with some strong cuts on it, and I'm hoping that they'll release more at some point.
If you're curious: Fool
Would My Mother Approve? Mmm. Yeah, I think so.
Artist: Kris Kristofferson
Album: Kristofferson
Why: I'd heard 10 tons of covers of him, but never heard him sing.
Thoughts: As it turns, out, there's a reason for that. Kristofferson doesn't have the best of voices, but I've always been drawn to unusual voices, as they've tended to be backed by the strongest of songwriters, and it's a damn nice album.
If you're curious: Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down
Would My Mother Approve? In small doses, probably.
Artist: Tego Calderon
Album: El Subestimado
Why: Recommended by Mario
Thoughts: Well, I can only catch a word here and there, but it's sonically very interesting. I like to think that this is what they listen to in Azatlan.
If you're curious: Los Mate
Would My Mother Approve? No, can't really see her liking this.
Artist: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Album: It's Blitz!
Why: Just released, and I've dug all their stuff.
Thoughts: They've been getting more and more melodic, or perhaps less and less harsh, as their albums have been going on. It still follows the same formula of Karen O stretching a minute and a half of lyrics to fit a five minute song, but for some reason I can't fault her. And damn them for making me like a song with the lyric "you complete me." Oh, and it's a very good album.
If you're curious: Hysteric
Would My Mother Approve? Yeah, I think so. She's liked parts of their first two albums, and I think this one is much easier on the ears.
Artist: PJ Harvey & John Parrish
Album: A Woman A Man Walked By
Why: It's the new PJ Harvey album
Thoughts: I'm still not certain about this album. I think it's a step in the right direction after While Chalk - anyone with a voice as fantastic as Harvey's shouldn't be singing in a falsetto. I don't think I've listened to this album enough for it to have gelled in my mind, and I've been through it around five times. Kinda frustrating.
If you're curious: Black Hearted Love
Would My Mother Approve? Dunno.
On Deck for next time:
David Bowie - Scary Monsters
Ghostface Killah - Ironman
BB King - Live at the Regal
Curtis Mayfield - Superfly
Chuck Berry - The Great Twenty-Eight
Damian Marley - Welcome to Jamrock
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
A Tribe Called Quest - Low End Theory
The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
GZA - Beneath the Surface
As before, I'm sticking it behind this cut, for those interested.
For a trio of these I couldn't find youtube or similar things to point you at, so I've uploaded m4a files to rapidshare.
Artist: Ella Fitzgerald
Album: Cole Porter Songbook // Rodgers & Hart Songbook
Why: Because I hadn't listened to them in their full.
Thoughts: Anyone who doesn't love this is a godless communist, a traitor, and a paedophile. It came as a three CD set, and I have a strong preference for the Porter, as the selection is far less... sappy than the Rodgers & Hart. That said, the first time I heard Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered, it hit me like a song I couldn't believe I hadn't heard before. Some phenomenal stuff on these albums.
If you're curious: Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered
Would My Mother Approve? I imagine. She's the one who introduced me to Billie Holiday, after all.
Artist: Peter Tosh
Album: Legalize It
Why: It was in the used section when I was going to buy Equal Rights, so I grabbed it as well.
Thoughts: Very laid back album, which I wasn't expecting from what I had read of Tosh. Dunno if they softened him down to start out his solo career, but regardless it's a good album if you like reggae. If you're not a fan, I don't see this album making you one.
If you're curious: Whatcha Gonna Do
Would My Mother Approve? I think so. It's good reggae.
Artist: Peter Tosh
Album: Equal Rights
Why: There was a week or two where I needed to listen to Steppin Razor on a regular basis.
Thoughts: This is a hell of an album. His version of Get Up, Stand Up is, IMHO, better than Marley's. Steppin Razor and I Am That I Am are also fantastic tracks.
If you're curious: Steppin Razor
Would My Mother Approve? Yes.
Artist: Stevie Wonder
Album: Innervisions
Why: Because I didn't steal my folk's copy when I left Santa Barbara.
Thoughts: It's freaking Innervisions. It's considered one of the high points of Wonder's career, and of the genre. As with several records my last round, this isn't really one that needs reviewing.
If you're curious: Living For the City
Would My Mother Approve? I think she was the one who introduced me to this album.
Artist: Dead Prez
Album: Let's Get Free
Why: They cropped up through Pandora.
Thoughts: Considered one of the resurgent acts of Conscious Rap, they do have some interesting tacks on subjects, but nothing really revolutionary. It's interesting hearing atheist vegan rappers, but the song where they rail against the school system being euro-centric? Yeah, if you think the white kids don't notice that too...so it's a problem sure. Solutions? None. That said, I thought their best tracks were the ones where they simply took a positive outlook on situations: Wolves, Mind Sex, or Happiness.
If you're curious: Happiness
Would My Mother Approve? Eh, I doubt it. They're very hit or miss.
Artist: William Elliot Whitmore
Album: Animals In the Dark
Why: I wanted to try another couple of his albums.
Thoughts: By far the best album of his I've listened too. Ashes to Dust was really about 50/50 for good tracks vs lyrical crap, so he seems to be getting better with time.
If you're curious: Old Devils
Would My Mother Approve? She's a fan of folk, and he's got a great voice, so probably so.
Artist: Bob Marley & The Wailers
Album: Exodus
Why: Somehow I had managed to not add this to my CD collection.
Thoughts: Christ, it's where pretty much every greatest hit comes from. Everyone's probably heard the entirety of this album, piecemeal.
If you're curious: Three Little Birds
Would My Mother Approve? Yes.
Artist: Jitterbug Thompson
Album: Jitterbug Thompson
Why: Found through Pandora
Thoughts: This album confuses me on so many levels. I can find nearly nothing about him/them (I think there's a band in there), yet somehow Pandora linked them into my Waits/Cave station. It's a very brief album, with some strong cuts on it, and I'm hoping that they'll release more at some point.
If you're curious: Fool
Would My Mother Approve? Mmm. Yeah, I think so.
Artist: Kris Kristofferson
Album: Kristofferson
Why: I'd heard 10 tons of covers of him, but never heard him sing.
Thoughts: As it turns, out, there's a reason for that. Kristofferson doesn't have the best of voices, but I've always been drawn to unusual voices, as they've tended to be backed by the strongest of songwriters, and it's a damn nice album.
If you're curious: Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down
Would My Mother Approve? In small doses, probably.
Artist: Tego Calderon
Album: El Subestimado
Why: Recommended by Mario
Thoughts: Well, I can only catch a word here and there, but it's sonically very interesting. I like to think that this is what they listen to in Azatlan.
If you're curious: Los Mate
Would My Mother Approve? No, can't really see her liking this.
Artist: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Album: It's Blitz!
Why: Just released, and I've dug all their stuff.
Thoughts: They've been getting more and more melodic, or perhaps less and less harsh, as their albums have been going on. It still follows the same formula of Karen O stretching a minute and a half of lyrics to fit a five minute song, but for some reason I can't fault her. And damn them for making me like a song with the lyric "you complete me." Oh, and it's a very good album.
If you're curious: Hysteric
Would My Mother Approve? Yeah, I think so. She's liked parts of their first two albums, and I think this one is much easier on the ears.
Artist: PJ Harvey & John Parrish
Album: A Woman A Man Walked By
Why: It's the new PJ Harvey album
Thoughts: I'm still not certain about this album. I think it's a step in the right direction after While Chalk - anyone with a voice as fantastic as Harvey's shouldn't be singing in a falsetto. I don't think I've listened to this album enough for it to have gelled in my mind, and I've been through it around five times. Kinda frustrating.
If you're curious: Black Hearted Love
Would My Mother Approve? Dunno.
On Deck for next time:
David Bowie - Scary Monsters
Ghostface Killah - Ironman
BB King - Live at the Regal
Curtis Mayfield - Superfly
Chuck Berry - The Great Twenty-Eight
Damian Marley - Welcome to Jamrock
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
A Tribe Called Quest - Low End Theory
The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat
GZA - Beneath the Surface