Glen Campbell - See You There (2013)

Glen Campbell - See You There

  After the stunning "Ghost on a canvass" album and the footnote that that would be his final musical statement, I was a bit shocked to see another release from Campbell!    However soon I discovered that this album is really a collection of recent acoustic re-interpretation of some of his old classics .....and new then I had to pick it up.
  Glen Campbell will always have an extra special place in my heart and his voice is really part of me....in fact "theres no me without you"......or so the song goes

Stereolab - Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements (1993)

Stereolab - Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements

  I have been a big fan of Stereolab for a long time now and "Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements" is one of their most albums in my collection......and for good reason!

  This is Stereolab BEFORE their electronic jazz Euro-pop era with this album harking back to the days of Krautrock.   

Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements was Stereolab's breakthrough album and still represents for me their most innovative album of the 1990s.   

 Musically this album is far reaching with a definite nod to krautrock not unlike the bands earlier releases "Switched On" and "Peng!" while adding a space-age exotica flare with French Pop elements and soft electonica.   Songs like "Analogue Rock," "Our Trinitone Blast" and "Pack Yr Romantic Mind" experiment with more complex and adventurous structures and genres.   However, "Jenny Ondioline" is still THE EPIC track.....a wild and captivating hypnotic, 18-minute piece!

  Hey ...there are even some announcements!!!

Grobschnitt - Live 2011 (2011)

Grobschnitt - Live 2011(180g Red Vinyl)

  Many years ago the music of Grobschnitt became a part of my life and to the forefront popped a little album of theirs called Rockpommel's Land.   This album was originally released in 1977 and for the past 15 years has been on frequent rotation here and holds an extra special place in my heart as one of THE finest Prog Rock albums ever !
  Fast forward some 30 years later (minus a few original members) to this 2011 live re-account of Rockpommels land with a few new twists.

  Musically this performance is a live re-visitation which sounds absolutely sweet and is NOT an exact replica of the album re done live.....Grobschnitt do keep to the album for sure but still there are some nice differences too that keep this fresh and alive.   There is also something very new here that bookends the album.....a NEW studio prelude and a NEW studio postlude aptly titled BEFORE and BEYOND.

  Sound quality of the vinyl is also very good.....solid 180g Red vinyl carefully pressed over 2 LP's.  Each side is short but given lots of groove space for the audiophiles out there.

Why not take a ride with Maraboo and little Ernie again !!

Audience - The House On The Hill (1971)

Audience - The House On The Hill 

  "The house on the hill" is one of those albums that grow on you the more and more you listen to it.   Like good wine, sometimes you need a bit of time for things to really sink in.........

  Audience focus thier sound around the sax, clarinet and flute of jazz-ite Keith Gemmell and the electric guitar of pop-ite Howard Werth.   On "Jackdaw" you might think at times that Led Zep was in the house with Werth's soulful rock wailing very reminiscent of Plant's tone.



  

Robin Trower - For Earth Below (1975)

Robin Trower - For Earth Below 

  Back to back to back stunning albums starting off with 1973's "Twice removed From yesterday" to 1974's "Bridge Of Sighs" to 1975's "For Earth Below" finalizing the trilogy.   Trower continues his guitar bursting sonic rock anthems on "For Earth Below" with the returning assistance of bassist and lead vocalist James Dewer and drummer Bill Lordan.

 Musically Trower continues to perfect his blues rock sensibilities all the way along adding his punchy pseudo-psychy guitar work.  

  Every song on this album is a stone cold rocker and for Trower fans this album is gold!!!

   

Ella Fitzgerald - Mack The Knife (1960)

Ella Fitzgerald - Mack The Knife 

     Ella in Berlin is a live album that you will never forget.......recorded live in front of 12,000 german fans playing some of her most beloved melodies.   This album is famous for the fact that on Mack The Knife (a song she didnt do often) Ella forgot the lyrics and made up her own...not unlike what Sarah Vaughan did at Mr. Kelly's.

   Ella is backed by the superb Paul Smith Quartet (Paul Smith-piano, Jim Hall- guitar, Wilfred Middlebrooks - bass and Gus Johnson-drums) who helps create the perfect jazz crooner backdrop thought this recording.    There is just something about this live album that really stands out for me and i think it might just be the magic was in the air that night!  Ella is spot on and totally captivates the listener with her big voice and emotive tones.  "Its too darn hot" clearly shows her mojo with that extra special crooner jazz humour and finger snapping timing.

  Ella in Berlin is a go to album for me and I would think a very strong candidate for the desert island picks.