Lossless World: music

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03 February, 2010

Franz Schmidt - Symphonies Nos. 1-4 (ape-cue-cover)

Review(RYM):
I guess it's fair to call Franz Schmidt (1874-1939) the last of the truly great Austrian/German symphonic masters of the classic-romantic tradition.
Schubert, Brahms, Strauss (Richard), Mahler, these composers were the artistic breeding ground for Franz Schmidt. With these four symphonies, Schmidt created a musical cosmos of his own. Those voices who condemn Schmidt of classicism, epigonalism and his style as retrograde, will give way in due time, I'm confident of this, to a new recognition and appreciation of Schmidt's contributions to music history.
I'd already known and treasured the third and fourth symphonies from recordings for which I've written reviews here at RYM. This 4 CD box with excellent sound recordings from 1987 reveals that all four are the works of a master. Just behold the unusually structured and life-affirming second symphony: it seems that Schmidt tries in the fifty minutes of those three movements to paint all the splendor of life seen from a Habsburgian point of view, 1913, just before the curtain fell (WW I). He pulls out all the stops of a late Romanticist symphony orchestra. The orchestrations are mesmerizing.
Schmidt's four symphonies are a platform for both the phenomenal Bratislava Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Ludovít Rajter to show what fabulous artistry they are capable of. Rajter, who was born in 1906, was a student of Franz Schmidt. This seems at least to some extent to account for the somnambulistic commensuration in representing each musical event as well as the larger musical episodes.
A great CD-box not to be missed.

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02 February, 2010

Pierre Moerlen's Gong - Time Is the Key (1979) (eac-flac-covers)

Pierre Moerlen's Gong - Time Is the Key (1979)
rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 285MB
Arista | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
The instrumental Time Is the Key ushers Moerlen's Gong into the new age. A lighter version of their previous release, Downwind, the band plays mostly progressive rock-based compositions with a drastically different personnel. Peter Lemer's keys, coupled with the sound of vibes and electravibe in particular, give the music a generic, new age sound at times. Hanny Rowe is a prominent figure on most of the cuts, his playing being one of the most memorable aspects of this album. Gong never had such a strong bassist -- their music never stressed it -- but Rowe is up front here, displaying leadership capabilities by occasionally carrying the music. This is most evident on the carnival-like "Supermarket" and "An American in England." As on Downwind, the jazz element is minimal, showing up only in "Arabesque Intro & Arabesque," the most impressive material on the disc. Here, Allan Holdsworth (who appears on only three cuts) plays lead over Bon Lozaga's rhythm, and Moerlen's heavyweight percussion and tympani take the prize. Other percussive highlights include the opener, "Ard Na Greine" (vibes and tympani), and the guitar-rocking "Bender."

Tracks:
1.Ard Na Greine (Pierre Moerlen) 6:10
2.Earthrise (Pierre Moerlen) 2:25
3.Supermarket (Pierre Moerlen) 3:35
4.Faerie Steps (Pierre Moerlen) 5:33
5.An American In England (Hansford Rowe) 2:57
6.The Organ Grinder (Pierre Moerlen) 3:56
7.Sugar Street (Pierre Moerlen) 2:22
8.The Bender (Pierre Moerlen) 3:16
9.Arabesque Intro & Arabesque (Pierre Moerlen) 5:18
10.Esnuria Two (Pierre Moerlen) 5:34
11.Time Is The Key (Pierre Moerlen) 2:29

Personnel:
Pierre Moerlen : drums, percussion, vibraphone, synthesizer
Hansford Rowe : bass
Bon Lozaga : guitar
Peter Lemer : synthesizer
guests:
Allan Holdsworth : guitar
Darryl Way : violin
Nico Ramsden : guitar
Joe Kirby

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01 February, 2010

McDonald & Giles - McDonald & Giles (1970) (HDCD) (eac-flac-log)

McDonald and Giles is an album of music released by British musicians Ian McDonald and Michael Giles in 1971.
Ian McDonald and Michael Giles were members of the original King Crimson lineup, and were featured performers on the band's debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King (1969). Both left the group at the end of its first North American tour in 1969, although Giles appeared on the second King Crimson album, In the Wake of Poseidon (1970), as a session musician. Two other King Crimson members also worked on the album: Peter Giles and Peter Sinfield.
The music on McDonald and Giles contains many of the pastoral and musically complex elements of King Crimson, while generally avoiding that band's darker tendencies. The song "Flight of the Ibis" has a similar melody and rhythm to King Crimson's "Cadence and Cascade", with different lyrics. The album is also notable in that it contains a guest appearance by Steve Winwood, playing organ and piano on "Turnham Green." Winwood's group Traffic were also working on John Barleycorn Must Die at Island Studios at the same time.
Michael Giles' drum solo in "Tomorrow's People - The Children of Today" has been sampled by a number of rap and hip-hop artists.

Track list:
01 - Suite in C
02 - Flight of the Ibis
03 - Is She Waiting.flac
04 - Tomorrow's People - The Children of Today
05 - The Inventor's Dream
06 - The Workshop
07 - Wishbone Ascension
08 - Birdman Flies
09 - Wings in the Sunset
10 - Birdman - The Relection

Personnel
* Ian McDonald: guitar, piano, organ, saxes, flute, clarinet, zither, vocals and sundries
* Michael Giles: drums, percussion (including milk bottle, handsaw, lip whistle and nutbox), vocals
* Peter Giles: bass guitar
* Steve Winwood: organ, and piano solo on "Turnham Green"
* Michael Blakesley: trombone on "Tomorrow's People"

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Art Pepper - Smack Up (Japanese 20bitK2) (1960) (eac-flac-cover)

Art Pepper - Smack Up (Japanese 20bitK2) (1960)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 335MB
Contemporary | rar +5% recovery

Art Pepper Quintet Smack Up (2001 Japanese limited edition 20bit 'K2 Super Coding' Digitally Remastered CD issue of the 1960 6-track album also featuring Jack Sheldon, Pete Jolly, Jimmy Bond & Frank Butler & including Japanese insert, superb card picture sleeve replicating the original album artwork & complete with obi-strip VICJ-60762).

Track list:

01 - Smack Up
02 - Las Cuevas de Mario
03 - A Bit of Basie
04 - How Can You Loose
05 - Maybe Next Year
06 - Tears Inside
07 - Solid Citizens (take 33)
08 - Solid Citizens (take 37)

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27 January, 2010

Michael Giles - Progress (1978) (eac flac cover)

Progress is a solo album recorded by original King Crimson drummer Michael Giles. It was recorded in 1978, but unreleased until 2002.

Track listing
1. Sunrise 0:56
2. Departure 3:12
3. Rolling 3:48
4. Daydream 1:00
5. Moving 4:14
6. Midsummer Day 6:00
7. Progress 6:03
8. Sunset 3:46
9. Shunter 2:43
10. Rocking 2:10
11. Nightdream 2:08
12. Arrival 6:09
* All words and music composed, recorded and produced by Michael Giles.

Personnel
* Geoffrey Richardson - Guitar, Flute, Viola, Voice
* Michael Giles - drums, percussion, Piano, Lead Voice
* Peter Giles - Bass Guitar
* Dave McRae - Piano, Electric Piano
* John Mealing - Electric Piano
* Ray Warleigh - Alto Saxophone
* Martin Drover - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
* Pete Thomas - Trombone

Gerry Mulligan - Live At the Olympia (1960) (eac flac cover)

Gerry Mulligan - Live At the Olympia (1960)
jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-log-cover | cover
Gambit | 840MB

Gerry Mulligan’s first trip to Paris took place in 1954, when he presented his legendary pianoless quartet. His success there led him to return many times, with a sextet in 1955 and 1957, with his Concert Jazz Band (composed of fourteen musicians) in 1960, and again with his quartet in 1962, when he alternated sets with a Horace Silver group featuring Blue Mitchell. The two latter performances are included on this release, which presents the Olympia concerts from November 19, 1960 and October 6, 1962.

Tracks:
CD 1
01. You Took Advantage Of Me
02. Black Nightgown
03. Body and Soul
04. Barbara’S Theme
05. Apple Core
06. Come Rain Or Come Shine
07. Out Of This World
08. Spring Is Sprung
09. My Funny Valentine
10. Bweebida Bobbida
11. Go Home

CD 2
01. I’m Gonna Go Fishing
02. Broadway
03. Blueport
04. Walkin’ Shoes (End Of Concert)
05. Spring Is Sprung (*)Bonus Track
06. Five Brothers (*)Bonus Track
07. Subterranean Blues (*)Bonus Track
08. Darn That Dream (*)Bonus Track
09. Blueport (*)Bonus Track
10. Utter Chaos (*)Bonus Track

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25 January, 2010

John Coltrane - The Bethlehem Years (1957)

jazztimes:
This recording has prime Coltrane from his sideman days of the late 1950s. The Bethlehem set is the Art Blakey Big Band album recorded in December 1957, plus 14 outtakes and one previously unissued piece from those sessions. It also includes four tracks from an all-star date called Winner's Circle. It may make marketing sense to put the reissue under Coltrane's name, but to do so implies that he dominates the music. He does not. His playing, particularly in the longer solos allowed by seven quintet tracks, compares with his best of the period, but it is just one of the reasons to have this collection. There are important contributions from Blakey and a cross-section of 16 other musicians from the top of the New York jazz scene.
The several quintet takes of his "Pristine" and Donald Byrd's minor blues "Tippin'" give ' Trane free reign to explore. He packs in scale-wise runs and audacious intervals in the sheets-of-sound fashion that seemed so startling then-and still does. Byrd was doing his finest trumpet playing during this period. He solos cogently, with relatively few of the grace notes that marred his work when he let finger-flicking interfere with the construction of melodic lines. Blakey, bassist Wendell Marshal and pianist Walter Bishop Jr. are the rhythm section. It is a pleasure to hear the beauty and humor of Bishop's extended solos.
In the Blakey big-band tracks, Coltrane proves that he was capable of effective expression in fewer than several choruses. He is far from being the only interesting soloist. Byrd, Blakey, alto saxophonist Sahib Shihab, trumpeter Idrees Sulieman and trombonists Jimmy Cleveland and Frank Rehak are important contributors in arrangements by Melba Liston and Al Cohn.
Cohn arranged the four tracks from the Winner's Circle date, his harmonic wizardry making nine pieces seem like several more. This date is a reminder of how powerful a baritone saxophonist Cohn could be, not only in the section, but also as a soloist who transferred his tenor sax approach to the bigger horn. Coltrane is, again, one of several powerful soloists, including Byrd, alto saxophonist Gene Quill, Rehak and pianist Eddie Costa. In the rhythm section with Costa are bassist Oscar Pettiford, guitarist Freddie Green and drummer Philly Joe Jones. In listening to Coltrane's and Cohn's beautiful solos on "If I'm Lucky," it is instructive to contemplate that these two giants, indeed all of these major artists in what amounted to a pickup recording session, were part of the pool of journeymen New York musicians. That is good ammunition for the argument that the '50s really were a golden age.

cd1
01 - Midriff
02 - Ain't Life Grand
03 - Tippin'
04 - Pristine
05 - El Toro Valiente
06 - The Kiss Of No Return
07 - Late Date
08 - The Outer World
09 - Not So Sleepy
10 - Love And The Weather
11 - If I'm Lucky
12 - Turtle Walk

cd2
01 - Oasis
02 - Midriff (take 1)
03 - Midriff (take 2)
04 - The Kiss of No Return (take 1)
05 - The Kiss of No Return (take 5)
06 - The Outer World (take 2)
07 - The Outer World (take 5)
08 - El Torro (take 1)
09 - Ain't Life Grand (take 2)
10 - Ain't Life Grand (take 5)
11 - Pristine (take 2)
12 - Pristine (take 6)
13 - Pristine (take 8)
14 - Tippin' (take 1)
15 - Tippin' (take 3)

John Coltrane - Winner's Circle (japanese miniLP) (1957)

AKA: BCP 6024 VA - Winner's Circle

recorded:
NYC, September, 1957
NYC, October, 1957

Tracks
NYC, September, 1957
01 Lazy Afternoon
02 Sea Breeze
03 She Didn't Say Yes
04 At Home With The Blues

NYC, October, 1957
05 Not So Sleepy
06 Love And The Weather
07 Turtle Walk
08 If I'm Lucky

personnel:
Art Farmer (tp) Rolf Kuhn (cl) Eddie Costa (vib, p) Kenny Burrell (g) Oscar Pettiford (b) Ed Thigpen (d)
Donald Byrd (tp) Frank Rehak (tb) Gene Quill (as) John Coltrane (ts) Al Cohn (bars)
Freddie Green (g) Philly Joe Jones (d)

24 January, 2010

Charles Mingus - Tonight at Noon (24bit remastered) (1965)

AMG
Tonight at Noon is, essentially, a compilation album -- although not in the usual sense. There are two distinct sessions that make up its contents: a 1957 date with Jimmy Knepper on trombone, drummer Dannie Richmond, saxophonist Shafi Hadi, and pianist Wade Legge, and a 1960 session with Booker Ervin, Roland Kirk on saxes, Knepper, bassist Doug Watkins, Mingus on piano, and Richmond. The feel of the two sets is different to be sure, but this is far from throwaway material; the tunes here are actually studio outtakes from the recordings for The Clown and Oh Yeah. While the former session features Mingus going for the blues via European harmonics and melodic approaches with hard bop tempos (particularly on the title track), the latter session with its nocturnal elegance and spatial irregularities comes off more as some kind of exercise in vanguard Ellington with sophisticated harmonies that give way to languid marches and gospel-tinged blues. Kirk and Ervin are particularly suited to one another, because they both swing hard as well as reach for the fences. Mingus' pianism is deeply rooted in blues, and that sense of pace and easiness informs these three tracks, particularly "'Old' Blue for Walt's Torin." Hints of the material Mingus would record for Columbia on Ah Um are in these compositions. The most beautiful piece is from the 1957 session and closes the album: "Passions of a Woman Loved" is a nearly ten-minute workout that feels like an Ellington suite. Despite the fact that this is an assembled album, it holds plenty of magic nonetheless.

Track List:
01 - Tonight at Noon
02 - Invisible Lady
03 - ''Old'' Blues for Walt's Torin
04 - Peggy's Blue Skylight
05 - Passions of a Woman Loved

Personnel:
Charles Mingus, Bass, Piano, Vocals;
Shafi Hadi, Alto Saxophone;
Doug Watkins, Bass;
Dannie Richmond, Drums;
Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Saxophones;
Wade Legge, Piano;
Booker Ervin, Tenor Saxophone;
Jimmy Knepper, Trombone.

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Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps (1979)

wikipedia
Rust Never Sleeps is an album by Neil Young and Crazy Horse released in 1979. The bulk of the album was recorded live at San Francisco's Cow Palace, with overdubs added. Audience noise is removed as much as possible, although it is clearly audible at certain points, most noticeably on the opening and closing songs. The album is half acoustic and half electric, opening and closing with different versions of the same song.
Two songs from the album were not recorded live: "Sail Away" was recorded without Crazy Horse during or after the Comes a Time recording sessions, and "Pocahontas" had been recorded solo around 1975.
Young also released a film version of the album under the same title. Later on in 1979, Young and Crazy Horse released the album Live Rust, a compilation of older classics interweaving within the Rust Never Sleeps track list. The title is borrowed from the slogan for Rust-Oleum paint, and was suggested by Mark Mothersbaugh of the New Wave band Devo. The album won the 1979 Rolling Stone Critics Poll for Album of the Year [2]. In 2003, the album was ranked number 350 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

tracks
01. My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)
02. Thrasher
03. Ride My Llama
04. Pocahontas
05. Sail Away
06. Powderfinger
07. Welfare Mothers
08. Sedan Delivery
09. Hey Hey, My My (Into The Black)

Artists
* Neil Young – guitar, harmonica, vocals
* Frank "Pancho" Sampedro – guitar, vocals except on "Sail Away"
* Billy Talbot – bass, vocals except on "Sail Away"
* Ralph Molina – drums, vocals except on "Sail Away"
* Nicolette Larson – vocals on "Sail Away"
* Karl T. Himmel – drums on "Sail Away"
* Joe Osborn – bass on "Sail Away"

Links:
http://www.filefactory.com/f/605902d4a212967f/

McCoy Tyner - Song Of The New World (OJC) (1973)

AMG:
This set gave pianist McCoy Tyner his first opportunity to write music for a larger group that included brass, flutes, and -- on two of the five songs -- a string section. The powerful pianist is in fine form and the main soloist throughout (although there are spots for trumpeter Virgil Jones and the flute of Sonny Fortune). Most memorable is the title cut and a reworking of "Afro Blue."

Track listing
1. "Afro Blue" (Santamaria) - 10:01
2. "Little Brother" - 10:12
3. "The Divine Love" - 7:31
4. "Some Day" - 6:50
5. "Song of the New World" - 6:50

Personnel
* McCoy Tyner: piano, percussion
* Hubert Laws: piccolo, flute
* Sonny Fortune: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute
* Joony Booth: bass
* Alphonse Mouzon: drums
* Cecil Bridgewater: trumpet (tracks 1, 2 & 4)
* Jon Faddis: trumpet (tracks 1, 2 & 4)
* Virgil Jones: trumpet (tracks 1, 2 & 4)
* Garnett Brown: trombone (tracks 1, 2 & 4)
* Dick Griffin: trombone, baritone trombone (tracks 1, 2 & 4)
* Willie Ruff: french horn (tracks 1, 2 & 4)
* William Warnick III: french horn (tracks 1, 2 & 4)
* Julius Watkins: french horn (tracks 1, 2 & 4)
* Kiane Zawadi: euphonium (tracks 1, 2 & 4)
* Bob Stewart: tuba (tracks 1, 2 & 4)
* Sonny Morgan: conga (tracks 1 & 2)
* Harry Smyle: oboe (tracks 3 & 5)
* Sanford Allen: violin (tracks 3 & 5)
* John Blair: violin (tracks 3 & 5)
* Selwart Clarke: violin (tracks 3 & 5)
* Winston Collymore: violin (tracks 3 & 5)
* Noel DaCosta: violin (tracks 3 & 5)
* Marie Hence: violin (tracks 3 & 5)
* Julian Barber: viola (tracks 3 & 5)
* Alfred Brown: viola (tracks 3 & 5)
* Ronald Lipscomb: cello (tracks 3 & 5)
* Kermit Moore: cello (tracks 3 & 5)
* William Fischer: conductor (tracks 3 & 5)

23 January, 2010

Low - Drums And Guns (2007)

A stark retreat from the relatively sunny sound of The Great Destroyer, Drums and Guns is, as its title suggests, inspired by the war in Iraq. True to the spirit of Low's other work, the outrage and regret expressed by these songs is just as timeless as it is timely, lamenting that war still exists as much as it addresses this particular war. And, while Drums and Guns' emotions and lyrics are complex (and on songs like "Murderer," with its "seems like you could use another fool," they don't pull any punches), its sound is often devastatingly spare and simple. It's almost hard to believe that the band worked with David Fridmann on this album as well as The Great Destroyer -- where that album was lush and overflowing with sonic tangents, Drums and Guns' sound is raw and restricted to just a few key sounds that underscore its themes. Fittingly, most of the album emphasizes percussion; whether it's the martial-yet-jazzy beat that drives "Sandinista" or the somber, almost industrial thud of "Dragonfly," this approach keeps the songs intimate, powerful, and uniquely modern-sounding. Organ also plays a key role on Drums and Guns, particularly on "Breaker," where it magnifies the anguish of lyrics like "my hand just kills and kills," and "Violent Past," where its massive sound closes the album by swallowing the listener in a cathedral of distortion. Aside from this song and the similarly epic "In Silence," most of Drums and Guns is gently but insistently tense, like a nagging conscience: "Take Your Time"'s looped church bells and "Belarus"' ghostly harmonies are bleakly, uncompromisingly beautiful. Low lightens up a little on the album's middle stretch, with "Hatchet," a plea for peace that's surprisingly playful ("let's bury the hatchet like the Beatles and the Stones"), and "Dust on the Window," where Mimi Parker's sweet voice sounds inherently comforting even as she wonders, "where can a girl get a meal?" Despite these bright spots, this is easily -- and understandably -- Low's darkest album since Trust. Unlike that album, however, Drums and Guns never feels dragged down by its weighty subject matter. It's a lean, potent work, and even if it's not one of Low's most superficially pleasant collections of songs, it's certainly among their most necessary ones.

Tracklist
01 Pretty People
02 Belarus
03 Breaker
04 Dragonfly
05 Sandinista
06 Always Fade
07 Dust on the Window
08 Hatchet
09 Your Poison
10 Take Your Time
11 In Silence
12 Murderer
13 Violent Past

Low - Christmas (EP) (1999)

review:
I admit it. I am a holiday music fanatic. Each year, I roam the stores in search of the perfect Christmas record. But this year I was beginning to despair. Because, although I am obsessive about the music, I am not indiscriminate in my affections. I've been wading through the countless CDs by such superstars as Kenny G, Amy Grant, and even the Irish tenors, all of which left me wondering if the spirit of Christmas (whatever it may be) has finally succumbed to commercialism.
Then I had the good fortune to stumble upon Low's Christmas. This quiet little album has single-handedly rescued holiday music for me. Combining covers of traditional Christmas songs with several originals, Low's approach to a holiday album is unlike any other. Eschewing the jolly -- and overplayed -- ditties that increasingly fill the other albums, Low presents a vision of Christmas that is a bit somber, but ultimately more filled with Christmas spirit than the whole wall of holiday hits at Sam Goody.
The album begins with a rocking and merry original, a significant departure for the usually uncannily reserved band. "Just Like Christmas" conveys an infectious happiness that carries through the dolor of the remaining seven songs, soothing their troubled take on the holiday.
"Long Way Around the Sea," another original, returns Low to its signature style, with Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker's beautiful harmonies slowly winding their way through the music. The song's poetry and serenity capture the holiness of the holiday, offering a gentle glimpse of the Biblical origins of Christmas. The album's third original song, "If You Were Born Today," is a rather grim assessment of what Christmas has become whose subdued condemnation resonates in the song's wistful melody. "Taking Down the Tree" is a tender and affectionate commentary on the aftermath of Christmas fun that feels sweetly like looking through a family photo album.
The band's choice of traditional songs is wise and almost humorous in its appropriateness. This album is thankfully free of "Rudolph" or "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," instead including three less raucous classics. Low's version of the "Little Drummer Boy" is backed by a keyboard drone and distant drums, lending a slightly disquieting quality to the already haunting vocal harmonies. For "Blue Christmas," Parker channels the ghost of Elvis, or perhaps Patsy Cline. Rich harmonies and bare guitar chords give "Silent Night" a touching simplicity.
My favorite song of the album may be the last. "One Special Gift" is tiny but lovely. Accompanied by an achingly, slowly strummed guitar, Parker sings, "After we've spent all the money on nieces and nephews and a couple of friends, there'll be just enough left. For one special gift. For one special guest." With that, the album ends, leaving the listener with a richer perspective on negotiating the conflicting demands of the season and a reminder of what is often brushed aside during the holidays.

Track list
01 - Just Like Christmas
02 - Long Way Around The Sea
03 - Little Drummer Boy
04 - If You Were Born Today
05 - Blue Christmas
06 - Silent Night
07 - Taking Down The Tree
08 - One Special Gift

Low - Songs For A Dead Pilot (EP) (1997)

AMG:
After Low left London's Vernon Yard label due to mutual financial pressures, the band members returned to their residence in Duluth, MN. There, they set up a studio in the basement of Allan Sparhawk (vocals and guitar) and Mimi Parker's (percussion and vocals) home and, along with bassist Zak Sally, set about recording Songs for a Dead Pilot. The album cover image of a stark, winter landscape is an appropriate visual match for the group's music. The mood on Songs is almost overwhelmingly somber and, like much of the band's music, often develops at a glacial pace. Bringing time to a crawl, the band exposes the silence and space in the music to great, occasionally thrilling effect. Low's drama is created in the gaps between guitar chords and snare hits. Engineering their own record allowed the members of Low the freedom to experiment. A washing machine was apparently employed for the low drum thud of "Be There." Deciphering the methods behind "Will the Night" is even more complicated; it would make a strong candidate for the most obscure opening album track. Heard as if from the other end of a tunnel, its melody is almost inaudible through a dense fog of echo. The song would reappear two years later on the Secret Name album, draped in a lush string arrangement that brought the band into new territory. "Born By the Wires," a song stripped to its bare bones, clocks in at over 13 minutes, although the body of the song takes place during the first five. Sparhawk sings in a fragile falsetto like a withdrawn child entertaining himself. The effect is chilling. Following this, the guitarist lapses into eight minutes of a repeated chord. While it seems to entrance the musician, it's the kind of aimless diversion few listeners will have the patience for. "Landlord" has a similar structure yet succeeds through slow, careful development. At its worst, Songs for a Dead Pilot is the sound of unsuccessful experiments on record. Repeated listening will only make its inconsistencies more apparent. However, the best songs ("Condescend," "Be There," and "Hey Chicago") provide the link between two of Low's best full-length recordings: the similarly constructed The Curtain Hits the Cast and the bolder Secret Name.

Tracks:
01 - Will The Night
02 - Condescend
03 - Born By The Wires
04 - Be There
05 - Landlord
06 - Hey Chicago

22 January, 2010

John Coltrane - Giant Steps (MFSL) (1959)

AMG
History will undoubtedly enshrine this disc as a watershed the likes of which may never truly be appreciated. Giant Steps bore the double-edged sword of furthering the cause of the music as well as delivering it to an increasingly mainstream audience. Although this was John Coltrane's debut for Atlantic, he was concurrently performing and recording with Miles Davis. Within the space of less than three weeks, Coltrane would complete his work with Davis and company on another genre-defining disc, Kind of Blue, before commencing his efforts on this one. Coltrane (tenor sax) is flanked by essentially two different trios. Recording commenced in early May of 1959 with a pair of sessions that featured Tommy Flanagan (piano) and Art Taylor (drums), as well as Paul Chambers -- who was the only band member other than Coltrane to have performed on every date. When recording resumed in December of that year, Wynton Kelly (piano) and Jimmy Cobb (drums) were instated -- replicating the lineup featured on Kind of Blue, sans Miles Davis of course. At the heart of these recordings, however, is the laser-beam focus of Coltrane's tenor solos. All seven pieces issued on the original Giant Steps are likewise Coltrane compositions. He was, in essence, beginning to rewrite the jazz canon with material that would be centered on solos -- the 180-degree antithesis of the art form up to that point. These arrangements would create a place for the solo to become infinitely more compelling. This would culminate in a frenetic performance style that noted jazz journalist Ira Gitler accurately dubbed "sheets of sound." Coltrane's polytonal torrents extricate the amicable and otherwise cordial solos that had begun decaying the very exigency of the genre -- turning it into the equivalent of easy listening. He wastes no time as the disc's title track immediately indicates a progression from which there would be no looking back. Line upon line of highly cerebral improvisation snake between the melody and solos, practically fusing the two. The resolute intensity of "Countdown" does more to modernize jazz in 141 seconds than many artists do in their entire careers. Tellingly, the contrasting and ultimately pastoral "Naima" was the last tune to be recorded, and is the only track on the original long-player to feature the Kind of Blue quartet. What is lost in tempo is more than recouped in intrinsic melodic beauty. Both Giant Steps [Deluxe Edition] and the seven-disc Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings offer more comprehensive presentations of these sessions.

Track listing
1. Giant Steps (4:47)
2. Cousin Mary (5:49)
3. Countdown (2:25)
4. Spiral (6:00)
5. Syeeda's Song Flute (7:03)
6. Naima (4:25)
7. Mr. P.C. (7:02)
8. Giant Steps (Alternate Take) (3:45)
9. Naima (Alternate Take) (4:31)
10. Cousin Mary (Alternate Take) (5:48)
11. Countdown (Alternate Take) (4:35)
12. Syeeda's Song Flute (Alternate Take) (7:05)

sample & buy: Giant Steps mfsl

John Coltrane - Giant Steps (24bit rem japanese mini LP) (1959)

Track List:
01 - Giant Steps
02 - Cousin Mary
03 - Countdown
04 - Spiral
05 - Syeeda's Song Flute
06 - Naima
07 - Mr. P.C.
08 - Giant Steps (Alternate Version 1)
09 - Naima (Alternate Version 1)
10 - Cousin Mary (Alternate Take)
11 - Countdown (Alternate Take)
12 - Syeeda's Song Flute (Alternate Take)
13 - Giant Steps (Alternate Version 2)
14 - Naima (Alternate Version 2)
15 - Giant Steps (Alternate Take)

sample & buy: Giant Steps mlp

Nils Petter Molvaer - Streamer (2004)

AMG
Norwegian trumpeter Nils Petter Molvar's live recording Streamer was issued in Europe on the Sura label in 2004. Finally issued here in the United States in Thirsty Ear's celebrated Blue Series, it is Molvar's third U.S. CD, and it almost catches us up with his catalog (NP3 is still not in print in the U.S.). Streamer features material from Molvar's second album on ECM, Solid Ether, as well as NP3. Present here is the trumpeter's standard accompanying band which includes atmospheric guitar powerhouse Eivind Aarset, drum master Rune Arnesen, as well as sidemen DJ Strangefruit, and French electronic programmer Raymond C. Pellicer creating loops and interspersing samples and effects. The four cuts performed from NP3, "Frozen," "Marrow" "Little Indian," and "Simply So" differ substantially from their studio counterparts in that the rhythmic intensity on the former two are more dynamic, and on the latter two, the sounds and placements are more relaxed and organic. The dreaminess inherent in this mix proves beyond the shadow of any doubt that Molvar is a master of his music in a live setting, creating dreamy, shimmering soundscapes in one moment and tribal, ecstatic ones the next, never losing his melodic invention or sense of control. The material from Solid Ether includes the title cut and "Kakonita." In this latter tune, perhaps the most stirringly beautiful cut on the set, the music seems to drift toward the listener without hurry or particular purpose but stays very focused, its delivery being spun out only a little at a time with Molvar's trumpet becoming a slow, languid singer in the heat as it rises from the pavement. It drones its way into "Sauna," a track that is as full of strange, intersecting melodic lines and musical traditions as it is guitar delays; it ominously threatens to explode at various moments, but its tension is held guardedly and tightly by Molvar. The set winds its way to a close with "Hurry Slowly," a rhythmically intense vamp intercut with vocal samples and that ever slowly unwinding trumpet line that never gives the listener much to hold on to as it creates a skeletal frame for the rhythmic invention. It ends with "Solid Ether," another snaky cut that becomes rhythmically more intense moment by moment, its trancelike beat distortedly running home while swirls and textures of electronic noise and samples wind in and out of the foreground and Aarset gets to stretch a bit. It's Streamer that may be the Molvar recording to start with, as it reveals his considerable range not only as an instrumentalist and composer, but as a performer as well.

Track List
1 Frozen
2 Marrow
3 Little Indian
4 Kakonita
5 Sauna
6 Simply So
7 Hurry Slowly
8 Solid Ether

linx:
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Nils Petter Molvaer - NP3 (2002)

Nils Petter Molvaer - NP3 (2002)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 380MB
Emarcy | RAR +5% recovery

AMG
After the jazz/electronic grit of Khmer and Solid Ether, Norwegian trumpeter Nils Petter Molvaer upped the restless qualities of his music for his third release. NP3 wasn't too much out of synch with his older material -- other than a magnificent ambient opener, Molvaer returned to a base of house, hip-hop, machine-noise, and gap-filled jazz trumpet, and many of his past collaborators also reappeared, including vocalist Sidsel Endresen, guitarist Eivind Aarset, and co-producer Reidar Skaar. The album's major difference was its magnified sense of structure. Much of the music felt cold and overwrought. There was a growing dance element and even moments of politics, as in the slap on U.S. foreign policy "Axis of Ignorance," which proved to be a mixed blessing. Molvaer was in need of fresh blood here while his musicianship had never been better.

Tracks
01 - Tabula rasa
02 - Axis of ignorance
03 - Hurry slowly
04 - Marrow
05 - Frozen
06 - Presence
07 - Simply so
08 - Little Indian
09 - Nebulizer

linx:

http://www.filefactory.com/f/fd9d5a440e6fc24d/

18 January, 2010

Low - Trust (2002)

AMG:
As the follow-up to Low's universally acclaimed Things We Lost in The Fire, Trust comes with a set of expectations that might be impossible to meet. To the band's credit, Low doesn't just rehash the territory they covered on their previous album; instead, Trust goes in several different directions, mixing dark, sweeping epics with smaller, unpretentious songs and eclectic productions (courtesy of Tchad Blake) and arrangements. It's Low's most diverse work yet, but as it turns out, also their most uneven, which is somewhat surprising considering how their previous album was both consistently inventive and familiar. The chilly, almost ominous tone that pervades Trust is also something of a surprise, compared to the relatively optimistic Things We Lost in the Fire -- the album-opener, "(That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace," subverts one of the most reassuring hymns, offering only the cold comfort of twangy guitars and Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker's close, tentative harmonies. The band follows that song with "Canada," which, with its dense, fuzzed-out guitars and propulsive drums, is the most rock song they've ever done, and especially unique considering the electronic leanings Low displayed awhile ago. Most of Trust follows this pattern, alternating a slow, sinuous song with a brighter or lighter one. When this chiaroscuro approach works, it's impressive, but more often than not, it doesn't quite come off. Though some of the album's darker songs are compelling, such as the soulful, brooding "Time Is the Diamond," "Little Argument With Myself," and the droning finale "Shots and Ladders," a few are just too long and dirgey. "I Am the Lamb," an unusually anguished song even for Low, is too subdued to sustain attention at just over seven minutes, despite its slow-burning, funereal menace; likewise, "John Prine" has a doomed grandeur to it, but its eight-minute length doesn't pay off. On the other hand, Trust's lighter moments feel like breaths of fresh air compared to the more oppressive songs -- the fragile, trippy prettiness of Parker's "Tonight" and the sweet, campfire-ready "La La La Song" are equally beautiful and unpretentious, and all the more appealing because of that. It's not until the second half of Trust that it really gets off the ground, but once it does, it makes the lengthy preamble worthwhile. The subtle harmonica and banjo flourishes on "In the Drugs" and the Phil Spector-esque production on "Last Snowstorm of the Year" mix Low's steadfast melodic sensibilities with Blake's colorful approach, while "Point of Disgust"'s beautiful vocals and simple, piano-driven arrangement showcase the band's spareness at its best. While Trust is uneven, its high points still outweigh the occasional slip into boring, dirgey territory. Fans will certainly agree that a slightly disappointing Low album still has more going for it than most other releases.

Track list
01 - (That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace
02 - Canada
03 - Candy Girl
04 - Time Is The Diamond
05 - Tonight
06 - The Lamb
07 - In The Drugs
08 - Last Snowstorm Of The Year
09 - John Prine
10 - Little Argument With Myself
11 - La La La Song
12 - Point Of Disgust
13 - Shots & Ladders

Links:
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Low - The Great Destroyer (2005)

AMG
Over the years, Low have been on labels as diverse as Kranky and Virgin offshoot Vernon Yard, worked with distinctive producers like Kramer and Steve Albini, and have managed to adapt their sound without losing any of their identity. All of this applies to Great Destroyer, the band's first album for Sub Pop and their first collaboration with producer Dave Fridmann. Fridmann's detailed sound is a far cry from either Kramer or Albini's minimalist tendencies, but his work here shows that Low can sound as good in elaborate settings as they do in simple ones: "Monkey"'s intricate layers of distorted drums, organ, and guitar have an unusual depth, and the synth strings and heartbeat-like electronic drums on "Cue the Strings" just add to the intimacy and subtlety of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker's harmonies. Ironically enough, Great Destroyer is by far Low's most polished and accessible-sounding album, even more so than their quasi major-label output. That may turn off purists yearning for I Could Live in Hope's simplicity, but aside from the bigger sound, there's something for almost every kind of Low fan on the album: chilly, brooding songs ("Pissing," "Everybody's Song"), gentle but powerful songs ("On the Edge Of," "Silver Rider") and gorgeous epics ("Broadway (So Many People)"). The group's touted rock direction offers some of Great Destroyer's strongest, and weakest, moments. "California"'s soaring warmth has odd but appealing early- to mid-'90s alt pop sheen to it, sounding a bit like Girlfriend-era Matthew Sweet played at half speed. However, "Just Stand Back" and "Step" are somewhat clunky and contrived, with the production overwhelming the songs. The tracks about aging and acceptance -- a major theme on Great Destroyer -- feel much more genuine, particularly "When I Go Deaf," another of the band's bittersweet and slightly disturbing songs like "In Metal." "Death of a Salesman," a short, stripped-down tale of what's left behind with age, is also affecting; though an album full of songs like these might be too much, they're wonderfully intimate glimpses. "Walk Into the Sea" provides a relatively uplifting -- if not happy -- ending to this thoughtful, graceful album, but at this point, it's difficult to expect anything less from Low.

Track listing
1. "Monkey" – 4:19
2. "California" – 3:23
3. "Everybody's Song" – 3:55
4. "Silver Rider" – 5:03
5. "Just Stand Back" – 3:04
6. "On the Edge Of" – 3:49
7. "Cue the Strings" – 3:30
8. "Step" – 3:18
9. "When I Go Deaf" – 4:41
10. "Broadway (So Many People)" – 7:14
11. "Pissing" – 5:08
12. "Death of a Salesman" – 2:28
13. "Walk into the Sea" – 2:56

Links:
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Lossless World

03 February, 2010

Franz Schmidt - Symphonies Nos. 1-4 (ape-cue-cover)

02 February, 2010

Pierre Moerlen's Gong - Time Is the Key (1979) (eac-flac-covers)

01 February, 2010

McDonald & Giles - McDonald & Giles (1970) (HDCD) (eac-flac-log)

Art Pepper - Smack Up (Japanese 20bitK2) (1960) (eac-flac-cover)

27 January, 2010

Michael Giles - Progress (1978) (eac flac cover)

Gerry Mulligan - Live At the Olympia (1960) (eac flac cover)

25 January, 2010

John Coltrane - The Bethlehem Years (1957)

John Coltrane - Winner's Circle (japanese miniLP) (1957)

24 January, 2010

Charles Mingus - Tonight at Noon (24bit remastered) (1965)

Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps (1979)

McCoy Tyner - Song Of The New World (OJC) (1973)

23 January, 2010

Low - Drums And Guns (2007)

Low - Christmas (EP) (1999)

Low - Songs For A Dead Pilot (EP) (1997)

22 January, 2010

John Coltrane - Giant Steps (MFSL) (1959)

John Coltrane - Giant Steps (24bit rem japanese mini LP) (1959)

Nils Petter Molvaer - Streamer (2004)

Nils Petter Molvaer - NP3 (2002)

18 January, 2010

Low - Trust (2002)

Low - The Great Destroyer (2005)

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