My turntable is in my main system which means speakers. Maybe I’ll have to fix that sometime. But with the cost of turntables these days, I don’t want to buy two. Plus they need space and stability.
Then again there is the live alternative. Saw Toto and Journey at the CFG arena in Baltimore last weekend, front row left side. I’ve had Toto songs going through my head all week also - they’re a great band to see.
Highlight of the Journey show was that Arnel spotted us and said “Hello Barbara” on the mike, pointing to her. Later when he had a few free bars he signed the APFI sign Barbara was holding (Arnel Pineda Foundation - a charity for Manilla street kids that we support) and came over, hugged Barbara, shook my hand and patted me on the back.
I’ve got quite a bit of stuff on vinyl. Storage is an issue. Space is an issue. Nothing like @Torq has, but probably 20-30 linear feet of albums, almost all in excellent condition. I keep most in the attic, and rotate 30 or so records. And I still buy some stuff on vinyl, although I’m not sure why if modern vinyl has had some digital re-mastering, or started digital and there is a digital to analog step.
But I got my first turntable in '73, I think, the AR. Had that until I got the VPI Prime Scout. I love the selection of streaming. But I like the knowing what I have of vinyl. Never had more than a couple hundred CDs - I often bought vinyl even after CDs were out. Better artwork. And at first, arguably better sound. Now, it’s a tossup between a good vinyl pressing and a good FLAC - even redbook quality FLAC. It’s a blessing not having to deal with dust and a scratch or other imperfection. But with streaming, they keep switching up releases and remasters. Like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get. At least with ROON, you can often choose.
I regularly check out the new releases list at MetaCritic, and came across a couple 2024 albums that gave me flashbacks. These could have come out between 1980 and 1986.
I concluded that the 1980s have passed the oldies phase: Artists now imitate that decade. This also happened to 1950s music by the 1970s-1980s (e.g., Grease, Stray Cats). Time marches on. Most creativity is derivative creativity.
Allie X: Girl with No Face. Lots of clean synths, keyboards, and digital beats.
Yard Act Where’s my Utopia? : Scratching, samples, disco, rapping in the pre-hip hop style. Reminiscent of Bowie’s Let’s Dance, Madness, Black Flag (Henry Rollins spoken word) and the late Clash at times. Produced by a Gorillaz member, so this makes sense.
Been looking for older music to listen to as I work. This is really nice work background. Vocal, but I don’t understand a word of what is being said. And it’s soothing, unlike Yoko Ono who also sang stuff I couldn’t understand but was not soothing.
By older music I mean ancient period, pre Baroque, or early non-western music.
Also, this album is a really interesting mix of baroque operatic arias interlaced with pre-baroque Bulgarian folk music (with some medieval english, spanish, & italian influences for good measure?). Also some truly STUNNING vocal recording. “Zableyalo Mi Agance” particularly seems to fit your criteria and is probably my favorite track on the album.
I bought this album on Blu-Ray from the Super Deluxe Edition shop while ago. It is demo material. It has reimagining’s of some classic tunes:
Swimming Pools (Drank) feat. Tori Amos (Kendrick Lamar)
Steppin’ Out feat. Seal (Joe Jackson)
Owner Of A Lonely Heart feat. Rick Astley (Yes)
Slave To The Rhythm feat. Lady Blackbird (Grace Jones)
Love Is A Battlefield feat. Marc Almond (Pat Benetar)
Personal Jesus feat. Iggy Pop
Drive feat. Steve Hogarth (The Cars)
Relax feat. Toyah Wilcox & Robert Fripp (Frankie Goes To Hollywood)
White Wedding feat. Andrea Corr with Jack Lukeman (Billy Idol)
Smells Like Teen Spirit feat. Jack Lukeman (Nirvana)
Avalon (Roxy Music)
The bass on Owner of a Lonely Heart (Rick Astley!) is sick. One fun thing is that this is the first time I understood what Smells like Teen Spirit is about. Or, at least, I can hear the words here… ha ha.
Highly recommended.
Benson Boone launched his album a few days ago and I’ve been spamming his album Fireworks & Rollerblades on repeat ever since it came out, my favorite is Cry and Slow it down
I continue to explore new releases, and keep trying to figure out the zeitgeist of the current pop music creators. My take: borrowing now goes every which way.
Several decades ago Elvis, Led Zeppelin, The Police, David Bowie, and many more borrowed for mainstream commercial pop. Now…here are a couple UK-based black female performers who copy David Bowie, Britpop, post-Punk, and Indie… This is not unlike how Morrissey developed a notable following in Mexico/Latin America per his heavy airplay in Los Angeles.
The world’s cultural blender is spinning and chewing…no labels…
I remember listening to Pink Floyd early on (That’s a statement by itself) and thinking, “Where did this music come from?” Kind of started with Relics and Meddle, just post Barrett. Listening to Syd, he did borrow from British folk and even pop. But then things got strange. I mean, Atom Heart Mother - borrowed from the cows?
I post Pink Floyd thoughts because I’ve been listening to many covers of Echos. Starting to write about that in the context of a “review’ of the ZMF Auteur Classic and Eufónica amp combo.
Ferdinand Ries, Symphonies
Ries is an unjustifiably forgotten composer of very late Classical/early Romantic period. He was a student, and later employee, of Beethoven. Like some others of the period, he was overshadowed by the great man. But his music is quite good, imo, and well worth seeking out
Giuseppe Martucci, Symphonies 1 & 2
His life and career spanned the second half of the 19th century, and Toscanini was a notable champion of his music. The NBC Symphony under Toscanini programmed a number of his works on their broadcasts. Unlike most Italian composers of the time period, he composed no operas. A good selection of his music are available on Naxos and Brilliant Classics on CDs and digital downloads.
