Probably not the type of music most of you would enjoy, but I’ve been revisiting the albums Syre and Erys by Jaden (Smith). People see him as a bit of a meme, but these albums are actually quite good. The opening sets of four tracks for each album B, L, U, E for Syre and P, I, N, K for Erys are both excellent. Willow’s vocal contributions are ethereal at times and emotionally moving at others.
Jaden’s vocal delivery is consistent, if you like how he sounds you’ll like most of his delivery. His lyrics range from legitimately poignant or excitingly clever to delusionally self-important or pseudo-intellectual. The inconsistent lyrical content is definitely the weakest part of these albums.
The production is outstanding. These albums have some subtle stylistic range and do some genuinely unique things in terms of sonic makeup.
Can’t stop listening to Richard Ashcroft’s live EP from the Chris Evans Breakfast Show. My 20-year-old son turned me on to it a few weeks ago. Love it.
Update: I am listening to Amazônia on the Bifrost 2 > STAX SRM T1S > Nectar Hive chain. I took out all DSP in ROON, it’s using my “Library” version, because I downloaded it. - The Qobuz 48K 24 bit FLAC. ROON reports that TIDAL only has 44.1 16 bit FLAC.
This seriously messes with my audio head. At first, I thought I liked the LCDi3 Cipher sound better. It was more intimate, creeping in past the cerebellum’s auditory area, touching on Wernicke’s area especially with the vocal bits, touching off emotions in the temporal lobe, finally reaching the somatosensory association area with the water sounds.
However the electrostatic chain and BF2 is clearly superior. It was completely immersive, washing from the temporals and simultaneously stimulating the frontal lobe, cerebral cortex, parietal and occipital lobes. Parts 4 and 5 of the work came on and the sharp sparkly bits were ever so much more granular, starkly defined - not a curtain, but a series of curtains crackling - and the rain the rain and the river ever present.
There is some kind of Zappa commemorative going on. Not sure what it is, since he was born in 1940 and passed in 1993. But anyway Qobuz was featuring a bunch of Zappa stuff. I saw him live when I was in college, he came to Penn State a number of times. Anyway, I’m a big fan of Zappa, from the early days, through the very nice Jazzy Grand Wazoo period, the laid back Just Another Band from LA. It’s hard to find Zappa I don’t like. But I listened to these two albums, which will always have a special place, from my college days and seeing them performed live. In chronological order. Watch out for yellow snow and rancid ponchos.
