What Are You Listening To?

[CRAZY-HORSE]

GASLIGHT ANTHEM "American slang" cd, 2010.

rock band from New Jersey.
third album of five, I own all five, big fan.
has an E-Street Band sound especially on this album.
songs of everyday life, like Springsteen.
I LOVE THIS ALBUM

favourite:

[Ruby]

Thought I'd listen to some Roger McGuinn, since it's his birthday today. From Back from Rio - for the superlative Hillman/Crosby backing harmonies and what I fondly imagine to be mandolin picking - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0dhclAYkg0, and this one with Tom Petty ... 

[CRAZY-HORSE]

SUPERTRAMP "even in the quieter moments" cd, 1977

their fifth album.
only one i own, also have a Roger Hodgeson on vinyl somewhere.
good solid album that i havent heard for a few years.
I LOVE THIS ALBUM

the single:

[Jerome]

SUPERTRAMP "even in the quieter moments" cd, 1977

their fifth album.
only one i own, also have a Roger Hodgeson on vinyl somewhere.
good solid album that i havent heard for a few years.
I LOVE THIS ALBUM

the single:





Fantabulous album!

---

Today's pick - Joni Mitchell's 'Turbulent Indigo' - my favourite of all her albums.

[Ruby]

^^If you liked that one CH, you really should try to lay your hands on Crime of the Century and Crisis? What Crisis?

I’ve been listening to obscure (to me) Dutch and Norwegian prog. Firstly Supersister, from Holland. They were considered part of the Canterbury Scene, which I now know is not my scene! They were on the touring circuit alongside Camel at one stage and the band members got along quite well – enjoyed a similar sense of humour. Camel named a track on Mirage for them – “Supertwister”. Anyway – I didn’t mind listening to To the Highest Bidder too much – it had some moments – no guitar which I kinda missed, other than bass – “No Tree Will Grow” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up--PdDRSTA.

That was followed by Odyssice who are no more – also Dutch – Silence – all instrumental – much more my thing. Lovely track … “Flags Without a Heart” …




Still listening to and absorbing an album by Kerrs Pink who are Norwegian – Art of Complex Simplicity.

[CRAZY-HORSE]

thanks for the reco's Ruby.
just checked, neither are currently available on cd here.

[Ruby]

^Surely they must be available somewhere in the land of Oz???   
Try Musicstack - https://www.musicstack.com/item/647933591 or Discogs. 

It’s official. I have a new obsession. Norwegian folk/rock proggy outfit Kerrs Pink. Gorgeous album – Art of Complex Simplicity – just delightful – will definitely be tracking this one down to purchase. Exactly the kind of music I really love to hear. Melodic rock with fairly folky roots, largely instrumental and even a little new agey in places – makes me feel as though all is right with the world, somehow, and is super evocative – structurally quite classical in parts, with rock breaks – or is that the other way around? And keeping a certain gravitas without being depressingly gothic. There’s such a fine line between this type of prog/rock/folk where restraint is exercised - a beautifully measured pace throughout, vs that which is over-embellished – must be so tempting to break out wildly, I can imagine, but it turns off that switch for me. Maybe one of the reasons this lot seem to work so well is that they range quite widely in age (in their most recent incarnation at any rate) and I like to think there’s a bit of an apprenticeship to a master/s taking place! Lovely guitar work - can’t believe I’ve never heard of them up to now. They have been through several line-up changes with Harald Lytomt being the driving and pivotal creative force, although he wasn’t at the very beginning - I need to explore their back catalogue.

Art of Complex Simplicity was released in 1997 and started life as a solo Harald Lytomt project but then evolved with the inclusion of a previous lyricist and several past members. The title seems perfect.

One of the longer vocal tracks – “Affinity” - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edua71KWuRk

“Fearful Heart” – also a vocal - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEw1n8FPhJs

An instrumental – the dreamy “Never Land” … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3HHbvXLQOo

And another instrumental - “The Hero of Chivalry” … don't think there was a single track I didn't like ... 

[Ruby]

Ok – so I tried to listen to Mystic Spirit which was released by Kerrs Pink in 2013 – didn’t do it for me, sadly – I think it might have crossed that fine line, but then again - I haven’t listened to it all, just the first two tracks which were a bit too belting and which put me in reverse, lol! Went back to the one before Art of Complex Simplicity titled A Journey on the Inside.



Much better – a concept album liberally strewn with instrumental tracks. The concept is as stated, an inner journey that asks philosophical questions of the protagonists life choices – a psychological trip as much as anything else, I suppose. I could have this one too – quite happily – I am enamoured of Harald Lytomt’s guitar and flute. The album is long at 71+ minutes, but it didn’t feel like a chore – enough of a variety of sounds and styles to hold interest and add colour. They have produced six albums in all so that’s two down now - going backwards again after this, to Mellom Oss.

The outro – “Epilogue” …

[CRAZY-HORSE]

thanks Ruby,
i was being lazy, just tried the two major retailers
should have gone to see my mate who owns a small independent music, will do so today.
___________________________________________________________________________________

all sorted, ordered online, Crisis What Crisis, Crime Of The Century, Breakfast In America.

[Ruby]

^Cool. Hope you like 'em!!  

My Kerrs Pink odyssey continues (incidentally Kerrs Pink is a cultivar of potatoes that is particularly fond of northern climes). Listened to Mellom Oss, their second album. Mostly instrumental with some vocals now and then – Norwegian so no clue about the content. With the exception of the second track which is rather jolly, and for the sake of comparison, this one feels sort of like a Scandinavian answer to Camel’s The Snow Goose, although that’s completely instrumental and maybe gentler, apart from which nothing much can compete with it IMHO.

The album was first released in 1981 and re-recorded, in full, by a different line-up, in 1993. Those who know say the second is true to the first but is infinitely superior sound-wise which is presumably why it was remade at all. It also has six additional tracks that I’m not convinced are absolutely necessary, however, it’s all very nice and I’ll be on the look out for this one as well! Bang goes the budget. Mellum Oss directly translates to Between Us.

I was sold by the time I'd got to tracks three and four. Track number three is an interlude – amazing how such a short piece of music can be so pleasing … viola hmmm ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XFZFOiSUlU, and again - the viola kicks in at 1.25 on this, the fourth track - I could listen to that segment all day long … “Östenfor Ord” … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxAwUsbUuyU

The opener and title track …