Non Metal Now Listening

[Jward]

Been checking out Stars of the Lid for the first time today, on a recommendation. Ambient drone wouldn't be a genre I know particularly well, but this has been absolutely great to work to today. Maybe that's in part because what it reminds me of most is the kind of music you get behind guided meditation audios 

The one I listen to is 'The Tired Sounds Of Stars Of The Lid'

So relaxi .... zzzzzz

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Yes! That was the first one I listened to, then And Their Refinement of the Decline.

Will definitely be getting good mileage out of this recommendation anyway.

[open face surgery]

Yep, I too am fond of The Tired Sounds... although it's also the only one I've ever listened to.

[Mooncat]

Kamasi Washington - The Epic

I've been enjoying this one, even if it's a bit overlong. It's nice and accessible too, so would be a good stepping stone for people hoping to get into jazz. Thundercat and his bro are awesome on it as well.

One small bugbear though: if you're going to call your album The Epic, then have a pic of yourself on the front like some sort of god among the cosmos, and then title the first track Change of the Guard, you'd really need to be something pretty special...and he just isn't. He's a very good, but also fairly normal jazz musician. Probably a bit more talented in composition than he is as a player. When Ornette Coleman released The Shape of Jazz to come, he really backed it up and changed jazz. I think Kamasi may have overreached slightly with his theme 

[Maggot Colony]

Explosions in the Sky - Big Bend (An Original Soundtrack for Public Television)

This album is sublime, a bit more subdued than their usual stuff.

[StoutAndAle]

Kamasi Washington - The Epic

I've been enjoying this one, even if it's a bit overlong. It's nice and accessible too, so would be a good stepping stone for people hoping to get into jazz. Thundercat and his bro are awesome on it as well.

One small bugbear though: if you're going to call your album The Epic, then have a pic of yourself on the front like some sort of god among the cosmos, and then title the first track Change of the Guard, you'd really need to be something pretty special...and he just isn't. He's a very good, but also fairly normal jazz musician. Probably a bit more talented in composition than he is as a player. When Ornette Coleman released The Shape of Jazz to come, he really backed it up and changed jazz. I think Kamasi may have overreached slightly with his theme 

Christ - I think "The Epic" is one of the finest jazz records post-1980. I played it to death for about 6 months after it came out - all the way through.

So much so that I can't get into Kamasi's work prior or post that album - including "Heaven & Earth" which received massive acclaim but I don't think it compares to "The Epic". The tour to accompany the album was phenomenal.

He played in Cork recently. It was a great night but again, he's a victim of his own success in that I will always judge him against the NCH gig.

[StoutAndAle]

Kamasi Washington

As a matter of interest - have you listened to any of these? I arrogantly recommend all of them;

[Emphyrio]

Explosions in the Sky - Big Bend (An Original Soundtrack for Public Television)

This album is sublime, a bit more subdued than their usual stuff.

I'm fairly into post-rock but I find these guys too subdued in general.

[Mooncat]

Kamasi Washington

As a matter of interest - have you listened to any of these? I arrogantly recommend all of them;

I'm definitely very interested in more modern jazz recommendations so I will check those out, thanks!

In fairness I have also been listening to The Epic fairly non-stop for the last few days, it's a really good album. I just got irritated by the presenting himself as the second coming of Coltrane, which I don't think he is. You know how we are back home about people getting ideas above their station  (incidentally, a mindset that I hate and was glad to get away from and need to do better on myself).

I do like that The Epic, along with Whiplash, Birdman, To Pimp a Butterfly, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat all sparked a resurgence of jazz in a more mainstream way in the mid-2010s. Jazz is pretty huge underground right now and I wonder was that the spark.

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

One small bugbear though: if you're going to call your album The Epic, then have a pic of yourself on the front like some sort of god among the cosmos, and then title the first track Change of the Guard, you'd really need to be something pretty special...and he just isn't. He's a very good, but also fairly normal jazz musician. Probably a bit more talented in composition than he is as a player. When Ornette Coleman released The Shape of Jazz to come, he really backed it up and changed jazz. I think Kamasi may have overreached slightly with his theme 

Haha, love it! I didn't take the presentation that literally and just enjoyed it as a great album. But if it was all supposed to be taken in that sense, then you're absolutely right 

[Carnage]

Iam Brown: The Greatest
Pet Shop Boys: Discography - The Complete Singles

[Black Shepherd Carnage]

Speaking of the Pet Shop Boys, this popped up in the end credits of an ep of Moone Boy we watched just a couple nights ago:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veg31f7a3Ww

[Carnage]

Sigur Rós: Ágætis Byrjun

[open face surgery]

Guy Clark documentary on youtube Without Getting Killed or Caught. Was in the ifi in the last few months but I missed it so was delighted to see it pop up. Great stuff which then naturally led to Townes Van Zandt. Didn't realise his last album was recorded in Limerick and even features the legend of the box, Mairtin O'Connor.

New Hilary Woods tune is class.

[Maggot Colony]

The Best of Suede