judsonw
Super Member
I went a bit overboard on Black Friday at the two "big" local record stores. I say overboard because I really should not have spent this much even though it was small compared to what others might spend (and excessive to others).
Jean-Michel Blais and CFCF - "Cascades": a nice limited run album. Contemporary classical. Jean-Michel Blais' first album, "Il" (iL not ii or LL) is just him on a piano at home and wonderful. His second album, "Dans Ma Main" see a more heavily produced album that probably gets a bit too dubstep style for some on a few tracks. This album is kind of the bridge between the two.
Chuck Berry- "The London Chuck Berry Sessions": I got a Chuck Berry single earlier this year that were live performances of Johnny B. Goode and My Ding-A-Ling. Turns out they were from this album. This is a Record Store Day reissue. Side one sounds more like a studio album than a live album. Side two is from the live performance. He performs "Reelin' and Rockin'". Then, hearing he only has time for one more song, does two. My Ding-A-Ling, with the intro and teaching the crowd how to sing the chorus, and all the innuendos, winds up being an 11 minute song. With no transition at all, he then immediately dives into Johnny B Goode. The crowd demands an encore as a representative of the venue runs on stage and tries to get the crowd to stop by saying Chuck had overrun 15 minutes and everyone needs to leave because there are 2000 people waiting outside to see the Pink Floyd concert which is right after this one.
Saul Williams - "The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust": Record Store Day reissue. My only real expose to Saul Williams was his role in "Virus" by A Tribe Called Red's newest album, "We are the Halluci Nation." I was intrigued by this one. I consider it a good purchase but understand it is not an album for everyone. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails does most (if not all) of the music for this album and it is entertaining. Saul covers U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" to powerful effect.
Tom Waits - "Mule Variations": My dad had been a Tom Waits fan for a long time. I was in high school when this album came out and he shared it with me. It is what got me first hooked on Tom Waits and I quickly fell in love with almost all of his other recordings. I did not yet have this one on vinyl so I bought it (I should write down which of his I have and do not have so I do not risk double purchases). Good all around album that explores the range of Tom Waits' abilities.
Bettye LaVette - "I've Got My Own Hell to Raise": I need to get more Bettye LaVette. I do love her voice. An enjoyable album that I need to put on again soon to better soak it in.
PJ Harvey - "The Peel Sessions": I love PJ Harvey and her concert at the Iceland Airwaves Festival in 2016 is still one of the best shows I saw that year and in recent years. I always check to see if the store has any of hers, and they had this. It was a little pricey and I was a bit worried, but those concerns were quickly assuaged. The first track, "Oh My Lover", was clear and crisp. The drums sounded superb (I admit I do not normally listen for percussion, but when it is good it stands out nicely and becomes noteworthy for me). This album was a selection of songs from five different sessions with John Peel. This was released after he passed, and can be viewed as a thank you and good bye from PJ to John. Since it spans a decade of music, it also serves as a great intro to PJ Harvey as it covers a variety (but not all) of her styles of music.
Jean-Michel Blais and CFCF - "Cascades": a nice limited run album. Contemporary classical. Jean-Michel Blais' first album, "Il" (iL not ii or LL) is just him on a piano at home and wonderful. His second album, "Dans Ma Main" see a more heavily produced album that probably gets a bit too dubstep style for some on a few tracks. This album is kind of the bridge between the two.
Chuck Berry- "The London Chuck Berry Sessions": I got a Chuck Berry single earlier this year that were live performances of Johnny B. Goode and My Ding-A-Ling. Turns out they were from this album. This is a Record Store Day reissue. Side one sounds more like a studio album than a live album. Side two is from the live performance. He performs "Reelin' and Rockin'". Then, hearing he only has time for one more song, does two. My Ding-A-Ling, with the intro and teaching the crowd how to sing the chorus, and all the innuendos, winds up being an 11 minute song. With no transition at all, he then immediately dives into Johnny B Goode. The crowd demands an encore as a representative of the venue runs on stage and tries to get the crowd to stop by saying Chuck had overrun 15 minutes and everyone needs to leave because there are 2000 people waiting outside to see the Pink Floyd concert which is right after this one.
Saul Williams - "The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust": Record Store Day reissue. My only real expose to Saul Williams was his role in "Virus" by A Tribe Called Red's newest album, "We are the Halluci Nation." I was intrigued by this one. I consider it a good purchase but understand it is not an album for everyone. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails does most (if not all) of the music for this album and it is entertaining. Saul covers U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" to powerful effect.
Tom Waits - "Mule Variations": My dad had been a Tom Waits fan for a long time. I was in high school when this album came out and he shared it with me. It is what got me first hooked on Tom Waits and I quickly fell in love with almost all of his other recordings. I did not yet have this one on vinyl so I bought it (I should write down which of his I have and do not have so I do not risk double purchases). Good all around album that explores the range of Tom Waits' abilities.
Bettye LaVette - "I've Got My Own Hell to Raise": I need to get more Bettye LaVette. I do love her voice. An enjoyable album that I need to put on again soon to better soak it in.
PJ Harvey - "The Peel Sessions": I love PJ Harvey and her concert at the Iceland Airwaves Festival in 2016 is still one of the best shows I saw that year and in recent years. I always check to see if the store has any of hers, and they had this. It was a little pricey and I was a bit worried, but those concerns were quickly assuaged. The first track, "Oh My Lover", was clear and crisp. The drums sounded superb (I admit I do not normally listen for percussion, but when it is good it stands out nicely and becomes noteworthy for me). This album was a selection of songs from five different sessions with John Peel. This was released after he passed, and can be viewed as a thank you and good bye from PJ to John. Since it spans a decade of music, it also serves as a great intro to PJ Harvey as it covers a variety (but not all) of her styles of music.
