I'm simplifying the format of these from the charts I've been doing every month, because 1. My reader stats show that these posts have a fairly small, targeted audience, and 2. They're a lot of work to compile, given the small amount of interest from my readers.
Also, December's Song of the Day list on Sputnik Music was screwed up this month. The guy who was hosting it ditched it halfway through the month (Grrr!), and the person who followed up to try to complete it got buried in the holiday season and didn't finish it either. (But he gets more of a pass, because he wasn't scheduled to do it in the first place, and he just finished doing a nice job with last month.) So we wound up having songs for the first twenty-five days of the month, and then had a Christmas hiatus. (Thankfully, the SOTD is up and running again for the January 2020.)
So, I'm just going to give you the abbreviated version here.
1. The theme for the month was songs that introduced you to and/or made you fall in love with their respective genres.
2. I had the opportunity to give two recs this month. My first was "Within You Without You" by The Beatles, which was my first exposure to Indian sitar music. While it's not a large part of my musical diet (I think because I really like songs with vocals, and most classic sitar music tends to be all instrumental), it is a kind of music that I still enjoy to this day. My second rec was Nightwish's "The Greatest Show I Love", a fairly recent track, which was the song that really made me love and start to seek out symphonic metal (or as I like to think of it, epic metal).
3. My highest rated pick of the month was someone's rec of Simon & Garfunkle's "Bridge Over Troubled Water", a track that I've obviously been familiar with for many years. My favorite rec that I hadn't been previously familiar with was the Polish metal band Batushka's "Yekteniya 1", which mixes metal with Catholic orthodox chants. (There's a whole fascinating story about this band, which was originally a solo project by one guy, but then the record label and the vocalist stole the band and put out their own album. This track is from the first album, though, before any of this happened.)
4. However, the group's highest rated track for the month was "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)" by The Talking Heads, not my favorite Talking Heads song ever, but certainly not a bad one.
So there you have it. I suspect I'll be sticking with this format from now on.
Saturday, January 4, 2020
Friday, January 3, 2020
Top 20 Songs of 2019, Part 1
For some reason, as much as I enjoy my Top 10 Albums lists, I feel as though my Top 20 Song lists every year have become my favorite lists to do. Maybe it's because I allow myself 20 songs instead of just 10, or maybe it's because the album is a longer format, and how much I like one is a little ambiguous -- even my favorite albums have slow spots, and often, my favorite songs of the year are the high spots on otherwise weak or mediocre album. I don't know.
I'm not going to do honorable mentions this year, although there were certainly some other songs that I considered strongly. But over the course of the year, these were the guys that really stuck with me, so I'm sticking with them.
As is usual for me, I'm going to give my list over the course of two posts. In this one, Part 1, I'll give you numbers 20 through 11. Then tomorrow (or maybe Sunday, as tomorrow is looking pretty busy), I'll give you numbers 10 through 1.
One thing to note is song links. This year, I've given you links to YouTube playlists for my two Albums lists. I can't do that here, because it would be incomplete -- this year, annoyingly enough, there is one song on my that isn't posted on YouTube (or anywhere else that I can find, for that matter. I bought the CD for the album.) I actually tried to convert it and post it in a private section of YouTube myself so I could link you to it here. But that's probably not all that legal, so it's maybe just as well that I'm enough of a techno-clunk that I couldn't figure out how to do it. (Grrr!)
I have to say, I'm really pleased with this year's list. There are a lot of different styles of music here, and I feel that overall, it represents my 2019 in music pretty well.
Anyway, here's Part 1 of my Top 20 list, in reverse order:
20. Kaiser Chiefs - "Wait" Kaiser Chiefs - Wait
I've been a big fan of this band from Leeds, England for the last 15 years, and this song is a good example of why. Although the lyrics aren't explicitly funny, the music itself is playful and a little bit frisky. I thought the Duck album from which this track was drawn was just an average effort for them, but something about the song itself just made me keep coming back to it. Might be the wispy synth between verses, or the frenzied pace of the chorus, or just the contradiction of energy of the track juxtaposed against the imperative of the title - "Wait!" In any event, why analyze when you can just enjoy.
19. Cassadee Pope - "Take You Home" Cassadee Pope - Take You Home
Now I admit, that there's not a lot of country music that tends to make my lists (although certainly more than jazz or hip-hop), but I do at least listen to a few country artists every year. Cassadee Pope has a special in with me, because while most people know her mostly from the godawful TV show The Voice, I always give her a listen because I loved her a decade or so ago when she was the lead singer of the alternative rock band Hey Monday. (And back then, I thought she was the number one up-and-coming alt rock songstress behind Paramore's Hayley Williams). And Pope's 2019 album Stages is first rate. This track (the first on the LP) in particular grabbed me, although there were quite a few others I liked as well. It finds her baring her soul to a guy she's just met (but feels a connection to), and fantasizing about bringing him home to meet her parents. I especially like the part about the little church "that helped me when I got lost".
18. The Gloaming - "Athas (Joy)" The Gloaming - Athas (Joy)
This track is from an Irish band that consists of both Irish and American musicians. It's sung in Gaelic, and is well named, in that the music is particularly joyful. I especially love the piano here, but that's not to discount any of the other elements. The style of the song is a mixture of traditional Celtic music, new age and classical, with maybe even the lightest sprinkling of jazz. It's an exceptionally beautiful song.
17. Jon Anderson - "Makes Me Happy" Jon Anderson - Makes Me Happy
Regular readers of this blog certainly know this guy. Jon Anderson of Yes fame released an excellent solo album this year that was decades in the works, 1000 Hands: Chapter One. (Kind of makes me crazy that he left the comma out of "1,000", but OK, I'm coping with it.) As you'd expect, it's a very upbeat, poppy album, and this song in particular is just a happy little ditty. God bless this guy! He's been a priceless musical jewel over the years.
16. New Years Day - "My Monsters" New Year Day - My Monsters
New Years Day is a California-based female-fronted alternative hard rock band whose music also has a light goth vibe to it. I've liked them for years, but they can be a little inconsistent. They nailed it on this track, though, which finds singer Ash Costello battling the monsters she's created for herself, psychological and otherwise.
15. Seahawks - "Emergence" Seahawks - Emergence
This track is by the British new age duo Seahawks, from their latest LP Eyes of the Moon. Their music has been characterized as "Psychedelic yacht rock", "deck shoegaze", "hazy beach pop" and "marina drone", all good descriptions. The song is light, bouncy synth with a slurred, almost subliminal voice speaking in the background. It's kind of like a gentle dream that's just carrying you along to pleasant places.
14. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - "Black Star Dancing" Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Black Star Dancing
Noel Gallagher, the saner of the two brothers from Oasis, formed this unit in 2011. Since then, they've put together a pretty solid body of work, including three full-length LPs and a host of extended plays. This track comes from an EP he put out this last summer. It's a jaunty, dancy little number that makes you want to move. Gallagher himself says there's a Bowie influence to the track, which I can certainly hear, and I'm sure the whole "Black Star" thing is a reference to Bowie's last album.
13. Tiny Ruins - "Holograms" Tiny Ruins - Holograms
Tiny Ruins are a musical ensemble from Auckland, New Zealand, put together by singer-songwriter Hollie Fullbrook. This is a slow, kind of dreamy track, that finds Fullbrook describing to her partner how the two of them will live on after their lives are over as dancing beams of light. Nice.
12. Soen - "Martyrs" Soen - Martyrs
Soen is a Swedish progressive metal supergroup whose latest album, Lotus, is first-rate. This track is a great example of melodic metal, with a memorable vocal by Joel Ekelof. The song goes hard, then soft, then hard again. The video is pretty striking, too -- it features all of the band members in various forms of drag, but with beards, five o'clock shadow, etc. It's a striking track from one of the best metal LPs I heard all year (along with Batushka's Hospodi).
11. Kakkmaddafakka - "Sin" Kakkmaddafakka - Sin
Alright, I'm just gonna start by admitting that this is the stupidest band name ever. Don't hold that against them, though. This is a Norwegian indie rock band whose music combines eighties new wave with sixties funk and r&b. This particular track reminds me of an updated version of Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up". The rest of the band's latest album, Diplomacy, is pretty good, too.
So that's Part 1 of my Top 20 Songs of 2019 list. How are you liking it so far? (I know, you can't answer -- I've got the comments turned off again after the tidal waves my Wonderous Stories review caused a few weeks back, heh heh.) But as good as this has been, it just gets better and better. Come back in a few days, and we'll move on to my Top Ten songs of the year.
I'm not going to do honorable mentions this year, although there were certainly some other songs that I considered strongly. But over the course of the year, these were the guys that really stuck with me, so I'm sticking with them.
As is usual for me, I'm going to give my list over the course of two posts. In this one, Part 1, I'll give you numbers 20 through 11. Then tomorrow (or maybe Sunday, as tomorrow is looking pretty busy), I'll give you numbers 10 through 1.
One thing to note is song links. This year, I've given you links to YouTube playlists for my two Albums lists. I can't do that here, because it would be incomplete -- this year, annoyingly enough, there is one song on my that isn't posted on YouTube (or anywhere else that I can find, for that matter. I bought the CD for the album.) I actually tried to convert it and post it in a private section of YouTube myself so I could link you to it here. But that's probably not all that legal, so it's maybe just as well that I'm enough of a techno-clunk that I couldn't figure out how to do it. (Grrr!)
I have to say, I'm really pleased with this year's list. There are a lot of different styles of music here, and I feel that overall, it represents my 2019 in music pretty well.
Anyway, here's Part 1 of my Top 20 list, in reverse order:
20. Kaiser Chiefs - "Wait" Kaiser Chiefs - Wait
I've been a big fan of this band from Leeds, England for the last 15 years, and this song is a good example of why. Although the lyrics aren't explicitly funny, the music itself is playful and a little bit frisky. I thought the Duck album from which this track was drawn was just an average effort for them, but something about the song itself just made me keep coming back to it. Might be the wispy synth between verses, or the frenzied pace of the chorus, or just the contradiction of energy of the track juxtaposed against the imperative of the title - "Wait!" In any event, why analyze when you can just enjoy.
19. Cassadee Pope - "Take You Home" Cassadee Pope - Take You Home
Now I admit, that there's not a lot of country music that tends to make my lists (although certainly more than jazz or hip-hop), but I do at least listen to a few country artists every year. Cassadee Pope has a special in with me, because while most people know her mostly from the godawful TV show The Voice, I always give her a listen because I loved her a decade or so ago when she was the lead singer of the alternative rock band Hey Monday. (And back then, I thought she was the number one up-and-coming alt rock songstress behind Paramore's Hayley Williams). And Pope's 2019 album Stages is first rate. This track (the first on the LP) in particular grabbed me, although there were quite a few others I liked as well. It finds her baring her soul to a guy she's just met (but feels a connection to), and fantasizing about bringing him home to meet her parents. I especially like the part about the little church "that helped me when I got lost".
18. The Gloaming - "Athas (Joy)" The Gloaming - Athas (Joy)
This track is from an Irish band that consists of both Irish and American musicians. It's sung in Gaelic, and is well named, in that the music is particularly joyful. I especially love the piano here, but that's not to discount any of the other elements. The style of the song is a mixture of traditional Celtic music, new age and classical, with maybe even the lightest sprinkling of jazz. It's an exceptionally beautiful song.
17. Jon Anderson - "Makes Me Happy" Jon Anderson - Makes Me Happy
Regular readers of this blog certainly know this guy. Jon Anderson of Yes fame released an excellent solo album this year that was decades in the works, 1000 Hands: Chapter One. (Kind of makes me crazy that he left the comma out of "1,000", but OK, I'm coping with it.) As you'd expect, it's a very upbeat, poppy album, and this song in particular is just a happy little ditty. God bless this guy! He's been a priceless musical jewel over the years.
16. New Years Day - "My Monsters" New Year Day - My Monsters
New Years Day is a California-based female-fronted alternative hard rock band whose music also has a light goth vibe to it. I've liked them for years, but they can be a little inconsistent. They nailed it on this track, though, which finds singer Ash Costello battling the monsters she's created for herself, psychological and otherwise.
15. Seahawks - "Emergence" Seahawks - Emergence
This track is by the British new age duo Seahawks, from their latest LP Eyes of the Moon. Their music has been characterized as "Psychedelic yacht rock", "deck shoegaze", "hazy beach pop" and "marina drone", all good descriptions. The song is light, bouncy synth with a slurred, almost subliminal voice speaking in the background. It's kind of like a gentle dream that's just carrying you along to pleasant places.
14. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - "Black Star Dancing" Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Black Star Dancing
Noel Gallagher, the saner of the two brothers from Oasis, formed this unit in 2011. Since then, they've put together a pretty solid body of work, including three full-length LPs and a host of extended plays. This track comes from an EP he put out this last summer. It's a jaunty, dancy little number that makes you want to move. Gallagher himself says there's a Bowie influence to the track, which I can certainly hear, and I'm sure the whole "Black Star" thing is a reference to Bowie's last album.
13. Tiny Ruins - "Holograms" Tiny Ruins - Holograms
Tiny Ruins are a musical ensemble from Auckland, New Zealand, put together by singer-songwriter Hollie Fullbrook. This is a slow, kind of dreamy track, that finds Fullbrook describing to her partner how the two of them will live on after their lives are over as dancing beams of light. Nice.
12. Soen - "Martyrs" Soen - Martyrs
Soen is a Swedish progressive metal supergroup whose latest album, Lotus, is first-rate. This track is a great example of melodic metal, with a memorable vocal by Joel Ekelof. The song goes hard, then soft, then hard again. The video is pretty striking, too -- it features all of the band members in various forms of drag, but with beards, five o'clock shadow, etc. It's a striking track from one of the best metal LPs I heard all year (along with Batushka's Hospodi).
11. Kakkmaddafakka - "Sin" Kakkmaddafakka - Sin
Alright, I'm just gonna start by admitting that this is the stupidest band name ever. Don't hold that against them, though. This is a Norwegian indie rock band whose music combines eighties new wave with sixties funk and r&b. This particular track reminds me of an updated version of Curtis Mayfield's "Move On Up". The rest of the band's latest album, Diplomacy, is pretty good, too.
So that's Part 1 of my Top 20 Songs of 2019 list. How are you liking it so far? (I know, you can't answer -- I've got the comments turned off again after the tidal waves my Wonderous Stories review caused a few weeks back, heh heh.) But as good as this has been, it just gets better and better. Come back in a few days, and we'll move on to my Top Ten songs of the year.
Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Top 10 Albums of 2019
SO, as promised last week, I start the new year by giving you my Top 10 Albums of 2019. I feel like I kind of rushed this a little -- there are a few LPs I've just started absorbing -- but a list is only a snapshot in time anyway. (But for the record, I'll say that so far, the new albums by The Who and Meg & Dia are both sounding mighty strong to me. And the this is the second time that Barns Courtney just got narrowly nudged out for a Top 10 Albums list.)
As to what constitutes an "album", my rules haven't changed here. It has to be a full-lengther, which has either 7 or more songs, or runs at least 30 minutes. It also has to be all by one artist -- no multi-artist compilations allowed. As has become my practice in a reluctant nod to the times, digital-only releases now qualify. (Especially because, given the limited amount of room in my house, and the ridiculous number of CDs my wife and I own, I'm probably going to have to go mostly digital this year.) And although I don't think I've ever explicitly pointed this out before, I really only consider studio albums for this -- no live or best-of comp albums.
Without further ado, here, in reverse order, are this year's picks.
Top 10 Albums of 2019:
10. Deep Cut - Different Planet
This is the latest effort by this female-fronted alternative rock band from London, which features Matt Flint, the former guitarist of Revolver. To my ears, they've managed to build an LP around songs that sound musically like variations, in different speeds, on the old Byrds song "So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star" and still make it interesting. It's no mean feat, let me tell you. This is good. Give it a listen.
9. Joe Jackson - Fool
I was pretty shocked by this one, I don't mind telling you. I had no idea that Joe Jackson had an album this good still left in him. Yeah, he was terrific in the eighties, and while I didn't love the Look Sharp album as much as everybody else, I loved the shit out of I'm the Man and Night and Day. But then he left us for awhile, went shuckin' and divin', went full on jazz, and even fancied himself a classical composer, all before finding his way back to what he does best -- well-written pop rock. If you're a fan of Jackson't old stuff but haven't paid him any mind in decades, you'll be amazed at how good this is.
8. The Cranberries - In the End
One of my friends from the Sputnik Music website says simply that this album was a gift. I couldn't have put it any better. We lost a jewel when Dolores O'Riordan passed away suddenly two years ago in the middle of recording a new Cranberries album. And much credit is owed to her often-overlooked bandmates for grieving as they needed to, and then getting to work and editing this LP together. It's a beautiful goodbye to a much-loved artist.
7. Tegan and Sara - Hey, I'm Just Like You
These two Canadian sisters constitute another one of these bands who are just amazingly consistent. I think their last five albums have made my Top 10 Albums list. It's right up my alley -- melodic, slightly alternative, pop rock.
6. Lily & Madeleine - Canterbury Girls
These guys are a folk-pop duo from Indianapolis. A lot of the music is vaguely sad, maybe even a little despairing. Which works for me. Apparently they've been singing together since they were in high school, and it shows -- they've definitely got a chemistry.
5. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
Again, color me shocked. Not that The Boss hasn't written anything worthwhile in the last few decades -- just give "The Wrestler" a listen, for instance. But this is the best, and most consistent album Springsteen has put out in probably thirty-five years. This one finds him exploring cowboys and the great American West, and for once, it's not all social injustice and despair. The LP is low-key, but top notch.
4. The Gloaming - The Gloaming 3
The Gloaming is an Irish/American musical conglomeration who mostly perform in Ireland. Their music is part folk, part classical, a little jazzy and very Celtic. This band is the real deal, not just the "Danny Boy" tripe the Irish trot out for the tourists. Some of the tracks are instrumental, and some are sung by a traditional male singer in the "sean-nos" style.
3. All Hail the Silence - Daggers
This is an electronic music duo comprising American electronic musician BT and British singer-songwriter Christian Burns. They're another one of those eighties-loving proteges of Vince Clarke of Erasure, and their music seems heavily influenced by Depeche Mode. They're noted for their use of analog synths.
2. Bayside - Interrobang
What can I say? You know I love these guys. The driving guitars, the biting lyrics, and Anthony Raneri's instantly-recognizable vocals. Every album of theirs has been a winner, and this one is no exception. The track I linked you to on the Top 10 Local Albums list is the LP's biggest banger. The song on the playlist below is the one with the most penetrating lyrics.
1. Charly Bliss - Young Enough
So this Brooklyn-based band made a clean sweep of my top album awards this year. I'm not sure this one broke them fully into the national consciousness, but it certainly deserved to. I saw them on tour this summer opening for Chvrches, and that band is a good role model for these guys. Just as Chvrches started out as an acclaimed "cult" band a few years ago and worked their way into being a top-level alternative band, that's the path I hope to see Charly Bliss take. Their music and songwriting is already there.
So an interesting year overall. I feel like in many ways, this is an old man's list -- there are a lot of older, or retro artists on here -- but I guess that's kind of understandable, given the author. Here's the link for a playlist giving you a sample from each of these ten albums. Hope you enjoy it. Note that just like this list, the playlist is in reverse order. Top 10 Albums of 2019
Anyway, I'll be back in a few days with Part 1 of my Top 20 Songs list of 2019. Expect to see a few these artists on that list as well.
As to what constitutes an "album", my rules haven't changed here. It has to be a full-lengther, which has either 7 or more songs, or runs at least 30 minutes. It also has to be all by one artist -- no multi-artist compilations allowed. As has become my practice in a reluctant nod to the times, digital-only releases now qualify. (Especially because, given the limited amount of room in my house, and the ridiculous number of CDs my wife and I own, I'm probably going to have to go mostly digital this year.) And although I don't think I've ever explicitly pointed this out before, I really only consider studio albums for this -- no live or best-of comp albums.
Without further ado, here, in reverse order, are this year's picks.
Top 10 Albums of 2019:
10. Deep Cut - Different Planet
This is the latest effort by this female-fronted alternative rock band from London, which features Matt Flint, the former guitarist of Revolver. To my ears, they've managed to build an LP around songs that sound musically like variations, in different speeds, on the old Byrds song "So You Want to Be a Rock 'N' Roll Star" and still make it interesting. It's no mean feat, let me tell you. This is good. Give it a listen.
9. Joe Jackson - Fool
I was pretty shocked by this one, I don't mind telling you. I had no idea that Joe Jackson had an album this good still left in him. Yeah, he was terrific in the eighties, and while I didn't love the Look Sharp album as much as everybody else, I loved the shit out of I'm the Man and Night and Day. But then he left us for awhile, went shuckin' and divin', went full on jazz, and even fancied himself a classical composer, all before finding his way back to what he does best -- well-written pop rock. If you're a fan of Jackson't old stuff but haven't paid him any mind in decades, you'll be amazed at how good this is.
8. The Cranberries - In the End
One of my friends from the Sputnik Music website says simply that this album was a gift. I couldn't have put it any better. We lost a jewel when Dolores O'Riordan passed away suddenly two years ago in the middle of recording a new Cranberries album. And much credit is owed to her often-overlooked bandmates for grieving as they needed to, and then getting to work and editing this LP together. It's a beautiful goodbye to a much-loved artist.
7. Tegan and Sara - Hey, I'm Just Like You
These two Canadian sisters constitute another one of these bands who are just amazingly consistent. I think their last five albums have made my Top 10 Albums list. It's right up my alley -- melodic, slightly alternative, pop rock.
6. Lily & Madeleine - Canterbury Girls
These guys are a folk-pop duo from Indianapolis. A lot of the music is vaguely sad, maybe even a little despairing. Which works for me. Apparently they've been singing together since they were in high school, and it shows -- they've definitely got a chemistry.
5. Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
Again, color me shocked. Not that The Boss hasn't written anything worthwhile in the last few decades -- just give "The Wrestler" a listen, for instance. But this is the best, and most consistent album Springsteen has put out in probably thirty-five years. This one finds him exploring cowboys and the great American West, and for once, it's not all social injustice and despair. The LP is low-key, but top notch.
4. The Gloaming - The Gloaming 3
The Gloaming is an Irish/American musical conglomeration who mostly perform in Ireland. Their music is part folk, part classical, a little jazzy and very Celtic. This band is the real deal, not just the "Danny Boy" tripe the Irish trot out for the tourists. Some of the tracks are instrumental, and some are sung by a traditional male singer in the "sean-nos" style.
3. All Hail the Silence - Daggers
This is an electronic music duo comprising American electronic musician BT and British singer-songwriter Christian Burns. They're another one of those eighties-loving proteges of Vince Clarke of Erasure, and their music seems heavily influenced by Depeche Mode. They're noted for their use of analog synths.
2. Bayside - Interrobang
What can I say? You know I love these guys. The driving guitars, the biting lyrics, and Anthony Raneri's instantly-recognizable vocals. Every album of theirs has been a winner, and this one is no exception. The track I linked you to on the Top 10 Local Albums list is the LP's biggest banger. The song on the playlist below is the one with the most penetrating lyrics.
1. Charly Bliss - Young Enough
So this Brooklyn-based band made a clean sweep of my top album awards this year. I'm not sure this one broke them fully into the national consciousness, but it certainly deserved to. I saw them on tour this summer opening for Chvrches, and that band is a good role model for these guys. Just as Chvrches started out as an acclaimed "cult" band a few years ago and worked their way into being a top-level alternative band, that's the path I hope to see Charly Bliss take. Their music and songwriting is already there.
So an interesting year overall. I feel like in many ways, this is an old man's list -- there are a lot of older, or retro artists on here -- but I guess that's kind of understandable, given the author. Here's the link for a playlist giving you a sample from each of these ten albums. Hope you enjoy it. Note that just like this list, the playlist is in reverse order. Top 10 Albums of 2019
Anyway, I'll be back in a few days with Part 1 of my Top 20 Songs list of 2019. Expect to see a few these artists on that list as well.
Thursday, December 26, 2019
Belated Merry Christmas and Some Brief Christmas Album Reviews
Belated Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, etc. Survived another one. Hope you did too, my peeps.
Just to tell you briefly about those Christmas albums I mentioned:
The Trail Band - Christmas with the Trail Band Live in Concert
and
The Trail Band - Peace On Earth: A Christmas Collection
I gave them both 2.5 out of 5 stars for an Average rating. The Trail Band in another project of Marv and Rindy Ross of Quarterflash, and they keep pretty much to the Oregon area. They're both folk music (in the full band sense, not the guy or girl with a guitar sense), and each album has its moments. They're both inconsistent though. (And Denise hated it when they used a tuba.)
Celtic Woman - The Magic of Christmas
and
Annie Haslam - It Snows in Heaven Too
I rated them both 3.5 out for 5 stars for a Great rating. The Celtic Woman album is brand new, and while I don't like the current version of this group as much as the original, they do a nice job here. Likewise, as you'd expect, given Annie Haslam's exquisite voice, her LP is also a winner.
But the pick of this year's litter is:
Rick Wakeman - Christmas Portraits
I gave this one a 4 out 5 stars, for an Excellent rating. This is all instrumental piano music done by the master, and it's a definite plus to every Christmas Music lover's collection.
I actually have one more on order, coming in late, that I'll enjoy next season, which is the remastered version of Blackmore's Night - Winter Carols. I gave a 3.5 out of 5 rating to the original, and in retrospect, I probably should have given it a 4. The new version has three extra tracks, and I think some alternate versions, and it's a two-disc CD. I'm not going to bother to review it, since I already did a full write-up of the original (which you can find on this blog in mid-December of 2016).
Anyway, I hope to back later this week with my Top 10 Albums of 2019 list.
Just to tell you briefly about those Christmas albums I mentioned:
The Trail Band - Christmas with the Trail Band Live in Concert
and
The Trail Band - Peace On Earth: A Christmas Collection
I gave them both 2.5 out of 5 stars for an Average rating. The Trail Band in another project of Marv and Rindy Ross of Quarterflash, and they keep pretty much to the Oregon area. They're both folk music (in the full band sense, not the guy or girl with a guitar sense), and each album has its moments. They're both inconsistent though. (And Denise hated it when they used a tuba.)
Celtic Woman - The Magic of Christmas
and
Annie Haslam - It Snows in Heaven Too
I rated them both 3.5 out for 5 stars for a Great rating. The Celtic Woman album is brand new, and while I don't like the current version of this group as much as the original, they do a nice job here. Likewise, as you'd expect, given Annie Haslam's exquisite voice, her LP is also a winner.
But the pick of this year's litter is:
Rick Wakeman - Christmas Portraits
I gave this one a 4 out 5 stars, for an Excellent rating. This is all instrumental piano music done by the master, and it's a definite plus to every Christmas Music lover's collection.
I actually have one more on order, coming in late, that I'll enjoy next season, which is the remastered version of Blackmore's Night - Winter Carols. I gave a 3.5 out of 5 rating to the original, and in retrospect, I probably should have given it a 4. The new version has three extra tracks, and I think some alternate versions, and it's a two-disc CD. I'm not going to bother to review it, since I already did a full write-up of the original (which you can find on this blog in mid-December of 2016).
Anyway, I hope to back later this week with my Top 10 Albums of 2019 list.
Friday, December 20, 2019
Top 10 Local Albums of 2019
Well, I've got a lot more lists to get to this year, thanks to it being the end of the decade. I'm still working on the Best Albums of 2019 and Best Songs of 2019 lists -- I've got about eight more LPs I want to work my through before my final decisions. And as for the Best of the Decades lists, while I think that I'm probably finished with them, I don't want to post them yet, because they'll spoil the 2019 lists -- after all, if you see a 2019 album or song on my Best of the Decade list, you can pretty much be sure that it will be at the top of the 2019 list as well.
So let's start with my Top 10 Local Albums of 2019 list, as none of the remaining LPs I've scheduled myself to listen to are from New York-based bands.
Once again, here are the rules: To be eligible, it has to be a full-length album of at least seven songs (unless there are one or more epic-length songs). No EPs allowed. It also has to be all by one artist -- no compilations. And as now become my norm, although I still prefer CDs, I have once again allowed digital-only albums to be considered.
As for the definition of the word "local", as always, I try to keep it very loose. For the purposes of picking a Top 10 Local Albums list, here's what I consider "local": 1. Long Island, for sure; 2. The five boroughs of NYC (especially Brooklyn, where a lot of Long Island bands have run off to); 3. Sometimes Jersey or a little ways upstate, if the mood takes me. (As I've said in the past, I'm not giving away money or anything, so I kind of get to make up the rules as I go along). Also, if a band or artist spent a decent amount of time living on and playing on Long Island or in the City in the past, they get to qualify, even if they've moved to another area of the country.
One regret I have is that this year, although we have had some quality releases by local Long Island artists, this year's list is made up pretty much entirely of New York-based artists who have a national following. I'd love to have a list that is purely made up of artists from the local Long Island scene, but the truth is I'm no longer enough of a part of that scene to make up a full list out of it. But I do want to give a nod of respect to artists like Robin Eve, Linda Sussman, Mark Newman and Matt Marshak, all of whom put out some creditable albums this year.
As I did last year, I'll be including a link to my favorite track from each album. And at the end of the list, I'll give you a link to YouTube playlist that has them all. Anyway, here, in reverse order, are my Top 10 Local Artists of 2019:
Top 10 Local Albums of 2019
10. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
I've always been a little up and down on this progressive metal band. They have a storied career and are well respected (and they're even members of the Long Island Music Hall of Fame), but their style isn't really the prog rock of old that I love. Nevertheless, Distance Over Time was a pleasant surprise, and a nice recovery from 2016's ambitious but overbloated 2016 double LP The Astonishing. So kudos to these guys for a nice comeback. Dream Theater - Untethered Angel
9. Xeno & Oaklander - Hypnos
Sputnik Music describes Xeno & Oaklander as "a minimal electronics girl/boy duo based in Brooklyn, NY." They remind me of early Eurythmics. The music is ice cold, but oh so good. Xeno & Oaklander - Fire and Smoke
8. Laura Stevenson - The Big Freeze
Laura Stevenson is a Rockville Centre gal, although her voice and her music sound southern to me. She's been heavily involved over the years with Jeff Rosenstock's Bomb the Music Industry! project. In spite of the album title, a lot of the music on here is more like the aural equivalent to warm, glowing embers. Laura Stevenson - Low Slow
7. Melanie Martinez - K-12
This is another concept album from the controversial Long Island pop artist Melanie Martinez. In this one, we take a musical journey as we follow her Cry Baby character from kindergarten through senior year of high school, as she encounters mean girls, abusive boys, evil teachers and a whole lot of sex. I love the ambition of this project, and there's some really good material on here. Melanie Martinez - Wheels on the Bus
6. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
While this LP is perhaps a little overlong (there are 18 tracks here), I thought it was a step back up after 2013's Modern Vampires of the City for this New York-based indie rock band. It's nice to have these guys back. Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall
5. Lisel - Angels on the Slope
Lisel is the pseudonym for Eliza Bagg, from the New York indie pop band Pavo Pavo. This is her first solo album, and it's a very beautiful one. The music is here is delicate and ethereal, and very joyful. I'm hoping she continues to create solo music, because I really connected with this one. Lisel - Digital Light Field
4. Barrie - Happy to Be Here
This is another dreamy kind of LP. It's the debut album of a female-fronted pop rock band from Brooklyn. The vibes are mellow, the music is gentle, and the LP is a definite winner. Barrie - Clover
3. Ingrid Michaelson - Stranger Songs
New York songstress Ingrid Michaelson has been an amazingly consistent artist over the years. On this, her seventh studio album, she draws inspiration from the Netflix Sci-Fi show Stranger Things. (Which was kind of weird for me -- I had just binge watched Season 2 before I first listened to the LP, and I was like, "Hey! I recognize that dialogue!") As always, her voice is lovely here, and her pop instincts are right on. Ingrid Michaelson - Hate You
2. Bayside - Interrobang
Well, in a list that is dominated by the ladies, Bayside breaks through again. What can I say, I love these guys, and Interrobang is up there with their best work. This pop punk band has been around for close to two decades now, and they show no sounds of slowing down. And Anthony Raneri is still one of the best vocalists and best lyricists out there. Bayside - Interrobang
1. Charly Bliss - Young Enough
This Brooklyn-based power pop band are clearly hitting their stride. Young Enough contains 11 tracks worth of very consistent, extremely well-crafted pop rock. I caught them this summer at Radio City Musical Hall (opening for Chvrches), and their energy and enthusiasm were infectious. Eva Hendricks' voice is a little unusual, but it really works with the material. I'm excited to see where this band goes from here -- I'm really rooting for them. Charly Bliss - Hard to Believe
So that's my list. If you'd like to listen to the whole thing as a playlist, you'll find it (from # 10 to #1, even though YouTube has it labeled oppositely) at Top 10 Local Albums of 2019.
I probably won't post against until next week, so I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, etc. And hopefully, I'll be back to continue my year end Best Of lists very soon.
So let's start with my Top 10 Local Albums of 2019 list, as none of the remaining LPs I've scheduled myself to listen to are from New York-based bands.
Once again, here are the rules: To be eligible, it has to be a full-length album of at least seven songs (unless there are one or more epic-length songs). No EPs allowed. It also has to be all by one artist -- no compilations. And as now become my norm, although I still prefer CDs, I have once again allowed digital-only albums to be considered.
As for the definition of the word "local", as always, I try to keep it very loose. For the purposes of picking a Top 10 Local Albums list, here's what I consider "local": 1. Long Island, for sure; 2. The five boroughs of NYC (especially Brooklyn, where a lot of Long Island bands have run off to); 3. Sometimes Jersey or a little ways upstate, if the mood takes me. (As I've said in the past, I'm not giving away money or anything, so I kind of get to make up the rules as I go along). Also, if a band or artist spent a decent amount of time living on and playing on Long Island or in the City in the past, they get to qualify, even if they've moved to another area of the country.
One regret I have is that this year, although we have had some quality releases by local Long Island artists, this year's list is made up pretty much entirely of New York-based artists who have a national following. I'd love to have a list that is purely made up of artists from the local Long Island scene, but the truth is I'm no longer enough of a part of that scene to make up a full list out of it. But I do want to give a nod of respect to artists like Robin Eve, Linda Sussman, Mark Newman and Matt Marshak, all of whom put out some creditable albums this year.
As I did last year, I'll be including a link to my favorite track from each album. And at the end of the list, I'll give you a link to YouTube playlist that has them all. Anyway, here, in reverse order, are my Top 10 Local Artists of 2019:
Top 10 Local Albums of 2019
10. Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
I've always been a little up and down on this progressive metal band. They have a storied career and are well respected (and they're even members of the Long Island Music Hall of Fame), but their style isn't really the prog rock of old that I love. Nevertheless, Distance Over Time was a pleasant surprise, and a nice recovery from 2016's ambitious but overbloated 2016 double LP The Astonishing. So kudos to these guys for a nice comeback. Dream Theater - Untethered Angel
9. Xeno & Oaklander - Hypnos
Sputnik Music describes Xeno & Oaklander as "a minimal electronics girl/boy duo based in Brooklyn, NY." They remind me of early Eurythmics. The music is ice cold, but oh so good. Xeno & Oaklander - Fire and Smoke
8. Laura Stevenson - The Big Freeze
Laura Stevenson is a Rockville Centre gal, although her voice and her music sound southern to me. She's been heavily involved over the years with Jeff Rosenstock's Bomb the Music Industry! project. In spite of the album title, a lot of the music on here is more like the aural equivalent to warm, glowing embers. Laura Stevenson - Low Slow
7. Melanie Martinez - K-12
This is another concept album from the controversial Long Island pop artist Melanie Martinez. In this one, we take a musical journey as we follow her Cry Baby character from kindergarten through senior year of high school, as she encounters mean girls, abusive boys, evil teachers and a whole lot of sex. I love the ambition of this project, and there's some really good material on here. Melanie Martinez - Wheels on the Bus
6. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride
While this LP is perhaps a little overlong (there are 18 tracks here), I thought it was a step back up after 2013's Modern Vampires of the City for this New York-based indie rock band. It's nice to have these guys back. Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall
5. Lisel - Angels on the Slope
Lisel is the pseudonym for Eliza Bagg, from the New York indie pop band Pavo Pavo. This is her first solo album, and it's a very beautiful one. The music is here is delicate and ethereal, and very joyful. I'm hoping she continues to create solo music, because I really connected with this one. Lisel - Digital Light Field
4. Barrie - Happy to Be Here
This is another dreamy kind of LP. It's the debut album of a female-fronted pop rock band from Brooklyn. The vibes are mellow, the music is gentle, and the LP is a definite winner. Barrie - Clover
3. Ingrid Michaelson - Stranger Songs
New York songstress Ingrid Michaelson has been an amazingly consistent artist over the years. On this, her seventh studio album, she draws inspiration from the Netflix Sci-Fi show Stranger Things. (Which was kind of weird for me -- I had just binge watched Season 2 before I first listened to the LP, and I was like, "Hey! I recognize that dialogue!") As always, her voice is lovely here, and her pop instincts are right on. Ingrid Michaelson - Hate You
2. Bayside - Interrobang
Well, in a list that is dominated by the ladies, Bayside breaks through again. What can I say, I love these guys, and Interrobang is up there with their best work. This pop punk band has been around for close to two decades now, and they show no sounds of slowing down. And Anthony Raneri is still one of the best vocalists and best lyricists out there. Bayside - Interrobang
1. Charly Bliss - Young Enough
This Brooklyn-based power pop band are clearly hitting their stride. Young Enough contains 11 tracks worth of very consistent, extremely well-crafted pop rock. I caught them this summer at Radio City Musical Hall (opening for Chvrches), and their energy and enthusiasm were infectious. Eva Hendricks' voice is a little unusual, but it really works with the material. I'm excited to see where this band goes from here -- I'm really rooting for them. Charly Bliss - Hard to Believe
So that's my list. If you'd like to listen to the whole thing as a playlist, you'll find it (from # 10 to #1, even though YouTube has it labeled oppositely) at Top 10 Local Albums of 2019.
I probably won't post against until next week, so I wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, etc. And hopefully, I'll be back to continue my year end Best Of lists very soon.
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Missed Show and new holiday music
SO you remember last week when I was promising you a write-up of a show I'd be attending over the weekend? Yeah, I lied. Well, not intentionally. I meant it when I wrote it. But life happened, and Denise and were both sick this past weekend. (Actually, the whole damned house has been sick. Suffolk County would be wise to just burn our house down, like a medieval black plague castle, to keep us from infecting the whole community.)
Anyway, we had tickets to see Mannheim Steamroller at the Tilles Center this past Saturday, and I was looking forward to the show and hoping it would get me in more of a Christmas state of mind. I was especially excited, because last time we saw them two or three years ago, we did so at some crappy Atlantic City arena that sold us obstructed view seats without telling us, so we really couldn't see any of the video footage that the show made extensive use of. Tilles Center is a great place to attend a show, and I was happy I'd be able to actually see it this time.
But when Denise came home a day or too beforehand feeling terrible, and I started developing a hacking cough, I had a bad feeling that we weren't going to make it. I was right. Denise was still hoping to try -- the tickets were a birthday present I'd bought her, and she was really looking forward to the concert. But when she went to the doctor early on Saturday, she was basically told "No way, Jose!" They diagnosed her with a 101.4 degree fever and a sever bronchial infection.
As for me, I didn't actually feel that terrible. (Then. By the next day, I felt like my body had been turned inside out, and for the next 48 hours, I couldn't even keep my eyes open for more than 90 minutes at a time.) But I knew that the rest of the audience in my section wouldn't thank me for coughing non-stop through the whole concert, and probably infecting the hell out of the lot of them. It wasn't really any sense of social responsibility on my part, so much as it was not wanting to deal with the angry and disapproving reactions to my Typhoid-Mary-like presence. (I'd like to pretend I'm more noble than that, but what the hell. You guys already know better.)
Anyway, I was at least able to find the tickets a good home -- I pdf'd them to a couple of friends who I work with, and they took one of their sons who happens to be a huge Mannheim Steamroller fan. They enjoyed the show immensely (especially their son), the audience didn't have to catch our smallpox, and Denise and I got to rest for the night, which probably helped us to at least not get any sicker. So it all worked out. I hope to maybe catch Mannheim Steamroller next holiday season.
In the interim, as I do almost every year, I've at least picked up some new albums of holiday music to help lift me into the spirit of the season. They include the new Christmas CD from Celtic Woman; an older holiday album from Annie Haslam that I didn't previously have; a pair of Christmas albums from The Trail Band, which is a separate folk-project by Marv and Rindy Ross of Quarterflash; and a brand new piano-based album of instrumental holiday songs by none other than Rick Wakeman. So I'll hopefully get a chance to briefly tell you about each of them before the Christmas holidays hit.
Anyway, sorry I can't tell you about the Mannheim Steamroller show. Hopefully next year.
Until my next post, stay healthy, and keep your loved ones close.
Anyway, we had tickets to see Mannheim Steamroller at the Tilles Center this past Saturday, and I was looking forward to the show and hoping it would get me in more of a Christmas state of mind. I was especially excited, because last time we saw them two or three years ago, we did so at some crappy Atlantic City arena that sold us obstructed view seats without telling us, so we really couldn't see any of the video footage that the show made extensive use of. Tilles Center is a great place to attend a show, and I was happy I'd be able to actually see it this time.
But when Denise came home a day or too beforehand feeling terrible, and I started developing a hacking cough, I had a bad feeling that we weren't going to make it. I was right. Denise was still hoping to try -- the tickets were a birthday present I'd bought her, and she was really looking forward to the concert. But when she went to the doctor early on Saturday, she was basically told "No way, Jose!" They diagnosed her with a 101.4 degree fever and a sever bronchial infection.
As for me, I didn't actually feel that terrible. (Then. By the next day, I felt like my body had been turned inside out, and for the next 48 hours, I couldn't even keep my eyes open for more than 90 minutes at a time.) But I knew that the rest of the audience in my section wouldn't thank me for coughing non-stop through the whole concert, and probably infecting the hell out of the lot of them. It wasn't really any sense of social responsibility on my part, so much as it was not wanting to deal with the angry and disapproving reactions to my Typhoid-Mary-like presence. (I'd like to pretend I'm more noble than that, but what the hell. You guys already know better.)
Anyway, I was at least able to find the tickets a good home -- I pdf'd them to a couple of friends who I work with, and they took one of their sons who happens to be a huge Mannheim Steamroller fan. They enjoyed the show immensely (especially their son), the audience didn't have to catch our smallpox, and Denise and I got to rest for the night, which probably helped us to at least not get any sicker. So it all worked out. I hope to maybe catch Mannheim Steamroller next holiday season.
In the interim, as I do almost every year, I've at least picked up some new albums of holiday music to help lift me into the spirit of the season. They include the new Christmas CD from Celtic Woman; an older holiday album from Annie Haslam that I didn't previously have; a pair of Christmas albums from The Trail Band, which is a separate folk-project by Marv and Rindy Ross of Quarterflash; and a brand new piano-based album of instrumental holiday songs by none other than Rick Wakeman. So I'll hopefully get a chance to briefly tell you about each of them before the Christmas holidays hit.
Anyway, sorry I can't tell you about the Mannheim Steamroller show. Hopefully next year.
Until my next post, stay healthy, and keep your loved ones close.
Thursday, December 5, 2019
November 2019 Song of the Day
There were some pretty decent songs this month, although I thought there was also a lapse in quality about halfway through.
This was the first month in a while that I wasn't either host or co-host. However, the user who took over did a great job. And while there was less participation in terms of how many users took part in rating the songs, it's the first time since I've been a part of this that the song recs for the month came from thirty different users. So that was pretty good. The theme for the month was GIFTS. Each user was asked to rec a song that they liked that they first learned about because it was rec'd to them by another Sputnik Music user.
Anyway, here's this month's chart.
Artist/song/link/overall rating given by Sput users (out of 5)/my rating (X=I rec'd it)
1. Fazerdaze/Little Uneasy/https://youtu.be/szvFmW_oxeY/3.69/3.6
2. mewithoutYou/Rainbow Signs/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR542DzB_yc/3.39/3.1
3. Emma Ruth Rundle/Protection/https://youtu.be/u5H07c8DlgI/3.79/2.8
4. Macaroom/Toombi/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpux2AU37eY/3.21/3.5
5. Thomas Feiner and Anywhen/Dinah and the Beautiful Blue/https://youtu.be/BkcR-rvMlmI/3.06/2.7
6. Brainiac/You Wrecked My Hair/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L7x840BPP8/3.24/2.2
7. Erang/Innocent Blood, Barbarian Blade/https://erang.bandcamp.com/track/innocent-blood-barbarian-blade/2.98/3.1
8. The Gloaming/Athas/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeLk5OvxQc8/2.96/X
9. Starbend/Einsamkeit/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRmFScvCyN4/2.79/2.3
10. Psychedelic Porn Crumpets/Bill's Mandolin/https://youtu.be/7-HGhSZn9J0/3.49/3.2
11. Fields of Mildew/Embers/https://www.youtube.com/watch?edufilter=NULL&v=hXrH5cy6BoI/3.32/3.4
12. Robbie Basho/Rocky Mountain Raga/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA2uHQ9XBI8/3.29/3.2
13. Memoryhouse/Sarah/https://youtu.be/VS3pAawNH-g/2.94/3.0
14. Fire! Orchestra/(I Am A) Horizon/https://youtu.be/BY36yXYJScU/3.44/2.1
15. David Kauffman and Eric Caboor/Kiss Another Day Goodbye/https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KN3SlXb5y7Q/3.40/2.5
16. The Ruins of Beverast/Rain Upon the Impure/https://youtu.be/BOXt8CzNUxE/3.15/2.9
17. Kairon IRSE!/Tzar Morei/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvjMJcN8gh4/3.41/2.3
18. Elder/Lore/https://youtu.be/PzDm6ImLtHc/3.37/2.7
19. John Moreland/Blacklist/https://johnmoreland.bandcamp.com/track/blacklist/3.45/3.4
20. Split End/Deep Love/https://youtu.be/D_60TbFv8y4/3.60/3.2
21. Debris/One Way Spit/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qBCTttbnNk/2.85/2.9
22. John Prine/When I Get to Heaven/https://youtu.be/l0EiV423j0M/3.48/3.0
23. Wilderun/Far From Where Dreams Unfurl/https://wilderun.bandcamp.com/track/far-from-where-dreams-unfurl/2.54/3.5
24. Cubfires/Ruby Sparks/https://rizkanrecords.bandcamp.com/track/cubfires-ruby-sparks/2.66/3.3
25. The Mortal/Sayonara Waltz/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfclvjzpdHg/3.12/3.5
26. The Afghan Whigs/Bulletproof/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYfw5NfcmBk/3.32/2.7
27. A Guy Called Gerald/The First Breath/https://youtu.be/ueWwv4RdTMM/3.68/3.1
28. Paddy Hanna/Toulouse the Kisser/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGGvFZSS2lU/3.02/2.8
29. Quo Vadis/On the Shores of Ithaka/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBV1D1bgW4o/3.00/2.3
30. Midnight Oil/Beds Are Burning/https://youtu.be/ejorQVy3m8E/3.64/4.4
My pick for the month was The Gloaming's "Athas". Nobody really loved it, and nobody really hated it. It came in at an average of 2.96.
On the other hand, the last song of the month, Midnight Oil's "Beds Are Burning" did quite well at a n average of 3.64. The song was rec's by a user called Sharkattack, but he credited me as the user who originally "gifted" it to him. (And unsurprisingly, this was my highest rated song of the month, at 4.4)
The highest rated song overall was Emma Ruth Rundle's "Protection", which scored 3.79 overall. My highest rated song that was new to me was the first song of the month, Fazerdaze's "Little Uneasy".
The lowest rated song of the month was Cubfires' "Ruby Sparks". Was Fire! Orchestra's "(I Am A) Horizon". It was one of those jazzy/experimental-type tracks that just sounded off key to me.
The theme for December is "The song that first made you fall in love with a genre", so that should be fun.
I've got a concert review to write for you after this coming weekend (which will hopefully set off less of a firestorm than my last show review, heh heh. But we'll see.) This should be my last concert of 2019.
And after that, it will be time to start posting my Best of the Year and Best of the Decade lists.
This was the first month in a while that I wasn't either host or co-host. However, the user who took over did a great job. And while there was less participation in terms of how many users took part in rating the songs, it's the first time since I've been a part of this that the song recs for the month came from thirty different users. So that was pretty good. The theme for the month was GIFTS. Each user was asked to rec a song that they liked that they first learned about because it was rec'd to them by another Sputnik Music user.
Anyway, here's this month's chart.
Artist/song/link/overall rating given by Sput users (out of 5)/my rating (X=I rec'd it)
1. Fazerdaze/Little Uneasy/https://youtu.be/szvFmW_oxeY/3.69/3.6
2. mewithoutYou/Rainbow Signs/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YR542DzB_yc/3.39/3.1
3. Emma Ruth Rundle/Protection/https://youtu.be/u5H07c8DlgI/3.79/2.8
4. Macaroom/Toombi/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpux2AU37eY/3.21/3.5
5. Thomas Feiner and Anywhen/Dinah and the Beautiful Blue/https://youtu.be/BkcR-rvMlmI/3.06/2.7
6. Brainiac/You Wrecked My Hair/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L7x840BPP8/3.24/2.2
7. Erang/Innocent Blood, Barbarian Blade/https://erang.bandcamp.com/track/innocent-blood-barbarian-blade/2.98/3.1
8. The Gloaming/Athas/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeLk5OvxQc8/2.96/X
9. Starbend/Einsamkeit/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRmFScvCyN4/2.79/2.3
10. Psychedelic Porn Crumpets/Bill's Mandolin/https://youtu.be/7-HGhSZn9J0/3.49/3.2
11. Fields of Mildew/Embers/https://www.youtube.com/watch?edufilter=NULL&v=hXrH5cy6BoI/3.32/3.4
12. Robbie Basho/Rocky Mountain Raga/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IA2uHQ9XBI8/3.29/3.2
13. Memoryhouse/Sarah/https://youtu.be/VS3pAawNH-g/2.94/3.0
14. Fire! Orchestra/(I Am A) Horizon/https://youtu.be/BY36yXYJScU/3.44/2.1
15. David Kauffman and Eric Caboor/Kiss Another Day Goodbye/https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KN3SlXb5y7Q/3.40/2.5
16. The Ruins of Beverast/Rain Upon the Impure/https://youtu.be/BOXt8CzNUxE/3.15/2.9
17. Kairon IRSE!/Tzar Morei/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvjMJcN8gh4/3.41/2.3
18. Elder/Lore/https://youtu.be/PzDm6ImLtHc/3.37/2.7
19. John Moreland/Blacklist/https://johnmoreland.bandcamp.com/track/blacklist/3.45/3.4
20. Split End/Deep Love/https://youtu.be/D_60TbFv8y4/3.60/3.2
21. Debris/One Way Spit/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qBCTttbnNk/2.85/2.9
22. John Prine/When I Get to Heaven/https://youtu.be/l0EiV423j0M/3.48/3.0
23. Wilderun/Far From Where Dreams Unfurl/https://wilderun.bandcamp.com/track/far-from-where-dreams-unfurl/2.54/3.5
24. Cubfires/Ruby Sparks/https://rizkanrecords.bandcamp.com/track/cubfires-ruby-sparks/2.66/3.3
25. The Mortal/Sayonara Waltz/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfclvjzpdHg/3.12/3.5
26. The Afghan Whigs/Bulletproof/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYfw5NfcmBk/3.32/2.7
27. A Guy Called Gerald/The First Breath/https://youtu.be/ueWwv4RdTMM/3.68/3.1
28. Paddy Hanna/Toulouse the Kisser/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGGvFZSS2lU/3.02/2.8
29. Quo Vadis/On the Shores of Ithaka/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBV1D1bgW4o/3.00/2.3
30. Midnight Oil/Beds Are Burning/https://youtu.be/ejorQVy3m8E/3.64/4.4
My pick for the month was The Gloaming's "Athas". Nobody really loved it, and nobody really hated it. It came in at an average of 2.96.
On the other hand, the last song of the month, Midnight Oil's "Beds Are Burning" did quite well at a n average of 3.64. The song was rec's by a user called Sharkattack, but he credited me as the user who originally "gifted" it to him. (And unsurprisingly, this was my highest rated song of the month, at 4.4)
The highest rated song overall was Emma Ruth Rundle's "Protection", which scored 3.79 overall. My highest rated song that was new to me was the first song of the month, Fazerdaze's "Little Uneasy".
The lowest rated song of the month was Cubfires' "Ruby Sparks". Was Fire! Orchestra's "(I Am A) Horizon". It was one of those jazzy/experimental-type tracks that just sounded off key to me.
The theme for December is "The song that first made you fall in love with a genre", so that should be fun.
I've got a concert review to write for you after this coming weekend (which will hopefully set off less of a firestorm than my last show review, heh heh. But we'll see.) This should be my last concert of 2019.
And after that, it will be time to start posting my Best of the Year and Best of the Decade lists.
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