Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

What are you listening to? Part III

Scepticalscribe

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
64,163
46,605
In a coffee shop.
LizKat said:
“Take This Waltz”, wow. I first bumped into that as a cover sung by Cohen’s son, Adam.

In 2009, the charity War Child released an interesting concept album, War Child Presents Heroes. They selected some musicians and had each pick a personally admired cover artist of their works. Each cover artist then picked a song from works of the original artist and either recorded it for the album or chose an extant performance for inclusion in the album. I loved the idea of the original artists picking the cover artists but then the cover musicians making their own pick of which song to offer. Maybe I'm just drawn to the possibility that one of the original artists heard the cover's pick and thought, "ach... not THAT one!"

Charity compilations are sometimes a bore but this one seemed mostly otherwise to me. Anway I liked that Leonard Cohen chose his son Adam, and that Adam then picked his father’s “Take This Waltz” but sang it with the partially translated title “Toma Este Waltz” in the Spanish from which the original lyric had been adapted: Federico García Lorca’s poem “Pequeño vals vienés” (Little Viennese Waltz). I suppose that in liking Leonard Cohen, then you’d know that he was so taken by García Lorca’s works in his youth that he had named his own daughter Lorca Cohen. “Take This Waltz” is profoundly moving, no matter whose take on it one considers.
Click to expand...

Lovely and informative post, I hadn't known the story about the concept album and covers. Extraordinarily interesting.

I did know - because my brother made a point of reminding me (again) when we were discussing this very topic quite recently - that Leonard Cohen had been a poet before he chose a career in music, hence, his exquisite mastery of words and knowledge of meaning, and matching that with melody, is really unparalleled.

And, no, I hadn't known that he had named his daughter after Lorca. Fascinating.
 
bradl

bradl

macrumors 603
Jun 16, 2008
5,936
17,428
BasicGreatGuy said:
Led Zeppelin - "Stairway to Heaven" (Sunset Sound Mix Release).

If you haven't heard this new (October 2014) mix release from Page, who said that he felt the original release was muddy and lacked range, give it a listen. I agree with him. The range on the Sunset Sound Mix is amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaFLh7qnAPg
Click to expand...

Funny that you should mention this, as I put my music collection on my iPhone into random play, and this just popped up. Rumour has it that Page stated that this was his favourite cover of the song.

Enjoy!


BL.
 
S

Spectrum Abuser

macrumors 65816
Aug 27, 2011
1,377
48
TheBeatlesMagicalMysteryTouralbumcover.jpg


I've been slowly acquiring all of the Beatles albums as I go, and I've got to say The Magical Mystery Tour is definitely a trip.
 
Scepticalscribe

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
64,163
46,605
In a coffee shop.
BasicGreatGuy said:
Led Zeppelin - "Stairway to Heaven" (Sunset Sound Mix Release).

If you haven't heard this new (October 2014) mix release from Page, who said that he felt the original release was muddy and lacked range, give it a listen. I agree with him. The range on the Sunset Sound Mix is amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaFLh7qnAPg
Click to expand...

Ah, a truly great and epic song - and one that I haven't listened to in quite a while; thanks for posting this. An absolute classic.

Spectrum Abuser said:
Image

I've been slowly acquiring all of the Beatles albums as I go, and I've got to say The Magical Mystery Tour is definitely a trip.
Click to expand...

Some of the tracks on that album are really rather good. And some are not. In some ways, as an album (and as a concept album) it seems to me to be a bit erratic, and very, very uneven.
 
Apple_Robert

Apple_Robert

Contributor
Sep 21, 2012
34,543
50,166
In the middle of several books.
One of my favorites from Joe Walsh and the James Gang.

"Funk 49"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_qHU_6Ofc0

Following James Gang with Rush - "Limelight"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya0cHhZaxIs

Followed by Yes - "It Can Happen"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlk3ZYF-PtM

Followed by Led Zeppelin - "Ramble on"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW5ZLyY9w0Y

Followed by Ozark Mountain Daredevils - "Jackie Blue"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v31wwyteRqo

Followed by The Outlaws" - Green Grass and High Tides"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R82OM5tzcrk
 
Last edited:
LizKat

LizKat

macrumors 604
Aug 5, 2004
6,768
36,276
Catskill Mountains
mobilehaathi said:
[David Bowie's Low album.]
Click to expand...

I play some of those tracks fairly often. There’s a rousing rendition of the national anthem on there: “Always Crashing in the Same Car.” Gotta love that one. I like “Weeping Wall” too, I often hit the play button on that when I’m trying to finish up work on something that has become tedious enough not to take up my full attention.
 
mobilehaathi

mobilehaathi

macrumors G3
Aug 19, 2008
9,368
6,352
The Anthropocene
LizKat said:
I play some of those tracks fairly often. There’s a rousing rendition of the national anthem on there: “Always Crashing in the Same Car.” Gotta love that one. I like “Weeping Wall” too, I often hit the play button on that when I’m trying to finish up work on something that has become tedious enough not to take up my full attention.
Click to expand...

Admittedly I enjoy a lot of what David Bowie has produced, but his three albums in collaboration with Brian Eno are towards the top of my list: Low, Heroes, and Lodger.
 
mobilehaathi

mobilehaathi

macrumors G3
Aug 19, 2008
9,368
6,352
The Anthropocene
Scepticalscribe said:
Great choice: I must say that I love David Bowie (and his most recent album 'The Next Day', is pretty good, too, and well worth a listen.)

Listening to an example of the Portuguese style known as 'morna'; the song is called 'Sodade' (and is exquisitely beautiful) and it is sung by the extraordinarily talented Césaria Évora.
Click to expand...

Ahh yes, I bought The Next Day on your recommendation: nice listening.:)
 
Scepticalscribe

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
64,163
46,605
In a coffee shop.
mobilehaathi said:
Ahh yes, I bought The Next Day on your recommendation: nice listening.:)
Click to expand...

Delighted to be of service, and to have been able to return the compliment, so to speak (as you had recommended 'Rome' to me, an album which I love).

Yesterday, on the train, it struck me that I hadn't listened to Seal in an age; thus, I summoned the songs 'Fly LIke An Eagle', 'Crazy', and 'Future Love Paradise' on my trusty iPod classic…..along with my Bowers & Wilkins P5 headphones.

Indeed, these, along with my (CTO) 11" MBA, are permanent travelling companions, and have taken up more or less permanent residence in my briefcase, along with a notebook or two, and an aged but utterly reliable Meisterstuck Mont Blanc fountain pen….
 
bradl

bradl

macrumors 603
Jun 16, 2008
5,936
17,428
ScepticalScribe's post regarding Seal reminded me of this, and that it's been a long time since I listened to it.

Nearly 20 years ago, while in Australia, I was introduced to a different genre of music; one that I didn't think existed, because I just didn't know what I didn't know.

the US was introduced to Soul music in the 1950s/1960s, and there were different places that had different sounds to it: Motown Soul (Temptations, 4 Tops, Supremes, Jackson 5, etc.), Memphis Soul (Booker T and the MGs, Sam and Dave, Isaac Hayes), and Philly Soul (Teddy Pendergrass, Harold Melvoin and the Blue Notes, etc.) Well, one that I didn't think of, was UK Soul. Yes, there was Dusty Springfield and the like, which to be honest, I didn't realize was British! But in particular, I couldn't stop listening to this band from the 90s.

The thing I like about this band, is that very few artists have stepped their feet in almost every type of popular music: rock, pop, soul, funk, blues. Prince is one; Michael Jackson another; even Earth, Wind & Fire and Kool and the Gang have.

Another one to add to the list: Roachford. These guys take after Kool, with a bit of James Brown, and like Prince, aren't afraid of a guitar. I've been listening to two of their best albums: Get Ready! and Permanent Shade of Blue, with the latter being their biggest album to date.

I do have to say that acts like Roachford and Seal are refreshing against the overplayed, oversaturated, and to be honest, poor quality of US acts in the same genre. It gets tiring to hear the same thing of girls telling guys to leave their girl at home because the club is hot, only to turn around and accuse the guy of doing them wrong for doing it, plus guys wanting nothing but to get them in bed.

Very refreshing. This even had me put together a playlist of some of their tracks. Only to Be with You, This Generation, Get Ready!, and Lay Your Love on Me were very radio friendly, while Innocent Eyes, Hands of Fate, and Johnny tell stories. Higher Love is definitely religious, while Higher tributes Brown, and Vision of the Future reminds you of Stevie Wonder's Pastime's Paradise... You know, just good stuff all around. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6g9GqnQBg_biU5xVJx6TSRiMFfTr9wks

BL.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom