Non-Classical Music Listening Thread!

[SimonNZ]

 Gao Hong (pipa), Kadialy Kouyate (kora)

[Henk]

John Cale - Mercy

Digging it.

[brewski]

Buckwheat Zydeco: Cryin' in the Streets. A favorite track from Our New Orleans, the superb album released in 2005 as a benefit after Hurricane Katrina.

-Bruce

[SimonNZ]

[KevinP]

Buckwheat Zydeco: Cryin' in the Streets. A favorite track from Our New Orleans, the superb album released in 2005 as a benefit after Hurricane Katrina.

-Bruce

Good album. Haven't played it in quite some time.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Françoise Hardy - Soleil.

[SimonNZ]

Françoise Hardy - Soleil.

Came here to post that i was playing Hardys album LA Question, a favorite.

And learned for the first time that its very subtle and spare arrangements are thanks to Brazilian guitarist Tuca who wrote most of the instrumentals and guided the shape of the album. She died far too young after recording only three albums of her own.

edit: and playing the first of those now:

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Came here to post that i was playing Hardys album LA Question, a favorite.

And learned for the first time that its very subtle and spare arrangements are thanks to Brazilian guitarist Tuca who wrote most of the instrumentals and guided the shape of the album. She died far too young after recording only three albums of her own.

edit: and playing the first of those now:

I listened to La Qustion as well. Nice album. I didn't know about the guitarist. Very good performance and arrangement.

[Todd]

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Mali Kora.

[brewski]

After hearing Audra McDonald in this on Saturday, I found the same song from her January performance at the Kennedy Center. Quite an effective medley, combining Rodgers and Hammerstein's "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" from South Pacific with Sondheim's "Children Will Listen" from Into the Woods.

-Bruce

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

Coincidentally, the Guardian presents an article about Françoise Hardy and her fashion today. I like her style!


https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/gallery/2024/jun/12/miniskirts-and-masculine-looks-how-francoise-hardy-epitomised-french-chic-in-pictures

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

RIP Françoise Hardy. One of my favorite singers.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Gentle Giant: Free Hand



My first album by this band. Wow, this is good stuff. They manage to achieve complexity without sliding into pretentiousness.

[steve ridgway]

Gentle Giant: Free Hand



My first album by this band. Wow, this is good stuff. They manage to achieve complexity without sliding into pretentiousness.

Oh yes, there's lots of great stuff on the preceding albums too .

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Oh yes, there's lots of great stuff on the preceding albums too .

Which is your favorite? I test-listened to Octopus and found it rather intimidating.

[SimonNZ]

[steve ridgway]

Which is your favorite? I test-listened to Octopus and found it rather intimidating.

Probably Acquiring The Taste. You could try The Power And The Glory which comes before Free Hand or ease your way into the group slowly. I like the description on Discogs - the group's early compositional purpose was to "expand the frontiers of contemporary popular music at the risk of becoming very unpopular."

[Mirror Image]

Gentle Giant: Free Hand



My first album by this band. Wow, this is good stuff. They manage to achieve complexity without sliding into pretentiousness.

One of my favorite progressive rock bands. Free Hand followed by Interview were really their last "great" albums. Where things start falling apart for me is the albums after Interview: The Missing Piece, Giant for a Day and Civilian. These albums become increasingly more pop-oriented, which is a sound that doesn't suit this band. They broke up after Civilian.

For me, their best period is their second album Acquiring the Taste through In a Glass House. If I had to pick my favorite Gentle Giant album it would be Octopus (followed closely by Three Friends). The reason I think Octopus is such a masterpiece is really on the strength of the pieces, but also, as ever, the musicianship, which is just off-the-charts. I also have a sentimental attachment to Octopus because it was my introduction to the band.

[AnotherSpin]

My introduction was Interview, and I still like it. In a Glass House, and Free Hand are most attractive. I heard good things about Octopus and Acquiring the Taste, but both sounded crude to me, not as refined.