random tunes part 4

cold cold night in sydney town
apparantly we are experiencing the coldest days since the 1980's
this will please no doubt all those that want to deny global warming
not realising that in fact we're well underway with climate change
which basically means more extremes of everything
something to look forward to
just like my little game of random tunes
fire up the iriver, hit the shuffle button and see what comes up
'84 pontiac dream by boards of canada
ok i confess this isn't random play
it's the first tune alphabetically in my player
have to go there and then hit shuffle
but it's a lovely piece of work that deserves a mention
boc are a couple of scottish blokes i believe
who are camped in the genre of modern music
that is noises, beats, samples, vocal-less stuff
in their case mostly played and recorded using analogue equipment
so it has a certain warmth and kind of real feel to it
this is a very cruisy number that typically gets in the head and stays there
it gets so sentimental by the laughing clowns
the more i hear of this re-mastered material
and the more i hear live today's jazz/improvised music
the more i wish i had been there when this band was alive and kicking
this one has a ringing guitar riff reminiscent of church bells
and the rawest, dirtiest, sleaziest sax sound you could wish for
c'mon ed bring 'em back the world needs the clowns
la del ruso by the gotan project
epic 7 minute track from their magnificent inspiracion espiracion album
this one takes the listener on an amazing aural journey
it's an absolute feast of music kind of centred around a piano riff
but there is so much else going on - trumpets, acoustic guitars, percussion
and an infectiously, groovey south american feel/beat
brought to the fore by the sound of the bandoneon
which to me is the trademark sound of this superb french-argentinian outfit
draw near by the tord gustavsen trio
ok i admit i'm totally biased in my judgement of this trio
but to me they have taken up camp in a part of the musical world
that is entirely their own and to which they will be at for a very long time
this tune is the third track on their latest album
it's a beautiful number demonstrating their sense of touch and melody
hicaz dolpa by mustafa kandirali
i subscribe to an email newsletter out of the u s called rootsworld
they stream the most amazing music with the newsletter
this chap came up on the last one - inspired me to get the album
he of gypsy heritage born in 1930 and turkey's answer to miles davis on clarinet
the album is sensational with an assortment of rhythms, beats and sounds
like this one with the wildest clarinet playing on top of it all
a punch by radiohead
back down to earth with this tune from the masters
a sub 3 minute number with minimal accompaniment
a single strummed electric guitar
and thom and another falsetto voice harmonising - lovely
les passantes by coure de berra
talk about harmonising - this group have mastered it
more minimal instrumentation with a lone violin
which delivers an oh-so-familiar line
but the voices are the stars with a rich delivery
in french of what seems to be a very sad song
cry a tear for the man in the moon by richard hawley
this guy should be famous - step aside michael bubble
he has a stunning voice that would make ol blue eyes jealous
and he's not afraid to croon it as well
but with a spark of originality that makes him unique
this one has a lone electric guitar and a simple catchy lyric
come with us by brian eno and david byrne
from the classic 1980 album my secret life in the bush of ghosts
remastered recently and now sounding from the future not the past
the noises they have layered on this track are extraordinary
all held together by a simple 2 note electronica sound
you can never have too much eno
fara by ali farka toure
nor this chap and a nice way to close tonight's proceedings
from his last studio album before he shuffled off
another male voice and single backing guitar
harmonising voices lead to an acoustic guitar solo
that can only be from west africa - way laid back coolness reigns
that's it
feeling much warmer now
...thanks to all tonights participants