Thursday, January 13, 2011

Stuff I Listened To Last Week – 8 Jan 2011

Every time I listen to a record, I leave it next to the stereo. On Monday, before I go back to work, I re-file them all. Below are the contents of this week's pile.


Ferruccio BusoniDoktor Faust (Ferdinand Leitner, conductor)
Busoni died before completing his final work, leaving notes from which an assistant would finish it. Faust is reputed to be one of the more surprisingly minimal of the major works of this period of Italian opera, which... I don't really know anything about opera, that's just what I've read. This is intriguing, but far to dense for me to get much of an impression of after just a few listens with other things going on in the room.


GrooveriderMysteries of Funk
I can remember reading a profile of Grooverider written by Simon Reynolds for some magazine (The Wire, maybe?) back when this album was just coming out. It was his debut after a few killer singles and a lot of hype, and Reynolds, as is his wont, was ready to anoint yet another subgenre with which to classify Grooverider and the maybe two other artists who sounded like him. Reynolds proceeded to spend a significant chunk of his given column inches explaining the subtle differences that distinguished "neurofunk" from dozens of other subgenres within the larger spectrum of drum'n'bass, seemingly spending quite a bit of energy trying to get the term to catch on. My reaction at the time was something along the lines of "Nice try, Reynolds," figuring this one would never stick.

So the other night I'm cruising eBay for lots of used DJ records, and I come across a listing for a couple dozen described as jungle, drum'n'bass, breakbeat and, wait for it...

Neurofunk. After all these years. Score one for Reynolds.

By the way, it sounds like I'm bagging on Reynolds here, but it's more like a good-natured ribbing. Let me add that Rip It Up and Start Again is one of my favourite music history books of the past few years.


Junior BoysSo This Is Goodbye


Lightning BoltEarthly Delights


MonoWalking cloud and deep red sky, Flag fluttered and the sun shined
This or the one after it is probably the Mono record to own. You don't need too many. Very proud of myself for resisting the urge to buy the new triple live LP.


PavementWowee Zowee
Holds up nicely. No longer seems as weirdly dated as it did five years ago or so. I know that seems illogical, but back then we were in the grip of this wave of overt sincerity in indie rock, and this one just seemed so detached.


Rolling StonesBeggars Banquet
There really ought to be an apostrophe in that title. Unless they're eating beggars.


History Of Rhythm & Blues Volume 1: The Roots 1947-52
Any comp with "Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" on it is OK in my book.


Headz


We Are Reasonable People

No comments: