music recommendations

Public Service Broadcasting – The Race For Space

Artist: Public Service Broadcasting Album: The Race For Space Year: 2015 Genre: Electronic, Pop Style: Ambient Trans Europe Expressions Having just come back from the Munich High-End Audio Show and some rapid continental rail journeys from Germany to the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK during which I spent some time using earpods to create an alternate soundtrack to the trip....

Marlon Williams – My Boy

Artist: Marlon Williams Album: My Boy Label: Virgin Music Australia (2) – MW005LP, Universal Music New Zealand – MW005LP Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Stereo, Teal Country: Australia & New Zealand Year: 2022 Genre: Folk, World, & Country Style: Folk Boy oh boy! Palais Theatre, Saturday 18 February 2023, 23 degrees Celsius, four tickets to see Marlon Williams and The Yarra Benders band live in...

Held By Trees – Solace

Artist: Held By Trees - Solace Genre: Rock Style: Post Rock, Experimental Year: 2022 Influence - Losing something dear and finding it again In music land there are pioneers whose creative vision and works have overcome the hurdles most musicians face to end up on a pedestal for others to admire and be influenced by. Mark Hollis was one...

Brendan Perry – Ark

Artist: Brendan Perry – Ark Genre: Electronic, Folk, World, & Country Style: Folk, Ethereal, Ambient Year: 2010 Sonic Planetariums Harking back - 23.09.2012 I climbed a mountain in Athens with 6,000 odd mad Greeks and Philhellenes to reach the ancient Lycabettus theatre. Mount Lycabettus, also known as Lycabettos, Lykabettos or Lykavittos, is a Cretaceous limestone hill in the Greek...

Esbjörn Svensson Trio – e.s.t. Live In London

Label: ACT (4) – 9042-1, ACT (4) – ACT 9042-1 Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, 180 Gram Country: Germany Released: 2018 Genre: Jazz Style: Contemporary Jazz Esbjörn Svensson Trio (or e.s.t.) was a Swedish jazz piano trio formed in 1993 consisting of Esbjörn Svensson (piano), Dan Berglund (double bass), and Magnus Öström (drums). They were a rare phenomenon, their talents...

Nils Frahm – Music For Animals VINYL 4LP

Artist: Nils Frahm Title: Music For Animals VINYL 4LP Format: VINYL 4LP Barcode: 4050538819397 Year: 2022 Genre: Classical, Electronica, Ambient Style: Neo-Classical, Post-Modern SENSORY OVERLOAD Sydney Vivid Festival June 2022 highlighted Nils Frahm performing works from his then upcoming (now released) new album Music For Animals. A die-hard tight knit group of Nirvana Sound “music heads” all came together from Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney and...

Parcels – Live Vol.1

Label: Because Music – BEC5650737, Kitsuné Musique – KMA073 Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album Country: Europe Released: 19 Jun 2020 Genre: Electronic, Funk / Soul Style: Nu-Disco, Funk Everyone has a friend who’s really into music but is also pretty fussy & careful with their recommendations. You know what I’m talking about… loves music but has high standards and rarely...

Nick Cave – Seven Psalms

Label: Goliath Enterprises Limited – CAVETHINGS008D Format: (10", EP, Limited Edition), 8 x File, MP3, 320 kbps Released: Jul 1, 2022 Genre: Electronic, Rock Style: Art Rock, Experimental, Spoken Word Ingenious…………………… It’s no secret I like the works of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. I even play Blixa Bargeld and Einsturzende Neubaten for those who can handle the divergence from...

John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman – John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman

Label: Impulse! – Stereo A-40, Impulse! – AS-40 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Gatefold Country: US Released: 1963 Genre: Jazz, Pop Style: Hard Bop, Vocal, Ballad Here’s the short version of my recommendation: Get your hands on this album. It should be an essential part of your collection if you are an appreciator of the Jazz artform and/or a hopeless romantic. Done....

Marcin Wasilewski Trio – En Attendant

Label: ECM Records – ECM 2677 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: Germany Released: 2021 Genre: Jazz Style: Contemporary Jazz This album caught me by surprise but to say that, I’m implying that I had certain expectations and those expectations were exceeded. However, in truth I had no prior expectations. I was just listening to a collection of different music one day...

The Reddings – The Awakening

Label: Believe In A Dream – JZ 36875 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: US Released: 1980 Genre: Funk / Soul Style: Funk, Disco When Otis Redding sadly passed away 1967, his son Otis Redding III was only three years old. He would have hardly known his dad, who was nicknamed the ‘King of Soul’, however genetics have an extraordinary way of...

You+Me – Rose Ave.

Label: RCA – 88875 02591 1, Dine Alone Records – 88875 02591 1, Sony Music – 88875 02591 1 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition Country: US Released: 14 Oct 2014 Genre: Rock, Pop, Folk, World, & Country Style: Folk Rock, Neofolk, Folk Have you ever observed that sometimes the most unlikely and unexpected pairings produce some of the most special...

The Weeknd ‎– Dawn FM

Label: XO – 00602445021154, Republic Records – 00602445021154 Format: CD, Album, Stereo Country: Europe Released: 28 Jan 2022 Genre: Pop, Electronic, Funk / Soul Style: Contemporary R&B, Spoken Word, Synthwave, New Wave, Disco Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known professionally as ‘the Weeknd’, is a Canadian singer-songwriter and record producer who is among the world's best-selling music artists. With over 75 million records...

Dead Can Dance – Toward The Within

Label: 4AD – DAD3627 Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue Country: UK & Europe Released: 11 Nov 2016 Genre: Rock, Folk, World, Country Style: Ethereal, Goth Rock, Modern Classical, Folk After a relaxed afternoon listening to some recent purchases from Discogs, I called my friend Mark. “Mate, when you pop over later, could you please bring a record brush?” “Cool, will do.” A...

Nicola Conte & Spiritual Galaxy – Let Your Light Shine On

Label: MPS Records – 0212748MS1 Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album Country: Germany Released: 18 May 2018 Genre: Jazz Style: Soul-Jazz   If you enjoy music that unites different cultures, styles and influences together in one magical experience then you are in for a treat! One of the best features of Let Your Light Shine On is how it plucks out musical...

Renaud Garcia-Fons ‎– Solo The Marcevol Concert

Label: Enja Records – ENJ-9581 2 Format: CD, Album DVD, DVD-Video Country: Germany Released: 2012 Genre: Jazz, Rock, Folk, World, & Country There is something with me and bass instruments, once again listening to ABC Classic FM drive program hearing Renaud García Fons... mind blown and a new love. Let’s start with a grab from reviewer - Raul da Gama...

Nat Adderley ‎- Work Song

Label: Riverside Records ‎– RLP-1167 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo Country: US Released: 1965 Genre: Jazz Style: Post Bop What is the theory if you should buy an album or not? The title track ‘Work Song’ is undeniably a great piece, a hit song in fact. Lyrics were later written for it which made an even bigger hit and it became...

Lady Blackbird – Black Acid Soul

Label: Foundation Music – FM0008 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Stereo, Orange Country: UK Released: Sep 3, 2021 Genre: Jazz, Funk / Soul Style: Contemporary Jazz, Soul-Jazz   Flying high… So why you wanna fly, Blackbird? You ain't ever gonna fly You ain't ever gonna fly So sings Marley Monroe AKA Lady Blackbird. Munroe’s album Black Acid Soul arrived unannounced as a gift from a dear...

!!! – As If!

Label: Warp Records - WARPLP260 Format: Vinyl ‎(2xLP, Album) Country: Europe Released: 2015 Genre: Electronic, Rock Style: Indie Rock, Tech House   Freedom – How’s that working for ya! ‘!!!’, also known as ‘Chk Chk Chk’, is an American rock band from Sacramento, California, formed in 1996 by lead singer Nic Offer. Members of !!! came from other local bands such as the...

George Benson – The Other Side Of Abbey Road

Label: A&M Records – SP-3028, CTI Records – SP-3028 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue Country: US Released: 1972 (Original 1969) Genre: Jazz Style: Jazz-Rock   This is a very interesting album for a number of reasons as well as simply being great music. Finding an original 1969 album in mint condition is next to impossible but I was fortunate to have found...

Nils Frahm ‎– All Melody

Label: Erased Tapes Records ‎– ERATP106LP Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album Country: Europe Released: 2018 Genre: Electronic Style: Modern Classical, Abstract   Berlin Calling As a Krautrock fan and of German heritage I can make fun of ze Germans a little. Yes, I am for a good time having, no? Whilst my English sense of humour has been heavily influenced by the...

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu ‎– Gurrumul

Label: Skinnyfish Music ‎– SFGU080201LP Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album Country: Australia Released: 2009 Genre: Folk, World, Country Style: Folk   I’ll never forget that moment when I first heard a song from this album. It had an instant and profound effect on me. Australian indigenous artist Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was one of the most distinctive and acclaimed voices ever to come...

Khruangbin ‎– Con Todo El Mundo

Label: Dead Oceans ‎– DOC153LP Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: US Released: 26 Jan 2018 Genre: Funk / Soul, Folk, World, Country Style: Funk, Psychedelic   From time to time I find that instrumental music communicates more than lyrics could ever express. The emotion unleashed by a whimsical riff of a Stratocaster guitar, the flick of an organ key, the delicate pluck...

Antonio Carlos Jobim ‎- Stone Flower

Label: CTI Records ‎– CTI 6002 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold Country: US Released: 1970 Genre: Jazz Style: Bossa Nova   Before you read on, I have a confession to make. Although I love jazz, I’m not really a bossa nova fan, or more accurately….I’m tired of it and generally bored by the genre. Every album by one of the Gilbertos, Stan...

Neil Young ‎– Le Noise

Genre: Rock Style: Alternative Rock, Folk Rock, garage rock, experimental rock, noise rock Year: 2010 That old E49 Charger with a 6-pack in Vitamin Orange needs to be taken for a spin…… Sometimes originals are the best but need a bit of restoration and rebuild from the ground up. Which specialist do you choose to fix...

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds ‎– Ghosteen

Label: Ghosteen Ltd ‎– BS016LP, Ghosteen Ltd ‎– 5056167114796 Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album Country: Released: 08 Nov 2019 Genre: Electronic Style: Ambient   Heartbreak Hotel Ghosteen is the seventeenth studio album by the Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It was released on 4 October 2019 and is a double album— the final part of a trilogy of...

Chris Wilson – Live at the Continental

Label: Aurora ‎– D19852, Cheersquad Records & Tapes ‎– CRT034 Format: CD, LP Album Country: Australia Released: 1994, LP Reissue 2020 Genre: Rock, Blues Style: Blues Rock   James, you steely eyed missile man! The term steely-eyed missile man is a complimentary term rooted in NASA's Apollo history when flight controller John Aaron's quick thinking saved the Apollo 12 mission from disaster. It...

EOB ‎– Earth

Label: Capitol Records ‎– 00602508363429, Polydor ‎– 00602508363429 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition, Orange Country: Europe Released: 2020 Genre: Electronic, Rock Style: Indie Rock, Folk, House   Ed O’Brien has often been called the ‘bedrock’ of Radiohead’s stage presence. While Thom Yorke & Jonny Greenwood attract more attention, Ed’s rhythm guitar artistry, atmospheric synth and soulful vocals give the band its...

Agnes Obel ‎– Myopia

Label: Blue Note ‎– 00289 483 7175, Deutsche Grammophon ‎– 00289 483 7175 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, 180g, Gatefold Country: USA & Europe Released: 21 Feb 2020 Genre: Pop, Folk, World, & Country Style: Vocal, Ballad   This is an album to be ‘experienced’. To listen to it any way other than to make time, turn down the lights, relax and give...

Vas ‎– In The Garden Of Souls

Label: Narada World ‎– 72438-49188-2-8 Format: CD, Album, Reissue Country: US Released: 2000 Genre: Electronic, Folk, World Style: Tribal, Persian Classical, Folk   Azam Ali was born in Iran, but when she was four her family moved to India, where she grew up and seemingly absorbed the rich culture that surrounded her. She sings in many languages but also quite often sings...

The Blue Nile ‎– Hats

Label: Linn Records ‎– LKH2, Linn Records ‎– 210241-630 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: Europe Released: 1989 Genre: Rock Style: Alternative Rock, New Wave, Ethereal   “Got to take my hat off to those Linnies” Linn Records established 1982 as a division of Linn Products (makers of audiophile standard Hi-Fi components). The premise was to create a label to rival the highest standards...

U2 – The Unforgettable Fire / A Sort Of Homecoming

Label: Island - L 18002 Format: Vinyl, 12", 33 ⅓ RPM, Mini-Album, Misprint, 2nd pressing Country: Australia Released: 1985 Genre: Rock Style: Alternative Rock   “Someone get a fire extinguisher quick - this Lemon Chile is darn hot!” Sometimes you find music in the most unlikely places and U2 is a band that has certainly ingrained itself into our consciousness on many levels....

Nick Haywood Trio ‎– Many Rivers

Label: Jazzhead ‎– HEAD232 Format: CD, Album Country: Australia Released: 13 Oct 2017 Genre: Jazz Style:   I was thinking about what music I like today and what I listened to in the past. I was utterly besotted with American Jazz, sometimes European Jazz but I never thought much about Australian Jazz. I was a keen attendee of live Jazz around Melbourne...

Joseph Tawadros – Permission to Evaporate

Label: ABC Music ‎– ABC 4810917 Format: CD, Album Country: Australia Released: 2014 Genre: Jazz, Folk, World Style: Bluegrass, Contemporary Jazz Before I knew much about Joseph Tawadros I heard a piece by him on ABC Classic FM and really loved it. At the time, I was mainly looking for American Jazz at the used record store and one time I...

The Comet Is Coming ‎– Trust In The Lifeforce Of The Deep Mystery

Label: Impulse! ‎– 00602577345371 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: Europe Released: 15 Mar 2019 Genre: Jazz, Rock Style: Fusion, Psychedelic Rock, Contemporary Jazz Over recent years saxophonist composer Shabaka Hutchings has established himself as a central figure in the London jazz scene. Restlessly creative with a refreshingly open-minded spirit, playing and leading a variety of groups—most notably, Sons of Kemet, The...

RY X ‎– Unfurl

Label: Infectious Music ‎– INFECT488LP Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, 180g Country: Europe Released: 15 Feb 2019 Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop, Folk, World, & Country Style: Beatdown, Indie Pop, Indie Rock “After the flood” In ancient lore the flood came and swept away the inhabitants of the known earth and forced a prescient individual to go into self-imposed lockdown for 40 days and...

Rhye ‎– Woman

Label: Republic Records ‎– B001813501 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: US Released: 12 Mar 2013 Genre: Electronic, Pop Style: Downtempo "Who is Rhye. Edward Bernays." Copy the characters between the parentheses into your word processor and convert it to Webdings typeface. Now you have the question that was printed on Twenty-four limited edition posters especially for a Boston show and engraved with...

The War On Drugs ‎– Lost In The Dream

Label: Secretly Canadian ‎– SC310 Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album Country: US Released: 18 March 2014 Genre: Rock Style: Indie Rock “Did the earth move for you Nancy?” So sang Simply Red Mick Hucknall on their debut album track “Moneys to tight to mention”. Verse 3 “We talk about Reaganonics, Oh lord down in the congress, They're passing all kinds of bills,...

Maceo Parker ‎– Mo’ Roots

Label: Minor Music ‎– MM 1018 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: Germany Released: 1991 Genre: Jazz, Funk / Soul Style: Jazz-Funk “98% Funky Stuff” Are you a fan of Mr. Dynamite, Soul Brother No.1? AKA James Brown’s music? I’ve only seen James Brown once live in Melbourne at the Rod Laver Arena. He was in his twilight years by then but still managed...

Marianne Faithfull – Blazing Away (Live album)

Label: Island 842 794 Format: Vinyl, LP Country: USA Released: 1990 Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop Style: Synth-pop, Ballad, Classic Rock “Don’t judge a book by the cover – even it’s in Broken English” “Cigarettes, whiskey and wild, wild women - They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane”. So sang the Wilburn Brothers on The Grand Ole Opry in 1940’s. They might have...

The Reels ‎– Quasimodo’s Dream

Label: Mercury ‎– 6437 139 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: Australasia Released: 1981 Genre: Electronic, Pop Style: New Wave, Synth-pop “The Wiggles meets Devo” Lads from Dubbo NSW the Reels were undeniably one Australia’s great live acts. One wag likened them to the Wiggles meets Devo but they had a similar double edge to lyrics with great pop melodies. The genesis of...

Marlon Williams ‎– Live at Auckland Town Hall

Label: Caroline Australia ‎– MW003LP Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album Country: New Zealand Released: 2019 Genre: Pop, Alt-Folk, World, & Country Style: Folk, Country, Kiwi “Something in the water over there” New Zealand is an amazing place to visit and has been a melting pot of cultures from the many seafaring peoples and tribes over millennia. Music has been integral to the...

Anna Calvi ‎– Live At Meltdown

Label: Domino ‎– WIGLP380 Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition, Red Country: Europe Released: 2017 Genre: Rock, Alt-Rock, Alt-Goth Style: Alt-Rock, Choral “Time for a meltdown” I’ve always enjoyed good live albums. I prefer the lack of production and overt cleansing that often occurs on studio work. You can most times get closer to the artist. I’ve seen David Byrne play...

Mark Lanegan Band ‎– Gargoyle

Label: Heavenly ‎– HVNLP137 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: US Released: 2017 Genre: Rock, Blues Style: Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Blues Rock “Better the devil you know” Mark Lanegan has been singing with a deep, nicotine-ravaged growl since his band the Screaming Trees broke into the mainstream in the '90s. Grunge had a few luminaries and Cobain and Co certainly prematurely ended...

Damon Locks Black Monument Ensemble – Where Future Unfolds

Label: International Anthem Recording Company ‎– IARC0025 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: US Released: 2019 Genre: Jazz Style: Jazz, Gospel, Hip Hop If you are looking for an album that reflects the struggles of Black America in 2020, look no further than this. Where Future Unfolds seamlessly blends hip hop, gospel & free jazz intertwined with samples taken from the Civil...

Various – Midday Moon – Ambient And Experimental Music From Australia And New Zealand 1980 – 1995

Label: Bedroom Suck Records ‎– BSR - 082 Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Compilation Country: Australia Released: 2018 Genre: Electronic Style: Ambient, Experimental Midday Moon is a gorgeous compilation of Ambient and Experimental music that emerged from Australia and New Zealand between 1980 and 1995. Most tracks are taken from micro-labels, private pressings and personal archives, and would be next to...

Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood ‎– Black Pudding

Label: Heavenly ‎– HVNLP98 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: US Released: 2013 Genre: Rock, Blues, Gothic Style: Blues Rock “Talk low, talk slow and don’t say too much.” – John “Duke” Wayne As journeys go this album can quickly put you in the middle of a border area between Mexico and the USA on a horse and most likely in a long-forgotten...

Keith Hudson ‎– The Black Breast Has Produced Her Best, Flesh Of My Skin Blood Of My Blood

Label: Mamba ‎– KH 1 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Repress, Red labels Country: UK Released: 1975 Genre: Reggae Style: Roots Reggae Originally released in 1974, “Flesh of My Skin” saw Keith Hudson blend a heady mix of funk, soul and blues into his reggae experimentalism. He earned the nickname ‘The Dark Prince of Reggae’, and after listening to this album you’ll...

Tortoise ‎– TNT

Label: Thrill Jockey ‎– THRILL 050 Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album Country: US Released: 1998 Genre: Electronic, Rock Style: Post Rock Tortoise’s mostly instrumental music defies categorisation. The band incorporates styles of Krautrock, dub, minimalism, electronica, and various jazz styles, rather than the standard rock and roll and punk. This sets them apart from most indie rock bands today. TNT, the...

Thomas Dolby ‎– Blinded By Science

Label: Harvest ‎– MLP-15007, Venice In Peril Records ‎– MLP-15007 Format: Vinyl, LP, Mini-Album, Jacksonville Press Country: US Released: 1983 Genre: Electronic, Rock Style: Synth-pop, New Wave “An original thinker” Thomas Morgan Robertson (born 14 October 1958), known by the stage name Thomas Dolby, is an English musician, producer, entrepreneur and teacher. He came to prominence in the 1980s, releasing hit singles...

Robert Schröder ‎– Galaxie Cygnus-A

Label: Innovative Communication ‎– KS 80.021 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition Country: Germany Released: 1982 Genre: Electronic Style: Berlin-School “Ich bin ein Berliner” und “Lasst sie nach Berlin kommen” So said John F. Kennedy on June 26, 1963 at the critical time in West Berlin during the Cold War. Kids born in this era in Berlin must have felt pressures of rebuilding...

Camel ‎– Rajaz

Label: Camel Productions ‎– CP-009CD Format: CD, HDCD, Album Country: UK Released: 1999 Genre: Rock Style: Prog Rock, Classic Rock “I'd walk a mile for a Camel!” Sorry, couldn’t resist the play on words. In 1946, RJ Reynolds advertised their Camel cigarettes as being the favourite choice among doctors "from every branch of medicine", making smokers believe it was safe to smoke...

Yasutaka Tsutsu, Yosuke Yamashita – IE (筒井康隆, 山下洋輔 ‎– 家)

Label: Frasco ‎– FS-7007 Format: Vinyl, LP Country: Japan Released: 1976 Genre: Jazz, Rock Style: Experimental, Avantgarde, Psychedelic Rock, Free Jazz Yosuke Yamashita is generally known for his piano playing and free jazz trio. This record takes him in a vastly different direction. The best way for me to describe what is going on here is, this music is like a soundtrack...

Prince Lasha Quintet Featuring Sonny Simmons ‎– The Cry!

Label: Contemporary Records ‎– S7610 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Black Labels Country: US Released: 1963 Genre: Jazz Style: Modal, Contemporary Jazz, Post-Bop Opening with a plucked bass line from Mark Proctor in the right channel builds the anticipation of the second bass following the line only an octave deeper played by Gary Peacock in the left channel. Congo Call has...

The Smiths ‎– How Soon Is Now?

Label: Rough Trade - RTT176 Format: Vinyl, 12", 45RPM, Maxi-Single Country: UK Released: 1985 Genre: Rock Style: Indie Rock “Double star constellations”  In outer space Mizar and Alcor are two stars forming a naked eye double in the handle of the Big Dipper asterism in the constellation of Ursa Major. Mizar is the second star from the end of the Big Dipper's...

Gary Numan ‎– The Pleasure Principle

Label: Beggars Banquet - BEGA 10 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: UK Released: 1979 Genre: Electronic, Rock Style: New Wave, Synth-pop “Numanoids never die they just get patched up with new firmware” Anyone who has ever wondered where the junction of the old paper-based world and the new paradigm of computer controlled life occurred it was most likely 1979. An Englishman from...

Japan ‎– Gentlemen Take Polaroids

Label: Virgin, V2180 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: UK Released: 1980 Genre: Electronic, Rock, Pop Style: New Wave, Synth-pop “Amazing how they named a whole country after this band” Well that’s a bit tongue-in-cheek and no offense meant to our friends in Japan. But this band certainly had some interesting moments in the early new romantic scene in 80’s UK. Certainly polarising and...

Ed Kuepper ‎– Honey Steel’s Gold

Label: Hot Records - HOT 1036 Format: CD, Album Country: Australia Released: 1991 Genre: Rock Style: Art Rock, Indie Rock Ed Kuepper – Pure Gold! Saint Ed has been evangelising his message in the fabled land of “Oi Oi Oi” (a sunburnt southern land) since 1973. The denizens thereof quickly saw the light and converted to his cause. Adherents are recognized by...

Jacques Loussier Trio ‎– Baroque Favorites

Label: Telarc Jazz - CD-83516 Format: CD, Stereo Country: Europe Released: 2001 Genre: Jazz Style: Chamber Jazz, Contemporary Jazz My Journey in music is possibly the same as anybody else and different. In the 90’s music was just something I hated when listening radio; I gave up and listened to talk back radio for two years. It is something today I think...

John Foxx ‎– The Garden

Label: Virgin - 2194 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: UK Released: 1981 Genre: Electronic, Rock Style: New Wave, Synth-pop What is post punk? Is it a system? Is it romance? John Foxx created a sonic signature which drove a whole bunch of musicians to create new works of art in the 1980’s. You may recall the 80’s band Ultravox with their big...

Fred Astaire – Oscar Peterson / Barney Kessel / Charlie Shavers / Flip Phillips / Ray Brown / Alvin Stoller ‎– The Astaire Story

Label: DRG Records - DARC 3-1102 Format: 3 x Vinyl, LP, Reissue Box Set Country: US Released: 1978 Genre: Jazz Style: Jazz I saw this box set and knew that Oscar Peterson had made a recording with Fred Astaire but this set was unfamiliar to me. No question….. I had to have it, just check out the line up with the...

Neil Young ‎- Freedom

Label: Reprise Records 25899.1 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: Australia Released: 1989 Genre: Rock Style: Classic Rock “Freedom comes at a price and its $5.99” I remember buying this album on ordinary 120 Gram pressing for $5.99. What price Freedom? Well shortly thereafter the Neil Young Freedom Tour with the Lost Dogs happened to hit Melbourne in April of 1989 at the then...

Sam Brookes ‎– Kairos

Label: Sam Brookes ‎– SKBLP001 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Limited Edition Country: UK Released: 2013 Genre: Folk, World, & Country Style: Folk “Underground Headphone Sessions” Sam Brookes is a young UK singer songwriter who gets cast as a folk singer but in reality he is a unique talent able to cross a few genres. He shared an interesting life story over a few...

Laurel Halo – Dust

Label: Hyperdub ‎– HDBLP036 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Gatefold Country: UK Released: 2017 Genre: Electronic Style: UK Garage, Future Jazz, Ambient, Experimental Berlin based Laurel Halo is a name I’d been familiar with but had always considered her work too left-field or impenetrable for me. I found her earlier work to be lacking focus, electronic bleeps and bloops for the sake...

The The ‎– Soul Mining

Label: Epic ‎– EPC 25525, Some Bizzare ‎– EPC 25525 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Country: UK Released: 1983 Genre: Rock, Pop Style: New Wave, Synth-pop, Indie Rock Sometimes it takes a decade or more to discover an artist. It wasn’t until 2007 that I finally got Matt Johnson and The The. Not that the music was inaccessible, it’s just that I...

Simple Minds – Sons and Fascination / Sister Feelings Call

Label: Virgin Format: 2 x LP Country: UK Released: 1981 Genre: Rock, Pop Style: New Wave, Post Punk, Art Rock Producer: Steve Hillage “Their early work is better than the later stuff” How many times have you heard that about an artist or a band. Often its related to the departure of an original thinker or creative force. The work of Simple Minds out...

Low – I Could Live In Hope

Label: Plain Recordings - Plain 175 Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue Country: US Released: 1994 with Reissue 2011 Genre: Rock Style: Indie Rock If James Dean had lived, this would be his band. How does one look forward to a night of “sad” music in a concert hall packed with serious music heads? How can one feel “happy” afterwards and...

Slowdive – Pygmalion

Label: Creation Records ‎– crelp 168, Creation Records ‎– CRELP 168 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: UK Released: 1995 Genre: Electronic, Rock Style: Dream Pop, Shoegaze, Ambient, Post Rock Dreaming of Anti-Showmanship The 1960’s and 1970’s rock era was full of “rock gods”. Robert Plant and Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin would perhaps be familiar to a lot of us. The Cult’s...

Beethoven, Heifetz, Munch, Boston Symphony Orchestra – Violin Concerto (In D)

Label: RCA Victor Red Seal ‎– LSC-1992 Series: Living Stereo Format: Vinyl, LP, Stereo Country: US Released: 1959 Genre: Classical Style: Classical "We might as well take our fiddles and break them across our knees." Jascha Heifetz was a Russian-American violinist (born 1901 – and lived till 1987). Many consider him the greatest violinist of all time. Born in Vilna (Vilnius), he moved as...

John Lee Hooker And The Coast To Coast Blues Band Feat. Jim Kahr – Live+Well

Country: USA Released: 1978 Genre: Blues Style: Electric Blues, Chicago Blues John Lee Hooker is Live + Well in my living room! Uber rides can take some amazing turns……How does one get from an Uber ride to John Lee Hooker? Sometimes you have amazing conversations in transit to and from airports. One such Uber trip allowed an interchange...

Clifford Brown And Max Roach – Clifford Brown And Max Roach

Released: 1954 Genre: Jazz Style: Bop The 1955 album by the Clifford Brown and Max Roach Quintet was described by The New York Times as "perhaps the definitive bop group until Mr. Brown's fatal automobile accident in 1956". The album was critically well-received and includes several notable tracks, including two that have since become jazz...

The Notting Hillbillies – Missing… Presumed Having a Good Time

Label: LP Vertigo 842 671-1 (de), LP Mercury / Phonogram 842 671-1 [de] / EAN 0042284267113 Format: Vinyl, LP, Gatefold Country: Japan Released: 1990 Producer: Mark Knopfler / Guy Fletcher Length: 40:44 Genre: Blues, Folk, World, Country rock, Americana Style: Country Blues, Country Studio album by The Notting Hillbillies Missing... Presumed Having a Good Time is an Americana celebration by some talented Englishmen. Mark Knopfler needs little introduction...

John Coltrane ‎– Olé Coltrane

Label: Atlantic ‎– SD 1373 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo Country: US Released: 1961 Genre: Jazz Style: Modal, Avant-garde Jazz, Hard Bop Coltrane's 1961 album, My Favorite Things, marked a turning point in his career, featuring his whirling, modal reinvention of the popular Rodgers and Hammerstein tune, his first forays on soprano sax, with the debuts of both McCoy Tyner and...

Emmylou Harris – Wrecking Ball

Label: Elektra Format: 3 × Vinyl, LP, Album, Deluxe Edition, Limited Edition, 180g Country: USA Released: 1995 Producer: Daniel Lanois Length: 53:05 Genre: Country rock, folk rock, alternative country, country folk Style: Folk Rock, Country, Folk, Country Rock Studio album by Emmylou Harris Looking for water from a deeper well – you’ll find it flows purely where Country meets Ghetto. Alabama-born singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris moved around the...

Dizzy Gillespie + Freddie Hubbard + Clark Terry + Oscar Peterson + Joe Pass + Bobby Durham + Ray Brown ‎– The Alternate Blues

Label: Original Jazz Classics ‎– OJC 744, Pablo Records ‎– 2312 136 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue Country: Germany Released: 1991 (Original 1982) Genre: Jazz, Blues Norman Granz teamed together the very distinctive trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard and Clark Terry with pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Bobby Durham for a "Trumpet Summit." On...

Oscar Peterson & Dizzy Gillespie ‎– Oscar Peterson & Dizzy Gillespie

Label: Pablo Records ‎– 2310-740 Format: Vinyl, LP Country: US Released: 1974 Genre: Jazz In 1974, Dizzy Gillespie was still playing as near his best as ever and Oscar Peterson was playing at his at his absolute zenith. This soon becomes apparent when you start listening to 'Caravan' (track 1). Taken at a blistering tempo, and remember without bass...

Talk Talk ‎- Spirit of Eden

Label: Parlophone ‎(EMI) – PCSD 105, Parlophone ‎– 74 6977 1 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo Country: UK Released: 1988 Genre: Rock, New Wave Style: Abstract, Post Rock, Ambient Length: 41:30 Producer: Tim Friese-Greene Happiness is Easy when the lights are out and everyone has stopped talking There are groupings of albums that can be sequenced into a serious extended listening session. Spirit of Eden is the...

Fire! Orchestra ‎- Arrival

Label: Rune Grammofon ‎– RLP3205 Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo Country: Norway Released: 24 May 2019 Genre: Jazz Style: Free Jazz, Avant-garde Jazz Sweden’s Mats Gustafsson and crew are back with this splendid release from last year. This is a more melodic affair with the vocals of Mariam Wallentin and Sofia Jernberg up front and clear. They really shine...

Kraftwerk ‎- Computerwelt

Label: Kling Klang ‎– 1C 064-46 311, EMI Electrola ‎– 1C 064-46 311 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo Country: Germany Released: 1981 Genre: Electronic, Pop Style: Electro, Synth Pop Press the special key and it plays a little melody 1981 Swanston Street down a dingy arcade near Missing Link Records on Little Flinders St was Pipe Records and the enigmatic Danny “You...

Radiohead ‎– In Rainbows

Label: XL Recordings ‎– XLLP 324 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo, Reissue, 180g Country: Europe Released: Original 2007, Reissue 2016 Genre: Rock, Electronic Style: Alternative Rock, Prog Rock, Art Rock, Indie Rock, Experimental OK, let me just be up front with you. I am a Radiohead fan and my friends stopped mentioning them in conversation many years ago because apparently I gave...

Vangelis O. Papathanassiou ‎– Earth

Label: Vertigo ‎– 6499 693 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Stereo Country: France Released: 1973 Genre: Rock Style: Folk Rock, Prog Rock Vangelis’ third album is a sensitive, deep concept album, that is a masterpiece in its own right. The opening cut is the 3 minutes rock song, but after that the album takes a turn to some progressive world sounds. "Earth" is said...

The Monty Alexander Trio ‎– Montreux Alexander – Live! At The Montreux Festival

Label: MPS Records ‎– MPS15493, Edel Records ‎– 0210986MSW Series: Reforest The Legend – AAA Reissue Series Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered Country: Germany Released: 2016 Genre: Jazz Style: - Monty Alexander was relatively unknown when he played at the Montreux Jazz Festival's Casino on June 10th, 1976 but it didn't take long for the crowd to fall in love with Alexander and his colleagues John...

Gabor Szabo ‎– Dreams

Label: Buddah Records ‎– BDS-7 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, Stereo, Gatefold Country: US Released: 1968 Genre: Jazz Style: Avant-garde Jazz Hungarian jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo mixes some Gypsy themes into this avant-jazz classic. Experimental sounds, multi layered music with the surprising use of a French horn section on Firedance. The original FOC album is a true psychedelic 1968 masterpiece in itself. Originally...

Albert King With Stevie Ray Vaughan ‎– In Session

Label: Stax ‎– STX-7501-1 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue Country: US Released: 2010 Genre: Rock, Blues Style: Blues Rock, Texas Blues, Memphis Blues, Electric Blues I love this album because it documents a rare musical collaboration in 1983 between two of the most influential blues guitarists of the last 30 years. At the time, Albert King was getting up there in years but still a great...

Ray Barretto – The Other Road

Label: Fania Records ‎– FAN-5007, Fania Records ‎– SLP-00448 Format: Vinyl, LP, Gatefold Country: Japan Released: 1975 Genre: Jazz, Latin Style: Latin Jazz, Salsa, Descarga This is my favourite Latin jazz record. Side 2 is where the magic happens, where it borrows from Santana, electric Miles and even prog elements of Pink Floyd. Originally realised in 1973 USA.