jueves, 25 de junio de 2009

Un recordatorio por la carrera de Mike Oldfield

Mike Oldfield nació un 15 de mayo de 1953 en Reading, en el condado de Berkshire, a pocos kilómetros de Londres, Inglaterra. En su adolescencia comenzó a actuar profesionalmente por los pubs de su ciudad natal acompañado de su hermana mayor Sally, en el dúo folk llamado Sallyangie, que publicó en 1968 su disco homónimo debut (conocido también por "Children Of The Sun"), publicado por el sello folk Transatlantic. Mike contaba con 14 años, para cumplir los 15, y Sally 18. La voz de Mike, aún en su preadolescencia se notaba ya más grave para su edad, una maduración precoz que alcanzó hasta parte de su físico. Después de separarse de su hermana se incorporó como bajista y guitarrista al The Whole World de Kevin Ayers con quien grabaría varios discos: "Shooting At The Moon", "Whatevershebringswesing" y "The Confessions Of Mr. Dreams". Antes, intentó fructificar en el proyecto del grupo Barefeet junto a su hermano Terry, pero no duró lo suficiente.

Su salida del anonimato vino con su primer disco en solitario, el celebérrimo "Tubular Bells" (1973), Lp que vio la luz gracias a Richard Branson, en esos momentos un pequeño empresario de discos que había creado el sello Virgin Records. Pero, hasta que pudo editarse, durante algo más de un año entre 1971 y 1972, las maquetas del Tubular Bells recorrieron las mesas de distintas discográficas que rechazaron de plano aquellas grabaciones por no considerarlas comerciales para la época. Mike Oldfield a punto estuvo de tirar la toalla, si no fuera por la oportuna intervención de Branson. La jugada de Branson resultó óptima para ambos, pues el álbum convirtió a Oldfield en una estrella de la música a la temprana edad de 19 años y a su avispado mentor en multimillonario. El megaéxito de este disco instrumental precursor de la New Age (aunque tengo que decir que no lo considero tal, lo veo más como rock sinfónico) vino ayudado también por la utilización de su música como banda sonora de la conocida película de terror de William Friedkin "El exorcista". Sin embargo, el tremendo éxito cosechado tuvo repercusiones muy serias para la emotividad de Mike que se escondió del mundanal ruido, retirándose a las inmediaciones de Herefordshire.

"Hergest Ridge" (1974), el siguiente trabajo de Mike Oldfield, lo tenía difícil para conseguir el renombre de "Tubular Bells" y aunque no consiguió las multitudinarias ventas de éste, también logró llegar hasta el número 1 en Inglaterra. "Ommadawn" (1975) sería el último album antes de que Oldfield se otorgara un pequeño descanso mientras el punk triunfaba en la escena musical británica. Entre medias, saldrían publicados dos álbumes: la versión orquestal del "Tubular Bells" a cargo de David Bedford con el propio Mike a la guitarra y la recopilación "Boxed" (1976) con las remezclas de sus tres grandes trabajos, más un cuarto LP con colaboraciones con amigos como el citado Bedford y el músico Les Penning. En 1978 retornaría con su majestuoso doble LP "Incantations" (1978), al que seguiría "Platinum" (1979), Lp en el que introducía elementos con sonidos discotequeros, más sobresaliente en el tema "Punkadiddle" el cual parodiaba el movimiento punk ya en boga en aquel tiempo. En esas fechas se editaría el doble LP "Exposed" que reúne el repertorio de su gira europea -la segunda vez que salía a actuar en vivo, tras la presentación seis años atrás del Tubular Bells en el Queen Elizabeth Hall, Londres el 25 de junio de 1973.- y como una forma de compensar el enorme déficit cosechado por esos conciertos.

Con el cambio de decenio su estilo fue derivando más hacia el pop comercial, a instancias de la compañía que le exigía dar ese paso, en discos bien recibidos por su público como:

- "Q. E.2" (1980) (Phil Collins colaboraría en dos temas del disco, a la batería),
- "Five Miles out" (1982) - álbum que contenía el single "Family Man", luego versionado con éxito por el dúo Hall y Oates.
- "Crises" (1983) - disco que incluía el espléndido tema "Moonlight Shadow" interpretado por Maggie Reilly y "Shadow On The Wall" con el miembro de Family, Roger Chapman.
- "Discovery" (1984) - con sus éxitos "To France" y "Tricks Of The Light" e
- "Islands" (1987), album en el que colaboraron su antiguo compañero Kevin Ayers (canción "Flying Start") y la famosa vocalista Bonnie Tyler en el tema homónimo del disco.

También compondría por esa época la banda sonora de "Los gritos del silencio" (1984), de la cual se han dicho mentiras sobre si ganó o resultó nominado al Oscar a la mejor banda sonora (casi siempre por falta de información de los periodistas de turno o por fastidiar), dato que tuvo que ser desmentido en muchas ocasiones. Después de "Earth Moving" (1989) y su increible instrumental "Amarok" (1990) (disco muy valorado en gran medida por sus fans e incondicionales), su periplo con el grupo Virgin acabaría con su mediocre "Heaven's Open" (1991) con la utilización de su nombre al completo, Michael Oldfield. La recreación de sus inicios con "Tubular Bells II" (1992) y "Tubular Bells III" (1998) provocaron de nuevo grandes ventas comerciales pero su contenido no era más que un trabajo fácilón con escasas variantes del inicial. Entre ambos discos salieron publicados su tributo al gran escritor de ciencia-ficción Arthur C. Clarke con la recreación de sus obras en el LP "The Songs Of Distant Earth" (1994) y su vuelta a las raices folk con "Voyager" (1996), el cual llegó a ser nominado a los Grammy como mejor álbum instrumental de New Age, en competencia con Vangelis y Michael Hedges (ganó Hedges, a título póstumo).

Sus últimos trabajos para el sello Warner son "Guitars" (1999) y "The Millennium Bell" (1999), a los que segurían álbumes cercanos al "chill-out" para otro sello discográfico Warner Music Spain: "Tr3s Lunas", la regrabación del "Tubular Bells" (2003), "Light And Shade" (2005, nuevo cambio de sello, esta vez bajo la tutela de Mercury / Universal), su último álbum de estudio, de corte orquestal "Music Of The Spheres" (2008, Universal), y aún calentito la reedición (espero que la última y definitiva) del Tubular Bells de 1973 con nuevas mezclas.

martes, 23 de junio de 2009

Depeche Mode - Sounds Of The Universe (2009)

"Alongside a standard CD format, Sounds Of The Universe, the new Depeche Mode album, is available as a Special Edition CD+DVD set and a Deluxe Box Set featuring three CDs, a DVD and a host of exclusive extras. The album is also available as a double vinyl LP (including a Sounds Of The Universe CD) and as a download.

The CD+DVD set also includes the album mixed in 5.1 surround sound, the promo video for Wrong, Sounds Of The Universe - A Short Film and remixes of three new songs.

The Deluxe Box Set contains the Sounds Of The Universe album CD, a second disc including brand new bonus tracks and remixes of new songs and a third CD with an exclusive collection of demos, from both the new album and songs from throughout Depeche Mode's career.

The Box Set DVD includes three films, the promo video for first single Wrong (directed by Patrick Daughters), the album and five bonus tracks in 5.1 surround sound, plus four songs filmed live in the studio in December 2008.

The two-piece, custom made box also contains two 84-page hardback books, one featuring the lyrics to all the songs from the Sounds Of The Universe sessions, accompanied by exclusive photography by Anton Corbijn and the second contains exclusive and candid studio photography by Daniel Miller, Ben Hillier, Luke Smith and Ferg Peterkin."


Firstly, doesn't it sound anything to other musician who had recently released a ringing bell reissue?

Well, I admit my complete ignorance about Depeche Mode of what it is concerned for the complete discography attributed to them, except for songs like Personal Jesus, Just Can't Get Enough, Everything Counts and other 80's and 90's hits I've occasionally heard on the media.

Now I have the chance to put an ear on their last studio album. Checking out!

Tracklist:

01. In Chains
02. Hole To Feed
03. Wrong
04. Fragile Tension
05. Little Soul
06. In Sympathy
07. Peace
08. Come Back
09. Spacewalker
10. Perfect
11. Miles Away / The Truth Is
12. Jezebel
13. Corrupt



Official Site

Buy it:

- Depeche Mode shopping store
- Amazon (USA)
- 3-MP3
- 7-Digital (ES)
- 7--Digital (UK)

Labuat - Labuat (2009)

"Labuat es un proyecto musical nacido de la imaginación que lleva años gestándose. Producido por Risto Mejide, con The Pinker Tones (dúo de músico electronica de enorme proyección internacional y productores de gran prestigio) en la coproducción y los arreglos y la voz de Virginia Maestro, la música de Labuat es una plataforma abierta donde convergen estilos, tendencias y músicos reunidos para crear una historia diferente y enriquecerse mutuamente. Es el sonido Labuat.

Labuat llega avalado por el equipo de producción más imaginativo y sorprendente (Risto Mejide y The Pinker Tones), con diez canciones que se mueven con soltura por estilos diversos, que degusta los sonidos analógicos, que huye de lo artificial y es tan diferente como cada uno de los pilares que sustentan a la banda. En Labuat pueden aparecer sonidos de los 70, trompetas cool, aires de bossa, influencias del pop británico de los 60 mezcladas con canción melódica, sonidos vintage convertidos en contemporáneos, algo de funk, aromas de jazz, dance combinado con reggae-ska, pop y soul, referencias a Burt Bacharach o a los años 20 del pasado siglo... Todo amparado por una producción de gran potencia, capaz de descubrir el mejor groove y conservar la delicadeza y la fuerza con cierto velo naïf, sin perder la capacidad de sorpresa para crear una música estimulante, abierta, estándar y contemporánea al mismo tiempo. Siempre distinta.

"Soy tu aire" es la canción que presenta a Labuat, el primer single de un álbum que llega para enriquecer y alterar la escena musical española. A ritmo de vals, con aroma Beatle, una melodía marcada por el clasicismo y un sorprendente final con orquestación de cuerda, es un buen ejemplo de la propuesta de Labuat.

En el disco han colaborado músicos como Polo Ortí, Alberto Pérez, Juzz Ubach o DJ Niño, la voz de Virginia Maestro vuela como nueva, original, envuelta en un proyecto que es de todos y que se enriquece con sus aportaciones. Labuat ha hecho la música que le gustaría escuchar a los que han participado en su elaboración y garantiza imaginación, compromiso musical y buen hacer.

Es Labuat, una fantasía musical, aire nuevo, canciones que caminan por senderos diferentes. La música por descubrir."


(C) Labuat.com

El disco se puede comprar tanto en vinilo (en una edición limitada) como en CD. El detalle de ofrecer la versión en vinilo es como para pensarse y mucho lo que ya alegué con anterioridad en este blog, sobre la conveniencia o no de editar música en este formato semiolvidado y dejado de la mano de Dios. Por Dios, oir a Virginia en vinilo es como tener un cosquilleo continuo y sibilino en la piel que no te aturde en absoluto, sino te deja embelesado, o como dirían otros, "abobado". La belleza de la portada, diferente a la del CD, es más que evidente y es la que he elegido para ilustrar esta entrada del blog.

Y parafraseo medianamente a Risto, con su permiso: Se puede. Se puede tener una pieza fundamental de la música actual en un formato imperecedero, preferible al digital (cuestión de gustos, pero yo elijo la frescura y la espontaneidad escondidas en cada surco del álbum, como las tiene Virginia Maestro). Se debe. Se debe escuchar con profusión, en la intimidad de tu dormitorio o en el confesionario del cuarto de baño con tu walkman, iPod o MP4 pegado a la oreja, porque seguro que en cuanto lo pases del CD al mp3 querrás llevártelo a todas partes, sin permiso paterno. Se quiere. Se quiere ilusionar con la ternura de una voz como la de Virginia, capaz de tumbar a cuanto "triunfito" haya deambulando por los alambres de la incertidumbre.

Cuestión de gustos o no, soy de los que prefiero subrogarme a la evidencia: Virginia me encantó, por encima de la artificialidad y la maquinaria industrial de Operación Triunfo a la hora de atribuirse méritos con el lanzamiento de clones de sí mismos.

Que nadie se equivoque, Labuat o Virginia puede dar más de una satisfacción no solo a sus incondicionales, sino a todo aquél que desee escapar de la mediocridad existente en buena parte de la música actual.

Canciones:

1. De pequeño
2. Soy tu aire
3. Ayer
4. Mentiras a contraluz
5. Al margen
6. Ya se verá
7. Defíneme sin ti
8. Lo raro es vivir
9. Carta de otoño
10. Llueve
11. Al margen (The Pinker Toner remix)
12. Soy tu agua


Oido al parche:

Razón para tenerlo físicamente: Zona de Compras

Pasen a conocer a Labuat

lunes, 22 de junio de 2009

The Wilde Flowers - Tales Of Canterbury (The Wilde Flowers Story) (1994)

The Wilde Flowers were a popular music group based in the vicinity of Canterbury, England. The group was active between 1964 and 1967 but never released any records during its existence; however it led to the formation of two other groups that became well-known and influential: Soft Machine and Caravan.

Band members included, at various times, Hugh Hopper (bass), Robert Wyatt (drums, vocals), Kevin Ayers (vocals), Graham Flight (vocals), Richard Sinclair (rhythm guitar, vocals), Pye Hastings (guitar, vocals), David Sinclair (keyboards), Richard Coughlan (drums) and Brian Hopper (lead guitar, alto saxophone, vocals).

Their influence exceeds that of many groups with lengthy discographies. The band served as the wellspring of the so-called Canterbury sound: future Soft Machine members Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers, and Hugh Hopper all played with the Wilde Flowers before the Soft Machine were founded, and Pye Hastings, David Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, and Richard Coughlan played in the group at various points before forming Caravan. The musicians who wandered through the Wilde Flowers (who went through several lineups between 1963 and 1969) came from a far more intellectual, artistic, and jazz-oriented background than was the norm for pop musicians in the mid-'60s. Thus, although the group played beat fare much like thousands of other British combos in their formative days, when they began to write their own material, it betrayed the bemused whimsy -- replete with odd jazzy flourishes, droll obtuse lyrics, and adventurous chord changes -- that would come to characterize the Canterbury bands, and prove influential on the development of psychedelia and progressive rock. At long last, a wealth of the Wilde Flowers' demos and unreleased recordings was released in 1994, from Voiceprint Records (Blueprint BP123CD).

Contents

1. Impotence
2. Those Words They Say
3. Memories
4. Don't Try To Change Me
5. Parchman Farm
6. Almost Grown
7. She's Gone
8. Slow Walkin Talk
9. He's Bad For You
10. It's What I Feel (A Certain Kind)
11. Memories (Instrumental)
12. Never Leave Me
13. Time After Time
14. Just Where I Want
15. No Game When You Lose
16. Impotence
17. Why Do You Care (Zobe)
18. The Pieman Cometh (Zobe)
19. Summer Spirit (Zobe)
20. She Loves To Hurt
21. The Big Show
22. Memories

Buy it:

- Amazon (USA)
- Amazon (UK)
- E-Music Europe
- Voiceprint Records Downloads shop

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - California Jam (1974)



Interesante documento histórico de uno de los conciertos del super trio de rock sinfónico-progresivo Emerson Lake & Palmer durante su gira americana en 1974.

domingo, 21 de junio de 2009

Tangerine Dream on Spotify

Well, as I'm not interested to post every Tangerine Dream record, one by one, for accesing them via Spotify, I leave here rest of links I've found to listen them legally. And everyone can choose if listening them at any time or lose it searching any form to download them at your own risk. It's upon yourselves... ;)

Rubycon (1975)
Part 1 / Part 2.

Ricochet (1975)
Part 1 / Part 2.

Stratosfear (1976)
Stratosfear / The Big Sleep In Search Of Hades / 3 A.M. At The Border Of The Marsh From Okefenokee / Invisible Limits.

Thief (1981)
Beach Theme / Dr. Destructo / Diamond Diary / Burning Bar / Beach Scene / Scrap Yard / Trap Feeling / Confrontation.

Exit (1981)
Kiew Mission / Pilots Of Purple Twilight / Choronzon / Exit / Network 23 / Remote Viewing.

White Eagle (1982)
Mojave Plan / Midnight in Tula / Convention of the 24 / White Eagle.

Logos (Live at the Dominion, London) (1982)
Logos / Dominion.

Hyperborea (1983)
No Man's Land / Hyperborea / Cinnamon Road / Sphinx Lightning.

Turn Of The Tides (1994)
1. Pictures at an Exhibition * (3:01)
2. Firetongues (6:32)
3. Galley Slave's Horizon (7:47)
4. Death of a Nightingale (5:30)
5. Twilight Brigade (9:45)
6. Jungle Journey (6:34)
7. Midwinter Night (4:38)
8. Turn of the Tides (7:40)

Total Time: 51:27
* Composed by Modest Mussorgsky, Orchestration by M. Ravel

Essential (1996)
1. Movements Of A Visionary
2. Rubycon (Part One)
3. Stratosfear
4. Cloudburst Flight
5. Tangram (Set 1)
6. Hyperborea

Rockface (Live in Berkeley, 1988) (2008)
Disc One
1. Mothers Of Rain (5:21)
2. After The Call (5:36)
3. Tyger (Instrumental) (4:58)
4. Alchemy Of The Heart (4:10)
5. Papyrus (Piano) (3:45)
6. Phaedra 88 (4:23)
7. Livemiles (10:19)
8. Logos 88 (5:55)
9. Parabola (Edit) (11:07)

Disc Two
1. Table Bay (2:20)
2. Nomad's Scale (9:00)
3. Cat Scan (5:34)
4. Atlas Eyes (4:28)
5. Marakesh (7:59)
6. Eden's Gate (1:38)
7. Ghazal (Love Song) (5:13)
8. Alexander Square (5:11)
9. The Silent League (1:39)
10. Canyon Voices (4:48)
11. Optical Race (3:59)

The Seven Letters From Tibet (2000)
1. The Red Blood Connection (4:49)
2. The Orange Breath (6:15)
3. The Golden Heart (5:48)
4. The Green Land (7:28)
5. The Blue Pearl (14:08)
6. The Indigo Clouds (7:07)
7. The Purple of All Curtains (3:58)

Enjoy them whenever you want.

Tangerine Dream - The Sorcerer OST (1977)

Whether inter-classic or broadly defined as a piece of its golden spirit, the moral can grow up to the same manners: mostly everything composed or influence in Tangerine Dream, during the lush and lust period of so many years and so many incomparable gems, has the effect and the stun of the music and the style-star, from the discrete and even panted obscurant recording to the formidable acts of sequencing; an included art is the soundtracking, formed not by the slightest chance in a precocious way and time, but early performed and scaled, to later reach a phenomenon, a trend, a hysteria, a calm clench and what else.

The soundtrack business of Tangerine Dream has its brightest moments, and the coincidence is just inside the classic tempo, so vitally merged in the probably not exhaustive, but appointed excellent music-writs. The "classic" of the soundtrack parallels, also the big bounce that must have concluded such a tremendous fascination, offer and acceptance, later on the full index of soundtracks, are Sorcerer, of a deep cluster inside the pragmatically sadistic shape, and Thief, of the more digital and seductive manner. In fact, there's a stress in pointing out the utterly impressive and complete character between these two; and whilst the 1981 genuine touch has a popular vote, Sorcerer remains a dark pitch to dele with, and a more artistic flavor in which to find something that, not nocively, you can consider too much of a bleach and too intense of a fix form (barely meaning that the soundtracks, in detail, do have a tense character that doesn't fit the most perfect Dream).

Around the luckiest of all occasions (but also by the fact that the picture is frequently a name in that time; or at least that's how I see it), I've seen the movie and it's a tense thriller attitude, on the verge of dark and dim, on the point of a very interesting montage, and certainly by a mix that allows something from the background to overcast the dimensions and the threats inside all the cameo.

By Tangerine Dream, and strictly in the dome of its own stability, Sorcerer is an album reckoning and beckoning all the deep and sensible nature of electronic miniaturizing, suspense driving, synch collapsing and flavor experimenting, in a fluency that's both shapeless and godless, in a raise that's both equivocal and sample-junket, finally in a hollow imagination that resembles a good gloat art in the vein of a trio (Edgar Froese, Chris Franke, Peter Baumann), in itself, darkly fashioned. But just like there's a spoof and a contradiction in the good decision of it, Sorcerer is interestingly the minor gap between commode electronic subtleties, way to perfected by the trio's art reflex, and a priceless tag of sound-swarm, much too avowal though for a perfect and balance motion, notion and rooting of the electronic gasp so secretly awaited, so remorsefully advanced in style, but not in flavor. It's a small jangle necessary (or left in imprecision, better thought on) to appreciate the entire complexity as a talent and a sepsis, consequently, and to treat it as the best expression in times and marvel, but also the best possible expression, for a cut-on eccentricity.

Around 14 edged impressions , marks precisely a pulse of hypnotic to sound paralyzed casual mood, in the frail of depicting a tense, a swallowed or a marginalized thrilling act. Not totally in the mood of the picture and only in that, the soundtrack still cohabitates the most prominent audiotage character from the high spirit or recurring act inside the roll, and a pickling from Tangerine Dream's own recording poise and backdrops. Focusing on Sorcererbeing a movie's score, there is overall a nebulous feeling of small figments; not coherent, nor dumped in the esp. Vitalizing the idea that Sorcerer is a Tangerine classic (recommended), we great some great emotions in vitriol substances of the casual, even freely-gloomed, music spontaneous courage. The small but certain breed of rough sequencing, hollow sounding, dark trance and vivid oriel, tenacious crumples and tedious waves, plus a fright of its own suspense in creating a grey nuance and a passionate electrify, are details to contrast a really simple snatch of effects and contrast, and an impression which to please the usual glow inside a psycho-electro-diced chance.

Somehow too simple and ordinary to evoke much ravel on it, and too openly presented to hid the deepest sense, it's still a good and vibrant hallucination and murmur in it. This is, most proficiently, a three stars creation, boosted to a classic taste and an uncompromised of art-gored forms for the genre and the band's obvious verdant. And towards the imagery that such profound tenses become the past conclusion whenever too marginalized. Fanly or not, prototypically or tenacious, Sorcerer bounders the kind of easy on aberrant dimension in which the passion for dark and cleverly obscured tones to fit in, and to reach a composing value's greatest shine; and a trio's virtue of alienating the most intentional hypnosis, fright, foam or focus. A probe and a spate, an awake and a sleep, consequently.

(C) ProgArchives

Tracklist:

1. Main Title (5:28)
2. Search (2:54)
3. The Call (1:57)
4. Creation (5:00)
5. Vengeance (5:32)
6. The Journey (2:00)
7. Grind (3:01)
8. Rain Forest (2:30)
9. Abyss (7:04)
10. The Mountain Road (1:53)
11. Impressions Of Sorcerer (2:55)
12. Betrayal (Sorcerer Theme) (3:38)

Total Time: 43:53

Line-up / Musicians
- Peter Baumann / synthesizer, piano, keyboards, Mellotron, Arp, Fender Rhodes, sequencing.
- Edgar Froese / synthesizer, bass, guitar, piano, keyboards, Moog synthesizer, Mellotron, Oberheim, piano (Grand), Arp strings, Fender Stratocaster.
- Christopher Franke / synthesizer, Moog synthesizer, Mellotron, Arp, Elka, Oberheim, sequencing, digital sequencing.

Releases information:

LP MCA 2277 (1977) / LP Atlantic MC1646 (1977) / CD MCA MCF 2806



Buy it:

- Amazon (USA)
- Amazon (UK)
- Rhapsody
- Dada - The Music Movement
- Play.com

Tangerine Dream - Cyclone (1978)

Following the departure of third member Peter Baumann, the remaining members of Tangerine Dream pursued a new direction, and with a refreshed line-up released this, their first ever album to have vocals and lyrics. Still, Cyclone makes one strongly suspicious that TD had spent a considerable amount of time listening to Pink Floyd's efforts of the preceding years, perhaps in the hopes of duplicating their colleagues' commercial appeal.

Of course, critics of the band would probably say that they were always in the process of duplicating Floyd. My point is, if so, it comes out pretty overtly here. "Bent Cold Sidewalk" opens with a sinister vocoder recitative a la "Sheep," though admittedly it's still pretty cool. It must have really made the fans that were expecting another album of all-instrumental, psychedelic excursions do a double-take. Then, the song proceeds with octave-separated vocals and keyboards straight out of the Rick Wright textbook of menacing moog lines, that should be instantly familiar to anyone who has heard Wish You Were Here or Animals.

"Rising Runner Missed By Endless Sender" is a neat title, but not much more. Still, the music often recalls the dark, new-wave compositions by the likes of Gary Numan. The vocals of Joliffe, who would depart after this album, range from passable to downright silly: what the heck is his deal at the very end of "Bent Cold Sidewalk"? The side-long "Madrigal Meridian" is perhaps the most interesting track by default, but others may say it's a repetitive sound-effects exhibition. In the long run, Cyclone isn't the bottom of the barrel, but neither is it the peak of the mountain.

(C) Ground And Sky.

Tracklist:

1. Bent Cold Sidewalk (13:09)
2. Rising Runner Missed by Endless Sender (5:02)
3. Madrigal Meridian (20:29)

- Edgar Froese / Oberheim eight voice polyphonics synth, Twin keyboard Mellotron Mark V, Arp digital soloist synth, Moog modular synth & projekt electronic time control system, Gibson Les Paul custom guitars, Korg PS 3100 polyphonic synth, Roland GS 500 guitar & GR 500 controller, Solina string ensemble, Ovation acoustic guitar.
- Christoph Franke / Moog modular synth, projekt electronic sequencer, computer studio digital sequencer, Loop, Mellotron, Mellotron M 400, Arp soloist synth, Elka string synth, electronic percussion, Oberheim sequencer, Oberheim eight voice polyphonic synth, OBY One.
- Steve Jolliffe / vocals, bass flute, C-flute, piccolo, COR Angelas, bass clarinet, Hohner clarinet, Elka string synth, Grand piano, Fender Rhodes, Roland System-100 synth, Tenor & Soprano horns, lyricon by computone.
- Klaus Krieger / Polyester custom built drums with multi trigger unit, electronic percussion, Paiste cymbals, Bubims, Burma Gong set.



Buy it:

- Amazon (USA)
- Amazon (UK)
- MP3 Shake
- 7-Digital (UK)
- 7-Digital (ES)
- Play.com

Tangerine Dream - Tangram (1980)



Release information:

Release year: 1980
Label: Virgin Records
Editions:
LP: Virgin V 2147, 202 169-320
CD: Virgin CDV 2147

Tracklist:
1. Tangram, part 1
2. Tangram, part 2

Both written by Franke / Froese / Schmoelling

Edgar Froese: keyboards and guitars
Chris Franke: keyboards, electronic and percussions
Johannes Schmoelling: keyboards
Produced by Chris Franke and Edgar Froese
Recorded 1980 at Polygon Studios Berlin
Mixed at Hansa Studios, Berlin
Mixing Engineer: Eduard Meyer
Sleeve design: Monique Froese



- Amazon (USA)
- 7-Digital (UK)
- 7-Digital (ES)
- Music MP3.RU
- MP3 Shake
- MP3 City

Summer has come







Janis Joplin - Summertime (Live Gröna Lund, Stockhölm 1969)

sábado, 20 de junio de 2009

Joni Mitchell - Big Yellow Taxi (1997)



Release date: 1997
Origin: Spain
Label: Barsa Promociones
Cat nº: CD-0665
Freedb Database Disc-ID: Freedb

Tracklist:

01. Big Yellow Taxi
02. Ladies Of The Canyon
03. Woodstock
04. Blue Boy
05. Conversation
06. For Free
07. Morning Morgan Town
08. Rainy Night House
09. The Arrangement

Rare and extemely limited CD edition, very hard to find elsewhere. Fortunately, I got this copy at a record shop long time ago (then it was quite cheap, about 6 Euro). Sorry if I'm not sharing it anymore!

Original CD is neither available for sale through any record store, but one copy in mint condition can be found here at a cheaper price, at Spanish buy-sale-trade site TodoColección.

The Nice - America (2003)


2-CD Compilation set, also called "Excellence De Luxe".
Set release date: 2003
Label: Black Box
Licensed from Charly Licensing Aps.
Format: CD (Double)
Cat. nº: BB-253

Tracklist:

CD 1

1. America
2. Hang On To A Dream
3. Rondo
4. Azrael
5. War And Peace
6. Tantalising Maggie
7. Dawn
8. Bonnie K
9. For Example
10. Flower King Of Flies
11. Don Edito El Gruva

CD 2

1. Azrael Revisited
2. Brandenburger (Demo)
3. Happy Freuds
4. The Thoughts Of Emerlist Davjack
5. Diamond-Hard Blue Apples
6. Little Arabella
7. The Cry Of Eugene
8. Diary Of An Empty Day
9. Daddy, Where Did I Come From?
10. Intermezzo from 'Karelia Suite'
11. She Belongs To Me

iMusic (DK)

Little Tony - I Successi Di Little Tony (1994)


Release date: Jan. 1994
Label: Replay Music
Cat nº: ?
Genre: Pop, rockabilly, oldies.
Freedb Database disc-ID

Tracklist:

1. Quando Vedrai La Mia Ragazza
2. T'Amo E T'Amerò
3. Splish Splash
4. Bada Bambina
5. Il Ragazzo Col Ciuffo
6. Too Good
7. Bella Pupa
8. Shake, Rattle And Roll
9. 24 Mila Baci
10. Non Aspetto Nessuno
11. Pity Pity
12. La Fine Di Agosto
13. Un Rock Per Judy
14. Johnny B. Goode
15. So Che Mi Ami Ancora
16. Lotta Lovin'

Buy it:

- Rhapsody
- Dada IT
- PureTracks
- Napster Legal Downloads
- Meteli.net

La Bottine Souriante on air







Sad for the girl, apparently sick, sat in front of Yves Lambert (?) but good fun for rest of passengers.

viernes, 19 de junio de 2009

V. A. - Ars Longa Vita Brevis (A Compendium of Progressive Rock 1968-1974)

Ars Longa Vita Brevis (A Compendium Of Progressive Rock 1968-1974) es un recopilatorio en 3 CD's editado por Castle hace poco más de cuatro años y comprende de una forma más o menos acertada los años del gérmen de este subgénero tan apasionante dentro del rock. Los artistas que aparecen en él son de sobra conocidos en este apartado, más otros que han bebido ciertamente de la fuente del rock progresivo y han abordado a su manera piezas fundamentales en la historia del rock.

Cabe mencionar, como caso aparte, la inclusión de un tema de Mike Oldfield, totalmente inédito en su momento. El instrumental "Mrs Moon And The Thatched Shop", que se grabó dentro de las sesiones para el álbum de folk junto con su hermana Sally, "Children Of The Sun". Dicha pieza sería rescatada con posterioridad para la reedición remasterizada de dicho álbum, publicado en 1968 por el sello Transatlantic. Por el motivo que fuese, los de Castle Music han querido incluirla también en este recopilatorio.

En cuanto al resto del triple álbum, hay temas que nos son de sobra conocidos, más otras canciones que han sido extraidos desde singles y lps de los artistas más emblemáticos del momento y es una buena forma de hacer llegar al oyente las propuestas más innovadoras de una música que surgía con la idea de ir más allá del puro rock'n'roll.

Un paso que en 1968 ya habían dado muchos grupos ingleses y americanos, sobre todo, los que más experimentaban con nuevas sonoridades y ha desembocado en la creación de todo un arte musical innovador, comprometido y con aspiraciones que no ocupaban solamente los salones de estudio, trasladando las inquietudes de esos músicos al escenario donde daban rienda suelta, no solo su potencial como instrumentistas, sino también como intérpretes y actores que viven "in situ" historias tan desgarradoras y fantásticas, el concepto de la teatralidad llevado a su máxima expresión en grupos como Genesis y Hawkwind, o la puesta en escena de elementos pirotécnicos, globos, grandes focos de luz y otros aderezos que reforzaban el ambiente, como Pink Floyd, ELP, Yes y Focus, por citar grandes nombres de la historia del rock progresivo.

Artista / Grupo: Varios artistas
Género: Rock/Pop
Subgénero: Rock Progresivo
Fecha de edición: 17/01/2005
Discográfica: Castle Music
Núm. de soportes: 3
Tipo grabación: estudio
Estéreo: estéreo
Formato: Colección
EAN: 5050159172726
Freedb Database disc-ID's: CD 1, CD 2, CD 3

Disc 1 - 77:54

1. Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack - The Nice (2:46)
2. Aeroplane - Jethro Tull (2:22)
3. This Wheel's on Fire - Brian Auger & Trinity/Julie Driscoll (3:30)
4. Song of a Baker - The Small Faces (3:14)
5. Fire - Crazy World Arthur Brown (2:54)
6. America/Second Amendment - Nice (6:18)
7. One Inch Rock - Tyrannosaurus Rex (1:46)
8. Road to Cairo - Brian Auger & Trinity/Julie Driscoll (5:14)
9. Sky Is Burning - Sam Gopal (2:10)
10. Xoanan Bay - Woody Kern (4:29)
11. I Keep Singing That Same Old Song - Heavy Jelly (8:21)
12. Walking in the Park - Colosseum (3:51)
13. Hibou, Anemone and Bear (Paradiso live version)- The Soft Machine (4:17)
14. Man of the World - Fleetwood Mac (2:57)
15. Sinnin' for You - Keef Hartley Band (3:35)
16. Seen Through a Light - The Mooche (4:34)
17. Mrs Moon and the Thatched Shop - Mike Oldfield (6:13)
18. Natural Born Bugie - Humble Pie (4:10)
19. Shangri-La - The Kinks (5:13)

Disc 2 - 78:16

1. Billy the Monster - The Deviants (3:25)
2. Spunk Box - Man (5:44)
3. Who Do You Love? - Juicy Lucy (2:59)
4. Kings and Queens - Renaissance (10:57)
5. Down the Dustpipe - Status Quo (2:01)
6. Come to the Sabbat - Black Widow (4:51)
7. Green Manalishi - Fleetwood Mac (4:42)
8. All in Your Mind - Stray (9:20)
9. Bath Sister - Jody Grind (3:26)
10. Answer - Pete Bardens (5:24)
11. Tomorrow Night - Atomic Rooster (3:13)
12. Junior's Wailing - Status Quo (3:31)
13. Follow You Home- UFO (2:11)
14. Money Can't Save Your Soul - Savoy Brown (3:57)
15. Lucky Man - ELP (4:36)
16. Levinia - Steamhammer (3:29)
17. Diana - Comus (4:32)

Disc 3 - 71:50

1. Prelude to the Arena - Marsupilami (5:23)
2. Blind to Your Light - Carol Grimes/Delivery (5:04)
3. Devil's Answer - Atomic Rooster (3:26)
4. Mice and Rats in the Loft - Jan Dukes De Grey (8:19)
5. Hiroshima - Wishful Thinking (4:49)
6. Gone With the Mouse - Fuchsia (4:59)
7. Eternal Messenger - Kingdome Come (3:49)
8. Daughter of the Hillside - Chicken Shack (3:52)
9. Easy Livin' - Uriah Heep (3:34)
10. Skin Valley Serenade - Skin Alley (3:41)
11. Buffalo - Writing on the Wall (3:10)
12. Sad Go Round - The Groundhogs (2:52)
13. Karn Evil (1st Impression Pt. 2) - ELP (5:29)
14. Starlight Starbright - Gravy Train (4:12)
15. Funeral Empire - Tempest (4:24)
16. Opening Move - Gryphon (9:41)
17. Seventh Secret - Fruupp (1:06)

Ciao.es, Amazon UK, Buy Special Music, Mutual Points.

jueves, 18 de junio de 2009

Kate Bush - The Red Shoes (1993)

The Red Shoes is the seventh studio album by the British singer Kate Bush. Released in November 1993, it was accompanied by Bush's short film, The Line, the Cross and the Curve, and was her last album before taking a 12-year hiatus. The album peaked at no.2 in the UK album chart and has been certified Platinum by the BPI for over 300,000 copies sold. In the US, the album reached #28, her highest chart position there to date. The album has sold more than 3 million copies worldwide.

The Red Shoes was inspired by the 1948 film of the same name by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, which itself was inspired by the fairy tale of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen. It concerns a dancer, possessed by her art, who cannot take off the eponymous shoes and find peace.

Bush had suggested she would tour for The Red Shoes and deliberately aimed for a "live band" feel, with less of the studio trickery that had typified her last three albums (which would be difficult to recreate on stage). However the tour never materialised.

This was a troubled time for Bush, who had suffered a series of bereavements including the loss of her favoured guitarist, Alan Murphy, and, most painfully, her mother, Hannah. Bush's long-term relationship with bassist Del Palmer had also ended, although the pair continued to work together. Many of the people she lost are honoured on the ballad, "Moments Of Pleasure", as well as director Michael Powell, with whom she had discussed working with shortly before his death in 1990. Composer and conductor Michael Kamen contributed a score for the song.

Most notably, The Red Shoes featured many more high-profile cameo appearances than her previous efforts. Comedian Lenny Henry provided guest vocals on "Why Should I Love You?", a track that also featured significant contributions from Prince. "And So Is Love" features guitar work by Eric Clapton, and Gary Brooker (from the band Procol Harum), Trevor Whittaker, and Jeff Beck also collaborated.

A short film, The Line, the Cross & the Curve, written and directed by Bush, and starring herself and English actress Miranda Richardson was released the same year. It featured six songs from the album: "Rubberband Girl", "And So Is Love", "The Red Shoes", "Moments of Pleasure", "Eat The Music", and "Lily". The first five were used as promo videos for the singles, though Bush recorded a separate video for the American release of "Rubberband Girl" (though this video is intercut with clips from The Line, the Cross and the Curve). ~ from Wikipedia.

Tracklist:

1. Rubberband Girl 4:44
2. And So Is Love 4:18
3. Eat The Music 5:11
4. Moments Of Pleasure 5:19
5. The Song Of Salomon 4:28
6. Lily 3:52
7. The Red Shoes 4:01
8. Top Of The City 4:17
9. Constellation Of The Heart 4:46
10. Big Stripey Lie 3:32
11. Why Should I Love You? 5:01
12. You're The One 5:53

Buy it:

- Amazon USA
- Amazon UK
- Music Stack
- Rhapsody
- MP3.com
- MP3 Shake

miércoles, 17 de junio de 2009

Fotos de mi cosecha (7)

"Nexus"

"Progreso comiendo terreno"

"Rinconcillo"

"Amargo recuerdo"

Escuela de Bellas Artes y Oficios de Algeciras:

"A orillas del mar - I"

"A orillas del mar - II"

"A orillas del mar - III"

La Bottine Souriante - En Spectacle (1996)


ES - Banda clave en la música tradicional canadiense y laureada con los premios más importantes de su pais, La Bottine Souriante es un grupo muy especial que a lo largo de su larga trayectoria ha sabido combinar con exquisita elegancia las melodías ancestrales de sus antepasados y los elementos modernos, los temas cantados y las alegres piezas instrumentales, creando un mundo de sonidos y ritmos de tremenda fuerza expresiva.

En Spectacle es una muestra inmejorable, como también lo es otro de sus trabajos La Mistrine, de la inmensa calidad artística del grupo. La mayoría de sus canciones son tradicionales y proceden de la herencia francesa de su Quebec natal -historias, leyendas y sones que se remontan incluso a la Edad Media, conservadas por las familias que cruzaron el Atlántico y que fueron transmitiéndose durante siglos de padres a hijos-. y están llenas de una energía electrizante que incita al baile y a la diversión.

UK - La Bottine Souriante is one of a kind. The band was formed in Québec in 1976 with five core members: Régent Archambault on double bass; Denis Fréchette on piano, accordion piano, and flügelhorn; Michel Bordeleau on mandolin, fiddle, vocals, and feet (yes, you read that correctly -- feet. Michel is the band's percussion section!); Yves Lambert on lead vocals, diatonic accordion, chromatic accordion, and harmonica; and Martin Racine on fiddle and guitar.

Their formation marked an interesting blend of styles. Régent and Denis have jazz backgrounds, while Michel, Yves, and Martin are traditional musicians. As a result, La Bottine Souriante is not only the most renowned traditional music group in Québec, but their Acadian flavor and blend of musical traditions from France, England, Ireland, and Scotland have gained the band fans around the world.

In recent years, the band moved from five pieces to nine, with the addition of a four-piece brass section: Robert Ellis on bass trombone; Jean Fréchette on saxophone and brass arrangements; Jocelyn Lapointe on trumpet; and André Verreault on trombone. The sound is incredibly powerful, with a dynamic stage presence captured on their latest album En Spectacle.

En Spectacle captures the band live performing their best-known songs, sometimes with a new twist. It won the band a Félix award for Album of the Year in the Folk category at the recent Gala de L'ADISQ, the Québec equivalent of the Juno awards (the Canadian version of the Grammies).

I highly recommend En Spectacle not only as an introduction to La Bottine Souriante, but as a toe-tapping, energetic album. I've only been familiar with La Bottine Souriante for a short time, but one listen is all it takes to get hooked!

(C) Inside World Music

1. Ouverture
2. Sur La Route (La Tapinie)
3. Suite De La Sauvagesse
4. Ch'pas Capable (La Montagne Du Loup)
5. Le Voyage De Basile
6. Chapeau
7. Virginie Adieu
8. Le Rêve Musical (Le Rêve Du Quéteux Tremblay)
9. Un Coup Madame
10. La Galoppe De La Rive-Sud
11. Le Lanlire (La Poule A Colin)
12. A Travers La Vitre
13. La Chanson De L'Ivrogne
14. La Cuisinière
15. La Grand-Côte
16. Son P'Tit Bidoulidou

Buy it:

- Amazon USA
- Amazon FR
- CD Universe
- KaZaa Legal Downloads
- Alt-Net

martes, 16 de junio de 2009

Perpetuum Jazzile - Africa (live, HQ)







You must see this to believe it...

Toto's Africa by Perpetuum Jazzile, performed live at Vokal Xtravaganzza 2008 (October 2008).

For more information, check out Perpetuum Jazzile site

lunes, 15 de junio de 2009

Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells (Mercury / Universal, 2009) en Spotify



Para los que aún no tienen decidido comprar la edición Ultimate, ya se puede es­cu­char en Spo­tify de forma legal y gra­tui­ta la edi­ción di­gi­tal del Tu­bu­lar Bells Box Set.

En­tran­do en Spo­tify, ac­ce­de­mos al con­sa­bi­do con­te­ni­do ín­te­gro de la caja.

Actualización: Destacar que el álbum Tubular Bells ha alcanzado directamente el puesto 21 (justo por debajo de U2) en el top 100 de álbumes entre el 8 y el 14 de junio, justo en su semana de estreno, según Promusicae.



For those who hadn't decided to buy Tubular Bells Ultimate Edition, there is another option to access it by listening to it legally, just accessing to Spotify application, just pressing over here. In the other hand, capitalising the purchase of box set may be a nice investment. And I did it buying it, as probably seen in a forementioned post.

Anything I have to remind everyone. If you've never used Spotify before and don't know how to open published links over here, just download the program and install it from:

https://www.spotify.com/en/get-started/

domingo, 14 de junio de 2009

Prog Rock Britannia


At last, I could accomplish some code to embed the full documentary about progressive rock broadcasted some time ago by British BBC Four TV channel and which I stated in this blog on September 2008.

Prog Rock Britannia claims to be the first comprehensive, feature-length documentary about progressive music and the generation of bands that made it – from the international success stories of Yes, Genesis, ELP, King Crimson and Jethro Tull, to the trials and tribulations of lesser-known bands such as Caravan and Egg.

Narrated by Nigel Planer, the film is structured in three parts – charting the birth, rise and decline of a movement famed for complex musical structures, weird time signatures, technical virtuosity and strange – quintessentially English – literary influences.

It looks at the psychedelic pop scene that gave birth to progressive rock in the late Sixties, the golden age of progressive music in the early Seventies – complete with drum solos and gatefold record sleeves – and the over-ambition, commercialisation and eventual fall from grace of this rarefied musical experiment at the hands of punk in 1977.

Contributors include Robert Wyatt, Mike Oldfield, Pete Sinfield, Rick Wakeman, Phil Collins, Arthur Brown, Carl Palmer and Ian Anderson.



There's another version on YouTube of same programme divided in three parts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8T904BrY_k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Xt4D8ANGc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh4P-LMfQ8o

Also it is preserved at ProgRock.ning Network and here is a chance to get the full document in one piece and watch it quietly on your PC or television set.

© bbc.co.uk/musictv/progbritannia/

Constance Demby - Novus Magnificat (1986)



1 - Part One - 26:15
a) Soul's Journey
b) Ascent
c) Tears for Terra
d) Exultate
e) My Heart Doth Soar

2 - Part Two - 27:14
a) The Flying Bach
b) Trust
c) Bridging Dimensions
d) Through the Stargate
e) Magnificat
f) Cosmic Carousel

Buy it:

- Constance Demby official site
- Amazon USA
- Amazon USA (MP3)
- Rhapsody
- CD Universe
- Tower Records
- E-Music
- MP3 Sparks
- The MP3 Archive
- All Best Music

David Bedford - The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner (Live concert, 1979)


Live performance of a short arrangement over 1975 studio album, with Queen's College girls and chorus, David Bedford on piano and little orchestra direction and Mike Oldfield on electric guitar. BTW, I haven't found any image from that concert and the photograph here included is a shot made during The Odyssey rehearsals for the live performance made in 1977 at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

The only archive content is divided, in musical terms, in several sections, as featured here:

a: 00:00-01:53 Mike Oldfield: guitar at 1:21
b: 01:53-03:33
c: 03:33-07:01 Mike Oldfield: guitar at 3:36, 5:20, 6:24
d: 07:01-10:34 [Rio Grande I] Mike Oldfield: guitar at 9:04
e: 10:34-16:02 [Rio Grande II] Mike Oldfield: guitar at 10:34, 12:39, 14:40
f: 16:03-16:58 audience clapping, end

This concert was recorded on Feb. 14th, 1979 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London.

Repost: David Bedford - The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner (1975)

Narrated by Robert Powell, this work was released by Virgin Records in 1975. Great album sleeve with a noteworthy credit being Mike Oldfield assisting on guitars. The album itself comprises of two parts, Rime Of The Ancient Mariner 1 & 2. Oldfield's association with David Bedford went back to The Kevin Ayers and the Whole World band. While Oldfield was flexing his creative muscle and getting frustrated within the confines of that band he confided more and more with David Bedford and struck up a strong rapport with the keyboard player that lasted long after 1975.

This is an unusual album, typical of a Virgin release for the mid 70's in that it allowed the artists to express freely their creative juices. Part one for me is the least accessible with long passages of of frenetic discord with some elements of calm. Remember David Bedford was depicting the mood around the Rime, doldrums, ghosts etc. all interspersed by Powell's narrative. Part two seems to lift up both in mood and in creative output not least some excellent guitar work from Mike Oldfield. The Queen's College Choir lend some pleasant vocal backdrops too. It is a strong work perhaps indicating that composer and keyboardist Bedford was thoroughly enjoying these experimental days. He did though have stronger studio output than this.

Indeed, the most accesible part of this album belongs to the performance of a nice tune called The Rio Grande, based on "a traditional sea-shanty" as Bedford said, sung by Queen's College Choir and soloists, accompanied by Oldfield's talent with his guitar. There are only two tracks on this CD. So you can't go straight to that part, which you may well want to. But the work's only 40 minutes long, and you need to hear it all.

In 1970's speak, it's an experience.

Tracklist:

Part 1 – 20'29"
Part 2 – 20'38"



Cómpralo aquí / Buy it here:

- Amazon UK
- Amazon USA
- CD Universe
- 7-Digital ES
- 7-Digital UK
- Play.com

Repost: David Bedford - Star's End (1974)


David Bedford (1937) is a British composer who has pursued two parallel careers, one as an avantgarde composer in the vein of John Cage and one as a popular composer of epic-length melodic fantasies in the vein of Mike Oldfield.

A pupil of Lennox Berkeley at London's Royal Academy Of Music and of Luigi Nono in Venezia, Bedford began by writing music that mirrored the techniques of the 1960s. Two Poems for Chorus (1963) already displayed his love for the choir, while A Dream of the Seven Lost Stars (1965) first betrayed his passion for astronomy. Bedford's eccentric taste and sense of humour was evident in An Exciting New Game For Children Of All Ages, whose development depends on dice, and in With 100 Kazoos, a piece for audience playing a hundred toy kazoos. Music For Albion Moonlight (1970), a chamber work for soprano and septet composed in 1965, was the first one to be released on record.

The mini-album Garden of Love (Voiceprint, 1997) contains the 1970 piece for chamber ensemble and rock group (Kevin Ayers, Mike Oldfield, Robert Wyatt, David Bedford, Lol Coxhill) inspired by William Blake's poetry.

Nurses Songs With Elephants (Dandelion, 1972) collects the title-track, a minimalistic work for ten acoustic guitars, Trona (1967) and Some Bright Stars for Queen's College (1969), a composition for 80 college girls' voices and 27 plastic pipe twirlers.

His music for the opera From Marie Antoinette to the Beatles (1968) somehow introduced him to the world of rock music, and suddenly he was playing keyboards for Kevin Ayers.

A young member of that group, Mike Oldfield, invented a new form with his Tubular Bells, and Bedford decided to follow his example with Star's End (Virgin, 1974), a suite performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The main differences between him and Oldfield were that Bedford was educated at using orchestras and choirs, was more familiar with minimalism and other modern compositional techniques, and was more interested in cosmic themes than in folk themes.

Tracklist:

Star's End (Part One) – 23’48’’
Star's End (Part Two) – 22’54’’



Cómpralo aquí / Buy it here:

- Amazon.co.uk
- Amazon.com
- Tesco
- 7-Digital UK
- 7-Digital ES
- MP3 Mixx

sábado, 13 de junio de 2009

Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds (Dutch version, '78 Radio broadcast)


A more than curious recording made in Holland (or Netherlands) in which a countryish-known radio broadcaster called Jan Van Veen was involved.







"Op 24 december 1978, tussen 17.00 uur en 18.30 uur heeft de Nederlandse radiozender Radio Veronica een Nederlandstalige versie uitgezonden. Hierin waren de stemmen te horen van o.a. Jan van Veen als de verteller, Peter Koelewijn als de predikant en Willem Duyn als de soldaat" (Wikipedia)

More or less primaly translated, says: On December 24th of 1978, from 17.00 till 18.30 in the evening, Radio Veronica, a Dutch radio station broadcasted a local version of this album, with the voices of Jan van Veen as the journalist / narrator, Peter Koelewijn as parson Nathaniel and Willen Duyn in the role of the artilleryman.

Patricia Paay, as Beth, parson's wife, was also another of collaborators in that particular event. A more detailed info, in Dutch, about that show is found here, and also here.

Contents:

- Part 1: The Coming Of The Martians (46:23)
- Part 2: The Earth Under The Martians (45:45)

Peter Gabriel - Live in Werchter, Belgium (1983-07-03)


Soundboard recording made during live concert at Werchter, Belgium, on 3rd July 1983.

Tracklist

01. Across The River
02. The Intruder
03. Not One Of Us
04. The Family And The Fishing Net
05. Humdrum
06. Shock The Monkey
07. Introduction
08. We Do What We're told
09. The Family Snapshot
10. Solsbury Hill
11. San Jacinto
12. On The Air
13. Biko

Live in Werchter

Reminder: all live bootlegs posted in this blog are not commercially available and no profit is pursued with them. They are exclusively available for free and artists recieve no profits from the spread of live recordings, only good vibes from the fans that love listening to them. Therefore, and very important, never sell nor trade this stuff - shows are purely for personal use only.

viernes, 12 de junio de 2009

Peter Gabriel - Live At Reading Festival, 26-8-1979



Nice bootleg with good sound quality. One of few Peter Gabriel's live bootlegs found around the net, and in which concert included one theme from his former group Genesis, "The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway". Drummer Phil Collins collaborates with Gabriel in this concert.

Tracklisting:

01 - Biko
02 - On The Air
03 - Diy
04 - Humdrum
05 - I Don't Know How to Stop (No Self Control)
06 - White Shadow
07 - Mother Of Violence
08 - Modern Love
09 - Moribund the Burgermesiter
10 - Perspective
11 - Solsbury Hill
12 - Band Intro
13 - Animal Magic
14 - I Don't Remember
15 - Here Comes The Flood
16 - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

I need perspective

Reminder: all live bootlegs posted in this blog are not commercially available and no profit is pursued with them. They are exclusively available for free and artists recieve no profits from the spread of live recordings, only good vibes from the fans that love listening to them. Therefore, and very important, never sell nor trade this stuff - shows are purely for personal use only. If any record industry attorney or copyright holder isn't right with this, I don't mind to remove the link.

jueves, 11 de junio de 2009

Mike Oldfield y la tormenta tropical







Entrevista reciente tras la publicación de la reedición de su "Tubular Bells", en medio de una tormenta tropical en las Bahamas, actual lugar de residencia de Mike Oldfield, que no ha molestado apenas al músico británico, salvo un trueno ocasional, mientras contestaba a las preguntas. Se le ve entusiasmado (y hasta creo que algo distante en la forma que tiene de contestar algunas de las preguntas del entrevistador, se distrae con nada... pero en fin, forma parte de su personalidad), aunque no acierto a entender perfectamente su opinión sobre la respuesta que habrá tenido estas ediciones recién puestas en las estanterías de las cadenas comerciales y tiendas de discos entre el público, pero sí aventura a decir que está encantado con la idea de que salgan más adelante las próximas reediciones de sus siguientes trabajos, especialmente "Hergest Ridge" y "Ommadawn" para antes de que se acabe 2009, previsiblemente a partir de septiembre.

Por cierto, esta entrevista viene incluida en la web www.mikeoldfield.com/bonus, pero tras acceder a la misma me dice lo siguiente:

Thanks for trying to access the microsite for Tubular Bells - Mike Oldfield.

Unfortunately due to contractual restrictions, access to this promotion is not available to residents of Spain.

En fin, paso palabra... al menos, un alma caritativa ha tenido el buen gusto de compartirla a través de YouTube y se agradece.

Viendo la presentación de la Deluxe Edition del TB, ardo ya en deseos de adquirir estos otros discos, suponiendo que en ellos vengan algo más que una caja bonita: la que ya avecinan la mezcla original del Hergest Ridge incluida dentro del pack, y ¿qué más? ¿Incluirán "Froggy Went A-Courting" y "Don Alfonso" en el lote?

De paso, he recibido por fin mi copia de la edición Ultimate, literalmente "desvirgado":



miércoles, 10 de junio de 2009

Revista Micromanía

Una de las más longevas revistas sobre videojuegos, si bien en la actualidad ya no me atrae lo más mínimo. Hace unos cuantos años atrás, cuando celebró su 20 Aniversario, durante bastantes meses estuvo "regalando" todas las etapas pasadas de Micromanía, desde la 1ª hasta la 3ª en formato PDF, pero enquistadas en los DVDs de portada y no como un artículo aparte.

No obstante el precio que he tenido que desembolsar mes a mes para conseguir los ansiados PDFs (podría haberlo hecho de otra forma, pero no hubiera sido muy caballeroso por mi parte que digamos), no quita que, después de todo, puedo hacer con esos PDFs lo que me diese la gana. Y de hecho, lo que me hubiese gustado los responsables de la revista hubiesen hecho, lo he tenido que hacer por mi cuenta, con el resultado que ya véis.


Se trata de un DVD con todos los números de las etapas primera y segunda, más los tres números especiales publicados entre 1986 y 1987. Y a pesar de que lo hago público, sin embargo no está a la venta y por supuesto, y es de sentido común, no pienso colgarlo en la red de ninguna de las maneras. Es un DVD privado, con una presentación hecha enteramente por mí y será el único ejemplar existente. Sin embargo, es posible que otros que tengan estos mismos PDF's, bien "gracias" a Micromanía, o bien gracias por otros medios, puedan hacer lo propio y conservar en su casa una copia en DVD con parecido contenido.

Pero, atención, mucho ojo con lucrarse con ello. La editorial perseguirá a todo aquel que, sin ninguna autorización o permiso, saque beneficio alguno con los PDF's que aún circulan por la red de intercambios.

¿A qué viene esto a cuento? La cuestión se resume en pocas palabras: pese a ser dos etapas que ni siquiera son rentables para los editores, no permiten de ninguna forma su distribución gratuita o libre, aun cuando hubo varios intentos años atrás para que se pudiera hacer. La excusa: la revista sigue vendiéndose y el copyright se mantiene sobre todo lo publicado desde entonces.

Habrá que esperar todavía mucho tiempo hasta que el tiempo ponga a cada uno en su sitio.


Para hablar de Micromanía, mejor yo mismo para contar la experiencia de haber pasado buena parte de mi vida leyendo sus revistas, hasta llegada la tercera época que fui abandonándola. Son muchos los recuerdos que tengo de ella, aun cuando todavía conservo la primera época casi al completo, por la cantidad de horas que les he dedicado para leer los artículos, los "patas arriba" y, en definitiva, hartarme de jugar con mi ZX Spectrum y Commodore aquellos días que los tuve.

El primer número, con el simpar Willy dibujado de forma pixelada por el genial José María Ponce (¿Ande andará?), ya forma parte del encanto mismo de la historia de los videojuegos en España. Siempre que hablemos de los años de los ordenadores en los 80, siempre se hará una referencia expresa a esta revista, pese a que en la actualidad dista muchísimo de lo que fue en un principio. Pero, por eso mismo, por ese encanto particular que tiene la revista en su comienzo, es por ello que, ya sea por medio del papel, o de los PDF's que celosamente guardo en mi colección privada, no será nunca extraño el dia que eche mano de algún número para recordar algún truco, poke o cargador que me ayude con alguno de esos videojuegos de toda la vida.


Sin embargo, aun habiendo maneras de encontrarla a través de Internet, hay una y solo una de bajaros, al menos, el primer número en su historia.

El resto, depende de vosotros.

Vangelis - 3 CDs (Albedo 0.39 - Heaven And Hell - Spiral)



CD 1 (Spiral):
01. Spiral
02. Ballad
03. Dervish D
04. To The Unknown Man
05. 3+3

CD 2 (Heaven And Hell):
01. Heaven And Hell, Part 1:
"Bacchanale" – 4:40
"Symphony to the Powers B" (Movements 1 and 2) – 8:18
"Movement 3" (from "Symphony to the Powers B") – 4:03
"So Long Ago, So Clear" – 5:00 (with Jon Anderson)

02. Heaven And Hell, Part 2:
"Intestinal Bat" – 3:18
"Needles and Bones" – 3:22
"12 O'Clock" (in two parts) – 8:48
"Aries" – 2:05
"A Way" – 3:45

CD 3 (Albedo 0.39)

01. Pulstar
02. Freefall
03. Mare Tranquilitatis
04. Main Sequence
05. Sword Of Orion
06. Alpha
07. Nucleogenesis I
08. Nucleogenesis II
09. Albedo 0.39



Buy it:
- HB Direct
- SilverDisc Music
- Amazon UK
- 7-Digital UK
- 7-Digital ES

lunes, 8 de junio de 2009

Bee Gees - Cucumber Castle (1970)



Cucumber Castle es el quinto álbum de The Bee Gees, lanzado en 1970 por el sello Atco (en España, Polydor se hizo cargo de su publicación). Fue producido por Barry Gibb, Maurice Gibb, y Robert Stigwood. En esencia, el disco es de los más flojos del grupo, aquí convertido en dúo, y consistía en un compendio de canciones que fueron incluidos en su especial de televisión del mismo nombre. Robin Gibb había abandonado temporalmente la formación junto a sus demás hermanos para desarrollar una carrera en solitario, antes de que se grabara el álbum. Colin Petersen, el batería, fue despedido durante la grabacion del álbum después de que él se negara a aparecer en las escenas no musicales del show. Razón no le faltaba...

He aquí un fragmento del musical y cuidado donde echáis la pota...







De lo único que se salva el disco son dos temas: "Then You Left Me" y el que se recuerda más a menudo "Don't Forget To Remember Me". El resto no deja de ser puras bagatelas insustanciales en medio de un difícil tránsito intestinal desde el proceso depurativo del grupo con la desbandada de Colin Petersen, junto con la salida de Robin Gibb y el abandono de otro de los no hermanos: Vince Melouney, tras la grabación del álbum Horizontal, y cuya consecuencia es bien decepcionante.

No obstante, como curiosidad no está mal, aunque recomiendo ingerir este disco con un poco de bicarbonato.

---

How do you follow up the masterpiece that was Odessa? Sadly, this was almost certainly not the question that was on the Bee Gees' mind when they recorded Cucumber Castle. As you can see from the cover image, Robin is conspicuous by his absence. The Gibb brothers had just been through a very difficult patch, which had started when the Odessa album was recorded. Barry's relationship with Robin had deteriorated dramatically as 1969 progressed, until the two could no longer work together. Robin jumped ship, leaving Barry and Maurice to carry on the Bee Gees name.

Given the behind-the-scenes upheaval, it is surprising that Barry and Maurice managed to pull off an album this good. (The album's slightly odd cover, by the way, is explained by the fact that it tied in with a television special, starring British comedian Frankie Howard alongside the two brothers.) Whilst the album suffers from the lack of Robin's voice and the brothers' three-part harmonies, the song writing is as strong as ever and Barry and Maurice are on top form. The production on Cucumber Castle is perhaps less interesting than the previous albums, and the group start relying on ballads to carry the album, something that would be much more pronounced over the coming years.

But there are some very strong tracks. The opening track is a pleasant little ditty, with nice vocals from Barry. Tracks like 'Then You Left Me' and 'I Was The Child' are great love songs in the classic early Bee Gees tradition. The country-tinged 'Don't Forget To Remember' is one of the Bee Gees' great tracks and deserved its number two chart placing as a single. 'The Lord' is an amusing song on the subject of religion, with some great guitar work, and Maurice's 'token' song is the equally amusing 'My Thing'. It is difficult to tell some of the later tracks apart at first listen, but even they grow on the listener. 'Turning Tide' is an acquired taste, but once acquired, it is mouth-watering.

And that really sums up the album as a whole. It probably isn't what the Bee Gees would have done had the group not started to fall apart at the seams, but after a few listens, you will love it to bits!

If you like Barry Gibb ballads, and want to listen to a less eccentric version of the group that produced Odessa and Idea.

Track listing:

1. If Only I Had My Mind On Something Else (Album Version) - 2:33
2. I.O.I.O. (Album Version) - 2:56
3. Then You Left Me (Album Version) - 3:11
4. The Lord (Album Version) - 2:18
5. I Was The Child (Album Version) - 3:14
6. I Lay Down And Die (Album Version) - 3:34
7. Sweetheart (Album Version) - 3:09
8. Bury Me Down By The River (Album Version) - 3:24
9. My Thing (Album Version) - 2:19
10. The Chance Of Love (Album Version) - 2:28
11. Turning Tide (Album Version) - 3:09
12. Don't Forget To Remember - 3:28



Buy it:

- Amazon
- 7-Digital UK
- 7-Digital ES
- Rhapsody

Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells (50th Anniversary Edition)

"Tubular Bells (50th Anniversary Edition)" ya a la venta en 2xLP, CD, BluRay y también disponible en plataformas digitales como Am...