SOUND CITY - 'Real to Reel' (2013)

Yeah, I'm late for the party here but this is not something that I would have picked up on 3 years ago. Dave Grohl and impressive cast of players assembled to make a really good sound track of hard rock songs to the Sound City documentary. Stevie Nicks always does it for me. Love her vocal tone. And I actually really like the Rick Springfield song. Lee Ving from Fear is entertaining for about 2 minutes. The McCartney track was also decent. The whole album is produced well and not too glossy.

KITCHEN SINK #31 (MIXCLOUD: DJ Elizabeth K, Black Friday special) (2016)

https://www.mixcloud.com/eklisiewicz/kitchen-sink-31-lets-go-down-and-blow-our-minds-black-friday-special/

I've spent quite a few weekend nights enjoying Elizabeth's Mixcloud radio show. Dream pop, shoegaze,...and psychedelic music that she focuses on this particular show. All of the tracks released in 1967. I found a few that I liked, but as a whole this is not my thing. But if its your style, this is for you. 

V/A: PURE TRANCE VOLUME 5 (2016)

Its one of those weeks where I spend many hours listening to non stop trance and house. If Solarstone and the Forerunners are involved, its always going to be great. Biologick gave me a standout cut here as well as too many to name. I love the way this mixes from the start to the end seamless picking up BPM and energy. All classy. Wonderful trip.

SOUL ASYLUM 'Change of Fortune' (2016)

Caught me by surprise that they were still making albums these days. This is as good as their previous best songwriting, but with updated, bigger production. As a whole, I always liked Soul Asylum more than The Replacements and Dave Pirner a better writer than Westerberg.
I'll be listening to this all week and beyond.

12/13/16:
This has turned out to be one of my top 10 for 2016. I'm thinking that the 3 songs in a row:
Doomsday
Ladies Man and
Moonshine
 are the peak of the album. Moonshine could be one of the best SONGS of the year.

THE MODERN LOVERS 's/t' (1976)

I'd heard drips and drabs of this band through the years and they never bowled me over. So checking out the full s/t album I found a few really good standout cuts;  'Pablo Picasso' and 'Girlfriend' which were better than what I remember. Some genius lyrics.

THE LUCY SHOW 'Mania' (1986)

I remember hearing about this UK band when I was a DJ on WSIA in 86 when this album came out, but I was completely engulfed in hardcore punk and heavy metal at the time. So recently, I stumbled across this album again for a full listen and I like it a lot. Very REM (and they even toured with them). This may be considered dream pop before the term was used. Some soft ballad-y stuff minus the cheese. And no, that is not Michael Stipe in the picture. Glad I found this album though 30 years late.

NAGLFAR 'Ex Inferis' EP (2002)

Swedish black/death metal band that I like a lot as one of my favorites in the genre, but somehow I missed this 2002 EP on Century Media records. Not too overproduced, the way black metal is supposed to be. Blasting and thrashing with excellent guitar skills. Will add this to my metal favorites list.

TITLE TRACKS 'It Was Easy' (2010)

It's hard for me to keep up with the bands on labels I used to love, Like Dischord Records, Even though this didn't come out on Dischord, and the band are now on the roster, its got members of Q and Not U who made very good music. These hipsters today really don't like too much (or any) distortion on their guitars. Some almost folk-ish pop here. Varied harmonies. Not terribly memorable for me for the most part. I can't see myself listening to this album again.

DEALING WITH DAMAGE 'Navigating the Middle Ground' (2016)

There's an innocence in the vocals of this punk band. Ed from Stupids (UK punk veteran) plus some other above average writers and musicians. It's on bandcamp and I like what I hear upon a few listens. Tuneful vocal lines, Well produced.

11/15: I've revisited this album a few times now and its really started to click.

https://dealingwithdamage.bandcamp.com/releases

MENNO DE JONG 'LIVE 2016: Liquid Soul@ In Trance We Trust" 2016

I'm in one of those phases where I just listen to trance and house for days. This set makes me wish I was on 3 hits of 'X" and a mountain of K. I don't do that anymore, but the music keeps the vibes around and my current fave DJ does the trick.

1. Liquid Soul & Vini Vici - universe inside me
2. Nok & Kopel - daydream
3. Liquid Soul & Dj Dream - liquid dream
4. Liquid Soul - digital abuse
5. Ticon - tripticon
6. Protonica & Tristate - source code
7. Zentura - sonic masala (Lifeforms rmx)
8. Ranji & Mind Spin - secrets of the universe
9. Zyce - imagine
10. Ace Ventura - rebirth (Gaudium rmx)
11. Liquid Soul - devotion (Zyce & Morten Granau rmx)
12. Liquid Soul & Neodyne - cherub

MASSAGE TRIBE 'Tibetan Bowls, Bells & Flutes'

 So in trying to stay at peace and weather the horrifying results of this 2016 election, I listen to things like this to keep me grounded and at peace. Smooth Buddhist music for meditation.

ROLLING STONES 'Still Life' LIVE (1982)

Ah for nostalgia. I saw this tour, my 2nd ever concert experience in 1981. (Queen was my first in 1980)  This Rolling Stones show from what I remember was excellent. The song selection here, only 11 songs, these days doesn't come to reflecting my best of, but the gig was fun. I always liked their cover of Smokey Robinson's "Going to a Go Go" and that's the tune that made me search out this live album.

SLOAN 'A Sides Win. Singles collection 1992 through 2005

In catching up with the music that I'd been listening to this month that I'd not gotten a chance to write about, I'd missed Sloan who I'd always glossed over for some reason. What a terrific, catchy and memorable group of singles here. Very discerning band who keep their output (at least their singles) high quality. '500 Up' is my pick hit.

SISTER BLISS 'DJ Sets on Mixcloud:

https://www.mixcloud.com/SisterBlissOfficial/sister-bliss-in-session-27-10-15/

Rediscovering the wonderful FAITHLESS {UK}  has led me to lend an ear to member SISTER BLISS and her DJ sets. And it lives up to the quality expected from a Faithless album. Very smooth house/electronica Euro style meets America soul with that tech edge, Excellent set and now following her on Mixcloud.

FAITHLESS '2.0: The Greatest Hits & Biggest New Remixes (2015)

Oh FUCK YES! Maxi Jazz, Sister Bliss and Rollo. Trip hop, house and ambient royalty came to fame circa 1997 and are now remixed most gorgeously by some of heavy hitter huge name DJs.
'God is a DJ' by Tiesto?? Damn terrific job. Armin Van Buren doing a trance take on 'We Come 1' and a lot more newer names that I'm learning about here in this 29 track remix-a thon.Even the Drum and Bass / jungle mixes are terrific. This will be in my shuffle all winter.

RED FANG 'Only Ghosts; (2016)

A very catchy mix of metal and grunge with coarse and sometimes tuneful vocals. A lot the songs here catch a fierce groove and often just swing. Just discovered these guys today, but upon first listen they make a good impression.