February is Music Writer Exercise Month #MWE • Page 24

I’ve heard a comp (I think) called This Is Desmond Dekkar that was outstanding. Recommended if you dug him. Not that I’m any expert in reggae either

 

A genuine, fascinating masterpiece by Ray Charles was my album today. Definitely one of my 2-3 favs I've done so far.

 

SUCH a good album. And apparently country stations refused to play anything from it, despite them being hits on non-country radio.

 

Damn, so country radio has been shit for like 60 years huh?

 

Right? The more things change...

 

The very definition of challenging is Björk's Post. I liked it, but it also wasn't for me at all? I do not know when or if I will listen to it again.

 

Yeah Desmond Dekker is one of the few artists I know and like already. Definitely a blind spot for me, but I have another reggae album coming up later this month as well!

 

Continuing on the classics for me...Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks

 

Work was nuts yesterday, so I'm playing catch-up again. Listened to Pet Sounds this morning, about to hit play on Elvis Costello's This Year's Model.

 

Filling in a big gap today.

 

“Venus in Furs” and “Waiting for the Man” are amazing

 

I don’t know if it’s still fully “clicked” for me, but I listened again this year and definitely appreciate it more than just the few songs I gravitated towards before

 

A Love Supreme is really great. I'm too dumb to say anything more about it, and I am definitely too much of a novice to grasp all of the intricacies of it, but it sounds good!

EDIT:
In A Silent Way is up next and I assume the same comment will apply

 

That's how I feel whenever I listen to a jazz record. I enjoy it, but I can't really express anything about it!

 

Which, of course, is okay. You can have an emotional gut response to music without trying to verbally quantify it.

I don't know if it's confirmation bias because of what I know about Trane, but A Love Supreme really conveys that spiritual searching in the music to me. It always makes me just want to sit by myself and wonder.

 

Gonna keep it rolling since I need to get ahead of the weekend. First of all, In a Silent Way fucking ruled. Can totally see it as a transition period for Davis, and one that straddles the line between "rock" and "jazz". Great shit, will return to it.

Now onto Hot Buttered Soul. Holy shit "Walk on By"! A legendary hip hop sample here, first time hearing the original.

 

I tend to find that Costello records really reward repeat listens but aren't necessarily mind-blowing the first time through. He has such a unique lyrical voice and it usually takes me a few listens to really catch a lot of what he's saying.

 

Agreed on Costello, he's always great but first listens of his albums do blend together a bit.

 

Today was Jorge Ben - Samba Esquema Nova, which was his first album, and a massive hit in Brazil in 1963. I really like the few of his records I’ve heard from the mid 70s, so was looking forward to hearing his debut. This is a much simpler album than the later ones I’ve heard, just straight joyous samba / bossa nova type music, as opposed to the more fusion-y sort of thing he would do a decade later.

I recognise the opening song, sure I’ve heard a cover of it, but can’t place it, after a bit of Googling which is one of the most frustrating feelings sometimes with music!

It’s super cold in the U.K. at the moment, and we’re obviously all confined to our homes, so this is the perfect album to take you instantly to a hot beach somewhere, taking it easy with a beer.

Lazy, relaxed music, and at just 28 minutes, an absolute breeze through.

 

Gonna have to check this out

 

I've only listened to Africa Brasil by Jorge Ben, but it's a really fantastic album, I certainly should expand my knowledge

 

A Tabua de Esmeralda is the best album I've ever heard not in English and it's hard to imagine anything else catching it for me.

 

well shit, guess that's going on my list then!