someone who's doing some things
Music is a huge part of my life so it’s almost certain that this category will have a lot of stuff in it.
This is kind of sad but also inevitable. Croydon has been hit hard since the pandemic and so many good places have gone. At the end of January 101 Records closed its doors for the last time.
It was the last record shop in the town but sadly could sustain itself no longer. I will miss it.
I really can’t believe that this album is 25 years old now. That sounds ridiculous and makes me feel old all at the same time. I still love this album and now I feel the need to listen to it again, and maybe all of their work. That sounds like a really good to thing to do.
I am a big fan of Shriekback. I love their music, but a huge part of that is the lyrics they write for their songs. I bought the first book of lyrics. Which was great to read. Now there is volume two and it arrived yesterday. With the first one I found some real gems. I hope to find some more in volume two.
I only learnt today that Yukihiro Takahashi passed away earlier this month. He was 70 years old. I have been a fan of his work for some decades and I still enjoy his music a great deal. I have to say that it actually hit me quite hard.
I first listened to his album “What? Me Worry”. An album made with Bill Nelson, another favourite artist of mine. I listened to that album over and over as a teenager. I loved it so much then, and I still do.
My first reaction to hearing this news was to find the albums of his that I don’t own as yet. There are a few. He had a prolific output. I expect that over the coming weeks and months I will be listening to a lot of his music again.
I am a big Shriekback fan. I have liked their music for a long time now. Their latest album, Bowlahoola was released recently and I got my copy in the post.
One of the things I like the most about Shriekback is their lyrics. They are clever, intelligent, witty. Sometimes their songs even make me laugh, but they are always interesting and well put together. This album is no exception at all.
You might think that after all this time they would have lost their touch, but no, this album is just as fresh as ever, and I’ve really enjoyed it.
I’ve had an Orba 1 for a while now, and when the Orba 2 was announced it looked like just the update I wanted. The form factor of the the devices are identical, which is good as the accessories all fit both devices. The original Orba was fun to play with but lacked the ability to use samples, amongst other things. It was still fun, but kind of like a musical fidget toy rather than something that I could finish a piece of music with, (not that I have finished anything in a very long time).
The Orba 2 is a different story. Size wise it is exactly the same as the Orba 1.
In fact they are almost indistinguishable. However, from a functionality perspective they are very different indeed and the Orba 2 is a big step up, as is the app that is used with it.
Thus far I’ve done little more than play around with it and tried out the sound packs that come with the app. I haven’t quite got the hang of getting my own recorded samples into it so far. But I probably will in the new year, or at least that is what I intend to do.
I’m not sure if there is any real benefit to having two of these. You can’t really play them together and I don’t think that there is anything in the technology that brings them together. Perhaps that will come later.
Anyway, for now this is a nice toy, and an improvement on the original. As I get more familiar with it I will post a bit more about my experience with it and maybe even make something to listen to.
I have been a fan of Masami Tsuchiya for a very long time. In my teenage years I heard the album ‘Rice Music’, and it is still one of my favourites of all time for a whole host of reasons. However, my sampling of his other work has, for the most part, not resulted in a similar experience. Which is a shame, but something that I accept.
This album ‘Life in Mirrors’, was one I had never heard, and one that also featured other musicians who’s work I admire. Namely, Mick Karn and David Sylvian. I had this album on my want list at Discogs for a while, and then, just the other day, one turned up, so I bought it.
As albums go, this is no way as good as ‘Rice Music’. But then it was unlikely to be. I knew that. But, it does have a few good tracks.
I have enjoyed the music of Shriekback since I first heard ‘My Spine is the Bassline’. I think it was on John Peel’s radio show. Which tells you how long ago that was. I have mostly kept up with their music and also backed the last couple of their crowdfunded albums.
When I found that they were releasing a book of their lyrics I knew that would be something I would enjoy, and I was right. When I got it I have to admit that I was a little disappointed as the lyrics for my favourite songs weren’t included. But never mind, I’ve enjoyed it nevertheless.
It’s not just the lyrics though, it’s the stories behind the lyrics that make it really interesting. Overall I would say that this is a great book for anyone who has enjoyed their music. I’ve certainly enjoyed reading it.
I first saw the Langham Research Centre at the Barbican last month. I was really impressed by them. So when I got an email from Cafe Oto sent an email about them playing I decided I should go. Cafe Oto is a lovely place to see music, and I even played there once myself.
The LRC were great, as expected, and I also managed to have a quick chat with Robert Worby about sound and the words we use to describe sounds, or rather the fact that we have very few words that actually do describe sounds. It’s an interesting subject and one that needs some thought.
Next I think I need to probably buy some of the recordings. There is plenty on Bandcamp, which is where I will start. I am especially drawn to their piece ‘Gateshead Multi-storey Car Park’.
I have been listening to Blancmange since the 1980s. In recent years, I have found their (his) music much more introspective at times, and especially this series of instrumental albums ‘Nil By Mouth’. In this latest iteration, albums four and five arrive as a double album, and both live up to the previous quality.
I wrote about the first ‘Nil by Mouth’ back in 2015. I have bought all of them so far, and I expect to buy any that get released in the future.
When I was listening to these two (IV and V) I found, much like with the previous albums, this music seems to fit my mood very closely.
At some point, and possibly on a long journey somewhere, I might listen to all of them in one go.
I am Ashley Elsdon 