The Listening Club - 2nd December 2018

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing fine, well, at least better than me right now, as the advent calendar opens up and brings me a mightily unpleasant lurgy, reducing my dulcet tones to autotuned sandpaper and calling out an army of snot goblins. Bleurg and a half indeed. At least we managed two cracking gigs this week, in the shape of Underworld and Beak> before the grot fully kicked in... So, hastily onwards, before I retreat back under a blanket on the sofa...

Last week, @xpollen8 was in the chair, digging deep and coming up with Carmel's finest Champs Élysées debut album "All Champs Go To Heaven", which went down very well indeed with the assembled. Many thanks to David for the pick, and for sailing the frisb back here to @nessiest, who has this to say by way of introduction to tonight's selection...

"I’m taking the classic listening club risk - I love this album and I know, I just know, not all of you are going to love it. The album will be my solace, it’s a swooning, soothing beauty.

I first heard this artist this year, they were an immediate standout amongst all the other acts on a festival stream. I’ve since seen them in person as well and this album has become a regular on my personal playlist. They’re almost frighteningly talented and not afraid to take risks to pursue their vision at the expense of quick commercial success. 

Their deliberate choice to craft from a specific part of the palette means you’re not getting banging bass and driving beats tonight. Slip on your pyjamas, angel wings or something fluffy and delicate if you dare. If you’re after a drinking recommendation, a cocktail with froth, or maybe a hot chocolate."

Okaydoke. Direct download is here, and the HearThis stream is below...


See you at 8pm GMT tonight!

The Listening Club - 25th November 2018

Howdy folks,

Hope all is good with yourselves, mellow here in Amsterdam as the greyness blankets us, but upcoming grooviness this coming week from Underworld and Beak> should help that, also plonked money down for Snapped Ankles' visit to these shores in Feb, for which #LC is wholly responsible... hoorah!

Last week in these environs, @akx was in the chair, dosing everyone up to the eyeballs with his pick of Lindstrom's "Six Cups Of Rebel", which lived up to his description pretty accurately. Many thanks to Aarni for the pick, and for sailing the frisb across to @xpollen8, who's right here with tonight's intro...

"2017 marked my return with a vengance to buying vinyl, and one small label in particular I practically cleaned out.

Among their offering was a mysterious band from Cleveland, Ohio, the sole information I know is what was published on the record's "buy" page:

"The album was recorded completely DIY in their living room, with help from friends, reels and recorders purchased off craigslist, and a lot to learn as they went. The result is a work of art thoroughly representative of the band’s vision – a nugget of pure, independent, alt-rock beauty."

So - a debut/only album by a group of ambitious kids, and a label which stopped selling vinyl shortly after the 125 copies of this record sold out.

Enjoy this dynamic charmer. Wish I knew who they were!"

Right then. Direct download is here (right-click save as), and the HearThis stream is below:


See you at 8pm GMT tonight!

The Listening Club - 18th November 2018

Greetings folks,

Hope all is good with you. Yes, I'm back, after a seriously culturally nourishingly weekend at Le Guess Who, still holding high it's title of finest and most diverse inner city fest in all the lands. From symphonic drone in a church to Mudhoney on an industrial estate, it continues to enchant in new and unusual ways every year. A double whammy to be able to share the experience with @holette and @matthewesdigs amongst others, all of whom seemed to have a very jolly time indeed. Following that on with a visit from the mighty Decemberists here in Amsterdam mid-week, and really I'm full to bursting with quality sounds. Still, always room for one more wafer thin mint, eh?...

Last week, @jimmccauley expertly held the reigns here, and bless him for doing so, as @saucer bedazzled the assembled with his pick of The Space Lady's "On The Street Of Dreams" which seemed to work its spell on everyone to positive effect. Thanks to @saucer for the selection, and for sailing the frisb across to @akx who's right here with tonight's intro...

"It seems like it's getting harder and harder to find albums to share
with you guys -- what with millennial lack of attention, maybe, I find myself listening far less to albums and more to Spotify's Discover Weekly or mixtapes or short EPs off Bandcamp... but hey, after two days (which, full disclosure, were not exactly fully spent fully looking for a Listening Club pick) of hair-pulling, deliberation and even external consultation, I finally came across this album in my virtual _and_ physical shelf.

It's a seven-movement, maximalist, exhilarating Norwegian cosmic synthesizer opera (from an artist who had previously released a half-hour synthesizer space opus, so you know) -- and fear not, it's not all just synths and electronics, there's (real, live human!) vocals in there too, on occasion!

Either way, I hope you dig this thing as much as I did when I came across it.

#drinkingclub: something that'll last you long enough to minimize having to get up for refills."

Okaydoke. Direct download is here (right-click save-as), and the HearThis stream is below:


See you at 8pm GMT tonight!

The Listening Club – 11th November 2018

Evening all, @JimMcCauley clocking in and holding the fort while @kleptones and other Listening Clubbers are off doing their thing at Le Guess Who. Quite a pleasant day here in Bath, something that I haven't had a chance to appreciate thanks to a broken kitchen tap that I've finally managed to bodge into a working state. Now I just need to find a plumber who can come and replace the whole thing, which turned out to be beyond the limits of my plumbing abilities *eyes grazed knuckles ruefully*.

Last week I was at a fancy hotel for an anniversary night away, so I missed @EastVanHalen's jazztastic pick of an eponymous LP from Vancouver's Malleus Trio, featuring Mr EastVanHalen on tenor sax. I'm just catching up with it now and yeah, I'm digging it, a sentiment that the assembled seemed to agree with last week, so thanks to Steph for the pick, and for targeting @saucer with the special thing. Here he is now!

"The frisbee of excellent doom was uncannily named, as it played out, because this was by far the most difficult LC pick for me ever. Way, way too much second guessing of my many candidate albums. You don't want to know how late I stayed up to get something over to Jim. I'd like to blame it on the very unhealthy air we're stuck with now in the Bay Area, blown directly at us from fires 200 miles away, making eyes burn, throats swell, and functioning generally difficult.

"But time didn't wait for me so I finally settled on a pick. 

"This recording is disarmingly gentle, minimalist, and sincere. And uncannily affecting and lovely.

"I hope I'm awake for its LC appearance."

Righty ho! Direct download is here, and the HearThis stream (spoilers etc.) is below:


See you at 8PM (GMT)!

The Listening Club - 4th November 2018

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing fine. In the midst of a mellow weekend here in Amsterdam, doing a little lineup research for next weekend's frolics at Le Guess Who, speaking of which, still looking for a volunteer to run things here, please let me know if you can help out next Sunday, thanks!

Last week it was me, @kleptones, in the chair, wobbling your synapses with a dose of Angelique Kidjo's full album cover of Talking Heads "Remain In Light", which seemed to go down very well indeed, I'm delighted to report. After that onslaught, all that remained was for me to sail the frisb across the Atlantic to @EastVanHalen, who is right here with tonight's intro...

"Hello LC lovelies:

As part of my intermittent foisting of music I love, played by people I love, on the LC massive, here's a recent-ish album of originals by a Vancouver jazz trio I'm particularly fond of.

It comes in at under 40 minutes, so I recommend something really, really boozy for #drinkingclub. 

xx

EVH"

Okaydoke. Direct download is here, and the HearThis stream is below:

See you at 8pm GMT tonight!

The Listening Club - 28th October 2018

Greetings folks,

Hope you're all doing fine. Grey and grumbly here in Amsterdam, but plenty of activities to plan and do to keep the grey away, speaking of which, I'll be away on Sun 11th having my musical brain stretched at Le Guess Who in Utrecht (with a mini-LC meetup included!), so as usual, looking for a volunteer to run this here shebang for the day. Let me know if you feel like helping out, thanks!

Last week, @Har_Shone was back in the chair, dosing the assembled with a slice of late period Joe Strummer, by way of "Rock Art And The X-Ray Style", which went down very smoothly, so it seemed. Many thanks to Harriet for the pick, and for sailing the frisb over to me, so, here I am with this week's intro... *dons false moustache*

"There seem to be two ways that I approach making a pick for #LC; either there's something that screams "Pick me!" so loudly it has to be the one, or there's a few possibilities, in which case I wait until the day, and pick the one that suits the mood I'm in. This time it was the latter. 

Given some of the hideous events that have been occurring over the past couple of weeks in America, you can imagine my mood, so this one is a no brainer, if only for the simplest of reasons: that when I truly despair of the actions of some of my fellow so-called humans, I can choose to submerge myself in a truly awesome piece of musical and lyrical art, and remind myself that if works like this can continue to be created and presented before the general public eye, there is hope. 

I do think this is a hopeful record, although the words don't scream it. To me, these songs are about awareness, buried within the oblique lyrical imagery and the original version's plundered grooves; the act of becoming "woke", way before that word grew new layers of meaning. 

This reinterpretation treats the album title as nothing less than a mission statement, bringing the songs back from their imaginary home to a solid here-and-now, with, I think, explosive results.

You've probably guessed what it is, but that doesn't matter. Join me, it's time to dance."

OK, direct download is here, and the HearWillBeSpoilers stream is below:


Clocks have changed! See you at 8pm GMT.

The Listening Club - 21st October 2018

Greetings folks,

Yes, it be me, Mr. K, back from the other side of the sphere, and a teeny bit sad, as we could have quite happily continued bobbing around down there for at least a couple more weeks, if not more. The sign of a good holiday though, innit? We'll just have to go back again sometime... Big thanks to @JimMcCauley for keeping this rolling in my absence!

Last week, so it seems, @AngelaKlaus took her debut turn in the chair, and jazz-progged the hell out of everyone with her pick of Brand X's "Unorthodox Behaviour" from 1976. Big thanks to her for the pick, and for flipping it back to @Har_Shone, who's always up for it, and has this to say by way of introduction to tonight's choice...

"The late-90s last hurrah (self-described as his “Indian Summer”) of a very famous band’s former frontman, this is the first album of three this group put out between 1999 and 2003. I found this album when I was still at university and had time to get into internet holes searching for more off-the-beaten projects by my musical heroes. If you’ve not heard this album, you’ll probably guess the voice right away - the finest muffins and bagels in the land for (s)he who gets it first!

Its a fun blend of styles and genres but I often revisit it, especially in the summer - so join me in holding on to the dying days of summer as the frigid autumnal winds take over London!"

Right then, direct download is here, and the HearMayBeSpoilers stream is below:


See you tonight at 8pm BST (GMT+1) - Clocks change next Sunday, advance alert!