Listening to.......

[Shane (Skirky)]

James Taylor’s 1970 In Concert is on BBC4 now (and hence on the iPlayer for the next month). I’m not so concerned about paying the license fee for what I can watch now, but what might happen to it if they were forced to sell off what they already have.

[Shane (Skirky)]

Up next, Janis Ian. Oh, my, Lord. ❤️

[Alan2]

The Breeders  :  Last Splash   (30th anniversary edition, 4AD,  2023.  2×45  rpm clear vinyl LP, + etched  red vinyl .ep).

It's rare i make a speculative buy,  but here's  one.  They seem to have  a good pedigree, and the  album  is remastered from  original analogue tapes. So far I quite like it.

[Alan2]

The Eighteenth Day of May :  Same   (duochrome green 2LP,  Circuitry,  2026).


A nice release for those who, like me,  completely missed it 20  years ago.  

It's a bit folk rock by numbers, and I'd like to hear the vocals  more up front, but overall  I'm pleased with this release.  It's  interesting to reflect  that I started out listening to music played by artists only a few years older than myself,  and here I am listening to  musicians perhaps less than half my age.
There'll never be another Fairport or Trees,  but we have a new generation carrying the folk rock flag.

[davidmjs]

The Eighteenth Day of May :  Same   (duochrome green 2LP,  Circuitry,  2026).

It's a bit folk rock by numbers

Fwiw, I think it's a lot better than that... and they gave very good gig indeed.  All gone on to do other interesting things as well and lovely people to boot.

Addendum: I suspect this wasn't quite the criticism that I heard.  It's hard not to criticise somebody else by explaining what I mean....and I can't, but...Magpie Arc, to my ears they're folk-rock by numbers.  Now, I like folk-rock so that's ok...and I like Magpie Arc, but I think The 18th Day do something a little different with the source.  Damned if I can define what it is, though...

[davidmjs]

"The Eighteenth Day of May infused Fairport's solemn beauty circa Unhalfbricking with Paisley Underground psych to create a hazier, plusher folk rock blueprint" - Martin Aston, MOJO 4* star review - discuss (or not)!

[Alan2]

The Eighteenth Day of May :  Same   (duochrome green 2LP,  Circuitry,  2026).

It's a bit folk rock by numbers

Fwiw, I think it's a lot better than that... and they gave very good gig indeed.  All gone on to do other interesting things as well and lovely people to boot.

Addendum: I suspect this wasn't quite the criticism that I heard.  It's hard not to criticise somebody else by explaining what I mean....and I can't, but...Magpie Arc, to my ears they're folk-rock by numbers.  Now, I like folk-rock so that's ok...and I like Magpie Arc, but I think The 18th Day do something a little different with the source.  Damned if I can define what it is, though...

 
  It wasn't meant to  sound too dismissive- I try to give  artists their  due.   The guitar jangles in a pleasing way,  though  sometimes I'd like it to jangle  with  a bit more variation,  if you get my meaning.  And the thing of burying the vocal.  I wonder if it's an identifiable trend? 'Hazier'  - deliberately so?   Outside of folk, more or less,  The Sundays did it,  and I absolutely  love them,  have spent  over £100  on their vinyl reissues.