What are you listening to right now?

invisible Pole · Post by **invisible Pole** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 10:11 am

Badly Drawn Boy - Come On Eileen

Their new album is out in just a week. Always liked Damon Gough's songwriting and I hope I won't be disappointed.

Bad Ambassador · Post by **Bad Ambassador** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 12:19 pm

Their? His. T'is only Damon.

Working through the new Billy Bragg box at the moment. Splendid stuff.

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 2:02 pm

Liking Lloyd's latest lots.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 6:44 pm

Lovely, isn't it? Bugger the dumb reviews, or lack of them (Guardian, Observer). Word alone seems to recognise the significance of the man with an interview in the new ed and the good review.

Jackson?

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:05 pm

After years of being curious about this and being put off by all the critics (both amateur and proffessional) I finally go hold of this and am loving it to bits. Its fucking great , Act II also though not as much. "Sweet Lady Genevieve" especially is right up there with all the very best Kinks Klassics.

strangerinthehouse · Post by **strangerinthehouse** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 7:34 pm

Winding down on a Monday night.

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Mon Oct 09, 2006 10:39 pm

Santana "Welcome"

miss buenos aires · Post by **miss buenos aires** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 6:59 am

"Show Your Bones" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Loving it!

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:02 am

there are some very kind people in the world today.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:10 am

Been spending some quality time with the new Billy Bragg box set. Tons of great material, rarities, live footage, etc. About 10 discs' worth for just under $70, so well worth the investment IMO. Would like to have seen a bit more in way of liner notes from Billy, but you can't have everything.

verbal gymnastics · Post by **verbal gymnastics** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:28 am

Modern Times - Bob Dylan

(and absolutely loving it!).

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:33 pm

Agree it's a great listen. Much prefer it to Love and Theft.

Billy Bragg is playing the Junction in Cambridge in Dec. Good chance to see him in a smaller venue, only 850, standing. He normally plays the Corn Exchange (c. 1500 seated, 1850 standing). Is his stock going down, or is he consciously going more intimate. I'm not sure I will go, even though I've never seen him. I like him as a person and some of his songs, but can I be arsed (despite a bunch of chums who'll be there)? And it's dead close to Christmas and all... One friend says Bragg at the Corn Ex in '88 was one of the best things he ever saw, so maybe I should reconsider.

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:14 pm

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Billy Bragg is playing the Junction in Cambridge in Dec. Good chance to see him in a smaller venue, only 850, standing. He normally plays the Corn Exchange (c. 1500 seated, 1850 standing). Is his stock going down, or is he consciously going more intimate. I'm not sure I will go, even though I've never seen him. I like him as a person and some of his songs, but can I be arsed (despite a bunch of chums who'll be there)? And it's dead close to Christmas and all... One friend says Bragg at the Corn Ex in '88 was one of the best things he ever saw, so maybe I should reconsider.

Well he hasn't had a new album to promote in quite some time. I imagine he's not the draw he once was but he's always been someone I've wanted to see live. I had the chance to see him in Boston in the late '80s and passed it up. I need to make sure I don't miss his next visit to New York.

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:34 pm

I've seen Billy 4 times, I think, though not in the past half dozen years. Always a good show. Haven't checked out that boxed set. Love the early records and the Peel sessions-- what else has the box got to recommend it, BB experts?

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:40 pm

Loads of extras - a bonus CD of b-sides, outtakes, duets, alternate versions, and live material accompanies each remastered studio album, and most of it is outstanding. The second box also has a great live DVD and a bonus live CD if you order through Yep Roc.

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:10 pm

This is growing on me a lot.

Bad Ambassador · Post by **Bad Ambassador** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:10 pm

What's the BB bonus live CD like? UK buyers had no such deal.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 5:44 pm

Doesn't he just get boring after a while? The prosepct of a load of his B-sides just fills me with horrror. I like New England well enough and, er, Between The Wars, but isn't his voice and style of such limited appeal that even a Best of would be hard work? Sexuality was just painful, I recall. I'm amazed by what a star he is on this board, and yet almost no-one's interested in the true musical geniuses of the last 25 years from this country..., apart from Elvis, of course. Maybe I definitely should see him live to try and get converted.

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 5:59 pm

And we in return are shocked by your lack of BB appreciation! My interest drifts off after Workers Playtime, but even that's a great one. I'd suggest owning Back to Basics (or the two records it comprises, forget the names) plus Talking to The Taxman About Poetry, and the aforementioned Workers Playtime. I sense a tower of Billy coming to mind...

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:06 pm

Feel free, but this doesn't answer my question! I don't think I managed more than one play of Mermaid Avenue even. It's the voice, it's awful! 'Bloke in shower.' Tell me why he's good, other than 'he's a lovely genuine man with a big socialist heart'! And hasn't most of it aged very poorly anyway?

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:11 pm

Socialist, schmocialist. It's the relationship songs I like, at least in the latter two records I mentioned-- Greetings To the New Brunette and its ilk. And the stuff in the first two/Back To Basics comp is really fairly raw and edgy, in the good way! E.g., Strange Things Happen.

Though I guess if you really hate his voice, there's no getting there when it's so unadorned. I feel that way about Sleater-Kinney. I'd so LIKE to like them, but...

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:22 pm

Still on a marathon Kinks binge. Brilliant record.
"Rainy Day in June" is such a fantastic song, "Holiday in Waikiki" is a real Stonesy gem and it has two of my favourite Kinks songs of alltime "Dead End Street" and "Sunny Afternoon".

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 6:51 pm

Otis Westinghouse wrote:Doesn't he just get boring after a while? The prosepct of a load of his B-sides just fills me with horrror. I like New England well enough and, er, Between The Wars, but isn't his voice and style of such limited appeal that even a Best of would be hard work? Sexuality was just painful, I recall. I'm amazed by what a star he is on this board, and yet almost no-one's interested in the true musical geniuses of the last 25 years from this country..., apart from Elvis, of course. Maybe I definitely should see him live to try and get converted.

Blasphemy - in my book at least. If it were all about the voice I would never have gone near EC - or Bob for that matter. "Sexuality" is a superb pop song and Workers Playtime is one of the great neglected pop albums of the past 20 years. I assume your oblique reference is to your beloved Green Gartside, but I've listened to a bit of his stuff now and it doesn't float my boat - much. Lloyd Cole I can appreciate but nothing I've heard of his makes me think he's some neglected genius. Of course, we all see (and hear) these things differently, and maybe there's an aspect of "blokeness" about BB that simply doesn't appeal to you. Apart from most of England, Half English, I've enjoyed almost all of his work and even when it gets a bit too polemical for me I can still appreciate his commitment and passion.

I can run out tomorrow and buy a load of crap R&B if I want to hear fine voices singing terrible songs. I'd rather have an ordinary voice singing great songs.

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 8:16 pm

I love Mermaid Avenue. What's the closest solo Bragg gets to that kind of sound?

Who Shot Sam? · Post by **Who Shot Sam?** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 11:49 pm

Hmm, hard to say really. His early stuff is quite raw and unpolished, but beautifully so, just Billy and his geetar. Then it got a bit more ornate with organ, bass, drums around the time of Talking to the Taxman About Poetry , which is still my favorite. Maybe Workers Playtime?

Pick any of his first 4-5 albums and you can't go wrong. William Bloke and England, Half English are good in patches, but some of it is less than stellar.