Topic: The Music Thread

@Jimmer-jammer @nessisonett I got my vinyl copy of This House Is Haunted by The Night Monitor in the post today - limited to 100 copies worldwide. Listening to it now, what have you two been listening to recently? Any plans for albums you want to own physically in the near future?

N.B I discovered The Night Monitor on Stuart Maconie's Freak Zone radio programme.

How's the -40 C weather treating you Jimmer? Surviving?

@TheBrandedSwordsman only 100 copies, wow. Congrats, man! I recently picked up Queens of the Stone Age ‘...like clockwork’ album on vinyl which I enjoy very much.

It’s been a week of frozen/burst pipes, replacing car batteries, towing people from snow banks...just general life stuff in the cold. Warmer weather coming on the weekend along with some days off so things should be getting back to normal. I’ll have to check out The Night Monitor.

@Jimmer-jammer Awfully good of you to tow people from snow banks...unless you get paid to do it? With further regard to The Night Monitor, it is just lo-fi spooky homemade stuff that could be used a film score to a horror film, not everyone's cup of tea I'm sure, but you may enjoy it.

@TheBrandedSwordsman Not bad if you found 1 of 100 copies! I think the only limited run I have is the Minecraft soundtrack 😂

Spinning some modern dad rock today

@Jimmer-jammer Where do you stand on Johnny Cash? What's the Canadian Country scene like?

@nessisonett Still, it's impressive, no? (The Minecraft soundtrack) I also have several ltd. ed Bill Orcutt vinyls, but that's another story.

@TheBrandedSwordsman I like Johnny Cash! I’m no expert or super fan but his music and genuine rockstar mentality pose an interesting artist for sure. There is a realness and rawness to his work that I like.

Canadian country is a vibrant scene, at least around where I live. A friend that I record with has worked with a fair number of fairly high profile country artists. I like country a lot, but the over genrefication of it does irk me. How do you feel about country?

Reckoner by Radiohead sounds like a Chilli Peppers song. Except with Thom Yorke wailing instead of Anthony Kiedis and a funk breakdown. There’s no way they weren’t inspired by John Frusciante on that one. Although I do mostly prefer Frusciante’s solo stuff, the Chilli Peppers frustrate me because they constantly ruin their songs with whatever that bebop be dop Kiedis does is called. It’s not rapping and it’s not really tuneful in any way.

@Jimmer-jammer I like Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, John Denver, Dwight Yoakam, Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers. So I like the old golden country greats for the most part, with contemporary artists like Dwight Yoakam thrown in. Have you heard any of his stuff? I'd highly recommend If There Was A Way - to get started with his discography, and then you could try This Time, just skip the first track 'Pocket Of A Clown' which is intended as a joke. I also like alt. country like Wilco and Uncle Tupelo, if they qualify, and then if you really wanna stretch it: Kurt Vile ,who is a psychedelic singer-songwriter with a Southern American accent. I was listening to Johnny Cash's American Recordings at the time when I tagged you, which is probably the best album I've heard by him, sort of a comeback album in '94 or '95.

Has your friend recorded with any artists I might be familiar with? I watch the Country Music TV Channel (Spotlight TV) that we get over here in the UK and they sometimes play Canadian Country artists. Can you see yourself ever playing live as part of an Canadian Country singer's backing band?

@TheBrandedSwordsman @Jimmer-jammer I’m not much of a country-western fan, but I quite like Johnny Cash. Like has been said, his raw grit and gravelly voice are what do it for me. He has a very devil-may-care ‘John Wayne’ feel to his art. And he doesn’t really sound “country” in the sense that it’s not all twangy steel guitar and yodeling pitchy sounding.

Edit: Kenny Rogers is another good shout. Cut from a similar cloth.

@TheBrandedSwordsman @Th3solution

That’s a pretty great list! John Denver’s Annie’s Song was my parents wedding tune. I’ll have to check out Dwight Yoakam.

Yeah he’s worked with Brett Kissel, Shane Yellowbird, Gord Bamford...he’s a really great and talented guy. Wish I could record more with him but there’s a cost involved there, and I rarely move beyond demos and personal recordings these days.

The main thing I like about country is actually the thing I mainly like about rap as well. There is an honesty and frankness to the lyrics that is unique to these genres. It’s hard to put, “I drove on down to the 7/11 to put gas in the tank and keep my Chevy revvin”, into just any song.

@Jimmer-jammer No that's true, the lyrics are definitely the key selling-point. I have learned recently that I have to discriminate far more about the music I wish to purchase if I don't want to be out of pocket, I got a couple of albums in the mail today that disappointed me and I wished I had picked a couple of others on my list instead. So the next time I am buying albums I will be far more discerning about the ones which I order. How is it for you? Do you only go for, what is for you - the best of the best?

Edit: Or maybe, through listening to too much, I have become somewhat jaded in my tastes and less impressed overall with decent music. Perhaps it's time to start focusing on my main hobby of game design.

Dance of Death & Other Plantation Favourites - John Fahey

An interesting album full of twangy steel string guitar. It sounds like an old man sinking into a puddle of mud.

@TheBrandedSwordsman that’s always disappointing. When it comes to buying albums, I usually stick within a comfort zone in which I know I won’t be too disappointed, though that can still happen. I do take a chance from time to time, just on feeling/instinct.

That’s awesome that you’re into game design. It’s something that has always interested me. As for music, don’t give up on an hobby, man. Hobby’s keep us sane! Perhaps just a balance adjustment is in order. Besides, game design encompasses so many creative mediums, it can only be a benefit to keep that familiarity with music.

@nessisonett I have Red Cross, Disciple Of Christ Today on vinyl. Have you heard that one as well? I also have a few other records by him including Old-Fashioned Love and Requia and Of Rivers And Religion. I love John Fahey, can't play guitar like him, though.

@ShaiHulud Been a while, man. How's things? Did you listen to Mayhem that day in the end? Where do you stand on the band Elder?

@Jimmer-jammer Yeah, true, hobbies are really important. I went back to songwriting today, building up themes for an album. I don't know where I stand on games now! There are some I'm interested in like Elden Ring but besides Dark Souls not much has held my attention recently. Death Stranding is on pause.

N.B As a budding game design hobbyist, I can still use this forum for research purposes when I'm not playing.
How's the piano going, ivory-tinkling man?

@nessisonett With regard to limited edition purchases, try Googling 'Opal Tapes' it's a small-label producing esoterica, decent stuff on cassette.

@TheBrandedSwordsman I’ve never really been a massive fan of that kinda Americana sound as it’s hard to stay engaged for a whole album but it’s pretty good music to study to. I have, however, seem to have missed that Black Dresses have made a comeback as of two days ago so I’ll be listening to that on repeat!