Archives

Purchase log picks, May 2019

[Olivier Messiaen - Turangalîla Symphony]

Anthony De Mare, Pianos and Vocals (Music of Meredith Monk and John Cage)

Given how well De Mare sequenced the pieces on this album, I bet recitals featuring these works would have been amazing.

Easterhouse, Waiting for the Redbird

Contenders is the album that has remained in print, but Waiting for the Redbird appealed to me more as it played on the turntable.

Janet Jackson, Janet Jackson

The Janet we know today began with Control, and it’s the furthest Miss Jackson will go in live performances. Of the two albums that preceded it, this self-titled debut has the better songs.

Justin Timberlake, Futuresex / LoveSounds

I think I reacted more to the production of this album than to the actual songs.

Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer Different Park

I didn’t find Golden Hour terribly impressive, but I didn’t want to dismiss Kacey Musgraves out of hand. So I picked up Same Trailer Different Park when I found it at the thrift store. That’s when I understood.

Kalapana, Kalapana

I didn’t realize just how much Kalapana’s first album dominated radio broadcast in Hawaii during the 1970s. I picked up a vinyl copy of the album on a whim, having grown up with the name but not necessarily the music. It turns out I heard them a lot when I was still too young to care about building a music collection.

Olivier Messiaen, Turangalîla Symphony (Toronto Symphony, Seiji Ozawa)

I’ve been fascinated by the third mode of limited transposition since we covered them in a music theory class I took in 2017. The Turangalîla Symphony is one of those works you’re told to know, even if takes you a while to get around to listening to it. The 2-disc vinyl edition of this recording includes Toru Takemitsu’s November Steps, which gets dropped on subsequent CD reissues.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Purchase log, 2019-05-28

[Talking Heads - The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

Catalog

CD
  • Beck, Midnite Vultures
  • Cannibal Ox, The Cold Vein
  • Electronic, Release the Pressure
  • Frida, Something’s Going On
  • Sparta, Wiretap Scars
  • Talking Heads, The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads
  • The Beatles, Help!
  • The Jesus and Mary Chain, Darklands
  • The Police, Live!
  • The Temptations, All the Million-Sellers
  • Soundtrack, The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Vinyl
  • Abe Vigoda, Crush
  • Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
  • Giovanni Palestrina, Masses and Motets
  • Iannis Xenakis, Metastasis / Pithorprakta / Enota
  • Josquin Desprez, Missa La So Fa Re Mi / Motets / Chansons / Instrumental Music
  • Matsuda Seiko, Tinker Bell
  • Murray Head, Nigel Lived
  • New Order, Brotherhood
  • New Order, Low-Life
  • Santigold, Master of My Make Believe

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Purchase log, 2019-05-21

[Soundtrack - Macross: Ai Oboete Imasu Ka?]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

I traveled to Austin for the record convention this past weekend. I didn’t find much of what I wanted, but I did find a lot of what I didn’t know I wanted. This list includes purchases at Waterloo Records and End of an Ear.

New releases

CD
  • Jamila Woods, Legacy! Legacy!
  • Kronos Quartet with Masha and Marjan Vadat, Placeless

Catalog

CD
  • a-ha, Hunting High and Low
  • Bill Frisell, Before We Were Born
  • Dwight Yoakam, Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room
  • Grizzly Bear, Shields
  • Johnny Cash, At Folsom Prison
  • Joy Division, Closer
  • Robert Palmer, Pride
  • Robert Palmer, Some People Can Do What They Like
  • Shovels & Rope, Swimmin’ Time
  • Tomita, The Planets
  • Witold Lutoslawski, Symphonies / Concertos / Vocal and Choral Works
Vinyl
  • Branford Marsalis Quartet, Crazy People Music
  • Everything But the Girl, Everything But the Girl
  • Franz Josef Haydn, Streichquartette, op. 20, 2 & 4 (Quarteto Esterhazy)
  • Giovanni Palestrina, Pope Marcellus Mass / Stabat Mater / Three Motets (Pro Cantione Antiqua, Bruno Turner)
  • Janet Jackson, Janet Jackson
  • Johnny Cash, At Folsom Prison
  • Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer Different Park
  • Marilyn Manson, Antichrist Superstar
  • Megadeth, So Far … So Good … So What!
  • Olivier Messiaen, La Nativité du Seigneur (Jennifer Bate)
  • Olivier Messiaen / Toru Takemitsu, Messiaen: Turangalîla Symphony / Takemitsu: November Steps (Toronto Symphony, Seiji Ozawa)
  • Seawind, Seawind
  • The Old 97s, Too Far to Care
  • Soundtrack, Macross: Ai Oboete Imasu Ka?
  • Soundtrack, The Iron Giant
  • Various Artists, Brown Bags to Stardom
  • Various Artists, Boulez, Messiaen & Koechlin
  • Various Artists, Music by Busoni, Franz Schmidt and Lutoslawski

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Purchase log, 2019-05-14

[Kalapana - Kalapana]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

Catalog

CD
  • Anthony De Mare, John Cage / Meredith Monk: Piano and Voices
  • Beck, One Foot in the Grave
  • Camille Saint-Saëns / Olivier Messiaen, Saint-Saëns: Symphony No. 3 / Messiaen: L’ascension (Orchestre de l’Opéra Bastille, Myung-Whun Chung)
  • David Bowie, Space Oddity
  • Death Cab for Cutie, You Can Play These Songs with Chords
  • Def Leppard, Pyromania
  • Dolly Parton, The Very Best of Dolly Parton
  • Elliott Smith, Either/Or
  • Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven!
  • Grace Jones, Inside Story
  • Iggy Pop, Lust for Life
  • John Luther Adams, Red Arc / Blue Veil
  • Justin Timberlake, Futuresex/LoveSounds
  • Justin Timberlake, Justified
  • Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer Different Park
  • Puffy Ami Yumi, An Illustrated History
  • Talk Talk, It’s My Life
  • Tears for Fears, Everybody Loves a Happy Ending
  • The American Analog Set, From Our Living Room to Yours
  • The Beatles, Let It Be
  • The Magnetic Fields, 69 Love Songs
  • The Mountain Goats, Get Lonely
  • The Mountain Goats, The Sunset Tree
  • The Mountain Goats, We Shall All Be Healed
  • Toto, Hydra
  • Soundtrack, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
  • Soundtrack, Lost in Translation
  • Soundtrack, Multiplication Rock
Vinyl
  • C.C.C.P., “American Soviets”
  • Kalapana, Kalapana

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Purchase log, 2019-05-07

[Easterhouse - Waiting for the Redbird]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

My London trip two weeks ago kept away from the neighborhood thrift shops.

New releases

Vinyl
  • eX-Girl, “The Crown of Dr. Keroninstein”

Catalog

CD
  • Alison Moyet, Alf
  • Alison Moyet, Hoodoo
  • Bleachers, Strange Desire
  • Bob Mould, Modulate.
  • Calexico, The Black Light
  • Drivin’ n Cryin’, Mystery Road
  • Gabby Pahinui, Pure Gabby
  • Iron and Wine, Our Endless Numbered Days
  • Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin
  • Massive Attack, Heligoland
  • Mr. Mister, Welcome to the Real World
  • Nightnoise, Shadows of Time
  • Paul Motian, Bill Evans
  • Rodney Crowell, The Houston Kid
  • Shakespeare’s Sister, Hormonally Yours
  • The Go-Betweens, 16 Lovers Lane
  • The Xx, The Xx
  • XTC, Upsy Daisy Assortment
  • Yo La Tengo, I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One
  • Soundtrack, The Descendants
  • Soundtrack, The Remains of the Day
Vinyl
  • Easterhouse, Waiting for the Redbird
  • Phoenix, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
  • Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine
  • Willie Nelson, Stardust

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Purchase log picks, April 2019

[Hapa - Hapa]

Big Country, The Crossing

My prior exposure to Big Country, I’m sorry to say, was when Girl Talk mashed up “In a Big Country” with “Whoomp! (There It Is)”. I rather like how Scottish this album is without being crossover about it.

eX-Girl, “The crown of Dr. Keroninstan”

The vinyl reissue of Kero! Kero! Kero! prompted Kirilola to bring eX-Girl back from Planet Kero. I have to admit some degree of envy when the band announced its return to SXSW.

Hapa, Hapa

I grew up listening to some really awful Hawaiian music, pumped mostly into elevators and department stores. I picked up this self-titled debut at the thrift store, curious to see why it gets such breathless accolades in Hawaii media. I’m hoping someone emerges as the Astor Piazzola for Hawaiian music, and Hapa has so far come closest.

Robert Palmer, Pressure Drop

Palmer continues the funk workout of Sneakin’ Sally Through the Alley, augmenting it with explorations into other genres, notably the reggae of the title track.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time Out

It’s unfortunate when a single track from an album overshadows the rest of it. For the longest time, I’ve avoided Time Out because of “Take Five.” How silly of me. “Blue Rondo a la Turk” is damn awesome.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs, It’s Blitz

It’s not the nuclear blast of Fever to Tell, but it’s still a good listen.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Purchase log, 2019-04-30

[Icicle Works - Five Albums]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

It was my birthday last week, so I spent it in London, getting more study scores than records. A few of these titles were bought with birthday cash beforehand.

New releases

CD
  • Dead Can Dance, Dionysus

Catalog

CD
  • Beat Furrer, Aria / Solo / Gaspra
  • Beat Furrer, Stimmen / Face De La Chaleur / Quartett / Dort Ist Das Me
  • Carlo Gesualdo, O Dolce Mio Tesoro
  • Everything But the Girl, Eden (Deluxe Edition)
  • Everything But the Girl, Love Not Money (Deluxe Edition)
  • Icicle Works, 5 Albums
  • Perfume, JPN
  • Robert Palmer, 5 Classic Albums
  • The Human League, Dare
  • Utada Hikaru, “Face My Fears”
  • Yaz, Three Pieces
Vinyl
  • 10,000 Maniacs, Hope Chest: The Fredonia Recordings
  • Craig Armstrong, Sun on You
  • Enya, “How Can I Keep from Singing?”
  • Perfume, Future Pop
  • Various Artists, Tom’s Diner

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Purchase log, 2019-04-23

[Killing Joke - Killing Joke]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

Catalog

CD
  • Big Country, The Crossing
  • Bob Mould, Black Sheets of Rain
  • Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood Mac
  • General Public, All the Rage
  • Olivier Messiaen, Poèmes Pour Mi / Trois Petites Liturgies de la Présence Divine (Seattle Symphony, Ludovic Morlot)
  • Ornette Coleman, Sound Grammar
  • Yeah Yeah Yeahs, It’s Blitz!
  • Various Artists, The Hamilton Mixtape
Vinyl
  • Killing Joke, Killing Joke
  • The Jets, The Jets

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Purchase log, 2019-04-16

[Duran Duran - As the Lights Go Down]

I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.

Another Record Store Day is in the books, and this year, I found everything I wanted and a few things I didn’t know I wanted.

New releases

Vinyl
  • a-ha, Hunting High and Low: The Early Alternate Takes
  • Bingo Hand Job (i.e. R.E.M.), Live at the Borderline 1991
  • Fleetwood Mac, The Alternate Fleetwood Mac
  • Leann Rimes, Live at Gruene Hall
  • Prince, His Majesty’s Pop Life: The Purple Mix Club
  • Sly and the Family Stone, Woodstock Sunday, August 17, 1969
  • Townes Van Zandt, The Best of Townes Van Zandt
  • U2, The Europa EP

Catalog

CD
  • Boris, Smile
  • Boris with Michio Kurihara, Rainbow
  • Hapa, Hapa
  • Hiroshima, Hiroshima
  • Huey Lewis and the News, Time Flies … The Best of Huey Lewis and the News
  • Peter Gabriel, Peter Gabriel (Security)
  • Sly and the Family Stone, There’s a Riot Goin’ On
  • The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time Out
  • The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Time Further Out
  • The Who, Quadrophenia
Vinyl
  • Lou Reed, Transformer

Reissues

Vinyl
  • Bruce Robison, Wrapped
  • Duran Duran, As the Lights Go Down
  • Santigold, I Don’t Want: The Gold Fire Sessions
  • Weezer, Weezer (Teal Album)
  • Yaz, Reconnected Live
  • Soundtrack, Hidden Figures
  • Soundtrack, Multiplication Rock
  • Soundtrack, Office Space

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,