Music

Astor Piazzolla - Tango: Zero Hour Rarely does music move me to tears, but "Concierto Para Quinteto" may be the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. Astor Piazzolla was the most important composer of the style of music referred to as tango nuevo, literally "new tango." His specific brand of tango nuevo could be described as tango in form, but heavily influenced by classical and jazz in its use of harmony and counterpoint. I don't know anything about the tango, but now I want to learn more. If anyone here at HC is well-versed in tango & tango nuevo, I'd appreciate any recommendations. For the rest of you, if Astor Piazzolla's music doesn't affect you, you're beyond…

There's a new exclusive video on the Portishead website. You have make an account with your email address, but in my experience, the P do not spam. The new track is "Machine Gun" and it's pretty clear how they came up with the name. It's pretty abrasive stuff. Those expecting Dummy-era sedate trip hop will be in for a surprise.

Hey there any Mule fans, I picked up a copy of Deepest End this weekend (2 disc live + Dvd) - wow. For some reason I have never really given them a good listen and now am kicking myself for skipping them when they were in town last go round. Anyway, I am going to pick up more. Any recommendations as to what my next purchase should be? Thanks!

Wow, for one reason or another I never ripped this album to my ipod .. so I haven't listened to it for at least 5-6 years... just popped it in and am grooving to it. I remember when I bought it when it first came out and was at a friend's house. I put it in the cd player to just "preview it" before we went out and was immediately floored enough to just lay on his apartment floor and listen to the whole thing through. They all left without me, but I didn't care, I was immersed in the music. </random pointless story>

Click Me Kill 'Em All and Ride the Lightening, Half Speed Mastered by Mobile Fidelity, but released on Elektra. Available in both standard 33 1/3 vinyl and 180g 45RPM.

So for my english paper, I have to write a critical comparison between two albums. From my syllabus

Hey guys I set my turntable up with a new cartridge tonight, dialed in all the settings, connected my phono stage and verified that everything works. However all I have to test it is a slightly warped and slightly dirty 45 rpm from 1972. Where are some good online sources for vinyl? I need at least a few reference albums to get rolling.

An entire instrumental release from NIN? Well, Trent definitely has my attention. His work on Still was amazing. Anyone else checking this out? Seems like he's embracing be free of a major label. 5 options, ranging from a free download of I to a $300 signed deluxe set of I-IV, including vinyl. I tried to order it from nin.com but it was too slow... I couldn't get through. I'll be ordering the CDs tomorrow, which is scheduled to ship April 8th. But I decided I'd go ahead and order the 256kbps .mp3 version from Amazon for $5 to hold me over. I've set up the download so it should be all set for me in the morning. I'll be sure to post impressions once I've had a chance …

Complex, improvisational music. Sometimes droning, othertimes crushing, always beautiful and entrancing. [ame=http://youtube.com/watch?v=TXxJGtnOrOE]YouTube - the tabla drum master!![/ame] [ame=http://youtube.com/watch?v=qzDx7vgluq0]YouTube - Ali Akbar Khan & Swapan Chaudhuri - Brindabani Sarang[/ame] [ame=http://youtube.com/watch?v=hArUiFv2FaY]YouTube - Nikhil Banerjee-BBC performance[/ame] A few names: Ram Narayan (sarangi), Zakir Hussain (tabla), Ustad Sultan Khan (sarangi), Ali Akbar Khan (sarod), Nikhil Banerjee (sitar), Ravi Shankar (sitar), Brij Bhushan Kabra (slide guitar), L. Subramaniam (violin) Lots of the really good stuff is tough to find, …

Any fans? I know I've introduced one or two people on Head-Fi to them, and one or two people in the DC area to them. THEY'RE TOURING!!!1! This will be my first time seeing them (they usually stay in the bay area or otherwise on the West Coast): HALOU US TOUR 2008 Halou will be hitting the road in March supporting the legendary Bob Mould for dates all across the country. Full list of dates below: 5 Mar WED Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue 6 Mar THU Milwaukee, WI - Shank Hall 7 Mar FRI Chicago, IL - The Metro 8 Mar SAT Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop 9 Mar SUN Hamilton, ON - Casbah Lounge 10 Mar MON Toronto, ON - Mod Club Theatre 12 Mar WED Boston, MA - Paradise R…

Just a heads up for anyone who may not have realized the day was here... Goldfrapp - [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Seventh-Tree-Special-Goldfrapp/dp/B0011FXLCC/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1204040010&sr=8-1]Seventh Tree[/ame] came out today. I've been lucky enough to have been listening to this for a few months now and all I can say is... While it's unmistakabley Goldfrapp, it's unlike anything they've done before. Alison's voice is a great as ever, and if anything, Will's stripped down soundscapes that are probably closest to folk provide an even better stage to showcase that voice. It's far closer to Felt Mountain than Black Cherry or Supern…

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=OZLSR6DF The quintessential Southern Highlands songcatcher. I don't feel like writing any more, he's all over the internet. Listen for a lesson in American culture history. This record is like a time machine; the distinct musical geography + Lunsford's endearing baritone make it a classic.

First off some jazz LPs (Blue Train!!! :o ) And Love- Forever Changes on CD

For those of us who watch the WAYLT thread, here is a place to post the albums you notice that are, in general, Head Case Approved Musicks (or d-_-b Musicks). For example, Phil Collins But Seriously... would not go here, even if I like it, because no one else ever listens to it. But this album does belong: ...because a lot of us listen to it, and it shows up in a lot of our last.fm signatures.

Imagine fingerstyle guitar as influenced by Ali Akbar Khan/Ravi Shankar and Charles Ives/Bela Barotk as Bill Monroe and Mississippi John Hurt. Anyone else a fan? I'm particularly fond of John Fahey, Robbie Basho and James Blackshaw. I highly recommend Days Have Gone By, America, The Yellow Princess and Fare Forward Voyagers for Fahey, O True Believers by James Blackshaw, and most of Basho's early work, + Zarthus for something less guitar based. It's really beautiful stuff. An album from Blackshaw and a collaborator (forget his name, awesome lutenist) just came out recently, under the name Brethren of the Free Spirit. [ame=http://youtube.com/watch?v=-K4BeLRBEmg]f[/am…

I know Beethoven is deaf, Mozart is childish and partied till he died or something. I failed History 3 anyways.. the RCM exam for music history. All joking aside, what is the difference between those two in every aspect including their lifestyle and music style? Both of these composers are very famous and I know I can go google, but I'm just wondering what you guys have to say.

X is the seminal punk band from los angeles in the early 80s. X Japan is the insipid band in question.

Do you guys think this sounds a bit too over dampened and muffled? Definitely not what it sounds like on my TT Thanks, and looking forward to your feedback. edit: will update with better drops, this one sucked

I think if I take some antacid beforehand, I can stomach some of genesis' earlier works. Which ones would you recommend? I'm trying to get over my anti-Phil Collins/Genesis attitude.

The man turns 55 today!

While I was looking to buy some CDs, I had come across a post somewhere claiming that Japanese versions are mastered in a way that makes them better than other regions. Simply put, is this true?

So, this is a really stupid question, but I was wondering if DVD-A discs have PCM 24/96 tracks on them? If I have a transport that can play the PCM information off of DVD-V discs, is there any reason it won't work with DVD-A discs? Thanks!

In April I'm going to New Orleans to see Ministry at the House of Blues. I'm pretty pumped since I've loved Ministry since 6th grade and have never seen them live. Touring with Al & Co. are two bands called Meshuggah and Hemlock. I did a little research and Meshuggah last night on amazon, and they sound like a pretty badass math-metal band. Hemlock I know nothing of. I'd like some albums recommendations for Meshuggah and Hemlock if any of you have any (Dusty?). Thanks!

Any Bay Area head-casers going to the April Sonny Rollins concert in Berkeley? http://www.calperfs.berkeley.edu/presents/season/2007/jazz/sr.php If there are, we should meet up and grab a beer or something.

German Oak - German Oak Amazing, phantasmal krautrock. An improptu recording in an abandoned war bunker. A bit sloppy, but grow some nuts and put up with it. If you like Can, Faust, International Harvester, Popol Vuh and all those greats, most definitely check it out. Makes you feel as if you're on the brink of death; life-affirming. moderator edit: I fixed the link for the album art, and the download should work now