What's your favorite of 2004 so far?

DavidS · « **Reply #20 on:** 23 Sep 2004, 02:08 am »

thanks for this recommendation regarding Jolie Holland, most excellent blend of old timey folk, Tom Waits, and bluesy jazz. Love the Be Good Tanyas 2nd album (Chinatown) which I think Jolie Holland was somehow involved with.

I am not sure if my recommendation is late 03 or 2004 but will put in plug for Holly Golightly's Live at Gina's 3AM. Not the best quality recording but like Eva Cassidy's live album interesting to hear what my system does with this very much in the room recording. Much improved for me since I put a tube preamp in my system. Music is garage influenced electric blues, with lots of 60's style guitar and Holly's amazing voice both singing and talking (maybe a little too much talking). Haven't checked out any of her studio albums - actually only knew of Holly before this from White Stripes Elephant fame, but think I will have to explore one the studio sets.

zybar · « **Reply #21 on:** 23 Sep 2004, 02:13 am »

Let There Be Light - Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama

I couldn't agree more with this little mini-review:

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE47E1ED247A47220C3973056CEB153E104DF51EE9D50234558C0AF284A8C1F27FD05BADBCFAEF875B47DE3FE2EAE5B0DD9CBEC469CA1&sql=10:tgke4j277wau~T1

George

carvalhot · « **Reply #22 on:** 7 Oct 2004, 01:52 pm »

I agree with Greg, although there were several decent Jazz reissues. One new release to mention would be:

Tomasz Stanko - Suspended Night on the ECM label.

JoshK · « **Reply #23 on:** 13 Oct 2004, 12:30 pm »

additionally...

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Take Them On, On Your Own

MaxCast · « **Reply #24 on:** 13 Oct 2004, 01:11 pm »

Jenna Mammina - Inner Smile

Pretty good Cd all the way through. Kind of like Norah Jones but don't let that scare you, Jenna is better IMO. This CD is more contemporary while her earlier CD's lean more to the Jazz side. I just received those. Jenna starts and stops her words so delicately, no "pa, st, T" leading or ending her lyrics. Her voice has a wide range with no flutter and is well recorded.

The samples are way too short, but give it a shot.
http://www.jennamammina.com/

Sotantar · « **Reply #25 on:** 13 Oct 2004, 01:15 pm »

The Flower Kings; Adam and Eve

Kim S. · « **Reply #26 on:** 14 Oct 2004, 10:53 am »

The Black Keys: Rubber Factory

mojoman · « **Reply #27 on:** 14 Oct 2004, 09:33 pm »

Two that stand out for me are:

The Dirty South - The Drive-By Truckers - With this cd the Truckers have turned a hat trick with the third of three excellent albums in Southern Rock Opera, Decoration Day and the Dirty South. Don't expect good time southern rock party music, these guys sing about the harsh realities of growing up on the wrong side of the tracks in the deep south. They just might be my favorite hard rock band. They are most awesome live.

Mind, Body and Soul - Joss Stone - It's hard to believe that this girl is only 17 years old. A real throw back to the great soul divas of the 50s and 60s, she's only a couple of heartbreaks away from super stardom. I hope the record companies leave her alone and don't try to turn her into the next Christina or Britney.

R_burke · « **Reply #28 on:** 14 Oct 2004, 09:50 pm »

Mind, Body and Soul is IMO great, so is her earlier one.

Not sure, but think/hope Joss is utilizing either her own or a small recording company. At least I have never heard of S-curve records before.

jasonc · « **Reply #29 on:** 24 Oct 2004, 04:28 pm »

More than worthy-

Wrens - Meadowlands

sys1 · « **Reply #30 on:** 12 Nov 2004, 04:16 pm »

Top Five so far:

JESSICA WILLIAMS- LIVE AT YOSHI'S
MULGREW MILLER- LIVE AT YOSHI'S 1
KENNY WERNER PEACE- LIVE AT THE BLUE NOTE
BARRY HARRIS- LIVE IN NEW YORK
JASON LINDNER- LIVE/UK

Tyson · « **Reply #31 on:** 13 Jan 2005, 04:11 am »

Schumann - 4 Symphonies
Conducted by Daniel Barenboim
Performed by Staatskapelle Berlin

These will undoubtedly go down as "classic" accounts that finally overcome the historic complaints that Schumann was a mediocre orchestrator. In Barenboims hands these are all GREAT symphonies and should be integral to the central classical repertory.

Adarsh · « **Reply #32 on:** 7 Feb 2005, 06:38 am »

How does Joss Stone's Album sound? Is it very loud? I just can't stand those loud albums....

Soundbitten · « **Reply #33 on:** 7 Feb 2005, 02:33 pm »

Quote from: Adarsh

How does Joss Stone's Album sound? Is it very loud? I just can't stand those loud albums....

that's what the volume control is for

nathanm · « **Reply #34 on:** 7 Feb 2005, 07:21 pm »

Volume knobs don't do anything for a recording with a 2db dynamic range! An expander maybe, but that's like polishing a turd. Luckily for us the recording industry knows what's best for us, which happens to be recordings in which every sound is as loud as technically possible because apparently humans have abandoned their more complex emotional responses towards music and have instead regressed into a "more louder, more better" scenario. So if you typically like country and dislike pop but you hear a pop song on the radio which is LOUDER than a comparable country song, you will purchase the album from the pop artist. This is the logic of the type of highly intelligent people in the record business who are looking out for our best interests. Thank goodness for these fine folks who work hard every day to cram more and more digital samples towards the holy grail of 0db. I mean, we have the technology to make the sound of a singer's intake of breath the same volume as a snare drum! Why shouldn't we exercise this wonderful power?

macdaddy · « **Reply #35 on:** 12 Feb 2005, 08:14 pm »

"bubblegum" - mark lanegan band

runner's up:
"the secondman's middle stand" - mike watt
"the dirty south" - drive-by truckers

reissue:
"beyond description" - grateful dead
"london calling" - the clash