Sounds Heard Today (Sep. 3rd, 2010)

Today is Friday the 3rd of September 2010.

Listened to today (not in order):

Naima - Uno (awesome jazz/nu-jazz from Spain; more on these guys tomorrow)

Naima - Buscas

Vuvr - Pilgrimage (progressive/eclectic metal; other styles thrown in on a few songs)

French TV - I Forgive You For All My Unhappiness (eclectic prog rock, see more below)

Dave Kulju - Notes In The Margin (mainly instrumental prog rock)

It Bites - The Tall Ships (neo prog; don't like it too much)

Dawnbringer - In Sickness and In Dreams (not bad, but nothing too memorable classic-sounding metal)

Stig - Biodiversity (great ambient music)

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Today I discovered that there's a new French TV album out called, I Forgive You For All Of My Unhappiness; a great title which I use in my daily speech every so often towards people who annoy me.

Since I only listened to it once, for the first time today, and it being a French TV album (meaning there's so much music and ideas to absorb, that it's mind boggling), I didn't digest too much of it, but most songs sounded tamer than before, less "crazy" and wild, with a more "classical symphonic-prog" influence and some more of the "Canterbury-style" that they've done before. There still is the same French TV energy and quirkiness such as in You Got To Run It Out, Dawson!, which also boasts great bass and drumming work and some "fusion" infusions.

I also learned from Metal Sucks that the a song from the new Enslaved album, Axioma Ethica Odini, is available to listen to here. Looking forward to this album.

Song of the day: 

I usually listen to albums, but occasionally and in certain moods and certain genres of music, I like to hear particular songs. Today, after listening to Naima I mentioned above, I felt like listening to the great tune by La Pura Realidad, called Roja Ciudad (click this link to hear this song on their Myspace; it's the first in line in the player).

Album of the day: 

Dave Kulju - Notes In The Margin (check out both links)

A fine (mostly) instrumental album, with great engaging tunes that can be great accompaniment if you're on a long drive in the middle of a rural panorama or simply listening at home on your headphones. The compositions here vary from the epic (Skating on Europa) to delicate and emotional (parts of Soft Collisions) to the more poignant rock tracks (Know Again with its blues-rock sound and Stevie-Ray Vaughan guitar tone) and an acoustic guitar rich song (The Bridge, which reminds me of Steve Unruh in style of playing). There's much ground covered here, in sound and emotion. I'm still "digesting this album obviously, and I like it more each time I hear it. 

Go to Dave's website to learn more and you can also order from there his albums (he's also offering a deal of his two albums for 13$, which is what I got).

Sounds Heard Today (Sep. 2nd, 2010)

Been consuming huge amounts of music lately (mainly new releases). Helps disconnect from the world and my worries, while trying to get through work.

On the list is a lot of metal, prog, rock, jazz, chamber music, electronic, trance etc.

Here, I'll give a snippet of what I am listening to lately. You can see more of what I'm listening to lately here: http://rateyourmusic.com/~avestin. It contains almost all of what I listen to lately (plus albums I realize late that I have not yet rated).

Let's start with All Over Everywhere, the project led by Trinna Kesner and one of my favourite musicians/composers who I've mentioned before and whose music I reviewed, Dan Britton.
The music on Inner Firmaments Decay is otherworldly in a way; in fact, if you've heard Deluge Grander's second album, you'll recognize the style from there. It is quite dense and slow sounding, with female vocals in the background of the mix (by another Deluge Grander member, vocalist Megan Wheatley).

Another recent find is Dave Kulju who recently released his second album, Notes In The Margin. Well done instrumental prog rock that you can read about in the following review.

In the metal category, I just got to know Israeli black/prog metal, Winterhorde. They have released their second album this year, Underwatermoon and this review says much more than I can right now. Also, look at the stunning cover art work.

Zoe Keating is an accomplished cellist and composer who aside from her solo work, has played in various groups, including the wonderful Rasputina. Her latest album is Into The Trees, a wonderful collection of cello lead pieces (with some electronics, but really not something that noticeable or overbearing). Listen to some tunes here as well.

More lovely finds and spectacular experiences:
Sophie Hutchings - lovely piano-centered pieces, ranging from the intimate to the charming. Read more about it here.

Hour Of The Shipwreck - you know those albums you get and then either hear once, not fully concentrated and therefore aren't properly impressed and then some time later you discover it again and then you're completely taken by it? well that's one example. I'm not sure whether they are still active, but this 2008 release of theirs, The Hour Is Upon Us, is really wonderful. And you can get it for 6$ here. 

That'll do for now, I'll leave you with my track and album of the day for Thursday, September 2nd, 2010:

Track of the day:
Jean-Philippe Goude - Picnic Music from the album, Rock De Chambre
Listen to it here.

Album of the day:
Winterhorde - Underwatermoon