10 days later, still not taking my own advice

the album thing continues on.

A few weeks ago I read this year 80th anniversary of John Coltrane's birth. This has inspired lots of listens to Giant Steps and The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard recordings. The latter contain what are perhaps my favorite John Coltrane recordings (caveat: JC was incredibly prolific and I have only heard about 8 or so of his albums). It falls stylisticly somewhere between his modal period and his later freer improvisation so you get the best of both. The soloing goes in lots of interesting places but the "tunes" that the group plays still stand up as something more than just a tonal phrase to get beyond so they can begin soloing. The presence of Eric Dolphy is a nice addition to the group, especially when he breaks out the bass clarinet.

Lots of listening to the Mountain Goats, esp the new record, Get Lonely. They were here last week and played it from start to finish (with a brief side trip for "See America Right" after a slightly creaky attempt at something in the middle of the album). Certain songs suffered from the live treatment - I really missed the stumbling percussion and horn lines on "If You See Light" - but the quieter ones became far more affecting after I saw John sing them live. It feels a tad ghoulish to watch him go to whatever dark place he visits when sings these songs, but it is powerful.

That End of a Year album I talked about a while ago is shaping up to be my favorite punk/hardcore-related release this year.

I had really weird sleeping hours over the weekend, with late afternoon naps, later bed times and early rising times. When I get out of whack like this it means a lot of listening to instrumental music, waiting to fall asleep. In this case it was a rekindling of my affection for Philip Glass' Solo Piano. It starts out with a solo treatment of the music from The Thin Blue Line, which is what first hooked me when I used to borrow my parent's copy. The reason I keep coming back is the soaring (and decidely non-minimal) apreggios of Mad Rush.

At the store we recently got a copy of the first Current 7" which inspired a spin during my shift on Weds and then a lot of listening to the discography yesterday. Ah the days of emo music before emo music was "emo music" and it was still just punk music with the energy channelled at different things using a slightly different musical vocabulary. Intense, heartfelt vocals from kids who weren't afraid to get poetic over distorted guitars. Current's songs are a mixed bag, but when they are good its like they are speaking directly to your innermost being. Cynics might call the whole thing pretentious, but then that's why they are called cynics.