There's no place in this world where I'll belong when I'm gone
Continuing my trip up #album-of-the-day...
20.09.11 : Outlaws And Dreamers - Dick Gaughan (2001)
Another album and artist I didn't know - but it turns out I really should have, because this is right up my street. I love a traditional English/Scottish/Irish folk song (I'm sure I'd like a Welsh one as well, but I can't claim I've have the pleasure so far) - I generally prefer a female voice singing them, but still enjoy a guy giving them a good go. And that's pretty much what we've got here - I bet he's great live. Just to demonstrate my preference for the female voice, "Dowie Dens O' Yarrow" and "When I'm Gone" jumped out at me because I knew Karine Polwart's and Thea Gilmore's versions respectively (my plan is to have Thea's version played at my funeral - but hopefully not too soon) but I enjoyed the rest of the songs as well. A fine discovery.
The channel was pretty quiet on this one - which didn't surprise me in the slightest. Wikipedia doesn't have anything on the album, but has a reasonable amount on the man - he's retired now, but he is 73, so I think we can let him off. He was around for a fair few years though and seems to have gathered a lot of respect from his fellow performers - anyone who can attract Billy Bragg, Karine Polwart and Eddi Reader to play at his benefit concert is alright by me.
"Customers also listened to" Martin Simpson, Martin Carthy, Ewan MacColl and Norma Waterson - no major surprises on that list if you know your traditional folk singers. I can understand it's not for everyone, but I liked this one a lot.
20.09.14 : Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club (1997)
An album I'm aware of and don't remember too fondly because it suffered from "dinner party overload" syndrome at the time - but I've not revisited in many a long year, so my opinion may well have changed. Or maybe not. I mean it's "fine" and I'm impressed that some of them are 150 years old and still have their own teeth - but does that mean I want to hear them warble on about the same old shit on each track? No, it does not.
The channel gave this 6 thumbs up which surprised me - I wouldn't have had it down as their sort of thing. Wikipedia has a reasonable amount on the album - it was basically the brainchild of Ry Cooder and Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, a Cuban musician and they pulled it together in no time. It was well received both critically and commercially, although it only got to #44 in the UK, which surprised me because everyone I knew seemed to own the bloody thing. It also tells me it won a Grammy for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album, which seems a somewhat niche category to me (but what do I know?).
"Customers also listened to" a load of people who look like they might be a bit Cuban - I'm guessing I wouldn't like them. Not for me, I'm afraid.
20.09.15 : 20 Jazz Funk Greats - Throbbing Gristle (1979)
An album I'm aware of for its comedy title and cover, but one I've never been brave enough to actually listen to - I was expecting a load of challenging noise and wasn't convinced I'd make it to the end. But, actually, whilst I didn't particularly like it, it was certainly interesting. I listened to it on my Mac with the speakers placed approx 30 cm apart and still got some interesting stereo effects - I can imagine if I was to venture up to my attic to play it on my "proper" system it would sound even more impressive, but unfortunately the attic is currently not safe for human habitation due to it being the temperature of the sun. I also liked this album because it made me chuckle on several occasions as I thought about how much my wife would hate it.
The channel were surprisingly unaware of this - it struck me as the sort of thing they would have experienced in their time. "Interesting" (complete with quotes) seems be the overall opinion - although people did like the band name. Wikipedia explains that as well as the obvious comedic traits of the album title and cover (when compared to the music within), the cover photo was shot at Beachy Head to ramp up the level of the irony involved. Unsurprisingly, the album was well received critically, but didn't do all that well commercially.
"Customers also listened to" Suicide (that is one unpleasant album), Can (ditto) and Psychic TV (who, going on the previous two artists, I'm pleased to say I've never had the misfortune to listen to). I won't be rushing back to this, but I'm glad I listened to it - I certainly found it to be "quite the experience".
As for the winner, it's not the trickiest of decisions - well done, Mr Gaughan!
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