What are you currently listening to?

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vol.2
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by vol.2 »

thanks man. be well
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Obiwanshinobi
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by Obiwanshinobi »

God of Thunder by Kiss, out of Destroyer album. I can't help hearing "masturbation" as they sing "expectations", and "let me in you" instead of "flaming youth". Can't be helped.
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Stevens
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by Stevens »

Been in a Jean Grae coma for the last week. She has a large and varied catalogue and can rap like few can.

Hard to go wrong with anything she did from 02 - 12. The ones below I have listened to a lot, own the first four on CD. Gotham is only on Bandcamp.

Attack of the Attacking Things
Bootleg of a Bootleg
This Week
Jeanius
Gotham Down Deluxe (this is a concept album about a time traveling assassin)

Last album she did was with Quelle Chris and was Bandcamps album of the year in 2018.

If you like rap (vol.2) and haven't already listened to her it would be worth your time.
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vol.2
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by vol.2 »

Stevens wrote:
If you like rap (vol.2) and haven't already listened to her it would be worth your time.
Just checking out AOTAT and I dig it. Haven't checked out any rap I was unfamiliar with in a long time. This is cool, thanks for the recc.
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Stevens
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by Stevens »

I was into rap as a kid in the late 80's. Got away from it until about seven years ago when I discovered a guy out of Toronto who went by Wordburglar:

https://propsdept.bandcamp.com/

And while I can't speak for Burgie's Basement (it's a collection of his really old stuff) everything else on that page is fucking aces.

The first album I listened to was his GI JOE concept called Welcome to Cobra Island (the samples are from the cartoon) and immediately I had sort of discovered rap all over again. As a 37 year old. His biggest influence is Masta Ace (which reminds me I really need to give A Breukelen Story a listen) and he raps with this upbeat, humorous, infectious style. I have all his realeses on CD and digital. Always looking forward to what he does next.

Here are some other people currently rapping for a living I dig:

Mega Ran - He has a TON of content on Bandcamp, but if you only listen to one of his albums make it RNDM. His stuff jumps from video games, to literature, to wrestling of all things. Coin Op Crush is also very fun as he raps about the nostalgia of going to the arcade as a kid. Have that one on CD.

More or Les - Highly recommend his Blow the Fuck Up but Stay Humble, probably his best work minus track seven. Nerd Love is also a fun one. He even has two albums where he just raps about food/his love of cooking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0CV0bUojFI <--Fire:)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T78FJvy8q_c

His latest deals with mental health during the pandemic, but I need to listen to it.

Moka Only - I'm told he is a Canadian rap legend (From uh Wordburglar). I have his Airport Six and it's really good. His beats have a (took it from one of his album descriptions cause I couldn't find the right words) jazzy boom bap sound that I love. Probably the rapper here I need to pick up one or two more albums from.

Some other MC's I have heard through them working with the above that seem to be well regarded:

Ghetto Socks
Timbuktu
Chokeules
Schaffer the Darklord (Have seen him live. Real deal)
MC Lars

Oh shit I forgot MC Frontalot, dude coined the term Nerdcore. I like his stuff (I have a few of his albums on BC), but need to be in the mood to really listen. Wordy and a very unique delivery/flow. This is from his album Question Bedtime (all the songs are children's stories from around the world). Wait is that Jean Grae playing a murderous Goldilocks?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKspodY8rQ4

Not sure if you're familiar with Bandcamp. They're pretty generous with free listens, but if you would like - well check your PM's.
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OmegaFlareX
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by OmegaFlareX »

The only issue with Bandcamp, and this only started a year or two ago, is that the audio quality of their browser player is garbage. Some things sound worse than others, so it might be a really bad audio watermark, like the kind that UMG labels put into their digital releases. I haven't bought anything on the platform since I noticed this issue, so hopefully it doesn't affect the files you purchase.
Last edited by OmegaFlareX on Sat Aug 28, 2021 1:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Stevens
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by Stevens »

I've noticed it too through the player, but the downloads still sound good.
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OmegaFlareX
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by OmegaFlareX »

That's a relief. My wishlist has accumulated 55 albums since my last purchase.
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Stevens
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by Stevens »

Just a note - they offer a bunch of different download formats, most of which I do not understand:

https://get.bandcamp.help/hc/en-us/arti ... -download-

Honestly the MP3 sounds good enough on my headphones.
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OmegaFlareX
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by OmegaFlareX »

As of 2017 when I built a new PC with Win10 which natively supports it, I now only get FLAC from them. It's a widely-supported lossless format and I appreciate that they offer it as one of the options. Any new CDs I occasionally buy (major-label stuff as to avoid the UMG audio watermark curse) I rip to FLAC as well. I probably don't have proper speakers to take full advantage of the format, but storage space has been a solved issue for years now so I might as well. The one downside is that in the rare event that I burn a CDR to listen to in my car, Win10 WMP doesn't support burning FLACs and a conversion program is necessary. I should look into one of those Bluetooth -> FM things so I can play my library from my phone.

FWIW, iTunes' AAC format is ~256 kb/s bitrate and sounds quite good. Bandcamp's AAC option is only ~128 kb/s. They will sound better than MP3s of the same rate but it's a noticeable drop in quality from the 320 kb/s MP3 option so I don't recommend that format on BC.

I remember OGGs as being a new hot thing 20 years ago, and WAV has been around forever (basically CD-quality 44.1 hz raw PCM data), but I've never heard of AIFF and intitial googling has given me a nice *shrug* when it comes to ALAC compatability in Windows.

e: AIFF is apparently WAV for Apple OS.
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by Randorama »

On the topic of rap...

I have (re-)discovered Professor Elemental's works, which are an instance of "chap-hop", i.e. hip-hop by English lads rapping in received pronunciation and being very retro about it.

"Prof. Elemental" is a fictional Victorian explorer from a very steampunk-ish version of the 19th century: the real guy behind the persona is called Paul Alborough.

Perfect OST for reading through old issues of Heavy Metal and old progs of 2000 A.D., I dare say.

I am also going through Yellow Magic Orchestra's works and side projects, plus Sakamoto's early works (up to Neo Geo and the Honneamise OST).

Late '70s/early '80s pioneers of electronic music/pop, probably representing the most prototypical Japanese/Asian approach to a (then) emerging global trend. Sakamoto became popular in the West and started making shit, from the late '80s onwards.

On top of that...I am listening to Oriental Magnetic Yellow, the homage/parody band of YMO composed by Namco's musicians (e.g. SanoDG and others).

Listening original versions and their re-interpretations back by back (e.g. Tighten up vs. Tighten nap) is glorious.

Most YMO original versions were already quite idiosyncratic, and OMY re-interpretations revolve around accentuating some aspects (e.g. BPM's, pitch on some instruments, title/lyrics changes) to get over-the-top versions. Otaku-core approach to music, I might call it.
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MOSQUITO FIGHTER
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by MOSQUITO FIGHTER »

I’ve just been listening to these same albums almost exclusively for the longest time lately. Desert Island albums indeed.

Eagles - Hotel California
David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
Rush - Hemispheres
and whatever Led Zeppelin album I feel like playing that day. Usually ends up being Houses of the Holy or Physical Graffiti

Really all I need right there.
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Stevens
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by Stevens »

Of those four Rush is quite easily my favorite. Really dig them and since my work partner loves them I get to listen to them pretty frequently.
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vol.2
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

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yeah, totally agree. rush is not for everyone, but i dig them. i'm especially fond of the album "Caress of Steel."
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Obiwanshinobi
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by Obiwanshinobi »

El son se fue de Cuba compilation album by the Olga Guillot person. Who was a Cuban person, as well as she was a singing person. And I mean SINGING one. Properly singing, that is.
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

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Buck Young, Buck II

Cowboy themed noise with two *extremely* minimalist songs thrown in.

Falls somewhere in between the Carter Family and Merzbow.

https://norentrecords.bandcamp.com/albu ... -it-nrr119

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Obiwanshinobi
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by Obiwanshinobi »

I've been awe-stricken by Vingt regards sur l’enfant-Jésus - enormous piano solo piece by Olivier Messiaen. This is fairly hardcore, lasting for well over two hours. While technically a cycle of twenty eponymous "glimpses", or "gazes" etc. - these would be tricky to fillet any single one out of the lot. Kind of like Goldberg Variations, only them regards are way longer. Therefore hardly anybody learns how to play them, never mind plays them live. Because, really. I have Håkon Austbø's recording released by Naxos on 2 CDs, and I've a problem with his "percussional", or "metronomic" fortissimo in later parts. Which, I suppose, carries eschatological meaning of sorts, but does it have to be quite as hard-hitting, necessarily?
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MOSQUITO FIGHTER
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by MOSQUITO FIGHTER »

This is awesome. Bring back the old school!

https://youtu.be/zFdUGkPYvu8
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

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MOSQUITO FIGHTER wrote:I’ve just been listening to these same albums almost exclusively for the longest time lately. Desert Island albums indeed.

Eagles - Hotel California
David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
Rush - Hemispheres
and whatever Led Zeppelin album I feel like playing that day. Usually ends up being Houses of the Holy or Physical Graffiti

Really all I need right there.
Hotel California is one of the greatest albums I have ever listened to :)
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Obiwanshinobi
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by Obiwanshinobi »

XVIII-th Chopin Competition, Warsaw, Poland, all the time.
Around here, Chopin's music is not something you like or dislike; rather, it's been always here, like - for my genertion, anyway - John Williams' film scores, or Europe's Final Countdown, or The Masters of Universe opening. I have more to say upon the subject matter, just not quite enough time right now.
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vol.2
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

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Buchla Now. Various artist tape of recent Buchla synthesizer tracks.


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MOSQUITO FIGHTER
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by MOSQUITO FIGHTER »

I’ve been going back to the Dio Era Black Sabbath albums. Mob Rules is probably my favorite metal album ever. I can’t think of a metal album with better guitar work. Seems like a lot of fans sleep on these albums.
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vol.2
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

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MOSQUITO FIGHTER wrote:I’ve been going back to the Dio Era Black Sabbath albums. Mob Rules is probably my favorite metal album ever. I can’t think of a metal album with better guitar work. Seems like a lot of fans sleep on these albums.
Mob Rules kills it.

There is now a dedicated Rock and Metal thread FYI viewtopic.php?f=3&t=66877
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BIL
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by BIL »

vol.2 wrote:
MOSQUITO FIGHTER wrote:I’ve been going back to the Dio Era Black Sabbath albums. Mob Rules is probably my favorite metal album ever. I can’t think of a metal album with better guitar work. Seems like a lot of fans sleep on these albums.
Mob Rules kills it.

There is now a dedicated Rock and Metal thread FYI viewtopic.php?f=3&t=66877
Helll yeah, Mob Rules is bulletproof. Heaven And Hell is great too, but I'm more apt to blast MR from end to end - consistently catchy and frequently heavy as all hell. "The Sign Of The Southern Cross" stomps especially hard - Martin Birch is a legend.

I'd swap Mob's closer "Over and Over" (perfectly good bluesy lament) for H&H's outright towering sendoff "Lonely Is The Word," though. :cool: The astronomically heavy, spacey tone from Wheels of Confusion, come down and contemplative. "Maybe life's... a losing game..." Dig this, scintillating take from Heaven & Hell aka Mob Sabbath's final tour.
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vol.2
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by vol.2 »

BIL wrote:Dig this, scintillating take from Heaven & Hell aka Mob Sabbath's final tour.
damn. blocked in the US


For you consideration, Spongebob themed Vaporwave. It's pretty weird but actually makes a lot more sense to listen to than it does on paper.
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by OmegaFlareX »

I picked up the Nevermind 30th Anniversary edition today. On CD even! I am a bit disappointed in that I expected the 2nd disc to include all the B-sides from that era, but nope, it's just live recordings. Damn. Looks like I need to try and get my hands on the 20th Anniversary instead:

https://www.discogs.com/release/3656318 ... -Nevermind

Not sure if I should take the one I bought back to the record store. They can probably source me the version I actually want.
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by Randorama »

...can someone offer or link me to an introduction to Prince (Roger Nelson)?
After all these years, I only remember that I liked some of his most celebrated songs, and that's all.
Chomsky, Buckminster Fuller, Yunus and Glass would have played Battle Garegga, for sure.
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BIL
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by BIL »

Randorama wrote:...can someone offer or link me to an introduction to Prince (Roger Nelson)?
After all these years, I only remember that I liked some of his most celebrated songs, and that's all.
Sign O' The Times is the rarest of things, a perfect double album - good starting point, and just a great listen in general.
Randorama
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Re: What are you currently listening to?

Post by Randorama »

BIL wrote:
Randorama wrote:...can someone offer or link me to an introduction to Prince (Roger Nelson)?
After all these years, I only remember that I liked some of his most celebrated songs, and that's all.
Sign O' The Times is the rarest of things, a perfect double album - good starting point, and just a great listen in general.
Done, and frankly the titular song is possibly the most zeitgeist-y song of the last two centuries or so.

I am re-reading a re-issue of Howard Chaykin's American Flagg! while listening to this album, and the '80s flashbacks are overwhelming.
I kinda remember that Prince's sound became much more impoverished in arrangements and complexity once the '90s arrived (i.e. Diamonds & Pearls or thereabouts).
At which moment in time should I cut off the retrospective?
Chomsky, Buckminster Fuller, Yunus and Glass would have played Battle Garegga, for sure.
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