The Hilliard Ensemble - "Medieval English Music" (1983)

This is a record I play when I want to turn my home into a Catholic cathedral, which is not very often. The Hilliard Ensemble was an English male vocal quartet that focused on medieval songs, but which also did plenty of other stuff, with modern composers. They were considered one of the most skilled, if not the most skilled, within their genre, and were more or less an institution. The quartet was created in 1974 and called it a day in 2014. I found this record for a reasonable price in one of Montreal's record exchanges, and the reason I bought it was because I have one of Jan Garbarek's albums where the ensemble participates, with heavenly song. Thought this might be something similar, without the disturbing soprano saxophone. And I do like a lot of the medieval music I've heard before.

I don't know much about English medieval singing, though, in fact nothing, but you get a small folder with the album with some information, in a variety of languages. Fortunately, the previous owner had not thrown it away. Not that I've read the folder, but still. The folder also contains all lyrics, in different languages, including Latin. I haven't read these either. The record contains only vocals, no instruments, and of course it's very beautiful. Fine compositions, beautiful harmonies and singers who know what they're doing. I tried to improvise some singing with a song, but quickly realized that we were on different levels (me at a lower one). I assume that most of the songs have a religious theme, I have the idea that it used to be that way with this kind of music. However, everything is not sacred, slow songs, as the album mixes in some rather fast-paced songs. So there's some variation, although for the most part my home still feels like a church when the record spins.

A pretty nice album in many ways, a record I don't play that often, and when I do, it's more in the background to create a harmonious atmosphere, rather than me sitting and listening focused to it. Then I can probably get a bit bored.


Tracklist

Side A Anonymous Du XIVe Siècle
1. Alleluia: Hic Est Vere Martir 4:01
2. Singularis Laudis Digna 5:35
3. Doleo Super Te 1:32
4. Thomas Gemma Cantuarie 2:22
5. Civitas Nusquam Conditur 2:24
6. Tu Civium Primas 2:40
7. Mater Christi Nobilis 1:33
8. Ite Missa Est 1:29

Side B Anonymous Du XVe Siècle
1. Alleluia: A New Work 3:47
2. Anna Mater Matrix Christ 6:01
3. There Is No Rose 3:50
4. Marvel Not, Joseph 4:08
5. Tota Pulcra Es Amica Mea 8:17
6. Opotores Exquisiti 4:17

Gentle Giant - "The Missing Piece" (1977)

Within the progressive genre, Gentle Giant has always been one of my favorite bands. They've had a talent to create complex and interesting pieces, which haven't become too complicated and academic. A delicate balance, which the band has managed well. However, The Missing Piece is none of their better moments.

The punk had arrived, the music scene had changed, and the progressive music was the great villain, according to the new loud bands. Gentle Giant was one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, but had lost some of their fan base. So there was certainly a sense of wanting to find new fans, while also reconnecting with old ones. They also had a desire to bring their live music closer to how the studio music sounded (it could differ a lot due to the complexity of the studio versions), so the songs were created with the thought of being possible to perform live without major changes. So on The Missing Piece, the band takes a lot of new paths, with mixed results, to say the least.

The album opens with Two Weeks In Spain. A fun pop-progressive song, which promises big for what to come. But it's unfortunately the A-side's only interesting song. What follows is the band shocking the listener by playing a cheesy ballad, punk, blues and hard rock. Other bands could do this better, and the the first side gets pretty confused and unfocused. Their attempt at humor with the song (title) Betcha Thought We Couldn't Do It, a song where they play straight hard rock, is not very fun. On the side B, however, the band finds its way back to its former sound, with mischievous progressive music. Here, too, the opening song is the best, As Old As You're Young. Then you'll get a longer ballad, which I find a bit bland, with two following songs in classic Gentle Giant style. However, they have done this better on previous albums, and it's only the opening song of each side that really is of higher quality. My recommendation is rather to listen to Gentle Giant's earlier albums, which generally are better.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Two Weeks in Spain 3:07
2. I'm Turning Around 3:59
3. Betcha Thought We Couldn't Do It 2:25
4. Who Do You Think You Are? 3:35
5. Mountain Time 3:20

Side B
1. As Old as You're Young 4:21
2. Memories of Old Days 7:18
3. Winning 4:18
4. For Nobody 4:05

Steve Hackett - "Spectral Mornings" (1979)

This was the third solo record from the former Genesis guitarist. Due to a somewhat ambivalent teenage history with his album Till We Have Faces, I have an instinctive skepticism toward Hackett's solo works. Add to that, the cover is not really to my taste, so my expectations on the LP were not very high. It could possibly be a helping factor to why I actually think it's pretty good.

The musicians participating on the album would become Hackett's band for a number of years, the classic lineup, many believe. One of these was his brother John Hackett. Most of the song is done by Pete Hicks, the other musicians were Nick Magnus, Dik Cadbury and John Shearer. The album opens nicely with Every Day, an anti-drug song. Apparently Hackett had had a former girlfriend with drug issues. This song became one of his standards throughout his career, the other song that became a standard is the instrumental title song that finishes the record. Of these two, I like Every Day the best.

One thing I like about the album is its variety. Each song is pretty unique, which makes it fun to listen to. There is singing, instrumentals, Japanese music, horror film moods, acoustic, electric, etc. It could have been unfocused, but it's not. Instead, each song becomes its own little experience. What I don't like is that many songs contain a lot of synths, which sometimes create a bit cheap and thin sound. In 1979, synths could result in just about anything. There are a bunch of different synths used, and the sound of them is often the 80s pop, or even new age music from that decade, with a lightweight feel. When Hackett's solo guitar is added to that, some songs almost touch the easy listening genre. Here I think mainly of the title song. Despite this, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, and overall I like the album. The music is defined as progressive, maybe that's correct, that definition feels so unspecific so I'm not even going to discuss it.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Every Day 6:14
2. The Virgin and the Gypsy 4:27
3. The Red Flower of Tachai Blooms Everywhere 2:05
4. Clocks - The Angel of Mons 4:17
5. The Ballad of the Decomposing Man "(featuring" The Office Party ") 3:49

Side B
1. Lost Time in Córdoba 4:03
2. Tigermoth 7:35
3. Spectral Mornings 6:33

Genesis - "Wind & Wuthering" (1976)

Genesis eighth album, and the last where guitarist Steve Hackett participated. At this time the band was a quartet consisting of Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks and Hackett. But apparently Hackett was not satisfied with the direction the band's music started to take, and even more unhappy that his song ideas were not used enough. So he left the band some time later, and has had a relatively successful solo career afterwards.

Some claim this was the last prog rock album from Genesis, and that they were increasingly orienting themselves towards pop music. This development did not happen overnight, but was rather a process, e.g. the latter record ... And Then There Were Three ... still contains some prog, but with a clearer element of pop. However, I can't  deny the surface of Wind & Wuthering feels more polished, produced and commercialized than on previous LPs. Sometimes almost lightweight. Maybe it's because of the synths.

Initially, I had a hard time getting through the wall of polish, the music felt pretty shallow, and passed by without leaving any traces. But as usual, the album grew with the amount of visits on the turntable. It's a pretty good album, with some really nice compositions, mixed with some more boring ones. Generally I don't like the instrumentals, for me they do not fill any real purpose, except as fillers. The songs with vocals are more interesting. In these, Genesis offers the more epic and sweeping creations, which can be likened to musical journeys. However, the songs Your Own Special Way and Afterglow are no masterpieces. Especially the former I avoid, a cheesy love ballad, far from anything called prog. This song hints what is to come (perhaps most regarding Collins).

I have a problem with the record, Phil Collins singing. Throughout my childhood and much of my adult life, I have associated Phil Collins with a bunch of cheesy 80s hits. He was huge in this genre in the 80s. So still when I hear his voice, I instinctively think that's the kind of music I'm hearing. This connection is obviously difficult to break, it's a pity, cause it negatively affects my experience. If I imagine it's Peter Gabriel singing the songs, the quality is suddenly is raised a snap. Even so, a pretty good record, still prog, I suppose, as there are some relatively long and complex pieces. But the more commercial version of Genesis is beginning to emerge.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Eleventh Earl of Mar 7:45
2. One for the Vine 10:00
3. Your Own Special Way 6:19
4. Wot Gorilla? 3:21

Side B
1. All in a Mouse's Night 6:39
2. Blood on the Rooftops 5:28
3. Unquiet Slumbers for the Sleepers ... 2:20
4. ... In That Quiet Earth 4:54
5. Afterglow 4:11

Genesis - "Trespass" (1970)

Genesis' second album, the last where guitarist Anthony Phillips participated, and the only record with drummer John Mayhew. Anthony Phillips began a relatively successful solo career afterwards, while Mayhew disappeared from the music scene, moved to Australia and worked as a carpenter. Phil Collins then took over the drumming role in the band. But all this happened after this record had been released. During the recording, the band, apart from the two mentioned, consisted of Peter Gabriel, Anthony Banks and Michael Rutherford.

Lots of people believe that this record hints towards the band's direction to be, with longer, relatively complex, theatrical compositions. And that's probably true. Most songs clock in at 7-8 minutes, Peter Gabriel's singing gives the songs an extra emotional level, and it is rarely a verse-verse-chorus structure. I like it. Although the music is defined as progressive music, it's not particularly difficult, there are often beautiful harmonies, quite fragile compositions, and none of the progressive element of sometimes overly strange, complex 7-beat parts, with weird musical instruments most created for the musicians' own sake. Much of Trespass caresses the listener, it's a friendly sound.

Another reason why I like the record is that the music contains a few bombastic parts, which causes your inner roof to come off. And Gabriel is playing flute on many songs. These two ingredients are enough for me to like an LP. Peter Gabriel reminds me a little of Peter Hamill (Van Der Graaf Generator) in his attitude towards the singing, where in addition to the melody and words, one level is added, which would be the theatrical element, I suppose. An emotional level, more present than with most other singers. It's not always that I like that in general in music, it can get a little too much, but Peter Gabriel does it well. He never crosses the line. It makes me sometimes think of the the music of Trespass as a rock opera, or musical if you like. The band made compositions like this later on, i.e the album The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, which has a clearer concept. The mellotron that is heard on the album also makes Moody Blues haunt my mind when I hear Trespass. In any case, I think it's a good album.


Tracklist

Side A
1. Looking for Someone 7:06
2. White Mountain 6:45
3. Visions of Angels 6:51

Side B
1. Stagnation 8:45
2. Dusk 4:15
3. The Knife 8:55

Å - "Ånyo" (2017)

My brother has a nice tradition, to give me records with local Uppsala bands as gifts on birthdays. This was the latest one. The band is a trio consisting of Joel Öhlund, Milovan Fredriksson and Erik Wallin. Also participating on the album on flute, is Roland Keijser, a Swedish progressive music legend. Released on their own label, and recorded in the mythic Silence Studio. Is that a hint of the 70's I smell?

This is the band's second LP, and released in only 200 or 300 copies (details vary online). Owning such a limited edition album is always extra fun in my world. There is no doubt that the music should be awarded the epithet progressive music, with a very clear touch of the 70s. Think bands like King Crimson, Gentle Giant, etc. And a song as Satan På Gatan could have been performed by Caravan, if they had sung in Swedish. Jazzy, melodic prog.

It's a groovy album. On Side A, the music is somewhat more lightweight, with a nice cover of the old Swedish traditional song Uti Vår Hage as the closing number (although some parts of the opening song En Orm can be experienced as anything but lightweight, for sure). Side B is generally heavier, with more distorted guitars and parts consisting of almost prog metal. In the long run it could have been too much, but it's nicely mixed up with some calmer parts as balance. As usual with progressive music, you can hear beats that are not the usual four-beat, with songs of up to 12 minutes. All singing is in Swedish. Many songs wind their way along roads that are a bit more winding that what you hear on the radio's top-10 list. Put all this together and you'll get a fun and interesting album. If you like qualitative 70's progressive music, with a slightly more modern sound, the album can definitely be recommended.


Tracklist

Side A
1. En Orm
2. Satan På Gatan
3. Uti Vår Hage

Side B
1. Följer Du Med Mig?
2. Rustem

Al Green - "Let's Stay Together" (1972)

This was another gift, again from my wife, our wedding day this time. We don't usually celebrate it, and often forget. This year, I remembered, gave her a small gift, and created some guilt inside her. A few hours later she came home with this record.

This was Al Green's second record, and a relatively big success. It's smooth, relaxed soul that no one can really dislike. Al Green's voice is in focus, the fellow musicians create a chilled groove without ever taking over. There is not a single solo on the record. In many songs, a choir helps out, as is often the case in soul music. But it's also relatively non-dominating.

Every now and then some strings and brass joins the music, but it's not a whole orchestra, rather a quartet that complements the soundscape. So the sound is actually quite sparse. I like that. Sometimes soul can be quite bombastic with a well-filled sound, Al Green instead offers a rather controlled production.

A good album with many groovy songs. If one must complain about something, it would be that the variation is not so great, the sound, the tempo and the feel each song are pretty much the same throughout. But if you like what you hear, it doesn't matter that much. An album that fits well in many contexts. Feel good music.


Tracklist

Side A
1 Let's Stay Together 3:15
2 La-La For You 3:29
3 So You're Leaving 2:53
4 What Is This Feeling 3:40
5 Old Time Lovin 3:17

Side B
1 I've Never Found A Girl 3:37
2 How Can You Mend A Broken Heart 6:21
3 Judy 3:44
4 It Ain't No Fun To Me 3:27

David Byrne - "American Utopia" (2018)

The last Christmas gift album in focus, and the album I received that I like the best. During my teens, I listened a lot to Talking Heads, but after the band split up, I didn't follow Byrne's solo career as thoroughly. I have some of his solo albums, some created during the TH period, and some from the time after, but I haven't heard everything. I have mixed feelings about his solo performances.

American Utopia is his seventh solo album under his own name, he has created a number of records  together with other artists (Brian Eno, Norman Cook among others), And it's his first solo release since 2004. The sleeve states that all songs are created from original tracks by Brian Eno, and apparently Eno created rhythm tracks which then Byrne developed to whole songs. Eno is also listed as a co-composer for most songs. But the album is, as mentioned, released under only Byrne's name.

It\s a groovy album with quite easily accessible music. My experience is that Byrne has always done relatively intellectual music, which hasn't always been easy to spontaneously love. But on American Utopia, nothing is too difficult. Some songs, such as Every Day Is A Miracle, even has a happy sing-along chorus that you want to join while dancing on the living room floor. The music is part of a larger multimedia project, Reasons To Be Cheerful, which focuses on spreading positivity at a time when the world is facing some difficulties, regarding politics and the environment. The songs paint an alternative, positive image of the world, and Byrne discusses on the cover text that we need to create images of the world we want, in order for it to become reality.

There's a lot going on in the songs, and it is a fairly well-filled sound, The music is generally of high quality, and nothing feels like fillers, although there are some tracks I find less interesting. If you study the lyrics, they are, as usual with Byrne, a bit strange and odd, and somewhat difficult to interpret. But that's fun. Byrne is a very experienced musician, almost a legend, so he knows his craft. It's fun that in his older days he creates something as energetic and fresh. He still seems to be filled with a desire to create.

Tracklist

Side A
1.  I Dance Like This 3:34
2. Gasoline And Dirty Sheets 3:20
3. Every Day Is A Miracle 4:46
4. Dog's Mind 2:30
5. This Is That 4:31

Side B
1. It's Not Dark Up Here 4:11
2. Bullet 3:10
3. Doing The Right Thing 3:39
4. Everybody's Coming To My House 3:30
5. Here 4:14

Jet Black - "In Paradox" (2014)

The theme of Christmas gifts continues. Local music this time, a band from Quebec city, and their second album (I think). It was my wife who gave it to me, which I suppose she picked at random from a crate at the local record shop. If I've understood the info on the net right, only 500 copies have been printed - 100 on white vinyl, and the rest on black. I have the black version (new). It seems to be a self-published thing, albums like that can mean anything.

It sounds a lot of 90s grunge, not a nostalgic flirt, instead full-blown grunge. If I hadn't known what was spinning on the turntable, I would have guessed Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots or any of the other grunge giants. In other words, quite loud, and lots of guitars. I've always felt that grunge had something dark and destructive in its sound, so is the case here too. No easy-going, harmonic background music. It oozes desperation and anger from the music.

I have some albums from the 90s with Alice In Chains and Stone Temple Pilots (and Smashing Pumpkins if they should be regarded as a grunge band), but the genre has never been a favorite. So I'm not the right target group for this album. It feels like it doesn't work as well to play grunge today, compared to other, earlier music genres. While disco, heavy metal, synth, psychedelia and various other styles from the past, can be re-used successfully, it sounds good, grunge feels as if it belongs in the 90's and should remain there. Maybe it's too early to play grunge again? Jet Black may need to wait ten years. So not a record for me, but for the one who has grunge still alive, it can be something to check out.


Tracklist

Side A
1 Deep Space 4: 9
2 Running in Circles 3:17
3 Smothering 5: 5
4 Air Deprivation 1:03
5 Blank Note 3:46

Side B
1 P. Report 4:08
2 Star Cluster 3:21
3 Pull 3:53
4 Monolith 1: 3
5 In Paradox 5:27

Trummor & Orgel - "Indivisibility" (2018)

Last Christmas meant another gift in the form of an LP, and a continuation of my brother's tradition, to give me records with Uppsala-based music (Uppsala is our home town in Sweden). Trummor & Orgel (which translates to Drums & Organ) is a duo from Uppsala, consisting of the brothers Staffan and Anders Ljunggren. As the band name suggests, the band's setting is primarily drums and organ, although some other instrument might sneak in, such as guitar (and synthesizer, but I kind of see that as belonging to the organ landscape). According to Discogs, Indivisibility is the seventh album by the duo, and the first in my collection.

So, how fun can it be with music that's only created with drums and organ? A feeling of doubt might arise. Is it possible to vary? Isn't the soundscape a bit empty? Although I'm from Uppsala, this record is my first meeting with the band, and because of its unusual setting, I had a somewhat cautious attitude. But already the first song forces me to open up, and embrace the music. I suddenly understood all the praise I've heard about the duo. It's a really groovy and fun album.

It's somewhat difficult to describe the music. A mixture of pop, jazz and psychedelia. It's quite uptempo, and even though the setting has a 70s aura, the sound feels new and fresh. The soundscape is also larger and fuller than one might expect, and it doesn't in any way sound stripped. It's music that you can both sit down and listen to carefully, but it also works well as background music, when doing other things. The band may be tired of the constant comparisons with Hansson & Karlsson, the Swedish duo from the late 60s, with a similar setting, but the similarities between them makes the connection difficult to ignore. Now, the fact is that I haven't heard much with the 60's version of Trummor & Orgel, so I'm just going to mention its existence. Neither do I have any of Trummor & Orgel's previous albums, so I can't compare Indivisibility with their earlier work either. I'm content with the fact that this is a really good album I'm happy to own, and can recommend it, especially if you like the Hammond organ and music with a slightly different sound.

Tracklist

Side A
1 Metropolis
2 Imaginary Friends
3 Debonair
4 Hindsight
5 Slippery

Side B
1 Enigma
2 Togetherness
3 Transcendence
4 Zodiac

A Place To Bury Strangers - "Worship" (2012)

This album was one of the Christmas presents I received from my family, always a nice surprise, especially as my wife has no idea what she's buying. This was a new band to me, and to her. Apparently, they have been given the title New York's loudest band. I can hear why.

This was the three man band's third album, and the listener gets exposed to a veritable auditory crushing. Grinding and tearing guitars dominate, played through various effects, which cut right into your marrow. The album has some kind of 80s feel to it, and it somewhat resembles Sisters Of Mercy or Jesus and Mary Chain, in a more extreme version. Shoegazing is a definition that's often used for the band's music, there is something dreamy about the songs in the middle of the noise, and sometimes I think this would be Spiritualized and Smashing Pumpkins if they made music together.

At first, I had difficulties with the record, it was too brutal and loud, it was difficult to discern what was under the noise. But the more I listen to it, the better I like it. If you have become somewhat friends with the sound, then the songs are pretty good. Despite this, the opening song on side B, Dissolved, is probably my favorite, as it's the album's quietest, and closest to what can be described as easily accessible. Overall, a rather difficult and dark record, which is definitely a challenge. Allmusic uses the following adjectives for the album's mood: Aggressive, Druggy, Hypnotic, Volatile, Atmospheric, Dramatic, Intense, Trippy, Cathartic and Tense / Anxious. From this perspective, the music is either very broad and all-embracing, or totally schizophrenic.


Tracklist

Side A
1 Alone 2:27
2 You Are The One 4:09
3 Mind Control 3:14
4 Worship 3:55
5 Fear 4:51
6 Why I Can't Cry Anymore 3:41

Side B
1 Dissolved 5:23
2 Revenge 5: 5
3 And I'm Up 3:46
4 Slide 3:39
5 Leaving Tomorrow 4:16