Tag Archives: Acoustic

Link Wray – Link Wray

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★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?

The music is an Americana blend of blues, country, gospel, and folk rock elements. This music is characterized by the purposeful use of simplified sounds to reflect the then-current vogue of blues and other roots music being used in many roots rock bands. Wray's guitar-work, composing, and vocals reflected modern rock influences.

Moods

A beautiful piece of Americana that's defined by it's rough passion and original roots rock sound

Thoughts

bluesy folk rock with a country twang. For years I only knew the guy for his earlier instrumental work but I'm happy I checked this later entry out. I took the description in the 'sounds like' description from Wikipedia as it's accurate but bizarre to read, almost clinical in its description. The draw here is the passionate and earthy grittiness found in timeless music of the era. The combination of those sounds produces something distinct and broadly appealing, it's original music that only the American landscape is capable of producing.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Link-Wray-Link-Wray/release/6988842

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXrV9mBM7Pk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Es-Zws_ggoY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozwlKJO7iuw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZmSZGJggE4

Spotify


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Link Wray – Link Wray

Description: Album Review of Link Wray – Link Wray


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Vashti Bunyan – Just Another Diamond Day

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★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?
Acoustic folk

Moods

Shepherd’s pie

Thoughts
Some nice instrumentation with a good use of strings but this is just far too pleasant for me

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Vashti-Bunyan-Just-Another-Diamond-Day/release/711475

Listen!

Youtube



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-KISPvIM7Y

Spotify

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Vashti Bunyan – Just Another Diamond Day

Description: Album Review of Vashti Bunyan – Just Another Diamond Day


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Sandy Bull – E Pluribus Unum

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★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

What’s it sound like?
Bluesy/psychedelic/Americana hardcore string noodling

Thoughts
I like the sound, gonna check out more by this guy, but not interested in repeat listens of this.The no deposit no return blues almost breaks into greatness but stays simmering just wave after wave of noodling, never really going anywhere.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Sandy-Bull-E-Pluribus-Unum/release/5082339

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Sandy Bull – E Pluribus Unum

Description: Album Review of Sandy Bull – E Pluribus Unum


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Linda Perhacs – Parallelograms

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★★★☆☆ = Good!

What’s it sound like?
60/70s folk. It’s described as psychedelic folk, maybe a bit spooky but this feels pretty pure especially when compared with today’s genres.

Thoughts
A classic folk record. Folk only goes so deep for me but this is well crafted music.

She’s got a pleasant singing voice, engaging and honest. There’s a captivating quality that reminds me of Nick Drake’s softness. Guitar is high in the mix and lifts her voice. Songwriting is impeccable with memorable melodies and lyrics. Any fans of the genre should seek this out.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Linda-Perhacs-Parallelograms/release/1373131

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Linda Perhacs – Parallelograms

Description: Album Review of Linda Perhacs – Parallelograms


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pill

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★★★★★ = Classic, essential listening

What’s it sound like?
The best of 90s radio alt rock.

Thoughts
A very important record to me, I could not stop listening to this when it came out in the summer of 1995. I know I wasn’t alone cause it was played constantly on the radio. It’s an important part of the development of my musical taste.

However even without that attachment the record has some all-out classics and otherwise great songs. Her lyrics are as the title would suggest, jagged. She’s observant and articulate which is why I think this has such universal love. The lyrics are highly memorable. Her songs often employ a juxtaposed approach: aggressive and then a quiet ‘innocent’ moment. It creates a dynamic aspect to her tracks

Instrumentation- love the textures, where was that bassline in the original master of you oughta know? There’s an interesting drum-loop like thing happening there. It appears again on you learn, giving a slight hip hop like bounce. Overall a perfect balance of alt and grunge textures in the singer-songwriter space. Her vocal range is impressive and perhaps best on display on forgiven. Perfect is over the top in it’s forced emotion around bad parenting.

An enjoyable trip down memory lane that stands the test of time.
More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Alanis-Morissette-Jagged-Little-Pill/release/1358782

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Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pill

Description: Album Review of Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pill


Rating: 5 out of 5

 

Bill Callahan – Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle

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★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

What’s it sound like?

Singer songwriter with a full band and string arrangements. Fantastic voice. He’s got a somber / sober style, this is the kind of album you’d turn on after a dramatic breakup that took all weekend and now you’re walking in the park on a nice autumn day and you just wanna hear something grounding so you turn this on and you realize it’s gonna be ok. The world keeps turning.

Thoughts
I’ve been meaning to listen to this guy since he’s been a favorite of Mark Richardson. I’m impressed. The music is beautiful for a style I wouldn’t typically listen to. His lyrics are spot on and share a wealth of knowledge. I plan to visit more.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Bill-Callahan-Sometimes-I-Wish-We-Were-An-Eagle/release/1728088

Listen!

Youtube





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Raury – All We Need

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★★★☆☆ = Good!

What’s it sound like?

A blend of pop, hip hop, acoustic songwriter, alternative, r&b

Thoughts

Instrumentation and songwriting is really good, he’s clearly plugged in given some of the features on this; points for pulling from the right influences. Engaged by the variety of styles, I enjoyed the first seven or so, he’s at his best when he’s evoking Andre 3000 ala forbidden knowledge.

I feel he needs a bit more time to grow as a lyricist as he raps about the right topics but lacks lyrical wit. The album is long winded and his altruistic preaching feels disconnected and unrelatable.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Raury-All-We-Need/release/7835971

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Campfire Songs – Campfire Songs

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★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

What’s it sound like?

Avantgarde campfire sing-along

Thoughts

An album to get lost in and wonderful introduction to the band. Animal Collective’s early trademark strummed guitars and chant like vocals are the core of the album. The sound is defined by it’s lo-fi recording technique that somehow provides both a boxed in but outside. An ode to the human experience of singing together, it definitely has the effect of transporting you to the moment.

I’d like to include this as part of my piece about our ‘desire to be outside’ and how self mythology strives for this.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Campfire-Songs-Campfire-Songs/release/475021

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Everything But The Girl – Eden

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⭐⭐⭐

A great record and one hell of a debut album. Tracey Thorn’s lyrics are wise beyond her years, singing all too relatable tales of heartbreak and troubled relationships. The bossa nova instrumentation is distinct, I can’t say I’ve heard much else like this 30+ years later.

More Info:

https://www.discogs.com/Everything-But-The-Girl-Eden/release/372059

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