Pretty lunar eclipse last night, coming home from RCIA classes. Standing there in the driveway looking at the big dusty tangerine in the sky, seeing it joined by both Saturn and Regulus (from the constellation Leo), it didn't seem quite so cold. There's a warming wind today, and by the weekend it may get above freezing for a couple of days! Imagine that. That, plus seeing my little green duck bouncing and looking happy when I got home from a hard discussion with Dr. S-W last night, as if to say "Don't worry. Be happy! Don't worry. Be happy!", ... maybe that means that Spring is just around the corner, and I'm that much closer to doing my little March happy dance? I hope so.
Time for some music again. This set of reviews focuses on some really good chill music, most of it good for studying as well, but from three very different musical styles.
Stereolab - "Margerine Eclipse", "Dots and Loops", "Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night": The oddball titles notwithstanding, this group does a lot of songs that are throwbacks to the lounge, jazz, bossa nova, and pop styles of the sixties. Well done, too. The cover art even follows suit. Plus, there are quite a number of instrumentals, and at least half the tracks that feature singing have lyrics in French, so.. I can study to it! :)
Several of their tracks are mini-concertos, with differing movements, and themes stated and restated. They also seem pretty consistent in style, from their older stuff (Dots and Loops) to their newer releases (Margarine Eclipse.) Favorites: from "M.E.", Cosmic Country Noir, Dear Marge, Need To Be, Margarine Melodie. From "D&L": Contronatura, Prisoner of Mars, Rainbow Conversation, Refractions in the Plastic Pulse, Ticker-Tape of the Unconscious. From "C & P, etc.": Caleidoscopic Gaze, Come and Play in the Milky Night, Infinity Girl, The Spiracles, The Emergency Kisses. The "M.E." disc is my favorite, but.. thumbs up for all of them! :)
Phoebe Partridge - "Talk About the Weather": another girl singer, among the many that have grabbed my attention. You won't find her on iTunes, though - yet. I ran across her music on a website that connects listeners with similar musical interests from all over the world. This singer's from England and is the kind of talent that can lift an obscure label (Pindrop Music) to something mainstream.
She has a jazz sensibility like a Norah Jones or Sarah McLachlan, but doesn't do any pop standards - all new music, and decent songs, too. Favorites are All About The Weather, Scattered Showers, Halfway to Your House, Restless Eyes, At Last the Snow, and Rainy Day, a really original idea for a love song (and yes, some day I'll post the lyrics.. if they ever connect with my experience or dreams. Not yet..) Two thumbs up for this new find. :)
Piers Partridge - "Bowl of Plums": no relation to Phoebe, but records on the same British label. The best way I have to describe this CD is ambient guitar music. There's the occasional mandolin or violin as well, but primarily finger-style guitar, kind of new-agey in feel - a little aimless, but with enough melody to keep the songs distinct from each other.
Very easy to listen to, study to, sleep to.. (the kind of music which J2 always enjoys, and lets play all night. If he'd ever read Dad's blog, he might get some ideas for new sleeping music! C'mon, boy! Pay attention to the old man.) No particular favorites here.. they're all solid, all good.
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