I'm ecstatic after having found the best group from Sweden to arrive on the scene for ages. If you like any of those below, you'd surely love
Their album is called Til We're Dead', but they came out with singles first. I can't do justice to them here in a few lines, but they give me a tingle all over. They're superb.
N.B. Today Eskobar are giving a preformance in Sweden's radio http://www.wow1055.com/ in their Acoustic Café. Listen to their songs. I can't buy Eskobar in England, not in Tower Records (London) or any of the HMV stores - its criminal!
- Dyl, Friday March 16th 2001.
The Verve have something in the pipeline. After the split in August 1995, with the departure of Nick Macabe, Simon Tong stepped into his shoes. After the long wait, they have reformed with Macabe again, enriched also by Tong's presence. Some people are so fickle. But the original members are here and do what they do best, being themselves. Their two albums 'A Storm in Heaven' and 'A Northern Soul' are outstanding, much like dreams in musical form. They really should get the lyrics printed though. Anyhow, they do have some other stuff from the past still out All in the Mind : Gravity Grave : She's a Superstar : Slide Away and an EP called simply Verve E.P. and also a collection of rarer B Sides and outtakes called No Come Down.
4 JULY 1997, and when you were most expecting it, they have got their new album out called Urban Myths
Björk, summer 1993, eye and ear opener. Since then she's been all we'd ever expected of her and more. If you like jazz, then she made an album called Gling-Glo sung in icelandic. Before then, she was in the Sugarcubes . Respect must be given as she does everything so well, and in icelandic too. She'd probably say "Íslenzka er móðurmál mitt". As for her albums : Debut : Post : Telegram and with something due soon. Finger's crossed! In her previous incarnation in the Sugarcubes : Life's Too Good : Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week : Stick Around for Joy : It's it.
Yes, she's got something out again, two years later, called Homogenic. I think this is vintage Björk at her serene best, my favourite line being "How Scandinavian of me"!
This album has spawned a number of cd singles that, of which Bachelorette is a double CD set.
If you like this album, search out a copy of Marc Almond's "Enchanted" album. Its really kitsch and timeless.He is the other half of the eighties group Soft Cell. Other albums include "Fantastic Star", "Treasure Box", "Tenement Symphony", and "Stories of Johnny". Thanks John (English Lit., ex-Castle Irwell dweller) for getting my head around this. Hope you liked the Kate Bush...
I really got into Saint Etienne bigtime. Check out their albums in the pre-Etienne Daho days :So tough:Foxbase Alpha:You need a mess of help to stand alone:Tiger Bay.
In one swoop Kula Shaker was launched into public awarened with their album K admittedly they're ok, though I wouldn't put much store on what they babble on about. I believe they have something else to force upon us soon...
Before Kurt Cobain died, Nirvana seemed to be teetering on the edge of massive stardom. Afterwards, there was no holding back. His songs became his epitaph. Albums include : Nevermind : In Utero : Insecticide : Blind Pig and Lithium.
Pick 'n' mix : Blur, Oasis, Cast, Bluetones, Placebo, Space, Ash, Radiohead plus anything mainly indie stuff - fantastic. For more music, why not try the website :
Kate Bush, her of the squeeling vocal range and unusual dance routines. Her older albums prior to realeasing 'The Red Shoes' were best. These include The Kick Inside : Lionheart : Never Forever : The Dreaming : Hounds of Love and a compilation The Whole Story.
Call me fuddy-duddy, but Nina Simone is soul, jazz and herself all rolled into one. She may hay have gravelly tones, and a bad french singing accent, but can she sing! Billie Holliday with her silky dreamy tones.
Try Some Classical as well...
I was in the university choir a few years back putting my effort into Carmina Burana. I hopped in and out of the bass-tenor region, relying on my good friend Roger for guidance, you see I can't read music. Carl Orff's score is now (and probably always has been) published by Schott, in the region of eighteen to twenty pounds stirling.Though Bach is probably considered as the better, it was in copying out Antonio Vivaldi's scores that he learned the technique, so my money is on Vivaldi. He is mostly known for the work called the Four Seasons, but he also did little four part cantatas. They usually consisted of an opening 'recitavo' (half singing, half speaking) which sets the scene, then an 'aria', another recitavo and a final aria. They usually had love as the theme. Amongs these is the work and 'Cessate, omai cessate'. Listen to the first aria and melt with sorrow. You can get this in a CD version with 'Cantate Italiane' in the main title. Like all works conducted by different people, the speeds vary and so does the singing style from CD to CD.
Spem in Alium by Thomas Tallis is a beautiful work.
That ain't it all, but as the chinese saying goes, without the past the present isn't so. New stuff is good, but look where their influences are from...
Back to Dylan's HomePage.