The Playlist Of The Weekend

Turn on you iPod, press "Shuffle Songs" and see what happens...

"Sit Down, Stand Up (Snakes & Ladders)", Radiohead, Hail to The Chief

To be honest, after listening to King of Lymbs (see the following review: http://moodonmodernmusic.blogspot.com/2011/06/radiohead-king-of-limbs-or-how-to-make.html ), I'm still pissed at Radiohead. This song is brilliant though and so is the album. Hail to The Chief  was scary and beautiful and I didn't think they could do better. They did with In Rainbows which built up my high expectations torn down by King of Lymbs. The end of this song is brilliant, the change of rhythm and of atmosphere is like a deep and wonderful breath. That's the kind of madness that made me like Radiohead in the first place and that we don't find on the last record.

"Red Sky at Night", David Gilmour, On An Island


This song sounds just like the introduction of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond"! However, the rest of the album doesn't sound at all like anything he did before with Pink Floyd. It is a magnificent piece of music with the genious of an appeased and aged Gilmour. We can even find David Crosby and Graham Nash taking part in one of the song of this record.

"Sha-la-la (Make Me Happy)", Al Green

Al Green has one of the most brilliant voice ever and he is also is a great composer. The arrangements on his songs are unbelievable. You can very often find a sound of Hammond organ, warm and vibrant giving the whole a sound back from the good years. Al Green was able to groove just as good as Marvin Gaye or Curtis Mayfield... maybe even better.

"Freedom And Its Owner" Kings of Convenience, Declaration of Dependence

I've already had the chance to talk about the norvegian duet. Declaration of Dependence is their last album. This is a beautiful piece of music. Nice colors, nice songs, and I love the way they manage to mix both their voices and the classical and acoustic guitars. This is not the best song of the record however but it's still nice. You can really feel the coldness of their country in their sound but the rhythm and the guitar sounds give a nice impression of warmth. I recommand this record to anyone who like that kind of acoustic music.

"All Along The Watchtower", Jimi Hendrix, Electric Ladyland

Aaaah.... that's the stuff... I've always loved the original of Bob Dylan but even he recognizes this version is way better. I've already said what I think of Hendrix (http://j-hitthebutton.blogspot.com/2011/06/playlist-of-weekend.html ). This song is the perfect example of all the thing I like about him: this warm great and powerful voice and this sound from outer space he has with the guitar. I've heard some people said Hendrix wasn't so good in his solos. Just listen to that track, you'll know. The guy is litterally inventing electric guitar here and it seems pretty easy for him... The rhythmic of Mitch Mitchell has a lot of responsibilities in the success of Hendrix's music though according to me. 

The Playlist Of The Weekend

Turn on your iPod, press "Shuffle Songs" and see what happens...

"Bahia", John Coltrane, Bahia
Coltrane is one of the greatest artists of all time. This track is a perfect example of his incredible sound at the saxophone. This is still tradiotional jazz in the sense he's not experimenting too much on this album and the structure of the song is quite common. But you can already hear some crazy stuff there. The sonorities are largely inspired by Eastern Arabic or African music. The rhythmic and this repetitive theme are wild and let room for more freedom in the solos. Trane's one is amazing and the piano goes on pretty well too. The double bass makes a weird solo with the bow just like on Blue Train but this Bahia was released a few time after that. The main attraction of this track remains the warm and bewitching sound of Coltrane... pure magic...

"Autumn Moon", Keziah Jones, Black Orpheus
This is one of the most beautiful and dark songs of Jones. He sings with two voices (one high and the other low) and both of them are just incredible... This is done perfectly and the biting acoustic guitar sound beautifully completes the voices. I've been lucky enough to see Keziah Jones live once and I can honestly say that even if I don't like all of his music (especially his studio works), this is one of the best live performances I've ever seen. He is a great artist with an incredibly powerful personality and this song will reach your soul and haunt it immediately. 

"Politix", Lone Catalysts
I don't know much about Hip-Hop. A friend showed me this band and I really love their sound and samples very often borrowed to some jazz tunes. This is some smart smooth Hip-Hop that will make you think. I really love their most known track "Renaissance". That one is good too. 

"The Passenger", Kings Of Convenience, Quiet is The New Loud
I've discovered this duet last year with "Ms Cold". They are two really good musicians both from Norway. I really love the way they are arranging the two guitars and voices on each song. They have some brilliant melodies as well. This one is not one of their bests though. Nevertheless, it is always nice to listen to them. One of them has also a brilliant band called The Whitest Boy Alive with some more groovy stuff, good stuff too. 

"Lonely Stranger", Eric Clapton, Unplugged
I've never really liked Clapton and his music. However, this Unplugged has been played all along my youth. I've always loved the sound of an acoustic guitar and I must admit the guy knows how to use one. He sings pretty well too but I've never really liked his songs in general. I don't find them extremely creative. I've also never like the fact that everyone called him "God" when Hendrix humiliated him once by playing with him on a stage before being famous. Clapton asked never to play at the same time as him after that... Hendrix is "God".