American Music on German Trains
Even though I am vehemently Anti-ipod, I do on occasion, listen to music with a portable Compact Disc player and headphones, while going from place to place on the wonderful public transportation system here in Berlin. Enough so that I have a specific opinion as to the most suitable CDs, of the 32 that I brought with me to Berlin, were the best for commuting:
Booker Little: Out Front
An absolute masterpiece from the be-bop era of American jazz. Never gets boring, never gets old. Some really good, grindy, chewy progressions, always interesting lines coming from Little's trumpet. Even in this studio recording (and serveal of the tunes sound very composed (in a good way)), Little at least sounds like he's taking risks with his playing (similar, in that way, maybe, to Clifford Brown), and I love that aspect of it. And the bright sounds cut through the train noise very well, through my $7 headphones. Sad that Booker Little died so young - I could definitely use more of his music in my daily life, if it existed.
Ten Grand: This is the Way to Rule
Probably the best thing to come out of the genre of underground rock (punk, I guess, would be the largest-level blanket genre for such music) that decided to play aggressive punk music a little bit slower, with a sense of orchestration between the two guitars, and delay pedals and reverb to add to the expansiveness of the sound. The bands second full length album (I think) - and last - the lead singer died suddenly a couple years ago, 26 years old. The singing may be a bit much for some people's ears, but the music is the high-point for this relatively obscure genre of American music. Especially the songs "I will seriously pay you to shut up" and "now you got what I got."
Sleep: Jerusalem
I can't say that I know a whole lot about Sludge metal, but this nearly hour-long disc is incredible. I heard it at a party about a year ago, and my friend gave me a copy of it. For movie buffs, its the music thats playing in Jim Jarmusch's movie Broken Flowers, when Bill Murray stops a couple guys in a truck in the woods to ask them for help finding one of his ex-girlfriend's house. There are long stretches of about two chords played at an amazing slow tempo, and some great stretches of post-Black Sabbath psychedelic metal guitar solos. Suitably slow for my time in a city that always went to fast (the time went fast, not the city).
At any rate, I think its pretty typical, when one is travelling, and one tends to listen to music on a regular basis, that certain musics gain prominenet standing in the general memory of said travels, and these three discs for me, stand at the top of the list of music I was listening to in non-concert situations in Berlin.
Booker Little: Out Front
An absolute masterpiece from the be-bop era of American jazz. Never gets boring, never gets old. Some really good, grindy, chewy progressions, always interesting lines coming from Little's trumpet. Even in this studio recording (and serveal of the tunes sound very composed (in a good way)), Little at least sounds like he's taking risks with his playing (similar, in that way, maybe, to Clifford Brown), and I love that aspect of it. And the bright sounds cut through the train noise very well, through my $7 headphones. Sad that Booker Little died so young - I could definitely use more of his music in my daily life, if it existed.
Ten Grand: This is the Way to Rule
Probably the best thing to come out of the genre of underground rock (punk, I guess, would be the largest-level blanket genre for such music) that decided to play aggressive punk music a little bit slower, with a sense of orchestration between the two guitars, and delay pedals and reverb to add to the expansiveness of the sound. The bands second full length album (I think) - and last - the lead singer died suddenly a couple years ago, 26 years old. The singing may be a bit much for some people's ears, but the music is the high-point for this relatively obscure genre of American music. Especially the songs "I will seriously pay you to shut up" and "now you got what I got."
Sleep: Jerusalem
I can't say that I know a whole lot about Sludge metal, but this nearly hour-long disc is incredible. I heard it at a party about a year ago, and my friend gave me a copy of it. For movie buffs, its the music thats playing in Jim Jarmusch's movie Broken Flowers, when Bill Murray stops a couple guys in a truck in the woods to ask them for help finding one of his ex-girlfriend's house. There are long stretches of about two chords played at an amazing slow tempo, and some great stretches of post-Black Sabbath psychedelic metal guitar solos. Suitably slow for my time in a city that always went to fast (the time went fast, not the city).
At any rate, I think its pretty typical, when one is travelling, and one tends to listen to music on a regular basis, that certain musics gain prominenet standing in the general memory of said travels, and these three discs for me, stand at the top of the list of music I was listening to in non-concert situations in Berlin.
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