What NEW releases can you recommend?

[Joseph]

I really enjoy discovering older music and better versions of my favourites.

What new releases can anyone recommend that combines great playing and great sound?

I'll start with John Mayall & Friends - Along For The Ride.

Great performances and sound! Features guest appearances by Gary Moore, Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, Mick Taylor, Billy F Gibbons, Jonny Lang, Otis Rush, Steve Cropper, Steve Millerm, Jeff Healey, John McVie, Chris Rea and more.:D

[pdenny]

Here's two from "old masters" as it were:

Elvis Costello WHEN I WAS CRUEL
Van Morrison DOWN THE ROAD

From last year, Rufus Wainwright's POSES was a beautifully recorded collection of superb pop songs. Wonderful arrangements and hooks aplenty.

[PsychFan]

I've been listening almost exclusively to new music over the past few weeks, albeit from artists I've been following for some time:

When I Was Cruel, Elvis Costello ("45" is one of his best songs in years)

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Wilco (not the place to start with Wilco, but I've been a fan all along and this one grows on me more every day)

Are You Passionate, Neil Young (finally got my hands on the 2-LP set this week ... that taste of soul flavor really works!)

Stereo/Mono, Paul Westerberg (it ain't the Replacements, but he still comes up with some zingers now & then)

[Jimbo]

Frantic--Bryan Ferry. Opens with a rocking cover of "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" and sounds great from start to finish.

Release--Pet Shop Boys

Evangeline Made--(various artists, Cajun tribute)

[CM Wolff]

Stereo/Mono, Paul Westerberg (it ain't the Replacements, but he still comes up with some zingers now & then)

I also recommend the Paul Westerberg, and the second disc (Mono) is pretty much the Replacements (it is great to hear Tommy Stinson's voice meshing will Paul's again...) although it doesn't reach the heights of their classics.

I second the Van Morrison and Neil Young and Costello, and the new Bonnie Raitt really snuck up on me and has been receiving a lot of play in my house.

If you like film scores, the new Star Wars is very good as you would expect, with the Love Theme and its variations being a great addition to Williams' other Star Wars themes.

[MikeT]

Something I purchased this week which was very good (especially if you like the artist):

Laurie Anderson - "Live at Town Hall" (2 disc set recorded in NY's famed Town Hall theater basically a week or two after the WTC disaster).

[Claus]

Rush's Vapor Trails is a good record... I was disappointed at first, but after listening and listening I like it very much. Unfortunately they had no good engineer on the board :mad:

[Togo]

Something new(ish)

Mercury Rev "All is Dream" (released in the fall last year but still great)

and for the old/new angle try...

Patti Smith's "Land" 2 x CD collection of hits, live tracks and some brand new recordings including a great cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry"

Happy Listening!

[Joseph]

Originally posted by Claus
Rush's Vapor Trails is a good record... I was disappointed at first, but after listening and listening I like it very much. Unfortunately they had no good engineer on the board :mad:


Claus,

It's a shame that the sonics are so poor on this album. It read that the band had a lot of input/ control on the digital recording levels. Wonder if the years have affected their ears? :(

[jason r. baur]

I'd like to second the Wilco and Patti Smith recommendations.

[CM Wolff]

I have only been a very casual Patti Smith fan and bought Land. I like most of the first disc and it seems like it does a good job as a compilation. However, the second disc has been a rough go for me; I find it impenetrable. Will repeated listenings somehow make me see the light on the second half of Land, or am I destined to appreciate only what is apparently the more accesible side of her work?

[Togo]

Originally posted by CM Wolff
I have only been a very casual Patti Smith fan and bought Land. I like most of the first disc and it seems like it does a good job as a compilation. However, the second disc has been a rough go for me; I find it impenetrable. Will repeated listenings somehow make me see the light on the second half of Land, or am I denstined to appreciate only what is apparently the more accesible side of her work?

Like you I really enjoy the first disc. The second is a little of a hit and miss affair - but most compilations of rare and live tracks tend to end up that way - no matter how much of a fan you may be.

I find myself cherry picking through it, but really enjoying the challenging nature of her music. The hits CD just flies by and is frankly, just great.:)

[SVL]

Pop/Rock:

Leonard Cohen Ten New Songs
Paul Simon You're the One

Jazz:

Charlie Haden Nocturne
Michael Brecker The Nearness of You.

The two new Tom Waits albums (one new album and one new/old album) seem to be interesting too, though I still have to listen to them in more detail.

[peterC]

Become You by The Indigo Girls is nice (and sonically very good).

[snowman]

Well, not really 'new', but a 2000 release:-

Ian Anderson - Secret language of Birds.

Any 'Tull lovers that don't have this.. Shame on you!

Very acoustic/melodic. Sound quality seems 'ok' to me.

[Ken_McAlinden]

w.r.t. the new Patti Smith collection. I just could not convince myself to purchase a Patti Smith anthology called "Land" that did not include the track ... uh ... "Land". What is up with that?:confused:

Regards,

[Tullman]

Originally posted by snowman
Well, not really 'new', but a 2000 release:-

Ian Anderson - Secret language of Birds.

Any 'Tull lovers that don't have this.. Shame on you!

Very acoustic/melodic. Sound quality seems 'ok' to me.

I have it!!!:D

[Dave]

Tullman,

What's your opinion on the sound quality?

[tomd]

1)The Paul Westerberg -Stereo/Mono double cd

2)Black Rebel Motorcycle Club-B.R.M.C. a virtual dead ringer for The Jesus and Mary Chain.It's great hearing new bands playing "Alternative" music that sounds like real Alternative (80s sound) music!

[Kym]

Cornershop, Handcream For A Generation

[Jeff H.]

Norah Jones "Come Away With Me". One of the best records of the year so far.:)

[MagicAlex]

Originally posted by Jeff H.
Norah Jones "Come Away With Me". One of the best records of the year so far.:)

This is a good one. Well recommended for music lovers of all genres!

[KLM]

RUSH - Vapor Trails
Bonnie Raitt - Silver Lining
Elvis Costello - When I Was Cruel
White Stripes - White Blood Cells
Peter Gabriel - Remasters
Queen - Night At the Opera DVD-A

[snowman]

Hi KLM,
What Peter Gabriel re-masters do you have? I'm considering buying the 'Plays Live' re-master.

[KLM]

Snowman,
I bought all the remasters including "Plays Live" If you're looking for Live Gabriel, the best live cd (depending on your musical tastes) is Secret World Live. The remastered Plays Live has been cut by about 4 songs and is actually Highlights of Plays Live. The sound is good just not great but it does have good performances of material from his first five albums while Secret World draws more heavily from his later albums.

Hope this helps.