Robert Palmer - Clues (Island, 1980)

annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd I'm back. For how long? Who knows.

I've got this one for you. Still going through it, I basically picked this up because 1.) Compass Point Studios and 2.) Todd Terje's killer cover of "Johnny and Mary" with Bryan Ferry was burning up my iPod so bad I had to check out the original, and it's still kicking my ass.

What you're getting into - some super tight new-wave/power-pop whatever-you-want-to-call-it, clean studio trickery, some straight ahead rockers that suck in a good way, and... "Johnny and Mary." Chris Frantz, Gary Numan, and others guest. Good times! Combed-back hair! Cassette tape Walkmans! The Bahamas!

Here's Todd Terje's rendition of that song I keep talking about:

And the original video, complete with mime dancing:

Some other highlights on this first listen: "I Dream of Wires", "Woke Up Laughing"

Love, R

Africa Mix

I lied. Here's an "unmixed" mix I found in the car from about 2 years ago. I liked listening to it again and hopefully you will too.

Tracklist: 

 

Enjoy

Ryuichi Sakamoto - BTTB (Sony Classical, 2000)

The masterful playing of Ryuichi = sounds to soothe the stress of a mid-semester workload.

"Opus" and "Lorenz and Watson," among others, show that Ryu studied my spirit guide of the piano, Erik Satie, quite closely.

And this version of "Tong Poo" is quite lovely and dynamic. 

I'll be gone for about a week, busy travels, hope you enjoy this one as much I have this Sunday afternoon.

--------------------------------

My favorite piano duo: 

 

Enjoy

Phil Manzanera - Primitive Guitars (EG, 1982)

Tasty collection of instrumental tracks from this prolific guitarist with quite a solid track record (founding member of Roxy Music, collaborator with Brian Eno, Robert Wyatt, Yuki Takahashi...). I really like how he describes his approach to the guitar ("guitars that don't sound like guitars" being a key element of my own taste). Some of these tracks haven't aged so well, and I could do without the muffled studio interludes, but tracks like "Rimto de LA," "Europe 70-1" and "Bogota" knock it out of the park. Great approach to effects, perhaps some guitar synth in there? I'm sold. Recommended if you love those out-there double tracked solos on early Eno albums (Warm Jets, Tiger Mountain).

(back cover detail, check it out) 

Enjoy

Yukihiro Takahashi - What, Me Worry? (Alfa, 1982)

I don't want anything to do with anything
That isn't going to make the world a better place to live in

You know what I mean
There just isn't enough time for that...

Yuki with a special one. The intro to "Flashback," then the big strings... Bill Nelson, YMO's secret weapon, on eBowed guitar... "My Highland Home in Thailand"... pop hooks galore. Enjoy.