Elvis - Elvis Presley

The King himself, Elvis Presley. I've actually been playing a lot of vinyl lately. But I haven't been posting. Don't ask me why, I mean this computer is right next to my turntable setup. Track three just started, "When my blue moon turns to gold again". I don't think I've heard this dong very much. As a matter of fact I think I've only heard it on this album and have only spun this album about three times including today. But I like it. Its a longing yet fun sound and I dig that. This album titled, "Elvis", is obviously self titled. It says in the top corner "Stereo effect reprocessed from monophonic". I'm curious, what that did to the original sound. How did they take something recording in mono and reproduce it in stereo?  

So Monophonic refers to Monophony a musical style employing a single melodic line without accompaniment. It goes on to explain that may be a single single or instrument. I guess that translates to recorded Elvis by himself and added the music later? But that doesn't jive, I don't think it means what I thought it did. Anyhow.

I try to use discogs for all my reference material. For one thing, it is an awesome site all about music. Another is you can build and maintain a collection of your music, and not just, hey I have this Elvis album, no no no. It is as specific to be by issue year, whether its mono or stereo, who produced it, what country it was released in, just tons of detail. Some people may never care to look into that kind of info, but at the same time there are those who are curious what release they have, maybe they have something worth a few bucks, maybe they have something that made it all the way from another continent. What story is behind that physical media. I love all types of formats (including digital), but what kind of story is behind your record, or cassette for that matter. Why did someone write there name on it. Maybe you bought one that had someone's notes or something written on the inside. Maybe its just a plain old album or tape, you never know. But I'm starting to appreciate physical media more than digital. Maybe its because I can remember dancing in may aunt's den to Michael Jackson's Thriller album on her huge record player / console, country top type table thing. Maybe its a phase, but as much as I love music, I doubt I'll ever get rid of my stereo equipment and record collection (I just bought a matching Fisher Tape Deck to my Fisher Receiver, tried to get a nice Fisher direct drive turn table, but that fell through. I still have my beginner Audio Technica Turntable AT-LP60BK). 

But more on this record. The Album, "Elvis", has a total of twelve tracks. There are six on each side and this is a single LP. 

Side A consists of:

1. Rip it Up

2. Love Me (My most favorite song from Elvis because of the movie Heartbreak Hotel)

3. When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again

4. Long Tall Sally

5. First In Line

6. Paralyzed

Side B has the following:

1. So Glad You're Mine

2. Old Shep

3. Ready Teddy (Another fun song performed on Heartbreak Hotel)

4. Anyplace is Paradice (currently playing as I type this)

5. How's the World Treating You

6. How Do You Think I Feel

If there is another that sounds the way Elvis sounds and can honestly be considered not a copy cat I don't know of him/her. I'm not talking in just voice, but musical performance as a whole. You put Elvis on and that feeling just comes around. Good Ole times... I doubt I could put it into words. If you don't find yourself singing or at the very least humming and/or swaying along to an Elvis song, you're not really paying attention or we can't be friends. For instance, "How's the world treating you", is currently playing, don't remember ever hearing it but I was automatically humming to it.

Bottom line is, this is a good record to put on ANYTIME. Perfect background music, but don't be afraid to crank it up and belt out the lyrics when alone or feeling silly with someone.

Lack of Updates

If you checked out this or any of my blogs, you can clearly see I don't do this all the time and not very good at it. Currently i'm entering an inventory of my small vinyl collection on Discogs. Once finished I hope to review each album I've not yet written about.

Thanks!

My Head is an Animal... Rwar!...

This year started off pretty good in the way of vinyl. I entered and won a giveaway from Mr. Vinyls on Twitter.
As usual and part of the reason for getting into vinyl, vinyl subscription services and following events like Record Store Day was not just to find dusty old favorites in the dollar bin but to discover more music. I love finding new artists, groups, DJs of all kinds to listen to. Its funny I love music so much and feel like I live under a rock because I'm constantly finding songs, albums artists I've never heard of. That I'd how it was when I was asked to pick out an album from a list of nine possibilities. I chose, "My Head is an Animal" a debut album from a group called Of Monsters and Men. Now this is not an American group (big shocker I know....). They are from Iceland with their music being categorized as "Folk Pop" (I guess I could see that). With just this tiny bit of info you can't tell me you aren't the least bit curious about what this album sounds like? I know I was. I quickly Youtube'd the songs and within a few seconds of listening to the first track I knew I needed this album. I'm not even sure the first verse had finished before I completed my selection. That's how fast I reacted. Now that I have this album, which came with a free digital download card I listen to it often, several times in one day even. This group which doesn't sound anything like monsters and has women as well as men in their group sounds amazing and I will definitely track down any other releases from them. I'm blogging this on my Android S5 Active and so do not see a spot to post a photo from my Instagram of the album cover. I'll need to get the hang of the mobile blogging thing.

Track Listings:
Dirty Paws
King And Lionheart
Mountain Sound
Slow And Steady
From Finner
Little Talks
Six Weeks
Love Love Love
Your Bones
Sloom
Lakehouse
Yellow Light

The worldly music of Antonin Dvorak, physically as well as musically.

This serenade in E major for strings Op. 22 was conducted by Rafel Kubelik to the Philharmonic Ochestra of Israel.

Antonin Leopold Dvorak (1841 to 1904) was a composer of classical music. Born in Czechoslovakia became an apt student of the violin at age 6. Public performances of his compositions debuted in 1872. The works on this album were composed in 1875 and consists of five pieces or as they are described on the back of the album cover, "Movements".

Side A:

First Movement: Moderato
Second Movement: Tempo di Valse
Third Movement: Scherzo (Vivace)

Side B:

Fourth Movement: Largbetto
Fifth Movement Allegro Vivace

This was a blind buy from a local Half Price Books store. I was in the mood to hear classical music and grabbed a bunch of dollar priced albums that seemed like they could be good. I just knew I wanted a lot of string melodies. Piano is fine, but I really do like violin and cello. I find this album to be fun and a bit up lifting even though when I hear "Serenade" I think something slow and smooth. As for the title of this blog post, I noticed writing on this album that I could not make sense of, so I googled it.

This album from a Czech composure, was played by an Israili orchestra recorded and distributed by a british label, sold or at least brought into the states, shelved by the Iowa Wesleyan College Music Library later to be purchase by a number of who knows and then again sold to Half Price Books (Possibly the same one I bought it from), to end up in a collection in South Texas. That's pretty cool, it reminds you that you're holding something the traveled not only physically, from a business perspective, but also a personal one. I think that's pretty cool and very much enjoyed listening to this Serenade by Dvorak.

The New Tommy Dorsey Orchestra - without Tommy Dorsey?!?!

One thing about collecting vinyl is that you don't have to buy new all the time. Like anything else new is still a safe bet, but there are tons of places that sell used vinyl from back in the day instead of the more expensive usually 180gram pressing reissues that are being put on the market these days. A lot of that older stuff can be purchased for a pretty fair price. Take this record for example, now at the time of purchase I didn't realize it was more of a tribute record instead an actual Tommy Dorsey record, but in my effort to hear new things I figured it couldn't hurt for a dollar purchase.

Tommy Dorsey, considered one of the big four giants of Swing, a small an elite group consisting of Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw & Benny Goodman. Is said to have kept his group playing the longest out of the four whose sounds are considered fresh and memorable, decades after they're released even as musical tastes have changed.

This album released by RCA Victor consists of one 33 1/3 record recorded live, which I might add sounds awesome with people's comments and applause.

Side A:

1. Introduction: Im gettin' Sentimental Over You
2. A Lot of Livin' to do (with Jeannie Thomas)
3. The Best things in Life Are Free (featuring Charlie Shavers)
4. A Song in India (with Larry O'Brien)
5. On The Sunny Side of the Street (featuring The Pied Pipers)
6. Body and Soul

Side B:

1. Marie (with Larry O'Brien)
2. Just One of Those Things (featuring  Helen Forrest)
3. That Lonesome Road (featuring Helen Forrest)
4. I Wish I could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate (featuring Helen Forrest)
5. My Melancholy Baby (featuring Helen Forrest)
6. Well, Get It

Helen Forrest, featured on the B side of this album, has an amazing voice, very WWII era sound and I would not complain about listening to more records that included her lead vocals.

Brothers from The Black Keys

Picked up a new record today. New to my collection, but one that's been out for a while. The Black Keys' Brothers double LP Album. This bad boy came in a nice mat, what looks like screen printed, album cover. The albums them selves are a lovely 180 gram pressing on black vinyl. I know there are some people that feel things sound better on heavier vinyl but I like them because they "feel" like better quality. Also inside the cover was an oversized poster and a copy of the album on CD.  The album cost me about $35 at Hogwild Records. That is a bit higher than I'm used to paying for my vinyl, but with it being a double LP, having a very large poster within, including a actual physical CD and being a more popular group I suppose the price is justified. That and I wanted to try to support my local independent Record shop that had a nice selection of new and use vinyl. This double LP has 15 songs and is definitely an awesome sounding revord. I think there are at least two more albums needed to complete my Black Keys collection.

Interpol |El Pintor| A spanagram

El Pintor which as it turns out, is the 5th album from the band Interpol from Matador Records.

Having never heard this band before I was introduced to them on Vinyl Loop's Twitter feed. Quick side note about Vinyl Loop. They are a website that selects a couple of records about once a month (always limited editions) and sell them at a discounted rate and if you are in most of the 50 states you should get them shipping free.

As just mentioned this was a limited edition vinyl album. The limited part? It's a white vinyl. I think it looks frick'n cool by-the-way. (in retrospect should have taken a picture of the white vinyl..)

The album itself consists of ten songs.

Side A

1. All The Rage Back Home
2. My Desire
3. Any Where
4. Same Town New Story
5. My Blues Supreme

Side B

1. Everything Is Wrong
2. Breaker 1
3. Ancient Ways
4. Tidal Wave
5. Twice As Hard

Overall a good album. I hate the way that sounds, but its true. This, to me, is in no way a bad album. I love listening to this record over and over and for someone who has gotten use to buying one or two songs off an album digitally because that's the ones they know and don't need to spend money on other songs they may or may not like, that's saying a lot. I've actually heard it twice already it just the time its taken me to get this far in the blog (I keep stopping to listen and read the lyrics).

I can tell you I love the electric guitar, the singing is almost that 70s era style, compared to what is out these days, it seems old fashion to me, and I love that. Okay maybe not 70s. Its more like the hauntint version of a grunge band. Of the new release vinyl I've purchased over the past couple of months (yes I've only been collecting new vinyl for about two months) I would have to say this is my third favorite maybe second favorite album.

I know right, why didn't i review my most favorite first?? Like most things this was completely random. I've been wanting to write about the music I listen to for some time, but actually sitting down and doing it is a bit difficult. I hope to start including specific opinions about each song on the albums I review. Dam this is a good album, currently listening to Breaker 1.

Okay i need to go, it's late and I'm helping my brother move tomorrow.