Current listening, October 2020

29/10/20 #music in posts

This week, I've been off work. I have more time to listen to things. Since the first lockdown, I've lost the 2 hours a day commutting with headphones on. That's about 240 hours over 6 months! Lots that I've missed. And I'm driving less. Listening time happens when I walk and when I'm at the gym, rarely when I'm sitting passively at home. Watching YouTube or TV gets me listening at home.

BBC stuff:

The first episode of The Sound of Movie Musicals with Neil Brand was brilliant. Super impressed by the ambition of early movie musicals. This show tracks the genre around the world, from early 1900s to nowaways. I learnt that Stalin became a fan and had his own private cinema installed. Inspired, Stalin commissioned a movie musical, the first of which was Jolly Fellows, quickly followed by Circus.
To stay awake until bed time (I'm doing sleep restriction at the mo), I went for a 30 minute walk at 10:45pm and listened to Brian Eno on the Sound and Vision show. So many atmospheric tracks that will help you sleep, exactly what I didn't need. His music doesn't follow a narrative, no beginning or end, just the middle bit.
Count Bassie through his own eyes. Tuned into Work from home with Count Basie Spotify Playlist after watching the show.
A brilliant live version of Sealion by Feist on Later with Jools Holland

Noteworthy new music to my ears:

WhoMadeWho
Death in Vegas, particularly The Contino Sessions
To help people understand time signatures, musicians on YouTube made nursery rhymes set to odd metres. I learnt a lot!
Cover of Radiohead's Arpeggi by Kelly Lee Owens

New releases:

Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, a compilation of the tracks Gorillaz have released over the last year.
Alice in Wonderland by Nahre Sol. Stunning piano player. She has a great Youtube channel. But nothing making me want to listen a second time. I was reminded of Lubomyr Melnyk as I listened to some of her arpeggio pieces. Melnyk's music truly captivates and is hypnotic. I saw him play once at the Royal Festival Hall.