nekomatic

So I got the good headphones on for Medúlla and turned the volume up and I think that's how it needs to be listened to - it isn't furniture music, it's meant to be immersive. Of course it turns out I do know some of the tracks, and could hum Who Is It, but this is still an album I'm not very familiar with despite having owned it for I assume the (gulp) 19 years since it was released. I do get that not everyone likes unaccompanied choral music, and I guess I do, but I didn't find myself thinking at any point ‘oh this is unaccompanied choral music’ - it makes a complete sound world that I was very happy to spend three quarters of an hour in, and the variety of what she does with it only really struck me afterwards - Vökuró for example is pretty much a straight classical choir piece, Oceania is drum'n'bass, and there's plenty in between. And of course not everyone likes her voice, and the way she sings each syllable as if it's the first time she's ever tried to pronounce it, but for me it all works - taking some time to really listen properly to something so complex and engaging was an experience I really enjoyed. And I have to say, I struggle to think of anyone else around at the moment who has had such commercial success with such bold and experimental music (suggestions?) My takeaway from this week then is that not only should I listen to Medúlla more, I should listen to Björk more, because she's done so much more since then that I also don't know properly (well it has been 19 years). Bring on next week!

You’ll be able to find the cap elsewhere, including on eBay - I just linked to CPC because they have a good range and good data. I’d probably replace all three of the electrolytics to be on the safe side, then if it still didn’t work move on to unsolder and test the transistors.

The main difference in specs between electrolytics of the same capacitance and voltage is the temperature rating and lifetime - the cheapest ones are usually rated 1000 hours at 85 C, more expensive ones for longer at 105 C. If that lifetime sounds short, AFAIK it is quoted at the maximum voltage and temperature, so at room temperature and less than max voltage it should last much longer. If you have a look at suitable capacitors on CPC (you may need to adjust the filters on the left hand side) you can get one that meets the specs for the princely sum of eight pence (plus 4.99 p&p, unless you order some other gubbins), or you can pay a bit more for a higher spec brand name one which since they are so cheap, I probably would. It's worth bearing in mind though that although one component has obviously failed, others may have been taken out by the AC supply as well - the resistors and ceramic caps will be fine but possibly the other electrolytics and the transistors. Unfortunately the JFETs aren't so easy to get hold of nowadays.

Well that's a surprise - I was expecting someone else I'd never heard of! Having said that though, while I know Post and Homogenic like the back of my hand, and love them both, I have listened to most of her later albums multiple times but they haven't stuck with me in the same way (yet) - I can't name or hum any tracks from this one. So this is the ideal cue to listen to it again with fresh ears and think about what I do or don't like about it. Which is the genius of this concept.

Jim Fleeting update: he's still in Stockport, but now in Pear Mill (on the fourth floor, next to Stockport Studios). I took the Jazz in to get a couple of neck dings sorted out and a professional setup for once, and he did an excellent job which was both quicker and slightly cheaper than his original estimate, so I came away a happy bunny. I can also confirm that he's a top bloke to chat about basses with.

I liked this from the off - it's energetic, the sound is complex but well balanced (imho) so you can hear everything that's going on, and there's variety from track to track. The bass is rewarding to listen to and the perc is fun (I do like a bit of conga, me). If I had an alt-rock band I think I'd be pretty happy if it sounded like these guys. If I had an alt-rock band that sounded a bit boring I'd definitely look at this album for a few ideas to change things up. I guess about half way through it started to run out of anything new to do for me, but that's not a bad result for a genre I'm not usually all that drawn in to. This is a brilliant idea - thanks for starting it and I look forward to the next one!

It’s such a shame that these attitudes ever existed, and all the more bizarre because I don’t think they have done for many years along the people who actually play the stuff. All the classical musicians I know are just as likely to enjoy listening to pop, blues, jazz, rock or dance when ‘off duty’ as to Mozart or Szymanowski, and not remotely snobby about what other people choose to like.

I’m really enjoying it! It’s well judged, funky, it’s keeping me interested and above all it’s fun. It’s putting a big grin on my face on a Monday morning and really, who can ask for more than that? It’d be great live too - has he said if there’d be any chance of them touring it? (PS I think I heard a slap at the end of track 5.)

I saw that trio at Sadlers Wells, on what I believe was the tour on which they recorded the Songs With Legs album, so I like to think I’m (silently) on it somewhere!

I just found out Carla Bley has died. RIP 💔 https://youtu.be/Osh6LbSRU9Y?si=GLjgM9cMdK-fIL-b

Ooh, good shout thanks. Although reading their FAQ reminded me about the Feeds view which is a lot better than the default.

I’m just annoyed by Facebook in general. If there was another way of loosely keeping in touch with the dozen or so people I feel I need to stay on it for, I’d ditch it like a shot.

Overrated: Low B strings Underrated: High C strings

Ha ha, great thread topic - I’ve thought of starting it but might have known someone else would have already. Although not all of them have aged well… Anyway, seeing Mel Blatt on that Celebrity Race Across The World reminds me that as a student I was in a jazz band with a sax player who mentioned that he’d been getting some part time work in a recording studio not far from Maida Vale where I was living at the time, on All Saints Road in fact. ‘Oh’ I said, ‘didn’t that band All Saints name themselves after the road where their first recording studio was?’ ‘I recorded their demo’ he replied.

This thread needs some chromatic harpsichord

I also feel your pain (in my case the proverb being measure twice, order once, cut not at all). I used the metal cutting disc on the Dremel, which was easier than I expected. And don’t ignore Stevie about the eye protection.

I think those websites are out of date.

New Corinne Baile… no honestly, come back: New Corinne Bailey Rae. Try 'Erasure' (track 3) for example. It's not what you were expecting!

dB for a 1 watt input measured at a distance of 1 metre, relative to a level that’s agreed to be the threshold of normal hearing. (dBm is used in measuring low-level electrical signals and is relative to a signal that produces 1 milliwatt into 600 ohms.) Don’t worry, I had to look that up, I didn’t know it all by heart.

First gig with the blues/soul band last night, also my first real gig in about twenty years barring the occasional school fête appearance. Beer garden of a pub as part of Stalybridge’s ‘Bridgefest’. Far from perfect, but we were pretty happy with it for a début! There was a guy sitting at the front during the previous band’s (very competent local music school kids under the name of The Fixations) set who I reckoned was a dead ringer for Marc Riley, but he’d left by the time we played. Probably for the best if it really was him. Also first gig for the homebuilt 1x12, which acquitted itself very well.

Thanks for posting that, it’s a thought-provoking perspective.

The Range have a surprising, er, range of stuff. I guess the clue is in the name. It’s well worth checking out, if you’re in range of one.

I could get there, depending on dates and commitments of course…

Aaaand The Bug Club headlining the tiny but perfectly formed Seek Out festival in Gisburn Forest in Lancashire, successor event to the much loved Cloudspotting. Great fun and Tilly Harris absolutely bosses it on bass. Also good were Mock Tudors (noisy), Bright Light Rooney (sardonic) and Neutrino and Goddess Collective (funky/jazzy). Blimey was it wet packing up this morning though.

Mark Guiliana at Band on the Wall on Tuesday, with Orlando Le Fleming on bass. A superb quartet, everyone filling their role without showboating which is never guaranteed when it’s the drummer’s band. Recommended, if they’re coming your way.