One-sentence reviews: On the playlist

Yes, the sound you hear are crickets chirping in the winter cold. I’m posting a quick entry just to prove there’s still life in this wheezing, dying corner of the Internets. I’ve been doing other projects that’s taken me away from all my web sites, so Musicwhore.org isn’t singled out in that regard.

While I’m doing these other things, I am still listening to some music, if my Last.fm user profile is any indication. Seems like my playlist has more of a classical slant lately. Here, then, are some of things occupying my earspace:

  • Akasau, Akasau Kirilola rocks, but even this side project is a bit too holistic for my taste.
  • … And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, So Divided Where’s the sturm und drang?
  • Buffalo Daughter, Euphorica When the hell did Buffalo Daughter turn into the B-52’s?
  • Chara, "Sekai"/"Crazy for You" I didn’t realize how much missed Chara until she came back.
  • Eluvium, When I Live by the Garden and Sea Wish I could get into his non-piano stuff.
  • Envy, Insomniac Doze That is some of the most beautiful screaming I’ve heard in a long time.
  • Ernesto Lecuona, The Ultimate Collection A nostalgic choice because I had played one of his pieces in a piano rectical during my senior year of high school.
  • Erik Satie, Piano Works Proto-minimalist.
  • Explosions in the Sky, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell the Truth Shall Live Forever Friday Night Lights has turned me into a post-rock sycophant.
  • Jay Greenberg, Symphony No. 5 & Quintet for Strings This guy is a teenager or something, right?
  • Ludwig Van Beethoven, The Late String Quartets, Emerson String Quartet Damn you, Shostakovich, for making Beethoven sound pale by comparrison.
  • Michael Nyman, The Piano, Composers Cut, Vol. III I like this score better as a concert suite.
  • mono & World’s End Girlfriend, Palmless Prayer This is really pretty.
  • Now It’s Overhead, Dark Light Days The more listen, the more I like.
  • Patty Griffin, Living with Ghosts I like 1,000 Kisses better.
  • Steve Reich, Drumming, So Percussion So maddening but compelling at the same time.
  • Sting, Songs from the Labyrinth Yeah, I’m just glad he’s not inflicting his own stuff on this album.
  • Various composers, Glass Cage: PIano Music from Philip Glass and John Cage, Bruce Brubaker, piano A bit too close to the noise floor, but a nice collection of pieces.