I haven't bought music in quite a while, so I thought I'd drop some cash and just do it, since the RIAA isn't paying attention to my boycott anyway...

Here's what's in my Amazon cart. Anyone have any thoughts on this--what to pass on, something I should get instead...

Snakes & Arrows - Rush; Audio CD

Richard Strauss: Also sprach Zarathustra; Ein Heldenleben [Hybrid SACD] (Living Stereo series)

Brahms: String Quintets Nos. 1 & 2, Opp. 88 & 111 [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] Johannes Brahms (Composer), Juilliard String Quartet (Performer), Walter Trampler (Performer) (Sony Essential Classics)

Awake - Dream Theater; Audio CD

Ghost Reveries - Opeth; Audio CD

10,000 Days - Tool; Audio CD

Introduce Yourself - Faith No More; Audio CD

Raising Sand - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss; Audio CD

Quite the eclectic collection!

I try.

Also pretty damn mainstream, I'm thinking.

I always wanted to try Opeth. I think I have them in a queue somewhere on the web. . .

Every once in a while I get a hankering for melodic metal. Do they fit that bill?

About 40-50% of the time. The rest of the time, they're death metal, complete with growls.

I didnt care much for the raising sand album myself. I like her "hundred miles or more" album much better. I also picked up sarah mclaghlan's new one a while back and really like it.

I am waiting for the new Sugarland Album to come out on the 22nd.

Well Ken, I'd say go with the Strauss and Brahms and pass on the others(of course, the main reason that I say this is that I don't have the slightest idea what any of the others are). I assume that you got another Beethoven 9th without a squeaking chair, as I've suggested a couple times before, so I won't repeat that.

Eric's recent mention of the Borodin symphonies reminded me of a terrific collection that I hadn't listened to recently, so I was enjoying it earlier this evening. I'll give Tower links on these, since it looks like you'll be spending plenty at Amazon already, and the Tower prices are a bit better(but shipping is slower). Go with this Borodin collection . Then, the Brahms pick indicates that you might be in the mood for a little chamber music, so I'll suggest my two favorite chamber music CDs: this beautiful Debussy-Ravel disc and The Emersons doing three of the most popular string quartets in great style. A Daphnis et Chloe is essential, of course, so go with Dutoit . Nice package for about $26 with free shipping.

Actually, I'm not sure where the Brahms came from; I'm guessing someone recommended it around here. A lot of this stuff has been sitting in my Wish List for quite some time.

The Kraus / Plant CD sucks as far as recording quality goes. Big time noise floor. I do like the music though....different in a good way.

You might want to give the new Tantric CD a listen (the end begins). I’m enjoying that one more and more every time I hear it. An older band with new players and a completely different sound. They did a great job recording it too.

Hmm. I don't know anything about Tantric. What type of music is it?

I think I'll probably drop Krauss/Plant; it was more a curiosity than anything else.

Tantric is an Alt Rock group. Not the normal style though. They use violin quite a bit, which I thought was pretty clever and sounds unique. Just listen to the sampler on Amazon...

Opeth is such an aquired taste, but once you develop it you won't get sick of them, at least that was my experience. I remember hearing the album Still Life about 5 years ago and not liking it much at all... the first time. Now I still can't get enough of it, along with Blackwater Park, My Arms Your Hears, Morningrise, and Deliverance.

Oddly enough the only album of theirs that I do tire of sometimes is Ghost Reveries. My advice is to buy Blackwater Park and give it time to sink in. You will be hooked.

Oh, and Awake is great too. It's another grower and it's right up there with Images and Words and Scenes From a Memory.

A few comments on the few I own or know. personal taste only of courses so worthless in that I can't assume to know what you will like.

Snakes & Arrows - Rush; Audio CD
I bought this one and thought I really liked it the first few times I played it. At risk of life and limb, I have to say I tired of it surprisingly quickly. When it comes up in the random rotation, I now almost always hit the skip button. Seems like a sin to skip Rush but this album just didn't have the usual Rush staying power. I'd say borrow it from a friend or library and play it a while before you buy.

Brahms: String Quintets Nos. 1 & 2, Opp. 88 & 111
Enjoyed this one and still do. My friends hate that my Squeezebox will randomly play Metallica, then follow it up with Brahms.

10,000 Days - Tool; Audio CD
I LOVE 60% of this CD. The unique percussion (I have forgotten the term Hutz taught me for it) is both haunting and addictive. Unfortunately, some of the softer, experimental stuff is at such low volume that you think nothing is playing at times. The M60s present it better but you must skip or raise the volume in my Jeep. The same tracks are a bit too repetitive for me too so ironically, thier uniqueness gets a bit tiring. I still say it's worth buying though. The 3D glasses and very unique artwork built into the case is cool too.

Introduce Yourself - Faith No More; Audio CD
Don't own, prolly won't buy, but I like it.

Raising Sand - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss; Audio CD
Borrowed, not impressed enough to buy.

*blood simmering*

j/k, heh. You're funny.

I actually listened to it yesterday for the first time in months. I tend to agree with you. I skip many songs when I do play it. The highlights, however, are very, very good, including the two full-band instrumentals and the single "Far Cry".

Ken, if those are available as mp3s, I'd say get tracks 1, 6, and 12.

OK, that wasn't too bad. I didn't turn green and rip out of my clothes or anything.

That's kind of disappointing.

I'm definitely passing on the Krauss/Plant, but I think I'll give Snakes and Arrows a swing.

Ken, remember they also have a DVI, which as far as I can tell is like DVD-audio, for Snakes and Arrows. It has bonus interviews which are really good.

I'm not that interested in DVD audio, and from my understanding, VDI is pretty much just a DVD.


Also not available from Amazon directly any more, so I'd have to pay shipping.

Ken,
Go for the Snakes & Arrows cd. It's one of their better production efforts. The sound of Neil Peart's "west coast kit" is worth it. Personally, I really like the whole cd from start to finish

I give a hearty thumbs up to Awake and pretty much any DT, especially their earlier stuff. That is probably my 2nd favorite of their's after Metropolis 2.

I also have Ghost Reveries, my first and only Opeth so far. I actually like it, not a favorite, but it's good. In fact I think I'll give it a listen now.

It's good to see that I'm not the only one that goes on binges for CD's...Saturday I spent about 8 hours researching and shopping at various stores. Quite disappointed in what I was able to find available, but I ended up with (all new artists to me):
Norah Jones- Come Away with Me (new genre for me altogether)
OTEP- Ascension (talk about extreme difference from Norah)
Sentenced- Buried Alive (live album, 2 discs, seemed a good deal)
3- End is Begun

That wasn't good enough, so the next day I ordered from Amazon-
Cowboy Junkies- The Trinity Sessions
Paula Cole- Greatest Hits
Blackmore's Night- Secret Voyage (I kept seeing their dvd's that looked interesting, but never remembered to look them up at home until Saturday, interesting stuff)
Midnattsol- Nordlys
Krypteria- Bloodangel's Cry

I could have easily added another 5 or 6 discs, but spent too much already. At least it's much easier to smuggle in new cd's than it is speakers and large audio related equipment...

Heh. I haven't ordered yet... gotta work up the courage to press that Checkout button. There might be something I like better out there...

I listened to Plant/Kraus's Raising Sand on the drive home yesterday and I might be in the minority around here but I like it. I agree with Mike that the recording quality is not top notch (compression is an issue on several songs), but the sound quality is better than any Led Zeppelin disc that I ever had. I liked the beat to several songs on the Tool CD in your cart and the recording quality is very good but I ultimately threw out that CD because after listening to the lyrics a little closer, I found it too offensive for my taste (sacreligious). I can't comment on the others as I do not own them and have not heard them.

Yeah... Tool/Keenan isn't exactly pro-Christianity.

Is there at least a couple you know you want? If so, and it's free shipping, might as least order 2 or so to get them going...
Then you have 2 to listen to while you think about the others...

*checkout* *click checkout* *just do it!*

That's a lucrative gimmick when someone hasn't done anything interesting in 15 years (Tool) or never had any talent to begin with (Mercyful Fate).

There's a certain irony to advocating freedom then attacking those who choose to exercise it.

I buy most of my CD's used at half.com, with a lot of previewing samples @ ITMS

Ken, make sure you empty your cart and put fresh CDs in there. I'm sure the ones currently in there have gotten pretty stale.

Speaking of stale, I finally discovered the source of the rotten smell permeating my front office at work. Dead mouse in the corner!

This only proves to me that the cleaning lady does a half-a$$ job.


Okay, back to our regularly scheduled thread. . .

Oh, I thought the title of this thred was "What stale thing is in your office?"

*thread

word

No, that's at "JP's Office" in the Water Cooler.

I thought that was the whole thread.

You love my blog/thread.

You wish I updated it more.

Yeah, but only as a seed for mockery.

THPPTHFTH

- UBERBOT