What are we all listening to at the moment.

[badgermark]

Listening to the first Dizzee Rascal album. It's more Nine Inch Nails than 50 cent. Really tricky listening, asymmetrical beats and sparse arrangements that's needing a lot of concentration. But blow me it's good.

[dheim]

Hypocrisy - a taste of extreme divinity

typical hypocrisy album... and it's not a bad thing at all! a bit faster and more brutal than usual but with their trademark melodies and atmospheres...

[Philly Q]

Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy

Again.

I still need to check that out. Whats it like?

Before answering that, I should say that (a) I never expected it to actually be released and (b) when it was released, I expected it to be utter garbage.

But on very first listen I thought "hey, this is really good".  And on subsequent listens, I thought "this is absolutely brilliant".  A total surprise.  Axl Rose may actually be a genius.  :)


(I seem to be in the minority though.  And bear in mind that I don't like anything else they did after Appetite.  And I've never really been a fan of Mr Slash, so I don't miss him.)

[blue]

i've listened to Chinese Democracy on and off over the last few months.  it's definately a "quality" record, but it doesn't have the immediacy or balls of the old stuff.  but then, it is twenty years later!  my only real complaint about it is that the songs all seem to have a similar tempo, so it does sometimes seem to blend into one. 

[Ian Price]

I've only heard clips of Chinese Democracy. I'm tempted to give it a go. My expectations won't be that it is another Appetite....

[ToneMonkey]

Listening to the first Dizzee Rascal album. It's more Nine Inch Nails than 50 cent. Really tricky listening, asymmetrical beats and sparse arrangements that's needing a lot of concentration. But blow me it's good.

Good man, I've got that.  There's some real speaker blowers on it.

Been listening to a lot of reggee recently.  At the minute mainly The First - Ganja Farmer.  Also the orginal version of what the Prodogy sampled "I'm transending to outerspace - to fiiiiiiiind another race", but I don't know who it's by.

Been listening to a fair bit of Walter Trout and Ry Cooder too.

[Philly Q]

my only real complaint about it is that the songs all seem to have a similar tempo, so it does sometimes seem to blend into one. 

That is true, it feels like one "piece", almost as if it's a concept album.  At first I thought it could do with some short, punchy songs like "Welcome to the Jungle" or "It's So Easy", but I'm happy with it now.  It's got a big, "produced" kind of sound (but without being bloated and pompous).  Makes me think of Queen somehow, although it sounds nothing like Queen!  

I know some people don't think the guitar styles of Buckethead, Robin Finck and Ron Thal fit in Gn'R, but I think they're great.  There are some shreddy solos, but they're melodic and they fit the songs perfectly.  Precision shred!

[blue]

i didn't even notice the shredding until i went back and specifically looked for it!  the guitar playing is classy and restrained, all the players show consummate skill.  i suppose that could be a weakness, the album doesn't really have "guitar hero" moments like Sweet Child O' Mine or Estranged.  depends on your point of view really.  i like the album, just wish it hadn't taken so long.  i hope it's true that there is a second volume already in the can!

says a lot that we're still talking about Chinese Democracy now

[Philly Q]

Survivor - Caught In The Game

Ah, nostalgia!  :D

[Tomcaster]

Queen - A Night At The Opera

[badgermark]

Booked in for an addition to my Aereogramme tattoo, so celebrating by listening to their last album. It never gets old.

[MDV]

New all shall perish and alter bridge

[Baby Evil]

Peter Gabriel, growing up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh80jJNgRrY&feature=related

[Dmoney]

attack attack
brokencyde
tokyo hotel

[Will]

Jay Z on Jools :? He has a hell of a backing track...