A Branch on what you're listening to at the moment and why etc. Links / YouTube embeds. Anything. Tell us. Recommend.

You know, when ever people ask that, I can never remember.

Well that's a good start.

#NP Bryan Ferry - Mamouna.

Really liked the "wires under tension" track on wire tapper 30. Anyone know their stuff?

Now playing the piano in an effort to record an early draft of a proof of concept track for the next motion picture from the Akhtar stable. No rest for the wicked ;)

Sorry, Tim! I'm about to watch Melancholia. No idea what the music'll be seeing as it's that Trier nutter.

Joe, I don't read the wire any more, but I had look online and they sound OK, though I'm not a massive fan of the violin... youtube.com

I've never really listened to Bryan Ferry. Sexy video.

This is about all I've listened to in the last three months.

Fred McDowell - The Alan Lomax Recordings
Pelt - Ayahuasca
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Richard Skelton - Vers of Birds
John Coltrane & Don Cherry - The Avant Garde
Tous les matins du monde OST
Steve Tibbetts ST
AC/DC - High Voltage
ISIS - Oceanic
Virgil Thomson/Gertrude Stein - Four Saints in Three Acts
Paul Bowles - Music for a Farce
Peter Evans Quintet - Ghosts
Tiago Sousa - Walden Pond's Monk
Fuqugi - gransofa + hightingale
Great Lake Swimmers ST

Alan Lomax and AC/DC in the same list!

Um, right now I seem to be listening to radio interviews and lectures with Professor Griff. He's a lunatic. Illuminati blah, masons blah, brainwashing blah.

The last thing I listened to before that was Gaslamp Killer. I don't recommend it.

Also, Ash, Melancholia is pretty rubbish.

Sorry, I don't feel very well.

Melancholia mostly uses Wagner's 'Tristan & Isolde' (though not quite as brilliantly as IvansXtc).

Griff is an odd man. Weird that Chuck defends him really. I ordered that GK LP - I hope it's not that bad. I didn't listen to it before buying it... Melancholia seems OK thus far. Bit weird.

He's just informed me that Nicki Minaj is "demonically possessed".

See what you think of Melancholia. I was ambivalent about it most of the way through and then decided it was basically bollocks.

I'm stopping Griff for a bit to listen to this. THIS is excellent: youtube.com

He's probabaly right about Minaj. What is it with Von Trier and all the nudity? Is the Ranelin thing meant to be out of tune with itself?

RE: Melancholia, I'm pretty much the same as Andrew but the jury's still out.

'Tristan & Isolde' don't remember that being in the film.

Well, I'm listening to 'Ware's Theme' by Tim Noble for the forthcoming film we're working on, and it's fucking brilliant. So there we are.

Out of tune with itself? Ha. I know nothing about music theory, but surely you've come across enough dissonance in your life by now. Public Enemy using samples that aren't in key with each other, Slayer solos that have nothing to do with the rest of the music...

I liked some of Von Trier's less, er, portentous films. The Idiots was good. The Bjork one was balls though. Missed all the others in-between. Actually saw Melancholia on a date :-/

Yeah, fair point. Still a touch sludgy for my liking.

Melancholia left me feeling much the same as Tree of Life did, oddly enough. Completely baffled by what I'd seen. I don't see why it was split into two parts. Existential, OK, depression, right, end of the world? Sci Fi? To quote those Oven Chips, "I am lost here."

Love a bit of sludge, me.

Yeah, I think he thought he take a couple of HUGE themes, throw them together, spend loads of money and just see what happened. And - SPOILER ALERT for others - it turns out the denouement is given away in that long-arse intro bit, which is odd and annoying.

I'm going to watch some Breaking Bad now. Everyone likes Breaking Bad, don't they?

I love Breaking Bad. S3 is only £12 in HMV atm. I swallowed the first two seasons like they were the wire. But yeah, Melancholia - so many people like it! So there must be something in it. Or not. I think it might be worth another watch. I thought the performances were strong enough...but that ending was just odd. And then again, how hard do you want to try with something that you suspect is good when you could just go to something else that could be incredible?

This is still the best film I've seen this year - youtube.com

Hi all from across the pond. Strange moment, now; A good friend just lost family, I just got hit with a ton of work, and life seems a bit more out of our hands than it should be.

Gotta tone it down with some slightly muted atmosphere and percussion.

At some point I should switch to something a little more upbeat to help me get my work done. A little classic house straight out of...Belfast...should do nicely.

Hellooooo. 1) I don't (particularly) like Breaking Bad. Nasty mean-spirited people, no one to "root" for. 2) To "pop" this thread up a bit, the two albums that I have done the whole listen-on-repeat get-a-bit-obsessed-by thing for recently have been Father John Misty - Fear Fun and the new Jens Lekman (finally "get" him with this one, lovely lovelorn stuff). I think you should be able to listen from the Deezer link at the bottom of this review? If, you know, you *want* to.

thelineofbestfit.com

Haha, I like the tips: "Be casual". I'm still in my PJs, does this count?

Closing scene aside, I hated Melancholia - especially the wedding which was the usual von Trier misery-fest where NO ONE ever has a conversation like any I've ever heard in you know, real life. And SPOILER, I actually turned off when she fucked the guy on the golf green. Kirsten Dunst half naked in the moonlight was alright, though.

Listening: I watched the Johnny Too Bad documentary last night, so slept with lots of John Martyn in my head. Small Hours is one of the greatest things ever.

Got me thinking though - would you swap your life to be someone who's creatively that good but generally an awful human being?

(And Jude, I've been a bit poppy too - really liking the new Beach House and Grizzly Bear records. I think I need to invest in a fixie and some FRTs). Also loving Art Blakey's Moanin' and the new Pelt record.

Andrew - I LOVE that Ranelin album. I actually meant to make that track my Dawn Song last week but forgot on my way to work.

Otherwise - hello, everyone. I have not seen Melancholia. I enjoy Breaking Bad. I seem to be the only person in the world who has yet to hear the new Pelt but I can't wait to get it.

I can't believe you're into the new GB, Matt. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT SHIT.

I like the new GB too actually - it's grown on me quite a bit. And I'm always a sucker for Beach House.

However, I've been listening to the new Mike Shiflet a lot. It's really very good.

I think I'm slightly out of this noise / drone area. Though I am listening to a lot of Nusrat's droning at the moment. youtube.com

Sorry, wrong link. Shikwa is the album, this is the track - youtube.com

The new Shiflet moves out of the straight noise/drone though, there's a lot more textures and sounds at work.

Link?

Here you go, there's a sample on the label website underthespire.co.uk

I've got this on order on Vinyl (so determined to get my deck working now). The only problem with some early synth stuff is that it can sound a bit plane although the first track is really good.

Like that. Can see that Emeralds would too.

Feeling the need to distance myself from drone atm. I want to engage with more rhythm based music, (being careful to avoid the dance floor at all costs!)

New Andy Stott sounds pretty good pitchfork.com

Physically avoiding the dancefloor, Joe?

Sonny - Hello! Of course you love the Ranelin; John McEntire had a hand in the reissue, innit. Brilliant record.

Matt - I saw Johnny Too Bad when it was on telly and don't remember Martyn being *that* much of a cunt.

Jude - This is what makes for good drama! Moral ambiguity! You have to be a bit torn. You must have rooted for Tony Soprano at points (?) and he's not exactly an avatar of good person-ness. Then again, I can't root for anyone in HBO's Girls, because I find EVERYONE in it utterly despicable.

Downloading the Laurie Spiegel from emusic. Emeralds can fuck off.

Am I using this right?

Oh definitely rooted for Big Tone. Not for *anyone* in Breaking Bad though. I just don't like it. Season 3 was a bit better, but 1 and 2 not at all.

I am now listening to Canadian band Elliott Brood. "Quite pleasant".

"Matt - I saw Johnny Too Bad when it was on telly and don't remember Martyn being *that* much of a cunt."

It was the interviews with Beverley that gave me a nasty taste in my mouth, and a couple of things Ralph McTell said.

I love the idea of being able to watch 3 seasons of something and still not liking it! I need a mirroring device that doubles the hours in the day or something.

And I was listening to the pre-fist punching Emeralds the other day and they were alright, really (or did John Elliott always punch the air?).

Am I missing something with that new Stott?

Matt - it's Nick's "fault". He loves it (along, it seems, with the rest of the world), so I tolerate it for his sake. If that's not love, I don't know what the flipping heck is!

How do I prevent Branch sending me an email every time someone posts something here - do you know?

Robust Worlds - Emotional Planet, more washed out lo-fi Americana-tinged stuff, but I like it soundcloud.com

Click on your icon at the top right of the screen - it's in settings.

Ta, Matt. Got it x

Thanks Matt!

Go to your own face in the top right, Jude. Settings accessed from there.

PS - this Elliott Brood album's pretty bland, btw. Wouldn't recommend it.

Oh, too late.

Ash - proper speakers?

Andrew - maybe.

Back on topic: Efterklang - Parades now. Wanted to play Piramida, but they didn't have it on Deezer.

I like that Efterklang record, though I don't think I would ever play it out of choice. Listening to Loscil - sketches from new brighton. Think I want this record.

Andrew - actually I quite like dancing and can really make a twat of myself given half a chance. (even more than normal)

Just got sent this awful piece of shit to promote some new shit from DJ Shadow. He should have never made The Outsider. soundcloud.com

Fucking HORRIBLE.

The "hyphy" rap stuff on The Outsider was pretty good, the rest was balls.

Just ordered that Loscil LP.

youtube.com

This is pretty good. Have to admit I like this label. Wasn't this guy at oto recently?

Yes and yes. I didn't go.

A gem from the recently split-up G-side. Dreamy as hell.

That new Loscil is good. It's just Loscil though.

Heh. Akira The Don just mentioned them on Twitter. Don't think I've ever heard.

I'm now listening to lots of "meh" local bands, doing write-ups for a one-day mini festival.

Enjoyed that G-Side tune. What album do I start with?

Definitely Starshipz and Rocketz (2008). It's actually the second album though, first one's Sumthing 2 Hate (2007). The One Cohesive is very great too. toma.hk

I've not been asked to do the mini-festival thing this year! Oh the humanity!

But it does mean I'm listening to this, which is pretty weikeeditions.bandcamp.com

Cheers, Juice.

Rich - YOU CAN DO SOME OF MINE!

(I assumed you'd been asked and turned it down...)

Nope, not asked this year. To be fair, I'm not around that weekend so Simon might have excused me. He's got that fella from Slate The Disco to do some instead.

Now playing this: preservation.com.au, it's bloody great.

#sobored

I'm playing the trailer music for Looper. K.I.L.L from Nick Murray.

Any good, James?

@Asheq, I've not seen the film yet - but the music is awesome!

Just now, first listening to blonds "Time".. not bad for a première listening ok ! what do you think ?

Heard good reviews about the film, though I'm not sure about the Matrix analogies. This track sounds like Audioslave rewired. youtube.com

Seems like the tracks to Looper have been compressed to offer bone crunching noise in the auditorium. This track feels proper similar - youtube.com

@Christophe, I'm personally not into vocal stuff like this, pretty though this it is.

"@asheq much more into ambiant stuff ?"

Not especially, just nothing quite so 'pop' I guess. If I was going for female vocals, it'd be along the lines of Gillian Welch or similar - youtube.com

Hughes, what does Poacher think to your neo-classical love of Olan?

I don't know.

That Looper soundtrack stuff is quite NIN.

I can imagine. ;D

Well, I've bought a copy of this but am already a little disappointed. I'm sure I heard a wrong note! reason for wanting my money back if ever there was one!

I like Olan Mill - and Pausal with whom they share a member (Katie English/Isnaj Dui plays with Olan Mill, as well).

I would like to have heard Katie live. Bummer. @Joe - I don't blame you.

Hoping to get some decent video of the gig up next week.

Bruckner's Symphony #5 is currently on my stereo. And quite a thing it is.

Listened to the key pedal for my live playing die last night, and with it the accompanying thud of my heart as it raced up my neck.

Playthroughs by Keith Fullerton Whitman for the first time in too long.

vimeo.com

This is lush, Matt. Really ace. Can you recommend an albums(?)

boomkat.com

If that link doesn't work, the record is "Disingenuity / Disingenuousness"

(Keith Whitman is good mates with Twells, who'd surely recommend more gooduns.)

Thanks, A. Got Playthroughs too.

I've never actually heard Playthroughs before.

When I eventually get to bed, that'll be on. Really like Modena, so I hope the rest is at that standard.

So today I listened to:

Romeo Void
Trax stuff including Jamie Principle and Joe Smooth.
W.A.S.P

Yes, I have been drinking.

LMFAO! WASP. HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Here's one for bedtime. If Ash doesn't get the sample, he should be ashamed.

youtube.com

Bootles. Ringo.

OK, I've got a bunch of CDs next to me right now. They are:
• Franco Battiato: "Fetus" (1972)
• Hallock Hill: "The Union" (2011)
• Steve Hackett: "Voyage of the Acolyte" (1975)
• V/A: "Mass Culture Control Bureau...Things from the Past" (2004, tracks originally released late '70s to mid-'80s)
• Norma Winstone: "Somewhere Called Home" (1987)

I've also been listening to the Four Seasons (the group) on and off for the past week (NYC '50s/'60s/'70s nostalgia from my childhood and before—hadn't heard this stuff in many years). I'm very sorry, but I've also been listening to Jethro Tull's "My God" (the song) a lot. This is because the drumming absolutely blows me away—I've loved it since I was 13 and it's still great.

Playthroughs is ace - probably his calmest thing.

W.A.S.P!!!!! I listened to The Crimson Idol the other day. It's good fun. Totally rips off Tommy, but that's OK.

On another track entirely, does anyone ever listen to the Partially Examined Life podcast? It's normally a dense philosophy thing which I half get/half fall to sleep to at night. Anyway, the most recent episode was on No Country For Old Men and is really very good indeed: partiallyexaminedlife.com

Would be good to be able to favourite posts on Branch...

hawkmoonrecords.bandcamp.com

I must check that out. He lives in Winchester, might even be at the gig tomorrow.

Re Matt Poacher. W.A.S.P strange band. Much better music than Mötley Crüe and their contemporaries yet guilty of brazen stupidity in their presentation. Yet, in Blackie Lawless they have one of Heavy Metal's best vocalists, and a pretty immense studio technician. Love 'The Headless Children' LP (with Who cover) plus few tracks like 'Wild Child' & 'Crazy'. Think one of the things that appeals is the bravado of this time band; obviously bit of nostalgia too.

Anyway, now I've totally discredited myself totally I'm going to listen to The Rachel's 'Music For Egon Shiele' followed by Biosohere's 'Substrata'. Both great, and not at all like W.A.S.P.

Sorry about above typos - have migraine and thus currently blind in one eye.

Is there an iPhone App for Branch? Finding if I access via Safari it stutters lots & its difficult to scroll.

I had a look on the App Store last night but didn't see anything Rich.

A basket full of promos arrived in the last couple of days, but currently listening to the Tim Hecker remix of Mogwai's Rano Pano from a forthcoming Mogwai Remix LP.

Tried listening to new Death Grips. All very shouty. New Swans arrived today. Probably all very noisy. asheq.co.uk

Radio 4 documentary on Ludwig Koch who was the first recorder of wildlife bbc.co.uk

Just listening to the latest Nils Frahm tinkling. Yes, very nice but if anyone describes it as "Modern Classical" I'll be at their door demanding evidence of the score. You've been warned ;-)

Noodly. On first listen, I prefer Felt.

Agreed.

This is good. I like the chopped up vocals and fairy tale imagery.

Silent Servant 'Negative Fascination' (Hospital Productions)

Noir-inspired techno. Reminds me of DJ Hell's 'NY Muscle'.

Not sure about Death Grips. Can see the appeal but, if I'm honest, I don't actually want to listen to it. So I won't.

That Olan Mill LP again. Really beautiful. And I mean *really* beautiful.

First thing this morning, bathing me in some lovely slow drones is Mike Shiflet's set on WFMU the other evening wfmu.org

Tim Maia - soundcloud.com

Bit of Wednesday afternoon prog youtube.com

Shuggie Otis - Freedom Flight.

Rich: That's great, thanks. At their peak (the time of this video) Genesis were so good. And I want that double-neck Rickenbacker.

Right now I'm listening to Lucio Battisti's (self-titled) first LP:

en.wikipedia.org)

I played something from it on my show the other day and I realized I hadn't heard the record in ages. Happy to find that they've got a lot of his stuff on Spotify.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Don't Bend Ascend, and the drones are good.

Today when the forces of commerce weren't harassing me I listened to:

Carl Stone 'Mom's'
Michael Brook 'Hybrid'
Leyland 'What A World, What A Life, What A Love'

All of which points to a man trying desperately to shut the world out.

I would like to hear the new GBYBE!!! that everyone is banging on about, but I probably won't. I am listening to Marisa Robles' harp. Another 50p LP.

The second half of track two is full of really dense ambiguous harmony, really nice. A bit like Stephan Mathieu.

@Rich, was that Olan Mill, Pine you were referring to?

It was their new LP called Home, Joe.

Yes, looking forward to hearing that one.

Gunn-Truscinski Duo: September 7, 2012 Three Lobed/WXDU Day Show nyctaper.com

I do want to listen to the new Godspeed You! Black Emperor, but I have to set aside some time for that. Heard new Swans were good too.

Currently loving the new Disclosure and this really interesting track by someone using the Wife handle.

youtube.com
youtube.com