Philosophy Discussion Forums

You can't beat good jazz.

In my youth, I had the great good luck to have had a live-in landlord who was finishing up a music history PhD at University of Vienna. So I love serious music (and a good deal of frivolous music beside.) My great cross to bear, though, is if I have anything playing while I'm doing any brain work at all, I'll have the music on extended loop in my head for weeks afterward. Oddly, I can stream a film while working and it does not affect my later train of thought the way music will.

Sounds like something you could exploit a bit by just making sure whatever you're listening to is really good / uplifting stuff.

…featuring Will Oldham aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy

Kevin Ayers, Bananamour. A forgotten (or unknown?) classic.

IMHO best song on Tool's Aenima album. What happens after the breakdown, especially after they come up the other side of that, is extra-special. It's one of those where they went parabolic on mood and Adam drops one of the coldest guitar riffs I've heard (I can maybe think of only three or four that are kind of close to that in terms of being evocative).

Also I think some of you would be surprised to find out that King Crimson is actually one of their most agreed upon influence (they tend to state it in interviews). Their love of playing King Crimson and Rush style time signatures is obvious but emotionally they drop it out in the void somewhere (like filtering it through Pan's Labyrinth, Dark Crystal, or something along those lines).

I love this piece so much:

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Focus... I haven't listened to them for a month or two. Good choice!

Pattern-chaser wrote: ↑February 2nd, 2024, 10:02 am Focus... I haven't listened to them for a month or two. Good choice!

Glad you like Focus too. They are one of my favourites. Thijs van Leer is one of those rare talents like Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney and Prince whose innate musicality is so strong that it can be applied to any instrument they choose.

Jean-Luc Ponty is another favourite. The violin, guitar and piano in this one put me in musical heaven.

Ah, Jean luc-Ponty — memories of "Hot Rats"...

Great album. Peaches en Regalia was a fantastic composition

I always loved this live performance. Great live sound, atmosphere, arrangements, musicianship, compositional soloing (no random noodling) and with powerful lyrics that are relevant to this day. There are moments where the intensity and synergies are orgasmic, especially in the transitional passages between the two compositions.

For those who find the Zappa offerings have too many "opaque melodies that would bug most people", this Joni Mitchell masterpiece has an evocative sense of stillness that suits the wistful lyrics:

These two blokes are incredible!