100+ ....................and still only March!

I have listened to a lot of music this week. Driving to Essex - music kept me good company.

CD 90 Norah Jones - not too late
I really like this album. Quite chilled and laid back and not as bland or melancholy as 'Feels Like Home'.

CD 91 Carole King and James Taylor - Live at Troubadour
This is a total gem of an album. Some of my favourite songs. Listened to it whilst stuck in traffic jam when driving to Essex. I sang every song at the top of my voice.................... Sweet Baby James, Will You Love me Tomorrow, You've Got a Friend. Great songs.
CD 92 The Mahavishnu Orchestra and John McLaughlin - Inner Mounting Flame
This is a classic and an album that I have always loved. My copy disappeared and I re-bought this CD last week after it had been 'recommended to me by Scotty and several other people. I have played it lots of times and it totally blows me away - it is as good now as when I was 17. The guitar playing, the energy.........it is so powerful. A MUST LISTEN TO ALBUM.
CD 93 Enya - Watermark
Well .............it was lovely to hear 'Orinoco Flow' and one or two other tracks again. Her voice is 'pretty'. I used to find it relaxing, but that was 13 years ago. I don’t feel that I will be playing this often.
CD 94 Mozart Piano Sonatas  Vol 2 - Klara Wurtz  (No6, No7 No8)
The next 3 albums are just a total delight. Perhaps this boxed collection is one of my favourites; I enjoyed this album so much that I decided to listen to another two albums.
CD 95 Mozart Piano Sonatas  Vol 3 - Klara Wurtz  (No9, No10 No11)

CD 96 Mozart Piano Sonatas  Vol 5 - Klara Wurtz  (No15, No16,  No17 No 18)

CD 97 Brahms Symphony No 1
Obviously in a 'classical' mood. Started to listen to this in the car going to work. The noise from the traffic ruined it for me. So re-listened. A wonderful piece of music.

CD 98 Simply Red - Blue
Can't remember how I came by this CD -I don’t think that I will be listening to it again for some time. Totally irritating voice!
CD 99 Mark Knopfler - Golden Heart
Thank you for this album Kenneth. I do like Knopfler's  solo albums. The music is a bit folksy, American country music and his gruff voice is charming. They are great songs and seem effortless. Quite different from Dire Straits stuff.

CD 100 Sting 10 Summoners Tales
Hey - another Geordie! Not really thought about it here is another successful musician doing interesting and different stuff in a solo career. I know this album really well. An old friend!

CD 101 Beth Gibbons and Rustin Man - Out of Season
Hmmmmmm - this was really well reviewed and I bought it as a result. It is an album which really explores her voice and nothing is predictable. Not so sure that I like it that much now. Perhaps I was too tired from driving 250 miles??
CD 102 Vaughan Williams - Symphony No 8
I love Vaughan Williams. This is the London Symphony - some wonderful and very beautiful passages which are calming and contrast from some much livelier sections.  

89 albumss!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow 'such fun'!

72 days into the year and I have listened to 89 different albums! I am really enjoying this and it is not a chore. Some albums I have relistened to but they cannot be counted in the list. I have a lot of classical music to listen to but I do find that I need to do that in the right space and context. Vaughan Williams was a joy this week, but I couldn't face the Bach .................. too much stress at work, so I confess to having put the Brandenburg Concertos to one side!!! Much as I love them they are not good with a headache!


82 Mark Knopfler - Sailing To Philadelphia
This album really is delightful. Sort of American music meets Geordie! There is a touch of Bob Dylan - lyrics are great, voice is wonderful and guitar playing what you would expect. This is different from Dire Straits and really given me a lot of pleasure for many years. Thank you Kenneth!

83 Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Green sleeves, Lark Ascending. etc. (Barry Wordsworth)
I am surprised this CD plays as I have listened to it so often.

84 Annie Lennox Collection
I bought this because I really hadn't listened to much Annie Lennox. She has a wonderful voice and does some great songs. Need to extend my Annie Lennox repertoire.

85 KT Tunstall - Drastic Fantastic
Wow - love this young singer. Her lyrics are powerful and very thoughtful. Great music.

86 Nina Simone - The very best of...
This album was a gift and at first I was a bit sniffy, perhaps because the recording is a bit scratchy. However it is a classic album. Tracks include, 'Young Gifted and Black', 'The look of Love', etc. Worth a listen.

87 Suzanne Vaga - Close Up, Vol 1 Love Songs
Saw her at SAGE last year ............ still wonderful and I love her music.

88 Amy MacDonald  - This is the life
Wow ........ like KT Tunstall, another talented young female singer song writer. Such talent!

89 David Bowie - Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
Dan gave me this as part of a collection of things that he thought that I should listen to. I did know it quite well but from years ago. Yesterday I ran 10k (astonishing and now suffering!!!) and listened to this album. Great to run to and I can’t believe that so many years have passed since the wacky Ziggy appeared. Don't think that I am really a Bowie fan.

ALSO - relistened to Crusaders  Best Of................. this is such a good album.!

I have just picked another handful of albums at random for the car. Two long journeys next weekend so I guess I will listen to a lot of music. I am so pleased that I have given myself this challenge. I keep hearing that people do visit the blog..................thank you people!! And thank you for the new introductions or reminders of old favourites. I really want to get hold of John McLaughlin's Inner Mountain Flame. What happened to my record???? Who borrowed it and never returned it? Despite the years I can hear every note and remember every track. What an amazing piece of music.
 Keep suggestions coming!

Catch Up -

Lots of listening and some albums that I have not heard for ages - even forgotten about.

Album 75   Bob Marley - The Ultimate Collection
This is 4 CDs and has all of the old favourites such as Lively Up Yourself, Trench Town Rock etc. I don't think that I have ever listened to all of these tracks. Some are great but others are mediocre. I listened to too much Bob Marley and became a little bored.

Album76  Altan - Island Angel
A lovely folk album. Great fiddle playing and the vocals are beautiful. I had forgotten about this album and haven't listened to for ages. I will put it on my ipod and listen to it frequently.

Album 77 Neil Young - Harvest
Neil Young's voice is so distinctive and it is an album which brings back many happy memories.

Album 78  Rachel Walker - Fon Reul - Sholus
Sung in Gaelic this beautiful album is so wonderful to listen to. Her voice is stunning and the music quite haunting.

Album 79 Ravel -Bolero, Daphnis and Chloe
Great music. Joy to listen to. Bolero always brings back memories of Bo Derek in the film 10 (naughty girl!) and of course T and D's iconic ice dance.


Album 80  Dvorak Concertos - Cello, Piano and Violin - 2 CDS
More classical music and I listened to these albums twice. I particularly love the cello concerto. This music was hard to listen to because I was tired or busy. Sometimes I found the music too energetic, but I guess that is what is so wonderful about it.

Album 81 Jack Johnson - Sleep Through The Static
Jack Johnson's music is just so accessible, understated and cool! I listen a lot to his albums, particularly when I am driving or stressed.


Gosh ............ 81 albums and only 67 days into the year! Music has become very imortant to me and brings pleasure on a daily basis.