Red Mosquito

i got bugs wrote:

Jorge wrote:I love the album but I can't listen to it very often. It's very emotionally intense, which I like, but it takes a very specific mood

Right like I appreciate that its good from a musicians standpoint but I can't figure out a situation in which I'd be pumped to listen to it

Norris wrote:I find it very easy to listen to because it's fantastic.

Mike wrote:Are we talking FTBC or Punisher? I agree with you people when it's FTBC. I don't think it's depressing at all. It's intense and fierce and liberating.

liebzz wrote:8- Marcus King - El Dorado

surfndestroy wrote:

liebzz wrote:8- Marcus King - El Dorado

I tried hard with this album. It's good but Goodbye Carolina was great. I am not a fan of the pop sheen on the album. Every song was considerably better live, and to me that points to poor production. Or it could be I was just a little broken hearted at the slickness of the album as compared to what I wanted it to be.

surfndestroy wrote:

liebzz wrote:8- Marcus King - El Dorado

I tried hard with this album. It's good but Goodbye Carolina was great. I am not a fan of the pop sheen on the album. Every song was considerably better live, and to me that points to poor production. Or it could be I was just a little broken hearted at the slickness of the album as compared to what I wanted it to be.

epilogue wrote:

surfndestroy wrote:

liebzz wrote:8- Marcus King - El Dorado

I tried hard with this album. It's good but Goodbye Carolina was great. I am not a fan of the pop sheen on the album. Every song was considerably better live, and to me that points to poor production. Or it could be I was just a little broken hearted at the slickness of the album as compared to what I wanted it to be.

I listened to this today because of this thread. I really dig it. Of course, it's worth noting that this is the first of his albums that I've ever listened to. So I can't speak to his previous work. But this record is really lovely. The closing track is gorgeous.

surfndestroy wrote:

epilogue wrote:

surfndestroy wrote:

liebzz wrote:8- Marcus King - El Dorado

I tried hard with this album. It's good but Goodbye Carolina was great. I am not a fan of the pop sheen on the album. Every song was considerably better live, and to me that points to poor production. Or it could be I was just a little broken hearted at the slickness of the album as compared to what I wanted it to be.

I listened to this today because of this thread. I really dig it. Of course, it's worth noting that this is the first of his albums that I've ever listened to. So I can't speak to his previous work. But this record is really lovely. The closing track is gorgeous.

I just gave it another listen and it's better than I remembered. The songs are still too concise for what I think his strengths are but I guess that's why I'll see him live when I can.

@epilogue - Do yourself a favour and check out Carolina Confessions by Marcus King Band. An absolute gem of an album

Kevin Davis wrote:This was a weird year for me in that the overwhelming majority of records I really found myself returning to, and flagging in my mind as "favorites of the year," were all instrumental/jazz albums. 2020 was a really bizarre year, both nationally/globally and personally, and in a lot of ways I found pure music articulating my feelings better than words and voices. Records I probably normally would have made more of an effort to get to know (Phoebe Bridgers, Taylor Swift, etc.), I enjoyed on the surface but found didn't really speak to me in the way I needed.

Favorites so far:
Avishai Cohen - Big Vicious
Wolfgang Muthspiel - Angular Blues
Joshua Redman - RoundAgain
Ambrose Akinmusire - On the Tender Spot of Every Calloused Moment
Gregoire Maret - Americana
Bill Frisell - Valentine
Bill Callahan - Gold Record

I also find it increasingly difficult to know how to incorporate new albums by longtime/sentimental favorite artists into exercises like this, but I played these a fair amount this year too:

Pearl Jam - Gigaton (some of the initial luster of this has worn off, but the best tracks have really held up well and overall it's a welcome addition to their catalog)
Bob Dylan - Rough and Rowdy Ways (I didn't find this to be the masterpiece some claimed it was, but again, probably half of it at least is superb and I listened to it a lot)
Elvis Costello - Hey Clockface (wonderful album, of this group it's probably the one I would feel most comfortable calling one of the best of the year hands down, not just a personal/emotional favorite)
Brad Mehldau - Suite: April 2020 (recorded immediately in response to the COVID-19 pandemic -- a bit rushed and not his best solo piano release, but solid, and genuine)

Record I enjoyed the least by an established favorite artist:
Bruce Springsteen - Letter to You

Favorite archival releases:
Thelonious Monk - Palo Alto
Neil Young - Homegrown/Archives Volume II

Still need to check out:
Jeff Parker
Nels Cline

epilogue wrote:

surfndestroy wrote:

epilogue wrote:

surfndestroy wrote:

liebzz wrote:8- Marcus King - El Dorado

I tried hard with this album. It's good but Goodbye Carolina was great. I am not a fan of the pop sheen on the album. Every song was considerably better live, and to me that points to poor production. Or it could be I was just a little broken hearted at the slickness of the album as compared to what I wanted it to be.

I listened to this today because of this thread. I really dig it. Of course, it's worth noting that this is the first of his albums that I've ever listened to. So I can't speak to his previous work. But this record is really lovely. The closing track is gorgeous.

I just gave it another listen and it's better than I remembered. The songs are still too concise for what I think his strengths are but I guess that's why I'll see him live when I can.

@epilogue - Do yourself a favour and check out Carolina Confessions by Marcus King Band. An absolute gem of an album

I'll definitely give it a go soon.

Brett wrote:I don't know what sort of jazz you're really into, but I've been listening to more of it myself this year, mostly from a small Toronto scene, and thought you might enjoy the pair of albums that See Through 4 put out in the spring.