I'll cheekily sneak in this week with my long promised post of Kip Hanrahan's Tenderness.
There's not too much to say about this album, other than that it's long been a favourite of Sandra's, and that I first heard it on a long weekend in Paris, which might well have coloured my own impression of it. It's not exactly jazz, nor folk, nor is it really rock, and it isn't really a latin percussion album either.
I'm guessing you'll either love it or hate it, although some of you might also be completely indifferent to it...
I do suspect you'll get more out of it if you listen to it while relaxing with a glass of wine rather than while jogging through a busy city quarter, though, and you're probably better off dipping into it rather than trying to listen to it all in one go.
Otherwise this is how the album describes itself..
Kip Hanrahan: Tenderness.
song cycle (at least 16 folk songs from inside the city)
Recorded 1989-90.
Listen now on dropbox.
19 comments:
Tracks 9,10 & 14 don't appear to be in the 'Box yet, nilpferd.
sorry, got a bit ahead of myself there- they were still loading. Should be all there now.
Thanks. Will have another go later. Got my ritual Monday eve rush starting now ...
Ooh, I belong to the lovers! My copy got nicked when my flat was broken into. How long will it be staying on the 'Box? Only I'm manically packing for a 10-hour train journey early tomorrow morning, so there's no way I'll be able to listen to it tonight.
Back on Sunday, though.
Until then, BRRothers & Sisters...
Have a good trip.. Tin usually leaves them in for at least a week.. I should have added, there will be'Spill points awarded for identifying the rather unlikely (and not very popular) guest vocalist on this album.. Debbym, you're predisqualified, I'm afraid..
Just passing thru. A long weekend in Paris is the perfect setting for this great record.... Get 'em all
Oops! Just googled Kip Hanrahan, which I always do with the album of the week, and now I know! I know who the singer is. I'm liking the album, it'll take a few listens, and probably more wine. Well, considering I don't have any at the moment, it's only 4 ish. But nilpferd told me to!!
4 ish or not, Steen, I really must insist.. otherwise you'll get sent a tantric relaxation video by THAT singer..
And thanks for passing through, Jean..
thanks for posting this nilpferd
(by the way I'm stalking you on the google map - while I'm typing and listening - one day soon this is all going to get too creepy - although you seem to be mounted above snads fireplace, so it can't get much worse!)
absolutely loved this on first listen - I've got three tracks from 'All Roads Are Made of the Flesh' and meant to investigate more, but have never got round to it.. will definitely have a listen to the american clave lot now.
It's ok- snad really does have a lovely living room..
Glad you like Tenderness.. I think it's the most satisfying K.H. album I've heard, in terms of establishing a mood or drawing you in to a particular world.. details, like when he's whispering about the light in his daughter's eye, are extraordinarily tender, but there's also a hard edge to some of it, as in any city.. Vertical's Currency is also highly rated, but is more an album of individual tracks..
quite similar to Tenderness musically, but slightly rawer is "A thousand nights and a night- Red nights", the opening album in the Arabian nights series, which I would definitely recommend- filled with crazy stories of hasheaters, lovers, kings, princesses and thieves..
Fantastic record, I have bought it 3 times, one for each wife ;)
Sting is the "guest" I believe his label Pangea picked this one up when American Clave needed some cash.
Full 'Spill points to Mark.. thanks for dropping in.. and if you need a recommendation for an album for wife no. 4, just shout..;-)
So is it expressly about Paris? Or any City?
Whatever it is, I've been enjoying this, it does sound a lot like 1989, but I really like the quieter numbers (actually I think you would too Dsd, but some of it you'd hate).
Also I saw this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/may/15/flying-nun-indie-rought-trade
and thought of you, as well as the first podcast on this page:
http://www.gillespetersonworldwide.com/podcasts.php
Somne very good tunes and an interesting discussion about the whole dance-funky-acid-jazz thing.
1st listen: Enjoyed the music & the instrumental tracks. Lyrics & vocals seemed a little forced, except the last track where everything really came together for me. Production was a little too clean for me - prefer more of a dirty live sound with this sort of thing. Whatever you may think of the tantric sex, tree hugging ego-maniac - he can really play bass, if that was the man who's name rhymes with Ping? & the percussionist is no slouch either. Not sure that the titles could be much more pretentious, but these are minor grievances given that: 1) Wouldn't have come across this otherwise (thanks). 2) It is a coherent album. 3) It's not too recent - so can count as as an overlooked album & reduce the guilt of listening for free 4) Would definitely listen again & check out more.
This is shaping up to be a fine series.
I was going to say pretty much exactly what Shoegazer just said. I am loving this AOTW series, it's like one of those book clubs, where they send you something each month, except it's not rubbish!
This wasn't what I was expecting at all, but I enjoyed it. A wee bit pretentious and coffee table in places, but I liked the percussion and the way that the album twisted and turned to come together with the venomous final track. Cheers nilpferd
Ejay, I'll always remember Paris.. but I'd say the album is more New York than left Bank.. thanks for the two links, very interesting. The Flying Nun post hits some very relevant points, probably the biggest factor in the downfall of the label was just tall poppy syndrome, we Kiwis are a chippy lot and unfortunately not very good at dealing with success. A friend of mine knows Shane Carter and Martin Phillips, both could have been huge but a combination of missed opportunities and hubris kept them down. There really isn't very much happening at all there now, although a few glimmers that old bands might reform. That reminds me I was always planning to send you a FN compilation.. but I'll leave an FN 'Spill post for a bit, I think..
Really looking forward to the Giles Peterson cast, thanks for that too.
Shoey and JP, thanks for the comments- you've both hit on things I also feel about this album- initially the pretentiousness did set me at a distance, but then you get into the actual tracks and the music takes over. I also think the album's coherence is very important, with the end track quite a change in style, but somehow not out of place.
I'm not even sure how much Sting does on the album, there are a large number of musicians credited but there is deliberately no explanation of who plays on what. Sting's not the only bass player credited, I'm pretty sure he does the vocals on at least one track. One thing I quite like with the whispered vocal style is that sometimes you're not sure if the singer is male or female, especially with Carmen Lundy's quite deep voice, which adds to the ambiguity of the tracks.
I'm looking forward to the FN post, whenever you get around to it.
I have a playlist sort of figured out, I'll trim it a bit and maybe do a post in a couple of weeks, depending on 'Spill traffic..
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