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Listening to bundled mpsh#t at the moment. Double Lp on it's way :) First time on vinyl too.....





The Stranger - Bleaklow

Will be listening to this mammoth three double Lp set from Leyland Kirby over the weekend. Will I finally get it this time? Unrelentingly bleak with tiny shards of melody breaking through the fog.....

To recall Leonard Cohen, "There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in".  And these snatches of melody you hear along the way are akin to being thrown a line by a passing ship just as you tire and slip beneath the waves.  I have no doubt that the these sound patterns will cohere and coalesce this weekend for you, Dermot.  I often think that these journeys that we have with music that is not instantly assimilated tell us a great deal about ourselves.  Patience is required of us when we make this journey but this enables us to study the intricacies of the timbral fabric of the sound and the gradual gradations of colour and tone as atmosphere and mood develops and takes hold of us.  Much like gazing at a Mark Rothko for the first time.

mcq wrote:To recall Leonard Cohen, "There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in".  And these snatches of melody you hear along the way are akin to being thrown a line by a passing ship just as you tire and slip beneath the waves.  I have no doubt that the these sound patterns will cohere and coalesce this weekend for you, Dermot.  I often think that these journeys that we have with music that is not instantly assimilated tell us a great deal about ourselves.  Patience is required of us when we make this journey but this enables us to study the intricacies of the timbral fabric of the sound and the gradual gradations of colour and tone as atmosphere and mood develops and takes hold of us.  Much like gazing at a Mark Rothko for the first time.

Elequently put Paul. Though in this particular case I have a problem with belief. As in believing the artist and his sincerity or lack of. I cannot put a finger on the problem or satisfy myself as to the reasons why. This is definitely a case of listening without prejudice. But something told me to stick with him and I continued to buy each release under his myriad monikers (I detest this practice!) except for the last few as I'd had a enough. Then suddenly an old release, this time under his The Stranger moniker, became available only a few days ago on yellow (!!!!) vinyl and which I'd read about in an old article about him in the Wire, piqued my interest. I had a listen and I liked the whole album concept about a place called Bleaklow. Now I started to believe! So far I'm really bonding with his music again, particularly with the albums above, and thankfully everything is starting to make much more sense than previously. But, really, most 'difficult' music doesn't necessarily have to make sense for me to 'get it'; it just is......or isn't. I'm either in the moment or not.....I mean how many people 'get' Rothko's marvellous paintings? Or even have to?


Anyway listen to the music below and you'll see my dilemma. Is it New Age tosh or not?? Though I have to say the 'shards' of melody is rather lovely......




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POqoF2A_ ... ata_player

The Stranger - Bleaklow