Bel Canto

[wiltel!dlocke@uunet.UU.NET]

Someone asked:

Bel Canto has a CD available in the US called "Birds of Prey".
$10.60 or so from Noteworthy.  I have it and like it.  They kind
of remind me of Dead Can Dance or the Cocteau Twins.  Nice
female vocals.  A little like the Sunshine/Glove CD in some
ways, but more ethereal and less rockish.  I haven't listened
to it 10,000 times like some stuff, so your mileage may vary.
They have another release out, but I'm don't think it's been
released in the US.

OB KaTe: I still haven't heard from any of the golden-ear types
regarding the relative quality of KaTe's stuff.  Hello, anybody
out there?

More: I just got Tori's Little Eq., and like some of what I've
heard a lot.  I also bought Jane Siberry's first, and I'm not
sure I care for it as much as "Bound By the Beauty".  I'll
give it another chance.  I may sell it; watch this space.
By the way, Tori has a lot of, er, guts, for touring with
no backup group.  I like the Sensual World and all, but I think
the ultimate KaTe nirvana for me would be to see her live
with nothing but a piano.  I still think her best music is
on her piano/voice demos.  OK, I think her absolute best, gives
me goosebumps every time, love it to death single effort is
"Breathing" from Comic Relief (I believe).  No screaming guitars/
synth's/etc. required.  If you want to see
her dance, put on her videos.  Kate, get a clue from Tori!

Still More: The soundtrack "Until the End of the Earth" features
prev. unreleased Julee Cruise, Talking Head, and a Siberry/k.d.
lang version of "Calling All Angels"!  I bought it on a favorable
review in Absolute Sound (and I love Julee) and am not disappointed.

I also picked up a CD called "Duets" by Rob Wasserman.  It features
the likes of Lou Reed, Rickie Lee Jones, and a few other 
vocalists that escape me now.  Wasserman plays an upright bass, and
the disk is mostly the bass and voice, some light guitar (and a violin
as the "voice" for "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on one cut - awesome).
It's very well recorded and has lots of dynamic range.
The audiophile crowd is apeshit over this one for those reasons, and
it even has great music!  If this sound interesting to you buy it,
you won't be disappointed.

Picked up Red, Hot, and Blue which is very nice (music of Cole
Porter, who was gay which I didn't know; proceeds go to fight AIDS),
and Sarah McLachlan's Solace, also nice.

Waaaayyyyy of the topic, I also picked up a $5. CD of Carlos Montoya
called Flamenco Direct (on Laserlight!).  Flamenco is apparently
a Spanish gypsy type of guitar playing.  This stuff was originally
recorded direct-to-disc, and the 2 albums are out of print.  They're
going for $40 and $50 each.  Features an essay about Carlos &
flamenco by Mary Montoya.  Very nice guitar, great dynamics, buy
it.  (Noteworthy has it.)

Later,

-Dick			uunet!wiltel!dlocke