It has been a marvellous week in my music corner. Record Collectors Paradise had a sale of overstocked records that they were selling for $5 each, and the CDs were two for $5. I walked out with ten albums and two CDs and settled in for some serious listening. I made it through five albums, and a new CD player is in the mail. A road trip may be on the to-do list to listen to music; it’s a thing that we love to do: drive, listen to some music, and talk about it.
I also listened to music from Bark and Mystic Sons, PR firms, so I will include some mini reviews of them today as well. So, let’s dive into what I listened to this week.
Ira & Charles Louvin Ira & Charles Louvin
These guys are mostly remembered for the cover of one of their albums, Satan Is Real. For 1959, this was a real kicker. It has mellowed with age and is considered more of a cheesy oddity today. Apart from the album cover, these two gentlemen could sing great harmony between them. Their star shone briefly, but it shone brightly. They mostly played bluegrass with a strong gospel flavour. I grew up listening to this music, so giving it a positive review is only natural.
Loggins & Messina Full Sail
Loggins & Messina So Fine
I was never much of a Loggins & Messina fan, and these two albums did nothing to change that. They aren’t bad; they just aren’t albums that appeal to me.
Spacemen 3 Perfect Prescription
Spacemen 3 are just what the doctor ordered to lift your spirits. I don’t know where to put them genre-wise. Psychedelic trance? It is good music to flop on the sofa and read a book with.
Lee Scratch Perry Reggae Greats
Lee Scratch Perry was a pillar in the reggae scene. He worked with and produced for various artists, including Bob Marley and the Wailers, Junior Murvin, the Congos, Max Romeo, Adrian Sherwood, Beastie Boys, Ari Up, the Clash, the Orb, and many others. That’s an impressive resume.
Crosby, Stills & Nash CS&N
I have been listening to the music of CRN and sometimes Y for a long time. I saw Neil Young live in 1984 and Crosby in 2016, and their albums from the 1970s to the present. This album follows on the heels of Déjà Vu, and that is a hard act to follow. I liked listening to this, but it is not as strong as some of their other material, solo and collectively.
Bob Dylan Slow Train A Coming
The Slow Train is the first of Dylan’s Christian albums, which probably turned a few folks away from listening to this album. The Christians filled that gap nicely. Dylan had been riding a downer with some of the worst reviews in his career. Slow Train pulled him up, and this album received mostly positive reviews and a Grammy. I enjoyed it immensely. I also love the album artwork.
Iron Butterfly In-Gadda-Da-Vida
In-Gadda-Da-Vida is one of those albums that everyone should have in their collection. It is famous for its 17-minute track, In-Gadda-Da-Vida. I doubt if many people could name a song on side one of this album. I listened to it and was surprised at how good it sounded. I hadn’t listened to In-Gadda-Da-Vida for donkey years; this was a good blast from the past.
Bob Dylan Dylan
Dylan, the album, was not a good blast from the past. File this album at the bottom of the pile under oddities. I doubt if I will ever listen to this again.
RORO and snapir COLORS LEFT
I had been savouring the single Mass that RORO and Snapir released last year and anxiously awaited the release of this whole album, Colors Left. It does not disappoint. From the energetic opening track, Tehran Jewel, to Mass, to Colors Left, there is not a dull moment to be had. This needs curated listening, over and over, to catch all the nuances. If this is Colors Left, I am curious to know what Colours Right was all about.
“Our goal was to create a soundscape that represents emotional rebirth,” the duo explains. “Each track is a deliberate exploration of bringing colour back into a monochromatic experience.” The album’s creation served as both a healing process and a platform for artistic discovery, combining digital glitches, dark ambient, and future garage elements with sophisticated production techniques.
From the club-ready rhythms of ‘Fractures’ to the enveloping warmth of ‘Lacuna’ and the primal intensity of ‘Mass,’ each track contributes to a carefully curated sonic journey. Yet, the album’s focus track, Tehran Jewel, establishes the album’s distinctive character, beginning with distorted electronic elements before transitioning into powerful, dark rhythms. The track creates an atmospheric foundation that invites deep listening and interpretation. Throughout the album, carefully constructed moments of dissonance challenge listeners to find meaning within the seeming chaos. As the artists themselves reflect, every element is intentional, making the apparent disorder all the more compelling—. “Nothing is superfluous, making the disorder more intriguing. If everything has its place, how can the pieces feel so randomly fractured?” says the duo.
The music of RORO and snapir on Colours Left challenged and engaged me. The whole album complemented the single Mass, which I had kept on repeat since it hit my inbox last year. I have a strong feeling that this will be on a playlist at the end of the year.
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Until next week, happy listening, my friends.
Weathered Music 