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Listening: 2010 A Music Odyssey

It's interesting to look back and review what I was listening to ten years ago. Below I have reposted the Hear & Now column published in the January 5 Rockford Register Star newspaper. While I enjoy many other styles and artists ten years later I still listen to these personal gems. 

In addition to the music that I listen to now the way in which I listen has also changed. I listen much more frequently on my two channel stereo system. I also listen to my iTunes library while on the Mac computer. We also now have a full house Sonos system so we can enjoy music in all the rooms of the house. And, in addition to listening to CDs and iTunes as I did in my column ten years ago I also now stream music using high quality services such as Deezer. I store our CD collection on a 2TB hard drive, listen to vinyl on a new turntable from UTurn Audio and even listen to music via YouTube. So many choices. 

All of these choices plus my renewed interest in my two channel stereo in my dedicated music room has enhanced my interest in listening to music and the fun of discovering new music and artists.

Have a read below. I'll have to post my top 10 most listened to from 2020 next January for comparison.

Doug Campbell 

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Hear & Now

January 5, 2011

Most Listened To Albums of 2010

This isn’t a ‘Best Albums of 2010’ list. Instead of listing what I think are the best albums of last year, I thought I would share the albums that I listened to most frequently throughout 2010, regardless of release date. In no particular order...

Margo Timmins – The Ty Tyrfu Sessions.  Why this isn't released as a quality download or on CD and vinyl is beyond me. http://www.jeffbird.com/margotytyrfu.html9.

Mark Knopfler – Screenplaying.  Known as both a solo artist and with Dire Straits, Knopfler is also an accomplished movie soundtrack musician.

Madonna – Confessions On A Dance Floor.  My guilty pleasure.  Great disc for running on the treadmill.

Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass – Lost Treasures. An early influence on me. Lost Treasures proves he could have released even more great albums back in their heyday.

The Fireman – Strawberrys Oceans Ships Forest. The cute Beatle and artist Youth remain inventive and experimental together.

Thomas Crown Affair soundtrack – Bill Conti’s soundtrack of this classic movie remake is every bit as enjoyable as the movie itself.

Cheap Trick – The Latest.  As I said in my original RRS review, the band just keeps getting better.  Stay away if you don’t like to rock.

Bourne Supremacy soundtrack – Movie soundtrack by John Powell is every bit as powerful as the movie itself.

The Raveonettes - In And Out Of Control.  Guitar twang and noise along with this duo’s harmonies make this a fun, noisy rocker.

The Orb and David Gilmour Metallic Spheres.  Moody, eclectic and mellow.  Perfect for that snowy Saturday at home.

I enjoy music while on the computer, on my iPod and on the CD player.  Regardless of how you listen to your music try out a few of the albums listed above.  Enjoy!

Listening: New vinyl re-releases from Cowboy Junkies

Cowboy Junkies just announced a limited quantity of the newly released vinyl re-issues of The Caution Horses, Black Eyed Man and Pale Sun, Crescent Moon. These releases are all audiophile quality, remastered by the band and Peter Moore. Each album is spread across two discs for optimum sound quality, pressed on 180gm vinyl, and in gatefold sleeves with enhanced artwork. Also restocked is the audiophile vinyl re-release of The Trinity Session and the Trinity Revisited CD/DVD, as well as The Kennedy Suite. You’ll also find vinyl and CD copies of All That Reckoning. http://https//www.cowboyjunkies.com/new-vinyl-available/

Listening: Soul Of The Machine from Windham Hill Records

Soul Of The Machine- A Windham Hill sampler LP of New Electronic Music.

I found this mint vinyl copy at Half Price Books for a buck. The high quality sound and vinyl pressing sounds clear, dynamic and well balanced with a nice lower bass register, all typical attributes of recordings from Windham Hill Records. Soul Of The Machine was first released 31 years ago in 1987 and on the back of the album jacket they remind us that this release is "available on CD and BASF chrome cassette". This release is a collection of various keyboard and electronic artists so if you like this style of music be sure to pick up a copy for yourself. if you stumble across a vinyl version pick it up for sure or, maybe youI can find it on CD...or, cassette. 5 Stars.

Listening: New album release by Emily Hurd

Emily Hurd's new album, Backbone, is out now. Emily has been hard at work, completely gutting and building her new restaurant, The Norwegian. Kids, career, family and countless remodeling 'issues' have slowed progress in opening The Norwegian. However Emily has learned a lot about herself and developed an even stronger backbone. You can purchase her new album here https://emilyhurd.com/music

Emily was also recently interviewed by Jason Todd and Alex Gary at Thinker Ventures podcast studio in downtown Rockford, IL. Have a listen as Emily talks about life, family, and her music. Click on this link to stream from the Thinker website. Or listen to it on the Apple and Android podcast stores. Enjoy.  https://thinkerventures.com/podcast/seeing-finish-line-emily-hurd/

Listening: The Rides

Wow. I stumbled upon this album today and I'm listening to Can't Get Enough today. It reads like a super group- Stephen Stills, Kenny Wayne Shepard and Barry Goldberg make up The Rides. Mix in some Chicago style blues, rock and stellar jamming and songwriting and it equals a rock 'n roll album with emotion. It feels like hearing that new album that rocked you when you were younger. Their version of Rockin' in the Free World is, well, rockin'.  Can't Get Enough in is stores now and their upcoming album Pierce-Arrow will be out soon.  Catch them on tour- it 'sounds' like it will be a great show. http://www.theridesband.com

Doug Campbell