Buckaroo

The Residents - Cube-E (The History Of American Music In 3 E-Z Pieces) - Live In Holland (1990) {Torso CD169}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 425 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 170 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 30 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1990 Torso / Cryptic | TORSO CD169
Avant-Garde Rock / Experimental / Alternative / No Wave / Mix Media

In 1990, the Residents took their grand examination of rock & roll on the road, touring the world with the Cube E tour. The first half found the group reciting cowboy poems to a soundtrack influenced more by Copland and Orff than country & western, then followed with a group of blues, field hollers, and warped jazz that represented the African-American experience. By intermission, the two had combined into rock music, which in the second half was disseminated by an aging Elvis impersonator tearing through Presley covers (essentially a live version of their 1989 album The King and Eye). The staging, costumes, lights, and general performance were not to be missed, and earned justifiable rave reviews.

The three Copland classics on this disc–Billy the Kid, Appalachian Spring and Rodeo–are all ballet scores, and from the very first bars of Billy, with its evocative depiction of the wide-open prairies, you are firmly in the territory of music that tells a story. But you don't need to follow all the ins and outs of each story to enjoy music which paints as vivid a picture of rural America as you could hope for. If the sprightly "Hoe Down" from Rodeo brings a splash of colour to concert programmes, the remarkable thing about so much of the music in these three pieces is how quietly sensitive it is. And while Michael Tilson Thomas does not hold back in wringing every last ounce of splashy razzmatazz, he is equally the master of introspective music which clearly demonstrates that you don't need to be loud to be a populist. The recordings were made in the San Francisco Symphony's home, Davies Symphony Hall. You couldn't hope for more authentic performances than this–more than 76 minutes of dyed-in-the-wool Americana.

Leo Kottke - Leo Kottke (1977) {Chrysalis–BGO Records BGOCD257 rel 1994}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks) +CUE+LOG -> 175 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 71 Mb
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© 1977, 1994 Chrysalis / BGO Records | BGOCD257
Finger-Picked Guitar / Progressive Folk / Jazz Blues / Contemporary Folk / New Acoustic

I'd call this Leo's "Romantic Period," because he really shows the creative potential of the 12-string: much like he's painting colors and tones with the notes he's plucking in order to create a landscape-of-sound theme for each song. It's an enigmatic collection–no two songs quite repeat, and thankfully, nothing spoiling this by rehashing previously released material. The energy is very high in his agility; minor chord combinations that enhance effortlessly rather than challenge the ear, and a lush assistance by others on keyboards, woodwinds, and even strings.