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Music from the Cube: What Am I Listening To Today?
This LJ will now return to its usual frivolous programming.
And what better way to start than to continue with the herculean task of listening to every single CD in my collection. Thanks to my years living in the the Bordersverse — which meant more free demos and discounted tunes than you can even imagine — as well as my deep love for used CDs stores, I'm faced with the prospect of listening to more than 2,000 discs. (Most of which were...believe it or not...free or insanely cheap.)
Needless to say, I'm not even close to the end of this job.
Today's MP3 downloads are from Big Country. I blame![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
speakr2customrs for putting a reference to this very CD in a fanfic for the happy bounce I experienced when I threw it on the CD player.
Big Country, The Crossing Rating=$$$
[Support the Artist]
How I Got This CD: The first used CD I bought in college, even though it was already a few years old by then
I have an confession to make. I love bagpipes. Love. Them.
This is why I love the Dropkick Murphys. This is why I love The Pogues. This is why I love Big Country.
For some reason, though, Big Country tends to be the red-headed step-child of my bagpipe love. I have invested in the Dropkicks, less well in The Pogues. I seem to have forgotten Big Country, although this CD reminds me why I shouldn't have.
Yes, yes. I know. Big Country's bagpipes aren't real bagpipes. They're E-Bow bagpipes. And yes, I know the E-Bow-produced sound is not an exact match for the real thing — compare Big Country's "bagpipes" with the real bagpipes used by Dropkick Murphys and the fakery becomes pretty obvious — but it's close enough to make me happy. I'm very sure that somewhere out there someone is ready to whack me with a claymore for admitting that.
The Crossing, the only Big Country CD I own, was the band's first CD and biggest hit in the U.S. Note that neither 'Fields of Fire' or 'In a Big Country' — both of which were hit singles in the U.S. — are included in today's sample downloads. Why? Because they're actually not a great representation for the overall feel of this CD. Instead, I went for four tunes — I couldn't whittle it down to three because it's such a solid CD — that better reflected the CD's character.
Yeah, I know. The review is gushing and the rating is low. Again, this comes down to economics. The Crossing is 22 years-old (Wait! How old?!?!?!) and can be found in just about any used CD and record store for $7 to $10. Good it may be, but why pay full price when you don't have to?
Sample Song Downloads: Chance, A Thousand Stars, The Storm, Close Action
You can download all files from the project page by clicking here.
***
To find previous thumbnail reviews, go to the Review Index.
After the donwload links expire, you can listen to streaming MP3 files linked with reviews at my Vox shadow blog for media.
***
Rating system:
None = Avoid at all cost. Worth cutting your ears off to avoid if someone threatens to play it for you. When faced with even the threat of its cellophane-wrapped presence, your best option is to RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!
$= If you stumble across it for cheap in a used bin, it might, maybe, perhaps could be worth the buy, but only if you need a cheap coaster for your cold drinks or a cool-looking frisbee.
$$= You might want to give this CD/artist a try, but only if the sample track tickles your fancy. Don't bother buying this one new because the good tunes you'd get out of this one ain't worth that kind of money.
$$$ = Worth looking for on a casual basis and maybe even buying new, but no big rush.
$$$$ = Definitely worth having in the ol' CD collection and definitely worth buying new, but don't re-arrange your personal "must have" list to get your hands on it.
$$$$$ = Why haven't you bought this CD yet? Go. This is a "Want. Take. Have." situation because you so want this.
Now Playing:
And what better way to start than to continue with the herculean task of listening to every single CD in my collection. Thanks to my years living in the the Bordersverse — which meant more free demos and discounted tunes than you can even imagine — as well as my deep love for used CDs stores, I'm faced with the prospect of listening to more than 2,000 discs. (Most of which were...believe it or not...free or insanely cheap.)
Needless to say, I'm not even close to the end of this job.
Today's MP3 downloads are from Big Country. I blame
speakr2customrs for putting a reference to this very CD in a fanfic for the happy bounce I experienced when I threw it on the CD player.Big Country, The Crossing Rating=$$$
[Support the Artist]
How I Got This CD: The first used CD I bought in college, even though it was already a few years old by then
I have an confession to make. I love bagpipes. Love. Them.
This is why I love the Dropkick Murphys. This is why I love The Pogues. This is why I love Big Country.
For some reason, though, Big Country tends to be the red-headed step-child of my bagpipe love. I have invested in the Dropkicks, less well in The Pogues. I seem to have forgotten Big Country, although this CD reminds me why I shouldn't have.
Yes, yes. I know. Big Country's bagpipes aren't real bagpipes. They're E-Bow bagpipes. And yes, I know the E-Bow-produced sound is not an exact match for the real thing — compare Big Country's "bagpipes" with the real bagpipes used by Dropkick Murphys and the fakery becomes pretty obvious — but it's close enough to make me happy. I'm very sure that somewhere out there someone is ready to whack me with a claymore for admitting that.
The Crossing, the only Big Country CD I own, was the band's first CD and biggest hit in the U.S. Note that neither 'Fields of Fire' or 'In a Big Country' — both of which were hit singles in the U.S. — are included in today's sample downloads. Why? Because they're actually not a great representation for the overall feel of this CD. Instead, I went for four tunes — I couldn't whittle it down to three because it's such a solid CD — that better reflected the CD's character.
Yeah, I know. The review is gushing and the rating is low. Again, this comes down to economics. The Crossing is 22 years-old (Wait! How old?!?!?!) and can be found in just about any used CD and record store for $7 to $10. Good it may be, but why pay full price when you don't have to?
Sample Song Downloads: Chance, A Thousand Stars, The Storm, Close Action
You can download all files from the project page by clicking here.
To find previous thumbnail reviews, go to the Review Index.
After the donwload links expire, you can listen to streaming MP3 files linked with reviews at my Vox shadow blog for media.
Rating system:
None = Avoid at all cost. Worth cutting your ears off to avoid if someone threatens to play it for you. When faced with even the threat of its cellophane-wrapped presence, your best option is to RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!
$= If you stumble across it for cheap in a used bin, it might, maybe, perhaps could be worth the buy, but only if you need a cheap coaster for your cold drinks or a cool-looking frisbee.
$$= You might want to give this CD/artist a try, but only if the sample track tickles your fancy. Don't bother buying this one new because the good tunes you'd get out of this one ain't worth that kind of money.
$$$ = Worth looking for on a casual basis and maybe even buying new, but no big rush.
$$$$ = Definitely worth having in the ol' CD collection and definitely worth buying new, but don't re-arrange your personal "must have" list to get your hands on it.
$$$$$ = Why haven't you bought this CD yet? Go. This is a "Want. Take. Have." situation because you so want this.
Now Playing:
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Oh, god. Did I just show my age there?
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I am old old old. (Then again, I didn't have a CD player of my own until....about 95, even 96 I think.)
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It took me close to three years to listen to all my CDs, at the time I had about 1300. Of course, I normall only listen back and forth to work which slows things up considerably.
Are you really going to post a review for every CD you own? because I am impressed. My problem is I'm constantly acquiring more. I currently have 20 things I haven't listened to yet.
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And, ooooo yeah, I'm totally with you. The unheard pile of CDs is actually pretty high in my house, too.
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Instead we get this pin thing which...what are we supposed to do with that again?
Yeah, listening to this CD brought back some memories. They were definitely better than just their one or two hits here in the U.S.
Anyway, feel free to raid the MP3 stash I put up. I usually throw samples up with the reviews. I like discovering new music and have been known to buy CDs based an a few good MP3 files myself.
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Strangely enough, I have been thinking about Big Country myself - the tune "East of Eden" surfaced in my mind a couple of days ago, and it is stuck there!
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I adored their first album -- and I'm still weirdly happy whenever I hear "In a Big Country" on the radio. Right there with you on the bagpipe love, and I actually like the e-bow/guitar bagpipe thing they had going. (C'mon, the instrumental intro to "Porrohman" is just gorgeous...)
Many, many, many years ago I had a bunch of their stuff on cassette, but I don't think all of it was ever released on CD, or, well, I've never found it in the "used" bins. (I'm both lazy AND cheap!) I'd love to get ahold of "Girl with Grey Eyes", but no luck so far.
Thanks for making me remember them!