25 October 2013 (Day 296) - What’s My Favourite Album Ever - Final Nominations [3]

It’s a very sad day for me today as I’m sure it marks one of the tipping points in my mind that forces me to seriously reflect on my mortality for one of the first times in my life. 

Today, I attended the funeral of the first person that I went to school with who has died of natural causes.  It is recognition that I’ve got very few weddings, other than nephews and nieces, to attend in the future and that afternoons like this one will occur with increasing frequency in the next 10-15 years.  Interspersed amongst the congregation I could see fellow classmates (or their now incredibly aged parents) but we all seem to be in no rush to reach out to each other.  Perhaps we are all thinking the same thoughts. 

Before I attended the funeral I went to work, but my mind is fractured by these thoughts of mortality that I actually appreciate the meetings I needed to attend.  Otehrwise, I only had time to play two shortish albums and go for fractured music.

(# 690) Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band –Mirror Man (1971)

This is four track album consists of lengthy tracks that feature bluesy guitars that intertwine amongst themselves and the Captain’s harmonica and occasional vocal.  These are not really songs in the conventional sense but free form jams (apparently Beefheart was inspired by the free flowing live improvisations of jazzman Ornette Coleman) that churn on for as long as the musicians were on the same page.  For the most part, the music on this album is inspired.  On opening cut Tarotplane, the band manages to wring out a basic blues riff for nineteen minutes with even coming close to boring the listener.  The near 10 minute 25^th Century Quaker brings drums to the forefront which, with the harmonica playing provides a vague Arabic feel.   The 16 minute title track is dominated by country styled harmonica and slide guitars that give off a distinctly Grateful Dead vibe whilst the 8 minute closer Kandy Korn could almost be passed off as a Frank Zappa track.

(# 691) XTC – Black Sea (1980)

This was one of a series of albums on which XTC were able to marry 60’s psychedelic pop with 70’s  “new wave” styling to produce something which was truly appealing and popular, at least in Britain and Australia.  Black Sea is led off by two irresistible singles Respectable Street and Generals And Majors that are propelled by the pure force of melody, and in the case of the latter, infectious (human) whistling. Living Through Another Cuba merges a percussive attack with (referee) whistles to overcome the angular guitar shapes whilst Live At First Sight triumphs with the need for such embellishments.  Rocket From A Bottle and Burning With Optimism’s Flames both churn agreeably, Towers Of London impressively incorporates flutes and Sgt. Rock (Is Coming To Get Me) is nervously fun.

But otherwise this wasn’t a day for fun and I went to bed that night in a sombre mood.  But at least I had the following day in which to look forward.