My Latest Musical Acquisitions

Introduction

I seem to be buying a lot more music recently. It's still mostly vinyl that I see on my trips or has a decent format, or it's some special version that is worth getting a hold of for me.

When I walk I listen to MP3 songs on my Google Pixel 6 phone, in my front room I listen to vinyl or Blu-ray/DVD and when I work I listen to CDs. I have bought several albums recently on MP3 because the physical format is very expensive. Then I burn a CD copy. This means the artist is paid and I can listen easily.

I should be able to play my MP3s via Kindle but Amazon Music won't let me play the music I have bought through them so I am looking for a player that will connect to my network, and Spotify are just thieves.

So enough of the rant and on with a few of the songs.

I will start with my most recent acquisition and then add a few more to create a playlist of the music that I have in my collection.

Hugh Hopper - "Miniluv (Reprise)" from "1984"

Later on I will include some of the Soft Machine albums I have acquired, but since its release in 1972 High Hopper's "1984" has always fascinated me, not least for the song titles such as "Minipax" ("Ministry of War") and "Miniluv" (It's not about love and caring).

Today I tried to track down a copy but the CD version is very expensive on Amazon and Discogs, but then I found an MP3 album with the Japanese bonus tracks on Amazon. It cost me £7.99 while the CD is £80 and as it's second-hand none of that money would benefit the artists.

Trees - "Polly On The Shore" from "Trees"

Someone mentioned Trees in a Facebook group that I follow here:

I knew of them in the seventies but never bothered with them, then I listened to a shared song and I thought "What the hell have I been missing?". The book version of their collected work is £33 but you can have the lot for a mere £7.99 on MP3 and you can get it immediately. The book version is on my list for a future present.

"Polly On the Shore" is a song I first heard by Fairport Convention and Trees' version is different but just as good.

Soft Machine - "Aubade" from "Softs" and "The Harvest Albums"

Hugh Hopper was a member of Soft Machine but one of my favourite Soft Machine Albums was "Softs", their first on the Harvest Label and their first with Karl Jenkins now a very respected classical composer.

I was going to buy the Harvest Years until I saw the "Bundles" and "Alive And Well" were available as expanded versions individually. I got "Bundles on CD but "Alive and Well" had to be an MP3 download so now all the Soft Machine Harvest releases are in my collection.

Badgeman - "Liturgy" from "Ritual Landscape"

There are two reviews of this on Amazon that I agree with wholeheartedly.

Love this album, if you like the Bunnymen, Joy Division, Chameleons, Cope, Doves, Roses, give it a go, be patient, it’s a grower but after a few listens a belter.

As recommended by Julian Cope - excellent! Actually, if you like Julian Cope (1980s / 1990s period), then there is a decent chance you will like this too.

This is one of a few I picked up when I was reading "Copendium" by Julian Cope. and is as excellent as Julian and the reviewers above say it is.

Faust - "Der Baum" from "Faust Tapes"

When I first bought "Faust Tapes" as a teenager it was £0.49p on Vergin for my vinyl LP. Faust are not the most commercial band you will hear but they are still going and produce some amazing if challenging music.

Their first album was on transparent vinyl and I have a copy of that, which uses samples of The Beatles and Rolling Stones.

"Der Baum" is very gentle and shocked me when I heard it because it was so unexpected.

I got the Faust Tapes on MP3 when I was with EMusic but it is available for download on Amazon as well.

Conclusion

Thank you for reading and I hope you find something that piques your interest.