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african, World

The Lidaju Sisters – Mother Africa

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The Lidaju Sisters transmit beauty of spirit, and quiet euphoria with this album. I couldn’t believe how cool Mother Africa was on first listen. The sound of the traditional African percussion is quite unique and grabbed me immediately. Laid over the top of this are some beautiful slow and tuneful African harmonies. I had only heard the first and last album by the sisters before this so expected something more up-tempo.

I like albums where I don’t understand the words, it helps me not get sucked in to listening to them. The Lidaju sisters sing from the heart, there is one track about their mother, story-telling, the moon, pleas for peace and understanding in the other tracks. One song is about the ‘two-faced people’ who had criticised Taiwo Lidaju for having had a relationship with a white man – otherwise known as Ginger Baker of fame from supergroup Cream.

The context of this album is a thriving male-dominated Nigerian music scene, where civil war in Biafra 1967-70 was still fresh. Usually over-shadowed by their cousin Fela Kuti, the sisters could hold their own and are experiencing a latter day renaissance amongst music fans. Have a listen, it won’t take more than ten seconds to tell if they’re your jam.

Released
1977, rereleased by Knitting Factory records in 2011

Lyrics
Yes but not abrasive so quite calming. Unless you are going to learn Yorubu it’s not going to be too distracting.

Mood
Very chilled out and soulful with lots of African traditional percussion.

Good to work to
A big thumbs up from me, a good one when you need to get back down to earth.

Like
They are most often talked of in light of their second cousin Fela Kuti and the other male artists of the seventies Nigerian heyday, but I would say they have their own thing going on.

They are different to the other African artist I feature on this site Ladysmith Black Mombazo. However there are some similarities as both albums are rooted in great vocals and earthiness, but they are still quite distinct. They might be worth giving a try though if you like this one..

The Artist/s
Kehinidi and Taiwo Lidaju are and were living in northern Nigeria when they recorded this album. They performed with many of the stars of their era in Nigeria including a touring Ginger Baker. After their seventies hey day they moved. In the eighties they moved to the United States where Kehinde fell down a set of stairs and suffered spinal injuries. The injuries took the wind out of their sails and I don’t know of any later releases from the sisters.

Kehinidi and Taiwo Lidaju – vocals
Biddy Wright – (arranger) guitars, talking drums, and shekere

Other works
The Lidaju Sisters recorded only four albums at this time, and I think they all have their own unique sound. Danger from 1976, Mother Africa in 1977, Sunshine in 1978, and Horizon Unlimited from 1979.

I only have Sunshine and Mother Africa and they are very different in style. Sunshine is more experimental, but not as good an album and definitely not one for everyone to work to. I have heard some tracks from Horizon Unlimited and Danger, but haven’t heard enough to say whether they are good to work to, but the tracks I heard sounded great.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You can get this on iTunes but for some reason I had to search for Mother Africa, instead of by the Lidaju Sisters to find it when I searched in iTunes, I assume it won’t take them long to fix this. This was re-released on vinyl in 2011 by Knitting Factory Records and you should be able to track it down on the web.

The Verdict
Yes, yes, yes. I think this album will work for most people as a work album. I love it.

Folk, World

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – Gurrumul

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Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu – Gurrumul

There is a depth and gentleness to this album that will put you into a good place to write. But, unless you are one of the handul of people who can speak Yolgnu or one of the other aboriginal languages the lyrics aren’t going to distract you.

There is a deep beauty and emotion put into the delivery of the lyrics and songs on this album that goes beyond words. You can get lost this set of songs, gentle lullabies with depth.

Released
2008

Lyrics
Yes but in a mixture of languages spoken by very few people that will not distract you.

Mood
Calming and perfect for meditative works.

Good to work to
Great to work when you need to be calmed.

Like
I can’t imagine what I could compare this to aside from indigenous lullabies.

If you like the idea of exploring Australian Indigenous music I can point you in a few directions. There is in my favourite aboriginal band, a black and white collaboration called the Warumpi Band from the early eighties, although it’s definitely not music to write to.

If you like that but want something less raw Christine Anu did a beautiful cover of one of their most famous songs my Island home.

MIA is a Sri Lankan Tamil Englishwoman, and she collaborated with some aboriginal kids in this great track “Mango Pickle Down River” from her earliest album

The Artist/s
Geoffrey “Gurrumul” Yunupingu a blind Yolgnu guy who plays a right hand strung guitar left handed, didgeridoo, drums and organ. He is a very shy bloke who can’t read braille, and speaks little English. He sings in Galpu, Gumatj, or Djanbarrpuyna languages. He was born and grew up in Arnhem land, and a remote area aborigin’d knocked around in bands such as Yothu Yindi. Despite the success of his youth he was plucked from obscurity in the remote Northern Territory of Australia, to release a breakout album in a mixture of English, Yolgnu, and other aboriginal dialects.

Other works
Gurrumul has released later albums but this is my favourite so far.

Before his breakout album Gurrumul, Geoffrey “Gurrumul” Yunupingu had already had a career in one of the biggest Australian aboriginal rock bands Yothu Yindi many years before. Yothu Yindi was the first band Gurrumul was in and a hugely successful one of the nineties with their song treaty, after the hoped for treaty between the aboriginal nations of Australia and the Australian government. This treaty has still not eventuated.

In Latter days Gurrumul has been a member of the Saltwater band.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
It has been re-released on vinyl as well. An absolute cracker of an album, and of course on itunes

The Verdict
Yes get it as soon as possible. It is calming, and will work for you.

Classical, magical, Music to write to, Native American, World

Moondog in Europe

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Moondog  In Europe
Moondog had lived and performed on the streets of New York for years before he was taken to Europe, lauded and given the freedom to make albums such as this one. It’s not his most eclectic album, but he has fairly high standards of eclecticism. If a modern day DJ mixed native american beats, classical arrangements and jazz they would be lauded. When Moondog mixed these styles sixty years ago, he was considered a talented Kook.

Moondog a.k.a Louis Hardin grew up and lived in the west of America. It is said that the seminal moment in his life was when his father took him to a Sun Dace of the Arapaho tribe. He is said to have sat on the lap of Chief Yellow Calf and played a tom tom during the ceremony. Moondog can truly be seen as a product of times that will never come again. He was an unwitting pioneer of world music, influenced by jazz, and the classical music training available to him by chance after he was blinded in his youth.

I am quite verbose on many topics, but the music of Moondog speaks for itself. He has inspired countless people and thinkers. The first thing you don’t necessarily need to know but adds a little spice to the listen is, that it was all done by a giant blind man dressed as a viking who lived on the streets of New York. This might not be all you need to know, but hopefully it is enough to interest you. Moondog is in his own genre.

Released
       1978

Lyrics
                Not a one

Mood

The album is fairly eclectic, with the first half a bit of everything before moving into the second half which focuses on Church organ. I guess the first half is more eclectic and contains many of the standard Moondog sounds such as glockenspiel, native american drumming, as well as Church organ.

Good to work to

Absolutely fantastic to work to. Meets all the requirements, it takes you beyond and has few associations with anything of my brain to cling to and divert me with. While I learnt to love Moondog because of his diversity, this album has more steady motifs than most and is excellent for focus. I always like working to Moondog’s music, but I find the first half is great for shaking things up and removing my head from the day to day. The second half with it’s slower Church organ music that really gets me going and in the mood for writing.

Like

I can think of nothing like this album and artist. Don’t let it discourage you though. Moondog mixes classical, church, native american, and be-bop.

Other artists on this site he is similar to from the point of view of being consider a minimalist are Philip Glass and Steve Reich. Moondog is definitely on the experimental side of the coin though.
He also gets compared a lot to a guy called Harry Partch who was also a virtuoso who made his own instruments, but I think their musical sensibilities are not of the same ilk.

The Artist/s

Louis Hardin who later took the name of Moondog had a fascinating life. Brought up by his father near to an indian reservation. He was sent completely blind when he was sixteen. A blasting cap he was holding in his hands exploded. He was sent to blind school and received a musical education he said he could have afforded otherwise. Perhaps because of the loss of his sight, he became quite the amazing musician.
I lose track of the story when he moved to New York and decided to live on the streets dressed as a Viking. He had some amazing encounters with potential collaborators like Stravinsky, Bernstein, and Charlie Parker that all seemed to go wrong at one stage or another. After many years on the streets, with sporadic recording contracts, he eventually moved to Germany. The Germans recognised his genius and took him under their wing and allowed him to record a number of eclectic albums  such as this one, using Sax, Church organ, and many other instruments. Oh yeah, and he also invent various musical instruments.

Other works

Moondog had a long and eclectic recording career, from the New York, to latter day German eclectic renaissance. Other albums such as The Viking of Sixth Avenue, Moondog, Moondog2, Elpmas, H’art songs,  Moondogin Europe, Sax Pax for a Sax, and various other lesser known albums released from a random mix of countries in Europe and America. I would get everything if I was you, but maybe check whether you like this album first.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats

This is not always the easiest album to find in any format other than electronic, but thanks to iTunes it’s a pretty easy one to find these days.

The Verdict

Get out there and buy it as soon as you can.

Classical, High Tempo, Music to write to

Steve Reich – Music for 18 instruments

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Steve Reich – Music for 18 instruments
Music for 18 instruments is considered a minimalist classic. It pulls you in and keeps you moving. The musical themes are repeated making listening to it a particularly meditative experience.

It is classical music, but modern classical. It has obviously really good musicianship, but repetitive grooves that work for you without getting too clever or distracting, whilst at the same time being quite riveting. It’s probably not an album I’d listen to when I wasn’t working as it really sends you to that meditative place I don’t always want outside of work hours.

Released
1978

Lyrics
No lyrics, just orchestra.

Mood
There is a pace to this piece, but I am conscious that it seems to move in cycles as it plays. It is one of those albums that has a fast tempo that keeps you moving without overdoing it. I would say it is a driving piece of music. I certainly feel guilty when I’m not typing along to this.

Good to work to
Music for 18 instruments is consistently listed as one of the top albums to listen to when you’re writing, for good reason. There is nothing in this album to distract you. The musical motifs are present, and the tempo is driving. Like other classical music it’s not going to bother the hit parade, but it is music that sends you inside yourself, which is just where you want to be when you’re writing

Like
Steve Reich is usually mentioned in the same breath as Phillip Glass. Reich and Glass are both minimalist composers. The only work of Glass I have on this site is Powaqqatsi. I have got other classical music but little in a similar vein to this album.

Something like “Music for 18 musicians” reminds me more of electronic music more than anything. The difference is that not many electronic albums sustain a motif the whole way through, although some do of course.

If you know any other albums of a similar nature that are good to write to please let me know and I’ll do a little piece on them.

The Artist/s
The eightenn musicians in the Steve Reich Ensemble are
– Steve Reich – percussion (tuned drums, marimba), piano, whistling
– Pamela Wood Ambush – vocals
– Rebecca Armstrong –  vocals (soprano)
– Marion Beckenstein –  vocals (soprano)
– Bob Becker    – percussion (tuned drums, marimba, xylophone)
– Phillip Bush – piano
– Jay Clayton – vocals (alto), piano
– Tim Ferchen – percussion (marimba, xylophone)
– Ben Harms –  percussion (tuned drums, marimba)
– Russell Hartenberger – percussion (tuned drums, marimba, xylophone)
– Garry Kvistad – percussion (glockenspiel, marimba, xylophone), piano
– Jeanne Le Blanc – cello
– Richard Rood – violin
– Elizabeth Lim – violin
– Edward Niemann – piano
– James Preiss – percussion (tuned drums), vibraphone, piano
– Joseph Rasmussen – percussion
– Scott Rawls – viola
– Todd Reynolds – violin
– Cheryl Bensman Rowe – vocals (soprano)
– Gary Schall – percussion (tuned drums)
– Leslie Scott – clarinet, bass clarinet
– Mort Silver – piccolo
– Nurit Tilles – piano, electric organ
– David Van Tieghem – percussion (glockenspiel, marimba, xylophone, tuned drums, claves), piano
– Glen Velez – percussion (tuned drums)
– Thad Wheeler – percussion (tuned drums, glockenspiel, marimba, maracas)
– Evan Ziporyn – clarinet, bass clarinet

Other works
Although this album is the biggie he has a gazillion other works, I just don’t know any of them.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You should be able to get this most places, It’s a bit pricey with Vinyl, but it’s defintely on iTunes. You might even get the chance to see it in concert.

The Verdict
Your not going to get much a better album to tap away to. The sound is completely immersive and just what you need when you need to block out the world. This is a really good album to work to. The motif takes you in and blocks everything else out.

electronic, Groove, vocal samples

Lemon Jelly – LemonJelly.KY

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Lemon Jelly – Lemonjelly.KY
This is a light and fun electronica album pefect for bopping along to when you want to write. It’s also great album to bop along to while you’re cooking your dinner or even feeding the cat.

LemonJelly.KY was the first Lemon Jelly album, and is a mix of the first three EPs they released.

The thing that grabs you first about Lemon Jelly is the unique cover design. It’s no surprise that one half of Lemon Jelly is a graphic designer. You just want to play it when you see the brightly coloured looking cover which perfectly matches the music as well. It carries a real lightness about it.

It has been sampled and used in various soundtracks (Including one of my all-time favourite TV shows, SPACED) but this album works for anything.

Released
2001

Lyrics
Samples are used but it’s not a lyrical album. Sampes range from such great lines as ‘what do you do in the bath.’ Other songs like ‘the Staunton lick’ are pure instrumentals that work. One of my favourite’s Nervous tension uses samples from a South African psychologist’s album for relaxation.

The lyrics are of course quite incidental, so you will never have to worry that they will overwhelm you.

Mood
LemonJelly.KY and basically all of the Lemon Jelly music is great for doing anything. I don’t know anyone who doens’t feel lifted after they listen to Lemon Jelly. It doesn’t take over, but it definitely lightens everything up which is a good thing.

Good to work to
A very light album that works for everything.

Like
Upbeat house groove, and more generally electronic music. Obviously I’d say Lost Horizon the album by Lemon Jelly that came after this is in the same vibe, the other later albums (called 64-95) went in a more up-tempo direction, that is great but is not as friendly, which may be more helpful for wrinting. I’d say if you like this one,  definitely get lost horizon. It’s great.

I hesitate to compare this album with much else, as it has a real happy house, summer sound to it more than a particular musical sound.

The Artist/s
Lemon Jelly is Fred Deakin and Nick Franglen. They are both from London, and were in the same crowd without ever being mates until ten years later. Deakin started a graphic arts company and DJ’d, while Franglen worked as a landscape gardner then as a studio programmer for some big acts (n.b. no idea what a studio planner is).

There early Eps went well they got picked up by a label and discovered people really liked their music. The first album in 2000 was Lemonjelly.KY, the second was this one, followed by 64-95 which is music using samples from each of the years. They decided to have a break in 2008, and their website says they’s be coming back.

Other works
Lemon Jelly’s later album Lost Horizon fits in the same mould, and just as good. There other major album is called ’64 to 95’ an album that is great but has a very different feel to this and Lost Horizon. I will have to have a think about whether or not I would put it in this category of good work albums, but  don’t think it will make it.

There is one extra piece I would recommend which was a kind of sampler mix tape they put together. My lady friend happened to get a copy of when she met the graphic designer for there albums at a conference. I never found out what it was called and it’s more a party album than a writing album, but it is also great.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You should be able to get this album on CD and as MP3 most places. I did at one stage search for it on vinyl, but this is another of those rare treasures that don’t last long on vinyl and are a gazillion dollars second hand. At this stage I don’t think it is going to be repressed any time soon.

The Verdict
Another album I absolutely love. It is very easy going and light. Certainly not the album I’d use to listen to for every type of running.

bluegrass, country, Folk, High Tempo, pop

The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark

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The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark – Gene Clark and Doug Dillard
One of the first bands to combine bluegrass rock n’ roll and east coast hippie idealism, this is one great band. This album is smooth and fun, with classic songs and great grooves, with none of the sacharine that makes country indigestible. It maintains a steady pace that keeps my fingers tapping over the keyboard.

The vibe of the entire album is relaxed fun bluegrass fingerpicking good times ho-down music.

This is a significant album in the history of country rock, and is played on by a who’s who of country rock royalty, Byrds, Eagles, and Flying Burrito Brothers. The fact that Gene Clark, Chris Hillman, and Bernie Leadon are some of the all time fantastic song writers of the country rock pioneering generation doesn’t hurt either.

I can’t quite describe the happy little rythm bluegrass/rock has, but this album has it in spades. It is an easy high tempo pitch that keeps you moving along and I find my words move along at the same pace.

This has nothing to do with the quality of the album or the speed with which you can write to it, but if you want to listen to the most rootin tootin, cool album you’ve ever heard… And as for that album cover it is so funny, two of the coolest looking hippie bluegrass wildcats in a cool motorcycle and sidecar. File this under unbelievably cool, and indeed fantastic.

Released
1968

Lyrics
Yes

Mood
Relaxed and easy. Country bluegrass.

Good to work to
If you don’t like bluegrass you’re going to hate it. I like Bluegrass a little bit, and I like country rock with good lyrics, so this is metaphorical music to my ears.

Like
This album is a bit of a cross between classic bluegrass and the country rock later popularised by Gram Parsons and the Eagles. Bernie Leadon who featured in this line up not surprisingly was in a key member of the supergroup the Eagles.

The only thing I’ve put up so far (although I hope not the last) that would compare is some of the Bluegrass, including will the Circle remain Unbroken. That album is more old school but has the same uptempo bluegrass feel.

The Artist/s
Gene Clark has the curious distinction of only ever lasting for one album with any one record label before being dropped for wilful, drug fuelled, or erratic misbehaviour. He gained fame in the Byrds and with ex Byrd Hillman. There are numerous books about his Clark’s life, with one of the funniest anecdotes coming from many years after the release of this album. He took his kids to see orginal Star Wars then to grab some fast food afterwards. In the fast food joint Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) happened to pop in and seeeing Clark was star struck, while Clark’s kids were star struck over Hamill. So while a washed up alcoholic in the twilight of his career at the time, he was the dad who got Luke Skywalker to hang out with them, bumping up his kudos considerably.

Doug Dillard was a bluegrass hero in his ex band the Dillards. He was just the kind of hard living rebel to match wits with the erratic Clard.

Bernie Leadon was to gain fame as a founder member of the Eagles. A killer song writer he co-wrote and filled out this band of future country rock royalty.

Chris Hillman and Sneaky Pete Kleinhow were both to gain fame as part of Gram Parsons, Flying Burrito Brothers. They wrote a lot of timeless songs.

Michael Clark and Chris Hillman were also famous ex members of the Byrds.

Featured artists on The Fantastic Expedition of Dillard & Clark

•    Gene Clark – guitar, harmonica, vocals
•    Doug Dillard – banjo, fiddle, guitar
•    Bernie Leadon – banjo, bass, guitar, vocals
•    Chris Hillman – mandolin
•    Sneaky Pete Kleinhow – pedal steel guitar
•    Jon Corneal – drums
•    Michael Clarke – drums
•    David Jackson – bass, piano, cello, vocals
•    Byron Berline – fiddle
•    Donna Washburn – guitar, tambourine, vocals
•    Donald Beck – mandolin, fretted dobro
•    Andy Belling – harpsichord

Production
•    Producer: Larry Marks

Other works
In terms of a famous band going off in a hundred different directions  this is the one you’d start with. Take your pick Leadon went off to the Eagles. You can go back in time to the Byrds and their extensive back catalogue. You can head for the Flying Burrito Brothers Gram Parsons famous country rock band. If you want to delight in Bluegrass then head in the direction of the Dillards.

For mine although not neccessarily the best for writing I would mine the extensive Gene Clark back catalogue. He recorded extensively and has some fantastic albums such as the classic “No Other.”

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You can get this anywhere (online) digitally and on disc, although it’s a bit harder to find on vinyl.

The Verdict
For me this is a staple of any collection. Especially for any collector of country rock or Bluegrass. It’s great music that is both cheeky and fun.

High Tempo, magical, pop, World

Shugo Tokumaru – Port Entropy

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Shugo Tokumaru – Port Entropy
Port Entropy is the kind of magical album you don’t need to understand a word of. Boppy, fun, playful, and smart, by turns fast and slow. One of my first pick writing albums these days. You may not have ever heard of Shugo Tokumaru, but this album is great.

Tokumaru creates, records, mixes, and plays all the instruments on his recordings. He only records lyrics in Japanese and even though I can’t understand a word it still sounds great and evokes emotion. I wouldn’t call this world music, more like pure pop. Port Entropy was his most popular album in Japan, at the time making it to the Japanese top 40.

When he writes music he comes up with the melody and then uses the maximum amount of instruments he can to show the different aspects of his dreams. Apparently all of his lyrics, or at least the key ideas all come from his dream diary. His music reflects this approach as a lot of it is dreamy and magical.I like to listen to an album that is sonically challenging and curious. Port Entropy is full of delightful little surprises and musical references. An absolute delight of an album that goes beyond the gimickry you might expect of such an approach.

One of the best things about Port Entropy is the arrangements. He has cited the Beach Boys and a japanese artise Hachidai Nakamura as influences. I don’t know Nakamura, but the long standing love affair musicians have with the Beach Boys is because of their brilliant harmonies and song arrangements.

Released
2010

Lyrics
Lots of lyrics, but they’re all in Japanese, as a result I dont really find they distract me at all.  The lyrics are all inspired by dreams, so they may send you on an interesting tangent, but only if you speak Japanese.

Mood
Well the mood goes from upbeat and happy to introspective and sad, but generally it’s pretty upbeat.

Good to work to
This album is one of the records I put on high rotation when I’m writing. It never fails, it doesn’t distract ,but has some great highs and lows that I seem to need when I write. If the lyrics weren’t in Japanese I don’t know whether I’d like it as much, but it makes sense to me and I kind of like hering all of the different words.

Like
This album reminds me of an Australian artist, Jay Walker who records under the name Machine Translations. I’m not sure if Machine Translations is as good to write to but there are certainly some similarities in terms of density and quality. The specific album I’d compare it to is called Happy and is also densely arranged smart pop. Writing this will make me go back and have another listen.

It’s not consistently high tempo as there are some slower songs but definitely has elements, and the only reason I’d say it is world music as that is what non-english language music is labelled, but that is no easy fit. When I have some more pop here on this site I’ll link it to that.

The Artist/s
Shugo Tokumaru is from tokyo. He is in a Japanes band called Gellers made up of his old school friends. Involvement in the band was at the heart of his interest in multi instrumentation. After school he lived for a while in Los Angeles for a few years, joining a jazz band and starting his song-writing in earnest. His debut album came out in 2003 and he has been recording and performing ever since.

He has a website, shugotokumaru.com and I would keep an eye out for when he is coming your way, as it is not an everyday occurence.

Endearingly when he was learning to play guitar apparently he would only play songs by the Clash.

Other works
I have list to a few of his other albums such as 2007s exit, which was similarly inventive but which I didn’t connect with quite as much. I haven’t listened to any of his later albums. If any of them are of the level of this one they’re worth pursuing.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
Although it’s a little old now you can still track this album down on vinyl CD and of course the generic MP3.

The Verdict
I would definitely reccomend this as an album to write to. Maybe it is just because Port Entropy is in Japanese that lets me work through it. I certainly wouldn’t listen to many pop albums like this and expect to be able to continue to work. Even if you don’t want to write this is an absolutely delightful album.

Classical

Franz Liszt – Years of Pilgrimage

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Franz Liszt – Years of Pilgrimage (Annees de pelerinage)
Whenever Haruki Murakami mentions a piece of music in one of his books, interest and sales in that music spikes. He usually picks music with emotion and drama, and years of pigrimage is no exception.

Lizst’s Year of Pilgrimage was referenced within, and in the title of, Murakami’s latest book Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage, released in english translation in 2014. Murakami name checks these three piano suite’s and in particular Le Mal du pays, a piece from the Swiss suite.

Lizst’s The years of pilgrimage was originally titled with reference to a novel by Goethe, Wilhelm Meister’s Journeyman Years, which was originally referred to the years of wandering in the title.

Lizst’s work came from the period of the romantics and is full of tracks dedicated to famous people of the time like the Emperor Maximillian, references to works by other artists such as Byron, Petrach, artworks by Raphael and Michelangelo, Dante, biblical quotes, family members and nature. Despite the works not straying from piano they encompass a scope of emotion and thinking prevalent at the ideas. His fields of reference point to a well educated man with exposure to the best art and literature available at the time.

The three pieces contained have drama, and different moods having been written over four years.

Released
1838

Lyrics
No lyrics just lots and lots of piano

Mood
There is a real dramatic sweep to the different pieces of music in these suites. It drags me along, but as the three suites were written over two or three years there is a range of moods , which is good for writing.

Good to work to
I find the range of emotion and pace contained in the years of pilgrimage to be perfect for my writing. When I write I go through periods of pace and others of reflection. The music takes me away from the distractions that surround me, and can drive me on when I’m writing. I don’t always stick to the pace of the music, but if I’m not feeling inspired the different pace points can kick start me. Once I get into a bit of a flow I’m often oblivious to the music, but when I stall I can lean on its rhythm to get me moving.

Like
I’m not an expert in classical music so you’re on your own. Haruki Murakami is a fan of dramatic classical music and one of the others he name checks that I find works for writing is Janacek’s Sinfionetta. The Sinfionetta is perhaps a more dramatic work, with horns and a full orchestra, but they both work the same way, going through a range of moods and great to work through.

The Artist/s
Franz Liszt (1811 to 1886) is one of the big guys of classical music. He was a Hungarian composer, conductor, and mazing pianist. He learnt from Saleri in Vienna and through him got access to Hungarian and Austrian aristocratic circles. In those days they were the best paying clients. As with many famous composers of the day he would tour the European courts. He was a superstar of the day and hung out with the leading artists of the day like Heinrich Heine, and Victor Hugo. He had a life full of glamour, affairs, and celebrity, to the extent his fame was called Lisztomania.

Unlike many others in his position he was able to wind down from performing and concentrate on composition. He was a patron of other artists like Wagner

Other works
Liszt was a prodigious composer. He was a working musician and was singing for his supper. I could keep writing in this vein, but I have no idea. Instead I’d refer you to some other classical works Murakami recommends, or some other classical music that works for writing.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
You should be able to get this in most formats. Murakami makes the point that like most classical music the performer effects the performance. If you’re after the particular version that Murakami mentions which is performed by Lazar Berman.  Later on he mentions another performance, and like all classical music there are different styles of performance and they’re all pretty good.

The Verdict
This is a great piece to work to. It picks you up and then moves through the emotions. There are three suites so you can pick what works for you or listen to all three.

Best music to write to lists, World

Top 6 albums to write to

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6  – Alice Coltrane – Journey In Satchidananda
Alice Coltrane’s Journey in Satchidananda has a feel unlike any other album I know. Deep bass Jazz grooves are infused with world music flavoured harp and percussion.  A touch of India  is combined with the smell of the jazz cigarettes in clubs across Europe and the states.
Whether it’s all the cultural references in my head, or something else entirely, this album is otherworldly. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t think this is completely different to anything they’ve ever heard before. I saw this album for years before I made the choice to buy it. The album with the crazy looking name was a hard sell, but once I got it I never regretted it.

5 – Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever ago
This is an album for those who like to listen to warm sounding music that takes you on a comfortable sad journey. This is an album that you will enjoy listening to, and can savour but never overpowers you. Warm vocal harmonies and relaxing sounds are the order of the day.

Bon Iver is apparently pronounced Bon ee -vare, thought you might like to know that. Bon Iver is a french expression meaning Good Winter. This album has a great story behind it that if anything enhances the listen.

4 – Ravi Shankar – Three Ragas
When Ravi Shankar put out this album in 1956, the world was a small place, and Rock n’Roll was still an infant. Ten years later and Ravi Shankar had taught George Harrison how to play sitar and you could hear it on Beatles and Rolling Stones albums across the world. Beatles tracks like Norwegian Wood and Within You Without You, certainly gave the western ear their first taste of the distinctive tones and made it cool. Earlier than that even Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones had immortalised the ringing introductory sounds of Paint it Black.

A great album to put you into a trance, where your fingers fly across the keys and the next thing you know you have completed some words and are feeling better for it. This is one of the earliest and most famous Sitar albums and certainly one that will suck you in, if for nothing else, as an extremely effective tool to help you write.

3 – Janacek – Sinfionetta
Another great album if you want to shift your consciousness to a place where you can focus. From the opening bars of symphonic brass this album hooked me. It fluctuates and goes from peaceful, sweet, to confrontational and loud. I found that the somewhat erratic styles of this music for some reason don’t throw me at all. It is definitely not the kind of music I ever imagined liking.

It seems more like music that would be used on ads for the winter olympics than anything you would work to. After I wrote this I discovered it had indeed been used as a theme song in a seventies/eighties TV show, and was partly covered in a rock style by Emerson Lake and Palmer. The motifs and themes push me to write faster and then gives me some respite to slow down.

This album has garnered a lot of attention in light of it being mentioned throughout IQ84, a magical realist novel by popular Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami. I have listened to a lot of the music name checked in Murakami’s novels, but this is the only one I use consistently to write to. It has the drama that if nothing else makes reading IQ84 a much more emotional experience. What Murakami is tapping into is the emotional journey that Janacek takes you on

 2 – Kraftwerk- Man Machine
Man Machine is classic Kraftwerk German electronica. From the opening track ‘We are the robots’ the tempo is set, it has lots of beeps and whistles, and seventies pseudo computer sounds as it goes along. Kraftwerk were unique at the time and even with the passage of time the quality of their work is not diminished. This is one of those great albums where even the artwork is laid out to  enhance the listening experience. The album cover as above is another reflection of the tracks on the album that pull you along with a thematic experience of the man machine.

This album grabs the iconography of extremes, super imposes the world of machines and industrialism, and isolation, to make a great cohesive album. It was massive at the time and will be one of those timeless album that is always around.

1 – Moondog – Viking of sixth avenue
Albeit a ‘best of’, if a modern day DJ mixed native american beats, classical arrangements and jazz this well they would be the next big thing. When Moondog mixed these styles sixty years ago, he was considered a talented Kook. After hearing this, if it doesn’t have you scouring the internet for his other releases you are wasting valuable time. A beautiful eclectic album all about the music, for it is the message.
I am quite verbose on many topics, but the music of Moondog speaks for itself. He has inspired countless people and thinkers. The Viking of Sixth Avenue is a compilation of his life and career. The first thing you don’t necessarily need to know but adds a little spice to the listen is, that it was all done by a giant blind man dressed as a viking who lived on the streets of New York. This might not be all you need to know, but hopefully it is enough to interest you. Moondog is in his own genre.

Folk

Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever ago

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Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever ago

This is a folk album for those who like to listen to warm sounding music that takes you on a comfortable sad journey. This is an album that you will enjoy listening to, and can savour but never overpowers you. Warm vocal harmonies and relaxing sounds are the order of the day.

Bon Iver is apparently pronounced Bon ee -vare, thought you might like to know that. Bon Iver is a french expression meaning Good Winter. This album has a great story behind it that if anything enhances the listen.

Basically it was your classic dumping. Spurned men and women always love to write music, and in this case the one thing better than going off to your room to write sad love songs, is going off to a log cabin in the snow and writing a whole album after the break-up of your band, relationship and a bout of hepatitus. His father’s cabin in Dunn County, Wisconsis. When he was in the midst of his bout of Hepatitus he watched the old TV series Northern Exposure on DVD. In one scene the characters wishes the others bon hiver at the first snowfall of the year. Apparently he thought hive was too close to liver, where the hepatitis was kicking him.

So after recuperating all of these songs together and with a miss mash of recording gear from friends and others he recorded the whole thing himself. After playing the album to friends who liked it he did a first run of 500 CDs himself, before the album went crazy. Blogs and other indie music reviewers decided they loved the thing and it went crazy with sales.

Released
2007

Lyrics
Yes all over this release, but whilst at the same time central they are also not overpowering. There is no way I would ever suggest an album like this otherwise but it soothes and allows me to plow on typing quite happily

Mood
This is a really cool cruisy album that moves up and down. There is a real warmth to this album that sucks you in. Breathy multi tracked vocals and gorgeous arrangements make it a complete pleasure to listen to. Think calm.

Good to work to
If you need to speed type this perhaps isn’t the album.

I work to this album when I need a warm feeling that supports me. It’s beautifully arranged and put together, has peaks and troughs and supports rather than drives me when making writing decisions. This might be the perfect album to listen to when you are filling in the gaps or have a firm story in your mind.

Like
This is a folksy album that is like a latter day Crosby, Stills and Nash album, only not quite as clicked. It perhaps got a bit of Fleet Foxes southern californian thrown in. Maybe the best description might be to describe it as a folksy singer songwriter beach boys style album.

The other good album that shares something similar is the Fleet Foxes album of around the same time.

I think for warmth this album is akin to some of the Beck albums I have spoken about like Morning Phase and Sea Change. I could even describe it as sharing the warmth of indigenous Australian artist Gurrumul Yunupingu’s first album.

The Artist/s
Justin Vernon is Bon Iver, but he does have a whole group who are now Bon Iver, but for the purposes of this it’s pretty much him.

When he performs live he adds collaborators and uses musicians such as Colin Stetson and Greg Leisz.

Other works
Bon Iver have a follow up self-titled album. I personally am a much bigger rap for one of his other vehicles Volcano Choir. The first Volcano Choir album is Unmap, and I would say it is a good reference.

Where Can I buy it, and in what formats
This is an album you can find everywhere in multiple formats. It’s a classic that I see little chance of going out of print in vinyl, CD (while they exist), and electronic

The Verdict
Yeah definitely, go and grab it. If you don’t want to work to it you’ll still love this asa  classic album. I can imagine writing a novel in a lonely cabin next to a log fire listening to this album.