Devialet Chat

Shriekback "Tench" EP (vinyl)



A favourite from the '80s, which I still play often.  Dave Allen's bass style and sound are instantly recognisable.

Shriekback. Wow, just wow. I love Shriekback. But then, the bassist in all of us doesn't leave much choice, really. I saw them twice for the Big Night Music album. Pure magic. Sometimes I put on 'My Spine is the Bassline', or 'All Lined Up' and just smother myself in that Stingray groove..... oops, sorry; lost myself for a bit.

I'm embarrassed to say I don't know Tench; must look for that one. But I'm guessing it may not have been a speaker voicing album in heavy rotation at the SF factory? Shriekback may, however, be a 'go to' group for Phantom testing.

Good call, Mr5, good call.

Damon - great to hear you're a fellow Shriekback fan!  "Tench" was their first album and for me -- along with the EPs you mentioned -- it defines the version of the band I enjoy most.  Spent far too many hours trying to coax something vaguely like Dave Allen's bass sound out of my gear at the time...probably a lost cause given I had a cheapo Precision clone...and not that I had the imagination to match what he played, of course!  (He and Mick Karn were top of my list of most-admired bassists around then.)

I sort of lost track of what Shriekback were doing after "Jam Science" but am now encouraged to revisit their later stuff.  I hope you manage to track down a copy of Tench or can find somewhere to listen to it (do PM me if not).

Yes, not classic Sf material but it's still good to give the old sub-woofer a hammering now and again!

Ulver with Tromsø Chamber Orchestra. 44.1/24 download.
Moody and atmospheric.
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Ralph Towner and John Abercrombie-Late Night Passenger. 96/24 download.
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Thumb5,
Mick Karn was also a shock to my system. An amazing player who bent his bass into a radical role for the electric bass. As you did, I too tried to emulate Mick Karn and Dave Allen's sounds. Hearing Mick on the Japan albums sent me off to buy a fretless bass; an experiment that I eventually conceded was not really a success. I love the sound of a good fretless, but mostly in the hands of other players.

It is likely an album you know, but I'll post it for other curious folks who may wonder what we are talking about: Dali's Car, with Mick Karn and Peter Murphy. I have this on vinyl and CD. I listen to it ripped as AIFF and streamed through a APExp or Sonos. Plus I love Maxfield Parish, so I  could look and listen for hours


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Damon - many thanks for the pointer, I don't know that album at all so I'll look forward to giving it a (metaphorical) whirl via Qobuz.

Melody Gardot "My One And Only Thrill", via Qobuz.



Smooth vocal jazz, but occasionally with a tinge of blues, latin, ... not likely to offend anyone.

I'm enjoying discovering her back catalog after being impressed by "Currency Of Man".

Cécile McLorin Salvant - WomanChild

Vocal Jazz

Fantastic diverse and beautiful jazz album!

Talk Talk "Spirit Of Eden", via Qobuz



(I'm sure I've posted this before, but it's such a gem it must be worth mentioning again!)