Standard Transcriptions, The - Art Tatum

Advantages: Rock and roll....comedic style!
Disadvantages: Disadvantages?!

...'s not irony and it's not rock and roll", but anyway, moving onto more pressing matters - the song itself is a perfect example of what Art Brut are attempting to achieve - music domination through singing about things that they know - they formed a band, because it's cool, simple as that. Second track "My Little Brother" goes on, literally, about Argos' little brother, who just seems to have discovered rock and roll, regardless of the fact he's twenty two.... Yes, slightly obscure subject matter does help with the humour side of things, but it's important to remember that the music itself is not bog-standard, basic, factory line music - there are plenty of melodies and complex enough structures to show that they have actually thought about some of this, rather than just written three chords and a drum beat when drunk, like when many... Read review

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Advantages: Hauntingly beautiful and curiously accessible traditional kto music from Japan
Disadvantages: It might make you want to buy the next two volumes!

...? Being a unique experience to most Westerners (after all how much traditional Japanese/Chinese music do you hear over the course of the average year?) I don't see this as a problem. Surely it has a certain benefit as it places the listener in a situation where they are listening to (and hopefully enjoying) almost contextual music. In other words, we have to start somewhere and because a standard is a standard does not mean that it is music that is denigrated in any way. Just think of jazz and blues, music which exists to a great extent on the idea of standards, and these standards are often explored such that two versions seem entirely different pieces from one another. I believe this is called artistry. Thus, in this case what I believe is so wonderful about the Art of Koto vol.1 is that unlike some albums there is no smudge of sound... Read review

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Advantages: For lovers of Jazz music
Disadvantages: May be not interesting to someone who dislike Jazz music.

...... Read review

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