Entertainment For Lively Minds
got a favourite instrumental track?
Posted by eightbaII on 27 September 2009 - 7:04pm.
all this talk of the shads elsewhere in the forum, got me thinking about instrumentals, and what i like about them.
mostly it's the lack of singer(obvious) but perhaps it's that musicians put more into an instrumental track than they would with a vocal...
i've long admired those cool reverby songs, with sneaky basslines and plenty of tremelo(as well as heavy dub instrumentals from sly&robbie), even preferring the ventures over the shadows(this has caused me grief in the past).
but what other style/genre of instrumental do people on here like?
there's some good stuff by the high llamas that springs to mind(from a few years back)....
here's my current favourite track, which is a brand new one by the space cadets:
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Link Wray, of course
More Link Wray
I'm Branded
Yes yes yes, the mighty Link
As soon as I saw the heading for this post I was thinking of Link, but you got there first!
Despite it being Thatch's favourite
this is possibly the best instrumental ever (classical music excepted). And I love the fact that this "video" is in fact simply a recording of the vinyl single, complete with static and scratches
Bill Doggett's Honky Tonk
I've always loved this...
Jeff Beck's Cause We've Ended As Lovers.
Great choice
one of any number of moments by the maestro that could have been chosen.
Funny you should say that...
... I was going to suggest Blue Wind, from "Wired", a favourite of mine for many years now.
Billy's Bag
Let that Hammond Groove fly!!!!!!!!
billy preston!
wildest organ in town... i have a couple of his early albums, great stuff!
Whilst I'm in the Groove.....
Groovin' With Mr Bloe (Elton John on piano apparently)
See also "The Kid" by Andre Brasseur / "On The Green Light" by Spencer Davies / "All About My Girl" by Jimmy McGriff
Hammondtastic
don't get me started on hammond stuff...
baby face willete, big john patton, lonnie smith, booker T... zoot money, graham bond, brian auger(trinity/oblivion express/julie driscoll), the list is endless and everyone a gem!
You and I may be
thought of as anoraks in certain circles - but your taste is immaculate and I concur !!!
If I had a hat - i'd take it off to you.
Colourbox
The Tornados - Jungle Fever
can bargepole
point all in the direction of 'sylvia' by dutch proggers Focus.
Dick Dale
yes, DIck too
Saw him in London and we supported him a bunch of times in Scotland - a mighty force!
As Usual The Answer IS ELO
of course, the real "as usual ..." answer is the usual one
It's Mr Bowie and "A New Career in a New Town".
Even a hint of Mr Bloe in there. Genius
Another
Nooooh
I was gonna put that, great on the ipod travelling by train anywhere in europe but just fantastic in Poland (listened from Gdansk to Berlin) Just look at the windown and think your in the eastern block circa 1879
"Heroes" in Berlin
Walking around the more desolate parts of former East Berlin on a grey afternoon, listening to 'Sense Of Doubt' is perfect!
Can't believe we've got this far...
...and this one's not been praised to the skies!
The best instrumental - ever.
That is...
a perfect record.
Perfect.
The Beach Boys - Let´s Go Away For A While
It is known to make Swedish men cry. At least one of us.
The Nearest Faraway Place
is my favourite - and my favourite track title
Bobby Hutcherson - "Family Affair"
Air vibraphone anyone?
As cool as funk ...
Ah, too many to mention.
Have this from a man from whom I'd only ever heard "I Wanna Wake up with You"
This, via Johnny Walker
And this, which has been stuck in my head for days (although I might be cheating, cos it's a film theme, really).
Anyone heard of.....
a band called the Section? 4 superb musicians with equally superb names - Danny Kortchmar, Russ Kunkel, Leland Sklar and Craig Doerge (pronounced durg-ee). I still listen to their eponymous (vinyl) album I bought in 1972 - all instrumental tracks including a great version of Sitting on the Dock of the Bay. My personal favourite track is Sporadic Vacuums of Thought. These 4 guys have played with absolutely everyone and Leland Sklar has the finest beard in the business. Russ Kunkel was also Eric "Stumpy Joe" Childs the doomed drummer of ST.
Of course, there's also Rondo by the Nice, A Love Supreme by John McLaughlin/Carlos Santana and most everything by Jacques Loussier. Oh, and Spiral by The Crusaders - another 70's purchase.
Pigbag
Boards of Canada roygbiv
nice little tune
Ah lovely tune
so an up arrow for you.
Promise of a Fisherman...
... from Santana's Borboletta - but only with the two tracks which lead into it.
And Jessica, by the Allman Brothers - and I don't even like Top Gear.
Says something about my taste
French electronica: both great!
I never tire of
'Albatross', the piano coda to 'Layla' or 'The Brazilian' (my favourite '80s Genesis track).
Actually
I'd forgotten how good The Brazillian was
It's very good
But not as good as ...In That Quiet Earth
Astradyne.
First song on Vienna by Ultravox. Still one of the most exciting bits of music I know. They kicked off with it each night on the recent reunion tour.
[Cough]
Surely it's the Liquidator by Harry J?
All Our Dreams Are Coming True
Oh Yes
Aww good call, love this
Discovered it on a compilation by Saint Etienne called The Trip, which featured a shed load of other weird and wonderful tracks.
while we're talking about hammond instrumentals!
CHAMP! by the mohawks (actually alan hawkshaw!)
funkier than a mosquito's tweeter...
oh yes...
...what a tune. But not entirely instrumental - would it be the same without the chants of "Champ"? - I think not!
The mighty
Pink Floyd and Interstellar Overdrive.
Kenny Burrell and Midnight Blue.
The Shadows and Wonderful Land.
Tom Waits and Dave The Butcher.
Am I the only person who loves...
"STD 0632" by Alan Hull on the "Pipedream" album? I'm sure I can't be. Such a lovely instrumental.
No!
Great album too!
Chet Baker
I was looking for his version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow but this is just a great.
Found it
Now that's my favourite.
We've come this far without..........?
And Father Liam's favourite..
We've come this far without..........?
Oops double post
I was expecting
someone to have mentioned Take Five by The Dave Brubeck Quartet long before this...
let's have some post-rock....
Not suprisingly, New paths to helicon by mogwai is one of my favourite songs ever...
and while we're at it, here's Moya by Godspeed You! Black Emperor...
Can't believe I forgot
Steve Hackett - Spectral Mornings.
Too many to mention
but I have a particular soft spot for this:
You can't beat..
..a bit of Bert.
The Prisoners
featuring a young James Taylor on Hammond before his quartet days had more than a handful of great and groovy little instrumentals. The Last Fourfathers album has the best of them.
(I'd see if I could youtube any but work's firewall won't let me. But trust me if you like hammond instrumentals and sixties garage hitting each other over the head with a Small Faces album then you'll like this lot...)
Meanwhile Apache, both the Shads version and The Incredible Bongo Band's version, is brilliant.
Lest we forget
Two instrumentals that brightened up my '70s no end were these (neither mentioned thus far, to my amazement):
My vote also goes for ...
Edgar Winter - Frankenstein
Happy memories
Dweezil!
"Acknowledge the raven!"
respect
to those who put "Dave the Butcher" and "Moya". Good tracks.
There should be some more said about the post rock, as it is a predominantly instrumental genre. However, dubstep should also get a mention, and what about jazz?? Huge swathes of musical stylings that haven't been represented yet. Madness.
That said:
Country Joe And The Fish - Section 43
This is one I went for last time this subject came up. Love this clip from 'Monterey Pop' - pictures go so well with music.
Madness
One Step Beyond
Does that count as an instrumental?
Should be compulsory listening on a Monday lunchtime though...
Yeah
So does "Return of the Los Palmas 7" - even with the talky bit at the start, and the "Goodnight!" at the end.
..and for my money
...superior to "One Step..." (Am I the only one who is puzzled by the attention given to Madness' (undoubtably good) debut over the superior Absolutly (from whence Palmas hails)
Santana - "Song of The Wind"
Did he do 'Break Like The Wind'...
as well?
did someone mention madness and the shadows
here's an old favourite of mine:
classic stuff...
some great tracks being put forward here!!!!
this, by a country mile...
Air - Ce Matin La
Bill Doggett : Honky Tonk Pts. 1 & 2
In a perfect world Bill Doggett would have named his band The Cats.
Morton Stevens : Hawaii Five-O Theme
Did you know...
That none other than Sammy Davis Jr recorded a vocal version of this fabulous tune? It's called You Can Count On Me and was a Northern Soul favourite. It's great - and here it is.
New to my ears
Az, thanks.
You've all forgotten
Lick My Love Pump.
Stackridge, Stackridge and again Stackridge
Many to choose from all delightfully different - Lummy Days, Let there be lids, Pocket Billiards, Coniston Water, but my favourite of all is God Speed the Plough from The Man in the Bowler Hat.
Yes, yes, yes, yes,
...and most of all, yes.
Has anyone turned this thread into a Spotify list yet?
another great instrumental
love this tune, heard it on a cd back in the 90's and recently tracked it down on 7" ...that's not me on the video btw... i only play stuff on an old dansette!!!
Hank Jacobs
Check out "Elijah Rockin' With soul" as well, a Casino Classic
The Love Unlimited Orchestra live, conducted by the Walrus
My favourite by a country mile
is "Lonely (Amy's theme)" by The Lovin' Spoonful; yet I can't seem to find it on YouTube.
This is my favourite
This is my favourite istrumental track.
and the other one I love is the outro from Layla as used in Goodfellas:
And a toally different kind of instrumental track which I like a lot because I wrote it and played on it can be found here (its called We Are The Rats): http://www.myspace.com/themiddleclassbastards
Ryuichi Sakamoto -- 'Merry Xmas Mr Lawrence'
I'm a big fan of the vocal version with David Sylvian ('Forbidden Colours'). But it works so well as an instrumental too.
good choice
though I don't like the vocal version myself. It was a big disapointment.
If we're talking film themes then we should stick in some Vangelis surely:
http://open.spotify.com/track/6LACNIAhOIyukaFztoFZDw
and how about the terminator music that is awesome:
Maximus Enjoyment
Thought of a couple more:
(ok there's a couple of "aaahs" in it)
and this, which is wonderful.
http://www.last.fm/music/Dexys+Midnight+Runners/_/The+Teams+That
Need I add anything else?
Answer: yes, a complete link, d'oh
http://www.last.fm/music/Dexys+Midnight+Runners/_/The+Teams+That+Meet+In...
all good -
been loving the stuff put up here...
here's another favourite of mine:
Pepper Box!!
I love that tune!
Remember seeing it on top of the pops as a youngster - beardie Dutch, I think they might have been. And I've got the single in that very cover.
Lieutenant Pigeon
Mouldy Old Dough
The mention of Top Of The Pops brought this crashing back into my conciousness.
A bunch by the Who
The Ox
Cobwebs and Strange
Sparks (I especially like live versions from '69 - '70 and the remake
from the Tommy film soundtrack)
Underture
Quadrophenia title track
The Rock
Santana: Samba Pa Ti
Some great suggestions here, including things I agree with instantly, things I'll go home and listen to for the first time in years, and new things I'll investigate. I sense the need for a new iTunes playlist coming on. (No Spotify here in Australia.)
But my personal choice is undoubtedly Samba Pa Ti from Santana's second album, Abraxas. A wonderful blend of technique and emotion.
i like this mainly because:
it's me playing on it:
http://www.reverbnation.com/eplay/queue?selectedIndex=1&cont=false
Jazz
Often thought the singer gets in the way
Like... wow... man
'Eon' by Supergrass
Those Were The Days!
Dr Finlay's Casebook
Top Of The Form
America
The Nice
Or has that been murdered by the hand of the enevitable
This just in, LITTLE FEAT
Day at the dog races
The beginning of the end
Day at the dog races marks the point at which the rest of the band took over from Lowell George. His response was "What is this, fucking Weather Report?"
It's a long way from 'Willin', but as Bill Payne said, LF were always much more than just Willin and Dixie Chicken.
Jefferson Airplane
My other half asked to hear Surrealistic Pillow last night, so I dug out the vinyl, and on it went. Grace Slick's stentorian style is unique, isn't it? Anyway, I'd forgotten how much I liked the instrumental Embryonic Journey.
Focus
Also,
Go For It - Stiff Little Fingers
(but can't find a video link for it!)
Chris Isaaks
I really like the instrumental version of 'WickedGame' on the original CD singe. I've looked on spotify and you tube but it's not on there. If you get a chance check it out (somehow!). I must admit the vocal version is pretty special too. I wish more bands added instrumental versions of tracks. The Manic street preachers used to do that a fair bit years ago.
The Soft Boys
You'll Have To Go Sideways
Good call, and also
The Rout of the Clones/Muriel's Hoof from Invisible Hits
All's well with the world
whenever you hear this. There's no better way to drift off after a late night out. Written by Ronnie Binge, who sounds like he ought to be a puke-stained punk, but probably wasn't.
(Why does someone post section of old test cards on You Tube? Do people collect them?)
Nick Drake!
Minimalistic - none more so.
Nice!
I know this is a cover version of an original US hit, but its the one I grew up with. The B-side was pretty groovy too as I remember
Just found this thread
so here's some favourites:
Primals - Inner Flight
A fine Beach Boys tribute and probably my favourite Primals track of all time...
Everybody on the floor!
I'm late to this
An awful lot of my favourite music is instrumental, in all genres.
Here's a good one
And this
Or:
How about:
Scratching the surface
The very spacious music of ..
the late Michael Hedges
And this again..
please skip over the first minute,
forget that he looks like a tool,
in fact forget everything you know about Zappa.
and listen with open ears
One of his very finest moments.
See also 'Zoot Allures' and 'Black Napkins'.
this has always been my albatross
and for a completely uplifting song and song title try Otis Rush - Everythings Going to work out fine
Big Muff - Depeche Mode
Nuff said.
A few more to
(hopefully) enjoy
The Damned - Trojans
The B52s - Follow Your Bliss
Split Enz - The Choral Sea
Robert Fripp - Bringing Down The Light
Hot Tuna 'Water Song'
Riviera Paradise
by Stevie Ray Vaughan
All the way from Croatia
Bambi Molesters - Theme from Slaying Beauty
Mason Williams
Classical Gas
(Both Orchestral & Acoustic versions)
Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)
Van McCoy
The Hustle!
And Space-Magic Fly
How could we forget?
Glistening shards of sonic majesty..
a.k.a. "Explosions in the Sky" and their simply majestic "First breath after coma"
This is lovely
Another thread
reminded me of this great acoustic instrumental from...ahem...John Denver
Sunspots
Bob Mould - and not what you might expect.
Rooting around I
remembered some great 4AD instrumentals
Dif Juz - No Motion
Dead Can Dance - Cantera
This Mortal Coil - Fyt
Cocteau Twins - Ribbed and Veined
Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins
La Rosita
http://open.spotify.com/track/1blZNuq3PDoWQ2rIxO6HPI
Just heavenly.
...and one more from the 4AD
sound lot
Pale Saints - Porpoise