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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Music Thread

Music Thread

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Another bleg to our music nerd readers: please suggest the best, relaxing music that you can think of. Life and work is a little hectic at the moment. Left to my own devices I would listen to an infinite loop of Yo Yo Ma playing prelude to Cello Suite #1, but no doubt equally inspiring stuff exists that I haven’t heard yet.

Jazz, Funk, R&B, space and electronic are all welcome as long as it puts one in the right mood. I will hit up iTunes tonight for my favorite suggestions.

***Update***

And celtic, of course. 9 out of 10 Enyas agree that celtic might be the most inherently relaxing genre short of shakuhachi.

I just bought a shakuhachi album BTW, thanks very much to whoever recommended it.

Reader Interactions

337Comments

  4. 4.

    JR

    Belle & Sebastian’s “If You’re Feeling Sinister” album. Also, give Prefuse 73’s “One Word Extinguisher” a shot, or perhaps “Surrounded by Silence.” Both are damn fine electronica albums.

  5. 5.

    JR

    Belle & Sebastian’s “If You’re Feeling Sinister” album. Also, give Prefuse 73’s “One Word Extinguisher” a shot, or perhaps “Surrounded by Silence.” Both are damn fine electronica albums.

  6. 6.

    Laura W

    You are so gonna hate this, Tim F. Which is why I am compelled to post it. Listened to the CD for the first time in ages on my 50 min. “commute” up a narrow, winding NC mountain road this morning and felt pretty darn soothed when I got there.

    Turn Me On

  10. 10.

    Dungaree Joe

    “Too Wild To Tame,” The Boys
    “Tumbling Dice,” Rolling Stones
    “YMCA,” Village People
    “Dankeschoene,” Wayne Newton
    “Straight On,” Heart
    National Anthem, Francis Scott-Key

  15. 15.

    MattF

    I think I’d go for classical– Bach by Hilary Hahn, Mozart by Mitsuko Uichida, Sarah Vaughn singing anything.

  18. 18.

    Punchy

    Yonder Mountain String Band, Split Lip Rayfield, or Backyard Tire Fire are great bands to chill to…

  19. 19.

    JGabriel

    Debussy, Messiaen, Sigur Ros, and Kraftwerk might also be worth checking out for their relaxing qualities.

    .

  20. 20.

    Shell

    Just a note to fellow Juicers, “It’s the Great Pumpkin , Charlie Brown’ will be broadcast this Wednesday, Oct. 28.

    Not exactly a music post…but like ‘Charlie Brown Christmas,’ it does have a great score.

  21. 21.

    Jack Roy

    I’ve always found Satie’s Gymnopédies (and also the rest of the stuff that goes by different names… “Gnossiennes”? maybe? but I don’t even speak French) to be perfect wordless wind-down music. I think the version I have is this one.

  22. 22.

    Jim

    If you’re making that iTunes soothing classical playlist, add to Bach’s 1st cello concerto “Nessum Dorma” (sp?) and the prelude to Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an exhibition”. Also The Flower Song, or Duet. And Pachabel’s cannon.

  23. 23.

    reality-based

    Cajun Music – especially any Beausoleil or Michael Doucet –

    only if you don’t speak French, though – so you don’t get caught up in the lyrics

    The rhythms just make me wanna-dance happy – so happy that I can get through cleaning the house, or 10 hours of office work, or any other chore I don’t want to do – carried along on a wave of two-step fiddle and washboard music.

  26. 26.

    ruemara

    this is a weird one, I know, but, Om for the Holidays works for me, especially Still, Still, Still.

    Holsts’, The Planets, Franz Liszt’s Etudes and the Hungarian rhapsodies….if someone hadn’t stolen my ipod, I’d have more.

    Lucia Hwong’s House of Sleeping Beauties, which I’ve had a passionate love for since I was 12.

    If you don’t mind some jazz electronica I can’t recommend St. Germain’s Tourist album highly enough. Try “So Flute”.

    My friends call me radio. Hope you like some of them.

  28. 28.

    Shell

    I’m big on soundtracks. ‘Waking Ned Devine.” ‘Field of Dreams”

    Funny, one song that always makes me kick back, Jerry Lee Lewis’ ‘Lucky Old Sun.”

  29. 29.

    Mary G

    I bought this on sale at Amazon for $1.99 or something, but it’s $7.99 now and I’ve been listening to it at night to help me sleep.

    The 99 Most Essential Baroque Masterpieces

  30. 30.

    JGabriel

    @Jack Roy:

    I’ve always found Satie’s Gymnopédies … to be perfect wordless wind-down music.

    Yes, Satie is another good choice. Nice call.

    .

  32. 32.

    burnspbesq

    Bill Evans, especially the two albums recorded at the Village Vanguard in 1961 (Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby).

    Mark O’Connor’s Double Violin Concerto.

    Any good recording of the Brandenburgs (I’m partial to the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields).

    A four-volume set of the complete Debussy works for piano by Jean-Efflam Bavouzet.

    “Skip, Hop & Wobble,” by Jerry Douglas, Russ Barenberg, and Edgar Meyer.

    Any of Karen Matheson’s solo work.

    The Bartok Concerto for Orchestra – the critic’s choice is the Berlin Phil/von Karajan recording, but I’m partial to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra performance.

    Strauss’ Alpensinfonie – there is a great recent recording by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

  34. 34.

    DanSmoot'sGhost

    Wow, I thought DougJ had nothing to say today …. until I read this.

    THIS is having nothing to say. By the way, can anyone recommend a good toilet paper? I like soft, but not too soft.

    Thanks!

  36. 36.

    RandyH

    It’s Sunday. On Sundays I keep the TV tuned in in the background to HDNet’s Sunday Concert Series. I hear so much great stuff that I didn’t even know I liked because I didn’t even know who sung it when I heard it first.

    I’m learning to keep the DVR set to record all of them, even the ones I don’t recognize by name because they’re such good performances. Then I listen to them during the week while working. Sooner or later the DVR’s 1.5TB disc will fill up and I’ll have to delete some or move them off to the PC for DVD archive.

  37. 37.

    Kaleb

    “clear blue” by lanterna
    “across the sky” by landing
    “music for three synthesizers” by landing
    “p” by labradford
    “for kalaja mari” by school of seven bells
    Durutti column
    eno

  44. 44.

    DanSmoot'sGhost

    Come on, I was serious. Quilted? Not quilted?

    Scented? Not scented?

    Jumbo rolls?

    I was thinking of mounting several TP holders in the loo, and having a sort of sampler rack available so that I could do a realistic compare-o. Ideas?

  45. 45.

    Hann1bal

    If you’re looking for a whole bunch of relaxing music at a very low cost, Amazon’s MP3 store has a collection called “99 Perfectly Relaxing Songs”, and another called “The 99 Most Essential Mozart Masterpieces”. They’re $7.99 each, and I have used these two collections to help concentrate on papers time and time again. The second collection, as it would imply, is 99 tracks of Mozart, played by various people. The first one is a little trickier to categorize. A good part of it is religious (notably Tibetan Buddhism and Roman Catholicism) in nature, while most of the rest is classical/baroque. All in all, an excellent value.

    PS: The Amazon MP3 store in general is a fairly good value. Every week, they’ll put up interesting little samplers of music for free. I actually got these two collections for free, thanks to one of those promotions. It’s very high quality, and I’ve gotten much more from them than I’ve gotten from iTunes.

  48. 48.

    mechanical jacobin

    The American Analog Set — Know By Heart

    Also anything by the Kings of Convenience.

  49. 49.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @linda:

    Whoopee, the choir version. I’ve been looking for that forevah. Had it from Real Tunes until my computer died and lost it. Thank you, thanky you so mucho.

  50. 50.

    DanSmoot'sGhost

    @Tim F.:

    Uh, I am familiar with all the Balloon Juice traditions,
    Tim.

    You must have really strained your nogging for this thread today.

    Next weekend, maybe some picture of clouds and ask the readers if they can see the faces in them?

    Thanks!

  52. 52.

    Dan

    Matt,

    Thanks for the link. I just grabbed that. Didn’t Amazon have some deal a while back where you could get 100 classical songs for like $5.99 or $7.99?

    Anyone remember that? Is it still available?

    Thanks.

  54. 54.

    Brian Griffin

    Joe Henry.

    ‘Richard Pryor addresses a tearful nation’ is one of the best songs ever. Soulful, relaxing, inspiring.

    and ‘Scar,’ featuring none other than Ornette Coleman.

    also ‘Stop.’

  55. 55.

    gern blanston

    one of the most delightful albums ever recorded; Jean Pierre Rampal “Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano”!

  57. 57.

    eco2geek

    Another thing to try: To listen to some nice, relaxing jazz, go to Pandora Radio, create an account, and create your own radio station using, say, Diana Krall as the seed artist.

    Or use your own favorite musician.

  59. 59.

    sloan

    Seconding Dan’s (#3) suggestion Neil Young’s Harvest Moon. Thanks Dan, I’d forgotten how much I love that album!

    Jazz:
    Thelonius Monk Live At The It Club
    Billie Holiday – The Complete Verve Studio Master Takes
    Diana Krall – When I Look In Your Eyes

    Internet radio: Radio Paradise out of Paradise, CA. Great mix of chill tunes, no commercials! And it’s free.

  61. 61.

    Tim F.

    @DanSmoot’sGhost:

    Uh, I am familiar with all the Balloon Juice traditions,

    \

    No, you apparently are not. Most days I write ‘chat about whatever’ in the space on top of an open thread. Other times John posts pictures of his cat. It honestly amazes me that this thread bothers you more than the eighty five hundredth picture of Tunch daring John to move him off that futon.

  63. 63.

    john b

    rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto (the adagio mvmt in particular) is undescribably beautiful.

  68. 68.

    DanSmoot'sGhost

    @Tim F.:

    You, a scientist, a logic pimp, making an assertion about which you have no facts whatever? How do you know what my opinion is of the Daily Tunch troll? Have I ever expressed an opinion on that?

    No really, I am serious about the TP thing. What do you think about hypo-allergenic? Septic Safe(tm)?

    Where’s the love? Little help please.

  75. 75.

    Splitting Image

    Handel, “The Water Music” and “Music For the Royal Fireworks”.
    Mike Oldfield, “Ommadawn”.
    The Pogues, “If I Should Fall From Grace With God”. Not even sure why I find this one relaxing since it’s so up-tempo, but I do.
    Any good collection of Beethoven’s piano sonatas. (“Moonlight”, “Appassionata”, and “Pathetique” are my favourites).
    A good Duane Eddy collection.

  77. 77.

    gern blanston

    One of the most delightful albums ever recorded, Jean Pierre Rampal’s “Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano”!

  79. 79.

    DanSmoot'sGhost

    @JGabriel:

    That’s right. Anyone who sneers at a “does anyone know of any good relaxing music” thread is a concern troll.

    I tell ya, comedy is dead.

  84. 84.

    Tim F.

    @Laura W: Hate it hell. That’s great.

    Thanks to everyone else as well.

    @DanSmoot’sGhost: It has been so long since we had a troll I almost forgot what they look like. ‘Logic pimp’! Lord, that’s a good one. I hope you enjoy your visit.

  85. 85.

    randolf hurts

    sigur ros, brightblack morning light, joanna newsom, arthur russel, nick drake. straight to sleeptown.

  87. 87.

    Peter

    Anything by Faure

    The Tallas Fantasia by Vaughan Williams

    Late Schubert, especially Uchida for the piano works and the Mackerras recording of the Great C-Major

    Bruckner symphonies — let them work into you

  90. 90.

    Betsy

    Yann Tiersen, Amelie soundtrack. Wonderful rainy afternoon music.

    Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, Bach cantatas.

  91. 91.

    Robertdsc-iphone

    From Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, I recommend Spanish Key. Perfect to calm down & relax to.

  93. 93.

    ihop

    “sea biscuit” by spacetime continuum and “greyfolded” (john oswald blending many versions of “dark star”) are my two favorite wind down and relax discs.

  97. 97.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    My first car was a 1972 Ford Pinto. Bought it green, used. Painted it white. Lost it about six months later in a multi-car accident on the interstate. Was struck from behind but it didn’t explode.

    My next car was a 1974 Ford Mustang II. Spent all winter working on it in the garage but the engine blew up a few months after I got it on the road.

    I love American cars and America.

  102. 102.

    sloan

    Three more:

    Earlimart – Treble and Tremble
    Grandaddy – The Sophtware Slump
    Flaming Lips – The Soft Bulletin

    I guess these are rock albums, but they’re not hard rock and a good listen from beginning to end, with a few exceptions. Sort of like Pink Floyd’s The Wall, you have to listen to the whole thing and then it just sort of flows from one song to another.

    Hope you or someone else enjoys these.

  106. 106.

    DanSmoot'sGhost

    @Tim F.:

    Aren’t you supposed to be listening to some relaxing music?

    The Rachmaninoff suggestion was good, especially if it’s the Richter. Richter’s Brahms Second is great too, Chicago Symphony (Leinsdorf). Don’t play the Andante while driving, you might nod off and kill somebody, it is so dreamy and pretty.

    Or just about any Glenn Gould.

    Yore friend,
    Serius Lee

  107. 107.

    ranger3

    Miles Davis “Kind of Blue” FTW

    That was too easy.

    Also…

    Miles Davis ’58 sessions
    Vince Guaraldi Trio’s Greatest Hits (and not just for the Charlie Brown Christmas stuff, which is the best Christmas score ever)
    One Night With Blue Note Preserved Vol.1
    Cannonball Adderley “Something Else”, (essential just for his rendition of Autumn Leaves at the opening)
    John Coltrane “Blue Train” or “My Favorite Things” (that’s a bit obvious but I don’t know that anyone mentioned it)

    For classical…

    Howard Hanson’s 2nd Symphony
    Henryk Gorecki’s 3rd Symphony

    don’t really listen to it much anymore, but I was clinically depressed back in the 90’s and got alot of mileage out of those two CDs.

  108. 108.

    Polish the Guillotines

    Dave Brubeck: Time Out, Jazz Impressions Of the USA
    Earth, Wind, & Fire: All ‘N All
    Diana Krall: Love Scenes, When I Look In Your Eyes

    Oh, and Fuck The Yankees(R).

  110. 110.

    JGabriel

    JGabriel:

    A pretty great mix is to take Summertime In England, from Common One, and follow it with the last four songs on Into the Music.

    Hmph, they’ve changed the song order on Into the Music. For the sake of accuracy, change “last four songs” to “Angielou, And The Healing Has Begun, and It’s All In The Game/You Know What They’re Talking About”.

    .

  111. 111.

    neill

    The obvious:
    Miles Davis, “Kind of Blue”
    Chopin, “Nocturnals”

    Also:
    Anything by
    Dexter Gordon
    Billie Hilliday
    Art Pepper
    Anita O’Day

    Ringers:
    Snatam Kaur
    Junior Brown (just kidding)

  115. 115.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @DanSmoot’sGhost:

    And we also know that you are Charles Manson. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

    That’s crude, even for a wrinkled old fart like you/ If comedy is dead, you kilt it. Otherwise, I’m not interested in your mendacity trolling.

  117. 117.

    Tom

    Devotion by Beach House.

    My favorite album of last year. Took a while to grow on me, but it gets better and better with each listen. Incredibly mellow. Perfect to fall asleep to as there’s not one jarring track on the album.

  119. 119.

    DanSmoot'sGhost

    @General Winfield Stuck:

    Sure you are, dude. All I have to do is say something really rude to you and you will stop posting for a month, except for an occasional “is he still there?” to Laura.

    I have your number, Schmuck. And its square root.

  120. 120.

    Jeff Berardi

    When my work and life get hectic, I usually turn to the soothing tunes of Minor Threat, Husker Du, etc, to calm myself down, so maybe I’m not the best person to answer this query… but try this:

    Ananda Shankar.

    Amazing.

  123. 123.

    mak

    Colma, by Buckethead. He’s known mainly as a metal guitarist, but this whole album is blood pressure medicine, especially when combined with a good red (or the relaxant of your choice).

  124. 124.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @DanSmoot’sGhost:

    Your the one who stopped posting, and when he does under about 40 alias handles. The only number you have is yourself cause nobody else here gives a shit about your nonsense.

    So you want to pick a fight, ok., it’s a free country.

  126. 126.

    DanSmoot'sGhost

    @General Winfield Stuck:

    I would never pick a fight with you, Schmuck. I have standards, you know. Never enter into a battle of wits with an unarmed person, right? It’s unseemly.

    By the way, your fly is open. Again.

  127. 127.

    ranger3

    @Polish the Guillotines:

    Oh, and Fuck The Yankees®.

    Ah, but Derrick Jeter has dreamy eyes. And as the Falcons discovered earlier today, and the Chiefs before them… you can’t fuck with dreamy eyes.

    Cowboy haters are going to develop a serious dislike of Miles Austin in a hurry.

  131. 131.

    Laura W

    @Just Some Fuckhead: Here is my first car, 63 Dodge Dart.
    (Dead Grandmother’s car. Not my first choice.)

    If you woulda known me back then, tooling around Santa Barbara with the red interior and push button ignition, my hair slicked back, sunglasses on, Baybee…you woulda totally gotten me drunk on Blue Nun and asked me to hot tub with you. (That’s what we called “spas” back in the old days, FH.)

  132. 132.

    arguingwithsignposts

    @Jeff Berardi:

    When my work and life get hectic, I usually turn to the soothing tunes of Minor Threat, Husker Du, etc,

    Wow. I could see Bob Mould but Husker Du? That’s not calming music, IMHO (as a big HD fan!)

  137. 137.

    Yutsano

    Hate/divorce me later, but Enya always makes me relax to no end. Sorry no links because I’m stuck at work.

  138. 138.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    @Laura W:

    If you woulda known me back then, tooling around Santa Barbara with the red interior and push button ignition, my hair slicked back, sunglasses on, Baybee…you woulda totally gotten me drunk on Blue Nun and asked me to hot tub with you. (That’s what we called “spas” back in the old days, FH.)

    Yep, I was a pretty precocious 9 year old. :)

  140. 140.

    Zach

    Wow, someone mentioned Lanterna. That brings me back to college (this isn’t a bad thing; very good recommendation).

    The best rock/electronic record I can think of from the past decade or so in this vein is The Notwist’s Neon Golden. Also, the Books’ Thought for Food.

    Andrew Bird is probably a good suggestion in the category, but every song I’ve heard of his sounds exactly the same. I suppose that’s relaxing, though.

    Jazz-wise, Brad Melhdau’s pretty chill without verging on musak. I also like late-90s/early-00s postrock/jazzish music to relax to… Tortoise’s TNT, June of 44’s Anahata, Karate’s Some Boots… all different styles and good jumping off points for similar music.

    Focusing on relatively new music here. Pretty much every record Miles Davis cut in the 50s would work as well. Miles Ahead, Sketches of Spain, and obviously Kind of Blue.

  142. 142.

    Brett

    Here are a few of my favorites, with links to some mp3s:

    1) Phong Nguyen:

    http://www.asianclassicalmp3.org/Phong.htm

    2) Geeta Bennett, Veena Virtuosa

    3) Charles Lloyd,”Guman” (Sangam), and “Georgia” (The Water is Wide)

    4) Aceface, “Building”

    http://aceface.bandcamp.com/album/revenge-of-the-bluntasaurus-rex (track 2)

    5) Issa Boulos, “Irtijal Nahawand”

    http://www.issaboulos.com/download.html

    6) John Coltrane Quartet, “Wise One” (Crescent)

    7) Nick Drake, Five Leaves Left

  144. 144.

    General Winfield Stuck

    Aw, just go ahead and strip down to your boxers, and relax. Somebody here will be nice to you.

    More low rent material.

  146. 146.

    Zach

    @Jeff Berardi: “When my work and life get hectic, I usually turn to the soothing tunes of Minor Threat, Husker Du, etc, to calm myself down.”

    Ditto, actually. I prefer to fight fire with fire when things start to get out of hand. Bleach lately. Pink Turns to Blue is actually soothing, though.

  152. 152.

    Martin

    Anything that Paul Simon has been involved in during his lifetime – wrote, sung, produced – it’s all good.

  153. 153.

    falloch

    Pink Floyd Dark side of the moon is NOT relaxing – it is amazing, but not relaxing; it is very good for driving through landscapes you’ve not seen before.

    Relaxing/upbeat: anything by King Sunny Ade; Nitin Sawney

    Relaxing/chill out: B. Eno ‘Music for airports’; first Air album; Chick Corea and Gary Burton Crystal Silence; most anything by Mose Allison

    Just very amazing music: ‘Chanterai pour mon courage’ mediaeval music from the Languedoc

    So good to be reminded of Jean Pierre Rampal – I’d forgotten about him for 20 years or more! Thank you!

  155. 155.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @LoveMonkey:

    Piss off timezone or love monkey, or what ever. And take your boorish schtick with you., You have nothing of value to offer dude.

  158. 158.

    wlrube

    If you want jazz, I’m a jazz musician and I could go on forever with suggestions. Accessible and relaxing, hmm… Jim Hall & Pat Metheny, is some really nice guitar duo stuff. Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd’s Jazz Samba and Ike Quebec’s Bossa Nova Soul Samba are 2 great early jazz bossa nova albums. Maria Schneider is a great modern large ensemble writer/director; check out Sky Blue. But Maria Schneider can be heavy stuff sometimes — if you’re looking for something a bit lighter, Roy Hargrove’s jazz with strings album Moment to Moment is worth a buy.

    Like I said, I can go on forever like this. After following this blog for a while, the discussion is finally on a topic where I feel like I might actually know something.

  161. 161.

    LoveMonkey

    @General Winfield Stuck:

    Fuck you, Schmuck. Where do you get off talking to me that way?

    I pay the same fee you do to post here, you stupid bonesmoker. If you don’t like my posts, then you can ignore them.

    Kiss my entire ass, motherfucker.

  164. 164.

    JerseyJeffersonian

    Handel – Concerti Grossi, either the inimitable Opus 6 set, or the Opus 3.

    For more Baroque period orchestral music , you can’t top the Corelli Concerti Grossi Opus 6.

    Bach – The Goldberg Variations, but performed on the harpsichord rather than the piano. My favorite, Gustav Leonhardt. It’s amazing how much can be done through playing with time and registration of the ranks of strings when crescendo/decrescendo is removed from the equation.

    Monteverdi – Any of the books of madrigals, either the early ones in the Stile Antico, or the later ones experimenting with the Stile Nuovo.

    William Byrd – Mass in 4 Voices, My Ladye Nevells Booke

    Masses and motets by Dufay, Ockeghem, Josquin des Pres.

    Officium – a collaboration between saxophonist Jan Garbarek and the Hilliard Ensemble. They sing works from Medieval and Early Renaissance sources, he improvises around them. Recorded in a monastery. Tres cool.

    Ravi Shankar – Raga Marwa from his Live in New York

    John McLaughlin and the original lineup of the Mahavishnu Orchestra on the album My Goal’s Beyond. Wonderful space fusion on one side, and fine solo guitar on the other.

    Yes to Messiaen, but I don’t know if I could honestly call some of this “relaxing”; but great…unreservedly. Quartet for the End of Time, Vingt Regards sur le Enfant Jesus, Turangalila Symphony. I could go on. So much for serial composition as the only way forward.

    Ravel – Le Tombeau de Couperin, either in the original 6 movement piano form or his later 4 movement orchestration drawn from the piano part. A tombeau is a memorial to someone who has died. This work, using forms familiar in the time of Couperin, memorializes friends who were killed in the First World War. He must have treasured and loved them all.

    Sibelius – Incidental music to Pelleas et Melisande.

    Schubert – Impromptus and Moments Musicaux.

  165. 165.

    LiberalTarian

    Putumayo-Presents-Latin Lounge. Perfect while you recline in a hot bath.

    Or, for when you need only instruments, try out Oblivion, works of Piazzolla and Nin, by Maya Beiser and Anthony DeMare. Sublime with cello and piano, subtle and lingering.

  166. 166.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @LoveMonkey:

    You missed my joke of “shitty question” concerning your toilet paper question, that wasn’t addressed to you in the first place. Like I said, if comedy is dead on BJ, you killed it, or are trying to..

  168. 168.

    HoneyBearKelly

    Weather Report – A Remark You Made

    Kate Bush – How To Become Invisible

    Herbie Hancock – Sun Touch

    Roy Ayers – Searching

    Idris Muhammad – Moon Hymn

    Snow Patrol – The Lightning Strike

    The Dells – Stay In My Corner

    Don’t know if you can get any or all on iTunes though.

  170. 170.

    Fulcanelli

    @General Winfield Stuck: Whew, we got a slug fest in a thread about relaxing music. It’s a good thing we don’t talk about politics around here or it could get ugly. Religion, also.

    And yes I concur, the Yankees do suck.

  171. 171.

    LoveMonkey

    @General Winfield Stuck:

    Really, Schmuck? You think my couple dozen posts a week have the power to kill anything on BJ? Wow, I must have some powerful lightning in my fingers here. Maybe I should get a permit to take these pinkies out of the house?

    I know what’s eating you, Schmucko. On my worst day, I can post better political comments just using a stick clenched in my teeth to tap out the pearls of wisdom, than you can post using both hands and two paid assistants. Eat your liver, you sore loser.

    And another thing, for those who aren’t paying attention. This fight didn’t start today, as you fucking damned well know, and I didn’t start it, which you also fucking damned well know. So cut the victim routine.

  172. 172.

    Zak44

    Vaughan Williams: “Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis” or “The Lasrj Ascending”

    Bantock: “Celtic” Symphony

    Jean-Pierre Rampal: “Sakura” Japanese Melodies for Flute and Harp

    Dvorak: Serenade for Strings

    R. Strauss: Four Last Songs

    Respighi: Ancient Airs & Dances

    Rachmaninoff: “Vespers” or “All-Night Vigil”

    Miles Davis: Porgy and Bess

  173. 173.

    Joel

    1. aphex twin “lichen” from selected ambient works II
    2. alpha “blue autumn” from stargazing
    3. animals on wheels “noddings dogs” from designs and mistakes
    4. capitol k “pillow” from island row
    5. lemon jelly “space walk” from lost horizons
    6. arovane “instant gods out of the box” from lillies
    7. ulrich schnauss “blumenthal” from a strangely isolated place
    8. four tet “hands” from rounds
    9. avalanches “since i left you (cornelius remix)” from at last alone
    10. boy robot “live in vanilla” from rotten cocktails
    11. cex “julia walsh” from role model

    a pretty wide variety of relaxing electronic music. not sure you’d like it all… avoiding obvious choices like thievery corporation, air, etc.

  176. 176.

    Michael T Sweeney

    Wow, no one suggested Boards of Canada yet? They’re probably the top-dawgs when it comes to relaxing electronic music. Their recently released song “Seven Forty Seven” is the bee’s knees, but any of their stuff is pretty fantastic – the album “Music Has the Right to Children” received a totally justified 10.0 review in Pitchfork.

    Boards of Canada – trust me on this.

  177. 177.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @LoveMonkey:

    I hold no grudges for anyone on this blog. Sometimes we have spats and I forget them within hours after they occur. And that certainly is the case with ours. You should do the same.

  179. 179.

    Fulcanelli

    FYI, one neat treasure trove of legal free new music I’ve recently discovered is from Amazon’s MP3 downloads: “Free Samplers”.

    Search for “Free Samplers”, “Free”, or “Sampler(s)” in their MP3 Downloads section. I’ve discovered all kinds of interesting stuff from all over to give a try. The concept works, as I will buy some stuff I’d have never heard of.

  183. 183.

    KG

    There are a couple of Jimmy Buffett songs that usually put me in a good mood: The Wino and I Know, Tin Cup Chalice, and Hula Girl at Heart readily come to mind. A lot of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis, Jr. stuff usually works too. Johnny Cash’s I Got Stripes, Folsom Prison Blues, and Ring of Fire can also work.

  185. 185.

    Andrew J. Lazarus

    Brahms, Symphony Nr. 4 and German Requiem.

    For more modern, Gorecki, Symphony Nr. 3.

  186. 186.

    General Winfield Stuck

    Sure. Just go ahead and apologize to me, and we can shake hands.

    Are yer feelings hurt? Talk to a priest.

  187. 187.

    Brian Griffin

    Joseph Arthur is usually a bit too edgy to be relaxing for most people, but ‘Termite Song’ is very soothing, and just brilliant.

  188. 188.

    Chad N Freude

    Any Andre Previn jazz album. Especially a set of show tune albums he did with Shelley Mann in the ’50s (Gigi, Bells Are Ringing, My Fair Lady, etc.).

    Anything by The Modern Jazz Quartet.

    Anything by Joe Pass. Especially “Songs For Ellen” and “Blues For Fred”.

    Bill Charlap Trio – “Somewhere”.

    Tord Gustavsen Trio – “Changing Places”, “The Ground”.

    I could go on
    and on
    and on …

  190. 190.

    Ash Can

    Lots of great music mentioned in this thread. For sheer relaxation, though, I second Brian Eno, Diana Krall, Vaughan Williams’ Variations on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, and Satie’s Gymnopedies. Also, the Hansen, Gorecki, and Enya recommendations. Add to that Loreena McKennett (sp?) and a couple of classical swan pieces: The Swan from Saint-Saens’ Carnival of the Animals, and Sibelius’s Swan of Tuonela. Also, you can’t go wrong with any kind of Gregorian chant, and Hildegard Von Bingen would fill the bill nicely as well.

  192. 192.

    Chad N Freude

    Haydn Symphonies. I’ve always found the London Symphonies excellent background for doing work.

  193. 193.

    General Winfield Stuck

    I have no feelings where you are concerned, Schmuck. I just don’t like you.

    Nah, say it ain’t so Gracie.

  194. 194.

    arguingwithsignposts

    So cheer me up. I’ve had an exhausting weekend, and another to come next week. I miss my gf and kids, and I feel that dark cloud coming on again this weekend. Why do ppl like Gass feel totally confident and I feel so totally unconfident? Do I need a credenza to fax? Do I need some helicopters?

    Or not. This is my prob to deal with. So tired …

  195. 195.

    Chad N Freude

    Somebody mentioned Diana Krall. I second that, and I would add Carmen McRae, Cheryl Bentyne, and Diane Schuur.

  198. 198.

    Chad N Freude

    How could I forget? The Brazilian singer Céu, self-titled album. (The first very short track not so much, the rest is amazing).

  200. 200.

    RedKitten

    Why do ppl like Gass feel totally confident and I feel so totally unconfident? Do I need a credenza to fax? Do I need some helicopters?

    Most psychopaths do tend to be fairly confident in themselves, so Gass probably isn’t the best person to whom to compare yourself.

    And dude, if you’ve got a credenza to fax, fax it to me. I could use one in my dining room.

    And we ALL need helicopters, even the laughing ones.

  204. 204.

    fungus amungus

    People have already said: Kind of Blue, Appalachian Spring (which contains among all else the most beautiful two minutes of music anybody’s every written, I think). Couple things by Debussy (“Claire de Lune” eg), couple things off Joni Mitchell’s “Hegira”. You know the drill.

  206. 206.

    Meg

    relaxing? i always reach for ambient and dubstep

    burial – untrue
    caretaker – a stairway to the stars
    eno – music for airports
    dom f. scab – twelve stories
    vangelis bladerunner soundtrack

  207. 207.

    Anne Laurie

    @Tim F.:

    It honestly amazes me that this thread bothers you more than the eighty five hundredth picture of Tunch daring John to move him off that futon.

    Some people get their relaxation by starting intertoob pissing contests, where they can avoid the familiar ignominy of getting pulped IRL.

    I wonder if we should add “Internet Tuff Guy” to the Lexicon?

  211. 211.

    bago

    As a west coast ambient dj, I have shit tons of music to contribute beyond boards of Canada. Email me at [email protected]
    for the good stuff. I am mobile right now and as such somewhat limited in mymedia capabilities.

  213. 213.

    Fulcanelli

    @arguingwithsignposts: Take comfort in the fact that overconfidence in somebody like that usually masks a inversely proportional level of emptiness and fear within. It’s easy to spot the bullshit once you have eyes to see. Keep your chin up, bro, for this darkness too shall pass before you know it.

  214. 214.

    LoveMonkey

    @Chad N Freude:

    That’s right, Chad. “Does anybody know any good music?” threads deserve nothing but total respect. Everybody knows that. An internet tradition, one might say.

  215. 215.

    fungus amungus

    Ash Can @ 178 mentioned Hildegard von Bingen, which reminds me of an album I got from the Musical Heritage Society many years ago that’s music by Johannes Ockhegem, the so-called Prince of Music (back in the day). Mystical.

  216. 216.

    EnfantTerrible

    Classical guitar is relaxing, and here are two of my favorite classical guitar albums:

    Wild Mountain Thyme
    Scott Tennant

    This one is a real nice mix of folk-based compositions with English, Spanish and Latin American roots, and there are occasional duets with flute to liven things up.

    Journey to the New World
    Sharon Ibsin

    More folk-based compositions, this time with English and American roots. There are duets with violin and with one of the most gorgeous alto voices ever, Joan Baez!

  218. 218.

    Jim C

    I gravitate to The Exotic Sounds of Martin Denny, or Ultra-Lounge’s Mondo Exotica when I need something relaxing.

    @Dungaree Joe:

    “Too Wild To Tame,” The Boys
    “Tumbling Dice,” Rolling Stones
    “YMCA,” Village People
    “Danke Schoene,” Wayne Newton
    “Straight On,” Heart
    National Anthem, Francis Scott-Key

    Isn’t “Too Wild To Tame” by The Boyzz?

  223. 223.

    Anne Laurie

    @Martin:

    Anything that Paul Simon has been involved in during his lifetime – wrote, sung, produced – it’s all good.

    Hate to disagree, but “Cecilia” is so horrible on every level that it should be the theme song for the fucking Yankees (FTFY). And “Kodachrome” is not far behind. IMO, Simon’s at his best when he’s collaborating, whether with Garfunkel or Ladysmith Black Mambazo or even ‘English folk trad’ and the ghost of Elvis Presley.

  224. 224.

    burnspbesq

    And fuck Dale Scott, the home plate umpire, while you’re at it. This is not the time to have an inconsistent zone, you fuck.

  225. 225.

    Chad N Freude

    @burnspbesq:Just read your post. My personal fave of the Bartok is Erich Leinsdorf and the BSO (yeah, it’s old).

    And I would not limit the Bill Evans selection. Anything by Evans is excellent.

  226. 226.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @Anne Laurie:

    Simon’s at his best when he’s collaborating, whether with Garfunkel

    I agree, that was why their concert in Central Park circa 1981 was such a treat. I think the two of them had been feuding up until them.

  230. 230.

    madmommy

    @burnspbesq:
    Is that the price the pitcher paid for being so wild? Before he got the hook he was throwing the ball freaking everywhere. Which still does not excuse not calling that a strike, BTW.

  232. 232.

    burnspbesq

    @Chad N Freude:

    And I would not limit the Bill Evans selection. Anything by Evans is excellent.

    No argument, but the stuff with LaFaro and Motian is the best of the best.

  233. 233.

    Chad N Freude

    @burnspbesq: At the risk of confirming my credentials as a really old fart wise elder, I will admit that I saw him conduct it at Tanglewood in 19mumblemumblemumble.

  234. 234.

    Sarah

    You’ve already got tons of good suggestions (as well as some, uh, other suggestions), but I will add in my top 3 albums for relaxing.

    1. The Solaris soundtrack by Cliff Martinez. Gorgeous, spacey, meditative.

    2. Mum: Finally We Are No One. Quiet, tiny, lovely.

    3. David Sanchez: Travesia. Jazz saxophonist, this is one of his first albums. In grad school when I was so stressed out, I would come home, light some candles, pour a glass of wine & listen to this album over and over. Wonderful de-stress music.

  236. 236.

    burnspbesq

    Two others I forgot to mention earlier: “See No Evil,” by Wayne Shorter, and “Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section.”

  239. 239.

    RedKitten

    @LoveMonkey: Evidently not. It’s funny — Sexsmith doesn’t have what one would consider a really great singing voice, but (and forgive me if this makes no sense), it’s the right voice for the music that he writes. His songs have a dream-like quality, and his voice is such that it just complements that perfectly. It’s like with Leonard Cohen — his voice is the right voice for the songs he writes.

  240. 240.

    RedKitten

    @LoveMonkey:

    That’s right, Chad. “Does anybody know any good music?” threads deserve nothing but total respect. Everybody knows that. An internet tradition, one might say.

    Is this some sort of weird trend — shitting on the bloghosts for the topics they introduce? Or did everybody just put on their cranky-pants this evening?

  241. 241.

    Anne Laurie

    @arguingwithsignposts:

    So cheer me up. I’ve had an exhausting weekend, and another to come next week…

    Eating something with protein and tryptophan always helps my mood. It doesn’t have to be ice cream, although some Hagen-Daz vanilla swiss mocha with the chocolate-coated almonds is a hard choice to argue against. If you’re exhausted from actual physical exertion, stick a wet washcloth in the freezer for 20 minutes, then prop your feet higher than your head & put the cold cloth over your eyes, preferably while listening to the soothing music of your choice. If you’re worn out from sitting & listening, take a quick stroll, even around the block, even if it’s raining.

    Or, if you’re just looking for some small personal good news, today our ‘new’ rescue Gloria went to the doggy toy store & had her nails trimmed & she didn’t freak out or fight the groomer. And we tried belting her into the back seat with the other two dogs, instead of having her ride in a crate, and everybody was cool. Six weeks ago, the rescue committee was prepared to have Gloria put to sleep if a new ‘foster’ home couldn’t be found, so yeah, mundanity is a victory!

  242. 242.

    Martin

    Hate to disagree, but “Cecilia” is so horrible on every level that it should be the theme song for the fucking Yankees (FTFY). And “Kodachrome” is not far behind.

    Hey, nobody bats 1.000.

  243. 243.

    burnspbesq

    @Martin:

    The best song Paul Simon ever wrote (American Tune) has a melody that was “borrowed” from the St. Matthew Passion.

  244. 244.

    LoveMonkey

    @RedKitten:

    Totally agree. I am a big fan. The voice is flawed, and the melodies are oddly constructed, it seems, and the lyrics are often odd, but the package is compelling. Not only do I keep listening over and over but I end up playing the songs on the piano.

  245. 245.

    Chad N Freude

    @burnspbesq:

    Man, you are old.

    Thank you. You have no idea how much such compliments to my painfully acquired wisdom, sagacity, and general Yodaness mean to me. Of course, you could have made your respect and veneration just a teensy bit clearer.

  247. 247.

    Anne Laurie

    @RedKitten:

    Is this some sort of weird trend—shitting on the bloghosts for the topics they introduce?

    Nah, those two just need to get a room.

  248. 248.

    mak

    Tim:

    First, I need to thank you for the initial question you asked: relaxing music. I’ve bookmarked for future reference, so I can check out all the good stuff I’ve seen here for the first time.

    Earlier, I posted Colma, by Buckethead. I stand by it, since it’s what I listen to at work when I want happy but not too distracting, but upon further reflection, need to amend, due to a wicked flashback-epiphany that sent me digging through my CD cabinet.

    You must urgently seek out Van Morrison’s No Guru, No Method, No Teacher. It was both my succor and my inspiration during the most challenging and productive period of my life. And thanks to you and this thread, I just found it again.

    Also, if you haven’t heard The Blue Nile, any of their (okay, his) first three records will be fun, perhaps what you’re looking for (found that, too, on the dig).

    Of course, I’ll also second (or fifth, or twenty-second, or whatever it is at this point) Almost Blue

    Have a great week.

    PS: @ Monkey Lover: Just so you know, you are coming across as a smacked ass petulant child who can’t let go of the hurt feelings that most likely resulted, based on your unwanted, unwelcome and completely off-topic interjections here, from a well-deserved smackdown. You really should get over it; but in case you can’t, you should, at the very least, take some aspirin now to minimize your hangover or butt-hurt.

  249. 249.

    Steve

    A couple of jazz suggestions (with the caveat that people have strong opinions about jazz, so someone will inevitably hate both of these):

    Any of Jimmy Smith’s recordings. Smith played jazz on a Hammond organ, which sounds weird (hell, it is weird) but it works. His stuff with Wes Montgomery on guitar is more uptempo.

    Jazz at Oberlin by Dave Brubeck. Brubeck gets bashed because he was not as skilled a musician as some of his contemporaries (you will find maany people who think he was not even the best musician in his own group) and happened to record the rarest of things, a jazz hit, but this is a great album regardless of how you feel about him.

  255. 255.

    LoveMonkey

    @RedKitten:

    If it weren’t you I would say something really rude, but since it is you, I don’t happen to agree that not liking the gratuitous “what’s your favorite color” threads is the same as “shitting on the bloghosts.”

    If there is a new rule that says we have to kiss their asses then I guess I don’t have a fresh copy of the rulebook.

    Tim himself suggested that this was just a “chat about whatever” thread. Okay, that’s what I did. I chatted about whatever. As one might deduce from my large body of posts here over the years, I don’t exactly see this place as a popularity contest. I just say what I think. And I don’t take any crap from the likes of Stuck. Never have, never will.

  259. 259.

    LoveMonkey

    @mak:

    Fuck you, whoever you are. Really, I mean it. After five years of hearing that kind of melodramatic shit here I really don’t have much patience for it any more. I post what I like. Period. I don’t care if you don’t like it, and the more you tell me you don’t like, the more of it I will post.

  260. 260.

    Chad N Freude

    @Cain: They’re fan-effing-tastic, but they require attention and I don’t think they qualify as “relaxing”. I listen to them when I want innaleckshal stimulation and/or practice in listening to Spanish.

  263. 263.

    Violet

    @AhabTRuler:

    I saw that! Where are all those votes for Commissioner James Gordon coming from? Yikes. Can we scare up any more votes for Bitsy?

    @mak:

    Oh, man. I love No Guru, No Method, No Teacher. One of the very best albums ever.

  264. 264.

    Chad N Freude

    @LoveMonkey: OK, back in the game. This is a real question asking for real information. If you don’t like the subject of the thread or the string of responses, why don’t you just ignore it and wait for something more to your liking? Seriously. A lot of the people who have responded to TimF think this is OK. What satisfaction do you get from denigrating them?

  265. 265.

    dfd

    @LoveMonkey: You are as bad as Michael Gass except you don’t have any certs to show us. You fucking obsess about a personal slight and make it your mission to ruin everyone else’s fucking day because of it. Get a god damn life, take a Xanax, or simply piss off!

  267. 267.

    RedKitten

    @LoveMonkey:

    If it weren’t you I would say something really rude, but since it is you, I don’t happen to agree that not liking the gratuitous “what’s your favorite color” threads is the same as “shitting on the bloghosts.”

    Awww…that’s sweet. :)

    I guess I’m just of the philosophy that if I think a particular thread is boring, or the topic not to my liking, why not just avoid that thread?

    I can’t stand the football threads, for example, as I find football utterly pointless. But there are other people here who really enjoy the football threads, so why would I be so churlish as to go comment on a Steelers thread about my displeasure that a Steelers thread was created?

    Of course, this isn’t the same as saying that one should avoid the thread if one disagrees with any particular argument that the poster has put forth. Hell, that’s the whole point of having comments! :)

  275. 275.

    General Winfield Stuck

    @Chad N Freude:

    OMG! Really?! How do you know this?

    I thought everybody did. Though the handles change so much, it’s hard to keep track sometimes.

  276. 276.

    TenguPhule

    If this thread gets any longer, I think we may find the Minotaur.

    Then you’re going the wrong way.

  278. 278.

    Chad N Freude

    @TenguPhule: OK, I really, literally laughed out loud when I read that. Fortunately, I was between wine sips and hence did not damage my keyboard.

  281. 281.

    Chad N Freude

    @RedKitten: That’s very nice. So I guess this is the appropriate moment to tell you that I used to be narvy. If DSG is really ts who used to be ppgaz, then we have reunited (or can reunite — dunno how you guys feel about it), like a really bad TV soap opera.

  282. 282.

    Beej

    Just pulled out Chronicle, greatest hits of the best American rock band of all time: Credence Clearwater Revival.

  285. 285.

    harrimar

    Djivan Gasparyan – Armenian duduk music- solo and with drone-
    very warm and soulful and rich, and meditative. similar to shakuhachi music, perhaps not as wide ranging, tone wise.

  286. 286.

    Beej

    If there’s ever been a better rock song than Proud Mary, I haven’t found it.

    BTW, where’s the edit function?

  289. 289.

    Jeff Berardi

    @arguingwithsignposts

    Wow. I could see Bob Mould but Husker Du? That’s not calming music, IMHO (as a big HD fan!)

    See, if I’m frazzled/stressed/un-calm, I find calm music very grating. It just makes me more angry. On the other hand, if I listen to something that sounds the same way that I feel, it tends to dissipate that feeling. Catharsis, I think you’d call it. Once I feel a bit more centered, THEN I can listen to some calmer type music… speaking of which:

    Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros – Long Shadow

  291. 291.

    donr

    Kronos Quartet: Pieces of Africa. Kronos Quartet: Quartets by Philip Glass. Vladimir Martynov: Come In!. Steve Reich: Music for 18. Corelli: Trio Sonatas. Faure: Slow movement to the Piano Quintet #2 in c minor. Valentin Silvestrov: Dedication; Piano Bagatelles, Silent Songs.

  294. 294.

    Cap'n Phealy

    Terry Riley, A Rainbow in Curved Air, is very good for putting one in a trance. If that helps.

  295. 295.

    Cain

    @Chad N Freude:

    @Cain: They’re fan-effing-tastic, but they require attention and I don’t think they qualify as “relaxing”. I listen to them when I want innaleckshal stimulation and/or practice in listening to Spanish.

    Yeah some songs are relaxing others are like “get up and dance!”. I’m very lucky to have them as a local band. They play out here a couple times a year. They are about to release a new album… I haven’t listend to the last one, I should probably get on that.

    OK, let’s try it again since the last one doesn’t quite qualify as relaxing:

    * Clannad
    * Moira Brennan (or Moya since she decided to make it more phonetically correct)

    Moira is Enya’s eldest sister. Clannad is a pretty good irish music, and I especially like their first two albums which is classic irish folk.

    I suppose Dan Fogelberg might count too.. but a little too weepy.

    I have some good individual songs in bollywood music, but that’s hard to list. But you can listen to Mukesh which is kind of Indian blues.

    cain

  296. 296.

    Shinobi

    I love Sleeptheif, which is electronica/trancey also Splashdown, an older alternative band. They are probably a little less relaxing than mozart.

    Here’s my fave sleeptheif song, Desire of Ages.

  297. 297.

    elia

    i dunno if it’s been mentioned yet but:

    stars of the lid – and their refinement of the decline

    is a gorgeous and profoundly calming ambient record from 2008.

  301. 301.

    Steeplejack

    Second the recommendations for Kind of Blue and other late-’50s Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Erik Satie and Vaughn Williams (I really like “Dives and Lazarus”).

    Also (in no particular order):

    Lou Rawls and the Les McCann Trio, Stormy Monday. Some uptempo stuff, which can be skipped; check out “God Bless the Child” and “Willow Weep for Me.” (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000005HF1)

    Dexter Gordon, Ballads. Jazz saxophone. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000005HH6)

    Stanley Turrentine, Ballads. More jazz saxophone, but different. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000005HGK)

    John Klemmer, Touch. Even more jazz saxophone. But, yeah, different. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000001XL)

    José Feliciano, Feliciano!. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002WFE)

    David Crosby, If I Could Only Remember My Name . . .. Edit out “Cowboy Movie.” It’s good, but too frantic. The rest of the album is smooth in a trippy, Dead-like way (some of whom played on the album). (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002I6T)

    Ahmad Jamal Trio, The Awakening. Excellent jazz piano. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000003N9U)

    Danilo Perez, Across the Crystal Sea. Contemporary jazz piano, produced and arranged by Claus Ogerman (for better or worse). (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018FZIT4)

    Tons more that I’m forgetting–solo guitar, Brazilian music, etc.

    P.S. I substituted “xxxp” for “http” in the links to avoid the too-many-links moderation trap. Replace “xxxp” with “http” and paste into your browser. MP3s available for all this stuff.

  302. 302.

    Steeplejack

    @Steeplejack:

    Huh. Misfired and launched the message before doing the “xxxp” substitution, and I didn’t go to moderation. Go figure. And, uh, never mind.

  303. 303.

    Chuck

    @Cain:

    Heck, Moira to Moya is nothing. The original spelling of Enya’s name is “Eithne”.

    Freakin weirdass Irish Gaelic.

  305. 305.

    arguingwithsignposts

    I suppose I’ll spend a few days listening to all these suggestions. thanks BJ for the thread. I’m still feeling dark, but grateful for the suggestions for getting out.

  307. 307.

    LoveMonkey

    No, sorry, all wrong. First of all, I am writing a persona. and doing schtick, not unlike what Brick Oven Bill does, except with an obnoxious twist, which I have been doing here pretty much unchanged for almost five years. No big deal. No animals were harmed in the making of this schtick, know what I mean, homey?

    Second, the obnoxiness level of this schtick today is hardly a shadow of its former self. I am too busy, too subdued, and just too lazy to pour it on the way I used to. But I can still exchange hate with the likes of Stuck, who started this fight a long time ago, not today, and has lied about it ever since … and do so without getting up a sweat.

    Third, nobody owes anybody anything around here. A lot of what you read here is spoof. One of the front pagers is a confirmed spoof, who probably spoofs and trolls the place even to this day. There are others doing various personas. This is not group therapy, and I have never agreed to the preposterous idea, floated by Cole years ago, that somehow we are to act as “visitors” to “his home” when we are here. That’s just nonsense, and I will never subscribe to it.

    So take your sanctimonious shit and shove it you know where, pal. You will get nowhere with me with that crap. I write what I write, and unless they ban me for it, which they have done in the past, I will keep writing it whenever I feel like it.

    Okay?

  308. 308.

    rp

    I assume you prefer relaxing music that doesn’t immediately put you to sleep: “Trio” (ECM 1891) with Marcin Wasilewski piano, Slawomir Kurkiewicz double-bass, and Michal Miskiewicz drums, is categorized in iTunes under Classical, but it’s more of a jazz album. Search on iTunes for Wasilewski. I also recommend “Time Line” by Ralph Towner (ECM 1968) as I would any other of his albums for solo guitar.

  309. 309.

    Andrew J. Lazarus

    Comment 32? with Bartok Concerto for Orchestra, yes, that should be on the list.

    May I further suggest Strauss Four Last Songs? I’m partial to the Kiri te Kanawa recording.

    First place to Brahms Fourth, though.

  310. 310.

    Billy K

    As someone who performs “Celtic Music”, it’s really sad and very frustrating to know people think of Celtic music as Enya.

    It’s not.

  311. 311.

    Kysen

    Few songs on this side of mellow:

    Over The Rhine – Ohio
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-c7ir1K_1Q

    Krishna Das – Govinda Hare
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIerHidEU4Q

    Krishna Das – Om Navah Shivaya
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zpu6bMhM_L0

    Krishna Das and Sting – Mountain Hare Krishna
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WpdSh8VYd4

    Sia – Breathe Me
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbP0c9TZfzM

    Ludovico Einaudi – I Giorni
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhuGfmoIv_M

    Danez Prigent & Lise Gerrard – Gortoz A Ran-J’attends
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7HKktNbUCQ

    Annie Lennox – Into The West
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgcoBKWTW14

    Jose Gonzalez – Heartbeats
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zOrV-5vh1A

  312. 312.

    Anne Laurie

    @Chad N Freude:

    E’scuse me? Am I one of “those two”? I dun thin so!

    Only if you’re one of LoveMonkey’s pseuds. I meant him plus Eastriver, on the last thread, assuming ER isn’t another one of LM’s on-line personalities.

  314. 314.

    Chad N Freude

    @Anne Laurie: Most assuredly not a LM manifestation. Look at any random selection of my comments. I do not get off on incivility. I do get off on referrals to jazz and classical music that I didn’t know about before, and BJ has been a really good resource for that. The only room I need to get is a listening room.

  315. 315.

    RedKitten

    @RedKitten: That’s very nice. So I guess this is the appropriate moment to tell you that I used to be narvy. If DSG is really ts who used to be ppgaz, then we have reunited (or can reunite—dunno how you guys feel about it), like a really bad TV soap opera.

    narvy — holy crap, now there’s a blast from the past.

    It also intrigues the hell out of me. I wonder how many others from years ago are still around, but just under different handles.

  316. 316.

    Fred Fnordf

    Irish: check out anything by Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill. The Irish musician’s Irish musicians. So good they don’t feel compelled to play everything too fast and furious. Listening to them makes me just want to lie back and listen and fill my mind with nothing but music.

    They played several Irish festivals, several bluegrass and old-timey festivals, at least two jazz festivals (and several very well-known jazz venues), at least one classical concert series (and probably more) and who-knows-what-all else last year. Played the same music at all of them, never leaving traditional Irish music. They are one of those vanishingly rare acts that appeals to just about any musician of any genre that hears them.

  317. 317.

    Gravenstone

    Way late (as usual) but having just rediscovered my old self calming mixtape (well, the content listing, thereof – the tape has gone on to better places) I might recommend a few instrumentals.

    Alpha – Vangellis

    Genesis, Chpt. 1 V. 32 – Alan Parsons Project

    A Dream Within a Dream – also APP

    Icarus Dream Suite Opus 4 – Yngwie Malmsteen

    Agrionia – Tony MacAlpine

    Empire in the Sky – Tony MacAlpine

  318. 318.

    patty gann

    I really like Carla Bruni’s latest album, Comme Si De Rien N’etait. her voice is beautiful and the music is very soothing.

  319. 319.

    Dungaree Joe

    @Jim C, 217:

    Isn’t “Too Wild To Tame” by The Boyzz?

    You are correct, sir!

    Now watch this drive gimme the reference.

  320. 320.

    maybe

    Anything by:
    – Ryuichi Sakamoto
    – William Orbit

    Both artists have an ambient/spatial sensibility, which they apply to a pretty wide range of work: some classical re-interpretations (if you don’t have it already, Orbit’s “Pieces in a Modern Style” is a classic), some soundtracks, and some producing/re-mixing of other artists’ work (Orbit, for instance, produced Madonna’s Ray of Light CD which, regardless of whether you’re a Madge fan — I’m not — is a beautiful, rich piece of production.)

    Craig Armstrong (of Massive Attack) also does some nice solo work, including soundtracks for some of Baz Luhrmann’s films.

    Early-90’s Orbital is peerless ambient mastery. Look for the tracks “Lush” and Halcyon and On” for starters….

    If you can get with drum n bass, there’s so much great LTJ Bukem it’s hard to know where to start.

    And while Aphex Twin can sometimes be freaky, it can also be teh AWESOME….

    Let us know what you find!

  321. 321.

    Bruce Reynolds

    I bought a CD about 4 years ago called “Sleep” when I was experiencing stress. It is by a company called “Reflections of Nature”.

  324. 324.

    Mr. Wonderful

    Oh for Gawd’s sake, I’m not reading 322 posts. Just…just…

    Bossa nova. Period. If you’re laughing you don’t know what you’re laughing about. Cf:

    Joao Gilberto
    Rosa Passos
    Carlos Lyra
    Gal Costa singing Tom Jobim

    You’ll thank me later.

  325. 325.

    fungus amungus

    Beej @ 281, I assume you mean the SF Chronicle? If so, I think they’re just prejudiced for the homeboys.

  326. 326.

    Doug

    Siddharta – Spirit Of Buddha Bar – Emotion CD1 By Ravin 2003
    Siddharta – Spirit Of Buddha Bar – Passion CD2 By Ravin 2003

    There’s actually a lot of Buddha Bar CDs that are good, but those are the 2 I know best.

    I also enjoy Perfecto Chills.

  327. 327.

    datacine

    Piano One
    Piano Two
    Out of print, pricey, worth every penny if you can find and afford them.
    Best “Sunday morning music” CD.

  328. 328.

    Ken J.

    Favorite relaxing of the moment: Stile Antico, “Heavenly Harmonies,” on the Harmonia Mundi label. The title is treacly, but this is a great 13-member choir specializing in Renaissance choral material. On this album, they intercut songs by the Protestant Tallis and the Catholic Byrd, who were both contemporaries of Elizabeth I. (And, I get to see them in concert tomorrow, thanks to a kind person with spare tickets!)

    If Celtic is relaxing, you’re not doing it right. :-)

    Note to Anne Laurie: Not relaxing, but somewhat Celtic, is the brand-new Poozies album, “Yellow Like Sunshine.” Sally Barker came back to the group after a 12-year maternity leave and she really punched things up. (The Poozies — 4-woman vocal & instrumental band, now expanded to 5 members — 2 harps, accordion, fiddle, guitar, lots of singing in both English and Gaelic. Unfortunately unknown in the States.)

  330. 330.

    Joel

    revised with links

    1. aphex twin “lichen” from selected ambient works II [poster added a school bell]
    2. alpha “blue autumn” from stargazing
    3. animals on wheels “noddings dogs” from designs and mistakes
    4. capitol k “pillow” from island row
    5. lemon jelly “space walk” from lost horizons
    6. arovane “instant gods out of the box” from lillies
    7. ulrich schnauss “blumenthal” from a strangely isolated place
    8. four tet “hands” from rounds
    9. avalanches “since i left you (cornelius remix)” from at last alone
    10. boy robot “live in vanilla” from rotten cocktails
    11. cex “julia walsh” from role model

    some things to add..

    12. felix laband “whistling in tongues” from dark days exit
    13. adem covering “girl/boy song + to cure a weakling child” from takes (not so electronic, but the originals are)

    by the way, as others have said, aphex twin is (usually) awesome. he has a whole library of ambient stuff going back to his early days and usually a track or two scattered in every album since. i never got as much into boards of canada as some, but i can see why they’re highly regarded.

    there’s a whole youtube subculture of aphex twin covers like

    “flim”
    “4”
    “girl/boy song”
    “windowlicker”

    just for it’s pure bizarreness, the original “windowlicker” (music starts at 4:00) [not relaxing, ftr]

  336. 336.

    mcc

    Safe recommendation:

    Boards of Canada (any album, but particularly A Beautiful Place Out in the Country and Music Has the Right to Children)

    Extremely Risky Suggestion:

    We – Square Root of Negative One

  337. 337.

    AJ

    Great Gawd in Heaven you have the wrong Yo-Yo Ma album!

    The Prelude to Cello is probably wonderful, but go out and buy Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone.

    I got the tip on this one from one of TBogg’s posts, heard a snip and ordered it immediately. The first cuts are from the movie “The Mission” and are terrific. The 6th cut is from the Italian movie “Malena”, and it will sear your soul! Believe me when I say, whatever you are doing at the moment you hear this album, you will stop. And listen. In wonder.

    I now give them as gifts. You can hear snips of the cuts on Amazon’s website. You can also search on YouTube for the video of Morricone conducting “Malena”. Go there. You will buy the album!

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