Steely Dan - Reelin' In The Years (Best Of...)

In the Seventies, I didn't really get on with Steely Dan. They were so painfully cool, and I didn't like cool. Listening to this again, I was spot on. I can appreciate the brilliance of the musicianship now, and the amazing way in which the songs are crafted, but still the coolness - which sometimes, to me, borders on dissociated - turns me off. Except "Reelin' In The Years" which now, as then I love.

Beethoven - String Quartet op 18 no 1

I don't remember listening to any of Beethoven's first six quartets before, although I immediately recognised the last movement of this piece. It was much better than I expected, but I was thrown somehow by the tragic intensity of the slow second movement.

SoLaRiS - The 12 Gates

I had a look at Jamendo to find something psychedelic and I confess I downloaded this apparently preposterous concept album of instrumentals about Ancient Egypt in order to poke fun at it. But I really enjoyed it, especially the opening track "Amun-Ra", which is awe-inspiring (albeit in a cheesy sort of way, a bit like the theme from "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy"), "Hamunaptra" and the funky "Jackal Of Isis". It isn't enormously original, and the some of the tracks go on too long (especially the 13 minute title track, which reminded me a bit of Pink Floyd's "A Saucerful Of Secrets"). But it is well worth listening to.

Free download at www.jamendo.com/en/album/17695.

Phoenix - Live In Sydney

This was a freebie with the Observer a few weeks back. Didn't love it; didn't hate it. Mildly enjoyable in a few parts, rather boring as a whole (except the extremely boring "Love Is A Sunset", clocking in at 10 minutes, a minute longer than (eg) Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive"). I don't know what was getting the crowd worked up so much, but it wasn't the music.