101 unique artists last week, although one of them was a mis-tagging, so we'll call it an even 100. More than 800 tracks played, too, which isn't bad at all. How accurate these charts are remains to be seen, due to the alleged "16 hours of power issues" (for which read "60 hours and counting") which LastFM's seen fit to have.
Needless to say, the usual fawning sycophants are going on about how wonderful the site is when everything's running properly. That was presumably before it was launched.
Anyway, these charts (the last I'll analyse before I go overseas, and possibly the last I'll analyse before I return in August) have returned from Cuba but still heavily influenced by their time there.
8.
La Chicana
Argentinean tango music. One of the strangest things I think I've had on my charts in a while. I think I had the wrong idea of what this would sound like, and was expecting more of the really stereotypical tango sound with bandoneon and all. This is apparently "Tango Nuevo" or something of that description, which seems to mean that it's played with the same attitude but in a different way.
Interesting stuff, though. I'll have to check it out again.
8.
Swallow the Sun
"The Morning Never Came" was possibly my first exposure to doom metal, so I was grateful for the chance to give the band's other two full-length releases a listen. They're pretty good, and I remember as I write that "Morning" took a while to sink in, so I may end up rating them a lot more highly after another listen.
8.
Laura Pausini
I have a half-memory of seeing part of the video for "Io Canto" on TV in Venice early last year and thinking her voice was rather something. It is, over the course of that album, although sometimes it seems not to be quite up to the task. On balance, though, definitely worth another listen and probably a lot more than that.
6.
Los Compadres
Given that this was the legendary
Compay Segundo back when people remembered his real name, I'll forgive the odd instance of bad sound quality. Just glorious stuff - particularly the old standards like "Sarandonga".
6.
Guru
I can never quite claim Guru as one of my favourite MCs, but I can appreciate the innovations he brought to the table, and by the later period of his career I can start to appreciate his techniques. This appearance is courtesy of his "Jazzmatazz II" album, which definitely feels like the poorer cousin of the trilogy. The first "Jazzmatazz" is absolutely essential listening, and the third ("Streetsoul") features some truly stunning collaborations, but this one doesn't really tend to work.
4.
Ñico Saquito
Cuban folk music (which is often thought of as some kind of jazz) is a tricky thing to explain. Basically, hearing this guy's work is kind of like hearing older versions of American or British folk songs that would later be interpreted or quoted in better-known songs by better-known artists. The fact that he's entirely brilliant with his band is a lovely little bonus.
4.
Kareem Salama
This is courtesy of me finding the lyrics to his second album and listening to it again - just after playing it through once. Salama is an American country singer. Nothing unusual there until you notice the name. His parents are both Egyptian immigrants, and he's a Muslim, although you wouldn't know it from his honest country twang. Lyrically, there are some oblique references, but you need to know what you're listening to before you pick it up. Highly recommended stuff.
3.
Olsen Brothers
The performers of one of my favourite ESC entries ever "Fly On The Wings Of Love". Most impressively, these guys can carry out that wonderful pop style over the course of two albums. Lovely stuff.
2.
D'Nash
More Eurovision, this time the boyband who represented Spain last year with a song that was unduly considered another symptom of Spain not caring (it was a good entry, as against the ones immediately before and after it in Spain's file). I'm not a boyband kind of fan, but their two albums are damn fine listening - particularly their cover of
Jimmy Jansson's "Amanda".
1.
Annett Louisan
I could write more about how wonderful she is, but I'd bore everyone to death. Suffice it to say that I'd willingly buy all of her studio albums when I'm in Europe, even if it meant I'd have trouble finding the money to eat.
Compay Segundo
