www.billnelson.com

He played a few new pieces on Jools Holland's BBC TV show (based on theme of Dr Dee, the Elizabethan occultist). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EZ3CmQx3to

Sounded good to my ears. And I notice he's been prolific lately. (The last album of his I listened to was Gorillaz's Plastic Beach, which I thought was something of a pop masterpiece). I must check out the new stuff.

Just checking the reviews for Dr Dee. A bit mixed - this is probably best one, a 4-star from the Guardian:

It starts with birdsong and a church bell, and turns into a quirky blend of early English pastoral styles, opera and songs that might have been influenced by the weirdlore and psych-folk movements – but with African percussion and kora added in. Damon Albarn's new album is based on the rise and fall of an Elizabethan mathematician who searched for the secrets of the universe. But you'll need to research his story yourself if you want to understand the songs, as little is explained here. That's unfortunate, because there's some brave music, and reminders of Albarn's gift for melody. The best tracks include the gently acoustic Apple Carts, the furious Watching the Fires That Waltzed Away, featuring an orchestra and crazed vocals from Christopher Robson as Dee's nemesis John Kelley, and the The Moon Exalted, which switches from early English instrumentation and operatic vocals to an elegant kora solo from Madou Diabate, and a sturdy, charming burst of folk-pop, backed by kora and strings. Elsewhere, there are further surprises, from a lineup that includes viol, organ, guitars, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, a choir and the celebrated African percussionist Tony Allen, who provides a hypnotic drum solo that mysteriously doesn't seem out of place. Dr Dee was originally a stage show, first performed at the Manchester International festival last year, and will play at the English National Opera at the London Coliseum in June and July, as part of the Cultural Olympiad. Maybe Dee's story will be clearer on stage.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/ma ... dee-review

Sounds like a Bill track

and that's defo a Nelsonesque title.

I find it really hard to get beyond that terrible mockney accent he put on so people wouldn't know he was well spoken. For me, it really damaged any sense of authenticity about what he does. His post-Blur work is very highly praised, however, so I'm probably missing out.

I can only give my own subjective take - but for me, both Albarn & Liz Fraser have produced "authentic" genius-level poetic work. Everything you say about their pretenses (etc) may in fact be true - but for me, it pales into insignificance against what I hear when I listen to their work.

Everybody's take is subjective, and I suppose that's the beauty of art.

I have been listening to Dr Dee this early morning. And I must say that I am both quite surprised and feeling a little more than satisfied. Very well done, Damon. The boy done his homework and managed something I honestly suspected well beyond his scope. But he's managed to go back some six centuries to produce music similar to pre-classical John Bull's folk/hymnals.

At times almost cinematic in very short spurts but mostly played very low key and authentic using some lovely period instruments and players. The opening track brings to mind the work of John Tavener. And at times I hear bits that remind me of the things very early Genesis hit upon on 'From Genesis To Revelation'.

But again, far more sparse than I expected as he usually tends to work in layers most of the time. The key for me being the fact that he brought along a few top-notch players to animate the songs beyond their clean arrangements and sometimes complicated time signatures. Not for many here, but certainly a work of high quality and dedicated hard work.

PS On a less serious note, I don't which is more hideous, the cover or his beard.

Thanks for that, Asterisk. I've not ordered the album yet. When I looked at what he'd released recently, I noticed another, earlier, album of his - The Good, The Bad & The Queen, which I'd not heard of (I must try to keep up), so I thought I'd get that first (sequential order of releases and all that).

It's more of a straightforward 'pop' album than Dr Dee sounds - but very good throughout (to my ears) - and like Bill's more pop-oriented work, 'straightforward' isn't really the right word. Damon certainly has a knack for inventive, melodic inspired pop.