Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#31

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by transformers2 »

Yeah Nspan High on Fire's production does sound that way on the CD version as well. Their production was always kind of sloppy until their most recent record (which came out last year) which had absolutely amazing production.
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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by silversurfer19 »

Album No.35

englishozzy
Queens of the Stone Age, "Songs for the Death"
, 2002

Image

I'm slightly dissapointed with QOTSA as they promised so much after this epic album but haven't really lived up to the hype. That aside, Songs for the Death remains a brilliant album.

"No One Knows"

"Hanging Tree"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8nmarTgPrM

Geezer
Everclear, "Sparkle And Fade"
, 1995

Image

1.Electra Made Me Blind – 3 stars
2.Heroin Girl – 4 stars
3.You Make Me Feel Like A Whore – 4 stars
4.Santa Monica – 5 stars
5.Summerland – 5 stars
6.Strawberry – 4 stars
7.Heartspark Dollarsign – 5 stars
8.The Twistinside – 4 stars
9.Her Brand New Skin – 4 stars
10.Nehalem – 5 stars
11.Queen of the Air – 5 stars
12.Pale Green Stars – 4 stars
13.Chemical Smile – 4 stars
14.My Sexual Life – 4 stars

This is a band that is very dear to my heart. I grew up listening to them and still consider them among the handful of best bands of my generation. Art's lyrics just touch home for me. I finally got to see them over the Summer and although I'm sure it would have been better to see them in the late 90's, it was still a treat for me. This is their second album, but their first to be really successful. Only one song that made my song countdown, but it is incredibly consistent from front to back. So much so that I have a hard time picking what to showcase. I'm sure you all know Santa Monica, which is the album's best, so I'll pick to others.

"Heartspark Dollarsign"

"Queen of the Air"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhFAEx6ohuE

Leestu
Pavement, “Slanted and Enchanted”
, 1992

Image

“Trigger Cut / Wounded Kite”

“No Life Singed Her Now ”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpUcQBY1jc4

NSpan
To Be Added At A Later Date

numbersix
Slint, “Spiderland”
, 1991

Image

Post-rock started in the late 80s/early 90s, with a lot of heavy guitars being turned all the way down to minus-eleven to create something much more intimate and isolated. Slint captured this beautifully with their seminal and deeply influential second record.

It’s actually a rather heavy and dark album, but it doesn’t attempt to smack the listener across its face with bombast in order to get its idea across. Dig deep and be patient and you’ll find reward in its subtleties and minimalist approach.

"Good Morning Captain"

"Breadcrumb Trail"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkfW1XMpQ8E

Ron Burgundy
Jay-Z, "The Black Album"
, 2003

Image

"Threat"

"Justify My Thug"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaVgRTbGfTk

silversurfer
Smashing Pumpkins, "Gish"
, 1991

Image

The Pumpkins' debut is literally one of the most jaw dropping first records you can ever hear. Tinged in psychedelia, the Pumpkins brought a new dimension to the Grunge era with an astonishing album filled with Hendrix inspired riffs, pulsating drum beats, and the first echoes of one of the most iconic voices to grace my ears. I picked up Gish on the follow up of first hearing Siamese Dream as a young teenager. I was in love with the sophmore effort so much I simply had to own everything they had ever produced, and so this, Earphoria and Pisces Iscariot quickly graced my shelves. Pisces Iscariot was in fact, despite being a collection of B Sides, very close to making my final 100 such is it's brilliance, but while it missed the cut, Gish proved that despite the fact it was a very different sound to Siamese Dream, it still laid the electronic hallmarks for what was to come (see "Suffer"). However, this is an astonishing record in it's own right, one of the very best debuts I've ever heard, with song after song of amped up rock beauty.

"Rhinoceros"

"Tristessa"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcTUu23Wt4E

transformers
Queens of the Stone Age, "Songs for the Death"
, 2002

Image

"Go with the Flow"

"A Song for the Dead"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrA2KLtAn1A

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by numbersix »

Slint's Good Morning Captain has been removed, so here's a working video:


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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by NSpan »

#35

Cream - Disraeli Gears (1967)

Image

"Dad Rock" at its absolute finest.

Side One
Strange Brew
Sunshine of Your Love
World of Pain
Dance the Night Away
Blue Condition

Side Two
Tales of Brave Ulysses
SWLABR
We're Going Wrong
Outside Woman Blues
Take It Back
Mother's Lament

"Tales of Brave Ulysses"


"Outside Woman Blues"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ig4IJgRjGU
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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by numbersix »

Tranny and Ozzy: An excellent pick. I don't have this, but I've enjoyed pretty much every song posted from it, which is pretty much most of the album by now.

Geez: Well, at least I dug the sentiment of the first song's lyrics. Music was okay, though the second song wasn't memorable.

Leetsu: Two great songs from an album I need to get. I own no Pavement records and this must be fixed.

Ron B: This is the srot of hip-hop that I don't usually dig, but it was listenable enough. Jay Z can have very grim and doomy lyrics, and that's probably a good thing.

SS: I bought this after I got Mellon Collie and Siamese Dream. This to me feels like the Pablo Honey of Smahsing Pumpkins. You can hear the elements of a band forming, but there's just not enough to really keep you listening, especially when they did so much better in subsequent records. Rhinoceros is of course a great song, but nothing else really matches it.

NSpan: Is this Dad Rock? I always imagined Dad Rock is a little tamer, a little more folksy or else a lot more accessible and lazy. Like Status Quo. I liked the Cream songs you had on your Top 100 songs, and I probably will get around to getting one of their records. This is their most well-known record. Is it their best?

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by NSpan »

numbersix wrote:NSpan: I enjoyed the first song. But as I listened to the second, I couldn't help but wonder where the funk was? This was more like Hendrix-inspired rock, or even early prog! Curious, I listened to some other songs in Youtube and the funk craving was sated.
I'll admit, that track is pretty atypical of their studio sound. But, as I mentioned, they were in a transitional period (having been merely a funky incarnation of R&B prior to this release). They were notorious for bombastic live shows that would go on for hours. "Maggot Brain" quickly became a live staple, and it provided a bit of a breather for the band (they had a ridiculous number of touring members, so an extended guitar solo was a god-send). But don't get me wrong: this is anything but filler. As you probably know, "Maggot Brain" is widely considered one of the best guitar solos ever recorded.
numbersix wrote:NSpan: Is this Dad Rock? I always imagined Dad Rock is a little tamer, a little more folksy or else a lot more accessible and lazy. Like Status Quo. I liked the Cream songs you had on your Top 100 songs, and I probably will get around to getting one of their records. This is their most well-known record. Is it their best?
If I were to actually defend and define the term, I'd include anything Eric Clapton-related into the so-called genre... but I was really just joking around. I think anyone who uses that phrase without a dash of irony is a sad individual indeed. Hell, I went to high-school with kids who had never ventured outside of the contemporary Top 40. As you'd expect, every single one of them eventually discovered "old" music that they loved (be it Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, or anything else from the 60s and 70s), and they never shut up about it ever since.

I love Disreali Gears, and--when making this list--I ranked it highest. That said, if you asked me any other day in the last 15 years, I'd say Wheels of Fire was their best. Maybe it was the fact that the second LP (of that double LP set) is all live material, and I was making a conscious effort to avoid live recordings when compiling the list.

Cream had a relatively short career. 4 albums in 4 years -- and that was it. And their final LP is basically a double EP. The material is top-notch from start to finish--just incredibly consistent. There is a box-set called Those Were The Days that includes EVERY song they recorded in the studio (including some brilliant unreleased tracks) as well as a full concert's worth of live material from '68 (their peak). 5+ hours of music for $35 on AmazonMP3.
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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by numbersix »

NSpan wrote: I think anyone who uses that phrase without a dash of irony is a sad individual indeed.
Ah, but you forget how useful it is as a weapon. It's so easy to destroy another's taste in music by uttering those two words. It's the nuke of music criticism.

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by englishozzy »

#35

Everclear - Sparkle and Fade - 7/10
Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted - 6/10
Slint - Spiderland - 6/10
Jay-Z - The Black Album - 4/10
Smashing Pumpkins - Gish - 6/10
Queens of the Stone Age - Songs for the Death - 10/10
Cream - Disraeli Gears - 5/10
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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by silversurfer19 »

Album No.34

englishozzy
Cold Chisel, "East"
, 1980

Image

An iconic album from an iconic Aussie band, they have never really been able to transfer their success overseas with Jimmy Barnes solo career more of a highlight.

"Cheap Wine"

"Four Walls"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N32Wplx4IFU

Geezer
The Clash, "London Calling"
, 1979

Image

1.London Calling – 5 stars
2.Brand New Cadillac – 3 stars
3.Jimmy Jazz – 4 stars
4.Hateful – 4 stars
5.Rudie Can't Fail – 5 stars
6.Spanish Bombs – 4 stars
7.The Right Profile – 3 stars
8.Lost in the Supermarket – 5 stars
9.Clampdown – 5 stars
10.The Guns of Brixton – 3 stars
11.Wrong 'Em Boyo – 3 stars
12.Death or Glory – 5 stars
13.Koka Kola – 4 stars
14.The Card Cheat – 4 stars
15.Lover's Rock – 3 stars
16.Four Horsemen – 3 stars
17.I'm Not Down – 4 stars
18.Revolution Rock – 3 stars
19.Train in Vain – 5 stars

The very best from the Clash. I remember the first time I took this out of my father's collection. I've been hooked ever since. Just some unbelievably great, classic songs littered throughout the 19 tracks.

"Lost in the Supermarket"

"Death or Glory"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwzMuuGOsVI

Leestu
Jane’s Addiction, “Nothing’s Shocking”
, 1988

Image

“Summertime Rolls”

“Mountain Song”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJ5kGqOstMc

NSpan
T.Rex, "Electric Warrior
, 1971

Image

Side One
Mambo Sun
Cosmic Dancer
Jeepster
Monolith
Lean Woman Blues


Side Two
(Bang a Gong) Get It On
Planet Queen
Girl
The Motivator
Life's a Gas
Rip Off


"Lean Woman Blues"

"Life's a Gas"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjiNROf_U4Y

numbersix
Glenn Branca, “The Ascension”
, 1981

Image

Despite having two songs that cross the 10-minute mark, this is an album I return to with ease. Branca was part of the No Wave scene in New York in the late 70s. Inspired by the work of contemporary Rhys Chatham, Branca wrote abrasive guitar symphonies and employed guitarists who went on to become hugely influential in the world of rock (such Michal Gira of Swans and Lee Ranaldo and Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth).

Branca redefined what an electric guitar meant. It was both a tool of high-brow “classical” composition and a raucous weapon of musical anarchy. This combination came together beautifully in this record. Often songs sound disparate, difficult, as if it’s all random noise, but soon you hear the elements merging together, the elusive melodies coming to the fore. The Spectacular Commodity is a perfect example of this, its 13 minutes flying past once you invest in this instrumental punk journey through yours and Branca’s imagination.

This is a breathtaking album, at times cerebral and at times raw and direct. Branca is still around, and often tours with his 100-guitar symphony. It’s an awesome spectacle.

"The Spectacular Commodity"

"Lesson No 2"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sYbzKp-nDY

Ron Burgundy
Megadeath, "Countdown to Extinction"
, 1992

Image

"Symphony Of Destruction"

"Skin O My Teeth"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePSR7gFt7s4

silversurfer
The White Stripes, "The White Stripes"
, 1999

Image

This record will forever be remembered in our family as the first present I ever bought for Helena. It had for long been a favourite record of mine, and soon after I met her she started asking to borrow some of my cds. I had first introduced her to The White Stripes with White Blood Cells, the record in which I too first discovered the band, and I thought this would be a nice gift considering she had become such a fan in so short a time. It captures Jack White in his most raw, blues inspired form, truly driving home the uncompromising ideals he first intended the band to uphold. It's stripped back to the bare bones, you can feel every ache of emotion on every strum or attack of his guitar. His vocals are at their most strained, while Meg's drumming is at it's most innocent. It's an honest record, one which really captures the band in full control of their intentions, and with so many catchy songs it makes for an intense, but fun record.

"Screwdriver"

"Sugar Never Tasted So Good"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q5jdw4iyY8

transformers
Queens of the Stone Age, "Rated R"
, 2000

Image

"The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret"

"Feel Good Hit of the Summer"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvDZuptvupk

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by numbersix »

Ozzy: The first song reminded me of Sting, the second of Elton John. Neither are my thing.

Geez: Awesome pick. But only 3 stars for Revolution Rock??? Still, at least we agree on the overall quality. Very few records can sustain the good tunes for this long.

Leetsu: Maybe's it's the specific tracks you picked, or maybe it's the more muted approach in general, but this appealed to me a lot more than Ritual De Lo Habitual.

NSpan: And like above, this appealed to me more than the other T.Rex/Bolan album you posted. Still not getting to my gut in the way great music does, or even his closest counterpart Bowie. But still toe-tapping fun.

Ron B: Sounds like a metal band who were inspired/infected by the style of Guns N Roses. For metal it's okay in that it's accessible, but it's not something I care to listen to. Fun fact: when I was a kid it was very common for boys to wear Megadeth tracksuit pants (or sweatpants as you called them).

SS: I have this record, but I don't listen to it much. I like the two tracks you picked, but I think WBC and Elephant saw the band vary a bit more with their stripped-down bluesy style.

Tranny: Love the second song. Very Nirvana inspired, but in a good way as opposed to being a poor imitation.

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by englishozzy »

#34

The Clash - London Calling - 7/10
Jane's Addiction - 6/10
T-Rex - Electric Warrior - 5/10
Glenn Branca - The Ascension - 5/10
Megadeth - Countdown to Extinction - 7/10
The White Stripes - The White Stripes - 8/10
Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R - 8/10
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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by NSpan »

Album No.34

englishozzy Cold Chisel, "East", 1980
Totally new to me. The first song makes me think of the pseudo-genre of "1970s Solid Gold" -- specifically, Steely Dan springs to mind (at the most superficial sonic level, at least). I liked it. I agree with Six that the second track was reminiscent of Elton John. That one didn't appeal to me as much. Cold Chisel is clearly quite talented nonetheless.

Geezer The Clash, "London Calling", 1979
Great choice. And great song selections.

Leestu Jane’s Addiction, “Nothing’s Shocking”, 1988
Fantastic choice. Very influential as well (as I mentioned during the "Ritual De Lo Habitual" entry. A lot of these sounds would show up on later Tripping Daisy and Blind Melon albums.

numbersix Glenn Branca, “The Ascension”, 1981
You honestly enjoy this? The man who claims to hate all things prog? Regarding the first track: it starts as an utter mess. It has moments that caught my attention--mostly when specific harmonics created a fleeting-yet-enjoyable vibe... or when some semblance of melody teases the listener through the barrier of noise. It finally becomes interesting when things pick up around the 5:00 mark... but that first five is excruciating. And the payoff feels underwhelming. If you like the cacophony, I think Velvet Underground does it better. If you like watching a deconstructed piece be meticulously "rebuilt," I'd go with King Crimson. In fact, this first song reminded me of an aborted King Crimson misfire (of which there are many if you dig through the unofficial bootlegs). I don't mind having to "work" a bit to get the most out of music, but this song ended with me feeling like I put in more than the song paid out. The second track is also reminiscent of King Crimson, though a bit... lifeless. The chugging first section is somewhat entertaining, but the descent into chaos toward the end didn't hold my interest.

Can you elaborate on why this appeals to you? After my listen, I thought it felt like prog-rock at its most unrestrained and bombastic. What makes this different from the prog you so strongly dislike?

Ron Burgundy Megadeath, "Countdown to Extinction", 1992
Major nostalgia points. No idea what I'd think of this if I heard it fresh today, but I absolutely loved it as a kid. This and Rust in Peace were their peak. The earlier stuff rocked, but it was pretty sloppy. And the following albums (Youthanasia and Cryptic Writings) both had decent songwriting, but they had lost their edge and the production was quickly becoming homogenized and bland. Anything after 1997 is unlistenable, imo.

silversurfer The White Stripes, "The White Stripes", 1999
Fantastic album. Those first three albums are simply phenomenal. Elephant has some brilliant tracks, but it lacked the momentum that they had culminated in White Blood Cells. As soon as I heard Elephant, I (sadly) knew it was the beginning of the end. This isn't to say that Jack White won't continue to make great music (or that he hasn't releases some great songs/albums since), but I don't think he'll ever recapture that spark which was so clearly evident on the first three Stripes album.

transformers Queens of the Stone Age, "Rated R", 2000
Not my favorite band, but it's a good album. Solid song selection on the first track. Not really a fan of the second song, though. I think Six's comparison to Nirvana is apt--but I dislike Nirvana... so there you go. Too repetitive for my tastes, I guess.
Last edited by NSpan on January 23rd, 2013, 2:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by NSpan »

Album No.35

englishozzy Queens of the Stone Age, "Songs for the Death", 2002
Ditto on my earlier QotSA comments. Good, but--for whatever reason--I never feel compelled to revisit their work.

Geezer Everclear, "Sparkle And Fade", 1995
Always enjoyed the music when it happened to be on, but I never actively pursued it beyond the incidental moments. It kinda blurred together with whatever mid-90s FM noise that surrounded it. (That said, "Santa Monica" has taken on new context since we've become regulars at the titular locale).

Leestu Pavement, “Slanted and Enchanted”, 1992
I'm not one of the people who liked these guys "before they were cool." Hell, I wasn't even in on it WHEN they were cool. But I've been playing catch-up ever since.

numbersix Slint, “Spiderland”, 1991
Wow! Taken individually, I absolutely loved these two songs. I've been meaning to check this album out for a while now. However, I listened to these songs back-to-back and I suddenly wondered if I had just accidentally listened to the same track twice. I literally gave each one a few more spins before I was convinced that they were, technically, different songs. As I said, they were each awesome--but completely (and oddly) interchangeable. Is the entire album like this? If so, I don't think I could stomach 40 minutes of such monotony. For the sake of conversation, I'll ignore the lack of variation between tracks and say this: considering the 1991 release date, I hear these sounds in a LOT of subsequent albums. They are/were clearly influential. Hell, there are bands listed in this same message that clearly owe a debt to these guys.

Ron Burgundy Jay-Z, "The Black Album", 2003
I probably never would've listened to this if not for The Grey Album. But it has its moments despite not being my usual style of music.

silversurfer Smashing Pumpkins, "Gish", 1991
I dig this album, even though I don't quite share your level of passion for it. I think it's a great start that would lead to bigger and better things on Siamese Dream. [edit: I went back and listened to the whole album just to confirm that my current asessment isn't based on some teenage phase. Sure enough, this album still rocks)

transformers Queens of the Stone Age, "Songs for the Death", 2002
I've responded to QotSA twice today, so you probably already know how I feel. Good song selections.
Last edited by NSpan on January 23rd, 2013, 10:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by numbersix »

NSpan wrote: numbersix Glenn Branca, “The Ascension”, 1981
You honestly enjoy this? The man who claims to hate all things prog? Regarding the first track: it starts as an utter mess. It has moments that caught my attention--mostly when specific harmonics created a fleeting-yet-enjoyable vibe... or when some semblance of melody teases the listener through the barrier of noise. It finally becomes interesting when things pick up around the 5:00 mark... but that first five is excruciating. And the payoff feels underwhelming. If you like the cacophony, I think Velvet Underground does it better. If you like watching a deconstructed piece be meticulously "rebuilt," I'd go with King Crimson. In fact, this first song reminded me of an aborted King Crimson misfire (of which there are many if you dig through the unofficial bootlegs). I don't mind having to "work" a bit to get the most out of music, but this song ended with me feeling like I put in more than the song paid out. The second track is also reminiscent of King Crimson, though a bit... lifeless. The chugging first section is somewhat entertaining, but the descent into chaos toward the end didn't hold my interest.

Can you elaborate on why this appeals to you? After my listen, I thought it felt like prog-rock at its most unrestrained and bombastic. What makes this different from the prog you so strongly dislike?
Wow. Well, at least it's good to know someone actually listened to this!

I never once likened Branca's music to prog. I think if you were to define prog solely as music that deconstructs rock, then perhaps you could make that. But that's not the reason why I dislike prog (which I should preface by saying that I took an "organic" dislike to the genre, disliking the individual artists - specifically Pink Floyd, Genesis, and Yes- first before realising they were all linked to a single genre). It's the excess they apply to that (though in Pink Floyd's case it's more that I find their tunes never sustain the length of the song, although The Great Gig in the Sky does demonstrate that irritating excess). For example, when you posted that King Crimson song Starless I remember liking elements of it, particularly the middle section and the multi-segment idea behind it, but the it ventured into excess. So the difference between Branca's work and prog is that Branca doesn't end his songs with a space-jazz climax.

Branca's work comes more from the No Wave movement prevalent in NY in the late 70s. A direct inspiration of his work is Sonic Youth, whose early work was very Branca-esque (although it's present throughout their entire catalogue - go back to the second tune I posted when I placed Murray Street in my list). It doesn't feel like prog because it's minimalist in many ways (drums and guitars), even if the approach to structure is avant-grade it's the style/tone/energy that's decidedly different. The Ascension is like an arthouse drama. You know what the style is, but the structure can be played with in interesting ways. Prog is a like a film that throws in a whole lots of genres and ideas that do show an offbeat structure but also come across as a pretentious mess. Like Tommy!

As for The Velvet Underground doing cacophony better? Well, my agreement on that is coming up shortly.

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by numbersix »

NSpan wrote:
numbersix Slint, “Spiderland”, 1991
Wow! Taken individually, I absolutely loved these two songs. I've been meaning to check this album out for a while now. However, I listened to these songs back-to-back and I suddenly wondered if I had just accidentally listened to the same song twice. I literally gave each one a few more spins before I was convinced that they were, technically, different songs. As I said, they were each awesome... but completely (and oddly) interchangeable. Is the entire album like this? If so, I don't think I could stomach 40 minutes of such monotony. For the sake of conversation, I'll ignore the lack of variation between tracks and say this: considering the 1991 release date, I hear these sounds in a LOT of subsequent albums. These guys were clearly influential. Hell, there are bands listed in this same message that clearly owe a debt to these guys.
Hmmm, from an outsider's perspective I would say that the entire record does have an obvious style, and all the songs to fit into that. If you find those two songs similar you probably would feel so about the rest of the record. They do shift a little with their style in each track. Some are more minimalist, some have a slightly faster beat, etc.

As for music "history", I think this was very much inspired by Codeine's debut album Frigid Stars (released in 1990), which is very good as well. You can tell because Spiderland is so different to Slint's debut recrod.

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