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

Anything music related. Latest songs, good new bands, and blasts from the past.

Moderators: Buscemi, BarcaRulz, Geezer, W

User avatar
NSpan
Frank Booth
Posts: 2791
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 7:52 pm
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

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

Post by NSpan »

numbersix wrote:
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.

Well, for starters: thanks for not taking my critique personally. This far into the countdown, we're clearly talking about music that we feel quite strongly about--so it's nice to maintain an objective conversation about a particular song/album choice.

Secondly, I'll go ahead and agree that Branca's music isn't technically "prog." But it's experimental and sonically deconstructive, which begs the question: where does prog end and avant-garde begin?

Recent conversations (here and elsewhere) have led me to once again reevaluate "prog" as a concept. Assuming the terminology has a concrete definition in the first place, I think it is often misused. Most genre titles are descriptive of the sound. But "prog" refers to a specific approach to songwriting... resulting in wildly different styles of music. For example, Jethro Tull and Rush are both decidedly prog-rock acts, but their styles of music have very little in common.

I almost posed the question the other day when your response to "Maggot Brain" included a comparison to early/proto-prog. I didn't disagree with your statement. But I was prompted to wonder: what makes "prog" prog? If you stripped "Maggot Brain" of the pedal effects, reverb, mysterious title, and spoken-word intro, would it be anything more than an extended blues guitar solo?

To me, progressive rock is much more a movement than a stylistic genre. Groups that broke the standard "rock band" mold; any musician who believed that rock instruments aren't limited to 6-string guitars, electric bass, and drums; songs that aren't restricted to a 3-minute verse-chorus-verse FM radio model; arrangements that challenge the listener to engage themselves with the music; lyrics that have something to say; and albums that are mapped out in advance and created to be listened to as a cohesive whole--all these are attributes of prog. But just about any style of music could be created within these guidelines.

<music history rambling>

In many ways, I think the prog movement has parallels with the punk movement. Both were rejections of what had become the status quo. The former was the result of corporate radio compelling bands to create music that fit a very specific format. The length, structure, tempo, and lyrical content of popular music had strict specifications. Bands that did not adhere to those rules were generally not successful. Progressive rock bucked the trend by moving away from writing singles. They wrote entire albums. Songs went on for as long as they needed to, and they included movements and variations. No instrument was off-limits. Lyrics were used to tell stories or create poetry. Music didn't have to be a business. It didn't have to be mindless homogenized entertainment. It could be "art."

But, as with most things, good intentions could only go so far. Prog-rockers became successful and started taking themselves too seriously. The movement was bought out. These "artists" became cash cows for the music industry. Excess became the norm, and the movement finally collapsed beneath the weight of its own pomposity. Punk was there waiting in the wings to disrupt that status-quo just as prog had done before it. Original punk (through the likes of The New York Dolls, the Modern Lovers, the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, etc.) stripped rock back down to its roots. Gone were the orchestras, replaced with out-of-tune pawn shop guitars. Extended suites were reduced to 3-chord disposable songs. It was essentially a Doo-Wop revival--and music was "fun" again. And anybody could do it!

I'd go on about post-punk, hair metal, and grunge... but I think I'm getting waaay off-topic.


</music history rambling>

I don't mind ambitious music. I don't mind artsy music. I don't mind music that takes itself seriously. And I don't mind music that challenges the listener--assuming there is an eventual payoff. But I do need my music to be enjoyable (note: that doesn't necessarily mean upbeat and cheery... dark and depressing music can still be enjoyable to listen to). If the music isn't pleasurable, what's the point? Also: I don't think "challenging" and "pleasurable" are mutually exclusive.

I appreciate the explanation of your "organic" dismissal of prog (I think that's completely fair). Listening to "The Spectacular Commodity" again, I do enjoy it. I stand by what I said about it taking WAY too long to get going, and the payoff is underwhelming. I admit: I love my space-rock climaxes. That said, a happy middle-ground does exist that we're not seeing here. And, when you speak of excess (in the pejorative), are you implying that Glenn Branca is not excessive? This 12+ minute monster could easily be trimmed to a solid 6-7 minute Velvety jam, while maintaining everything that makes it good in the first place.

As for "Lesson No. 2," I really can't find the appeal. It starts off feeling aimless and somewhat amelodic... and it somehow manages to descend into something even more directionless and tonally chaotic. It's not uninteresting, but I don't see how one could find it enjoyable. For as much as I love prog, I won't hesitate to skip a track that amounts to little more than noise. King Crimson's debut album does not appear on my Top 100 list, despite it including some of my all-time favorite music. What ruins it for me is the second section of "Moonchild." The song portion itself is beautiful, but it's followed by 8 minutes of avant-garde noises that could hardly be called music. I love every song on that album, but inserting that dull atonal exercise in patience right in the middle of the record prevents me from being able to view it in a wholly positive light. "Lesson No. 2" has much more going for it than that particular King Crimson "movement" (more like: BOWEL movement, zing!), but I don't find either enjoyable. I think they're both weird for the sake of being weird... and I just can't get behind that.
Last edited by NSpan on January 24th, 2013, 12:10 am, edited 2 times in total.
On the run from Johnny Law ... ain't no trip to Cleveland.

User avatar
Geezer
Axel Foley
Posts: 4967
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 11:22 am

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

Post by Geezer »

I think we just witnessed the "Thrilla in Manilla" of music snobs :twisted:
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man. - The Dude

User avatar
NSpan
Frank Booth
Posts: 2791
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 7:52 pm
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

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

Post by NSpan »

Geezer wrote:I think we just witnessed the "Thrilla in Manilla" of music snobs :twisted:
:D I didn't sit down with the intention to write a novel... it just kinda poured out.
On the run from Johnny Law ... ain't no trip to Cleveland.

User avatar
silversurfer19
John Rambo
Posts: 7726
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 3:34 pm
Location: pretty much the ass end of the universe

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

Post by silversurfer19 »

Album No.33

englishozzy
Lacuna Coil, "Comalies"
, 2002

Image

One of my fiancee's favourite band's, Cristina Scabbia's haunting voice gets me every time.

"Aeon"

"Swamped"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly9E30Hc5pg

Geezer
Jimmy Eat World, "Futures"
, 2004

Image

1.Futures – 4 stars
2.Just Tonight... – 4 stars
3.Work – 5 stars
4.Kill – 5 stars
5.The World You Love – 5 stars
6.Pain – 5 stars
7.Drugs Or Me – 4 stars
8.Polaris – 4 stars
9.Nothingwrong – 4 stars
10.Night Drive – 5 stars
11.23 – 5 stars

Another band that I love dearly. One of those foundation bands that shaped my listening habits for years to come. This is a fantastic album without a bad song on it. Just incredible consistency. I almost can't listen to a single track without playing through the whole thing, its just that good from top to bottom. I could really choose any of them here.

"Kill"

"Work"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FAZTl6eVcM

Leestu
Pink Floyd, “The Wall”
, 1979

Image

“Mother”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmmKzEKYvdM
“Hey You”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&featu ... 8euy_OIdi8

NSpan
Stevie Wonder, "Songs in the Key of Life
, 1976

Image

Side One
Love's in Need of Love Today
Have a Talk with God
Village Ghetto Land
Contusion
Sir Duke

Side Two
I Wish
Knocks Me Off My Feet
Pastime Paradise
Summer Soft
Ordinary Pain

Side Three
Isn't She Lovely?
Joy Inside My Tears
Black Man

Side Four
Ngiculela – Es Una Historia – I Am Singing
If It's Magic
As
Another Star

Side Five ("A Something's Extra")
Saturn
Ebony Eyes
All Day Sucker
Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)

A masterwork of the genre, Songs in the Key of Life is an essential cornerstone of any music lover's collection. When it comes to funky soul, I think James Brown probably gets top honors, as he had the highest highs (pun not intended)--but he never made an album as consistent as this. Stevie Wonder is a true prodigy: his talent was recognized when he was a mere child, but he managed to fulfill (and exceed) all expectations as his career blossomed. He is a multi-instrumentalist, his ear for melody matches that of Paul McCartney, he's a wizard in the studio, and his voice--as everybody knows--is amazing. Though he had assistance from plenty of talent when recording this album, the final product is pure Stevie. Employing layered overdubs and a textured production, Stevie harmonizes with himself, plays assorted guitars, pianos, synthesizers, bass, harmonica, and drums. He wrote every song, and he produced the album himself. Every sound you hear throughout the five sides of vinyl was meticulously created and recorded, then tweaked and fine-tuned by Stevie on the mixing board. It isn't a concept album, but it is definitely a cohesive whole with running themes (both musically and lyrically). Few artists--of any medium--have created a work so comprehensive, so thorough, so personal yet universally accessible, and so wildly successful as this. Note: this double-LP (which includes a bonus EP) is simply sprawling: I couldn't help but select three tracks:

"Sir Duke"

"I Wish"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1la0LBNFEY
"All Day Sucker"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv6hU1zNJa4

numbersix
Godspeed You Black Emperor!, “Raise Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven”
, 2001

Image

GYBE’s first two releases (and album and an EP) saw them being typecasted as prophets of apocalyptic doom (Seth Rogen even cracks a joke about them in Pineapple Express). While doing so ignores the irony present in their approach, an even better response is this album. Despite coming out before 9/11, it’s almost as if they felt the doom had already arrived, and now it was time to move on.

This 90-minute double album consists of four pieces, with multiple segments in each. The general theme binding it all is a sense that despite the shit falling around us, it’s important to find whatever can uplift us, whatever can bring us together. Below I’ve picked two songs which demonstrate their somewhat (social) revolution-inducing method, with the first song representing this more positive and humanistic response and the second acknowledging their sense of mistrust and anger towards betraying authorities. And all with barely a word sung or spoken.

"Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven"

"World Police and Friendly Fire"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTSotlU8HOw

Ron Burgundy
David Bowie, "Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars"
, 1972

Image

"Five Years"

"Soul Love"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVhZ-Y9HFnU

silversurfer
Bob Dylan, "Highway 61 Revisited"
, 1965

Image

[Comments to follow...]

"Tombstone Blues"

"Queen Jane Approximately"
http://vimeo.com/29149789

transformers
Lamb of God, "Ashes of the Wake"
, 2004

Image

"Hourglass"

"Omerta"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QGa0ZK2gPI

User avatar
numbersix
Darth Vader
Posts: 11545
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 2:34 pm

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

Post by numbersix »

NSpan wrote: As for "Lesson No. 2," I really can't find the appeal. It starts off feeling aimless and somewhat amelodic... and it somehow manages to descend into something even more directionless and tonally chaotic. It's not uninteresting, but I don't see how one could find it enjoyable. For as much as I love prog, I won't hesitate to skip a track that amounts to little more than noise. King Crimson's debut album does not appear on my Top 100 list, despite it including some of my all-time favorite music. What ruins it for me is the second section of "Moonchild." The song portion itself is beautiful, but it's followed by 8 minutes of avant-garde noises that could hardly be called music. I love every song on that album, but inserting that dull atonal exercise in patience right in the middle of the record prevents me from being able to view it in a wholly positive light. "Lesson No. 2" has much more going for it than that particular King Crimson "movement" (more like: BOWEL movement, zing!), but I don't find either enjoyable. I think they're both weird for the sake of being weird... and I just can't get behind that.
No offence taken. Geez's reactions have pretty much forced me to deal with outrage ;)

This is probably more of a chat-over-a-beer situation (next time I'm in L.A.). But yeah, prog is like any genre in which the definition bleeds into so many others. Hell, I'm crazy about a genre that seems to defy definition besides being active after punk and before new-wave/indie. And many say Radiohead are a prog act, so when I denounce prog I try not to be entirely dismissive.

When I speak of excess I certainly don't speak of length (though the new Swans album features a 30-min song which was excessive even for me), it's more about all the other ideas they throw in. Like in Great Gig in the Sky it's that horrible female wailing. Or in King Crimson's music it's the layering of so many styles into a single song or movement (bravo on the zing, btw) that it almost comes across as incoherent. And I normally dig bands who mix styles! Remember Exit Through the Gift Shop. Remember when Banksy speaks of the doc that Guetta cut, which we see glimpses of? That to me is the kind of excess I hear in prog.

You say the first Branca song can be cut down. Perhaps, but I never felt that, because you can hear the various guitar build and change and grow into something, even in the first few minutes. At least to my ears. As for the second track, it also demonstrates an adjective that I often use to desribe post-punk in general: abrasive. The choppy, angular guitars (inspired by funk music, no less) of the defining acts all seem to have that in common. Lesson No. 2 is almost an act of chaos upon initial listening. It's almost defying conventions. However, if it only worked at that it could be dismissed as being a shallow act of provocation. I think it's more, it's actually structured in a particular way. It's tough, aggressive, but also restrained. Gang of Four and Joy Division also make music with a similar effect, but in different ways.

Here's another way to think of it. I believe Branca wrote all this, like a classical music composer. And indeed, this record isn't too far off the modern minimalist composers of that same period, such as Arvo Part or Gyorgi Ligeti (the latter of which was a huge influence on Johnny Greenwood's scores for The Master, There Will Be Blood, and Norwegian Wood). So I don't see it as being weird for weird's sake. I don't see it as weird at all. It's just a guy taking guitars to a world where guitars were never used, and making something really interesting. And abrasive!

User avatar
NSpan
Frank Booth
Posts: 2791
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 7:52 pm
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

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

Post by NSpan »

englishozzy Lacuna Coil, "Comalies", 2002
Very nice vocals on that first track. The music didn't really click for me on either, though..

Geezer Jimmy Eat World, "Futures", 2004
This was pretty much in-line with my perception of the band. Certainly nothing offensive. But nothing that really drew me in. Preferred the second track; it had a bit of a Weezer vibe to it.

Leestu Pink Floyd, “The Wall”, 1979
Amazing album... though I don't find myself listening to it much nowadays. I think the absence of Richard Wright (and the diminished role of David GIlmour--apart from some brilliant solos) really affected their sound. The intellectual/thoughtful lyrics remained, but the music could no longer provide the pathos--the words and vocals had to make up for it. This is particularly true on their follow-up, The Final Cut.

Ron Burgundy David Bowie, "Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars", 1972
Amazing album... and it appears to be one of our collective favorites!

silversurfer Bob Dylan, "Highway 61 Revisited", 1965
One of my favorites. Still wondering why this didn't make my own list. "Ballad of a Thin Man" and "Desolation Row" are two of my all-time favorites.

transformers Lamb of God, "Ashes of the Wake", 2004
We're back to the grating vocals. It hurts my ears!
On the run from Johnny Law ... ain't no trip to Cleveland.

User avatar
NSpan
Frank Booth
Posts: 2791
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 7:52 pm
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

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

Post by NSpan »

numbersix wrote:When I speak of excess I certainly don't speak of length (though the new Swans album features a 30-min song which was excessive even for me)
On a similar note, my definition of problematic excess in prog/avant-garde is when the band's reach exceeds their grasp. Writing a rock song with a classical-style approach is bold, and it can result in a modern masterpiece. But, even more often, it ends in disaster. And, as they say, the bigger they are... the harder they fall. See: Emerson, Lake, & Palmer or post-'72 Yes. There's nothing wrong with lofty ambitions, but--if you don't have the goods to back it up--you'll inevitably end up sabotaging your own work.
numbersix wrote:As for the second track, it also demonstrates an adjective that I often use to desribe post-punk in general: abrasive. The choppy, angular guitars (inspired by funk music, no less) of the defining acts all seem to have that in common. Lesson No. 2 is almost an act of chaos upon initial listening. It's almost defying conventions. However, if it only worked at that it could be dismissed as being a shallow act of provocation. I think it's more, it's actually structured in a particular way. It's tough, aggressive, but also restrained.
"Angular" is a term that is riduclously overused in pop-music criticism, though I think it's actually apt in this context.

"Lesson No. 2" disengages a few seconds after the 2:00 minute mark. The momentum is broken (intentionally), and the music is brought to a complete halt. The sounds are slowly reconstructed with a dissonance that I find completely off-putting. There's no melody to speak of, and the stilted, hammering guitars are consciously abrasive (a term I'll tackle in a second).
numbersix wrote:Here's another way to think of it. I believe Branca wrote all this, like a classical music composer. And indeed, this record isn't too far off the modern minimalist composers of that same period, such as Arvo Part or Gyorgi Ligeti (the latter of which was a huge influence on Johnny Greenwood's scores for The Master, There Will Be Blood, and Norwegian Wood). So I don't see it as being weird for weird's sake. I don't see it as weird at all. It's just a guy taking guitars to a world where guitars were never used, and making something really interesting. And abrasive!
I regret my "weird for weird's sake" comment--as it isn't entirely appropriate here. But accessibility should always be a consideration. If the "heart" of the music is obscured to the point that it can't be found, listeners are (understandably) alienated and turned off. And sometimes, especially with avant-garde, that heart (or lifeblood, or spark, or pulse, or whatever adjective you prefer to describe the organic aspect of the music that connects to the listener's pathos) simply doesn't exist. Sometimes the composer neglects to include it to begin with. Sometimes it's edited out during rewrites, whether inadvertently or with the misguided intent to create something "unique."

I haven't listened to Greenwood's score for "There Will Be Blood" outside the context of the movie, but--that said--I thought the music was laughably inappropriate in terms of corresponding to the on-screen images. There's a lot of unintentional camp in that film, and I think Greenwood's contribution is what puts it over the top. For the sake of this conversation, however, that doesn't really apply. I'll have to give the pure audio a listen on its own someday.

But, yes, "abrasive" seems to be a core concept that we're batting around. I typically think of it as a bad thing in music. However, here's an example of an "abrasive" King Crimson song that is just accessible enough to keep the listener engaged and entertained (even featuring some "angular" guitar-work ;) ) :



(wait until you can listen to the whole track in one sitting before hitting 'play')
numbersix wrote:This is probably more of a chat-over-a-beer situation (next time I'm in L.A.)
True that.
On the run from Johnny Law ... ain't no trip to Cleveland.

User avatar
englishozzy
Clark Griswald
Posts: 1177
Joined: October 22nd, 2009, 7:05 am

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

Post by englishozzy »

#33

Jimmy Eat World - Futures - 10/10
Pink Floyd - The Wall - 7/10
Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life - 7/10
Godspeed You Black Emperor! - Raise Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven - 5/10
David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - 6/10
Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited - 10/10
Lamb of God - Ashes of the Wake - 5/10
"Then telephone for an axe"

User avatar
silversurfer19
John Rambo
Posts: 7726
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 3:34 pm
Location: pretty much the ass end of the universe

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

Post by silversurfer19 »

Album No.32

englishozzy
Powderfinger, "Odyssey Number Five"
, 2000

Image

A little bit more softcore than their previous efforts but the album had Powderfinger at the height of their powers. "My Happiness" remains my favourite song to date.

"My Happiness"

"Like a Dog"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1nJg2BzOt8

Geezer
The Jimi Hendrix Experince, "Are You Experienced"
, 1967

Image


1.Purple Haze – 5 stars
2.Manic Depression – 4 stars
3.Hey Joe – 5 stars
4.Love Or Confusion – 3 stars
5.May This Be Love – 4 stars
6.I Don't Live Today – 3 stars
7.The Wind Cries Mary – 5 stars
8.Fire – 5 stars
9.Third Stone From The Sun – 2 stars
10.Foxey Lady – 5 stars
11.Are You Experienced? - 4 stars

The greatest album from the greatest Guitar player of all time.

"Hey Joe"


"Purple Haze"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djVIDpVsDAQ

Leestu
The Cure, “Head on the Door”
, 1985

Image

“Six Different Ways”

“Screw”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESeYfG6XqpY

NSpan
To Be Added At A Later Date

numbersix
New Order, “Movement”
, 1981

Image

A while back I picked New Order’s 1982 EP (titled 1981-1982) as one of my favourites, showing a band who half-way through recording discovered the new direction they wanted to follow. But it’s this record which I consider to be one of the most powerful farewells ever committed to tape.

Ian Curtis, singer of Joy Division, killed himself in 1980. Despite being shocked by the action, the band decided to stick together and keep playing. And so they seem to have worked through their emotional response by writing and recording Movement (joined by keyboardist Gillian Gilbert). You can hear the influence of Joy Division in the gloomier songs. But there’s also a lot of energy, a lot of passion. You can hear the band sending off their former singer in songs like ICB. But my favourite has to be album closer (pun intended) Denial, which is their big, fond farewell that sounds like a lament and an affirmation of joy (pun not intended) in being able to keep going to explore new sonic frontiers.

"Denial"

"ICB"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k673mWZO0UA

Ron Burgundy
David Bowie, "Lets Dance"
, 1983

Image

"Modern Love"

"Let's Dance"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Af6jOq0dWqo

silversurfer
PJ Harvey, "Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea"
, 2000

Harnessing a style which found a balance between her more aggressive roots on 'Dry' and 'Rid Of Me' with the blues of 'To Bring You My Love' and 'Is This Desire?', 'Stories..' captured this form and brought it to a larger audience with a production to complement it. The record oscillates between the brooding, haunting ballads and a renewed pop sensibility, and this masterful balance creates, for me at least, her most consistent and exciting album. It's an album I can listen to over and over, with numerous stand out songs. Many older PJ Harvey fans disowned this record due to its more positive nature, but where as her earlier, darker work is something of quite wonderous beauty, I think Stories is a record which finally finds PJ at a more mature place, and her song writing only confirms this. The fiery spirit, emotional intensity and musical passion that epitomised those earlier records, are all still there but in finding a more accessible outlet, it makes for a wonderful record.

"Horses In My Dreams"

"The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT5AjPyxaPI

transformers
Led Zeppelin, "IV"
, 1971

Image

"Rock and Roll"

"When the Levee Breaks"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbrjRKB586s

User avatar
numbersix
Darth Vader
Posts: 11545
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 2:34 pm

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

Post by numbersix »

#33

Ozzy: The lead singer's vocals aren't bad, more loud than impressive, though. And why did that guy start singing in the second song? He just ruined it.

Geez: It's anthemic pop punk! Wasn't too bad, just didn't care much for any of it.

Leetsu: And speak of the dreaded prog ;) I previously noted the excessive nature of prog, but in this case it's just that the music never carries the length, and just makes it boring. That's very much evident in the first song, although the second one (as featured in The Squid and the Whale in an amusingly awkward scene) was better. But I don't like the guitar work and the plodding pace with little payoff.

NSpan: Glad you went for three songs, because it was the funk of the third one that really got my attention. The first two were nice, but the last one was on par with the greatness of James Brown. Awesome.

I also gave a full listen to that King Crimson song. And to be honest it wasn't that bad. The excess I mentioned to you was restrained somewhat, though it almost most me at the 9-minute mark when there's a shift in the rhythm. If this mean you think you'll get me into prog, though, you've got another thing coming.

Ron B: We're running out of songs from this record!

SS: A great record, and glad to see I'm not the only one who digs it. Great picks for the songs. And won't Bob and Youtube ever kiss and make up?

Tranny: I really need to find new and innovative ways to express my disinterest in modern metal.

User avatar
NSpan
Frank Booth
Posts: 2791
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 7:52 pm
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

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

Post by NSpan »

numbersix wrote:I also gave a full listen to that King Crimson song. And to be honest it wasn't that bad. The excess I mentioned to you was restrained somewhat, though it almost most me at the 9-minute mark when there's a shift in the rhythm. If this mean you think you'll get me into prog, though, you've got another thing coming.
Well, I'm glad you gave it a chance. It's worth noting that this particular lineup of King Crimson really doesn't fall neatly into any genre or category. While their debut, In the Court of the Crimson King, sounds very much like the "prog" that other bands would replicate throughout the 70s, the King Crimson moniker rarely represented the same group of musicians--the only consistency was the involvement of Robert Fripp (who rarely pulled rank as band "leader" when it came to songwriting) and a distinctly unique approach to the music itself. In fact, the "Mark III" lineup (which, with two minor but notable changes in lineup, were responsible for three of their best LPs: Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black, and Red) had almost nothing in common with the band(s) that released the first four King Crimson albums.

I shared that particular song from Starless and Bible Black ("Fracture") because that album isn't on my Top 100 (due to inconsistencies in the recording). But if anything else from this time period happens to pop up down the line (hint, hint), I urge you to listen without preconceived notions of "prog" or even "King Crimson." You might be surprised.
On the run from Johnny Law ... ain't no trip to Cleveland.

User avatar
NSpan
Frank Booth
Posts: 2791
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 7:52 pm
Location: Austin, TX
Contact:

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

Post by NSpan »

#32

Jethro Tull - Aqualung (1971)

Image

And, on the heels of a dissection of "prog-rock," comes one of the genre's most well-known entries. Jethro Tull always seemed to be an anachronistic contradiction-in-terms. Though they are lumped in with space-rockers like Pink Floyd and Yes, Ian Anderon's band had a decidedly medieval flair. For our film-centric audience, this might actually make a bit of sense: after all, aren't "sci-fi" and "fantasy" just variations on the same theme? Until the monumental release of Aqualung, Jethro Tull were actually blues-rockers with a sound not dissimilar to Cream. So, if that's your bag, I encourage you to check out their early albums. Aqualung was a step forward in modernizing their sound, despite being a concept album about corruption in the church (with references dating back to the Middle Ages). To further exemplify the self-contradictory essence of Jethro Tull, Aqualung is--at once--one of the most coherent concept albums ever written while also being one of the most listenable. Usually it's a trade-off: stick too closely to the concept and lose popular appeal, or run loose with the themes and squeeze in as much melody and pop-accessibility as possible. In this case, no song deviates from the theme... but nearly every track stands on its own as a successful staple of FM radio.

Note: the version of the album I am listening to as I write this is the 40th Anniversary remaster/remix by Porcupine Tree's Steve Wilson. I'm always up for a quality remaster of an album when the end result is something closer to what the artist was originally trying to put to tape in the studio. The concept of remixing a classic album raises a million red flags. I wouldn't trust the original musicians to remix their own work 40 years down the line, much less someone who wasn't even involved in the original recording. The whole thing just reeks of George Lucas-style revisionism. However, I gave it a chance--and I am simply blown away. Wilson resisted the temptation to put his own spin on the album. The trick here is not being limited to the tools that are available in a traditional remastering. In the remastering process, only the final mix can be altered. Within that limitation, there is still a lot that modern technology can do: tape hiss can (nearly) be eliminated, levels can be altered to accentuate certain sounds that would otherwise sound buried or murky, and the balance can be adjusted to create a clarity that more accurately represents the original vinyl pressings. Remixing, on the other hand, allows access to the original individual tracks (each holding a discrete copy of a singular instrument, vocal, or sound effect). In the old days, these tracks had to be "flattened" and compressed in order to create the proper layering that a rock production calls for. Unfortunately, the tracks lose fidelity with each generation. By the time the album is mastered, certain sounds could be compressed a dozen (or more) times: a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy, etc. Due to the restrictions set by the technology at the time, this was a necessary evil. Wilson's approach to remixing Aqualung was to recreate Ian Anderon's original vision. Anderson, by the way, oversaw the entire process. The result is something that maintains the album exactly as fans remember it--but with a level of clarity that is simply unprecedented. This isn't an "enhanced" version--it's the album that the Jethro Tull of 1971 would've released had they access to 21st-century technology. I haven't thrown out my old copy, but I now consider this to be the definitive edition of Aqualung. Wilson has taken a similar approach to remastering/remixing King Crimson's discography. I'm hoping to get my hands on these before the albums themselves appear in my countdown.

Side One - "Aqualung"
1. Aqualung
2. Cross-Eyed Mary
3. Cheap Day Return
4. Mother Goose
5. Wond'ring Aloud
6. Up to Me

Side Two - "My God"
1. My God
2. Hymn 43
3. Slipstream
4. Locomotive Breath
5. Wind-Up

"Locomotive Breath"


"Hymn 43"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajp1Flw_Kf8
On the run from Johnny Law ... ain't no trip to Cleveland.

User avatar
numbersix
Darth Vader
Posts: 11545
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 2:34 pm

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

Post by numbersix »

Ozzy: don't think it's the first time Powderfinger has appeared on these forums. It was nice enough.

Leetsu: It was good to hear a few songs from mid-80s The Cure. But it reminded me of why I never actively explored it. I dig their first few records, where they took Joy Division's gloomy style and made it into something theatrical while still sounding like great rock music. By the mid 80s they embraced pop, which admittedly resulted in some songs I really like (Love Cats, Caterpillar, and In Between Days from this record) but lost a lot of their intensity. And unless the melody is there you just get some forgettable music. Which is my reaction to those two songs. I much prefer the earlier stuff or else an album like Disintegration when they fully explored an majorly atmospheric style.

Nspan: I'll need to give these a relisten. They were surprisingly brief! I didn't particularly dislike them, and I loved the rhythm of the first song, but I have to figure out if it's a grower of an album or if its ambitions are getting in the way of the songs...

Ron B: An interesting pick. It's usually considered the end of Bowie's brilliance and the start of a descent. I like the title track but the other song didn't really amaze me.

SS: Aha, I knew this was going to pop up sooner or later. To me, it's still PJ's poorest album by a long shot (excluding her 2009 collaboration record with John Parish). It's not so much that she wrote songs of a sunnier disposition. In fact, I appreciate her taking on new themes in her writing. But it's the songs that just don't stand up, so much so that I could never sit through this record in one go. Songs like Beautiful Feeling and This Mess We're In feel incomplete, like verses that don't know where to do. And then the self-conscious attempts to rock out (Kamikaze and This is Love) just fall flat due to the production.

While ex-Korn member Head did contribute to Is This Desire, here he seems to have had more of a role in the production of this album, and makes the songs sound over-produced and glossy. The overall style makes it sound like Achtung Baby era U2, which is fine for a stadium rock band but it doesn't befit the majority of songs, particularly the final song (We Float) which is the dampest squib of a closing number I've ever heard. It's no wonder Harvey took a break and then self-produced a lot more and made her records even more intimate, as if Stories was an embarrassment or something to get out of her system so she could focus on what she really wanted.

So, while there are great songs on here (my favourites being Horses in my Dreams, Big Exit, and One Line) to me it's her most uneven album.

Tranny: Really coming around to Led Zepp over the course of this list. I might just pick up one of their albums.

User avatar
Geezer
Axel Foley
Posts: 4967
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 11:22 am

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

Post by Geezer »

I added mine.
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man. - The Dude

User avatar
silversurfer19
John Rambo
Posts: 7726
Joined: October 21st, 2009, 3:34 pm
Location: pretty much the ass end of the universe

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

Post by silversurfer19 »

Still waiting on picks from ozzy, Geez and NSpan. If everyone needs another break (which certainly seems the case at the moment) if you can at least get your next pick to me when you can and then maybe take a little break before we hit the top 30. That would give me a little chance to catch up on listening to picks too as I'm a few days behind.

Post Reply