(2) THE MARBLE INDEX by Nico
(3) DISINTEGRATION by the Cure. I was tempted to say PORNOGRAPHY, but that album's more abstract to these ears. DISINTEGRATOIN is a more personally depressing record, being that it singularly documents a failed/failing relationship.
― alex in nyc, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― adam, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Mike Hanle y, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
Whereas Nico's Marble Index is oppressingly depressive. Very dark, a haunting voice. I can hardly sit through the whole album. It is like watching someone suffering. Unbearable. And it has got this death touch. Nico's voice sounds so cold so mechanic. On the other hand it is pure desperation.
― alex in mainhattan, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― X. Y. Zedd, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Nick, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Mark, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
I second what Mark said. I think that albums like Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space and The Holy Bible and Closer are sad albums, but none of them depress me. I can't think of any album I actually think is depressing for its content (except in the context of "It depresses me that this awful album somehow got the money to be made" or something similar).
― Ally, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― RW, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― James Annett, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― turner, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― JC, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Sterling Clover, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
My vote goes to The Dead C's "Baseheart." Something about that song...brrr...I dunno why, but those leaden chords just leave me unnerved and miserable for hours.
― Jess, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
Most brilliantly depressing album = Slint's _Spiderland_. And it covers all shades of depression - the suffering of a social pariah, mortality, existential confusion, gothic horror. It always struck me as being dramatic without being theatrical (unlike stuff like Arab Strap, which is great, in moderation).
Mark Eitzel's _Caught in a Trap..._ is pretty good in this regard, too. "XMas Lights Spin" never fails to make me sigh and fall into a considered stupor.
― David Raposa, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
I think I would nominate 'Unknown Pleasures' over 'Closer' actually. The lyrics - "I guess that dreams always end / they don't rise up, just descend" - are about as low and bereft of hope as you can get. The sound of a defeated soul.
I like it, it's good.
Is there any record of Ian Cutis explaining the pronounciation of Closer? I mean, 'clozer' = not actually a word and sounds silly. And the term 'closure' is an Americanism with which the band were probably not familiar with in 1980.
Plus, 'Closer' does make more sense. It evokes a feeling of claustrophobia and suffocation - "I feel it closing in" - of the walls, the world closing in and around. Closer to the grave.
― DavidM, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― mark s, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― tha chzza, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Lyra, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Lesley Higgins, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
I love this song but if there is a depressive song it is this one. And it was only consequent that he killed himself. Otherwise this song would have been rubbish. Similar with Ian Curtis. I think if you listen carefully and let the music come close to you you feel that this guy is not joking. Both of them were dead serious and their suicides were no accident. And the music does not become less (or more) convincing just because they killed themselves.
― Robin Carmody, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― keith, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Miranda, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Nick, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
As Mark suggests, context is important. But a record which fills a room with sad sounds whatever you the listener put in is still surely more 'depressing' than a record where you have to be listening attentively to the lyrics to get the misery.
― Tom, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― Damian, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
FWIW: There's an interview online somewhere with Bernard Sumner that I listened to a while back and he mentions the album in passing - and pronounces it Closer (as in nearer).
― scott, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
― dave q, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
Just for less overlap I'll say Tonight's The Night.
― zacko, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
I just wanted to point out that "closer" pronounced with a "z" is too a real word - anyone who works in sales or real estate can tell you that :)
― Ally, Wednesday, 8 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-two years ago) link
1 Stop the closer/clozer discussion and answer the questn if you will.2 I love music and art really do. And art says to fuck boundaries. I love drinking too and you know what. That fucks the walls too. Ladies and gentlemen be universal o.k. dont get stucked at one band and one sort. I have spent quite a time noting the songs i didn't know and will spend more to download them and all but do you know why all that is for.. to find a piece music floating in the air cutting through the silhoutte of my heart without bleeding or noise.3 Finally...
Not all of them but I think one of the greatest music ever made and depressing too:
1 BEETHOVEN-MOONLIGHT SYMPH.2 SEZEN AKSU-HERSEYI YAK,BELALIM,VAZGECTIM (sure most of you don't know it. that is why i wrote them.go on. check them and find the lyrics if you can and try to understand. ý call these three songs the three full stops ...)3 PORTISHEAD-ROADS,SOUR TIMES, ONLY YOU (what an 'ohhh' she says.could be the best female singer too.)4 MASSIVE ATTACK-TEARDROP,ANGEL (teardrop on the fire)5 RADIOHEAD-KARMA POLICE6 NIGHTWISH-WALKING IN THE AIR7 MY DYING BRIDE-FOR MY FALLEN ANGEL8 DEEP PURPLE-SOLDIER OF FORTUNE9 THE GODFATHER THEME10 DREAM THEATER-SPACE DYE VEST
not all, not the very best but try the first five. trust,try...now please write some good stuff that i wouldn't want to listen three million times of three million times so that it loses its tunes.i would like to keep it.
sorry and thanxsssssssszszs. """"""""""""
― soothteller, Thursday, 16 January 2003 15:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Thursday, 16 January 2003 15:04 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Chris V. (Chris V), Thursday, 16 January 2003 15:32 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ronan (Ronan), Thursday, 16 January 2003 15:34 (twenty-one years ago) link
Wichita Lineman-Glenn CampbellJohnny Cash-Sunday Morning Comin' DownStevie Wonder-You and IJames Taylor-Fire and RainGlenn Campbell-Gentle on My Mind
However, you really should read his personal commentary here to get the full flavor.
― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 16 January 2003 15:39 (twenty-one years ago) link
― o. nate (onate), Thursday, 16 January 2003 15:42 (twenty-one years ago) link
I guess it's a single, not an album, but it's most depressing.
― jot eff pe, Thursday, 16 January 2003 15:56 (twenty-one years ago) link
The Karl Hendricks Trio have a disc called Some Girls Like Cigarettes which is as close to recorded suicide as it gets.
― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Thursday, 16 January 2003 16:35 (twenty-one years ago) link
― arjun (arjun), Thursday, 16 January 2003 17:05 (twenty-one years ago) link
― piscesboy, Thursday, 16 January 2003 17:24 (twenty-one years ago) link
― James Ball (James Ball), Thursday, 16 January 2003 17:40 (twenty-one years ago) link
...also, seriously, anything by Bob Dylan (is he the most overrated musician ever? I think so), anything by Leonard Cohen....
...but for GREAT albums that happen to be depressing:Nick Drake (can't think of the title but it's brilliant)Spiritualized - Ladies and Gentlemen...The Smiths - The SmithsSinead O'Connor - Universal MotherPortishead - Dummy
― russ t, Thursday, 16 January 2003 17:50 (twenty-one years ago) link
― piscesboy, Thursday, 16 January 2003 18:29 (twenty-one years ago) link
― ian Johnson, Thursday, 16 January 2003 19:16 (twenty-one years ago) link
― matt riedl (veal), Thursday, 16 January 2003 19:17 (twenty-one years ago) link
― christoff (christoff), Thursday, 16 January 2003 19:23 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Cozen (Cozen), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 11:58 (twenty years ago) link
The Funky Headhunter by MC Hammer.
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 11:59 (twenty years ago) link
― Lynskey (Lynskey), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 12:05 (twenty years ago) link
also, as I was reminded by someone else playing him this morning: Loren Connors.
― cuspidorian (cuspidorian), Tuesday, 2 September 2003 23:45 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 3 September 2003 00:00 (twenty years ago) link
Really like it. Can't listen to it anymore. And my absence-of-hatred-at-best feeling about the movie is 25% Dunst, 75% this sound track, so go figure.
Still can't listen to it. Like doing bad, um ... lithium ... or something ...
― brian nemtusak (sanlazaro), Wednesday, 3 September 2003 00:10 (twenty years ago) link
― daria g (daria g), Wednesday, 3 September 2003 00:48 (twenty years ago) link
― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 5 September 2003 04:17 (twenty years ago) link
Not depressing at all.
― Salmon Pink (Salmon Pink), Friday, 5 September 2003 11:41 (twenty years ago) link
― flowersdie (flowersdie), Friday, 5 September 2003 11:51 (twenty years ago) link
― Chris V. (Chris V), Friday, 5 September 2003 11:52 (twenty years ago) link
― chicken tonight (chicken tonight), Friday, 5 September 2003 12:01 (twenty years ago) link
― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Saturday, 6 September 2003 02:24 (twenty years ago) link
― John Bullabaugh (John Bullabaugh), Saturday, 6 September 2003 13:49 (twenty years ago) link
― Chris Barrus (Chris Barrus), Saturday, 6 September 2003 16:02 (twenty years ago) link
― Etienne (Etienne), Saturday, 6 September 2003 16:16 (twenty years ago) link
― Bruno- (Bruno-), Saturday, 6 September 2003 16:34 (twenty years ago) link
― tiffany, Saturday, 21 February 2004 05:36 (twenty years ago) link
― Colin Beckett (Colin Beckett), Saturday, 21 February 2004 08:10 (twenty years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 21 February 2004 08:20 (twenty years ago) link
― Colin Beckett (Colin Beckett), Saturday, 21 February 2004 08:26 (twenty years ago) link
Part one. FUCK YOU and the bow-legged, oft-felched, syphillitic donkey you call "Mama" that you limped in on.
Part two. Killing Joke's 2003 album had no business being as good as it turned out to be (thanks in great part to the production of Andy Gill, the reintroduction of Raven to the fold, some dicey world events and the injection of youthful energy that was Dave Grohl), thus it bucked the odds and does not adhere to the stipulations of desperation I layed out in the quote of mine you cited.
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 21 February 2004 08:29 (twenty years ago) link
I find desperate albums depressing, i.e. albums made by folks whose time has clearly come and gone, yet they keep struggling in abject futility against the cruel tides of time, fashion and changing tastes -- like Motley Crue's GENERATION SWINE or MC Hammer's FUNKY HEADHUNTER. You just want to sit them down and tell them to give it up.
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, January 16, 2003 7:11 PM (5 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban PermalinkOH MY GOD ALEX THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE NAME OF THAT HAMMER ALBUM.
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, January 16, 2003 7:34 PM (5 years ago) Bookmark
this exchange ALONE made this thread classic :-)
― Eisbär (Eisbaer), Saturday, 13 December 2008 12:01 (fifteen years ago) link
There was a compilation album out recently of songs from adverts. I've not listened to it, but I can't conceive conceptually a more depressing album.
― rjberry, Saturday, 13 December 2008 20:23 (fifteen years ago) link
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i128/garzweiler2/R-562902-1139674160.jpg
― Siegbran, Saturday, 13 December 2008 20:28 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.amazon.com/Part-Summa/dp/B00005MNCL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1229201465&sr=1-2
Arvo Pärt - Part: Summa
All of it is really sad and depressing. Of course, it's probably my favorite classical release ever.
― Gino-Vanellyville (Mackro Mackro), Saturday, 13 December 2008 20:53 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.musicweb.uk.net/classrev/2002/Dec02/Part_Summa_Jarvi_45501.jpg
Paavo Järvi is a master on this.
― Gino-Vanellyville (Mackro Mackro), Saturday, 13 December 2008 20:54 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.ecmrecords.com/Images/cover/New_Series/1500/N1591g.gif
― krakow, Saturday, 13 December 2008 22:09 (fifteen years ago) link
Xiu Xiu depresses me, but I think that's intentionally on Jamie Stewart's part. Also for some reason Return To Cookie Mountain never fails to put me in a foul mood. The first Sunset Rubdown album has a similar effect. There is a line in a song on the new Department of Eagles album that goes "Those nights you wandered online/You'll never get to relive them" or something like that, which gets to me. Also, hip hop songs about how good it used to be back in the day.
― samosa gibreel, Saturday, 13 December 2008 23:02 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.mixmatters.com/hot/images/mobb_deep_blood_money.jpg
― passanchino XL (and what), Saturday, 13 December 2008 23:24 (fifteen years ago) link
Which album is that, Siegbran?
― Le Bateau Ivre, Sunday, 14 December 2008 01:51 (fifteen years ago) link
I sold Broken By Whispers by Trembling Blue Stars partly because I found it so depressing.
― Girlfriend, you've been scooped like ice cream (mehlt), Sunday, 14 December 2008 02:00 (fifteen years ago) link
What, no one has ever sat through 'The Hunter' by Blondie?
― Dr. Joseph A. Ofalt, Sunday, 14 December 2008 02:03 (fifteen years ago) link
dave bixby. ultimate downer record
― oscar, Sunday, 14 December 2008 02:07 (fifteen years ago) link
No mention of GY!BE, 'F# A# ∞', yet, eh?
I've felt that the first few tracks on Gang of Four's 'Solid Gold' were unrelentingly depressing, in that listless, defeated sort of way.
― Millsner, Sunday, 14 December 2008 03:50 (fifteen years ago) link
loveless- My Bloddy Valentine.
― tom, Tuesday, 7 August 2001 00:00 (7 years ago) Bookmark
trolling ain't what it used to be
― country matters, Sunday, 14 December 2008 03:53 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm surprised no one mentioned Joni's Blue.
― Mordy, Sunday, 14 December 2008 04:18 (fifteen years ago) link
Well, let me respond to this in two parts.
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, February 21, 2004 2:29 AM (4 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
brooklyn we go hard
― merriweather passantino pavilion (J0rdan S.), Sunday, 14 December 2008 04:22 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/qwerty/wire/images/itllendintears.jpg
― Creeztophair, Sunday, 14 December 2008 05:26 (fifteen years ago) link
red apple falls
― ciderpress, Sunday, 14 December 2008 05:40 (fifteen years ago) link