i think zen (now my favorite) was the last i picked up (never did actually buy anything earlier, though i heard them all) and the hit-miss ratio really isn't that different, it's just that zen actually adds up to something, with the weaker tracks meshing into the varied blur, while warehouse is just song-song-song and you can easily chop out the filler
― da croupier, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:41 (eleven years ago) link
Rawk. Last two are my #4 (Wig) and #6. And not to be pedantical, but isn't "What's Going On?" a Grant song?
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:44 (eleven years ago) link
i warmed to a lot of the weaker Warehouse songs over time but i agree you cd make a killer single album, Zen's sprawl feels like part of the point even if i never really wanna listen to "Reoccuring Dreams" nowadays
― Shane Breen is a gigantic tool (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:44 (eleven years ago) link
but isn't "What's Going On?" a Grant song?
With 30 of those things, I knew I'd slip up on at least one. You should be surprised I didn't give the credit to Marvin Gaye.
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:49 (eleven years ago) link
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/Books_about_ufos700.jpg
13. “Books About U.F.O.s” - 246 points • Grant Hart, very close to busking in Toronto.
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:54 (eleven years ago) link
I don't think enough has been said about Grant's songs about girls. Not a whole lot of people write nonromantic songs about girls, but Grant Hart did!
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:56 (eleven years ago) link
by nonromantic I mean just about girls doing their thing, going about their lives -- not as romantic objects or subjects of longing or w/e
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:57 (eleven years ago) link
also this song is super fun
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 20:59 (eleven years ago) link
Man, it's been so long since I listened to "Zen Arcade," and listening now there's a good third of the record I would have been happy to put on my ballot, everything from pop to prime blaaaaarrgh like "Broken Home, Broken Heart."
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:01 (eleven years ago) link
I always imagined "Books About UFOs" as this sort of alternate world Smiths song.
I always thought about it as a song about a girl who loves going to the library. Finally, a song about me!
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:03 (eleven years ago) link
I should probably know this, but isn't Grant gay too? Not that that would necessarily influence his take on nonromantic songs about girls...
― dlp9001, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:04 (eleven years ago) link
My #3! Love the barroom piano.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:04 (eleven years ago) link
That piano incorporated in a rock song reminds me of Lazy Sunday Afternoon
― Albert Crampus (NickB), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:09 (eleven years ago) link
Was it this song or Heaven Hill that was supposed to have a slide guitar part until Bob threw a fit?
Grant's gay, but I think he's also a biological dad too, so there's that.
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:09 (eleven years ago) link
Would love to hear Grant sing Books About UFOs in a mock cockney accent btw
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, November 27, 2012 3:57 PM (13 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
songs that pass the bechdel test basically
― you only write about... pleassssure (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:12 (eleven years ago) link
Being constantly aware of all the changes that occurSitting in my roomSitting on the rooftopTelling the same story to everyone that I knowReading books about UFOs
^^ all things i have done irlthis song could have easily been about a boy, but he chose to make it about a girl and i appreciate that. i don't get the sense that he's mocking her for being spaced out and dreamy either; it's just the way she is. <3
xp -- exactly
― passion it person (La Lechera), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:13 (eleven years ago) link
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/you_can_live_at_home700.jpg
12. “You Can Live At Home” - 250 points / (1 vote for first place)• Alternate take from Warehouse sessions
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:14 (eleven years ago) link
And do listen to that alternate take holy fuuuck.
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:15 (eleven years ago) link
BTW, just for a funny reminder/context, sleeve note on Minutemen's "Double Nickels:"
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m9xmfyDvyy1ql6h4fo1_500.jpg
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:23 (eleven years ago) link
xpost o_O
― you only write about... pleassssure (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:24 (eleven years ago) link
I may be misremembering, but I think Zen Arcade, Double Nickels, and the 'Mats Let It Be were all reviewed in the same issue of Rolling Stone.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:33 (eleven years ago) link
One more for today:
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt203/pplains/Husker%20Du%20Poll/games2700.jpg
11. “Games” - 251 points • Couldn't find any cover/live stuff/bootlegs, so here's what you get all over the place if you try to Google for Husker Du games.
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:39 (eleven years ago) link
yeaaaaaah
― da croupier, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:40 (eleven years ago) link
honestly had no idea if that was a fave or not, esp since i think i read that it was rarely played live
if anyone has that alt take of You Can Live... in mp3 form I definitely DO NOT want to hear about it in an ILX webmail. That is one remarkable performance.
― you only write about... pleassssure (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:42 (eleven years ago) link
got a feeling at least 1 of the tracks i'd've had in my top 3 isn't gonna make the poll at all but cd be wrong
also i didn't vote so screw me
― Shane Breen is a gigantic tool (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:46 (eleven years ago) link
30. Hardly Getting Over It29. Turn On the News28. I Apologize28. It's Not Funny Anymore26. In A Free Land26. Flexible Flyer24. Powerline23. Diane23. She Floated Away21. Divide and Conquer20. Terms of Psychic Warfare19. Whatever18. Sorry Somehow17. Could You Be the One?16. I'll Never Forget You15. What's Going On14. Flip Your Wig13. Books About UFOs12. You Can Live At Home11. GamesSpotify link
― pplains, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 21:58 (eleven years ago) link
I like this version of Could You Be The One with Bob adding a lot more interest to the vocal lines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kmk_Fw1GrMk
Also so weird to see these clips of them appearing on these mainstream TV shows, at the time i had no idea they were getting quite such a push by Warners.
― Albert Crampus (NickB), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 22:00 (eleven years ago) link
oops, didn't mean to embed, sorry for rude
God I love 'Games' so much.
― Gavin, Leeds, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 22:36 (eleven years ago) link
That whole Huskers outtakes disc can be found here:
hxxp://captainsdead.com/husker-du-up-in-the-air-studio-outtakes.html
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 22:38 (eleven years ago) link
"Books About UFOs" was my #1. One of the most joyous songs I can think of. I remember how utterly out of nowhere it seemed to appear on New Day Rising--there had been definite hints of a pop sensibility before on "It's Not Funny Anymore" and parts of Zen Arcade, but nothing like that. If it's based a real girl, that was the girl for me. She sounds like the most perfect and perfectly flaky '70s kind of girl.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 22:47 (eleven years ago) link
That "Books" clip is so good. The kid walking back and forth, the people in back who are barely paying attention...Part of me wants to say, "Don't you know who this is? Don't you know what he's playing?" But in other ways, everything seems exactly as it ought to be for "Books About UFOs." Why wasn't I there?!
― clemenza, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 23:03 (eleven years ago) link
People who prefer Hart to Mould: is it about lyrics? I just realized that Hart probably wrote much better lyrics.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 23:26 (eleven years ago) link
not always
― da croupier, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 23:28 (eleven years ago) link
I think his songs are catchier/prettier/more affecting/moving. And as much as I like Mould's mastery of bllllaaaaaaargh!, Hart can even best him in that category on stuff like "The Girl Who Lives On Heaven Hill." Which I imagine will place ... high. I still love Mould's songs, of course, but it was Hart I always connected with when the band and me were in sync.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 23:30 (eleven years ago) link
it's a testament to the band that any claim one wants to make about the qualities of one over the other can be shut down. like i might want to say grant has more annoying hollow earworms, someone could play me "it's not peculiar" or "turn it around" to differ. cuz really anything, good or bad, one was doing, the other would be damn sure to do to
― da croupier, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 23:38 (eleven years ago) link
o
It's Not Peculiar was my #1, btw.
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 23:39 (eleven years ago) link
I think it took til "Warehouse," honestly, for Bob to catch up to Grant in the pop department. Up until then they sort of excelled at different things. But, like, those two songs I pretty much like as much as any of the Grant stuff.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 23:41 (eleven years ago) link
i'm done with mould on warehouse after "bed of nails"
― da croupier, Tuesday, 27 November 2012 23:41 (eleven years ago) link
I really like "It's Not Peculiar" and enjoy "Turn It Around". Maybe I just like Mould's voice better? I rarely even remember most Hart songs, with some exceptions.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 23:56 (eleven years ago) link
I'm almost never this partisan about band members so it puzzles me! I could never decide between John and Paul.
― EveningStar (Sund4r), Tuesday, 27 November 2012 23:57 (eleven years ago) link
can't believe i forgot about Games! massive cock-up that.
― charlie h, Wednesday, 28 November 2012 01:11 (eleven years ago) link
I prefer Grant Hart's songs. They're catchier, less angsty and generally more fun. But those songs aren't nearly as good without Bob Mould on guitar.
― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 28 November 2012 02:34 (eleven years ago) link
I'm listening to Warehouse as I type and this is what perfunctory-perfect formalism sounds like and, by extension, one of the few un-messy Last Albums.
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 28 November 2012 02:39 (eleven years ago) link
anyway I prefer Mould when "Hardly Getting Over It" is on -- a slowcore iteration of the MBV-angst he mastered on Copper Blue -- but change my mind when "No Promise Have I made" is on.
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 28 November 2012 02:41 (eleven years ago) link
Seeing some of the clips reminds me: On top of everything else, Mould and Hart were great, creative backup singers to each other. And sometimes hugely subtle but crucial, like Hart on "Games" or Mould on "Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill."
― Pete Scholtes, Wednesday, 28 November 2012 03:03 (eleven years ago) link