very good
think abba for me
― nxd, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 16:12 (five years ago) link
It's hard to compare the two because they're so different, although I vote for the B-52s. ABBA didn't have much stage presence. The sparkly disco suits and capes were just an affectation, and on a vocal level Agnetha and Frida didn't really have a style - with the exception of "The Winner Takes it All" they sang every song in the same way. But their awkward blandness was part of the band's appeal. The odd grammar and total lack of personality were charismatic.
The B-52s on the other hand were committed to their image and were much more engaging live. Kate and Cindy were superior vocal stylists. Even after the band ran out of ideas their music was were listenable because the vocals lifted them up, viz "Roam" or "Cake". I would much rather have been stuck in a lift with the B-52s.
Put another way, if the B-52s had two genius pop songwriters but were slightly duller the band would still have been a monster, whereas if ABBA had one semi-genius pop songwriter and more charismatic frontpeople they wouldn't have amounted to much.
― Ashley Pomeroy, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 19:04 (five years ago) link
Write-in vote for Heart (who are also bettee than ABBA)
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 19:08 (five years ago) link
now i really want a smash-hit b-52s musical starring meryl streep
― sign up for my waterless urinals webinar (bizarro gazzara), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 19:09 (five years ago) link
write-in vote for salt-n-pepa
― sign up for my waterless urinals webinar (bizarro gazzara), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 19:11 (five years ago) link
write in vote for the Nolans
― Bound 4 da Remoan (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 19:12 (five years ago) link
write in vote...
http://www.allcelticmusic.com/dimage/12d1fe3e-c927-102a-b8f3-000f1f67beb1/300/300/cover.jpg
― Monica Kindle (Tom D.), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 19:17 (five years ago) link
... opens with a medley of Blaw Blaw My Kilt's Awa'/Stop Your Ticklin' Jock/I Love A Lassie, ye cannae whack it.
― Monica Kindle (Tom D.), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 19:19 (five years ago) link
'budget series' otm
― sign up for my waterless urinals webinar (bizarro gazzara), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 19:23 (five years ago) link
Write in vote for Donita Sparks and Suzy Gardner from L7.
― Chequers Plays Pop (snoball), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 19:25 (five years ago) link
I don't think you can credibly call it a "double female fronted band" if the rest of the band is also female, seems to kind of be a different category
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 19:27 (five years ago) link
mellow candle or gtfo
― my name is leee john, for we are many (NickB), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 19:44 (five years ago) link
Kim & Kelly Deal.
― Elvis Telecom, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 20:04 (five years ago) link
B-52s are great but this is ABBA all the way, they were just on a different level.― evol j, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 15:57 (four hours ago) Permalink
― evol j, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 15:57 (four hours ago) Permalink
Abba are great, but B-52s were just on a different level. I've been revelling in them the last couple weeks, since the poll. So original, they really created their own genre of music.
― Drunk Charles Nelson Reily violating Paul Lynn at a toga party (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 20:24 (five years ago) link
i don't see a whole lot of sense in even comparing these two bands that did completely different things
― The Poppy Bush AutoZone (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 20:54 (five years ago) link
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/comparing-apples-and-oranges-37838381/
― mark s, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 20:56 (five years ago) link
apples suck, oranges otm
― princess of hell (BradNelson), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 21:03 (five years ago) link
Taking Sides: Nick Cave vs. Michael Jackson
― Drunk Charles Nelson Reily violating Paul Lynn at a toga party (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 21:05 (five years ago) link
alex in nyc owns himself yet again
― mark s, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 21:07 (five years ago) link
nah he remained unbowed all the way to the end of that thread
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 21:11 (five years ago) link
unbowed and wrong, the alex way :)
― mark s, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 21:13 (five years ago) link
was he though
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 21:20 (five years ago) link
look I love the B-52s with my whole heart but we are talking here about Abba. Abba is just a miracle
― she carries a torch. two torches, actually (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 21:21 (five years ago) link
lmao
kay good, cuz dudes in this thread is all like OMG nick cave is just hopped up campy pseudosoutherngothic doomy claptrap!!!
On the contrary, it's the fact that he's a load of fucking boring middle-aged crud for 42 year old Goths
― Sacco, Vanzetti, Passantino... (Tom D.), Tuesday, April 14, 2009 12:24 PM (nine years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
just like ILM, amrite???!?!?
― rip dom passantino 3/5/09 never forget (max), Tuesday, April 14, 2009 12:24 PM (nine years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― The Poppy Bush AutoZone (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 21:24 (five years ago) link
also obvs the answer is B-52's
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 21:33 (five years ago) link
i love the b-52's. i love abba. only one of them wrote and performed "knowing me, knowing you"
― princess of hell (BradNelson), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 21:43 (five years ago) link
I thought about including Ann and Nancy, but they don't have equal vocal duties in the band's catalog. Same with Christine and Stevie who have mostly solo or group songs.
― LeRooLeRoo, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 22:37 (five years ago) link
Voice of the beehive
― Mark G, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 23:10 (five years ago) link
OK, if you insist..
The Heartthrobs
― Mark G, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 23:11 (five years ago) link
one thing that makes ABBA greater than the B-52s for me is this: let's concede, for the sake of argument, that the B-52s make better records. Not an impossible concession to make -- where, in ABBA's catalog, is their "Dance This Mess Around"? They don't have one, nor a "Quiche Lorraine," nor a "Legal Tender." The B-52s locate some zones of feeling & expression that I'd argue were pretty thin on the ground if not nonexistent in pop music before them. But here's the thing: Only they can convey these expressions. Cover "Quiche Lorraine"? Be my guest, you're going to sound like an asshole. Cover "52 Girls"? Feel free, chump. But anybody, on pretty much any instrument, can play "Knowing Me, Knowing You," or "Dancing Queen," or "The Winner Takes It All," or "Take a Chance on Me," or "S.O.S." and anybody with an ear will hear that these are solid, brilliant songs. There's more to ABBA than ABBA, but of course their versions will probably be definitive, because they have, in addition to merciless songwriting chops, a real vision for how to present their songs. The B52s are sui generis - they write songs only they can really pull off. I suspect for many people, that makes them the greater band, but I think of versatility/portability/flexibility/malleability as the mark of real genius.
― she carries a torch. two torches, actually (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 23:26 (five years ago) link
I think of versatility/portability/flexibility/malleability as the mark of real genius.
sounds like something a songwriter would say lol
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 23:32 (five years ago) link
xp great post, still voted B-52s
― sleeve, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 23:33 (five years ago) link
which is not to say that your point is incorrect - the B-52s songs and their greatness is very much tied in to their specific personalities and talents - just that I don't know if I agree that ABBA's more, shall we say, Platonic approach to crafting the "ideal" pop song is de facto better. I do know whose catalog I find more fun and engaging to listen to and that's definitely Kate and Cindy & crew.
xp
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 23:34 (five years ago) link
ha, I edited out a graf explaining that this is (one reason) why I would never rank my own stuff with the true greats. almost no covers of my stuff are as good as the originals. period. this has been true for over twenty years. there are two instances I know of where the covers beat the originals with me, and the songs are two of my very highest achievements -- and, even then, the work done by the covering artists is just next-level. whereas with ABBA, even a shitty cover of "dancing queen" has THOSE changes, THAT melody, THAT structure. I'm not even an actual ABBA fan, technically - I've never owned any of their records; -- but at the same time, I consider their achievement titanic, unimaginable, and whenever I hear them, I think, man, who beats that? hardly anybody.
― she carries a torch. two torches, actually (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 23:39 (five years ago) link
not necessarily a personal thing, just recognizing how songwriter-minds tend to work. I certainly feel like grinding away on my own material makes me think about structure, chords, lyrical mechanics, melodies in a more abstract and technical way than the average listener. Like, I get how you can appreciate ABBA as superior in a formal way without even owning their records (also lol though cuz c'mon that is funny)
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 23:52 (five years ago) link
I can’t choose
― Trϵϵship, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 23:53 (five years ago) link
The way Kate & Cindy sing together reminds me most of the way Exene & John Doe sing together, which would've been a better poll tbh.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 29 November 2018 00:24 (five years ago) link
Not really, I've never heard X.
― Monica Kindle (Tom D.), Thursday, 29 November 2018 00:32 (five years ago) link
Er, how is that anyone's fault besides yours?
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 29 November 2018 00:33 (five years ago) link
I don't think they're particularly well known outside the US.
― Monica Kindle (Tom D.), Thursday, 29 November 2018 00:35 (five years ago) link
But, you know, carry on regardless, Make ILM Great Again.
― Monica Kindle (Tom D.), Thursday, 29 November 2018 00:37 (five years ago) link
X are great, check out any of the 1st four albums
― sleeve, Thursday, 29 November 2018 00:49 (five years ago) link
this would have been ABBA if it wasn't for our recent poll, but all i have been listening to for about a month now is The B-52's. they are better than i originally thought.
― Bee OK, Thursday, 29 November 2018 00:57 (five years ago) link
(xp) Well, I could be completely wrong but not only have I never heard them but I've never heard them come up in a conversation ever - and I had a conversation about Killdozer today!
― Monica Kindle (Tom D.), Thursday, 29 November 2018 00:59 (five years ago) link
It is very easy to not hear X in North America fwiw.
― Locked in silent monologue, in silent scream (Sund4r), Thursday, 29 November 2018 01:11 (five years ago) link
(Voting for Fleetwood Mac)
― Locked in silent monologue, in silent scream (Sund4r), Thursday, 29 November 2018 01:12 (five years ago) link
been revisiting X lately and honestly see how we are / big black sun feel like the sweet spot, not the legendary first two
― she carries a torch. two torches, actually (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Thursday, 29 November 2018 01:27 (five years ago) link
Joanie you're getting close to Geir territory
― The Poppy Bush AutoZone (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 29 November 2018 02:44 (five years ago) link
Joanie is approaching Lord Sotosyn territory with that X comment.
― I like queer. You like queer, senator? (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 29 November 2018 02:48 (five years ago) link
I still think this whole poll stinks
― The Poppy Bush AutoZone (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 29 November 2018 02:51 (five years ago) link
Don't turn around
― I like queer. You like queer, senator? (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 29 November 2018 18:30 (five years ago) link
all that jmm wants is another bABBAy
― The Poppy Bush AutoZone (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 29 November 2018 19:33 (five years ago) link
lol
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 29 November 2018 19:38 (five years ago) link
Kate and Cindy made/make harmonies like few in the world of rock/pop and are as in-tune with each other as Hazel and Alice.
B-52's all day.
― bodacious ignoramus, Thursday, 29 November 2018 22:47 (five years ago) link
fun fact: ace of base are nazis
― dude the new bond girl’s gonna be named ‘firehose o’piss’ (bizarro gazzara), Thursday, 29 November 2018 22:48 (five years ago) link
bump
― sleeve, Thursday, 29 November 2018 22:57 (five years ago) link
how do all these Fleetwood Mac songs get stuck in my head, must be their personalities and backstories that I don't think about at all?
― brimstead, Thursday, 29 November 2018 23:45 (five years ago) link
what can I say, I've never had a Mac song stuck in my head
― Οὖτις, Friday, 30 November 2018 00:01 (five years ago) link
whereas "Take a Chance on Me" was burned into my brain (via the Muppets!) as a youngster.
― Οὖτις, Friday, 30 November 2018 00:04 (five years ago) link
Both bands are about the best at what they do. You could make an awesome split 7" in the sky with the B52s and Abba covering a tune of each other.
― earlnash, Friday, 30 November 2018 00:11 (five years ago) link
I enjoy the timbre of the B52 vox more - Roam gives me an ASMR, goosebump type reaction, while is ABBA is just like “more champagne please.” Also gotta keep in mind the difference in production styles, B52s all crisp and treble, ABBA hazy and lush
― calstars, Friday, 30 November 2018 00:16 (five years ago) link
ABBA, the Mac, the B-52's -- all awesome, y'all are cracked.
― I like queer. You like queer, senator? (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 30 November 2018 00:18 (five years ago) link
Mindbogglingly, heartbreakingly cracked
― Bound 4 da Remoan (Noodle Vague), Friday, 30 November 2018 00:21 (five years ago) link
Agnetha and Frida's voice are undistinguishable to me, while I can mostly tell which part is Kate and which is Cindy. This is not a pro or a con, just an observation.
― LeRooLeRoo, Friday, 30 November 2018 00:22 (five years ago) link
That's not a dis though
― I like queer. You like queer, senator? (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 30 November 2018 00:22 (five years ago) link
This is the ABBA song I discovered in the last two years that affirmed their holyshitness.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsznMjw-BsI
― I like queer. You like queer, senator? (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 30 November 2018 00:23 (five years ago) link
Practically the last thing they recorded, this song and the two songs from the Under Attack single are what happened when the ABBA boys got hold of Oh No It's Devo and decided to give it one last crack at staying relevant.
― everything, Friday, 30 November 2018 07:11 (five years ago) link
Practically the last thing they recorded, this song and the two songs from the Under Attack single are what happened when the ABBA boys got hold of Oh No It's Devo and decided to give it one last crack at staying relevantimprove it in every way.
― I like queer. You like queer, senator? (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 30 November 2018 11:48 (five years ago) link
don't you go underrating Devo Alfred
― she carries a torch. two torches, actually (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Friday, 30 November 2018 13:24 (five years ago) link
DEVO is so great now Alfred's probably gonna cyberbully them with faint praise in a top ten list
― The Poppy Bush AutoZone (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 30 November 2018 13:32 (five years ago) link
I checked his blog, he has already said they are good but...improving on Devo? It is not possible.
― she carries a torch. two torches, actually (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Friday, 30 November 2018 13:40 (five years ago) link
I like Devo!
― I like queer. You like queer, senator? (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 30 November 2018 13:54 (five years ago) link
I hear more Dollar than Devo in "I Am the City."
obviously ABBA is amazing, effortlessly keeping abreast of all the changes in 70s pop and leaving their indelible stamp on every genre they worked in, but B-52's had a deeper bag of tricks, they took more risks and pulled them off way more (in no way is ABBA more 'versatile') and their albums are filled to the brim with 'free lunches.'
Sometimes I think they were the best band in the world
― slack thompson (Drugs A. Money), Sunday, 2 December 2018 01:10 (five years ago) link
It's true, B-52's were kind of the ultimate free lunch band.
Where does Stereolab fit in the double female fronted pantheon?
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Sunday, 2 December 2018 01:47 (five years ago) link
If Kate could sing well , this wouldn't even be a question. But Cindy is a breathtaking singer and Kate makes it work somehow anyway, so they will probably still win.
― Three Word Username, Sunday, 2 December 2018 08:29 (five years ago) link
Cindy is otherworldly, the abba gals seem somewhat cipher-like but maybe there was more there, not really a fan although recognize the melodic strengths of the band. But Cindy is something so compelling, not to sell Kate short
― velko, Sunday, 2 December 2018 08:56 (five years ago) link
some of kate's finest guest vocals, up there with "me in honey"
http://spillmagazine.com/spill-album-review-dba-downes-braide-association-skyscraper-souls/
― reggie (qualmsley), Sunday, 2 December 2018 16:39 (five years ago) link
Abba was rubbish and the stage presence of the two girls was so unbelievably sterile and uncool. The B52's were so much more exciting and they were bursting with so many ideas. Abba was a sleepfest in comparison.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Sunday, 2 December 2018 16:54 (five years ago) link
they aren't girls
― sleeve, Sunday, 2 December 2018 16:58 (five years ago) link
who cares about stage presence? ABBA were a studio band through and through.
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 2 December 2018 17:52 (five years ago) link
I dunno, this seems terrific to me:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G5129BMoXg
― everything, Sunday, 2 December 2018 19:12 (five years ago) link
Cold, sterile, miserable Scandinavians ftw.
― Monica Kindle (Tom D.), Sunday, 2 December 2018 19:23 (five years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Tuesday, 4 December 2018 00:01 (five years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Wednesday, 5 December 2018 00:01 (five years ago) link
justice
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 5 December 2018 00:01 (five years ago) link
Tin roof... justice.
(I would've voted ABBA though)
― Josefa, Wednesday, 5 December 2018 02:34 (five years ago) link
Love Abba, but they never wrote anything as ferocious as "Private Idaho" (although "S.O.S" comes close).
― Alex in NYC, Thursday, 10 January 2019 22:24 (five years ago) link
My favourite Abba song was always this one:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEbZqnC2oN4I think it is an outlier in their oeuvre. So much punch, so much drive, almost a punk song from 1973. After that it was all downhill.
― Ich bin kein Berliner (alex in mainhattan), Thursday, 10 January 2019 22:49 (five years ago) link
Post a controversial music opinion
― Never Turn Your Back On Virginia Woolf (Tom D.), Thursday, 10 January 2019 23:13 (five years ago) link
I love 'Ring Ring', it's one of my karaoké hits! Wouldn't say it went anywhere downhill after though. 'Bang-A-Boomerang' also has plenty of punch and drive. This band, even their lesser known singles would be another band's classics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CsJCa2TlXU
― LeRooLeRoo, Friday, 11 January 2019 17:25 (five years ago) link
"Private Idaho" is such a dope song
― fuck the NRA (Neanderthal), Friday, 11 January 2019 18:53 (five years ago) link
First five seconds of "Ring Ring" could be a Blondie song.
― composed of atoms just as all posters have been (Dan Peterson), Friday, 11 January 2019 19:10 (five years ago) link
My favorite early ABBA deep cut
https://youtu.be/wz3ygKyvKaM
― slack thompson (Drugs A. Money), Friday, 11 January 2019 19:53 (five years ago) link