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#30GRANT MCLENNAN - Lamp By Lampfrom In Your Bright Ray (1997)
Points: 584 (0)
Youtube audio
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Sunday, 7 July 2019 22:37 (four years ago) link
pretty
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 7 July 2019 22:44 (four years ago) link
Lovely song. This and One Plus One were on my list. Going through the solo albums before voting made me really appreciate how solid In Your Bright Ray is.
― kitchen person, Sunday, 7 July 2019 23:26 (four years ago) link
#29GW MCLENNAN - The Dark Side Of Town from Fireboy (1993)
Points: 59Votes: 4 (0)
Youtube audio (+ spooky fan video)
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#28GW MCLENNAN - Fingersfrom Fireboy (1993)
Points: 63Votes: 3 (0)
Original promo video
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 00:12 (four years ago) link
ooh sexy
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 8 July 2019 00:14 (four years ago) link
"now you know what it's like to be a man"
"Fingers" was possibly his only single that I was utterly oblivious to until very recently. Not sure how I managed this, but it is quite affecting despite being not at all what I think I want to hear at the outset.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 00:33 (four years ago) link
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#27GW MCLENNAN - Surround Me1992 single, eventually on Fireboy (1993)
Points: 64Votes: 2 (0)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 00:54 (four years ago) link
surrou-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou-ou-nd
ME
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 8 July 2019 01:03 (four years ago) link
I love that song but have never seen that video. Now I wish I had never seen that video.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 8 July 2019 01:07 (four years ago) link
LOL
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 01:11 (four years ago) link
This felt like a hit at the time, but presumably only because JJJ (Australia's national yoof-oriented music station) was still firmly pro-McLennan. Can't imagine it crossed over to commercial radio. Pleasant enough, but I probably craved faintly unpleasant things, being a teenager.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 01:21 (four years ago) link
A couple of cover version came in side by side at this point!
#26ROBERT FORSTER - 2541 (Hart)I Had a NY Girlfriend (1994)
Points: 64Votes: 3 (0)
#25 GW MCLENNAN - If I Should Fall Behind (Springsteen)Surround Me single (1992)
Points: 69Votes: 2 (0)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 01:35 (four years ago) link
A stretch of first-place votes begins here. I'll pause for now though.
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#24 ROBERT FORSTER - The Evangelistfrom The Evangelist (2008)
Points: 74Votes: 4 (1)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 02:54 (four years ago) link
Pleasant enough, but I probably craved faintly unpleasant things, being a teenager.
You'd have loved the video for Surround Me then. It's 36 different shades of unpleasantness marinated in a sauce of irksomeness. Grant appears to be wearing shades throughout so as not to see his own promo video.
― Portsmouth Bubblejet, Monday, 8 July 2019 07:47 (four years ago) link
Ha ha. Now I've got to watch this.
― Alba, Monday, 8 July 2019 08:35 (four years ago) link
Oh my god.
― Alba, Monday, 8 July 2019 08:41 (four years ago) link
It's like someone doing a parody of the Shiny Happy People video who doesn't realise the Shiny Happy People video was a parody.
― Alba, Monday, 8 July 2019 08:46 (four years ago) link
Wait, that sounds too much as though I like the Shiny Happy People video.
The performance parts of the video look like take 4 after they've been told a) "now look like you're having fun!" and b) "this will only take one try." What's extra weird are all the political/environmental slogans that pop up. And Grant and crew appear like they were plied with drugs.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 8 July 2019 11:57 (four years ago) link
The analysis of this vid has had quietly giggling for much of the day.
Less amusing is my image host's flakiness. This one shall also go without an image.
#23GRANT MCLENNAN - Coming Up For Airfrom Horsebreaker Star (1994)
Points: 78Votes: 4 (1)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 12:24 (four years ago) link
love this one -- is that Syd Straw on harmonies?
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 8 July 2019 12:34 (four years ago) link
Must be, right?
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 8 July 2019 12:40 (four years ago) link
I keep meaning to ask about such things. eg. is it clear who the women are on "Put You Down" and "Dark Side of Town"?
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 12:42 (four years ago) link
catching up here... i never know about McLennan/Kilby side project, now I have to seek that one out.
Searching on "Jack Frost" landed me on this interesting interview where he says that McLennan got him into smack, but Kilby didn't have the restraint to only do it occasionally the way Grant did.
― enochroot, Monday, 8 July 2019 12:49 (four years ago) link
Funny you mention that at this instant...
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#22JACK FROST - ProvidenceJack Frost (1990)
Points: 80Votes: 3 (1)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 12:51 (four years ago) link
Man, that Jack Frost album is another one with horrible cover art. These guys really were not visual.https://img.discogs.com/qinRrXIej8zyPixoXy89dXZWK6Y=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-3136039-1327128839.jpeg.jpg
― enochroot, Monday, 8 July 2019 13:00 (four years ago) link
I didn't put a lot, but I probably put too many Grant tracks on my solo/spinoffs ballot compared with my actual affections, in an attempt to not be too unbalanced. Now I see how many have appeared on the rundown, I shouldn't have bothered.
I think I'm coming round to the view that it's not just the pedestrian pop-rock rhythm of much of his solo work: I specifically don't like his more direct songs about relationships, because I get this kind of bad feeling from them, like he's been kind of a prick and the lyrics have a self-serving whiny attitude. Even a song that's pretty, and which I voted for, The Dark Side of Town, has that coda "Hey, don't go way / I don't mean those things I say / Frustration takes hold of me and I say things …" that sets my imagination off about people who have a pattern of repeatedly behaving terribly then apologising. I realise they're just songs and it's none of my business what he was like as a boyfriend, but, I can't warm to them.
So I'm much more receptive to songs where he's not directly addressing a lover or at least not in a direct imploring way. But I love it when he does a wistful song like Hot Water, or One Plus One with its shades of Dusty In Here or Cattle and Cane.
― Alba, Monday, 8 July 2019 13:06 (four years ago) link
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#21ROBERT FORSTER - A Poet WalksSongs to Play (2015)
Points: 82Votes: 4 (0)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 13:27 (four years ago) link
Good song!
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 8 July 2019 13:32 (four years ago) link
Yes, it's much more the imploring, overly self-obsessed songs that put me off McLennan's material rather than the schmaltz of which he's often accused. Fingers is a real turn-off for me in that respect: the 'Hey you!' chorus crosses the line from pleading to being stalkerish, and the self-pity of 'Now you know what it’s like to be a man' could be bottled and sold in Wetherspoons on 'Fathers for Justice' themed evenings.
― Portsmouth Bubblejet, Monday, 8 July 2019 13:41 (four years ago) link
I do like the way the 'Poet' arrangement gradually builds to something... Morricone-esque, perhaps?
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 13:44 (four years ago) link
In case formatting issues obscured things a little, here's a half-time summary.
Pts Votes #1s21 A Poet Walks FORSTER - Songs to Play (2015) 82 4 022 Providence JACK FROST - Jack Frost (1990) 80 3 123 Coming Up For Air MCLENNAN - Horsebreaker Star (1994) 78 4 124 The Evangelist FORSTER - The Evangelist (2008) 74 4 125 If I Should Fall Behind MCLENNAN - Surround Me (1992) 69 2 026 2541 FORSTER - I Had a NY Girlfriend (1994) 64 3 027 Surround Me MCLENNAN - Surround Me (1992) 64 2 028 Fingers MCLENNAN - Fireboy (1993) 63 3 029 The Dark Side Of Town MCLENNAN - Fireboy (1993) 59 4 030 Lamp By Lamp MCLENNAN - In Your Bright Ray (1997) 58 4 031 Falling Star FORSTER - Calling From a (1993) 55 3 032= Simone And Perry MCLENNAN - Horsebreaker Star (1994) 54 4 032= One Plus One MCLENNAN - In Your Bright Ray (1997) 54 4 034 No Fame FORSTER - Inferno (2019) 53 3 035 Thought That I Was Over You JACk FROST - Jack Frost (1990) 52 3 036 121 FORSTER - Calling From a (1993) 51 3 037 Don't Touch Anything FORSTER - The Evangelist (2008) 51 2 038 Crazy Jane on the Day of Judg FORSTER - Inferno (2019) 50 3 039 Life Has Turned a Page FORSTER - Inferno (2019) 49 3 040 Put You Down MCLENNAN - Horsebreaker Star (1994) 47 2 0
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 13:47 (four years ago) link
the self-pity of 'Now you know what it’s like to be a man' could be bottled and sold in Wetherspoons on 'Fathers for Justice' themed evenings.
― Alba, Monday, 8 July 2019 13:53 (four years ago) link
I've just found myself reading way too much of about this Wetherspoons!
Three-way tie, anyone?
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 14:05 (four years ago) link
#18 --TIE--
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#18 (i)ROBERT FORSTER - Dear Black DreamDanger In the Past (1990)
Points: 85Votes: 4 (0)
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#18 (ii)GW MCLENNAN - Lighting FiresFireboy (1993)
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#18 (iii)ROBERT FORSTER - From Ghost TownThe Evangelist (2008)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 14:07 (four years ago) link
"Lighting Fires" is one hell of an ear worm.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 8 July 2019 14:18 (four years ago) link
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#17ROBERT FORSTER - Is This What You Call Change? from Danger In the Past (1990)
Points: 86Votes: 3 (0)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 14:45 (four years ago) link
Look at meNot at the floor
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 8 July 2019 14:55 (four years ago) link
What a song. I'm still not sure if it's about a polluting industrialist, a toxic lover, or both.
― Alba, Monday, 8 July 2019 15:11 (four years ago) link
I'll try to go through to #11 now...
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#16 from ROBERT FORSTER - Let Me Imagine Youfrom Songs to Play (2015)
Points: 86Votes: 4 (0)
Official promo video
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 15:13 (four years ago) link
He gives good photo, the big fella.
― Orpheus Knutt (Tom D.), Monday, 8 July 2019 15:15 (four years ago) link
The only song to successfully include Twitter in its lyrics?
― Alba, Monday, 8 July 2019 15:16 (four years ago) link
I was the #1 for The Evangelist. I'm surprised it didn't finish higher, it's an obvious highlight of the album.
― kornrulez6969, Monday, 8 July 2019 15:18 (four years ago) link
^ 'tis good. If I hadn't foolishly opted for an unranked ballot it'd be a bit higher.
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 15:22 (four years ago) link
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#15GW MCLENNAN - Stones For Youfor Watershed (1991)
Points: 88Votes: 4 (0)
Acoustic performance on Aus TV
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 15:32 (four years ago) link
Er, "from" not "for"
What is Annette Shun Wah doing these days anyway?
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 15:34 (four years ago) link
Remind me how many ballots were submitted for the solo/spinoff poll please?
― Alba, Monday, 8 July 2019 15:38 (four years ago) link
A modest 14. The distribution looks a bit less flat shortly. :)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 15:41 (four years ago) link
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#14 ROBERT FORSTER - Learn to Burnfrom Songs to Play (2015)
Points: 95Votes: 5 (0)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 15:49 (four years ago) link
Whoops, the above is actually tied for #13, with...
#13ROBERT FORSTER - Did She Overtake You?from The Evangelist (2008)
― Nag! Nag! Nag!, Monday, 8 July 2019 15:53 (four years ago) link