xp -- there are a lot of people with idiosyncratic styles of singing, and a lot of people turned off by that.
― like, I’m eating an elephant head (katherine), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 17:29 (four years ago) link
For example,some people REALLY hated Macy Gray and she just had a gravelly voice
― DJP, Wednesday, 6 May 2020 17:43 (four years ago) link
welp, if you wanna say al green is "experimental" because of it, idk what to say to that. it's fine to dislike someone's singing style, but it's a little farfetched to try to justify your dislike in that way.
and yeah: i was one of those people - macy gray has a horrendous voice. her music is not "weird" or "experimental" in any way whatsoever.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 17:48 (four years ago) link
Fiona Apple ends the first song on the album with a Diamanda Galas-esque vocal freakout session. I know most people here are very used to that but we are not most people.
― DJP, Wednesday, 6 May 2020 17:55 (four years ago) link
would you reckon that "most people" have heard a song by al green?
again, my discrepancy is not with disliking a singing style. who cares - you like it or you don't. but trying to pass that off in an "objective" way by saying it's "experimental or weird" music is the issue.
singers displaying idiosyncrasy is very common.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:02 (four years ago) link
Nobody I've recognized from around these parts, but that article kicked off another one of those weird twitter things where suddenly people are acting like they now have "permission" to admit they didn't like the album. Like somehow they were forbidden from saying so before there was an "official" voice of dissent?I saw three or four tweets yesterday linking the article with variations of, "finally i can admit that i didn't really think the album was very good either".
― Microbes oft teem (wins), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:03 (four years ago) link
okay lol
― DJP, Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:14 (four years ago) link
is this like interviewing voters who said they secretly voted for Trump
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:17 (four years ago) link
Mary Margaret more than Diamanda, to my ears, but it's a good point DJP
― we have no stan but to choice (flamboyant goon tie included), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:17 (four years ago) link
Yes, totally MMO'H!
― Piedie Gimbel, Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:21 (four years ago) link
Macy Gray's voice (which is pretty much just her timbre) seems to be an entirely different thing than the vocalizations on this album, which I think it's entirely fair to call experimental -- particularly given that they're compared to Meredith Monk and Yoko Ono, both of whom make experimental music.
― like, I’m eating an elephant head (katherine), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:22 (four years ago) link
I like this album, but it’s nowhere near as odd or challenging as its detractors and some of its most ardent supporters are claiming.
― A White, White Gay (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:34 (four years ago) link
yes
― dip to dup (rob), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:34 (four years ago) link
― A White, White Gay (cryptosicko)
In my case I'd substitute "but" with "and."
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:36 (four years ago) link
Practically everybody has heard "Let's Stay Together" without necessarily seeking it out.
― "...And the Gods Socially Distanced" (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:42 (four years ago) link
the vocalizations on this album, which I think it's entirely fair to call experimental -- particularly given that they're compared to Meredith Monk and Yoko Ono, both of whom make experimental music.
al green also very comparable to yoko then.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:44 (four years ago) link
Anything can be compared to anything if you want to badly enough. Ch_ck E))y made a whole career out of it.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 18:58 (four years ago) link
i'm just saying that if we're using the fifteen second performance at the end of the first track as a basis for labeling things "experimental", then we're going to need to redefine a lot of other things.
this reminds me of when the roots released phrenology and some people were writing off the entire album because of a thirty second bad brains homage and they didn't want to hear that on a hiphop record.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 19:19 (four years ago) link
The article itself called the 10 seconds at the beginning of the first track "experimental."
― I eat fast foods (morrisp), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 19:21 (four years ago) link
huh, sounds like joni -another person who has made mounds of stupidly popular records- to me.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 19:24 (four years ago) link
Not the vocals; the looped percussion sample before the piano comes in.
― I eat fast foods (morrisp), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 19:25 (four years ago) link
I said this upthread but this album is mixed and mastered really really really loud and I think that fact can attract and repel certain people in equal measure and find them using the word "experimental" as a proxy for "it is really loud"
― we have no stan but to choice (flamboyant goon tie included), Wednesday, 6 May 2020 19:53 (four years ago) link
yeah maybe it’s tin foil but seems like vocals are recorded/mixed differently others days )on pop/rock records esp) in a way I really can’t handle
― brimstead, Wednesday, 6 May 2020 20:58 (four years ago) link
differently “these days” ugh
― brimstead, Wednesday, 6 May 2020 20:59 (four years ago) link
See Alanis Morrissette's entire career for instance
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Thursday, 7 May 2020 15:54 (four years ago) link
see the dave matthews thread
― Morton Koopa Jr. Sings Elvis (Sufjan Grafton), Monday, 11 May 2020 13:37 (four years ago) link
Is 2020 the year of the great DMB reassessment?
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Monday, 11 May 2020 13:38 (four years ago) link
was 2018 just the preamble?
― Morton Koopa Jr. Sings Elvis (Sufjan Grafton), Monday, 11 May 2020 13:47 (four years ago) link
"We've reassessed Dave Matthews and... he is still corny as fuck!"
― DJP, Monday, 11 May 2020 13:48 (four years ago) link
Just listened to this---deluxe edition on youtube---for the first time, after a lot of things by and including Robert Wyatt, also Shelby Lynne's 2020 s/t---and I'm stuck by the compatibility: small group, bass, percussion, keyboards, usually piano, which is what seems like the main writing instrument, for a freewheeling yet instantly recognizable style---depplyed,in Apple's case, for challenging and sometimes(?) lavishing the object of her attentions with self-expression and "idiomatic to idiosyncratic but clear enough" results, as I said about Lynne's album---and maybe Apple's learned something from jazz, like the other two (upthread, she's quoted re Miriam Makeba, and I get some of that too, also the oblique strokes of xpost non-standardbearers Kate Bush and Joan Armatrading)(Tuneyards, or some of the same sonic sensibility, although Apple came first, recording-wise). Nevertheless, she's got her own agenda, own axes and axis, as always.On first listen, her music seems like it's in good shape---still tensile, even robust in its lean way, despite and maybe because of some more allnighters now and then and again and again---a driving and driven quality in there, but her own kind of discipline, pace---not quite like anybody else, despite the comparisons (though I would not have been surprised if she hadn't lasted very long, but then I ditto re Jerry Lee and Little Richard). But---is it basically just more of the same, of a good ol' artist we're glad to get more of? If so, does it "basically" matter?? Considering that she, the musical persona and creator, *isn't* quite like anybody else, oh hell no: that nobody else, even from the small convergence I've mentioned, will quite do as substitute---but I wonder if I will listen to this, incl. in memory, as much as I do these other (more prolific) artists, or did listen to her previous albums---years ago, with all those years between them, and this one too: does that matter, momentum and impact-wise? As long as she seems to be more about holding the fort than breakthroughs--although who knows what kind of offstage breakthroughs it might have taken for her to get this far.
― dow, Friday, 5 June 2020 21:57 (three years ago) link
the vocal arrangements on "newspaper" >>>>>>>>>>
― Roz, Saturday, 13 June 2020 07:59 (three years ago) link
it definitely qualifies as some kind of breakthrough from the close attention it's received, irrespective of quality or innovation or consistency relative to her previous work. it's a really good album, I wish that was a good enough hook for critics who feel the need to exaggerate how unprecedented and avant garde it is
I used to get a lot of shit from indie types for liking her (and other mostly dissimilar women who were grouped together), I assume at least some of the hype from these circles is motivated by a need to redress years of that bullshit
some of the more negative reactions elsewhere are a bit "i'm the only person brave enough to admit beyonce sucks" which is tedious
― If you choose too long a name, your new display name will be truncated in (Left), Saturday, 13 June 2020 13:18 (three years ago) link
The person who posts as mostly dylan on Twitter has this list of personnel on new Dylan album, which supposedly will incl. FA (and Blake Mills) as additional musicians, if it doesn't show up below:https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EatdRdOWAAERL5L?format=jpg&name=medium
― dow, Thursday, 18 June 2020 02:32 (three years ago) link
How is this holding up for everyone?
― Davek (davek_00), Thursday, 16 July 2020 02:12 (three years ago) link
splendidly. just waiting for my vinyl.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Thursday, 16 July 2020 02:58 (three years ago) link
It's still good, but I burned out quickly
― Mario Meatwagon (Moodles), Thursday, 16 July 2020 03:21 (three years ago) link
Still great but that Pitchfork review has aged extremely poorly, as was always likely.
― in twelve parts (lamonti), Sunday, 19 July 2020 10:36 (three years ago) link
I love Tidal which I suspect is her only good album
― this has been the best year fuiud (rip van wanko), Sunday, 19 July 2020 11:47 (three years ago) link
I was never a fan previously, but I think this is strong and fresh and I love how confident she is with her powers. It’s also gone over very well with my 18yo daughter and consequently I like how few fucks Apple gives about image and knowing her place.
― assert (MatthewK), Sunday, 19 July 2020 13:18 (three years ago) link
It’s still great
― sctttnnnt (pgwp), Sunday, 19 July 2020 20:24 (three years ago) link
got the vinyl! hooray! good thing my stereo's in storage!
d`oh
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Wednesday, 29 July 2020 18:32 (three years ago) link
Tidal which I suspect is her only good album― this has been the best year fuiud (rip van wanko), Sunday, July 19, 2020 4:47 AM
― this has been the best year fuiud (rip van wanko), Sunday, July 19, 2020 4:47 AM
also ya, no
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Wednesday, 29 July 2020 18:33 (three years ago) link
I hadn't listened to this before today not because I didn't think it would be any good but *because* I knew it would good and was just waiting for the right day. And hey, it's really good!
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 15 August 2020 20:10 (three years ago) link
after the dust has settled, "heavy balloon" is *easily* my favorite track on this.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Tuesday, 15 September 2020 23:47 (three years ago) link
mine too
― bogo jumbo boba (Sufjan Grafton), Saturday, 26 September 2020 03:45 (three years ago) link
It's difficult listening to this album; it reminds me of the first stage of quarantine, i.e. April.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 26 September 2020 09:39 (three years ago) link
I think it's better for that; a reminder that awesomeness can still exist.
― Totally different head. Totally. (Austin), Saturday, 26 September 2020 11:28 (three years ago) link
Yep, same as you, Al
― Vinnie, Saturday, 26 September 2020 14:18 (three years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kT4SZiEgJ_g
live versions!
― ufo, Sunday, 11 October 2020 21:22 (three years ago) link
Thanks. She’s an incredible live performer.
― rattle, Sunday, 11 October 2020 21:41 (three years ago) link