Damn, I really need to listen to Propeller. I got into GBV with Bee Thousand, and never listened to the earlier albums until Box came out. But VoT and Propeller weren't included in that box set, so I never got around to those two albums. Putting them on my iPod right NOW.
― ArchCarrier, Monday, 26 September 2011 17:18 (twelve years ago) link
Propeller's really dope, "Quality of Armor" was #21 on my ballot, a close shave
― V79, Monday, 26 September 2011 17:21 (twelve years ago) link
Propeller is awesome. It is on the vinyl version of Box but not the CD version (I guess because Scat had put that double-CD out by then).
― dmr, Monday, 26 September 2011 17:31 (twelve years ago) link
GBV! GBV! GBV!
― righteousmaelstrom, Monday, 26 September 2011 17:34 (twelve years ago) link
Cool, the top 5 albums was my top 5 - except I had Propeller and Under The Bushes... swapped over. Propeller has gone up in my estimation after revisiting it for voting purposes, definitely feels to me like a massive jump in quality from the earlier records.
― Gavin, Leeds, Monday, 26 September 2011 17:52 (twelve years ago) link
who else voted for crying your knife away!!? high 5, homie
― some lady (La Lechera), Monday, 26 September 2011 17:53 (twelve years ago) link
Never even heard of that one!
― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Monday, 26 September 2011 17:54 (twelve years ago) link
crying your knife away is so good. that's actually where i heard a lot of those songs first -- i think i bought it pretty soon after i got bee thousand (pre Alien Lanes!), didn't even know it was a bootleg. was crazy to hear the beautiful, real version of if we wait after the insane singalong on CYKA.
― tylerw, Monday, 26 September 2011 17:56 (twelve years ago) link
It was just you. The #4 album on people's album ballots got 2 points.
I'll high 5 you anyway, tho.
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 26 September 2011 17:56 (twelve years ago) link
oh manthanks for not leaving me hanging
― some lady (La Lechera), Monday, 26 September 2011 17:57 (twelve years ago) link
CYKA is the one where GBV cover "Invisible Man"
*off to youtube*
― i'm hearing Bowie sing this, and it's the best single of 1985 (Drugs A. Money), Monday, 26 September 2011 17:58 (twelve years ago) link
i have listened to that so much that i sing along with the ridiculous stage banter
WHERE'S MIKE HUMMEL
― some lady (La Lechera), Monday, 26 September 2011 17:58 (twelve years ago) link
youtube came up short :(
yeah! and the way they start playing postal blowfish, but some lee hazlewood song is still playing in the background!
― tylerw, Monday, 26 September 2011 17:59 (twelve years ago) link
and the breeders cover!
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ZEKpC0lkL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
crying your knife away has such a classic album cover. I was stoked when I first got it. never listen to any of the live albums any more though. Jellyfish Reflector is probably the best one I think.
― dmr, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:00 (twelve years ago) link
I think you HAVE to be drunk to listen to CYKA all the way though. they are so wasted.
― dmr, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:01 (twelve years ago) link
I mean that cover makes my eyes light up with Ohio pride, for reals. The whole album does, but the cover looks like home. (I have gone for a ride in the Goodyear blimp btw, it's awesome)
― some lady (La Lechera), Monday, 26 September 2011 18:01 (twelve years ago) link
album's comin out on scat matador recordsyou gotta say matador cuz it's more ~prestigious~
― some lady (La Lechera), Monday, 26 September 2011 18:05 (twelve years ago) link
we should all pile into a bus and go on a massive gbv singalong road trip across the midwesthow embarrassing would that be
― some lady (La Lechera), Monday, 26 September 2011 18:06 (twelve years ago) link
The "official" countdown is from 50-1, but I've got a little bit of spare time today (that I wasn't anticipating) if you guys are interested in a 60-51 bonus round!
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:25 (twelve years ago) link
Considering the amount of GBV songs, seems like 60 is warranted to me
― grandavis, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:30 (twelve years ago) link
a roll-in would be much appreciated, of course
― V79, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:30 (twelve years ago) link
TIE 60. "My Kind of Soldier" (Earthquake Glue, 2003) [110 points, 5 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NaiQYgaSSw
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:33 (twelve years ago) link
that's a good lighthearted little song
― some lady (La Lechera), Monday, 26 September 2011 18:33 (twelve years ago) link
This is a pretty late period track in the 90s mold. Others I like more on Earthquake Glue (especially The Main Street Wizards), but I totally understand why this one got a few votes tossed its way.
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:44 (twelve years ago) link
i think it goes without saying that i will participate in discussion of 60-1 with as much irritating zeal as 50-1.
i like the phonemic compatibility of soldier/shoulder; Pollard's appreciation of word sounds has always impressed me
― some lady (La Lechera), Monday, 26 September 2011 18:47 (twelve years ago) link
TIE 60. "Chicken Blows" (Alien Lanes, 1995) [110 points, 5 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH3GkxqrwQQ
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:51 (twelve years ago) link
I guess there's not much sense in shouting "TOO LOW" every time an AL cut shows up, is there
― V79, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:52 (twelve years ago) link
I didn't vote for anything from Earthquake Glue but 'My Kind Of Soldier' is one of my two or three favourites on there.
I love the backing vocals in 'Chicken Blows'.
― Gavin, Leeds, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:54 (twelve years ago) link
I love the way my kind of soldier ends. It's very satisfying.
― Jeff, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:54 (twelve years ago) link
I was coincidentally singing this one just a few minutes ago. I also love how trippy the slowed down snippet on "Back To Saturn X Report" sounds like
― V79, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:55 (twelve years ago) link
i wonder when chicken blows was actually recorded, since it shows up in fragmentary form on back to saturn x. ha xpostsuch a gorgeous, weird song.
― tylerw, Monday, 26 September 2011 18:56 (twelve years ago) link
58. "Postal Blowfish" (outtake, 1993) [111 points, 5 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uZJaVWWuks
This was the only version I could find on youtube. Can anyone confirm or deny that this is the re-recorded Brain Candy version? Because I remember the original being a little more "shambling".
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:02 (twelve years ago) link
this sounds like the brain candy version to me. is there a version on king shit and the golden boys? that one iirc is more lo-fi.
― tylerw, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:04 (twelve years ago) link
when I fist heard "Chicken Blows" it wasn't that beautiful, nautical strangeness of recording that struck me first. what I noticed was how it blatantly references The Beatles with it's oh-ed backing vocals. yeah, I know
xp as far as I remember from Spotify that's the re-recorded version
― V79, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:05 (twelve years ago) link
57. "Bulldog Skin" (Mag Earwhig!, 1997) [116 points, 6 votes]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFqBp3rfTTc
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:17 (twelve years ago) link
^ don't think I'd ever seen that video before today. Uh, cute.
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:20 (twelve years ago) link
#1 will be Dragons Awake! i am calling it right now
― ciderpress, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:22 (twelve years ago) link
Hah, two of mine already showing up. And I thought mine would be obvious high-placing songs (which I am sure a lot of them will be). I had Postal Blowfish pretty high (love that version above). Just one of those songs I never get tired of for some reason.
― grandavis, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:22 (twelve years ago) link
Likewise. Kind of embarrassing, I think, but w/e. Song sounds way better without the Wonder Years footage.
― some lady (La Lechera), Monday, 26 September 2011 19:24 (twelve years ago) link
Ha, I really don't like 'Bulldog Skin' at all.
― Gavin, Leeds, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:24 (twelve years ago) link
Same here.
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:25 (twelve years ago) link
Chicken Blows is like the best bootleg White Album demo ever
― Iago Galdston, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:28 (twelve years ago) link
Same here, don't like it. Thought it was a candidate for "hated tracks" but found I really couldn't create a "hated songs"-list of GBV
― Young Swell (Le Bateau Ivre), Monday, 26 September 2011 19:31 (twelve years ago) link
60th seems about right for "My Kind of Soldier" and "Chicken Blows" which are both fine but never really close to making my ballot. Not crazy about the other two.
― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Monday, 26 September 2011 19:31 (twelve years ago) link
is there a version on king shit and the golden boys? that one iirc is more lo-fi.
yes. and yes more lo-fi.
― dmr, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:32 (twelve years ago) link
actually think of the blowfish from crying your knife away as definitive. fun song to cover. so easy! (and a lot of GBV songs are deceptively difficult -- pollard uses strange chords).
― tylerw, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:33 (twelve years ago) link
56. "Key Losers" (outtake, 1995) [124 points, 5 votes, 1 #1 vote]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emIlqw1xMjE
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 26 September 2011 19:34 (twelve years ago) link
This one I actually vote for, though fairly low on my ballot. Was hoping to see it make the top 50, too bad.
― justfanoe (Greg Fanoe), Monday, 26 September 2011 19:35 (twelve years ago) link