John Cale - Paris 1919 Poll

damn those bill fay records are great. good call.

Maybe Epic Soundtracks' RISE ABOVE?

John Martyn Bless the Weather?

I'm disappointed there's no option to vote for the picture on the cover. Andalucia's my favorite, though. Fact: if you are named Amanda, it's fun to pretend he's saying Amandalucia.

Slapp Happy's Acnalbasac Noom has the same laid-back uptight-intellectual vibe.

Maybe Epic Soundtracks' RISE ABOVE?
that's a good one, i love that record. Maybe not quite as lush/layered as Paris 1919, but I always though Epic and Cale's phrasing was kinda similar.

it might be sorta obv, but cale's discography has paris 1919-y songs scattered throughout

"riverbank", "the soul of carmen miranda", "china sea", "bamboo floor", "gideon's bible"..lots of stuff from 'vintage violence' actually

ooooh gideon's bible is my FAVORITE ALL TIME
not sure why

it might be sorta obv, but cale's discography has paris 1919-y songs scattered throughout
yeah, there are definitely a few songs (esp. on Vintage Violence and maybe a few on Music for a New Society), but I think what's special about Paris 1919 is that not even Cale is sure how he did it. I think I've read an interview where he admits that it's great, but he's not sure why or how it happened. I guess just the stars aligning or something.

Second the recommendation of Time of the Last Persecution by Bill Fay. A lot of interesting arrangements and instrumentation going on there. Compared to Paris 1919, tho, it is a decidedly bleaker/more dirge-y album.

I dunno, I think it can pretty much all be chalked up to the arrangements. yeah he was at some crazy songwriting peak, but imo he'd stay at that peak for 'fear' and 'slow dazzle'. I don't think the paris 1919 songs stand out when they're played w/ the rest of his material (like in 'fragments') - stripped of the fancy arrangements and they're still def among the best songs he's written but not in some mystical realm beyond his other good stuff.

xp

yeah, it's probably that weird combo of Little Feat + Cale's Euro sensibility + SoCal + orchestral arrangements that makes it so unique.

also: Antarctica Starts Here - 1

:(

Very well put, iatee. I agree.

i definitely hear a lot of paris 1919 in vintage violence but i got them both at the same time and had a huge cale period for a while (all way down to the haircut) so they're sort of inseparable to me in other ways as well. on the following records it seems like he just set out to rock first and write songs second.

Another good parallel would be Al Stewart's Past Present & Future, also released in 1973 (and to some extent the following year's Modern Times). The same considered, reflective songwriting, the personal refracted through the historical. Those who only know Stewart for "Year of the Cat" should check this album out, it might surprise you.

more paris 1919 v2 songs: 'sylvia said', 'dixieland and dixie'

if you wanna have the full experience

http://www.sallepleyel.fr/francais/evenement.aspx?id=11113

Bunch of awesome suggestions. Hey, this Al Stewart record is great! I was vaguely aware of him...

wish I was in paris :(

yeah no kidding ... the recording sounds sweet.

might go for the occasion

this live show is gorgeous. not sure about the guitar solo on "Child's Christmas" but most of it is close to perfect. Cale's voice sounds great these days ...

love the Femme Fatale/Rosegarden Funeral of Sores mix, which I guess he's been doing for a while now?

^^ yes, by the time the live set was over i was not digging all that guitar at all.

kinda digging the psych-y guitar on Half Past France tho. Kind of unexpected.

always kind of hated this album but I feel like shit right now and it sounds great

I'll probably love this album forever now or something

hopefully!

http://www.uclalive.org/calendar/event_detail.asp?id=15

Cale rocking the soul patch

would love to see paris 1919 live.

$15 UCLA students, damn that's a steal

yeah, no kidding. kind of cool -- i think the original Paris was recorded with the UCLA orchestra

Go see this. It was fantastic at the Royal Festival Hall. Some songs are improved by the new arrangements - Half Past France almost had me in tears.

wish I could :(

I am hoping he brings the live show to NYC. It would be crazy if he didn't right? RIGHT?

right

also be pretty surprising if there wasn't an album released out of these shows ... Royal Festival Hall bootleg is great.

i would have voted andalucia.

"Andalucia" is knocking me out lately, in particular the melody of the vocal on "Andalucia, when can I see you". I am leaving you in a day and a year too, or at least I hope so, I love you.

I'm sorta caught in this album right now: it's kinda songwriting-by-Baedeker (Paris, Barbary, Dunkirk, Andalucia, Dundee, Berlin) but that speaks to me, looking backward but not inward.

yeah i have no emotional connection to this album whatsoever but it's still one of my favorites of all time because it's so damn pretty

gonna go with "andalucia"

Efficiency efficiency they say

this is the best album ever

yes

Thirded

Half Past France knocking me out all over again today

this is the best album ever

yes