the residents as a whole i find impenetrable, irritatingly "wacky" and (yes) snide, with next to no appeal either as music or sound. and i do keep trying, again (as with the afghan whigs) because several of my friends are dedicated fans.
that said, they do have their moments, and "hello skinny" is certainly one of them. their early years, from the mid-70s up through the commercial album in 1980, produced a lot of respectable work. as ed3 suggested, they didn't navigate the switch from kitchen-sink experimental weirdness to synth-based song composition terribly well. though i'm not a fan of their 80s albums, i don't think they completely lost the plot until 88's god in three persons -- not coincidentally the point at which snakefinger matriculated and his survivors went completely digital.
eskimo is a great entry point. psychedelic soundscapes, warmer and more inviting than anything else in their catalog. would also recommend meet the residents and duck stab/buster & glenn. not pop or rock, nerdy smirks very much in evidence, but the latter is surprisingly accessible, even catchy.
― CANONICAL artists, etc., etc. (contenderizer), Saturday, 9 November 2013 23:39 (ten years ago) link
I've never really dug into the Residents much, but for me they're forever awesome just for their cover of Satisfaction, which is possibly the most amazing piece of music ever released.
― Just noise and screaming and no musical value at all. (Colonel Poo), Sunday, 10 November 2013 01:22 (ten years ago) link
third reich 'n' roll is classik. and kinda incredible. and ahead of its time. and should have been the last word on ironic indie rock cover songs but it really wasn't.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbTIhC79UJ4
― scott seward, Sunday, 10 November 2013 01:30 (ten years ago) link
they made the world safe for pop o pies and the silicon teens and the flying lizards.
― scott seward, Sunday, 10 November 2013 01:35 (ten years ago) link
makes you why Devo even bothered really
― Just noise and screaming and no musical value at all. (Colonel Poo), Sunday, 10 November 2013 01:36 (ten years ago) link
Devo I love. Granted that Eskimo isn't anywhere near the most annoying LP of theirs... just didn't find it at all rewarding.
― Call the Cops, Sunday, 10 November 2013 06:28 (ten years ago) link
juiceboxxx
― color definition point of "beyond "color, eg a transient that, Sunday, 10 November 2013 06:55 (ten years ago) link
Felt
The Durutti Column
any This Mortal Coil album other than It'll End In Tears
― sleeve, Wednesday, 6 June 2018 19:10 (five years ago) link
Ahh man, Felt and Vini are awesome. Maybe you just haven't heard the right stuff?
For me, it's the Associates. Maybe I should give it another go though. Been about a decade since I last tried.
― he doesn't need to be racist about it though. (Austin), Wednesday, 6 June 2018 19:17 (five years ago) link
totally open to recommendations there! I have the Durutti 2LP "greatest hits" kinda thing and Ignite The Seven Cannons, neither of those click with me at all
― sleeve, Wednesday, 6 June 2018 19:19 (five years ago) link
re: Associates, Four Drawer Down is how I got into them, the 1st LP is too derivative of other post-punk and Sulk is far too ornate and polished for me
― sleeve, Wednesday, 6 June 2018 19:20 (five years ago) link
For the Durutti Column Greatest Hits package, are you referring to this one? That was my introduction to Vini and, while it does have many of the respective albums' highlights, after I got the proper albums, I understood it to be a lot more haphazard and inadequate than it initially appeared. I would highly recommend the Vini Reilly album from 1989. Just gorgeous music. Or the first album; can't really go wrong with that one, though it's overall sound is very sparse (which is off-putting for some people, as a good chunk of it is just solo guitar).
As for Felt, again, the first album is pretty strong. I really like it anyway, but it gets extra points from me because of the timeframe of its' release. When you think about how it was conceived and recorded throughout circa 1980 / 1981, that's pretty remarkable, considering the idea and term of "Twee" didn't become a thing for at least another three to four years. If you want a different angle, the singles compilation Stains on a Decade is pretty useful. Just single out the songs you like and check out the corresponding album.
But, I guess I should say —and this applies to both of these bands' catalogues— you will probably not find much to like if you don't like jangly guitars and borderline bad sing-talking.
― he doesn't need to be racist about it though. (Austin), Wednesday, 6 June 2018 19:37 (five years ago) link
Cool, will definitely check Fourth Drawer Down!
― he doesn't need to be racist about it though. (Austin), Wednesday, 6 June 2018 19:39 (five years ago) link
It'll End in Tears is my least favourite TMC album of the three. Feel like they were still finding their way towards the sound that only reached full flowering on the 2nd and especially 3rd LPs.
― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Wednesday, 6 June 2018 19:47 (five years ago) link
jeez that boggles my mind, 1st is an all time fave and I couldn't make it halfway through the 2nd one when I tried it out last week. I guess I should try Blood since I have never heard it, but I assumed it was similar to Filigree & Shadow.
borderline bad sing-talking
lol bingo
re: Durutti, I was referring to this 2LP comp from the 80s:
https://www.discogs.com/The-Durutti-Column-Valuable-Passages/release/84483
― sleeve, Wednesday, 6 June 2018 19:48 (five years ago) link
I stopped doing this but for the longest time it was:
The Beach BoysTalking HeadsCocteau TwinsHüsker DüThe FallThe OrbStereolabThe KinksLiz PhairPublic EnemyThe Blue Nile
I don't hate any of them per se (well, except perhaps for the Beach Boys, due to the amount of time I wasted on Pet Sounds) or I would have moved on immediately. So while none of these rivals the baffling awfulness of, say, Elvis Costello or the Afghan Whigs, I wouldn't mind not hearing them ever again for the most part.
― pomenitul, Wednesday, 6 June 2018 19:52 (five years ago) link
stevie nicks
― aloha darkness my old friend (katherine), Wednesday, 6 June 2018 19:53 (five years ago) link
Valuable Passages has a lot of really good early songs, but also has some kind of misguided selections ('Piece For Out of Tune Grand Piano' and the spliced up 'Without Mercy' bits are pretty questionable).
I'd definitely say check out the Vini Reilly album from 1989. Valuable Passages stops right before that period. Tony Wilson's introduction of the Akai MPC sampler to him, along with Vini's unexpected collaboration with Morrissey around the same time, really inspired a new muse and got him out of the trajectory of diminishing returns he had been on for the previous little while.
― he doesn't need to be racist about it though. (Austin), Wednesday, 6 June 2018 20:05 (five years ago) link
I have a "thing" about the unfortunate-ness of Pet Sounds's standing as the "canonical" Beach Boys album...
― i’m still stanning (morrisp), Wednesday, 6 June 2018 20:11 (five years ago) link
xps felt is a band where nobody really agrees on what albums are best, except maybe for forever breathes the lonely word.
my introduction to them was the absolute classic masterpieces compilation, which highlights the earlier guitar-led work. this is the album i recommend to newcomers... but it has a few songs from ignite so maybe this sound isn't your thing.
in which case i recommend the subsequent bubblegum perfume compilation. this covers the post-deebank years, where the sound becomes more wide-ranging as keyboards become more central. this is the album that turned me into a felt obsessive.
if these compilations don't do it for you then i don't think anything on their albums is going to change that.
― visiting, Wednesday, 6 June 2018 20:18 (five years ago) link
John Martyn
― Duke, Thursday, 7 June 2018 17:08 (five years ago) link
I have a "thing" about the unfortunate-ness of Pet Sounds's standing as the "canonical" Beach Boys album...― i’m still stanning (morrisp), Wednesday, June 6, 2018 4:11 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― i’m still stanning (morrisp), Wednesday, June 6, 2018 4:11 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Yeah, it should be All Summer Long.
― how's life, Thursday, 7 June 2018 17:20 (five years ago) link
John Martyn― Duke, Thursday, June 7, 2018 10:08 AM (thirty-one minutes ago)
― Duke, Thursday, June 7, 2018 10:08 AM (thirty-one minutes ago)
Ahhh, that hurts my soul!
What have you tried?
― he doesn't need to be racist about it though. (Austin), Thursday, 7 June 2018 17:41 (five years ago) link
pet sounds is fucking amazing
― brimstead, Thursday, 7 June 2018 17:53 (five years ago) link
Pretty sure I could get into propagandhi if I tried a tad harder
― Slippage (Ross), Thursday, 7 June 2018 17:54 (five years ago) link
listen to the instrumentals and it's blow your mind, you really hear how wild the song structures/chord changes are.
― brimstead, Thursday, 7 June 2018 17:54 (five years ago) link
(re pet sounds)
You mean like the "Instrumental Stereo Mixes" on the 50th Anniversary Edition? OK, will listen to them now.
My feeling about the album as the "canonical" choice is that -- notwithstanding how great it may be -- if it had been my introduction to the BB, I may not have chosen to go further with them... so I wasn't surprised to hear someone saying something similar.
― i’m still stanning (morrisp), Thursday, 7 June 2018 17:59 (five years ago) link
Tho I also got into them in a funky way, and I'm honestly not sure how I'd try to "get someone into them"...
― i’m still stanning (morrisp), Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:00 (five years ago) link
As far as beach boys intros go smiley smile and wild honey combo deliver.
― Slippage (Ross), Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:01 (five years ago) link
Nick DrakeFleetwood Mac
― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:02 (five years ago) link
xp - Yeah that was a big part of what did it for me!
― i’m still stanning (morrisp), Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:03 (five years ago) link
bjork
― flappy bird, Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:03 (five years ago) link
Update to previous post in this thread.I now have Beach Boys reissues of Pet Sounds, Sunflower and Surfin' USA, and no longer hate the band quite as much as I used to.Still not that keen, and it takes a very certain mood, though Sunflower is easily by fave of the bunch.New entry : Beck.I have 3 charity shop purchases, (Midnite Vultures, Mutations, Odelay), and I have not been able to listen to any of them to the end before I just get bored/fed up.
― mark e, Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:11 (five years ago) link
Well, Beck is not a very compelling recording artist (IMO)
― i’m still stanning (morrisp), Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:12 (five years ago) link
joy division
(I love New Order fwiw)
Also never got the big fuss over Spacemen 3
― Paul Ponzi, Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:29 (five years ago) link
A.R. Kane, all the descriptions and articles on them make them sound like my dream band, but the reality is so prosaic. May give them another go now.
― Dan Worsley, Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:35 (five years ago) link
I always thought I should like Tindersticks but never made it through a whole album in one sitting
― raise my chicken finger (Willl), Thursday, 7 June 2018 18:42 (five years ago) link
Tho I also got into them in a funky way, and I'm honestly not sure how I'd try to "get someone into them"...I'm Morris P and I'm here to say /I got into the Beach Boys in a funky way!
― we used to get our kicks reading surfing MAGAzines (sic), Thursday, 7 June 2018 21:13 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGJqL3BRDlo
― We can be herpes (Tom D.), Thursday, 7 June 2018 21:15 (five years ago) link
Pet Sounds is a great record but it doesn't begin to scratch the surface of what a truly bizarre band they were, or the vast breadth of their catalog
― Οὖτις, Thursday, 7 June 2018 21:15 (five years ago) link
LOL! xp
― i’m still stanning (morrisp), Thursday, 7 June 2018 21:18 (five years ago) link
joy division (I love New Order fwiw)Also never got the big fuss over Spacemen 3
Even though I like Joy Division just fine, I am pretty surprised to find another person that also prefers New Order. High five!
(also don't know that I've ever heard anything from Spacemen 3 that lives up to some of the more hyperbolist writings on their music)
― he doesn't need to be racist about it though. (Austin), Thursday, 7 June 2018 21:28 (five years ago) link
High five! I feel the same way about Joy Division. I mean, I get why they're important and all that, but I kinda feel like if you've heard one song you've heard 'em all (early / Warsaw stuff excepted)
And I have tried really hard with Spacemen 3, but nothing ever sticks. I like bands that have imitated their particular sound (Velvets meets Stooges meets, err, Terry Riley?), but I just find their records very dull and monotonous.
― Paul Ponzi, Thursday, 7 June 2018 21:36 (five years ago) link
I would imagine there's more New Order fans than there are Joy Division fans?
― We can be herpes (Tom D.), Thursday, 7 June 2018 21:37 (five years ago) link
I like the idea of Springsteen and I like the lyrics of Springsteen but do not actually enjoy Springsteen. Similarly I like the idea of Prince and the undeniable talent/genius of Prince but rarely enjoy actually listening to Prince.
― Fedora Dostoyevsky (man alive), Thursday, 7 June 2018 21:43 (five years ago) link
Acid Mothers TempleAmerican Music Clubdefinitely Spacemen 3
S3 falls into the category of Sounds Like Your Ideal Band on Paper .. but just doesn't happen on vinyl
― Anglo Scarfy (rip van wanko), Thursday, 7 June 2018 21:44 (five years ago) link
Acid Mothers live = classicAcid Mothers albums = dud
― Paul Ponzi, Thursday, 7 June 2018 21:51 (five years ago) link
AMT doesn't help out potential fans with the sheer amount of stuff they put out.
― Martin Landau Ballet (Leee), Thursday, 7 June 2018 21:56 (five years ago) link
exactly how i feel about Prince xposts
Most of these have at least one or two songs I can still get with but
The StoogesFranz FerdinandEcho and the BunnymenThe Teardrop ExplodesSuicide TelevisionThe Pop GroupPavement Scritti Politti
I just went through an Uncut list and it well and truly delivered
― vanjie wail (qiqing), Thursday, 7 June 2018 21:59 (five years ago) link