Post a controversial music opinion

I've never heard Zappa described as 'prog' before

I think of him as a prog artist too fwiw; I didn't think that was particularly controversial tbh.

One Size Fits All is at #18 here, #38 here.

One Size Fits All also notable for having fairly non-snarky lyrics.

I could take or leave most Zappa.

Uhhhh this statement is meant to be “controversial”? LOL

No, it was a response to someone else’s post.

I think all blues music is boring to terrible, or at least nothing I’ve heard has ever made me want to listen to more

i see we’ve transitioned to “post common musical opinions”

People dont like zappa, steely dan or the blues? These are standard late 70s punk opinions

xxp Sorry — missed the “zappa is rubbish” post (least controversial opinion evah)

I don't understand the objection to either the naturalism of Steely Dan or to the "precision engineering." What kind of engineering is someone who makes that criticism looking for?

Probably looking for that early Hüsker Dü sound

Gaucho: engineered by Spot at Total Access Studio, CA

Late 70s punks were trying to be controversial tbf.

I love the recording and engineering of Steely Dan's records myself btw.

a lot of soca is shit

Gaucho: engineered by Spot at Total Access Studio, CA

my original blues post was just a reaction to like 3x/week electric blues slots on local college radio and one of them would be just fine but 3 or so? fuck that, why is there so much electric blues on local cle radio

I’ll say he same about death metal, no reason more than one prime a lot needs to go to that nonsense

not gonna look it up now but I prob made that original post on a Thursday night when one of the two best stations in town plays death metal and the other plays electric blues

“prime a lot” should be “prime slot”

The irony of the reputation Steely Dan records have for engineering standards is that Katy Lied was recorded with a faulty noise reduction unit (cymbals decay too fast, attacks/impacts are generally dulled, etc.). After the exacting Dan realized this, they were all, “Eh, whatever, put it out anyway.”

Phil Collins is a national treasure and everyone should quit being a prick about him.

Which nation?

holy shit just the thought of Spot recording Gaucho gave me a minor panic attack, at the same time I desperately want to hear that version

If anything, they seem like the audiophile height of naturalistic recording and engineering, as far as commercial pop music goes - this might be what turns the haters off.

― The nexus of the crisis (Sund4r)

this is definitely true for Aja but Gaucho sounds hermetically sealed & antiseptic. it's the perfect music for a doctor's office waiting room. I love both though. but yeah this is a very common discussion, talking about Steely Dan really is the Godwin's Law of ILM.

lemme think of something spicy

Prodigy is better than nas

A lot of the records Spot did that sound "bad" according to ppl would sound a lot worse if they sounded "better" (particularly Huskers)

also I think he takes a lot of heat for recording bands that 1) had shitty equipment 2) weren't really studio ready 3) were gacked on coke/pills/weed/etc 4) having to do whole albums in one 48 hour marathon session

and that thin, crystalline sound was something Mould was after. it's not a defect. I agree that Flip Your Wig, my favorite HD record, has some awful production, particularly the gated reverb on the drums. But the songs are strong enough and the guitars sound pretty good that it doesn't bother me that much. they also all sound better on vinyl, those digital/CD transfers are shit.

I just wish they could've gotten some production that captured the immensity of their live sound circa '83-'85, particularly the guitars, which sound so contained and one dimensional compared to the massive, swirling sound in something like this audience video. I wish there was a version of Flip Your Wig that had the production style of Copper Blue, or Nevermind or something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1fBMtaVd9s

and actually they did capture that insane beautiful guitar sound very early on with "In a Free Land." so bracing, still one of the most thrilling songs I've ever heard.

ok just for posterity's sake:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDAMC9w-oL8

The Impaler record Mould produced around that time sounds really thin, I def agree that's what he wanted

I suppose Sugar is him doing that sound in a more professional/slick way

Sugar >>> Husker Du

I would have loved to hear Husker Du recorded with just some good amps (actually getting to hear the sound of Norton's bass) and a nice warm drum sound.

I listen to more Mould solo than Sugar or HD these days

I like Copper Blue and Land Speed Record

my original blues post was just a reaction to like 3x/week electric blues slots on local college radio and one of them would be just fine but 3 or so? fuck that, why is there so much electric blues on local cle radio

― marcos, Sunday, October 21, 2018 9:36 PM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yeah, I hate that. WCSB is especially bad weekday mornings when going to work: Blues on Monday, Ray Carr and his not-good-enough-for-commercial-radio-morning-show on Tuesday, blues AGAIN on Wednesday, and metal on Thursday. Argh.

totally! have to say though despite some minor gripes WCSB and WRUW are really two of the best college radio stations i’ve heard in any city. we are lucky to have them

*actual controversial opinion alert*

Husker Du is boring, their records sound bad, and all the songwriting about their pwecious hurt feewings is really tiresome

are you talking about the same band

i could not name a single husker du song about pwecious hurt feewings

Agreed. 'Reoccurring Dreams' is alright, though.

I don't really like Husker Du either but I really like those two records! I remember when Stereogum posted their "every HD/Sugar/BM/etc. ranked" list and Land Speed Record wasn't even considered worth including I was.. very surprised! I love that thing

i could not name a single husker du song about pwecious hurt feewings

lol ok, off the top of my head from when I was really into them in high school

Makes No Sense at All
Don't Want to Know if You Are Lonely
Too Far Down
Standing in the Rain

just all these songs about being aggrieved at other people

idk man i listen to a lot of emo, husker du don't particularly rate in that department for me

Yeah, I love Husker Du but it doesn't seem controversial to me that they sang about their hurt feelings. "I'll Never Forget You" is another one off the top of my head. xp

it can't all be Katrina and the Waves, man

i loved husker du because i too was a punk who had hurt feelings and loved the '60s
guess it's cool for you that you didn't relate but i did

sund4r otm

Husker Du is boring, their records sound bad, and all the songwriting about their pwecious hurt feewings is really tiresome

With this 100%. I tried to like them in high school, and just couldn't connect with it at all. From a purely sonic perspective, I liked Mould's Black Sheets of Rain a little, but that's the only record of his that's ever done it for me.

it's fine not to like it, but "pwecious feewlings" is some retrograde garbage

Feewings are indeed pwecious tho

guess it's cool for you that you didn't relate but i did

two of my favorite bands in high school were Husker Du and REM. I grew out of it I guess cuz now I have zero interest in either. Both just feel really monotonous.