Random Record Reviews: 2011
I decided that it didn't make sense to simply abandon all my thoughts on different albums. I shall begin recording them here. * for new ones.
*Alice Cooper: Pretties For You (1969) Unsurprisingly for a Scaruffi pick, this is indeed an odd album from Mr. Cooper. Having not listened to any of the original Marilyn Manson's works, and really just digging "School's Out" tbph, I was fairly impressed. This is about as variety-driven and quirky as an R Stevie Moore album but with better production. Will probably listen again.
*Allman Brothers Band: Allman Brothers Band (1969) very good blues rock from this great group. Duane Allman was one of the smoothest players ever and yet could still rock pretty furiously and ecstatically at the same time. That's a killer combination that's really hard to beat. This is what technical proficience should be about. "Black Hearted Woman" is a classic and I enjoyed the rest.
*Allman Brothers Band: Eat A Peach (1972) & Allman Brothers Band: Live At Fillmore East (1971) I checked out the Allman Bros. over the last few months, and I must say I don't know why I waited so long. "Whipping Post" is a legendary jam with superb playing, they really make it sound easy but it's clearly not. I admire Duane Allman because he had such a clean tone, in contrast to so many "messy" or "noisy" guitarists I often dig. What command he had over the guitar! Such a tight band too. Would love to have seen them in their prime.
Avey Tare & Panda Bear: Spirit They're Gone Spirit They've Vanished (2000) I've never cared for the Collective much at all. I think they are an OVERRATED band. Their songwriting uses very tired pop cliches, and then pulls a great David Blaine trick on impressionable youth, by dressing their weak skeletons up in fancy-smancy effects and studio ornamentation. But this is probably their best album that I've heard, and I have to admit "Alvin Row" is moving at times. I suppose I find their overwhelming popularity strange. I would hate if their music was supposed to the voice of our generation. It doesn't feel real enough to me. Their music emits a really really strong need to be COOL and TO FIT IN. That's not an impressive distinction. It might just be that I disagree with their approach, but I think it's something that hurts their music.
Band Of Susans: Love Agenda (1989) another Scarf pick that surprised the socks off me first go. Now I'm not so sure. In fact, I'm underwhelmed. Does that happen to anyone else on a regular basis? Is the brainwash wearing off more these days?
Black Dice: Beaches & Canyons (2002) some nice ambient pieces but not too memorable
Books: The Lemon of Pink (2003) This is apparently folktronica (isn't that cute?) That was another problem with the decade, too much lo-fi folk smothered in preciousness. This is a nice album though, because it goes beyond that type of suffocation to something freer and a little more lazy-dazy, like blowing dandelions on a warm spring day while tripped out on some pharmaceutical. Delicate but that's the point -- it's the form.
Clash: Clash (1977) a classic album all right. I love this one. I wasn't sure at first. Now I know. What makes Clash special is the positive energy. You feel inspired to do something good after listening to them. There's none of the nihilism that most punk rock is associated with. It's a rallying cry to fight but not self-destruct. You might disagree with the politics on display, but what makes it great (in a similar vein to Minutemen) is the emotional conviction. Thus, it doesn't matter whether the artist is logically right. What matters is that he or she believes in it. That communicates a truth of emotional feeling to the audience, which I find quite affecting. And they do have a sense of humor about it; self-deprecation is there from "Janie Jones" on (incidentally, one of the best songs about everyday silent rebels ever).
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Green River (1969) & Creedence Clearwater Revival: Bayou Country (1968) Call me The Dude (or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing) but Creedence are always a solid group. I never got around to listening to their albums proper, all I ever had was the great compilation Chronicle. But man, they have just as many good album songs as the classic singles. One of the best American groups easily.
Cows: Daddy Has A Tail (1989) hmmm, aight I guess, just not very enjoyable. I think I like Flipper and Butthole Surfers much better. On second thoughts, this is wonderful. Just go with the noisy flow and embrace juvenilia.
Dirty 3: Whatever You Love You Are (2000) I didn't like it as much as Ocean Songs. But I dig their aesthetic, it gets me thinking about the past (hey, now I get it, music made this decade is about recalling the past--precisely!)
*Eric Burdon: Twain Shall Meet (1968) what a madman. Right before he did awesome stuff like this he was singing about sky pilots and how all is one, really hippy dippy stuff. This is not a memorable album really and not that essential either. It's kind of interesting if you dig his voice (and he was a pretty great singer, he just about owns "House of the Rising Sun").
Godz: Contact High With The Godz (1966) pretty funny album but I don't see why this would be a cult favorite. Is it the awesome title?
Grateful Dead: Live Dead (1969) Phish is so much better than the Dead. It's not even funny. In terms of composition, absolutely no contest. In terms of ingenuity and genre mixing, pretty much no contest. Pure jamming -- the closest, but even here I prefer the imaginative humor of Phish to the (vaguely) ecstatic noodling of these acidheads. "Dark Star" is quite good, even great, but I get so bored so fast with the rest of this, I can't imagine checking out any more Dead albums. Even the legendary Cornell concert of '77 left me basically unimpressed. I love their story, I love the whole San Fran rock story, but these guys just put me to sleep.
Kevin Coyne: Marjory Razorblade (1973) "Marlene" is a song for the idealized lover in your life. You know the one that doesn't exist but sure sounds great. There's some good material on here otherwise, but it's not that amazing.
Kim Fowley: Outrageous (1968) Fowley sounds like the ultimate attention-seeker in this amusing, if somewhat forgettable release. "animal man" is a great song, I really dug that one, but the rest is his off-color commentary on various topics, busting down walls of political correctness, pretty much spoken word over groovy musique. He's not as funny as Zappa but he's a fun listen.
Klaus Schulze: Cyborg (1973) AWESOME. Get it if you don't have it. It's more cerebral than Irrlicht, but I think that's to its favor. You see, as emotional (or what have you) that debut album might be, it does drag a bit. And it drags because Schulze is clearly more interested in slowly expanding layers that eventually overlap each other, which is harder to develop if you're trying to excite the listener too much. His music is more of an introverted experience, a real headphones listening experience. And this album delivers. Shulze is more comfortable with his equipment this time round (plus he's really using synths). There is so much going on. Also, this album is truly creepy at times, going places that are truly alien, the outer reaches of familiar sounds (no more vestiges of a symphony orchestra or galactic organ). But most importantly it's quite intriguing, with the sonic possibilities it presents. It's a long-ass album, but well worth the effort.
Lofty Pillars: Amsterdam (2001) this is a really nice singer/songwriter type album. It pulls out all the stops in the hook and interesting chord change department, while retaining a pleasant feel the whole way. It does recall Dylan at times, in fact the singer goes out of his way to replicate Dylan's voice. This is an interesting pick from Scaruffi, I wouldn't think he liked this stuff, maybe he sees it as a culmination of sorts of the kind of thing Aimee Mann has been trying to do.
Mad River: Mad River (1968) biggest surprise in a while, and one of the best 7s in scarf's lists. Great psych rock that has depth.
Jefferson Airplane: After Bathing At Baxter's (1967) no more 8s, yeah baby! Or wait... :'''-( And, oh, the Airplane are a fun band. My mom is pretty cool cause she used to listen to these guys. Grace Slick is the bestest.
John Martyn: Solid Air (1973) Mr. Martyn has got soul, brutha, real soul. But I'm seriously cracking up when the Shaft theme starts creeping into the music. I mean I was turned on, but this is too much. By the time, he starts singing about jelly rolls, you want to bite the pillow. I mean really -- have you ever even eaten one, you big dork?!
Joni Mitchell: Blue (1971) undoubtedly a classic album. I quite liked it. Definitely essential. I'd say this one is for the long-term. I'll just get gushy trying to explain now. This album could simultaneously save or finally end relationships, lol.
Lothar & The Hand People: Space Hymn (1969) entertaining group, we need more jokers in rock n roll.
Michael Hurley: Have Moicy (1975) really fun album. You have to love "Slurf Song." Just good-natured eccentricity. Nothing wrong about it.
Minutemen: Punch Line (1981) & What Makes A Man Start Fires (1982) I do love Minutemen, though their stuff flies and clogs my last.fm charts! But they're such a good-natured passionate trio, you can't help but smile listening. Just listen to the way D Boon sings -- BOB! ... DYLAN! ... WROTEPROPAGANDASONGSSSSS! -- like it's the most fun thing ever.
New York Dolls: New York Dolls (1973) whoooo, yeah, yay, wheeeee. Yeah.
Pere Ubu: Art Of Walking (1980) my least favorite Ubu so far. Sometimes their oddity is a little too alienating. Plus, I think my version is funny: are there supposed to be long gaps of silence in between songs (kinda like Crazy Rhythms?)
Popol Vuh: In Den Gaerten Pharaos (1972) at first I tried really hard to picture this as just two guys in a Philly basement, one on drums, the other on some weird synth. They package their clambake hothouse noodling as some German avant world music group and address it to P. Scaruffi. But no it really is pretty mystical, isn't it? Isn't it? But why do we make exotic -- indeed, otherize! -- the ancient civilizations. Egyptians were undoubtedly groovy people, but is our imagination of their secret knowledges and access to greater divinity and ecstasy clouding our judgment? Maybe I should just shut up and take it through the ears like a good boy.
Public Image Ltd: Second Edition (1979) i could groove to "poptones" in perpetuity, but why so serious Mr. Rotten?
Ramones: Rocket To Russia (1977) soooo goood. Ramones coined a sound that is like perfection. It's balanced just right, and the buzzsaw guitar is legendary. It makes the most simple I-IV-V chord progressions sound like epic celebrations of life. This music makes me so happy, it's so enjoyable. And Joey Ramone is a great singer, love the way he croons "creeeeetin, creeeetin." There's also slightly slower tempo ballads, some even bitter. All in all, it's a great listen and highly recommended.
Richard Thompson: I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight (1974) underwhelming at first, now I don't want to part with it. This is mostly because of the excellent song "The Great Valerio" nearly the best song I've heard this year: the lyrix speak volumes, and the music is the best kind of haunting. Linda Thompson's voice is perfect for that one. Otherwise, it's good songwriting and guitar playing that is somewhat depressing but always calming. Also really love the title track, "When I Get to the Border," and "We Sing Hallelujah"
Rolling Stones: Beggar's Banquet (1968) "jigsaw puzzle" was a revelation, but the Stones are the kings of good (but not quite great) for me. also notable picks are "stray cat blues" "salt of the earth" and the inevitable "sympathy for the devil" (pretty remarkable song really)
Rolling Stones: Between The Buttons (1967) It's a well-known fact that I'm not a big fan of "the greatest rock band of all time." This is due to my neglect of highly rhythmic music for too long. Yes, I foolishly focused primarily on melody and harmony, and so I was missing the last piece of the Triforce that is Music Incarnate. R&B, blues rock -- these are fine genres aight. The metronomic precision of Watts drumming is quite soothing. There is something sugary about the Stones music. I think "Brown Sugar" might describe their overall feel and mood better than any other song. It is like a syrupy sugar running slowly, but pleasurably, through one's veins. And while you're feeling so good, you're feeling cool as well, cause this is the music of the smooth player who gets all the chicks. I suppose you can learn a thing or two about elegant debauchery from these guys. Like most Stones music, it's fun but not terribly significant to me. The elements coalesce in a way that is clumsy but effective enough. Jagger is a good vocalist, as Richards is fairly memorable guitarist (but his riffs are not all benchmarks). This is a good listen, well worth a temporary stay but not completely essential to me. update: grew on me, i really like this one, might even be my fave, i dig their sincere pop efforts, quite odd in their own way! great tunes: "she smiled sweetly" "connection" "my obsession" "something happened to me yesterday"
Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation (1988) SY is one of those groups you have to admire for their (fairly) distinctive sound, but there's something monotonous about them that I think listeners, who I'd gather are astute, tend to overlook. Maybe I'm just not a very down dude, or a very serious one either. I'll admit it. When I hear dissonance and atonal chords and melodies, I like them to be in the service of something more lighthearted or, at least, fantastic or WEIRD. There IS an imagination to these jams, I'll concede, just not the kind I tend to associate with that term, the kind that makes life a tragic-comic kaleidoscope of epic proportions. But I digress. There is also that obvious pandering to the hipster base that doesn't need a Pitchfork endorsement to alert you that something smells funny in NYC. I'll probably hold onto this one, for those few occasions I want to be a cool kid.
Spring Heel Jack: Amassed (2002) Awesome. I'm staring to think these guys were the best musicians of the decade, certainly the most creative I've heard thus far. Quite a heady jazz album.
*Steely Dan: Countdown To Ecstasy (1973) & Steely Dan: Pretzel Logic (1974) i gave Steely Dan an honest shot, and damn, they're good. Countdown to Ecstasy is probably their best straight-up rock album ("Bodhisattva" and "King of the World" absolutely smoke) and Pretzel Logic is a very good, all-around album (maybe a good place to start). "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" is one of the best cheer-up songs EVER. Their chord progressions are off-the-hook, this is pop music done intelligently and artfully. Subtle as all hell, but visceral too when they want to be. Scarf doesn't seem to care for Katy Lied as much, but that might be my fave. If you don't immediately dig the singing or music, check out the lyrics. They definitely add to the music here, and are filled with intriguingly obscure references, ambiguity, and generally lurid subject matter. "Kid Charlemagne" and "Deacon Blues" are also totally excellent songs on otherwise not as amazing albums, tho Royal Scam is pretty good. These guys were a revelation for me.
Talking Heads: 77 (1977) for some reason, I have a hard time loving the Talking Heads. It could be deep-seated jealousy of some sort (that has held me back before). But I don't think so. After all, I've always loved "Once in a Lifetime" and Fear of Music is a great album. But there's something too mannered about this one, the tunes don't stick out, and Byrne's voice gets on my nerves. It's just too, je ne sais pas.
Tim Buckley: Blue Afternoon (1969) I might be changing my tune on Buckley. I'm now really enjoying this album and Happy Sad (and parts of Lorca and Stairsailor). This one in particular is perfect for rainy days. I really dig the subtle, but also nearly psychedelic jazz touches. I love how the keyboards just peter on, and the guitar goes chromatic and oh so off-the-rails on "The Train". "Cafe" is a song to get lost in. Really sweet album.
Violent Femmes: Violent Femmes (1982) "Blister in the Sun" is a classic. The rest of this ... I waited too long to listen. Cue R. Stevie's "Too Old To Fall in Love"
West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band: Part One (1966) now this band's name seemed irretrievably dated, and their cover of Zappa is cute but not wholly necessary. Yet, yet. Pop music was so good in the 60s and this obscurity is no exception. "Transparent Day" is a song you'll listen to twice and keep returning to. Pop music comforts are timeless.
Who: My Generation (1965) the title track is one of rock's all-time classics (proto-punk, you name it, it's just incendiary, hasn't lost any impact) and I enjoyed most of this. They were still getting going, some fairly standard R&B tunes but with a budding energy / "temper tantrum"-like quality that made their name, and they could pull out perfect pop like the best of them ("kids are allright") I have to say that The Who were pretty much noisy before everyone else, kinda like if the Sonics or some other garage rockers had made it big. def check out "the ox" for an unusual rockout for 1965 (at least from records deemed releasable to the masses) This makes me remember that I need to listen to some Link Wray.
X: LA (1980) I thought I would love this a whole lot more. Man, I'm being negative on the 80s this week! As an update, I have been falling in love with punk rock the last two weeks. The ideology of being a punk seems to run counter to the idea of a genre, which is a consistent and identifiable sound. Fixing yourself to something doesn't seem particularly punk, and one could say that "punk" attitude has been a driving force of rock n roll since the days of Chuck Berry. Well, I'm sure most of the namecalling came from the stupid critics. X is a good band, and I LIKE this album quite a bit. They are tight and their songs are enjoyable. Punk rock is music that cheers me up.
Adorable and better than my media-log bullshit.
Also I thought that Spirit They've Vanish was Animal Collective's least HIP record. :'c Maybe try Panda Bear's Person Pitch. Worth a shot.
But if you want hilariously boring hipster-bait try Deerhunter/Atlas Sound/Lotus Plaza (Cryptograms is good, but otherwise, fuck them).
re: Band of Susans
While I can't speak to that record, I think a lot of Scarf picks are lacking in subtlety and could be described as superficial. They do a lot of weird stuff and impress initially, but then there's nothing more to it. Thus, despite his supposed elitism, he is ironically a great resource for people with low attention spans. I don't mean to diminish him completely, I mean he is plumbing very neglected depths and is certainly refreshing in the face of mainstream monotony. But I think his picks are lacking the appeal of subtle songwriting. A song that sounds merely okay the first time, but slowly, as you become more aware of the various elements starts to take on more and more power. Or of course, how about combining a "conservative" approach with more experimental elements. I find him to have an extreme adherence to an aesthetic ideal, and he doesn't consider many other aspects that make music good. However his main role might be in filling a gap that is otherwise missing in music criticism. The problem is, after the smoke clears and of the 100's of Scarfy albums listened to, I think only a handful have stayed with me.
As for 2000s music, there have been a lot of good artists to debut this decade. And I wonder what you think of artists like: Mars Volta, Kanye West, Joanna Newsom, Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens (illinois was something), Animal Collective/Panda Bear and maybe even "lesser" artists like MIA, Grizzly Bear, The Streets, TV on the Radio etc. Not to mention many great bands making music this decade like Radiohead.
From my experience actually, it has been quite different. Unless the album is immediately accessible or exceedingly listenable (say for example Ramones), I need a few listens to "get" most albums. And subtlety always comes after many listens; I don't think that can be revealed until after you have processed the song. Your brain needs something of a blueprint of the song subconsciously so that the next time you listen different parts stand out, get emphasized, coalesce better, or make sense as some orderly structure. I was impressed by Faust the first time I heard it, but not necessarily in a positive way! I was struck by its density, its chaos, and its seemingly unrelated chapters--for sure. But the only nice comment I could muster was probably "interesting collage." It was only after many listens that I realized how excellent that guitar break in "Meadow Meal" is or the wonderful piano part that builds in ecstasy from 9 minute to 11 minute mark in "Miss Fortune." Or how the whole album is tied together by a percussive chime, an acoustic guitar vamp, or cut-and-paste lyrics -- how it just flows really really well.
So, I think that subtlety is best revealed after multiple listens, and that's true of almost any album, especially Scaruffi picks. Just this year, I really got into a few Scarf-endorsed albums that are not particularly experimental or eccentric -- just really good music that relies on a more conventional notion of a song (actual verses, actual choruses!) Plus, they are pretty understated and reveal themselves over time. I'm thinking of The Band's self-titled or I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight These are deep albums that get better with each listen. Indeed, it's the mark of a superficial work if you have it all figured out after a few times. That, I think, is actually the sign of bad music ultimately, something that does become disposable because you have depleted all its significance. Whether Scaruffi's albums are more like that, I can't really say. I think I've had that problem more with 00s albums.
Scaruffi's bias is pretty clear (a good thing), and I think his mission is honorable. He has shed light on lots of great albums that otherwise don't get much press or praise (at least from mainstream outlets). The more you go through his lists, I've noticed though, the more you'll find pretty much canonical selections for respective rock genres. This can be corroborated if you compare with RYM charts. For example, Band of Susans - Love Agenda is currently ranked #63 best noise rock album there. In fact, if you simply listed his picks in alphabetical order, without any indication of how he rates each one, you'd see that he basically covers most significant albums that for whatever reason, at some point in time, were considered "rock music." So, in this way, he does seem to take into account tastes beyond his preferences.
I am having a harder time getting into 00s music, even Scaruffi endorsed albums. I'm not sure why, but they don't resonate as well. I've listened to a few of the artists you mention. I liked bits and pieces of their stuff. I'd say Joanna Newsom is the most impressive new artist I've heard, but I don't really relate to her aesthetic, nor do I listen to her. There haven't been any favorite 00s albums for me yet, really, but I'm sure they eventually manifest themselves. Be sure to check out this list for those upcoming revelations.
I think there's a difference between uncommon song structure and subtly. If a work takes time to comprehend because of how different it is, that doesn't mean it's subtle. Subtly is subjective of course. I would describe it as encoding a musical or ideological idea seamlessly into the work without calling attention to itself, and as such I wouldn't call Scaruffi picks subtle. To me he is a critic of extremes. The work is either feverishly overblown or has an alienating minimalism (more or less). For instance, I would say Beefheart's Lick My Decals Off, Baby is far more subtle and works better than his bloated and disjointed Trout Mask Replica (it could be argued that TMR has more complex compositions, but more subtly?). Also The Band or the Thompson's do not have the depth of a Dark Side of the Moon, Blood on the Tracks or Abbey Road, and why these mainstream works are not held up as obvious examples of great song writing/album crafting is one of the major head scratchers with Scaruffism. I would say AfterHours is one of the few Scaruffians who gets it. I think his quote about acting for instance is far closer to the Scaruffian aesthetic than is subtly or depth, "Performances such as Streep for Sophie's Choice and other "perfect" examples of acting no longer deserve to be on here, relative to more outlandish, stunning, unique, "I can't believe she/he just did that" type performances." Of course, I reserve the right to be completely wrong about this and perhaps I'm just being plain unfair.
I'm not sure. I think TMR has quite a bit of subtlety in between its more obvious aspects. Lick My Decals Off, Baby is much more understated, but I don't know if that necessarily correlates with more subtlety. It sometimes takes more mental energy to discern the pattern behind complex music than the emotional undercurrent of a plain-sounding song. But sometimes it's the other way (the Thompsons album is a great example of this). Either way, the more attention, the better. All that said, you're probably onto something. Many of his top albums are quite "impressive" and fairly "obvious" in their initial impact, and not all of them really stick with you. But many of them reveal depth over time of wonderful complexity. That might not be subtlety I suppose, but it sure makes for lifelong favorites (for me).
I could think of certain exceptions to Scarf's overriding bias. He doesn't underrate all mainstream picks. He champions standard choices like The Doors, Blonde on Blonde, Astral Weeks, Marquee Moon. He's a pretty big Stones fan, a cool group I can finally admit, but not that amazing beyond their classic tunes. But then he has issues with some mainstream love affairs. We know how he feels about the Beatles and post-Barrett Floyd (mostly ideological baggage that overlooks the music itself). That's why he rates those particular albums lower (the Dylan one might be him being contrarian). And ultimately I can't subscribe to any extreme aesthetic that only cares for music that is "feverishly overblown or alienatingly minimalist." There's too much potential great stuff out there, and it comes down to what resonates with you.
Wow, I actually misspelled subtlety about six times.
I'll agree that understated does not equal subtlety. In fact, I'll back peddle and admit my example was not a great one. I'll try another. If you compare the first two albums by the Mars Volta, the second is more subtle because it contains ambiguous musical passages which could even have thematic resonance or hint at hidden memories, there is also much "production" which clouds the music in many layers. I'd say the same for Pink Floyd - their mainstream works contain a wealth of musical and thematic subtlety that just isn't matched by the debut (which is mostly surface weirdness). I think this is just how it goes with artists. Their first works are often the most youthful and intense, and over time they become more refined. And I would say Scaruffi is a very "youthful" critic.
Furthermore, although we're all quite bad at it, I think one can still have objective discussions about art. I don't think it's unreasonable to say some art is more subtle than others. Like Mozart or Bach is more subtle than Wagner. Or that the Beatles were more subtle than David Bowie. But ultimately I don't have a subtlety fetish. I care more than anything about balance and Scaruffi albums generally don't offer that. Any work of art should have a balance to it. It can't be all over the top experimentalism or tried and true pop cliches. Thus, if one is truly interested in all the different kinds of music out there - he would listen to not only Scaruffi albums, but things from all over the spectrum.
Regarding his mainstream choices - most agree that they seem out of place and wonder why they're there to begin with. It's particularly strange when Scaruffians praise albums like the Doors as some amazingly psychedelic master work miles ahead of it's time (that instrumental passage *gasp*). The Scaruffi apologists who hang on his word like dogma are probably the most baffling part. You say you have discovered lifelong favorites, but even that sounds a bit like idolatry (heh).
As for the Stones - Sticky Fingers is a masterpiece. Not to mention Exile, Beggar's and Bleed are excellent. This notion that they're a radio band seems largely a myth (probably based on their later work), and their '66-72 output is great.
But don't you think that "youthfulness" is a defining characteristic of rock music? In the sense of the genre's energy and dynamism and spontaneity and fusion tendencies? The sense of rebellion and sexual tension and all that young person stuff. It's interesting that you mention Floyd, because like most people I was into post-Barrett Floyd before discovering the crazy diamond. For some reason, Barrett's music resonates with me more deeply now than Waters-led Floyd. I still love Dark Side, WYWH, and Animals, but the rest is very hit and miss for me. Oddly enough, the "balanced" nature of those albums was more interesting to me as a teenager. In any event, I have to disagree with "surface weirdness" for Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Maybe on tracks like "Pow R. Toc H." (mostly a Waters composition incidentally) that seem too gimmicky. But all the Barrett compositions are quite interesting even without the studio effects. Plus, I marvel at the structural genius of "Astronomy Domine," how the dissonance is interweaved perfectly with the odd chord progression jam (E Eb G A is brilliant!), as they build up to the "blinding signs flap flicker flicker flicker" part. Waters certainly had a more adult perspective but his cynicism can grow tiring and his music lacks the edge of Barrett.
Balance is important, I agree. For me, balance is when the elements of a song make sense together, when the whole thing clicks, when it simply works. But sometimes music that would seem to be nothing but "over the top experimentalism" can assume a balanced state once your brain decodes its design. The only type of music that really defies that is pure noise, though some people apparently enjoy that kind a thing. But bands like Faust had a real design to their craziness; in terms of subtlety and layers, I notice more stuff each time I listen to "Krautrock."
I think Zappa had it right, that you need a certain amount of dissonance to make something interesting. And it doesn't have to be cacophony; it can be the presence of a certain interval in a chord, anything that catches the ear and leaves you in suspense of its resolution. That's one of the reasons why I really dig unusual chord progressions (ones that change keys/modes/etc) because it's intriguing to an ear used to so many I-IV-V combinations. Then again, under the right circumstances, the same old chord progression can come alive.
You don't think the instrumental passage in "Light My Fire" is incredible? For shame. I mean, I loved that thing years before I knew about Scaruffi. One of the few pieces of music that can really entrance me. Which gets me wondering, isn't there a distinction between a Scaruffian and someone who can dig albums that Scaruffi endorsed? I mean, I'm an apologist of the guy to the extent that he guided me to some seriously awesome music. But I don't love all of it. Just today I was really bored by the Incredible String Band. But if I do love some of his top albums, I think that would have happened anyway. Loving Dylan and Minutemen and Can, for example, can be found among many music fans. In other words, you're bound to love what you love. I think a Scaruffian is one who tries hard not to deviate even slightly from his ratings and the way he feels about certain artists and albums--in other words, sacrificing original thought for imitation.
I enjoy teasing about the Stones. Exile is definitely a great album, don't get me wrong. Well, maybe I'm carrying on the Beatles/Stones war. My bad.
Of course youthfulness is important in Rock music, but certain bands exhibit it more than others. And not all great bands are "youthful". If you like Barrett more than 70s Floyd - good for you. If you think it's objectively better - good luck with that.
I don't think we mean the same thing when we talk about balance. I'm using the word in a big, wide-covering, macro sort of way. Just consider how many elements go into making a good album: the compositions, do they work, the lyrics, the vocals, the instrumentation, the execution, the mix, the sound quality. I mean think of how much an artist needs to achieve in order to make a "great" album. It is sort of an amazing balancing act. Scaruffi often does not consider all these things and I think it's entirely fair to call his perspective limited.
Also I never derided the passage in Light My Fire. I think it's great and I think The Doors is a masterpiece. What I was saying (and I thought this was obvious) is that it's more or less incongruous with the absurd and intense compositions of Beefheart or the atmospheric wanderings of Wyatt. The Doors belongs squarely in the mainstream Rock cannon and to be perfectly honest, that instrumental passage is not all that OMGWTFBBQ. It works. It's solid. It's great. And? It's clearly not the most emotional or creative thing ever achieved. Part of why it's so great is because of how tempered and refined it is. And you know you're dealing with a classic Scaruffi sheep when they think the Doors were brilliant, but not the Beatles or Stones or Springsteen (oh but the River *gasp*).
Anyways, I think the Rock cannon is quite good and not infrequently accurate. Scaruffi does an excellent job of filling in some holes, or promoting albums that you wouldn't listen to first (because their way down the list). But he's got his shortcomings, obviously. It's hard to talk about music in a big, over-arching way with someone who only listens to Scaruffi albums.
A perfect example of Scaruffi overlooking songwriting is Doolitle. That is perhaps the peak of blending experimentalism and variety within the conventional song format. But according to him it sits in Surfer Rosa's shadow. So yeah, I'm siding with the hipsters on that one, Doolitle is better. At least we can all agree Bossanova sucks...oh wait it's Francis Black's favourite.
I have to enlighten you though, Springsteen is indeed fail, especially The River. Gimme some Neil Young over 'the boss' any day.
A comment that praises Pixies and Neil Young? Well played sir. :-)
Doolittle is much more consistent than Surfer Rosa, and probably has more great songs (if you just look at quantity alone). Surfer Rosa runs out of steam after "Where is My Mind?" but the first half of that album might be their career peak if you like that harder edge to their sound (perhaps Steve Albini is the fifth Pixie on that album). Bossanova is well worth a listen for anyone, especially Pixies fans. "Velouria" might even be my very favorite song by them, certainly one of the most haunting and beautiful songs I know. Check out Frank Black's Teenager of the Year if you haven't--some good stuff on there. The dude, imho, is one of the most brilliant and catchy mofos to ever grace pop music.
Just a note on Surfer Rosa...
Try listening to the 2nd half of the album as a running series of volatile, spastic attacks (as opposed to each being individual, fully formed songs) and it may come together more brilliantly for you.
I used to think Doolittle was better but for a few years now it's been no contest.
That's a good description of the second half, and so AfterHours ;-) It's definitely less "forceful" and less resonant for me, but it really shows off their goofy and silly side (which might shed more light on the genesis of their music). Childish tracks like "Tony's Theme" are quite fun, and "Brick Is Red" is an excellent closer, understated and almost mocking. I can understand people going either way with Surfer Rosa and Doolittle, as they're definitely the band's essential material.
Any thoughts on the latest Faust album?
Cool. Didn't know about it. Will report back asap. Btw, any recommendations for some good post-2000 music?
I doubt rockwise I've heard anything that you haven't. The only new releases I actively keep up with are hip-hop related. Some albums I've dug a lot, that don't make my Favorites list, are: The Roots' How I Got Over, Sage Francis' Personal Journals, Sole's Selling Live Water, Latyrx - Latyrx, DJ Shadow's The Private Press and Shad's The Old Prince. I forget where you stand in regards to the genre; but if you're into it to any degree I'd say that they're all worth a listen.
PS; really liking the list. I don't comment because I don't know a lot of the music, but I definitely keep up with it.
What is your opinion of OFWGKTA and Tyler the Creator in general? I notice you have Ghostface Killah on your list, do you like any of the other Wu Tang releases? Also, do you like any hip hop older than Endtroducing...? Like Eric B. & Rakim, Public Enemy etc.
Yeeeaah, I dig OFWGKTA, but I've only heard their latest release, and no solos.
The Wu is great, I love the RZA's production, GZA's Liquid Swords (the rest of his catalog gets thumbed down), Method's Tical, Inspectah Deck's Uncontrolled Substance (I put off listening to this for so long because of the lack of RZA, surprised the hell outta me), Raekwon has been surprisingly consistent in recent years, but my favorites his debut... ODB and Masta Killas albums get zero rotation, but I think they're good. Ghostface is by far my favorite, though. Even his R&B record got serious play.
I definitely like older hip-hop; I should probably throw It Takes A Nation... on my list. I don't like the Rakim records with the same fervor I used to, perhaps a little too one-dimensional? Lord Finesse's The Funky Technician probably should get a place, same with Paul's Boutique. The problem with hip-hop albums, I often find, is unnevenness. That's what prevents albums such as Midnight Mauraders, De La Soul is Dead, Shadows on the Sun, Modal Soul, etc from making the cut... Although now that I think about it it does seem strange that they aren't on the list. Perhaps I should reconsider? If you have any recommendations then please shoot them my way (but perhaps on my list so cabbage doesn't cry).
Hip-hop is a genre that I really need to explore. My favorites are fairly obvious, stuff like Paul's Boutique or The Chronic. I remember Wu-Tang being pretty awesome, but it's been a while. Been recently working my way through some big names (Public Enemy, Nas, A Tribe Called Quest). I might even be a bigger fan of instrumental stuff (Endtroducing is amazing). Have you heard J Dilla's Donuts?
I have heard of Donuts but not heard it. Really should check it out at some point as it looks like the sort of thing I'd like.
Yeah, I like the album, but I prefer his work when someone's rapping (ie. Find A Way) opposed to just his strictly instrumental stuff. He's one of the best to do it, no doubt.
Re: new Faust. It's a pretty good listen if you generally like their sound. They make distortion sound sooooo good! That's maybe the highlight of the release. But the jams don't go anywhere. check out the first track "tell the bitch to go home" or the title track (which kinda reminds me of Blue Man Group!) but otherwise just a release for fans.
If you liked Amassed check out Disappeared also by Spring Heel Jack. It's less jazz, more dnb but still very good, especially Galina. Also check out all the Amon Tobin albums from this decade; all are worth a listen, especially Out, From Out Where which is nearly as good as Bricolage.
If you're up for some ambient, Elegi - Varde and Aglaia - 3 Organic Experiences are worth tracking down but you'll not find the second without slsk.
I'm also gonna say Portishead - Third and Godspeed! You Black Emperor, the latter if you like Schulze/Tangerine Dream. And finally second Elston's rec of Person Pitch.
Disappeared is quite good, probably should get added to my list. Have you heard any other Spring Heel Jack? Person PItch wasn't bad -- "Bros" was awesome for the most part -- but I find the Collective's reliance on Brian Wilson simultaneously calming and annoying. It's getting better, tho, I can say I like Merriweather Post Pavilion now. I still need to check out Amon Tobin. I like ambient every now and then, so I will check out the rest. Still need to check out Godspeed. It seems like post-rock / drone / noise (generally less melodic or harmonic genres) made a real impression last decade.
Only the odd song so I can't really comment other than to say the further back you go the more dnb, the further forward after Amassed the more jazz. Disappeared was probably the most 50-50 album they did. Yeah, genres where the main focus is timbre. The thing about timbre-based works as opposed to melodic, harmonic and to some extent rhythmic works is that it's really hard to say what it is that is good about them. E.g. reviews of Irrlicht going off on metaphors about space etc. Certainly very hit and miss which is why most of those Scaruffi endorsed noise artists of the last decade offer nothing.
Another artist that has come to me from 00s is Evangelista. If you like Meridith Monk check her out.
EDIT: Also, although some of the AC stuff is pretty Pet Sounds like, I think Person Pitch is more dreamy than that; more like late MBV.
Thanks for posting this. It is my favorite thing happening on listology's music side of things these days.
I posted a brief recommendation re: Surfer Rosa above.
No problemo. Even if they're off-the-cuff thoughts, it's good to document something of my impressions. When I have more time, I'll do more in depth reviews.