Album Log 2009
Submitted by Elston on Mon, 03/23/2009 - 09:28
Tags:
- September 23-29
- Astral Weeks - Van Morrison 9.0
- Fare Forward Voyagers (Soldier's Choice) - John Fahey 9.0
- Symphony no. 40 - Mozart 8.5+
- Cantata 147 - Bach 8.5
- Violin Concertos - Bach 8.5
- Bricolage - Amon Tobin 8.5 Possibly my highest rock 8.5, unfathomably rad.
- Parsifal - Wagner 8.5 Wagner is effin' cool and I think this is my favourite of his so far.
- St. Matthew Passion - Bach ? Honestly, I don't get it. why does everyone adore the Matthew and John? *shrugs*
- Bach is officially my favourite composer, beating out Beethoven.
- September 16-22
- 1. Goldberg Variations - Bach (Glenn Gould) 9.0
- 2. Piano Sonata 21 - Beethoven 9.0 my fav Beethoven sonata thus far.
- 3. French Suites - Bach 8.5
- 4. 2 - Don Callabero 8.0 really nice math rock
- 5. First Born is Dead - Nick Cave 7.5/8.0 Excellent album by cave. On par with From Her To Eternity imo
- 6. You the Night and the Music - Gallon Drunk 7.5 Sounds like black magicians jamming in free form raunchiness, perverting tradition with macabre wickedness. The kind of shameless, erudite act that occasionally plays the seedy blues bar just off the highway.
- 7. Gods of Chaos - Flying Luttenbachers 7.5 Dear God...Jesus...check it out, pretty intense stuff!
- 8. Pet Sounds - Beach Boys 7.0 Wouldn’t It Be Nice is a prelude to an unfulfilling marriage built upon a shallow attraction ending in hasty divorce. After the tumultuous altercation, the man adopts a fervent belief in the afterlife and tries to convert his ex to no avail. He spends the rest of his life worrying about her soul, until in his 60’s he discovers Plato’s Ideal Form and confidently condemns her in his heart. He is soon investigated for viewing child porn but escapes with a warning. His ex receives a lifetime achievement award for her work as an architect. You Still Believe in Me is a tender ode to a woman who remains in an abusive relationship for the money. The most trying injustice is surely his legion of coke whores, whom are flaunted shamelessly. That’s Not Me details a young man who, while trying to make it on his own, discovers his identity is shaped by the eyes of those he loves: girlfriend, parents, windsurf teacher; he regresses back to his bubble and, over a burger and malt, complains of ’Frisco’s skyrocketing rent prices and hollow decadence. In Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) a self ordained mind reader uses his friends’ emotional confusion to effectively ‘make things weird’. I’m Waiting For the Day documents the bourgeoisie sensitivity to menstrual blood. The man waits patiently for his lovers’ evil visitor to vanish, watching Meg Ryan movies with her, ordering Chinese food, preparing rejuvenating mineral baths & administering full body massages. But in the end they reason it’s nothing that won’t wash off in the shower and throw caution to the wind!Sloop John B contains an account of the homoerotic adventures had by men at sea. And in God Only Knows the man assures his wife of the dire suicidal consequences that would ensue if she left him.
- August/September
- 1. Symphony 41 - Mozart 9.0
- 2. Symphony 5 - Beethoven 9.0
- 3. Twin Infinitives - Royal Trux 9.0
- 4. Good - Morphine 9.0
- 5. Down Colorful Hill - Red House Painters 9.0
- 6. Cello Suites - Bach 8.5+
- 7. Cantata 147 - Bach 8.5
- 8. Bricolage - Amon Tobin 8.5
- 9. Fontanelle - Babes in Toyland 8.5
- 10. Lullaby Land - Vampire Rodents 8.5
- 11. Perfect From Now On - Built to Spill 8.5
- 12. Excepts From a Love Circus - Lisa Germano 8.0
- 13. Bufo Alvarius - Bardo Pond 8.0
- 14. Delete Yourself! - Atari Teenage Riot 8.0
- 15. Hex - Bark Psychosis 8.0
- 16. Frigid Stars - Codeine 7.5
- 17. Niandre Lades & Usually Just a T-Shirt 7.5
- 18. 2 - Black Heart Procession 7.5
- 19. Black Light - Calexico 7.5
- 20. Phantasies and Senseitions - Bugskull 7.5
- 21. Ciastic Slide - Autechture 7.0
- August 8-14
- In Rainbows - Radiohead 8.5
- Bedlam in Goliath - Mars Volta 8
- Silent Shout - The Knife 7.5
- Neon Bible - Arcade Fire 7.5
- Revolver - Beatles 7.5 not my favourite Beatles. a bit too fluffy.
- One Day it Will Please Us to Remember Even This 7
- August 1-7
- 1. Grosse Fugue - Beethoven 9.0+
- 2. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd 9.0
- 3. Hosianna Mantra - Popul Vuh 8.5
- 4. De-loused in the Comatorium - Mars Volta 8.5
- 5. Songs the Lord Taught Us - Cramps 8.0+
- 6. Together Through Life - Bob Dylan 8.0
- 7. Slow Train Coming - Bob Dylan 7.5
- 8. Amputechture - Mars Volta 7.0
- 9. Obscured by Clouds - Pink Floyd 6.5
- 10.Freewheelin' Bob Dylan 6.5
- 11.Momentary Lapse of Reason - Pink Floyd 5.5
- I've yet to hear something from Beethoven that wasn't incredible. I've heard most symphonies (7th is favourite) and a handful of piano sonatas & string quartets. And I have been impressed by every one. I don't quite get the same connection with Mozart, but he has some good movements. There's no other composer who I like as much as him. Dvorak I like for some reason...though not as much. Anyone have any recommendations?
- July 26-31
- 1. A Love Supreme – John Coltrane (1964) 9.5
- 2. Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd (1973) 9
- 3. Dvorak – Symphony 9 From the New World 9
- 4. Days of Wine & Roses – Dream Syndicate 9
- 5. Frances the Mute – Mars Volta (2005) 9
- 6. Eels – Electro-Shock Blues 8.5
- 7. Moanin’ – Art Blakey (1958) 8.5
- 8. Lick my Decals Off, Baby – Captain Beefheart (1970) 8.5
- 9. Safe as Milk – Captain Beefheart (1967) 8.5
- 10.Atom Heart Mother – Pink Floyd (1970) 8
- 11Live With Lou Reed 1969 – Velvet Underground (1974) 8
- 12.Modern Times – Bob Dylan (2006) 8
- 13.Mirror Man – Captain Beefheart (1971) 8
- 14.Oh Mercy – Bob Dylan (1989) 7.5
- 15.Final Cut – Pink Floyd (1981) 7
- 16.New Morning – Bob Dylan (1970) 7
- 17.Loaded – Velvet Underground (1969) 6.5(down from 7)
- July 19-25
- 1. The Band - The Band 8.0 Wow, this album is gushing with so much aching beauty. Would have rated higher but 2nd side is not as strong imo
- 2. Loaded - Velvet Underground 7.0 Good stuff. Who Loves the Sun makes me think of Beatles songs and how they often lack ambiguity.
- July 11-18
- 1. Symphony 7 - Beethoven 9.5
- 2. Symphony 5 - Beethoven 9.0
- 3. Frances the Mute - Mars Volta 8.5
- 4. Lullaby Land - Vampire Rodents 8.5 This is what would happen if they built a demented slack-jawed fun house in the palace of Versailles.
- 5. Terminal Tower - Pere Ubu 8.0
- July 5-11
- 1. Gustav Mahler - Symphony 9 (1910) 9.0 Epic & beautiful
- 2. Faust - Faust (1971) 9.0+
- 3. Janacek - Glagolithic Mass 9.0
- 4. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine (1991) 8.5 So beautiful.
- 5. String Quartet in B flat major "Grosse Fuge" - Beethoven 8.5
- 6. Music for 18 Musicians - Steve Reich 8.5
- 7. City of Glass - Stan Kenton 8.5
- 8. Art of Walking - Pere Ubu (1980) 8.0 These guys took their art to new heights after Modern Dance. It is so refreshing to see band's continually progressing after already soaring to remarkable heights (and not just in a superficial experimental vein - this sounds very cohesive). It might even be better than New Picnic Time (which is also fantastic). Lost in Art is perhaps the funniest song I've ever heard.
- 9. Songs From the Hill/Tablet - Meredith Monk (1976) 8.0
- 10. Children of God - Swans (1987) 8.0 You’re Not Real, Girl is devastating. Reminds me of Nick Cave & Black Tape. Beautiful album.
- 11. Atomizer - Big Black (1986) 8.0
- 12. On the Wires of Our Nerves - Add N to (X) (1998) 7.5 This is some kick ass electronica; I was constantly squirming in my seats to the beats and this is actually the first electronic album I've dug all the way through. I'm very glad in fact: I require albums like this to puncture my stubborn hymen, so Irrlicht can insert his thick throbbing German member deep into my...uh...
- 13. Ladybird - Shit & Shine (2005) 7.5 Love the Huskerduish yelling complete with growling proclamations and matter-of-fact incantations. It’s like a thinking man’s Slipknot. I’m confused…it should be a lot more boring than it is. I mean, I’ve never even heard a minimalist song as long and repetitive as this, let alone metal.
- 14. Cyclops Nuclear Submarine Captain - Dogbowl (1991) 7.5 Ha! So weird. Love the wailing, kvetching clarinet that careens through every song. Lyrics are ridiculous. Good album.
- 15. Saucerful of Secrets - Pink Floyd (1968) 7.5
- 16. Isn't Anything - My Bloody Valentine (1988) 7.5
- 17. Consumer Revolt - Cop Shoot Cop 7.5
- 18. Getz/Gilberto - Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto 7.5
- 19. Greed - Ambitious Lovers (1988) 7.0
- 20. Marble Index - Nico (1968) 7.0
- 21. Chinese Democracy - Guns N' Roses (2008) 7.0 [Re-Rated, Down From 7.5]
- 22. Increased Difficulty of Concentration - Air Liquide 7.0 Interesting music, but the kind of stuff I'd only listen to in the background methinks
- 23. Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles (1967) 6.5 I Used to adore this record, it was always my favourite Beatles back in the day. And while I'm not sure what happened, I bet it has something to do with Scaruffi - corrupting the youth like Socrates before him. Hmm, I wonder.. how much is a vial of poison these days? And uh a bus ticket to California? Just wondering. I heard there's a famous alchemist there who can turn poison into lemony tasting water. I wasn't thinking of posioning anybody alright. No need to alert the authorities. *nervous chuckling*
- June 28-July 4
- 1. Lorca - Tim Buckley (1970) I’ve always liked bits and & pieces of Lorca, and I’ve always admired how original it sounds, but time and again I’ve felt it was a little too loose. A noble and commendable experiment, but ultimately unfocused. If the artist had let his ideas sink in and allowed them to mature, he would have created something important. I feel now however, that my conclusions were drawn because I failed to understand the album’s structure. Again, I attribute this change of heart to my recently gaining a better understanding of jazz music. Now, I can finally appreciate this album in it’s entirety. Not just the tender and majestic I Had a Talk With my Woman or the rollicking Nobody Walkin’, but the whole thing, with Lorca & Driftin’ being my absolute favourites. It’s one of the most complete and perfect albums from start to finish. 9.0
- 2. Litanies of Satan - Diamanda Galas (1982) Like Anthony Braxton, her vocal compositions on Litanies of Satan are complex enough to warrant a 12 minute track entirely of soloing. It’s absolutely terrifying in it’s unabated primacy. Seriously, she makes Meredith Monk sound like a Christian choirgirl (and believe me, I love Meredith). Diamanda screams like she’s being born, or being torn apart very slowly limb by limb. These are the kind of emotions one would only dream of uttering while in the isolation of a rubber padded room. Yet, her one voice sounds like many, as if the tormented souls of generations past are howling wildly in succession, possessing her in chthonic ritual. 8.0
- 3. Chinese Democracy - Guns N' Roses (2008) After the first track, I was excited to proclaim a certain Zen master had overrated it, but unfortunately, it is actually quite good. Rose’s vocals are solid, his poetic flow-ery dazzles on most tracks (rappers: take note of this washed-up white guy). First time through it surprised me with its uncommonly dense sound, energetic guitar solos, ambient passages, and just a general wide range of emotion. 7.5
- June 21-June 27
- 1. The Doors - The Doors (1967) 9.5
- 2. Modern Dance - Pere Ubu (1978) 9.5
- 3. Geek the Girl - Lisa Germano (1994) 9.0
- 4. Velvet Underground & Nico - Velvet Underground (1967) 9.0
- 5. Rubber Soul - The Beatles (1965) 8.0
- 6. Remnants of a Deeper Purity - Black Tape for a Blue Girl (1996) On Redefine Pure Faith we find our disconsolate protagonist swaying in darkness like seaweed at the bottom of the ocean floor, looking to his companion to purge his heavy soul and foolishly believing her light can penetrate his icy depths. The track ends on a punchy piano refrain vaguely recalling Nico’s gothic masterpiece The Falconer. Then on Fin de Siecle his counterpart wisely reminds him that one must suffer in this life, and so he joins her in lament: mourning the loss of God’s love together. For Your Wings Will Burn Upon the Sun is a captivating 26-minute track with multiple musical movements and is perhaps the album’s peak of densely textured minimalism accompanied by fervent devotions via violin. The song finally ends with the same motif it starts with. The vibrating vocals, foreboding pulsations, and piercing synth that heralds a daemonic thud, make Fitful the most eerie piece on the album; followed by the beautiful title track, a seemingly off-beat song where a guitar rhythm makes an off-kilter entrance. The yearning and anguish permeating the album could only come from a soul who had once known profound joy, held an earnest belief in God or been deeply in love. The overall tone is that of a loss of faith. But, aside from all that hullabaloo: if you can acclimatize yourself to Remnants of a Deeper Purity’s meandering pace, it will continually surprise and move you. 8.0
- 7. Perfect From Now On - Built to Spill (1997) 7.5
- 8. What's Goin' On - Marvin Gaye (1971) 7.0
- 9. Passion - Peter Gabriel (1989) Starting to really come around to this one, but I definitely didn't make it half-way through without yawning violently. 7.0
- Listening to The Doors, Modern Dance and Geek the Girl this week was unreal. They were WAY more powerful than I ever remember them. I think it has to do with immersing myself in Jazz the last two weeks, like it's helping me to hear more of what's going on, to hear everything at once. All I can say is I am absolutely stunned. The Doors and Modern Dance in particular are probably the most powerful works of art I've ever experienced.
- June 14-20
- Abbey Road - The Beatles (1969) 8.5
- Pink Moon - Nick Drake (1973) 8.0
- I took an abrupt detour into the world of Jazz earlier in the week and am working on a list. I still have about 40 Rock albums that I need to seriously explore, not to mention many I've already heard that need further digging. Anyways, I'm keeping my jazz picks a secret until I finish my list!
- June 7-13
- 1. Geek the Girl - Lisa Germano (1994) Yes, the Germanonator has de-thronged crazy Wyatt (a queen uncrowned). I love this album for being so naked, so introspective, self-critical and confused. We don't even like admitting to each other that we feel this way, so props to Germano for capturing it on record. What more can I say, I absolutely love this album. 9.0
- 2. Rock Bottom - Robert Wyatt (1974) 9.0
- 3. Astral Weeks - Van Morrison (1968) 8.5
- 4. The Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails (1994) 8.5
- 5. Safe as Milk - Captain Beefheart (1967) Even on his first record the Captain exudes a well-rounded palette of contrasting emotions and styles. Compare the contemptuous misanthropic angst on Dropout Boogie with the tender plebeian complacency on I'm Glad. Like Zappa, Beefheart seems to be utilizing popular genres in order to satirize or comment on them. But unlike Zappa (whose songs mock his subjects at a distance), Beefheart is not afraid to get inside his songs and live out the emotions therein, no matter how ridiculous. Aye Captain, I'll admit: for the longest time I thought Safe as Milk was overrated because of what a brilliant mindfuck Trout Mask Replica is. But this is a very fine album that stands on it's own. 8.5
- 6. Electro-Shock Blues - Eels (1998) 8.0
- 7. From Her to Eternity - Nick Cave (1984) Cave begins the album by transforming Cohen’s lyrics into a unique sonic representation that does indeed sound like a big black mass of snow hurtling toward the listener. While certainly not a bad song, Avalanche sounds less ‘inspired’ than the rest of the album; perhaps he opened with a cover due to lack of confidence – it being his first record (?). Cabin Fever strongly stands out as an astonishingly spontaneous performance. It’s as if we’re granted access to his thoughts just as he is swept away into an unconscious vision. Every beat of the heart in Well of Misery pounds with intolerable agony. On the title track he howls with an anxiety bordering on David Thomas. Saint Huck shows that Cave is one of the most innovative story tellers in Rock music. 8.0
- 8. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine (1991) Like a god sent dream, Loveless unfolds in a peculiar calculated magicalness. A cloudy nostalgia permeates the album like your first childhood love softly taking your hand and leading you flying over familiar landscapes bathed in warm summer light and through the corridors of your old elementary school where snow gently falls. 8.0
- 9. Psychic...Powerless...Another Man's Sac - Butthole Surfers (1985) In this tribal music for modern times pagan rhythms pound, savage vocals hallucinate & guitars squeal and churn like explosive bodily functions. Another Man’s Sac plays like a shamanistic vision laced with scatological vulgarity. 8.0
- 10. Repeater - Fugazi (1990) Turnover begins with a nice n’ slow ambient start that lurches into an unforgettable & timeless riff. Repeater is funkily dapper, the theme song of a white-collar professional who spitefully steals office supplies & is building his own studio (to be cont.) 8.0
- 11. The River - Bruce Springsteen (1980) The overarching vibe on the album is one of shallow sentimentality, though the group’s abnormally full sound and tight execution stimulate otherwise straightforward numbers. There’s nary a track you couldn’t hear playing softly at the local drug mart. Even the more lively songs, in which gaily-prancing organ flourishes propose crotch-glancing ultimatums & lusty voices yearn in chorus, suffer from blandness. 7.0
- May 31- June 6
- 1. The Good Son - Nick Cave & the Badseeds (1990) 9.0
- 2. Blonde on Blonde - Bob Dylan (1966) 9.0
- 3. Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails (1994) Mr. Self Destruct begins with creepy pounding noises and a man's painful cries. As the pounding becomes louder and faster the man reels with the punches as if enjoying a sadomasochistic game. And that’s what The Downward Spiral is – an emotional assault the listener willingly goes through “You let me do this to you.” Piggy is a self-loathing song about greed, a nihilistic creed of unending desires never quenced. It highlights the destruction that occurs after we relinquish our traditional ideals. Closer seems to be about sex and love “Help me get away from myself.” It equates sex with a religious experience and finding god as an erupting orgasm. Ruiner is a defiant pledge to maintain identity amidst the pervading slave mentality of Judeo-Christian culture. A Warm Place is a rare moment of spiritual serenity, a peaceful state of mind free of doggish lust. The Downward Spiral is a slow cold withdraw into despair like the decaying pendulum of an old grandfather clock slowing to a standstill, while next door the stifled screams seem far away. 8.5
- 4. Third - Soft Machine (1970) 8.0
- 5. The Ascension - Glenn Branca (1981) In Lesson No. 2 dense neurotic chords stalk the listener through white walled corridors, chased by splashing shadows of implacable menstrual blood. The Spectacular Commodity begins with noble exclamations of purity, but then slips into existential nausea nipping at the soul, leading to self-immolation. From the ashes arises the most magnificent phoenix soaring mightily towards the heavens, riding a golden beam of light extending from the clouds. Light Field sounds like flying through space at warp speeds. 8.0
- 6. Zen Arcade - Husker Du (1984) Renewed appreciation +1. 8.0
- 7. Twin Infinitives - Royal Trux (1990) Consciousness-expanding music. Finally unlocked that first outer gate and got a feel for this one. Could be one of the deepest albums ever recorded. 7.5
- 8. Village Green Preservation Society - Kinks This album kinda sucks 7.0
- May 24-30
- 1. Faust - Faust (1971) 9.0
- 2. Uncle Meat - Frank Zappa (1969) 9.0
- 3. Y - The Pop Group (1979) 9.0
- 4. Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles (1967) 8.5
- 5. NEU! - NEU! (1972) 8.5
- 6. Third Ear Band - Third Ear Band 8.0
- 7. Well Oiled - Hash Jar Tempo 8.0
- 8. Nevermind - Nirvana (1991) 7.5
- 9. Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie (1972) 7.0
- 10. Pet Sounds - Beach Boys (1966) 7.0
- 11. Paul's Boutique - Beastie Boys (1989) 7.0
- 12. Lullaby Land - Vampire Rodents (1993) 7.0
- May 17-23
- 1. Suicide - Suicide (1977) 9.0
- 2. Spiderland - Slint (1991) 9.0
- 3. Desertshore - Nico (1970) 8.5
- 4. Slow, Deep & Hard - Type O Negative (1991) 8.5
- 5. Beatles (White Album) - The Beatles (1968) 8.0
- 6. Flying Teapot - Gong (1973) 8.0
- 7. Yerself is Steam - Mercury Rev (1991) 8.0
- 8. Call Me - Al Green (1973) 7.5
- 9. Kick Out the Jams - MC5 (1969) 7.0
- Unsuccessfully Coping With The Natural Beauty of Infidelity is one of the greatest songs I've ever heard. In fact, Slow, Deep & Hard is such a brilliantly conceptual work. They lost me during the middle portion though...otherwise it would have ranked higher.
- May 10-16
- 1. The Doors - The Doors (1967)
- 2. Rock Bottom - Robert Wyatt (1974)
- 3. Geek the Girl - Lisa Germano (1994)
- 4. Lorca - Tim Buckley (1970)
- 5. Parable of Arable Land - Red Krayola (1967)
- 6. Hosianna Mantra - Popul Vuh (1972)
- 7. Songs of Leonard Cohen - Leonard Cohen (1967)
- 8. Irrlicht - Klaus Schulze (1972)
- The Doors made a ha-UUUGE impression on me. Perhaps the greatest listening experience I ever had. Wasn't expecting that. Well, at least I know why AfterHours rates it so highly.
- May 3-9
- 1. Not Available - The Residents (1978)
- 2. Fire of Love - The Gun Club (1981)
- 3. Astral Weeks - Van Morrison (1968)
- 4. Parable of Arable Land - Red Krayola (1967)
- 5. Symphony 9 in D Major - Gustav Mahler (1909)
- 6. The End of an Ear - Robert Wyatt (1970)
- 7. Volunteers - Jefferson Airplane (1969)
- 8. Taking Tiger Mountain By Strategy - Brian Eno (1974)
- 9. Sticky Fingers - Rolling Stones (1971)
- 10. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (1969)
- 11. Are You Experienced - Jimi Hendrix (1967)
- 12. The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter - The Incredible String Band (1968)
- 13. After Bathing at Baxters - Jefferson Airplane (1967)
- April 27-May 2
- 1. Geek the Girl - Lisa Germano
- 2. The Modern Dance - Pere Ubu
- 3. Good - Morphine
- 4. Freak Out! - Frank Zappa
- 5. The River - Bruce Springsteen
- 6. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine
- 7. Even the Sounds Shine - Myra Melford
- 8. Remnants of a Deeper Purity - Black Tape for a Blue Girl
- 9. New Picnic Time - Pere Ubu
- 10. From Her to Eternity - Nick Cave & the Badseeds
- 11. 2 - Black Heart Procession
- 12. London Calling - The Clash
- 13. Parallel Lines - Blondie
- 14. Parklife - Blur
- 15. Machine Head - Deep Purple
- April 20-26
- 1. Black Saint & the Sinner Lady - Charles Mingus 9.5
- 2. Velvet Underground & Nico - Velvet Underground 9.0
- 3. Nail - Foetus 9.0
- 4. Geek the Girl - Lisa Germano 9.0
- 5. The Good Son - Nick Cave & the Badseeds (1990) 9.0
- 6. Fare Forward Voyagers (Soldiers Choice) - John Fahey 9.0
- 7. Uncle Meat - Frank Zappa (1969) 9.0
- 8. The Ascension - Glenn Branca 9.0
- 9. Double Nickels on the Dime - Minutemen 8.5
- 10. A Genuine Tong Funeral - Gary Burton & Carla Bley 8.5
- 11. Exile on Main St. - Rolling Stones (1972) 8.0
- 12. Repeater - Fugazi 8.0
- 13. New York, New York - George Russell 8.0
- 14. Pink Moon - Nick Drake 8.0
- 15. Turn On the Bright Lights - Interpol 5.5
- April 13-19
- 1. Trout Mask Replica - Captain Beefheart (1969) 9.5
- 2. Escalator Over the Hill - Carla Bley (1971) 9.0
- 3. Twin Infinitives - Royal Trux (1990) 9.0
- 4. Lorca - Tim Buckley (1970) 9.0
- 5. A Rainbow in Curved Air - Terry Riley (1967) 9.0
- 6. The Doors - The Doors (1967) 9.0
- 7. For Alto - Anthony Braxton (1969) 9.0
- 8. Out to Lunch! – Eric Dolphy (1964) 8.5
- 9. Mu - Don Cherry (1969) 8.5
- 10. Good - Morphine (1992) 8.5
- 11. Millions Now Living Will Never Die - Tortoise (1995) 8.5
- 12. Ocean Songs - Dirty Three (1997) 8.5
- 13. Perfect From Now On - Built to Spill (1997) 8.0
- 14. The River - Bruce Springsteen (1980) 8.0
- 15. Tago Mago - Can (1971) 8.0
- 16. Music For Airports - Brian Eno (1978) 8.0
- 17. Psychic...Powerless...Another Man's Sac - Butthole Surfers (1984) 8.0
- 18. The Days of Wine & Roses - Dream Syndicate (1982) 8.0
- 19. Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables - Dead Kennedys (1980) 8.0
- 20. Songs the Lord Taught Us - The Cramps (1980) 8.0
- 21. Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band - Beatles (1967) from 8.0 to 7.5 but damn if it isn't my favourite, most comforting escapist entertainment.
- 22. Safe as Milk - Captain Beefheart (1967) 7.5
- 23. Damaged - Black Flag (1981) 7.5
- 24. Lincoln - They Might Be Giants (1988) 7.0
- 25. This Year's Model - Elvis Costello (1978) 7.0
- 26. Faust IV - Faust (1975) 7.0
- 27. Paid in Full - Eric B & Rakin (1987) 6.5
- 28. I See a Darkness - Bonnie Prince Billy (1999) 6.5
- April 6-12
- 1. Faust - Faust (1971) 9.5
- 2. Symphony no. 9 in D Minor "Choral" - Beethoven (1824) 9.5
- 3. Escalator Over the Hill - Carla Bley (1971) 9.0
- 4. The Modern Dance - Pere Ubu (1977) 9.0
- 5. Ascension - John Coltrane (1965) 9.0
- 6. Irrlicht - Klause Schulze (1972) 9.0
- 7. Fare Forward Voyagers - John Fahey (1973) 9.0
- 8. NEU! - NEU! (1972) 9.0
- 9. Shape of Jazz to Come - Ornette Coleman (1959) 9.0
- 10. Ash Ra Tempel - Ash Ra Tempel (1971) 9.0
- 11. Hosianna Mantra - Popol Vuh (1972) 9.0
- 12. Desertshore - Nico (1970) 9.0
- 13. Lullaby Land - Vampire Rodents (1993) 8.5 certainly felt like a 9 at times, though this was merely my 4th listen.
- 14. Even the Sounds Shine - Myra Melford (1995) 8.5
- 15. Streams - Sam Rivers (1973) 8.5
- 16. New York Eye & Ear Control - Albert Ayler (1964) 8.5
- 17. Bricolage - Amon Tobin (1997) 8.5
- 18. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel (1997) 8.5
- 19. Survivor's Suite - Keith Jarrett (1976) 8.5
- 20. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine (1991) 8.5
- 21. Alchemy - Third Ear Band (1969) 8.5
- 22. Mundus Subterraneus - Lightwave (1995) 8.5
- 23. Slow, Deep & Hard - Type O Negative (1991) 8.5
- 24. Freedom Suite - Sonny Rollins (1958) 8.5
- 25. Downward Spiral - Nine Inch Nails (1994) 8.5
- 26. Spiderland - Slint (1990) 8.5
- 27. Remnants of a Deeper Purity - Black Tape for a Blue Girl (1996) 8.0
- 28. California - American Music Club 7.5
- 29. New Picnic Time - Pere Ubu (1979) 7.5
- 30. OK Computer - Radiohead (1997) 7.5
- 31. Passion - Peter Gabriel (1989) 7.5
- 32. 1930 - Merzbow (1997) 7+
- 33. Soft Bulletin - Flaming Lips (1999) 7.0
- 34. Doolittle - Pixies (1989) 7.0
- 35. The Stone Roses - The Stones Roses (1989) 7.0
- 36. Revolver - The Beatles (1966) 7.0
- 37. If You're Feeling Sinister - Belle & Sebastian (1996) 7.0
- March 30-April 5
- 1. Trout Mask Replica - Captain Beefheart (1969) 9.5
- 2. Symphony no. 9 in D Major - Gustav Mahler (1910) 9.5
- 3. A Love Supreme - John Coltrane (1963) 9.5
- 4. Tabula Rasa - Arvo Part (1977) 9.0
- 5. Jazz Composer's Orchestra (Communications) - Michael Mantler (1968) 9.0
- 6. Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground (1966) 9.0
- 7. Not Available - The Residents (1974) 9.0
- 8. For Alto - Anthony Braxton (1969) 9.0
- 9. Y - The Pop Group (1979) 9.0
- 10. Well Oiled - Hash Jar Tempo (1997) 9.0
- 11. Parable of Arable Land - Red Krayola (1967) 9.0
- 12. Sound - Roscoe Mitchell (1966) 8.5
- 13. Ys - Joanna Newsom (2005) 8.0
- 14. Frances the Mute - Mars Volta (2005) 8.0
- 15. Perfect From Now On - Built to Spill (1997) 8.0
- 16. In the Court of the Crimson King - King Crimson (1969) 8.0
- 17. The River - Bruce Springsteen 8.0
- 18. Days of Wine & Roses - The Dream Syndicate (1982) 8.0
- 19. Original Sin - Pandora's Box (1989) 8.0
- 20. Yeti - Amon Duul II (1970) 7.5
- 21. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd (1973) 7.5
- 22. Pros & Cons of Hitchhiking - Roger Waters (1983) 7.0
- 23. Murmur - R.E.M. (1983) 7.0
- 24. Third - Big Star (1974) 6.5
- Quartet in B Flat Major - Beethoven (1826)
- March 23-29
- 1. Nail - Scraping Foetus Off the Wheel (1985) 9.0
- 2. Tabula Rasa - Arvo Part (1977) 9.0
- 3. Atlantis - Sun Ra (1967) 9.0
- 4. Third - Soft Machine (1970) 9.0
- 5. The Ascension - Glenn Branca (1981) 8.5
- 6. White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground (1967) 8.5
- 7. Highway 61 Revisited - Bob Dylan (1965) 8.0
- 8. Brilliant Corners - Thelonious Monk (1956) 8.0
- 9. Psychic...Powerless...Another Man's Sac - Butthole Surfers (1984) 8.0
- 10. Perfect From Now On - Built to Spill (1997) 8.0
- 11. The Days of Wine & Roses - Dream Syndicate (1982) 8.0
- 12. We're Only in it For the Money - Frank Zappa (1968) 8.0
- 13. Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band - Beatles (1967) 8.0
- 14. Future Days - Can (1973) 7.5
- 15. Underwater Moonlight - Soft Boys (1980) 7.5
- 16. Crazy Rhythms - The Feelies (1979) 7.5
- 17. Beatles - Beatles (1968) 7.0
Author Comments:
I'm well aware that my reviews are bad (ie poor written, shallow & pretentious), but I'm hoping that continued writing will improve my skills.
How is After Bathing at Baxter's?
That was the first time I heard it and I didn't think it was essential listening. I like Volunteers a lot better (and even that one is sort of on the threshold of great/good). It's at least 6+, but I'd have to listen again.
i listened to the first LP of the White album by the Beatles and enjoyed it quite a bit. Strange...I thought I was 'over' them. guess I'm just having a hard time...letting go...sniffle.
Breathe ... repeat after me ... "I can love Captain Beefheart and the Beatles equally" ... it's going to be all right
nah,The Beatles is the band and The Beatles is the album, an album that is the most English (quirky), most Beatles (cute little pop songs), and most dadaist (snippets between songs, and some of the songs themselves). this is the one Beatles album that actually grew on me and is my favorite of theirs; though if they would have combined the best cuts from Pepper and Mystery Tour that would probably be my favorite.
it is the one album that has a trajectory similar to Beefheart's dadaism. so, it is closer to "I can love Captain Beefheart and The Beatles [similarly]."
Oddly enough, when I loved the Beatles I never much cared for The Beatles (White album). Now I'm excited to go back and revisit all their works and see if I still have feelings for them. It's as if they were a passionate lover with whom I had a severe falling out and banished from the profoundest depths of my heart. And now, after I've gotten over it, I cannot stop the many tender, fond & nostalgic memories that bubble into consciousness (just as I can't help laughing at how foolish my former self was to fall in love with that selfish harlot!)
Just don't tell Scaruffi or any Scaruffians, please...I don't want this to get around.
It sounds like my love life...
huh, this is what mine sounds like
Love is the most destructive & inspiring of all rituals. The pursuit of knowledge & the 'greatest good for all' are constantly trampled under Her indifferent hooves. No matter how fast you run or how well you hide, She will chase you down like a black dog in the night.
And yet, with a carefree shrug of the shoulders, they say, "Why, a life without love is no life at all!" Indeed. That is what they claim. But how many of these jovial creatures have suffered the soul corrupting symptoms if the Disease? How many of these twinkly-eyed disciples have endured the crippling loneliness? the unbearable self loathing? the suicidal wishes? or the psychotic outbursts that threaten to topple the whole HOUSE OF CARDS?! Perhaps it's not for us to speculate, but the more cynical amongst us might remark, "Not many." Then again, we have been wrong before...
And thus, as a rule, I keep my love locked inside its cage (lest the seed be sown, the flower bloom & hatred bear it's odious fruits.) It's not easy, I assure you, as I find the charms of women hard to resist. Oh how I toss & turn at night thinking of those achingly beautiful creatures! How I long to walk with them hand in hand, to learn about their lives, hold them dearly and lie beneath the stars...but...but NO! I WON'T! Save for an uncontrollable outburst of mad passion, it will never happen! I must content myself with merely dreaming such things, for dreams are always sweeter than what our waking life allows.
In other words, I'm going to continue beating off into socks.
Haha. But be careful. That can hurt you too.
You're right, and not the most hygienic of methods.
It's actually pretty safe and relatively fun if you get a sandwich bag, squeeze a teaspoon or two or lube into it, insert your member into the bag, cover the bag with a sock & then pump away between the couch cushions or something of that sort. That's my friend told me anyway, he's pretty gross...that friend.
No comment. ;-)
Woah, didn't know Listology turned into a masturbation forum o.O
A forum for everything and nothing.
"What's your favourite song by Hash Jar Tempo?"
"Oh...probably Untitled."
"Unsuccessfully Coping With The Natural Beauty of Infidelity" is one of the greatest songs I've ever heard. In fact, Slow, Deep & Hard is such a brilliantly conceptual work. They lost me during the middle portion though...otherwise it would have ranked higher.
wow, that is almost exactly how i feel about that album. i think that song may be in the top 10 whereas the album is just a "good" album - they lose me in the "middle portion" (not sure when i lose focus).
The first two songs are remarkable and it almost feels there's a philosophical significance in placing them one after the other. They lost me on Prelude to Agony. Glass walls of Limbo (Dance Mix) is pretty darn cool and I can't help but chuckle at that title. I'm sort of hoping that I became bored of the album not because it sags at points, but because I was hungry or restless or some other wretched reason.
Village Green Preservation Society - Kinks This album kinda sucks
NOOOOOOOO
by kinda sucks, I mean 6.0-6.5. certainly not a bad album, but I much prefer Sgt Peppers, Forever Changes, Beggar's Banquet etc. Mayhaps I need to give it another chance. It's very britishly whimsical, but perhaps a bit too namby pamby hippie cakes for my mason trunks stoic mask of brawn.
I love that whimsy; I even like "Phenomenal Cat". If you're British, I can see how that whimsy might be too familiar, even irritating. "Animal Farm" and "Do You Remember Walter" are two of the best songs ever, though, and most of these really do confirm that Davies is the bard of nostalgia.
i love whimsy too & you're right it's a very nostalgic record, but I wouldn't dare give it more than a 7! Okay, maybe 7.5. See, this is why I'd never be a scaruffi. I have no principles.
Who needs principles when you've got heart. Take that, Scarf-it-down!
Yeah but the heart is usually wrong. I would like...to smash it! AHH! That hurt. *darts eyes awkwardly*
Scarf-it-down. lol. nice! If not obscenely blasphemous. You should kiss your cover of Trout Mask 10 times and say 10 "drip bippy bips" to atone.
Never, never shall I repent. My opinion be my song, my true and unique voice, never to be supplanted or displaced, suppressed or erased.
I know it's awfully puerile of me to coin that zinger, but given the man's sizable consumption of media, it's only fitting.
lol. man...Scarf-it-down. That's possibly the best bite size description of Piero I've seen.
"bite size", touche! these disses are quite appetizing
Liked your thoughts on Psychic Powerless, modern tribal music is a great description of it
Thanks! But now...how do I describe Y by The Pop Group :(
Y would be funkadelic university protestor, Psychic is cowpie-flinging, redneck bacchanal.
Good review of Safe As Milk. There is something fishy about "I'm Glad" but I like the Captain's more sincere takes on conventional tuneage like "Yellow Brick Road" and "Plastic Factory". It's a consistently good album but the only song that takes me there is "Electricity", one of the most perfectly titled songs in rock history.
Hey, does this ever happen to you: you're reading something and you notice a lyric from a song in the sentence you're reading, and in your head you read the fragment of the lyric as it is sung in the song? When you said "It's a consistently good album but the only song that takes me there is "Electricity"...", when I read takes me there it sounds like how Lisa Germano says it on Geek the Girl, that song about "Why do People Like Stars"...Anyways, I find that happens to me often. I'll be reading something and see a lyric in a sentence and automatically sing it in my head. It's funny, I can't control it. Do you know what I mean?
Not really. But, believe me, I get enough deja-vu to believe that life is predetermined to some extent and that we're all capable of seeing the future (but only a few of us know how to harness that gift). I tend to see my future in dreams and then eventually live them and always marvel at how uncannily accurate it is!
Well, I definitely wasn't equating hearing lyrics in sentences with seein' the future ; )
I really have to pick up Geek the Girl after reading that review.
I think you'd really like it.
Nice insights on Lorca. It's great to see it come around for you. I was just listening to it yesterday. Definitely one of the most wrenchingly devastating albums in existence.
Diamanda screams like she’s being born, or being torn apart very slowly limb by limb. These are the kind of emotions one would only dream of uttering while in the isolation of a rubber padded room.
Want to guess what my next download will be?
uh..Meredith Monk? OH! You mean Guns n Roses! My bad.
I've been banned from RYM. My email is fedor8@yahoo.com
You will be missed comrade. I mean, fellow unique individual that is heh. I don't mean comrade in the Marxist sense, I just uh...heya...*tugs collar*
Check out Slipknot's debut, Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat, it's a fantastic collection of tracks in their darkest and most emotionally complex form (some are repeated in their late albums, and really have nothing on the original); Scaruffi gives their s/t a 7/10 and this is far superior to that (he doesn't rate it though), and I personally find it just doesn't make it to my Rock Albums list, but it's certainly one of the greatest achievements in metal. Better than Ladybird or anything else by Shit and Shine for that matter. Below is the description of the album's sound on Wiki:
The musical style of Slipknot is constantly contested due to the genres their music covers, however Mate. Feed. Kill. Repeat. is the band's most experimental release and is significantly different from the heavy style the band became known for.[7] One of the bands initial aims was to mix any genres of music to achieve their own style; an early incarnation of the band was called "Meld" based upon this.[7] However there are still familiarities in the sound of which Slipknot became known for. Tracks such as "Slipknot", "Some Feel" and "Only One" feature a dominantly heavy metal influence, specifically in that of the guitars.[8] Tracks such as "Tattered & Torn", "Killers Are Quiet" and "Gently" also include the slow, cerebral angst build up style that the band also retained in some of their more recent work.[8] The album implements elements of jazz and funk, although "Confessions" is the only track on the album dominantly led by these styles.[8] "Do Nothing/Bitch Slap" is the album's most complex song, combining both of these dominant styles as well as implementing areas of disco.[8] The album title and the majority of the lyrics are references to the role-playing game Werewolf: The Apocalypse.[9] Vocalist Anders Colsefini and percussionist Shawn Crahan shared a mutual interest in the game which was a large influence on the band, Colsefini said: "The attraction was being able to play a different person", declaring that this was the essence of Slipknot.[9]
Great, I'll give it a shot. That comment was based on my own forray into Slipknot circa 2000ish, I used to love them as a teen (Wait & Bleed heh). We'll see how it compares to Shit n Shine.
Oh, meant to say, have a listen to Paysage d'Hiver - Paysage d'Hiver. This is my personal favorite metal album. Three songs, each about 20 minutes long, of pure dark metal bliss. It's the sound of the winter forest wind running through your bones and straight through your heart. Hey, you may aswell try it aswell Elston. The more the gadamm' merrier.
Yes, Loaded is good stuff. It's got 2 classics, a bunch of entertaining pop/rock, and anthem entitled "O Sweet Nuthin'". Come on now. Maybe Scaruffi would rate it better if Reed had changed the name of the band. This will probably end up on my list.
Composer wise - BACHBACHBACHBACH.
I find it rather impudent your calling me a chicken.
Classical?
I echo neptune's recommendation, I like Mass in B minor best but his Partitas are also quite powerful; Shostakovich (15th Symphony) and Stravinsky (Rites of Spring) are absolute essentials... Schubert's 9th is a masterpiece, Wagner's Tristan und Isolde is one of my favorite music pieces ever... Tchaikovsky's 6th is stunning; so on and so forth.
Really, when it comes to classical music, the "typical" composers are generally deserving of their spot on the pantheon. You can't go wrong with Verdi, Brahms, Vivaldi, Haydn, Chopin, Strauss, Brucker, etc.
Thanks for the recommendations. I was listening to Bach last night and was absolutely blown away (French Suites & Magnificat specifically) He is a huge pimp and I'm looking forward to exploring more.
In Rainbows? Really?? It kinda sucked :/... I presume you've heard Kid A, what did you think of that album? (My personal favorite Radiohead album)
I'm not claiming In Rainbows is a masterpiece in the more objective sense (according to emotion, creativity, originality...though I do think it's a very good album) but as a Radiohead fan I'll claim that it's their best. It's their Abbey Road imo and is solid all the way through while sounding like nothing else they've done. As for Kid A, I heard it a few years ago around 2005 and was blown away. It's what convinced me Radiohead were a great band and I then developed an appreciation for Amnesiac and OK Computer. My problem with Kid A is that I listened to it so many times (about 15-20 at least) that I have no desire to return to it. I think all its charms have worn out on me. I tried giving it a spin earlier in the year and couldn't make it past the first few tracks, although I admit it's a great album. It used to me my #1 favourite piece of music. In Rainbows could likely be heading in the same direction, but it's placement on my list is an accurate reflection of how I feel about it at this place in time.
Like that age-old Tootsie Pop riddle, how many spins does it take to lose the charm of a great work of music? Sometimes it takes 20 spins just to start appreciating its complexity.
I think you may be overestimating In Rainbow's significance. It's a really bad drug, gets you worked up over nothing. In fact, here's where I think Scaruffi is most right about their artificiality. But "Reckoner" is pretty sweet I recall.
Re: Revolver, by "fluffy" you mean Paul's insufferably delicate and CUTE songs, right? Those ruin that album for me. Otherwise "She Said She Said" may be my favorite Beatles rocker.
I find the album as a whole to be fluffy and somewhat underwhelming, though I agree She Said is a great song. It is perhaps their most overrated.
Oh, and I forgot the marvelous I'm Only Sleeping. Other than that though?
Just because Jazz99 will love me for saying so, but I think "Dr. Robert" invented apathy rock. And a little ditty called "Tomorrow Never Knows" still seems pretty unprecedented for a rock band at that time. And "Taxman" kicks ass, one of George's best moments.
haha. apathy rock? llol!