Hey cool list and great subject for debate. Looks like the top 20 just got posted too. I've done a once through and will comment in nauseating detail later, but let me begin by saying, TWO SONGS OFF OF PET SOUNDS IN THE TOP FIVE IS COMPLETELY FUCKED!!!
God Only Knows is the greatest song of the sixties?!?!? I'll say it again.....God Only Knows (oh never mind). I will allow (without rancour) that God Only Knows is the best song on Pet Sounds.
Something about these dudes at Pitchfork is really beginning to bug me.
Re DaCapo. I await my vindication. (And if you don't like it, keep listening until you do, or until you're tired of the record and don't feel like blogging on it).
Derek reminded me to post my top ten jazz. Comin' up.
Friday, August 18, 2006
As luck would have it, some tech savvy Love fans have seen fit to upload a copy of 'Da Capo' at Torrentbox so i'll soon be able to listen to it and figure out a) what the hell you're both going on about and b) which of you two is more full of shit.
Speaking of music from the 60s, what do you all think of Pitchfork's 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s ? Surely some teeth-gnashing and rending of garments will ensue...
Speaking of music from the 60s, what do you all think of Pitchfork's 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s ? Surely some teeth-gnashing and rending of garments will ensue...
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Stuart, you miserable bastard.....I would have thought a man of your, let's say, sensibilities would have appreciated the melodic, romantic, psychedelic-flamenco-flavoured genius of side one of Da Capo. Da Capo, Orange Skies, Stephanie Know Who, and especially She Comes in Colours would make up a greatest hits record for any other band. Side 2 I grant you is a failed experiment in 60's boundary-expanding album concept - a full side of fairly mindless jamming which likely seemed a cool idea at the time (again, those hallucinogens). Listen to Side 1 and get back to me.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Hate to interrupt my vacation but I can't just sit idly by while Arthur Lee is unfairly discounted.
Stuart - Good God man!
Conceiving and recording Forever Changes (sure, Bryan Maclean wrote two great songs on the record, but it is AL's project by and large) in and of itself is enough to justify a spot in the annals of recording history, it is that good (but I'll hold off on a full disertation), and truly unique....trivia question, name a band inspired by Love? (good luck.....). BUT, FC's predecessor, Da Capo, is a fantastic record. And Four Sail, the album immediately after FC (after Lee famously fired the entire band), is incredibly strong as well, if quite different. Taken as a three album set this puts Love right up there. Shame AL was burnt out at the age of 25, but hey, he was not alone in the sixties. And maybe psychedelic drugs weren't so fucking freeing after all.
Re Lemonheads, I've always been a big fan, but have considered them a bit of a guilty pleasure, given Evan's status as a rock hotty in the early nineties. I saw them live about seven or eight years ago and it was a very memorable show (except in one respect, who was with me, one or more of you guys?). Shame About Ray is a delightful record filled with great songs...time for me to re-listen, fave songs off the top of my head are Confetti, Ray, Rudderless, Hannah and Gabi, and Alison. Like Stu the Lou-Rawls-loving-Arthur-Lee-hating asshole, I also downloaded a bunch of songs from Baby I'm Bored and thought it was really solid, well worth investigating. Come on Feel the Lemonheads (the one after Ray) is also a pretty strong record.
OK, back to my suburban Ottawa holiday. Corona anyone?
Stuart - Good God man!
Conceiving and recording Forever Changes (sure, Bryan Maclean wrote two great songs on the record, but it is AL's project by and large) in and of itself is enough to justify a spot in the annals of recording history, it is that good (but I'll hold off on a full disertation), and truly unique....trivia question, name a band inspired by Love? (good luck.....). BUT, FC's predecessor, Da Capo, is a fantastic record. And Four Sail, the album immediately after FC (after Lee famously fired the entire band), is incredibly strong as well, if quite different. Taken as a three album set this puts Love right up there. Shame AL was burnt out at the age of 25, but hey, he was not alone in the sixties. And maybe psychedelic drugs weren't so fucking freeing after all.
Re Lemonheads, I've always been a big fan, but have considered them a bit of a guilty pleasure, given Evan's status as a rock hotty in the early nineties. I saw them live about seven or eight years ago and it was a very memorable show (except in one respect, who was with me, one or more of you guys?). Shame About Ray is a delightful record filled with great songs...time for me to re-listen, fave songs off the top of my head are Confetti, Ray, Rudderless, Hannah and Gabi, and Alison. Like Stu the Lou-Rawls-loving-Arthur-Lee-hating asshole, I also downloaded a bunch of songs from Baby I'm Bored and thought it was really solid, well worth investigating. Come on Feel the Lemonheads (the one after Ray) is also a pretty strong record.
OK, back to my suburban Ottawa holiday. Corona anyone?
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
I read about arthur lee and in contrast to lou rawls, here is a guy who certainly got his critical dues....While I do love forever changes, I have some other stuff which isnt nearly as good, and while not to rain on his parade ( or funeral march as it were) , I wonder that he didnt get almost too much acclaim.. ( i hear fists smaking Brians desk top) .......
quelle coincidence...I just bought lovey last week.....Marc introduced me to the lemonheads some years ago and its a shame about ray is an absolute stunner.....along with lowest of the lows shakespeare for straight ahead but wistfull rock/ pop/ roots. I also bought Evan Dandos solo record ..baby im bored...of a few years ago which is also terrific.....unfortunately I dont get anything like this out of lovey, but ive only played it twice so far.....is there anything else in the back catalogue worth pursuing.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Not quite sure what that last stream of conciousness post was so I'll just ignore it.
Being the rather anal fuck that I am I spent a fair bit of time today tidying up some space in order that the baby to be would have some space for its collection of stuff. Figure it's always easier for the guy than asking the woman to ditch the clothes she's collected over the last two decades.
Part of the fun of throwing away old junk is playing music to jibe with your nostalgic mood. When I put on the Lemonheads "It's A Shame About Ray" it was like I was hearing it for the first time. What a brilliant, if extremely truncated, record. Loved "My Drug Buddy", "Bit Part" and "Alison's Starting to Happen" especially. I think I'll have to go back and give "Lovey" another spin as perhaps I didn't give these guys the credit they deserved.
And in case you didn't hear Arthur "Love" Lee passed away last Thursday.
Being the rather anal fuck that I am I spent a fair bit of time today tidying up some space in order that the baby to be would have some space for its collection of stuff. Figure it's always easier for the guy than asking the woman to ditch the clothes she's collected over the last two decades.
Part of the fun of throwing away old junk is playing music to jibe with your nostalgic mood. When I put on the Lemonheads "It's A Shame About Ray" it was like I was hearing it for the first time. What a brilliant, if extremely truncated, record. Loved "My Drug Buddy", "Bit Part" and "Alison's Starting to Happen" especially. I think I'll have to go back and give "Lovey" another spin as perhaps I didn't give these guys the credit they deserved.
And in case you didn't hear Arthur "Love" Lee passed away last Thursday.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Since when did this site become e-bay? Was that Saab promo aimed at me by any chance?
As for the Pitchfork best of the 70s list that was one of my starting points in compiling the CDs. However given the relative obscurity of many of the choices it didn't really help all that much. And I don't know if you noticed Stuart but they've somehow managed to leave out picks #21-30. The list has been posted for over 2 years you would think somebody at Pitchfork might have noticed by now.
As for the Pitchfork best of the 70s list that was one of my starting points in compiling the CDs. However given the relative obscurity of many of the choices it didn't really help all that much. And I don't know if you noticed Stuart but they've somehow managed to leave out picks #21-30. The list has been posted for over 2 years you would think somebody at Pitchfork might have noticed by now.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Well we started this jazz compilation exercise 3 months back and still no end in sight. These are my penultimate 10 picks. I hope to post my last 10 choices before the start of the film festival. Are we going to vote on the top 25 at some point?
McCoy Tyner - Song for My Lady (1972)
Phil Woods - Rights of Swing (1960)
Archie Shepp & Mal Waldron - Left Alone Revisited (2002)
Bill Evans - Explorations (1961)
John Coltrane - Africa / Brass (1961)
Andrew Hill - Passing Ships (1969)
Charles Lloyd & Billy Higgins - Which Way is East (2004)
Clifford Brown & Max Roach - At Basin Street (1956)
Sonny Rollins - Tenor Madness (1956)
Thelonious Monk - Complete Columbia Solo Recordings (1962-68)
McCoy Tyner - Song for My Lady (1972)
Phil Woods - Rights of Swing (1960)
Archie Shepp & Mal Waldron - Left Alone Revisited (2002)
Bill Evans - Explorations (1961)
John Coltrane - Africa / Brass (1961)
Andrew Hill - Passing Ships (1969)
Charles Lloyd & Billy Higgins - Which Way is East (2004)
Clifford Brown & Max Roach - At Basin Street (1956)
Sonny Rollins - Tenor Madness (1956)
Thelonious Monk - Complete Columbia Solo Recordings (1962-68)
Actually Marc I too have some very mainstream faves from the 70s amongst others:
Joe Jackson - Look Sharp
Van Halen - Van Halen
Cheap Trick - Dream Police
Supertramp - Breakfast in America
Pink Floyd - The Wall
ABBA - Arrival, Voulez-Vous, The Album
Blondie - Parallel Lines
The Police - Regatta de Blanc
ELO - A New World Record
The Cars - The Cars, Candy O
Chic - C'est Chic, Risque
Queen - Jazz
Heatwave - Central Heating
Klaatu - Klaatu
As you can see it wasn't all angular riffs and power pop.
Joe Jackson - Look Sharp
Van Halen - Van Halen
Cheap Trick - Dream Police
Supertramp - Breakfast in America
Pink Floyd - The Wall
ABBA - Arrival, Voulez-Vous, The Album
Blondie - Parallel Lines
The Police - Regatta de Blanc
ELO - A New World Record
The Cars - The Cars, Candy O
Chic - C'est Chic, Risque
Queen - Jazz
Heatwave - Central Heating
Klaatu - Klaatu
As you can see it wasn't all angular riffs and power pop.
Me thinks my list might look very different from yours Derek!
…top 31 albums from the 70’s that are, or at one time where very significant to ME, in no particular order.
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On
The Eagles : Hotel California
Pink Floyd : Dark Side of the Moon
Boston : Boston
Peter Frampton : Frampton Comes Alive
Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here
Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks
Van Morrison: Moondance
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Born to Run
Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Fleetwood Mac: Rumors
Saturday Night Fever
The Clash: London Calling
Elvis Costello : this Years Model
Pink Floyd: The Wall
Blondie: Parallel Lines
Supertramp: Breakfast in America
The Cars: The Cars
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life
George Harrison: All Things Must Pass
Joe Jackson: Look Sharp
David Bowie: The Rise and Fall of Ziggie Stardust
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Cosmo’s Factory
Dire Straits: Dire Straits
Supertramp: Crime of the Century
Cheap Trick: At Budokan
Neil Young: Harvest
Ramones: Rocket to Russia
The Doors: Weird Scenes inside the Gold Mine
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Greetings From Asbury Park
Deep Purple: Machine Head
…pretty mainstream hunh!
…top 31 albums from the 70’s that are, or at one time where very significant to ME, in no particular order.
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On
The Eagles : Hotel California
Pink Floyd : Dark Side of the Moon
Boston : Boston
Peter Frampton : Frampton Comes Alive
Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here
Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks
Van Morrison: Moondance
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Born to Run
Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Fleetwood Mac: Rumors
Saturday Night Fever
The Clash: London Calling
Elvis Costello : this Years Model
Pink Floyd: The Wall
Blondie: Parallel Lines
Supertramp: Breakfast in America
The Cars: The Cars
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life
George Harrison: All Things Must Pass
Joe Jackson: Look Sharp
David Bowie: The Rise and Fall of Ziggie Stardust
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Cosmo’s Factory
Dire Straits: Dire Straits
Supertramp: Crime of the Century
Cheap Trick: At Budokan
Neil Young: Harvest
Ramones: Rocket to Russia
The Doors: Weird Scenes inside the Gold Mine
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band: Greetings From Asbury Park
Deep Purple: Machine Head
…pretty mainstream hunh!
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
I find the 70’s, as a decade, to be fascinating for it’s diversity. It is the decade in which (arguably) popular music grew in a way in which it never had before. It was the first decade in which a generation of baby boomers where growing up and the wave of the population segment started to take serious hold on the values of western culture. Until that point they had remained primarily counter cultural. It is true that in the 60’s, rock and roll lost it’s innocents in it’s experimentation with psychedelia et al. but in the 70’s it continued to explore new territories in the areas of glam rock, art rock, and produced some major conceptual works. It was a period in which country, folk, blues, r&b, soul and reggae continued to flourish. …say nothing for the roof being blowing off of music scene in the late 70’s.
It might be argued that it was in part an advance in technology, the FM radio, that helped to blow the pop music field wide open and give an audience to an ever increasingly diverse art form, or it might be argued that it was affluence and disposable income that allowed for a growingly diverse market.
No matter, it astounds me when I start to think about what the 70’s mean to me from a musical perspective. I must say that my list would include a lot of “classics” from the early 70’s. Looking back on the period and starting to hear some more obscure music from the era, I find it very interesting how the roots of music can be like a giant web. It draws snippets of influence from here and there and when you look at the cross pollination of genres you can unearth some really remarkable relationships.
I think that this cross pollination was stronger and moved faster in the 70’s than ever before and spawned the birth of punk, disco, new wave. It became increasingly easy for artists to be influence by other cultures or sub-cultures and music grew faster and more than it ever had before in a single decade. At the beginning of the 70’s the world became a smaller place.
I also find it interesting though, that when you look at the period of 1970 – 1980, admittedly quite arbitrary to define a period by a year that ends in 0 (agreed Mr Watson), it was culturally book-ended by the waning of the flour child and the birth of the “new music”, and that which happened in between was, although it produced some of rock’s greatest music, not as significant as what happened on either end of it.
…and yes Derek, I’d love a copy of your take on the 70’s
It might be argued that it was in part an advance in technology, the FM radio, that helped to blow the pop music field wide open and give an audience to an ever increasingly diverse art form, or it might be argued that it was affluence and disposable income that allowed for a growingly diverse market.
No matter, it astounds me when I start to think about what the 70’s mean to me from a musical perspective. I must say that my list would include a lot of “classics” from the early 70’s. Looking back on the period and starting to hear some more obscure music from the era, I find it very interesting how the roots of music can be like a giant web. It draws snippets of influence from here and there and when you look at the cross pollination of genres you can unearth some really remarkable relationships.
I think that this cross pollination was stronger and moved faster in the 70’s than ever before and spawned the birth of punk, disco, new wave. It became increasingly easy for artists to be influence by other cultures or sub-cultures and music grew faster and more than it ever had before in a single decade. At the beginning of the 70’s the world became a smaller place.
I also find it interesting though, that when you look at the period of 1970 – 1980, admittedly quite arbitrary to define a period by a year that ends in 0 (agreed Mr Watson), it was culturally book-ended by the waning of the flour child and the birth of the “new music”, and that which happened in between was, although it produced some of rock’s greatest music, not as significant as what happened on either end of it.
…and yes Derek, I’d love a copy of your take on the 70’s
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)