The Syndicate

Ricochet wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2017 2:41 pm

thellama73 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 28, 2017 1:49 pm If it's not too late for submissions, I'd like to submit the 1970 acid folk masterpiece First Utterance by Comus, because every time I listen to it I literally cannot believe how good it is.
Full album on youtube:

There's this protocol called "sitting out after submitting something".

It's called "my work keeps unexpectedly sending me on trips that make it hard for me to post a lot."

If it's not too late for submissions, I'd like to submit the 1970 acid folk masterpiece First Utterance by Comus, because every time I listen to it I literally cannot believe how good it is.
Full album on youtube:

I should add that, while it would be inaccurate to call Steinman's work parody or pastiche, he certainly does have a sense of humor about his songs. Good Girls Go to Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere) is a Mae West quote. The Future Ain't What It Used to Be is a Yogi Bera quote. He is self-consciously over the top, but as he says "if you don't go over the top, you can't see what's on the other side."

I'll also add that I loved Rico's review.

Honestly, earlier Mountain Goats stuff is better, as it is rawer and has more of a sense of humor, but I like All Hail West Texas well enough.

Also, ALl Hail West Texas is a great album by a great band. I love the lo-fi approach. It makes me feel like anyone could write a song, even me.

Aw man, I missed talking about my own submission. Bummer. I'm amused to see that it was roundly hated though.

I'm back from traveling for a while, by the way.

I can't see who voted for what, though, which makes me rather sad.

I feel I should explain my selection. Pandora's Box is a project by songwriter/producer Jim Steinman, best known for writing all the song's on Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell, as well as Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart. In an homage to 60s girl groups like the Shangri-Las, he assembled four female vocalists to perform his original material. The album was basically a flop, but most of the tracks would later be performed to great success by other artists, the most notable being Celine Dion's smash hit It's All Coming Back to Me Now. Here are all the originally version, which I almost universally prefer to later versions. There's also a cover of a Doors song and a Burt Bacharach song, which is somewhat regrettable.

Overall though, it's a record of great vocal performances and great songs produced by the most over the top guy in rock and roll.

Interesting counterpoint from Quin.
2 stars from me.

I did not really care for Dead Meo Five. It was far too long, and mostly seemed like pretty uninspired techno to me. Nothing there that made me want to come back for more. Also, Metalmarsh is a wuss for not at least coming to discuss his own nomination.

insertnamehere wrote:Voted Option A.

I'm submitting an album that's more or less diametrically opposed to Bish Bosch: All Hail West Texas by The Mountain Goats.

That's a great album.

I voted for winners being able to submit albums the following week, because I have endless records I want to submit.

For this week, I'm going way back to a sort of guilty pleasure that I can guarantee no one else has heard.

My submission is: Pandora's Box - Original Sin available here.

The debate over what "is music" is largely academic. For me, any sound presented for the listener's enjoyment can qualify as music, but what we call it doesn't matter much. I like this kind of stuff, because I just love, and am fascinated by, sound. I love the sound of guitars, but I love the sound of non-musical elements in the environment just as much, and I enjoy listening to it placed in unusual contexts.

Well, in AP's defense, I really liked it. I am fascinated by field recordings and love ordinary sounds recontextualized. I listen to a lot of this kind of stuff, and I think this is a fine example of it. I particularly like when quasi-musical sounds of the world (like the arcade noises near the end) are folded in to more organic sounds.

4 out of five stars.

And to finish out my reviews for Rico, Arthur gets a 5, Chuck Berry gets a 3 and Crowded House gets 2.

I just started listening to this, but I love field recordings, so I am already impressed. I'll post a more thorough analysis when I finish.

To answer G-Man's question, I don't know, but it sounds to me like it's entirely field recordings edited together and layered.

MovingPictures07 wrote:I've been busy binging David Bowie's discography chronologically as I've been working my ass off the last couple of days, but I should be putting in a first listen of this sometime soon (probably tomorrow). Looking forward to it as well! I'm pleased that so many albums nominated so far have been ones I've never heard before.

Lodger is very underrated.

G-Man wrote:I understand what Llama said about it sounding very British. It reminds me of 1964/1965 Beatles at times, with the arrangements that is.

I read somewhere once an opinion that the reason the Kinks never broke big like the Beatles and Rolling Stones is that they were "too British" and I think there's some truth to that.

For anyone who is interested in more Kinks, Muswell Hillbillies is my favorite of theirs.

Quin, do you think your enjoyment of Australia was mitigated by the fact that you live in New Zealand?

Like most concept albums, I think Arthur gets bogged down a little by its theme. Tracks like Mr. Churchill Says and Yes Sir, No Sir feel a little forced. Drivin' and Australia go on a little longer than necessary. But the sequencing is great, the first and last tracks both being epically awesome. Due to the psychological phenomenon of the Primacy and Recency effects, this makes the album seem great in hindsight. I love the music hall of "She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina." I didn't fully appreciate Brainwashed until the live version on "Everybody's in Showbiz", but now it's one of my favorites. I generally find anti-war songs a bit tedious and preachy, but Some Mother's Son is genuinely affecting.

I also love the fact that in 1969, when other British bands were releasing Abbey Road, In the Court of the Crimson King, Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Odyssey and Oracle, and other forward looking psych-progessive classics, the Kinks stubbornly put out an album of old fashioned, thoroughly British music about World War II.

I'll save a more detailed commentary of Arthur for later, but I will begin by noting that the chorus of Victoria is one of the most joyous things in all of music.

The Kinks might be my favorite band ever, and this is one of their best albums. This is going to be a fun week. On a personal note, I bought this album on the same day I bought Talking Heads 77, and the guy at the record store complimented my taste, so that is a little special memory.

nutella wrote:I've also been mentally comparing them to REM. Similar sound and I enjoy them in sort of the same way.

Funny, I made that same comparison, not so much in sound, but in my feeling that I wouldn't turn them off if they were on, but wouldn't seek them out either.

Late to the party on this one, guys. Sorry about that. But I'm listening to Woodface now. I tend to agree with G-Man. It's pleasant music thta I enjoy, but wouldn't go out of my way to listen to. It reminds me a bit of the band Squeeze I'd give it 3 out of 5 stars so far.

MovingPictures07 wrote:

G-Man wrote:I'm enjoying the wide variety of responses to my pick. Maybe I'll have to throw some more oldies at you with future picks.

Speaking of oldies, I know what I said about Chuck Berry, but I absolutely need to nominate this.

If you go your life without hearing this, you'll never know what you're missing, and you'll be missing what I would say is literally the root of modern music as we know it. And it's absolutely splendid in every way. Those songs put such a huge smile on my face every time I listen unlike nearly anything else.

I prefer Jelly Roll Morton's "Red Hot Peppers" sessions.

G-Man wrote:I'm enjoying the wide variety of responses to my pick. Maybe I'll have to throw some more oldies at you with future picks.

Wait till you see my next pick. I predict divisiveness.

I'm currently writing a memorial tribute to Chuck Berry for work while listening to the album, so I feel the need to step in here and defend poor Chuck from all his detractors. Does his music sound slow, clichéd and quaint today? A little bit, but if you're interested in the roots of music (and I am), I think this is astounding stuff. Before Chuck Berry, nobody really recognized the potential of the electric guitar as an instrument distinct from the acoustic version. The benefit of amplification was to be heard over big bands. Chuck developed a vocabulary for the instrument that remains largely in use today.

To understand how far ahead of his contemporaries, you need only listen to the Million Dollar Quartet sessions, where Elvis, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis marvel at Chuck's talent before stumbling through Brown Eyed Handsome Man with obvious difficulty. When you manage to impress Elvis, you manage to impress me.

As far as the music itsself is concerned, I think Johnny B Goode, Roll Over Beethoven, Maybelline, an Little Queenie still sound exciting and fun.

I'm grateful for this submission. ALong with early Buddy Holly, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash, we can really get a sense for where all the rock music of the last 60 years has come from. I love it!

Epignosis wrote:APP > everything else JT ever did except MitG, their magnum opus.

Fully agree, although I also have a deep fondness for Heavy Horses.

I voted!

MovingPictures07 wrote:I'll be listening to this soon. I got caught in an Autechre marathon that I can't seem to stop.

Looking forward to this though, sounds intriguing.

I'm actually surprised you haven't heard it before. I think you will enjoy it.

Crazy World is a five for me, despite its shortcomings on Side 2.

two stars for Bisch Bosch, if you please.

A few words about The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.

First, if you're listening to the Youtube link, start at 18:59, because unlike every other album ver, the deluxe edition put bonus tracks at the beginning instead of the end, for some reason.

Second, this is a very flawed album, but these flaws do not diminish my love for it. Side Two abandons the vague concept and drifts off into some pretty strange choices (although I think the cover of I Put a Spell on You is superior in every way to the original). What I love about the record is it's incredible energy, creativity, and inspiration. Arthur Brown's wild stage performances with cray costumes inspired Alice Cooper and a generation of shock rockers. The man has an amazing voice, and Vincent Crane's Hammond organ is mad genius. Also, it's worth noting that there are no guitars on the record, which is rare for rock albums.

It's just so insane that it never fails to put a smile on my face. I hope you all enjoy it.

Epignosis wrote:Ten seconds in and I already hate it.

It's your openmindedness I love.

Finally got around to listening this record, and I have to admit, I'm rather disappointed. I had high expectations because I like experiemntal music and I have heard such good things about Walker, but this just didn't do it for me. There were plenty of interesting parts, but it was far too long and I found it quite samey after a while, with the vocal performances being similar on every track apart from Pilgrims. I hate to be the sole dissenter in a thread that seems to love this album, but I can't imagine wanting to listen to this again. I got quite bored less than halfway through.

I'm excited about this one, because I've seen Scott Walker sitting on the record shelves and heard him being talked about reverentially for years, but I've never actually listened to him before. I expect to like this.

RIco, I'll play along.

World Music - 4 stars
Fishmans - 3 stars
Beneath the Brine - 2 stars

That is the Om we were talking about, although I would not call them psychedelic. I would classify them as drone metal with some middle eastern flourishes (particularly in more recent albums). Stoner metal is a somewhat apt description too.

Okay, maybe I will then! That is assuming people like The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, because if they don't I'm going to rage quit this thread.

triceratopzeuhl wrote:haven't had much time to write words about music lately but this is my favourite album we've listened to so far

it actually kind of reminds me of OM of all things

Yes, and I was considering nominating an Om album next, but I feel like too many people here have already heard them.

I'm surprised it didn't grab MP. While certainly containing familiar elements, I wouldn't call the album derivative at all. I thought it did a nice job of combing elements I'd heard before into something new. I need to listen to it again, though. Maybe I'll hate it this time.

Wow. I absolutely loved that. I loved the modal melodies, the raga-like rhythms, the use of guitar feedback, the droning organs, and mostly I loved how much fun the band seemed to be having playing together. Great find. I may pick up their albums.

I wish they were touring. I bet it would be an amazing live show.

Cool cover art. I'll listen today.

G-Man wrote:I think I may end up being in the minority on this one unless this album grows on me something fierce over the next few days.

The minority's not such a bad place to be. Especially when the majority is wrong.

Yes, a live album CAN trump a studio version when the performance is especially inspired. In most cases, though, what seems like an exciting performance to a live audience ends up being too fast, too sloppy, or just not that interesting to someone listening at home in their living room. One must be careful not to conufse the adrenaline of a throng of fans all gathered in the same place at the same time with a great musical performance.

Finished listening to it!

Overall, I quite liked it. My favorites were Track 6, discussed above, Track 7, with a piano part that makes my think of Henry Mancini scoring a 1960s comedy set in Italy, Track 11, which has everything I like about funk in it with none of the stuff I hate, and the epic performance of the entire Long Season album. The counterpoint between the violin and guitar near the end is brilliant.

Things I didn't like: while I appreciate a good space out as much as the next guy, I did find myself getting bored during some of the more groove-based tracks. And I apologize for how this sounds, but I have never been much of a fan of Japanese vocalists. They tend to sound weak, frail, and hesitant, in my opinion. It's one of the main things that prevents me from enjoying Can as much as I think I should. I would have preferred a vocalist with a little more power and confidence in his performance.

Very cool band. Thanks for the recommendation, MP!

Wow, Track 6 is really beautiful. The simplicity of the organ line, the classic chord progression, the tender, tentative vocals and synthesizer solo, the wandering, yearning bass, the reggae-like guitar on the upbeat. It all works brilliantly. Easily my favorite thing I've heard so far on this.

Add me to the list of people who generally hate live albums. I think the reason is that in rock, as opposed to jazz, most of the time a live album is nothing more than a sloppier, noisier, retreading of studio tracks rather than an opportunity to do something really different and interesting. There are certainly exceptions though.

My first impression is that there is a lot to enjoy about this album. Like SVS, I am only two tracks in. There is definitely a debt to [psychedelia, and dare I say, surf music. The tone of the lead guitar is really nice. I also appreciate the minimalist aspect of the repeated chord progressions, which is effective at inducing a dreamlike state.

But at some point I plan to nominate an album of horrible noise, so knock yourself out.

I own the soundtrack to Lost even though I didn't watch the show. It was from my film scoring days when I was studying Michael Giacchino's work. Then I realized I don't really like film music much. x(