what's the most critically acclaimed band...

user_60 · Post by **user_60** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 5:59 pm

Lakespeed wrote:one would be Elvis Costello - I don't hate his stuff, but I never really want to listen to it. I picked up "My Aim Is True" again when it was reissued for the 100th time 2 years ago, and: eh. I don't think the Attractions are all that special,

The Attractions aren't on My Aim is True though.

Drinky · Post by **Drinky** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 6:12 pm

Some of mine have been mentioned already, but I'll write a little about 'em.

Nick Drake - I only own Five Leaves Left, but I get nothing out of it at all. I really don't care too much for his sad, lush folk. I don't think his lyrics are anything special or are particularly moving, and I guess I don't sympathize with depressed English gentlemen. Is the other stuff worth checking out for me? Much chance I'd like Pink Moon better?

Big Star - I haven't heard what many people consider their best (Third), but their first two seem utterly unremarkable.

80s bands: The Cure, The Smiths, New Order/ JD, The Replacements, XTC, probably some others - I should probably chalk this up to a generational thing. If I were 5-10 years older (or younger, maybe?), it might be easier for me to get into these bands. I mean there are plenty of 90s bands that I love that wouldn't be all that necessary for people familiar with more of the music that came before - and after - it, but it's the stuff I grew up with. Radiohead was a godsend for me when I had practically no knowledge of independent music or even much music history outside of classic rock. I honestly couldn't expect many people to care about The Bends if they heard it for the first time today.

Proto-punk: The Stooges, MC5, probably The New York Dolls - It's not the "dirtiness" so much as the primitiveness - and dumbness - that turns me off to this stuff. But then, I don't really like most of the major punk bands that followed - Sex Pistols, Ramones, Buzzcocks, etc. - either. Attitude only gets you so far.

On stuff people listed that I disagree with:

Beefheart - Listen to Clear Spot if you heven't. It's much more easily digestible while also showing an impressive array of what the Magic Band was capable of.

VU albums not sounding different - Well for starters, the first 3 feature very noticeable personel changes. No Nico on WL/WH and then no Cale on VU. And the Loaded is almost a classic rock album. I love this band, though, so maybe I'm not qualified to make this arguement.

user_20 · Post by **user_20** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 6:36 pm

Drinky Crow wrote: Proto-punk: The Stooges, MC5, probably The New York Dolls - It's not the "dirtiness" so much as the primitiveness - and dumbness - that turns me off to this stuff. But then, I don't really like most of the major punk bands that followed - Sex Pistols, Ramones, Buzzcocks, etc. - either. Attitude only gets you so far.

I agree with all of this except the Buzzcocks, who I don't think quite fit in with the others listed. I think they were more about writing catchy pop-punk sungs than attitude. Of course, I prefer Magazine, who I find to be a lot more 3-dimensional. Strangely, I have never heard a Ramones album...

Drinky · Post by **Drinky** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 6:48 pm

Magazine wrote: I agree with all of this except the Buzzcocks, who I don't think quite fit in with the others listed. I think they were more about writing catchy pop-punk sungs than attitude. Of course, I prefer Magazine, who I find to be a lot more 3-dimensional. Strangely, I have never heard a Ramones album...

Well, uh... actually... I'm not sure what Buzzcocks I've heard. I just sorta irresponsibly lumped them in there. As for the Ramones, I can't say that I've listened to any of their proper albums (just best-ofs, I think), but I decided at some point that I couldn't take more than 3 of their songs in a row - and even then only when drunk.

I have yet to really check out Magazine, but I think I like a lot of similarly-minded groups.

Also I meant to add that The Stooges were probably a conceptually perfect band. I just don't particularly like the concept.

joe · Post by **joe** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 7:23 pm

oh yeah elvis costello too

raewon's first solo album is one of the best hip hop albums ever

his other stuff is meh

user_60 · Post by **user_60** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 8:10 pm

Drinky Crow and I are now sworn enemies.

faster · Post by **faster** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 10:53 pm

Psychedelic rock (except for a few things that have turned me on randomly)

Tortoise

David S. Ware / Matt Shipp

Frank Gratkowski

John Zorn (this list will get me in trouble)

Schoenberg (but I like Webern and Berg)

Loren Conors

Oval (I really though I'd like them, too)

Brian Eno

Dead C (coulda sworn I'd like them)

Boards of Canada

Godspeed! You Black Emperor

jon abbey · Post by **jon abbey** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 11:18 pm

I really liked Godspeed at the start, they're a one trick pony, but their live show really fit the mood of late '99, pre-millennial tension and all. I'm with you on Tortoise, and I'll add Gräwe to your Gratkowski. and the Dead C. were fucking amazing live, around the time of Repent. sometimes records just don't do justice to artists, in eai this is true for poire_z, who were an incredible live band, but it just didn't translate fully to record (probably true for Voice Crack in general).

I don't think I've ever heard Magazine, I'm not even sure who they are without looking them up.

faster · Post by **faster** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 11:27 pm

Well that's a good point. Dead C I've only heard on disc, but I've heard Tortoise, Frank Gratkowski, Loren Conors, and Godspeed! You Black Emperor in person. I'll also add Jackie O Motherfucker, who are fellow Portlanders, although I heard them play one good set (which featured my friends Jean-Paul Jenkins on guitar and Bryan Eubanks on drums). They always seemed to want to get outside a little...no...more like they wanted to want to get outside a little.

Furthermore, in case anybody reading this is getting the wrong impression, I've got no problem with these musicians; in fact, I'm a firm believer in moment-by-moment subjectivity, so depending on the status of my nervous system I might love and hate something from one moment to the next. Is this resonance or affinity?

A great example is Phil Minton: I've heard him a ton of times and never got anything from it, but then one day, listening to something I'd heard dozens of times before, I got the green light. These things aren't permanent. I still don't listen to him.

On the other hand, I've experienced Smegma many times in person, and sometimes they do it for me, sometimes they don't. Since they just do what they do, I'm perfectly happy to assume that the difference is in me.

tomentosa · Post by **tomentosa** » Fri Feb 27, 2004 11:39 pm

pet sounds
listened to it a good bit, i like it but as far as all the ravings i have yet to get that into it.
i keep throwing it on now and again to test the waters and enjoy it but doesnt really evoke much response in the end

Drinky · Post by **Drinky** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 1:45 am

Brother Zoot wrote:Drinky Crow and I are now sworn enemies.

Aw. I thought I'd have to express opinions more adamantly to make enemies.

Maybe we like the same snack foods or colors of socks or something.

I'm still open to being sold on a lot of those bands, but - as Jon said - a lack of time or interest has kept me from that so far.

Post by **grisha** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 2:21 am

but then one day, listening to something I'd heard dozens of times before, I got the green light. These things aren't permanent.

that's why i'm afraid to post here. there's always a chance i'll become beach boys/stones/beatles/joni mitchel fan some day, even today or tomorrow. like i had with vocals.

i like grawe and gratkowski though very much. nick drake is one of my favourites too. and i like many other bands mentioned.

i don't like vandermark. i don't think he's bad, but i don't like his playing at all. that probably has something to do with the fact that the first time i heard him was on some album w/gustafsson. only territory band does something to me.
shipp - some older stuff, maybe. not now. i saw some show on tv with dj spooky (i think) - a mess, nothing more, to me at least.
i like some zorn's stuff. like vandermark, he's often good with sidemen.
i don't like david bowie. i used to be a fan.
and there must be tons of stuff i just never cared about enough to listen. nothing new i've seen on tv last and this year has touched me even that much.

p.s: i find others not liking stuff i listen to much more often than the other way around. sometimes it's frustrating, but i'm sure it's good. it's really hard to piss me off, though.
if i didn't like sachiko m, i'm sure i would elicit a great pleasure from posting it here. unfortunately, i do.

user_20 · Post by **user_20** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:32 am

Yeah those who haven't heard Magazine should look into them. Check out 'Real Life' if you want to hear the first and best post-punk album, and 'The Correct Use of Soap' for a perfect new wave-synth-funk album. Then you can say you don't connect with it if you don't. Experience has shown that 'Secondhand Daylight' is the hardest for newcomers to get into...that wasn't my first, but I'm sure I would have eaten it right up.

edit: By the way, the two things I hear most when people say they don't like the band are:

1) synthesizer overuse (makes no sense to me)
2) don't like vocals

Post by **grisha** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:37 am

secondhand daylight was my first, but it's really harder to get into. real life is brilliant. that was in my post-punk period some three years ago. i still like it, but don't listen very often.

user_20 · Post by **user_20** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 6:51 am

cunnilingus wrote:secondhand daylight was my first, but it's really harder to get into. real life is brilliant. that was in my post-punk period some three years ago. i still like it, but don't listen very often.

Have you heard 'The Correct Use of Soap'? I think it's a timeless album, which is why I prefer it to 'Real Life'.

user_53 · Post by **user_53** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 8:31 am

Brother Zoot wrote:
Lakespeed wrote:one would be Elvis Costello - I don't hate his stuff, but I never really want to listen to it. I picked up "My Aim Is True" again when it was reissued for the 100th time 2 years ago, and: eh. I don't think the Attractions are all that special,
The Attractions aren't on My Aim is True though.

Generally speaking. Commentary on My Aim Is True ended at "eh".

jon abbey · Post by **jon abbey** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 9:56 am

cunnilingus wrote:if i didn't like sachiko m, i'm sure i would elicit a great pleasure from posting it here. unfortunately, i do.

what an odd comment.

Jaap Blonk is one scary looking dude.

Post by **grisha** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 10:27 am

jon abbey wrote:
cunnilingus wrote:if i didn't like sachiko m, i'm sure i would elicit a great pleasure from posting it here. unfortunately, i do.
what an odd comment.

hm, yeah.

Jaap Blonk is one scary looking dude.

check out his site for some cute ones

edit: i downloaded the correct use of soap just now. i'm halfway through. good on the first listen. it should grow on me more later.

jon abbey · Post by **jon abbey** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 4:28 pm

stemming from the other thread, Nirvana never did anything for me. I had a back-and-forth argument with my friend at the time, saying that Portishead's Dummy would end up being more influential (which seemed impossible to most people at the time, keep in mind that it took a while for Portishead/Tricky/Massive Attack to become ubiquitous in the US, and this was before Dummy was even released over here). I'm probably still not right, but I'm a lot closer than it looked at the time, I think, not that it actually led to much of interest as I had hoped it might.

and the Smashing Pumpkins too, maybe if I was 15 years younger I would have liked both of these bands, dunno.

user_59 · Post by **user_59** » Sat Feb 28, 2004 10:07 pm

"The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason." -John Cage