What are you listening to? October 2017

[axolotl]

Elbow ~ The Take Off and Landing of Everything (2014)



Alas, the music of Elbow will forever remind me of New Mexico. You see, I was driving through southern New Mexico from Alamogordo to Roswell one summer, having driven up from El Paso in the morning, and having visited my brother. As I entered the mountains, I slipped into the rental car's CD player my recently-purchased copy of Build a Rocket Boys!

That was how the memory started. The south-central New Mexico mountain range, known as the Sierra Blanca Mountains, formed the ideal backdrop for the album. With the desert far behind and beneath me, and glimpses of snow still hanging on to the north side of the higher mountains (that part might be imagined, but the temperature definitely dipped), the music of BaRB was uplifting and inspirational.

Let's face it: Guy Garvey can write a fine song. His lyrics are evocative. Some of Elbow's finer moments are sad ones.

TTOaLoE is much more of the same. High praise from me for "My Sad Captains" and the title song.

 

[axolotl]

Grandaddy ~ Excerpts from the Diary of Todd Zeile [EP] (2005)




Grandaddy ~ The Broken Down Comforter Collection [Compilation] (1999)

 

[Unsomnambulist]

To Destroy A City - Go Mirage (2017)

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Ramones - Rocket to Russia (1977)

Quite the day yesterday but back to the Ramones for a bit

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

Ramones - It's Alive (1979)

After spinning their fourth "Road to Ruin", gotta play their fast and furious first live album - 28 songs in less than 54 minutes. Was it the Chicken Vindaloo that game them so much energy? Barely time for Dee Dee to count off "One-two-three-four!" between each song.

 

[Ojai Sam]

The Monkees - Head (1968, Rhino Handmade Deluxe Edition 2010)

Who'd have expected an experimental film soundtrack from The Prefab Four? The slew of outtakes and rarities here proves beyond a doubt that the guys were comfortable in the studio. I may lose my credibility here, but if someone tied me in a chair and forced me to choose between the Velvet Underground and The Monkees for a day of uninterrupted listening, I'd go with the latter.

 

[Nickyboy]

I like the soundtrack, but always felt the film was try just a bit tooooo hard to be psychedelic/experimental/out there. "The Porpoise Song" segment is fantastic, however.

 

[Unsomnambulist]

Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass (2006)

 

[axolotl]

The Monkees - Head (1968, Rhino Handmade Deluxe Edition 2010)

Who'd have expected an experimental film soundtrack from The Prefab Four? The slew of outtakes and rarities here proves beyond a doubt that the guys were comfortable in the studio. I may lose my credibility here, but if someone tied me in a chair and forced me to choose between the Velvet Underground and The Monkees for a day of uninterrupted listening, I'd go with the latter.

If you were to have an all-day Monkees' listening session, I would attend. If you were to have a 1/2-day VU listening session, I would not so do.

So, think of the consequences of your actions and announcements, and act accordingly.

Alliteration added for no good reason.

 

[Nickyboy]

Axo always acts absolutely all alliterative, ala an ass. Alas.

 

[Zeeba Neighba]

If you were to have an all-day Monkees' listening session, I would attend. If you were to have a 1/2-day VU listening session, I would not so do.

So, think of the consequences of your actions and announcements, and act accordingly.

Alliteration added for no good reason.

I think you could have a complete VU listening session (live albums included) in about 7 hours...so it wouldn't be as bad as you thought....unless you've got some tracks on repeat

I'd go to both! (what can I bring?!) - I love the Monkees but have always enjoyed the VU as well (although I fully admit that if a the VU was played for a person with no frame of reference of their musical importance or critical acclaim, they very likely might be unimpressed)

 

[Unsomnambulist]

I think you could have a complete VU listening session (live albums included) in about 7 hours...so it wouldn't be as bad as you thought....unless you've got some tracks on repeat

I'd go to both! (what can I bring?!) - I love the Monkees but have always enjoyed the VU as well (although I fully admit that if a the VU was played for a person with no frame of reference of their musical importance or critical acclaim, they very likely might be unimpressed)

The VU albums (most of them) had shit sound quality. That diminished my enjoyment of them.

 

[Nickyboy]

they very likely might be unimpressed

I think "run, run, run, ruuuuuun, jiggajagga joo...say whatcha do!!" would convert anyone.

 

[Nickyboy]

"All Tomorrow's Parties" is still at the toward the top of my list.

 

[Ojai Sam]

The VU albums (most of them) had shit sound quality. That diminished my enjoyment of them.

The group was always on a major label, so one has to think that low fi was a conscious artistic decision at least as to the studio albums.

 

[Ojai Sam]

I think you could have a complete VU listening session (live albums included) in about 7 hours...so it wouldn't be as bad as you thought....unless you've got some tracks on repeat

I'd go to both! (what can I bring?!) - I love the Monkees but have always enjoyed the VU as well (although I fully admit that if a the VU was played for a person with no frame of reference of their musical importance or critical acclaim, they very likely might be unimpressed)

Sounds like I've hit on the theme for our first MG party.
As long as we keep VU to under 1/2 day, we're good.

 

[Nickyboy]

Brian Eno FINALLY teams up with Kevin Shields, from My Bloody Valentine. It's good. Very good.

RIckB and Axo will appreciate this. I think.

 

[Ojai Sam]

I like the soundtrack, but always felt the film was try just a bit tooooo hard to be psychedelic/experimental/out there.

Really? Whatever would make you say that, @Nickyboy ?

 

[Nickyboy]

I stand corrected, Sam!

 

[Nickyboy]

Speaking of which... well, sorta.... Did you ever see "Mike Nesmith's TV Parts"? It was on in the late 80s, I believe. Just a few episodes. But there was one with a Language Lab teaching someone how to speak Irish ("where are you going with those po-taaaatoes, Andrew?") and one with a Beauty Queen waving from the back of a Mustang. So, so funny.