What are you listening to right now?

[JGJR]

I was just listening to The Idiot to see if I still hate it. I do. There are like 2 songs I can tolerate. The rest is just sub-Bowie bullshit. I guess if you are a big Bowie fan, it’s fun to hear Iggy remade in his image, but as an Iggy fan, hard fucking pass.

Hard pass on this contrarian review. If you don't like it fine, but it's possible to be a fan of both Berlin-era Bowie (Low in particular is an all-time for me) and Iggy at the same time. I love that album, but part of it is admittedly tied to when I first heard it and it's personal, etc. Still, how the fuck can you not like that record?

Oh, Elvis Costello - My Aim is True (UK version)

[version sound]

Hard pass on this contrarian review. If you don't like it fine, but it's possible to be a fan of both Berlin-era Bowie (Low in particular is an all-time for me) and Iggy at the same time. I love that album, but part of it is admittedly tied to when I first heard it and it's personal, etc. Still, how the fuck can you not like that record?

Those Berlin records are really just Bowie records with Iggy singing in his shitty post-Stooges crooner voice. I’m not really a Bowie fan. Never have been. The best things he ever released were the instrumentals on Low, which are more Eno than Bowie. How can I hate it? I fucking hate that white funk horseshit that characterizes a lot of Bowie’s stuff, and by extension, Iggy’s stuff, in that era. Maybe I’m not an Iggy fan after all. Other than Kill City and the somewhat tolerable Lust for Life and New Values, Iggy solo pretty much sucks. If he had never recorded another note beyond Kill City, I would have been just fine with that.

[JGJR]

Hard pass on this contrarian review. If you don't like it fine, but it's possible to be a fan of both Berlin-era Bowie (Low in particular is an all-time for me) and Iggy at the same time. I love that album, but part of it is admittedly tied to when I first heard it and it's personal, etc. Still, how the fuck can you not like that record?

Those Berlin records are really just Bowie records with Iggy singing in his shitty post-Stooges crooner voice. I’m not really a Bowie fan. Never have been. The best things he ever released were the instrumentals on Low, which are more Eno than Bowie. How can I hate it? I fucking hate that white funk horseshit that characterizes a lot of Bowie’s stuff, and by extension, Iggy’s stuff, in that era. Maybe I’m not an Iggy fan after all. Other than Kill City and the somewhat tolerable Lust for Life and New Values, Iggy solo pretty much sucks. If he had never recorded another note beyond Kill City, I would have been just fine with that.

Side 2 of Low is my favorite stuff by him, too, but if that's ALL you like by Bowie, I totally understand why at least The Idiot isn't your cup of java. I think you underrate Lust for Life and especially New Values heavily because neither are anything like that despite Bowie's involvement in the former.

I like the glam era and whatnot, but the white funk horseshit (if you mean Young Americans, which I love and which I think is really underrated) is where Bowie starts to get REALLY interesting IMO. All of that Berlin-era stuff is part of the foundation for so much great music of the '80s (and so much not-so-great music, too, admittedly) that I know you're also a fan of.

[JGJR]

The Doors - S/T

Great record. I don’t care what anyone says to the contrary.

Does anyone disagree with this? Fuckin' awesome band/record.

IME, people are always itching to shit on The Doors.

Love the debut lots, but my favorite these days is definitely L.A. Woman; been that way for a while. I went through a period a few months back where I tracked down (thanks to patient_ot) some audiophile CD versions, etc.

And people who shit on the Doors are just ignorant, by and large.

[xxxHunterxxx]

Hard pass on this contrarian review. If you don't like it fine, but it's possible to be a fan of both Berlin-era Bowie (Low in particular is an all-time for me) and Iggy at the same time. I love that album, but part of it is admittedly tied to when I first heard it and it's personal, etc. Still, how the fuck can you not like that record?

Those Berlin records are really just Bowie records with Iggy singing in his shitty post-Stooges crooner voice. I’m not really a Bowie fan. Never have been. The best things he ever released were the instrumentals on Low, which are more Eno than Bowie. How can I hate it? I fucking hate that white funk horseshit that characterizes a lot of Bowie’s stuff, and by extension, Iggy’s stuff, in that era. Maybe I’m not an Iggy fan after all. Other than Kill City and the somewhat tolerable Lust for Life and New Values, Iggy solo pretty much sucks. If he had never recorded another note beyond Kill City, I would have been just fine with that.

Side 2 of Low is my favorite stuff by him, too, but if that's ALL you like by Bowie, I totally understand why at least The Idiot isn't your cup of java. I think you underrate Lust for Life and especially New Values heavily because neither are anything like that despite Bowie's involvement in the former.

I like the glam era and whatnot, but the white funk horseshit (if you mean Young Americans, which I love and which I think is really underrated) is where Bowie starts to get REALLY interesting IMO. All of that Berlin-era stuff is part of the foundation for so much great music of the '80s (and so much not-so-great music, too, admittedly) that I know you're also a fan of.

You’re a huge Bowie fan and your favorite stuff is side 2 of Low? I don’t get that. I like Low a lot but, as VS said, by many accounts, that was more Eno than Bowie and it’s basically just aping Kraftwerk, Harmonia, etc. It’s nice, pleasant stuff but, for my money, Bowie made a lot of much better, more original music.

[version sound]

I don’t deny Bowie’s ability to make interesting music or his influence on those who followed, but most of his stuff just doesn’t click with me. I’ve listened to all his 70s and early 80s records a few times, and I’m mostly just not feeling it. I don’t dislike it particularly, I just can’t really see what so many people love about it in any more than an academic capacity. Plus, wasn’t he all about fascism in the ‘70s?

Iggy seemed to spend most of his solo career trying to distance himself from The Stooges and his image/history of being a beautiful loser who made great music that didn’t sell. He seemed to be willing to try just about anything to make some cash. I don’t blame him a bit, but I don’t think that it resulted in particularly good music most of the time. There are parts of The Idiot and Soldier that I actively dislike, but most of his solo stuff is…fine, but I don’t bother to (re)listen to most of it because I could listen to The Stooges instead. Same goes for Lou Reed after the VU, more or less.

[version sound]

Dif Juz - Out of the Trees

On some days, Dif Juz is my favorite 4AD band.

[version sound]

Dif Juz - Extractions

Man these dudes really deserve more credit. Robin Guthrie more or less high jacked the legendary CT sound from them.

[JGJR]

You’re a huge Bowie fan and your favorite stuff is side 2 of Low? I don’t get that. I like Low a lot but, as VS said, by many accounts, that was more Eno than Bowie and it’s basically just aping Kraftwerk, Harmonia, etc. It’s nice, pleasant stuff but, for my money, Bowie made a lot of much better, more original music.

I'd say I've only come to that conclusion in the last 5-10 years. Before that, I would've said I preferred side 1. It's not coincidental that my interest in those German bands and others has grown considerably since then. FWIW, if you look at other tracks in the Berlin trilogy, Heroes has several explicit tributes to Neu's "Hero" and Kraftwerk's Florian Schneider. All that said, I still think side 2 of Low is different from anything by those artists/groups while clearly inspired by them (and I've read accounts saying that it was pretty much in the can when Eno showed up, but I'm not sure how accurate that is). It has a healing/meditative/calming quality that's also very intense and that I have trouble accurately articulating. Sometimes, writing about music really is like dancing about architecture. I listened to side a lot after he passed away in 2016 and just played it the other day.

What are you favorites?

[xxxHunterxxx]

You’re a huge Bowie fan and your favorite stuff is side 2 of Low? I don’t get that. I like Low a lot but, as VS said, by many accounts, that was more Eno than Bowie and it’s basically just aping Kraftwerk, Harmonia, etc. It’s nice, pleasant stuff but, for my money, Bowie made a lot of much better, more original music.

I'd say I've only come to that conclusion in the last 5-10 years. Before that, I would've said I preferred side 1. It's not coincidental that my interest in those German bands and others has grown considerably since then. FWIW, if you look at other tracks in the Berlin trilogy, Heroes has several explicit tributes to Neu's "Hero" and Kraftwerk's Florian Schneider. All that said, I still think side 2 of Low is different from anything by those artists/groups while clearly inspired by them (and I've read accounts saying that it was pretty much in the can when Eno showed up, but I'm not sure how accurate that is). It has a healing/meditative/calming quality that's also very intense and that I have trouble accurately articulating. Sometimes, writing about music really is like dancing about architecture. I listened to side a lot after he passed away in 2016 and just played it the other day.

What are you favorites?

I like Side 1 of Low a lot, and I dig Lodger but my fave is Ziggy — the songs are great and the playing is next-level.

[version sound]

Bad Brains - Black Dots

I don’t know if this one is going to be part of the reissue program, but I found a used copy (on CD) for $10, and that’ll do, pig.

[drew]

Bad Brains - Black Dots

I don’t know if this one is going to be part of the reissue program, but I found a used copy (on CD) for $10, and that’ll do, pig.

They did a semi-recent-white-vinyl reissue but I think BB are determined to put all of their recorded output on the new label.

[drew]

Naked Raygun- Over The Overlords

Just arrived yesterday and I’ve listened twice. Def has jumped to the top of my best-of-year-list.

[Gary]

Billy No Mates- duck,duck,goose lp

[xxxMidgexxx]

Frisky Radio. Vocal free dark and ambient haus muzik.

[earthdog70]

Motorhead-Rock N Roll (Expanded Edition)-2XCD

[JGJR]

You’re a huge Bowie fan and your favorite stuff is side 2 of Low? I don’t get that. I like Low a lot but, as VS said, by many accounts, that was more Eno than Bowie and it’s basically just aping Kraftwerk, Harmonia, etc. It’s nice, pleasant stuff but, for my money, Bowie made a lot of much better, more original music.

I'd say I've only come to that conclusion in the last 5-10 years. Before that, I would've said I preferred side 1. It's not coincidental that my interest in those German bands and others has grown considerably since then. FWIW, if you look at other tracks in the Berlin trilogy, Heroes has several explicit tributes to Neu's "Hero" and Kraftwerk's Florian Schneider. All that said, I still think side 2 of Low is different from anything by those artists/groups while clearly inspired by them (and I've read accounts saying that it was pretty much in the can when Eno showed up, but I'm not sure how accurate that is). It has a healing/meditative/calming quality that's also very intense and that I have trouble accurately articulating. Sometimes, writing about music really is like dancing about architecture. I listened to side a lot after he passed away in 2016 and just played it the other day.

What are you favorites?

I like Side 1 of Low a lot, and I dig Lodger but my fave is Ziggy — the songs are great and the playing is next-level.

I'll start another thread because this is a topic that deserves it IMO, but Ziggy is in my personal Bowie top 5 as well. Lodger has grown a lot on me over the years, too. It's great, but I don't listen to it that often.

One Last Wish - 1986

[scannest]

"Back to Queens", by THE MOB.

[the mean]

Starting through the Big Country catalog today.

[xxxHunterxxx]

"Back to Queens", by THE MOB.

Yes!

[xxxHunterxxx]

The Paranoid Style. All day. Three days in a row.

[scannest]

The Paranoid Style. All day. Three days in a row.

She is a great lyricist, but something about the tunes and the playing just don't do it for me. I'll give them another try.

[xxxHunterxxx]

The Paranoid Style. All day. Three days in a row.

She is a great lyricist, but something about the tunes and the playing just don't do it for me. I'll give them another try.

My fave is the Rolling Disclosure LP — reminds me of full-band but pre-Wilco era Billy Bragg. I hadn’t heard the band until a couple days ago.

[JGJR]

The Paranoid Style. All day. Three days in a row.

She is a great lyricist, but something about the tunes and the playing just don't do it for me. I'll give them another try.

My fave is the Rolling Disclosure LP — reminds me of full-band but pre-Wilco era Billy Bragg. I hadn’t heard the band until a couple days ago.

One of my favorite modern bands for sure; Rock and Roll Can't Recall EP is fantastic, too, as is all of their stuff, but I think RD is m favorite, too.

Fugazi - s/t debut

[version sound]

Empire - Volume II: Expansive Sound

This shit is pretty good. I think most of you might actually like it as much or better than Expensive Sound. It’s a whole lot less the band that inspired Embrace and closer to something like early Elvis Costello with more of a rock edge. It’s still available for $11.99 from Bob’s website (while it’s super overpriced everywhere else). It’s also on streaming platforms, so you can check it out before you buy, but if you liked Expensive Sound, it’s well worth paying up for.

EDIT: I remembered what the newer stuff on this reminds me of: Ted Leo.

[matt]

Neurosis - "Through Silver in Blood"

[scannest]

It’s also on streaming platforms, so you can check it out before you buy, but if you liked Expensive Sound, it’s well worth paying up for.

Thanks for the heads up!
BTW, you ever look up a band with a fairly generic name (like EMPIRE) on a streaming service and find all these other shitty bands with the same name? Sometimes I listen to them for shits & giggles. I'm listening to THE RAVEN RIDE by another Empire right now. I could see Midge really digging it.

(...cough...)

[version sound]

It’s also on streaming platforms, so you can check it out before you buy, but if you liked Expensive Sound, it’s well worth paying up for.

Thanks for the heads up!
BTW, you ever look up a band with a fairly generic name (like EMPIRE) on a streaming service and find all these other shitty bands with the same name? Sometimes I listen to them for shits & giggles. I'm listening to THE RAVEN RIDE by another Empire right now. I could see Midge really digging it.

(...cough...)

Oh yeah, it can be pretty annoying. Sometimes they put the band you’re looking for and some other shitty band under the same entry. It’s always fun to have to figure out what’s what, though it’s usually painfully obvious in the first 5 seconds.

BTW, here’s the link: https://derwoodandrews.com/merchandise#!

[version sound]

John Coltrane - Live in Seattle (2 CD Set)

I’ve been in a Coltrane mood a lot lately. I pretty much plan to buy a used Coltrane CD every time I go to the record store for the foreseeable future. This week, it was this one. I was torn between this and the 2 CD version of Both Directions at Once, but the copy of that one that they had had some light staining on the cover. Plus, there’s a three-disc set that has everything from that set and more for about $8 more, so I’ll probably grab that one. Anyway, this here live set straddles the line between Coltrane’s more structured work and the more free jazzy stuff. The cat was not digging the more free portions. I guess she’s more of a formalist.

[JGJR]

Empire - Volume II: Expansive Sound

This shit is pretty good. I think most of you might actually like it as much or better than Expensive Sound. It’s a whole lot less the band that inspired Embrace and closer to something like early Elvis Costello with more of a rock edge. It’s still available for $11.99 from Bob’s website (while it’s super overpriced everywhere else). It’s also on streaming platforms, so you can check it out before you buy, but if you liked Expensive Sound, it’s well worth paying up for.

EDIT: I remembered what the newer stuff on this reminds me of: Ted Leo.

Much appreciate that tip; is that vinyl reissue of Expensive Sound worth buying? Had the 2000s CD, but no longer.

[JGJR]

John Coltrane - Live in Seattle (2 CD Set)

I’ve been in a Coltrane mood a lot lately. I pretty much plan to buy a used Coltrane CD every time I go to the record store for the foreseeable future. This week, it was this one. I was torn between this and the 2 CD version of Both Directions at Once, but the copy of that one that they had had some light staining on the cover. Plus, there’s a three-disc set that has everything from that set and more for about $8 more, so I’ll probably grab that one. Anyway, this here live set straddles the line between Coltrane’s more structured work and the more free jazzy stuff. The cat was not digging the more free portions. I guess she’s more of a formalist.

Such a great set; got the vinyl.

[version sound]

Much appreciate that tip; is that vinyl reissue of Expensive Sound worth buying? Had the 2000s CD, but no longer.

It was apparently mastered from a needle-drop (as was the CD) but was reportedly done well. It’s probably the cheapest option at this point. Originals aren’t too expensive in Europe, but the shipping will kill you.

[JGJR]

Much appreciate that tip; is that vinyl reissue of Expensive Sound worth buying? Had the 2000s CD, but no longer.

It was apparently mastered from a needle-drop (as was the CD) but was reportedly done well. It’s probably the cheapest option at this point. Originals aren’t too expensive in Europe, but the shipping will kill you.

All good to know; thanks again! I did check the reviews on Discogs and coudn't find much there re: the the Drastic Plastic reissue.

Oh, Joe Jackson - Jumpin' Jive

[scannest]

Empire - Volume II: Expansive Sound

This shit is pretty good. I think most of you might actually like it as much or better than Expensive Sound. It’s a whole lot less the band that inspired Embrace and closer to something like early Elvis Costello with more of a rock edge.
EDIT: I remembered what the newer stuff on this reminds me of: Ted Leo.

Listened to it today and I absolutely heard Ted in one of the songs. In general, it reminded me more of early '80s UK pop than, say Elvis C. Stuff like U2, Style Council, Dexys, Haircut 100. I know that covers a lot of territory, but I'm at a loss to put that stuff under one genre - "New, New Wave"? "New sorta-Romantics"?

[jaybird]

Excellent return to form.

[Knutsen]

The Ahmad Jamal Trio - The Awakening

[JGJR]

TV21 - A Thin Red Line Lp

[version sound]

Curve - Cuckoo

Great record by a great band who often get forgotten when people talk about classic shoegaze. I already have the (reissue) vinyl, but I just ordered the 2 CD version for all the extras.

[JGJR]

Curve - Cuckoo

Great record by a great band who often get forgotten when people talk about classic shoegaze. I already have the (reissue) vinyl, but I just ordered the 2 CD version for all the extras.

Thsi is just a theory, but maybe it's because they used a drum machine? Either way, enormously influential band. I can't imagine Garbage or say, shoegaze revivalists like School of Seven Bells sounding the same without them.

Oh, I'm currently listening to Morphine - Yes (RIP Billy Conway)

[jaybird]

Oh, I'm currently listening to Morphine - Yes (RIP Billy Conway)

I had tickets to see them like the week after Mark Sandman died on stage in Rome.

[JGJR]

Oh, I'm currently listening to Morphine - Yes (RIP Billy Conway)

I had tickets to see them like the week after Mark Sandman died on stage in Rome.

Oh fuck a duck; sorry to read that; hope you got to see em at least once; the last time I saw them was in November '98 at Hammerstein Ballroom here in NYC. They played with Medeski, Martin, & Wood, who I'm not too huge on, but they were great that night (as was Morphine, of course). Oh and DJ Logic, too! Remember him?

I'll scan the ticket stub once I locate it and kind of want to anyway as part of a tribute, so thanks for the inadvertent inspiration to do that.

I also saw them a few other times before that, too, with the most memorable being at Rutgers in early '98 outside as the sun was going down. They were incredible. I still think about that version of "French Fries with Pepper."

Don't wanna be "that guy," but Mark Sandman died on stage at a festival in Palestrina (just outside of Rome).

Oh, Charles Mingus - Black Saint and the Sinner Lady

[jaybird]

Oh, I'm currently listening to Morphine - Yes (RIP Billy Conway)

I had tickets to see them like the week after Mark Sandman died on stage in Rome.

Oh fuck a duck; sorry to read that; hope you got to see em at least once;

[xxxHunterxxx]

Blue Oyster Cult - “Secret Treaties”

[jaybird]

Wye Oak - Civilian

[FlexMyHead]

Bootleg of Funeral Oration's demo tape from 1984.

[drew]

Iron Maiden- SENJUTSU


Great gift-wrapping music.....

[JGJR]

Oh, I'm currently listening to Morphine - Yes (RIP Billy Conway)

I had tickets to see them like the week after Mark Sandman died on stage in Rome.

Oh fuck a duck; sorry to read that; hope you got to see em at least once;

That sucks; sorry to hear. I did see a tribute/offshoot band with Dana Colley on sax a few years back, though I know that's not the same, obviously. They were great, though.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_Coll ... %93present)

Oh, The Waitresses - I Could Rule the Parts if I Could Only Get the Parts

[FlexMyHead]

Trial By Fire - Ringing In The Dawn - LP

[captain2man]

Just want to say how much I love Funeral Oration's '90s records that came out on New Red Archives. I need to dig into that earlier stuff - how's the demo?

Current listening: J. Robbins / Her Heads on Fire split 7" -- I've listened to it twice and remain a little underwhelmed unfortunately.

[FlexMyHead]

I need to dig into that earlier stuff - how's the demo?

The songs are early raw punkish stuff but with pretty melodic/catchy chorus, the guitar typically has kinda a flange/distorto sound. One song has almost an early Cure feel.

The first song has a long intro, but here is the 2nd song which is a fair representation of it:



If you like that song, then check out the whole demo: