The One & Only Official Music Geeks' Thread

[bryan]

Ah yes, Mellon Collie was the one I sold on Koninginnedag, not Siamese Dream.

As you were.

[aveslacker]

I loved Gish almost as much. Mellon Collie should not have been a double album: you can compile one brilliant cd out of the two, the rest is filler.K.

You know Ko, that brings up a good point. Double albums. If they took off the 4 or 5 (or more) shite or boring songs, nearly each one of them would be a classic as a single album.

Having said that, in these days of mp3 players you can just leave off the ones you dont like, so i guess it doesn't matter...much like the whole comment i just made ;)

I think you're right about double albums. The number of good double albums, with no fluff songs, is not high, especially if you don't include live albums.

On the other hand, there are a few good double albums, like The Wall. I'm trying to think of other good double albums, but I can't seem to. Perhaps other people more knowledgeable can chime in.

Also, you make an interesting point about taking weak songs out of albums to make them stronger. Personally, I think the best albums are ones that make a statement throughout the entire album, that are best listened to from front to back. Albums that, when taken as a whole, are stronger than any single song on the album. Pearl Jam's Ten comes to mind -- I like every song on the album, but I like to listen to it from beginning to end even more. Does that make sense?

[aveslacker]

This reminds me of when I saw Ryan Adams a few years ago at the Forum in Melbourne. Some guy yells out 'Play Summer of 69'. Mr Adams tries to have the guy removed. Was pretty funny. Although with Ryan you can never tell if he's really pissed off or just being "funny". If he's defensive about it, why did he use the name Ryan Adams, when hes real name is DAVID Ryan Adams???

Actually saw him play last night in Melbourne again. After a few songs to get going, he rocked. He even hung it on himself quite a few times by pretending to be a rock journo and saying 'warning mr adams is known to be quite volatile!'. I am sure he didn't mean anything by it Ko ;)

Slightly off he's rocker, but always entertaining.

That's a funny story. :headbang: My friend who saw him play said that he threw a beer bottle in the general direction of a fan who had been heckling him, and it broke and shattered glass all over my friend.

Also, because we talked about him earlier on this forum, I got the same friend to burn me a copy of Cold Roses, which I have to say is a good album, even if I've only listened to it a few times. Ajaxtalk comes through again! :xyxthumbs:

[carcajou]

Also, because we talked about him earlier on this forum, I got the same friend to burn me a copy of Cold Roses, which I have to say is a good album, even if I've only listened to it a few times. Ajaxtalk comes through again! :xyxthumbs:

But of course you didn't listen to that burned copy before you bought the original, as it would have been illegal to do so :)

[aveslacker]

Also, because we talked about him earlier on this forum, I got the same friend to burn me a copy of Cold Roses, which I have to say is a good album, even if I've only listened to it a few times. Ajaxtalk comes through again! :xyxthumbs:

But of course you didn't listen to that burned copy before you bought the original, as it would have been illegal to do so :)

:X :X :X Don't tell anyone... :X :X :X

[raymon]

Also, because we talked about him earlier on this forum, I got the same friend to burn me a copy of Cold Roses, which I have to say is a good album, even if I've only listened to it a few times. Ajaxtalk comes through again! :xyxthumbs:

But of course you didn't listen to that burned copy before you bought the original, as it would have been illegal to do so :)

:X :X :X Don't tell anyone... :X :X :X

You listened to it from a burned copy you friend gave you! Tsss.. at least I put in some effort to download it from the internet myself! :D

If I like it I promise to download more from him..

[DanK]

Also, you make an interesting point about taking weak songs out of albums to make them stronger. Personally, I think the best albums are ones that make a statement throughout the entire album, that are best listened to from front to back. Albums that, when taken as a whole, are stronger than any single song on the album. Pearl Jam's Ten comes to mind -- I like every song on the album, but I like to listen to it from beginning to end even more. Does that make sense?

Well said. I agree totally. My favourite albums are just these. Ones that I can listen to right through without thinking, crap I wish i was closer to the PC so I could skip that song...
OK Computer - Radiohead...classic example, as is Heartbreaker by Ryan Adams and Grace by The one and only Jeff Buckley.

[DanK]

Also, because we talked about him earlier on this forum, I got the same friend to burn me a copy of Cold Roses, which I have to say is a good album, even if I've only listened to it a few times. Ajaxtalk comes through again! :xyxthumbs:

Actually on the topic, Cold Roses is one of his better CDs, yet again take out 4 songs and it WOULD be an all time classic as a single album. Glad you liked the recommendation...I am sure Mr Adams will be happy when he receives the funds when you finally get around to purchasing his album :xyxthumbs:

If you liked that one make sure you listen to Heartbreaker and Love is Hell. Just my opionion but for me this guy is a genius, if not a slightly bonkers one. Most of his music just hits the spot. I feel like I can relate and you feel like you know how he felt when he wrote those tracks and in the end isn't that what music is about for all of us, no matter what type of style we like???

[SE6Ajacied]

Not sure if anyone else has seen any eps (or if anyone cares for that matter). Even though I hate 99% of "reality" shows, I have got stuck into watching Rockstar INXS, in which whats left of INXS try to find a new lead singer. It got me thinking, how many bands have managed to get a new lead singer and stay successful.

I've just seen a preview for this showing in the UK starting Sunday on VH1. Am waiting with baited breath, it sounds quite good in a cheesy sort of way :D

[Per]

Now I now you guys haven't been bashing songs like "We only come out at night" and "Lilly" while I've been away??

Mellon Collie defines my whole high school period!

Not to be touched upon :redcard:

[DanK]

Saw Sigur Ros live at the Hamer Hall in Melbourne last week...one of the best shows i have ever seen...amazing.

[raymon]

Saw Sigur Ros live at the Hamer Hall in Melbourne last week...one of the best shows i have ever seen...amazing.

Saw them as support act for Radiohead a few years ago. They were amazing. Even without understanding the lyrics :D

[DanK]

Saw Sigur Ros live at the Hamer Hall in Melbourne last week...one of the best shows i have ever seen...amazing.

Saw them as support act for Radiohead a few years ago. They were amazing. Even without understanding the lyrics :D

They are even more incredible live, than on CD. I was blown away (and I went in with high expectations). Looking forward to their new CD in September. A truly unique band...now if only I knew Icelandic!!!

[Kowalczyk]

Dan, did I ever ask if you know Godspeed You Black Emperor?

They're from Canada and they're the central band in a whole network of similar bands (all on the same label, named Constellation) and almost every Sigur Rós fan I know also loves them. They're a bit darker, but they work with sound and atmopshere in a very similar way.

They're first full-length album has a title that can't be pronounced, just like Sigur Rós's album entitled (): it's called F#A#oo, with the 'oo' actually being a horizontal 8 (the 'infinity symbol'). The album title is normally pronounced as F.A. Infinity Symbol. You should check that out. The first time I saw them was in a little tent during the Valkhof Affair festival in Nijmegen - and I was... there we go again: blown away.

I did an interview with them and at the time they refused to say their names. They all introduced themselves as 'Godspeed', they did not want their picture taken and the stage was very dark throughout the show. There were like nine or ten of them and they did not look at the audience for a single second during their show.

Very mysterious, very strange, very beautiful. Band members of Godspeed are also in bands like Do Make Say Think, Fly Pan Am, 1-Speed Bike and A Silver Mt. Zion, who later changed their name to The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band. I guess these folks love confusion...

Another fantastic album in the 'atmosphere' category is C.O.D.Y. (abbreviation of Come On Die Young by Mogwai (from Scotland). They also did a few very loud and ugly albums, so make sure you give the right one a listen.

Just a few recommendations... :D

K.

[SE6Ajacied]

Seeing as we're talking about bands who sing in languages we don't understand I can recommend an album called Zero by a Czech band called Priessnitz that I picked up in Prague a couple of years back.

I can't really compare them to anything else I know but chose it purely as I liked the cover. Also a CD called Microphonorama by a French band called Triptik that I got in the French Shop in Brighton that's sadly closed down now. They're a sort of rap group but with other stuff too and I really like that CD (Phillipe or Carcajou might have heard of that one at least)

[DanK]

Dan, did I ever ask if you know Godspeed You Black Emperor?

They're from Canada and they're the central band in a whole network of similar bands (all on the same label, named Constellation) and almost every Sigur Rós fan I know also loves them. They're a bit darker, but they work with sound and atmopshere in a very similar way.

They're first full-length album has a title that can't be pronounced, just like Sigur Rós's album entitled (): it's called F#A#oo, with the 'oo' actually being a horizontal 8 (the 'infinity symbol'). The album title is normally pronounced as F.A. Infinity Symbol. You should check that out. The first time I saw them was in a little tent during the Valkhof Affair festival in Nijmegen - and I was... there we go again: blown away.

I did an interview with them and at the time they refused to say their names. They all introduced themselves as 'Godspeed', they did not want their picture taken and the stage was very dark throughout the show. There were like nine or ten of them and they did not look at the audience for a single second during their show.

Very mysterious, very strange, very beautiful. Band members of Godspeed are also in bands like Do Make Say Think, Fly Pan Am, 1-Speed Bike and A Silver Mt. Zion, who later changed their name to The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band. I guess these folks love confusion...

Another fantastic album in the 'atmosphere' category is C.O.D.Y. (abbreviation of Come On Die Young by Mogwai (from Scotland). They also did a few very loud and ugly albums, so make sure you give the right one a listen.

Just a few recommendations... :D

K.

Cheers mate...will check em out ASAP. Mogwai I know a little, but not familiar with Godspeed. If they are half as interesting as Sigur, I will be happy.

Its great when you come across bands you aren't familiar with and you actually like (esp when they already have a few albums out). All of the sudden you get 40 or 50 songs to appreciate.

[roche]

Its great when you come across bands you aren't familiar with and you actually like (esp when they already have a few albums out). All of the sudden you get 40 or 50 songs to appreciate.

I LOVE when that happens. In the last year, I discovered The Streets (not my type of music at all but I think that Mike Skinner is a brillant lyricist). They have about two and a half albums worth of material so I loaded up on A Grand Don't Come For Free and when I wore that out, I moved back to Original Pirate Material. It's like having your favorite band release an album exactly when you want them too.

[raymon]

Just downloa... ehm received the James Blunt album Back to Bedlam. His (only) hitsingle You're Beautiful really appeals to me and also the rest of the album is pretty good. I know I'm a sucker for this kind of music anyway but still I think this guy has a lot of quality. Worth to listen to if you ask me.

[Kowalczyk]

I discovered some new Swedish stuff again... and I really want to drop the following question: how in the world is it possible that Sweden has such a great tradition of garage/trash/sleaze rock 'n' roll?

We all know The Hives and probably The Hellacopters and Mando Diao. That's the top layer. But there are loads of bands like that in Sweden. The Legends, for example (they're on the Labrador label I've been raving about before).

Today I received three cd's from a German label named P Trash (they're in Bielefeld). They sent me three of their latest releases and all three are Swedish: The Plastiques, The Manikins and The Heartattacks. And of course, there we go again: it's great stuff. The Plastiques seem to have mixed the best riffs of The Kinks with the speed of The Ramones and the powerful rock hooks of AC/DC. Or something.

Holland has almost twice as many inhabitants as Sweden, but the garage/sleaze/trash scene is not nearly as good. We have some cool stuff in that category: Peter Pan Speedrock is a great AC/DC meets Motörhead rock 'n' roll band, The Riplets are a very sexy 'all-girl' sixties punk band and zZz are the coolest thing: a duo that makes very very sleazy 'B-movie' meets surf rock 'n' roll with just drums and a Hammond organ. Last weekend was the annual Sleazefest in the Amsterdam docks. Always great fun.

But the number of good garage bands from Sweden is just overwhelming...

Once again: The Plastiques, The Manikins, and The Heartattacks. They're recommended! This is the website of the label: http://www.ptrashrecords.com/ (it's a bit trashy itself, you could say...)

K.

[carcajou]

Maybe the freezy ass weather push them to indoor activities like music, politics and furniture

[Kowalczyk]

The Plastiques, The Manikins and The Heartattacks. And of course, there we go again: it's great stuff.

Okay... Maybe The Heartattacks are a bit too much... Very loud, very fast, songs are not too great. Forget about them; buy The Plastiques!

K.

[Per]

You guys just wait,

some day we'll rule the world MUUAOHAAHAHA!!


Honestly though, we have an extraordinary music scene and it just keeps on getting better and better.

I love:

The Concretes
The Knife
Mando Diao

Half of Razorlight is Swedish

Soundtrack of Our Lives
Moneybrother

The list can go on and on. Menno gave some tips before and there are many good things among them. There is a very lively live-scene here in Stockholm as well.

/ P

[carcajou]

The Plastiques, The Manikins and The Heartattacks. And of course, there we go again: it's great stuff.

Okay... Maybe The Heartattacks are a bit too much... Very loud, very fast, songs are not too great. Forget about them; buy The Plastiques!

K.

Or try it and see if it suits your taste. I mean some people like so-called bad music and can you blame them ?? I won't. A quick example : Right now "Paint it black" by the Stones is playing in my mp3 player, the previous one being Leonad Cohen's Hallelujah's cover by Jeff Buckley.... BUT next one is "I'm so excited" by the Pointer Sisters. In a way I know the last one is shit but well....

Those 80's hits are REALLY catchy and rhytmy.

[Philippe]

Isn't Madrugada a group from Sweden too ?

[Kowalczyk]

Isn't Madrugada a group from Sweden too ?

No, their from Norway, but they're f*cking great. Especially live.

Time for some bragging: I was the first Dutch music journalist to discover them and write about them. Their début album was just out in Norway (only in Norway) and I went to Oslo to interview them and see them live at the Rockefeller. It was their first media article in Holland, in the week of the Dutch release of their first album. The guy from the venue (the Paradiso) told me that ticket sales had gone through the roof on the day my article was published. The small hall of the Paradiso (upstairs) was sold out, which was quite remarkable for a band that had a début record out for only a week or so.

In Norway they were already a very big thing when I went there. Tickets were sold at ridiculous prices outside of the Rockefeller and the atmosphere inside was absolutely electric, even before the show started. It was one of the most intense concerts I've ever seen. The singer, Sivert Høyem, really has it. His voice is somewhere in between Leonard Cohen and Jim Morrison and their music is dark and 'industrial' yet warm and beautiful at the same time.

They were here in Holland last Sunday (Utrecht), but I had no time to go, unfortunately. Friends told me it was fantastic.

K.