From: owner-ecto-digest To: ecto-digest@ns2.rutgers.edu Subject: ecto-digest V2 #325 Reply-To: ecto@nsmx.rutgers.edu Errors-To: owner-ecto-digest Precedence: bulk ecto-digest Monday, 1 January 1996 Volume 02 : Number 325 The Ecto digest is now being generated automatically. Please send problems and questions to: ecto-owner@nsmx.rutgers.edu. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kerry White Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 00:16:08 -0600 (CST) Subject: Am I 1st Hello, Am I 1st to post in 1996? If so, where do I spend any points won for doing so? KrW Commit senseless acts of kindness, and random acts of beauty! ALL YEAR LONG! ------------------------------ From: Felix Strates Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 03:32:44 -0600 (CST) Subject: Sinead, was Re: Musical discoveries? On Sun, 31 Dec 1995, Ariel Brennan wrote: > Oh, wow, I really, strongly disagree. You can never run out of music to > discover. There's always something new out there to find. This list and signal-to-noise really help me. I usually just listen to AOR radio (there's not a heckuva lot of choice of stations here in Omaha). But I like a wide range of stuff, old (or ancient), new (or just new to me). And y'all talk about stuff I'd prolly not notice otherwise: music in TV shows (though I notice it in movies, I guess because they actually list what they've played) and such. > Like, when Sinead's first single, "Nothing Compares 2 You", came out > originally, not only did I dislike it, I thought it was ridiculous. For I had taped the Grammy show in '88, where she performed a song from her first album. I *really* liked that performance and bought the album because of it, but the studio version really rather sucked compared to it. And I generally prefer studio versions. I did like the rest of the album, though. - - - - - - - - - - Felix Strates And I have been a drifter in the... flx@creighton.edu Stream of disillusionment. http://bluejay.creighton.edu/~flx/ -- Show of Hands "Time Passes" - - - - - - - - - - ------------------------------ From: ariel_b@pipeline.com (Ariel Brennan) Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 07:59:33 -0500 Subject: Re: Sinead (and Sarah) On Dec 31, 1995 14:33:36, 'lakrahn@imho.net (Laurel Krahn)' wrote: >Well. It should be noted strongly that "Nothing Compares 2 U" is a Prince >song. And that Sinead's version did bring her popularity and record sales >and such. I knew it was a Prince song, but nonetheless, she did it, and she released it, so it's her single. ;) Did she have any singles before that one? >But Sarah was/is but a pale shadow of the raw power Sinead displayed back >then, the fierce emotions. If her first album is anything like her second (I don't know! Ah! I'll have to get it during my next MAD CD SPREE this weekend though), I'd have to disagree with that. IMO, Sarah's FAR more emotionally affecting than the Sinead I've heard. Sinead's got pretty decent lyrics though. There a few lines (specifically, from the song "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got" and the first one on the album, the name of which I don't remember right now) which stick in my head as extremely good and memorable... >(Though since Sarah's first work, she's grown as >an artist, and there's more force there, too. I suppose Sinead's second >album is a more mellow and mature one, that may be closer to Sarah in some >regards). Well, I really love Sarah's first album, and still consider it one of the best debutes I've ever heard. She's grown and changed since then, but IMO, Touch is a better album than Solace, and certain songs on it are more powerful than anything on FTE *or* Solace. But I'm in the minority in this opinion, from what I've seen, so... :) A - -- "Where's my hope now that my heroes have gone?" - Jewel ------------------------------ From: ariel_b@pipeline.com (Ariel Brennan) Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 08:01:37 -0500 Subject: Re: Musical discoveries? On Dec 31, 1995 14:36:30, 'Paul Cohen ' wrote: >And if you think "Nothing Compares 2 You" his Sinead's first single, there's >an absolutely wonderful whole album that came out before called "The Lion >and the Cobra" for you to discover. Yeah! See, that's what I mean. There's always new stuff out there you didn't know about. ;) Anyway, although I vaguely remember knowing she had an album out before IDNWWIHG (what an acronym), I was really tired and forgot to consider that usually albums involve singles.... Much like now. Sleep is a good thing. ;) A - -- "Where's my hope now that my heroes have gone?" - Jewel ------------------------------ From: ariel_b@pipeline.com (Ariel Brennan) Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 08:28:18 -0500 Subject: Re: Sinead, was Re: Musical discoveries? On Jan 01, 1996 03:32:44, 'Felix Strates ' wrote: >This list and signal-to-noise really help me. This list is directly responsible for at least 100 of my 140 CD's. The rest is a result of talking to people and stuff. ;> Signal to noise? Wuzzat? I know the name, yet somehow what it is escapes me. (It's the fever. It's got to be the fever) >And y'all talk about stuff I'd prolly not notice otherwise: music in >TV shows (though I notice it in movies, I guess because they actually >list what they've played) and such. Yeah. Wouldn't it be NICE if TV shows listed what they play? -_- I've recently heard two or three great songs on TV, but I have no earthly clue what they were. >I had taped the Grammy show in '88, where she performed a song from her >first album. I *really* liked that performance and bought the album >because of it, but the studio version really rather sucked compared to >it. And I generally prefer studio versions. I did like the rest of the >album, though. Generally, I don't prefer studio or live; I just think they're different. A - -- "Where's my hope now that my heroes have gone?" - Jewel ------------------------------ From: jeffy@wam.umd.edu Date: Mon, 01 Jan 96 11:33:40 EST Subject: Re: Sinead (and Sarah) Ariel asks, regarding Sinead and her first single from IDNWWIHG: >Did she have any singles before that one? Yup. As I recall, "Mandinka" was a single, as well as "Lay Your Hands On Me" (is that the right title?), both from _The Lion and the Cobra_. >If her first album is anything like her second (I don't know! Ah! I'll have >to get it during my next MAD CD SPREE this weekend though), I'd have to >disagree with that. IMO, Sarah's FAR more emotionally affecting than the >Sinead I've heard. You don't know what "emotionally affecting" is until you've been blasted with Sinead's "Troy" (based on William Butler Yeats' "No Second Troy," which was also the basis for the cranberries' "Yeat's Grave"). Ouch. Sinead's first album is so unbelievably different from anything else she's released. Traces of the old fire show up in occasional brief moments on IDNWWIHG and even less so on _Am I Not Your Girl_ (particularly the "title" track). _Universal Mother_ begins perhaps returning toward the early power, but trust me, you're in for a treat. Jeff ------------------------------ From: Paul Cohen Date: Mon, 01 Jan 1996 12:40:53 -0500 Subject: In defense of J. Tull >Really, I think I'd just about given up on Ian. Jethro Tull's '87 >album _Crest of a Knave_ was pretty good, but just about everything >I've heard since has been pretty tiresome, and I stopped buying albums >after _Catfish Rising_ in '91. Mind, I've got ~21 Tull CDs, so giving >up on the band was something of a big deal to me. > >But then EMI had the ever-so-brilliant idea of asking Ian Anderson to >put together an album for their classical division, Angel. And it's >*wonderful*. > >Tull has released an album this year as well, and I must admit to some >curiosity as to its quality. I'm still afraid to buy another Tull >album, but I have no problems recommending _Divinities_. Well, I can certainly understand your trepedation to continuing with Mr. Anderson's output after "Catfish Rising", you really should. "Catfish Rising" is by no means a high point in Tull's career, but it was followed by a very nice musical shift. "A Little Light Music" is an absolutely wonderful live trip through Tull's musical history, intentionally selecting some songs that haven't gotten much attention for a long time along with the usual classics. And all material has been completely revamped, giving the old songs an entirely new life. I can't recommend it highly enough. If you're a true fan (and with 21 Tull CDs, you sound like one) you must seek out the import only "Nightcap". For no other reason that it contains one whole CD of the "Chateau D'Isaster" tapes, the aborted original sessions for "Passion Play". That, along with another whole CD of outtakes. Tull's new album "Roots to Branches" is quite refreshing also. It has a slightly jazzy feel to it and is by no means a continuation of the somewhat tired sound of "Catfish Rising". It's an album that definitely makes you feel that Anderson is not ready to roll over and die yet. There's still some musical life in this old dog. I do agree that "Divinities" is quite wonderful. You've got some Tull to catch up on. ____Paul Cohen______________King of Prussia, PA___ ____pmcohen@netaxs.com___http://atonce.com/pmc/___ ------------------------------ From: a.hawkins@genie.com Date: Mon, 1 Jan 96 17:51:00 UTC 0000 Subject: Sinead, Diamanda I'm fairly certain there was a video for "i want your (hands on me)" from THE LION AND THE COBRA. 'course, I'm also convinced said video featured a rap by MC Lyte, and I've never seen confirmation of the existence of such a remix, so YMMV. The song was also used in one of the Nightmare on Elm Street films (3? 4?), but wasn't on the soundtrack album. Not speaking of soundtracks, is the brief bit of Diamanda Galas doing unspeakable things to Screamin Jay's "I Put a Spell On You" on the NATURAL BORN KILLERS album representative of her usual style? Or is that the tame version? Just getting my yearly post out of the way early. :) Aaron ------------------------------ From: maeldun@i-2000.com (Michael Doyle) Date: Mon, 01 Jan 1996 15:41:23 -0500 Subject: Say it isn't so... Today I awoke to a newspaper without Calvin & Hobbes. I knew Bill Watterson was planning to pack it in, but it was still a shock. The world has become just a little colder. - - Mike Michael Doyle maeldun@i-2000.com =================================================================== "You sleep like a haiku: You're still; you move. It's that simple." - - C-Cat Trance ------------------------------ From: gregdunn@indy.net (Greg Dunn) Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 15:40:00 -0500 Subject: Re: 95 top 10 and other stuff >5. Carrie Newcomer: The Bird or the Wing > >Down-home hoosier folk music. Not your ordinary woman-with-guitar, >but rather full-featured productions with groovy instrumentation, >including accordion, strings, hammond organ, and so forth. Hey! Another Carrie fan. I heartily second any recommendations that lead to people giving Carrie a listen. :) We've been friends with her for 7 years, and have had the delightful opportunity to listen to her at a private concert for a friend's birthday party. Carrie is amazing. Lurkers: Don't assume that "Down-home hoosier folk music" means country, or redneck, or anything the like. Carrie's music is intensely personal, positive (mostly), emotional, and touching. If you're a family type, her music will hit you right where you live. Even if not, I guarantee it'll be a pleasant experience. That warm and versatile voice coupled with her deft songwriting touch will win you over :) Not a paid announcement; we don't work for her but we love her. BTW, Carrie cites Shawn Colvin and Patty Larkin as major influences, if that gives you an idea of her philosophical base. - -- | Greg Dunn | "Information is not knowledge; | | GregDunn@aol.com | knowledge is not wisdom; | | gregdunn@indy.net | wisdom is not truth." | | Greg@gdunn.nawc-ad-indy.navy.mil | -- Frank Zappa | ------------------------------ From: "Joseph Zitt" Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 15:00:13 +0000 Subject: Re: Sinead (and Sarah) On 1 Jan 96 at 7:59, Ariel Brennan wrote: > If her first album is anything like her second (I don't know! Ah! I'll have > to get it during my next MAD CD SPREE this weekend though), I'd have to > disagree with that. IMO, Sarah's FAR more emotionally affecting than the > Sinead I've heard. Sinead's got pretty decent lyrics though. Well, IMHO, the second album can't hold a candle to the first. "The Lion and the Cobra" has a raw immediacy and artistic density that comes from a headstrong person doing her first album her way. It's almost all original compositions, and she sounds like she means every note of it. BTW, if you find you like that, check out Miranda Sex Garden. Other than their first album (which was all quite beautiful madrigals) they seem to be following the ferocious artistic courseon which Sinead appeared to be headed. (OTOH, I haven't heard the latest from either Sinead or MSG (and I hope they didn't intend to share initials with the Michael Schenker Group :-]) Happy New Year all! (I'm just waking up (yes it's good) after a long night spent watching the Lovehound Tapes. Yow.) - ---------1---------1---------1---------1---------1---------1---------- |||/ Joseph Zitt ==== jzitt@humansystems.com ===== Human Systems \||| ||/ Organizer, SILENCE: The John Cage Mailing List \|| |/Joe Zitt's Home Page\| ------------------------------ From: "Joseph Zitt" Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 15:11:25 +0000 Subject: Re: Sinead, Diamanda On 1 Jan 96 at 17:51, a.hawkins@genie.com wrote: > I'm fairly certain there was a video for "i want your (hands on me)" > from THE LION AND THE COBRA. 'course, I'm also convinced said video > featured a rap by MC Lyte, and I've never seen confirmation of the > existence of such a remix, so YMMV. Yup. I'm looking at the 12 inch of it here (Chrysalis 4V9-43256). It contains three mixes of the duet version, along with a radio version of "Just Call Me Joe". (by the way, who or what is "black.moon e", the credited author of that song? The 12 inch and album label use that credit for the song, though the album sleeve credits it to "(o'connor/k. mooney/l. winer)". Another inducement to get the album: Enya has a spoken vocal on "Never Get Old". - ---------1---------1---------1---------1---------1---------1---------- |||/ Joseph Zitt ==== jzitt@humansystems.com ===== Human Systems \||| ||/ Organizer, SILENCE: The John Cage Mailing List \|| |/Joe Zitt's Home Page\| ------------------------------ From: Kerry White Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 15:53:50 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: YMMV Hello, On Mon, 1 Jan 1996 a.hawkins@genie.com wrote: > featured a rap by MC Lyte, and I've never seen confirmation of the > existence of such a remix, so YMMV. I am in need of some educating: whats YMMV? KrW It was the least I could do! And never let it be said that I didn't do the least I could do. ------------------------------ From: Kerry White Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 16:32:22 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: Say it isn't so... Hello, On Mon, 1 Jan 1996, Michael Doyle wrote: > Today I awoke to a newspaper without Calvin & Hobbes. I knew Bill Watterson > was planning to pack it in, but it was still a shock. > > The world has become just a little colder. Calvin & Hobbes are off exploring. Let us wish that they find as much fun as they gave us. KrW Commit senseless acts of kindness, and random acts of beauty! ------------------------------ From: lakrahn@imho.net (Laurel Krahn) Date: Mon, 01 Jan 1996 16:45:02 -0600 Subject: Re: YMMV At 03:53 PM 1/1/96 -0600, Kerry White wrote: > Hello, >On Mon, 1 Jan 1996 a.hawkins@genie.com wrote: > >> featured a rap by MC Lyte, and I've never seen confirmation of the >> existence of such a remix, so YMMV. > > I am in need of some educating: whats YMMV? Your Mileage May Vary. ..................................................................... Laurel (lakrahn@imho.net) Krahn, Webspinner Virtual Home: http://www.apocalypse.org/pub/u/lakrahn/ signal-to-noise: http://www.apocalypse.org/pub/signal-to-noise/ ------------------------------ From: Kerry White Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 18:09:03 -0600 (CST) Subject: Re: YMMV Hello, On Mon, 1 Jan 1996, Laurel Krahn wrote: > At 03:53 PM 1/1/96 -0600, Kerry White wrote: > > I am in need of some educating: whats YMMV? > > Your Mileage May Vary. My mileage always varies, but what does YMMV... 8-) Thanks for the educational tid-bit! KrW "Yes, it left a great gaping hole in the water!" ------------------------------ From: Neile Graham Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 16:38:15 -0800 (PST) Subject: Re: Sinead Jeff(y) writes: > You don't know what "emotionally affecting" is until you've been blasted > with Sinead's "Troy" (based on William Butler Yeats' "No Second Troy," > which was also the basis for the cranberries' "Yeat's Grave"). Ouch. YesYesYes! If had were making a list of the most powerful, affecting songs I've ever heard this would be pretty near the top of the list. It's the most wrenching songs on an incredible album. _The Lion and the Cobra_ was a revelation to me & still whenever I play it I can't believe it's freshness & power. Her other work can't (and probably shouldn't) compare. Of course, I'm nowhere near making such a list as I'm still wallowing in the list of discs we bought this year trying to figure out if I'll be able to manage one of my huge lists again for posting. I'm working on it. - --Neile ------------------------------ From: Roger Dominick Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 21:26:05 -0500 (EST) Subject: 1995 decimated top *n* It is kind of an unfair year for me to do a top 10; I bought a bunch of CDs but ended up having to sell about 1/4 of my entire collection (!) to make the rent late last year, before I got my current cushy job. Thus, my CD collection is rather decimated... sold all my Dead Can Dance, both PJ Harveys, most REM, Radiohead, Tori, and so on and so on. I found out pretty much what I was missing today as I sorted through my CDs and put them in my storage rack. Where it used to be pretty full, now there's 3 empty slots in each place of 10. Sigh. At any rate, here's my top CDs of last year; and if any of these are older than that, I bought them over the past year, so there. They're in alphabetical order. Anderson, Laurie: The Ugly One With the Jewels (as well as the "In Our Sleep" maxi-single). Any year with a new LA release in it is a great year, and this story-telling disc was no dissapointment. I am probably one of the few that likes Laurie's songs as well as her spoken-word material -- Strange Angels is one of my favorite albums ever. I held off on buying this, however, until after her wonderful live concert here in Cincinnati. I still haven't really gotten over it. I saw her a few days before the Oklahoma city bombing, and so was one of the last people to hear the terrorism bit of the show. Now if Voyager ever follows through on their promise to release Puppet Motel for the PC, 1996 will be a wonderful year. Belly: King. Again, I feel in the minority about this disc: I feel it shows a great growth from Star (another very good album), and I like "Red", dammit! Unfortunately, this is one of the CDs I sold. Bettie Serveert: Lamprey. Wonderful, light, fun music with just the right spin of off-kilter sensibility. I also bought "Palomine" which is also great. Bjork: Post. Every song is wonderful and very Bjork. Need anything else be said? Tracy Chapman: New Beginning. I saw a limited tour in early 1995, where Tracy came to a few towns to see how people responded and if there was interest in a new album. The show was awesome, one of the best I've ever been to. Tracy's self-titled debut was the first piece of music I've ever bought for myself, so I've always had a special place for her music, and New Beginning has some great songs on it. Cocteau Twins: Twinlights, Otherness. Two CD EPs from the Twins which explore new directions while retaining the base CT sound. Otherness is mainly the work of M. Anderson from Seefeel, which marks the first time in quite some time someone outside of the CTs has remixed any of their work. Oh, and the acoustic version of "Pink Orange Red" is to die for. Ani Difranco: Too many to possibly list from memory. Goddess, this woman is absolutely the greatest. I cannot listen to her CDs at work because I always want to sing along. Gush, gush. Fugazi: Red Medecine. Another disc I've sold (sigh), but a wonderful extension to Fugazi's unexplainably poppy thrash whatever sound. I'm hooked. Happy Rhodes: The Keep. On this list, I neeed explain No More. Sinead O'Conner: Universal Mother. No matter what anyone else says (grin), I think each of Sinead's albums have their own inescapable energy and nerve. Universal Mother is a wonderful disc, in loud and quiet moments. Pizzicato Five: Made in the USA, Sound of Music By. Great retro pop from Japan. What else can be said? Jane Siberry: Maria. An album I like more and more each time I listen to it when I can actually sit and *listen* to it. Okay, so that's 12 (or 17, depending on how you look at it). So? Non-conformity rules. - -- and the sky puts on his grey cloak, and the day blows fear into all the lonely souls... dominirn@ucunix.san.uc.edu ------------------------------ From: "Scott S. Zimmerman" Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 18:18:43 -0800 (PST) Subject: Re: refried ectoplasm of 1995 > I just saw a reference to a new Stereolab album titled "Refried > Ectoplasm", and decided that was the perfect title for my list of grrrrreat compilation! > _Transient Random-Noise Bursts with Announcements_, Stereolab -- > I tried, and I don't hate it, but I just don't want to listen to > it much. It's a really interesting album, but it's never the first Stereolab record I reach for. Some of those songs just go on forever and ever. > _Glow_, The Innocence Mission -- It's just too quiet. I still > love their eponymous album. Is _Umbrella_ more like it? Umbrella is even more boring than Glow. Their debut is my favorite, by far! Well, anyways, it's time for my top 10 LPs of the year, except I'll rock the boat and make it 15: 1. Bunnygrunt "Action Pants!" (No Life) Very silly, a bit childish, but endlessly engrossing. All except for the hideously long, monotonous, locked-groove final track. Agh. But even that song started out OK... It just never ends! 2. Comet Gain "Casino Classics" (Wiiija) Half the songs have guy vocals, half the songs have gal vocals. Neither of the voices are super terrific, but the music is totally wow! It's Stereolab with a whole lot of soul. 3. the Softies "It's Love" (K) The quietest album of my top 15. Rose Melberg is magic. 4. Suddenly, Tammy! "We Get There When We Do" (Warner Bros.) Not nearly as good as the debut, but it's cool anyways. 5. Yo La Tengo "Electr-o-Pura" (Matador) Sometimes this album taxes my attention span, but at other times, I'm completely fixated upon it. Do they call this art rock? 6. Holiday "Holiday" (March) Like the Softies album, this is quiet, simple pop music. Sensitive boy vocals, with unobnoxious horns, guitar, drums... C86-ish. 7. Rocketship "A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness" (Slumberland) Before it came out, I was expecting this to be the best album of 1995. It's not, but I do consider it a must hear. (This and Comet Gain). Probably destined to become a classic in a lot of peoples minds. Completely admirable. Someday Dustin may release the greatest record of all time. He's on the right track. 8. Sleeper "Sleeper" (Arista) Nothing here particularly impresses me, but I do like it a lot! 9. Elastica "Elastica" (DGC) Same comment for Sleeper goes for Elastica. Some great tunes, some dumb ones. 10. the Heartworms "Space Escapade" (Darla) The B-side is a bit difficult, but the A-side is a classic! 11. the Carousel "Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz" (Vinyl Japan) Light, airy, the vocals almost float away. 12. the Crabs "the Crabs" (K) Stripped down music. Guitar, drums, vocals (boy / girl, alternating by track). Should appeal to fans of the Beat Happening. 13. the 6ths "Wasps' Nests" (Merge) Quirky music by Stephin Merritt. Still need to get the new Magnetic Fields LP... 14. Angel Corpus Christi "White Courtesy Phone" (Almo) Another quirky artist. The vocal delivery can be a bit monotonous, but that adds to the charm. Reminds me of Devo. 15. Lois "Bet the Sky" (K) Not Lois at her finest (That would be "Butterfly Kiss"), but it's still Lois at some level of greatness! Live, she's a must. Still need to hear the records by Blur, Cardigans, Salad, Happy, and a bajillion others... Oh, and fave movies of the year: 1. Crumb, 2. Leaving Las Vegas, 3. the Postman, 4. Strange Days, 5. The Usual Suspects, 6. Exotica, 7. Muriel's Wedding, 8. Heat, 9. Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Love, 10. Mighty Aphrodite, 11. To Die For, 12. Nixon, 13. Sense & Sensibility, 14. Clueless, 15. Apollo 13... - -Scott ------------------------------ End of ecto-digest V2 #325 ************************** ======================================================================== Please send any questions or comments about the list to ecto-owner@nsmx.rutgers.edu