From: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org (loud-fans-digest) To: loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Subject: loud-fans-digest V2 #368 Reply-To: loud-fans@smoe.org Sender: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk loud-fans-digest Monday, October 21 2002 Volume 02 : Number 368 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [loud-fans] All time Top 10s [Dave Walker ] [loud-fans] Gavin Bryars in your top ten [Richard Gagnon ] Re: [loud-fans] here's another [Dana Paoli ] Re: [loud-fans] All time Top 10s ["W. David Barnes" ] Re: [loud-fans] Gavin Bryars in your top ten [Dave Walker ] Re: [loud-fans] All time Top 10s ["Paul King" ] Re: [loud-fans] here's another [Carolyn Dorsey ] [loud-fans] Top 10 [Carolyn Dorsey ] Re: [loud-fans] All time Top 10s [Boyof100lists@aol.com] Re: [loud-fans] Curb Your enthusiasm [LeftyZ@aol.com] [loud-fans] Top Louds? [OptionsR@aol.com] Re: [loud-fans] Jad Fair (was "here's another")(ns) [Dana Paoli ] Re: [loud-fans] Top Louds? [Aaron Mandel ] [loud-fans] Spirited Away [Overall_Julianne@isus.emc.com] Re: [loud-fans] All time Top 10s ["CJ" ] [loud-fans] top 10 or so [jenny grover ] [loud-fans] anyone out there (outthere outthere) ? [Phil Fleming ] [loud-fans] All-Time Top 10s ["Francis J H Park" ] [loud-fans] Tapeswap review: Andrea Weiss' "Sometimes A Circle" [Stewart ] Re: [loud-fans] Tapeswap review: Andrea Weiss' "Sometimes A Circle" [Jeff] Re: [loud-fans] All time Top 10s [Roger Winston ] Re: [loud-fans] Tapeswap review: Andrea Weiss' "Sometimes A Circle" [Mich] [loud-fans] re: Top Ten [michael@zwirn.com] Re: [loud-fans] Tapeswap review: Andrea Weiss' "Sometimes A Circle" [AWei] Re: [loud-fans] Tapeswap review: Andrea Weiss' "Sometimes A Circle" [AWei] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 07:26:14 -0400 From: Dave Walker Subject: Re: [loud-fans] All time Top 10s On Sunday, October 20, 2002, at 01:06 AM, Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey wrote: > On Sun, 20 Oct 2002, Stewart Mason wrote: > >> At 11:00 PM 10/19/2002 -0400, Dave Walker wrote: >>> GAVIN BRYARS - The Sinking Of The Titanic >> >> Just out of curiosity, why this one over JESUS' BLOOD NEVER FAILED ME >> YET? > > I'm not Dave, and in fact I'm not familiar w/the record he listed - > but at > least if you're referring to the more recent Nonesuch edition of > _Jesus' > Blood..._, my answer would be that Tom Waits ruins it. What Jeffrey Said. The first time I ever heard _Jesus' Blood_, I was driving home 100 miles from a rave, bleary-eyed, on a Sunday morning and CBC played a long excerpt from the Nonesuch version on their "It's Sunday Morning and we know you're (at best) really tired and probably hungover so here's some really quiet, beautiful music" show. The impact it made on me, after a night of organized 120-decibel debauchery, was dramatic, to say the least. I later figured out that part of the reason it affected me so much was that the DJ (uh-oh: thread collision -- FIRE IN THE HOLE!) was wise enough to omit the coda. I found Bryars' _Titanic_ in the early 90's, and probably fell asleep to it most nights for about a year, to the point where it's probably imprinted in my DNA now. It's still a tremendously affecting piece of music to me, even though the combined mega-mawkishness of James Cameron and Celine Dion ruined everything else Titanic-related for me. Oh, and before anyone reports me to the taste authorities, > LFO - Frequencies refers to Mark Bell and Gez Varley from Sheffield, not the, erm, Lyte Funkee Ones. -d.w. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 10:34:18 -0400 From: Richard Gagnon Subject: [loud-fans] Gavin Bryars in your top ten >At 11:00 PM 10/19/2002 -0400, Dave Walker wrote: >>GAVIN BRYARS - The Sinking Of The Titanic Followed by Stewart asking: >Just out of curiosity, why this one over JESUS' BLOOD NEVER FAILED ME YET? > Just out of curiosity, why this one over A MAN IN A ROOM, GAMBLING? I like JESUS' BLOOD fine, found what I've heard of SINKING a bit underwhelming, but GAMBLING really hit home. I love the theme, I love the execution. A man explaining, over some beautiful music, shadings of card gambling, in a really visual way, which makes it pretty impossible to use the information, which I think is the point of the joke. And it retains its power through repeated listenings. Rick np: Burton Cummings, Plus Signs ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 11:25:20 -0400 From: Dana Paoli Subject: Re: [loud-fans] here's another >BTW, to kick off the CD giveaway that Jeff is promising, I'd like to >offer the new Jad Faire/R. Stevie Moore CD to the first person who wants >it. With all apologies to Stewart, it's IMHO really terrible. Hopefully >it'll find a good home where it can be loved by someone more open minded >than myself. Hm, a crap album featuring Jad Fair. Pardon me if I'm not shocked by this. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I was only shocked because it got such a great review at Allmusic. Stewart. - --dana ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 08:27:33 -0700 From: "W. David Barnes" Subject: Re: [loud-fans] All time Top 10s Fun to take a crack at this one. I went to my iPod (one of the many benefits of) and looked at what was there and came up with: Miles Davis - Agharta Miles Davis - A Tribute to Jack Johnson Jefferson Airplane - After Bathing at Baxter's Liz Phair - Exile in Guysville Beatles - White Album Keith Jarrett - Solo Concerts J.S. Bach - Christmas Oratorio, John Eliot Gardiner REM - Reconstruction Jeff Buckley - Grace Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 11:31:03 -0400 From: Dave Walker Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Gavin Bryars in your top ten On Sunday, October 20, 2002, at 10:34 AM, Richard Gagnon wrote: > Just out of curiosity, why this one over A MAN IN A ROOM, GAMBLING? Um, I haven't heard it. The reason I love this list is that having Gavin Bryars on my list is more controversial than having Rush on it. -d.w. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 12:24:59 -0400 (EDT) From: dmw Subject: [loud-fans] just for today the "comfort food" albums: mozart's requiem mozart spymph 40/41 (i like the mackeras/scottish chamger orch) thelonious monk monk's music three static: clash london calling wilco being there phair exile in guyville four more highly subject to change: fugazi the argument gbv alien lanes dolby golden age or wireless beatles beatles ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 12:31:55 -0400 From: "Paul King" Subject: Re: [loud-fans] All time Top 10s Top-10 Non-Hits that should have been hits. These are tunes, not albums, and they are not in any order. I am quite certain none of these songs charted in North America. This is just over the past 20 years or so. 1. Swann's Way - The Anchor 2. Game Theory - We Love You Carol and Alison 3. This Mortal Coil - Song to the Siren 4. Echo Base - Out of My Reach 5. Ricki-Lee Jones - Under the Boardwalk 6. Elton John - Cage the Songbird 7. The Northern Pikes - You Sold The Farm 8. Les Immer Essen - Infinity Horn 9. Cocteau Twins - Fotzepolitic 10. Jesus and Mary Chain - Kill Surf City Paul King ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 14:02:13 -0400 From: Carolyn Dorsey Subject: Re: [loud-fans] here's another Yes, I heard some it on the radio and was really disappointed. What I heard was just so silly and it went nowhere for me. From what I have heard of Jad Fair he can be charming in a naive and silly way but this seemed so forced and grating. Carolyn on 10/20/02 11:25 AM, Dana Paoli at dana-boy@juno.com wrote: >> BTW, to kick off the CD giveaway that Jeff is promising, I'd like to >> offer the new Jad Faire/R. Stevie Moore CD to the first person who wants >> it. With all apologies to Stewart, it's IMHO really terrible. > Hopefully >> it'll find a good home where it can be loved by someone more open minded >> than myself. > > Hm, a crap album featuring Jad Fair. Pardon me if I'm not shocked by > this. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> > > I was only shocked because it got such a great review at Allmusic. > Stewart. > > --dana ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 14:15:41 -0400 From: Carolyn Dorsey Subject: [loud-fans] Top 10 I never really tire of hearing these. The White Album Abbey Road Forever Changes Harvest Wrecking Ball Hatful of Hollow Hounds of Love John Barleycorn Must Die Kind of Blue Who's Next Carolyn ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 14:42:24 EDT From: Boyof100lists@aol.com Subject: Re: [loud-fans] All time Top 10s here's mine: 1. The B-52's 2. The Go-Go's "Vacation" 3. R.E.M. "Reckoning" 4. The Smiths "Meat is Murder" 5. Game Theory "The Big Shot Chronicles" 6. Lush "Split" 7. The Loud Family "Plants and Birds and Horses with No Names" 8. Felt "Forever Breathes the Lonely Word" 9. The Judybats "Down in the Shacks Where the Satellite Dishes Grow" 10. Belle and Sebastian "If You're Feeling Sinister" (I couldn't find room for the first Church album, so it ties with the Judybats and is interchangeable according to my mood) - -Mark S. "When did the future regain its gleam? For me, it was in 1997, at a Vancouver auto show-at the sight of a new Beetle, which I bought on the spot...it elegantly embodies two of the forces that have given back to us the future: the ultra-democratization of good taste and the use of high technologies and materials for the forces of good." (Douglas Coupland in Architectural Digest, February 1999) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 15:00:19 EDT From: LeftyZ@aol.com Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Curb Your enthusiasm In a message dated 10/19/02 12:54:17 PM, jsharple@brooklaw.edu writes: << Me, too. It's been my favorite thing this year. The look on Edie's face in the ep that ended with them making love, parts ecstacy, suffocation, and pure terror, was the kind of grace note that has made this (I would argue) the best TV series ever. >> I like this year so far much better than last year. To me, the most striking aspect of this year has been Gandolfinin's acting. He was very good before....he's great this year. Left ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 15:15:40 EDT From: OptionsR@aol.com Subject: [loud-fans] Top Louds? Wasn't there a poll done on Loudfans a while ago to determine which LF album was the fans' favorite? I can't remember who won - looking at these lists leads me to think it was a close match between "Interbabe Concern" and "Plants and Birds". Just realized I forgot to mention the first Moby Grape album on my list. Oh, and Band Of Susans' "Love Agenda". And put me down for "Exile In Guyville" and "Forever Changes", too. Todd Rundgren's "A Wizard/A True Star". Wait, there's The Velvet Underground's "White Light/White Heat". Which reminds me, The Dream Syndicate's "Days Of Wine And Roses" was pretty awesome, too. Don't know how to decide on just one Neil Young, Bob Dylan, or John Fahey title. Have to mention "Reign In Blood" by Slayer, which I played almost daily for two years after it came out, and I still get a kick out of today...okay, now that's definitely more than 10. Hmm, this list-making thing is more difficult than I remember it being. The Saints' "Eternally Yours"! Of course! How could I forget? Mike Bollman ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 15:10:28 -0400 From: Dana Paoli Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Jad Fair (was "here's another")(ns) I haven't heard everything that Jad Fair has done (there's a lot, and Stewart is probably right in saying that a lot of it is bad) but I think that the Half Jap album "Charmed Life" is consistent enough to please most people around these parts. - --dana np: The Frogs "My Daughter The Broad" On Sun, 20 Oct 2002 14:02:13 -0400 Carolyn Dorsey writes: > Yes, I heard some it on the radio and was really disappointed. What > I heard > was just so silly and it went nowhere for me. From what I have > heard of Jad > Fair he can be charming in a naive and silly way but this seemed so > forced > and grating. > > Carolyn > > > > on 10/20/02 11:25 AM, Dana Paoli at dana-boy@juno.com wrote: > > >> BTW, to kick off the CD giveaway that Jeff is promising, I'd like > to > >> offer the new Jad Faire/R. Stevie Moore CD to the first person > who wants > >> it. With all apologies to Stewart, it's IMHO really terrible. > > Hopefully > >> it'll find a good home where it can be loved by someone more open > minded > >> than myself. > > > > Hm, a crap album featuring Jad Fair. Pardon me if I'm not shocked > by > > this. > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> > > > > I was only shocked because it got such a great review at > Allmusic. > > Stewart. > > > > --dana > > ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 17:37:33 -0400 From: Stewart Mason Subject: Re: [loud-fans] here's another At 11:25 AM 10/20/2002 -0400, Dana Paoli wrote: >>BTW, to kick off the CD giveaway that Jeff is promising, I'd like to >>offer the new Jad Faire/R. Stevie Moore CD to the first person who wants >>it. With all apologies to Stewart, it's IMHO really terrible. >Hopefully >>it'll find a good home where it can be loved by someone more open minded >>than myself. > >Hm, a crap album featuring Jad Fair. Pardon me if I'm not shocked by >this. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> > >I was only shocked because it got such a great review at Allmusic. >Stewart. I'm not saying that I didn't like it. Dana. But as that review notes, it's one of about three or four discs involving Jad Fair that I've ever liked. Dana. Because I think it's amusung when you get into a snit for no readily apparent reason. Dana. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 18:05:58 -0400 (EDT) From: Aaron Mandel Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Top Louds? On Sun, 20 Oct 2002 OptionsR@aol.com wrote: > Wasn't there a poll done on Loudfans a while ago to determine > which LF album was the fans' favorite? I can't remember who won - > looking at these lists leads me to think it was a close match between > "Interbabe Concern" and "Plants and Birds". The poll was done about three years ago, with the numbers looking like this: 1 ALRN 1 The Tape Of Only Linda 5 Real Nighttime 5 Two Steps 7 The Big Shot Chronicles 12 Days For Days 27 Interbabe Concern 31 Plants And Birds... 39 Lolita Nation Everyone got two votes for best album, so that represents 64 voters. Might be about time to re-run that poll, with two new LF releases since then. a ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 19:47:50 -0400 From: Overall_Julianne@isus.emc.com Subject: [loud-fans] Spirited Away "Spirited Away" finally showed in a Portland theater last week. I took Melanie to see it on Thursday. Thanks Steve, for alerting me to the showing. What an incredible film! I'm in awe. I was swept away by this sometimes dream-like, sometimes nightmarish fairy tale. Most of the audience were adults, although there were a handful of children, even though it was an early evening show. Of course, everyone applauded at the end. I've got to rank this along with "The Fellowship of the Ring" as most captivating me, sweeping me up in the story. I enjoyed the appearance of a hag/crone creature - complete with knitting, along with many major archetypes from dreams, mythology, fairy tales, and Jungian psychology. I've not read any Japanese fairy tales, but the hag's name (Yubaba) is similar to the typical Babba Yaga of Russian fairy tales. I'm curious if any loud-fans (glenn) have read any Japanese fairy tales and if much of "Spirited Away" is derived from them. I'm ordering the DVD tonight! -julianne Remembering my name.... ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 20:14:56 -0500 From: "CJ" Subject: Re: [loud-fans] All time Top 10s tried and true, in no particular order: Husker Du - NEW DAY RISING The Beatles - RUBBER SOUL The Toy Dolls - DIG THAT GROOVE BABY Jellyfish - SPILT MILK The Three O'Clock - SIXTEEN TAMBOURINES Ben Folds Five - s/t The Suburbs - CREDIT IN HEAVEN Belle & Sebastian - IF YOU'RE FEELING SINISTER The Smiths - THE QUEEN IS DEAD REM - LIFES RICH PAGEANT also in, depending on the month (but what to take out?): Trip Shakespeare - LULU ABC - THE LEXICON OF LOVE David Bowie - ...ZIGGY STARDUST... Eric Matthews - THE LATENESS OF THE HOUR Wilco - SUMMERTEETH Don't mind my sweet tooth, CJ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 21:46:34 -0400 From: jenny grover Subject: [loud-fans] top 10 or so This is kinda hard, really. For these purposes I allowed myself one album per artist, just so more could be represented, and kept it within the rock genre, and I'm sure I'm still leaving someone important out, since I just did this off the top of my head. Even so, I could only really get it down to 15, and 20 would be pretty easy. Okay, so I have to go with whatever magazine used to have a Desert Island Disc list that they ended up extending to allow an entire collection of one artist's work to count as one entry :) 1. Soundgarden- Superunknown 2. Game Theory- Lolita Nation 3. The Saints- Eternally Yours 4. Mission of Burma- VS. 5. Beatles- Revolver 6. Mark Lanegan- Whiskey For the Holy Ghost 7. Husker Du- Metal Circus 8. REM- Chronic Town 9. Wire- On Returning 10. Stooges- Fun House 11. Minutemen- Double Nickels on the Dime 12. Bauhaus- Burning From the Inside 13. Nirvana- Sliver ep 14. Magazine- Rays and Hail 15. Buzzcocks- Love Bites Jen (who would have liked to squeeze Terminal Tower, Sandinista, and I Against I in there somewhere) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 18:57:09 -0700 (PDT) From: Phil Fleming Subject: [loud-fans] anyone out there (outthere outthere) ? __________________________________________________ Y! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your web site http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 18:57:56 -0700 (PDT) From: Phil Fleming Subject: [loud-fans] anyone out there (outthere outthere) ? irc.eskimo.com #loudfans ... need I say more Phil F. NP... INXS - Welcome To Wherever You Are Y! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your web site http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 22:24:56 -0400 From: Dana Paoli Subject: Re: [loud-fans] here's another > I'm not saying that I didn't like it. Dana. But as that review > notes, > it's one of about three or four discs involving Jad Fair that I've > ever > liked. Dana. Because I think it's amusung when you get into a snit > for no > readily apparent reason. Dana. >>>>>>>>>>>>> Hey, I don't get into snits w/you, Stewart. I like you. But don't play with my mind by giving a great review on Allmusic, then saying: >Hm, a crap album featuring Jad Fair. Pardon me if I'm not shocked by >this.. It's confusing, and after the whole Krautrock thing I'm feeling very fragile. I mean, what if Belle and Sebastian are actually prog rock? The whole balance of nature might come undone. Also it was so disappointing... I had just posted my top 10 list, and was musing about how much I really like Half Jap, and suddenly I see this CD that has Jad and this R. Stevie guy about whom I've heard so much, and the allmusic review (which I didn't note at the time was by you) said it was great, and it seemed like such a sure thing that I didn't even bring a back-up CD to the gym with me. I don't know if you work out, but let me tell you that it's *really* annoying riding the exercise bicycyle with nothing good to listen to. It's starting to look like an iPod will be on my xmas list this year. On the plus side, I ended up spending more time in the pool, as I try to relearn how to swim. It's so exciting to have finally found a decent pool near my house. But wow is it hard to breath while doing the crawl. I'd almost forgotten. But regardless, my herniated discs have been *so* much better ever since I started swimming every day. So maybe it's actually a good thing that the CD turned out to be bad. - --dana ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 23:09:51 -0400 From: "Francis J H Park" Subject: [loud-fans] All-Time Top 10s 20 disks, in no specific order. Best-of and concert disks are excluded... Tier 1: Corrosion of Conformity, Animosity Tommy Keene, Ten Years After Let's Active, Cypress/Afoot The Loud Family, PABARAT Hybrid, Wide Angle For Against, December The Bats, Silverbeet New Model Army, Vengeance Sarge, The Glass Intact Tier 2: Velocity Girl, Simpatico! Wire, A Bell Is A Cup Until It Is Struck Kristin Hersh, Murder and Misery and then Goodnight R.E.M., Chronic Town The Cure, Pornography Sugar, Copper Blue The Connells, Ring that dog., retreat from the sun Kirsty MacColl, Kite Yo La Tengo, May I Sing With Me Classical and soundtracks (separate category). I tend not to specify particular performances mostly because I haven't really listened to them enough to warrant any one particular performer than another - with one exception, which I'll list first: - - Isaac Stern, solo violin with orchestra: J.S. Bach, Violin Concerti Nos 1 and2, and Double Concerto for two violins. - - Rimsky-Korsakov, Russian Easter Overture - - Shostakovitch, Cello Concerto No 1 and Symphony No 5 - - Beethoven, Symphony No 3 - - Herbert Howells, Requiem - - John Williams, Return of the Jedi (1997 rerelease set) - - James Horner, Aliens - - Thomas Newman, Oscar and Lucinda - - Michael Nyman, The Piano - - Michael Nyman, Gattaca Excluded as live albums but I had to mention them: The Cure, Concert Descendents, Liveage Francis J. H. Park http://home.sprintmail.com/~durandal - -- Poverty was preferable to what came with defeat...men with the best gifts of Science and no skills but those of murder looked for patrons who would hire them to bring down civilization. Business was good - David Drake ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 20:19:21 -0700 (PDT) From: Phil Fleming Subject: [loud-fans] My Top 10 My turn... Loud Family - Interbabe Concern Husker Du - Warehouse:Songs And Stories Pearl Jam - Ten Pixies - Trompe Le Monde Madonna - Like A Prayer Bad Religion - Generator Sheryl Crow - The Globe Sessions (without that awful cover of "Sweet Child O' Mine") Charm Farm - Pervert Enuff Znuff - Paraphernalia Guided By Voices - Mag Earwhig! The first four are pretty firm in their places. The rest...hell, the last 6 might change before you finish reading this! Phil F. NP... was Desaparecidos _Read Music Speak Spanish_ now Ween _Chocolate And Cheese_ Y! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your web site http://webhosting.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 23:55:13 -0400 From: Stewart Mason Subject: [loud-fans] Tapeswap review: Andrea Weiss' "Sometimes A Circle" Given that Andrea was nice enough to actually send me a mix (the first I've had in months), i thought I'd be a good do-bee and review it right away. "Sometimes a Circle" -- Louise Goffin As fond as I am of her folks, the only Louise Goffin I've ever heard is he 30 seconds or so of the new version of "Where You Lead" that starts Gilmore Girls. Frankly, this song isn't likely to make me seek out any of her solo records -- the electronic beats sound grafted on by an outside A&R guy, and the best part of the song, a really ghostly, pretty bridge, is only 30 seconds long. "I Don't Know Why" -- Norah Jones I'm surprised there hasn't been a backlash against Norah Jones yet, as people tend to get very petty whenever someone young, gorgeous and talented (with a famous daddy to boot) gets so much buzz. Maybe it's just because this is actually such a genuinely good album. Love love love this song. "The Art of Driving" -- Black Box Recorder If BBR did instrumental albums, I would love them. Their songs are invariably very well-arranged and exquisitely produced. But this woman's lyrics are invariably incredibly dumb. The dialogues in between the verses here are particularly lame. Dialogues almost never work in pop music, outside of the Shangri-Las. "Garden of Delights" -- Lisa Loeb I don't know why (possibly the glasses, which reminded me uncomfortably of an ex-girlfriend), but I never paid any attention to Lisa Loeb after her hit single, although I quite liked that song. This song I actually really love, and it's compelling enough to make me hit the used bins. Which album is it on? "Please Don't Hurry Your Heart" -- Caitlin Cary Um, no rush, but Lucinda Williams called and she wants to know when you'll be finished with her voice. Hearing this, I'm wondering exactly why it is that Ryan Adams is the only ex-member of Whiskeytown who's constantly getting the phrase "derivative and unoriginal" thrown at him. "The Good Wife" -- Jane Wiedlin This reminds me that I still haven't gotten around to buying her last album. As she's gotten older, she hasn't so much lost the helium pitch on her voice as she seems to have learned how to control it a little better. Her voice sounds a lot more lived-in than it did on her earlier solo albums. The fact that the production isn't crap also helps immensely, of course, but this song is terrific, one of her best ever. "I Don't Know" -- Beats Me Andrea seems to have forgotten to write down a song title and artist here. The singer has a good rich voice -- though unfortunately she knows this and tends to oversing as a result -- but the tune isn't anything memorable. "River of Fallen Stars/Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" -- The Kennedys I've never heard the Kennedys, although I keep hearing that those who like the Nields or Gregson and Collister (which I do) will like them. And I do. The singer has a kind of piercing, whiny quality that I like, and this guitarist is really good, so much that the little Bach pastiche sounds more playful than pretentious. Which album should I start with? "Basement Apartment" -- Sarah Harmer My friend Lea and I missed her set last summer when she was opening for Barenaked Ladies, which I thought was a shame because I liked this song whenever I heard it on the radio. But I've still never investigated further. This song sounds like I would imagine Beth Orton would if she weren't such a little gloomy-guts. "New Dress" -- Jonatha Brooke When I first listened to this tape, I thought "Whatever happened to the other woman from the Story? I liked her voice a lot more." Turns out she's on side two. And speaking of... Side two: "The Sweetness" -- The Nields I can see why her voice annoys some folks, but I just love it. I don't have this album, though I should pick it up sometime. "(I'll Never be Your) Maggie May" -- Suzanne Vega So, uh, Andrea, did you just break up with someone or something? This is like the third or fourth bitter breakup song! I'm honestly not sure I knew that Suzanne Vega had released an album recently until I heard this song. Which I do like. "Wriggling Man" -- Maggie and Terri Roche God, I haven't heard this in ages! If anything, this 1975 album is even weirder than anything they did later with lil sister Suzzy! "Big Shoes" -- Jill Sobule Not bad, but if this song and "I Kissed A Girl" (the only other thing I ever heard by her) are any indication, she's a very witty and capable songwriter undercut by a really thin and unimpressive voice. "Pavlov's Bell" -- Aimee Mann I repeat: yeah, it's mid-tempo and gloomy. But that's what Aimee Mann does. "Timer" -- Laura Nyro Although it was other bands who had the hits with Laura Nyro's songs -- her voice was simply a little too weird for the mainstream in the late '60s -- no one else has ever sung them better. I love this song. "Freakshow" -- Stretch Princess Another personal fave. Both their albums are very good. "Long Way Home" -- Jennifer Kimball The other woman from the Story. I still love her voice, but this song is a little weak. "8-10 Parliament Street" -- The Alice Project Friends of Andrea's. Remind me a little of someone, but I can't quite put my finger on who. "Dirty Magazine" -- Bree Sharp I think she thinks this is a bit more transgressive than it actually is. Cute song, though. "What If I Were Talking To Me" -- Louise Goffin Ah, now this is much better. In fact, I really like this a lot. It's a better use of her voice, and the electronics are much better integrated into the music. Reminds me a bit, of all things, of the all-but-unknown (in the states, anyway) Alisha's Attic. Thanks to Andrea for such an enjoyable tape! S ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 23:18:42 -0500 (CDT) From: Jeffrey with 2 Fs Jeffrey Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Tapeswap review: Andrea Weiss' "Sometimes A Circle" On Sun, 20 Oct 2002, Stewart Mason wrote: > "I Don't Know Why" -- Norah Jones > > I'm surprised there hasn't been a backlash against Norah Jones yet, as > people tend to get very petty whenever someone young, gorgeous and talented > (with a famous daddy to boot) gets so much buzz. Maybe it's just because > this is actually such a genuinely good album. Love love love this song. I will dash all credentials to paying attention that I might have developed and state that I've never knowingly *heard* Norah Jones. (Of course, I probably have heard her, just not knowing it.) But there appears to be a backlash - at least, I've heard people badmouthing her. > "The Art of Driving" -- Black Box Recorder > > If BBR did instrumental albums, I would love them. Their songs are > invariably very well-arranged and exquisitely produced. But this woman's > lyrics are invariably incredibly dumb. The dialogues in between the verses > here are particularly lame. Dialogues almost never work in pop music, > outside of the Shangri-Las. First, roger props on the Shangri-Las (bear with me, I'm trying to invent my own slang). I dunno - I'm capable of ignoring lyrics, but yeah, this one's kind of annoying. I sort of like the sly fact of the song's not-exactly-sub sexual subtext being reinforced by its borrowing of the "Lay Lady Lay" chord sequence. > "The Good Wife" -- Jane Wiedlin > > This reminds me that I still haven't gotten around to buying her last > album. As she's gotten older, she hasn't so much lost the helium pitch on > her voice as she seems to have learned how to control it a little better. > Her voice sounds a lot more lived-in than it did on her earlier solo > albums. The fact that the production isn't crap also helps immensely, of > course, but this song is terrific, one of her best ever. Andrea put this on a mix tape for me a year or so ago - I keep thinking I'm going to buy the CD (there's a dirty old man next door who wants me to buy it too - oh wait, actually he lives here) but still haven't yet. Don't know why - I like this song, I like last year's Go-Go's' (now *that*'s weird punctuation...) album, so i guess I'm just lame. > "Big Shoes" -- Jill Sobule > > Not bad, but if this song and "I Kissed A Girl" (the only other thing I > ever heard by her) are any indication, she's a very witty and capable > songwriter undercut by a really thin and unimpressive voice. I say check her stuff out - her voice isn't that great, true - but I think it works with her material, and yes, she's a good songwriter, and Brad Jones produces one or two of her records too. > "Pavlov's Bell" -- Aimee Mann > > I repeat: yeah, it's mid-tempo and gloomy. But that's what Aimee Mann does. Shouldn't that have been "but that's just what she are"? No, I didn't think so either... Oh, btw: I've been swamped with reasons to avoid work and post to the list, but I am aware that (a) I haven't yet reviewed Larry Tucker's very nice CD and that (b) I haven't even started putting together this round's swap CD. These things will happen...just not right now. - --Jeff J e f f r e y N o r m a n The Architectural Dance Society www.uwm.edu/~jenor/ADS.html ::part of your circuit of incompetence:: ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 22:30:08 -0600 From: Roger Winston Subject: Re: [loud-fans] All time Top 10s My current Top 10 DIDs, one album per group, would go something like this: 1. The Loud Family: Plants and Birds and Rocks and Things (1993) 2. The Church: Heyday (1985) 3. The Chameleons: Strange Times (1986) 4. New Pornographers: Mass Romantic (2000) 5. Blue Oyster Cult: Secret Treaties (1974) 6. Shriekback: Oil and Gold (1985) 7. Permaforst: In Harm's Way (1997) 8. Julian Cope: World Shut Your Mouth (1984) 9. Be Bop Deluxe: Sunburst Finish (1976) 10. Al Stewart: Past, Present And Future (1974) Bubbling Under: Pete Shelley: Heaven And The Sea (1986) Game Theory: Two Steps From The Middle Ages (1988) Cavedogs: Joy Rides For Shut-Ins (1990) Kate Bush: The Dreaming (1982) Trotsky Icepick: El Kabong (1989) (I'm tempted to add in Magazine's Rays And Hail like Jen did, but that's a compilation, so I can't.) Hmmm, hasn't changed much in the last decade plus... I'm frellin' old. Latre. --Rog ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 01:18:34 -0400 (EDT) From: Michael Mitton Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Tapeswap review: Andrea Weiss' "Sometimes A Circle" > "I Don't Know Why" -- Norah Jones > > I'm surprised there hasn't been a backlash against Norah Jones yet, as > people tend to get very petty whenever someone young, gorgeous and talented > (with a famous daddy to boot) gets so much buzz. Maybe it's just because > this is actually such a genuinely good album. Love love love this song. I really had no interest at all in listening to her album, but the girlfriend was pretty excited to have me hear it. I've forced her to listen to a lot of my, as she says, "weird-ass" music, so I couldn't refuse, and was pleasantly surprised. I typically feel the songwriting in this genre is pretty lazy (e.g. Natalie Cole), but not here. Plus, she really does have a beautiful voice. But I don't know who her daddy is. - --Michael ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 23:15:06 -0700 (PDT) From: michael@zwirn.com Subject: [loud-fans] re: Top Ten My list, last updated 1998 (sheesh) is at http://www.solardata.net/~zwirnm@solardata.net/discs.html. Paragraph length commentary included. Big Star: #1 Record/Radio City Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes Kronos Quartet: Pieces of Africa Bruce Springsteen: Tunnel of Love Daniel Lanois: For the Beauty of Wynona Judybats: Pain Makes You Beautiful Richard and Linda Thompson: Shoot Out the Lights Crowded House: Temple of Low Men R.E.M.: Murmur Dawn Upshaw/London Sinfonietta/Zinman: Gsrecki's Symphony No. 3 If I made changes to it now, I would add Interbabe Concern, Emm Gryner's Science Fair, Emmylou Harris' Wrecking Ball. The likely drops would be the Gorecki, Judybats, and maybe the Kronos Quartet, although I honestly don't listen to Big Star a lot anymore, and I do routinely listen to various Kronos discs. But Big Star's influence over the rest of my collection is pretty darned profound. last played: Sleater-Kinney, One Beat last seen: Moonlight Mile last read: Nathan Englander, For the Relief of Unbearable Urges Michael J. Zwirn, Environmental Policy Analyst http://www.zwirn.com michael@zwirn.com Home: 503/232-8919 Cell: 503/887-9800 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 02:18:47 EDT From: AWeiss4338@aol.com Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Tapeswap review: Andrea Weiss' "Sometimes A Circle" In a message dated 10/21/2002 1:22:24 AM Eastern Standard Time, mlmitton@phoenix.Princeton.EDU writes: > "I Don't Know Why" -- Norah Jones > > > > I'm surprised there hasn't been a backlash against Norah Jones yet, as > > people tend to get very petty whenever someone young, gorgeous and > talented > > (with a famous daddy to boot) gets so much buzz. Maybe it's just because > > this is actually such a genuinely good album. Love love love this song. > > I really had no interest at all in listening to her album, but the > girlfriend was pretty excited to have me hear it. I've forced her to > listen to a lot of my, as she says, "weird-ass" music, so I couldn't > refuse, and was pleasantly surprised. I typically feel the songwriting in > this genre is pretty lazy (e.g. Natalie Cole), but not here. Plus, she > really does have a beautiful voice. > > But I don't know who her daddy is. > > Ravi Shankar. And i agree about the songwriting in this genre. Andrea ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 02:32:41 EDT From: AWeiss4338@aol.com Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Tapeswap review: Andrea Weiss' "Sometimes A Circle" In a message dated 10/20/2002 11:55:57 PM Eastern Standard Time, flamingo@theworld.com writes: > Given that Andrea was nice enough to actually send me a mix (the first I've > had in months), i thought I'd be a good do-bee and review it right away. > > "Sometimes a Circle" -- Louise Goffin > > As fond as I am of her folks, the only Louise Goffin I've ever heard is he > 30 seconds or so of the new version of "Where You Lead" that starts Gilmore > Girls. Frankly, this song isn't likely to make me seek out any of her solo > records -- the electronic beats sound grafted on by an outside A&R guy, and > the best part of the song, a really ghostly, pretty bridge, is only 30 > seconds long. > > "I Don't Know Why" -- Norah Jones > > I'm surprised there hasn't been a backlash against Norah Jones yet, as > people tend to get very petty whenever someone young, gorgeous and talented > (with a famous daddy to boot) gets so much buzz. Maybe it's just because > this is actually such a genuinely good album. Love love love this song. > Love it too. And this is all over mainsteam radio. And it's cool hearing it > there too. Jealousy I suspect for why there is something of a backlash. > "The Art of Driving" -- Black Box Recorder > > If BBR did instrumental albums, I would love them. Their songs are > invariably very well-arranged and exquisitely produced. But this woman's > lyrics are invariably incredibly dumb. The dialogues in between the verses > here are particularly lame. Dialogues almost never work in pop music, > outside of the Shangri-Las. > > "Garden of Delights" -- Lisa Loeb > > I don't know why (possibly the glasses, which reminded me uncomfortably of > an ex-girlfriend), but I never paid any attention to Lisa Loeb after her > hit single, although I quite liked that song. This song I actually really > love, and it's compelling enough to make me hit the used bins. Which album > is it on? > It's Tails, her first, and it also has Stay on it. Her others are good too, but not as much as Tails. Her third album was recently re-realeased under a different name, original title was Cake And Pie. > "Please Don't Hurry Your Heart" -- Caitlin Cary > > Um, no rush, but Lucinda Williams called and she wants to know when you'll > be finished with her voice. Hearing this, I'm wondering exactly why it is > that Ryan Adams is the only ex-member of Whiskeytown who's constantly > getting the phrase "derivative and unoriginal" thrown at him. > > "The Good Wife" -- Jane Wiedlin > > This reminds me that I still haven't gotten around to buying her last > album. As she's gotten older, she hasn't so much lost the helium pitch on > her voice as she seems to have learned how to control it a little better. > Her voice sounds a lot more lived-in than it did on her earlier solo > albums. The fact that the production isn't crap also helps immensely, of > course, but this song is terrific, one of her best ever. > If you do buy it get ready for some wild photos. I agree here with this, > it's her most listenable of all her albums. > "I Don't Know" -- Beats Me > > Andrea seems to have forgotten to write down a song title and artist here. > The singer has a good rich voice -- though unfortunately she knows this and > tends to oversing as a result -- but the tune isn't anything memorable. > And can't remember it now either. Oh well. > "River of Fallen Stars/Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" -- The Kennedys > > I've never heard the Kennedys, although I keep hearing that those who like > the Nields or Gregson and Collister (which I do) will like them. And I do. > The singer has a kind of piercing, whiny quality that I like, and this > guitarist is really good, so much that the little Bach pastiche sounds more > playful than pretentious. Which album should I start with? > Their live album Absolutely Live is where I'd start, then Life Is Large or Resolver for their studio work. > "Basement Apartment" -- Sarah Harmer > > My friend Lea and I missed her set last summer when she was opening for > Barenaked Ladies, which I thought was a shame because I liked this song > whenever I heard it on the radio. But I've still never investigated > further. This song sounds like I would imagine Beth Orton would if she > weren't such a little gloomy-guts. > > "New Dress" -- Jonatha Brooke > > When I first listened to this tape, I thought "Whatever happened to the > other woman from the Story? I liked her voice a lot more." Turns out > she's on side two. And speaking of... > > Side two: > > "The Sweetness" -- The Nields > > I can see why her voice annoys some folks, but I just love it. I don't > have this album, though I should pick it up sometime. > > "(I'll Never be Your) Maggie May" -- Suzanne Vega > > So, uh, Andrea, did you just break up with someone or something? This is > like the third or fourth bitter breakup song! I'm honestly not sure I knew > that Suzanne Vega had released an album recently until I heard this song. > Which I do like. > Nope:-). Can't get away from breakup songs. I think this is Vega's best > album, less abstract, more concrete. > "Wriggling Man" -- Maggie and Terri Roche > > God, I haven't heard this in ages! If anything, this 1975 album is even > weirder than anything they did later with lil sister Suzzy! > I agree, although the first Roches album with Suzzy comes close. > "Big Shoes" -- Jill Sobule > > Not bad, but if this song and "I Kissed A Girl" (the only other thing I > ever heard by her) are any indication, she's a very witty and capable > songwriter undercut by a really thin and unimpressive voice. > I agree about her voice, but don't let that stop you. Her 'best known > songs' comp I Never learned To Swim is where to start. > "Pavlov's Bell" -- Aimee Mann > > I repeat: yeah, it's mid-tempo and gloomy. But that's what Aimee Mann does. > > "Timer" -- Laura Nyro > > Although it was other bands who had the hits with Laura Nyro's songs -- her > voice was simply a little too weird for the mainstream in the late '60s -- > no one else has ever sung them better. I love this song. > Me too. I wish younger singer songwriters would pay a bit of attention to > her. > "Freakshow" -- Stretch Princess > > Another personal fave. Both their albums are very good. > > "Long Way Home" -- Jennifer Kimball > > The other woman from the Story. I still love her voice, but this song is a > little weak. > > "8-10 Parliament Street" -- The Alice Project > > Friends of Andrea's. Remind me a little of someone, but I can't quite put > my finger on who. > > "Dirty Magazine" -- Bree Sharp > > I think she thinks this is a bit more transgressive than it actually is. > Cute song, though. > > "What If I Were Talking To Me" -- Louise Goffin > > Ah, now this is much better. In fact, I really like this a lot. It's a > better use of her voice, and the electronics are much better integrated > into the music. Reminds me a bit, of all things, of the all-but-unknown > (in the states, anyway) Alisha's Attic. > Most of the other songs on her album are more like this. There is one > rather perverse one though that sounds like Mom and Dad, called Sleep With > Me Instead that is a lot of fun.. > Thanks to Andrea for such an enjoyable tape! > > You're welcome. Andrea ------------------------------ End of loud-fans-digest V2 #368 *******************************