From: owner-loud-fans-digest@smoe.org (loud-fans-digest) To: loud-fans-digest@smoe.org Subject: loud-fans-digest V4 #136 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 Wednesday, May 19 2004 Volume 04 : Number 136 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [loud-fans] Jacques Brel is alive and well and reading loudfans [Richard ] Re: [loud-fans] Jacques Brel is alive and well and reading loudfans ["Bra] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 23:49:36 -0400 From: Richard Gagnon Subject: [loud-fans] Jacques Brel is alive and well and reading loudfans Bradley opines: I'm also making my annual attempt to get into Scott Walker, and it seems to be taking this year. I've spent a lot of time since the last attempt listening to Robin Gibb, Kevin Rowland and Sinatra's _Watertown_, so maybe that's it. I'm also going album by album instead of going for one of the compilations--somehow that seems to make more sense to me. Maybe i'll get into Jacques Brel one of these days, too. Overblown pretension doesn't bother me like it used to. Don't know if that's a positive development. And just how is Brel a) pretentious and b) overblown? I mean, you're confusing Brel with Brel by Mort Shuman and Scott Walker. I worship at the altar of this Holy Trinity, but Brel by himself is a whole different animal. He may be a lot of things, but pretentious? You're already a huge fan of lots of folks who deserve the appellation a whole lot more, I'm sure. Is it perhaps the overblown mixed with the pretentious that gives you a rash? I guess you don't appreciate the Glory that is Jim Steinman, do you? ;) I have to say, though, that the TV footage i've seen of Brel is amazing--stunning, really. I hear there's a $200 box with a DVD or two of footage--i'd love to just have the DVD. Lots of those available around here. There's a three disc dvd set with about a hundred performances on it. Might be a bit much to take in for a beginner, but hey, it's there. The Canadian price tag should make it highly reasonable for your purse. http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/dvd/B0000AQJPR/reviews/ref=cm_rev_more/702-4966535-7330420#2 Wouldn't mind hearing Watertown. Big Gaudio/Crewe fan, but Sinatra was mostly in "Hollering Bully" singing mode by then. Must have been getting hard of hearing. If you're exploring the pretentious and overblown, try the works of Tupper Saussy next! Rick ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 21:30:08 -0700 From: "Bradley Skaught" Subject: Re: [loud-fans] Jacques Brel is alive and well and reading loudfans > And just how is Brel a) pretentious and b) overblown? I really should learn to use emoticons or something. I was kidding. Guy-singing-moody-songs-in-French adds up to a good funny stereotype of overblown and pretensious. Just like Piaf can be drawn in caricature, so can Brel. Or anyone with a distinct style that's badly copied. And since most of Brel's English language disciples are overblown and pretensious (even the ones I like) I thought it was funny. And, really, unless something is seriously lost in the translation, "My Death" is pretty dicey. Great, but walking a thin line. > You're already a huge fan of lots of folks who deserve >the > appellation a whole lot more, I'm sure. Yeah, in fact i'm kind of a fan of pretension in a sense. I like it when folks are trying really hard to say something big, even if they're not entirely capable of doing it. But I like the folks who can even better. > I guess you don't appreciate the Glory that is Jim > Steinman, do you? ;) The spoken word track on Bat Out Of Hell II is the funniest thing i've ever heard! > Wouldn't mind hearing Watertown. Big Gaudio/Crewe > fan, but Sinatra > was mostly in "Hollering Bully" singing mode by then. > Must have been > getting hard of hearing. Sinatra overcame the Hollering Bully-isms for a few of those late Reprise records. Watertown is one, the album and a half with Jobim is the other. Stunning singing on both--the hollering nonsense didn't really kick in until after that second Jobim session. I wish Watertown was a little _catchier_, really, but it's gorgeous singing and production. Great storytelling as well. love, B "I don't believe I have time to go over what is wrong" -Felipe Alou - --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.681 / Virus Database: 443 - Release Date: 5/10/2004 ------------------------------ End of loud-fans-digest V4 #136 *******************************