This is pretty innovative and imaginative stuff going on here. First thing that needs to be done is completely getting any Bon Iver related thoughts out of your head. As similar it may appear to be at the start, its wildly different under the shell.
These are fantastic. Its always so cool listening to Vernon find ways to mix old musical styles into new ones.
Nothin like throwback grunge with face melting riffs and a lead voice that sounds like me if I was passing a kidney stone.
I mean this as an insanely proper compliment.
Agreed, valid point, and one I've also pondered more than a few times, this year, as another ho hum set of releases trickle out, this week. If you want a half full angle, I think this has been an exceptional year for indie women (Snail Mail, Let's Eat Grandma, Soccer Mommy, Beach House, Worlds Greatest Dad, Samia) and indie rock, in general, it seems. Generally, I think the quality/amount of music was lower, but there is a concentrated batch of great music that will be remembered when you look back. In my mind, I think hip hop took a step back merely because there were a ton of albums and artists that simply all sounded relatively the same.
This is one of those artists where everyone who thinks they got in early because, "Yeah, that Muchacho album is like, wow, man"....yet never realize that this guy had arrived 5 years earlier with something so much more special. Muchacho only occasionally taps into the emotion of what essentially is everything that makes up Pride.
Rule #1 with Spiritualized - You cannot take in tracks, you must listen to each album as a sum of its parts.
Its sorta like sayin, if you're listening to The Wall with friends, and someone goes, 'Hey throw on track 12?"
1. Miller's Crossing-Irish Gangsters with Anthony Quinn...no brainer.
2. Fargo - Just about as perfectly executed a crime story ever filmed
3. Raising Arizona - Maybe in top 5 for any comedy really
5. No Country for Old Men - Coens doin the slow burn better than ever here
4. Blood Simple - First and arguably an indie/art house cinema game changer
Lemme guess, its a think piece its a coming of age story of a band during the experimental '70s with a charismatic lead singer who carries a blend of Joan Baez insight and Joplin energy but while rising to stardom submits to the perils of what success can bring which makes her and the band turn to drugs which inevitably turns them against each other to create broken friendships among band members who are all fighting for the same recognition in a spotlight none can fully understand while they grapple with the realization that success isn't everything they thought it would be when they originally set out on their journey as friends just wanting to play music as a band.
You know, it’s a think piece about a midlevel band struggling with their own limitations in the harsh face of stardom
Done.
Next series.
Saw this tour with that big ole Spider that towered over the stage. It was like an effort to recapture his Aladdin Sane/Ziggy concept approach, and think it was coming off his excellent Tin Machine project, so yeah, he was all over the place at this point in his career. Either way, there was some cool stuff that came out of what was a weird time to be him during that early 90's alt rock revolt that as going on. Def a weird choice for redo tho
ok cool...I had figured ya to be someone I'd think was dialed in to him. Respect! Actually listened to Freetown after reading your comment...man that thing is heavy, soulful, smooth and above all, important, Cannot wait for Negro Swan. It will simply glide to the top of EOY lists if he can sneak it out soon.
Freetown Sound?? My Lord, that's just what is newest...take a ride on Cupid Deluxe and Coastal Grooves and you'll soon realize the guys battin 1K. Start with Champagne Coast and just work backwards and you'll wonder why this guy hasn't moonwalked across a Grammy stage.
Far behind...classic song, although they borderline treated it like a Iron Butterfly ina gotta deviate moment, but hey, give em their day in the sun again, if only for a moment.
I dunno...this is kinda givin me hot mess vibes. The schmaltz factor is on high alert.
What'd be cool is straight up Rhianna reggae by way of Steel Pulse.
tbh, and I know I'll be skewered for this thought, if you were able to have, say, a living Freddie Mercury singing the lyrics instead, you'd have one monumental, orchestral rock opera achievement.
I carry the same thought...but for me, shes's one of those solo musicians that's a head scratcher. I know shes beloved round these parts, but she's like artpop Sia only without the hooks. Maybe Gaga + SOPHIE will sorta cancel each other out and the music will teeter right on the edge of cool.
Donnie Darko is insane. Cannot stop listening to the album. May have chosen I Will Be Waiting, but really...throw a dart. Also wish I had never heard Falling into Me prior to the album. The fact I played that one to death for weeks dampens how insanely great it fits with the others.
Actually, they had a pretty good "run" as a sorta summer bar band. Barely lasted 'one week' tho. Brian Wilson was an essential summer song at some point in my young life.
My only complaint is I'm upset with myself for overplaying the singles to death. Same thing happened for me with Snail Mail. Start to finish tho, both are easy year end contenders.
Whats cool is that this was pre Appetite. You'd think by the time Illusions came out a song like November Rain would have been made at that time and designed to be more of a cash grab Billboard single release. Kinda makes it an even better song now imo, now knowing its timeline.
I remember being in Cutlers on Church St in New Havens, a temple for records, and Under the Table Dreaming was playing above. I turned r=to the guy behind the desk and asked, who is this? Some new band...and he says new band, Dave Matthews.
Thats how you heard of great rock.
As you remember, this was a time and age where Rolling Stone was our internet, and dual tape decks were part of our components. These guys were, like Guns and Roses, the next Rolling Stones. And then poof, they were bigger than their music and corporate took over. Radio rock died, Napster ruled the scene and alternative music and its landscape changed.
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