[Severian]

Originally Posted by confusion is next

 

That looks like Ron Howard in the front row there, with the cap.

(Hi, I'm contributing!)

[noisereductions]

 

Foo Fighters
One By One
2002, And here's the album that almost destroyed the Foo Fighters. Wow. So let's take a minute to talk history: they hire an expensive producer, go into an expensive studio and hammer out an album that costs a million dollars only to find that they hate the outcome. In-fighting leaves them on the verge of breaking up. They decide to play a few final schedules shows and ultimately a new spark is lit. So they go and re-record the album in Dave's basement with a new found intensity. The resulting album sells a buttload and wins a bunch of awards and the band subsequently still hates it, with Dave himself sort of infamously quipping that it only had "four good songs." Just wow. The truth is that it's not as bad as the band makes it out to be. But certainly it's not as good as the three albums that preceded it. But there's more than four good songs here, haha. "All My Life" is still a great single, and great album opener. "Time Like These" is also great, so those two singles alone sort of justify the album. "Tired Of You" is like this fucked up ballad. Interesting stuff. "Lonely As You" is probably my favorite here, though. What a weird track. It's kind of new wave, but kind of dark. Actually the whole album is pretty dark. Maybe that Pettibon is on point because there's a lot of raw emotions here. And maybe that's why the band hates it. It's a document of wasted money and a sour period that almost resulted in the end of the band. It's honestly not a bad album. It's almost great. But not great. But totally interesting.

 

Green Day
Insomniac
1995, Let's just get this out of the way: Insomniac is not "as good" as Dookie. It's just not. But in a lot of ways it has always been my favorite Green Day album. I can't help but think that Insomniac was an attempt to lose some fans. In many ways it feels like Green Day's In Utero or Pinkerton. It's a weird back-against-the-wall reaction to the pop success gained from their previous album. I mean, sure this still sounds like Green Day and all, but there's way less poppy hooks. The guitars are heavier. Nothing here sounds like it's intended to be a single. Nothing is all that upbeat. Only one song hits the three-minute mark. There's F-bombs galore. The self-deprecation here feels less like a call to outcasts and more reactionary. It just feels like an attempt to get less radio play. But there's lots of great tracks. "Armatage Ranks" is a solid opener. "Geek Stink Breath" and "Walking Contradiction" are surely fine singles. But "Brain Stew"... wow. Sure it became one of their bigger hits but I doubt they saw that coming. This is one ugly song. And it just totally rocks. I love it still. But maybe the real standout here at least as a mission statement is "86" which is an angry concession to the punk scene which had abandoned them after their success with Dookie. It really feels like a much angrier version of "Good Riddance" which would actually appear in demo form as a b-side to "Brain Stew" before becoming their biggest single ever on their next album proper. I'll take "86" any day of the week over that one though. As big as Green Day gets with their Broadway musicals and whatever, I doubt that new fans will even pay much attention to Insomniac. But yeah, that'd be my favorite I think.

 

The Flaming Lips
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
2002, What the fuck? Seriously. How did this album do so well? I mean don't get me wrong, it's catchy as hell. Beautiful really. But wow. What a weird album from a weird band with a weird history, right? I guess I wasn't shocked by Yoshimi. I had been paying attention to the lips since at least the mid-90's. And certainly Zaireeka and The Soft Bulletin were pointing in this direction. But I had no idea they'd pull this off. They absolutely perfected this sound and it's just gorgeous. "Fight Test" is one of those openers that just destroys you. The first time I heard it, I had to start the album over and hear it again. One of those rare tracks that just throws you off balance and forces you to pay closer attention. This album is the Lips at their most affecting. The synths and orchestration... the direct lyrics. I mean, full disclosure: "Do You Realize?" still makes me cry. Maybe even more so with each year that I grow older. It's actually amazing that this album is just a centerpiece in such a brilliant career. It came about fifteen years after their debut, and could have been a high-point exit but alas, The Lips being The Lips was just a footnote in their history as they've gone through other phases since. Yoshimi may well be the one album by the band that's a cliche to love, but whatever. Call me a cliche. I love many of their albums - both before and after - but yeah, I love this album a lot.

 

Nirvana
In Utero
1993, Well... what to say? In Utero was a big deal when it was released. I was in junior high and I remember it well. I borrowed the cassette from a substitute teacher - I shit you not - who let me dub it (and Pearl Jam's Vs.) because I was talking up how much I loved those bands but didn't have the albums yet. Subsequently, my junior high buddies who also had no money dubbed In Utero off of me. I bring up the substitute teacher thing to illustrate a point. I have no quantifiable proof that Nirvana was the biggest band in the world in 1993, but in my little world they certainly were. Even teachers got it! I remember that In Utero scared me at the tender age of twelve. I mean Nevermind and Incesticide rocked, but this shit was heavy and dark. Hell, "Heart Shape Box" even scared Beavis and Butt-Head. But in hindsight - years removed from Kurt's death and with lots of "grown-up" experience under my belt, I've definitely heard this album with new ears. "Serve The Servants" is brilliant. Seriously brilliant. "Dumb" has got to be the most crystalline Beatles nod they ever pulled off, and manages to lull you with it's talk of drugs and hangovers. "Milk It" is amazing. Kurt always talked up the Melvins, but on this one he may have out-Melvined the Melvins. And it all ends with "All Apologies." When I say "it all ends," of course I mean their official album output. We can go on and on reading deeply into this album as some kind of suicide note - and in a sense the same can be done with the Unplugged album - but why? Why not just remember that In Utero is an amazing album full of ugly, raw, brooding songs. All the teeth were showing on this one. It will always be remembered as a totally important recording and for good reason. It just totally rocks.

[confusion is next]

 

Kurt Cobain once asked “Why can’t we be both Black Sabbath and The Beatles?”, Sauna Youth consistently and urgently pose the question, ‘Why can’t we be both The Ramones and Steve Reich?’.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by confusion is next

 

Kurt Cobain once asked “Why can’t we be both Black Sabbath and The Beatles?”, Sauna Youth consistently and urgently pose the question, ‘Why can’t we be both The Ramones and Steve Reich?’.

Nice. I'd never heard these guys before. I like it.

Why haven't they released an album since 2012? That's a fucking pop culture eternity. Are they still together?

[confusion is next]

Originally Posted by Severian

Nice. I'd never heard these guys before. I like it.

Why haven't they released an album since 2012? That's a fucking pop culture eternity. Are they still together?

hi...me either until last week searching at bandcamp...that's the main problem of the web...now everybody with an instrument can make a "band"e put somewhere in the net...there is a infinite things happening in the ciberspace...and every band or project get a thousands tags with it (punk rock with more ten styles)...about sauna youth yeah great sound, they will on tour in october in U.k and google the band you will find some interviews and reviews of their music...well they are in the london punk, diy punk, experimental punk garage post-punk, London tags...( you can find nice sounds in noise punk to) enjoy.

[Severian]

Originally Posted by confusion is next

hi...me either until last week searching at bandcamp...that's the main problem of the web...now everybody with an instrument can make a "band"e put somewhere in the net...there is a infinite things happening in the ciberspace...and every band or project get a thousands tags with it (punk rock with more ten styles)...about sauna youth yeah great sound, they will on tour in october in U.k and google the band you will find some interviews and reviews of their music...well they are in the london punk, diy punk, experimental punk garage post-punk, London tags...( you can find nice sounds in noise punk to) enjoy.

Hasn't been much in the way of noise punk that's moved me lately.

Black Bug broke up!!' Which I think I kind of get, because I believe I may have been the only person in the world who listed Reflecting The Light as one of the top 5 albums of 2013, and the main guy has responded to my Twitter communiques with startling speed, indicating he may not be exactly inundated by them. And Dub Thompson just ... fuck... disappeared after rocking the fuck out of 2014 with 9 Songs.

But lately I seem to be finding bands AFTER they've made their one statement. Like this. It does look like Sauna Youth release a single in 2016, so maybe there will be another album, but ... sigh.

[evollove]

Roads to Space Travel. Anyone know anything about this band?

I'm sort of obsessed with this song in particular:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2y1d0gV_4E

[Severian]

Originally Posted by evollove

Roads to Space Travel. Anyone know anything about this band?

I'm sort of obsessed with this song in particular:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2y1d0gV_4E

Oh yeah, I remember these guys a bit. No I don't know much about them, but I remember I used to have a split they did with Science Kit. Never listened to it really. Just something I had back when I collected more vinyl.

Anyway, listening now and I agree, this is pretty sweet. Hints of Archers and maybe a little Polvo.

Cool man. Thanks. I will look them up forthwith.

[evollove]

Originally Posted by Severian

split

vinyl.

Polvo.

Long shot, but do you happen to have the "Two Fists/All The Cliches Under Broadway" split 7" Polvo did with New Radiant Storm King?

[Severian]

Originally Posted by evollove

Long shot, but do you happen to have the "Two Fists/All The Cliches Under Broadway" split 7" Polvo did with New Radiant Storm King?

Hah. No. Sorry. I don't even have that Science Kit/RTST split anymore. My vinyl collection went mostly bye-bye after a... ah... shaky breakup.

[Genteel Death]

 

[Bytor Peltor]

Originally Posted by Genteel Death

 

Do believe this is the first time I remember Krokus being mentioned on this board. Headhunter was my introduction to the band, but One Vice At A Time was quickly added to my collection (on cassette).

'Big Rocks' is a "covers" album released in 2017

 

N.I.B.
Tie Your Mother Down
My Generation
Wild Thing
The House Of The Rising Sun
Rockin' In The Free World
Gimme Some Lovin'
Whole Lotta Love
Summertime Blues
Born To Be Wild
Quinn The Eskimo
Jumpin' Jack Flash
Backseat Rock N' Roll

[d.sound]

erik satie - gymnopedies no 1 (trying to find the best version)
kaitlyn aurelia smith - the kid
golden retriever - rotations
aphex twin - orphans ep
fever ray - s/t
konrad sprenger - stack music

[noisereductions]

been listening to the same thing all week. It consists of five discs. Guesses haha?

[Severian]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

been listening to the same thing all week. It consists of five discs. Guesses haha?

A playlist with albums by Weezer, Everclear, Wilco, Smashing Pumpkins and Pearl Jam?
The Aeroplane Flies High box set?
The last five Weezer albums?
The last five Smashing Pumpkins albums?

[noisereductions]

 

The Smashing Pumpkins
The Aeroplane Flies High
1996, As far as I can recall, this was the first box set I ever owned by a band. As such, it felt totally monumental to me. And the original packaging was gorgeous, mimicking a box for old 45 RPM singles. Some many years later I picked up this bootleg that condensed all the b-sides from the box set down to just two discs. This just felt more convenient for listening purposes. Though being a bootleg, it's not perfect. While it excludes the a-sides (except it does include "Thirty Three" for some reason), it tacks on a handful of other b-sides that weren't originally on the box. It also mixes up the order in which the EP's were originally released. It would have been nice to just literally have the full contents of the box in their original release order, but this still serves as a nice enough set. But nitpicking aside, let's just talk about the actual slew of Aeroplane b-sides as this is truly a treasure trove for SP fans. The "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" EP was the covers EP and it's awesome. Well actually "Said Sadly" is a James Iha original that has Nina Gordon from Veruca Salt singing! But the covers of The Cars' "You're All I've Got Tonight" and Blondie's "Dreaming" are total standouts. The take on "Destination Unknown" is at least interesting in its foreshadowing of Adore. The "Tonight Tonight" EP goes quiet, and I enjoyed that one a lot. "Blank" and the reprise of "Tonight" are great, and "Maladori Magpie" sounds like Pumpkins doing George Harrison. The title-track to this collection comes from the "Thirty Three" EP and holy shit do I love that song. It's so weird... it rocks hard and has weird clips from what I presume was a Corgan interview that's full of tape hiss and it goes on for eight minutes and I just love it. Elsewhere we've got the "Pistachio Medley," which is admittedly a total mess. At twenty-three minutes it is beyond self-indulgent and I'm not sure anyone would sit through it more than once. But my favorite track on this whole box set is "The Boy," an upbeat and simple love song by James Iha. So good. At the end of the day this is a set for huge SP fans with a few misfires, but with tons of great rarities to keep coming back to.

[Severian]

So....

I was right?

But YOU were misleading. You're not listening to a 5-disc thing. You're listening to a 2-disc thing.

Anyway, I remember the packaging and it was indeed very cool.

My first box set was... maybe the Nirvana singles box? Maybe the complete Police box? Maybe Aerosmith's Pandora's Box? One of those anyway.

Oh, might have actually been The Cure's Join the Dots.
(ETA: NOPE!)

ETA: WHAT THE FUCK? No, it wasn't JOIN THE FUCKING DOTS you sad bastard! What the hell were you thinking, me of yesterday? Eat shit and die.

[noisereductions]

how is it misleading? I said what I was listening to consists of 5 discs. What if those 5 discs were on a Spotify playlist? Then I'd be listening to 1 playlist rather than 5 discs?

At any rate, the original packaging was really amazing. But for actually listening, it's just easier to have everything crammed on the two discs. I'll eventually get the deluxe edition reissue, but it's expensive so I'll be patient. That's generally how I am with any of these pricey multidisc reissues. Plus, sadly, the deluxe Aeroplane doesn't come in a cool fancy box.

Your first box set was Join The Dots? That was like early 2000's wasn't it?

[Severian]

Originally Posted by noisereductions

how is it misleading? I said what I was listening to consists of 5 discs. What if those 5 discs were on a Spotify playlist? Then I'd be listening to 1 playlist rather than 5 discs?

At any rate, the original packaging was really amazing. But for actually listening, it's just easier to have everything crammed on the two discs. I'll eventually get the deluxe edition reissue, but it's expensive so I'll be patient. That's generally how I am with any of these pricey multidisc reissues. Plus, sadly, the deluxe Aeroplane doesn't come in a cool fancy box.

Your first box set was Join The Dots? That was like early 2000's wasn't it?

What the fuck? You're right. It was 2004, and you know what? I don't even think I actually own it.

I have no idea what I was thinking when I wrote that, but my only defense is that initially wrote a big reply about double-albums, thinking that's what you weee talking about for some reason (White Album was my first, btw), and then I realized that (duh) it was box sets, so I chopped and retyped and made a little list of my earliest box sets for reference in the body. For some reason Join the Dots was in there, even though I was fucking out of college by the time that thing came out. Hausa. What the fuck?

Anyway, I have no idea. Nirvana or Aerosmith probably.

Also, I'd been working from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and had just made it home and tossed back a couple of sleeping pills, sooo... yah.

I am in a decidedly weird place right now, NR. Sorry mate.

[noisereductions]

 

Weezer
Maladroit
2002, I wasn't all that into Maladroit when it dropped. Which is kind of surprising in hindsight. I loved The Green Album. And I was following the making of Maladroit - a totally fascinating period where Weezer was demoing new tracks and sharing them on their website and getting real-time fan feedback. Strangely, I wasn't a member of their forum but a couple of my friends were and they'd share all these new songs with me. I'm still bummed that "Sandwiches Time" was never released. Anyway, the resulting album initially turned me off. Remember how Rivers said his favorite rock group was Kiss? Well it shows a bit here. This is Weezer attempting to get heavier and riffier and I didn't like it back then. But five years after it was released I had this total epiphany after giving it another shot. And in 2007, I started to love Maladroit. This is a strange album. It's still got those Weezer pop hooks under there, but they're buried under some pretty ugly stuff. This is Scott Shriner's first album as bass player and I don't know if he had a lot of influence or what, but for an album coming so hot off the heals of the Green Album, it's hardly just a sequel. Opener "American Gigalo" is harsh and weird with those off kilter jugging guitars. It actually reminds me a bit of the tone of In Utero or something. Even much of the pop like "Dope Nose" or "Slob" or "Fall Together" is much harsher sounding than the majority of the band's output. And maybe that's why I like this album so damn much. It has some serious personality. Even if I think the Green Album sounds more prototypical Weezer, this one is far more unique. There are some flashes of the Weezer of old however. "Burndt Jamb" is so friggin' upbeat and happy, and "Keep Fishin'" could have easily fit on the Green Album with that massive pop hook. "Death And Destruction" is the sore thumb for me. It's just too damn mellow to feel comfortable here. I don't hate it but it feels like it belongs on a different album. Ultimately I don't think that Maladroit is an album that most folks even really think about much, but given my adoration of Weezer I guess it's no surprise that one of their more eccentric albums would speak so much to me.