The Poojer Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 this really doesn't answer the question specifically because I haven't listened to it yet, but....listening to the radio station and they play a song by a band I had never heard of Neutral Milk Hotel and the album "In the Aeroplane over the Sea", the song was pretty good. The DJ says it is a must have for any record collection...well a statement like that must be challenged. I check them out on line and just about every thing i read says pretty much the same thing. So I D/L'ed and plan on listening to it later on...anyone familiar with this band? Looking forward to giving it a listy-loo.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cugalabanza Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 this really doesn't answer the question specifically because I haven't listened to it yet, but....listening to the radio station and they play a song by a band I had never heard of Neutral Milk Hotel and the album "In the Aeroplane over the Sea", the song was pretty good. The DJ says it is a must have for any record collection...well a statement like that must be challenged. I check them out on line and just about every thing i read says pretty much the same thing. So I D/L'ed and plan on listening to it later on...anyone familiar with this band? Looking forward to giving it a listy-loo.... I like Neutral Milk Hotel, but the singer can become annoying. He tends to wail too much. In my opinion, the band's ealier effort "On Avery Island" (technically a long ep) is superior to the Aeorplane- album. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotAGuy Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Walter Becker's "11 Tracks of Whack". It was so different from what I expected, I really didn't give it a chance. It is pretty brilliant, actually, but not as good as his 2008 release "Circus Money", which also takes a while to "get". Agreed - that one took some time to appreciate, but I really enjoy it now. Was looking at "Circus Money" just yesterday and trying to decide whether to buy it; just might check it out with your endorsement above! Two more (old ones): - "Beat Crazy" by Joe Jackson: took a long time to get over my disappointment the first time I listened, but after a couple years I gave it a few spins and now really enjoy it. - "A Worm's Life" by Crash test Dummies: bunch of very quirky songs about mundane stuff (garbage in a landfill, a pulled tooth, morning wood and of course, a worm's life). But it has grown on me and is pretty entertaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Tiger Army-Music From Regions Beyond Just listened last night while cooking dinner. Forgot how different/good they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 - "Beat Crazy" by Joe Jackson: took a long time to get over my disappointment the first time I listened, but after a couple years I gave it a few spins and now really enjoy it. On your endorsement I might check this out. I don't like everything Joe does, but respect the hell out of him for trying so many different things and generally doing a great job. Beat Crazy if from a time when, in my mind, Joe Jackson and Elvis Costello were basically the same guy, and I wasn't crazy about either (It's really interesting how much they have in common.) Over the years I have learned to appreciate both, to a degree. But IMO, Joe is way better than Elvis (Jumpin' Jive ends any dispute). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted June 13, 2010 Share Posted June 13, 2010 Agreed - that one took some time to appreciate, but I really enjoy it now. Was looking at "Circus Money" just yesterday and trying to decide whether to buy it; just might check it out with your endorsement above! One more thing. I just read the allmusic.com review of Beat Crazy: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:0kq7g44ttvjz excerpt: Jackson sticks with the short songs and punk feel of his first two releases, but strategically adds rocksteady and jazz elements here and there. If you ever wondered how rocksteady, dub and ska (real ska, not the watered down British band version) work with the jazzy elements of Steely Dan, then Circus Money is something you need to hear. Fair warning: It takes a few listens to "get". The lyrics are wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrojanitor Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 this really doesn't answer the question specifically because I haven't listened to it yet, but....listening to the radio station and they play a song by a band I had never heard of Neutral Milk Hotel and the album "In the Aeroplane over the Sea", the song was pretty good. The DJ says it is a must have for any record collection...well a statement like that must be challenged. I check them out on line and just about every thing i read says pretty much the same thing. So I D/L'ed and plan on listening to it later on...anyone familiar with this band? Looking forward to giving it a listy-loo.... Neutral Milk Hotel, and especially their Aeroplane Over the Sea album, is a straight up masterpiece. It's a little twee at times, a little lo-fi for some tastes...but it's one of the perfect examples of mid-90s indie rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WotAGuy Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 One more thing. I just read the allmusic.com review of Beat Crazy: http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&a...10:0kq7g44ttvjz If you ever wondered how rocksteady, dub and ska (real ska, not the watered down British band version) work with the jazzy elements of Steely Dan, then Circus Money is something you need to hear. Fair warning: It takes a few listens to "get". The lyrics are wonderful. I think the liner notes to Beat Crazy say something like: "In the end, we knew the album was doomed to fail. The question remains, why did we try?" ....shopping for Circus Money as we speak.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpile Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 I'm going to take a different tack here and talk not about a specific group or album. I almost exclusively listen to live albums now. It shows the true musicianship of the bands. I agree about "true musicianship" if the recording technology captures the true performance. The Who: Live at Leeds At the time it was released, I had a much younger musical ear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpile Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 Agreed - that one took some time to appreciate, but I really enjoy it now. Was looking at "Circus Money" just yesterday and trying to decide whether to buy it; just might check it out with your endorsement above! Two more (old ones): - "Beat Crazy" by Joe Jackson: took a long time to get over my disappointment the first time I listened, but after a couple years I gave it a few spins and now really enjoy it. - "A Worm's Life" by Crash test Dummies: bunch of very quirky songs about mundane stuff (garbage in a landfill, a pulled tooth, morning wood and of course, a worm's life). But it has grown on me and is pretty entertaining. I like most of the Crash Test Dummies music - I saw them live after they released "I Don't Care That You Don't Mind". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted June 14, 2010 Share Posted June 14, 2010 I agree about "true musicianship" if the recording technology captures the true performance. The Who: Live at Leeds At the time it was released, I had a much younger musical ear. Back in the day, my favorite live albums were The Band's "Rock of Ages", Allman Brothers "At Fillmore East" and Roy Buchanan's "Live Stock". While I've never been a big Who fan, Live at Leeds was terrific, too. So was Van Morrison "Too Late to Stop Now". My biggest issue with many live albums is the horrible recording. Live album recording is getting better, IMO. So that's good news. There is some great Jazz that is recorded live, in a studio or controlled venue. That's fantastic, IMO. Still there are some bands that really excel live, but it doesn't come across when they are recorded. EDIT: Also some live albums are sweetened and over-dubbed just like studio albums. The word "Live" on an album doesn't guarantee it is a genuine recording of the band's performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpile Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Back in the day, my favorite live albums were The Band's "Rock of Ages", Allman Brothers "At Fillmore East" and Roy Buchanan's "Live Stock". While I've never been a big Who fan, Live at Leeds was terrific, too. So was Van Morrison "Too Late to Stop Now". My biggest issue with many live albums is the horrible recording. Live album recording is getting better, IMO. So that's good news. There is some great Jazz that is recorded live, in a studio or controlled venue. That's fantastic, IMO. Still there are some bands that really excel live, but it doesn't come across when they are recorded. EDIT: Also some live albums are sweetened and over-dubbed just like studio albums. The word "Live" on an album doesn't guarantee it is a genuine recording of the band's performance. You can add them to my list. Never heard that Buchanan album. Add John Mayall - Room to Move Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrojanitor Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 As far as live albums go I'll go one better and say it's the bootlegs albums that really kill. When a band knows their performance is being preserved they tend to play it a little safe. I have these bootleg performances by the Cramps, Bad Brains and Gas Huffer on vinyl that will melt your face. So much more alive than my favorite official live albums (Grateful Dead's Europe 72 and War's live album which is called something stupid like War Live or whatever). Recently I've really been digging my old Grant Lee Buffalo cds. Which is weird since I normally both don't like cds or Grant Lee Buffalo. But their melodramatic gothic folk thing has been speaking to me these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan89 Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Nicole Atkins Neptune City I first heard about her from a friend who thought I would like her (Always the hipster I wanted to find good music that was over looked) well seeing as I trusted this friends taste in music I gave her album a listen and thought it was OK but she was just trying too hard. Came back a few years later and gave it another listen (I have a lady friend that is absolutely in love with her and I have pretend to like worse for women) and I have to say that its actually a pretty good album and Ms.Atkins is pretty talented (And not too hard on the eyes either) and is something different that can be appreciated in a world were most women musicians are rather bland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 I agree about "true musicianship" if the recording technology captures the true performance. The Who: Live at Leeds At the time it was released, I had a much younger musical ear. I disagree regarding the technology. Nothing captures the raw emotion of a live performance that a tapers recording of a live show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chef Jim Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Oh and BTW I have come up with an album. Beach Boys - Pet Sounds. At first I'm thinking "Beach Boys? Bah." Then I listened to it start to finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpile Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Back in the day, my favorite live albums were The Band's "Rock of Ages", Allman Brothers "At Fillmore East" and Roy Buchanan's "Live Stock". While I've never been a big Who fan, Live at Leeds was terrific, too. So was Van Morrison "Too Late to Stop Now". My biggest issue with many live albums is the horrible recording. Live album recording is getting better, IMO. So that's good news. There is some great Jazz that is recorded live, in a studio or controlled venue. That's fantastic, IMO. Still there are some bands that really excel live, but it doesn't come across when they are recorded. EDIT: Also some live albums are sweetened and over-dubbed just like studio albums. The word "Live" on an album doesn't guarantee it is a genuine recording of the band's performance. The Band: The Last Waltz Two books - Across the Great Divide and This Wheel's on Fire both confirm much over dubbing was used. Levon Helm says that he refused to redo any of his live performances from the concert. A couple "live studio" tracks were added with The Band performing 'The Weight' with the Staple Singers, and 'Evangeline' with Emmy Lou Harris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooderson Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 Still there are some bands that really excel live, but it doesn't come across when they are recorded. See: Dave Matthews Band. Many people don't like them but seeing them live is a great experience. Their live stuff is much better than the studio versions, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockpile Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 See: Dave Matthews Band. Many people don't like them but seeing them live is a great experience. Their live stuff is much better than the studio versions, IMO. I saw them do 'Ants Marching' in an encore together with Bela Fleck & the Flecktones (what a crowded stage). Impossible to truly really appreciate this live jam on a CD. DMBs version of 'All Along the Watchtower' live is also absolutely delightful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooderson Posted June 16, 2010 Share Posted June 16, 2010 I saw them do 'Ants Marching' in an encore together with Bela Fleck & the Flecktones (what a crowded stage). Impossible to truly really appreciate this live jam on a CD. DMBs version of 'All Along the Watchtower' live is also absolutely delightful! Where'd you see that encore at? I was at Darien Lake and Saratoga a few weeks ago. Dude, actually listening to "All Along the Watchtower" as I type this. Fuggin' coincidence man! If you haven't heard it, check out their Central Park Concert. It has all their great songs with the best versions, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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