Plato Shrimp » What Are You Listening To Today?

Rock · 7/08/2023 2:53 am

Rock · 7/08/2023 3:10 pm

Jinnistan · 7/09/2023 11:17 pm

I just saw a clip of 83-year-old Ringo Starr jumping off a three-foot stage at his birthday get-together. He may not be drumming, but those knees are still healthy.

Rock · 7/10/2023 9:32 pm

Jinnistan · 7/11/2023 9:16 pm

Jinnistan · 7/12/2023 1:31 am

Well....that wasn't very good. Interesting bit of nostalgia at best, by which I mean the best parts involve laughing at the vintage commercials. Lots of hair care here. The 80s could be summerized in the word "volumizer".

As for the music, it seems this is stuck in that twilight zone between early 80s gothy Brit-rock and the true emergence of alternative rock about a year or so later. And a lot of what's wrong is in those awful 80s production values, which failed to spare indie-rock anymore than commercial radio. You still get those antiseptic processed drums and thin, trebly mixes. (It's a sad state when the meatiest bass guitar here is from the Beat Rodeo, of all people.)

The Connells - Doomed by the stale vocal stylings that were so prominent in this type of gloomy goth-rock, 2nd-rate Ian Curtis, which is already 3rd-rate Jim Morrison. I just can't stand it, and so many of these specifically British vocals of the time are so stagy and phony, it really puts into context how someone like Bono or Michael Hutchenson could have seemed fresh and original by comparison. Where in Britain were they breeding these diva peacocks?

The Smithereens - "In a Lonely Place" is maybe the best song from this show, being a throwback McCartney-esque ballad. I only had a tape once of the second Smithereens, Green Thoughts, but their first seems like it might be OK.

Husker Du - Although I like New Day Rising and Zen Arcade, I've never been the biggest fan of the group, and I've never been impressed with their series of albums where they started taking a more pop-oriented songwriting approach, which is what they were on the verge of here with Warehouse's "Could You Be the One". Not bad though.

The Damned - Far from their prime here, sounds like they're trying to rewrite Bowie's "Red Sails" or something. (The Bowie influence is heavy throughout this episode.) Except for those stupid shower scenes, this is maybe the most interesting video, production-wise. Another goddamn diva in David Vanian.

(Look at this monster-mash motherfucker.)

Julian Cope - There's plenty from Cope that I have and enjoy, from Teardrop Explodes to Peggy Suicide. This, "Trampolene", is decent enough, but as with most of this music, very jangly. (Why are they so afraid of the bass?)

Rank and File - Now we're getting into the straight trash. Apt name. The only kudos goes to whoever's girlfriend they got to stand around behind them.

Deep Six - The nicest way to put this is that they're no Tears For Fears.

The Mission UK - More goth (ex-member of Sisters of Mercy), but this time with a dollop of Bono poses thrown on top. Worst of both worlds.

The Jazz Butcher Conspiracy - If any music could 'slay' jazz then I suppose this ersatz new-romantic garbage can suffice. Again, it's all just refried poses from Brit-pop at least three years earlier. It's entertaining just to see how cool they think they are.

Huxten Creepers - Half a star for inspiring Kurt Cobain's haircut.

The Saints - Lazy melodies are my kryptonite.

Beat Rodeo - Again, surprisingly good bass sound, but still a pretty routine 12-bar rock. (Cow-punk is a forgotten adjective that we should bring back to replace punkabilly.)

General Public - "Come Again" is good pop tune, but this ska supergroup (English Beat, Specials, Dexy's, etc) blew their wad on their first previous record.

Del Fuegos - Did someone hire REO Speedwagon to cover Bad Company?

Love Tractor - "Maybe if we put enough black folk in the video, people will think it's funky."

The Rumble - It's telling that the best song of the episode comes from a 'Basement Tape' winner, where amateur groups would send in their own personally-produced videos. This is pretty good stuff, despite the Bobby Z wannabe drummer.

Broken Homes - Another pleasant surprise. Never heard of this band, but a good working class bar-band style with a nice Keef Richards loose-riff guitar and some solid vocals. A bit out of its time for 1987, which is a shame. Too early for that Black Crowes breakthrough.

Billy Bragg - Frankly, never much cared for him, and this soft puddle of jangle-pop isn't anything that's going to change my mind.

Flesh For Lulu - I know the tune from Some Kind of Wonderful, but holy jesus, these schmucks. Another Bono wannabe - or worse, Jim Kerr! Either way, he's the only person he seems to be pleasing here.

Heaven 17 - Another group that was passing its prime at the time, more Bowie influences, both in the singer's fashion and poses and also in this mid-career shift to electro-funk, but this R&B is too synthetic to be very satisfying.

Frank Zappa - "G-Spot Tornado" from Jazz From Hell. I didn't think that Zappa was putting out too many music videos at the time, much less that MTV would play them, especially an instrumental track, but I guess at the tail-end of a 120 Minutes episode is where you'll find 'em. Musically, this is clearly the most adventurous stuff in the entire episode.

Concrete Blonde - I'm completely unfamilar with Blonde's first album. "Still in Hollywood" is punky and scrappy, more so than their moodier albums, and closer in spirit to American indie-rock of the early 90s.

Since MTV doesn't seem to have a devoted hip-hop show yet, they also take a moment to talk a bit about that, including the introduction of Public Enemy, about to release their debut LP. Downtown Judy Brown also shows a brief clip of the classic diss track "You Ugly" by Velore and Double O, and the entire video deserves to be seen in full.

crumbsroom · 7/12/2023 4:22 pm

Husker Du loses me after New Day Rising. I've got Flip Your Wig somewhere, and I don't hate it, but it's not really my thing.

I don't know what Jazz Butcher they played there, but they have some fun stuff. Not terribly consequential, but not everything has to be.

Flesh For Lulu was in my pile of records that disappeared, and it's one I'm okay with staying that way. Whatever I had was awful.

Dave Vanian was always a dork. Brian James was that band, and I don't think he was around long.

crumbsroom · 7/13/2023 8:56 pm

Rock · 7/15/2023 1:36 pm

crumbsroom · 7/16/2023 8:37 pm

crumbsroom · 7/19/2023 6:08 pm

Jinnistan · 7/21/2023 12:19 pm

All of these random accidents!

Jinnistan · 7/26/2023 4:28 pm

Obviously, I'm a sucker for these things but for Mick Jagger's birthday (Happy 80!) the AV Club listed their top 20 of Rolling Stones albums. It's overall a fair, but bland, list with no real big surprises, but I just. I gotta... *breathe* A couple thoughts.

20. Live at the El Mocambo
19. 12X5
18. Emotional Rescue
17. Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out
16. A Bigger Bang
15. Their Satanic Majesties Request
14. Dirty Work
13. Goat's Head Soup
12. Blue & Lonesome
11. Between The Buttons
10. The Rolling Stones Now
9. December's Children (and Everybody's)
8. Tattoo You
7. Aftermath
6. Sticky Fingers
5. Some Girls
4. Let It Bleed
3. Singles Collection: London Years
2. Beggar's Banquet
1. Exile on Main St.

My first impression is why hasn't this guy ever heard of the British albums? The Rolling Stones No. 2 contains most of Now and the better part of 12X5, so it's hard to see why it wouldn't have at least taken the latter's spot. Out of Our Heads similarly combines the best stuff from its American counterpart and December's Children, and might be the best single record of their early career. And the American December's Children has a lot of filler, old material ("You Better Move On"), demos for other artists ("Singer Not the Song", "Blue Turns to Grey") and some clangy live tracks. All of its best stuff is on the British Out of Our Heads instead, which also has the same iconic cover (if that's what you need). At least he gets it right by (inadvertently, I guess) picking the American Aftermath which needs "Paint It Black".

I'm happy that Satanic Majesties has gotten its love in the last 10-15 years.

I think it's pretty obvious that Banquet, Bleed, Fingers and Exile should all be pretty interchangeable at the top. But Singles is out of place. Maybe I've soured on it because of all of the various reissues of the Stones singles catalogue that have been put out every few years since. Maybe I'm just sick of having to skip one of their most insipid discs ("Come On") right off the top. Maybe I'm just more happy at this point to curate my own collection of hits. The Singles box is a legendary release, and 30 years ago it was a model for how to do something like that right (I wish the Who had taken the cue). But if we are including compilations here (or whether that's entirely fair), I think that something like High Tide & Green Grass is at least as legendary, being one of the first (only?) greatest hits sets that, partially due to the lovely packaging, was considered just as essential as their other 60's albums.

Ya-Ya's should be higher, frankly, but there's an awful lot of live Stones records available now with their Eagle imprint. 73's Brussels Affair and 78's Some Girls in Texas are strong contenders.

I think you know how I feel about Goat's Head Soup. Actually, I think Black and Blue might be the best one from the 70s. Anyway, I wouldn't go to bat for any of them (including Some Girls) to edge into the top ten. Dirty Work? Are you fucking serious? Like virtually every Stones record since 1983, it has a couple of good songs, some decent ones, and I can't even remember the rest. Is Dirty Work any better than Undercover or Steel Wheels? I have no idea, but none of them deserve to be on this list. And Bigger Bang and Blue and Lonesome? This is just trying my patience now.

You want me to do it? Alright. Stand back....

20. More Hot Rocks (Big Hits and Fazed Cookies)
19. Through the Past Darkly
18. Tattoo You
17. Emotional Rescue
16. Some Girls
15. It's Only Rock and Roll
14. Black and Blue
13. Some Girls in Texas '78
12. Their Satanic Majesties' Request
11. Get Yer Ya Ya's Out
10. The Rolling Stones No.2/Now
9. Out of Our Heads (UK)
8. Brussels Affair
7. High Tide & Green Grass
6. Between the Buttons
5. Sticky Fingers
4. Aftermath
3. Let It Bleed
2. Beggar's Banquet
1. Exile on Main St

Jinnistan · 7/27/2023 4:14 pm

I've been busy the last couple of weeks doing the mixing and editing on my music project.

Download it from my Goog-drive here and listen to it this weekend. Let's see if I'm crazy.

crumbsroom · 7/29/2023 2:02 pm

Jinnistan wrote:
Obviously, I'm a sucker for these things but for Mick Jagger's birthday (Happy 80!) the AV Club listed their top 20 of Rolling Stones albums. It's overall a fair, but bland, list with no real big surprises, but I just. I gotta... *breathe* A couple thoughts.

20. Live at the El Mocambo
19. 12X5
18. Emotional Rescue
17. Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out
16. A Bigger Bang
15. Their Satanic Majesties Request
14. Dirty Work
13. Goat's Head Soup
12. Blue & Lonesome
11. Between The Buttons
10. The Rolling Stones Now
9. December's Children (and Everybody's)
8. Tattoo You
7. Aftermath
6. Sticky Fingers
5. Some Girls
4. Let It Bleed
3. Singles Collection: London Years
2. Beggar's Banquet
1. Exile on Main St.

My first impression is why hasn't this guy ever heard of the British albums? The Rolling Stones No. 2 contains most of Now and the better part of 12X5, so it's hard to see why it wouldn't have at least taken the latter's spot. Out of Our Heads similarly combines the best stuff from its American counterpart and December's Children, and might be the best single record of their early career. And the American December's Children has a lot of filler, old material ("You Better Move On"), demos for other artists ("Singer Not the Song", "Blue Turns to Grey") and some clangy live tracks. All of its best stuff is on the British Out of Our Heads instead, which also has the same iconic cover (if that's what you need). At least he gets it right by (inadvertently, I guess) picking the American Aftermath which needs "Paint It Black".

I'm happy that Satanic Majesties has gotten its love in the last 10-15 years.

I think it's pretty obvious that Banquet, Bleed, Fingers and Exile should all be pretty interchangeable at the top. But Singles is out of place. Maybe I've soured on it because of all of the various reissues of the Stones singles catalogue that have been put out every few years since. Maybe I'm just sick of having to skip one of their most insipid discs ("Come On") right off the top. Maybe I'm just more happy at this point to curate my own collection of hits. The Singles box is a legendary release, and 30 years ago it was a model for how to do something like that right (I wish the Who had taken the cue). But if we are including compilations here (or whether that's entirely fair), I think that something like High Tide & Green Grass is at least as legendary, being one of the first (only?) greatest hits sets that, partially due to the lovely packaging, was considered just as essential as their other 60's albums.

Ya-Ya's should be higher, frankly, but there's an awful lot of live Stones records available now with their Eagle imprint. 73's Brussels Affair and 78's Some Girls in Texas are strong contenders.

I think you know how I feel about Goat's Head Soup. Actually, I think Black and Blue might be the best one from the 70s. Anyway, I wouldn't go to bat for any of them (including Some Girls) to edge into the top ten. Dirty Work? Are you fucking serious? Like virtually every Stones record since 1983, it has a couple of good songs, some decent ones, and I can't even remember the rest. Is Dirty Work any better than Undercover or Steel Wheels? I have no idea, but none of them deserve to be on this list. And Bigger Bang and Blue and Lonesome? This is just trying my patience now.

You want me to do it? Alright. Stand back....

20. More Hot Rocks (Big Hits and Fazed Cookies)
19. Through the Past Darkly
18. Tattoo You
17. Emotional Rescue
16. Some Girls
15. It's Only Rock and Roll
14. Black and Blue
13. Some Girls in Texas '78
12. Their Satanic Majesties' Request
11. Get Yer Ya Ya's Out
10. The Rolling Stones No.2/Now
9. Out of Our Heads (UK)
8. Brussels Affair
7. High Tide & Green Grass
6. Between the Buttons
5. Sticky Fingers
4. Aftermath
3. Let It Bleed
2. Beggar's Banquet
1. Exile on Main St

For me, up until maybe Aftermath, I'm not really a big fan of the Stones albums. Nearly all of those singles are killer, and there are a few deeper cuts I like, but there take on the Blues has never been terribly interesting to me. So I probably wouldn't rate any of those first albums particularly high. They're fine, but compared to the feelings I have for the records that came later, they're just so so pale.

But when it comes to the records I actually listen to

1) Sticky Fingers
2) Exile on Main Street
3) Beggar's Banquet
4) Let it Bleed
5) Tattoo You
6) Goats Head Soup
7) Her Satanic Majesty's Request
8) Black and Blue
9) Some Girls
10) Aftermath
11) It's Only Rock and Roll

I really don't know Emotional Rescue or Between the Buttons very well. My copies are super scratched up, and so I just don't bother. And I've never liked what I heard to get replacements.

Get Your YaYa's Out would probably come after Satanic.

I also like Metamorphosis, but that's more of a b sides thing, I think.

I play Hot Rocks the most though. If we are talking desert island stuff, that might be the one I'd have to take if I only got to bring one Stones record with me.

Rock · 8/02/2023 10:22 pm

crumbsroom · 8/03/2023 7:16 am

Jinnistan wrote:
I've been busy the last couple of weeks doing the mixing and editing on my music project.

Download it from my Goog-drive here and listen to it this weekend. Let's see if I'm crazy.

Just was stupid enough to agree to full time hours recently, and I'm getting ground to dust, so haven't been able to get to this since I'd prefer to listen to as much as possible in one sitting, instead of just a track here a track there.

Jinnistan · 8/03/2023 8:36 pm

crumbsroom wrote:
Just was stupid enough to agree to full time hours recently, and I'm getting ground to dust, so haven't been able to get to this since I'd prefer to listen to as much as possible in one sitting, instead of just a track here a track there.

Ah, the old "homework syndrome".

Listen at your leisure.

crumbsroom · 8/04/2023 1:28 pm

crumbsroom · 8/04/2023 6:48 pm