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worst record
by Caleb T. Deupree 01 Jul '02

01 Jul '02

Now that I've mentioned The Willies in this context, I have a few more. Charles Hayward, Switch on War. I was a big This Heat and Camberwell fan, but this album gives me a headache every time I listen. Great Jewish Music by Burt Bacharach. There might be a few gems in there, but this was the album that stopped me cold from any considerations of being a Tzadik completist. Diamanda Galas, The Singer. After her great work on the Plague Mass and all of the preliminary releases that led up to it, this melodramatic display also stopped me cold. Granted, she probably toasted her vocal cords from too many performances of PM, but still. Stockhausen, anything after Mantra. Sorry, still haven't gotten my ears around the opera. Maybe you have to be there. Otomo Yoshihide, Filament 1. He's done other interesting sine wave work, even under the Filament name, but this one, his first, is still pretty dull. -- Caleb Deupree cdeupree(a)erinet.com

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worst plus reviews lindsay/Frisell
by mwoodwor 01 Jul '02

01 Jul '02

What's the deal with the Willies - another lacklustre release from Frisell, or worth checking out? Also, has anyone heard the new Arto Lindsay? Even if it does just sound like his last few, is it still good? Continuing the worst album question - a different question is - what album did you hear that you thought was absolute crap but then turned into an album that you really love? I remember the first time I heard the Residents- Mark of the Mole I was so disapointed/upset I grabbed the needle and scratched the record while it was playing - I now am a huge fan of the Residents (older stuff) and I have listened to that particular album many, many times and consider it one of their best. Mike mike

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RE: good folks, bad recs + unexpected greatness
by josephneff 30 Jun '02

30 Jun '02

Hello, ...the Meat Puppets come to mind as an example of bad music by people I admire. That band's early stuff was, for me, a fantastic combo of sun baked psyche and strung out punk. Their slow decline into standard issue doof-rock is a sad deal. Regarding folks that I didn't know they had it in 'em, Talk Talk come to mind. I once heard some new wave stuff that didn't impress me, but then I heard "Laughing Stock", the last recording released under that name, and am quite taken by it. To a lesser extent, the Vincent Gallo record, "When" fits the bill for me, if only because I set my expectations extremely low. Totally beyond the realm of pleasant surprises. I remain.... Joseph NP: "The Bengal Minstrel: Music of the Bauls" Nonesuch Explorer Series LP NR: Breece D'J Pancake- "The Stories of..."

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style , repetition and cliche
by Edgar Lee 30 Jun '02

30 Jun '02

I would like to thank Skip Heller for that great post regarding the excitement of buying a new record. I turned 18 in 1978 which was an exciting time in music especially if you were into punk music. You'd buy the N.M.E, read the interviews or the consumer guides and from there you'd go the the record shop and discover Ayler because of a Pop Group interview, Can via P.I.L, Funkadelic via Gang of Four, ska was being reissued because of the Specials, mod because of the Jam, and so on. Records then became more important than drugs or food. I think then that search for something new or different became a life long search. So when we listen to things as dull as Mule Variations or Murray Street we feel that disappointment even more because these artists are justing paying the rent. SY even allude to it with their title being where their studios are and Mule Variations is probably refers to Tom saying it's really a slight variation for an ass. Edgar http://www.sold.com.au - SOLD.com.au - Find yourself a bargain!

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RE: when good artists make bad albums
by JazzDr＠aol.com 30 Jun '02

30 Jun '02

My first impression of the great pianist Andrew Hill was on a cut-out record my brother brought home many years ago. It was called "From California with Love". I don't even remember what it sounded like but I do remember it was awful. Jazz lite or something. Nothing like the music I had heard he was about. It took years before I heard and appreciated him again.

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Sunken heroes etc
by Parry Gettelman 30 Jun '02

30 Jun '02

I would agree w/ the REM falloff assessment, except they lost me circa that song "Orange Crush." I heard it first in concert and thought "OK, they're just not finished with that one yet...." And it actually ended up, unchanged, being about the best thing on that lame album -- "Green," I guess it was. Also seconding the motion on Carla Bley's "Night Glo." Don Byron's "Nu Blaxploitation" was a disappointment after "Bug Music." I suppose I should give it another chance, but I may have traded it in.... Biggest recent disappointment: the new Neil Finn. One of my favorite slightly-off-center pop artists, but there's not a memorable song on his latest. Most disappointing solo album: former NRBQ guitarist Al Anderson's "Pay Before You Pump." The choice of songs was poor -- I'd gotten hold of a demo tape that had much better tunes on it - and the production was exasperating. His "Party Favors" left me pretty lukewarm, too. And it's not like he doesn't know how to make a great solo album -- his 1972 self-titled release on Vanguard is a good example of how to record vocals, even on CD it has a wonderfully warm sound. Best first album by a band that never made another good one: the Bodeans' debut. Parry

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Re: Neil Finn
by TagYrIt＠aol.com 30 Jun '02

30 Jun '02

In a message dated 6/30/2002 10:03:49 PM Eastern Standard Time, parry(a)macconnect.com writes: > Biggest recent disappointment: the new Neil Finn. One of my favorite > slightly-off-center pop artists, but there's not a memorable song on his > latest. > Actually this was my first impression too. Its really dark, but it definitely grew on me a lot after a few listenings. Dale.

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Great Albums
by Tosh 30 Jun '02

30 Jun '02

I am a die hard fan of Bryan Ferry's work - but lately his work has disappointed me. I thought his last covers album was so-so. It would have been much better in my opinion if he 'Roxy Music-ized' the material (all great standards) but instead sort of did a conservative view of the songs. So naturally I didn't have high hopes for his new album 'Frantic.' Well I do have it and I think it's a fantastic album. Strong songs, strong arrangements...It reminds me why I love his work. So a weak album (times goes by) by a great artist, and a great comeback album after a decade of so-so work. -- Tosh Berman TamTam Books http://www.tamtambooks.com

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Re: Worst Record ever Made (by someone you normally admire)
by Dgasque＠aol.com 30 Jun '02

30 Jun '02

In a message dated 6/30/02 4:15:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time, efrendv(a)yahoo.es writes: << > > n.p: Tim Berne "We're only in it for the money"- > > There goes the title of my next album... > > sh Oh! What was I thinking? Berne's "only in it for the food"!!! Too much Zappa lately. >> Actually, Berne's only in it for the squeeze, considering all the female groupies that follow him from concert to concert... 'Least that's what I'd title an album... -- =dg=

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Re: Steve Reich
by Dgasque＠aol.com 30 Jun '02

30 Jun '02

In a message dated 6/30/02 6:25:26 PM Eastern Daylight Time, keithsz(a)concentric.net writes: << >>>I too admit this- Reich is downright tedious after the first few minutes to these ears too.<<< Even _18 Musicians_ and the entire _Drumming_ doubleCD? As for the rest, I agree. >> _18 Musicians_ is the best I've heard, but that's not saying much from my vantage point. _Drumming_ is unheard here. ...and I'm a *big* ECM-label fan, so if anyone was heading in that direction...;-) -- =dg=

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