Music: Last Album You Listened to and Rate It II

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

9.5/10

 

[OilerPensfan97]

Blackbird-Alter Bridge: 9.4/10
Fortress-Alter Bridge: 9.7/10

 

[Mikeaveli]

10/10:
El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead (fav. track - "Tasmanian Pain Coaster"/"Poisenville Kids No Wins / Reprise (This Must Be Our Time)")

6/10:
Statik KXNG - Self-titled (fav. track - "Magic & Bird")

4/10:
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - This Unruly Mess I've Made (fav. track - "Need to Know")

2/10:
Yung Lean - Warlord (fav. track - "Hoover")

 

[crump]

Tower of Power: Back to Oakland
8/10.

 

[Shareefruck]

Lorca by Tim Buckley - 3.5 (Great) -- singer-songwriters usually bore me to tears, but something about the sparse vocals and teetering off the rails instrumentals grab me
Hard Normal Daddy by Squarepusher - 3.0 (Very Good) -- IDM sounds better when it's punk influenced rather than jazz influenced, IMO. Very polished, but to my ears, not nearly as good as the more straightforward, bare-bones IDM of Go Plastic or Feed Me Weird Things.
Damaged by Black Flag - 1.5 (Neutral) -- Rather than growing on me, this one plummeted-- There's a fine line between exhileratingly primitive and juvenile, and I don't know, the lyrics push me closer towards the latter.
Big Loada by Squarepusher - 1.5 (Neutral)

 

[Know Your Enemy]

A Saucerful of Secrets by Pink Floyd (1968). 2.5+/5


Black Sands by Bonobo (2010). 3.5-/5


In Rainbows by Radiohead (2007). 4.5+/5


Destroyed by Moby (2011). 1.5+/5


Collide by Beats Antique (2008). 4.5-/5


Culture of Fear by Thievery Corporation (2011). 2/5


Filling Up the City Skies 1 by Pretty Lights (2008). 5/5


Safe in the Steep Cliffs by Emancipator (2011). 3.5-/5


Ideas+Drafts+Loops by Flying Lotus (2013). 3.5/5


The Campfire Headphase by Boards of Canada (2005). 2.5/5

 

[Hippasus]

Rock albums:

Can - Future Days 625
Earth - Earth 2 - Special Low Frequency Version (could also be considered ambient) 625
Can - Tago Mago 600
Toxic Holocaust - Evil Never Dies 600
The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico 600
Can - Ege Bamyasi 600
Amebix - Arise! 600
Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica 600
Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden 575
Sleep - Sleep's Holy Mountain 575
Trouble - The Skull 575 (not twice)
Black Sabbath - Master of Reality 575
Electric Wizard - Dopethrone 575
The Sisters of Mercy - Some Girls Wander By Mistake 575
Melvins - Lysol 575
Amebix - No Sanctuary 575
Sleep - Jerusalem 550
The Legendary Pink Dots - Under Triple Moons 550
Neu! - Neu! 550 (not twice)
New York Dolls - New York Dolls 550
The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground 550
Melvins - Eggnog 550
Witchfinder General - Death Penalty 550
Can - Monster Movie 550
Brian Eno - Another Green World 550
Metallica - Kill 'Em All 550
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses 550
Tortoise - Tortoise 550 (not twice)
Joy Division - Closer 550
Television - Marquee Moon 550 (not twice)
Prong - Primitive Origins 550
Talk Talk - Laughing Stock 550
Yo La Tengo - Fakebook 550
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy 550
Calexico - Spoke (could also be considered folk) 550
Sonic Youth - E.V.O.L. 525
The Clash - The Clash 525
Echo & the Bunnymen - Crocodiles 525
Black Sabbath - Sabotage 525
Black Sabbath - Paranoid 525
Sebadoh - Bakesale 525
Brian Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy) 525
Electric Wizard - Come My Fanatics.... 525
Van Halen - Van Halen 525
Slint - Spiderland 525
Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die 525
The Ramones - Ramones 525
Grandaddy - Sophtware Slump 525
American Football - American Football 525
Pan American - Quiet City 525
Toxic Holocaust - Hell on Earth 525
Toxic Holocaust - An Overdose of Death... 525
Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One 525
Isis - Celestial 525
Flipper - Generic 500
Electric Wizard - Electric Wizard 500
Mercyful Fate - Melissa 500
Mercyful Fate - Don't Break the Oath 500
Isis - The Red Sea / 1998 Demo 500
Isis - Mosquito Control 500
The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat 500
Sunn o))) - ØØ Void 500
Swans - Cop / Young God 500
Ministry - ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ (could also be considered industrial) 500
The Cure - Faith / Carnage Visors 500
Brian Eno - Before and After Science 500
Cat Power - Dear Sir 500
Eyehategod - In the Name of Suffering / Lack of Almost Everything 500
Eyehategod - Dopesick 500
Melvins - Bullhead 500
Dead Can Dance - Dead Can Dance / Garden of the Arcane Delights (could also be considered classically-styled) 500
Killing Joke - Killing Joke 500
Venom - Welcome to Hell 500
The Sisters of Mercy - A Slight Case of Overbombing: Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 500
Boris - Amplifier Worship 500
Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in New York 500 (not twice)
Trouble - Psalm 9 500
Faust - Faust 500
Bitter Fictions - Looper Pedal Blues 500
Royal Trux - Twin Infinitives 500 (not twice)
Sodom - Expurse of Sodomy 500
Echo & the Bunnymen - Ocean Rain 500
Iron Maiden - Killers 500
Smashing Pumpkins - Gish 500 (not twice)
Pan American - Pan American 500
Tortoise - TNT 500
Mark Hollis - Mark Hollis 500 (could also be considered sentimental ballad)
Fugazi - Seven Songs / Margin Walker (aka 13 Songs) 500
Witchfinder General - Friends of Hell 500
The Clash - Give 'Em Enough Rope 500
Gang of Four - Entertainment! 500 (not twice)
Pagan Altar - Volume 1 500
Pentagram - Pentagram 500
Pentagram - Day of Reckoning 500
Atheist - Elements (could also be considered metal) 500
Van Halen - Van Halen II 500
Can - Soundtracks 475
Sodom - Agent Orange 475
Sonic Youth - Confusion Is Sex / Kill Yr. Idols 475
The Velvet Underground - V.U. 475
Melvins - Ozma / Gluey Porch Treatments 475
Melvins - Six Songs / 10 Songs / 26 Songs 475
Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures 475
Gang Green - Another Wasted Night 475
Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden 475
Diamond Head - Lightning to the Nations (The White Album) 475
Stormtroopers of Death - Speak English or Die 475
Faust - So Far 475
Faust - The Faust Tapes 475
Corrosion of Conformity - Technocracy 475
Slint - Slint 475
Sebadoh - Bubble & Scrape 475
Various Artists - God Save the Kinks! 475
Downset - Downset 475
Isotope 217 - The Unstable Molecule (could also be considered jazz) 475
Sunn o))) - The Grimmrobe Demos 475
Saint Vitus - Mournful Cries 475
Ministry - In Case You Didn't Feel like Showing Up (could also be considered industrial) 475
Rigor Mortis - Freaks 475
Wire - Chairs Missing 475
Staalmate - Live 7-9-02 475
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People 475
Bitter Fictions - Nos. 1 & 2 475
Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine 475
Holocaust - The Nightcomers 475 (not twice)
Nirvana - In Utero 475 (not twice)
Nirvana - Nevermind 475 (not twice)
The Fall - 458489 A-Sides 475
Neurosis - Pain of Mind 450
Sodom - Persecution Mania 450
Venom - Black Metal 450
Yo La Tengo - Painful 450
Nirvana - Incesticide 450 (not twice)
Sonic Youth - Silver Session for Jason Knuth (could also be considered ambient) 450
Sonic Youth - Sonic Youth 450
Sonic Youth - Bad Moon Rising / Flower 450
Earth - Extra-Capsular Extraction / A Bureaucratic Desire for Extra-Capsular Extraction 450
Exodus - Bonded by Blood 450
Melvins - Dale Crover 450
Melvins - Joe Preston 450
The Tear Garden - The Last Man to Fly 450
Neu! - Neu! 75 450 (not twice)
Holocaust - Live (Hot Curry & Wine) 450
5ive Style - Miniature Portraits 450
Voivod - To the Death 84 450
The Sisters of Mercy - First and Last and Always 450
The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers 450 (not twice)
Vio-lence - Eternal Nightmare 450
The Stooges - The Stooges 450 (not twice)
The Ramones - Leave Home 450
Nuclear Assault - Handle with Care 450
Radiohead - OK Computer 450
Radiohead - Kid A 450
Bulldozer - The Final Separation 450 (not twice)
Boris - Flood 450 (not twice)
Ministry - Filth Pig (could also be considered industrial) 450
The Legendary Pink Dots - Traumstadt #5 450
Bulldozer - The Final Separation 450 (not twice)
Eyehategod - Take as Needed for Pain / Ruptured Heart Theory / 13/Eyehategod I / 13/Eyehategod II 450
The Velvet Underground - Loaded 450
Corrosion of Conformity - Animosity 450
Isotope 217 - Utonian Automatic (could also be considered jazz) 450
The Cure - Staring at the Sea: The Singles 450
Bitter Fictions - The Life Story of the Fish 450
Bitter Fictions - Percolator Glitch 450
Pullman - Viewfinder 450
Talk Talk - Missing Pieces 450
Isis - Oceanic 450
R.E.M. - Out of Time 450
Voivod - War and Pain / Morgoth Invasion 425
Neu! - Neu! 2 425 (not twice)
Candlemass - Nightfall (contains audio commentary as a final track on the second disc) 425
Wire - 154 425
Metal Church - Live 425
Saint Vitus - Born Too Late 425
Saint Vitus - V 425
T. Rex - Electric Warrior 425 (not twice)
T. Rex - The Slider 425 (not twice)
Prong - The Peel Sessions 425
Slint - Tweez 425
Angel Witch - Angel Witch / Loser / Sweet Danger 425
The Legendary Pink Dots - Asylum 425
The Legendary Pink Dots - Plutonium Blonde 425
Rigor Mortis - Freaks 425
The Clash - London Calling 425
Black Sabbath - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath 425
Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville 425
Neil Young - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere 425
Lou Reed - Lou Reed 425 (not twice)
Radiohead - The Bends 425
The Sea and Cake - The Fawn 425 (not twice)
Brian Eno / David Byrne - My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (could also be considered rock) 425
Ministry - The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste (could also be considered industrial) 425
Garbage - Garbage 425
Smashing Pumpkins - Pisces Iscariot 400 (not twice)
Nirvana - Bleach 400 (not twice)
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream 400 (not twice)
Metallica - The $5.98 EP - Garage Days Re-Revisited / Garage Inc. 400
Lou Reed - Transformer 400
Boris - Pink 400 (not twice)
Melvins - King Buzzo 400
Van Halen - Women and Children First 400
The Legendary Pink Dots - Traumstadt #3: Live 400
Thom Yorke - The Eraser 400
Rosetta Stone - Foundation Stones 400
Neil Young - After the Gold Rush 400
Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps 400
Labradford - E Luxo So 400
The Stooges - Raw Power 400 (not twice)
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Songs and Music from "She's the One" 400
Candlemass - Epicus Doomicus Metallicus (contains audio commentary over the album as a second disc) 375
Overkill - !!!**** You!!! / !!!**** You!!! and Then Some / Overkill / Feel the Fire 375
The Stooges - Fun House 375 (not twice)
Lou Reed - Berlin 375 (not twice)
Grizzly Bear - Yellow House 375
R.E.M. - Document 375
Life at Sea - Life at Sea 375
Beck - Odelay 350
Bauhaus - In the Flat Field 350 (not twice)
Staalmate - Staalmate 350
Bulldozer - The Day of Wrath 350 (not twice)
Big Black - Atomizer 350 (not twice)
Zwan - Mary Star of the Sea 350 (not twice)
Anatomy of Habit - Anatomy of Habit 300
Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness 300 (not twice)
The Sea and Cake - The Sea and Cake 300 (not twice)
Bryan Adams - Waking Up the Neighbours 300
The Tear Garden - Crystal Mass 300
Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance 300 (not twice)
Trouble - Run to the Light 275 (not twice)
Venom - At War With Satan 275
Mr. Big - Lean Into It 275
Big Black - Songs About ****ing 275 (not twice)
Local H - As Good as Dead 275 (not twice)
Lou Reed - New York 250 (not twice)
Lou Reed - New Sensations 250 (not twice)
Fear Factory - The Best of Fear Factory (could also be considered industrial) 250
REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity 225 (not twice)
Royal Trux - Veterans of Disorder 225 (not twice)
Guns 'N' Roses - Use Your Illusion I 225

200: distasteful and pathetic
300: mediocre or subpar
400: average, but decent
500: very good
600: superb
700: transcendental

 

[Shareefruck]

Wow, I wouldn't have expected Future Days to be put well ahead of all those other classics.

I think the track, "Spray" is brilliant.

 

[Hippasus]

Wow, I wouldn't have expected Future Days to be put well ahead of all those other classics.

I think the track, "Spray" is brilliant.

I think that album is close to perfection. "Moonshake" is the only weak spot and even that is awesome. It is very organic and like a rich tapestry, a journey, etc.

EDIT: Punk albums:

Black Flag - Damaged 600
Poison Idea - Darby Crash Rides Again: The Early Years 575
Rudimentary Peni - Death Church 550
Bad Brains - Bad Brains 550
Minor Threat - First Demo Tape 550
Bad Brains - Rock for Light 525
Siege - Drop Dead 525
Poison Idea - Pick Your King / Record Collectors Are Pretentious *******s (aka The Fatal Erection Years) 525
Charged G.B.H. - City Baby Attacked by Rats 525
Sick of It All - Sick of It All 525
Rudimentary Peni - Cacophony 525
Corrosion of Conformity - Eye for an Eye / Six Songs with Mike Singing: 1985 500
D.R.I. - Dirty Rotten LP / Violent Pacification 500
Various Artists - New York City Hardcore: The Way It Is 500
Wire - Pink Flag 500
Rudimentary Peni - Rudimentary Peni / Farce (aka The EPs of RP) 500
The Sex Pistols - Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols 500
Doom - Doomed From the Start 500
Doom - Total Doom 500
Anti-Cimex - Raped Ass 500
Void - Sessions 1981-83 500
Charged G.B.H. - City Baby's Revenge 500
Antisect - In Darkness There Is No Choice 500
Charged G.B.H. - Clay Punk Singles Collection / The Punk Singles 1981-1984 500
The Exploited - Let's Start a War... Said Maggie One Day / Live and Loud!! 475
Crass - Stations of the Crass 475
Sick of It All - Blood, Sweat, and No Tears 475
Gang Green - Preschool 475
Chaos U.K - Chaos U.K. 475
Circle Jerks - Group Sex 475
Subhumans - The Day the Country Died 475
Antischism - Antischism 475
Minor Threat - Minor Threat / In My Eyes / Out of Step / Salad Days (aka Complete Discography) 475
Discharge - Realities of War / Fight Back / Decontrol / Why? / Never Again / State Violence State Control / Warning - Her Majesty's Government Can Seriously Damage Your Health / Price of Silence / More I See / Ignorance (aka Decontrol: The Singles) 450
Ripchord - Fast 'n' Furious: Complete Demos 450
The Exploited - Punks Not Dead / On Stage 450
The Exploited - Troops of Tomorrow / Apocalypse Tour 1981 450
Extreme Noise Terror - A Holocaust in Your Head / In It for Life 450
Heresy - 1985-87 450
Cryptic Slaughter - Convicted 450
7 Seconds - alt.music.hardcore. 450
The Casualties - For the Punx 450
Melvins - Mangled Demos from 1983 450
Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables 450
Black Flag - Nervous Breakdown / Jealous Again / Six Pack / Louie Louie (aka the compilation The First Four Years) 450
Antischism - Still Life 450
T.S.O.L. - T.S.O.L. 450
Suicide - Suicide [First Album] (could also be considered electronic) 450 (not twice)
Earth Crisis - Destroy the Machines 450
Earth Crisis - Firestorm 450
Earth Crisis - All Out War 450
Subhumans - Demolition War / Reasons for Existence / Religious War / Evolution (aka EP-LP) 450
Crass - Feeding of the 5000 425
Discharge - Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing / Never Again / Warning - Her Majesty's Government Can Seriously Damage Your Health 425
D.R.I. - Dealing with It! 425
Conflict - It's Time to See Who's Who 425
Doom - The Peel Sessions 425
Mob 47 - Kärnvapen Attack 425
Anti-Cimex - Victims of a Bomb Raid 425
Anti-Cimex - Anarkist Attack 425
Mob 47 - Hardcore Attack 425
Agnostic Front - Cause for Alarm / Victim in Pain 400
Retox - Ugly Animals 400
Subhumans - Time Flies... But Aeroplanes Crash / Rats 400
D.O.A. - Something Better Change 400
Youth of Today - We're Not in This Alone 400
Cryptic Slaughter - Money Talks 375
Cro-Mags - The Age of Quarrel / Best Wishes 375
The Faith / Void - The Faith / Void [Split] 375
Black Flag - Everything Went Black 350

200: distasteful and pathetic
300: mediocre or subpar
400: average, but decent
500: very good
600: superb
700: transcendental

 

[Ouroboros]

Wow. That's got to be nearly 500 albums there. What sort of time period was this over?

Also - help me calibrate your ratings a bit. What sort of score does an album need to earn a spot in the regular rotation?

 

[Hippasus]

Wow. That's got to be nearly 500 albums there. What sort of time period was this over?

Also - help me calibrate your ratings a bit. What sort of score does an album need to earn a spot in the regular rotation?

Anything 425 or below is not really in my rotation. This is probably the last year. I like to change up my music listening a lot and listen to a good amount most days. I have been sort of cataloguing "non-metal".

 

[Sniper99]

Royal Blood- Royal Blood 10/10

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Black Sabbath - Vol. 4

9/10

 

[Hippasus]

Jazz?:

The Necks - Drive By 300 (not twice)

R&B?:

Earth, Wind & Fire - That's the Way of the World 400 (not twice)
Earth, Wind & Fire - All 'N All 300 (not twice)

Rock?:

Hexvessel - No Holier Temple 325 (not twice)
Chicago - Chicago Transit Authority 300 (not twice)

Metal / rock?:

Aluk Todolo - Occult Rock 475 (not twice)

200: distasteful and pathetic
300: mediocre or subpar
400: average, but decent
500: very good
600: superb
700: transcendental

 

[Philly85*]

A Saucerful of Secrets by Pink Floyd (1968). 2.5+/5


Black Sands by Bonobo (2010). 3.5-/5


In Rainbows by Radiohead (2007). 4.5+/5


Destroyed by Moby (2011). 1.5+/5


Collide by Beats Antique (2008). 4.5-/5


Culture of Fear by Thievery Corporation (2011). 2/5


Filling Up the City Skies 1 by Pretty Lights (2008). 5/5


Safe in the Steep Cliffs by Emancipator (2011). 3.5-/5


Ideas+Drafts+Loops by Flying Lotus (2013). 3.5/5


The Campfire Headphase by Boards of Canada (2005). 2.5/5

I like the headspace you're in, this was me 5 years ago. excellent blend. Check Blockhead - Music By Cavelight and RJD2 - Deadringer, although I wouldn't be surprised if you already have, RJD2 is pretty well known, Blockhead album was a big sleeper though, more instrumental but still a work of art in the similar vein.

 

[Philly85*]

I feel the same way about the Doors. That self-titled album warmed up for me a little bit (mostly just based on the hits), but not to any spectacular degree. Feels more like a band with some charm that capitalized on a cultural mood rather than anything lastingly brilliant.

Captain Beefheart is one of those guys that everyone is expected to hate and find completely unlistenable the first half a dozen times or more, but it's a good thing to keep permanently in the backburner to revisit once in a while. I'd recommend repeatedly digging away at the tracks "Moonlight in Vermont", "Pachuco Cadaver", and "Steal Softly Through Snow" in particular (don't even bother with the other ones until those are listenable/infectious to you), and then once/if they ever click, let that unquenchable thirst for more like it (which doesn't exist anywhere else) slowly guide you towards opening up to the other tracks/albums. I basically clicked with it one track at a time, until eventually the whole album felt brilliant (then did the same with Lick My Decals which is at the same level). Might decide it's not worth the effort, but I do think they're one of those things (like The Beatles or Bob Dylan) that come along once in a lifetime.

Tried White Light White Heat yet? That's my favorite Velvet Underground album, and is close to my favorite album of all time. Again, more alienating, harsh, and out there and will require more re-listens than "And Nico" to get into, but absolutely worth it. Sister Ray is the greatest thing to ever come out of music, IMO, and the way everything on the album builds to that climax is pure genius.

white light white heat is great, i love both, it just depends on what kind of mood I'm in, in that way i can't really say the group or sound is one my all time favourites, because those groups and genre of music I do love unconditionally I can play at any time in any situation and still get maximum enjoyment out of it... I really appreciate VU and what they mean to culture, what they created and helped pave the way for, but I don't listen very often tbh. but yes, both great albums, another group I went through a big phase of back in the day. As for Captain Beefheart, well, it's just not gonna happen lol

 

[Shareefruck]

white light white heat is great, i love both, it just depends on what kind of mood I'm in, in that way i can't really say the group or sound is one my all time favourites, because those groups and genre of music I do love unconditionally I can play at any time in any situation and still get maximum enjoyment out of it... I really appreciate VU and what they mean to culture, what they created and helped pave the way for, but I don't listen very often tbh. but yes, both great albums, another group I went through a big phase of back in the day. As for Captain Beefheart, well, it's just not gonna happen lol

Suit yourself-- I'm always in the mood for Velvet Underground or Captain Beefheart, personally.

 

[Shareefruck]

The Beatles (Mono) by The Beatles - 4.5 (Brilliant)

I used to be really dismissive of this one because of how wildly inconsistent it seemed-- I didn't buy the whole "it's like a buffet of variety that add up to more than the sum of its parts" thing, but I'm starting to love it now. I'm still not sure I buy that analogy, but I sort of shifted my attitude towards treating it like a liberating, sprawling, childishly playful, anything-goes experience more akin to a Frank Zappa-esque album like "Freak Out!" than a note-perfect Beatles album. When experienced that way, I think it's an absolutely exhilarating work, and even the songs that I originally thought were really weak and nonsensical have a place in that kind of framework, adding to the psychotic/energetic madness of the thing. While that accessibility/coherency is always goes to be there, because it's The goddamn Beatles, it really does seem to have this underlying feeling of The Beatles completely losing their mind and bursting into an excess of unfocused energy-- I'm finding that endlessly appealing and inspirational right now.

This album has shot up past Abbey Road for me now. I used to be confused why, considering that both The White Album and Abbey Road have a handful of songs that seem beneath the band, The White Album seemed to get away with that more than Abbey Road does, but now I totally get it. The silly songs on the White Album ADD to the experience, whereas Abbey Road is an album that tries its hardest to be absolutely pin-point perfection, classy, mature, and polished and it comes super close to hitting that mark but gets unceremoniously disrupted, and to some extent ruined by those two or three lame songs that stick out like a sore thumb near the beginning of the album.

I'm about here right now:
Beatles
1. Revolver (Mono) - 5.0 (Masterpiece)
2. Sgt. Pepper's (Mono) - 5.0 (Masterpiece)
3. Rubber Soul (Mono) - 5.0 (Masterpiece)
4. White Album (Mono) - 4.5 (Brilliant)
5. Abbey Road - 4.0 (Perfect)
6. Live at the BBC Vol. 2 - 4.0 (Perfect)
7. Live at the BBC Vol. 1 - 3.5 (Great)
8. Help! (Mono) - 3.0 (Very Good)
9. Stars of 63' - 3.0 (Very Good)
10. Please Please Me (Mono) - 3.0 (Very Good)
11. Magical Mystery Tour (Mono) - 3.0 (Very Good)
12. The Esher Demos - 2.5 (Good)
13. Rooftop Concert - 2.5 (Good)
14. Let It Be (Naked) - 2.5 (Good)
15. A Hard Day's Night (Mono) - 2.0 (Positive)
16. Beatles For Sale (Mono) - 2.0 (Positive)
17. Love - 2.0 (Positive)
18. Let It Be - 1.5 (Neutral)
19. With The Beatles (Mono) - 1.5 (Neutral)

3.5 (Great)
Windowlicker by Aphex Twin

3.0 (Very Good)
Come to Daddy by Aphex Twin
Hangable Auto Bulb by AFX

2.5 (Good)
New York Dolls by New York Dolls
Under Triple Moons by Legendary Pink Dots
26 Mixes For Cash by Aphex Twin
Until the Quiet Comes by Flying Lotus
Slint by Slint

2.0 (Positive)
Millions Now Living Will Never Die by Tortoise
You're Dead by Flying Lotus
Psychotic Revelation by The Count Five

1.5 (Neutral)
Tortoise by Tortoise
Collide by Beats Antique

 

[Hippasus]

2.5 (Good)
New York Dolls by New York Dolls
Under Triple Moons by Legendary Pink Dots
26 Mixes For Cash by Aphex Twin
Until the Quiet Comes by Flying Lotus
Slint by Slint

I'm glad you tried that compilation album by Legendary Pink Dots. Something about their low-fi keyboard-driven music and their lyricist is so alluring to me. I think that's a good example of their early work. Seems like New York Dolls might be getting better for you too.

 

[Shareefruck]

I'm glad you tried that compilation album by Legendary Pink Dots. Something about their low-fi keyboard-driven music and their lyricist is so alluring to me. I think that's a good example of their early work. Seems like New York Dolls might be getting better for you too.

I'm on board with all of the instrumentals for that Legendary Pink Dots album, but the vocals are still warming up for me. Could be a grower, but I like what I hear.

The New York Dolls...... I wouldn't say they're rising-- I'm sort of all over the place with them, unable to make up my mind, and have been that way for a long time. That mix melodramatic flamboyance vs. amateurish punk energy kind of confuses my senses. It doesn't feel completely like pure/raw, authentic, and unfiltered inspiration but it also doesn't feel completely cheesy/schlocky or insincere. It's kind of playfully exhilarating and infectious, but it's also kind of big, dumb, and tasteless to my ears. Weird one to put my finger on.

 

[Hippasus]

I'm on board with all of the instrumentals for that Legendary Pink Dots album, but the vocals are still warming up for me. Could be a grower, but I like what I hear.

The New York Dolls...... I wouldn't say they're rising-- I'm sort of all over the place with them, unable to make up my mind, and have been that way for a long time. That mix melodramatic flamboyance vs. amateurish punk energy kind of confuses my senses. It doesn't feel completely like pure/raw, authentic, and unfiltered inspiration but it also doesn't feel completely cheesy/schlocky or insincere. It's kind of playfully exhilarating and infectious, but it's also kind of big, dumb, and tasteless to my ears. Weird one to put my finger on.

Perhaps it's not painstakingly-crafted, but it is infectious to the hilt for me. I think catchiness is a repetitive pattern that sort of takes a person away, or is exhilarating in some way. I think a lot of my picks in rock and punk are high because of this factor.

But they are sort of similar to The Stooges in a lot of ways, are they not?

 

[Shareefruck]

Perhaps it's not painstakingly-crafted, but it is infectious to the hilt for me. I think catchiness is a repetitive pattern that sort of takes a person away, or is exhilarating in some way. I think a lot of my picks in rock and punk are high because of this factor.

But they are sort of similar to The Stooges in a lot of ways, are they not?

I don't hear it, personally.

To my ears, The Stooges sound base, primitive, minimalistic, and tribal in the most satisfying and brilliant way possible-- Painstakingly crafted? Maybe not technically either, but it's executed in an instinctive manner that feels more physically and tastefully impressive than anything that could be painstakingly crafted, not merely infectious by lowering the standards and appealing to the "lighten up and have fun" side of my brain. The fact that guys like this can naturally make better music than people who spend their entire lives hopelessly trying to get every detail right but just don't "get it" on the same level is what I love most about music, and it's an almost impossible mark to hit or, in my opinion, measure. When I listen to a Stooges track, I'm not thinking "this is fun and infectious and nothing else matters", I'm thinking "this groove, deceptively simple as it may be, is ****ing PERFECT and can't be improved on, or be replicated by anyone who THINKS they have more musical knowledge/talent-- These lyrics, deceptively simple and child-like as they may be, are more on point and expressive than most poet-like lyricists. He's doing something legitimately more impressive than you without even trying or thinking about it, or complicating it."

I don't feel that way about The New York Dolls (or most of the other good punk bands, for that matter). To my ears, they feel more like a "lighten up, it's just for fun, it doesn't matter" band with some charm, some infectiousness, some personality, some crazy kookiness, but doesn't seem to have the instincts/tastes/musical fearlessness to translate that into something more than simply infectious and fun. The edge/roughness in their sound just feels a tad superficial and harmless to me, and I'm not sure I'm convinced that their amateurishness is more of a strength than a limitation. To my ears they don't sound that different from anyone else, and seem to be operating on a similar level to an above average Chuck-Berry-based band, only they're more theatrical, bombastic, and loose. (I have similar feelings about MC5).

Which is fine, they're still good..... and likeable.... I just don't see what's supposed to be GREAT about this kind of music.

 

[Hippasus]

I don't hear it, personally.

To my ears, The Stooges sound base, primitive, minimalistic, and tribal in the most satisfying and brilliant way possible-- Painstakingly crafted? Maybe not technically either, but it's executed in an instinctive manner that feels more physically and tastefully impressive than anything that could be painstakingly crafted, not merely infectious by lowering the standards and appealing to the "lighten up and have fun" side of my brain. The fact that guys like this can naturally make better music than people who spend their entire lives hopelessly trying to get every detail right is what I love most about music, and it's an almost impossible mark to hit or, in my opinion, measure. When I listen to a Stooges track, I'm not thinking "this is fun and infectious and nothing else matters", I'm thinking "this groove, deceptively simple as it may be, is ^&%! PERFECT and can't be improved on."

I don't feel that way about The New York Dolls (or most of the other good punk bands, for that matter). To my ears, they feel more like a "lighten up, it's just for fun" band with some charm, some infectiousness, some personality, some crazy kookiness, but doesn't seem to have the instincts/tastes/musical fearlessness to translate that into something more than simply infectious and fun. The edge/roughness in their sound just feels a tad superficial and harmless to me, and I'm not sure I'm convinced that their amateurishness is more of a strength than a limitation.

I don't know how to put my finger on it, but I don't think they're pulling off a similar thing at all. To my ears they don't sound that different from anyone else, and seem to be operating on a similar level to an above average Chuck-Berry-influenced band, only they're a little more theatrical and bombastic.

I find New York Dolls keep the rock songs simple, and just speed them up a bit. This is a large part of what I find exciting and infectious: the fast-paced riffs and beats, by rock standards. It might be a bit raunchy in the lyrics, but the music sounds like it's meant to be instinctual through and through. I can't say you're wrong that it seems like it's mainly about having fun. The carefree spirit in which it is done is a large part of what makes it what it is.

 

[Shareefruck]

I find New York Dolls keep the rock songs simple, and just speed them up a bit. This is a large part of what I find exciting and infectious: the fast-paced riffs and beats, by rock standards. It might be a bit raunchy in the lyrics, but the music sounds like it's meant to be instinctual through and through. I can't say you're wrong that it seems like it's mainly about having fun. The carefree spirit in which it is done is a large part of what makes it what it is.

Yeah, and I think that's fine..... I just personally don't feel that fun/likeability/excitement alone is enough to elevate these kinds of bands to a level above guys who are actually kind of a genius (some of whom, like Lou Reed or Iggy Pop, are every bit as exciting and infectious in addition to that, while keeping it just as simple and ****-all).

I can't say I get the speed thing that much.

 

[Hippasus]

Yeah, and I think that's fine..... I just personally don't feel that fun/likeability/excitement alone is enough to elevate these kinds of bands to a level above guys who are actually kind of a genius (some of whom, like Lou Reed or Iggy Pop, are every bit as exciting and infectious in addition to that, while keeping it just as simple and ****-all).

I can't say I get the speed thing that much.

I'm not sure what place genius has in these proto-punk bands, or what that word would be invoking in this context. You used the words tribal, primitive, and minimalistic before in describing The Stooges. Are those qualities genius in the case of The Stooges? I am not terribly familiar with that band.