*** Post-1979 Album Draft - Commentary Thread ***

[Mithrandir]

Why??

Uh because the Almighty Zeppelin is the greatest musical act of all time! Floyd is good too

[ManCalledFoot]

Uh because the Almighty Zeppelin is the greatest musical act of all time! Floyd is good too

But the Beatles are better than both of them!

Hey we'll actually get to pick a Beatles LP this draft, although arguably their worst one.

What IS the 1970s? There's a huge stylistic split... 1970-75 was the long-haired hippie/soul-brother thing, and 1976-80 the punk/disco era.

[Mithrandir]

But the Beatles are better than both of them!

Hey we'll actually get to pick a Beatles LP this draft, although arguably their worst one.

What IS the 1970s? There's a huge stylistic split... 1970-75 was the long-haired hippie/soul-brother thing, and 1976-80 the punk/disco era.

Zeppelin>>>>>>>beatles>>>>>>>~everybody else.

[heyelander]

I like and know a lot of 70's songs, but I probably only know the 1st through 3rd or 4th round of actual albums. Heck, most of the albums I know from that period are probably "best of"s

[Lucky]

About five years ago, I played in a band with a bunch of kids, all 16 to 18 years old, maybe one of them 19. Most of what they wanted to play was classic rock from '68-'76. When they went for newer stuff, it was bands with a classic rock sound, like Gov't Mule and Black Crowes.

It made it a lot easier for me, since I already knew the tunes, having played them 40 years ago.

[Lucky]

I sent my final four picks in...I thought Revo was going to post them. Should I just go ahead and post them?

[Pogues]

Because 35-55 year old white males will almost universally list Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd atop their greatest of all time lists.

This 41 year old refers to Pink Floyd as one of the most horrible bands of all time.

I don't like Zeppelin either, but I can at least stay in the room while it is playing. And I can appreciate their musical abilities.

[johnnya24]

I sent my final four picks in...I thought Revo was going to post them. Should I just go ahead and post them?

Lucky's final 4 picks

22.15 (lucky)_._____B.L.T. – Bruce/Lordan/Trower ( )
23.02 (lucky)_._____Guitar Slinger – Johnny Winter ( )
24.15 (lucky)_._____Dose – Gov’t Mule ( )
25.02 (lucky)_._____Ambition – Larry McCray ( )

------------------------------------------------------------

22.15 (lucky)_._____B.L.T. – Bruce/Lordan/Trower ( )



23.02 (lucky)_._____Guitar Slinger – Johnny Winter ( )

Interesting album cover ...



24.15 (lucky)_._____Dose – Gov’t Mule ( )

Only one of the 4 I've heard off (Lucky's 70's picks should be interesting)



25.02 (lucky)_._____Ambition – Larry McCray ( )

Can't find full album.

[Erik]

Govt Mule doesn't get nearly enough credit outside "jamband" circles.

[BuckyBuckner]

I was away last week and just now got to my list of 25 albums. There were seven albums that were selected that I definitely would have put in my top 25. They are (in no order):


The Clash, London cClling, 1980
The Descendents, Milo Goes to College, 1982
Devo, Freedom of Choice, 1980
Hüsker Dü, Zen Arcade, 1984
Old 97's, Too Far to Care, 1997
Operation Ivy, Operation Ivy, 1989
Teenage Fanclub, Grand Prix, 1995

I decided not to try to pick another album from that band and just go with the next album on my list. I figured this way we can cover more bands. I will go back and add in videos and a few thoughts on each band. So here it is, it would probably be very different in a week or so.

01 - The Wildhearts, Earth vs. the Wildhearts, 1993

This is one of the most amazing albums that no one has ever heard. My favorite way to describe this album is Cheap Trick but if they were punkier and more metal. The lyrics are also very good (something Cheap Trick has never really be able to claim). This album does not take breath, it's full on rock/punk/metal all the way though. Every song has a ton of different parts as if they wrote hundreds of little parts threw them up in the air and selected five at random for each song but they are blend together to form something special. It's one of those albums that you can listen to for the first time and wonder, why haven't I been listening to this album my entire life? One of these days I'll have the pleasure of owning it on vinyl.

Favorite song:


Entire album:



02 - Superchunk, On The Mouth, 1993

Superchunk are one of my favorite bands of all time and this album is their peak. It's got great energy and the song writing is amazing. There are a few slower songs that a lot of people didn't like at the time but it was just Mac growing as a songwriter. To me, they are the indie rock gods, not Pavement, not GBV, no one is better than Mac and company and 23 years later they are still going strong (with a lengthy break in there). I have this on vinyl.

Favorite song (I'm cheating a little, even though it's the title track it was actually a b-side. It was supposed to be on the album but the label didn't like the way it was recorded and wanted them to rerecord it so they left it off):


I can't find the entire album but here another song that's actually on the album and it's an actual music video:



03 - Uncle Tupelo, Still Feel Gone, 1991

I think most of you know enough about them that I don't need to say too much. Their first album was drafted here but I think this one is better. I have this one on vinyl.

Favorite song (I've ruined my liver listening to this song many late nights; it's still a little painful to listen to):


I can't the full album so here's another favorite of mine:


04 - Hum, Downward Is Heavenward, 1997

You probably heard their semi hit from the previous album; "Stars". It had the lyrics, "She missed the train to Mars, she's out back counting stars." I like to call them dreamy metal or probably shoe gazy metal. Slow and melodic but thick distorted guitars. I paid a lot to have this one on vinyl.

Favorite song:


Entire album:


05 - The Replacements, Sorry Ma Forgot to Take the Trash Out, 1981

Oh The Replacements, such a great band, there is so much to them than just the music. They were the definition of a hot mess but it worked for them for a while. This is their first album and to me, their best. Other albums have better songs but this album is about as raw and pure as a rock n roll record can get. There are mistakes left in multiple times, there is pure emotion and with all that some of the best bass playing by a 14 year old you'll ever hear. What makes Paul's songwriting so great is he can have a silly song like I Hate Music where he's joking about how it has too many notes but later in the song he changes it up the more serious "I hate my father, one day I won't. I have my father, he's got my back." For a young brash 19 year to understand that is father being a pain in his ass is actually love is rather impressive and to express it in such a simple way is equally impressive. I've always felt this is what sets him apart for other songwriters.

Listen to the bass playing on this song in particular and remember; this is a 14 year old.

Favorite song:


Entire album:



06 - Kill Creek, Proving Winter Cruel, 1996

This is probably the first album that everyone is saying, "who?" This album is so amazing to me that I can't really explain it. Again, lyrics are what draws me to this one, like "you say I'm a afraid to commit to anything but I'm not ready to say that yet." This whole album is about his ex-wife and how he's struggling with it. From the songs it appears that he actually wanted the divorce but it appears he regrets that decision. It's a gut wrenching album where he just pours his heart out.

Favorite song:


Entire album:


07 - Paul Collins' Beat, Kids Are The Same, 1981
08 - Iron Maiden, Killers, 1981
09 - Smoking Popes, Destination Failure, 1997
10 - The Weakerthans, Fallow, 1999
11 - Cheap Trick, One On One, 1982
12 - All, Allroy's Revenge, 1989
13 - Soul Asylum, Hang Time, 1988
14 - Rocket From The Crypt, Scream Dracula Scream,1995
15 - Supersuckers, La Mano Cornuda, 1994
16 - Sweet Baby, It's A Girl, 1989
17 - The Promise Ring, Very Emergency, 1999
18 - Jawbreaker, Dear You, 1995
19 - Doughboys, Whatever, 1987
20 - Belly, King, 1995
21 - Chris Bell, I Am The Cosmos, 1992
22 - Weezer, Pinkerton, 1996
23 - Hard-Ons, Yummy, 1990
24 - Guided By Voices, Bee Thousand, 1994
25 - Brainiac, Bonsai Superstar, 1994

[johnnya24]

One of my best friends in first year was a huge Wildhearts and Manic Street Preachers fan. His world revolved around those two bands (and FC Barcelona).

[BuckyBuckner]

One of my best friends in first year was a huge Wildhearts and Manic Street Preachers fan. His world revolved around those two bands (and FC Barcelona).

Two great choices. Manics are great but didn't make the cut on my list; Generation Terrorists would be the one I'd choose.

[johnnya24]

Two great choices. Manics are great but didn't make the cut on my list; Generation Terrorists would be the one I'd choose.

They sound similar in many ways, especially Generation Terrorists.

[Friarfan]

One of my best friends in first year was a huge Wildhearts and Manic Street Preachers fan. His world revolved around those two bands (and FC Barcelona).

I thank Bucky for turning me on to the Wildhearts. My friend Lily is close friends with one or two of the MSP dudes, and has tried to get me in to them, but I just haven't yet for some reason.

[Erik]

One of my friends played guitar with Ginger during one of Ginger's hiatuses (hiati?) from the Wildhearts, while he decamped to NYC. I've never heard any of the Wildhearts' music.

Funny how we all have different tastes in Uncle Tupelo. You prefer Still Feel Gone, but No Depression was drafted and Anodyne was on my short list; I would have picked it had we gone 30 rounds.

I was kind of surprised that no GBV records were taken, given how ardent some folks are about them. However, Pollard is so ridiculously prolific that perhaps that leads to inconsistency.