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

[Erik]

Pavement is probably the band I was most surprised got skunked. Well, kind of surprised - I seem to remember they are not a favorite in these parts. I realize they suffer from Indie Sacred Cow Backlash Syndrome, but they were a pretty influential band back in the day, and have several worthy albums to choose from.

That surprised me as well. So did the Meat Puppets (though they were on my list).

I just never cared for Pavement all that much. They're the Tom Waits of indie bands; you can tell that most of the songs are good, but the shambling performances are a deal-breaker for me. I much prefer their songs when others cover them.

[Erik]

My remainders:

Smashing Pumpkins -- Gish. Great album, IMO their best after Siamese, but not picked because of Corgan Douchebag Factor.

Teenage Fanclub -- Songs from Northern Britain. AMAZING melodies and harmonies on this record; the peak of their Big Star obsession -- yes, even better than Bandwagonesque.

Meat Puppets -- Up on the Sun. Shocked they weren't picked. This record is incredibly fun and totally undescribable. It's not really punk or psychedelia but has elements of both.

Phish -- Rift or Billy Breathes. I couldn't decide, and I didn't want the ridicule. These are their two records that hold up as consistent, thematic works from start to finish.

Midnight Oil -- Blue Sky Mine or 10, 9, 8... Just as good as Diesel and Dust if less popular.

Uncle Tupelo -- Anodyne. Fantastic update of what Gram Parsons was doing in the early '70s.

The Judybats -- Pain Makes You Beautiful. Folky at times, dancy at others, with brilliant lyrics.

Ned's Atomic Dustbin -- Brainbloodvolume. Their last and least popular album, it's their most swinging and most consistent. They finally put the second bass to proper use.

The Grays -- Ro Sham Bo
Jason Falkner -- Author Unknown. Falkner was in the last incarnation of Jellyfish. After they imploded, he and Jon Brion formed The Grays, an anti-band band, which had no pretenses to longevity. Falkner and Brion's songs on their lone album, Ro Sham Bo, are richly textured power pop that is incredible ear candy. I didn't pick it because of the contributions of third singer/songwriter Buddy Judge, which are pleasant but derivative. Falkner's first solo album, Author Unknown, in which he sings, plays and produces everything, is a masterpiece that recalls early '70s Todd Rundgren in sound an approach. "I Live" was one of the best singles of the '90s.

[Pogues]

Phish -- Rift or Billy Breathes. I couldn't decide, and I didn't want the ridicule. These are their two records that hold up as consistent, thematic works from start to finish.

Wuss. That's no reason to not pick and album! Just ask Mith.

[revo]

Face Dances came out in 1979. It's Hard, aside from the incredible "Eminence Front," is not very good; easily the worst Who album.

Face Dances was released on March 16, 1981.

It's Hard, in addition to the title track (which is a classic rock staple), also includes one of my favorite songs by them, Athena.

[Pogues]

Bad Religion-Recipe for Hate
Basement Jaxx- Remedy
Bloodhound Gang-One Fierce Beer Coaster
Butthole Surfers-Independent Worm Saloon
Cake-Fashion Nugget (I think this was taken...I probably didn't mark it off)
Cranberries-Everybody Else Is Doing It…
Daft Punk-Homework
Frankie Goes to Hollywood-Welcome to the Pleasuredome (Oh, it gets better...worse...)
Lightning Seeds-Cloudcuckooland
Low & Sweet Orchestra-Goodbye to All That (A spinoff from The Pogues...great stuff here for traditional Irish music lovers)
Mighty Mighty Bosstones-Don't Know How to Party, Let's Face It (I couldn't decide which I like more...but I never got that low on the list to take either)
Mojo Nixon-Whereabouts Unknown
Mojo Nixon & The Toadliquors-Sock Ray Blue
Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper-Bo-Day-Shus, Root Hog or Die (Love Mojo, but always 2 or 3 meh songs on each album)
My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult-A Crime for All Seasons, Confessions of a Knife, 13 Above the Night (Any of these 3 would be drafted in a 25 round draft of albums you love listening to at an ear piercing/head splitting level)
Nerf Herder-Nerf Herder (I took Weezer, why not a Weezer copycat?)
New Order-Technique
Offspring-Smash, Ixnay of the Hombre, Americana (See Mojo Nixon comment)
Rick Astley-Whever You Need Somebody (Told you it would get bettter/worse...imagine my surprise when that was a "joke" first pick)
Save Ferris -It Means Everything
Sugarcubes-Stick Around for Joy
Toadies-Rubberneck
Transvision Vamp-Velveteen (probably my 26th round pick)

I had 30 albums taken off my list, other than the 25 I took.

[revo]

No 'Combat Rock'?

'Candy-O' was totally 1979, not eligible.

Combat Rock was on my list.

Also forgot two Yacht Rock specials: Sports by Huey Lewis & the News (just to rattle Swampdragon), and Private Eyes by Hall & Oates.

And yeah, I meant Shake It Up by The Cars, not Candy-O.

[Mithrandir]

I love that song.

Me too...

[Erik]

Face Dances was released on March 16, 1981.

Maybe I was confusing it with the date of Keith Moon's death or something. Anyway, it's pretty good, but it's not in the same class as Empty Glass or even Townshend's follow-up to EG, All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes. That's the album I was talking about earlier that really hits you when you're at a crossroads in your mid 30s.

[Mithrandir]

My remainders:

Heart - HEART My number 26 I still love this album from start to finish
Led Zep - CODA - Zep's out takes are still awesome.
Cranberries - EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING IT...
Sarah McLachlan - SOLACE
The Cowboy Junkies - TRINITY SESSIONS
Guns and Roses - USE YOUR ILLUSION I I always loved this one especially "Coma" and "Don't Damn Me"
LA Guns - COCKED AND LOADED - great 80' hair metal
Genesis - ABACAB
Kix - HOTWIRE Underrated.... very underrated pop metal
Queensryche - EMPIRE
Charlatans UK - SOME FRIENDLY
Tip Splinter - A LIVING TRADITION Here is the info on them : http://www.northernjourney.com/cdnfo....splinter.html

[Erik]

Wuss. That's no reason to not pick and album! Just ask Mith.

It was the third reason, at most, the main two being that I had other stuff I wanted to pick and I wouldn't have been able to decide which of those two.

So someone confessed to liking The Offspring? They're fucking worse than the Gin Blossoms.

[Erik]

My remainders:

Heart - HEART My number 26 I still love this album from start to finish
Led Zep - CODA - Zep's out takes are still awesome.
Cranberries - EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING IT...
Sarah McLachlan - SOLACE
The Cowboy Junkies - TRINITY SESSIONS
Guns and Roses - USE YOUR ILLUSION I I always loved this one especially "Coma" and "Don't Damn Me"
LA Guns - COCKED AND LOADED - great 80' hair metal
Genesis - ABACAB
Kix - HOTWIRE Underrated.... very underrated pop metal
Queensryche - EMPIRE
Charlatans UK - SOME FRIENDLY

I might have taken UYI I if I hadn't already taken Appetite. Similarly, I love Vs. but couldn't take it because I picked Ten.

Solace is a very good record. In 1993 she had 2 1/2 good albums under her belt. Today she has 2 3/4 good albums under her belt.

[Mithrandir]

Bad Religion-Recipe for Hate
Basement Jaxx- Remedy
Bloodhound Gang-One Fierce Beer Coaster
Butthole Surfers-Independent Worm Saloon
Cake-Fashion Nugget (I think this was taken...I probably didn't mark it off)
Cranberries-Everybody Else Is Doing It…
Daft Punk-Homework
Frankie Goes to Hollywood-Welcome to the Pleasuredome (Oh, it gets better...worse...)
Lightning Seeds-Cloudcuckooland
Low & Sweet Orchestra-Goodbye to All That (A spinoff from The Pogues...great stuff here for traditional Irish music lovers)
Mighty Mighty Bosstones-Don't Know How to Party, Let's Face It (I couldn't decide which I like more...but I never got that low on the list to take either)
Mojo Nixon-Whereabouts Unknown
Mojo Nixon & The Toadliquors-Sock Ray Blue
Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper-Bo-Day-Shus, Root Hog or Die (Love Mojo, but always 2 or 3 meh songs on each album)
My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult-A Crime for All Seasons, Confessions of a Knife, 13 Above the Night (Any of these 3 would be drafted in a 25 round draft of albums you love listening to at an ear piercing/head splitting level)
Nerf Herder-Nerf Herder (I took Weezer, why not a Weezer copycat?)
New Order-Technique
Offspring-Smash, Ixnay of the Hombre, Americana (See Mojo Nixon comment)
Rick Astley-Whever You Need Somebody (Told you it would get bettter/worse...imagine my surprise when that was a "joke" first pick)
Save Ferris -It Means Everything
Sugarcubes-Stick Around for Joy
Toadies-Rubberneck
Transvision Vamp-Velveteen (probably my 26th round pick)

I had 30 albums taken off my list, other than the 25 I took.

I really like the Offspring. I have seen them a few times in concert. My favorite albums are Smash and then Americana.

[Erik]

The Cowboy Junkies - TRINITY SESSIONS

Ah yes, the go-to album for everyone who wanted to bang a college chick in the early '90s.

[Mithrandir]

It was the third reason, at most, the main two being that I had other stuff I wanted to pick and I wouldn't have been able to decide which of those two.

So someone confessed to liking The Offspring? They're fucking worse than the Gin Blossoms.

No way! The Offspring rock....great hooks and catchy tunes...

[Erik]

Recipe for Hate probably should have been on my list but I forgot about it.