Chart study #1: RepoMan - Music - Forums : Best Ever Albums

RockyRaccoon
Is it solipsistic in here or is it just me?

Gender: Male
Age: 33
Location: Maryland

Moderator

Also, I'm curious about this.

You have this as your note for Sufjan Stevens' Michigan:

Quote:

When I was obsessed with Red Sox baseball in the 2000s, we had a player named Manny Ramirez who was talented as fuck and arguably the best pure hitter of his generation. He was a natural. BUT, it was almost as if he was so fricking good that just playing the game straight like everyone else bored him. He was so bloody talented that we gladly put up with his idiosyncrasies and quirks and would just shrug that it was just “Manny being Manny.” But you always knew that he could have been an all time great and sure-fire Hall of Famer. He was the type of ball player who gave fans a fatal case of the if onlys…

Well that’s sort of how I approach Sufjan. A glitch electronica vanity project as his second album? yup. Label a SIXTY minute album an “EP”? Sure! Why not! And forget concept albums. So plebeian. Let’s just go for the concept discography! And then release yet another vanity project, this time an entirely instrumental orchestral musical piece, while everyone is waiting with bated breath for the follow up to your first commercial success? Sounds like a great idea! God know he’s talented as fuck, but Sufjan has me searching for a word more extreme than megalomania.

When I drop the needle down on every “proper” Sufjan album, I always have the same response - “This is going to be the best fucking album EVER!” And then at some point a patch of tedium hits (length may vary). Because they all pretty much scream “genius is about to happen” before screaming “where the fuck is the editor, can somebody just find me a goddamn editor”.

Go ahead! Tell me that he didn’t start his own record label - Asthmatic Kitty - just so he could do whatever the hell he wanted. At least he’s self-aware enough that he knows he’s a prima donna who feels that every whim should be recorded and given the multimedia DVD package.

Luckily we have this one exception to the Sufjan Stevens Principle, fittingly a tribute to his home state.

While I think this is an interesting, and fairly accurate, description of Sufjan's albums, it doesn't speak much about Michigan the album. What is it about Michigan that resonates with you? What's different about this from, say, Illinois, that makes this the exception to the Sufjan Stevens Principle?
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2023 Chart

Early Psychedelic Rock

Electronic Chart

RepoMan

sp4cetiger wrote:

Admittedly, I'm not a big fan of that kind of music, but not because it's white and truthfully, I was kind of hoping you would show me the light here.

I will think long & hard on this while I do my errands today to get ready to move home tomorrow. I honestly think you may be too old. Laughing

As you guessed earlier, I got into Judas Priest when I was like 13. It's related to a funny story about my Aunt!

May have to write it at the airport/on the plane

HoldenM
To Pedantically Split Infinitives

Gender: Male
Age: 29

Genius GENIUS idea.
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Inversion Verses
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Skinny
birdman_handrub.gif

RepoMan wrote:

The fact that it is a culturally acceptable to use white as a label for "uncool" or any other derogatory thing is offensive to me and has nothing to do with you, personally. it's a societal thing. It's similar to a homosexual not wanting to be called a faggot. Or a Native American not wanting to be called a Redskin. Why would I want to be judged solely based on my skin color? Why would I want my skin color to be a derogatory adjective? It's offensive.

What am I reading?

Anyway, besides the nonsense above I'm thoroughly enjoying this thread.
_________________
2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.

RepoMan

Skinny wrote:

What am I reading?

Anyway, besides the nonsense above I'm thoroughly enjoying this thread.

When I was abducted, they get taunting me with different names such as "faggot," "college boy" and "country bumpkin."

Sorry if that turned me off to the whole notion of associating ANY race with a derisive or derogatory connotation. I'm sure if I hadn't gotten sick, I would have gotten over it.

I know that making fun of white people and their admittedly humorous, cultural quirks is mostly just good, clean fun. I just had a very different and traumatizing experience is all.

I promise not to belabor it anymore now that I have my definition of what sp4cetiger meant by something beiong white. (i.e. White = Uncool).

I guess I'm just in a really bad space right now and not seeing the world with my usual sense of humor. I'm really scared because my headaches keep getting worse & worse, and it feels like my brain is liquefying. Good times. LOL.
Anyways, I apologize for derailing the thread. I was just really angry at the entire universe for a bit. I just have no idea how I'm going to make it home tomorrow (it's a two day plane ride) feeling like this when I have no help & my apartment's a mess. Oh well, I'll persevere some how I suppose.

Peace.

edit: I'm really embarrassed by my rant so please forgive me, everyone! Sad

Skinny
birdman_handrub.gif

RepoMan wrote:

Anyways, I apologize for derailing the thread.

Hey man, it's your thread, do with it what you wish.

And everyone has their own personal connotations attached to various words or phrases, and what may offend some may not offend others. For me, I think it's healthy for people to laugh at themselves, and my inherent whiteness is a part of that. I'm exceedingly white - I think Wu-Tang are the greatest hip-hop band of all-time, I eat unnecessarily expensive sandwiches, I drink real ale. That isn't to say that these are exclusively white traits (they aren't), but they are all - to varying degrees - funny stereotypes of white people. I just get extremely suspicious of people claiming that the use of the term "white" in a derogatory manner is racist - in some cases it undoubtedly is, but my issue stems from the fact that the people I know in real life who try to argue this shit are usually racists themselves. And I've never been a victim of racism, the concept is alien to me. I don't get suspicious glances from shopkeepers, or followed round shops by security guards, or treated in a patronising manner by old people. And so, for me, to hear the term "white" used synonymously with "uncool" or "pretty fucking privileged" doesn't bother me - I find it to be largely pretty true, and largely pretty funny because of that. I understand that others will have been in situations whereby they have been the victim of racist abuse, and in those cases I can see why remarks such as sp4cetiger's might offend, but I think it's important to remember context. No, it wouldn't be acceptable to use "black" or "brown" in place of "white" in situations like these, but historically "black" or "brown" people haven't systematically abused "white" people on a large scale. This isn't "white guilt" or anything stupid like that, it's just a fact. White people were responsible for some atrocious things, and - whilst I feel very little guilt about something I had and have no control over - it's still pretty funny to laugh at ourselves. Then again, I'm pretty self-deprecating in general. And, most importantly, I've obviously never been through anything that rivals what you've been through, and for that I'm genuinely grateful. As I said, everyone has their own personal connotations attached to various words or phrases, and what may offend some may not offend others. But, in your presence anyway, I'll try to refrain from making derogatory remarks about white people (and don't worry, my BAWP chart went along with my old account).

Anyway, back to your chart. I love the idea of your listening bin. Which of the albums that you've heard recently (either those on the listening bin or others) do you think have the best chance of cracking your chart proper and getting the full Repo treatment in terms of writeup?
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2021 in full effect. Come drop me some recs. Y'all know what I like.

RepoMan

@Skinny: I'm actually with you 100%. I typically make fun of myself for all the same reasons. One of my favorite websites chronicles how silly white people culture can be, and I laugh because I can totally relate.

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/

We are really funny.

Again, I'm just in a bad head space because of my illness AT THE MOMENT which caused me to completely overreact and not be myself. My anger was directed totally at the assholes who ruined my life. No one else. I just needed to vent.

I'm sure when I'm feeling better & my brain is feeling somewhat normal again, I will laugh at all this and go back to making fun of myself for being a card carrying BAWP.

Thanks for understanding, Skinny!!! I really appreciate it.

sp4cetiger

RockyRaccoon wrote:

I dunno if it's cool or whatever if I ask Repo a question or two myself about his chart...

sp4cetiger wrote:

Other users should feel free to jump in with questions of their own.

I really see this as a community interview. It's alright if I do end up asking most of the questions, but I definitely don't want people to think they're discouraged from doing so themselves.

Btw, I just had the most wonderful experience with this:

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Michigan by Sufjan Stevens

It was already on my chart, but it needs to move up. And I'm definitely interested in Repo's response to Rocky's question about it. I should have more questions in a bit, but I need to get some rest before a job interview later today (*fingers crossed*).

RepoMan

Buzzkill Bummer #2:

Hey guys,

As you can probably surmise by my uncharacteristic outburst a couple of days ago, things haven't been going too well for me on the health front. Ever since I suffered what was really just a minor concussion three weeks ago, my health has been deteriorating at a pretty scary clip.

Now, I'm having trouble walking among other things I'd rather not discuss. Like my legs feel like they weigh a thousand pounds, and I have to exert myself to move them.

I'm not particularly happy about these new developments so I'm going to shake my life up a little bit. Got to try something, right? Anyways, I spend a lot of time here so this is an obvious activity to forgo.

I'll miss this place a lot. You guys are a really great community. I just have to try something. Once I get things turned around, I'll be back. I'm hoping a couple of months should do it. Haha! Maybe this is just my way of getting out of the hip-hop tourney. LOL.

But seriously, I love you all. And I really want to thank everyone for being so welcoming and making what would have been a really lonely time in Malaysia quite enjoyable. I really enjoyed thinking critically about albums and discussing them all with you. I hadn't really listened to music in about five years so it was great to dive into those waters again.

If anyone wants to keep in touch my email is jeff.j.johnson@gmail.com. I won't delete my BEA account. I have pretty decent willpower.

See you all in couple of months!

lots of love,
jeff

ps. In truth, Michigan is NOT an exception to the Sufjan Stevens principle. LOL. I just have a warm spot for it because it was a special album for me and an ex-girlfriend who I lived with for five years. I've also camped on Lake Michigan so that helps too I suppose.

ps2. Skinny, Fuck Button's Slow Focus would be the clear favorite. I mean that album is so me. Also, that Jamey Johnson album probably has a decent chance of making my chart when I return as well. Bricolage is pretty badass as well. Oh yeah, and Unwound's Leaves Turn Inside You will be in full effect when I get back! Very Happy

(Shout out to creator!)

ps3. Big applause to sp4cetiger!!! This really was a fantastic idea. My silly body just picked the wrong time not to cooperate. I'll be back though and better than ever. Peace!

WindowAbove

Gender: Male
Age: 25
Location: Iowa

RepoMan wrote:

Buzzkill Bummer #2:

Hey guys,

As you can probably surmise by my uncharacteristic outburst a couple of days ago, things haven't been going too well for me on the health front. Ever since I suffered what was really just a minor concussion three weeks ago, my health has been deteriorating at a pretty scary clip.

Now, I'm having trouble walking among other things I'd rather not discuss. Like my legs feel like they weigh a thousand pounds, and I have to exert myself to move them.

I'm not particularly happy about these new developments so I'm going to shake my life up a little bit. Got to try something, right? Anyways, I spend a lot of time here so this is an obvious activity to forgo.

I'll miss this place a lot. You guys are a really great community. I just have to try something. Once I get things turned around, I'll be back. I'm hoping a couple of months should do it. Haha! Maybe this is just my way of getting out of the hip-hop tourney. LOL.

But seriously, I love you all. And I really want to thank everyone for being so welcoming and making what would have been a really lonely time in Malaysia quite enjoyable. I really enjoyed thinking critically about albums and discussing them all with you. I hadn't really listened to music in about five years so it was great to dive into those waters again.

If anyone wants to keep in touch my email is jeff.j.johnson@gmail.com. I won't delete my BEA account. I have pretty decent willpower.

See you all in couple of months!

lots of love,
jeff

I'm so sorry about what's happening with you, I hope everything will get better soon Sad

We'll miss you and we love you too. Hope everything works out well and you find something new that you enjoy! Smile