Best Ever Albums

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

RockyRaccoon — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 23:53:55 GMT

Author: RockyRaccoon

Posted: 02/10/2014 04:53

Ahh it's so much opportunity. I'm in a similar boat as you Mercury. I know (or at least I think I know) a fair bit about music. But there's also so much I don't know. I've always said that one of the biggest signs that someone is good at what they do is their ability to acknowledge how much they don't know and their desire to discover it. The people who sit there and act like they have nothing to learn typically know nothing.

I see all of the music I have to listen to as so much opportunity. There's so much good music out there, that next album that's gonna blow me away, it's out there, waiting for me to listen to it, I just have to find it. I love it. It can be overwhelming if you really think about it, about how much music is really out there, but you take it an album at a time and then, before you know it, you'll have listened to a ton of stuff.

Also, Mercury, you da best. You're my TMOE buddy. We can worship at the altar of Kristian Matsson together.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

quincytejani — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 23:06:19 GMT

Author: quincytejani

Posted: 02/10/2014 04:06

I have a rule that if I like an album the first time around I will listen to it at least ten times before moving on. It makes me appreciate and become close to so many albums. But it does take a lot of time. I constantly have a list of music I need to listen to and I just don't know how some people on this site listen to so much! It's crazy and I am so jealous aha. I often get the feeling that I want to hear everything but sadly I can't and it bothers me so.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

dmercado — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 22:48:53 GMT

Author: dmercado

Posted: 02/10/2014 03:48

The amount of existential angst and bro-love here is through the roof! I've realized that I'll never listen to most albums, even some by bands that I like. Right now my goal is to listen and get comfortable with a good breadth of the ~1000 albums that people consider most critical. At the same time, if I like something, I'll swim deeper. The best feeling is becoming an expert in a song/album/artist/genre, the music has so much more meaning then.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

Mercury — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 22:26:05 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 02/10/2014 03:26

Amen, Saoirse.

Yeah, it's true. It's all relative and it really is very easy to turn something basically just aesthetic such as art into something much less.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

Anonymous — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 21:14:43 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/10/2014 02:14

I think this is an interesting topic in the internet age, because I still remember having to save up money just to be able to have access to music beyond whatever I heard on the radio. That's completely different now when any album you want to hear is just a few clicks away. I think it all depends on the listener these days into how far they want to delve in exploring all the music out there, how they want to discover new music and exactly how much. Obviously in a place like BEA we do have a range of experience and difference of ages that factors in to how much one person has heard, and in the outside world BEA users may have different levels of access to music that doesn't pop up on many commercial lists, music-review sites or greatest-ever charts that may make their levels of unheard-of-music seem daunting to another.

To go off what previous users said, I do think that obviously you have to decide if you're just trying to listen to as much as possible, or are you really enjoying it all? If you feel like you're just looking towards the next album to hear rather than focusing solely on what you're hearing right now, than it probably isn't worth it. I think obviously going on a site like this where we have such a big database and where especially you can see a lot of completely new-to-you albums on many prominent members various charts, it perhaps might give a feeling that it will be hard to have a discussion with them if there's a feeling of lopsided music-listening experience.

The thing is, I see veteran members here who may only post about one or two albums a week that they're listening to, some young (or old) music fans who are just getting into full-album listening, and I see other experienced users who have vast amounts of favorite albums and who are incredibly well-listened with a wide range of musical tastes. The value of all of their respective viewpoints is exactly how they're sharing what they've heard, what they've learned, not a measure of how much. When it comes to music there is only more to discover, there isn't an endpoint of how much knowledge can be pertained. Comments that often dismiss people's charts or whatnot cause it doesn't have "x or y" albums or too many albums they don't like, how it strictly compares to their own chart or isn't deemed sufficiently amusing by their standards I find absolutely useless, it's comments where people are actively reccommending albums based on what they've seen, talking about what they like from the charts and what they intend to glean from it, and just general interest in sharing their love for music is what makes a place like this an actual postiive place to grow your musical knowledge, rather than just worry about how it stacks up against others.

So I guess from this ramble the main thing is just to not try to listen to so much if you feel like it's only to prove you listen to so much, that's not necessary. Nobody can listen to every album ever made, so when you can't do it all, explore music the way you want to, it's not the number of albums total but how each album is special to the listener. BEA can certainly be intimidating, certainly coming from someone who was often the lone major music buff from the people Ive hanged out with IRL, but it should never be treated like a competition or a race, just a way to always learn and discover more about the great music out there.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

Anonymous — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 20:43:58 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/10/2014 01:43

I don't like music as much as I once did.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

SuedeSwede — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 18:51:57 GMT

Author: SuedeSwede

Posted: 02/09/2014 23:51

Great post, drakonium

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

Mercury — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 18:05:02 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 02/09/2014 23:05

Wow, Drakonium that was beautiful! And I thank you for
Saying such kind things about me. Perhaps it is a self confidence point. I generally respect other people's taste Far more than mine. I think I just grew up with an understanding that other people are always important and always have something to offer.

It's funny, because we only ever see what someone knows, we don't see what people don't know. We can see by looking at people's charts what they like, and rarely so what they don't like so much. So when I look at anyone's chart or tastes what always sticks out is what I HAVEN'T heard not what I have. It's the same when someone sees mine. It's all based heavily in point of view. Sometimes I am shocked to end up "introducing" music to people I consider more knowledgeable then me. Like when Norman thanked me for introducing him to Pete Shelley's solo stuff. I felt gooooood. Man, I felt cooool! Same with necharsian and Death (USA) or Yourself and "Chill Out". In my mind they had heard everything so I was slightly surprised to find I had cool recs to offer.

All in all, what you said about music taste and so forth was really astute and cool, Drakonium.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

drakonium — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 17:08:48 GMT

Author: drakonium

Posted: 02/09/2014 22:08

Norman Bates wrote:

(Jacques, Aurélien, Jean-Pop, Thomas, Victor, if you ever read this...)

sisi gros, spéciale cacedédi aux cousins, rpz paname mec

To be honest, despite having listened to much more albums than me (I think I barely reach 1000), you've never striked me as one of the most well-listened users. You know what? I think it's because you're too humble. You really are one of the most modest users here, never trying to impress others with your knowledge, which is, IMO, much larger than what you think. That's mostly a good thing, but it seems to make you lose self-confidence, when it clearly should be the opposite. Come on, you're fucking amazing, yay! 😁

About the more general subject, yes, I think that to an extent, feeling good with our knowledge is important. What I mean is that knowing a lot about music is clearly something which is considered "cool" in our society (as opposed to, say knowing a lot about horses, or cars), and even though it should never be the main reason why we discover new things, it's a plus, and I see no reason to be ashamed of it. We're human, it's always a pleasure to be respected, admired, or whatever. Music is a leisure that allows its connoisseurs to be on the upper part of the coolness scale, so let's take it! We have to be careful, though; we have to stay humble. That's not a problem for you, though 😜

I just think that as music nerds, we have to take the most music out of every situation : if you talk to much more knowledgeable people than you, such as here, then you have luck : it's time to suck recs out of them. No need to feel inferior : you love your music, they love theirs, and everyone is happy. If there is actually one people who should feel jealous, it's the knowledgeable person : they may not be able to take, whle it's easy to give. On the other hand, if you talk with less knowledgeable (sorry about the overuse of that word, I just don't know any other) people, well... there's still something to take.

Another paragraph, because I although it's in the continuity, I have things to say about this one : people take music extremely personally, much more than films, books, whatever. And it's even truer when they don't know shit : the less they know, the more they will try to show you how cool they are. I've lived that a ridiculous amount of times. I was at a friends' house with a few of his mates (who I didn't know for the most part), and one of them seemed to be "the guy who decides on the music". He would always choose everything, refuse when someone was suggesting something else, to show everyone HIS tastes and how HE was cool. Actually he was pretty empty. He was claiming to listen to "everything, form classical to country". Usually, that's the kind of people who like that Mozart shit they heard in an ad, the Johnny Cash song that was played in a film, and fucktons of David Guetta. He was one of them. But still, fuck off mate, I choose the music, not you. And if you manage to put something, it's "meh", obviously, much less good than what I am playing.

Not sure if my point is still clear. I just think that people who take themselves and their tastes very seriously are ridiculous as fuck. Just relax, and be yourself. Take note of what they play or recommend if you're interested, and give recs if they ask, but don't try to push your music on the others. Most of the time, it won't work. I ask much more than I give in real life, because people take a lot of pride in others listening to what they like. Don't worry about how people view you. You are not inferior, you are not superior, you are you, for better or for worst. As much as I hate the "life is a joke" shit (for most of us, it's not), take life with a smile, as much as possible. We're here to have fun. My favorite quote ever might be what Baloo says while floating on the river, after having scratched his back with a tree. I just checked, and in English, what he says is pretty shitty ("oh man, this is living", or something), whereas in French, it's a true, a honest "oh my God, it's so good to live". Fuck man, it is! God knows I know what it feels to not have what we want in life, but indeed, it's so fucking good to live! Stop that shit, and go listen to music! 😁

Wow, I have no idea if what I've written has a sense or not, it was kinda stream-of-consciousness shit, but I hope it's OK xD

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

creator — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 16:30:36 GMT

Author: creator

Posted: 02/09/2014 21:30

If it's any consolation, we're the same age but I've only heard around 200 albums. 😁

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

Anonymous — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 16:27:31 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/09/2014 21:27

As Norman said, I don't think "inferiority" is the way you should view it, but yeah... I mean, it took me like 10 seconds to realize I was a noob compared to many of the folks here. I don't think of it as a competition, though. I would rather they know more than me cause that makes them great resources for discovery. Thing is, even if you never listen to as much as they do, that doesn't make you redundant. We all bring something different to the table and you'll always have a unique personal take on the music you listen to. Personally, I love your chart and I don't think you have any reason to feel inferior.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

SuedeSwede — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 16:14:27 GMT

Author: SuedeSwede

Posted: 02/09/2014 21:14

IrishMusichead wrote:

My opinion; I think it all comes down to your pace, expectations and if you're willing to compromise with listening to past (classic albums) and newer releases. I am in the same position you're in Mercury, and while I may be younger, I feel like that I can't keep up with some users - especially people around the same age as me. I haven't even scratched a tenth of anybody's overall chart. I am still catching up on the "movements" that happened in the past while countless of other albums are released every month, it does feel like there's some sort of barrier between yourself and other people with a similar expression in music. But, while I do feel overwhelmed and inferior regarding my knowledge, I am comfortable with my state and role as someone who takes music seriously. Even the most simplest and obvious recommendation (like you're recommending VU&N or Loveless to someone who's never heard it) can make you feel a sense of satisfaction once in a while.

Exactly this. I think I may be one of the most diverse music listeners in any group around my age, the only 2 contenders being two that are on this forum (camsh, cockersbicycle). Yeah, it's overwhelming to think that you know so much about music and how much music you have heard when you are really just disillusioned with the amount of music knowledge those around you have. Before coming here, I probably heard up to 50 full albums and 1,000 songs. That's really all. This site inspired me to listen to so much more stuff, and broaden my horizons in music. It's strange to know that in only a little more than a year I've heard 400 new albums and like 5,000-6,000 songs. That's around a new album a day, like Puncture Repair said, and it's even more overwhelming to know that.

I do, however, get caught up in person with how much I know about music, and regularly get happy when people don't know familiar names such as The Velvet Underground, Neutral Milk Hotel, My Bloody Valentine, Arcade Fire, and Belle & Sebastian. I really do get happy, and once in awhile I'll brag about how much I know, and get all 'holier than thou' (though I try not to tell people this, I do think it, though I'm incredibly wrong). Then I come on this site, look at how I've only rated like 410 albums and look at everyone else's ratings and kinda get buzzkilled. It doesn't really affect me however, it's just once in awhile I'll get all happy with how I have such a vast knowledge and then that is just killed by everyone here 😁

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

HazeyTwilight — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 15:52:24 GMT

Author: HazeyTwilight

Posted: 02/09/2014 20:52

My opinion; I think it all comes down to your pace, expectations and if you're willing to compromise with listening to past (classic albums) and newer releases. I am in the same position you're in Mercury, and while I may be younger, I feel like that I can't keep up with some users - especially people around the same age as me. I haven't even scratched a tenth of anybody's overall chart. I am still catching up on the "movements" that happened in the past while countless of other albums are released every month, it does feel like there's some sort of barrier between yourself and other people with a similar expression in music. But, while I do feel overwhelmed and inferior regarding my knowledge, I am comfortable with my state and role as someone who takes music seriously. Even the most simplest and obvious recommendation (like you're recommending VU&N or Loveless to someone who's never heard it) can make you feel a sense of satisfaction once in a while.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

Anonymous — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 15:41:53 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/09/2014 20:41

Mercury wrote:

All good points so far.

I can see what you mean, Keith. Yeah I am young but compared to the avg age of these sprouts sometimes I feel sorta old around here. I think you and Nezzle are basically the same age as me. And I can see how that situation could give you more time for music.

And yeah, I suppose inferiority is the wrong word most of the time. When I'm a little on the not happy side, inferiority is the right word however. When I am in a better mood I am usually just blown away by looking at, for example, nezzle's 2013 chart where he mentions hearing 500 albums from last year! Like, WTF!?! I have heard maybe 700 albums from the entire decade of 2000-2009. So yeah, I tend to look up to those people who have heard so much.

Mainly, when i discover an album that just opens my eyes and blows me away or touches me on an almost spiritual level I start thinking about how many albums are like this that are just exactly what I want and will blow me away that I have never heard. And it becomes sorta desperate in a way. For example, The Tallest Man On Earth was a total random recommendation from a friend on Facebook in 2010. I then checked him out and I have been obsessed ever since. Now had I not gotten that rec at exactly the right time when I had enough money in my pocket to go buy the wild hunt and when I hadn't been right in front of my YouTube window ready to check him out I may never have discovered it. I mean I have gotten good ratings, reviews and recs on hundreds of albums that I never acted on. For sure, many of those albums are also potentially just as special to me as The Wild Hunt or ambient 1 or Chill Out or Mobile or whatever album I love.

It makes me think about how beautiful and random life can be.

Wow, this was great. I too often think how sometimes I never follow random recommendations. Sure, the album could be terrible and a waste of time, but it could also be a potential #1 spot on anyone's chart. Many other things in life are like this as well. I just want to try and experience them all. I really think it's better to regret something that you did do rather than regret something that you didn't do. In life, we have to do random things. Without them, the world would be nowhere.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

Mercury — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 15:31:30 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 02/09/2014 20:31

All good points so far.

I can see what you mean, Keith. Yeah I am young but compared to the avg age of these sprouts sometimes I feel sorta old around here. I think you and Nezzle are basically the same age as me. And I can see how that situation could give you more time for music.

And yeah, I suppose inferiority is the wrong word most of the time. When I'm a little on the not happy side, inferiority is the right word however. When I am in a better mood I am usually just blown away by looking at, for example, nezzle's 2013 chart where he mentions hearing 500 albums from last year! Like, WTF!?! I have heard maybe 700 albums from the entire decade of 2000-2009. So yeah, I tend to look up to those people who have heard so much.

Mainly, when i discover an album that just opens my eyes and blows me away or touches me on an almost spiritual level I start thinking about how many albums are like this that are just exactly what I want and will blow me away that I have never heard. And it becomes sorta desperate in a way. For example, The Tallest Man On Earth was a total random recommendation from a friend on Facebook in 2010. I then checked him out and I have been obsessed ever since. Now had I not gotten that rec at exactly the right time when I had enough money in my pocket to go buy the wild hunt and when I hadn't been right in front of my YouTube window ready to check him out I may never have discovered it. I mean I have gotten good ratings, reviews and recs on hundreds of albums that I never acted on. For sure, many of those albums are also potentially just as special to me as The Wild Hunt or ambient 1 or Chill Out or Mobile or whatever album I love.

It makes me think about how beautiful and random life can be.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

Anonymous — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 15:08:32 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/09/2014 20:08

Nah, I don't want to know everything about music, I just want to have some albums I really adore, I want to apply as many lovely albums and sounds to my life as I can, but otherwise...nope. It's just an interest, and something I have fun with, I don't feel inferior. I guess I feel similarly to Norman, except I don't know anyone irl who has even a small interest in music.

Also, Mercury is as neat as a caterpillar's feet.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

NickVolos — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 15:06:09 GMT

Author: NickVolos

Posted: 02/09/2014 20:06

Mercury, I am happy to tell you that there 45 albums in your chart that I have never heard. So, obviously you know a lot more about the music you like than any of us here. I hope you are happy hearing this. 😄 Seriously now, we all feel the same - there is always some great music that we never heard before waiting for us to be discovered and that's a good thing - not something that we should feel inferior but happy instead for our new discoveries.

Peace,
Nick

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

Anonymous — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 15:05:54 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/09/2014 20:05

Thanks for the shout out. You'll notice a lot of the users you mentioned are older; it makes sense that the breadth and depth of your musical journey will increase as you get older and continue to listen to things new to you. Not necessarily speaking for lethal, but keep in mind that lethal and myself have been largely unemployed for some time, giving us a bit more time to listen than most people our age might.

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

Norman Bates — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 15:02:07 GMT

Author: Norman Bates

Posted: 02/09/2014 20:02

I don't take it as "inferiority", but as an endless incentive to listen to new things. If anything, I feel thrilled that so many people know so much more music than I do and can put me on paths I'd never have treaded otherwise.

That said, I feel a bit different than you Mercury overall, because I know people IRL who know a lot more than me on several subjects touching music (Jacques, Aurélien, Jean-Pop, Thomas, Victor, if you ever read this...)

Re: On the topic musical overwhelm and other things...

Mercury — Sun, 9 Feb 2014 14:52:13 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 02/09/2014 19:52

Yeah that is beautiful, puncture repair. I agree and I think that is good advice.

One of the things that got me thinking was I have been listening to Hecker's "Ravedeath 1972" and I am obsessed. And I noticed that a lot of my favorite albums lately have been ambient electronic albums from the last 35 years and I realized I have heard basically nothing of this genre but most of what I have heard I have loved. So now I'm like "okay, let's do this." And I am just struck by the sheer magnitude of music to get into in the area of ambient and electronic music. I don't know where to start! Ha! An the ironic thing is Until maybe 5 years ago I was one of those music lovers who said "electronic? Not real music" and ignored it. So dumb!