Best Ever Albums

Re: LOVE at first sight

19loveless91 — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 16:36:27 GMT

Author: 19loveless91

Posted: 02/07/2013 21:36

"Meh" to me is a sign of indifference towards something. "I don't know how I feel about what I'm listening to" OR "I've heard this shit done before, and done better" can both be "meh" to me. The former is something that I'll probably revisit, the latter most likely not.

See, even if I'm hearing something "new" and "original", I can feel underwhelmed by it, maybe think that the ideas, as "interesting" as they are, aren't explored in a way that appeals to me. But because they are interesting, it still means that I will probably revisit that album.

Re: LOVE at first sight

Anonymous — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 16:24:21 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/07/2013 21:24

I'm glad you all like the 'MEH!' concept... 😁

Re: LOVE at first sight

Anonymous — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 16:08:53 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/07/2013 21:08

The Poe wrote:

I read the word "meh" and I feel a suspicion, but I think I'm just picturing the word differently. If I don't know how I feel about what I'm listening to, I usually get this excitement through me because I know what I'm listening to is different - different in a way where I don't recognize the sounds and haven't learned to understand them - which means there's a strong possibility that this album could mean something to me once I've understood it. "meh" is the best thing I could feel when listening to music the first time through.

But then there's another kind of "meh", as in "nothing special". I've heard this shit done before, and done better. This thing I'm hearing isn't doing anything particularly different. No twist, no original idea, no advancement. The "meh" becomes "fuck this" and the album gets tossed easily from me, and I become less likely to try more material from the artist or band (although my general rule is that one needs to try at least 3-5 albums from an artist before making any strong decisions about how one feels about them... usually... it depends though).

2deep4me, needs less abstract qualities.

Re: LOVE at first sight

Anonymous — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 16:06:51 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/07/2013 21:06

I read the word "meh" and I feel a suspicion, but I think I'm just picturing the word differently. If I don't know how I feel about what I'm listening to, I usually get this excitement through me because I know what I'm listening to is different - different in a way where I don't recognize the sounds and haven't learned to understand them - which means there's a strong possibility that this album could mean something to me once I've understood it. "meh" is the best thing I could feel when listening to music the first time through.

But then there's another kind of "meh", as in "nothing special". I've heard this shit done before, and done better. This thing I'm hearing isn't doing anything particularly different. No twist, no original idea, no advancement. The "meh" becomes "fuck this" and the album gets tossed easily from me, and I become less likely to try more material from the artist or band (although my general rule is that one needs to try at least 3-5 albums from an artist before making any strong decisions about how one feels about them... usually... it depends though).

Re: LOVE at first sight

19loveless91 — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 15:38:30 GMT

Author: 19loveless91

Posted: 02/07/2013 20:38

I think a lot of what Magenta wrote is also true for me. I think the reason I don't really hate any albums in particular (well, at least of those that I took the time to rate) is that I never spend too much time with them. I also generally only revisit the "meh" albums, if I think I am missing something. But if there's nothing to make me interested for another listen, I usually won't bother. And so the album will stay on the "meh pile", instead of becoming something I would hate.

Re: LOVE at first sight

revolver94 — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 15:35:19 GMT

Author: revolver94

Posted: 02/07/2013 20:35

Defago wrote:

I think there are two reasons why I don't like an album/band: either I don't get them, or I already got them and I plain don't like them. Both dislikes feel differently, so when I think I don't get an album I re-listen until I understand it enough to claim whether I truly like it or not. If I listen to music which I understand on the first listen and I don't like them, then I probably won't give them another chance.

Most of my favourite albums (all of my top 10) I didn't really love at first listen, but more on the 5th or 6th.

Re: LOVE at first sight

Anonymous — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 15:28:08 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/07/2013 20:28

I have definitely gone from 'don't get' to 'love' (as was the case with Sonic Youth - it took me a long time to get them and when I did it was amazing)

I regularly go from 'like' to 'love' (I am kind of going through that at the moment with m b v and definitely did it with FlyLo)

In very few instances an album makes it straight onto the 'love' pile on first listen (You Made Me Realise EP is a stand out example of instant snuggly feelings!)

But in all honesty I don't think I have ever 'hated' an album when I first listen to it, hate is too strong a word. Hate takes years to develop (cf Pink Floyd) not just one listen. Usually my reaction on first listen would be 'MEH!' rather than hate!

Of the MEH! stuff, if it is something with a spark for me to cling onto.. then I will persevere and keep listening. It then either moves into the 'like' category or stays in the 'MEH!' pile. If I know it is never going to work I just stop (as is the case with most of Necharsian's metal recs - but I do keep trying!). Life is too short to keep flogging a dead horse!

I do fairly regularly revisit stuff that is 'MEH!' from time to time though and see where that goes... I have found that some things I thought of as 'MEH!' in ages past, do surprise me when I relisten to them! Your tastes change after all.

The converse is also true... things that I used to 'like' have ended up on the MEH! pile as I have got older (Skinny Puppy and Front 242 anyone!?). But I don't think that I have downgraded anything that has made it through to my 'love' pile - They might not be on my chart at the moment and I might not listen to them for a while but when I do the love is still and always there!

Re: LOVE at first sight

ButterThumbz — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 14:17:23 GMT

Author: ButterThumbz

Posted: 02/07/2013 19:17

Defago wrote:

Most of my favourite albums (all of my top 10) I didn't really love at first listen, but more on the 5th or 6th.

I agree that most of the best albums are growers.

When I said I don't get an album I kind of meant that it did nothing for me (but that may also mean that I just don't get it). Since joining BEA I've tried testing the boundaries and have had to abandon a few albums just a few tracks in because I was not enjoying them in the slightest but I'm still reluctant to say I hated them.

Re: LOVE at first sight

Anonymous — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 12:22:59 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/07/2013 17:22

What you're describing sounds to me like listening to an album, hating it, and then forcing yourself to listen to it until you like it. If I ever talk about an album that I used to hate but now love, it's never like this, and I don't know of anybody who would do that to themselves.

Rather, in the cases where it's happened to me, I listened to the album once, hated it, and then several months later decided it deserved another shot, whether because my tastes have changed significantly or just because it's regarded so highly and I'm wondering if there was something I just missed the first time. If I hate it the second time I listen to it (*cough* Joshua Tree *cough*) then I'll probably stay away for a much longer time. But more often than not I find that there really IS something to the album that I didn't quite pick up on the first time. Key examples for me would be Definitely Maybe, The Queen Is Dead, Velvet Underground & Nico, Pinkerton, Is This It, Trout Mask Replica, and a handful of others. All albums that I rather detested (or at least didn't like at all) on first listen that have since become some of my favorite albums.

Re: LOVE at first sight

Jasonconfused — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 11:41:03 GMT

Author: Jasonconfused

Posted: 02/07/2013 16:41

Hate is a strong word. But there are plenty of albums my ears completely rejected. These albums usually stay that way, or possibly become tolerable, but that's it. There are albums that I find enjoyable enough and after a few listens I grow to love them though. I don't think I've ever had a 180 degree turn on my feelings for an album though.

Re: LOVE at first sight

Defago — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 11:03:24 GMT

Author: Defago

Posted: 02/07/2013 16:03

I think there are two reasons why I don't like an album/band: either I don't get them, or I already got them and I plain don't like them. Both dislikes feel differently, so when I think I don't get an album I re-listen until I understand it enough to claim whether I truly like it or not. If I listen to music which I understand on the first listen and I don't like them, then I probably won't give them another chance.

Most of my favourite albums (all of my top 10) I didn't really love at first listen, but more on the 5th or 6th.

Re: LOVE at first sight

ButterThumbz — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 05:43:09 GMT

Author: ButterThumbz

Posted: 02/07/2013 10:43

I don't think I'd ever consider hating something simply because I didn't get it. For me, to hate something would mean I found it actively irritating and is therefore reserved for the kind of music I get subjected to against my will, which oddly enough might include music I used to enjoy.

Re: LOVE at first sight

Anonymous — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 05:31:16 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/07/2013 10:31

sure, i didn't meant

ButterThumbz wrote:

actively attempted to like an album in the sense that I've ever intentionally listened repeatedly to something which did nothing for me

i meant the very process of going from hate to love.
sometimes even without seeing

ButterThumbz wrote:

something about it that warrants further investigation.

Re: LOVE at first sight

ButterThumbz — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 05:22:23 GMT

Author: ButterThumbz

Posted: 02/07/2013 10:22

I can't say I've ever actively attempted to like an album in the sense that I've ever intentionally listened repeatedly to something which did nothing for me. Sure, there are albums or artists that I didn't really get at first but at some point something clicked and I saw the error of my ways but, if I'm not immediately grabbed by an album, I can usually tell if there is something about it that warrants further investigation.

LOVE at first sight

Anonymous — Thu, 7 Feb 2013 05:11:00 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 02/07/2013 10:11

every now and then i hear (read!) from members how they HATED a particular album at first listen and then by giving it multiple listens they grow to LOVE it.

honestly that never happened to me. sure, it's possible for me to LIKE a majority of a record in first couple of listens and then OVER THE COURSE OF TIME giving it multiple shots i get to LOVE it as a whole. but trying to get to LOVE an album which i HATE at first, sound kind of mind/taste manipulation to me and besides i don't know how that can even happen!

what you guys think? what's your experiences? examples are very welcomed!