I'll have to put that one on next. Right now I'm in the middle of Musgraves' Same Trailer Different Park (love that opening track).
One of the things I was surprised by after a careful look at your chart was the amount of punk. The highest ranked punk album was a new one for me: So Alone by Johnny Thunders
It covers quite a bit of ground for a punk record and almost feels like a summary of the movement up to that point. There's a surf rock re-imagining ("Pipeline"), a Sex Pistols send-up ("London Boys"), a track from his New York Dolls days ("Subway Train"), and a closer that wouldn't have sounded out of place on a Stooges album ("Downtown"). How did you stumble across So Alone? Are you a big fan of Thunders' other work as well?
Also, where do the New York Dolls stand for you in the '70s punk/protopunk pantheon?
First off I gotta say I love everything about that post! 😉
Yeah, do check out "High Low And In Between"! That was the first thing I'd ever heard by Townes. I still remember like it was yesterday being at the counter of Vintage Vinyls listening booth/area and listening to a used CD copy they had of it. I was 16 and I can honestly say, and I'm sorry if I say stuff like this a lot - but trust me this was EXTRA special, that when "Highway Kind" came on in the headphones with that haunting acoustic guitar and plain, mildly mournful and lonely voice coming in and hearing the words "My days they are the highway kind, they only come to leave...." "I don't know too much for truth but my heart knows how to pound, my legs know how to love someone, my voice knows how to sound...." "And you're the only one I want but I've never heard your name. Let's hope we meet some day. If we don't it's all the same." I truly was stunned. It was like a 2 way mirror or window. Like I was granted a view from the point of view Townes Van Zandt and it was also like he was speaking thoughts that I had in the most eloquent, succinct and powerful way. Totally corny, I know, but that's kinda how it felt.
Also the other tracks, the gospel of "Two Hands", the lovely "Greensboro Woman" the contemplative look at heaven that is on "You Are Not Needed Now", the playful Grateful Dead-esque "Standin'", the classic TVZ plain spoken poetry of "To Live's To Fly" and the title track, and of course the 2 minute lyrical/parable narrative of "Mr Mudd and Mr Gold." all make it a grand record. I think you'll love it.
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And as for Kacey. Glad you like it. It's a pop country gem. And I just love her songwriting. Lovely.
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Now into the main course. 😄 - Johnny Thunders.
Yeah I agree with your analysis. It really does cover a lot of the pre punk bases and in doing so infuses the styles with his own punk attitude. And yeah, I love punk. My first chart on here was probably 30% punk. I was really obsessed. Still love it. And probably my favorite or one of my all time favorites that would fall into that category is definitely "So Alone". It's an interesting album to me because while it really puts forward and really oozes a cocky, swaggerous, taunting, rock and roll badassness , it also harbors underneath the facade a sadness and apathy and a feeling of disappointment. At least that's what I hear. It feels like a war of those 2 concepts of accepting the junky bad boy life while also kinda coming to grips with how fucked up and lost Johnny was. It's a tragic album in a way.
As for how I discovered it, well when I was about 15 I got this book from the library all about Alternative/Punk Rock and it's history and mostly it was just a big book of reviews of thousands of albums post '75. It was written by this British reviewer named Dave Thompson. Anyway, i basically took that book and made it a point to list every album he gave a perfect 10 to - a list of about 50 albums - and go and listen to all of them. "So Alone" was on that list. And I fell in love. If you want to see that whole list - it being probably in a way the most influential list for me when I was getting into music and to this day - it's here -----> My special, boyhood list by Mercury
And yeah for other Thunders, I absolutely love "L.A.M.F." (Like a mother fucker) by Johnny Thunders and the heartbreakers. It's just a absolutely quintessential NY Punk album. It's as filthy and down and dirty and swagtastic as albums get. It's also like a Gangsta Punk album, with lots of references to the gang and street life of Thunders in NYC. It's great. And kinda demoralizing because those dudes were really fucked up. Also Thunders guitar sound was HUGELY influential! It was great on its own terms, but it's really fascinating how much Steve Jones of the Pistols stole his thick rock and roll sound! As did the damned and to a degree the clash. Etc...Awesome!
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As for the Dolls. Yeah they are amazing! Their debut is one of the 20-30 greatest punk or proto punk albums ever. And I actually enjoy their brand of punk before punk more than the stooges or the MC5 or any of those. So, I guess in my personal view of the pantheon of proto punk they are number 1 or up there with early Patti Smith, and garage freaks like the Sonics, Monks, etc. Also their sophomore album "Too Much Too Soon" shouldn't be overlooked! It's not as great or iconic as their debut, but it's super charged glam punk of the highest order (outside of, obv., their debut).
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All this talk of Punk is making me crave some! I think I will revisit some Thunders affiliated music right.... Now!
And, oh, how did you end up liking the remainder of Musgraves' album? (Not trying to turn the tables on you... lol.) _________________ -Ryan
Aside from the Thunders album, the other '70s punk and post-punk albums on your chart:
London Calling - The Clash
My Aim Is True - Elvis Costello
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols - The Sex Pistols
Pink Flag - Wire
Entertainment! - Gang of Four
That's a lot of Brits! What is it about the British wing of the punk movement that attracts you? In particular, I'd like to hear some advocacy for this one:
For whatever reason, kids these days talk about the Sex Pistols like Johnny Rotten took a shit in their cheerios. I mean, I wouldn't put that past him, but still..
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
I did! I'm a little on the fence about her lyrics (needs more listens), but the melodies were instantly appealing.
Oh good! Yeah her lyrics are adorable and actually at times really wise and excellent. Also there are parts in that album where the lyrics seem to get or do get cheesy and campy like the chorus for "Step Off" or "Merry Go Round" or the overtly heavy handed lyrics at times on "Follow Your Arrow". The thing is those are all great tracks and I honestly just adore that album.
sp4cetiger wrote:
Aside from the Thunders album, the other '70s punk and post-punk albums on your chart:
London Calling - The Clash
My Aim Is True - Elvis Costello
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols - The Sex Pistols
Pink Flag - Wire
Entertainment! - Gang of Four
That's a lot of Brits! What is it about the British wing of the punk movement that attracts you? In particular, I'd like to hear some advocacy for this one:
For whatever reason, kids these days talk about the Sex Pistols like Johnny Rotten took a shit in their cheerios. I mean, I wouldn't put that past him, but still..
Oh yes I love me some punk! And the British punk is perhaps my favorite sort. But honestly punk/hardcore/proto punk etc is probably the genre that I have the most favorites from (outside of the general country/Americana genre if you wanna count that.) I mean I could honestly see myself on any given day or week including any mix of 20 punk albums on my chart. Most are just outside the top 100. And if you see this list you'll see it's more close to even between NY/LA - American and British bands. The albums off the top of my head that have been on my chart in the past:
Los Angeles by X
First Four Years by Black Flag
Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables by Dead Kennedys
Leave Home by Ramones
Bad Brains by Bad Brains
L.A.M.F. by Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers
Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell by Social Distortion
And those are just the American ones.
----but, to be honest, yeah I suppose I do have a preference or a leaning toward the classic British albums. They sound generally more snotty, less arty. Clearly those are general statements that don't bear out. But I just think that British punk scene of the late 70s was the greatest era and melting pot of rock talent ever. Still is. I can't think of anything that truly comes close for me. I mean The Clash, Pistols, Wire, Costello, Damned, Joy Division, Buzzcocks, Gang Of Four, Pop Group, etc etc etc. It seems crazy to think they all emerged basically the same time in basically the same place. Wow!
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As for my love for the Sex Pistols. I don't know why stupid ass kids hate on it now. And whenever I see such disrespect, it saddens me. "Never mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols" is still to this day the THE sound of punk. It defines the attitude and style better and more directly than any other album. It is still to this day absolutely invigorating and brilliant how absolutely upfront Johnny Ritten and company are about their intentions: they are there to OFFEND people and ENRAGE people and ANNOY people. They are there to make a lot of other people have less back off from expressing how much they dislike other people. It's pretty anti social a lot of the time and the album revels in this. It pulls no punches. It's a bracing and excellent album for that. The Johnny Thunders ripped off riffs and the loud thundering production and some of the coolest vocals ever! And the lyrics that are still pretty ear catching and offensive as I listen today in 2014 like "fuuuuuuuck this and fuuuuuuuck that fucking little fucker fucking brat(???)I don't wanna a baby that looks like that!" I really am not sure what he says there except fuck many times. And the lines about the queen being a moron and anarchy and the Antichrist and how stupid specific companies are and the lyrics about abortion, the whole album is thrillingly mean. Like, mean spirited, ill natured not nice, SNOTTY. And the album also sounds GREAT!!!!! What is people's problem? Their loss I suppose. _________________ -Ryan
Thanks for your patience, Mercury. I want to do a question or two more before I move on to the next chart.
From your contributions to the recent tournament, it seems that you're quite knowledgable about hip hop. Where does this fit in to your musical taste tree? Do you see it as a form of Americana?
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
Thanks for your patience, Mercury. I want to do a question or two more before I move on to the next chart.
From your contributions to the recent tournament, it seems that you're quite knowledgable about hip hop. Where does this fit in to your musical taste tree? Do you see it as a form of Americana?
Sorry for the long delay on this reply. To be honest when it comes to hip hop I consider myself maybe a step above tyro - a novice - a primer - a beginner, etc. I've heard maybe abouts 150-200 hip hop albums total tops . But yeah I am passionate about what I love, and I love a lot of rap and hip hop music massively .
And yeah it's a beautiful art firm. Being someone who loves great lyricists and songwriters that is what initially drew me to it. I feel many, if not most, of the truly great and transcendent writers (in my mind) to emerge from pop music in the last 25 years have come from rap. It's such a changing, nimble, bendable poetic art form. I love it.
Do I think of it as Americana? No. It has it's genesis in America but so does many musical forms that I don't think of as part of this genre called Americana. But that is a genre mostly defined for me in the Basement Tapes, Bob Dylan, The Band, etc.
Hip Hop is however awesome! And big respect to Skinny who was one of the main people who inspired me to get really into it about a year or 2 ago. As a matter of fact Liquid Swords and Internal Affairs - 2 of my absolute faves - were direct recs from him. _________________ -Ryan
Hey Mrc. Kinda a random specific question but since you adore The Tallest Man On Earth what do you think of José González? Both swedish, both folk singer songwriters both have had success outside Sweden. I'm quite fond of José so I was curious.
MercuryTurn your back on the pay-you-back last callProfile St. Louis
Hey Mrc. Kinda a random specific question but since you adore The Tallest Man On Earth what do you think of José González? Both swedish, both folk singer songwriters both have had success outside Sweden. I'm quite fond of José so I was curious.
I fucking love me some Jose g. His version of Heartbeats was like a major part of the soundtrack of my teens . An his albums In Our Nature and Veneer I love. It's kinda funny because I see TMOE and Gonzalez is like two opposite sides of a coin. Whereas Kristian Mattson is exuberant and extroverted with lots of adorned and elaborate lyrics, Jose is sad, kinda maudlin and introverted and has very sparsely worded lyrics. Although they're both Swedish and total peers and they both make indie folk with primarily an acoustic guitar they are so very different. _________________ -Ryan
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Mercury
