Mercury's Thread of music listenings /thoughts/rants

[Mercury]

Okay, cool. I'll update this pretty often I think.

Yep, that's it. The most boring intro that's ever been.
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-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

[Mercury]

Well, so far this diary has been a success and a great resource.


And now I shall use it.

I've listened to A LOT but I've not felt the urge to write a damn thing about my listenings.

The main album I've been obsessing over the last couple weeks has been, surprisingly,

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Enema Of The State by Blink-182

Yeah I know, it's shit, right? Obnoxious, childish, bs? Immature, horrible and mersh as bull nut juice, isn't that the idea?

Well, yeah I don't agree. I just absolutely adore this album right now. It's got sharp, brilliant, bright songwriting and hooks. The guitar sound is crisp and impressive. And the drumming is nuanced and absolutely brilliant (especially for a pop-punk album). The songs aren't just chock full of dick jokes, contrary to popular opinion. Yes there's the occasional funny line that is just soooooooooo HS boy-ish. But man, some parts of this album are legitly emotionally effective for me. I'm kind of a perpetually teenage boy. But I really get stirred up emotionally by tracks like "Going Away to College", and "Dysentary Gary" (love that closing blast of lines... "I lost the war! Your mom's a whore!"...lol), "Don't Leave Me", and obviously "Adam's Song".

"Adam's Song" actually gets me teary eyed more often than most tracks. And the beautiful segue from the confusion and shame of "What's my age again", to the angry and, yes, confused "Dysentary Gary", then to the suicide note and apathy-infused ballad "Adam's Song" and then finally the uplifting love song pay off of "All the Small things" never fails to amaze me. It's just 1-2-3-4 all stellar boom boom boom! That's true of all the first 7 tracks. All are memorable, smart and fun. Oh! And To me that last song of that sequence (All the small things) feels like a direct intentional sequence after the suicide song. It's basically the protagonist finding a new person to love who absolutely turns the protagonists' life around.

Yeah this is a brilliant pop punk album. It's a great album period. A lot of the things people bemoan about blink are traits shared with universally adored pop punkers of the past such as Buzzcocks and the Ramones. Just saying.


Okay, peace.
_________________
-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

[RockyRaccoon]

I actually just gave Enema Of The State a spin like last week. While I don't think I love it as much as you do, I do really enjoy it.

Adam's Song kills me every time, the melody fits the lyrics almost perfectly, and the lyrics seem to so accurately describe what it can feel like to have that feeling as a young kid that you're meaningless, that you're not worth anything to anyone, that you could die right now and virtually no one would give a shit. It's frustrating and it's sad and it feels awful and I think Mark communicates that perfectly. The Nirvana reference is expertly placed too, it's like he's saying "Yea, Kurt, I heard you, I thought you were right, I hurried up, the choice was mine and guess what? It didn't fucking work". It's beautiful. Honestly, I've always felt like it was a little out of place in the album because it's so serious, but I think it kind of works for what it is and it really shows an evolution in songwriting (and that Travis and Tom aren't all Blink is). The transition into "All The Small Things" works really well too. It's like "Yea, things kinda suck and I'm sad but you know what? I'm pissed too, fuck you".

I'd also agree, Travis' drumming is sick, he's an exceptionally underrated drummer. While some of the album is admittedly pretty dumb (see: "The Party Song), it's overall a really enjoyable album that I think gets kind of passed over on the surface because it's Blink.
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2023 Chart

Early Psychedelic Rock

Electronic Chart

[MrFrogger]

Hey Merc, loved that Blink-182 write-up, and it inspired me to rec something to you

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The Things We Do To Find People Who Fee...each Slang

Angst-driven Emo Punk from one of the most exciting new groups this year. I think it's right up your alley.

[Mercury]

Okay I've just loaded up that Beach Slang album. Thanks, frogger! I'll be listening this afternoon.

Also I got Nick Cave's "No More Shall We Part" ready to listen to...so I'll be getting on to that as well, badseed.


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And to Rocky, I agree "Party Song" is dumb. So is "Orgasm Addict" and "TV Party" and "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue", so I see it more as an expected element of pop punk. It's oft-times stupid as fuck.
_________________
-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!

[Mercury]

You & Me by The Walkmen

Shits good. Making me feel all reveerious and shit and other made up words. It's November so this is too real. My number 1 on my chart for now. It's like so damn good and did I mention it's good. Reverb drenched melancholic master work. Love the vocals.

I remember walking around the wintery suburban streets of stl county back in 10 or 11 and just feeling all hard on myself. This was the perfect cacophonous emotional spu track. Still works now in '16. No doubt.

I love it. Plus it's not you "&" me. It's you + me. Math and stuff. That means it's serious stuff.
_________________
-Ryan

ONLY 4% of people can understand this chart! Come try!

My Fave Metal - you won't believe #5!!!