Get To Know A Top 10: January 2019 Thread - Tap

[Fischman]

RE: Syro

SquishypuffDave's "Get to know a top 10" thread was actually my into to Aphex Twin with Selected Ambient Works Volume II appearing on his list. I really took to that one, so seeing another Aphex Twin here is one of the things that excited me about this list.

As much as I wanted, and expected, to get into this one, I just really couldn't. Relentless over reliance on precanned artificial beats is one of my pet peeves in music and it was just a bridge too far for me on this one. There's some creativity here no doubt, but I'm just never gonna' be down with this one as a whole album.

I could see listening to an individual song here and there, but multiple of these songs in sequence without something else to break it up just isn't going to work.

To be fair, not all the songs suffer from this issue, but there are too many in a row for me to get on board, epitomizing what I usually can't stand about electronic music. So far this one goes at or near the bottom of this list for me.

[Tap]

thanks for the comments guys, I'd be curious what you all think of what I wrote about the Olivia Block album. Also Fischman I think it's totally fair to not be into Syro, but I'm not sure what the precanned beats are? Like there's Minipops that uses the korg minipops 7 to set up a base rhythm, and I think it's actually pretty ingenious how it moves between the capabilities of that machine and switches vetween the different styles, but otherwise it's all directly sequenced. minipops 7 is a really cool machine tho, check this out https://youtu.be/I831DwdWfi8 like it can combine different styles, its weird. do you just mean like the drum machine sounds in general? cause yeah that is a style that can totally be a turn off.

I've been a bit busy but I'll get these last two done soon.

[Fischman]

[baystateoftheart]

[Fischman]

RE: Sung Tongs

While not very familiar with Animal Collectives, this entry was one that inspired me to take on the challenge of getting to know this Top 10. I had heard one Animal Collective album and, while I didn't recall which one it was, I did recall thinking it was unique and creative.

So I approached Sung Tongs with high hopes, which I should have known better after my experience with Syro (which to be clear, wasn't bad, just not as enticing based on my previous limited experience with Aphex Twin. Need to remember if I'm to approach these things with an open mind, that means setting aside any expectations, even those based on previous experience with the same group... especially as Tap sometimes chooses groups who change their palette from album to album (which, btw, I generally find to be a good thing).

Upon first listen, I found the vocals to be unappealing right on the first track and got worse on the second track. Based on that, the rest of the album was a bit of a slog.

But I know better than to condemn based on a single listen, especially as other albums on this list have indicated. To some degree, I found the rhythms and the ability of the repetition to build effect and in some cases, the songs were very intriguing. But in other cases, things just came across as sloppy, especially the vocals. On a couple songs, I couldn't shake an image of John and Yoko sitting around on the ground with a bunch of unwashed hippies, singing stoned refrains and producing nothing of note, musically speaking.

In the end, this one seems pretty middle of the road to me. Something I wouldn't have bought on vinyl because of the mandatory (for me) skips, but could have on CD where it's easy to skip and just listen tot he good stuff.

[Tap]

so I was gonna write about Jacques Lejeune in the context of what I call the "transatlantic accent effect", where outdated styles of the time informed by technical limitations can create classic works that will likely leave most people cold, only really something to recommend for people enthusiastic about this lost quality. And also about how this is somewhat present in the album but mitigated by being an expanded version of a soundtrack for a ballet of a narrative, how the connection to body movement and story help keeps the music moving forward and not dwelling in something that feels especially like a niche interest.

and then I was gonna write about how important the concept of hating music is to Return of Fenn O'Berg, how it's built from 2 live shows with the 2nd half being from a show you can actually find the whole recording of. The 2nd one had an engaged and receptive audience and the music is able to stretch out and build on one thing, but how I wouldn't like it anywhere near as much if it didn't have the 1st half, from a show that didn't have a receptive audience, where the performers are trying to win the crowd over and throwing everything at the wall. And also how the sample of Neil Young - Expecting To Fly in A Viennese Tragedy is such an incredible transformation and completelty justifies sampling as an artistic practice.

but life got busy (with amazing stuff, don't worry), I didn't get to finish it all. I hope you enjoyed though! I'll be on a lot less now so I treated this like a bit of a last hurrah. Thanks for all the fun convos and music!

[Fischman]

Re: Let My Children Hear Music

I hadn't listened to this one in a while and this prompt turned out to be most welcome. What a great disc! Mingus is understandably most lauded for his small ensemble work, but this bigger band rivals his best. There is a tremendous diversity of musical thought here but all so brilliantly brought together in a coherent whole. I don't think I've ever heard anyone else so perfectly combine killer swing and ethereal mood in th he same tune. Incredible music here.

[Fischman]

So in the end, I had to vote Mingus, which is no big surprise.

But that doesn't mean there weren't som serious surprises along the way. In addition to the two that were already on my year lists (Mingus and Can), I enthusiastically added two more, Block and quite surprisingly Boredoms. Of the remaining six, none was an intolerable slog and all caught my ear in one way or another, even the ones my history would indicate I shouldn't be able to tolerate.

Of course, Tap's thoughtful passion helped a great deal.

In the end, I ranked them as follows:

1. Charles Mingus - Let My Children Hear Music
2. Olivia Block - Heave To
3. Super æ - Boredoms
4. Tago Mago - Can
5. Fantasmes Ou L'Histoire De Blanche-Neige - Jacques Lejeune
6. Julia Holter - Aviary
7. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs
8. Aphex Twin - Syro
9. Return Of Fenn O'Berg - Fenn O'Berg
10. Wild Why - Wobbly


Tap, hopefully whatever's drawing more of your time now is good stuff. You had a very interesting list here and did a stellar job supporting the discussion. Sincere thanks.

[Tap]

oh yeah its some very good domestic bliss, but it's keeping me busy. it's a very good busy tho. Thanks for being active here and going through it all! and everyone else who commented or just quietly listened, this was fun!

[Tap]

heres a funny coincidece, oivia block and julia holter collabed and you can see it now https://youtu.be/U9g4i8FW8mo