Get To Know A Top 10: April 2019 Thread - dihansse

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Poll: Which album is your favorite? Please listen to all ten before voting.
Palomine by Bettie Serveert
14%
 14%  [2]
Swagger by The Blue Aeroplanes
14%
 14%  [2]
White Soul by Green
0%
 0%  [0]
Flip Your Wig by Hüsker Dü
14%
 14%  [2]
Blue Sky Mining by Midnight Oil
0%
 0%  [0]
Bakesale by Sebadoh
21%
 21%  [3]
Eroica by Wendy & Lisa
0%
 0%  [0]
Calenture by The Triffids
7%
 7%  [1]
The Ideal Crash by dEUS
14%
 14%  [2]
Reading, Writing And Arithmetic by The Sundays
14%
 14%  [2]
Total Votes : 14

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mickilennial
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  • #11
  • Posted: 04/04/2019 17:49
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yeah this blue aeroplanes record has impressed me too
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Fischman
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  • #12
  • Posted: 04/04/2019 17:55
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dihansse wrote:
Fischman wrote:
What a fun album this turned out to be.

Sometimes, I could swear I’m listening to straight up 90s rock. Then there are times I think I’m listening to something with significant punk influence, or pop infusion, and definitely a strong indie vibe…. All in the same song all at the same time. They blend together subgenres in such a way that it all sounds both tried and true and totally fresh at the same time.

I’m giving it an initial impression of 75/100 (which is actually pretty high for me, especially for an artist both new to me and somewhat outside my favorite genre(s)), but I reserve the right to adjust as time goes by.

Nice selection and a great way for me to start this “get to know.”
Thanks.

Thx Fischman. I suppose you're referring to the Blue Aeroplanes album?


Ooops!
Actually, I was referring to Palomine. Changed my post to reflect that.
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dihansse



Gender: Male
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  • #13
  • Posted: 04/04/2019 18:35
  • Post subject: White Soul
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And here is already my third album and first just a typographic remark: This is a list of some of my favorite albums so it's normal that these albums also contains my favorite tracks ever. But I suppose it must bore people if I mention all the time that a certain track is one of my favorites so I thought of solving this by marking the titles of these songs in Violet instead of red.


White Soul by Green

Green was formed somewhere in mid eighties in Chicago by singer and guitar player Jeff Lescher and has its roots firmly steeped in the sixties, mainly the Kinks although this band is a bit rougher around the edges. Especially the voice on the edge of hysteria of Jeff Lescher is something different. Power rock at its best.

Their first 1986 self titled album was not really special (although it already some good reviews in the specialised press) but the follow-up Elaine MacKenzie of 1987 was already showing what a great band this was highlights are Radio Caroline and the hysteric but incredibly catchy My Love’s On Fire.

One of those very funny things in rock music: when R.E.M. released Green they were a bit angry and decided to release a mini album which was called R.E.M. (unfortunately I’ve never been able to listen to it and honestly it’s a nightmare to google up because you always end up with that other Green so in a way I can understand that they were not amused).

And then in 1989, there was White Soul. I bought it on a good review in my favorite Belgian magazine, Humo, and the impact this album had on my was the one that only could be matched by Punk in the seventies or the impact of This Is It by The Strokes later (which I think is the album to which this album can be best compared in terms of raw directness).

The album cover is very much alike an album cover of the sixties and the theme of it is very simple: girls and it’s not in the slightest way a difficult album but I must have listened to it a thousand times so I can understand it if you like it not as much as I do. It's in any case not the most popular album on this site because it's current rank is only 12,986. But of course I hope to change this.

The album starts with the very catchy She’s Heaven and Night after Night is one of these slowburners on which they seem they have a patent (although this is not unlike what ex Big Star did; I’ve never claimed they were original): it starts very sensitive and then the shouting starts.

The next track Monique, Monique (look it's in violet) is not a slowburner but a slow song all over and it’s just gorgeous in its simpleness: the mo-o-o-o-niques are all over this album.

Hear Me is again a very simple beat song and could be on Help! by The Beatles but again what a fantastic way of delivering it; and then My Sister Jane which is one of the catchiest songs I know from front to end with some really great rough but effective guitar playing to top it up. And once more in which Jeff sings his lungs out for a girl he’s in love with and aptly called I’m In Love With You.

I Don’t Even Know Her Now is again one in their best soft/hard tradition and I’m Not Giving Up and I Beg, You Cry are not very special but still great Green songs while I Love Her is again a very soulful slow song that is so endearing it can make you cry.

And then the bombshell Give Me Your Hands in which Jeff (and the other band members) just shouts/sings his lungs out but in such a fantastic way. And the album ends in a beautiful way by I Know, I Know.

After this Green has released some more albums of which especially the EP Bittersweet of 1991 is again great (I also just discover one I missed: The Planets from 2009) but again none as good as this gem.

So in short White Soul definitely deserves a bit more love than it receives now.
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Fischman
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  • #14
  • Posted: 04/06/2019 16:31
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RE: Swagger by The Blue Aeroplanes

Great album!

Blue Aeroplanes was one of the groups I had passing familiarity with although I don't recall this particular album. To be honest, when I first heard them back in the day, I didn't take to it. But now, I quite dig it. It's indie and all that, but it's got a little extra rhythmic interest than the usual indie band. There also seems to be a bit of a new wave hangover influencing the music on a few songs, which blends surprisingly well. This is an an album only a Brit band could do, and it's the best blend of UK sounds from the time.

And on top of the cool, crunchy guitars, there's an almost Knopfler-esque understated complexity pervading both the lyrical and musical meter of the music. Quite cool.

Initial impression is about an 80/100, just edging out Palomine with two down.
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dihansse



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Age: 60
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  • #15
  • Posted: 04/07/2019 19:53
  • Post subject: Flip Your Wig by Hüsker Dü
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I hope Hüsker Dü is known enough so I don’t have to write a lot of its history except for the band the they were formed in 1979 and were a three piece band with two of them competing for the spotlight (I always call them the lennon and McCartney of hardcore), Bob Mould and the fairly recently deceased Grant Hart.
They started as a full hardcore band but quickly showed that they had more in them and although they didn't have a lot of success when they were active, I consider them to be one of the most important band of the eighties in hindsight, particularly because of the influence they had on many bands which came after them, not in the least the major grunge bands.

The real controversy I’m trying to create here is that generally two albums are viewed as their masterpiece: the epic double album Zen Arcade and the hard New Day Rising. But I want this album to get more love.


Flip Your Wig by Hüsker Dü

They enter in a majestic way with the title track Flip Your Wig: very melodic but nevertheless an earth scorching guitar solo: Bob Mould's singing is outstanding here with Grant Hart in the backing vocals: one of their best cooperative singing efforts.

Then a hard and fast Grant Hart song Every Everything with a screaming intermediary part while Makes No Sense At All is one of the best Hüsker Dü songs ever again sung by my musical hero Bob Mould: one big chunk of potent and riffy punkrock and one of my all time favorite songs: see this version of one of their concerts :

Link


And also Hate Paper Doll and Green Eyes belong to their top songs where resp Bob and Grant are just at their best vocally.
In this 2013 KEPX live excerpt (their concerts are by the best you can find all over Youtube) where Bob Mould both sings Flip Your Wig and Hate Paper doll in a fierce way:

Link


And then that other Hüsker Dü highlight: Divide and Conquer with a magnificent circular riff and Bob Mould growling his heart out.

Find Me is for me the most special songs on the album with all kinds of weird sounds in the mix which really enhance the quality of the song. Also the guitar playing is very special with a very spatial/spacy sound to it but vintage Hüsker Dü. The Flexible Flyer is again of the best Grant Hart melodic songs and again with that strange clicking sound in the guitar that I like so much on a number of tracks on this album.

Private Plane is again a Bob Mould song again with majestic singing and guitars and one of my favorite songs ever. And even the wordless tracks at the end are very much ok.

I must admit after listening to their best album again Zen Arcade just has to be thé best albums ever but Flip Your Wig deserves your attention as well and the album contains many of my most favorite songs ever (No not The Baby Song).

Both Bob Mould and Grant Hart both started solo careers after and also had their own band (resp Sugar and Nova Mob). While I still think that Bob was the most important member of Hüsker Dü, don't estimate Grant Hart (RIP).
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baystateoftheart
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  • #16
  • Posted: 04/08/2019 00:20
  • Post subject: Re: Introduction and Palomine
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dihansse wrote:
Bettie Serveert is a Dutch indie guitar band mainly of the nineties and their name comes from the Dutch female tennis player Bettie Stove (in fact Bettie Serveert means Bettie serves).
The band is fronted by the very present Carol Van Dijk who, on top of this has a voice I really like ( mixture between angelic and powerful), but also the role of the guitar player, the very uncharismatic Peter Visser but who has a very own style of guitar playing.

...

So you can tell I'm a big fan of this album so I would really appreciate if you would give this album one or two listens and tell me what you think of it.


Just listened and it's a really good indie rock album. As you said, the vocals are a strong point. I was surprised by how mellow this album is - the comfy sort of mellow, not the boring sort. (No wonder Tilly is a fan!)
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Last edited by baystateoftheart on 04/08/2019 03:02; edited 1 time in total
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Fischman
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  • #17
  • Posted: 04/08/2019 01:16
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RE: White Soul by Green

This album does have a fun energy to it. It's got a sort of REM meets Smithereens vibe to it, albeit a little less serious and with a little less polish and production. I also hear some very distinct 80s arena rock-era Kinks influence which is a big plus for me.

That said, I found there to be some sameness that made it a bit of a slog to get through the whole album. This was especially true in the drumming.

Overall, I give it a 65 and place 3rd of 3 so far.
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dihansse



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  • #18
  • Posted: 04/08/2019 04:36
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Fischman wrote:
RE: White Soul by Green

This album does have a fun energy to it. It's got a sort of REM meets Smithereens vibe to it, albeit a little less serious and with a little less polish and production. I also hear some very distinct 80s arena rock-era Kinks influence which is a big plus for me.

That said, I found there to be some sameness that made it a bit of a slog to get through the whole album. This was especially true in the drumming.

Overall, I give it a 65 and place 3rd of 3 so far.

You’re completely right on the production but that is for me just the attractiveness of the album: to me it sounds very raw and your comparison to the Kinks is not very far off.
Of course, this being one of my favorite albums, I find that this album has a lot of variety but that is just taste of course.
I’m looking forward to your comments on the next albums...
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Fischman
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  • #19
  • Posted: 04/08/2019 14:01
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RE: Flip Your Wig by Husker Du

Like Blue Aeroplanes, Husker Du was a group I heard of and had only passing familiarity with during their heyday. This was a good opportunity to get me to see what I passed up back in the day.

This album has a sort of attractive manic energy to it. I'm guessing these guys were a pretty hot live act. My only complaint is that it's pretty relentless, the constant presentation of same tempo and sound. It's great if you're really into that particular sound (like me listening to something like The Smithereens), but this was just a little outside my happy place. I think a lot of this could have been solved with some reordering of tracks. Interestingly, my favorite tracks were the last two. The final track, Don't Know Yet, would have made a welcome interlude if placed somewhere mid-album (although it is a nice closer). And the penultimate track, The Wit and the Wisdom, is the most different track of the album, making it also a good way to break things up.

Initial impression: 70/100, placement 3rd of 4 so far.
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dihansse



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  • #20
  • Posted: 04/09/2019 18:31
  • Post subject: Blue Sku Mining by Midnight Oil
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Most people know Midnight album from their breakthrough album Diesel and Dust (yes with Beds Are Burning) which is in the BEA top 1000 and dates from 1987, but believe me this follow-up album from 1990 is better (but not even in the BEA top 2000).

Midnight Oil is an Australian band with a mission. They started as a very political band with fixed views on aboriginal rights and environmental and social issues and they maintained this view throughout the whole of their career but that never stood in the way of good songs. This is just one of those bands that makes you happy when you hear one of their songs, let alone a whole album.

They started in fact already a long time before their most known albums in 1975 in Sydney when Peter Garett, the charismatic bald and very tall singer formed the band. He’s maybe not the best singer in the world but he knows how to captivate his listening audience with his songs. At the start they were fairly punky but gradually moved to a more melodic sound which suited them very well. All their albums are very good so if you like the band there’s many other albums to check out throughout their long career which had some stops and restarts until they embarked on a reunion tour in 2017 which was recorded.

But I promised to discuss this album:

Blue Sky Mining by Midnight Oil
Which dates from 1990 and I must say I already fell in love with album cover which features some lightning over what seems a salt desert but is, I suppose, supposed to be some barren landscape after some kind of natural disaster after Blue Sky Mining. At the moment that I write this, the album is ranked 2103rd overall on BEA and the 36th of the year.

The first track, Blue Sky Mine is a very bluesy song but with a great riff and beautifully sets the pace for this wonderful album but it only gets better after this. The second one, The Stars of Wharburton, is already one of their best ever with its many key changes and the very upbeat tone throughout the whole of the song especially near the end when it seems they’re going to change to another song all together but finally don’t.

And then the again wonderful Bedlam Bridge which starts off fairly ominous but they just can’t hide their true nature: the positiveness in the song slowly starts to become a very counterpoint to the lyrics.

Forgotten Years (‘The Hardest Years, The Darkest Years, The Roaring Years, The Fallen Years, These Shall Not Be Forgotten Years’) is a stadium rock song but in the best sense of the word. A song to put a very large smile on your face while hearing it.
Here is a great live version on their 2017 ‘Circle Tour’:

Link


In contrast to this there’s Mountains Of Burma where the political message is very much in sync with the downbeat tone of the song but still one hell of a track especially when the tone of the song starts near the end and Peter starts howling and the music gets very epic with violins chiming in.

King Of The Mountain is again a much more positive song and River Runs Red a very intricate one with again many changes in how the song flows and finally again turn epic near the end.

But then there is that fantastic highlight Shakers and Movers which starts off in fairly classic Midnight Oil way but gradually turns out to be much more and one of the most exhilarating songs I know (A clumsy love song according to Allmusic: of course I completely don’t agree).

And another stadium rock song, One Country, which however starts off very subdued but the flowers into one of their best songs while Antactica is a worthy closers of this great album again turning gradually epic with soaring violins and Peter Garett showing his best vocals and finally ending in a great piano coda.

The best albums besides this one are of course Diesel And Dust but also the even more underrated Earth And Sun And Moon of 1993. Any way if you've never heard of Midnight Oil start with one of these three albums and of course first with Blue Sky Mining. And then with all their other albums because most of them are at least very good.
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