Influential Music

[phil]

My guess is they thought Duane
wasn't in the band
long enough to be included ... !!

[Mary]

Hi achnb -

Believe it or not, I'm owned the Silos for a year and a half now, and I acquired them because of you!! Couple of years ago I basically just sent my brother a list of albums I wanted, about 10 of 'em, and told me to surprise me for xmas. He ended up getting two for me from the list, the Mekons' Fear and Whiskey and of course the Silos' Cuba. You'd think, after owning the album for such a long time, I'd actually have something substantive to say about it, but truth be told, I can't say it made a very big impression on me the first few times I listened to it right after he gave it to me, and I had put it aside and not touched it for like 14 months. Just happened to be listening to it the other day because, pathologically, I'm still working my way alphabetically through my entire CD collection!

I really like the opening track, Tennessee Fire, but I find there's just not enough for me to sink my teeth into in the other tracks. They're all pleasant enough, but nothing really grabs me and stands out on the first few listens. I fear I've become a less patient music listener though (or maybe this is just inevitable once your collection gets really big) because i don't seem to give new albums as much time to grow on me as I used to. It's like trial by fire - if it doesn't grab me instantly, it might be months or even years before I listen to it again. Very unfair, I know, because I have lots of albums that proved to be real growers. But i was listening to this Siouxsie and the Banshees album of covers that my friend burned for me after the Silos (Through the Looking Glass) and was really struck by the contrast, insofar as Siouxsie pretty much instantly made my ears prick up, sounding spooky and majestic and ethereal all at once...

NP: Sisters of Mercy - Some Girls Wander by Mistake (song: Temple of Love)

Cheers,
M

[ueb]

Oh, I love Through the Looking Glass. -- As I was in the process of reading various threads here, I saw that I missed a Siouxsie conversation (damn it). So, I'm taking an opportunity now. -- Mary, you were asking about Siouxsie albums, right? Were you able to follow up on any of Maarten's suggestions? I think he recommended both Hyaena and Tinderbox if I remember correctly. Anyway, I totally second (or third?) his recommendations. In fact, if you want copies let me know.

[achn2b]

i think i can see your point, especially if you have the cd version with all the bonus tracks, most of them not that great, which would tend to dilute the whole album. i can see you liking Tennesee Fire, cause it has a bit of a punk edge to it, and Mary Rowell's violin playing just sends shivers up my spine. she brings a whole new vibe to what would otherwise be just fairly pleasant, country/folk/rock tunes. that kinda dark, haunting thing that you get from siouxie.

i had this album for several years before i really got around to listening to it; i may have played it once, went "ehh", and then consigned it back to the stack of new stuff i hadn't gotten to listen to yet. and then one rainy day, searching for something new to listen to, i put it on and it just clicked for me. i really love the way they blend acoustic rhythm and electric rhythm and leads together, and then when you throw that violin into the mix, it just blows me away. she has a certain tone, and way of playing that just blows me away. that opening to Mary's Gettin' Married, and then the middle violin solo over acoustic strumming just kills me. of course, i am a sucker for violin in rock music anyway, so......

but then again, you're not much for that county/folk thing are you? if i recall, wilco doesn't blow you away either, so maybe it's just different strokes for different folks. next time you listen to it, just play the first ten tracks, and see what that does. although nothing's gonna save Just This Morning.

"side A !! siiiiiiiide B" ;D

[Meursault]

I was just thinkin, Lenny Kravitz's Again is a rip off of Purple Rain.

[ueb]

Mary said:

Thanks for the Siouxsie recs, ueb - I am seriously going to write your Siouxsie and Creatures recs down for myself before I head to Boston on Wednesday, and then when I go cd shopping in Boston I'll see what I can find!

Not a problem. One of the things I have missed during my leave of absence was being able to talk about music like this, and recommend artists and albums (and of course have other people recommend things to me).

[Meursault]

Hi Ueb, good to see you pop up.

[aphexziqpusher]

Lunatic- Winchester Cathedral is still growing on me. I seem to be having the same reaction to it as I did with Walking With Thee-- initial disappointment followed by a gradually developed interest. Two songs in particular stand out as being as good or better than anything they've done before: "Home" and especially "Falstaff." But a couple of the other songs sound so similar to songs they've done in the past, it's hard not to raise an eyebrown at them. They seem strangely insistent on using the same instruments in the same ways. That's not necessarily bad, though. The more I listen, the more I like it.

Mary- I graduated as an English and Humanities double major with a creative writing minor. I'm not sure where exactly I'm going to go to grad school yet. I'm in no rush though. Senior year ended up being really harrowing, so I need a breather. I want to spend as much time as I need finding the right grad school. I may end up trying someplace in DC (most likely Georgetown) though if I decide I like it here.

I work at CD Warehouse in Georgetown (30th and M St.). It's been open since 1998.


Maarts- I knew you were going to have heard Kesto! Its strength is definitely in its excess. I especially like the first disc, but the others complement it well. And the packaging is great.

I've been playing a lot of electronic music at the store, some of it rather extreme. But a lot of the electronic stuff I've been listening to lately has been more accessible, sometimes danceable. So I've been playing lots of Kompakt artists, !!!, Rephlex's Grime compilation, Arthur Russell, Jason Forrest, Madvillain, Luomo, etc.
I love putting something on and trying to get people's attention so that they buy it. Most of the customers are very receptive.

[ueb]

Meursault said:

Hi Ueb, good to see you pop up.

Thanks, Shane.

So, with the new threads and whatnot, I'm not really sure where to put anything; however, I figure this is as good a location as any. Today I purchased tickets for the Cursive festival which means that on 29 July (the day before I start the whole moving process) I will be going to a little festival in Atlanta to see (among others): Mogwai, The Rapture, Interpol and THE CURE !!!!!

That week is going to be so fucking amazing and crazy in my world because I will be seeing Madonna on the 24th, the Cure on the 29th and moving. Regardless, it's the Cure so I know I will be experiencing about 8 years with of therapy in 90 minutes or thereabouts. I so can't hardly wait. ;D

[Meursault]

You read pumped.

[ueb]

Meursault said:

You read pumped.

Err...is that good?

The only problem right now with the whole Cursive festival thing is that I'm not sure who I can talk into using the second ticket I purchased. Sometimes it really sucks not having friends around who are as concert and music obsessed as I am. I guess it doesn't really matter though because I am going regardless of whether anyone goes with me or not.

[Meursault]

No Ueb, it's a terrible thing your in dire trouble.

[ueb]

That's still not quite the effect I was going for but oh well.

[Mary]

That festival sounds great, ueb! I'm curious to hear what the Cure sound like circa 2004. A couple of nights ago, my roommate let me use her car because she was going out of town, and I couldn't resist the urge, since I rarely have access to a car, to go on a little night-time drive way up into the Berkeley Hills, where there's a stunning view across the bay of the SF city lights. I brought Staring at the Sea with me and literally just drove aimlessly for hours (I left at midnight and came back at 3 a.m.!) listening to the Cure way up in the hills, where it just really really dark and utterly still and silent, not a person or another car in sight anywhere - it was the most perfect environment for listening to the Cure. In-Between Days sounded just fucking heartbreaking in the middle of the pitch black night, Charlotte Someimes was entrancing. I probably wouldn't have come home at all if I wasn't about to run out of gas!!

NP: Sly and the Family Stone - There's a Riot Goin' On (song: Family Affair)

Cheers,
M

[ueb]

Now that I have found someone to go with me, I can get even more excited for the show. I haven't seen the Cure live since 1996. And while I could claim that I will be all jaded and shit about hearing them now versus when they were in the prime or something to that effect, I would so be lying. For me, seeing the Cure is enough. I don't really care what they play. They just make me so damn happy that I lose all objectivity whatsoever. I can't help it.

Your night driving around listening to the Cure sounds heavenly, Mary. One of my projects for this summer is to buy my first car. I would have liked to put off that responsibility but Columbia has virtually no public transportation. Anyway, I can't wait until I can drive around listening to whatever because I will finally be mobile.