Tortuous date for this to come out - my dissertation is due tomorrow and my real instinct is to read all this instead. A treat for handing-in tomorrow? Still exciting to watch picks slide *down* from the old one, hinting at more to come, and seeing some great stuff filter in as well: pleased to see Tadaima! I assume you've found translated lyrics for the medley, but if you haven't it's very charming stuff. Yr assertion re: HR innovating where rappers haven't is the kind of assertion that I might find the most amazing part of your writing - astute (and funny!) comparison across genre and scene is a skill that seems like it should be more prevalent in the digital world, but it isn't. That Pylon track 'Crazy' has been one of my favourites ever since high school - those deadpan-laugh backing vocals, the droning "the sun...", the split-personality twin chorus lines, the weaving golden guitar line; the fish on the single cover. Agree that Stipe couldn't put across the necessary energy (even though I love that REM tried!) and that Gang of Four, who are at least fascinating for so thoroughly interrogating and refashioning a rock band, never made music as cool and fun as this. Weirdly enough, I might even prefer Gyrate to Chomp!
Gyrate is great, but I give Chomp the edge because "Crazy" is their best song, and maybe the only one of theirs that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. Agreed I'm glad R.E.M. tried -- they wore their influences on their sleeves, and I appreciate them for that (see also: their covers of VU and Wire).
Tadaima's great - that's an album I need to thank RYM for because I would never have known about it otherwise. I haven't read the translations so I'll keep an eye out!
("re: HR innovating where rappers..." --> what's HR?)
A good few personal faves among this selection, too (Winged Serpentv, Chomp, Bad Brains, Atomizer, Swordfish). Looking forward to what’s to come.
Tortuous date for this to come out - my dissertation is due tomorrow and my real instinct is to read all this instead. A treat for handing-in tomorrow? Still exciting to watch picks slide *down* from the old one, hinting at more to come, and seeing some great stuff filter in as well: pleased to see Tadaima! I assume you've found translated lyrics for the medley, but if you haven't it's very charming stuff. Yr assertion re: HR innovating where rappers haven't is the kind of assertion that I might find the most amazing part of your writing - astute (and funny!) comparison across genre and scene is a skill that seems like it should be more prevalent in the digital world, but it isn't. That Pylon track 'Crazy' has been one of my favourites ever since high school - those deadpan-laugh backing vocals, the droning "the sun...", the split-personality twin chorus lines, the weaving golden guitar line; the fish on the single cover. Agree that Stipe couldn't put across the necessary energy (even though I love that REM tried!) and that Gang of Four, who are at least fascinating for so thoroughly interrogating and refashioning a rock band, never made music as cool and fun as this. Weirdly enough, I might even prefer Gyrate to Chomp!
Good luck on your dissertation! What's it on?
Gyrate is great, but I give Chomp the edge because "Crazy" is their best song, and maybe the only one of theirs that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. Agreed I'm glad R.E.M. tried -- they wore their influences on their sleeves, and I appreciate them for that (see also: their covers of VU and Wire).
Tadaima's great - that's an album I need to thank RYM for because I would never have known about it otherwise. I haven't read the translations so I'll keep an eye out!
("re: HR innovating where rappers..." --> what's HR?)