33 1/3 Series of books

Just went to Amazon.co.uk to buy three of these (Paul's Boutique, Music from Big Pink, Village Green) and some of the reviews for this series are brutal. So many angry one-star slams from aggrieved fans of the albums. Is, say, Amanda Petrusich's Pink Moon really that bad?

I ordered the Paul's Boutique one yesterday.

I know that the talking-point books are deservedly the more ambitious essays/memoirs/novellas but with some albums I just want a really solid, persuasive making-of story.

Yes, many of them, sadly but predictably, are rubbish.

I really enjoyed the Zaireeka one and the Celine Dion one. I liked Geeta's Another Green World one, too. I've not read any others, I don't think.

The ones I want (of albums I love) generally seem to get poor reviews.

the paul's boutique book is a solid 3/5 i'd say. when these books are good, they're great - thinkin' specifically the 'riot goin' on' volume, which is gangbusters - but when they suck, like the one on daydream nation or the one on 'songs in the key of life' that's mouldering in my rucksack and that i never want to gaze on again, the sense of an opportunity squandered (not to mention the inept, self-indulgent writing involved) awakens the HULK SMASH in me tbh.

Which are the best?

1 Dusty in Memphis- Dusty Springfield 1969 Warren Zanes
2 Forever Changes -Love 1967 Andrew Hultkrans
3 Harvest -Neil Young 1972 Sam Inglis
4 The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society -The Kinks 1968 Andy Miller
5 Meat Is Murder- The Smiths 1985 Joe Pernice
6 The Piper at the Gates of Dawn- Pink Floyd 1967 John Cavanagh
7 ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits -ABBA 1992 Elisabeth Vincentelli
8 Electric Ladyland -The Jimi Hendrix Experience 1968 John Perry
9 Unknown Pleasures- Joy Division 1979 Chris Ott
10 Sign “☮” the Times - Prince 1987 Michaelangelo Matos
11 The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground 1967 Joe Harvard
12 Let It Be -The Beatles 1970 Steve Matteo
13 Live at the Apollo -James Brown 1963 Douglas Wolk
14 Aqualung-Jethro Tull 1971 Allan Moore
15 OK Computer-Radiohead 1997 Dai Griffiths
16 Let It Be -The Replacements 1984 Colin Meloy
17 Led Zeppelin IV -Led Zeppelin 1971 Erik Davis
18 Exile on Main St. -The Rolling Stones 1972 Bill Janovitz
19 Pet Sounds - The Beach Boys 1966 Jim Fusilli
20 Ramones- Ramones 1976 Nicholas Rombes
21 Armed Forces -Elvis Costello 1979 Franklin Bruno
22 Murmur- R.E.M. 1983 J. Niimi
23 Grace - Jeff Buckley 1994 Daphne Brooks
24 Endtroducing..... -DJ Shadow 1996 Eliot Wilder
25 Kick Out the Jams - MC5 1969 Don McLeese
26 Low - David Bowie 1977 Hugo Wilcken
27 Born in the U.S.A. -Bruce Springsteen 1984 Geoffrey Himes
28 Music from Big Pink -The Band 1968 John Niven
29 In the Aeroplane over the Sea- Neutral Milk Hotel 1998 Kim Cooper
30 Paul's Boutique -Beastie Boys 1989 Dan Le Roy
31 Doolittle - Pixies 1989 Ben Sisario
32 There's a Riot Goin' On -Sly and the Family Stone 1971 Miles Marshall Lewis
33 The Stone Roses -The Stone Roses 1989 Alex Green
34 In Utero-Nirvana 1993 Gillian G. Gaar
35 Highway 61 Revisited -Bob Dylan 1965 Mark Polizzotti
36 Loveless -My Bloody Valentine 1991 Mike McGonigal
37 The Who Sell Out -The Who 1967 John Dougan
38 Bee Thousand - Guided by Voices 1994 Marc Woodworth
39 Daydream Nation -Sonic Youth 1988 Matthew Stearns
40 Court and Spark -Joni Mitchell 1974 Sean Nelson
41 Use Your Illusion I and II -Guns N' Roses 1991 Eric Weisbard
42 Songs in the Key of Life-Stevie Wonder 1976 Zeth Lundy
43 The Notorious Byrd Brothers -The Byrds 1968 Ric Menck
44 Trout Mask Replica -Captain Beefheart 1969 Kevin Courrier
45 Double Nickels on the Dime -Minutemen 1984 Michael T. Fournier
46 Aja -Steely Dan 1977 Don Breithaupt
47 People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm - A Tribe Called Quest 1990 Shawn Taylor
48 Rid of Me -PJ Harvey 1993 Kate Schatz
49 Achtung Baby -U2 1991 Stephen Catanzarite
50 If You're Feeling Sinister - Belle & Sebastian 1996 Scott Plagenhoef
51 Pink Moon -Nick Drake 1972 Amanda Petrusich
52 Let's Talk About Love -Celine Dion 1997 Carl Wilson
53 Swordfishtrombones -Tom Waits 1983 David Smay
54 20 Jazz Funk Greats - Throbbing Gristle 1979 Drew Daniel
55 Horses -Patti Smith 1975 Philip Shaw
56 Master of Reality -Black Sabbath 1971 John Darnielle
57 Reign in Blood - Slayer 1986 D.X. Ferris
58 Shoot Out the Lights -Richard and Linda Thompson 1982 Hayden Childs
59 Gentlemen -The Afghan Whigs 1993 Bob Gendron
60 Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash -The Pogues 1985 Jeffery T. Roesgen
61 The Gilded Palace of Sin - The Flying Burrito Brothers 1969 Bob Proehl
62 Pink Flag -Wire 1977 Wilson Neate
63 XO - Elliott Smith 1998 Mathew Lemay
64 Illmatic -Nas 1994 Matthew Gasteier
65 Radio City - Big Star 1974 Bruce Eaton
66 One Step Beyond... - Madness 1979 Terry Edwards
67 Another Green World - Brian Eno 1975 Geeta Dayal
68 Zaireeka The Flaming Lips- 1997 Mark Richardson
69 69 Love Songs -The Magnetic Fields 1999 LD Beghtol
70 Facing Future - Israel Kamakawiwo'ole 1993 Dan Kois
71 It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back -Public Enemy 1988 Christopher R. Weingarten
72 Wowee Zowee -Pavement 1995 Bryan Charles
73 Highway to Hell- AC/DC 1979 Joe Bonomo
74 Song Cycle -Van Dyke Parks 1968 Richard Henderson
75 Spiderland - Slint 1991 Scott Tennent
76 Kid A - Radiohead 2000 Marvin Lin
77 Tusk - Fleetwood Mac 1979 Rob Trucks
78 Pretty Hate Machine Nine Inch Nails 1989 Daphne Carr
79 Chocolate and Cheese Ween 1994 Hank Shteamer
80 American Recordings Johnny Cash 1994 Tony Tost
81 Some Girls The Rolling Stones 1978 Cyrus Patell
82 You're Living All Over Me Dinosaur Jr. 1987 Nick Attfield
83 Marquee Moon Television 1977 Bryan Waterman
84 Amazing Grace Aretha Franklin 1972 Aaron Cohen
85 Dummy Portishead 1994 RJ Wheaton
86 Fear of Music Talking Heads 1979 Jonathan Lethem

Thanks to the Amazon 99¢ ebook sale, I was able to grab a whole bunch of these.

I read the Paul's Boutique and It Takes A Nation Of Millions... books on my trip last week and liked them both. I agree that the Paul's book is around a 3/5 - lot's of good information, if not the most engaging volume. Whiney's PE book was definitely a step above that. Much more engaging.

I also read the Kinks Village Green which was pretty rough. I wouldn't read it again, that's for sure.

I'm interested in reading these:

2 Forever Changes -Love 1967 Andrew Hultkrans
8 Electric Ladyland -The Jimi Hendrix Experience 1968 John Perry
15 OK Computer-Radiohead 1997 Dai Griffiths
16 Let It Be -The Replacements 1984 Colin Meloy
23 Grace - Jeff Buckley 1994 Daphne Brooks
24 Endtroducing..... -DJ Shadow 1996 Eliot Wilder
25 Kick Out the Jams - MC5 1969 Don McLeese
26 Low - David Bowie 1977 Hugo Wilcken
30 Paul's Boutique -Beastie Boys 1989 Dan Le Roy
31 Doolittle - Pixies 1989 Ben Sisario
32 There's a Riot Goin' On -Sly and the Family Stone 1971 Miles Marshall Lewis
33 The Stone Roses -The Stone Roses 1989 Alex Green
36 Loveless -My Bloody Valentine 1991 Mike McGonigal
47 People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm - A Tribe Called Quest 1990 Shawn Taylor
48 Rid of Me -PJ Harvey 1993 Kate Schatz
49 Achtung Baby -U2 1991 Stephen Catanzarite
50 If You're Feeling Sinister - Belle & Sebastian 1996 Scott Plagenhoef
51 Pink Moon -Nick Drake 1972 Amanda Petrusich
62 Pink Flag -Wire 1977 Wilson Neate
71 It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back -Public Enemy 1988 Christopher R. Weingarten
75 Spiderland - Slint 1991 Scott Tennent
76 Kid A - Radiohead 2000 Marvin Lin
85 Dummy Portishead 1994 RJ Wheaton
86 Fear of Music Talking Heads 1979 Jonathan Lethem

the live at the apollo james brown book was a pleasure to read.

I thought the Loveless was great.

xp Oh balls, I just ordered Village Green. I blame the ILX Kinks poll. I've read the following:

Great - There's a Riot, Low, Sign O' the Times, Live at the Apollo, Nation of Millions, Another Green World, Let's Talk About Love - apart from the Carl Wilson, which is its own thing, they're all well-crafted making-ofs with an intelligent spin
Solid if you just want the basis back story for reference - In an Aeroplane, Kick Out the Jams, Loveless, Unknown Pleasures
Waste of time - Armed Forces (infuriatingly, it's structured alphabetically by theme - lots of repetition and confusion)

I've heard from many source that the OK Computer one is a crashing bore Nick.

Village Green has some great information about tracks and recording, but the author occasionally tosses in his opinions to no purpose ("this is the worst song Ray ever wrote", "throw away song x") when he is otherwise absent. Also, it is a bit stilted and dull. I learned a lot from it but didn't enjoy the time with it at all.

MY favorite is still Darnielle's Black Sabbath book, despite it being only sort of related to the record. One of the most moving novella's I've ever read. My wife, who has no use for Sabbath at all, also found it quite moving.

I'm reading the Marquee Moon book right now and it's pretty good, although really it's more about the band's early history way more than the album itself -- I'm like 2/3rds through and it just got to the point where they add "See No Evil" to the setlist -- but since there's probably never going to be a proper biographical book about Television I'm kind of ok with that.

Avoid the Ok Computer one, it's truly sterile.

Thought the Loveless and Low ones were great though.

of the over a dozen i've read, only a few were ones Sick is interested in -- Electric Ladyland and Nation of Millions are really good, Let It Be is really not

The Beatles or The Replacements 'Let it Be'? I'm quite interested in checking out the Replacements one although I understand it's one of those album-inserted-into fictional-tale ones so I'm not sure.

LOW one is brilliant. AJA is probs my fave so far though.

the 'Mats one is the one Sick and and I were referring to

it's not a work of fiction, just far more autobiographical than about the album itself

I prefer the ones about how they put the album together, the writing and recording process. I'm really not interested in how the author was affected by this album when they were 17.

For example, waiting in line at a record store with Black Francis and watching him peel off the cellophane to what may be the 36th Doolittle CD he's bought and driving around Oregon listening to the tracks, that was a solid 3/5, if not more.

A+: Zoso, Master Of Reality, Sign O The Times
B: Bee Thousand
C-: Forever Changes

Yeah, Loveless / Doolittle / In the Aeroplane all really great, really revealing making-of's

OK Computer is terrible.

some good ones that iirc delve pretty deeply into the making of the albums: The Who Sell Out, Aja, Nation of Millions, Armed Forces, In Utero, Exile, Double Nickels, Zep IV

Double Nickels is really good, especially when its honest enough to say about "You Need The Glory", "What do you say about two minutes of weird percussion and a guy making nonsense sounds?"

This is how I would rate the one's I have read:

A+
Led Zeppelin IV -Led Zeppelin 1971 Erik Davis
Low - David Bowie 1977 Hugo Wilcken
Master of Reality -Black Sabbath 1971 John Darnielle
Let's Talk About Love -Celine Dion 1997 Carl Wilson

A
Sign “☮” the Times - Prince 1987 Michaelangelo Matos
Use Your Illusion I and II -Guns N' Roses 1991 Eric Weisbard
Aja -Steely Dan 1977 Don Breithaupt

B
Kid A - Radiohead 2000 Marvin Lin

C
Armed Forces -Elvis Costello 1979 Franklin Bruno

F
Let It Be -The Replacements 1984 Colin Meloy

Reading Pink Flag made me realize how much I love that record and why, which is as much as I can ask of any of these.

Armed Forces -Elvis Costello 1979 Franklin Bruno
huh, i have a friend who highly recommended this one -- not good?

Let It Be and Dusty in Memphis were my least favorites of the fifteen or so I've read.

Court and Spark is top five.

i liked the jerry wexler bits of dusty in memphis, but yeah, wasn't crazy about the memoir-y stuff.

The Who Sell Out is great, as is Amazing Grace (probably the best book on Aretha out there at the moment). Kick Out The Jams isn't bad, but is less about the album and more of a condensed history of the MC5. Kinks Village Green is useful, if spotty and borderline-annoying in places.

Agreed re: Amazing Grace. Just started Lethem's Fear of Music, which I think might be best understood less as a standalone book and more as a complement to Fortress of Solitude.

yeah, probably! i just bought that one today as a matter of fact.

Fear of Music is really good. I would also recommend Lethem's recent book on John Carpenter's They Live which is even better.

tyler fwiw armed forces is probably my favorite (not counting master of reality here because it feels like a totally separate thing)

Armed Forces has a unique format, one that just wasn't for me. ymmv.

i didn't know there was an aja one, gotta check that out.

I've only read 4, an they were all good to great - still, i did some "research" beforehand (reviews, ILM, etc), so it wasn't like I bought them unknowingly.

20 jazz funk greats - absolutely stunning
let's talk about love
use your illusion I & II
sign o'the times

I was interested in reading the 'aja' one, but I've read some people complaining that it's too focused on the technical side, so...dunno. also, is the 'tusk' one really that bad?

Aja has more technical stuff than most of these books (as it should, tbh) but i don't feel it gets bogged down by that if you're not interested in it, there's also a lot of passion and personality in it.

Armed Forces one is very good but the author probably should've just let the alphabetical organization thing behind in an earlier draft.

Of the ones I've read, 20 Jazz Funk Greats sets the standard. But I haven't gotten to the celebrated Celine Dion yet.

I've had the Celine on a shelf for a couple of years too.

Some I can remember reading from Scik's list:

13 Live at the Apollo -James Brown 1963 Douglas Wolk

This one is just magnificent, great writing and wildly ambitious for the economical space – cramming analysis of the highly-edited album, Brown’s career, development of the songs, actual full-length live takes and wide, wide cultural allusions.

24 Endtroducing..... -DJ Shadow 1996 Eliot Wilder

This is simply one long interview with Shadow, basically a good, uncut Uncut feature rather than either a book or detailed sample-nerdery text.

30 Paul's Boutique -Beastie Boys 1989 Dan Le Roy

REALLY good magazine style piece that leans heavily on interviews with people around the band at the time (aiming to do this more than quote other contemporary journalism), but no contact with the band.

56 Master of Reality -Black Sabbath 1971 John Darnielle

This is an epistolary novella, and is absolutely fantastic. Combines the author’s own life and employment experience with love of the genre to make a short sharp blast of writing about how the record speaks to an important element of its audience.

59 Gentlemen -The Afghan Whigs 1993 Bob Gendron

Way too skimpy – tries to cram a potted biography of the band in, then cover this rich album in too few pages. Not bad as such though – I would totally have read two sequels on Black Love and 1965.

66 One Step Beyond... - Madness 1979 Terry Edwards

Session trumpeter writing from a fan perspective, with a hefty page count. If you have to choose between reading this and watching Take It Or Leave It, the latter probably has more insight.

69 69 Love Songs -The Magnetic Fields 1999 LD Beghtol

Aims to be as arch and genre-playful as the album itself, being largely a glossary of terms, semi-largely a rundown on each song with members and friends of the band, small-ly an interview with Merritt, and minorly a crossword, iirc. Also includes frequent instructions to consult a detailed website for further information, which has been broken for about five of the six years the book has been out.

71 It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back -Public Enemy 1988 Christopher R. Weingarten

Really slapdash – has no or almost no contact with any personnel, AFAIR, and so feels more like a 1980s-style cuttings-bio with ambitions. Hey, it’s sampling, maan! The ambitions are largely sampled from other sources, too, though – there’ll be occasional attempts at scraping in wider cultural references like Wolk did (say a several page digression into Wattstax, or something), peripatetic outbursts of cod-Dave-Tompkins, and such. A real letdown coming after that amazing, rich, and so much briefer piece in Wax Poetics.

Can someone give me a thumbnail of why Led Zeppelin IV and Use Your Illusion are so good? I'm not much of a Zeppelin fan and I've never even heard the G'n'R record but I'm assuming from all the recommendations that there's something more to these books.

Most of the ones I've read have been good but I'd pick these as my absolute favourites:

10 Sign “☮” the Times - Prince 1987 Michaelangelo Matos
29 In the Aeroplane over the Sea- Neutral Milk Hotel 1998 Kim Cooper
30 Paul's Boutique -Beastie Boys 1989 Dan Le Roy
32 There's a Riot Goin' On -Sly and the Family Stone 1971 Miles Marshall Lewis
36 Loveless -My Bloody Valentine 1991 Mike McGonigal
38 Bee Thousand - Guided by Voices 1994 Marc Woodworth
56 Master of Reality -Black Sabbath 1971 John Darnielle

Anyone read the Beefheart one?

Whoops, meant to include this one too:

71 It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back -Public Enemy 1988 Christopher R. Weingarten

I've ordered Low, Paul's Boutique, and Loveless as a birthday present to myself.

I've read 50 of the books. Some of my favorites have been mentioned already (Master of Reality, Sign O the Times, Low, Live at the Apollo, In the Aeroplane..., 69 Love Songs). Two others that I really enjoyed, that I don't think have been mentioned - Pretty Hate Machine (great focus on fan culture and understanding fandom) and Exile on Main Street (nothing super revelatory in it, but he does a great job describing the music itself, what it sounds like).

I'm not generally a fan of the straight-ahead 'making of the album' ones, or most of the fiction ones (I did kind of like the Rid of Me one). And often the ones I like the least are about the albums I like the most - Bee Thousand and Swordfishtrombones, especially.

I will rep for the Tribe book, re-read it recently after seeing the film documentary and enjoyed it better second time around.

20 Jazz Funk Greats is my favourite book on music after Giles Smith's Lost in Music. Otherwise I've only read the Master of Reality one (superb) and the Abba Gold one (not worth more than the 50p it cost me tbh).