Throwing Muses - Real Ramona POLL BECAUSE IT IS TIME

two step is lovely, feels like a sad farewell to this incarnation of the band. but i think this is counting backwards vs ellen west for me.

Two Step.
one of the saddest, most beautiful songs ever.the short,riddle-like lyrics are incredible as well.:
it can be seen as a metaphor for our fragile life.
the production reminds me of the pixies' "waves of mutilation".
perfection.

hook in her head is a great song with awesome drums.
not too soon is like a brit-pop hit, only better than most, and by americans.. - the part where Tanya's vocals are matched with the guitars is awesome in particular.

other goods:ellan west,say goodbye,red shoes.

p.s. ive got the feeling i'm responsible in a way to this poll creation...

"Not Too Soon," but "Two Step" never fails to bring a tear.

Wow, it's been way, way, WAY too long since I heard this album. Wonder what happened to it. I had it... on cassette, I think.

Hook In Her Head was the seed for some pretty freaky lithium-fed delusions so that song still freaks me out. Don't know. Cannot choose.

Two Step. Christ. how could I forget how spine tingling that song is?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUGWIIiIuhg

(what album was Mania on? Coz I think that might still be my favourite TM song for, erm, fairly obvious reasons)

Haha Kate. You are wonderful posting tonight. I almost forgot to look up Mania! I had that song planned for myself about 5 hours ago, but forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me.

Bimble is kindof losing reality right now. I can't keep the ground underneath my feet. I've got Jeff Buckley on one hand and oh I dunno Bat For Lashes on the other. Also I've decided that the Horrors try to copy My Bloody Valentine too much. After about the 4th or 5th song I'm ready to quit. It's like "Yeah, dude, you got the MBV guitar sounds - WHO GIVES A SHIT?"

Not me...

But "Vancouver" trumps all. That mother fucker will make a goddamn Jeff Buckley fan out of everyone in the world, just watch.

Mesmerized at the Two Step clip above.

I hate to say it, but for me, that was the end of the Muses. I never cared about anything they did after that.

I saw Throwing Muses more times than any other band in my life. This was really by accident, they just happened to do plenty of gigs around me and I think I might have seen them about 8 times if not more. Just some freak of nature, they were the band I've seen more times than any other in my life. And I'm happy about that.

I hate to say it, but for me, that was the end of the Muses. I never cared about anything they did after that.

Really you didn't like University or Limbo? Or even the self-titled one from a few years ago?

this album def. belongs to here:

Albums where the second half is the best one

Now I remember the problem with this album.

Ghastly production on it. Everything is super compressed and chorused out to hell. I know it's 4AD, I know it's the 80s. (Or was it the beginning of the 90s?) but I do not like the way this sounds.

IF I WERE A MAN I'D HAVE A GUN

Now I remember the problem with this album.

Ghastly production on it.

Truth - I think this is why I've never got round to actually buying it... the first two LPs and The Fat Skier sound intimate and creepy as fuck and I can get w/ the big rockish sound of University and Limbo even tho it's totally in the other direction but yeah Real Ramona is def a misfire in studio terms. 'Counting Backwards' is ace however

(so I voted for it)

wtf even Hunkpapa has ghastlier production.

agree about the production but the songs are so good i don't really mind
ana after you get used to it - you might even start liking it in a way,at least that what happened to me

i love the production on this.

i think i'll go with "not too soon"

tho i adore Red Shoes

Oh Hunkpapa's production is definitely worse. I love the drums in Hook In Her Head - they're such a huge part of why that song works and I think they sound great.

this album def. belongs to here:

Albums where the second half is the best one

― Zeno, Friday, 3 July 2009 15:42 (Yesterday)

i disagree, i'm happy throughout the entire thing

whole album is brilliant, but winner is either ellen west or hook in her head

To me, Not Too Soon sticks out like a sore thumb on Real Ramona. Kind of like Here Comes Your Man on Doolittle - an immediately accessible "hit", at least by college rock standards. Regardless, I made it my pick.

hook in her head=call me=songs where the 1st part is better than the 2nd part.

I listened to The Real Ramona recently, for the first time in a few years, and to my ears the production and mixing is wonderful. Everything is clear and punchy and well-separated. After Doolittle, I think it's the best-sounding 4AD record.

Yeah, not getting the complaints about the production here - listened to it cranked in the car yesterday and it was great. Also, looking at the tracklist in isolation above, it's easy to forget just how great it is all the way through.

Picked "Not too Soon" because i love it with all of my heart, but everything else on it is amazing, and to me really proved that Tanya was capable of bigger things on her own. (Have we done a Belly: Star vs. King poll yet? Always used to have giant arguments about which was better with a co-worker at the record store.)

I did create this thread: Taking Sides: Belly's "Star" vs "King"

I voted for "Not Too Soon" -- Donnelly's snarl in the chorus is one of the sexiest sounds in music.

what's cool about Not Too Soon is that while it is accessible, it's also fuckin weird

I voted for Red Shoes. I find Hersh's vocal incredibly affecting, for some reason. In particular, the way she delivers the "Eyes closed/You close them in the dark..." couplet gets me every time. Also, I'm a sucker for an archaic but elegant turn of phrase, so the "This red becomes you"* punchline pushes my buttons.
*Cf Mourning Becomes Elektra

Have we done a Belly: Star vs. King poll yet?

I think so, yeah. Star is obv. the winner for Low Red Moon and Feed the Tree alone.

i always loved "slow dog" as a pop song

i'm down for the sweet ride

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

no thread/poll for Hunkpapa?!

So weird -- I glanced at this poll last night after listening to University.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I50uWUWVUtA

It's perfect.

x-post

You on the money here Soto:

I voted for "Not Too Soon" -- Donnelly's snarl in the chorus is one of the sexiest sounds in music.

― My name is Kenny! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, July 5, 2009 10:53 AM (2 years ago) Bookmark

yeah, i'm not even that big of a fan of belly, but donnelly pretty much nailed every moment of "Not Too Soon."
this is a really good album -- i get the feeling the band doesn't really care for it though?

I am bemused about how this not regarded more highly. Can,t find a dud on this - the whole thing powerfully hummable. As gods as any Pixies album these days for me but maybe that's cos those are so played out.

Good not gods.

song-wise this is one of their strongest albums, but the production on it makes the album see slightly dated and not sound quite like TM to me, particularly the guitar sounds. It was my first TM album though and I was obsessed with it for a long time. When they toured this year I can't remember if they played anything from it; I do know someone asked for Dizzy and she said they didn't know how to play that. They do kind of shun the more popular things.

worthy winner

sounds like connie francis

Great album.