1 Public Enemy it takes a nation of millions to hold us back2 XTC Black Sea3 De La Soul 3 Ft. High and Rising4 The Beatles abbey road5 Fugazi Repeater6 Brainiac hissing prigs in static couture7 Talking Heads Remain in Light8 Miles Davis Sketches of Spain9 The Smiths The Queen Is Dead10 Michael Jackson Thriller11 LL Cool J Mama Said Knock You Out12 Fugazi 13 Songs13 REM Murmur14 The Beach Boys Pet Sounds15 Paul Simon Graceland16 Jawbox For Your Own Special Sweetheart17 Lauryn Hill The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill18 OMD Dazzleships19 Shudder to Think Pony Express Record20 Fishbone Truth And Soul21 REM Lifes Rich Pageant22 Jay-Z Hard Knock Life23 John Coltrane Giant Steps24 A Tribe Called Quest The Low End Theory25 Carole King Tapestry26 The Beatles Sgt. Pepper27 XTC Oranges and Lemons28 Sarah Vaughn Greatest Hits29 Mos Def Black on Both Sides30 Red Hot Chili Peppers Uplift Mofo Party Plan31 Brainiac smack bunny baby32 Soul Coughing el oso33 Art of Noise Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise?34 Public Enemy Fear of a Black Planet35 Unrest Imperial ffrr36 Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home37 Fugazi End Hits38 Nation of Ulysses 13 Point Plan to Destroy America39 Superchunk Foolish40 Miles Davis Kind of Blue41 Talk Talk Colours of Spring42 Rashaan Roland Kirk Blacknuss43 Smart Went Crazy Con Art44 Elliott Smith XO45 Shudder to Think Get Your Goat46 Sam Cooke Greatest Hits47 Trouble Funk Live48 XTC skylarking49 The Smiths Meat Is Murder50 Charlie Parker Greatest Hits51 Fishbone EP52 Nas Illmatic53 Peter Tosh Legalize It54 Beastie Boys Check Your Head55 Jesus Lizard Liar56 Vitapup An Hour With Vitapup57 Shudder to Think Funeral At The Movies58 the beatles rubber soul59 Fugazi In On The Killtaker60 Janet Jackson The Velvet Rope61 The Wooden Stars Mardi Gras62 Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisited63 Mouse on Mars Nien Niggung64 Buddy Holly Greatest Hits65 Deee-Lite World Clique66 OMD Architecture and Morality67 Eurythmics Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These)68 Various Stay Awake (Tribute to Disney movie music)69 Madonna Like a Prayer70 Madness One Step Beyond…71 Siouxsie and the Banshees Kiss in the Dreamhouse72 Peter Gabriel So73 Tortoise TNT74 Led Zeppelin IV75 Cabaret Voltaire The Crackdown76 The Band The Band77 Talk Talk Laughing Stock78 Joni Mitchell Court and Spark79 Squeeze Singles 45 and under80 Frank Sinatra In The Wee Small Hours of the Night81 Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street82 Drive Like Jehu Yank Crime83 Black Star Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star84 The Pixies Doolittle85 Steely Dan Complete recordings86 Prince Purple Rain87 Quruli Team Rock88 INXS Listen Like Thieves89 Gangstarr Hard to Earn90 Duran Duran Seven and the Ragged Tiger91 U2 The Joshua Tree92 Death Cab For Cutie We Have The Facts And We're Voting Yes93 Bob Marley Uprising94 Bim Skala Bim How's It Goin'?95 Joni Mitchell Blue96 XTC Apple Venus97 The Replacements Pleased to Meet Me98 Paul Simon Rhythm of The Saints99 New Order Substance100 Robert Johnson complete recordings
Worst. List. Evar. (Clearly the best XTC is Skylarking!)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:24 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:25 (twenty-two years ago)
― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:35 (twenty-two years ago)
― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:36 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:36 (twenty-two years ago)
― minolta (minolta), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:41 (twenty-two years ago)
The Absolute Best Records Ever, Except For That Shitty One By OMD05/21/04A few months ago, Rolling Stone had this Top 500 Records of All Time thing, right? And I gotta say that the top 150 were pretty untouchable. It could really serve as a good primer for the best post WWII pop music. After 150 I think that it got a little dubious--I mean, I think Californication was in the Top 300--but it was all right.It got me to thinking--hey, what the hell are my Top 100? And really, really, what 100 records have I listened to the most? Not the records I want everyone to think I listened to the most. Not Albert Ayler, although Live at the Village Vanguard is pretty unreal. Not the Nurse With Wound record I would love to claim to be my ninth-favorite of all time, in certain company. What records did I really just play over and over again? What got the most spins, regardless of any other factor?So I made a list and I checked it twice. Well, I checked it once. Every day for two weeks, I moved things up and down and deleted them, when I would force myself to admit that I did not in fact listen to a Tar record more than The Velvet Rope by Janet Jackson.I am now finished. I now have the list. They are not the best records of all time by a long shot: I recently revisted OMD's Dazzleships and it is embarrassing, whereas their Organisation is pretty boss. Uplift Mofo by the Chili Peppers is not really a record I need around in my adult life (although Blood Sugar Sex Magik is fine by me.) There is no Marvin Gaye; not a lot of Rolling Stones; No James Brown or Little Richard; Nevermind, an album I respect greatly but never owned, isn't there; I never spent much time with Revolver, which most people consider the choice Beatles album; I mean, it's really embarrassing to a certain extent. But what can I tell you? I never felt the urge to pop in a Gang of Four CD. I've dabbled enthusiastically in all the Clash records without ever really having a phase with one of them.I'd say the most interesting stretch is 50-80, where some of the oddball obsessions live. I played the living shit out of that Cabaret Voltaire record in junior high. I never listened to another one of their records. Why? How did I get my hands on Cabaret Voltaire? I have no idea. I probably saw it at Sam Goody and liked the cover. And that Disney tribute is still great to these ears--Los Lobos doing "I Wanna Be Just Like You" from Jungle Book? Come on, that's deathless. But it's just deathless for me, I'm not arguing that it was part of the canon. I just took a shine to it. Who can explain that kind of thing?At the end, things get vague. There's quite a few that could have been on there. Robert Johnson was in a death match with Rites of Spring for a week, but Mr. Milk Cow Blues pulled it out in the end.This was a lot of fun to do. It was enjoyable to force myself to admit to the records I really listened to, not the ones I'd like to think I listened to--I felt like I was standing up for the clueless 15-year-old suburban kid who didn't know any better than to rock out to Fishbone. It turned me on at the time and I'll always respect that. And frankly, I had pretty good music taste! Lotta good songs on this list--even on Dazzleships! I gotta telegram... in my hand...So here it is: Travis in 100 records.
05/21/04
A few months ago, Rolling Stone had this Top 500 Records of All Time thing, right? And I gotta say that the top 150 were pretty untouchable. It could really serve as a good primer for the best post WWII pop music. After 150 I think that it got a little dubious--I mean, I think Californication was in the Top 300--but it was all right.
It got me to thinking--hey, what the hell are my Top 100? And really, really, what 100 records have I listened to the most? Not the records I want everyone to think I listened to the most. Not Albert Ayler, although Live at the Village Vanguard is pretty unreal. Not the Nurse With Wound record I would love to claim to be my ninth-favorite of all time, in certain company. What records did I really just play over and over again? What got the most spins, regardless of any other factor?
So I made a list and I checked it twice. Well, I checked it once. Every day for two weeks, I moved things up and down and deleted them, when I would force myself to admit that I did not in fact listen to a Tar record more than The Velvet Rope by Janet Jackson.
I am now finished. I now have the list. They are not the best records of all time by a long shot: I recently revisted OMD's Dazzleships and it is embarrassing, whereas their Organisation is pretty boss. Uplift Mofo by the Chili Peppers is not really a record I need around in my adult life (although Blood Sugar Sex Magik is fine by me.) There is no Marvin Gaye; not a lot of Rolling Stones; No James Brown or Little Richard; Nevermind, an album I respect greatly but never owned, isn't there; I never spent much time with Revolver, which most people consider the choice Beatles album; I mean, it's really embarrassing to a certain extent. But what can I tell you? I never felt the urge to pop in a Gang of Four CD. I've dabbled enthusiastically in all the Clash records without ever really having a phase with one of them.
I'd say the most interesting stretch is 50-80, where some of the oddball obsessions live. I played the living shit out of that Cabaret Voltaire record in junior high. I never listened to another one of their records. Why? How did I get my hands on Cabaret Voltaire? I have no idea. I probably saw it at Sam Goody and liked the cover. And that Disney tribute is still great to these ears--Los Lobos doing "I Wanna Be Just Like You" from Jungle Book? Come on, that's deathless. But it's just deathless for me, I'm not arguing that it was part of the canon. I just took a shine to it. Who can explain that kind of thing?
At the end, things get vague. There's quite a few that could have been on there. Robert Johnson was in a death match with Rites of Spring for a week, but Mr. Milk Cow Blues pulled it out in the end.
This was a lot of fun to do. It was enjoyable to force myself to admit to the records I really listened to, not the ones I'd like to think I listened to--I felt like I was standing up for the clueless 15-year-old suburban kid who didn't know any better than to rock out to Fishbone. It turned me on at the time and I'll always respect that. And frankly, I had pretty good music taste! Lotta good songs on this list--even on Dazzleships! I gotta telegram... in my hand...
So here it is: Travis in 100 records.
OMG RICH WHITE SUBURBIA APOLIGIST!
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 11:44 (twenty-two years ago)
Considering OMD's ratio of shitty records to decent ones-- don't even get us started on "How Bizarre!"-- Morrison had an impressively sizable chunk of recordings to choose from.
― Stacey Pollen (Andy K), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:57 (twenty-two years ago)
― Stacey Pollen (Andy K), Monday, 24 May 2004 13:59 (twenty-two years ago)
― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:01 (twenty-two years ago)
like no shit you like this record, dork!
― Enrique (Enrique), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:02 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:03 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)
That's a great standard, though.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:06 (twenty-two years ago)
1) Nirvana - Nevermind2) Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Greatest Hits3) Best of the Beach Boys Vol. 24) Green Day - Dookie5) Ramones - All the Stuff and More Vol. 1
etc
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)
― Enrique (Enrique), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)
― Mr Mime (Andrew Thames), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:10 (twenty-two years ago)
and that's a pretty shitty listgood excuse (?!) or not
― rentboy (rentboy), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:13 (twenty-two years ago)
― Phil Freeman (Phil Freeman), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:15 (twenty-two years ago)
― rentboy (rentboy), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:18 (twenty-two years ago)
― NickB (NickB), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)
― NickB (NickB), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:22 (twenty-two years ago)
― Mr Mime (Andrew Thames), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)
― Mr Mime (Andrew Thames), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:26 (twenty-two years ago)
― Mr Mime (Andrew Thames), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)
― Mr Mime (Andrew Thames), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)
― Sick Mouthy (Nick Southall), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:36 (twenty-two years ago)
― Mr Mime (Andrew Thames), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)
I should go ask the guy at my local sub shop what he likes and post that. That would get at least 100 posts, easy.
(P. S. English Settlement is the best XTC record.)
― Chris Dahlen (Chris Dahlen), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 14:57 (twenty-two years ago)
― dleone (dleone), Monday, 24 May 2004 15:06 (twenty-two years ago)
― TomB (TomB), Monday, 24 May 2004 15:16 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 15:20 (twenty-two years ago)
The DC area bands they aped were all way bettah!
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 15:23 (twenty-two years ago)
― NickB (NickB), Monday, 24 May 2004 15:27 (twenty-two years ago)
The Frank Sinatra album is called "In The Wee Small Hours", though and the first line of the title track is "In the wee small hours of the morning" not "the night". I do wonder how easy it would be to make that mistake if you'd listened to the album a lot.
― frankiemachine, Monday, 24 May 2004 15:39 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 15:43 (twenty-two years ago)
or Paul Simon
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 24 May 2004 15:53 (twenty-two years ago)
I've never quite understood this. So if Pitchfork hypes a band, then do people feel that they can't talk too positivly about this band, in case they might be associated with the Pitchfork & Dismemberment Plan ¢¾ brigade? Do phrases such as 'saviours of indie' actually mean anything anyway?
"yeah there's nothing better than someone who betrays his obvious influences *groan* "
Were you talking to me? I was just saying I can see how a lot of music on that list has influenced the Dismemberment Plan sound. There are lots of influential albums on that list? Are there not? There are certain bits of Dismemberment Plan songs that have always reminded me of older stuff that is on that list, it was cool to find out he actually listens to some of it.
― TomB (TomB), Monday, 24 May 2004 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 16:05 (twenty-two years ago)
Quotes:
Love them or hate them-- for there are few who find themselves between these extremes-- The Dismemberment Plan were an undeniably forward-thinking band, innovative without sacrificing accessibility, and always looking to forge new ground. It's possible that their tendency to continually transform themselves hastened their breakup, which, if you haven't been following the indie rock newswires, has been in progress for nearly a year now. The band realized there was no point in repeating themselves, and once they reached the point where they might be in danger of it, they closed up shop, though they kept touring on their existing material for months after officially calling it quits last month.
Change is something fans of D.C.'s The Dismemberment Plan have grown accustomed to over the years, as the band has proven to make vast leaps in maturity with each album.
After nearly a decade of rocking the indie music scene with their unique, groundbreaking pop, Washington, DC's greatest-ever live band, The Dismemberment Plan is, well... dismembering.
The Short Review:If you consider yourself a fan of groundbreaking pop, go out and buy this album right now. Now. Get up. Go.
Everytime Pitchfork refers to the Dismemberment Plan as "pop", a puppy dies.
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 16:09 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 16:10 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Monday, 24 May 2004 16:11 (twenty-two years ago)
Where are you walking, I’ve seen you walkingHave you been there before? Walk down your doorsteps, you’ll take some more stepsWhat did you take them for? There’s a private in my boat and he wearsPins instead of medals on his coatThere’s a chicken in my nest and she won’tLay until I’ve given her my bestAt her request she asks for nothingYou get nothing in returnIf you want she brings you waterIf you don’t then you will burn
You go through changes, it may seem strangeIs this what you’re put here for? You think you’re happy and you are happyThat’s what you’re happy forThere’s a man who can’t decide if he shouldFight for what his father thinks is rightThere are people wearing frowns who’ll screw you upBut they would rather screw you downAt my request I ask for nothingYou get nothing in returnIf you’re nice she’ll bring me waterIf you’re not then I will burn
This is the time and life that I am livingAnd I’ll face each day with a smileFor the time that I’ve been given’s such a little whileAnd the things that I must do consist of more than style
This is the only thing that I am sure ofAnd that’s all that lives is gonna dieAnd there’ll always be some people here to wonder whyAnd for every happy hello, there will be good-byeThere’ll be time for you to put yourself on
Everything I’ve seen needs rearrangingAnd for anyone who thinks it’s strangeThen you should be the first to want to make this changeAnd for everyone who thinks that life is just a gameDo you like the part you’re playing
I see your pictureIt’s in the same old frameWe meet againYou look so lovelyYou with the same old smileStay for a whileI need you so, oh, oh, oh, ohAnd if you take it easyI’m still teethin’I wanna love you, butOh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
This is the time and this is the time andIt is time, time, time, time, time, time, time, time, time...
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 20:38 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ian Johnson (orion), Monday, 24 May 2004 20:40 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 20:41 (twenty-two years ago)
― christhamrin (christhamrin), Monday, 24 May 2004 20:47 (twenty-two years ago)
― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 24 May 2004 20:55 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 20:57 (twenty-two years ago)
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:02 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:03 (twenty-two years ago)
― jaymc (jaymc), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:03 (twenty-two years ago)
― Ian Johnson (orion), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:05 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:07 (twenty-two years ago)
dude don't be so defensive!
Well, it seemed like you were about to go in attack mode there and I wasn't being serious about gang of Four in the first place. I know they are played out elsewhere, but I have never once heard Gang Of Four in a club/bar enviroment. I live hours from any clubs or bars. When I venture to First Ave or wherever for a show (which is rare due to monetary constraints) they usually just play the Pixies. Once I heard Mission of Burma. I've never even met anyone who likes Gang of Four.
― christhamrin (christhamrin), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:09 (twenty-two years ago)
(actually I'm not sure if Nate likes them but I don't see why he wouldn't)
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:13 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:15 (twenty-two years ago)
― christhamrin (christhamrin), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:21 (twenty-two years ago)
― Broheems (diamond), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:25 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:26 (twenty-two years ago)
Anyone else have any questions for me?
― christhamrin (christhamrin), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:31 (twenty-two years ago)
*heavy breathing*
― Shakey Mo Collier, Monday, 24 May 2004 21:34 (twenty-two years ago)
― christhamrin (christhamrin), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:37 (twenty-two years ago)
― christhamrin (christhamrin), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:38 (twenty-two years ago)
First Avenue in Fargo closed a few years ago I think...
― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:39 (twenty-two years ago)
― christhamrin (christhamrin), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:43 (twenty-two years ago)
Yeah, actually it was a fairly largish rock club in Fargo, coincidentally also on Fargo's First Avenue and named the same.
― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Monday, 24 May 2004 21:44 (twenty-two years ago)
― ccccccc, Tuesday, 25 May 2004 01:51 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 02:01 (twenty-two years ago)
― captain gay, Tuesday, 25 May 2004 02:50 (twenty-two years ago)
― j.lu (j.lu), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 03:19 (twenty-two years ago)
― stevie (stevie), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 08:39 (twenty-two years ago)
― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 13:03 (twenty-two years ago)
― crotch thruster, Tuesday, 25 May 2004 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)
― Al (sitcom), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 14:18 (twenty-two years ago)
― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)
― Felonious Drunk (Felcher), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 14:51 (twenty-two years ago)
― Al (sitcom), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 14:56 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 14:59 (twenty-two years ago)
― Felonious Drunk (Felcher), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 15:00 (twenty-two years ago)
― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 15:01 (twenty-two years ago)
― crotch thruster, Tuesday, 25 May 2004 15:12 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 15:19 (twenty-two years ago)
― captain gay, Tuesday, 25 May 2004 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)
― captain gay, Tuesday, 25 May 2004 17:50 (twenty-two years ago)
― Be sure to Loop! Loop, Loop, Loop. (ex machina), Tuesday, 25 May 2004 18:06 (twenty-two years ago)
― captain gay, Tuesday, 25 May 2004 18:20 (twenty-two years ago)
― captain gay, Tuesday, 25 May 2004 18:22 (twenty-two years ago)
― crotch thruster, Tuesday, 25 May 2004 18:23 (twenty-two years ago)
― captain gay, Tuesday, 25 May 2004 18:56 (twenty-two years ago)