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The Album that made you change your mind.
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23-08-2018 6:18pm#1Albums! Remember those?
Some of the chat in the "guess the band" got my thinking of this question - What's the one album that you listened to that at first left you feeling decidedly one way, before making you dramatically reconsider your initial thoughts and opinions?
We've all had it happen to us: you give something a chance based on reviews, other's opinions or the reputation of the record, or maybe you've just wanted to hear something that's widely reviled - and you're left thinking... "yeah?"
But, then, something changes...
It's generally an experience that means a bit more if you grow to love something, rather than the opposite: just growing bored or out of something that you initially thought was pretty good, because, quite frankly, that's frequent enough IMO - For instance, I thought I liked Deafheaven's new record; now I think it's bang average. I prefer a happy ending to these tales.
Personally I find that some records I can't get my head around at first, but then I grow to slowly appreciate are the ones that eventually end up occupying a special place in my heart. You know the ones.
Number One for me has to be Pink Flag by Wire
I was working my way through the "classics" at the time. Getting acquainted with the canon I suppose. This was one of those albums that frequently popped on lists of the best punk/best 70's rock/best this, that and the other. So I did the decent thing and bought the CD - those were the days! - and gave it a good few spins in my ever faithful discman.
And I was left confused. How did this thing have such a reputation? While it never actually topped any lists I'd come across, it was definitely a fixture in enough of them to suggest that some people somewhere did rate it somehow. I couldn't understand that, even after about ten listens.
There seemed to be nothing to it really; a seemingly endless amount of songs that were all pretty short and had the same laughably basic sound to them. Okay, maybe some were a bit longer or a bit faster, but it was pretty hard to distinguish one from the other; did those afficiandos of this album actually have no functional ears to speak of?
But, back then - at least for me anyway - if you blew twenty quid on an album you'd try to wring every last drop out it before you said, no, not for me thanks. For sure, I was approaching that point, but I was giving it another spin to be certain and as I was listening to one of the seemingly interchangeable songs, which I now know to be "Ex-Lion Tamer", it dawned on me that the song had a decent enough hook in its chorus - "Stay glued to your TV set!" - and there was definitely something in the way the guitars played off against each other in the songs outro...This song might actually be pretty good y'know.
I was at the races after that. From then on the more I listened, the better the album got. There was something in every tune, no matter how short or basic it seemed. And, fck me, even if the general musical approach or instrumentation never fundamentally changed, there was clearly huge differences from one song to another once I began to notice them - some were dark and threatening, others were joyous, others full of attitude and there was a few that were basically flawless pop songs drenched in guitar. Eventually it was the only album I listened to for about a month straight and I did not care one bit. Every song was a killer and some were absolute genius. The album never stopped giving. I was converted into a zealot about the band for a while and would get borderline evangelical about their singular genius to anyone who would listen - and a lot who wouldn't.
To this day I don't know how they pulled it off. It's an incredibly minimal album in many ways but there's such depth to it at the same time. It feels cold and distant, but also very human. It's a special record, and to think I couldn't stand it at first.
So what's your story?8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wi94-JGrtcComments
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Great idea for a thread!
I had a similar enough experience with Pink Flag myself. Apart from that, the one that springs to mind is Radiohead - In Rainbows. For some reason it didn't quite grab me the first few times I listened to it. It didn't compare to either their classic album 'Ok Computer' or the more 'out there' but excellent 'Hail to the Thief'. It just seemed a bit bland by comparison, so I kind of set it aside.
Then while browsing youtube one day, I came across some videos of songs from the album that were made by Radiohead fans as part of a competition (run by the band afaik). Anyway the winning video for the song 'Weird Fishes' absolutely blew me away...not just the video but the song. I think sometimes the combination of images and sound can elevate a song to a completely new level...for me watching this homemade video was a revelation, like the images facilitated the song in reaching the right part of my brain.
Anyway after this I revisited the whole album and it just completely floored me...to such an extent that it's not only my favourite Radiohead album, but one of my all time top five. It's amazing, the quality of the production, songwriting, musicianship...it has rock-out moments, groovy beats, beautiful tunes like Reckoner, and some terrifically atmospheric moments like Nude and All I Need...just a fantastic record that I just wasn't quite ready to hear when first released.
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Not too many examples of this in my music listening life,one might be leatherface when first introduced to them by a mate in the mid 90's. I thought they were sh1t,yer man can't sing etc but I revisited those albums and now in 2018 I rate
Mush as one of the best punk rock records ever made.Idles might claim that crown if Joy as an act is as good as those with previews say.
Pixies liked them instantly,radiohead actually I went the other way liked the Bends and up to OK Computer but lost interest after and now can't stand Toms whiny voice now.0 -
Albums! Remember those?
Some of the chat in the "guess the band" got my thinking of this question - What's the one album that you listened to that at first left you feeling decidedly one way, before making you dramatically reconsider your initial thoughts and opinions?
We've all had it happen to us: you give something a chance based on reviews, other's opinions or the reputation of the record, or maybe you've just wanted to hear something that's widely reviled - and you're left thinking... "yeah?"
But, then, something changes...
It's generally an experience that means a bit more if you grow to love something, rather than the opposite: just growing bored or out of something that you initially thought was pretty good, because, quite frankly, that's frequent enough IMO - For instance, I thought I liked Deafheaven's new record; now I think it's bang average. I prefer a happy ending to these tales.
Personally I find that some records I can't get my head around at first, but then I grow to slowly appreciate are the ones that eventually end up occupying a special place in my heart. You know the ones.
Number One for me has to be Pink Flag by Wire
I was working my way through the "classics" at the time. Getting acquainted with the canon I suppose. This was one of those albums that frequently popped on lists of the best punk/best 70's rock/best this, that and the other. So I did the decent thing and bought the CD - those were the days! - and gave it a good few spins in my ever faithful discman.
And I was left confused. How did this thing have such a reputation? While it never actually topped any lists I'd come across, it was definitely a fixture in enough of them to suggest that some people somewhere did rate it somehow. I couldn't understand that, even after about ten listens.
There seemed to be nothing to it really; a seemingly endless amount of songs that were all pretty short and had the same laughably basic sound to them. Okay, maybe some were a bit longer or a bit faster, but it was pretty hard to distinguish one from the other; did those afficiandos of this album actually have no functional ears to speak of?
But, back then - at least for me anyway - if you blew twenty quid on an album you'd try to wring every last drop out it before you said, no, not for me thanks. For sure, I was approaching that point, but I was giving it another spin to be certain and as I was listening to one of the seemingly interchangeable songs, which I now know to be "Ex-Lion Tamer", it dawned on me that the song had a decent enough hook in its chorus - "Stay glued to your TV set!" - and there was definitely something in the way the guitars played off against each other in the songs outro...This song might actually be pretty good y'know.
I was at the races after that. From then on the more I listened, the better the album got. There was something in every tune, no matter how short or basic it seemed. And, fck me, even if the general musical approach or instrumentation never fundamentally changed, there was clearly huge differences from one song to another once I began to notice them - some were dark and threatening, others were joyous, others full of attitude and there was a few that were basically flawless pop songs drenched in guitar. Eventually it was the only album I listened to for about a month straight and I did not care one bit. Every song was a killer and some were absolute genius. The album never stopped giving. I was converted into a zealot about the band for a while and would get borderline evangelical about their singular genius to anyone who would listen - and a lot who wouldn't.
To this day I don't know how they pulled it off. It's an incredibly minimal album in many ways but there's such depth to it at the same time. It feels cold and distant, but also very human. It's a special record, and to think I couldn't stand it at first.
So what's your story?
Listened to that album twice today and yeah some songs I liked and others not so much. Second song in is the 'elastica song' so recognised that one. I thought the bass guitar was excellent all the way through. I will have to listen a few more times,read the lyrics to see whats going on but a positive review so far.0 -
The b@stards cant dance ..but no seems to care ..
I thought it couldn't happen in my time
A psychologist's dream of regressive things
It's flared up again it's flared up again
I don't think they can know what they are doing
It's a curse and you know that it's worse than the first time
We are survivors of that seventies tragedy
Know know know na know We are survivors *before I know* it's beyond belief
You know I've seen some things in my time
But nothing as heinous as your Chinos
They've flared up again they keep your shoes dry in the rain
There's plenty of water on your brain
It's absurd but this is the world this is the world
Then the bastards can't dance but no one seems to care
The the the the the The bastards can't dance and no one seems to care
I thought it couldn't happen in my time
Psychologist's dream of regressive things
Flared up again flared up again and again and again
I don't think they can know what they are doing
And we are survivors of that seventies tragedy
And their designers are beyond belief
The bastards can't dance and no one seems to care
The the the the the And their designers are beyond belief0 -
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The cover of the 15th its on par with the original but adds to it as well ..more precise ..
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Pink Flag definitely a special album. It's specialness spoke to me in ways I didnt get for a long time but somehow ensured I went back to it every so often over a period of years. It's a well crafted album of simple, well crafted tracks and i think there's beauty in its simplicity that is irresistible. Good choice OP.
My album of choice for this thread has to be Junkyard by The Birthday Party. Nick Cafe's 2nd album 'Firstborn is Dead' knocked me out and had me on the lookout for more of this man. I picked up Junkyard on vinyl on the Virgin Megastore.
First listen was a real WTF experience- couldn't say I liked it but also couldn't say I didn't - but there was something about this album; some weird kind of hooks that kept me coming back to it infrequently over a period of years. At some point Junkyard clicked with me and, a bit like Pink Flag, I now consider it to be a beautifully crafted, musically stupendous, true work of art. The Birthday Party at their very,very best. Dare I say it, Nick Cave's high point, IMO.
Junkyard may well be hard going for the uninitiated but by way of indulging myself here's a track from the album:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNRCvG9YtYI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deUYdveJziI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DUuFbCtGUM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzuIn-qj_P8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSiBZIpcNQY
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