Mac Reviews his favorite Albums

[King Of Kings]

http://thequietus.com/articles/11721-ia ... ums?page=1

[YoYoMan]

Why was I surprised he picked one of his own albums? I really should know better by now......

[bunnygod1]

Why was I surprised he picked one of his own albums? I really should know better by now......

I am surprised Ocean rain wasn't higher , More shocked by the inclusion of Abba

[fat cherry]

So, before I look, that one by the velvets, that one by the doors, Ziggy, that one by Leonard Cohen and that one by the best band in the world?
It's ok, I'll mark it myself. Here goes.

[fat cherry]

Pretty close, those two by bowie, those two by the velvets. Though I have read this before in various interviews. REM was a surprise. Also the classic tack of using a review (frank) to slag off someone else (Michael ball). Usual stuff. Some of the comments are funny.

[bunnygod1]

It was very predictable, other than the awful Abba inclusion. Which managed mention Jimmy Saville in his comments

[YoYoMan]

It might have been neat if it was his favorite album from each of his 10 favorite bands. Because it was like - here's another Bowie album - and here's another Lou Reed album - surprise! another Bowie album. REM & ABBA were surprises, but it would have been cool to hear more surprises. Maybe some bands I'm not as familiar with that I might want to check out?? I also have never cared for REM (don't shoot me!) so the article was a disappointment for me personally. I really expected to see Joshua Tree on there. hahahha!!!!

[Dr Cheese]

the awful Abba inclusion.

Wash your mouth out.

[fat cherry]

I'm with Cheesey- classic band.

As for the format, having it open choice is quite unusual I think, so if it was me i'd probably chuck in a couple from some bands. I'd have expected a pixies reference maybe, he was singing their praises back in the electrafixion days. When Ken Bruce does his 'tracks of my years' bit on the transistor radio - choice of single tracks for our non-radio 2 loving chums - its surprising how many artists choose one of their own - on the pretext it changed their life. So maybe not a pretext then. Though not many compare themselves with rembrandt or whatever though.

[bunnygod1]

the awful Abba inclusion.

Wash your mouth out.

It pains me to even type the "A" word

[YoYoMan]

I'm with Cheesey- classic band.

As for the format, having it open choice is quite unusual I think, so if it was me i'd probably chuck in a couple from some bands. I'd have expected a pixies reference maybe, he was singing their praises back in the electrafixion days. When Ken Bruce does his 'tracks of my years' bit on the transistor radio - choice of single tracks for our non-radio 2 loving chums - its surprising how many artists choose one of their own - on the pretext it changed their life. So maybe not a pretext then. Though not many compare themselves with rembrandt or whatever though.

You know - all of those albums except REM were probably discovered in Ian's youth - maybe not Sinatra. And if you look at choices by post-punk artists, they seem to point to T Rex, Roxy Music, etc. And I've read interviews with music veterans, and they often outright say they don't listen to new music. And it's the same with me. Seems like it's human nature for there to be a sweet spot in one's formative years when your musical tastes are established. So, I'm not surprised Ian didn't pick out any of the great albums of post-punk or later (except REM and his own stuff). Actually, REM was the biggest shocker, because of this theory of mine.

[Sick4Tunz]

Seems like it's human nature for there to be a sweet spot in one's formative years when your musical tastes are established.

I'm blessed. With few exceptions (that includes the Bunnymen), that "classic" rock from my youth has been tossed in the garbage bin. Unlistenable. There is so much good music being produced today, preferring lesser known bands and small venues. I can't get enough of it! Maybe it's my philosophy of always looking forward and minimizing the influence of the past, which I'll reserve for my death bed.

[YoYoMan]

Seems like it's human nature for there to be a sweet spot in one's formative years when your musical tastes are established.

I'm blessed. With few exceptions (that includes the Bunnymen), that "classic" rock from my youth has been tossed in the garbage bin. Unlistenable. There is so much good music being produced today, preferring lesser known bands and small venues. I can't get enough of it! Maybe it's my philosophy of always looking forward and minimizing the influence of the past, which I'll reserve for my death bed.

For real? Now, I'm interested in what you listen to. I probably haven't been particularly excited about current music since I was 20.

[fat cherry]

Thinking about it I haven't really listened to anything new for years. The last new stuff I did have was when one of my daughters bought me a kodaline album, which I quite liked for a bit but after a while only ever listened to the first one or two songs. Did have a period a few years back of investigating apparent gaps in my music collection, with mixed results (fairly obvious really). What did I learn - Bowies berlin period was (and is) really good (and that was before he snuffed it), the beatles weren't nearly as good as everyone says, I really like mid seventies sleazy stones, and apparently i already had the only decent album by simple minds.

Since moving to the country I have actually seen more bands than in recent years, though being the country, and perhaps having mike harding as an influential local figure we get alot of folk - again with mixed results for me. Give me a few loud thrashing guitars any day. Right, where's me pipe and slippers......

[YoYoMan]

Thinking about it I haven't really listened to anything new for years. The last new stuff I did have was when one of my daughters bought me a kodaline album, which I quite liked for a bit but after a while only ever listened to the first one or two songs. Did have a period a few years back of investigating apparent gaps in my music collection, with mixed results (fairly obvious really). What did I learn - Bowies berlin period was (and is) really good (and that was before he snuffed it), the beatles weren't nearly as good as everyone says, I really like mid seventies sleazy stones, and apparently i already had the only decent album by simple minds.

Since moving to the country I have actually seen more bands than in recent years, though being the country, and perhaps having mike harding as an influential local figure we get alot of folk - again with mixed results for me. Give me a few loud thrashing guitars any day. Right, where's me pipe and slippers......

Haha, I did the same thing. I exhausted (or so I thought at the time), the periods/genres of music that were my favorite, so I would buy some "classic" albums & check them out. This was about 15 years ago. I was really surprised that I did not recognize the greatness of all of the these universally acclaimed rock albums. I specifically recall buying The Beatles' Revolver, T Rex's Electric Warrior, and Aerosmith's Rocks the same weekend. Electric Warrior is definitely the least heralded of the three, esp. in the US. But that was the one that blew me away - it still cycles through my rotation today, and I count it as an all time favorite. I liked Rocks for a bit some, but I quit listening to it soon after. Revolver sometimes tops lists as the greatest album ever, but I didn't like it at all. I'm the weirdo who doesn't like The Beatles. I don't advertise that.

A few other classic albums I bought without prior listening that did not register with me - Ziggy Stardust, Exile on Main Street, and Television's Marquee Moon. Exile seemed bluesy, and I never really developed an appreciation for that outside some Zeppelin (though the bluesier they were, the less I liked them). It didn't seem to have the pop-friendly hooks you hear with the Stones' massive hits. I just found Ziggy Stardust boring. From the reviews, I thought Marquee Moon would be a shoe-in for me. Didn't get it and found it unenjoyable.

I think the last current music I was into was actually way back with The Verve and Bittersweet Symphony. Even before that became huge, I had that song on Repeat forever - and I didn't have the album (it wasn't out yet). I recorded the music video & watched it over and over. Really liked that song obviously. And at the time, it wasn't just listening to the catchiest tune. I identified with the Brit Pop deal. Musically, was a big time anglophile. That was when I was young like I was saying though. I don't think I'd take a music scene as part of my identify at this age. The last album I discovered as it was fresh that I added to my rotation was Interpol's first one - 14 years ago. So I'm probably a little extreme. I still find old stuff I like real well and insert into the rotation. Did a deeper dive into Siouxsie & the Banshees most recently, and that was very fruitful.