The Swamp

EnochRoot wrote:

Pruitt wrote:

brian wrote:Been listening to a little XTC lately. Man, there’s a really underrated band. They should have been absolutely huge.

Always one of my favourites - been listening to them since "Drums and Wires."

"English Settlement" is one of those "3-Format Albums," owned it on vinyl, disc and now digitally. Back in 1982 (or thereabouts) I had tickets to see them, but they cancelled their tour as Andy Partridge's stage fright made it impossible for them to tour ever again.

I just discovered the new album by British Sea Power. Really good stuff.

In addition to Nirvana sucking up all the air in the room (essentially the entire decade of the '90s), the bolded really hurt XTC's ability to resonate beyond the college radio crowd.

Just did a look up, and it was 1982 when he had the breakdown. "English Settlement" - while not heading to the top of the charts - really expanded their audience (and it is a truly great album). They released a number of good albums after that, but seemed to slowly recede into the realm of cult favorites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfE-z0RN7n0

The young policeman who just can't grow a moustache will open up his book
And spoil their breakfast with reports of Asians who have been so badly kicked
Is this your son's wallet I've got here?
He must have dropped it after too much beer
Oh, officer, we can't believe our little angel is the one you've picked

And all the while Graham slept on
Dreaming of a world where he could do just what he wanted to

No thugs in our house are there, dear?
We made that clear
We made little Graham promise us he'd be a good boy

EnochRoot wrote:

Pruitt wrote:

brian wrote:Been listening to a little XTC lately. Man, there’s a really underrated band. They should have been absolutely huge.

Always one of my favourites - been listening to them since "Drums and Wires."

"English Settlement" is one of those "3-Format Albums," owned it on vinyl, disc and now digitally. Back in 1982 (or thereabouts) I had tickets to see them, but they cancelled their tour as Andy Partridge's stage fright made it impossible for them to tour ever again.

I just discovered the new album by British Sea Power. Really good stuff.

In addition to Nirvana sucking up all the air in the room (essentially the entire decade of the '90s), the bolded really hurt XTC's ability to resonate beyond the college radio crowd.

Just going from memory here, but XTC had already been around for like 10 years before Nirvana showed up, right? So, I don't see how you could blame Nirvana/grunge etc. for stealing their airspace. They had some very good songs in the 80s, but I just lumped them in with a lot of other similar-sounding bands.

sancarlos wrote:

EnochRoot wrote:

Pruitt wrote:

brian wrote:Been listening to a little XTC lately. Man, there’s a really underrated band. They should have been absolutely huge.

Always one of my favourites - been listening to them since "Drums and Wires."

"English Settlement" is one of those "3-Format Albums," owned it on vinyl, disc and now digitally. Back in 1982 (or thereabouts) I had tickets to see them, but they cancelled their tour as Andy Partridge's stage fright made it impossible for them to tour ever again.

I just discovered the new album by British Sea Power. Really good stuff.

In addition to Nirvana sucking up all the air in the room (essentially the entire decade of the '90s), the bolded really hurt XTC's ability to resonate beyond the college radio crowd.

Just going from memory here, but XTC had already been around for like 10 years before Nirvana showed up, right? So, I don't see how you could blame Nirvana/grunge etc. for stealing their airspace. They had some very good songs in the 80s, but I just lumped them in with a lot of other similar-sounding bands.

You're right. I'm (half-jokingly) letting my annoyance with Nirvana spill into my XTC rant.

XTC were one of the best rock and roll bands, period. The Squeeze meet Wire with the sensibility of Ray freakin Davies. There was another, unfortunately unrecognized level to that band, and I'm not sure shutting themselves off the stage didn't slow down their um..'synergy'? in some way after his breakdown, either.

The Squeeze is a band I need to check out, but never have. Black Coffee in Bed is one of my favorite songs now, but I only know it through XM and then I heard it while having an awesome breakfast in Las Vegas with my wife, so I always associate it with that now.

Where do I start?

So now we know why the Real Estate tour was cancelled: https://www.spin.com/2017/10/matt-monda ... legations/



(He's been out for over a year, but I can see where something like this would still cause that reaction.)

mister d wrote:So now we know why the Real Estate tour was cancelled: https://www.spin.com/2017/10/matt-monda ... legations/



(He's been out for over a year, but I can see where something like this would still cause that reaction.)

tl; dr.

Can I put Darling on my top 17 singles of 17 without feeling icky?

I guess it depends on what else comes out? He was kicked out of the band 1.5 years ago, reportedly because the drummer (who was a new member and not one of the long-time friends) heard some credible enough rumors and gave Courtney and Bleeker a him-or-me ultimatum. If that's really the first they heard, they couldn't have done anything else and probably made the decision most bands comprised friends wouldn't have. I guess its a semi-plausible "if", since they've been doing their own projects for a bit and Courtney atleast has a family ... but its hard to just fully buy in. I'll wait it out.

mister d wrote:I guess it depends on what else comes out? He was kicked out of the band 1.5 years ago, reportedly because the drummer (who was a new member and not one of the long-time friends) heard some credible enough rumors and gave Courtney and Bleeker a him-or-me ultimatum. If that's really the first they heard, they couldn't have done anything else and probably made the decision most bands comprised friends wouldn't have. I guess its a semi-plausible "if", since they've been doing their own projects for a bit and Courtney atleast has a family ... but its hard to just fully buy in. I'll wait it out.

'sup with the infighting with bands like Band of Horses (and apparently) Real Estate?

Next up: Adam Granduciel is a colossal douchebag to work with.

Giff wrote:The Squeeze is a band I need to check out, but never have. Black Coffee in Bed is one of my favorite songs now, but I only know it through XM and then I heard it while having an awesome breakfast in Las Vegas with my wife, so I always associate it with that now.

Where do I start?

Honest to God - Squeeze is a huge part of the soundtrack of my high school years.

Three key albums - "Cool For Cats" is Squeeze at their pub rocking best. Goofy, sentimental and catchy as hell.

"Argy Bargy" (their next album) full of pure pop. Delightful from start to finish.

"East Side Story" (as produced by Elvis C.) is full of all kinds of gems. Pop, country, some kind of semi-dark stuff too.

You can;t go wrong with any of these. Three albums from a band at the peak of their talent.

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

EnochRoot wrote:'sup with the infighting with bands like Band of Horses (and apparently) Real Estate?

Next up: Adam Granduciel is a colossal douchebag to work with.

Didn’t know that about band of horses. Missus D has been on a recent kick with them.

Squeeze had a great "Best of" album. For you kids, it was the first CD I ever purchased, back in 1986 or so. Funny, Paul Carrack was only in the group for a very short while, but he had lead vocal on their big hit, "Tempted".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmkmtvxxG3o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22CNnjcW2bk

I'm proud that I was able to squeeze the thread into another direction.

I'll toss this one out there since it was released when I was post-pubes...

Video replete with Ames room effects..and directed by Vivian from the Young Ones (Adrian Edmondson), no less.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sa1TgAeZlQ

Been getting back into some old-school industrial stuff and found a pretty good playlist though it's completely Wax Trax (not that that's a bad thing). Remember going through a phase in college where it seemed like all I listened to was Skinny Puppy, KMFDM, Ministry, Pigface, etc.

https://open.spotify.com/user/romulusnr ... k1ihupR0JP

Along those lines I had no idea Pet Shop Boys were still putting out music until this came up on Spotify. Been repeating this for like a week.

https://open.spotify.com/track/2RccROmA5MRRLzX8HkzreL

MM is a total blindspot for me, but this just hit me the right way this morning.

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

The last five albums I've picked up are The National, Wolf Parade, War on Drugs, St. Vincent and Grizzly Bear which means I may have reached the point where I stop finding new bands and just stick with who I already know and their new stuff.

mister d wrote:The last five albums I've picked up are The National, Wolf Parade, War on Drugs, St. Vincent and Grizzly Bear which means I may have reached the point where I stop finding new bands and just stick with who I already know and their new stuff.

Spotify helps me with that. The personalized release radar is awesome.

Its not necessarily an exposure thing, I hear new bands pretty much daily. I just don't pay as much attention and am mostly content hearing them on the radio without investing.

Thing that kills me about Spotify is they have all the data on your listening habits but your landing screen is still like "Bro-Country Top Trackz!"

I present to you -- the worst song/video combination of all-time. If you can't deal with it, just fast forward to the 2:23 mark and try not to piss your pants laughing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvrZJ5C_Nwg

P.D.X. wrote:MM is a total blindspot for me, but this just hit me the right way this morning.

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

Staple on the gym list for me. That bass line...

brian wrote:I present to you -- the worst song/video combination of all-time. If you can't deal with it, just fast forward to the 2:23 mark and try not to piss your pants laughing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvrZJ5C_Nwg

That's a joke, right? It can't be serious.

It's legit. Though it's horrifying enough that country/EDM is a mashup that exists. The "screaming cowboy" is apparently already a meme though.

I heard a country version of "Life is a Highway" while eating at a Mission BBQ with my wife yesterday.

I just said to her...

"I mean, it's not like that song flat-out sucks, but that's got to be the least cover-worthy song I've ever heard."

My daughter and her friends were howling in laughter at that screaming cowboys song a couple/few weeks ago, so it appears to have gone viral.

The neighbor kid was playing the country cover version of “Life is a highway” a couple months ago. He was shocked when I told him it was a cover of an old rock song. Kids.

I think what really takes it over the top is the guy looks like Alex Jones and if it really was Alex Jones then it might have been the funniest thing ever.

EnochRoot wrote:"I mean, it's not like that song flat-out sucks, but that's got to be the least cover-worthy song I've ever heard."

At a KEXP "covers night" show a few months back, local band Cataldo covered this:


https://youtu.be/2fsdNJAzLuU

which they said one of them had heard in the movie "How To Be Single". Its a terrible song, but somehow they made it work.

Jason Isbell was on the soundtrack for This is Us last night. He's so mainstream now, you guys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4XanEB6OzI

New Superchunk album out in February!

This single is fire. Great "fuck you to Trump and nazis" lyrics on display in this lyrics video.

Sturgill Simpson is the best, you guys.

https://twitter.com/shannonrwatts/statu ... 8731170816

Link

That took guts because you know it's a very unpopular point of view at the CMAs. Respect.

sancarlos wrote:That took guts because you know it's a very unpopular point of view at the CMAs. Respect.

Well, technically it was outside the venue and the quote was directed at the people who run the CMAs as much as it was everyone else, but it still took some balls.

sancarlos wrote:That took guts because you know it's a very unpopular point of view at the CMAs. Respect.

It sounds like hosts were at least free to mock Trump, even if they didn't make a statement of protest as elegant and concise as Simpson.

"Right now, he's probably in his PJs, reaching for his cellphone," Paisley sang. "Right now, he's probably asking Siri, 'How in the hell do you spell Pocahontas?'

"In the middle of the night from the private seat of a gold-plated White House toilet seat, he writes, 'Liddle Bob Corker,' 'NFL' and 'covfefe,' " Paisley continued, before his co-host joined in to finish the chorus.

"It's fun to watch it, that's for sure, until little Rocket Man starts a war. Then maybe next time he'll think before he tweets."

That's absolutely a big deal statement in terms of reaching younger kids with racist parents.



(Yes, I'm stereotyping a segment of country music fans.)

It's not For What It's Worth but it is something!

I think that none of you are spending the proper amount of time with the new Superchunk song that I posted yesterday.

govmentchedda wrote:I think that none of you are spending the proper amount of time with the new Superchunk song that I posted yesterday.

Pretty solid in a Buzzcocky sort of way.