What is your snowmageddon soundtrack? now playing RAGNAROK edition

[fishjim]

My anti-Floyd & -Zeppelin positions are well-known.

My anti-Floyd and pro-Zeppelin positions are known, now.

[jm]

buncha fuckin haters

[davy]

By the way, guys, it's taken about 8-10 listens, but Dynamite Steps is starting sink in now, and it's sinking deep. 8-10 listens is a lot for me, but Twilight Singers albums always take me a while to wrap my head around. The songs are slowly starting to separate themselves, and I'm catching on to the rise and fall of the record. The swells, the undercurrents.

This is a fucking outstanding record.

[davy]

Although I agree with one of the criticisms I've read: Ani DiFranco is underused. The female vocal on "Blackbird and the Fox" could be anybody.

Mark Lanegan's guest spot on "Be Invited" is a fucking highlight, though. Has me already looking forward to the next Gutter Twins record.

[davy]

And as for "The Beginning of the End" and " Dynamite Steps," well, there hasn't been a stronger 2-song closing since "Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer."

[elpollodiablo]

Although I agree with one of the criticisms I've read: Ani DiFranco is underused. The female vocal on "Blackbird and the Fox" could be anybody.

Wait, what?

[davy]

"Blackbird and the Fox" is a duet with Greg Dulli and Ani DiFranco. You can hear the female vocal just fine, but it's a little low in the mix and Ani doesn't really shine.

[Andrew_TSKS]

And as for "The Beginning of the End" and " Dynamite Steps," well, there hasn't been a stronger 2-song closing since "Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer."

But that's one song, isn't it? Slash or no slash, you can't convince me that a song called "Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer" that begins with a voice saying, "Brother Woodrow, would you lead us in our closing prayer" is a two-song medley.

[Andrew_TSKS]

Also, wouldn't Ani DiFranco singing on someone else's song either end up sounding generic or end up ruining the song? I'm not saying she's terrible, just that if she really sounded like herself, she'd sound totally incongruous. Especially on a Greg Dulli record--their styles of music are pretty dramatically different.

[ellaguru]

I like Ani DiFranco's voice.

[Andrew_TSKS]

That's not what I'm saying--I'm just saying she has a really weird voice that would sound like oil and water in a duet with pretty much anyone if she really sang it the way she normally sings on her solo albums. And if she didn't sing that way, she wouldn't sound like herself. So, as far as I can tell, the only real choices would be to have her sound like herself and throw the whole song out of whack, or sing in a way that works with the song and therefore not sound like herself.

[Andrew_TSKS]

You guys I am REALLY digging this record. I'm not usually one to get into the kind of ambient minimalist music that I tend to associate with Nick Ink, alex and edison, but this record has won me over in a major way.

Is it somehow unusual where ambient/minimalist stuff is concerned? It seems pretty loud--I'm thinking that may be the crucial factor. In fact, it really reminds me of the Klaus Schulze live CDs I reviewed a few months ago. Anyway, Nick, alex, edison, anyone else with an opinion on this sort of thing--is there other stuff in the world of ambient/minimalist music that I should be checking out if I like this?

[Nick Ink]

Andrew, there are plenty of albums/artists you might be interested in. I'd recommend these:

Tim Hecker - Harmony In Ultraviolet might be his best, so keep that one up your sleeve for when you're in danger of overplaying Ravedeath. He also made a record with Aidan Baker called Fantasma Parastasie which is very good, and earlier albums like Haunt Me, Haunt Me, Do It Again! and Mirages are excellent.

Ben Frost - By The Throat : Frost is an Australian ambi-noise bloke who actually produced Ravedeath and this album is one of the most aggressive and exciting things in the genre. It was in the top 5 of my year end list last year. You should definitely check this out. His debut album, Theory Of Machines, is also very good, and has a track on it called I Love You, Michael Gira.

Another interesting one is Fabio Orsi's newest, Stand Up Before Me, Oh My Soul! I haven't quite made up my mind about it yet, as it's a huge departure from his much mellower compositions, but it would fit in with this discussion well.

If you're interested in really noisy drone records, which might not have the dynamic shifts of the above then there are things like Nos Phillipe's self-titled EP, The North Sea's gargantuan and oppressive Bloodlines album, maybe even  Juv by Juv, all of which are basically albums made by metal fans who have turned to the light side. I even think people like Jasper TX, Fennesz and especially Black To Comm have a lot of dischord and noise in their music, although the overall tone might be a bit too blissful for what you're after.

Alva Noto's Xerrox Vol.2 perhaps, if you're feeling grainy, but I better not wander too far from the remit.

 

[Killdozersnakeboy]

Sorry Nick I deleted your post about the kode 9 record in my mistakenly started new np thread.

But:
My record player died. I'm sad. Good thing winamp tells me I have 22,233 tracks (52 days + 16:42:11) to choose from.

I went to see Walls last night. They were pretty good. Turns out one of the guys in the band runs Iron Lung records. So I got this on vinyl from the merch table:




I didn't think I'd actually get my hands on a copy of this thing. I have their first 2 7"s so was really excited to hear this. I can't play it of course so I pinched it from the internet. It's really fucking good. Shit cover though eh?

[Nick Ink]

Sorry Nick I deleted your post about the kode 9 record in my mistakenly started new np thread.

That's cool! I've taken it off and started listening to Machinefabriek now anyway - fickle bastard that I am.

[Killdozersnakeboy]

I didn't see what it was though. It was Kode 9 which is usually a good sign. What was it?

[Babar]

I'm almost at the point that I like A Saucerful of Secrets just as much as Piper at the Gates of Dawn. "Corporal Clegg" is a dud but the rest of the album is trippy jams as good as they come.

[Nick Ink]

I didn't see what it was though. It was Kode 9 which is usually a good sign. What was it?

Just the album, Memories Of The Future. Can't believe that's already 4 years old. He has a new one lined up for April though.

[narlus]

Slowdive - Catch The Breeze


'Alison' is such a great song.

[davy]

And as for "The Beginning of the End" and " Dynamite Steps," well, there hasn't been a stronger 2-song closing since "Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer."

But that's one song, isn't it? Slash or no slash, you can't convince me that a song called "Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer" that begins with a voice saying, "Brother Woodrow, would you lead us in our closing prayer" is a two-song medley.

I was stretching the truth to support my claim, yo.

[Andrew_TSKS]

And as for "The Beginning of the End" and " Dynamite Steps," well, there hasn't been a stronger 2-song closing since "Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer."

But that's one song, isn't it? Slash or no slash, you can't convince me that a song called "Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer" that begins with a voice saying, "Brother Woodrow, would you lead us in our closing prayer" is a two-song medley.

I was stretching the truth to support my claim, yo.

Oh, OK then. If you were serious I was gonna be like, "where's the song division? I will listen again...."

[Andrew_TSKS]

I'm almost at the point that I like A Saucerful of Secrets just as much as Piper at the Gates of Dawn. "Corporal Clegg" is a dud but the rest of the album is trippy jams as good as they come.

Aw man, I love "Corporal Clegg." My extensive Syd Barrett-related studies indicate that he's not on that song, but it just seems like something he would do in his goofier moments (which makes me wonder why the rest of the Floyd was so sure that he was craaaaaazy based on his later output--"Scream Thy Last Scream" is no weirder than "Corporal Clegg," and it's definitely better). If anything, "See Saw" is the song I don't dig on that album. But as a whole it's pretty great, so I'm glad you're coming around to it.

[Andrew_TSKS]

Oh, and Nick--I'm listening to "By The Throat" by Ben Frost on youtube right now and it's awesome. Thanks!

[Nick Ink]

Oh, and Nick--I'm listening to "By The Throat" by Ben Frost on youtube right now and it's awesome. Thanks!

Great!

[Babar]

I'm almost at the point that I like A Saucerful of Secrets just as much as Piper at the Gates of Dawn. "Corporal Clegg" is a dud but the rest of the album is trippy jams as good as they come.

Aw man, I love "Corporal Clegg." My extensive Syd Barrett-related studies indicate that he's not on that song, but it just seems like something he would do in his goofier moments (which makes me wonder why the rest of the Floyd was so sure that he was craaaaaazy based on his later output--"Scream Thy Last Scream" is no weirder than "Corporal Clegg," and it's definitely better). If anything, "See Saw" is the song I don't dig on that album. But as a whole it's pretty great, so I'm glad you're coming around to it.

it's ok but the kazoo part kills it for me. without it, I would probably call it a good song. i think roger waters and richard wright were kinda trying to emulate barrett's type of eclectic songwriting because at that time it was all the band was known for, so "Corporal Clegg", "Remember a Day" and "See-Saw" sound very Barrett-ish. As they moved on they emphasized evolving the "trippy space jam" type of songs rather than the "quirky child-like pop" a la Barrett and I think those were good turn of events because that eventually brought us albums like "Meddle" and "The Dark Side of the Moon".