What Are You Listening To?

[Tiggi]

I'm eager to please today...

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Not sure when I got in to XTC. Either this one or English Settlement clicked causing me to back track. This is the groups fourth album. Love four tracks here with General and Majors leading the way. A couple of duds also. Four singles released with Sgt Rock charting the highest at #16 in the U.K. which is the same as the album there. In the states the best the album could do is #41, which was their highest charting album here. Must have really loved them in New Zealand where it went to #1. Those New Zealanders are always so hip. Three tracks were added to the re-release in '87 which I have not heard. I guess the diehards had to have it. I'm a dieeasy. Funny that Virgin label head Richard Branson appears in the video for Generals And Majors.

I LIKE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Travels In Nihilon

Best Track - Generals And Majors

Generals and Majors ah ah
they're never too far
from battlefields so glorious
out in a world of their own
They'll never come down
till once again victorious

Generals and Majors always
seem so unhappy 'less they got a war

Generals and Majors ah ah
like never before are tired of being actionless.

Calling Generals and Majors
Generals and Majors everywhere
Calling Generals and Majors
your World War III is drawing near

Generals and Majors ah ah
They're never too far
away from men who made the grade
out in a world of their own
They'll never come down
until the battle's lost or made

Generals and Majors ah ah
like never before, are tired of being in the shade

1) Respectable Street ***
video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqDFGpd845Y
2) Generals And Majors ***
video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCW6Kte2o1A
3) Living Through Another Cuba **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gF1Edy3uIM
4) Love At First Sight **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVzjKPuMQ88
5) Rocket From A Bottle **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xSoFm_T5-w
6) No Language In Our Lungs **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tju13IUmxIM
7) Towers Of London ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1EmU1k5Ue8
8) Paper And Iron (Notes And Coins) **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3NHRhRw8hY
9) Burning With Optimism's Flames **
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-ips-W3p7I
10) Sgt Rock (Is Going To Help Me) ***
live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F787gCCVP2Y
11) Travels In Nihilon *
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fve2fqtiF18

3's - 4
2's - 5
1's - 2

Grade - 2.2

[SteveO]

Beautiful music from album Low, which at the time of release was scoffed at ! Now it has become an ambient new age Classic like many others that TIG mentioned !!!!! I wonder if the group LOW took their name from this album ?[video=youtube;j9rELaQztqk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9rELaQztqk[/video]

[Tiggi]

^ Don't know about that, but Nick Lowe put this out:

[Tiggi]

1997 debut from Glasgow Post-Rockers.

Mogwai have three modes of operation on this album:

1. Start gently with beautiful, genuinely fragile music (the sort of thing that would suit SteveO's "soft music" request), which stays gentle and fragile.

2. Start gently with beautiful, genuinely fragile music (the sort of thing that would suit SteveO's "soft music" request), then build this slowly into a crescendo of soaring, feedbacky guitar noise/music.

3. Start gently with beautiful, genuinely fragile music (the sort of thing that would suit SteveO's "soft music" request), then rip your ears off with a sudden explosion of soaring, feedbacky guitar noise. Then sometimes repeat the process.

Mode three is scary at high volume, so comes with a mandatory warning for those of a weak ticker disposition.

Good music, which is pretty much vocal free. If there's any criticism, it's that the developments are slow, and can be a tad repetitive. At the same time, this is quite effective at building tension, so you pays your money...


AllMusic 4+/5 stars.

[SteveO]

Thanks, Tig for this one !

[mtthwibrahim]

Right now I'm pumping Trout Mask Replica like I do everyday after school, but after that I'm gonna jam to some Grateful Dead

[Tiggi]

Her second, from 1995.

Aimee Mann deserves greater recognition IMV. She operates at the Poppier end of Alt-Rock, and her song-writing is damned good.

There are bits of Grunge-Lite on this album, which is chock-full of memorable melodies, and taken as a whole this is a very good album.


AllMusic 3+/5 stars.

[TraceNspace]

Love Aimee Mann! Couldn't agree with you more.

[SteveO]

In my view Trout Mask Replica - Capt. Beefheart - one of the greatest albums ever ! Light years ahead of its' time !!!!! Good to hear it mentioned !