Every CD I own . . .

Paul_C

CD#24 David Crosby - If I Could Only Remember My Name . . .

Groovy.

CD25# Gene - Drawn To The Deep End

I love this album, Fighting Fit is one of my favourite "get the adrenaline flowing" songs and there are plenty of other great tunes too. Despite that I have never bought anything else by Gene, no idea why, maybe this all I need.

CD#26 Tubeway Army - Tubeway Army

After Tubeway Army with guitars and synths gave way to Gary Numan and the guitars were dropped I lost interest, apart from buying the single Cars. I certainly heard some of the subsequent GN stuff but it didn't thrill me the way this and Replicas did.

Paul_C

Day 7

CD#27 Eels - Souljacker

Not on my list of favourite albums, this to me is a bit of a mish-mash of quiet introspection mixed with distortion, both vocals and guitars. It's not awful but there's not much to encourage me to put it on.

CD#28 Catatonia - International Velvet got to give.

One or two misses, but mostly great pop tunes sung with husky Welsh-accented passion, Road Rage will always be my favourite Catatonia song but there's more besides, great fun.

CD#29 Steely Dan - Can't Buy A Thrill

A great band for Sunday morning relaxation.

CD#30 Robert Wyatt - Comicopera

 Weird and wonderful. With the 3 for £x offers from Exmouth Indoor Market I often pick up CDs where I like the packaging/artwork, or it's perhaps an artist whose work I'd be unlikely to buy from Amazon, and this is most definitely in both categories, which is how I come to own it. It's not a CD for putting on while doing your accounts as it demands much more of your attention if you're going to get from it all it's got to give.

CD#31 Nic Jones - Penguin Eggs

Some great playing amidst the tales of sailors, lost loves and all the typical trials and tribulations of characters found within folk songs. Rightly considered a classic.

Paul_C

One week down, 31 CDs listened to.

If I carry on at that rate I should be able to listen to pretty much all of it in 20 weeks, though as I'll have visited my Dad three or four times between now and then, I'll have moved the goalposts a little. . .

That's if I don't give up of course. Although I have enjoyed it so far there's no guarantee that faced with 50 CDs still to listen, none of which I really like, I won't pack it in.

Having said that only I know how many CDs I own, but then I'll only be cheating myself - which it's possible I might be able to live with

Paul_C

Day 8

CD#32 Jenny Lewis - Rabbit Fur Coat

First solo album away from Rilo Kiley and a year away from their last (and for me, weakest) album. This probably showed her that she could easily go it alone and maybe hastened the end, as it's pretty good (not sure about the Wilburys cover though).

CD#33 Stereophonics - Just Enough Education To Perform

It's got some good tunes (though it did get a bit much by the end) and it's much more slick (and laid back) than the raw feistiness of Word Gets Around.

Sadly.

CD#34 Sixpence None The Richer - Sixpence None The Richer

There are some nice songs on this besides Kiss Me, and my re-released version also has a cover of That Song originally by The La's.

CD#35 R.E.M. - Murmur

More often than not I prefer a band's early work over their later, more commercial stuff, but in R.E.M.'s case my favourite period is probably between albums 5 and 9, though there is a lot worth listening to either side of that, this included.

CD#36 Nirvana - In Utero

Another one I'd forgotten I'd bought, though 8 songs in I'd say that song for song I prefer Nevermind which might explain why I don't recall it.


CD#38 Fairport Convention - Liege and Lief

A nice relaxing contrast to Nirvana to end the day.

Paul_C

Day 9

CD#39 The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

I finally got round to buying this iconic album a view years ago and was disappointed. On listening again I've now come to the conclusion that I was right first time. God Only Knows is sublime, and Wouldn't It Be Nice is not far off, but take them away and there's not much left.

CD#40 Eric Roche - With These Hands

I've got a few of these one-man-with-a-guitar CDs, and whilst most of them contain some pleasant pieces of music there is one huge problem for me.

In my opinion, most of the time they would sound better if they were played by more than one musician, and this is clear when all you have is the sound and not the sight of the musician performing the gymnastics often needed to combine all the sounds you hear. The guitar sound is compromised by the setup of the instrument so it's easier to tap and the rhythmic accompaniment is a series of taps and thumps in the places where something can be squeezed in.

So while I admire the skill and the dedication which allows someone to create these pieces with one guitar and no loops or any support from another musician, in the cold light of day it's not as good as it could be.

CD#41 Rilo Kiley - Take Offs and Landings

Their first album, a long way from the neutered, polished Under The Blacklight. I do like quirky, adventurous indie-pop and this album is a fine example.

CD#42 Small Faces - Ogden's Nut Gone Flake

If I'd paid £20 for this CD and all it had on it was Afterglow of Your Love it would have been money well spent, but as it turned out there were lots of other great tunes (and Stanley Unwin) on it too it was an absolute bargain.

TTony

Paul_C said:

Day 9

CD#39 The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds

I finally got round to buying this iconic album a view years ago and was disappointed.

Ditto - on both counts.

Perhaps all the hype over the last few decades has built expectations up too far.  Perhaps you just had to be there in the era in which it was released to appreciate it fully.  I suppose it's difficult to appreciate how "ground-breaking" something was unless you were actually there to realise that it was unlike anything that ever went before.

?

EricTheWeary

TTony;1011766" said:

Paul_C said:

Day 9



CD#39 The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds









I finally got round to buying this iconic album a view years ago and was

disappointed.












Ditto - on both counts.

Perhaps all the hype over the last few decades has built expectations up too far.  Perhaps you just had to be there in the era in which it was released to appreciate it fully.  I suppose it's difficult to appreciate how "ground-breaking" something was unless you were actually there to realise that it was unlike anything that ever went before.

?

I wondered what else was in the UK album charts in 1966. Beatles, Stones and the best selling was... Soundtrack to the Sound of Music. Maybe Pet Sounds hovvered between people who liked Rubber Soul and those who liked the SofM. I'd have to say I appreciate rather than like the Beach Boys.

ICBM

I quite like Pet Sounds, although I would now struggle to name a track on it other than God Only Knows and Wouldn't It Be Nice.

It's possibly more important as a major influence on the Beatles at the time. George Martin said "without Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper never would have happened ... Pepper was an attempt to equal Pet Sounds." - but in the event far exceeded it.

Sporky

Paul_C said:

CD#17 Silver Sun - Silver Sun

The Beach Boys crossed with The Toy Dolls - need I say more ?  Brilliant.

Bonus points if you can make any sense of the lyrics to Lava.

It is a glorious album. At the risk of being burned at some sort of stake, it's what the Beach Boys would have sounded like if they were better. Much better.

Paul_C

Sporky said:

Paul_C said:

CD#17 Silver Sun - Silver Sun

The Beach Boys crossed with The Toy Dolls - need I say more ?  Brilliant.

Bonus points if you can make any sense of the lyrics to Lava.

It is a glorious album. At the risk of being burned at some sort of stake, it's what the Beach Boys would have sounded like if they were better. Much better.

Song for song I like the second album more, but I haven't got to it yet   I keep meaning to get hold of the rest of "their" albums but somehow never plucked up the courage

Paul_C

CD#43 Emily Slade - Fretless

Singer-songwriter, folky tunes sung with a very nice voice, nothing breathtaking but a pleasant way to start the day.

CD#44 Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

Some great tunes topped off with that bass bit every F1 fan knows (it sounds to me like the finest of all basses, a Fender Precision).

CD#45 Oasis - Definitely Maybe

Two or three decent tracks (which is better than The La's) but it does get a bit samey after a while. I didn't buy any more Oasis albums after this one, though there are one or two of their later songs I like (but not Wonderwall).

CD#46 Ash - Nu-clear Sounds

I like some of the things Ash have done, but none of them are on this CD.

bobblehat

ICBM said:

I quite like Pet Sounds, although I would now struggle to name a track on it other than God Only Knows and Wouldn't It Be Nice.

It's possibly more important as a major influence on the Beatles at the time. George Martin said "without Pet Sounds, Sgt. Pepper never would have happened ... Pepper was an attempt to equal Pet Sounds." - but in the event far exceeded it.

I felt the same way about Sgt Peppers!

In my all be it limited experience very few so called classic albums live up to the hype.

markv

Well done for making the effort so far. This is something I keep meaning to do but with about 2,500 albums it's going to take a while.

Also, I can't listen to an album just once and come to a conclusion on it - I need to live with it for a few days, sometimes longer. Some of my favourite albums are those that grew on me over a period of weeks or even months. Most of the Steely Dan albums come into this category, for example.

Sporky

Paul_C said:

Song for song I like the second album more, but I haven't got to it yet   I keep meaning to get hold of the rest of "their" albums but somehow never plucked up the courage

I've not heard anything but the first album - I will investigate further.

Philly_Q

markv said:

Also, I can't listen to an album just once and come to a conclusion on it - I need to live with it for a few days, sometimes longer. Some of my favourite albums are those that grew on me over a period of weeks or even months. 

And the opposite can be true - an album which bowls you over on the very first hearing can sometimes become boring after just a few more listens.

EricTheWeary

Every cd I own would eventually include things like Blues Backing Tracks and The Mail on Sunday Presents Easy Like Sunday Morning. So, I'm looking forward to more of Paul's cd choices as he seems to have been more discriminating than me.

Paul_C

Day 11

CD#47 The Himalayans - She Likes The Weather

The band that Adam Duritz left when Counting Crows took off, they're a little bit busier than CC but not so different for Round Here to sound unfamiliar (the Counting Crow version being a cover albeit with the same vocalist).

CD#48 Ruth Theodore - White Holes of Mole Hills

I bought this from Exmouth Indoor Market because the packaging caught my eye and when I looked at her website I discovered I already had one of her earlier albums, which I'd bought from Exmouth Indoor Market because the packaging caught my eye . . .

CD#49 Fastball - All The Pain Money Can Buy

Bought off the back of the single (The Way), which is probably the only Fastball song most people will have heard - there are at least half of the remaining 12 tracks which are just as good, so definitely a result in my book.

CD#50 The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love

The Decemberists are a relatively recent find, which is always fun when you find that the "new" band have a sizeable back catalogue. This is my most recent purchase but their 5th album (of 7) and was begun as a song based on an Anne Briggs EP title, which blossomed into an album with motifs spread throughout and a full tale told. I wasn't sure the first time, but it's grown on me and I like it a lot.

Paul_C

EricTheWeary said:

Every cd I own would eventually include things like Blues Backing Tracks and The Mail on Sunday Presents Easy Like Sunday Morning. So, I'm looking forward to more of Paul's cd choices as he seems to have been more discriminating than me.

I've got a box full of Mojo/Uncut cover discs but they won't be included - there are some others that might also be left out, but none through embarrassment, those will all stay in

markv said:

Well done for making the effort so far. This is something I keep meaning to do but with about 2,500 albums it's going to take a while.

Also, I can't listen to an album just once and come to a conclusion on it - I need to live with it for a few days, sometimes longer. Some of my favourite albums are those that grew on me over a period of weeks or even months. Most of the Steely Dan albums come into this category, for example.

Most of these I've had for years - some have been listened to repeatedly but others have been consigned to the "rubbish" pile for so long that I felt the need to refresh my memory as to just how bad they are, with the chance that I might change my mind.

Paul_C

Sporky said:

Paul_C said:

Song for song I like the second album more, but I haven't got to it yet   I keep meaning to get hold of the rest of "their" albums but somehow never plucked up the courage

I've not heard anything but the first album - I will investigate further.

Neo Wave is the one.

Paul_C

Day 12

CD#51 Lee 'Scratch' Perry and The Upsetters

A compilation album full of cool dub, animal noises and gunfire. Weird and groovy.

CD#52 Good Cop Bad Cop - Liberal Hearts Bleeding

Great local band, a Foo Fighters/QOTSA kind of thing with a hint of Bauhaus in the vocals.

CD#53 The Good The Bad & The Queen - The Good The Bad & The Queen

I mostly like this, though if I recall it drags a bit towards the end (it did a little).

CD#54 Annette Bjergfeldt - The Kissing Post

Another one bought on the back of a friend's review, I had it in my head as "a bit meh" but it's much nicer than that, though it's perhaps more nicely played and pleasant rather than striking, or particularly memorable.

CD#55 The Jam - All Mod Cons

A great album from a great band, part of the soundtrack of my teenage years and still fresh and exciting 38 years later.