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Post by dandyhighwayman on Nov 19, 2006 21:28:08 GMT 1
#96 Herbert "Bodily Functions"
Top 5 tracks: Suddenly, The Audience, You Saw It All, You're Unknown To Me, Foreign Bodies
Here's a true dance pioneer. Matthew Herbert has pushed the boundaries of sampling and creates albums on a concept of using certain types of samples, for this one he chose to use samples of body noises so therefore the entire album is made of humans from hip slapping, through leg stroking to just plain old boring singing! The first thing to point out is that you actually can't really tell this unless you are really listening which is praise to the album itself really. For anyone who isn't familiar with his work, try either 'Suddenly' or 'The Audience' as a starting point and you won't go far wrong - although I'd recommend his most recent album 'Scale' also as a true insight into the electro-soul. He has a celebrity fan in Roisin Murphy (Moloko) also as she demonstrated by choosing to work with him on her solo project.
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Post by dandyhighwayman on Nov 19, 2006 21:31:02 GMT 1
Royksopp one sounds interesting. Good for Peej and Moby - don't think I'm interested at all in getting the MJ one though. Peej still baffles me somewhat, I wish I liked her other albums more (I am getting rather fond of TBMYL mind) as I feel I should to become a true Banshee fan.
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Post by Laurence on Nov 19, 2006 22:10:59 GMT 1
Hmmm,it's weird. I thought la Peej was more inaccessible and less warm as the others but it's more that she scares you into submission.
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Post by dandyhighwayman on Nov 19, 2006 22:36:41 GMT 1
Yep, Peej brings out the wuss* in this poster. She just seems a bit harsh and, as I say, I just don't find it comfortable listening normally. There are undoubted moments of brilliance on all of her albums I own though, perhaps I should make a compilation cd to break myself in gently?!!!
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Post by Chris on Nov 19, 2006 23:41:39 GMT 1
Great thread Dandy.I'm an albums guy more than a singles one.Have Play and Dangerous.Very interested to see the rest.How many a day will you post?
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Post by dandyhighwayman on Nov 20, 2006 0:00:31 GMT 1
Urm... I shall make no promises on that front - despite my constant bugging of Homes to finish his, I do know that it's difficult to find time to finish these things. I'll possibly aim to do a few a day but I doubt it will progress much quicker than that if I'm honest.
I hope the rest lives up to your expectations Chris, I'd vouch for the quality of every album in the list but it does have a more recent bias as I don't own that many albums from before the 1980s.
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Post by Zodiac on Nov 20, 2006 0:11:31 GMT 1
JOLLY GOOD
Well, I have err 1/5th of the albums so far. I dug Play out for the first time in quite a while the other day... i'd sorta forgotten how good an album it is. I have Melody AM, which I like muchly, so I should probably invest in The Understanding too, if it's that good...
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Post by Chris on Nov 20, 2006 0:11:46 GMT 1
I do enjoy Dangerous still but it's too long and much prefer Thriller and Bad.In fact think I'll do mine but a shorter list.I've albums going back to the 60's but on CD.I gave Play a spin yesterday and thought it was still great.
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Post by Laurence on Nov 20, 2006 19:23:56 GMT 1
Urm... I shall make no promises on that front - despite my constant bugging of Homes to finish his, I do know that it's difficult to find time to finish these things. I'll possibly aim to do a few a day but I doubt it will progress much quicker than that if I'm honest. Yes, it's difficult to finish these things once you start - people always think you have forgotten to finish it but I haven't. It's a question of time and being in the mood - that said, it's not a chore to do, it's a pleasure. Take as long as you need.
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Post by Chris on Nov 20, 2006 19:33:46 GMT 1
Yeah but I'm dying to know what's in his top 10.
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Post by Maximo Mark on Nov 20, 2006 20:43:43 GMT 1
You should, it would no doubt be an interesting read. I probably shall then! Along with my top 419 singles of the past 5 years!
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Post by dandyhighwayman on Nov 20, 2006 21:14:59 GMT 1
#95 Duran Duran "Rio"
Top 5 tracks: Save A Prayer, My Own Way, Rio, Hungry Like The Wolf, New Religion
Anyone else think that Simon Le Bon just cannot dance to save his life? Well it's a good job he made up for it in voice, songs and hair then. This is considered their masterpiece and it's easy to see why - firstly it takes four absolutely flawless singles (the energy and glamour of Rio, the catchy and flirty Hungry Like The Wolf, the stadium balladry of Save A Prayer and the arty My Own Way) and surrounds them with not-so-instant but still great album tracks. It's possibly also Duran Duran at their most flamboyant and expensive as they sing songs of the high life (The Chauffuer being a rather interesting track about it's namesake and a lustfull desire for his passenger). It perfectly summarises the excesses of the 80s and then presses it to vinyl... I really cannot think of an album with a stronger set of out and out pop singles.
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Post by Doctor Blind on Nov 20, 2006 21:21:50 GMT 1
Top choice that Dandy - Duran Duran, fantastic pop album with some real classics on it. " Save A Prayer", " Hungry Like The Wolf", " Rio" to name just a few. Nice to see it represented on your 100 all-time list. Also on the list so far I own and like Moby's "Play".
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Post by Maximo Mark on Nov 20, 2006 21:22:36 GMT 1
First one I don't like Though I've never heard Herbert I reckon I'd like it from your description.
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Post by dandyhighwayman on Nov 20, 2006 21:32:24 GMT 1
Well expect a few more that you don't like then, my soft spot for 80s pop is reflected in the list really. I really like Matthew Herbert though he doesn't seem to be everyone's cuppa - I'll try to remember to put something in g-mail at some point soon.
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Post by dandyhighwayman on Nov 20, 2006 21:43:23 GMT 1
#94 Mew "And The Glass Handed Kites"
Top 5 tracks: The Zookeeper's Boy, Special, Apocalypso, Chinaberry Tree, White Lips Kissed
The first of a handful of albums that are new to me this year is this otherworldy effort from Mew. This is one of the most epic albums I own and is unashamedly trying to soar with mixtures of lush vocals, strings and guitars. 'The Zookeeper's Boy' is one of the very best singles of the year as guitars crash about before melting into the heavenly repeated 'Are you my lady?' chorus. It's certainly my favourite moment here but yet is more of a central part of the album rather than a standout - this is one of those albums that just works as a whole work with the tracks effortlessly sliding into eachother but with enough differences to make them individual. I'm doing a rubbish job at summing this up as I don't know exactly what to compare it to, maybe The Cocteau Twins doing blissful prog rock?!!!! Oh... just go and listen to samples!
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Post by Laurence on Nov 20, 2006 23:25:21 GMT 1
What a freaky cover and a half!
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Post by dandyhighwayman on Nov 20, 2006 23:55:14 GMT 1
Now you mention it... it is rather! Fortunately it doth contain some rather special music though. You can view the video to 'The Zookeeper's Boy' in the music & video part of their official site - bizarrely it's in the singles part as opposed to the video part. www.mewsite.com/site_fr.html
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Post by dandyhighwayman on Nov 21, 2006 22:01:39 GMT 1
#93 Muse "Absolution"
Top 5 tracks: Hysteria, Time Is Running Out, Endlessly, Butterflies And Hurricanes, Thoughts Of A Dying Athiest
Firstly, I'm rather partial to the album cover on this. Secondly, I'm almost as partial to the music. This, for me, is Muse's best album as it strikes a perfect balance between arty rock and pure pop ethics. I absolutely adore 'Hysteria', a song that drives you along with it as it powers onwards and the electro-orchestral breakdown in 'Butterflies & Hurricanes' is also rather fabby. I find the album to be full of energy and 'driving' seems to be a rather apt description for it I'd say, the tempo and rhythm barely lets up aside from on the gorgeous 'Endlessly'. I can find Muse quite alienating in their output ('Origin Of Symmetry' for instance is too edgy (loud then quiet then loud then quiet) for my liking while 'Black Holes...' goes too far the other way and ends up too poppy and, worse still, Queen-esque!) but this is the one where they've combined the two aspects the best.
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Post by Laurence on Nov 21, 2006 23:41:41 GMT 1
Yaysers for Muse - I put this in the 60s but should have put it a lot higher. I think Falling Away with You is my favourite at the moment.
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