The Official Pop and Rock Music thread

[A24 4,326]

1. The Nightfly

 

 

 

 

 

Surely we can all agree to that?

[Thor 7,463]

My favourite Yes is TALK!, actually. Also an unconventional choice. But then I'm a big fan of Rabin in the first place. And it has Roger Hodgson co-writing a song.

[A24 4,326]

I guess you're not really a Yes man, right Thor? 

 

And I'm going to guess that 'Going For The One' is Richard's favorite. 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

24 minutes ago, Alexcremers said:

1. The Nightfly

 

 

 

 

 

Surely we can all agree to that?

 

Sorry, Kamakiriad is my favorite Fagen solo.

 

1. Kamakiriad

2. The Nightfly

3. Sunken Condos

4. Morph the Cat

 

But all 4 of those albums are GREAT.   Fagen has never once put out a bad album either solo or with Steely Dan.

[A24 4,326]

You wanna know how that sounds to me? It's as if you would claim:

 

1) American Gangster

2) Alien

3) Blade Runner

 

Yes, American Gangster is not a bad movie, but it's simply not on the same level as game changers such as Alien or Blade Runner. 

 

I think almost no Steely Dan fan would say their recent albums are just as good as their '70s output, same for Fagen solo.

 

You soundtrack nerds are weird!

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I don't think you listen with open ears!  Albums outside of the same old 1970s canonized rock classics have a lot of pleasure to offer and you deprive yourself by ignoring them.  Sunken Condos is one of my favorite pop albums of this decade.

 

And I don't hear much difference in quality between late 70s/early 80s Dan and something like "Tomorrow's Girls."

 

 

[A24 4,326]

6 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

 

 

And I don't hear much difference in quality between late 70s Dan and something like "Tomorrow's Girls."

 

 

 

Yes, I guess you don't.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Closed-minded old fart!

 

I'm obviously just a better Dan fan than you.  I'm sorry you can't appreciate Fagen's continued artistic excellence.

[A24 4,326]

You are just not very critical, Disco, which is a blessing.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I certainly dislike a lot of music put out by aging classic rockers, most of them are dreadful, but there are a few who continue to be interesting and relevant for me.  Fagen is one, Robert Plant is another.  Anyway, as always, engaging with you is an unenlightening and dull exercise due to your sour, stubborn, and condescending demeanor.  Adios!

[Thor 7,463]

I've never particularly cared for what I've heard of Steely Dan, I'm afraid, nor really heard enough to make an informed list or opinion, so I'll refrain.

 

Disco Stu, I mentioned Alex's "philosophy" earlier in this thread ("Only one or two great works per artist, and always in the career beginning"). I think it's best to just accept that, and not let it "get to you". He's stuck that way (like I am with anti-C&C), so trying to convince him of otherwise will be like convincing a wall to stop being a wall!

[A24 4,326]

1 hour ago, Thor said:

I've never particularly cared for what I've heard of Steely Dan, I'm afraid, nor really heard enough to make an informed list or opinion, so I'll refrain.

 

Disco Stu, I mentioned Alex's "philosophy" earlier in this thread ("Only one or two great works per artist, and always in the career beginning"). I think it's best to just accept that, and not let it "get to you". He's stuck that way (like I am with anti-C&C), so trying to convince him of otherwise will be like convincing a wall to stop being a wall!

 

Talking about a wall, The Wall wasn't created in the beginning of Pink Floyd's career and I would say it's a masterpiece, even though it's not the best album for me now (at present). The best albums of The Beatles were made in the second half of their career. Kubrick's last movie Eyes Wide Shut is perhaps one his very best and one of the few movies that can get me high through its art. Der Weisse Band is another one, and it definitely isn't one of Haneke's first titles I can't wait to see what David Fincher's latest project is. I'm not a fan of early Genesis or Pink Floyd. Trust me, it's you guys that are weird. 

 

 

1 hour ago, Disco Stu said:

I don't think you listen with open ears! 

 

1 hour ago, Disco Stu said:

Closed-minded old fart!

 

1 hour ago, Disco Stu said:

engaging with you is an unenlightening and dull exercise due to your sour, stubborn, and condescending demeanor.  Adios!

 

 

Hmm, and what is this then? Is this what you call enlightening? 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

The apogee of Phil Spector's Wall of Sound production style.

 

Darlene Love - (Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry

 

[Nick Parker 3,040]

On 8/5/2019 at 8:35 AM, Disco Stu said:

 

 

 

 

First time I've listened to this tune! Very nice, love the harmonies at the beginning, and how the music will lull you into following a pretty steady pattern, and just when you think the tune is getting cozy and predictable, modulations like 1:15 happen, and your ears prick up and say "Yep, it's Steely Dan!" Those build ups and musical money shots. And then you have the opposite, where the music will taper to a static vamp, while the vocals and lyrics continue over it, like at 2:36.

 

That's the kind of thing that compelled Wayne Shorter to accept their invitation to guest on Aja.

 

By the way, anyone ever check out the Japanese band Casiopea?

 

 

[Koray Savas 2,251]

6 hours ago, Nick Parker said:

By the way, anyone ever check out the Japanese band Casiopea?

I’ll check them out. If you’re into Japanese rock may I suggest this:

 

[Nick Parker 3,040]

2 hours ago, Koray Savas said:

I’ll check them out. If you’re into Japanese rock may I suggest this:

 

 

Haha, I wouldn't call Casiopea rock by _any_ stretch of what people would consider. They are _not_ heavy, and probably would get some "muzak" or "smooth jazz" label by a lot of people if they were listening to the sound and timbre and not the music. 

 

Thanks for the link! The drummer is really solid, they were doing some really  cool stuff throughout (my favorite being 2:51-3:02, that's so slick), and the bass line in the opening is really fun. I'm not a big fan of the main melody, but they did some nice variations on it at certain points. 

 

I'd like to check out more from them.

 

 

For Casiopea, here's a slow burn tune from their first album.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[A24 4,326]

9 hours ago, Nick Parker said:

 

First time I've listened to this tune! Very nice, love the harmonies at the beginning, and how the music will lull you into following a pretty steady pattern, and just when you think the tune is getting cozy and predictable, modulations like 1:15 happen, and your ears prick up and say "Yep, it's Steely Dan!" Those build ups and musical money shots. And then you have the opposite, where the music will taper to a static vamp, while the vocals and lyrics continue over it, like at 2:36.

 

That's the kind of thing that compelled Wayne Shorter to accept their invitation to guest on Aja.

 

By the way, anyone ever check out the Japanese band Casiopea?

 

 

 

You sound like a big Steely Dan fan but you've never listened to his solo albums?

[Nick Parker 3,040]

2 minutes ago, Alexcremers said:

 

You sound like a big Steely Dan fan but you've never listened to his solo albums?

 

I don't think so, no.

[A24 4,326]

Okay ...

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Led Zeppelin is my favorite band but I have little to no interest in Plant’s solo work.

[A24 4,326]

You never even bothered to listen? 

 

Mind you, I was never into Led Zeppelin, so I don't know how great Plant's input was, or if he wrote many of the band's songs. If he did, or if he was the driving creative force behind Led Zeppelin, I would probably like his solo albums too.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,493]

41 minutes ago, Alexcremers said:

 

You sound like a big Steely Dan fan but you've never listened to his solo albums?

I really like 11 TRACKS OF WHACK.

[A24 4,326]

That sounds like Walter Becker!

 

I got all the solo albums, and on CD, no less. I think they are merely okay though ... Nothing like their golden years (which was like every frigging album they made before they stopped).

[Naïve Old Fart 9,493]

Agreed, but it's a pleasant enough listen.

[A24 4,326]

Let's continue the fighting, shall we?

 

1. Steve McQueen

2. Swoon

[Disco Stu 15,495]

15 hours ago, Nick Parker said:

By the way, anyone ever check out the Japanese band Casiopea?

 

I had not.  From what I've heard on Youtube this morning I'm not surprised to see American names like the Breckers and David Sanborn also associated with them.  Very much in that late 70s super-slick fusion style.  Listening to the "Mint Jams" album, this is music I imagine Ryo from Shenmue listening to on his Walkman.

 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Roger Daltrey's orchestral Tommy album

 

 

It's not bad I guess, the orchestrations are a little dull but serviceable.  Daltrey is in amazingly strong voice for a 75-year-old.  But I'd rather just listen to the original album.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

4 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

 

I had not.  From what I've heard on Youtube this morning I'm not surprised to see American names like the Breckers and David Sanborn also associated with them.  Very much in that late 70s super-slick fusion style.  Listening to the "Mint Jams" album, this is music I imagine Ryo from Shenmue listening to on his Walkman.

 

 

 

Along with YMO, Casiopea has been a _huge_ influence on Japanese video game composers. Most prominently in the current landscape, Shoji Meguro states them as his biggest influence. 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,493]

5 hours ago, Alexcremers said:

Let's continue the fighting, shall we?

 

1. Steve McQueen

2. Swoon

(sigh) if we must:

1. JORDAN: THE COMEBACK

2. ANDROMEDA HEIGHTS

[A24 4,326]

Amazing, Richard! Truly amazing! I mean, I liked Jordan (it would be my third choice) but Andromeda Heights is a big no-no. By then, the well dried up for Paddy. You really think it's superior?  

 

 

Next you're gonna tell me Elvis' best period was his Las Vegas period!

 

 

 

 

 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,493]

I couldn't begin to guess what period is his best. As far as I know, Elvis Costello has never performed at Las Vegas (I thank you! ).

 

As for the Sprout: although STEVE MCQUEEN and SWOON have great merit, these are the ones I like the most.

 

 

E.L.P.

1. BRAIN SALAD SURGERY

2. WORKS VOL. 1

3. EMERSON LAKE AND POWELL (no, it's not cheating!)

 

[A24 4,326]

I can't join you there. Never been an Emerson, Lake And Palmer fan. 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,493]

Ok. 

 

Supertramp

1. BREAKFAST IN AMERICA

2. SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE

3. CRIME OF THE CENTURY

[A24 4,326]

Holy cow! We finally agree on something.

 

1. Breakfast in America

 

[Nick Parker 3,040]

@Alexcremers Could you remind me, are you into YMO?

[A24 4,326]

Back in the day, before I knew who Sakamoto was, I loved their radio hit, but somehow I never became a fan of YMO. I did become a Sakamoto fan thanks to Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. I still love that score. A synth classic! Not a fan of his pop music outings though ... I have a feeling that's more Thor's specialty. 

[Nick Parker 3,040]

11 minutes ago, Alexcremers said:

Back in the day, before I knew who Sakamoto was, I loved their radio hit, but somehow I never became a fan of YMO. I did become a Sakamoto fan thanks to Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. I still love that score. A synth classic! Not a fan of his pop music outings though ... I have a feeling that's more Thor's specialty. 

 

Well YMO was Haroumi Hosono's band more than anything (though most of my favorite tunes by them did come from Sakamoto). I didn't know if they hit that current for you being a pioneering electronic group.

 

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence is one of my favorite albums too, but I also love Sakamoto's "pop outings" as well, they definitely feel like they come from someone outside of the field, and have that same creative plain for the most part. Stuff you know you wouldn't quite hear anywhere else. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is it about them you don't like?

 

 

[A24 4,326]

The second clip answers that question. His specific cocktail of Jazz, Pop, Synth Pop and Rock does nothing for me. The whole feeling of it, it sounds quite middling to me.

 

The first clip sounds more like the Sakamoto I prefer. It could be from one of his soundtracks. 

 

That being said, one of the tracks on Chasm forms a huge exception:

 

 

 

And here Donald Fagen beats Sakamoto at his own pop outings game:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nick Parker 3,040]

I think his harmonic language, sense of arrangement and orchestration, and genuine-feeling grasp of various music cultures pushes him far beyond middling, but fair enough that it doesn't touch you in any way.

 

Chasm is my favorite album from him, almost every track is a gem for me--the one you linked is a track he wrote for a video game, by the way.

 

 

 

I'm actually not a fan of much of his film scores, though Rain from Last Emperor kicks major ass.

[Thor 7,463]

3 hours ago, Richard said:

Ok. 

 

Supertramp

1. BREAKFAST IN AMERICA

2. SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE

3. CRIME OF THE CENTURY

 

Gutsy to have SOME THINGS that high, but it's a great album, no doubt.

 

1. Even in the Quietest Moments

2. Crime of the Century

3. Breakfast in America

[A24 4,326]

48 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

I think his harmonic language, sense of arrangement and orchestration,

 

 

There are times that I like the basic idea or composition (like the first track on Chasm) but I'm not a fan of how it's treated. Composition, harmony, arrangement, instrumentation, recording, ... Everything in music is about aesthetics. They appeal to you or not, and that's exactly where the shoe pinches for me. 

 

48 minutes ago, Nick Parker said:

I'm actually not a fan of much of his film scores, though Rain from Last Emperor kicks major ass.

 

Love The Last Emperor, Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence, The Sheltering Sky, main track of The Revenant, that one track in Babel, ...

[Thor 7,463]

As for Sakamoto, I DO love a lot of the Yellow Magic Orchestra stuff, as well as his solo electronica or pop efforts. But I'm first and foremost fascinated by him as the multi-artist that he is. The CODA documentary last year, displaying all the aspects of this 'figure', was one of my favourite movies of 2018.

[Holko 9,499]

 

Hahaaa!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Big anniversary Abbey Road box set.  Nice.  Especially since it'll be streaming like the Sgt. Pepper and White Album boxes.

[Holko 9,499]

I'll be sure to get the mid-tier nice release with booklet and one bonus disc, like I did with Pepper and White Album, then maybe check out the rest of the session dumps on Spotify once.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Although, of all the Beatles' albums, this one is the least in need of something like the essential remixing that Pepper got.

 

I wonder if Let it Be gets a box next year?  Do they have another pass at de-Spectoring it?  Do they just include the existing Let It Be Naked?

[Holko 9,499]

I wonder if they'll circle back and catch up on all the rest of the albums for their 60th anniversaries! Or just yearly.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

1 hour ago, Holko said:

I wonder if they'll circle back and catch up on all the rest of the albums for their 60th anniversaries! Or just yearly.

 

Well here are the details for Abbey Road.  All pretty much as expected, in line with the last two reissues.

 

http://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/the-beatles-abbey-road-reissued-for-its-50th-anniversary-across-six-formats/

[Holko 9,499]

Nice! 2CD it is.

[Jay 37,281]

Nice!  Can't wait to hear the remix

 

Too bad they didn't put Her Majesty back where it was intended