Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 83 - Bardo Pond - On The Ellipse

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Honorio
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 22. Jay-Z - American Gangster

Post by Honorio »

22. Jay-Z - American Gangster (2007) 7/10
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 22. Jay-Z - American Gangster

Post by Brad »

22. Jay-Z - American Gangster (2007): 5.5
Not a big fan - great production though. I grow weary of the language - it just beats me down.

Thanks!
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 22. Jay-Z - American Gangster

Post by Rob »

Jay-Z - American Gangster: 8

A lot better than I expected, especially since I never cared that much for Jay-Z based on his singles (never listened to a full album by him). He sounds pretty on fire here and the album is impeccably produced and full of good tunes. There is some grandstanding here, as is to be expected, but it works well in the context of the album's concept. While this is not a soundtrack to the movie American Gangster, released a month before this, it is a project made as an extension of it. The producers of the film knew that Jay-Z's music wouldn't fit a seventies-set film, but suggested he watch a early version of the film anyway. Invigorated and inspired by the film, Jay-Z made a complete album about it. The songs are full of references to the film's story, intermingled with Jay-Z's own autobiography and it makes for something inspired. I saw the movie when it came out in 2007, but rewatched it for this game and I'm glad I did as it really adds a layer to an already fine hip-hop album.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 22. Jay-Z - American Gangster

Post by spiritualized »

Listening to the Jay-Z album, I will vote for it later, so not tallying up the figures just yet, although the turnout is rather low for Jay. Neverming, let's move on to the next one !
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Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel

Post by spiritualized »

The second entry for Moonbeam today with a rather unknown album from the 80s

Image

23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel (1983)
Nominated by Moonbeam (#368)
Genre : Boogie, Synth Funk (#71 in the RYM Boogie chart)
Descriptors : female vocals
Length : 7 tracks, 45:25 mins

AM ranking : unranked
Artist Ranking : unranked
RYM ranking : unranked for 1983, unranked overall (23 ratings @ 3.52 / 5.0)
Metascore : N/A
682 unique listeners and 3261 scrobbles on last.fm

Choice cuts : You're a Winner / Love How You Feel


(Extended version of the album, only the first 7 tracks were on the first issue)

Biography from Allmusic

Sharon Redd is practically synonymous with Prelude Records, the New York label that released some of the most thrilling dance music of the late '70s and early '80s. Redd released three albums on the label and racked up a number of club hits that have long since become classics with disco and house DJs who continue to rightly view the era with great reverence. While disco was dying during the early '80s, artists like Redd kept the flame alive and also took the form one step further by incorporating more song-based R&B elements.

After her third and final Prelude album, Redd slowed down and occasionally did more session work. She re-appeared briefly in 1991 for another solo single, but that would prove to be her final output of note. She succumbed to pneumonia complications on January 5, 1992. Unidisc kept her albums in print in CD format, and a couple anthologies have also kept her material in circulation.

Allmusic review
No RYM review available

Songwriters/producers Eric Matthew and Willie Payne continued to work with Sharon Redd for her third and final album, Love How You Feel. Much of the preceding Redd Hot featured a potent balance between synthetic and organic elements, but this third album further abandons live instrumentation. Redd's voice, almost always a dominant force with a near-huskiness, is diminished on most tracks with a liberal amount of echo and a mixing job that makes her sound distant. Combine this with rhythm programming that often sounds stiff and brittle, and you have an album that seems cold and impersonal in relation to Redd's prior releases. "Love How You Feel" performed well on the club charts, but nothing else resonated with club-goers like any of her previous platters. Even a cover of labelmates D Train's "Something's on Your Mind" narrowly misses the mark. Aside from the title track, there are a couple of good moments, like the slithery, aptly titled "Sweet Sensation." Neither a bad nor a particularly good record by any stroke. [Unidisc's CD issue adds a couple alternate mixes to the original running order.]
If you like this, also listen to :
Lost in Space - Jonzun Crew (1983)
Adventures in the Land of Music - Dynasty (1980)
Never Say Never - Melba Moore (1983)


A reminder of the current standings (remember, you can vote or change your vote anytime)


1. Toy Love - Toy Love EP : 7.480 (10 votes) [Brad]
2. Pretty Things - Parachute : 7.110 (10) [Zombeels]
3. Chelsea Wolfe - Hiss Spun : 7.018 (9) [CupOfDreams]
4. Tyrannosaurus Rex - Unicorn : 7.000 (9) [SL3]
5. Mavis Staples - If All I Was Was Black : 6.920 (10) [antonius]
6. James - Laid : 6.842 (12) [Zombeels]
7. Hood - Cold House : 6.830 (12) [CupOfDreams]
8. Graham Coxon - Love Travels at Illegal Speeds : 6.700 (11) [Toni]
9. Four Tet - FabricLive.59 : 6.670 (10) [Krurze]
10. The Band - Stage Fright 6.660 (10) [Henry]
11. Krzysztof Penderecki - St. Luke Passion: 6.511 (9) [sonofsamiam]
12. The Elgins - Darling Baby : 6.500 (9) [mileswide]
13. Jill Scott - Who Is Jill Scott? 6.418 (11) [bonnielaurel]
14. KRS-One - KRS-One : 6.400 (12) [schaefer.tk]
15. Bee Gees - Main Course : 6.359 (11) [bonnielaurel]
16. Jay-Z - American Gangster 6.337 (8) [FrankLotion]
17. Soul Asylum - Made To Be Broken : 6.225 (12) [Brad]
18. Cybotron - Enter : 6.145 (11) [Moonbeam]
19. Rush - Fly By Night : 5.971 (12) [Brad]
20. Defunkt - Defunkt : 5.576 (9) [antonius]
21. MUNA - About U : 5.345 (11) [votingbloc]
22. Schoolhouse Rock! - Science Rock : 3.922 (9) [prosecutorgodot]
Last edited by spiritualized on Mon Apr 05, 2021 2:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 22. Jay-Z - American Gangster

Post by spiritualized »

22. Jay-Z - American Gangster (2007) 7/10

Indeed a pleasant surprise, stunning start with the "Pray" track. His later releases would prove below this one for me, so Jay-Z seemed to still shine his talent in 2007. Good replay value, a keeper.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 22. Jay-Z - American Gangster

Post by Rob »

spiritualized wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 12:33 pm Listening to the Jay-Z album, I will vote for it later, so not tallying up the figures just yet, although the turnout is rather low for Jay. Neverming, let's move on to the next one !
I don't know how Easter is celebrated around the world, but for me it meant two days family. Didn't listen to any album in those two days. Plus MA has some big time consumers too this week. I hope that this is the reason for the drop-off and that it will pick up again.

Sharon Redd appeared on Biggest Fan Songs less than two months ago, with In the Name of Love.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 22. Jay-Z - American Gangster

Post by spiritualized »

Rob wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 7:52 am
spiritualized wrote: Mon Apr 05, 2021 12:33 pm Listening to the Jay-Z album, I will vote for it later, so not tallying up the figures just yet, although the turnout is rather low for Jay. Neverming, let's move on to the next one !
I don't know how Easter is celebrated around the world, but for me it meant two days family. Didn't listen to any album in those two days. Plus MA has some big time consumers too this week. I hope that this is the reason for the drop-off and that it will pick up again.

Sharon Redd appeared on Biggest Fan Songs less than two months ago, with In the Name of Love.
Yes Rob, I suspected that. It doesn't really matter - just like your Song game, anyone can vote whenever they feel like it !
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel

Post by Schüttelbirne »

23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel: 4/10
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel

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Love How You Feel - 5/10

The first Moonbeam album we got from this game is my favorite discovery thus far. This album, on the other hand, really didn't inspire much enjoyment from me. There's better disco and better funk out there, and neither really shines through well here.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel

Post by Rob »

23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel (1983): 2

Alas, I get nothing out of this. I already struggle with very repetitive music so this was going to be a hard sell regardless, but these seven long songs also sound very thin and are riddled with clichés. It really is a chore to sit through for me.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel

Post by spiritualized »

23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel: 3/10

This is poor.
Boogie-Funk from the 80s, a fairly typical voice and unmemorable tunes.
Not my cup of tea.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel

Post by Brad »

23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel: 3
Pretty much echo the above sentiments; not my thing by a long shot.

Thanks!
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel

Post by DaveC »

22. Jay-Z - American Gangster (2007): 6/10

Favourite track: Pray
Least favourite track: Hello Brooklyn 2.0

Some really good tracks here, but some fairly routine fare too.


23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel (1983): 3/10

Favourite track: Got Ya' Where I Want
Least favourite track: Sweet Sensation

If you are going to record such awful lyrics you could at least bury them in the mix.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel

Post by mileswide »

Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel 6.6 (my #13 for 1983, thus supplanting Cybotron)

My highlights: Activate, Somebody Save the Night

This month's highlights ranked:
Activate
Pray
American Gangster
No Hook
Fallin'
Somebody Save the Night
All I got inside is vacancy!
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel

Post by FrankLotion »

22. Jay-Z - American Gangster - 10/10

It's been a while since I looked at this thread, had no idea one of mine came up! American Gangster is definitely a diamond in the rough for this part of Jay's career (thankfully he's finally bounced back in recent years). On that note, it's also unique from the back half of his career in that there's none of the monster hits that would show up on The Blueprint 3 and Watch the Throne, but has a much higher batting average and has the aspirational thematic thrust that defined his earlier work.

I think reinvigorated is the right word, it seemed like his heart wasn't in it when he came back from his "retirement" but I guess he must have empathized a lot with the Frank Lucas story because he rarely gets so reflective in between the usual posturing. With that said, I would say even the posturing takes on an interesting wrinkle as he wrestles with the idea of America's myth-making when it comes to organized crime, which is something his own career benefited from.

The production is wonderful and does a great job evoking the funk and soul of the 70's while also showing off some truly inspired studio magic from Puff, Just Blaze, and The Neptunes (though I have to say I'm glad these songs didn't show up in the film if his work on the Great Gatsby is anything to go by). Also, a shoutout to "Success," which sounds and feels like a real coronation for Jay-Z and Nas following their bitter (and stupid) feud, these guys ended up fitting so well together that I wish they had made a Watch the Throne for themselves.

All in all it's a very solid release and for the purposes of this game I'll give it a hard 10.

Favorite Tracks: Pray, American Dreamin', Hello Brooklyn 2.0, Roc Boys (And the Winner Is)..., Sweet, Party Life, Ignorant Shit, Say Hello, Success, Fallin', Blue Magic, American Gangster


P.S.: Hopefully I'll get around to the Sharon Redd album a little faster.
Last edited by FrankLotion on Wed Apr 14, 2021 7:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by spiritualized »

Moonbeam strikes twice in a row ! and with, I'll let you guess, the debut album from Prince. There are only fifteen Prince albums left to go on our list !

Image

24. Prince - For You (1978)
Nominated by Moonbeam (#773)
Genre : Smooth Soul (#280 in the RYM Smooth Soul chart)
Descriptors : romantic, melodic, rhythmic, sexual, urban, male vocals, sensual, playful, happy, mellow, party, quirky, sentimental, eclectic, nocturnal, summer, love
Length : 8 tracks, 33:11 mins

AM ranking : unranked
Artist Ranking : 9
RYM ranking : #1159 for 1978, unranked overall (2019 ratings @ 3.09 / 5.0)
Metascore : N/A
62.5k unique listeners and 587.9k scrobbles on last.fm

Choice cuts : Soft and Wet / I'm Yours / Just as Long as We're Together


Biography from Allmusic

No other artist of the rock & roll era compares to Prince. He was the rare combination of a visionary pop conceptualist and master musician who could capture the sounds he imagined, a quality that fueled his remarkable success in the 1980s. Ideas came to Prince so quickly, they couldn't be contained on his own records, either with or without his backing band the Revolution. He masterminded albums by the Time and Sheila E, and gave away hit songs to the Bangles and Sheena Easton, shaping the sound of popular music in the process. There wasn't an area of pop music in the '80s that didn't bear his influence: it could be heard in freaky funk and R&B slow jams, in thick electro-techno and neo-psychedelic rock, and right at the top of the pop charts. Prince's reign continued into the early '90s, a time which found him swapping the Revolution for the jazz-funk New Power Generation, but by the middle of the decade, he entered a cold war with his record company that contributed to a slow slide down the charts. Once he received emancipation from his contract, he seized the opportunity to release as much music as he could record, occasionally taking the time to focus his aim at the mainstream, scoring such hits as 2004's Musicology in the process. Prince produced new music at a furious pace throughout the last decade of his life, which is what made his death in 2016 such a shock: his music was ceaselessly, endlessly alive and full of possibility.

RYM review
wyatte (Sep 16 2007)

In the middle of the disco era, Prince makes his not-so-grand entrance. At the time, he had been playing with other bands (such as 94 East) and had yet to find his own voice, but damned if he didn't get a decent - if unremarkable - first showing, at least, with _For You_. He seems to be having a little bit of fun with the styles of the day, especially disco, as seen on songs like "In Love" and he's got good funk sensibilities already. Of course, as I mentioned, he hadn't found his own path, so he turns out some duds like the limp-as-a-bizkit dance-number "Just As Long As We're Together," one of his all-time weakest singles. That said, this is still a must-have for fans, not just for the other single (a little ditty called "Soft & Wet") but for his first rock & roll number, and it's a keeper - the fiery "I'm Yours" is one of the few indications on this album that there was something special about this little dude. Four albums later (_1999_) and the whole world would agree.

If you like this, also listen to :
AWB - Average White Band (1974)
Rit - Lee Ritenour (1981)
Spirit - Earth, Wind & Fire (1976)


A reminder of the current standings (remember, you can vote or change your vote anytime)


1. Toy Love - Toy Love EP : 7.480 (10 votes) [Brad]
2. Pretty Things - Parachute : 7.110 (10) [Zombeels]
3. Chelsea Wolfe - Hiss Spun : 7.018 (9) [CupOfDreams]
4. Tyrannosaurus Rex - Unicorn : 7.000 (9) [SL3]
5. Mavis Staples - If All I Was Was Black : 6.920 (10) [antonius]
6. James - Laid : 6.842 (12) [Zombeels]
7. Hood - Cold House : 6.830 (12) [CupOfDreams]
8. Graham Coxon - Love Travels at Illegal Speeds : 6.700 (11) [Toni]
9. Four Tet - FabricLive.59 : 6.670 (10) [Krurze]
9. Jay-Z - American Gangster 6.670 (10) [FrankLotion]
11. The Band - Stage Fright 6.660 (10) [Henry]
12. Krzysztof Penderecki - St. Luke Passion: 6.511 (9) [sonofsamiam]
13. The Elgins - Darling Baby : 6.500 (9) [mileswide]
14. Jill Scott - Who Is Jill Scott? 6.418 (11) [bonnielaurel]
15. KRS-One - KRS-One : 6.400 (12) [schaefer.tk]
16. Bee Gees - Main Course : 6.359 (11) [bonnielaurel]
17. Soul Asylum - Made To Be Broken : 6.225 (12) [Brad]
18. Cybotron - Enter : 6.145 (11) [Moonbeam]
19. Rush - Fly By Night : 5.971 (12) [Brad]
20. Defunkt - Defunkt : 5.576 (9) [antonius]
21. MUNA - About U : 5.345 (11) [votingbloc]
22. Schoolhouse Rock! - Science Rock : 3.922 (9) [prosecutorgodot]
23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel : 3.800 (7) [Moonbeam]
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by Schüttelbirne »

24. Prince | For You: 5/10
Highlights: "Just As Long As We're Together", "I'm Yours"
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by Honorio »

23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel (1983) 6/10
24. Prince - For You (1978) 6/10
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by Live in Phoenix »

Prince - For You

6

Hardly one of his great ones, but I've found it a pleasant listen.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by Listyguy »

For You - 7/10

Even on his earliest albums, Prince knew how to shred. The guitar parts on songs like "My Love Is Forever" and "I'm Yours" are exceptional. As a full album this isn't as good as Prince's best, but it's still a solid starting point.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by mileswide »

Prince - For You 3.1 (my #48 for 1978)
My highlights: N/A but Just as Long as We're Together might have made it with a more judicious trim.
All I got inside is vacancy!
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by FrankLotion »

23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel - 4/10 [Flawed]

This just wasn't for me, I generally like this type of music but there just isn't much to latch onto. The singing isn't especially great but I do really appreciate that it seems like she's really belting these out, I wouldn't accuse this record of being emotionless.

There's some good passages here and there but for most of these songs I can't see what is justifying their extended runtimes other than to maybe pad out the record? For example, I really like the groovy synths in "Got Ya' Where I Want" and how she switches into some rapping midway but after that the track is just kind of stagnant and doesn't add anything new for the next three minutes...

The notable exception here for me was "You're a Winner" which was just a lot of fun and had a great chorus. Plus it's very danceable so I can definitely see the utility of it being pretty long. I guess that might be what they were trying on every other song too.

Favorite Tracks: You're a Winner


24. Prince - For You - 7/10 [Good]

I listened to this for the first time when we did our Prince poll a few months back and I guess my opinion hasn't changed too much, there's some decent songs on here and it's impressive how distinctive he sounded this early in his career but overall I think the album is just pretty good.

"Soft and Wet" is the obvious highlight for me, the bass and synths have a nice funky bounce to them and the way Prince kind of moan-sings through the verses is very reminiscent of his style on later albums and is still sexy as hell. Speaking of which, those lyrics...he really didn't shy away from making this as pornographic as he could get away with and I love that about it.

The rest of the album has elements of this but aren't quite as special. His talent is obvious everywhere but I have to say that songs like "Baby," "Just as Long as We're Together," and "My Love is Forever" are only a few registers away from sounding like Michael McDonald songs for me to actually enjoy them. The opener and closer are strong, I love the vocal arrangements on the title track and he really just shreds on "I'm Yours."

Overall pretty decent, I liked it well enough that as I was writing this I decided to upgrade it from a 6 to a 7 as I found more and more that I enjoyed.

Favorite Tracks: For You, Soft and Wet, So Blue, I'm Yours
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by Rob »

Prince - For You: 6

I didn't go into this with much expectations, which might have helped. For most part it is an average synthy soul/funk/ disco album, typical for its period and that is not my favorite thing in the world. Still, the songs here are generally well-put together and it never feels like Prince is coasting on clichés. There aren't many stand-out songs though, except the title track which stands strongly above the rest.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by DaveC »

24. Prince - For You (1978): 6

Favourite track: I'm Yours
Least favourite track: Just as Long as We're Together
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by Safetycat »

I'm catching up on these slowly in amongst the 50 other polls going on. I'm not much for writing reviews but here's my first 5 ratings:

1. Hood - Cold House (2001) - 7

2. James - Laid (1993) - 6

3. KRS-One - KRS-One (1995) - 6

4. Toy Love - Toy Love (EP) (1980) - 9

5. Cybotron - Enter (1983) - 4
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by Brad »

24. Prince - For You (1978): 5.5
"I'm Yours" is easily the standout track for me here.

Thanks!
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by spiritualized »

Prince - For You : 4/10 . I just can't get past the schmaltzy songs (Just As Long As We're Together, Baby). Not is it inane lyrically but musically, it's uninspiring at best and cringy at worst.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 24. Prince - For You

Post by spiritualized »

Safetycat wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 10:53 pm I'm catching up on these slowly in amongst the 50 other polls going on. I'm not much for writing reviews but here's my first 5 ratings:

1. Hood - Cold House (2001) - 7

2. James - Laid (1993) - 6

3. KRS-One - KRS-One (1995) - 6

4. Toy Love - Toy Love (EP) (1980) - 9

5. Cybotron - Enter (1983) - 4
Thanks for your votes ! changed a few placements in the chart !
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto

Post by spiritualized »

For this week, a second helping of leftfield music from sonofsamiam with the highest ranking on AM so far. Be careful, you're in for an unusual treat !

Image

25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto (1970)
Nominated by sonofsamiam (#861)
Genre : Free Improvisation, Free Jazz (#5 in the RYM Free Improvisation chart)
Descriptors : improvisation, instrumental, raw, avant-garde, dissonant, passionate, technical, manic, chaotic, atonal, acoustic, complex, aggressive
Length : 8 tracks, 73 mins

AM ranking : #1601
Artist Ranking : 1274
RYM ranking : #94 for 1970, #3499 overall (1914 ratings @ 3.71 / 5.0)
Metascore : N/A
5337 unique listeners and 52.4k scrobbles on last.fm

Choice cuts : To Composer John Cage / To Artist Murray De Pillars / To Pianist Cecil Taylor


Biography from Allmusic

Prolific multi-reedist/composer Anthony Braxton is among the most influential jazz artists to emerge from the 20th century. He has engaged in nearly every conceivable area of musical creativity during his extraordinary career. Beginning with jazz's essential rhythmic and textural elements, Braxton combines them with all manner of experimental compositional techniques, from graphic and non-specific notation to serialism to multimedia, electronic, and prodigious use of improvisation. Largely considered a genius, his self-invented, heavily theoretical approach to playing and composing jazz has as much in common with late 20th century classical music as it does jazz, and therefore has alienated some who consider jazz a full remove from European idioms. Further, Braxton has a healthy respect for, and has collaborated with, rock and noise musicians. His genuine -- if highly idiosyncratic -- ability to play older forms (influenced especially by saxophonists Warne Marsh, John Coltrane, Paul Desmond, Charlie Parker, and Eric Dolphy), he has never really been accepted by the jazz establishment due to his manifest infatuation with the practices of such non-jazz artists as John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Some critics have even insisted that Braxton's music is not jazz at all. Whatever one calls it, however, there is no questioning the originality of his vision; Braxton has created music of enormous sophistication and passion that is unlike anything else that has come before it. He is able to fuse jazz's visceral components with contemporary classical music's formal and harmonic methods in an utterly unselfconscious -- and therefore convincing -- way. His best work runs threadlike throughout his career, beginning with the bona fide classic Three Compositions of New Jazz in 1969 (and the solo For Alto in '71), his Creative Orchestra Music and In the Tradition volumes during the '70s, his solo, duo, and quartet work for that included collaborators ranging from Marilyn Crispell, Woody Shaw, Derek Bailey, and Max Roach in the '80s and '90s, as well as his large ensemble recordings in the 21st century that include operas and structured improvisations. His work is on a level of the finest and most forward-thinking art music of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, jazz or classical, including Six Compositions (GTM) 2001, Trio (New Haven) 2013 with Tomas Fujiwara and Tom Rainey, and the large ensemble opera Trillium J in 2016.

RYM review
TheMercernarian Feb 01 2021

To be honest, it’d only be right for this project to start with what is (almost certainly) the most uncompromising listen out of any of these records.

There’s no way of downplaying it – For Alto is one of the noisiest, scariest, and most downright painful Free Jazz album of it’s time (which says a lot considering this is Free Jazz we’re talking about). Don’t let the brief serenity of the intro track fool you. The second it moves into ‘For Composer John Cage’, Braxton’s saxophone doesn’t squeal, it dementedly screeches. Every second of the track is an endless slurry of notes and riffs, each one delivered with such breathless speed that the listener can barely process each new direction he takes them in. And even when you are able to take note of what’s happening, it’ll be for an entirely overwhelming reason, such as how the track climaxes with longer and even more dissonant screams. In fact, you can even hear Braxton’s own body huffing away as he produces each sound, struggling to physically conform to the strain of his performance.


And yet, all of that still makes for a single song. Because if ‘John Cage’ poses the question as to how torturous a single saxophone can sound, then the rest of the album follows it up by questioning just how many directions one can take said sax tone. On each of the remaining tracks, Braxton melds his sound to suit the artistic styles of the person the cut is named after: the sultry ending of ‘Cecil Taylor’, the muted loneliness throughout ‘Ann and Peter Allen’, the animalistic snorts on ‘Kenny McKenny’, and finally the tension of ‘Leroy Jenkins’ (not that one), which sees Braxton transform his dynamic sensibility into a steady drip-feed of sickening blasts.

In the end, it all comes down to that title – For Alto. If each track on the album is a testament to a performer, then the record as a whole is an honouring of the innate emotional power and beauty of the alto sax as an instrument. And so, even if listeners leave the project with a bout of tinnitus or splitting headaches, they’ll do so still unequivocally convinced by Braxton’s unbelievable talents, and the raw potential of the tool he uses to illustrate such talent.

If you like this, also listen to :
A Message From Mozambique - Ju Ju (1973)
The Heliocentric Worlds of Sun Ra, Volume 2 - Sun Ra and His Solar Arkestra (1966)
Self Determination Music - John Carter / Bobby Bradford (1970)


A reminder of the current standings (remember, you can vote or change your vote anytime)


1. Toy Love - Toy Love EP : 7.618 (11 votes) [Brad]
2. Pretty Things - Parachute : 7.110 (10) [Zombeels]
3. Chelsea Wolfe - Hiss Spun : 7.018 (9) [CupOfDreams]
4. Tyrannosaurus Rex - Unicorn : 7.000 (9) [SL3]
5. Mavis Staples - If All I Was Was Black : 6.920 (10) [antonius]
6. Hood - Cold House : 6.843 (13) [CupOfDreams]
7. James - Laid : 6.778 (13) [Zombeels]
8. Graham Coxon - Love Travels at Illegal Speeds : 6.700 (11) [Toni]
9. Four Tet - FabricLive.59 : 6.670 (10) [Krurze]
9. Jay-Z - American Gangster 6.670 (10) [FrankLotion]
11. The Band - Stage Fright 6.660 (10) [Henry]
12. Krzysztof Penderecki - St. Luke Passion: 6.511 (9) [sonofsamiam]
13. The Elgins - Darling Baby : 6.500 (9) [mileswide]
14. Jill Scott - Who Is Jill Scott? 6.418 (11) [bonnielaurel]
15. KRS-One - KRS-One : 6.369 (13) [schaefer.tk]
16. Bee Gees - Main Course : 6.359 (11) [bonnielaurel]
17. Soul Asylum - Made To Be Broken : 6.225 (12) [Brad]
18. Rush - Fly By Night : 5.971 (12) [Brad]
19. Cybotron - Enter : 5.966 (12) [Moonbeam]
20. Defunkt - Defunkt : 5.576 (9) [antonius]
21. MUNA - About U : 5.345 (11) [votingbloc]
22. Prince - For You : 5.310 (10) [Moonbeam]
23. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel : 4.067 (9) [Moonbeam]
24. Schoolhouse Rock! - Science Rock : 3.922 (9) [prosecutorgodot]

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Listyguy
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto

Post by Listyguy »

For Alto - 8/10

I loves this. The concept is bold, and the execution is really great. The exploration of just how far you can take saxophone music does at times venture into some wild territory, but for the most part the songs here manage to hit the sweet spot of being avant-garde without becoming too abrasive. "To Composer John Cage" is an easy highlight for me, it's an astounding track. The slower numbers like "Dedicated to Susan Axelrod" offer a nice reprieve from the onslaught of violent music, but don't take away from the power of the album either. This is probably my favorite album out of the 25 we've had.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto

Post by Brad »

25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto (1970): 5
I'm afraid I'm a bit less enthusiatic. Yes, love the boldness, but ultimately the album ventures beyond the limits of my enjoyment - not sure I need to experience this again anytime soon. Would much rather listen to Metal Machine Music.

Thanks!
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto

Post by Schüttelbirne »

25. Anthony Braxton | For Alto: 8/10

I generally love Braxton's work. Here's my ratings for some of his other albums:

Five Pieces 1975 (1975): 8/10
Creative Orchestra Music 1976 (1976): 8/10
Birth and Rebirth (with Max Roach) (1978): 8/10
Alto Saxophone Improvisations 1979 (1979): 9/10
Duo (Bologna) 2018 (with Jacqueline Kerrod) (2020): 6/10

For Alto is the precursor for Alto Saxophone Improvisations 1979, which I personally prefer. He has a really unique way of playing, that sounds just wonderful. The concentration on a single instrument is always interesting, but particularly for a wind instrument. You can actually hear him breathe if you listen closely. I also think there are no overdubs which is awesome.

According to John S. Davis's Historical Dictionary of Jazz, this is the first album featuring exclusively saxophone music, and no other instrument. This only proves what a gamble this album was, because it's not an album filled with an "easier" style like Cool Jazz but very free pieces filling four sides. This was really important for the genre, enabling others to follow in his footsteps.

"To Composer John Cage" is indeed the highlight here, with Braxton bringing out some notes that seem to be off-scale (and really putting in the breath work for it, too). Other highlights include "To Pianist Cecil Taylor" (who is obviously worthy of all praise being the best pianist ever, you know) and "To My Friend Kenny McKenny".

This album also saw him using actual titles which is great to refer to, because normally he uses weird diagrams or combinations of numbers and letters. His compositions also look rather weird. This is "To Composer John Cage", also known as "Composition 8E":

Image
Medium fast relationships

(Taken from this wonderful discography with composition notes: http://www.restructures.net/BraxDisco/BraxDisco.htm)

Overall this is clearly the best album we've had here yet! Keep them coming!
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto

Post by Live in Phoenix »

5
Anthony Braxton - For Alto (1970): 5
I'm afraid I'm a bit less enthusiatic. Yes, love the boldness, but ultimately the album ventures beyond the limits of my enjoyment - not sure I need to experience this again anytime soon. Would much rather listen to Metal Machine Music.
This minus the last sentence. I actually bought this years ago, but only got through it once.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto

Post by mileswide »

Anthony Braxton - For Alto 5.2 (my #33 for 1970, squeezing out Parachute)

My highlights: To Artist Murray De Pillars, Dedicated to Ann and Peter Allen

This month's highlights ranked:
Activate
Pray
American Gangster
No Hook
To Artist Murray De Pillars
Fallin'
Dedicated to Ann and Peter Allen
Somebody Save the Night
All I got inside is vacancy!
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto

Post by FrankLotion »

25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto - 8/10 [Great]

This one fell just below my top 1000 when we did our lists last year so this album almost didn't qualify for this game!

I'm definitely a big fan, I used to play alto sax when I was younger so I appreciate it on that level but I really love how much personality comes through in these compositions.

Schüttelbirne pretty much nailed everything I want to say so I'll leave it at that, though if I had to level one critique I would just say that "Dedication to Ann and Peter Allen" is probably my least favorite since it just seems to meander for a lot of its long runtime.

Favorite Tracks: To Composer John Cage, To Pianist Cecil Taylor, Dedicated to Susan Axelrod
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Rob
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto

Post by Rob »

Anthony Braxton - For Alto: 8

Obviously not for everyone and it's definitely going my Spotify playlist called "To annoy people at parties and work". But jokes aside, I really liked this. After a relatively easy-going, short opener, we immediately drop into the highlight of the album: To Composer John Cage. It's a really heavy piece, with only the alto sax, which is being blown as if Braxton wanted to test the limits of his lungs. As impressive as this is from a skill standpoint, it is also rich in unsettling emotion. It really gives me goosebumps at times.

The John Cage tribute is the most challenging piece here and the remaining songs vary between some more tough tracks and some that are a bit more easy on the ears, without ever threatening into devolving into jazz-pop. It's a bit long, undoubtedly. Over 75 minutes of improvisation on just one instrument can get weary near the end. Nonetheless it is a very impressive album, with a lot of power.
Last edited by Rob on Sun Apr 25, 2021 9:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto

Post by Honorio »

25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto (1971) 6/10
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto

Post by Safetycat »

Next 5 ratings:
6. MUNA - About U (2017) - 5

7. Soul Asylum - Made To Be Broken (1986) - 4

8. Graham Coxon - Love Travels at Illegal Speeds (2006) - 8

9. Rush - Fly By Night (1975) - 9

10. Pretty Things - Parachute (1970) - 4
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 25. Anthony Braxton - For Alto

Post by spiritualized »

Anthony Braxton - For Alto: 3

The more I listen to free improv jazz, the less I understand it. I'm a sucker for quick, off the handle, catchy melodies, hence my love for indie rock, but can also appreciate lengthy prog tracks, ambient, etc.
Free jazz is an auditory mess which I can't make out. Coltrane, Coleman, etc...I have listened to dozens of albums and it never clicked.
I played alto sax in my youth too, but "To Composer John Cage" isn't what the instrument was made for. It makes as much sense as taking a chainsaw to the carcass of a car and depending on what material the saw hits, someone is bound to call it music. Not me. "John Cage" was pure, no-sense, hell. For almost 10 mins. Indeed, Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music sounds melodious next to it.

Fortunately, the improv is far easier on the ear on the following tracks, so not all is lost in this album.

Still, I admire forumers for "getting" this. I'm sure there's plenty of stuff I listen to which doesn't gel with others, but I don't think they're THAT painful.
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Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 26. Hayden James - Between Us

Post by spiritualized »

First, sorry for the slight delay, I was away for the last few days. For this week, a first nomination for M24 where we delve into Australian Deep House, quite popular on last.fm, but not so on RYM or Acclaimed Music.

Image

26. Hayden James - Between Us (2019)
Nominated by M24 (#612)
Genre : Deep House (#693 in the RYM Deep House chart)
Descriptors : N/A
Length : 11 tracks, 50:19 mins

AM ranking : unranked
Artist Ranking : unranked
RYM ranking : unranked for 2019, unranked overall (24 ratings @ 3.12 / 5.0)
Metascore : N/A
48.3k unique listeners and 397.3k scrobbles on last.fm

Choice cuts : Just Friends/ NUMB / Better Together


Biography from Allmusic
Hayden James is a singer/songwriter and producer from Sydney, Australia, who creates R&B-influenced downtempo electronic pop music as well as more club-minded remixes. His songs typically feature lush synthesizers, intricate melodies, and sensual vocals, while his remixes for artists such as Odesza and Basecamp incorporate elements of trap, deep house, and U.K. garage.

WitnessJames debuted in 2013 with the Balearic disco single "Permission to Love," released by Australian label Future Classic. The track earned extensive radio airplay in Australia, and soon became the centerpiece of James' self-titled five-song EP, which also featured the single "Embrace." Following extensive touring and remixes, James released "Something About You," which gained more Australian airplay as well as charting in several European countries. "Just a Lover" was released in 2016, followed by 2017's "Numb" (featuring Graace), which was certified platinum in Australia. Also that year, James co-wrote and performed on "Déjà Vu," a song from Katy Perry's Witness album. "Just Friends" (with Boy Matthews) appeared in 2018.

Between UsIn spring 2019, James issued the single "Nowhere to Go" -- a collaboration with L.A.-based Australian electronic duo NAATIONS -- a month ahead of his debut LP, Between Us. The album arrived in June, followed by a summer tour of Australia and New Zealand, as well as a U.S. tour in the fall. In spring 2020, he released the upbeat single "Right Time" featuring Icona Pop.

The Music.com.au review


It feels like eons ago that we first starting hearing from Sydney producer Hayden James. Surely Between Us can’t be his debut – can it? Opening shows for Disclosure and Odesza, landing himself on Splendour line-ups, ARIA noms and a string of solid releases since 2013 has garnered James a solid rep and following. So it’s about time he knuckled down in the studio to offer a comprehensive listen that is stacked with polished house gems. With Between Us, James shows he is more than the usual blockbuster anthems we have come to expect.

There are still plenty of hits though; Nowhere To Go is an instant highlight, featuring the powerhouse vocals of NAATIONS atop some cosmic beats. Weightless featuring Shungudzo and the tracks that boast Boy Matthews, Panama and Running Touch and their soulful croons are less floor-stomping and more toe-tapping; they help round out the glossy production with something a bit more earthy. Feelin’ and Remember You also bring a more down-tempo, urban feel to the record with some quirky horns, and the smoother house vibes are saved 'til the end, with Favours and Numb.

If you like this, also listen to :
Cheremushki Groove - AL-90 (2017)
Our Love - Caribou (2014)
Astro Travelling Through Life EP - Mount Liberation Unlimited (2014)


A reminder of the current standings (remember, you can vote or change your vote anytime)


1. Toy Love - Toy Love EP : 7.618 (11 votes) [Brad]
2. Chelsea Wolfe - Hiss Spun : 7.018 (9) [CupOfDreams]
3. Tyrannosaurus Rex - Unicorn : 7.000 (9) [SL3]
4. Mavis Staples - If All I Was Was Black : 6.920 (10) [antonius]
5. Hood - Cold House : 6.843 (13) [CupOfDreams]
6. Pretty Things - Parachute : 6.827 (11) [Zombeels]
7. Graham Coxon - Love Travels at Illegal Speeds : 6.808 (12) [Toni]
8. James - Laid : 6.778 (13) [Zombeels]
9. Four Tet - FabricLive.59 : 6.670 (10) [Krurze]
9. Jay-Z - American Gangster 6.670 (10) [FrankLotion]
11. The Band - Stage Fright 6.660 (10) [Henry]
12. Krzysztof Penderecki - St. Luke Passion: 6.511 (9) [sonofsamiam]
13. The Elgins - Darling Baby : 6.500 (9) [mileswide]
14. Jill Scott - Who Is Jill Scott? 6.418 (11) [bonnielaurel]
15. KRS-One - KRS-One : 6.369 (13) [schaefer.tk]
16. Bee Gees - Main Course : 6.359 (11) [bonnielaurel]
17. Anthony Braxton - For Alto : 6.244 (9) [sonofsamiam]
18. Rush - Fly By Night : 6.204 (13) [Brad]
19. Soul Asylum - Made To Be Broken : 6.054 (13) [Brad]
20. Cybotron - Enter : 5.966 (12) [Moonbeam]
21. Defunkt - Defunkt : 5.576 (9) [antonius]
22. MUNA - About U : 5.316 (12) [votingbloc]
23. Prince - For You : 5.310 (10) [Moonbeam]
24. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel : 4.067 (9) [Moonbeam]
25. Schoolhouse Rock! - Science Rock : 3.922 (9) [prosecutorgodot]

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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 26. Hayden James - Between Us

Post by Listyguy »

Between Us - 5/10

House music and house pop (or whatever you want to call this) doesn't really do much for me. I didn't really enjoy of the songs here all that much.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 26. Hayden James - Between Us

Post by Rob »

Hayden James - Between Us: 2
I'm probably an odd one, but for me Anthony Braxton's Alto is easy listening compared to this. Yes, I know this is the more popular work (besides Last.fm, it's Spotify streams are also quite good), but the combination of poor auto-tune over almost every vocal and relentless beats makes this a very tiresome listen for me. I'm not a fan of the genre, but even so it felt really weak in execution. But people who actually go to dance events clearly think differently, so more power to them.
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 26. Hayden James - Between Us

Post by mileswide »

Hayden James - Between Us 6.3 (my #78 for 2019)

My highlights: Weightless, Favours, Just Friends

This month's highlights ranked:
Activate
Pray
Weightless
American Gangster
No Hook
Favours
To Artist Murray De Pillars
Fallin'
Just Friends
Dedicated to Ann and Peter Allen
Somebody Save the Night
All I got inside is vacancy!
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 26. Hayden James - Between Us

Post by Honorio »

26. Hayden James - Between Us (2019) 5/10
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 26. Hayden James - Between Us

Post by Schüttelbirne »

26. Hayden James | Between Us: 4/10
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 26. Hayden James - Between Us

Post by spiritualized »

Sorry to M24, but this is really, really poor.
Sub Standard Electronic Pop with autotuned guests on vocals. The antithesis to what I enjoy

1/10
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 26. Hayden James - Between Us

Post by Brad »

26. Hayden James | Between Us: 3.5
Yep, not a big fan (though it gets a little more bearable towards the end I think).
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Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 27. Tall Dwarfs - 3EPs

Post by spiritualized »

And FINALLY a nomination courtesy of your host. The randominator has chosen a genre which seems to please this forum as the selected band features the same line-up as Toy Love, the current holder of the top spot.

Image

27. Tall Dwarfs - 3EPs (1994)
Nominated by spiritualized (#245)
Genre : Dunedin Sound, Lo-Fi / Slacker Rock (# 9 in the RYM Dunedin Sound chart)
Descriptors : N/A
Length : 18 tracks, 56:12 mins

AM ranking : unranked
Artist Ranking : unranked
RYM ranking : #299 for 1994, unranked overall (178 ratings @ 3.64 / 5.0)
Metascore : N/A
1814 unique listeners and 46.2k scrobbles on last.fm

Choice cuts : For all the Walters in the World / What Goes Up / Entropy


Biography from Allmusic

Pioneers of the lo-fi aesthetic and towering figures of the New Zealand pop music scene, the Tall Dwarfs were formed in 1979 by singers/songwriters Chris Knox and Alec Bathgate following the demise of their previous band, the legendary Toy Love. Recording on Knox's four-track machine, the duo debuted with the 1981 EP Three Songs, highlighted by the classic "Nothing's Going to Happen." The record was a hit, although it left many Toy Love fans baffled by the pair's new musical direction: Tall Dwarfs' releases were deliberately primitive, the D.I.Y. ethic at its purest -- songs were all recorded at home (performed in bedrooms, hallways, and the like) and defiantly experimental in nature, presaging the rise of what was ultimately dubbed "lo-fi" as the sound began to grow in prominence and influence over the course of the decades to follow.

A fan's review
gunsmoke - Jul 05 2005

This is a beautiful album as only Flying Nun's artists were able to produce. New Zealand should be a very special place in the history of pop music: so many pure talents such as the Chills, the Clean, the Bats, the Verlaines, and of course the great Tall Dwarfs. Don't be fool by the packaging (among the ugliest ever seen on any cd racks), these 3 EPs are just sheer beauty.
Thank you Mr. Chris Knox.

If you like this, also listen to :
The Pod - Ween (1991)
Mississippi Luau - Charlie McAlister (1997)
Roman Candle - Elliott Smith (1994)


A reminder of the current standings (remember, you can vote or change your vote anytime)


1. Toy Love - Toy Love EP : 7.618 (11 votes) [Brad]
2. Chelsea Wolfe - Hiss Spun : 7.018 (9) [CupOfDreams]
3. Tyrannosaurus Rex - Unicorn : 7.000 (9) [SL3]
4. Mavis Staples - If All I Was Was Black : 6.920 (10) [antonius]
5. Hood - Cold House : 6.843 (13) [CupOfDreams]
6. Pretty Things - Parachute : 6.827 (11) [Zombeels]
7. Graham Coxon - Love Travels at Illegal Speeds : 6.808 (12) [Toni]
8. James - Laid : 6.778 (13) [Zombeels]
9. Four Tet - FabricLive.59 : 6.670 (10) [Krurze]
9. Jay-Z - American Gangster 6.670 (10) [FrankLotion]
11. The Band - Stage Fright 6.660 (10) [Henry]
12. Krzysztof Penderecki - St. Luke Passion: 6.511 (9) [sonofsamiam]
13. The Elgins - Darling Baby : 6.500 (9) [mileswide]
14. Jill Scott - Who Is Jill Scott? 6.418 (11) [bonnielaurel]
15. KRS-One - KRS-One : 6.369 (13) [schaefer.tk]
16. Bee Gees - Main Course : 6.359 (11) [bonnielaurel]
17. Anthony Braxton - For Alto : 6.244 (9) [sonofsamiam]
18. Rush - Fly By Night : 6.204 (13) [Brad]
19. Soul Asylum - Made To Be Broken : 6.054 (13) [Brad]
20. Cybotron - Enter : 5.966 (12) [Moonbeam]
21. Defunkt - Defunkt : 5.576 (9) [antonius]
22. MUNA - About U : 5.316 (12) [votingbloc]
23. Prince - For You : 5.310 (10) [Moonbeam]
24. Sharon Redd - Love How You Feel : 4.067 (9) [Moonbeam]
25. Schoolhouse Rock! - Science Rock : 3.922 (9) [prosecutorgodot]
26. Hayden James - Between Us 3.829 (7) [M24]

Brad
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Re: Biggest Fan - The Album Edition - 27. Tall Dwarfs - 3EPs

Post by Brad »

27. Tall Dwarfs - 3EPs (1994): 8
It's been a long while since we've had one that's right up my alley... Chris Knox? Dunedin Sound? Lo-fi? Check, check, check.
A few more plays and it'll likely no longer be eligible for this game next time around!

Thanks!
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