The Challenge Thread

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revbob
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Re: The Challenge Thread

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Im working thru this Springsteen challenge and the results may be surprising...

Dr. Medulla
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Re: The Challenge Thread

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revbob wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 10:21am
Im working thru this Springsteen challenge and the results may be surprising...
So, you're becoming a white sportswriter?
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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Re: The Challenge Thread

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Dr. Medulla wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 10:31am
revbob wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 10:21am
Im working thru this Springsteen challenge and the results may be surprising...
So, you're becoming a white sportswriter?
he's becoming a round governor of a terrible mid-atlantic state.
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a bowl of soup
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop
Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a ton of lead
Wiggle - you can raise the dead

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Re: The Challenge Thread

Post by Silent Majority »

Flex wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 11:33am
Dr. Medulla wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 10:31am
revbob wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 10:21am
Im working thru this Springsteen challenge and the results may be surprising...
So, you're becoming a white sportswriter?
he's becoming a round governor of a terrible mid-atlantic state.
The Round Governer was on the Seeger sessions, wasn't it?

Death to my Hometown was when I became a begrudging Springsteen apologist. I suspect revbob may be on a similar path.
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Dr. Medulla
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Re: The Challenge Thread

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I liken Springsteen to Radiohead. Critics adore them to a degree that they aren't really being, um, critical, hailing each new record as yet another huge artistic achievement. Their fanbases are irritatingly intolerant of criticism—"you just don't get why he's/they're brilliant [because you're not smart enough]"—to a degree that fuels the dislike. Liberals like to namecheck them to seem cool. And there's a decent argument that the singer's got a lousy voice. (I say all this as someone who likes Radiohead more than most people here, and probably dislike Springsteen more than most here.)
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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Re: The Challenge Thread

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muppet hi fi wrote:
25 Jun 2018, 7:23pm
For Revbob. Knock ya self out, kid.
"State Trooper" (1982) - Dark themes, I like it. Probably the best song he ever wrote (eventhough Ive only heard a small fraction of his catalog I feel comfortable saying this.)

"Preacher's Daughter" - Not feeling this one.

"Johnny 99" - Better than most of what I've been exposed to, but leaves me a bit flat.

"Straight Time" - Similar feeling as with Johnny 99. I feel like he's holding back.

"Pay Me My Money Down" - Upbeat Cajun type tune I like it. I especially like the instrumentation.

"Shut Out the Light" - Comes across lyrically as Springsteen by the numbers.
Main Street - check
Bar - check
Girl - check
Ford - check
Garage - check
Chrome - check
Factory - check
What no motorcycle?

"Mrs. McGrath" - I've got a soft spot for Irish folk music and he does a decent job with this song.

"The Line" - Doesn't grab me.

"Death to My Hometown" - Lyrically I like it. The execution of the song seems a little over the top. I dont like the opening drums/clapping at all. Again I have a soft spot for folk music and Irish music but scale back on those damn drums.

"Hey Blue Eyes" - not feeling this one either.

"American Land" - I still don't like the very prominent drum sound it sounds out of place...

Overall I'd say i certainly prefer much of this to his usual arena rock, or whatever you want to call it that he does.

I'm far from a fan but I will say this stuff ain't all bad. His lyrics can be pretty good when they don't get too bogged down in the Springsteen cliches.

I wont be going to any Springsteen shows, buying any merch or downloading any stuff but I'll put him a notch above Phil Collins.

Thanks Muppet. What can I get for you???

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Re: The Challenge Thread

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Silent Majority wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 11:52am
Flex wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 11:33am
Dr. Medulla wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 10:31am
revbob wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 10:21am
Im working thru this Springsteen challenge and the results may be surprising...
So, you're becoming a white sportswriter?
he's becoming a round governor of a terrible mid-atlantic state.
The Round Governer was on the Seeger sessions, wasn't it?

Death to my Hometown was when I became a begrudging Springsteen apologist. I suspect revbob may be on a similar path.
Yeah definitely some truth to this but like I said the drum don't feel right to me. Back when I used to do a radio show I would get cds from celtic rock bands and the drums often relegated many cds to a one and done rotation.

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Re: The Challenge Thread

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Dr. Medulla wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 12:16pm
... probably dislike Springsteen more than most here.)
I'll cede this honor to you but a few days ago I'd have fought you for that title.

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Re: The Challenge Thread

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revbob wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 6:53pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 12:16pm
... probably dislike Springsteen more than most here.)
I'll cede this honor to you but a few days ago I'd have fought you for that title.
It's hard not to be contemptuous of how you just rolled over and gave it up without a fight. You've gotten old, man. It used to be about the curmudge. :disshame:
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

revbob
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Re: The Challenge Thread

Post by revbob »

Dr. Medulla wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 7:00pm
revbob wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 6:53pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 12:16pm
... probably dislike Springsteen more than most here.)
I'll cede this honor to you but a few days ago I'd have fought you for that title.
It's hard not to be contemptuous of how you just rolled over and gave it up without a fight. You've gotten old, man. It used to be about the curmudge. :disshame:
Its true in my prime I would have told muppet to piss because Bruce Springsteen fucking sucks.

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Re: The Challenge Thread

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revbob wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 7:59pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 7:00pm
revbob wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 6:53pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
11 Jul 2018, 12:16pm
... probably dislike Springsteen more than most here.)
I'll cede this honor to you but a few days ago I'd have fought you for that title.
It's hard not to be contemptuous of how you just rolled over and gave it up without a fight. You've gotten old, man. It used to be about the curmudge. :disshame:
Its true in my prime I would have told muppet to piss because Bruce Springsteen fucking sucks.
That's the revbob we all, well, not loved, but nodded approvingly toward.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

Kory
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Re: The Challenge Thread

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Dr. Medulla wrote:
12 Jun 2018, 7:58pm
Okay, ya dang cow poop, here's ten songs from the under-appreciated 4AD band, The Wolfgang Press. I tried to limit the obvious picks from the superb Everything is Beautiful compilation, but it was hard not to replicate so much of it. Here's whatcha got (in rough chronological order):

01 The Burden of Mules
02 Respect [Elizabeth Fraser reluctantly participated]
03 Assassination K. / Kanserous [This is "Kansas" but with an extra 3 mins or so of an intro. The video is well worth viewing for its creepy/quality. One of my favourite music vids]
04 Hang On Me (For Papa)
05 Shut the Door [One of my favourite bass lines anywhere]
06 Mama Told Me Not to Come (Up All Night Mix)
07 Time
08 Sucker (Martyn Young Mix) [This mix transforms an otherwise so-so song into something compelling]
09 Going South [The video revisits the “Kansas” video]
10 So Long Dead

https://mega.nz/#!5M82yZAC!yo26XcyXXiYX ... xSGVOU9RX4
Sorry for the delay on this, it was one thing after another:

01 The Burden of Mules
It’s got that great post-punk sound that I like so well. I appreciate the bass and drums sans guitar—it makes it sound more menacing, and that bass tone is nice and deep. The vocals are a little lacking…I like the energy, but I think they would work better if he added some gravel.

02 Respect [Elizabeth Fraser reluctantly participated]
WHAT? This is so different from the last track. The lead vocals are an improvement, but I think Liz’s vox are holding the track back in cutesy territory instead of being as out-there as it could have been.

03 Assassination K. / Kanserous [This is "Kansas" but with an extra 3 mins or so of an intro. The video is well worth viewing for its creepy/quality. One of my favourite music vids]
These guitars are rad, I’m liking this one. I’m listening at work on earbuds so can’t really hear what the speaking vocals are saying. I was just about to say it would be cool if there was some more expressive sprechstimme to go along with it, and it entered right then. I quite like the way it builds as well.

04 Hang On Me (For Papa)
I like how this is sparse yet lush. An interesting combo with instruments coming and going. This band is definitely growing on me. The backup vox sound a bit like Nick Cave, which appeals.

05 Shut That Door [One of my favourite bass lines anywhere]
This has a nice mix of the consonant and dissonant. This is the kind of thing that puts me at ease, in pop, classical, and jazz—not too much of one or the other, sitting right on that fence. I’m starting to think this is a band I would have liked to be in, this seems like it would be fun to play.

06 Mama Told Me Not to Come (Up All Night Mix)
This is more on the conventionally dance side, though there’s not anything wrong with that. Did they become more smooth as they went on? I’m not always a fan of female backing vocals as they can get corny, but they aren’t so bad here. Not my favorite track so far, but not as bad as Respect.

07 Time
I like this one a bit more as it’s got some more dimension to it. And of course I dig the Pink Floyd sample. A little long maybe.

08 Sucker (Martyn Young Mix) [This mix transforms an otherwise so-so song into something compelling]
I think I’m getting dance fatigue, I was hoping for more of that dissonant guitar stuff. I think I would like these glossier tracks more if they were a bit more aurally offensive, I suppose. My taste in electronic music skews toward Autechre, to give you some context there. On this one, perhaps if I had heard the original first it might have made more of an impression though.

09 Going South [The video revisits the “Kansas” video]
This kind of reminds me of a more backwoods Morphine. Not very threatening, but it has a nice unified production sound that is deep and pleasing.

10 So Long Dead
Good final track. A nice stomp that kind of reminds me of an electronically-minded Zeppelin. I like the combo of distorted and mellow tones here.

So it seems I’ll probably be most into their early (?) stuff that’s scratchier, but they definitely have an interesting mix of sounds. I’ll be checking them out for sure.
"Suck our Earth dick, Martians!" —Doc

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Re: The Challenge Thread

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Kory wrote:
03 Aug 2018, 4:07pm
So it seems I’ll probably be most into their early (?) stuff that’s scratchier, but they definitely have an interesting mix of sounds. I’ll be checking them out for sure.
Thanks for listening and sharing your thoughts. Based on what you wrote, yup, the stuff up to 1988's Bird Wood Cage would be up your alley. The two albums in the early 90s were more electronic dancey and smooth. BWC is definitely their peak, tho.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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Re: The Challenge Thread

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Dr. Medulla wrote:
05 Aug 2018, 1:38pm
Kory wrote:
03 Aug 2018, 4:07pm
So it seems I’ll probably be most into their early (?) stuff that’s scratchier, but they definitely have an interesting mix of sounds. I’ll be checking them out for sure.
Thanks for listening and sharing your thoughts. Based on what you wrote, yup, the stuff up to 1988's Bird Wood Cage would be up your alley. The two albums in the early 90s were more electronic dancey and smooth. BWC is definitely their peak, tho.
They seem to have a bit of a Wire trajectory without the Send return. I think that if I got more into their earlier stuff I may wind up being more receptive to their electronic era. It may have just been my mood that day, too.
"Suck our Earth dick, Martians!" —Doc

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Re: The Challenge Thread

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Kory wrote:
06 Aug 2018, 12:45pm
Dr. Medulla wrote:
05 Aug 2018, 1:38pm
Kory wrote:
03 Aug 2018, 4:07pm
So it seems I’ll probably be most into their early (?) stuff that’s scratchier, but they definitely have an interesting mix of sounds. I’ll be checking them out for sure.
Thanks for listening and sharing your thoughts. Based on what you wrote, yup, the stuff up to 1988's Bird Wood Cage would be up your alley. The two albums in the early 90s were more electronic dancey and smooth. BWC is definitely their peak, tho.
They seem to have a bit of a Wire trajectory without the Send return. I think that if I got more into their earlier stuff I may wind up being more receptive to their electronic era. It may have just been my mood that day, too.
This was, I believe, their biggest hit, from the early 90s. I'm not keen on it.
"I never doubted myself for a minute for I knew that my monkey-strong bowels were girded with strength, like the loins of a dragon ribboned with fat and the opulence of buffalo dung." - Richard Nixon, Checkers Speech, abandoned early draft

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