Hot Take/ Musical Confession Thread!

[supahypeag]

Haha. I don't think you're being rude, to each their own. Next time I listen to BoB/Beggars I'll see if I can hear it. What are the 3 songs?

Paint It Black, Gimme Shelter, and....I'm sure there's another one ... not Sympathy for the Devil, I don't like that one...um.....I like the Sundays' version of Wild Horses (that Buffy prom scene!!), um...shoot....I'm drawing a blank!

 

[Dtknuckles]

Since I posted about Kendrick earlier, for those who do like his music can you say exactly what you like about him because I really don't get it ...

I was lukewarm on Kendrick. When TPAB came out I became interested because a lot of the LA jazz guys were involved. So I listened to it a little. I'll be honest, I don't listen to a lot of rap so a lot of the album went over my head. After I listened to a podcast (Dissected), that went over the album with a fine tooth comb song by song it really opened my mind. It is an amazingly complex album, courageous, and honest. It is really a story that takes you through his personal journey. People that can make art to this level do not come around often. He deserves ever ounce of praise he gets for making this album. It should go down as one of the greatest albums of the 21st century and. And I'm not one to speak in hyperbole as regards to art.

 

[Dtknuckles]

Pet Sounds has not stood the test of time.

I mean there are like one or two songs that I can even get into on that album.

 

[dhodo]

I was lukewarm on Kendrick. When TPAB came out I became interested because a lot of the LA jazz guys were involved. So I listened to it a little. I'll be honest, I don't listen to a lot of rap so a lot of the album went over my head. After I listened to a podcast (Dissected), that went over the album with a fine tooth comb song by song it really opened my mind. It is an amazingly complex album, courageous, and honest. It is really a story that takes you through his personal journey. People that can make art to this level do not come around often. He deserves ever ounce of praise he gets for making this album. It should go down as one of the greatest albums of the 21st century and. And I'm not one to speak in hyperbole as regards to art.

I felt similarly about GKMC. I liked some singles he put out before that album, like ADHD but somehow I had missed almost everything else he did.

At first when GKMC came out I kind of wrote it off because it was closer to pop rap than most of what I liked at the time and without paying attention to most of the lyrics, some of the hooks seemed silly, like Swimming Pools. For whatever reason, the sound kept growing on me to the point that I actually started paying attention to the lyrics and concept of the album and then it blew me away.

I'm still amazed that so many people, like my sister, who liked Swimming Pools before I did, thought/ think it is a pro drinking song. Similar misinterpretations abound for that album, which is really a great reflection on and representation of growing up where he did through the lens of his more mature hindsight.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

Try as a might, I just can't get into the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen but I think I would like to. What am I doing wrong? I mean I like Sympathy For The Devil, Gimme Shelter, and You Can't Always Get What You Want but the rest just isn't approachable for me. And Bruce, maybe Born In The USA and Dancing In The Dark painted him badly in my eyes as a youth.

I’m in the same boat with the Stones. Though I continually try.

My Bruce recommendation is to listen to Darkness on the Edge of Town in its entirety.

The answer for The Rolling Stones is easy. Go listen to Exile on Main St. that album is flawless. A top 5 record for sure. I think the biggest hit it contained was Tumbling Dice but it is rad. When I think of how rock and roll should sound at it’s down and dirtiest best. I think of Exile.

 

[Dtknuckles]

I felt similarly about GKMC. I liked some singles he put out before that album, like ADHD but somehow I had missed almost everything else he did.

At first when GKMC came out I kind of wrote it off because it was closer to pop rap than most of what I liked at the time and without paying attention to most of the lyrics, some of the hooks seemed silly, like Swimming Pools. For whatever reason, the sound kept growing on me to the point that I actually started paying attention to the lyrics and concept of the album and then it blew me away.

I'm still amazed that so many people, like my sister, who liked Swimming Pools before I did, thought/ think it is a pro drinking song. Similar misinterpretations abound for that album, which is really a great reflection on and representation of growing up where he did through the lens of his more mature hindsight.

I have to listen to that album more, but you know so many albums so little time.

 

[Woob_woob]

I like GKMC more than TPAB cause I can really get immersed into GKMC's story. When I listen to TPAB, I just listen to it how I would most other hip hop albums.

Yea gkmc is the better album imo, but really its splitting hairs.

 

[Dtknuckles]

The answer for The Rolling Stones is easy. Go listen to Exile on Main St. that album is flawless. A top 5 record for sure. I think the biggest hit it contained was Tumbling Dice but it is rad. When I think of how rock and roll should sound at it’s down and dirtiest best. I think of Exile.

I'm into Sticky Fingers more.

General questions to anyone. I may be mistaken but there was a scene in a movie that used a Stones song. A girl came out in a bar and did some other worldly shaking dance and she was dressed in fringe. I didn't imagine this did I. Was it Roadhouse?

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

With the stones, listen to Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf, and then think “instead of these black guys singing their songs, what if white people from England stole their style, made it louder, sped it up, and then sang it like crap?” That’s how to appreciate the stones.

Yeah, The Rolling Stones didn’t steal anything. They were definitely influenced and indebted to the great American blues artists that proceeded them but unlike Elvis and other white musicians they were super open about there musical influences and spoke of it often. The Rolling Stones were a gateway for many to the great blues legends. Elvis stole black music and pretended like he invented it The Rolling Stones were huge fan boys that bugged out getting to share a stage with Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters in Chicago. Sorry but I don’t feel like “stole” is the right word.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

I mean there are like one or two songs that I can even get into on that album.

That means you haven’t listened to it. I mean really listen. I get the influence of the album have been so profound that many things that made it innovative at the time have now been emulate to point that it may be hard to pick up on all that is going on but it is an orchestral pop masterpiece. “Wouldn’t Be Nice” or “God Only Knows” are great gateways to the album but it’s best experienced with headphones in its entirety. So many moving parts such pristine harmonies. Come for the hits stay for the pop perfection.

 

[Dtknuckles]

That means you haven’t listened to it. I mean really listen. I get the influence of the album have been so profound that many things that made it innovative at the time have now been emulate to point that it may be hard to pick up on all that is going on but it is an orchestral pop masterpiece. “Wouldn’t Be Nice” or “God Only Knows” are great gateways to the album but it’s best experienced with headphones in its entirety. So many moving parts such pristine harmonies. Come for the hits stay for the pop perfection.

I get it. It was innovative and all. It was a big stretch for popular music at the time. And yea you picked the two songs I like on that album. They are great pop songs. I like a musicians that have borrowed that influence (Olivia Tremor Control) But I honestly find a lot of the album forgettable. I'll listen to it again. Right after I get done with listening to Quitapenas-Tigrada. A local Pan-Caribbean band that is local to LA/Riverside. People should check these guys out. Like Marc Ribot y Cubanos Postizos but less Cuban.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

I get it. It was innovative and all. It was a big stretch for popular music at the time. And yea you picked the two songs I like on that album. They are great pop songs. I like a musicians that have borrowed that influence (Olivia Tremor Control) But I honestly find a lot of the album forgettable. I'll listen to it again. Right after I get done with listening to Quitapenas-Tigrada. A local Pan-Caribbean band that is local to LA/Riverside. People should check these guys out. Like Marc Ribot y Cubanos Postizos but less Cuban.

Whenever you get a chance. IMO it’s a pretty special album.

 

[TheMythOfSisyphus]

That means you haven’t listened to it. I mean really listen. I get the influence of the album have been so profound that many things that made it innovative at the time have now been emulate to point that it may be hard to pick up on all that is going on but it is an orchestral pop masterpiece. “Wouldn’t Be Nice” or “God Only Knows” are great gateways to the album but it’s best experienced with headphones in its entirety. So many moving parts such pristine harmonies. Come for the hits stay for the pop perfection.

I love Pet Sounds....it is one of the albums that I own multiple copies of (stereo, mono, OOPs, REs, CD, box sets, outtakes). In general, I love post-surfer BB's (after The Beach Boys Today!) and have a soft spot for the surfer-era music, as my father used to play it when I was a child (although I don't buy it). I also wholeheartedly disagree that it hasn't stood the test of time. The instrumentation doesn't sound dated - usually music sounds dated when it utilizes very era-specific instrument sounds that are no longer in vogue (a lot of synth driven music may fall victim to that - one day heavily auto-tuned music will feel that way, I believe). It is all great playing and orchestration that is time-independent, IMO. As well, the lyrics are so universal in dealing with the anxiety of growing up and feeling out of place that they are not tied to a certain zeitgeist, social/political climate, etc.

However....I HATE the phrase - or ones of similar ilk - "you haven't listened to it" ("really" or otherwise). Or, you just don't understand it. This creates a false dilemma that assumes there is only a binary proposition (i.e. an exclusive either/or). Thus, it would look like this...Either you understand/have REALLY listened to X and love and appreciate it OR you don't understand it and that's why you don't like it. That a person could not possibly both understand what you love, just the same as you understand it, and still not love it themselves. Then again, people do the same with their POS children.

So, in closing, if you do not like Pet Sounds don't feel bad. I mean, you're stupid...but probably too stupid to feel bad about it. As you were.

 

[TenderLovingKiller®]

However....I HATE the phrase - or ones of similar ilk - "you haven't listened to it" ("really" or otherwise). Or, you just don't understand it.

Well, my intention wasn’t to imply that he did not understand it. I was suggesting he should spend more time with the whole album. It’s easy to click something on in the background while doing other things and kinda sing along when the tracks you’re familiar with pop on. My suggestion was more for him to give it his full attention while listening to the whole album.

I also never said Pet Sounds sounds dated, I suggested (and I will argue fairly) that Pet Sounds is highly influencial album that many (especially in Indie rock community) have been highly influenced as such it may take a bit more effort for the discerning listener to pick up on the brilliance if not fully engaged. Pet Sounds is my favorite album of all time, I think I currently own 3 versions of it on wax, the CD and even the Casette. Yet the first time I listened to it I didn’t get what all the fuss was about either. It took time for the album to click. So when someone states they are only feeling a couple tracks. I can relate. I was in the same boat.

I do agree about the post- surf era (though you could argue it more as post-Brian Wilson giving up on touring era) Beach Boys. The run from Today! Thru Love You (minus outlier like Stack-o-tracks and Party!) is pretty unimpeachable IMO.

 

[Bohnjaggs]

He blends aspects of mainstream and more underground hip hop flawlessly. He can easily go from crowd pleasing "bangers" (Backseat Freestyle, King Kunta, Humble) to more introspective, thought provoking songs(momma, Poe Mans Dreams, Vanity Slaves) Hes one of the best writers in hip hop currently, has multiple flows he excels at, and has excellent beat selection. He collaborates with forward thinking artists outside of his genre like Kamasi, Flylo, Thundercat, etc..Hes never made a bad album, and has made 3 of the best hip hop albums of the past decade, with 2 arguably in the top 5 of the decade. He constantly outshines other rappers on their own tracks.

Tldr: everything

I guess I'll have to give him another chance but I honestly don't think he's for me.

My pet peeve is when people always say that an artist (Kanye, Beyonce, etc.) is a no-talent hack when it's obvious that they have a lot of talent. It's just that you're not into their stuff. BUT, having said that, that's pretty much exactly how I feel about Kendrick. Between his recorded output and his live performances I've never really been into anything I've heard him do and his popularity leaves me scratching my head. I wish I could hear what you do in his music.

 

[Dtknuckles]

alt time

This typo is too good not to point out. I'm interested in this alt time universe. Other than Pet Sounds what are the inhabitants cultural touchstones. Do they have any rituals, rites of passage? Are the physics different than ours? What is mater in this universe?

 

[Dtknuckles]

I guess I'll have to give him another chance but I honestly don't think he's for me.

My pet peeve is when people always say that an artist (Kanye, Beyonce, etc.) is a no-talent hack when it's obvious that they have a lot of talent. It's just that you're not into their stuff. BUT, having said that, that's pretty much exactly how I feel about Kendrick. Between his recorded output and his live performances I've never really been into anything I've heard him do and his popularity leaves me scratching my head. I wish I could hear what you do in his music.

I suggest you listen to the first season of Dissect while or before you check it out TPAB again.

 

[Joe Mac]

Well I'll take the great Stones albums over Clapton any day but I'll cede your point for early Stones. I feel like it applies to early Who, Yardbirds, Small Faces, Pretty Things, Animals and to some extent Kinks and the Beatles. It wasn't until later in the 60s that scene really started putting their own spin on it and made some really great albums.

I feel like your criticism applies to all the earlier 60s albums but that's the first time I've ever heard anyone say that anything from say Beggars to Exile is just a rip off of Howling Wolf/ Muddy Waters. Infuenced sure. However, I think Aftermath is one of the best albums of the era (of British rock) that your criticism could apply to, so clearly we're on different wavelengths!

Hard disagree with the Kinks. They pretty much pioneered that type of guitar distortion in their early days.

 

[TheMythOfSisyphus]

Well, my intention wasn’t to imply that he did not understand it. I was suggesting he should spend more time with the whole album. It’s easy to click something on in the background while doing other things and kinda sing along when the tracks you’re familiar with pop on. My suggestion was more for him to give it his full attention while listening to the whole album.

I also never said Pet Sounds sounds dated, I suggested (and I will argue fairly) that Pet Sounds is highly influencial album that many (especially in Indie rock community) have been highly influenced as such it may take a bit more effort for the discerning listener to pick up on the brilliance if not fully engaged. Pet Sounds is my favorite album of all time, I think I currently own 3 versions of it on wax, the CD and even the Casette. Yet the first time I listened to it I didn’t get what all the fuss was about either. It took time for the album to click. So when someone states they are only feeling a couple tracks. I can relate. I was in the same boat.

I do agree about the post- surf era (though you could argue it more as post-Brian Wilson giving up on touring era) Beach Boys. The run from Today! Thru Love You (minus outlier like Stack-o-tracks and Party!) is pretty unimpeachable IMO.

Oh, yes, I know you didn't say it sounds dated. I was more replying to the notion that it didn't stand the test of time made elsewhere. I had to defend the album before I defended others to dislike it.

 

[Joe Mac]

I don't really know how to break it down further except that Beggars sounds like a Stones' version of Blonde. Maybe it's the harmonica? The country-folksy sounds? I dunno. Part of it may be how I've been approaching my record collection/music-learnin': more or less chronologically. So I heard Blonde on Blonde for the first time a couple of months ago, then a couple of weeks later, I heard Beggars. And I was like, "well, that's similar. But worse. And I don't like Blonde on Blonde, so this is like, even more terrible. And I know that the Beach Boys, Beatles, and Stones were all influencing each other and being influenced by Dylan, but this seems excessive." (BTW, this is the Hot Take Thread, so I'm feeling a little bit more at liberty to be, like, rude about stuff, as some of the takes earlier in the thread were even more anti-Dylan/Beatles/Stones/etc. And if you need an explanation of my anti-Blonde on Blonde thing...I dunno. I don't like Dylan's voice, I don't like the harmonica, I don't like the vibe, you name it, I probably hate it. I do own Highway 61 though, and I quite like it.)

I was telling my brother the other day that in general I hate the freaking Rolling Stones....except they have like 3 of the best songs ever made.

That’s the oddest take ever. If there are similarities I don’t see it as a rip off. They started releasing albums around the same time as Dylan and have always used harmonica. Keith Richards is on record as saying he thinks Jagger is a great harmonica player.

I also don’t see any musical Dylan similarities, the Stones always felt much more in debt the rhythm and blues scene and had very little in common with the folk scene...