Strange Musical Tales: The September 2023 Vinyl Spin Challenge Thread

Day 3 - AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS (Lovecraft, 1931)
One of the most influential Lovecraft stories, featuring the discovery of mysterious alien ruins that the protagonists cannot understand, a trope that reappeared in countless sci-fi works like Alien, The Thing, or The Expanse.
Play something related to sanity/insanity and/or about the frigid cold of winter and/or makes you think of winter and/or aliens.

Radiohead "OK Computer" (1997 Parlophone; 2017 OKNOTOK reissue)
I think I have three tentacles in one go with this one. "Subterranean Homesick Alien" covers the alien prompt, then the track "Climbing Up The Walls" appears to refer to alienation and sanity (at least that's been my interpretation of those lyrics). I mean, most of the record touches on themes of mental health. As a bonus, "Climbing Up The Walls" also includes the line "I am the pick in the ice", which references the cold. And the cover makes me think of winter to be honest.

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Day 3 - AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS (Lovecraft, 1931)
One of the most influential Lovecraft stories, featuring the discovery of mysterious alien ruins that the protagonists cannot understand, a trope that reappeared in countless sci-fi works like Alien, The Thing, or The Expanse.
Play something related to sanity/insanity and/or about the frigid cold of winter and/or makes you think of winter and/or aliens.



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Day 2 - THE DUNWICH HORROR (Lovecraft, 1928)
One of the central tales in the Cthulhu mythos, and one of the few where the protagonists defeat the monster of the story. Along the way, the protagonists consult the Necronomicon at Miskatonic University.
Play something that references a weird creature and/or a legend that you might find in a dark book in the library at Miskatonic University and/or play something that is based on a book, or references books and/or libraries.

HIM - Greatest Love Songs, Vol. 666

This whole album would be the dark book you'd find in the library. Goth metal with a flair for glam. Features a cover of Don't Fear the Reaper, my weird creature feature. Ok, not that weird, but this still felt like a good creepy library album.

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Day 2 - THE DUNWICH HORROR (Lovecraft, 1928)
One of the central tales in the Cthulhu mythos, and one of the few where the protagonists defeat the monster of the story. Along the way, the protagonists consult the Necronomicon at Miskatonic University.
Play something that references a weird creature and/or a legend that you might find in a dark book in the library at Miskatonic University and/or play something that is based on a book, or references books and/or libraries.

Well, I learned today that the title of this album came from Arthur Koestler's book "The Roots of Coincidence".

I initially thought of the secondary running theme in Synchronicity II though, which I always assumed was the Loch Ness Monster

Many miles away
Something crawls from the slime
At the bottom of a dark
Scottish lake

Police ~ Synchronicity

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Day 3 - AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS (Lovecraft, 1931)
One of the most influential Lovecraft stories, featuring the discovery of mysterious alien ruins that the protagonists cannot understand, a trope that reappeared in countless sci-fi works like Alien, The Thing, or The Expanse.
Play something related to sanity/insanity and/or about the frigid cold of winter and/or makes you think of winter and/or aliens.
Oingo Boingo ~ Boingo

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Day 2 - THE DUNWICH HORROR (Lovecraft, 1928)
One of the central tales in the Cthulhu mythos, and one of the few where the protagonists defeat the monster of the story. Along the way, the protagonists consult the Necronomiconat Miskatonic University.
Play something that references a weird creature and/or a legend that you might find in a dark book in the library at Miskatonic University and/or play something that is based on a book, or references books and/or libraries.

The whole Doors/ Blake/ Huxley thing aside L.A Woman also references City of Night by John Rechy so there’s double book refs on the front cover alone.

And this is a great game

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Day 2 - THE DUNWICH HORROR (Lovecraft, 1928)
One of the central tales in the Cthulhu mythos, and one of the few where the protagonists defeat the monster of the story. Along the way, the protagonists consult the Necronomicon at Miskatonic University.
Play something that references a weird creature and/or a legend that you might find in a dark book in the library at Miskatonic University and/or play something that is based on a book, or references books and/or libraries.

The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride

We have references to monsters old and new in "How to Embrace a Swamp Creature" and "Michael Myers Resplendent." And that's not even counting the track "Lovecraft in Brooklyn" for a sweaty dose of paranoia.

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Day 3 - AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS (Lovecraft, 1931)
One of the most influential Lovecraft stories, featuring the discovery of mysterious alien ruins that the protagonists cannot understand, a trope that reappeared in countless sci-fi works like Alien, The Thing, or The Expanse.
Play something related to sanity/insanity and/or about the frigid cold of winter and/or makes you think of winter and/or aliens.



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Day 3 - AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS (Lovecraft, 1931)
One of the most influential Lovecraft stories, featuring the discovery of mysterious alien ruins that the protagonists cannot understand, a trope that reappeared in countless sci-fi works like Alien, The Thing, or The Expanse.
Play something related to sanity/insanity and/or about the frigid cold of winter and/or makes you think of winter and/or aliens.

Super Furry Animals - Guerrilla

This betentacled creature on the cover seems extraterrestrial in origin. And while it's the wrong side of the world from the story of the day, you're probably cold if you can see "Northern Lites." In any case, with cosmic horrors about, you better "Keep the Cosmic Trigger Happy."

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Turbo said:
Every single pick since yesterday has been absolute fire. I'd totally sit back in the listening room with a couple beers and listen to each one...
Click to expand...

As he started playing the albums, one after the other, he noticed that he had no desire but to keep listening, to let the sounds wash over his mind. It was hours later when he noticed he could not stop, and soon after he noticed that he no longer cared, that this room and these sounds were all he needed. He followed the order that they had chosen in their little game, a crowd of people picking albums to match prompts he had chosen, and as he ended the second day of listening he realized this was not a game- it was a communion, a seance, a summoning, a key to somewhere and sometime else. They had been waiting to come home, and his game was the key, the music opening something long sealed.

Days later, when he finally, mercifully saw the tentacles through eyes filled with tears, all he could do was laugh.
 
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LeSamourai said:
As he started playing the albums, one after other, he noticed that he had no desire but to keep listening, to let the sounds wash over his mind. It was hours later when he noticed he could not stop, and soon after he noticed that he no longer cared, that this room and these sounds were all he needed. He followed the order that they had picked in their little game, a crowd of people picking albums to match prompts he had chosen, and as he ended the second day of listening he realized this was not a game- it was a communion, a seance, a summoning, a key to somewhere and sometime else. They had been waiting to come home, and his game was the key, the music opening something long sealed.

Days later, when he finally, mercifully saw the tentacles through eyes filled with tears, all he could do was laugh.
Click to expand...

OMG that's so awesome! 🐙
 
Day 4 - LOVECRAFT COUNTRY (Matt Ruff, 2016)
Lovecraft’s stories have influenced a lot of science-fiction, horror, and fantasy, but the elephant in the room is that he was known to have racist beliefs. As a response to this, various authors have reappropriated the cosmic horror themes and ideas from his works into empowering storylines. Examples of this are Matt Ruff’s Lovecraft Country (which was also adapted into an HBO series) and Victor LaValle’s The Ballad Of Black Tom.
Play something empowering and/or something by a black artist.

King Khan "The Invaders Original Film Score" (2023 Khannibalism / Ernest Jenning Record Co.)
Brown artist scoring a film about a group of black militants in the 1960s.

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Day 4 - LOVECRAFT COUNTRY (Matt Ruff, 2016)
Lovecraft’s stories have influenced a lot of science-fiction, horror, and fantasy, but the elephant in the room is that he was known to have racist beliefs. As a response to this, various authors have reappropriated the cosmic horror themes and ideas from his works into empowering storylines. Examples of this are Matt Ruff’s Lovecraft Country (which was also adapted into an HBO series) and Victor LaValle’s The Ballad Of Black Tom.
Play something empowering and/or something by a black artist.

This record sounds middling to poor, but my wife chose Nina for today and I only have this and the VMP release.
What Nina record should I get next?

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ranbalam said:
Day 4 - LOVECRAFT COUNTRY (Matt Ruff, 2016)
Lovecraft’s stories have influenced a lot of science-fiction, horror, and fantasy, but the elephant in the room is that he was known to have racist beliefs. As a response to this, various authors have reappropriated the cosmic horror themes and ideas from his works into empowering storylines. Examples of this are Matt Ruff’s Lovecraft Country (which was also adapted into an HBO series) and Victor LaValle’s The Ballad Of Black Tom.
Play something empowering and/or something by a black artist.

This record sounds middling to poor, but my wife chose Nina for today and I only have this and the VMP release.
What Nina record should I get next?

View attachment 181513
Click to expand...

I'd like to know the answer to this question too. I, too, only have the VMP. I really like the track Baltimore so I've eyed that late-70's record for a while.
 
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