Unpopular Music Opinions III: Friggin Cobbler Vs. The World

[LemonMelon]

Piper At The Gates of Dawn is a good but by no means great album. I've come a long way from ouright disliking it as I did at the beginning, but it's still vastly overrated in my eyes. The first couple of tracks justify the hype, especially Lucifer Sam, which is one of the highlights of PF's entire discography, and certainly features one of their best riffs. Really, up to and including Flaming, the album is genius, merging the esoteric with the melodic to brilliant results. But the lull after that is unmistakable and, yes, I do dislike Interstellar Overdrive. Functioning jam, but awful song. I actually dread it returning to the main riff. Stethoscope is irritating and Pow R is just dull.

Thankfully, the last four tracks are quality, if a bit slight. The Gnome and Scarecrow both feel like put-ons (I can't help but feel that this album toes the line between cracked-out sincerity and knowing parody), but they're catchy ones. Chapter 24 is badass; I don't know if I can call it much of a song, but the bass line is just sick. And anyone who's heard Bike knows I can't describe Bike, but I love it in spite of itself.

In short:

Tracks 1-4: awesome
Tracks 5-7: boring
Tracks 8-11: enjoyable

So, about a 7/10, whereas anyone who reads Pitchfork more often than they listen to music would give it an 11. It's good. I would love to make an album like this, although I would try to avoid padding out 1/3 of it.

 

[bono_212]

EDIT: Never mind, I was wrong .

Uh, unpopular opinions ....afraid I'm fresh out today.

 

[cobl04]

Hahahahaha great title! Though Ashley is technically right, this is thread two, my thread was thread one take two, after the whole I fucked Lance's Mum in the brownie thing.

Lucifer Sam is a great song. I haven't heard Piper in full though. In fact I've only heard Meddle, DSOTM, WYWH, Animals and The Wall in full (and yet I ran the survivor!). That may change when these remasters come out. I'm pretty keen on getting More.

 

[bono_212]

But there was an original thread that went to 1000 posts. So was it the original part II that got locked? And then it got started again?

 

[iron yuppie]

Piper At The Gates of Dawn is a good but by no means great album...
So, about a 7/10, whereas anyone who reads Pitchfork more often than they listen to music would give it an 11.

I agree with most of this. Piper is the epitome of an album that is more heralded for what it signified than for the musical content. Saucerful of Secrets is probably the more compelling and rewarding album.

I'm pretty keen on getting More.

Assuming that you are referring to the soundtrack and not more Floyd albums in general, I would strongly recommend it. It is extremely eclectic, but most of those gambles pay off in terms of individual sound-scapes. And then there is Cirrus Minor, one of my all-time favorite Floyd songs. If I'm honest, though, Relics is probably the best place to start in terms of early Floyd.

 

[cobl04]

I agree with most of this. Piper is the epitome of an album that is more heralded for what it signified than for the musical content. Saucerful of Secrets is probably the more compelling and rewarding album.



Assuming that you are referring to the soundtrack and not more Floyd albums in general, I would strongly recommend it. It is extremely eclectic, but most of those gambles pay off in terms of individual sound-scapes. And then there is Cirrus Minor, one of my all-time favorite Floyd songs. If I'm honest, though, Relics is probably the best place to start in terms of early Floyd.

"more heralded for what it signified" - that annoys me about a lot of albums. For example, I think Velvet Underground and Nico, really, is not all that good. Sunday Morning, Waiting for the Man, Heroin, There She Goes Again are all great, Venus in Furs and Femme Fatale are pretty good too, but the rest I can take or leave. As an actual album, it's hideously overrated (and it sounds terrible as well) but I suppose it gets a lot of its plaudits for what it signified more than the album itself.

European Son is one of the worst songs of all time. I've never made it past two minutes. In fact I've deleted both it and Black Angel's Death Song from my itunes.

Haha! I didn't even intend that pun. I was indeed referring to the album. I want it because I love Cymbaline. I thought Relics was kind of a "best of" type deal?

 

[bono_212]

I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaated VU&N the first time I heard it, which depressed me because I generally love VU so much. But, last month I heard it again, and I don't know what changed, but I got a lot out of it. It's still third for me out of four, and well below those first two at that, but I enjoy most of it a great great deal.

 

[LemonMelon]

"more heralded for what it signified" - that annoys me about a lot of albums. For example, I think Velvet Underground and Nico, really, is not all that good. Sunday Morning, Waiting for the Man, Heroin, There She Goes Again are all great, Venus in Furs and Femme Fatale are pretty good too, but the rest I can take or leave. As an actual album, it's hideously overrated (and it sounds terrible as well) but I suppose it gets a lot of its plaudits for what it signified more than the album itself.

European Son is one of the worst songs of all time. I've never made it past two minutes. In fact I've deleted both it and Black Angel's Death Song from my itunes.

I've really come around to VU&N, actually. It's not their most coherent record (the other self-titled as dibs on that), but it has a great early morning I'm-strung-out-as-fuck vibe that translates to some beautiful moments of desperation, such as Heroin and Sunday Morning (has any song ever felt so lonely? Moves me every time). The poppy numbers are also very strong. The only tracks I don't care for are Run Run Run and European Son.

 

[cobl04]

Sunday Morning doesn't feel lonely at all, to me. Great song though. You can tell it benefited from being the only track that got extra production.

Heroin is fucking incredible.

 

[lazarus]

Heroin is fucking incredible.

BE CAREFUL, DUDE.

 

[cobl04]

Hahaha. Didn't even notice. I just walk right into em sometimes.

 

[iron yuppie]

Haha! I didn't even intend that pun. I was indeed referring to the album. I want it because I love Cymbaline. I thought Relics was kind of a "best of" type deal?

Relics is indeed a compilation, but it's a damn good one. You get some of the early staples along with some great rarities like "Julia Dream." The early stuff is definitely an acquired taste, so it might be wise to sample it before you dive into the actual LPs.

As for VU&N, I would agree with LM (twice in one hour!) that it is one of the rare albums that manages to transplant the reader to a different place entirely. I wouldn't personally call it "great," but I can understand its influence.

 

[lazarus]

Hahaha. Didn't even notice. I just walk right into em sometimes.

Friggin' Cooker.

 

[Jive Turkey]

There is nothing original on that Raphael Saadiq album. Yaaaaawwwnnnn

 

[Saracene]

I agree with most of this. Piper is the epitome of an album that is more heralded for what it signified than for the musical content. Saucerful of Secrets is probably the more compelling and rewarding album.

I couldn't really get into Saucerful of Secrets. I loved Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun but after four listens or so nothing else really stuck in my mind. Piper on the other hand is one of my favourite Pink Floyd albums, I really love its nightmarish-fairytale vibe.

European Son is pretty much hideous, yeah. I made it to the end of it once in a moment of masochism.

 

[LemonMelon]

Police albums are a task to finish, outside of 3-5 good/great songs. I don't dislike any of their albums, but I wouldn't refer to any of them as particularly good either. I finished the last one I needed to hear of the five tonight, Zenyatta Mondatta, and it was the same crap as always. Three absolutely great tracks at the beginning and absolutely nothing that interested me after that. "Hey, guys, we have the quota filled, so let's play with ourselves (very slowly, for I am Sting) for the remainder of the sessions and call it an album. And then cash in, for am $ting." I mean, seriously, can those last three tracks even be considered songs? The same shit happens on Synchronicity, except all the great stuff is at the end. The first side is just awful, especially Mother.

In conclusion: singles band.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

i love the police, the only song of theirs i find unlistenable is mother.

 

[bono_212]

The only ALBUM of theirs I like is Ghost in the Machine. Otherwise, Synchronicity is OK, but I'm more likely to listen to a Greatest Hits.

 

[Saracene]

I really dislike Sting's vocals on Roxanne (though I do like the song itself). In fact I find most of his early singing too squealy.

 

[cobl04]

I hate 30 Seconds to Mars. Is that unpopular? That Closer to the Edge song makes my ears bleed. It's like every time they write a song they go "let's make this the biggest, best, most powerful, epic song ever and put in 110%".

Give 100%. 110% is impossible. Only idiots recommend that.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

I hate 30 Seconds to Mars. Is that unpopular? That Closer to the Edge song makes my ears bleed. It's like every time they write a song they go "let's make this the biggest, best, most powerful, epic song ever and put in 110%".

Give 100%. 110% is impossible. Only idiots recommend that.

i hope not, i hate them too.

 

[bono_man2002]

"NO NO NO NOOoOoOOooOO!"

*kills self*

RE: the police, didn't they just write one song and then slightly change the lyrics?

 

[monkeyskin]

RE: the police, didn't they just write one song and then slightly change the lyrics?

I thought that the first time I played their greatest hits CD and Roxanne went straight into Can't Stand Losing You. But then they started to mix it up!

 

[nielsgov]

I hate 30 Seconds to Mars. Is that unpopular? That Closer to the Edge song makes my ears bleed. It's like every time they write a song they go "let's make this the biggest, best, most powerful, epic song ever and put in 110%".

Give 100%. 110% is impossible. Only idiots recommend that.

I don't think that's unpopular. They suck.

 

[phanan]

Police albums are a task to finish, outside of 3-5 good/great songs. I don't dislike any of their albums, but I wouldn't refer to any of them as particularly good either. I finished the last one I needed to hear of the five tonight, Zenyatta Mondatta, and it was the same crap as always. Three absolutely great tracks at the beginning and absolutely nothing that interested me after that. "Hey, guys, we have the quota filled, so let's play with ourselves (very slowly, for I am Sting) for the remainder of the sessions and call it an album. And then cash in, for am $ting." I mean, seriously, can those last three tracks even be considered songs? The same shit happens on Synchronicity, except all the great stuff is at the end. The first side is just awful, especially Mother.

In conclusion: singles band.

I'll just chime in to say I couldn't disagree more, and leave it at that.

 

[lazarus]

The same shit happens on Synchronicity, except all the great stuff is at the end. The first side is just awful, especially Mother.

Interesting, and I'd pretty much agree, assuming Synchronicity II opens Side Two instead of closing Side One, because that one is great.


Regardless, is this the most bottom-heavy album of all time, considering how successful those three big singles were?

 

[Reggo]

I despise The Police.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

I'll just chime in to say I couldn't disagree more, and leave it at that.

 

[cobl04]

I like or love most of their singles. Haven't heard any albums.

 

[No spoken words]

Police fan here, am aware that haters are gonna hate on them but so be it.

Seeing them on their reunion tour meant a lot to me....sure, it was a money grab but I never got to see them the first time around....so being at Wrigley and listening them perform some all-time, long-time favorites of mine was a pleasure.