Random Music Talk CXXIV: Axver's All Out of Ideas

[bono_212]

LOTTA great albums in here. The 80s really cops too much shit. I think that's because everyone forgets about hip-hop and house music, which is unsurprising, since its instigators were black.

This feels like a bit of a a silly statement since all music is still basically aping 80s music in some way, shape or form at this point. We know about the whole "every 20 years thing" but let's face it, it's been nearly 40 years and we're stilllllll getting New Wave, House, Hip Hop, Electronic, etc etc etc inspired music. When people shit on 80s music, what little of that I honestly hear, I just roll my eyes, because the proof is in what remains an influence all across the board.

 

[cobl04]

You're totally right.

I hope y'all have read the introductory paragraphs:



As a demographic, this forum leans white and male. So while the changes in the list may seem biased or ill advised, I think that's the whole point. They are trying to make the list better reflect people's tastes.

I certainly think a bunch of albums should be higher or present in the list, but I think we need to recognize that we have a somewhat myopic view of these things.

Thank you. And well said

Congrats to the CLICK member who coined “The Beatoffs” back in 2009.

Here's a Story About Paul McCartney and John Lennon Cranking Their Hogs

This is the equivalent of us finding out that U2 used to play badminton together in high school.

Incredible story.

 

[lazarus]

This feels like a bit of a a silly statement since all music is still basically aping 80s music in some way, shape or form at this point. We know about the whole "every 20 years thing" but let's face it, it's been nearly 40 years and we're stilllllll getting New Wave, House, Hip Hop, Electronic, etc etc etc inspired music. When people shit on 80s music, what little of that I honestly hear, I just roll my eyes, because the proof is in what remains an influence all across the board.

It's all relative. The 80s get made fun of because lists of the top albums of the 70s and 90s (for starters) are far better.

And I get that cringe factor from more 80s tracks than anything else. A lot of that stuff has not aged well, regardless of who is taking influence from it now.

 

[bono_212]

There was SO much stuff in the 80s that was wildly different from one thing to the next, it's not surprising there's so much that hurts to listen to, I don't disagree one bit about that.

 

[cobl04]

I hate the New York Post but ‘Beat the Meatles’ is a fucking exceptional headline

 

[Mack_Again]

I hate the New York Post but ‘Beat the Meatles’ is a fucking exceptional headline

just read NYT its just more reliable

 

[LemonMelon]

One positive of the Pitchfork list: it finally got me to listen to Like a Virgin. Good album, great production from Nile Rodgers as always. It had to be his influence that got Love Don't Live Here Anymore on there, which is always a great song.

Frankly, I just like early Madonna best. The sound and vibe is so good and has aged incredibly well, unlike a lot of her 90s work. Vogue is about where I hop off, though there are some excellent newer tracks in my top 10:

1. Into the Groove (one of the best pop songs in a decade packed full of them)
2. Live to Tell (one of the best dramatic ballads in a decade packed full of them)
3. Borderline (incredible chord progression, good vocal)
4. Ray of Light (absolute rush of a song, AND I FEEL....!!)
5. Lucky Star (sexy and catchy)
6. Get Together (that chorus ahhhhh)
7. Beautiful Stranger (awesome mix of genres, slinky cool arrangement)
8. Open Your Heart (completely irresistible cheese)
9. Dress You Up (driving, catchy and still sounds fresh, Nile Rodgers gets to shred)
10. Holiday (just watch the music video to understand why she was so likable at the beginning)

 

[iron yuppie]

I just heard Crazy for You randomly today and damn if it isn't awesome in the cheesiest way imaginable. To Laz's point above, I think the brightness of a lot of that 80s pop seems weird now because culturally we are in such a morass that any kind of giddiness is assumed to be artificial.

 

[david]

I hate the New York Post but ‘Beat the Meatles’ is a fucking exceptional headline

I think I know what you’re referencing.. every first comment I see on the McCartney article is “I now now know what Come Together is about..”

Edit: I see the article was posted here.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

Good Madonna appreciation post, El Mel.

One of my favorite Madonna sleepers is the song Bedtime Story (and it’s accompanying video). Love the vibes of that track - understated and hypnotic.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

I think "Secret" is a really underrated song of Madonna's, too. I remember hearing that one from time to time on the radio when I was a kid.

I just heard Crazy for You randomly today and damn if it isn't awesome in the cheesiest way imaginable.

I love that song.

"Like a Prayer" is my favorite song of hers. And she looks gorgeous in the video for it, too. Got a classic old Hollywood starlet thing going on.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

When she embraced her naturally brown hair, that was a moment. Definitely a strong look.

 

[Mack_Again]

well Madonna did go to same college as I did so, yeah that's that

 

[Axver]

Madge_Again

 

[kabigon]

Mackdonnagain

 

[DaveC]

well Madonna did go to same college as I did so, yeah that's that

ok

 

[Mack_Again]

this is hot

 

[lazarus]

One positive of the Pitchfork list: it finally got me to listen to Like a Virgin. Good album, great production from Nile Rodgers as always. It had to be his influence that got Love Don't Live Here Anymore on there, which is always a great song.

Frankly, I just like early Madonna best. The sound and vibe is so good and has aged incredibly well, unlike a lot of her 90s work. Vogue is about where I hop off, though there are some excellent newer tracks in my top 10:

1. Into the Groove (one of the best pop songs in a decade packed full of them)
2. Live to Tell (one of the best dramatic ballads in a decade packed full of them)
3. Borderline (incredible chord progression, good vocal)
4. Ray of Light (absolute rush of a song, AND I FEEL....!!)
5. Lucky Star (sexy and catchy)
6. Get Together (that chorus ahhhhh)
7. Beautiful Stranger (awesome mix of genres, slinky cool arrangement)
8. Open Your Heart (completely irresistible cheese)
9. Dress You Up (driving, catchy and still sounds fresh, Nile Rodgers gets to shred)
10. Holiday (just watch the music video to understand why she was so likable at the beginning)

Well despite your era preference at least you have some later-period selections here. Into The Groove has always been my favorite from her first three albums, with Borderline close behind, the latter being the first song of hers I remember hearing.

I just heard Crazy for You randomly today and damn if it isn't awesome in the cheesiest way imaginable. To Laz's point above, I think the brightness of a lot of that 80s pop seems weird now because culturally we are in such a morass that any kind of giddiness is assumed to be artificial.

Pop tends to be bright anyway, though?

Good Madonna appreciation post, El Mel.

One of my favorite Madonna sleepers is the song Bedtime Story (and it’s accompanying video). Love the vibes of that track - understated and hypnotic.

I think "Secret" is a really underrated song of Madonna's, too. I remember hearing that one from time to time on the radio when I was a kid.

Both of those are great, even if the Bjork-penned title track is a bit of an outlier and not necessarily suited to Madonna’s strengths. I admire the ambition of going in that direction.

Sad to hear El Mel not being into that post-Vogue material, I think I actually appreciate the Bedtime Stories album more now than I did back then, when I has less of an appreciation for contemporary R&B. The opening track Survival is a favorite, and I love the collab with Meshell Ndedgeocello. Don’t Stop and Human Nature are bangers, and Take A Bow may be a little generic but it’s hard to deny its massive success as a single.

The album before that, Erotica, has some similar R&B elements but leans in more of a House direction, dirtier/scratcher production at times, and may sound a little more dated. But it’s a considerable artistic achievement both musical as well as the sex-positive lyrics. It could stand to lose a few tracks but there are a lot of standouts.

Skipping those is one thing but it’s crazy to me to overlook her comeback duo because Ray of Light and Music are both very consistent albums that show her once again on the cutting edge and storming the charts. By comparison, what is Britney Spears doing 20 years into her career? Nothing of note, that’s for sure.

 

[bono_212]

It's really hard for me to say what I prefer most out of Madonna because there is WAY too much nostalgia around those first two albums for me. My earliest musical memories have to do with playing video games in my bedroom while my mom was outside tanning, and she would just blast those two albums over and over (pun not intended). Every time I hear those albums, all I can think of is being a kid again and my mom being still this really young kid basically (my mom was 20 when I was born, so she was about 27/28 when this would've been). It's just a really strong memory so I think I over inflate those songs.

But she loved Madonna in general. La Isla Bonita is one of the first songs I can remember as being a favorite of mine, from listening to it so much with her.

On the other hand, songs that I legitimately love like "Live To Tell" (my favorite song of hers by a mile) or "Don't Tell Me" (my favorite from the more recent albums) are probably songs I like a lot more, but they lack that emotional umph those OG singles have for me.

 

[prbiker15]

1. Into the Groove (one of the best pop songs in a decade packed full of them)
2. Live to Tell (one of the best dramatic ballads in a decade packed full of them)
3. Borderline (incredible chord progression, good vocal)
4. Ray of Light (absolute rush of a song, AND I FEEL....!!)
5. Lucky Star (sexy and catchy)
6. Get Together (that chorus ahhhhh)
7. Beautiful Stranger (awesome mix of genres, slinky cool arrangement)
8. Open Your Heart (completely irresistible cheese)
9. Dress You Up (driving, catchy and still sounds fresh, Nile Rodgers gets to shred)
10. Holiday (just watch the music video to understand why she was so likable at the beginning)

That's a great list.

The only album that hasn't clicked with me as a whole is Bedtime Stories. The singles are among the best songs she released in that decade, but I find the rest to be meh.

 

[Popmartijn]

my top 10:

1. Into the Groove (one of the best pop songs in a decade packed full of them)
2. Live to Tell (one of the best dramatic ballads in a decade packed full of them)
3. Borderline (incredible chord progression, good vocal)
4. Ray of Light (absolute rush of a song, AND I FEEL....!!)
5. Lucky Star (sexy and catchy)
6. Get Together (that chorus ahhhhh)
7. Beautiful Stranger (awesome mix of genres, slinky cool arrangement)
8. Open Your Heart (completely irresistible cheese)
9. Dress You Up (driving, catchy and still sounds fresh, Nile Rodgers gets to shred)
10. Holiday (just watch the music video to understand why she was so likable at the beginning)

My top 10 would be (almost) entirely different, but I say this is a very strong list. She has so many strong tracks that they can easily push away the cheesy weak ones.

 

[lazarus]

This is gonna be tough:

(chronological)

Borderline
Into the Groove
True Blue
Cherish
Keep it Together
Sooner or Later*
Rain
Survival
Drowned World/Substitute For Love
What It Feels Like For A Girl

*aside from Borderline, the only track Madonna doesn’t have a writing credit on, this being one of the 3 songs the great Stephen Sondheim contributed to the Dick Tracy soundtrack. It stands out for me because it’s not easy to do justice to this writer and his unique compositional style, the rhyming technique; in general it’s more sophisticated than the material she’s usually working with. What Madonna may lack in vocal range, she makes up for with her gifts for phrasing, and she knocks this one out of the park.

 

[cobl04]

Who remembers the song "I'd Rather Do It With Madonna"

 

[U2inUtah]

Here are ten Madonna songs I like:

Like a Prayer
Vogue
I'll Remember
Sorry
Frozen
La Isla Bonita
Express Yourself
The Power of Goodbye
Don't Tell Me
Hung Up

I"ll also add: I have crazy nostalgia with early 90's Madonna, stuff like Rain, Deeper and Deeper, This Used to be My Playground. My older sister listened to it a lot growing up.

 

[cobl04]

Everyone in Australia is fucking losing it because our dickhead new prime minister set a clip of his party voting for shit in parliament and set it to this song lmao



What a fucking banger this was. Such a great clip too

 

[kabigon]

And indifferent at the AFL bringing out the black eyed peas for the grand final

 

[cobl04]

They will be great for the occasion.

 

[Axver]

And indifferent at the AFL bringing out the black eyed peas for the grand final

We're doing what.

 

[cobl04]

New Smashing Pumpkins album title: 'Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun'

Fucking lol.

 

[Mack_Again]

New Smashing Pumpkins album title: 'Shiny and Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun'

Fucking lol.

wow Smashing Pumpkins are like, 70s prog now