Random Music Talk XCIX - Hating on Mediocre Australian Bands with Keiran and the Gang

[cobl04]

Random Music Talk XCIX - Hating on Mediocre Australian Bands with Keiran and ...

It feels like an album, though. Such a satisfying listen. Which is incredible given the run time. There's albums twice as long that can't hope to match the coherent mood that Pink Moon achieves.

 

[LemonMelon]

It's so satisfying partially because From the Morning is one of the most wonderful closers ever. I always get somewhat disappointed that the album is almost over as Free Ride and Harvest wrap up, but then From the Morning starts and, yeah, nothing more really needs to be said after that. His life and career ended far too soon, but that's a brilliant coda right there.

 

[djerdap]

It feels like an album, though. Such a satisfying listen. Which is incredible given the run time. There's albums twice as long that can't hope to match the coherent mood that Pink Moon achieves.

Isn't it more difficult to achieve coherence with a longer running time?

 

[cobl04]

I spent about 60 seconds trying to think of the best way to portray what I'm trying to say. Didn't quite get there.

 

[LemonMelon]

I mean, traditionally, double albums are an excuse for artists to throw in as much variety as possible so you're not going to hear a lot of coherent 70-80 minute records. And is 70-80 minutes of coherence really a good thing?

But I agree that you won't often find a sub-30 minute album that really leaves a lasting impact on your mood and psyche, something that makes you feel like you just experienced something special. I've heard Pink Moon at least 50 times and still feel differently after I hear it than I did when I put it on. It really sticks with me despite investing barely any time in it.

 

[djerdap]

And is 70-80 minutes of coherence really a good thing?

It is if it's called Daydream Nation.

But I agree that you won't often find a sub-30 minute album that really leaves a lasting impact on your mood and psyche, something that makes you feel like you just experienced something special.

Jar of Flies
Cherry Tree :hipster:
Superfuzz Bigmuff
Reign in Blood

All of them perfectly fit the description of a lasting impact on the mood and psyche in my book.

 

[cobl04]

I mean, traditionally, double albums are an excuse for artists to throw in as much variety as possible so you're not going to hear a lot of coherent 70-80 minute records. And is 70-80 minutes of coherence really a good thing?

But I agree that you won't often find a sub-30 minute album that really leaves a lasting impact on your mood, something that makes you feel like you just experienced something special. I've heard Pink Moon at least 50 times and still feel differently after I hear it than I did when I put it on. It really sticks with me despite investing barely any time in it.

This is what I meant. There's a ton of records that go for the standard amount of time (40-60 minutes) but don't leave you with the feeling that Pink Moon does.

 

[LemonMelon]

Jar of Flies is fucking awesome. I need to listen to more Alice in Chains. I heard Dirt once, a long time ago and enjoyed it but not as much as Jar of Flies, which is definitely one of the best EPs of all time. Maybe I should check out their Unplugged album since it's more in that vein.

 

[djerdap]

Amazing band, fantastic singer, beautiful vocal harmonies.

Their darker side is almost as good as their mellow acoustic side. Dirt is a great record. Down in a Hole is a beautiful track on that album that is more akin to Jar of Flies. But yeah, you can't go wrong with Unplugged, no matter how fucked up Staley was at that time.

And of course, if you're a fan of Jar of Flies but haven't heard SAP, get on that shit right now.

 

[LemonMelon]

Seriously, Layne's voice was top notch. Very dynamic and melodic for hard rock.

Who the hell is singing for them now? Just some guy?

 

[cobl04]

Random Music Talk XCIX - Hating on Mediocre Australian Bands with Keiran and ...

Would I like them djerdapić?

 

[djerdap]

Seriously, Layne's voice was top notch. Very dynamic and melodic for hard rock.

Who the hell is singing for them now? Just some guy?

William DuVall, who was in a band that toured with Cantrell in the early 00s called Comes With the Fall. He's actually not that bad, and their comeback album was surprisingly decent (the new one is pretty bad though). The irony is that Cantrell actually sings the lead vocals more than DuVall on the record.

There have been far worse lead singer replacements in any case, even if I'd prefer a different band name at this point.

Would I like them djerdapić?

I doubt you'd like Facelift, Dirt or the self-titled, but you can try out Jar of Flies, Sap and Unplugged. There is the hard rock/metal side, and then there's the acoustic/mellow side. Both are great, but everybody needs to hear Jar of Flies once in their lifetime.

Nothing comes close to Rotten Apple/Nutshell 1-2 opening for me to this day.

 

[LemonMelon]

I don't feel like tricking anyone by bumping the Porcupine Tree thread when there's no news, so I'll just post this here:

What are your thoughts on Signify? I just started it up. This is earliest Steven Wilson project I've heard, but I've basically heard everything he's released since, solo and otherwise. Figure this one will be about as good as always.

 

[djerdap]

It's a bit uneven. You can hear that the band is still getting used to being a band now and not a Steven Wilson+plus some other contributions thing. The middle part drags a bit with at least one instrumental too many, but it has two absolute classics: Sleep of No Dreaming and the amazing closer that is Dark Matter. Some fantastic guitar playing in the latter one.

As far as early Porcupine Tree goes, Up the Downstair is by far my favourite record. Fadeaway could be their most beautiful song.

 

[Hewson]

. There is the hard rock/metal side, and then there's the acoustic/mellow side. Both are great, but everybody needs to hear Jar of Flies once in their lifetime.

Nothing comes close to Rotten Apple/Nutshell 1-2 opening for me to this day.

I prefer the harder side, Dirt is one of my favorite albums of the 90's. Band shows great versatility though, one of the best MTV Unpluggeds ever performed.
Layne's death bummed me out significantly more than Cobain's.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I prefer the harder side, Dirt is one of my favorite albums of the 90's. Band shows great versatility though, one of the best MTV Unpluggeds ever performed.
Layne's death bummed me out significantly more than Cobain's.

Dirt

Cobain's death was such a circus while Staley's death was just sad.

 

[djerdap]

It's such a tragedy. He always had the reputation of being one of the more humble rock stars around (without any "Lead Singer Syndrome" as somebody had put it), and it's a sadness that he succumbed in such an awful way to addiction, thus unfortunately becoming a rock and roll cliche in the world of media, despite being so unlike many of his contemporaries.

And what a talent. Still one of my favourite singers ever. His performances on Dirt and Jar of Flies are crazy, and yet so different.

 

[Axver]

Fadeaway could be their most beautiful song.

Words cannot describe how much I love that song. Just perfect.

As for Signify, yeah, I agree - a bit too patchy. However, its best moments are incredible; Waiting Phase One is legit a top five PT song with one of Steven Wilson's best guitar melodies, and Every Home Is Wired and Dark Matter are pretty special too.

 

[LemonMelon]

Yeah, the songs with vocals were generally brilliant and the instrumentals were pleasant but unremarkable. Not going to be a favorite PT album but highly enjoyable nonetheless. I think Waiting, Phase 1 and Dark Matter were my favorites. The Sleep of No Dreaming and Every Home Is Wired were also great.

 

[IWasBored]

Never known any artist to be as good at covers:

you have heard of pearl jam, right?

 

[IWasBored]

I mean, traditionally, double albums are an excuse for artists to throw in as much variety as possible so you're not going to hear a lot of coherent 70-80 minute records. And is 70-80 minutes of coherence really a good thing?

But I agree that you won't often find a sub-30 minute album that really leaves a lasting impact on your mood and psyche, something that makes you feel like you just experienced something special. I've heard Pink Moon at least 50 times and still feel differently after I hear it than I did when I put it on. It really sticks with me despite investing barely any time in it.

i'd say all 3 madball albums (none of which clock in at over a half hour) that i just listened to do that for me much better than fucking pink moon.

 

[iron yuppie]

William DuVall, who was in a band that toured with Cantrell in the early 00s called Comes With the Fall. He's actually not that bad, and their comeback album was surprisingly decent (the new one is pretty bad though).

He does a pretty good Staley impression, I think.

I too would hold AiC as the best of those "grunge" bands, whatever that means. A playlist of their top 15-20 songs would top one from Nirvana, Soundgarden, etc.

 

[bono_212]

And my Axe, on Jar of Flies being one of the best things ever, never mind best EP ever.

 

[IWasBored]

i'll take soundgarden over alice in chains any day but for being from the same "era" and being "grunge bands" they don't really have that much in common.

 

[lazarus]

Alice In chains over Pearl Jam of Nirvana?


No.

This is how a band goes from underrated to overrated.

 

[martha]

The single Alice in Chains song I ever heard was so bad I haven't been able to get over it.

 

[martha]

Also, Cobbler, I listened to the Kate songs. They were alright, but maybe not the kind of thing I'd like all the time.

 

[IWasBored]

Alice In chains over Pearl Jam of Nirvana?


No.

This is how a band goes from underrated to overrated.

longevity puts pearl jam on another level than the rest of the bands in this category. next level shit, i believe the expression is. well, that plus they're just better than 95% of other bands in any category ever...

 

[bono_212]

Since I've only ever heard Jar of Flies and couldn't get through Dirt, the few times I've tried to listen to it, I can't really much rate the bands against one another. That being said, I, overall, enjoy Alice in Chains more than Nirvana.

But, with that said, I enjoy most bands more than Nirvana. Outside of a few tracks, that is.

I also hate Soundgarden, just so that I can get all of my opinions out there.

 

[bono_212]

Anyone heard this new Fucked Up album? I'm not a huge fan of the vocals, but I'm enjoying it overall, very much. I always like to have one of these types of albums in my corner every year and Cloud Nothings let me down, so...