Album of the week

The only urge I get when listening to this—or any other forced, pseudo-eccentric nonsense—is the sudden need to find a restroom. I’m guessing you’d feel the exact same way if I decided to grace you with some John Prine or the Jayhawks right now.
That miserable feeling starts as this vague bitterness in your mouth—it creeps down about half a foot—and pretty soon it sends a direct signal to the gut, which inevitably leads to the result I mentioned.😁

Look, Dennis Hall41, don't go overboard here. The Jayhawks—with Gary Louris’s smooth vocals and those gentle guitar tones—would probably only soothe a fussy infant dealing with colic. If you want to get a reaction out of Dennis Martin6, you'd need something much more intense, like Hotel California.😁

brightwolf48 said:Look, Fass, stop being so extra.

Fass is the absolute drama queen of this sub—let him be! 😁😍

Drama queen? I'll take that—I am what I am because I still view music as something that actually defines life, and I'm ready to fight for it. Like, really fight, not just debate.

Most people have stopped fighting over music because it's everywhere and it's free. It’s become mundane—not exclusive anymore, certainly not that transformative force that used to literally reshape society. And honestly, it’s like that because people are getting dumber; they demand less, so they get less. We can talk all we want about hippies or punks, but no matter how much they stunk or acted out, you couldn't pass off Dua Lipa, Drake, Skrillex, or that other garbage as high art to them. They actually had brains and an ear for it—not just peanut butter in their heads and elephant dung in their ears.
Let's just take a breath and think about this for a second.

brightwolf48 said:Dennis Hall41, don't go overboard. Honestly—the Jayhawks, with Gary Louris's smooth vocals and those mellow guitar tones? That stuff could soothe a crying infant. For Dennis Martin6, though—he’d probably need something much heavier, like Hotel California.😁

Should I even be pointing out that you didn't bother contesting my take on the proposal from Andrologov—not that anyone expected you to.😁

Look, say what you want, but HC hits three major marks—that killer intro (seriously, one of the best in any global anthem), a phenomenal verse melody, and just a really cool vibe.

I'm a little bummed that Manowar didn't pull off the win. Even if it's your typical HM setup—totally soaked in macho fantasies, spilled beer, the smell of gasoline, and plenty of skin at their live shows—it was still worth it. Honestly, that massive wall of sound they put down gave me such a crazy adrenaline rush during my run yesterday. It actually helped me squeeze out an extra 10% or 15% during that final kilometer. 👍

Dennis Hall41 said:Dennis Martin6, don't take this personally, but is there anything you actually love from the heart?

Does any music touch you like that? If so, what, for example?

Dennis Hall41 said:Do I really need to point out that you weren't trying to dispute my take on Dennis Martin6's suggestion?😁

Well, I have to say, you ask a lot of interesting questions. 😁

To me, Dennis Martin6's album choice felt more like... I don't know, a physical thing, like cardio... rather than something that hits the heart the way you seem to think it does. But his reasoning is interesting, so maybe I'll give it another spin.

Dennis Hall41, you might actually dig Microphone , if you haven't heard it yet. For some reason, being asked about this week's suggestion reminded me of that album. It ranked pretty high on the charts last year, and they actually share one similarity... that very repetitive structure that carries through the whole record. Even though they're totally different...

There are certain artists where I just... intentionally cut ties—even if I can't quite put my finger on why. Or maybe it isn't even intentional. I don't know why it happens, but it does. Like, when a buddy suggested Beck's Morning Phase recently, it never even crossed my mind to listen to anything newer than that after I first heard Modern Guilt back in 2008. Same thing happened with R.E.M. after Around The Sun, Van Morrison after Keep It Simple, and plenty of others. It's not that their new stuff isn't worth checking out—it's more like some internal voice won't let me—as if I feel like they've already told ME everything they have to say. Even though I know they haven't. Not to mention—obviously—I still find myself reaching for Sea Change, Automatic for the People, Astral Weeks, and all those other classics from the legends I've basically ghosted lately.

I'm bringing this up because it just happened again with Elverum. It’s like nothing can surprise me anymore after getting through The Glow PT, Clear Moon, or that massive, massive Crow Looked at Me. I'm totally wrong, though—because now I see, after just two minutes of those killer chords at the start of "Microphone from 2020," that I'm being way too narrow-minded.

Dennis Hall41 said:There are certain artists where—for reasons I can't quite pin down—I find myself intentionally cutting ties. Or maybe it isn't even intentional. I don't know why it happens, but it does. For instance, if a colleague hadn't recently suggested Beck's Morning Phase, it wouldn't have even crossed my mind to listen to anything he's done since I heard Modern Guilt back in 2008. The same thing happened to me with R.E.M. after Around The Sun, with Van Morrison after Keep It Simple, and plenty of others. I’m not saying their newer work isn't worth exploring; it’s more like some internal voice refuses to let me listen—as if I feel they’ve already told ME everything they have to say. Even though I know, intellectually, they haven't. Though—it goes without saying—I still find myself reaching for Sea Change, Automatic for the People, Astral Weeks, and those other masterpieces by the legends I've effectively ghosted in their later years.

I say this because the same thing just happened to me with Elverum. It feels as though nothing can surprise me anymore after experiencing The Glow PT, Clear Moon, or the massive, sweeping Crow Looked at Me. I'm clearly wrong, though, because now I see—after just two minutes of those beautiful opening chords on the 2020 "Microphone" track—that it's a purely singular approach.

Of course, you’re entitled to your own take, just like anyone else, but I think we can be far too subjective and overly critical of artists and bands sometimes. I'll use U2 and R.E.M. as examples. For me, after The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum, my first contact with U2 was Under a Blood Red Sky, while with R.E.M., it was Life's Rich Pageant, Achtung Baby, and Out of Time. Back then, Automatic for the People felt like a total disappointment.

Nowadays, Achtung Baby stands out as my favorite U2 album. Just as they felt a need to evolve during that era, we, as "consumers" of their music, change over time too. There isn't a straight line of progression here like there is with metal fans chasing faster and heavier sounds—music isn't athletics. Artists evolve through life, and so does their audience. We lose touch with them, they lose touch with us, and there's a certain beauty in that.

Exactly. Something else just hit me—with a good chunk of them, and probably all of them, that I’ve moved on from lately, I can feel the magic just... fading. Take Neil Young, for example—one of my top 10 most important artists ever. No matter how much great stuff he’s put out over the last few decades, I don't think he's truly caught that muse with the same intensity since Rust Never Sleeps / Live Rust. He might catch glimpses of it, sure, but for me, that once-in-a-lifetime alchemy hasn't been there at an album level since 1979.

Dennis Hall41 said:Exactly. Something else crossed my mind too—with a good portion of them, probably all of them, that I've listened to (so far), I've noticed that magic just... fades. Take Neil Young, for instance—he’s been one of the top ten most important artists in my life. As great as his stuff has been over the last few decades, I don't think he's truly caught that Muse with the same intensity since Rust Never Sleeps / Live Rust. He might catch glimpses of her, maybe, but for me, there hasn't been that once-in-a-lifetime alchemy at an album level since 1979.

I'd say Harvest Moon from '92 is one of his favorites, even if everyone agrees his absolute peak was back in the 70s.

Regarding what brightwolf48 was saying about musicians changing and maturing—I mostly agree, though I wouldn't really pick U2 as a good example of that. I'd say they were more about following trends, whereas with R. E. M., you could argue they actually refined their sound as they aged.😁

I know it’s not the most popular take, but I honestly think Young’s work is stunning—especially Chrome Dreams II.

Charles Ramos4 said:For me, Harvest Moon from '92 stands out as one of his favorites, even if everyone agrees his absolute peak was that creative explosion back in the 70s.

Regarding what brightwolf48 mentioned—about how artists evolve and change over time—I mostly agree, except I wouldn't exactly point to U2 as the gold standard for that. If you ask me, they tended to chase whatever the current trend was whereas with R. E. M., you can actually hear them refining their specific sound as the years rolled by.😁>

If you look at the trajectory from Boy through to Achtung Baby, there’s a noticeable shift in production and style on pretty much every record. Just listen to War and The Unforgetable Fire back-to-back; the sonic gap between those two is wider than anything you'll find in the R. E. M. catalog.

brightwolf48 said:I know people might disagree, but personally, I think Young’s Chrome Dreams II. is actually beautiful.

From the Boy era all the way through Achtung Baby, you can hear them shifting their sound and production style on pretty much every single record. If you listen to War and The Unforgettable Fire back-to-back, the sonic jump is honestly bigger than anything R. E. M. has done.

I’m talking about U2 specifically after Achtung—up until then, I thought they were alright, but once they moved past that, they went in a direction that just doesn't work for me. It’s hard to listen to. Then again, looking at the commercial success, it's clear they hit a home run by changing things up... so maybe I'm just off base here.😁

Charles Ramos4 said:I’m talking about U2 after Achtung Baby—because until that album, they were actually decent to my ears. But once they pivoted, they headed in a direction that just doesn't work for me; I can't even bring myself to listen to them anymore. Of course, from a purely commercial standpoint, it looks like they hit a home run by shifting their sound and style, so I suppose it’s a matter of how much my personal taste actually matters here. 😁

Up until that point? Boy, October, War, and wrapping things up with Under a Blood Red Sky—if they had just stopped there, they would easily be ranked among the greatest and most essential rock bands in history.

I was actually thinking about suggesting something by R.E.M., but then I realized there are definitely some bigger experts in the room than me 🙂 And honestly, I’d also love to see someone throw out a suggestion for U2. I've listened to them, sure, but I don't feel qualified enough to really dive into the deep end here...

I had something else entirely in mind for this Thursday.

Steven Newman50 said:I was actually thinking about suggesting something from R.E.M., but it looks like there are some better experts here 🙂 I also think we should vote on someone suggesting something from U2. I’ve listened to them, sure, but I wouldn't dare lead the conversation on it.

I had something else in mind for this Thursday.

Their Murmur is probably the best debut album of all time. If you suggest that, I’m preemptively giving up on suggesting anything else. Personally, I think "Radio Free Europe" is the best opening track ever released by any band on a first album.

We'll see about that! You guys actually have a chance to drop something this week... 🙂

brightwolf48 said:If they had just stopped after that album—you know, Boy, October, War, and then finishing up with Under a Blood Red Sky—they would've easily been ranked among the greatest and most important rock bands in history.

I don't know if I'm making sense here, but for me, U2 is listenable and actually good from their first record, Boy, all the way through Achtung Baby. But after that... I don't know, they just kind of lose it for me. I mean, sure, there were a few tracks that worked—Walk On, for example—but I could probably count them all on one hand.

I’d probably put my money on Mazzy Star, Opal, or maybe Rain Parade. Honestly, David Roback deserves at least a mention in this conversation.

Charles Ramos4 said:I’m not sure if I’m making sense, but U2—from their debut album Boy all the way through Achtung Baby—is actually listenable and good, but after that, they just lose me. Sure, there were a few tracks that worked for me (Walk On, for example), but I could count them all on one hand.

For me, that later era following Achtung Baby feels like they were just going through the motions to fulfill contracts—even if they did drop some genuinely great songs along the way, it just isn't the same. It was clearly a mismatch of vision. But hey, what can I say when your favorite hit from their New York City days is "Smelly Cat"😁 by Phoebe Buffay? It kind of reminds me of Stevie Nicks.😉

Just kidding.

brightwolf48 said:That album? Boy, October, War—and then finishing it off with Under a Blood Red Sky—before they finally called it quits after that. They belonged in the upper echelon—right alongside the greatest and most influential rock bands in history.

It’s still the same old story. ☕

In my humble opinion—and I say this after much deliberation—they were churning out either flawless or seriously good albums all the way up until *How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb*. Even that 2004 release holds its own; there are a few tracks in there that are actually quite solid.

I fail to see how anyone could label Zooropa or that pop loss album as anything less than great—for instance, the entire Zoo TV concept developed alongside Zooropa is, in my opinion, absolutely brilliant.

Personally, I still gravitate toward the earlier U2 stuff—mostly those first three albums—because The Edge's sound and style were still so raw and intimate back then. That said, I don't think they stopped dropping solid albums after the first four.

That guitar is going to follow me all the way to my grave.