Album of the week

Dennis Hall41 said:You hit the nail on the head.

Look, the point is obvious—I don't give a damn about lyrics. I straight up ignore them unless they’re actually legendary, like Leonard Cohen’s early stuff, or if they're absolute garbage, like this week's winner. Honestly, with Swansea, you don't even need to think about the lyrics—you can just tune them out entirely. Same goes for Dylan, by the way—Nobel Prize or whatever, he's in that same category for me. I mean, seriously, try translating what Marvin Gaye is singing over here; it's some real cheesy, "follow your heart and find your truth" nonsense. Total amateur hour. 😁

Gerald Jackson48 said:Even within the context of their usual sugary-sweet output—which happens more often than not—it’s still... What's Going On The bio is way too avant-garde—totally over the top—and besides, Marvin Gaye was already struggling just to get anything recorded.

That says a lot about the whole subgenre, doesn't it—if you're calling this avant-garde. 😁

Dennis Martin6 said:that says a lot about that whole subgenre, right? If we're calling this avant-garde...😁

Yes, and honestly, it isn't even a genre that leans all that heavily into the avant-garde side of things.

Dennis Martin6 said:but look—the point is obvious—I usually just tune out the lyrics unless they’re actually incredible, like Leonard Cohen (mostly on that first record), or if they’re absolute garbage, like this week's winner. With Swansea, I wouldn't even bother mentioning the lyrics because you can easily ignore them—and honestly, Dylan falls into that same bucket for me too, Nobel Prize or whatever. I mean, try translating what Marvin Gaye is singing into plain American English—it's basically just "follow your heart" level stuff. 😁

that says a lot about the whole subgenre, right? if this is considered avant-garde 😁

Overloading a vocal-heavy track with too much literary fluff can actually backfire—it pulls the listener's focus away from the music and often ends up feeling forced and pretentious.

Dylan is a special case here—he had this way of using his hypnotic delivery and authoritative vocals to smooth over lyrics that might otherwise feel too heavy-handed, especially during that trippy, subversive unofficial trilogy from '65 and '66. Sure, he overdid it sometimes—I still can't decide if something like Visions of Johann, probably my favorite song of his, is pure genius or just him posing—but the overall vibe is definitely a win.

In my book, singer-songwriter rock with a heavy intellectual edge hasn't peaked since the greats—shout out to Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Kris Kristofferson, and those other lyrical legends. Though, if we're being real, his most mature and objectively best work is likely that introverted breakup classic, Blood on the Tracks, featuring what might be the most fascinating narrative song ever written—Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts.

As for soul being avant-garde through What's Going On? I'd argue that the legendary, dark psychedelic-soul staple by Sly and the Family Stone, There's a Riot Goin' On, released that same year, takes the lead.

Dennis Hall41 said:If you want to talk about how avant-garde soul really got ahead of its time, you have to look at Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. But honestly? I’d argue that Sly and the Family Stone's There's a Riot Goin' On—that legendary, dark psychedelic-soul masterpiece released the exact same year—actually takes the lead.

Avant-garde. It’s such a heavy word, isn't it? People toss it around like they actually know what it means. To me, it’s just about being first. Being the one brave enough to step out of line while everyone else is playing it safe. It's that raw, unfiltered energy that pushes everything forward. Honestly, I love it. What's Going On I’ve always had such a massive soft spot for Motown.

Gerald Jackson48 said:Pure avant-garde—it’s just different. What's Going On For the Motown label.

Motown put out at least 100 better tracks than anything on this record—maybe with the exception of Inner City Blues. Look, being avant-garde is fine and all, but quality—the songwriting, the arrangements, the actual playing, the vibe—that's what actually matters, at least in my book. Art isn't a competitive sport, so being the first to do something doesn't mean you're the best at it.

I’m a bit more drawn to that raw, unpolished grit you get from Stax Records—that naturalistic scream, you know?—but between '59 and '73, Hitsville USA was absolutely flooding us with at least ten massive hits every single year. Honestly, even What's Going On feels almost tame compared to how radical things actually got over at Motown. Absolute masterpieces. For example.

Dennis Hall41 said:Motown pumped out at least 100 better tracks than anything on this record. Maybe except for Inner City Blues. Being avant-garde is fine and all, but quality—the songwriting, the arrangements, the playing, the vibe—that's what actually counts in my book. Art isn't a competitive sport, so being first doesn't mean you're the best.

I lean more toward that raw, unpolished Stax Records sound myself, but from 1959 through the early 70s, Hitsville USA was dropping at least ten absolute masterpieces every single harvest. Honestly, What's Going On still feels a bit tame compared to how radical this masterpiece actually is, for example.

They probably gave us 1,000. And man, The Temptations were pretty radical too with "Cloud Nine"—it was a solid move, if you ask me.

Dennis Hall41 said:Talking about soul being avant-garde through What's Going On? Honestly, I’d say that title gets edged out by the legendary, dark psychedelic-soul masterpiece released the exact same year: Sly and the Family Stone's There's a Riot Goin' On.

Man, you're looking at everything except the obvious. You haven't even given Black Merda a fair shake. Heh... what do you think about that?

dustynomad10 said:Look, man, you see all that—but you haven't even given Black Merda a vote yet. Heh... what's up with you?

Because they’re Black Merda—and since only a white man can truly be a killer—my Solomon.😁

That’s actually why they went with that name—it was a direct nod to the intense racism tearing through Detroit back then, really capturing the vibe of what was happening on the streets.

Dennis Martin6 said:Look, the point is clear, but I've always found lyrics pretty irrelevant. I usually just tune them out unless they're truly exceptional—like Leonard Cohen's early stuff—or absolutely disastrous, like this week's winner. With Swans, I don't even think about the lyrics because you can easily just ignore them entirely (Dylan falls into that category for me too, Nobel Prize notwithstanding). Honestly, try translating what Marvin is belting out into plain American slang; it’s basically some cheesy motivational poster reading, "the road is my truth and my life," and all that nonsense. 😁

That actually says a lot about the whole subgenre, doesn't it? If this is supposed to be avant-garde, 😁
it's a bit questionable.

I have to disagree with that. Lyrics actually matter when you're listening to Swans. They aren't necessarily literary masterpieces, but when paired with the music, they drive home a specific message. Take a track like "Use Sex for control Use Power for Power Use hate for Freedom Use money for cruelty"

"Use sex for control
Use power for power
Use hate for freedom
Use money for cruelty"

Or anything else on this record; it all works the same way. Even Wikipedia defines No Wave similarly, noting how it was essentially "Reacting against punk rock's recycling of rock and roll clichés, no wave musicians instead experimented with noise, dissonance and atonality in addition to a variety of non-rock genres while often reflecting an abrasive, confrontational, and nihilistic worldview."

It's kind of like industrial music then. Nobody was tuning in for the poetry; they were there to be pushed out of their comfort zones, which is exactly what the later Swans era does perfectly.

Anyone here actually speak French? I don't know a lick of it, but I'm thinking about dropping an album soon—or maybe in the next few weeks—where you really need to grasp the French lyrics to get what's actually going on. 😬

Midnight's gone. Thursday is back, which means it's time for some fresh suggestions.

Josefus - Dead Man (1970)

Crazy Man
I Need A Woman
Gimme Shelter
Country Boy
Proposition
Situation
Dead man

Uh... looking at the sheer amount of insults being thrown around today, it feels like we might be hitting a new record... though, unfortunately, it's a pretty pathetic one...

😛

Whatever, whatever. People will listen to them faster, then they can vote.
But you guys still have some time; we're closing the poll at midnight...

What's up with everyone? It’s dead in here. Getting a little boring, isn't it? 😳 Well, I'm here. Someone’s gotta spice things up around here, so I figured I'd step in! 🙂

I like it. What's up. analogbear40 had an idea, but honestly, it actually popped up two rounds ago during his take on those last two Simple Minds albums (though that was more like an album within an album). It happened once before, so we didn't really make a big deal out of it then. I guess maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing to start throwing in some double albums every now and then? Why not? I think I even suggested something similar a long time ago. Two albums that absolutely blew my mind....

So... lately I've been spending a ton of time listening to bossa nova and old-school stuff on vinyl. The first eight albums.Six of them are absolute masterpieces in a row. It’s tough—honestly, really tough—to pick just one to dive deep into, because I love every single phase he went through. But, I guess I'll settle on these two, since they're basically two sides of the same coin. They were born during an incredibly heavy, pivotal era for him, so they kind of belong together. Anyway, here you go. Since it's such a gloomy day, maybe enjoy about two hours of Bruce Springsteen:

Hey, Lisa Davis46... it’s not quite the same thing.

What you’re looking at right now are two separate studio albums released back in 1980 and 1982.
Actually, my whole thought process was that anyone who wants to can pitch multiple suggestions for different albums—especially during those slower weeks when things aren't moving as fast.

But what I was getting at last time were two albums that were originally released together in the USA (specifically, that second one served as a free bonus to the "main" studio record)... so, effectively, you could grab two for the price of one at that moment.
That second record eventually hit the shelves as its own standalone release... just like the first one did, of course.

I suppose you could say I took advantage of the situation and "doubled up" all at once, but only because the labels decided to bundle them that way in the first place.

Yeah, but Simple Minds are being listed today as two albums. It doesn't really matter if they came out in the same year, I guess. Every record is its own thing and stands on its own, right? 😛 I'm actually trying to make that cross from the first page of this thread work, but I have no clue which cover to show. 😁 Should I do both?

Anyway, out of all the Simple Minds stuff, I've mostly listened to the one that fits perfectly after your suggestions, but man, there are maybe two of their best tracks right there. Still, I probably should refresh myself on those earlier albums.

Lisa Davis46 said:Look, they're still listing them as two separate albums for Simple Minds today. It doesn't matter if they came out in the same year; each record is its own thing, right? 😛 I'm actually trying to put together that cross thing on the first page of this thread and I can't decide which cover to use. 😁 Both?

The cover from the compilation. 🤔

Lisa Davis46 said:But honestly, even Simple Minds are being categorized that way these days. Two albums.It doesn't matter if they both happen to come out in the same year. Every single project stands on its own two feet as its own unique entity, right? 😛 I have to say, I’m totally on board with what she was saying just now. I’ve been thinking about those old-school American crosswords lately—the kind you find in a Sunday paper or tucked inside a local magazine. There’s something uniquely satisfying about the hunt, isn't there? It’s like a little mental puzzle designed to test how much trivia you've actually retained from a lifetime of reading and watching the news. It’s a slow burn, a deliberate process of elimination that requires a certain level of patience. You can't rush it, much like a good cup of coffee or a long drive through the Midwest. You just have to sit with it, let the clues sink in, and wait for that "aha!" moment. I'm looking at the first page of our thread right now, and I'm honestly stuck. I haven't quite decided which cover image to go with yet. 😁 Both?

Actually, when it comes to Simple Minds, I’ve always found myself gravitating toward the stuff that fits perfectly right after those early suggestions I gave you. There are two tracks in particular from that era that I honestly think might be some of their absolute best work. That said, it’s probably high time I went back and revisited those even earlier albums to freshen things up.

Regarding the cover art, since I originally pitched this as a "2-in-1" release, it probably makes the most sense to go with that specific layout—you know, where the main album gets the spotlight in the center, and the bonus material is tucked neatly along the side on the same sleeve.

What Gerald Jackson48 just posted is absolutely spot on.

New Gold Dream is what you’d call—with a few caveats—easy listening, but infused with that specific new wave and synth-pop energy that was driving everything back then.

No, you absolutely can't just gloss over everything they turned their backs on up until the mid-90s.
There’s something truly special about *Once Upon a Time*. It’s an absolute anthem-heavy MOR pop masterpiece packed with massive hits. That said, I’d argue *Street Fighting Years* is actually a step up in terms of pure quality. It feels much more fleshed out and melodically complex, even if those big radio singles take a bit of a backseat to the deeper artistry.

If you look at the discography, there’s a certain sweet spot right around where *Real Life* sits—somewhere between those two specific albums. But once you get past *Good News from the Next World*, things start taking a bit of a nosedive. Aside from maybe the occasional single, the quality of the releases just keeps sliding, and honestly, that downward trend hasn't really stopped to this day.

Then I guess I'll be that guy! Thanks. 😉

(I went ahead and pulled that photo Gerald Jackson48 posted, just so it doesn't mess things up when we start the new album suggestions list.)