Album of the week

Steven Newman50 said:It’s not even that I haven't listened to the rest of them, it's more that I haven't even heard of most of them...😁

I honestly thought the guy Arthur Brown6 was talking about was Ravi Shankar, but this is clearly just some distant relative trying to ride his coattails.

It’s not Ravi, it’s a violin... 🙂 Yeah, this poll is pretty weird this time around. Aside from Hendrix and Shankar, nothing really rang a bell... but I was rushing between meetings today and skimmed through everything, and I honestly can't wait to see what kind of intro Dennis Martin6 comes up with. 😁
I'm glad I waited for the sixth suggestion; it sounds incredibly good. It doesn't really remind me of anything else I know, not even back in '89.

If my suggestion actually wins, there won't even be an introduction, so please, don't cast your vote for "metamatic" 😁

Honestly, both could work, so why not?
(Maybe just don't vote at all... 😁)

I'm obsessed with Dogbowl—honestly, I have such a soft spot for that lo-fi psychedelic vibe. It totally reminds me of R Stevie Moore, which is always a win in my book... and maybe even gives off a little bit of early Ariela too.

I can't even cast a vote because I don't know a single artist besides Hendrix, and honestly, he's just not my thing.😁

So, what’s the actual point of this thread? 🤔 Are we hunting for something totally fresh that hasn't crossed our ears yet, or just revisiting the stuff we already have on repeat? 😁

Personally, I’d love to stumble upon something that hits the same notes as my usual favorites—though that hasn't happened quite yet. Or, maybe it's about revisiting an old flame, something I've heard of but never truly *gotten*, allowing me to finally connect the dots with other albums. It’s about building a context and looking at things through a more critical lens, rather than just deciding if it "vibes" or if it's pleasant to listen to. That’s where I find this thread actually useful.

Anyway, regarding the suggestions:

Indian music—if there isn't a sitar involved, count me out. It would be better if it were Ravi.

If we're talking about the United States, you can't go wrong with rap. This Run The Jewels track feels like it's heading in that direction... though it hasn't quite hooked me enough to dive deeper just yet.

Dogbowl doesn't strike me as psychedelic to me; it feels more like something lighthearted and fun.

When it comes to lo-fi production, I find it pretty intriguing. I suspect there's a lot of hidden depth there, especially regarding the lyrics. I really dig that specific blend of irony—humorous and subtle without being overly sarcastic or blunt. To me, combining lo-fi vibes with humor is a fantastic way to critique society. You don't need all that heavy-handed sarcasm and aggression you typically see in punk. I clicked on a few tracks by Ariela Pinko and some other modern alternative lo-fi artists to see what was going on under the hood. It’s not that I'm dying to listen, but in a daydreaming sort of mood, I could definitely see myself diving deep into those lyrics.

Of course we’re listening to American rap. We aren't about to sit here and listen to French rap instead. 😳

Picking an album is pretty much up to whoever feels like it! The whole point is just to have something we can all dive into and chat about around the same time... There aren't any strict rules here. We might pick a massive classic that everyone already has opinions on, or maybe something totally underground that we can discover together without any preconceived notions... it's all part of the fun!

Look, it’s not set in stone. I could easily start a thread for a new release, but since I wouldn't know much about it, I'd probably just drop some basic info and a link to listen... But usually, we like to give the person suggesting the album plenty of space to set the stage! They often want to write a nice little intro about why that specific record means so much to them or why it's such a big deal...

So, yeah, William Foster15, what do you think? Do you want us to kick off the thread, or do you want to take the reins? It doesn't have to follow the usual format if you don't want it to!

I’ll leave it up to you guys to kick things off—just drop the link and some basic details... I can't really offer much more than that since I only just discovered this album myself, and I still need to sit down and give it a proper, deep dive.

Nancy Carter43 said:What’s even the point of this thread? 🤔 Are we supposed to be digging up stuff we’ve never heard before, or just rehashing the same tracks we already have on repeat? 😁

That intro bit is what actually gets me interested. Basically, you have to sell it to me first; otherwise, I'm probably not going to bother listening.👍

Come on, William Foster15, there’s gotta be a reason you picked this specific album! Give us the backstory... otherwise, it just feels kind of generic, and we really want to dive in. Plus, people love having something to latch onto from the intro post. Think about it!

Steven Newman50 said:Come on, William Foster15, there’s definitely a reason you picked that specific album. Give us some context, otherwise, this whole thing is just going to feel generic—like "here it is, go listen." People usually like to have something to latch onto from the opening post. Think about it.

Look, Amanda Robinson4, first you tell me to explain myself, then you tell me to "think about it." I'm stuck in the middle here... what am I supposed to do? 😁

William Foster15 is thinking:

William Foster15 is still thinking:

William Foster15 has stopped thinking:

William Foster15 turned on the music:

The Specials - Do nothing



and threw the laptop out the window.

P.S. switch (don't move) to the notebooks.

P.P.S. I didn't actually throw the laptop out the window (I'll 😁) while writing this; I finally hit on an idea for the intro. It won't be formal, and it won't be generic, but don't expect high art either. I tried to warn you all ahead of time that I wasn't going to write an intro because, frankly, I don't have the expertise for it...

But hey, you asked for it, and now you've got it.

Or maybe it's the other way around: I asked, and I got it.

I suggested the Album of the Week, and now I'm on the hook for the intro.

OK, let's go! Opening the thread now.

🙂
Oh, please, don't stress about the intro. I guess since I started participating—probably even later than you did—nothing has ever been set in stone. The basics are just setting the core context and dropping the album link... maybe add a few words to actually pique interest. It doesn't need to be brief, and you definitely don't need to write an essay (I personally struggle with writing in general, but I decided that next time I'll just stick to a few sensible sentences, intentionally stepping outside my own 😁).

The more different people writing intros, the better. It makes no sense for Amanda Robinson4 to always be the one doing it... and honestly, both she and I find this album pretty obscure, so it’ll probably be fun to see whatever story you cook up for it.

Nancy Carter43 said:but what is the actual point of this thread 🤔 listening to stuff we haven't heard before to discover something new, or just listening to things we already listen to anyway 😁

Personally, I’d love to discover something similar to what I usually enjoy (though that hasn't happened yet) or something I've heard of before but never fully grasped, so now I can connect it to other albums, put it in context, and maybe look at it critically from a different angle rather than just deciding if it's catchy or annoying. (That's why this thread is somewhat useful to me)

I actually had some thoughts stuck in my head yesterday when you asked what the point of "Album of the Week" is... but I didn't reply immediately, so I forgot by the end. For me, this thread is actually really helpful because I've always discovered music by listening to full albums (I don't really know any other way). It rarely happens through singles or specific tracks (like in classical music). So with an album, if it grabs me, I want to know more, and I much prefer reading someone's personal thoughts over formal reviews—especially if you can tell the person actually cares about the music.

That bolded part... isn't it actually exciting to find something totally new that doesn't remind you of anything you've heard before? That's like the ultimate win for me, not just here but in general, though it's been happening less often lately...
It's such a great feeling to stumble upon exactly what you're looking for (when you least expect it). But you have to keep your ears open to a wider range of stuff.

In previous threads, that might have only happened with one album, even if I already knew the author, but it happens way more often with all the other suggestions that don't turn into a full thread. Honestly, that's why I thought the last one, Dogbowl, was so good... and now I'm thinking it might not be a bad idea eventually to make a complete list or overview of all the suggested albums, not just the ones that actually get voted in.

Lisa Davis46 said:🙂
Oh, come on, don't stress about the intro. Honestly, since I started getting involved here—probably even later than you did—nothing has ever been set in stone. As long as you drop the essentials and a link to the album, you're golden. Maybe toss in a few extra words to pique interest. It doesn't need to be a manifesto or a tiny blurb; I personally struggle with writing enough in my daily life, but I’ve decided to try just sticking to a few coherent sentences next time, intentionally stepping outside my usual 😁 zone.

Besides, having different people write the intros is actually better. It shouldn't always fall on Amanda Robinson4 to do everything... and honestly, I think this album is just as much of a mystery to her as it is to me. It'll probably be fun to see whatever story you cook up for it.

I was actually dwelling on something yesterday after you asked about the whole purpose of "Album of the Week"... I didn't reply right away, so the thought slipped my mind by the end of the day. For me, this thread is incredibly useful because I’ve always discovered music through full albums. That's just how my brain works—I don't really do singles or specific tracks unless it's something like classical music. So, when an album catches my eye, I love digging deeper. I much prefer reading someone's personal take over a polished review, especially when you can tell the person actually cares about the record. It makes it feel real.

Regarding that bolded part... isn't there something thrilling about stumbling upon something totally new that bears zero resemblance to what you usually listen to? To me, that's the ultimate find—not just here, but in life in general. Though, lately, those moments seem to be getting rarer...
It’s such a great feeling to find exactly what you were looking for when you least expected it. But you really have to keep your ears open to the wider world.

In previous threads, we maybe only had one album like that, even if I already knew the author. But it happens more often with all the various suggestions that don't quite make it to a full discussion. That's why I loved this last one by Dogbowl so much... and it actually occurred to me that it might be cool eventually to compile a full list of every suggested album, not just the winners.

Look, it's fine if the person who suggests the album also writes the intro once it wins; that's how the concept was designed from the jump. 🙂 I'm just a bit particular. This week fits perfectly into my listening schedule, but sitting down to write an intro just didn't feel right... but hey, no big deal, we have our intro and our Album of the Week! I'd actually love to see a comment from you too. Even if this isn't exactly your genre, I noticed you mentioned Talking Heads before—I know them a little bit from some old compilations. Do you think there's a connection between them and, say, The Banshees? Maybe something in the drumming or those African rhythms... plus the whole "Happy House" and "Once in a Lifetime" vibe. That era of American New Wave is so fascinating; it's worlds apart from the British scene, though they definitely influence each other and pull from one another in subtle ways.

William Foster15, this thread is great. I’m actually listening to 'Metamatic' right now and it’s hitting the spot. I'll post more here tomorrow... 🙂

Talking Heads are honestly outliers, both for the late '70s/early '80s scene and the genres people usually shove them into. I don't really see a connection to Foxx or Siouxsie, but I guess they touch on some of the same notes as Bryan Ferry or Roxy Music. There was definitely an influence from Roxy on TH / TH and on Ferry's solo stuff (and later on 'Avalon'), even if those two worlds feel worlds apart—musically and geographically. I think Americans and Brits just have different ways of approaching things, too.

See, William Foster15, was that really such a big ask? 🙂I’m gonna dive into this listening session myself, very soon... once I finally get this absolute madhouse I'm living in sorted out.

Nancy Carter43 said:Personally, I’d love to discover something here that hits close to my usual taste—even if it hasn't happened yet! Or maybe something I’ve heard before but never quite "got" until now. It would be cool to connect the dots with other albums, find some context, and actually look at things critically instead of just deciding if it sounds pleasant or annoying. (This thread is actually helping with that a bit!)

👍 I see this whole thing as a sort of musical reading list—kind of a nerd moment for me 🤓—where I get to hear how everyone else experienced and interpreted things, which helps me learn a bit more. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised, sometimes it bores me, but hey, at least I'm hearing something new. Plus, there's no authority figure here telling you what's right or wrong or grading your little essays! 😁

Nancy Carter43 said:When it comes to lo-fi production, I find it really intriguing. There's so much interesting stuff there, especially with the lyrics—that specific blend of irony that's playful and not overly sarcastic or blunt, but still obvious. That style really works for me... lo-fi vibes mixed with humor is such a great way to critique society, if you ask me. You don't need all that aggressive sarcasm you usually get from punk. I clicked through a few tracks by Ariana Grande and some other modern alternative lo-fi artists to see what was going on... it's not like I'm being forced to listen, but if I were feeling particularly contemplative right now, I might actually dive deep into those lyrics...

I feel like the lyrics aren't always the main point, and people don't always pour their souls into them—sometimes you just have to surrender to the atmosphere and that raw mix of sounds coming from a home studio. 😁

Anyway, here I wrote a little something about one of Ariel's older albums, so feel free to browse if you're interested (maybe check out Spinning Wheels, Helen, or Every Night I Die...). I think only a handful of people here would appreciate it, but once it clicks for you, it really sticks with you. 😍
It's honestly rare for music to trigger that specific feeling I get when listening to him.
Stevie Wonder is super interesting too, though I can never seem to track down most of his albums... and I absolutely adore John Maus.

A few quick thoughts before I finally take the plunge and dive into Foxxa:

I’ve spent the last couple of days revisiting three incredible "black" albums from the early seventies, which leaves me wondering what should be next on the list: Afrobeat, dub reggae, or maybe some New York Jazz?

Or, I could suggest an absolutely stellar recent live album featuring one phenomenal vocalist—something I find myself returning to constantly, even if it is definitely an "acquired taste."

So, there you have it...

Is it just the mods picking the albums of the week? How does the whole thing actually work?

And can it be any genre at all? Like, could we have a classical or early music album pop up as the album of the week, for example?