A musical post

[quesarah]

1. A lot of folks are commenting on Rolling Stone's 500 greatest albums list. The only thing I will say is that it's shit, absolute utter shit. I love the Beatles, but there is no reason "A Hard Day's Night" needs to be on that list. The White Album sure, Sgt Pepper's, sure. Revolver I'm hedgy on, even though I love it and Rubber Soul. Basically, the list reads like it was compiled by a roomful of pudgy white 40-somethings who stopped listening to any current music circa 1985. They're pretentious morons who have no interest in finding and supporting good music. They can all piss off.

2. I love Ella Fitzgerald. Love love love. I think she's one of the most amazing vocalists ever, in terms of talent, virtuosity, improvisation, and the pure simple luck of genetics for having such a lovely tone. That said...

This weekend I heard her recording of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." It's perky, chipper, upbeat, and swinging. It was awful. I can understand "putting a brave face on your pain," or deciding not to wallow in the song's pathos a la Judy Garland, but this was just ridiculous.

3. nightxade and gonzo21 have been compiling lists of their top sexiest moments on screen. I think I will nominate the video for D'Angelo's "Untitled." Does that count? It's only a music video but holy jeebus is it sexy.

Comments

[wafflelips.livejournal.com]

1) So, what else is on the list that you find so shitty?

3) I think that works as sexy.

[biogeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

1) There's just some random shit. For example, while I agree with placing Bowie's "Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust" and "Low" on the list (both are excellent and influentiall albums), I don't see why "Aladdin Sane" made the list. "Hunky Dory" needs to be off the list, period.

11 Beatles albums is excessive. They're good, but I daresay they aren't that good. 6 Dylan albums may also be excessive, but I'm not well-versed enough with him to really say.

Patti Smith's "Horses" is a good album, but I'd like to trade one of those damned Beatles albums for "Easter." Patti deserves two slots.

"Phil Spector, A Christmas Gift for You" made the list. WTF? And while I'm at it, "Bad" by Michael Jackson? *WTFF?

I'm also chagrined at the inclusion of several "greatest hits" albums. To me, choosing a great album isn't solely dependent on the number of catchy songs on it. It's the construction of the album as a whole, what the music scene was like when it was released, what effect it had, how influential it's been.

I lost all interest in anything Rolling Stone had to say about popular music several years ago. Because sadly, they don't seem to know what they're talking about.

*short for a very SFU-like "what the fucking fuck?"

[gonzo21.livejournal.com]

3) I don't think I'm familiar with that video... Brief description?

[biogeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

3) here is a site (http://www.section3.com/video/dangelo_untitled.shtml) that gives a description of the video. The song itself is a very sexy soul record and the video is equally so.

It's almost enough to make a gay girl think twice. Almost. ;)

a musical post -frm. ls in oh. 40something white etc.

[(Anonymous)]

You know I fit into so many of those maligned catagories (still working on the pudgy) I feel a need to respond. Actually "A Hard Days Night" is one of the better early albums-but not top 500. "Revolver" on the other hand I think is good. Where "Sgt. Pepper" is baroque "Revolver" is stripped down psychedelia.
But why get so upset with R.S.? They have for a l-o-n-g time been more intrested in the image then the music.

Re: a musical post -frm. ls in oh. 40something white etc.

[biogeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

But why get so upset with R.S.? They have for a l-o-n-g time been more intrested in the image then the music.

As usual, you are a voice of reason and sensibility. I suppose it rankles me for a variety of reasons. RS for good or ill is still viewed as an "authoritative voice" in popular music, when they lost all legitimacy years ago.

Maybe it's also that I equate them with Corporate Music, more interested in image and sales than in anything really groundbreaking. My bias.

Re: a musical post -frm. ls in oh. 40something white etc.

[wafflelips.livejournal.com]

are you sure you don't want to set up a livejournal? it'd be fun!

Re: a musical post -frm. ls in oh. 40something white etc.

[biogeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

He really should, you know. :)