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Unsung Forum » What's been your most played Album Of The Month? |
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Sin Agog 2253 posts |
Edited May 30, 2015, 17:02
May 30, 2015, 16:35
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's been what, a year? two? since the thing that revivified my interest in Cope got put in a little cardboard box in the attic. I felt it was high time I gave that other little column under Unsung another click- and Gut Gott that's one stupendous collection of records. So much spiky, paranoid, blissful idiot savantry to choose from. I get giddy just looking at them. I'll have to break this down into: Most Played AOTM I Already Knew About (MPAOTMIAKA, or Mehpahottmeeyaka) and Most Played AOTM That Cope Turned Me Onto (MPAOTMTCTMO, or Mehpahottmootkertmow). My Mehpahottmeeyaka is probably Rocket From the Tombs, albeit a different comp than the one he listed (actually, that happens a lot with Cope...bloody hipster obscurantist). From the first listen it played straight to the apoplectic teen miserablist in me who could never quite find the words. Laughner's solos, man- they're the words I was blindly groping about for! It's a grave drag he thought himself a non-musician hanger-on right up until the early end. As to my Mehpahottmootkertmow... JeZeus, there's an embarrassment of riches there. Even the unexpected anomalies like Tom Lehrer, Lord Buckley and Nathaniel Mayer are just wonderful. I can understand what an effort it is spending your every waking hour trying to augment your collection of holy relics. You've gotta choose life eventually. Still, wish he kept it up just a leeeetle bit longer. I think it's a choice between Tokyo Kid Brothers, which I always find just so bloody joyful, even if it's rare that I'll find anyone else who isn't turned off by all the emotive Noh theatrics, Franco Battiato's Fetus- though he did quite a few almost equally good albums for awhile there in the early '70s which might splinter off some of the plays Fetus got- Sand and Parson Sound; I love the hermetically-sealed Schulzemosphere of the former, but I half-suspect I may have first discovered the Trad Gras Harvester Sound elsewhere, I canne remember. S'pose it's probably Tokyo Kid Brothers, as I still have a yen to give it another play, one day after its last spin. I've always had a thing for music that sounds like it comes from a commune. I spoke to a guy who said he met them all when they came to London in the early '70s, and actually taught them a smidgen of English. According to him, they were a pure seam of energy and revolt. You can hear it in the album and the Terayama film from which it sprang. Come back to us, Cope-san! ETA: Shit, five years!?
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Citizensmurf 1711 posts |
May 30, 2015, 19:06
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Good thread. It's hard to remember when I didn't know some of these albums, as I have played them so many times over the years. To be perfectly honest, the only real album I owned before it was an AOTM (and owned for years and played all the time) was Melvins-Lysol. I had heard of many bands or albums, but for the most part, my discovery of them was via the monthlies. As for which one I play the most......currently it is probably Gunslingers, but I would also add to that Sir Lord Baltimore, Monoshock, New Lou Reeds, Miles Davis, and Boredoms. If I might add another category, it's the AOTM that try as you might, had never won you over. This is a slim category for me, as they are all quite good, but the Vincent Black Shadow has never given me the same kind of kick as any of the others. I don't outright hate it, but it seems weak by comparison. As for more AOTM, unlikely, but I always thought there were a huge crop of potential ones described in all the other reviews. When the references to "album" period "artist", I thought it was a telling sign that that was also such an album to check out. They are littered everywhere especially in the Drudion reviews, and not just the kraut or punk or japrock classics, but other such intriguing albums that had burned their efforts into the brain of JC in order to be stamped in comparison with a new effort. Much like listening to the subsequent groups and albums, from those jazz sidemen who apprenticed under Miles Davis, would inform you to a large slab of the greatest jazz ever made; tracking down all the loose albums mentioned under his review umbrella would also inform you to a great slab of rock n roll truly unsung outside of these forums.
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Sin Agog 2253 posts |
Edited May 31, 2015, 00:07
May 31, 2015, 00:06
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Ooh, that's a hard one. He even unsniffied me on bands like Kiss I was too much of an avant hard nut to Czech out. I haven't played it since the AOTM came out, but I remember thinking Tractor was a bit fillersome. Probably doesn't count, as it was a bit of a hasty Peel tribute, and the songs I'm youtubing now sound quite excellent. I suspect I wouldn't like the two Neo Folk albums if I replayed them, on account of since being savvy to at least one of them having some sketchy Neo Nazi connections. Still, that's not really a musical thing. Fuck it, I'll go with Pentagram, 'cause they had a really arsey fan who'd haunt these boards occasionally. I did drag my fine tooth comb through a lot of the post-AOTM Drudions for potential new listenage. Spiffing wordsmith as he may be, I've always especially dug reviewers who will casually rattle off dozens of comparisons and name-drops which will instantly result in me opening up a dozen internet tabs looking them up. It was also fun when he'd mention someone like Jake Thackray, who you might not immediately imagine him liking, but when you marinate on it really fill in the gaps in the puzzle that is Julian H. Cope. Come to think of it, I don't actually think I read any of the first few years of the Drudions. I really should start from the beginning.
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Monganaut 2425 posts |
Edited May 31, 2015, 01:23
May 31, 2015, 00:41
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Only been a couple of standouts for me, of which the Boredoms - Vision Creation New Sun wins out by a country mile. I was only aware of their earlier 'noise' period (Chocolate Synthesizer, Pop Tatari etc...) before this release was heralded in AOTM, and I wasn't totally sold on them as a band that could garner that much affection from me. That all changed with the cyclical, rhythmic, uplifting, space rocky and krauty VCCNS. T'was a revalation indeed, and during a period working in a shipping warehouse, gave me a spring in my step the job didn't warrant. Have been lucky enough to see them play it live too, which was one of the most joyous, uplifting and life affirming gigs I think I've ever attended. Perfect music to drift amongst the stars to, or if you need to trudge somewhere quickly, fall into pace with the rhythm, and you're there in no time. It's become one of my desert island albums, in that if I feel a bit glum, this has the ability to shake me out of the fug in double quick time. Picked up a few more Boredoms relases since (Super AE, and a couple of the Super Roots series, all have something to recommend them). VCNS (Full) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdPCt5ZEf40 Super AE (Full) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUSGujidgns Super Roots 9 (Full) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V__1KLwDer8 Boredoms - Live ATP 2012 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deTASFB-LWU T'other was the revalation that is Oneida's 'Each One Teach One'. Another release that opened the door to a wider love and appreciation of this fantastic band (though sadly, they seem to have lost it a little over the last few releases). Cope eulogised the relentless OCD like repetition/dedication of 'Sheets of Easter' ("You've got to look into the Light, Light Light,Light....." which rather bizarrely, my younest daughter took a real shine to aged 5 or 6) whereas I came to find the track 'Antibiotics' was the one that floated my boat the most. It has been known that on somedays, this track has been let on repeat for hours at a time, just basking in the glory of the organ refrain, and the whole 'locked in' vibe of the instrumentation. It's a real transporter of a tune, that's fer sure. Other stuff on the album was a revalation too. The stripped back lofi version of 'People Of The North', that was reworked and polished up further on the later release 'Anthems Of The Moon' was a rickety confused tumble oof noise, fom another stormer of an album. People of the North guarnered it's own Oneida offshoot project as well, of which, the first album 'Deep Tissue' is the finest as far as Im concerned. Sheets Of Easter - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT26L1vtgkE Antibiotics - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGf9kUv7j9g People Of The North - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpfA5v4Vcow People Of The North (Anthems..Version) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8wNs89fgM0 People of the North - Deep Tissue Album (Excerpt)..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ALCRmhIv84&list=PL30BC9D8CDF711C27
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Citizensmurf 1711 posts |
May 31, 2015, 03:08
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And yet more categories for limited discussion are: 1. Most obscure AOTM.....I would put this one to High Vikings, as I have yet to find any reference to it outside of its HH review. Not that I'm doubting its existence, but I'm not certain it will ever see reissue. 2. Most difficult to find a physical copy of.....Sacrificial Totem-Hurqalya. Missed out the first time round, and surprisingly rare for an edition of 99 copies. Nice black metal maelstrom of an album, and lovely little package. 3. Secret AOTM....Roger-This Is The Shit....for all of one day before being supplanted by The Downside Special. Also see the handful of reviews by Cope that aren't AOTM's, but are contained in the reviews section if you search hard enough. On The Beach being one of them.
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Maldoror 726 posts |
May 31, 2015, 04:14
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That's what I call a GOOD thread. Well, let me see: Pärson Sound - Pärson Sound Agharta - Miles Davis Mellow Out - Mainliner Half Machine Lip Moves - Chrome Live - High Rise
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olivergoodyear 56 posts |
Edited May 31, 2015, 18:29
May 31, 2015, 18:26
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For AOTM that I already knew it would have to be Vision Creation Newsun, with Dark Magus a close second. For AOTM that Cope introduced me to, probably Blue Cathedral (although it was by choosing Comets as support for his RFH show rather than the review that got me into them). Or Satori, but it was Japrocksampler that sold me on them. I've never been one for reading long texts online, so it's only since the publication of Copendium that I've read a lot of the reviews.
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lord gazzington 72 posts |
May 31, 2015, 18:48
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It's thanks to cope that I tried out some Miles Davis albums and for that I shall be forever grateful. So, in answer dark magus, agharta and get up with it.
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riverman 845 posts |
May 31, 2015, 18:51
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I suspect my most played AOTM would be To Blacken the Pages - A Semblance of Something Appertaining to Destruction. It wasn't included in Copendium but it is by Cope's standards a bit of a half arsed review so I can understand why it was left out. I barely knew any of the albums beforehand but could give a shout here for Comets on Fire's Blue Cathedral, though of course that was only because I'd read the Field Recordings From the Sun review!! Whether I had a copy of Blue Cathedral before his review I can't recall (11 years ago!). Other highlights for me include Haare's The Temple, Sacrifical Totem, Flower Travellin Band, Far Out, Les Rallizes Denudes, AR Machines' Echo, Orthodox's Gran Poder, Om - Variations on a Theme. The Drudions mind have probably been as rich a source of listening!
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Citizensmurf 1711 posts |
May 31, 2015, 22:08
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riverman wrote: I suspect my most played AOTM would be To Blacken the Pages - A Semblance of Something Appertaining to Destruction. It wasn't included in Copendium but it is by Cope's standards a bit of a half arsed review so I can understand why it was left out. I barely knew any of the albums beforehand but could give a shout here for Comets on Fire's Blue Cathedral, though of course that was only because I'd read the Field Recordings From the Sun review!! Whether I had a copy of Blue Cathedral before his review I can't recall (11 years ago!). Other highlights for me include Haare's The Temple, Sacrifical Totem, Flower Travellin Band, Far Out, Les Rallizes Denudes, AR Machines' Echo, Orthodox's Gran Poder, Om - Variations on a Theme. The Drudions mind have probably been as rich a source of listening! [As I blindly click at some 'like' button, and then realize it's an old school (00's) forum, and should just say I like these responses] I must say, the HH journey has led me to free myself of such silly hang-ups as: 1. Not liking (Kiss/Alice Cooper/Blue Oyster Cult/Van Halen/Mott the Hoople) because I first heard their "hit" song and thought it was shite, or first heard their much weaker later 80's output ("Animalize" and "Trash".....I'm looking at you!) 2. Not being open to liking a particular genre because of previous prejudices. One example would be Black Metal, of which there is a crapload of crap made, but the psychedelic guitars of KTL and Furze made me rethink my postion. 3. Not bothering to listen to a band simply because sometimes people's recommendations are horrible, but I have learned to trust the advice of JC and HH, and have yet to be steered down the wrong road yet. Might I also add, "Fuck Rolling Stone. Fuck Pitchfork. Fuck rock journalism and its one-star reviews. Fuck the hippies who never got over Hendrix. Fuck the punks who can't get past '77. Basically, fuck cultural hang-ups, and head-in-the-ground, backward-thinking." End polite rant.
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