Album Discussion: Vol. I

[Jerk Shapiro]

I got the idea, just a few minutes ago, to (each week) take a new album, bring it up...and we'll discuss it amongst ourselves. I'll start out with an album...then at the end of the week I'll pick someone to bring up a new one...and it starts over.


I hope this works out.

Here we go, Volume I:

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Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd



Track 1: "Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Pts. 1-5"
Track 2: "Welcome To The Machine"
Track 3: "Have A Cigar"
Track 4: "Wish You Were Here"
Track 5: "Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Pts. 6-9"




In my opinion, a masterpiece. Wish You Were Here is my favorite Pink Floyd album. All the songs are amazing. From the epic "Shine On You Crazy Diamond", to the beautiful "Wish You Were Here", to the rocking "Have A Cigar", and the trippy "Welcome To The Machine"; every tune on here is exceptional. Roger Waters' lyrics combines amazingly with David Gilmour's music on this album. And boy, what a follow up to Dark Side of the Moon.

What do you guys and gals think? Great album? Favorite tracks? How does it compare to other PF works?

[TheAxeGrinder]

Cool idea, Shapiro! Sign me up! Though I can't say that I'm a fan of Pink Floyd, I will say that this is a very cool concept record. And while I'm not a big fan of 13 minute songs, the fact that these guys actually went and performed a song like Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Pts. 1-5 takes a lot to do, and whether these guys were on something or not, it's quite a feat nonetheless.

[blankpage]

Good man, SP.

Anyway, this album is one of the best. It rotates with Dark Side of the Moon as my second favourite album of all-time. Each song is flawless. I just love groovin' out to Shine on you Crazy Diamond, or cheer myself up with Wish You Were Here. While there aren't many songs, it's better than some albums that have 10, 12, 15 songs on the track.

I mean, at this point in Pink Floyd's stage...they were just showing off. But, in a good way. Every single fucking song they made could've started some sort of revolution.

Wish You Were Here gets one big LUUURRRVVVVVEEEE from me.

[Jerk Shapiro]

Something I forgot to mention earlier.


The cover art: My favorite of all-time. It's so simple, yet surreal and mind-blowing. I love it.

[Lynn Minmei]

eek.

I'm a huge Floyd fan, but I've never really caught onto Wish You Were Here quite yet.

It's an alright album, but the title track doews nothing for me, really. Well, neither does anything else on the album.

If I was a music reviewer when this album originally came out, I'd have called it a huge dud. But to each his own.

Give me The Wall or DSotM any day.

[Haddonfield]

Wish You Were Here is one of my fave songs of all time. I am very selective with Pink Floyd, there isnt one full album that I like every song but I do like many of there songs. Wish You Were Here has some of the best lyrics Ive ever heard including maybe my fave line of all time...

And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?


Sums up my life to a T

[Raymond Babbit]

Great album. I'm not sure what I can say that hasn't already been said. I like that there are two songs on this album (Welcome to the Machine, Have a Cigar) about the music industry. The best song on it, though, is by far the title track.

Interesting side note: Shine On You Crazy Diamond was written about former Floyd singer/guitarist/songwriter Syd Barrett, who developed mental illness from all his drug use. While recording this album, Barrett was showed up at the same studio Floyd was at to record one of his solo albums.

[TheAxeGrinder]

So who's up next?

[Jerk Shapiro]

You are. You devil, you.

[TheAxeGrinder]

Sweet! Here I go!

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Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness

Disc: 1
1. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
2. Tonight, Tonight
3. Jellybelly
4. Zero
5. Here Is No Why
6. Bullet With Butterfly Wings
7. To Forgive
8. An Ode to No One
9. Love
10. Cupid de Locke
11. Galapogos
12. Muzzle
13. Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
14. Take Me Down

Disc: 2
1. Where Boys Fear to Tread
2. Bodies
3. Thirty-Three
4. In the Arms of Sleep
5. 1979
6. Tales of a Scorched Earth
7. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
8. Stumbleine
9. XYU
10. We Only Come Out at Night
11. Beautiful
12. Lily (My One and Only)
13. By Starlight
14. Farewell and Goodnight

In my opinion, one of the best double albums, if not one of the best albums of all time. Sure, you can argue that the Pumpkins' previous effort, Siamese Dream, is superior to this effort, but that's like comparing Alien to its sequel, Aliens. Not gonna happen. Sure, two disks is overkill in some instances, and yes it happens here. But what a way to go, eh? From awesome tracks like the seemingly orchestral "Tonight, Tonight" to the dream-like ballad "Thirty-Three", this album is easily one of the best of the 90's. Unfortunately, the Pumpkins never did duplicate the success of this album. But then again, after having the biggest selling double album of all time, and six Top 10 tracks coming from this album, it would've been quite a feat. As it stands, this album proves that rock music really did exist after Nirvana.

[Jerk Shapiro]

Good choice. And although I'm not the biggest Pumpkins fan, this is a good double-album.

1979 remains my favorite Smashing Pumpkins song.

[Sigur509]

On my top 5 favorite albums of all time. Tonight, Tonight is a amazing song. As is most on the album. What happend Billy?

[TheAxeGrinder]

Originally posted by Sigur509
On my top 5 favorite albums of all time. Tonight, Tonight is a amazing song. As is most on the album. What happend Billy?

Well, the whole thing with drummer Jimmy Chamberlain getting caught using heroin with John Melvoin, who ended up OD'ing. After that, it kinda went downhill. Having crap like NSYNC, Britney and the like showing up never helped things either.

[blankpage]

Ah, great choice Axe. I actually haven't listened to the Smashing Pumpkins in the while, or this album for that matter.

Personally, I prefer disc 2 more. To me, more memorable songs abound. And, the best SP song "1979" on it. Still, it's an overall great album. The SP's best, IMO.

[notchreturns]

I still prefer Siamise Dream, the Pumpkin's best effort and a complete masterpiece.

Mellon Collie... still has some grand stuff and is a great accomplishment, but it never moved as much as Siamise Dream.

[TheAxeGrinder]

bump

[badberry]

Ok, since nobody asked...my turn!

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The Offspring - Smash

1. Time to Relax
2. Nitro (Youth Energy)
3. Bad Habit
4. Gotta Get Away
5. Genocide
6. Something to Believe In
7. Come Out and Play
8. Self Esteem
9. It'll Be a Long Time
10. Killboy Powerhead
11. What Happened to You?
12. So Alone
13. Not the One
14. Smash

This is one of the first CDs I ever bought.....can't tell you how many people I've heard say the same thing. Still a classic in my eyes. I now listen to quite a bit of punk, and The Offspring, along with Green Day, were my intro to the genre. From the kick you in the balls start of Nitro, through the simple, yet awesome riffs of Self Esteem to the rebelliousness of Smash, this album never lets up on the energy. I still love the Offspring to this day, and have every one of their albums, but this one in particular is one of my all time favourites.

Discuss....

[badberry]

Damn, double post.

[one_crow_sorrow]

Not a bad album. One of the few decent punk bands. Bad Habit and Self Esteem are my favourites from it.

[TheAxeGrinder]

In my opinion, one of the last good Offspring albums. This was true punk. Practically almost all of the songs on this disk kick ass. Whether it be 'Bad Habit' (c'mon, how many of you guys have this on your car CD?), 'Come Out And Play' (gotta love that sitar-like guitar lick) or the cover of The Didjits' 'Killboy Powerhead'. Compared to what came after, The Offspring may seem like they were a one-trick pony, but they brought punk into the 90's. Along with Green Day and Blink 182, these guys were the mainstream punk bands of the 90's.

[Sigur509]

Okay.....My turn:)

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1. Airbag
2. Paranoid Android
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
4. Exit Music (For A Film)
5. Let Down
6. Karma Police
7. Fitter Happier
8. Electioneering
9. Climbing Up The Walls
10. No Surprises
11. Lucky
12. Tourist, The



Next to, Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, this is my all time favorite Album. It have been said to be like Pink Floyd. O.K Computer was not like the bends, and it was not like Kid A. They changed, and changed, between. It is completly original. My favorite song would have to be No Surprises, but they are all great. One of the greatest records ever. Brillant.

[TheAxeGrinder]

To tell you the truth, I never really saw what the fuss was about with Radiohead. All I know is that they have a penchant for making some bizarre videos ('Paranoid Android', 'There There', and 'Knives Out' in particular). I can't knock their effort in trying, as they clearly are an acquired taste, though good taste nonetheless.

[Lynn Minmei]

Originally posted by TheAxeGrinder
To tell you the truth, I never really saw what the fuss was about with Radiohead. All I know is that they have a penchant for making some bizarre videos ('Paranoid Android', 'There There', and 'Knives Out' in particular). I can't knock their effort in trying, as they clearly are an acquired taste, though good taste nonetheless.

My thoughts for the most part.

I mean, don't get me wrong, they're fucking unbelievable musicians, but their lyrics are nonsensical to me, which totally ruins it for me.