Market Research
Posted by Fraser Lewry on 7 February 2008 - 10:56am.
I'm curious about something.
I've bought a couple of CDs after reading about them on the Word blog: the debut Bobby Charles record after it was was deemed a lost classic by several people, while Bill Withers' Live At Carnegie Hall came from out of nowhere with a couple of glowing recommendations.
It occurs to me that while I'm learning to trust the judgment of other people here, one recommendation isn't enough... but if two people start shouting about an album I don't know, then I'm willing to take a punt.
Anyone else taken the plunge?
Bookmark/Search this post with:
- More from Fraser Lewry.
- Login or register to post comments
The Zombies
I propose The Zombies' Odessey & Oracle (sic) and would like to invite a seconder . . .
Complete flop in its day but magnificent. Good stupid psyechedelic cover too
Seconded
Ace record. Mad as a box of very mad frogs.
Sold
*takes out debit card*
Cripes!
I hope you actually like psychedelic pop!
It'll go for 99p on eBay if you don't, so all is not lost.
Not yet
But it's more to do with money than trust. There are a few people round these parts whose opinions I am starting to respect.
Any day now..
...I'm going to get the Rachel Unthank album because:
1. More than one person has told me it's good
2. It's been out ages
3. It's not hip so the only conceivable reason people would recommend it is that it's genuinely good.
Make it today
A fine, fine piece of work as reflected by her success at the R2 folk Awards
In fact I've just bought it...
...I'm less convinced by awards than the recommendations of citizens who paid coin of the realm.
Never met a paying customer who recommended Anthony & The Johnsons...
Me neither
Wailing like a banshee never rocked my world !
Damn right!
One of these albums where you question your judgement listening to it. You start wondering if your ear isn't quite sophisticated enough for this album that everyone is raving about.
Be careful,,,,,
It's only as good as any prospective award winner: i.e. it's quite difficult. I bought it and I expect I am the sort of person who would, but it was a disappointment. Worthy, undoubtedly, but it won't be on eternal rotation, I fear. Blind blue bleezing is the standout, being one of only 2 or 3 to make it onto the i-pod.
Interesting snippet garnished from the website: it's in Robert Wyatts top 10 albums. Surely, nowt to do with the royalties, Mr W?
Nah you're wrong
It's easier to list the not so hot tracks - Whitehorn, My Donald and Newcastle lullabye are a little dour, but as lower division tracks go, they're not bad.
You should see them live, the sound that Becky produces is unique and spinetingling. As Mrs Drayton said when we saw them last (her first time) 'Where did that come from?'
They are a remarkable group and very lovely as well. Yes, I am a fan.
What Lucas said...
...hits the nail on the head. After hanging around here awhile, seeing the same names give their views on all manner of (mostly) music-related topics, I started to get a sense of, not only what direction their tastes ran in, but *why* they ran that way. Once I got that sort of handle, I felt confident in taking their pointers. Two that come to mind are John Fahey (discussed heavily here in relation to his Christmas album) and Burial. In the latter case, fired up by the enthusiasm of several Word staffers, I had a listen to the 30-second previews on eMusic, but couldn't see what the fuss was about. But *still* those Worders kept raving about Burial. In the end, I decided maybe those 30-second snippets weren't enough, so I downloaded the entire two albums from eMusic and immersed myself, emerging several hours later totally convinced that this was Good Stuff indeed.
Bill Withers
I hope you liked it. I picked it up last summer and it blew me away.
Bill
I'll let you know - I'm still waiting for it to arrive.
Boy...
do you have a treat in store. Bill Withers' band grooves like a groovy thang, and he sings like an angel.
Amazon have only got 2 left now
as I've just ordered it as well. I should be grooving like a groovy thang by about Tuesday next.
The New Pornographers
I took a punt after someone on here recommended them. Alright, not great, bit irritating after a while.
I have hunted out people on YouTube and MySpace many times since checking myself into the addiction clinic that is this Word blog-forum-thingy...
I can't do without 'Odyssey And Oracle'...
...a true masterpiece, IMHO- would be one of my top 10 albums of all time. If you like that, may I recommend XTC's fabulous 'Skylarking' which is another whimsical, ultra-English beauty but from about 20 years later; it's an album I've only known for around a year but I fell in love with it.
I use a lot of online sites for reviews and forums/blogs like this one for clarification on the quality of albums. As a rule of thumb I tend to avoid anything NME are claiming are 'saviours of rock and roll' as this inevitably leads to disappointment for me. 'The same old rock', as Roy Harper once had it...
Dictionary free zone
Interestingly, this album isn't actually called Odyssey And Oracle. There have been a few conflicting stories about how it ended up mis-spelled, but I think it boils down to someone in the band or their management jotting the intended title down, but managing to spell it as "Odessey".
Doh.
They must have been disleck, er, dyslesc, er, a lazy bugger.
It was the artist who
It was the artist who painted the cover. And the band, all relatively educated people, were a bit embarrased about it but had to let it through
Supreme typo
Some time in the '70s the Luton (or Reading or somewhere like that) Yellow Pages included an entry for the "British Dyxlesia Association".
Skylarking
I'd second that choice. I bought it in the Summer of 2000 when I first moved in with my then girlfriend/now wife. We lived near a park and I'd take my pet dog for a walk whilst listening to this constantly on my walkman. It's a real pastoral, summer record. I still adore it.
If you like x you'll love....
This site might be old hat but works on the a similar basis to blog reccomendations and makes nice patterns too.
http://www.music-map.com/john+prine.html
Spilt Milk
Okay I've mentioned them before on this site, but, what the hell - Jellyfish are the best band you've never heard (unless you have). But you don't have to take my word for it, check out this article about The Great Lost Album, in which Tom Cox enthuses about their Spilt Milk album in precisely the way I would, if I had a column in a national newspaper.
Any youtube clips you ask? Why yes...
A little off topic
I know I shouldn't do this here (and that Fraser will probably delete the post before too many people read it) but credit where credit's due: if jingly-jangly 80s indie-pop is your thing, there's a really very good CD free with this month's Mojo.
Fine indeed...
...as was their previous month's CD of vintage electronica. Both a damn sight better than those "Roots Of" CDs they knock out, which collect an arbitrary bunch of tracks by artists who allegedly influenced some other artist. Or those lazy discs where they can't even be arsed to choose a set themselves, but get some celeb (e.g. FuckingBono) to choose some tracks for them. Credit where due - when they give away these genuinely themed CDs, they tend to be superb.
Sam Cooke One Night Stand: Live at the Harlem Square Club
I know I go on a bit about live Soul Albums but this is one of the best,
http://www.amazon.co.uk/One-Night-Stand-Harlem-Remastered/dp/B000AO4NJU/...
For raw excitment, audience participation, and being generally joyous, this one will keep you, your family and your parties happy and groovin.
I've never seen in peoples top 10's apart from years ago Rod "The Mod" Stewart name checked it.
Sound quality is top notch.
And as a bonus its for bugger all on amazon if you use other sellers.
Its all part of the service
we get along with our subscriptions as far as I can see. I recommended Bobby Charles on this very site but specifically Last Train to Memphis - if you have any pennies left over its worth a punt - you get 2 discs of absolutely sublime music. Apart from the Pro's suggestions I have also bought cd's in recent weeks by artists such as Tony Joe White,Dennis Hoppers Choppers and Martin Simpson all because people on this site suggested they were very good. I have not been let down.
Also, if any of you want to shed a private tear go out and buy the book 'Five people you meet in Heaven' by Mitch Albom.It would even make a fantastic Valentines gift ifyou have enough time left.
Finally, just got back from USA - managed some quality time buying music in Princeton CD/Record exchange and Rebel,Rebel and Bleeker Street records in Greenwich Village. How come we dont have these type of ships in UK anymore (certainly not in Birmingham). A purchase that will be gaining a lot listening time in weeks to come is the new Drive By Truckers cd which is pretty damn good.
One molre finally, I am going to SXSW in March and have just found out Was(Not Was)are playing there. Anyone know if they are writing new stuff or is this a nostalgie gig?
One,two,three ...... woodwork squeaks and out come the freaks!!
Hello Dad
I'm in jail.
everybody
walk the dinosaur.