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Melange

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My dear Duluth friends,
It is that time of year when everyone is compiling their "best of" lists (so we can all talk about how awesome Black Lips are and how they're not just The Kinks for a generation who can't remember The Kinks). And, we have even broached the subject here at PDD. But, loyal citizens, as a holiday gift to yours truly, I ask you to put forth a different list. A list of the greatest UNDER APPRECIATED records of the last 15 years or so. (You know, not OK Computer and the like, but records you think everyone should own but may have slipped under their radar). I've been seeking out new music lately, but there seems to be a common aesthetic going on right now in fashion and music that I just cannot stand. Mostly because it sucks. And so, I turn to the past and to your good tastes. I shall proffer my list to get things started:

Firewater - Get Off The Cross, We Need The Wood For The Fire (Cop Shoot Cop + Soul Coughing + The Jesus Lizard = Awesome)
Heatmiser - Cop And Speeder (or any Heatmiser for that matter. If you are going to start a band with guitars, drums and bass, this should be your benchmark)
Mitchell Froom - Dopamine (One of the great producers of our day puts together an amazing sounding, eclectic grab bag of songs featuring many fantastic artists {and Sheryl Crow})
Folk Implosion - One Part Lullaby (My go-to road trip CD. Anywhere, any weather. Great songs, great lyrics. What pop could be if it tried harder.)
Replicants - Replicants (The greatest covers record of all time. Look it up.)
Mono- One Step More And You Die (This is the diamond which formed under your stacks of Mogwai and Sigur Ros records.)
Skeleton Key - Obtanium (This band bangs on so much shit it makes Stomp sound like John Cage)
Stina Nordenstam - This Is Stina Nordenstam (This tiny Nordic songstress could make you cry even if she wasn't produced by Tchad Blake)
Foil - Spread It All Around (Scottish Pop-Punk to scratch that itch)
Page France - Hello, Dear Wind (Yes, they're tiny songs about Jesus, but damn they're catchy)
The Verve - A Storm In Heaven (Before that "Bittersweet Symphony" Nike commercial bullshit, this band put out one of the best stoner records ever, but only the Brits seemed to notice)
Eleven - Eleven (Some of the songs where the girl sings are unlistenable, but the rest is amazing. Alain Johannes is a guitar guru and Jack Irons on drums. C'mon)

That's a solid dozen I stand behind entirely. I look forward to some of my favorite records I don't know exist yet.

Comments

What about the new sleepfarmer record??


Adorable - "Againist Perfection". If you like Verve (good call on "A Storm in Heaven"), you MUST own this one, and make a couple back-up copies because it's that good.


Eleven with consistent quality throughout:


1.Tuatara "Breaking the Ethers"(moody hipster dinner music)

2. Delerium "Karma" (ecletic club/world dance)

3. New Pornographers "Twin Cinema" (exuberant rock)

4. Mickey Hart "Supralingua" (pulsing, catchy rhythms)

5. Ekova "Soft Breeze and Tsunami Breaks" (unclassifiable 'world' music)

6. 3 Mustaphas 3 "Heart of Uncle" (wild fake eastern European/Middle Eastern mash)

7. Zap Mama "Sablysma" (chirping off-the-charts vocals)

8. Autour de Lucie "Parfait" (soothing French pop)

9. Nortec Collective "Tijuana Sessions Vol. 3" (consistently inventive)

10. "Township Jazz and Jive" (insane old South African gems)

11. New Pornographers "Electric Version" (more buoyant rock)


Anything by the Replacements, though perhaps they don't qualify within 15 years.

Albums:

Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash

Hootenany

Replacements Stink

Let it Be

Tim

Pleased to Meet Me

Don't Tell a Soul

All Shook Down


didn't the replacements [i]break up[/i] more than 15 years ago? also, i think they're appreciated sufficiently. same goes for the new pornos. great bands both, but not exactly under any radars.

good call on the eleven (key track "reach out") and skeleton key records, although i'd pick "fantastic spikes through balloon" over "obtainium."


Tony, If you've listened to "Sorry Ma..." at any point in the past decade, I'll concede. And I did note that they didn't qualify under the 15 year rule!


Tony, help a brother out. What great album don't I own? (bearing in mind I own all of the Seed Math discs).


1.)Secret Machines' self titled

2.) All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone -and- Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die by Explosions In The Sky

3.) Springsteen's Seeger Sessions CD,

4.) Myrna Lee by Cat Power

5.) Yanqui UXO by Godspeed! (ANY Godspeed! for that matter)

6.) Pearl Jam live @ Benaroya Hall.


i swear, two days ago, i was rocking "let it be" on the ipod. wasn't "sorry ma," but still!

mayday, i may not be able to offer anything you haven't already heard, not knowing what's in your collection and all. but i always think us americans are missing out on the joys of supergrass' "in it for the money." one of my all-time faves.


Tony, you are most beneficently excused!


tony, let's not forget the Zappa and the Mothers' "Only In It For The Money."


I'm happy to see that you haven't changed. I mean you are one of the few people I've met who actually can suck his own dick.
In fact, here are a coulple of albums I could recommend for a man of your stature and obvious taste:

1. "I've Got Two Gerbils Trying to Crawl Into My Mouth," by CLEAN SHAVEN.

AND

2. "These Are The Bands I Like, I'm A Fuckin' Musical Wunderkind, So Fuck You!" by THE I STILL NEED TO POST ON A BACKWATER WEBSITE TO PROVE TO A BUNCH OF OBSEQUIOUS, AGING HIPSTERS THAT I STILL MATTERS.

I hope you like them.


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