most over rated al***s?

The first Grandaddy Album: it's one of the few I've ever been moved to sell, I thought it so overrated, and the 2nd-hand shop was very surprised anyone would get rid of it.

Neil

quote:

Originally posted by Rasher:
On reflection it does sound a little unlikely that the soundtrack to Forest Gump has outsold Sgt Pepper!
Sorry for the duff info.

Rasher, the consumers responsible for some of those questionable choices may be duff, but the list is correct, for better or worse, as the case may be.

Fred

quote:

Originally posted by jayd:

BTW, I only yesterday (believe it or don't) heard [Pet Sounds] for the first time. I concur about its profound overratedness. Musically speaking, not their best effort IMO.

My take on Pet Sounds is that while some of the orchestration and production choices may be questionable, it's nevertheless one of the best efforts from anyone, musically speaking, by which I mean its actual notes ... its specific melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic content. Playing through these melodies and chords on the piano, stripped of any "beachy" textures, their compositional genius is apparent to my ears.

Fred

Thanks Fred. I think I can almost see what you mean, though my musical training is not nearly sufficient to see it clearly. Still, I look forward to keeping the concept in mind next time I go through the album. As I said, it's new to me... first listens didn't show me what I expected, but I'm not through with it yet.

Anything by Elvis.

quote:

Playing through these melodies and chords on the piano, stripped of any "beachy" textures, their compositional genius is apparent to my ears.

idea for a new album?

quote:

Originally posted by Sloop John B:

quote:

Playing through these melodies and chords on the piano, stripped of any "beachy" textures, their compositional genius is apparent to my ears.

idea for a new album?

Funny you should ask ... already done.

The album is called The Music Of the Beach Boys, which I was commissioned to arrange for solo piano in 1998. I had my choice of tunes -- all Brian Wilson songs, mostly early ones and some from Pet Sounds -- played as if Bill Evans and Joni Mitchell had melded into one. In other words, it is not the bouncy, surfing Beach Boys sound but, rather, the lyrical, poignant, introspective sound of Brian alone in his room.

In preparing for the album, I discovered that his songs are laden with melodic and harmonic sophistication, innovation and genius, easily on a par with Burt Bacharach and Lennon/McCartney; indeed, McCartney once praised Brian's masterpiece God Only Knows, (included on my album, incidentally) as the most beautiful song he'd ever heard.

The label that commissioned it, NorthSound Music Group, specialized in music with nature sounds, so they later added an accompaniment of ocean waves. It wasn't my idea, but actually I kind of dig it ... I've always loved the ocean, had once thought about combining music with its sounds, and it's tastefully done and unobtrusive. And not necessarily inappropriate considering the program.

But acknowledging that some people may not want to hear ocean waves mixed in with the piano music, the label released a version without the waves, although I've never even seen a copy, much less have one. The label is now defunct.

If anyone is interested, it turns up on eBay from time to time. Also, I think have a few commercial copies of the release with ocean, and I might be persuaded to burn a copy or two of the piano-only version if sufficiently motivated. If interested, feel free to write me at: info@opendoormanagement.com

Thanks for asking,
Fred

Moss. Car park Now!!

How about the entire U2 and Dylan back catalogue? Never really 'got' Dylan and U2 are just dreadful!

Good one Woodface, when will Dylan ever learn to sing? And as for the most un-Irish Irish rock band ever!! Anybody who takes themselves that seriously needs to have the piss ripped out of them.

Jono

quote:

Originally posted by Jono 13: when will Dylan ever learn to sing?Jono

Oh Dear, Oh Dear, Oh Dear, if 'singing' is what you are looking for in Dylan then you are looking for the wrong thing in the wrong place. Quite amusing though.

Andy

Sorry, want I meant to say was mumble loud enough and clear enough to understand more than one, no doubt very important, word in ten!

Jono

Perhaps all is a cynical ruse as the words are meaningless mumbo jumbo On a more serious note, there is level of reverence for Dylan that is almost unhealthy. The only music critic I have ever read who put his head above the trenches on this subject is Stuart Maconie.

quote:

Originally posted by woodface:
The only music critic I have ever read who put his head above the trenches on this subject is Stuart Maconie.

Yeah, but have you read his book Cider With Roadies? Nauseating sucking up to everyone he has ever met with snipes at the people he hasn't. The end of the book was just a list of his "friends". It was like the society pages of The Tatler in words. I used to like him, but now I think he's a creep.

quote:

Originally posted by woodface:
How about the entire U2 and Dylan back catalogue? Never really 'got' Dylan and U2 are just dreadful!

Agree about U2, of course, but I beg to differ about Mr Zimmerman - are you saying Highway 61 Revisted, for example, is an over-rated album?

I think that the fact that many of Bob's lyrics are meanlingless is one of the things I really like about him. When he was asked if he could say what his songs were about, he said "yes, of course he could". When the interviewer continued by asking him what they were about, Bob replied "Some are about 3 minutes, some about 4 or 5 minuters and one or two about 10 minutes"
The interviwer asked if Bob could be more precise, to which he said "No".

I agree Bob's lyrics don't equal those of Nigel Blackwell, but I still like Bob nonetheless.

Anything by Coldplay - I just don't get them

Hmm - this thread is becoming a list of what people don't like and I agree that Dire Straits, Coldplay and Phil Collins redefine the term banal - it's without question. But this was originally about rated albums that are over-rated. So I'd like to add Rumours by Fleetwood Mac, it always appears in those Top 100 charts, but why is beyond me - now if they included Pious Bird of Good Omen or Kiln House I could understand it.

It could be that pretty much any album that lots of people like is overrated. Some sort of law, maybe. Rule of thumb, at the very least.

Anything by the Rolling Stones
Anything by any punk band
Anything by any rapper/hip hopper
Anything by any heavy metal band

In short anything that isn't music. Things have got so bad most children grow up without ever hearing any real music. I asked a youth recently if he could name one piece of classical music, he thought long and hard and then announced triumpantly 'Beethoven'! Beethoven's what I asked? 'Dunno mate....beethovens violin or something' What sad times we live in.

quote:

Originally posted by erik scothron:
Anything by the Rolling Stones
Anything by any punk band
Anything by any rapper/hip hopper
Anything by any heavy metal band

In short anything that isn't music. Things have got so bad most children grow up without ever hearing any real music. I asked a youth recently if he could name one piece of classical music, he thought long and hard and then announced triumpantly 'Beethoven'! Beethoven's what I asked? 'Dunno mate....beethovens violin or something' What sad times we live in.

Erik

Are you sure Beethoven is not overrated? What is your definition of real music? Is Edgard Varèse's Ionisation real music, for example? I agree that it is sad some children cannot name one single piece of classical music and very sad if he or she cannot name a single traditional folk song? However, the new year's honour list gives us Sir Tom Jones, but not Dame Shirley Collins, which only goes to show how wrong some people can be. Or is it all opinion?

Last question: what piece of classical music should we introduce children to, so they can appreciate it? My vote is for Janacek's Symphonietta.

Best regards, Rotf

quote:

Originally posted by erik scothron:
Anything by the Rolling Stones
Anything by any punk band
Anything by any rapper/hip hopper
Anything by any heavy metal band

In short anything that isn't music. Things have got so bad most children grow up without ever hearing any real music. I asked a youth recently if he could name one piece of classical music, he thought long and hard and then announced triumpantly 'Beethoven'! Beethoven's what I asked? 'Dunno mate....beethovens violin or something' What sad times we live in.

Mum, why on earth are you posting here under the name Erik Scothron?

quote:

Originally posted by Rasher:
Yeah, but have you read his book Cider With Roadies? .

But, up until his work with the dreadful NME and his dalliance with Northern Soul at the Wigan Casino (I used to go thatir to the 'rock night' before the Soul Boys came in with some 'chick' I was 'into' ), the book was a complete description of those parts of my youth I'd completly forgotten (on purpose, occasionally).

He nicked my life! But he missed the Stranglers at the casino!



Stephen

In reply to ROTF, Highway 61 is actually the only Dylan album I own. I heard it playing in a record shop and bought it 'cos it was £5. Anyway, after a few listens I came to the conclusion that it was tuneless dirge with an annoying vocal on top. Ultimately we cannot all like the same stuff, but I fail to understand how someone would choose to listen to it?

quote:

I asked a youth recently if he could name one piece of classical music, he thought long and hard and then announced triumpantly 'Beethoven'! Beethoven's what I asked? 'Dunno mate....beethovens violin or something' What sad times we live in.

The Kids are allright!

The kids of today eh? I grew up to the Sex Pistols. Proper music with proper tunes.