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Not liking an artist/band's best work

M

matt j

pfm Member
Anyone else a big fan of a certain artist/band but not keen on what is considered their best (critically at least) work?

I'm a big Beefheart fan and try as I might I can't seem to like what are considered his best- Trout Mask Replica and Lick My Decals Off Baby.

I get the significance of them and the work gone into them, but they just don't do anything for me really.

For me in order it would be:

Safe As Milk
Clear Spot
Strictly Personal
Spotlight Kid
Doc At The Radar Station
Ice Cream For Crow

I wouldn't even include Trout Mask or Decals on the list as I can't listen to them.

Anyone else have a similar thing with a favourite artist?
 
'Close to the Edge' just leaves me cold. I'd rather listen to '90125'.

Everyone seems to consider 'Tago Mago' as Can's finest - I'm more of a fan of 'Monster Movie'.

'After the Gold Rush' and 'Rust Never Sleeps' don't get played as much as 'American Stars and Bars' or 'Trans'

Although I have a copy of 'Astral Weeks', I'm more likely to go for one of Van's early 80s releases.
 
Oh yes! Off the top of my head right now...

Genesis, Selling... and The Lamb...

Wishbone Ash, Argus

Talk Talk, Spirit Of Eden

Pink Floyd, Animals

In a sort of reverse to the theme, how about albums that are generally considered under par but you like as better than their accepted best...

Deep Purple, I'll take eponymous and WDWTWA over Machine Head every time. In Rock is deffo up there with them though.
 
Moon Safari by Air is generally regarded as their best album; I generally can't listen to it now as their 2nd album 10,000Hz legend is so much better.
Blue Lines by Massive Attack is another down the list.

Probably from being overplayed more than a reflection of the artistry.
 
John Coltrane A Love Supreme. Just can’t get on with it.
Van Morrison Astral Weeks. Give me Moondance every time.
 
Vinniemac said:
John Coltrane A Love Supreme. Just can’t get on with it.
Van Morrison Astral Weeks. Give me Moondance every time.
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Interesting set of examples. I do like Van Morrison's Astral Weeks a lot but these days I like Moondance and Common One as much. As for John Coltrane's Love Supreme; I just don't get it yet I love some of his other work. I think its all that bloody chanting on Love Supreme that ruins it for me.
 
Snufkin said:
Interesting set of examples. I do like Van Morrison's Astral Weeks a lot but these days I like Moondance and Common One as much. As for John Coltrane's Love Supreme; I just don't get it yet I love some of his other work. I think its all that bloody chanting on Love Supreme that ruins it for me.
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Yep, the chanting is the worst bit, but I don’t like the rest of it, either. I’ve got tonnes of stuff by Coltrane and enjoy pretty much everything else by him I’ve heard.

Astral Weeks always leaves me thinking ‘meh’.
 
This has got me thinking and it's a bit depressing how closely my tastes generally follow the critical consensus. Although Safe as Milk is obviously Beefheart's best album. The only Dylan songs I like are from his dodgy '70s albums. That's about it. I prefer Soon Over Babaluma to Tago MAgo but any arguments about the best Can album from that period are already taking place safely within the bounds of conventional wisdom.
 
Seeker_UK said:
'Close to the Edge' just leaves me cold. I'd rather listen to '90125'.

Everyone seems to consider 'Tago Mago' as Can's finest - I'm more of a fan of 'Monster Movie'.

'After the Gold Rush' and 'Rust Never Sleeps' don't get played as much as 'American Stars and Bars' or 'Trans'

Although I have a copy of 'Astral Weeks', I'm more likely to go for one of Van's early 80s releases.
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Butttttt... but then 'Close to the Edge' and '90125' are not really by the same band.
 
Snufkin said:
Interesting set of examples. I do like Van Morrison's Astral Weeks a lot but these days I like Moondance and Common One as much. As for John Coltrane's Love Supreme; I just don't get it yet I love some of his other work. I think its all that bloody chanting on Love Supreme that ruins it for me.
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Vinniemac said:
Yep, the chanting is the worst bit, but I don’t like the rest of it, either. I’ve got tonnes of stuff by Coltrane and enjoy pretty much everything else by him I’ve heard.
Astral Weeks always leaves me thinking ‘meh’.
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The chanting is on the first "Acknowledgement "part only of and just a minute or so at the end... I can only assume you have never listened to "Om" if you think you enjoy everything else he did!
 
cjarchez said:
In a sort of reverse to the theme, how about albums that are generally considered under par but you like as better than their accepted best...
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I don't sense a lot of love for Duke by Genesis but I would consider it my favourite post Gabriel album.
 
Vinniemac said:
Yep, the chanting is the worst bit
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I gave away my copy of A Love Supreme, and I can't listen to either Keith Jarrett or Glenn Gould because of their intrusive mumbling.

As for 'less favoured' works, I'm a big fan of the Velvet Underground's third, self-titled album, and haven't got much time for White Light/White Heat. I've never understood the fuss over Sgt Pepper, and much prefer Revolver. Other than that, I guess my tastes coincide with the critical consensus.

Oh, and Safe As Milk is easily the best Beefheart album.
 
Engels said:
The chanting is on the first "Acknowledgement "part only of and just a minute or so at the end... I can only assume you have never listened to "Om" if you think you enjoy everything else he did!
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It’s a very long minute ;-) To be fair, I said I liked pretty much everything I’d heard by Coltrane, which is a lot, not that I’d heard *everything* by him. I might pluck up the courage to listen to Om, but I fear the worst...
 
Lizard is my favourite pre-Red King Crimson album. If I play ITCOTCK I usually skip from the end of track 1 to the start of the last (that’s right, I don’t like ‘Epitaph’...)

My favourite Dan album is Countdown to Ecstasy, which I suspect goes against the general consensus.
 
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Marchbanks said:
My favourite Dan album is Countdown to Ecstasy, which I suspect goes against the general consensus.
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I’m very fond of that album, too, though I think Pretzel Logic is probably my favourite. Becker and Fagen were very rude about people like us in their liner notes, though:

“As a matter of fact, there is a substantial body of opinion which holds that COUNTDOWN was the best Steely Dan album, bar none. Generally speaking, the type of person who typically holds this position is not the sort of individual you want sitting across the table from you at a dinner party, especially one where alcoholic beverages are being served. Nor would you be well advised to give one of these guys your e-mail address or (gasp) your phone number. Should it happen that such a fan gets a hold of your street address or place of employment, you may as well call the police stalking squad straightway, before the situation deteriorates any further. You get, we trust, the general idea.”

From http://www.broberg.pp.se/sd_ecstasy.htm
 
I am a long time fan of Kate Bush, and usually play an album or two almost weekly.

I cannot abide 50 Words For Snow, and Aerial has about 3 tracks I like.
I don't think it is her best work though. Fail.

Lionheart was spinning today. Glorious.
 
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