loveless
god
Bringing ballet to the masses. Sticking to the funk.
Posts: 2,796
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Post by loveless on Jan 13, 2020 19:33:45 GMT
I was thinking of particular songs. I do find, and this isn't directed at you at all, that when we talk about him we tend not to go into that much detail about the songs.
For me, it's not that different from The Beatles or Neil Young (or David Bowie) where "my favorite" at any given moment is likely to be some slightly oddball thing like "Drive In Saturday" or "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)". I mean - I don't think anyone's gonna have this played as the first dance at their wedding, but...it's pretty fucking great. The sound of it is fucking gorgeous, of course, but...also - man...that "scat section" that first appears after the first verse, before the "skit", and again at the end of the song (that time with more gorgeous harmonies)...that's like the best fucking thing I've ever heard...like Paul McCartney and Thelonious Monk having an incredible psychedelic experience together.
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Post by Reactionary Rage on Jan 13, 2020 19:36:48 GMT
I think he was touched by pop genius but like a lot of people with that rare gift he wasn't always the best judge of his own work.
I've always found him slightly spotty. His albums are rarely wholly satisfying in the Ziggy or Forever Changes sense. Innervisions feels like the closest he came but then Too High really fucking winds me up. When he's bad he's very bad. Lyrically there are problems. Sometimes I just think he was a bit thick.
And yet....*insert list of great stevie songs here*. Touched by genius but I rarely listen to him.
The first time the lass and I chatted online we argued about Stevie Wonder versus Curtis Mayfield. I still maintain I won.
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Post by fonz on Jan 13, 2020 19:38:44 GMT
This is when I know, for sure, that I am not on the same wavelength as you guys. I see SW as a talented guy with some songwriting chops, but I would never want to actually sit down and listen to his stuff. I just don’t enjoy it. Like 80’s Clapton, or something.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2020 19:40:49 GMT
I was thinking of particular songs. I do find, and this isn't directed at you at all, that when we talk about him we tend not to go into that much detail about the songs.
For me, it's not that different from The Beatles or Neil Young (or David Bowie) where "my favorite" at any given moment is likely to be some slightly oddball thing like "Drive In Saturday" or "You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)". I mean - I don't think anyone's gonna have this played as the first dance at their wedding, but...it's pretty fucking great. The sound of it is fucking gorgeous, of course, but...also - man...that "scat section" that first appears after the first verse, before the "skit", and again at the end of the song (that time with more gorgeous harmonies)...that's like the best fucking thing I've ever heard...like Paul McCartney and Thelonious Monk having an incredible psychedelic experience together. That's his greatest track for me.
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loveless
god
Bringing ballet to the masses. Sticking to the funk.
Posts: 2,796
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Post by loveless on Jan 13, 2020 19:41:10 GMT
Too High really fucking winds me up Ah, shit - that's absolutely one of my favorites (re: She's a Woman, the lyrics are no trouble for me). He captures the "Shit - I think I took too much!" paranoia pretty well on that one, musically speaking. Not everyone wants to hear that, granted.
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Post by Mr. FOLLARD on Jan 13, 2020 19:42:33 GMT
His saccharine side is a major drawback for me. It's why I've always paid more attention to people like Curtis Mayfield instead. 'The Makings Of You'? 🙂 but.....yeah
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loveless
god
Bringing ballet to the masses. Sticking to the funk.
Posts: 2,796
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Post by loveless on Jan 13, 2020 19:50:57 GMT
Wrote, produced, probably plays nearly damn everything on it.
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Post by Reactionary Rage on Jan 13, 2020 19:52:32 GMT
Too High really fucking winds me up Ah, shit - that's absolutely one of my favorites (re: She's a Woman, the lyrics are no trouble for me). He captures the "Shit - I think I took too much!" paranoia pretty well on that one, musically speaking. Not everyone wants to hear that, granted. ...too much fucking perspectiveThose doo-doos set my teeth on edge. I always thought it was a weird choice for an opening track too. File under:not for me
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loveless
god
Bringing ballet to the masses. Sticking to the funk.
Posts: 2,796
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Post by loveless on Jan 13, 2020 19:53:37 GMT
I know there's a quality to him (sort of "gushiness" or something) that puts a LOT of people off, and - while I can't claim to be blind to it (sorry), I guess I'm pretty cool with it.
Shit gets real fucked up in the 80s, mind you.
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Post by Reactionary Rage on Jan 13, 2020 19:55:56 GMT
I love this one but lyrically it does make me wince a bit.
Having said that, there were times during the golden years of the BCB cup when I was watching the votes pouring in against one of my lists I would recall its opening line, "Evil, why have you engulfed so many hearts..." and break down and cry
You arseholes.
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loveless
god
Bringing ballet to the masses. Sticking to the funk.
Posts: 2,796
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Post by loveless on Jan 13, 2020 19:58:35 GMT
Ah, shit - that's absolutely one of my favorites (re: She's a Woman, the lyrics are no trouble for me). He captures the "Shit - I think I took too much!" paranoia pretty well on that one, musically speaking. Not everyone wants to hear that, granted. ...too much fucking perspectiveThose doo-doos set my teeth on edge. I always thought it was a weird choice for an opening track too. File under:not for me Oh, yeah - totally works for me, but...yeah, I get it. First time I saw him...it was the second song of the set (followed by "Visions" and "Living..", just like on the album) and...100% comparable to your Todd AWATS epiphany in terms of personal peak experience .
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Post by Mr. FOLLARD on Jan 13, 2020 20:00:38 GMT
Ah, shit - that's absolutely one of my favorites (re: She's a Woman, the lyrics are no trouble for me). He captures the "Shit - I think I took too much!" paranoia pretty well on that one, musically speaking. Not everyone wants to hear that, granted. ...too much fucking perspectiveThose doo-doos set my teeth on edge. I always thought it was a weird choice for an opening track too. File under:not for me Yeah, I can hardly stand to listen to it. It's like a precursor to 90s r n b, all the doo-doos. And that same gloopy bass tone you get on those 70s Herbie Hancock albums. Indigestible! I'm with G on 'Living For The City'. And isn't that the next track on the album? Anyway it's one fuck of a thing.
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loveless
god
Bringing ballet to the masses. Sticking to the funk.
Posts: 2,796
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Post by loveless on Jan 13, 2020 20:02:41 GMT
And that same gloopy bass tone you get on those 70s Herbie Hancock albums. Indigestible! I mean, that fat synth bass is probably 50% of why I "buy his trip" so fully. He's as polarizing as Rush!
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Post by Reactionary Rage on Jan 13, 2020 20:03:49 GMT
A better drummer though
(too soon?)
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loveless
god
Bringing ballet to the masses. Sticking to the funk.
Posts: 2,796
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Post by loveless on Jan 13, 2020 20:05:55 GMT
I mean, even Peart might agree with that one.
Stevie Wonder is a HELL of a drummer, isn't he?
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