[breadcrumbs]

Yeah. I finally got Zen Arcade, only 22 years late, and it's good, you know. I'm pretty sure I've seen some Husker Du fans around here, so lets discuss. Just insane pacing, and I love the experimental interludes.

What album should I purchase next?

And on a completely unrelated note, since I didn't feel like making a separate topic; would someone be kind enough to recommend me something as bizarre, twisted and depraved as Xiu Xiu? Does such a thing exist?

Thanks.

breadcrumbs

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by breadcrumbs Yeah. I finally got Zen Arcade, only 22 years late, and it's good, you know. I'm pretty sure I've seen some Husker Du fans around here, so lets discuss. Just insane pacing, and I love the experimental interludes. What album should I purchase next?

Just keep going in order:
-New Day Rising
-Flip Your Wig
Combine these with Zen Arcade and you have the 3 best HD albums........

Also check other Bob Mould great groups:
Sugar - Copper Blue
Sugar - Easy Listening
Bob Mould - s/t
Bob Mould - Workbook

 

[dwc]

New Day Rising.

 

[Trea]

Candy Apple Grey. Also I highly reccommend the first Sugar album, Copper Blue

 

[Masonjar]

They're pretty much the reason I stopped listening to Heavy Metal in the late 80's (that and bands like Poison), but I digress.

My "first" was NEW DAY RISING. Pick up that and METAL CIRCUS. After that, go forward.. you'll want them all really. I don't know what to say really that hasn't been said.. they're my favorite band. They're one of the few bands that hit it just right for me. Catchy tunes, they rock just enough and they have that haze of noize that is Bob Mould's guitar that over arcs everything. Welcome to the club.

If you don't own any early Soul Asylum, Replacements or Sonic Youth, I'd suggest these albums as well:

Soul Asylum: HANG TIME, SAY WHAT YOU WILL
Replacements: LET IT BE, TIM
Sonic Youth: SISTER, DAYDREAM NATION

 

[VicAjax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masonjar They're pretty much the reason I stopped listening to Heavy Metal in the late 80's (that and bands like Poison), but I digress. My "first" was NEW DAY RISING. Pick up that and METAL CIRCUS. After that, go forward.. you'll want them all really. I don't know what to say really that hasn't been said.. they're my favorite band. They're one of the few bands that hit it just right for me. Catchy tunes, they rock just enough and they have that haze of noize that is Bob Mould's guitar that over arcs everything. Welcome to the club. If you don't own any early Soul Asylum, Replacements or Sonic Youth, I'd suggest these albums as well: Soul Asylum: HANG TIME, SAY WHAT YOU WILL Replacements: LET IT BE, TIM Sonic Youth: SISTER, DAYDREAM NATION

i agree with everything Masonjar said... right down to the part about giving up metal.

Zen Arcade, New Day Rising and Metal Circus are my three favorites, followed very closely by Flip Your Wig, which i will admit is more accessible than Metal Circus. but if you love the thrashier side of Zen Arcade, go with Metal Circus before FYW.

i tried to like Bob Mould's post-Husker Du stuff, but Sugar just never did it for me. although i will say his first solo album, the mostly-acoustic Workbook, is hypnotic and well worth buying. much better than anything he's made since.

i also agree wholeheartedly with his other recommendations. the two Sonic Youth albums are absolute masterpieces and belong in your collection NOW. buy those ASAP.

then get those two Replacements albums. if you've got the inclination, also pick up Hootenanny, the best drunk-punk you'll ever hear.

as for Soul Asylum, i'd say get those last, and pick up Made to be Broken (produced by Bob Mould) first. then get Hang Time if you like it.

i'll also throw in a big recommendation for fIREHOSE. that's Mike Watt, George Hurley and ed fromohio's outfit after D. Boon's death put the kibosh on the Minutemen. their first three albums are all brilliant, i'd start with fROMOHIO and then get Ragin', Full On.

 

[Masonjar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VicAjax i also agree wholeheartedly with his other recommendations. the two Sonic Youth albums are absolute masterpieces and belong in your collection NOW. buy those ASAP.

Thanks man. I've been on an SST kick recently.. happens every so often. I found a complete SST discography list online and was checking to see how many SST releaseses I own.. turns out I have 76 SST original releases either on cd, vinyl and a couple cassettes even. At one point my goal was to own the first 100, but I doubt I'll ever hit that goal.

As far as SY goes, my first and favorite remains EVOL, but that one is hard to suggest as a "first" SY album. I had one friend who bought EVOL and another that had RAGIN' FULL ON by fIREHOSE. So I copied them both on one tape. At first EVOL was very grating and noisy, very hard to take, but after a couple of listens the beauty of their music started to come though. I was hooked on the fIREHOSE almost from the start, but I had already heard some Minutemen by that point. I must have listened to that tape a thousand times before I finally bought the albums (I have an original SST EVOL vinyl with the lock-groove at the end.. muahaha).

-jar

 

[zumaro]

Theres not that many of them to get!
Land Speed Record and Metal Circus sounded fine to me all those years ago, but don't any longer - too crude for my tastes. Zen Arcade is still as good as it ever was, and theres nothing to choose between New Day Rising and Flip Your Wig. Maybe Flip Your Wig is slightly poppier, but they are both the equal of Zen Arcade.

Candy Apple Gray is adequate - some weak tracks on this spoil it for me, but Warehouse (which true fans mostly seem to ignore) is actually a very strong album, and is probably the easiest entry point for non-believers, despite or maybe because of its AOR tendencies.

All 3 Sugar CDs are superb - if you get only one get Copper Blue I suppose, but there is no real reason to choose it over Beaster or FUEL.

Mould's solo career is more erratic - Workbook is great, as is the self titled one, but Black Sheets of Rain is bleak without being particularly enjoyable, and the other albums are mainly for longterm fans (yes I include myself, but I recognise the albums' weaknesses).

What are you reacting to with Xiu Xiu? There are experimental groups such as Deerhoof which are similarly love or hate, or Danielson (or whatever he is calling himself these days). What about Devendra Banhart who Xiu Xiu has just recorded a single with - maybe too folky but definitely strange. Or if its the gay thing try Antony and the Johnsons, or a longer shot, Rufus Wainwright (more tin pan alley than experimental rock). Those more into experimental rock will probably come up with better suggestions than are ocurring to me right now!

 

[zumaro]

Sonic Youth has remained my favourite from the 80s - a remarkably consistent career with only a few dips, which I am more than willing to forgive them for (in fact it makes the ride more enjoyable). The latest albums are right back up there in quality with EVOL, Sister and Daydream Nation, and I would think nothing of rating Murray Street right alongside Daydream Nation as a career highlight. Looking forward to Rather Ripped which by all accounts is even better than the highly enjoyable Sonic Nurse.

 

[VicAjax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Masonjar Thanks man. I've been on an SST kick recently.. happens every so often. I found a complete SST discography list online and was checking to see how many SST releaseses I own.. turns out I have 76 SST original releases either on cd, vinyl and a couple cassettes even. At one point my goal was to own the first 100, but I doubt I'll ever hit that goal. As far as SY goes, my first and favorite remains EVOL, but that one is hard to suggest as a "first" SY album. I had one friend who bought EVOL and another that had RAGIN' FULL ON by fIREHOSE. So I copied them both on one tape. At first EVOL was very grating and noisy, very hard to take, but after a couple of listens the beauty of their music started to come though. I was hooked on the fIREHOSE almost from the start, but I had already heard some Minutemen by that point. I must have listened to that tape a thousand times before I finally bought the albums (I have an original SST EVOL vinyl with the lock-groove at the end.. muahaha). -jar

fIREHOSE is easily my 2nd favorite 80s band after Hüsker Dü. i saw them in London in '91, and i gave Mike Watt a big hug after the show (i was a little sauced).

i've got all the Hüskers stuff on vinyl, except for the last two. Warehouse seems to be a polarizing love/hate album. i personally can't into it at all. i tried, i really did.

i bought EVOL and Sister at the same time. i had no idea what to expect when i bought them, and it just blew my little 17 year old mind. i've still got my EVOL Sonic Youth t-shirt from high school... with the girl holding her hands over face, with eyes painted on her palms. wow, that was 20 years ago. sheesh. oh, and i saw them on the Daydream Nation tour. one of the best shows i've ever seen.

 

[Masonjar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VicAjax fIREHOSE is easily my 2nd favorite 80s band after Hüsker Dü. i saw them in London in '91, and i gave Mike Watt a big hug after the show (i was a little sauced). i've got all the Hüskers stuff on vinyl, except for the last two. Warehouse seems to be a polarizing love/hate album. i personally can't into it at all. i tried, i really did. i bought EVOL and Sister at the same time. i had no idea what to expect when i bought them, and it just blew my little 17 year old mind. i've still got my EVOL Sonic Youth t-shirt from high school... with the girl holding her hands over face, with eyes painted on her palms. wow, that was 20 years ago. sheesh. oh, and i saw them on the Daydream Nation tour. one of the best shows i've ever seen.

I saw Mike Watt with the Jom and Terry Show about 5 or 6 years ago (Tom Watson from Slovenly, and Jerry Trebotic on drums..). I looked him in the eyes and told him that his music means a lot to me (said the same to Bob Mould when I got to meet him last year) and he signed my copy of THE PUNCH LINE. They did a couple Minutemen songs which was awesome. I never got to see fIREHOSE unfortuantely. I guess there's always a chance they'll get back together. I saw George play with The Red Krayola about 10 years ago (I think Tom Watson was in that band also). What an amazing drummer. I was completely fixated on him the whole show. Every move he made was incredible.

I've only seen Sonic Youth once.. Summer of '92 Central Park NYC with Sun Ra. Seemed a fitting place to hear them play.

They did "Burning Spear" which was awesome.

-jar

 

[breadcrumbs]

I have Sister and Daydream Nation, but I think Sonic Nurse is better than both of them. I'm not much of a Sonic Youth fan anyway. I've heard of the Replacements, but don't own anything by them, and I've not heard of Soul Asylum or fIREHOSE before. I'll be sure to check those artists out. Ta. Yeah, I think I'll go with New Day Rising next as far as Husker Du goes, it seems to be the popular concensus.

What are you reacting to with Xiu Xiu? There are experimental groups such as Deerhoof which are similarly love or hate, or Danielson (or whatever he is calling himself these days). What about Devendra Banhart who Xiu Xiu has just recorded a single with - maybe too folky but definitely strange. Or if its the gay thing try Antony and the Johnsons, or a longer shot, Rufus Wainwright (more tin pan alley than experimental rock). Those more into experimental rock will probably come up with better suggestions than are ocurring to me right now!

I've listened to all of those artists. Xiu Xiu are rather more subtle than Deerhoof; I love the curious instrumentation, the oddly endearing vocals, the lyrical themes. The songs are so painfully drawn out, Stewart never seems to miss an opportunity to make the listener feel bad. The random bursts of static, the funny shrieks... Thanks for the recs anyway

They're what I was looking for, I've heard them before is all.

 

[VicAjax]

Quote:

Originally Posted by breadcrumbs I have Sister and Daydream Nation, but I think Sonic Nurse is better than both of them. I'm not much of a Sonic Youth fan anyway. I've heard of the Replacements, but don't own anything by them, and I've not heard of Soul Asylum or fIREHOSE before. I'll be sure to check those artists out. Ta. Yeah, I think I'll go with New Day Rising next as far as Husker Du goes, it seems to be the popular concensus.

New Day Rising is definitely the next HD album you should get. and personally, i'd recommend listening to fIREHOSE before Soul Asylum. i just think fIREHOSE is a superior band. i enjoy the two Soul Asylum albums i mentioned, but the rest of their discography i don't like at all.

 

[[popple]]

I've not actually heard this album (Zen Arcade) by Husker Du, but my band got described as sounding like "Zen Arcade-era Husker Du". He's a music journalist in my local newspaper, so I suppose he could be trusted to a certain extent.

The link is here if you're interested in giving us a listen.

Let me know if you think this guy is actually telling the truth, haha.

 

[zumaro]

Flip Your Wig is just as good as New Day Rising though. Both of them and Zen Arcade are in my top albums from the 80s.

I must admit I never thought of fIREHOSE and Soul Asylum as being in the same league - fIREHOSE was at least musically diverse and never less than enjoyable, but the generic sound of Soul Asylum was a total bore. The Replacements are another matter - Tim and Let It Be are there in the best of the 80s list, and Pleased to Meet Me is almost as good. Pity about All Shook Down which is a bad MOR end for a good band.

I am a Sonic Youth fan who blindly buys their albums without bothering to listen first, so you will probably have to discount my bias. I agree that Sonic Nurse is right up there with the big 80s trio, although not better than them. Murray Street is better than Nurse though, but if you arent totally convinced by the band maybe it won't appeal as much as the snappier Nurse.

I want to hear from others recommending alternatives to Xiu Xiu as well. Breadcrumbs, we are obviously going down the same track in this part of the musical universe, and I too would be fascinated to hear other peoples suggestions.