The Top 100 Alternative Albums of the... Log Out | Topics | Search
Moderators | Register | Edit Profile

The Go-Betweens Message Board » Off-topic » The Top 100 Alternative Albums of the 1960s from SPIN « Previous Next »

Author Message
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Michael Bachman
Member
Username: Michael_bachman

Post Number: 2506
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Monday, April 01, 2013 - 11:03 am:   

http://www.spin.com/#articles/best-100-a lbums-1960s-sixties-alternative-list

There sure are a lot of obscure albums listed in the #100-#25 slots.
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Randy Adams
Member
Username: Randy_adams

Post Number: 3190
Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Tuesday, April 02, 2013 - 03:38 am:   

That's a pretty entertaining list Michael. It's particularly useful for folks like me who want to wander around a bit in jazz but never quite know where to begin because--in my case--I'm not looking to turn into a big jazz buff but there are some sounds I've heard over the years without knowing who it was that I really wanted to hear again. And the French and Brazilian records interest me, since I'm always looking for something from outside my own backyard.

But there's also some pretension here. Sure enough, they pick the most impenetrable John Coltrane work (over "A Love Supreme"!) and the most obscure Velvet Underground album as their number one. They also pluck "Trout Mask" for Captain Beefheart when I'd say that "Safe As Milk" and "Clear Spot" and "Spotlight Kid" are all more honest choices that were more likely to influence because of their greater musical accessibility. It's not like any of these three artists did MOR work. It's not necessary to choose their most extreme records.

I'm totally with them on the Seeds and the 13th Floor Elevators albums though. 100%
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

Michael Bachman
Member
Username: Michael_bachman

Post Number: 2508
Registered: 01-2005
Posted on Tuesday, April 02, 2013 - 12:09 pm:   

Randy, I agree with you on the pretension regarding Ascension over a dozen other 1960's Coltrane albums. White Light, White Heat over the first and third VU albums is a head scratcher for sure!
Here are ten jazz albums from the 60's in my collection that I always recommend:
Dexter Gordon - Go!
Hank Mobley - Soul Station
Grant Green - Complete Quartets With Sonny Clark
Joe Henderson -Inner Urge
Wayne Shorter - Juju
Cannonball Adderly - Somethin' Else
Oliver Nelson - The Blues and the Abstract Truth
Art Pepper - Meets The Rythym Section
Oscar Peterson - Night Train
Bud Powell - The Essen Jazz Festival
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message

andreas
Member
Username: Andreas

Post Number: 1057
Registered: 04-2006
Posted on Tuesday, April 02, 2013 - 01:48 pm:   

Thanks Michael for the link.

It is always interesting to read such lists. The counting is secondary. And it is also not important, if I agree with the nominated. I am always thankful for the information about the one or other album that i never heard of. And such lists are often a reminder to give the one or other album another chance.

If i counted correct, I found 39 albums which I know about or have listened to, but never bought it(except four of them I owned in the past, but sold it one day). Good examples are Alexander Spence's album Oar, White Noises's An Electric Storm and The Red Crayola album The Parable of Arable Land. Some people would say that this are must-haves.

43 albums of the list are standing in my shelf. Very interesting is, that nearly all of them I just own as Vinyl. Another interesting aspect is that, except one or two albums, all of them are ''old'' music (that could be a reason why I own them as Vinyl :-)). Does that mean that there is no more good alternative music out there? Despite the fact that nearly all of that stuff is ''old'' music, I have to say that this music stands the test of time and still sounds fresh and innovative.

I am happy to find in the list such gems as the two Terry Riley albums, Pharaoh Sanders' Tauhid, Pearls before Swine's One nation Underground, Van Dyke Parks' Song Cycle and some Brazilian music (Randy, I can recommend all of the mentioned Tropicalia albums). Without doubt 'A love Supreme' is one of the greatest albums ever been made, but I can understand why they put 'Ascension' on the list. When I finally bought that album I had so much high expectations. And when I put on the record I immediately felt in love with it. In my ears it is a beautiful work, a firework of notes and sounds. But not chaos. But as always this is just a matter of taste.

What I would have included is the Jester/Henske album 'Farewell Aldebaran'. And if they list VU, Stooges as alternative I would have also listed Robert Wyatt. The End of an Ear would be perfectly fit(even though I really would say that it isn't my favourite Wyatt album. In opposition to Coltrane's ''Free Jazz'' on 'Ascension' I can't listen to this ''Free Jazz and Experimental music'' with much joy).

I am happy that they include The Mothers' We're only in it for the Money (and not Absolutely Free). Maybe my favourite Mothers album.

Add Your Message Here
Post:
Username: Posting Information:
This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Password:
E-mail:
Options: Enable HTML code in message
Automatically activate URLs in message
Action: