I had a thought while perusing the What Album Are You Listening To thread. I often come across a post there that reminds me to listen to something I've not heard in a while or sends me in search of an album I've never heard. A lot of times I want to have discussions about a record, but the thread moves quickly, by our standards, and the conversations are brief. I thought we could do something on this thread, if any of you want to participate, where one person chooses an album and we all listen to it and discuss. It could be any album; a classic we all have heard, something you love that you always try to get other to listen to, something you haven't even heard. We could do an album a week, or a month, take turns choosing the record, discuss it and argue and agree and engage in general banter.
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Okay, let's start with the five interested folks we've got now and I'll add anyone who joins us as we go. I've set the order in a reverse list of people who posted, so we'll have our choice of album in this sequence.
@MagicRatAFC
@SteveInJoburg
@whispered secret
@Louisa
@Jerseyfornia
@Scott Peterson
@Brown Eyed Boy
@Bill Zebub
@Walkerinthesun
@berlintramp
@klavallee
@Mario Brega
@Bosstralian
@alistair.webster1
Let's post each new selection roughly a week apart. This doesn't mean talk of an album has to cease when a new one's posted, of course. Looking forward to your selections.
NOTE: It's probably best we stick with albums widely available on streaming services, but if someone is set on something too obscure, we'll work out a share.
Hey @Jerseyfornia , do you guys still do this? If so and if I'm not jumping ahead of anyone I would like to propose this if so.
Damn didn't think it would be that big!
Fair comments Rick.
Sorry I'm so uninvolved in this right now, but @berlintramp is next up.
I'll listen and comment on the recent selections as soon as I can.
Sorry I haven't had much time to keep up with this, but I kind of am enjoying the more leisurely pace, too, as I haven't had a chance to delve into the last few selections.
@Walkerinthesun is up next.
Good one.
I've been a little busy, but I'll have some days off soon and catch up on the last selection for commenting.
I know, it's only rock 'n roll. But I do, in fact, like it.
I thought I had a live album sorted for that suggested round (if indeed that was to happen) but a legacy rock act has dropped an absolute banger of a release today and unless thunder is stolen by someone else, that's shot to the top of my list.
May I join you all?
I'm so far behind in what I need to be listening to, but I like the Live album idea.
I think I've fallen about three albums behind, I need to get my butt in gear.
Since some of us (I'm not looking at you @SteveInJoburg ) have our next several selections planned or in consideration, I wanted to put this question to the club while we're still at the top of round two - how do you feel about making round three a live album round?
I propose we limit the selections to single or double-disc releases only. I propose we disallow bootlegs. I propose that if one of you ahead of me in the rotation selects Bob Seger's Nine Tonight, we're fighting.
I like the idea of departing every so often from regular albums. I'd like to do a Greatest Hits round at some point, too. There are plenty of artists who I might not be deep into their full body of work, but can get off on their compilations. Take an artist I really am into and throw on their hits package and that's a whole other level.
@Jerseyfornia I have made my choice. It's Billy Strings, Renewal, if you would be so kind as to do the honours.
Thanks. I have three in mind, will decide today or tomorrow.
I've slipped behind! I now have to albums to listen to, neither of which I am familiar with. However, I have plenty of time over the Easter Bank holiday weekend as there has been an outbreak of Covid at my church and all the planned services etc have been cancelled. 😨
I do believe I am up next for my second selection. I have had this one ready to go (as indeed I have my third choice waiting quietly in the wings) and my decision hasn't changed.
@Jerseyfornia my next choice is the 2005 album by Tracy Chapman, Where You Live.
Absolutely nothing wrong with that at all!
Cheers, OK count me in.
Initially I was going to put my name down for this great idea, but I have such a lot going on just now I did not think I would have the time to do the subject or you guys justice, if you wish I can make my suggestion and hopefully I can do it and the forum justice by making some time, mind you there is a lot to live up to.
I've been keeping a spreadsheet (I know, I know) of the Album Club. Excluding the first album in the second round, we have 12 records (13 if you count the honorary inclusion of Bat Out Of Hell)
6 albums are from the Seventies, 4 from the Eighties, then 1 a piece from 1991, 2020 and 2021.
11 of these are male vocalists, 1 (!) female vocalist and one mixed (String Driven Thing)
All albums are in English but for Pub, of course.
Genres are a nice mix, more hard rock then soft or folk, no jazz, blues, or classical.
By my reckoning, the oldest member of the Album Club has chosen what to date is the newest album Conversely, both @Mario Brega and I chose albums recorded before we were born. There might be more though, not sure.
I have a playlist of all the albums I rotate through and am slowly honing down to one favourite song per choice. It will eventually make for a pretty eclectic and cool listen I think.
Hey, the project I was swamped on is done, so I can join the queue at whatever point. If that doesn't seem rude. ("No cutting!")
I went with the same approach this time out.
The artist I've settled on is Jesse Malin.
Plenty album options, the one I've gone with maybe isn't his best (though it's in the conversation) but it's his most immediately accessible, and it features a guest appearance by our boy on "Roken Radio".
It's 2007's "Glitter in the Gutter".
I've only got four ahead of me before I've got to decide on an album. I know the artist I'm going with, but his albums are so distinctive from one another, no single one of them can properly present him. I may have to do the same artist over a couple of rounds.
Ahhhh....thinking cap on.
We've gone through the club roster once and we're back at the top of the list with our good friend @MagicRatAFC.
I would like to propose a live album round in the near future. I think the selections should be limited to single or double albums, no triple or boxed-sets.
I propose this because I feel there are people on earth who have not heard Bob Seger's Nine Tonight or Live Bullet.
Just kidding! 😁 Let's listen to GNR's Use Your Illusion I
You're up to bat, @Mario Brega
@klavallee, you're up. Do you have some hard rock for us, I wonder?
@Jerseyfornia I think we should do a Ukrainian album next.
You're up when you're ready @berlintramp .
Hi Rick
My selection is ‘A Dark Murmuration of Words’, Emily Barker.
Apologies to all, not been around here too much recently: preparing for our house move this Friday. If you start off the thread I’ll put together some introductory comments over the weekend to get the ball rolling. Cheers
Alan
Paging @Brown Eyed Boy.
Are we ready for the next selection? @Louisa is up in the rotation.
Not rushing you. I know you've only started listening to the Graham Parker record.
Discussion thread for Squeezing Out Sparks.
AJ........pick!!!
J'adore this album.
@Jerseyfornia I have made my selection - Squeezing out Sparks, Graham Parker & The Rumour.
Discussion thread for Cold fact.
Are we ready for the next one, or should we post it tomorrow?
With Bruce being our intersection, it will be interesting to see what other music genres we listen to and which music will make us heterogeneous.
Discussion thread for Scared To Dance is here
@Mario Brega you interested in this, bro? @BillyB @berlintramp @Bosstralian @Buddhabone. Any of you want to play?
Everyone's invited. Just calling off the top of my head here.
I am just getting my head around how this is going to work! Are we going for weekly? So next Tuesday /Wednesday Steve selects, the following week me and so on?
Should we post the album on this thread and then JF sets up a thread for each album? And finally, is it ok for me to just give the name and the artist and the title - you all know how useless I am at posting links!!
Thanks for thinking of this JF. (Mr J is most interested!)
Should we start a new thread for each new album discussion?
OK, I'm going back to the tail end of my childhood.
The first band that I was majorly into.
It's the debut album by The Skids "Scared to Dance".
Released in early 79 the original version contained 12 tracks.
There's been reissues with extra tracks on but this would be version one.
The full album is on YouTube here -
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOGCHAoJitlYOwom0PTqfER_2zn0g62Cg
No idea what the quality is like but it's available elsewhere I'll be bound.
I'll post without further comments for now but dhall contribute to tge ensuing lively debate
OK, I see I'm first up to bat.
So, it has to be an album we can access on.....what, Spotify?
How obscure are we going? I'm guessing not very.
Let me have a think......
@MagicRatAFC we're waaiting...
@Walkerinthesun @Scott Peterson you are two folk who off the top of my head I'm sure would like to get in on this?
I have a question. Music for me was always a combination of sound and lyrics, and I have never enjoyed listening to songs I couldn't understand, at least to some basic degree, maybe just the title and the chorus. What the song was about, the idea... For the same reason, I don't like instrumental music. Always think that something is missing. I know this is my loss, a bias...
You guys are used to listening to what you understand, mainly songs in English, and I am wondering if other languages, not just Slovenian, but also German, Italian, Croatian, Serbian... is something you are willing to listen to.
I know you will say yes, but I also know how frustrating listening to something you don't understand can be.
Yeah, I'll give this a bash.
Like a book club for music - I'm in. I always check out the albums thread, rarely contribute and have, more often than not, never heard of the artist!
Lifesaving idea for the holidays... I wanted to annoy you with Slovenian music for so long.. 👍