So — quite a few new arrivals today, eh US members?
Over 10,000 albums, to be precise, a dizzying avalanche of stuff from the Warner Music Group. No matter your taste in music, there’s sure to be something here that appeals to you.
And it’s not just Warner titles that have arrived today — Epitaph and Anti- return to the fold today, too, bringing with them the latest albums by Neko Case and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. We’ve got great jazz by Brad Mehldau on the Nonesuch label (and to answer the question before you ask — there will be more Nonesuch titles to come) and wild-eyed metal masterpieces on Roadrunner. All of this comes to you with no change to your existing subscription and no price increase.
The catalog is so vast and wide-ranging, it’s hard to know where to start. Do you like jazz? Start with timeless classics by John Coltrane, or check out Kevin Whitehead’s excellent ‘Atlantic Jazz in the 60s‘ hub.
Classic rock is your game? How about Neil Young‘s Everybody Knows This is Nowhere or Gram Parson‘s defining document of alt-country, Grievous Angel? Or the Stooges‘ deluxe-edition of Funhouse? Or Never Mind the Bollocks…?
Or does your taste, like ours, run left of the dial? How about the new records from the Flaming Lips, Built to Spill and the Dead Weather? Or groundbreaking masterpieces from the Cure, the Replacements, Talking Heads and Depeche Mode? Or my favorite band (and everyone else’s favorite punching bag!) R.E.M.? Or the album that launched 1500 other albums, My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless?
To help you navigate the deluge, we’ve put together a whole new battery of Six Degrees and eMusic Icons, and we’ve also assembled this handy “Just Arrived” page to bubble up the cream of the crop.
Update — the first batch — and there are more on the way:
Icons:
eMusic Icon: Aretha Franklin
eMusic Icon: the Ramones
eMusic Icon: the Cure
eMusic Icon: the Replacements
eMusic Icon: Depeche Mode
eMusic Icon: R.E.M.
eMusic Icon: Neil Young
eMusic Icon: Paul Simon
eMusic Icon: Talking Heads
eMusic Icon: Joni Mitchell
Six Degrees
Six Degrees of Depeche Mode’s Violator
Six Degrees of Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock”
Six Degrees of My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless
Six Degrees of Jesus & Mary Chain’s Psychocandy
Six Degrees of Dusty Springfield’s Dusty in Memphis
Six Degrees of Gram Parsons’ Grievous Angel
So we’ve called out a few of our favorites, now it’s your turn. Any albums in this massive haul we need to spend some time with?
Nice add! I think I need to boost my subscription. First stop; Ornette Coleman’s Free Jazz, then maybe the new(ish) Flaming Lips, or Gang of Four, or early Tom Waits, or fill in some holes in my Neil Young Collection or … I don’t know. But great stuff! Thanks guys!
Does the “associated labels” not include Sub Pop? Just curious.
Craig
Majors aren’t typically my bag but I need to point out that the Traveling Wilburys collection arrived today. You think Monsters of Folk is a supergroup? The Traveling Wilburys was The Shit back in the day. Jeff Lynne (ELO), Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, George Harrison and Roy Orbison – now that’s a pedigree!!
My pop would wake us up every(other) Sunday morning with the Wilburys just blasting on the stereo. I love each and every song and folks, they are REALLY good. If you dig, be sure to toss their documentary into your netflix queue. It’s awesome to see how all of those dudes worked together and how they were all kinda star-struck around each other.
That Travelling Wilburys album is awesome.
To think, just this weekend I was thinking of dropping my subscription down to cut monthly expenditures. Yeah…so, that’s not gonna happen anymore. Nice job, emusic, very nice!
I’m going to circle back later with more (got to work!, regrettably). Three to start:
Chris Bell — I Am The Cosmos (http://www.emusic.com/album/Chris-Bell-I-Am-The-Cosmos-MP3-Download/11748728.html)
Neil Young — On The Beach (http://www.emusic.com/album/Neil-Young-On-The-Beach-MP3-Download/11761501.html)
Fleetwood Mac — Tusk (http://www.emusic.com/album/Fleetwood-Mac-Tusk-MP3-Download/11752986.html)
It’s gonna take a while to see what’s all in the Warner haul. On Anti- it’s worth mentioning Devotchka and Dead Man’s Bones (Ryan Gossling’s 2009 project).
It’s a good day for classics and mainstream indie (Flaming Lips, Built to Spill etc), but it’s gonna take some digging to see what smaller new ones are buried in there. While I’m not really finding anything off the bat (for myself, mind you) I gotta admit that addition is a pretty big deal.
So what’s the deal on Warner & Co? Is it gonna be that two-year rule like Sony? And does the Warner acquisition mean we’re one step closer to getting Sub Pop (which is distributed by Warner through Alternative Distribution Alliance)?
definitely glad to see some REM. all i have as it stands is Up (whic i’ve always liked best of theirs), but i liked hi-fi and will cherry pick some other stuff as well. i got middle cyclone when amazon had it for $5, but as it was my formal introduction to case’s solo work, i’m eager for more, with fox confessor at the very least. can’t wait to hear dig lazarus dig as well. maybe some talking heads.
glad to see some more stuff for sure.
hey guys! two things:
Something bananas is happening with 17Dots for some reason, and everyone is getting caught in the spam filter. I’m doing my best to wave you all through.
As far as questions about what’s coming: we do expect more content over the coming months.
Thanks Joe. Hopefully Sup Pop is “more content.”
And thanks ptolemyclark for reminding me that Devotchka is on Anti-!
Craig
Holy #@&%! Sugar Hil Story–56 songs for 12 downloads!
JonathanL: I’m waiting for Daniel & I to completely derail this thread with a mano a mano over REM
I’m with you on that one Joe. I love R.E.M. and after Accelerate am cautiously optimistic that they have righted the ship following a couple of less than stellar outings.
Craig
Nonesuch! Finally! Thanks for the big push on this one.
Oh man. Where to begin?
A few personal favorites that I’m happy to see,
Aphex Twin – Richard D. James
X – Los Angeles
Paul Simon – Graceland
Dusty Springfield – Dusty In Memphis
This could go on forever
Has anyone seen The Smiths?
Best deal ever on eMusic?
http://www.emusic.com/album/Various-Artists-Stax-Volt-The-Complete-Singles-1959-1968-MP3-Download/11757108.html
Eep I better get that stax before emu wises to it
“JonathanL: I’m waiting for Daniel & I to completely derail this thread with a mano a mano over REM”
Oh, this will happen soon.
Massive amounts of these 100 track albums Ray Charles complete atlantic, a best of oldies lots lots lots may have to buy a booster or 12
Joe, With the return of Anti/Epi do we get the chance of redownload albums we’ve previously purchased?
Sadly no, Nergal. Different distro this time (Warner) so whole new ball game,
Anti- is under the Warner umbrella? Since when?
Sub Pop on the way?
you can get the expanded dark knight soundtrack for 12 downloads. NICE.
two underrated billy corgan works, the surprisingly solid sp comeback zeitgeist and the CRIMINALLY unknown Zwan album “Mary Star of the Sea” are both on as well. more against me!, and also the soundtrack to princess bride, intrigue me.
Stax/Volt singles collection makes the day worth it for me on its own. Others downloading as I type.
After all the comments about how badly eMusic handled the Sony drop, it should be said that the Warner etc. drop was done right. I am sure there will be problems, but album pricing (for enormous box sets), depth of content across stylistic boundaries all makes this a much bigger deal for me than that previous addition. I suspect some of that is Warner itself not adding in the same nonsensical restrictions as Sony, but eMusic is learning too.
rifraz – they’re distributed by ADA, which is Warner-owned.
Well, now the album pricing for box sets is disappearing. If that is the big glitch in this drop, it’s not a bad one (especially for those of us who jumped on it).
I have one things to say
I am a Nightmare walkin/Physcopath talkin/King of my Jungle/Just a Gangsta Stalkin
http://www.emusic.com/album/Colors-Soundtrack-Colors-Soundtrack-MP3-Download/11768057.html
oh and They snuck in a New Rural Alberta Single (who I am jealous of Yancey for seeing them twice in one night) http://www.emusic.com/album/The-Rural-Alberta-Advantage-Drain-the-Blood-MP3-Download/11773174.html
I’m really glad to see all this new stuff. One question: Rhino did deluxe reissues of New Order’s catalog awhile back…any chance those will be making their way to eMusic in the near future?
Wow, this album brings me back…
http://www.emusic.com/album/Sepultura-Beneath-The-Remains-MP3-Download/11752698.html
A metal classic.
Hey Jeremy: I hope so! I’d like to get my hands on those, too. Not sure yet, but will let you know.
What are they chances that any of these labels are going to become available in Canada?
A couple of L7 classics, Hungry For Stink and Bricks are Heavy.
http://www.emusic.com/artist/L7-MP3-Download/10558897.html
Any news on the Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy) album? Should be out today. Writing from Canada, by the way.
I would like to see Mr. Bungle.
No one has mentioned Kathie Lee Gifford yet.
The Swell Season’s “Strict Joy” is up. Check out the deluxe edition.
I jumped on the Stax set and about halfway through my eMusic download manager stopped downloading and gave me download error messages (which repeat when I try to resume downloading). I take it that I will be able to download the rest of this set without spending more downloads? Or is eMusic going to cut those of us who already spent the 12 downloads off?
Another botched rollout
hotelier I’d like to keep it that way
More:
Kyuss
Eurasure
HUGE Janes Addiction album for only 12 creds
Lou Reed
Mark Knopfler/Dire Straites
tons of awesome Soundtracks (Kevin spacey’s Beyond the Sea, Lock Stock and two smoking Barrells)
OMG I’m only on page
Rock: 14/26 (showing 250 at a time)
I was given a quick refund of credits used to get sets that were removed. I did send an email to CS and had not successfully downloaded anything yet.
Craig
Cool! Donald Fagen’s The Nightfly
http://www.emusic.com/album/Donald-Fagen-The-Nightfly-MP3-Download/11745992.html
“We’re sorry. The albums by this label are unavailable for download in your country (Netherlands) at this time.”
The whole f*****g label!!!
Can you hide this news for the losers outside the US? Like, you can hide the albums. So?
That Rural Alberta Advantage single’s b-side is “Eye of the Tiger.” OMG.
@pclark – I saw them play that live in Durham, NC a few months ago. It was FANTASTIC! The whole show was awesome.
Joe, Someone needs to comb the new “international” I think 99% is not international (e.g Bill Cosby, Bill Engval, Blue Collar Comedy, Bob newhart. . I’ll give you Cheech and chong though am pretty sure they’d disagree (See Born in East L.A)) this is just the b and c there are too many to list
Heh heh, Ptolemyclark yeah, I didn’t want to ruin the suprise for you and Flameantgirl
It’s an awesome Cover of one of the worst songs ever 
I’ll take Foxbase Alpha please.
Could someone tell Warner about Canada…?
Please?
Also, Baby Huey!
[quote]Or the album that launched 1500 other albums, My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless?[/quote]
Wasn’t Loveless initially the album that sank hundreds of careers (nearly including Radiohead)?
RAA will be my first concert of 2010 – I see them tomorrow night! I hope they play it!!
Great. Now even more RIAA swill that I have to sort through before I can find music that I can actually purchase with a clear conscience.
What ever happened to “the number one site for independent music?” How long before all your top charts and top picks are dominated by the same major-label-copyright-bully-released baloney purchased by the mindless, mainstream radio-listening retardates that you’re obviously trying to cater to?
Congratulations on continuing to eliminate the only thing to really recommend eMusic for, you sellouts. At least there’s still Jamendo.
d’Fuh? Sugar Hill Story is gone now. Wha happen?
Just wondering, will those sets come back at the usual boxed set price?
I don’t mind it taking more than 12 credits (if you care about the music you should be willing to spend money on it) for a set, but there were a bunch of sets uploaded yesterday that I’d still love to own.
Yeah they screwed up another roll out.
I do have a question about so called “independent” music. A lot the Warner stuff that came in yesterday comes from the heyday of Atlantic Records. Atlantic was one of the most important “independent” labels before its sale to what would become the Warner conglomerate. So is did the music somehow become not “independent”?
Hey Lee – They will — all the box sets will eventually be returning, re-priced.
Cool. Thanks for the update.
I’m in Canada, but meh, still enjoying the old fashion 90 downloads plan.
mailman: It became “not independent” when Warner purchased the rights to it.
i’m a bit baffled why more choice offends people. i will always think of emusic as a site for great music and don’t feel the need to categorize it as “indie” anymore. it’s great music. it’s a flat rate for credits. If I want something obscure, it’s still there. if i want some REM, i can get that, too. who cares what it is? at the end of the day, i look at my bottom line of how much i am spending for the music i want while still supporting the artists i enjoy.
my head asplode
Yeah. To me, the only possible downside of acquiring new major label catalogues (assuming there’s no further price hikes or plan changes) is that it might fundamentally alter eMusic’s editorial focus and disturb its niche. But I’m confident, especially after seeing how they handled the Sony acquisition, that there is nothing to fear. eMusic debuted a huge amount of Sony titles, gave everyone a few days to digest it, and then returned to what it’s always been: An service focusing on independent music that specializes in having some of the sharpest music-criticism available on the internet.
I’m fine with that. Oh, also: Please bring Sub Pop on board.
More awesome stuff popping up everywhere:
Husker Du — Warehouse: Songs & Stories (http://www.emusic.com/album/Hüsker-Dü-Warehouse-Songs-And-Stories-MP3-Download/11757318.html) !!!!!!!!!!
Scritti Politti — Cupid & Psyche ’85 (http://www.emusic.com/album/Scritti-Politti-Cupid-Psyche-85-MP3-Download/11750831.html)
Ali Farka Toure — Niafunke (http://www.emusic.com/album/Ali-Farka-Toure-Niafunké-MP3-Download/11762025.html)
Ali Farka Toure & Ry Cooder — The Source (http://www.emusic.com/album/Ali-Farka-Touré-Ry-Cooder-The-Source-MP3-Download/11749070.html)
Ali Farka Toure & Ry Cooder — Talking Timbuktu (http://www.emusic.com/album/Ali-Farka-Touré-Ry-Cooder-Talking-Timbuktu-MP3-Download/11748985.html)
Caetano Veloso — Estrangeiro (http://www.emusic.com/album/Caetano-Veloso-Estrangeiro-MP3-Download/11758033.html)
The Pretenders — The Singles (http://www.emusic.com/album/The-Pretenders-The-Singles-MP3-Download/11748320.html)
Richard & Linda Thompson — Shoot Out The Lights (http://www.emusic.com/album/Richard-Linda-Thompson-Shoot-Out-The-Lights-MP3-Download/11749226.html)
Sugar — Copper Blue (http://www.emusic.com/album/Sugar-Copper-Blue-MP3-Download/11748409.html)
Golden Smog — Down By The Old Mainstream (http://www.emusic.com/album/Golden-Smog-Down-By-The-Old-Mainstream-MP3-Download/11750623.html)
The Collector’s Edition of Otis Blue for 12 credits? Yes, please.
http://www.emusic.com/album/Otis-Redding-Otis-Blue-Otis-Redding-Sings-Soul-Collector-s-Ed-MP3-Download/11749734.html
The ownership of Ornette Colaman’s recordings changed from independent to ‘corporate’ when the Ertegun’s sold Atlantic Records. But the MUSIC did not change. This whole use of the term indie seems like so much nonsense to me; especially when dealing with older recordings first issued on labels that have long since gone out of business or changed hands. There’s only 2 kinds of music in the immortal words of Duke Ellington; good and bad.
Well, I wouldn’t go that far. I do kinda feel like major labels frequently forse mediocre music — especially pop music — on the public (Toxic aside, Britney Spears is an example of this for me, but there are many). OTOH, your point about Coleman is OTM, as is a broader point about major labels having a lot of amazing, vital music that shouldn’t be dismissed just because of its label affiliation.
Whether the music is good or bad is irrelevant. That defeats the purpose of a boycott.
With all due respect to Duke Ellington, I think there are two kinds of music–music you like and music you don’t like. I don’t like Britney Spears’ music, but if it makes someone happy, that is fine with me. There is music on major labels that I like, not only back catalog, but recent stuff (Lucero, Wilco and The Decemberists, to mention three) and music that I don’t like. Similarly, there is lots of music on independent labels that I love, and tons of indie releases that I don’t like.
I joined eMusic as a way to buy music at good prices, and was fine with it as an indie only service. However, I don’t see the problem with giving members access to more music. (Although I was not happy with the pricing change when the Sony catalog dropped, but I have stayed a member because I still find it a good deal). And giving us more choice is great–I remember in the olden days having to go to one record store to buy indie records and another to buy major labels–and in the old days of eMusic, getting my major label stuff from Amazon, or used on eBay, or from other sources. This is more convenient, and if you don’t want to buy Britney, or Springsteen, or Jay Reatard (RIP), you can pass them by, when others are pouncing.
On a note completely unrelated to the editorial voice of eMusic (just a personal note): I rep hard for Britney Spears’ Blackout. It’s her Knife record. Really!
…but speaking of the ‘editorial voice of eMusic’…I just want to say that a lot of the notes and reviews you guys have written for the Warner-related releases has been fantastic. Good job! The first two sentences of Joe’s review for REM’s “Monster” had me laughing out loud.
RadialSkid – You do realize that eMusic is a corporation and not your friend, right? If you don’t like the changes that’s fine, but this seething anger you seem to feel appears to miss the point that eMusic’s goal is make money and they feel these changes will make them more money.
Life’s too short.
Craig
As one of the leading defenders in the sony thread. . . guys don’t try to argue with the trolls it’ll only make you angry (can’t argue with stupidity. . . and I’m sure when we all were less informed we thought that anything corp was “evil” without realizing that much of our independent music was distrubed by the “evil”)
that said I agree with
D esq: Well, I wouldn’t go that far. I do kinda feel like major labels frequently forse mediocre music — especially pop music — on the public
Jordon: There is music on major labels that I like, not only back catalog, but recent stuff (Lucero, Wilco and The Decemberists, to mention three) and music that I don’t like. Similarly, there is lots of music on independent labels that I love, and tons of indie releases that I don’t like.
oh and Joe I feel like I’m left out of something, define “knife” record and name me some songs to check out on the B.S. (
) album because I (like Daniel) “Toxic aside, Britney Spears is an example of this for me, but there are many” (though I wouldn’t buy Toxic it is very catchy and not that Bad)
Thanks so much, chris – really appreciated!!
Nergal, shameless self-promo – this is what I said about it at the time!
Craig:
“If you don’t like the changes that’s fine”
That’s fine? I don’t need your permission to not like the changes. I came here to vent that one of the few sites around that I can actually pay for independent music without having to sort through page-after-page of off-limits music is drying up. I will vent, and then I will go away. In the mean time, deal with it.
Nergal:
“can’t argue with stupidity. . . and I’m sure when we all were less informed we thought that anything corp was “evil” without realizing that much of our independent music was distrubed by the “evil”
You know what happens when you “assume?” We’ve all heard that breakdown before, so I won’t repeat it.
Your arrogant assumption, of course, is that I reject RIAA-affiliated labels because they’re “corporate.” This is ridiculous. I reject them because of their self-serving attempts to manipulate the concept of copyright, twisting it into something monstrous while simultaneously ignoring the concept of fair use and attempting to completely eliminate the public domain.
Combine this with trying to charge license fees for ridiculous reason (like a ringtone being a public performance), the attempts (along with the MPAA) to stop every new piece of audio or video technology through lawsuits, their complete ripping-off of the artists (8 cents per CD???) that they claim to be serving, bribing (sorry, “lobbying”) politicians into passing one-sided laws that blindly favor them over consumers, attempting to file lawsuits for individuals format-swapping for their own personal use, attempting to install “DRM” malware into consumer’s computers, and suing noncommercial file-sharers for hundreds of thousands (or in the case of Jammie Thomas-Rasset, 2 million) for engaging in an activity that one-sixth of the world population is “guilty” of, then GLOATING about destroying their lives.
If being motivated enough to refuse pay for music released or distributed by them makes me “stupid” by your standards, then I’m proud to be stupid by your standards.
You want to pay your money to the biggest bunch of bald-faced crooks imaginable. Be my guest. But there’s a reason why your numbers are ever-shrinking.
“…but speaking of the ‘editorial voice of eMusic’…I just want to say that a lot of the notes and reviews you guys have written for the Warner-related releases has been fantastic. Good job! The first two sentences of Joe’s review for REM’s “Monster” had me laughing out loud.”
_____________________________________________
OTM. eMusic has the best collection of music critics on the Internet. Maybe anywhere.
Thanks, Daniel – we definitely always try to bring in the best.
If having major label content on the site attracts more people to independent music then I’m all for it. In fact, I think it’s one of the more effective ways of attracting more people to independent music. I got into obscure industrial and post-rock because I really liked a popular band called Nine Inch Nails and started hanging out with forums and chat rooms under that title.
As for having to sift through the catalog… seems no different than sifting through endless stack of one off releases from bands that played a few pubs in their home town. At least with Warner and Sony you can just look at the label tag.
Another disc I haven’t seen mentioned so far, but which is utterly essential: John Cale’s Paris 1919. One of the most elegant pop albums ever released.
http://www.emusic.com/album/John-Cale-Paris-1919-MP3-Download/11749317.html
Kind of an acquired taste for many, but Marshall Crenshaw’s best-of is very catchy:
http://www.emusic.com/album/Marshall-Crenshaw-This-Is-Easy-The-Best-Of-Marshall-Crenshaw-MP3-Download/11748632.html
Digging into the Morrissey solo catalogue now (about which I’m surprising ignorant, since The Smiths — the BEST ROCK BAND EVER — are maybe my favorite act of all time).
In terms of rock (not pop, not jazz), I think the Warner Bros. labels are stronger than the Sony labels. So good work, guys. Big year, I hope. Bring on streaming (as a premium option only, plz!) and more majors.
Daniel: I highly, HIGHLY recommend Morrissey’s Your Arsenal. Produced by Mick Ronson! It’s my fave of the Moz solo records by a good distance (though, admittedly, I am a fan of everything up to Maladjusted)
In my insomnia, I downloaded that very album last night.
It’s his first solo foray into glam-ish rock, yes?
BTW, I’m into Morrissey’s late-career comeback (at least up to the latest disc, which I haven’t heard). Sadly, those discs aren’t available on eMusic (yet, at least).
Hey, another BTW: I haven’t seen any big write-ups about T-Rex’s Electric Warrior arriving with the Rhino stuff. The deluxe edition is the one to get. The whole disc is killer, but I’ve been in love with the second song, Cosmic Dancer (YouTube link below)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMfjA4gyEcU
That T Rex album is one of my faves of all time – classic case of too much to cover at once. We’ll be giving it some love soon.
Joe: Your reviews of REM’s Warner Bros.’ titles are really interesting. Unfortunately, you’re stuck with a band that, by that point in their career, had lost its creative muse. Not to endlessly reiterate what I’ve said before, but the band’s last traces of Southern Gothic Rock dried up with Document, and really with Life Rich Pageant. That sound was the propulsive, jangle-y guitar runs of Peter Buck; the mysteriously indecipherable lyrics of Michael Stipe that were mostly about the South’s strange, romantic mythology; and That Beat, which swung like no college-rock before it.
The Warner Bros.-era REM was a very good, but conventional, rock band. They had lots of good songs, but they were songs that could have been performed by any number bands (with less verve and style, admittedly). You’re right that {i}Automatic For The People{/i} is “(w)idely regarded as the group’s best effort,” but from this era, I’d say that about half of {i}New Adventures in Hi-Fi{/i} is REM’s high-water mark (tho I always skip past The Wake-Up Bomb and Departute, two aimless and ill-advised rock songs).
Anyway, just some thoughts on REM, to be taken for what they’re worth (i.e., nothin’).
Thanks for reading ‘em, Daniel! OK, so here we go!
First: No argument, really. I definitely prefer the IRS years – Reckoning and Life’s Rich Pageant are my two favorite REM albums. “I Believe” is probably my favorite REM song, followed closely by “Pretty Persuasion” (favorite song of all time? Sam Cooke, “Bring it on Home to Me.” But I digress).
Totally take your point about the WB years — I guess for me, I just don’t hate them as much as many others do. And, you know, I think it also has to do with when I got into them. I was in Jr. High when Green came out, and so that was my first exposure to them. I got the WB stuff, then went back to the IRS stuff after I realized how much I liked Out of Time.
I think because of how I’m wired, I need one band that I just rise and fall with, and I decided a few years ago REM was gonna be that band. Every other band I went through phases with, but I realized after the indefensible Around the Sun came out that, as terrible as that record was, I was still anxious to see what they did next. Abusive relationship? Maybe. But you know, I can’t quit them. To use an ancient pop culture reference.
As far as Automatic, I’ll cop to a little wordsmithery there on my part. I say it’s “widely regarded as their best” because the truth is I actually don’t like it very much. I was writing toward consensus on that one, but on a personal level, it kinda bores me.
You know, I woulda pegged you as an Up defender, actually. That record I love.
And, perhaps further proving we’ll never agree on REM, “The Wake-Up Bomb” is one of my favorite songs from the Warner years
I agree with you on {i}Automatic{/i}. The low-points on that disc — the execrable {i}Ignoreland{/i}, the treacly {i}Everybody Hurts{/i} — are SO bad it ruins the vibe. I’d actually say the other single, {i}Man On The Moon{/i}, comes close to being a low point (it’s a personal thing; I don’t like the Elvis impression), but I guess the ghostly, near-death sheen of the song puts it squarely in line with the rest of the album’s vibe. The high points are good, I admit, but . . . meh. Honestly, tho, I would admit that {i}Automatic{/i} comes closest to establishing a distinctive and new REM sound during the Warner Bros. period. I just don’t like the songs enough, and they didn’t follow-it up with anything approaching the same vibe (in fact, their genre-hopping during the Warner Bros. years was a little frustrating and made them seem like genre-tourists, constantly following someone else’s style).
Man I totally screwed-up the HTML tags on that comment.
This will probably make me sound like an obscurist elitist idiot, but my favorite from the IRS years is Chronic Town. Really, such a perfect EP.
I felt like you about REM for a long time (they were my favorite band and I’d stick with them, through thick-and-thin). Then, I heard The Smiths — and I found a new love. Soon, my wandering eye spotted The Cure and New Order, and . . . well, the heart wants what the heart wants.
I have very conflicted feeling about Up, BTW. Parts of it I love, and I love that the band had the confidence to be so different and gutsy right after Berry left. (n.1) But some of the songs feel so . . . tinny to me. I’ve always felt that way about this album, and I can never put my finger on it better than that.
________________________________________
(n.1) I remember a VH-1 special about the album when it was released. Berry, interviewed on his farm, said something along the lines of, “Oh see, I left the band and now they’ve made their best disc ever,” and I just groaned. OH, COME ON BILL BERRY.
Oh my god, I remember that special and thought the exact same thing. I feel like the post-Berry REM has been defined, more than anything else, but a sense of panic:
“We’re still good, guys!” Even Accelerate, which I love, is very much a case-stating record. I wonder if they’ll ever be able to just make a casual, confident record again.
For all of REM’s ups and downs, I’ll still take ‘em over U2 any day of the week.
I love the Smiths and Morrissey, but really don’t like Moz’s post-comeback records (except for maybe Ringleader of the Tormentors).
This, apparently, is how two rock dudes spend a Saturday night? I love it.
Also, I’m not ashamed to say I fucking love “Man on the Moon.”
and “Ignoreland”!
lol. Well, my wife and daughter are watching Harry Potter, I’ve too exhausted to work or keep reading that Nixon book I’m halfway through, my efforts to practice guitar are futile (I can only stumble through some classical pieces and I’m terrible), I’ve had insomnia, we opened a great bottle of dessert wine, and i’ve been meaning to read the REM hub. So . . . yeah. I’ll be here all night, actually.
“For all of REM’s ups and downs, I’ll still take ‘em over U2 any day of the week.”
___________________________________
No argument, but that’s setting a pretty low bar. I mean, I’ll take Black Moth Super Rainbow over U2. I might take The Jonas Bros. over U . . . well, okay. That’s a bridge too far for me.
This is the part where I just start posting awesome YouTube videos. I’d never seen this before. Oh Michael, how I loved thee.
I just posted a bunch, too! Where’d they go?
Oh I love Old Man Kensey. That’s EXACTLY the Southern Gothic Rock vibe I’m talking about!
I’m going to try this one again. Their nat’l TV debut:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icGOLDJv08c
Oh wow:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR0LYK1aYFM
Lenny Kaye’s review of Husker Du’s Warehouse: Songs & Stories is incredible. It’s odd, too, since I think of Hart as more melodic than Mould, so I’d expect Hart to be interested in expanding the group’s sonic palette. Anyway, this album needs more love, too. Totally essential imo:
http://www.emusic.com/album/Hüsker-Dü-Warehouse-Songs-And-Stories-MP3-Download/11757318.html
Those videos are awesome – especially that “Boxcars” preformance! Whoah! And yeah, Lenny is so good — his Hendrix Icon hub was fantastic, too. And I don’t even like Hendrix!
I don’t like Hendrix, either. I stumbled on a series of YouTube clips (audio only, unfortunately), that capture a 1981 REM show in Athens, Georgia. It’s a lot of material, but it’s also a treat, and it showcases REM’s jittery, jangly, almost punk-y early sound.
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq2kTRR1YJo
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK-wdKG65vg&feature=related
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvAUJroYT5M&feature=related
Part 4: (Doesn’t Seem To Work)
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92tbj8l_M3E&feature=related
Part 6: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYDTKbWGZ9E&feature=related
Part 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1QHKMbqQq4&feature=related
Part 8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19IB5g–xBQ&feature=related
Part 9: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TItSAbIB-qs&feature=related
This reminds me of the many REM bootlegs and unreleased materials (what seemed like whole unreleased early albums, in some cases) I had on cassette when I was younger.
Okay, I’m done.
Primal Scream’s very influential Screamadelica is now here, too:
http://www.emusic.com/album/Primal-Scream-Screamadelica-MP3-Download/11769411.html
I’m not really familiar with this disc, but I know how significant it is (many people say it’s as important as Nevermind was (both were released in 1991)). I’ll definitely download it.
Oh dude, I totally have a bootleg of that Tyrone’s show. Along with like 20 others. I am pathetic.
And I love Screamadelica. It’s dated just a little, but it’s still very good!
What happened to Tusk? Was here with the new WMG drop, now missing.
Everyone is asking (or they were before the REM tangent) will SubPop be coming?
Okay when I click through your name I get a “Oops — Link Broken” message from GOOGLE. Which is fine, but PLEASE DON’T TEASE. If you’re a SubPop representative dropping a hint, please give us a clearer sign!
Just curious !
Question- a Canadian posted above about being on a 90 download/month plan? How does that happen? I’m a Canadian too and got cut back to 50 when everyone else did. What’s up? Serious question looking for a sincere answer in light of the fact that I can’t download most of this latest rollout. Many thanks, Donald
Genuinely not sure, Donald – will ask about it.
Six Degrees of Screamadelica:
http://www.emusic.com/features/hub/six_degrees_screamadelica/index.html
How about Ride’s Nowhere? AllMusic says it’s the 2d best UK shoegaze album ever. I’m not familiar with it, but I like the soundscans a lot. Swirly dream rock.
http://www.emusic.com/album/Ride-Nowhere-MP3-Download/11761631.html
WOW that’s an awesome 6-degrees (i think it’s the best one yet)
And ride’s best song is grasshopper
No, no, Nergal. Ride’s best song is the album version of “Leave them All Behind” (to which “Grasshopper” was originally released as a b-side).
Certainly we can agree that, at the very least, “Leave them All Behind” is the best Ride song currently available on eMusic.
Here’s another unquestionably classic disc on a Warner Bros. label that I haven’t seen mentioned yet: Ornette Coleman’s The Shape of Jazz To Come.
http://www.emusic.com/album/Ornette-Coleman-The-Shape-Of-Jazz-To-Come-MP3-Download/11748769.html
It didn’t even make eMusic’s Atlantic Jazz hub!
The problem with these major label catalogs is that they are the excuse to raise the subscription prices, whether you want any of this old stuff or not. If the only major label album to make the top 5 of the download charts is Michael Jackson’s Best Of at a time that he’s getting major hype, and that is still egged out by the likes of Four Tet, then there just doesn’t seem to be much demand for all these “new” (really: old) additions among emusic subscribers – so why raise prices to pay for major label content if the subscribers don’t want it? We can all wax poetic about how some old album is great and reminds us of the golden days of your youth, but chances are anybody who ever cared about this stuff (and still does at this point in time) already has it on CD or record. Emusic can add all the additional labels they want, that’s great, but my plan will roll over into a new, much pricier option next month and I’m still pissed about having to pay a lot more so people can reminisce about REM or Bruce Springsteen – or Ornette Coleman, for that matter. And I’m still considering to cancel and walk away. It would be really interesting to know how much the Warner and Sony stuff really gets downloaded, but they probably wouldn’t release those numbers …
How many times do people have to be told the entrance of “Major Labels” has Shit-all (absolutly NOTHING) to do with the Price increase before they STFU. If you are going to leave because of this then do so and leave the rest of us to the choice we made. Stop being a troll Serenity it isn’t attractive and will make nobody question their choice to stay or to go.
Piss off it you are going to, just stop filling my RSS with your cry-baby antics!!!