Blue Moon Playlist Review Club - Season 2, Episode 18 - BM Openers - Out on blue 6 (pg 353)

[mancity2012_eamo]

Right. One out of left field. Maybe not what you expect from me.

Marvin Gaye. What’s Going on for the 1971 album, What’s Going On.

 

[Coatigan]

That's a good "system" or model, you nerdy git ;-)

You have to be pretty confident, brave or no fucks given to go down the Cat 1 route on your debut album and that'll always create a bit of goodwill on my part.

As far as the side challenge I'm struggling. I can think of a few that fit the cat 1 and 3 but not 2, including one track I could put up that will definitely blow my cover for my next album pick. An idiosyncratic bunch: announce yourself with something that totally sets out your stall, stick your masterpiece in what is the filler slot on many albums and then put your massive single as the last track. Probably enough of a clue for at least one person here to know what it is.

As for your boys,.we do need an album nomination because as well as enjoyable they are interesting and I think they will, if not quite polarise people, lead to some interesting views. You'll just have to make the album clues really challenging!

Yeah hard to tick all 3, because almost by default, 1 and 2 are almost mutually exclusive. 1 and 3 or 2 and 3 seem to work, but 1 and 2 is tough.

I have come up with one that kinda ticks all three, sort of. In the sense that it did 1 and 3 when released, but not 2, but then over time became a bit of a cult classic fan favourite. So can be loosely argued to tick all 3.

 

[Coatigan]

Got me thinking. I heard Colossus before I heard Heel/Heal and I reckon it was better that way for older me. I'm not saying Heel/Heal wouldn't have drawn me in but I do think whilst it would have really grabbed a younger me, Colossus intrigued me more.

Yeah in fairness, I am similar. While I did hear heel/heal when brutalism came out, when they were all the rage, in fairness, I did not get into them beyond thinking, nice to have something different. Joy had much more of an appeal, but still didn't click. Ultra mono had the strongest hits, but it was Crawler and its live gig (that I didn't want to go to but got dragged along to) that really sealed it for me. Then revisiting all the rest was a world of difference after that.

 

[threespires]

Right. One out of left field. Maybe not what you expect from me.

Marvin Gaye. What’s Going on for the 1971 album, What’s Going On.

Right, I can scrub that one off my short list. Ticks the boxes at so many levels.

I great opener, beautiful on its own, that also tells you where the album is going but also heralds a new approach with Gaye wrestling control from Gordy.

In fact if you consider this as Gaye reinventing himself, it probably ticks all three of @Coatigan 's categories.

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

Right, I can scrub that one off my short list. Ticks the boxes at so many levels.

I great opener, beautiful on its own, that also tells you where the album is going but also heralds a new approach with Gaye wrestling control from Gordy.

In fact if you consider this as Gaye reinventing himself, it probably ticks all three of @Coatigan 's categories.

You’re welcome. Don’t mention it.

 

[Out on blue 6]

Never Let Me Down Again - Depeche Mode

First track from the album before Violator, Music For The Masses, played at every live show since due to the audience participation. Nothing finer than seeing 70000 people waving their hands from side to side in imperfect harmony.

Brilliant live version on 101

 

[lastmanback]

Kid Charlemagne - The royal scam.
Steely Dan.

 

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

Longing - Orlando Weeks.

From his Loja album, released just last week!

Well done, and it is a great opener, I'm glad you have that covered, and a great song, but not my favourite from the album.

I wonder if I'm going to feel differently on these songs hearing a bunch of them as typical openers in the middle of a setlist. I'm pondering that now too as I think of my first.

A mood setter song imo, but one that is also one of the stronger on the album. Which in fairness I haven't yet fully taken in, partly because I keep coming back to the opening few songs ;)

When you get there, it will be Good To See You. ;-)

 

[Black&White&BlueMoon Town]

I still have Drive-By Truckers on the mind after seeing their excellent (mostly) start-to-finish of Southern Rock Opera Thursday night front row. More on that in the Album thread when I can get my media files organized. It's been a busy EOW for me.

"Days Of Graduation" as an opener was a great mood-setting track on that album of what was to come, and Patterson Hood pulled off an impressive version of it in concert with the distortion microphone. But most of you are already familiar with that selection from the Album thread, so likely already know that song from @bennyboy's nomination prior.

Instead, I'm going with a beautiful melancholy song that is more a "calm before the political storm" of their 2020 doubling down album of The Unraveling.

The simplicity and approach of the lyrics in this song sets a certain mood that screams Memphis and two young lovers running away together down the highway. The visuals and imagery that Hood sets here is clear and direct, and just beautiful.

"Rosemary with a Bible and a Gun" - Drive-By Truckers

 

[threespires]

When I listen to an album I always listen as the artist wanted. No skipping or shuffling from start to finish. There is an art to the track listing and it was interesting to see the INXS has been described as probably being too heavy. The opening track is probably the most important as it sets the album up. Should be the one that by the end makes you want to start all over again. I looked at some of my favourite albums and artists and have picked the openers from these. Hence thread title being BM Openers

I've put on another music thread my love for post Pet Sounds Beach Boys. They'd fallen off a cliff commercially by the early seventies but still produced great work. This is from 1973s Holland album. This was released as a single and only got to 79 in the billboard top 100. Unbelievable really.

The Beach Boys - Sail On, Sailor

One thing myself and Fog would agree on is New Order are our favourite band. We would disagree on others and probably our favourite album. Power Corruption and Lies to Technique is a strong body of work. If I had to take one to a desert island it would be Lowlife. This opener is perfect NO. Steve's metronomic drumming,Hooky trying to get his bass higher in the mix and Bernard trying to play the notes in order. Gillians in there somewhere.

New Order - Love Vigilantes

Shoegaze was a music media scene created in between Madchester and Britpop. My Bloody Valentine being the flag bearers but like all scenes bands get lumped in who aren't really part of it. Ride for me are the best of the lot. Great new album earlier this year and I shall be seeing them in September. From 2nd album Going Blank Again

Ride - Leave Them All Behind

I always class this band and Mercury Rev as kindred spirits. Slogged around and released numerous albums before gaining any traction and I think embraced by the UK. I always find something uplifting about The Flaming Lips. This is from the breakthrough The Soft Bulletin

The Flaming Lips - Race For The Prize

Not going to say much about this one. Great song. Great album. Great band. From The Trials of Van Occupanther

Midlake - Roscoe

Hopefully there is something people enjoy listening to if not get something on yourselves. I will update the playlist as it goes along

Just told my 16 year old what this week's theme is, he thought about it for a moment and came back with Love Vigilantes and why in his opinion it marginally edged Disorder and Age of Consent as an opener.

It's Father's day and I might not have got everything right but I've done a few things well :-)