The Album Review Club - Week #147 - (page 1942) - Blonde On Blonde - Bob Dylan

[GornikDaze]

I think Rob has been very clever here. He’s thrown in the R bomb in a week when football wise we could (arguably should) go on to create more history. We beat spurs on Tuesday so everyone (with at least a couple of notable exceptions) is on a high and in a jolly mood. We can chat about Radiohead with all jocularity and no fighting. If (god forbid) things turn sour on Sunday I predict this thread to get toxic very quickly!! :)
Don’t forget he’s also played the wildcard card - I think he just mischief making and wanted to nominate it himself ;)

 

[supercity88]

I like OK Computer. But I've never regarded it as highly as the Bends. Probably because it takes real listening to be appreciated. There's depth to the songs and lyrics and a lot of tracks that can just pass you by unless you are actively seeking to appreciate them. They're good, don't get me wrong, but the Bends has far more that captures you. I think the sign of a great album is one that captures you, and everyone will get that in different ways. You can sort of float through OK Computer, captured by certain songs but have others play through without always "hearing" them.

That doesn't happen with the Bends for me.

As for the wider opinions of them, I find that all quite laughable. You don't have to be working class to produce art for the working classes. This challenges the systems more than the individual. It is about the despair suffered by all of us rather than one of us. It isn't just the working class who suffer from the themes of working class music. If you look at a rich kid and a poor kid largely they do and feel the same things, just in different places.

 

[Ghandi's Flip Flops]

First heard OK computer when I was on a lads holiday in Kavos back in the day.
After a night on the piss, a lounge around around the pool, we'd go back to room and crash for a few hours listening to music before going back out.
This was one of the go to albums that got played.
Absolutely loved it then and still do now.
Even though I think there's better songs on The Bends like Black Star, Street Spirit etc, OK computer is a better album, purely in the way the songs flow together, and the highs and lows of each song etc.
One of the few albums I can never listen to on shuffle, as I think it's loses something. After kid A radio head lost their appeal to me
Ok Computer - Great album 9/10

 

[BimboBob]

Fair comment and I unreservedly apologise to any Keele alumni irrespective of course or classification. I've paid attention to all the detritus round this album because i'm of the view they are complicit with it part of the package. Also this is regularly touted as one of the greatest albums ever made, ie an important cultural artifact so I'm judging it as such.

Plenty of people have said on this thread that they can see why someone else would like an album but they don't personally want to listen to it and that's the basis they've scored it on. Why should this be any different?

Because you've actually listened to it and given it a musical score of around 6, or maybe 5. And then because other people have claimed it to be one of the greatest albums ever and an important cultural artifact you've decided to disagree and mark your score down accordingly.

Why not just listen to the album, decide with your own ears if you like it, and then score it without prejudice?

 

[Saddleworth2]

Because you've actually listened to it and given it a musical score of around 6, or maybe 5. And then because other people have claimed it to be one of the greatest albums ever and an important cultural artifact you've decided to disagree and mark your score down accordingly.

Why not just listen to the album, decide with your own ears if you like it, and then score it without prejudice?

Listen without prejudice, now that was a great album.

 

[Coatigan]

I think fog is on a one way street to a cruising for a hiding here.

 

[BimboBob]

I think fog is on a one way street to a cruising for a hiding here.

I think he might be in the minority. We await his final input.

I suspect, like Mr Spires, it will be tainted by perseved hatred rather than liking the music but hey...he could surprise us all!

Me? I'll do what I always do, listen 3 times and see if I like it.

 

[Coatigan]

How can a 9/10 record have songs you skip? You skip 17% of the tunes!

This is kind of my point about "overrated". At the least, it seems grade inflation.

If this is how I scored records, I have like 683 10/10s.

Sorry mate -- I don't mean to be harsh. Maybe it's just me, but any record with songs I'd skip is a 7 at best.

I disagree. On the scoring, not on the album (at this point in time). One man's 7 is another man's 9 and all that. We never really defined how we score, but albums aren't maths, and one amazing song amongst a bunch of skippable ones can outweigh 10 ok to listen to without skipping songs, that don't shake you to the core.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

So should they have a) written songs about surfing or b) recorded the album in a drug den and given all their proceeds to a charity for fallen teens?

Yes and yes because then a) the record would be about something and b) they’d be doing something positive instead of pretending they are sad for money.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Because you've actually listened to it and given it a musical score of around 6, or maybe 5. And then because other people have claimed it to be one of the greatest albums ever and an important cultural artifact you've decided to disagree and mark your score down accordingly.

Why not just listen to the album, decide with your own ears if you like it, and then score it without prejudice?

Because someone else who skips 17% of the songs on the record gave it a 9 is maybe why. Hard to blame him.