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Album Club - Week 2


EighteenSixty7
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Album Club Week 2 - What are your ratings?  

20 members have voted

  1. 1. Album 1

    • 5
      0
    • 4
      6
    • 3
      7
    • 2
      7
    • 1
      0
  2. 2. Album 2

    • 5
      10
    • 4
      4
    • 3
      3
    • 2
      3
    • 1
      0


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9 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

Someone posted this picture in a music group I am in on Facebook and it made me think and was part of my reason for choosing the Tracy Chapman album. I have wide and varied tastes in music and there may be some albums that I like the music better or that I appreciate the musical prowess of more but no album is more responsible for making me me than this album. 

As I previously mentioned I am the only member of my family who is nuts about music. Neither of my parents were big music lovers. We didn't have lots of music always playing. I have 2 older brothers (12 and 10 years older) 1 older sister 4 years older and 1 younger sister and they all liked music but were all quite mainstream and never really obsessive about music like I was (and indeed still am) My brothers in particular introduced me to The Beatles and bit of Bob Dylan, my Dad liked a bit of Buddy Holly and Simon and Garfunkel. If I had my way my mother would have been charged with crimes against music one of her favourite songs was Bobby Goldsboro Honey  which was widely lauded as one of the worst songs ever made. This meant that my musical journey has primarily been my own and that meant that my early tastes were very pop (what was on the radio or Top of the Pops) We didn't have loads of albums. Most music was copied tapes from friends etc. 

I also grew up in a very dysfunctional family. Both my parents were addicts (father alcoholic, mother problem drinker and prescription drug addict)  I remember being really upset in 1989 when the Best International Female Brit winner was announced and it wasn't Kylie Minogue (ironically I really can't stand her voice anymore now that it's cool to like her) but at the time Neighbours was the coolest thing in my world and I was deep in a Stock Aiken and Waterman hole. I remember saying to my sister who even is Tracy Chapman? What a ridiculous miscarriage of justice (Please remember I was only 11 years old!!) My sister just off handedly mentioned actually someone had recorded that album onto a tape for her and she thought it was ok. I decided to listen to it (probably determined to rubbish it and prove how Kylie had been robbed) but instead it changed my life forever. 

I hadn't heard songs that directly related to my life experience so completely before then and wow it felt amazing to know that I was not alone. I grew up in a town in Ireland where nobody talked about their problems. Everyone pretended their lives were perfect and I knew my home life was so far from perfect. This album made me realise that other people didn't have perfect home lives and even more importantly that just because you didn't have a perfect home life didn't mean that you couldn't escape it at some point. 

It also gave me the perspective of realising that however bad my life was that there were others that had it so much worse and sometimes that was just on the basis of the colour of their skin. I must have worn that tape out I played it so much and it sustained me for many years particularly after my father commit suicide when I was 16 and my mother ramped her emotional abuse to the max! I do credit it with saving my life. I moved to Wales to go to University at 17 which was as fast as humanly possible with the Irish education system and I never returned to my family home for more than a visit and even then I never slept under that roof again preferring to stay with friends. 

That album changed the way I thought about the world. It made me interested in politics. It made me fiercely angry about the injustice and inequity in the world. It made me care about anyone who was othered and made to feel less than. It made me an ally to those people. For a few years I didn't really play it any more. I suppose it made me sad to remember especially as I worried about my siblings who were still at home who hadn't been as wilful as me, as determined to escape but slowly I started listening to it again and since 2016 in particular when I've needed to vent my anger and frustration at the political direction that the world seemed to be taking Tracy Chapman has been there like an ever reliable friend. In wake of Black lives matters etc I sometimes am actually saddened that all these years later that it is still so relevant. I love every song on it and my favourites constantly change. 

When my brother died  the week before last a childhood friend called me. She was my very best friend growing up but we've only been in Facebook contact for year so it was quite a nice touch for her to reach out and we got talking and for once I was open with her about my childhood and I had a kind of breakthrough moment of realising that my parents flaws and failures were no longer mine to own. I no longer had to be ashamed of things I was not at fault for. What was amazing is that she knew it was bad (although not quite how bad it was) and yet we had never mentioned it before in our lives.  It's why reading the comments on things like Marcus Rashford's campaign on child poverty makes my blood boil. No child should suffer for the mistakes of their parents. They deserve more support not less. 

Amazingly I have never really listened to any other Tracy Chapman material (that I must rectify) and I have never seen her live. I would go see her in a heartbeat. I think when someone has saved your life the least you owe them is the price of a gig ticket. Sorry this is such an essay and if anyone has actually stuck it to the end. Well done. I'll do a much briefer thoughts on Wax Tailor when I get a chance 😄 

151927941_10157865001276966_5498769735753312124_n.jpg

Damn GP, there's a lot going on there. Don't know what the appropriate response would be (although even I know when not to try and work a bad pun in 😄 ) so I'll just leave it as more power to you. Taken what was dealt to you, decided fuck that, and did something else. I love what music can do for people, and has clearly helped yo to do for yourself. Cap squarely doffed.

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19 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

Someone posted this picture in a music group I am in on Facebook and it made me think and was part of my reason for choosing the Tracy Chapman album. I have wide and varied tastes in music and there may be some albums that I like the music better or that I appreciate the musical prowess of more but no album is more responsible for making me me than this album. 

As I previously mentioned I am the only member of my family who is nuts about music. Neither of my parents were big music lovers. We didn't have lots of music always playing. I have 2 older brothers (12 and 10 years older) 1 older sister 4 years older and 1 younger sister and they all liked music but were all quite mainstream and never really obsessive about music like I was (and indeed still am) My brothers in particular introduced me to The Beatles and bit of Bob Dylan, my Dad liked a bit of Buddy Holly and Simon and Garfunkel. If I had my way my mother would have been charged with crimes against music one of her favourite songs was Bobby Goldsboro Honey  which was widely lauded as one of the worst songs ever made. This meant that my musical journey has primarily been my own and that meant that my early tastes were very pop (what was on the radio or Top of the Pops) We didn't have loads of albums. Most music was copied tapes from friends etc. 

I also grew up in a very dysfunctional family. Both my parents were addicts (father alcoholic, mother problem drinker and prescription drug addict)  I remember being really upset in 1989 when the Best International Female Brit winner was announced and it wasn't Kylie Minogue (ironically I really can't stand her voice anymore now that it's cool to like her) but at the time Neighbours was the coolest thing in my world and I was deep in a Stock Aiken and Waterman hole. I remember saying to my sister who even is Tracy Chapman? What a ridiculous miscarriage of justice (Please remember I was only 11 years old!!) My sister just off handedly mentioned actually someone had recorded that album onto a tape for her and she thought it was ok. I decided to listen to it (probably determined to rubbish it and prove how Kylie had been robbed) but instead it changed my life forever. 

I hadn't heard songs that directly related to my life experience so completely before then and wow it felt amazing to know that I was not alone. I grew up in a town in Ireland where nobody talked about their problems. Everyone pretended their lives were perfect and I knew my home life was so far from perfect. This album made me realise that other people didn't have perfect home lives and even more importantly that just because you didn't have a perfect home life didn't mean that you couldn't escape it at some point. 

It also gave me the perspective of realising that however bad my life was that there were others that had it so much worse and sometimes that was just on the basis of the colour of their skin. I must have worn that tape out I played it so much and it sustained me for many years particularly after my father commit suicide when I was 16 and my mother ramped her emotional abuse to the max! I do credit it with saving my life. I moved to Wales to go to University at 17 which was as fast as humanly possible with the Irish education system and I never returned to my family home for more than a visit and even then I never slept under that roof again preferring to stay with friends. 

That album changed the way I thought about the world. It made me interested in politics. It made me fiercely angry about the injustice and inequity in the world. It made me care about anyone who was othered and made to feel less than. It made me an ally to those people. For a few years I didn't really play it any more. I suppose it made me sad to remember especially as I worried about my siblings who were still at home who hadn't been as wilful as me, as determined to escape but slowly I started listening to it again and since 2016 in particular when I've needed to vent my anger and frustration at the political direction that the world seemed to be taking Tracy Chapman has been there like an ever reliable friend. In wake of Black lives matters etc I sometimes am actually saddened that all these years later that it is still so relevant. I love every song on it and my favourites constantly change. 

When my brother died  the week before last a childhood friend called me. She was my very best friend growing up but we've only been in Facebook contact for year so it was quite a nice touch for her to reach out and we got talking and for once I was open with her about my childhood and I had a kind of breakthrough moment of realising that my parents flaws and failures were no longer mine to own. I no longer had to be ashamed of things I was not at fault for. What was amazing is that she knew it was bad (although not quite how bad it was) and yet we had never mentioned it before in our lives.  It's why reading the comments on things like Marcus Rashford's campaign on child poverty makes my blood boil. No child should suffer for the mistakes of their parents. They deserve more support not less. 

Amazingly I have never really listened to any other Tracy Chapman material (that I must rectify) and I have never seen her live. I would go see her in a heartbeat. I think when someone has saved your life the least you owe them is the price of a gig ticket. Sorry this is such an essay and if anyone has actually stuck it to the end. Well done. I'll do a much briefer thoughts on Wax Tailor when I get a chance 😄 

151927941_10157865001276966_5498769735753312124_n.jpg

Fuck me GP, sounds like you've had it tough. Wish there were some magical words I could summon up to make you feel a little better but words are not really my forte. If this was the real world I'd give you a big old bear hug until you felt marginally better or I managed to squeeze a fart out of you so consider this a massive virtual hug. Take care of yourself and thanks for sharing.

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Wax Tailor - The Shadow of Their Suns 2/5

What you reckon then?

I've never heard of this artist, but the feature list really excited me. Del the Funky Homosapien, Yungen Blakroc and ofc Gil Scott-Heron are all great. Listening to the album I got real Avalanches vibes with some of the vocal sample chops and also some backpacker rap, like DOOM and Dr Octagon. However there wasn't the same humour or weirdness and I felt like a lot of the tracks fell to the background a little.

Favorite Track?

Never Forget and Like This

Feel like you would listen again?

I might add some songs to a playlist but I don't see myself revisiting the whole thing

Might you go off and explore more (or send you on your own wormhole)?

Maybe

Would watch at a festival?

I imagine he'd do a decent hip-hop DJ set, so yeah

 

Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman 4.5/5

I'd be interested to know how many people have heard it before.

Never heard it before! Immediately drawn in though. She has a wonderful voice and is ofc talking about some real shit. I loved Mountains O' Things and Baby Can I Hold You the most I'd say. The one thing that I'd say that is simultaneously a positive and a negative about this album is the lyrics. Like, they're so simple and to the point that they hit very hard, but at the same time they're not very subtle or poetic. But in a way, that does make it poetic I guess? I overall loved this album and see myself going back to it loads. 

Are there any other albums that people would say have influenced their politics as well.

Yes, it's not technically an album but when I heard this freestyle I was maybe 15 and it blew me away then and still blows me away now. Read his book if you haven't, it's incredible! Akala for PM!!!

Are there any other albums that people revisit all the time. 

Yes, every Kendrick album, D'Angelo - Black Messiah, Lauryn Hill - Miseducation, Mos Def - Black on Both Sides

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11 hours ago, Quark said:

Damn GP, there's a lot going on there. Don't know what the appropriate response would be (although even I know when not to try and work a bad pun in 😄 ) so I'll just leave it as more power to you. Taken what was dealt to you, decided fuck that, and did something else. I love what music can do for people, and has clearly helped yo to do for yourself. Cap squarely doffed.

Thanks. I promise if we keep doing this every album I pick won't mean a bad version of Angela's Ashes story to accompany it. I guess everything that's gone on recently has just made me a bit extra reflective and inability to see friends and go to my brother's funeral made me want to talk about it and acknowledge it in some way. As I said to someone recently who knows maybe I'd have been a worse person if I had an easier childhood so it's not necessarily the worst thing ever.  Maybe if every Tory MP had lived a little of what I did they'd be capable of more empathy. 

11 hours ago, SheffJeff said:

Fuck me GP, sounds like you've had it tough. Wish there were some magical words I could summon up to make you feel a little better but words are not really my forte. If this was the real world I'd give you a big old bear hug until you felt marginally better or I managed to squeeze a fart out of you so consider this a massive virtual hug. Take care of yourself and thanks for sharing.

Thanks that made me chuckle as well especially as I am pretty sure I'm getting to an age where squeezing a fart out wouldn't even be much of a challenge 😄 

10 hours ago, Haan said:

Wax Tailor - The Shadow of Their Suns 2/5

What you reckon then?

I've never heard of this artist, but the feature list really excited me. Del the Funky Homosapien, Yungen Blakroc and ofc Gil Scott-Heron are all great. Listening to the album I got real Avalanches vibes with some of the vocal sample chops and also some backpacker rap, like DOOM and Dr Octagon. However there wasn't the same humour or weirdness and I felt like a lot of the tracks fell to the background a little.

Favorite Track?

Never Forget and Like This

Feel like you would listen again?

I might add some songs to a playlist but I don't see myself revisiting the whole thing

Might you go off and explore more (or send you on your own wormhole)?

Maybe

Would watch at a festival?

I imagine he'd do a decent hip-hop DJ set, so yeah

 

Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman 4.5/5

I'd be interested to know how many people have heard it before.

Never heard it before! Immediately drawn in though. She has a wonderful voice and is ofc talking about some real shit. I loved Mountains O' Things and Baby Can I Hold You the most I'd say. The one thing that I'd say that is simultaneously a positive and a negative about this album is the lyrics. Like, they're so simple and to the point that they hit very hard, but at the same time they're not very subtle or poetic. But in a way, that does make it poetic I guess? I overall loved this album and see myself going back to it loads. 

Are there any other albums that people would say have influenced their politics as well.

Yes, it's not technically an album but when I heard this freestyle I was maybe 15 and it blew me away then and still blows me away now. Read his book if you haven't, it's incredible! Akala for PM!!!

Are there any other albums that people revisit all the time. 

Yes, every Kendrick album, D'Angelo - Black Messiah, Lauryn Hill - Miseducation, Mos Def - Black on Both Sides

I have the Akala book to read. Currently reading something a bit lighter because balance and all that but having listened to that freestyle I am very much looking forward to it. For me Dave, Kae Tempest, Patti Smith, Bob Dylan have all been fantastic. I really love protest music as it feels like using my favourite art form for positive change is just a great thing to do. I'd also highly recommend the George the Poet podcast on BBC Sounds

11 hours ago, funkychick2007 said:

Isnt it incredible just how powerful music and lyrics can be! Thanks for sharing experiences! 

I've never had a therapy session in my life but I have always said that music is my therapy. I find it incredible how someone can write something that resonates with you so strongly. I genuinely think music has the power to raise the dead and stir the living like no other art form. I've had songs that have made me quit jobs, they have gotten me through the toughest moments of my life and been there hugging me through the happiest moments as well. Whenever anyone tells me they're not really that into music I always feel a little sorry for them. 

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I had not heard of Wax Tailor so was intrigued to hear album. Not really my style of music but thought it pleasant enough and will give it and earlier albums a further listen. I think his music is likely to be a grower rather than an instant hit. Would be interested in seeing a live show as I imagine visuals would be good. Anyone seen him.

Tracy Chapman album is a stone cold classic. In March 1988 I went to see John Martyn play at Sadlers Wells Theatre and he was supported by Tanita Tikaram and before her an unknown American folk singer. I was struck by the quality of her songs. A few months later I was watching the free Nelson Mandela concert when of course she wandered on and blew the crowd away. In the autumn she did likewise at the amnesty international concert at wembley.

The album was the first CD I ever bought and has remained in my playlist ever since. Strangely I have never listened to any of the following albums....something I will be putting right over the next few days. Hard to think of a better first album by an artist,

 

 

 

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Wax Tailor - The Shadow Of Their Suns
What you reckon then?
Thought it was okay but a little bit boring. 2/5

Favourite Track?
Either Just a Candle or Shining Underdog.

Feel like you would listen again?
Probably not.

Might you go off and explore more (or send you on your own wormhole)?
Probably not.

Would watch at a festival?
Depending on what else would on I would possibly check him out.

Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman
What you reckon then?
I've actually never listened to this album or anything from Tracy Chapman despite always loving Fast Car. I was very impressed by the album and I'm sure I'll keep listening to the record as time goes. Great pick! 4/5

Favourite Track?
Fast Car and Baby Can I Hold You.

Feel like you would listen again?
Yes and I had a number of spins already.

Might you go off and explore more (or send you on your own wormhole)?
I don't see why not as I did enjoy the album.

Would watch at a festival?
Yes.

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Strong double header this week in my book 👌

WAX TAILOR

What you reckon then?

I'm into this, quite a bit. As Quark said it's quite Avalanches-y, which as far as I'm concerned is definitely a good thing. I like as well that the features all clearly brought something of their own to what they were contributing, without ever feeling like it was compromising the album being a cohesive whole.

Favourite track?

Probably either On the Air, or Keep it Moving

Listen again?

Very likely

Explore more?

Could definitely see myself delving into the back catalogue in future

See at a festival?

Quite possibly, I'd be intrigued to see how this style translates to a live show.

 

TRACY CHAPMAN

Obviously pretty familiar with the "big" tracks (what a strong 1-2 punch to open the album btw), but not an album I'd listened to in full more than, maybe twice?, so nice to have an excuse to do so. It's good, damn good. Struck me listening to it how fresh and contemporary it still sounds; there's a couple of places where the drum track in particular is a little "blatantly 1980s", but more generally if it was an album I was coming to completely fresh and you told me it came out in the last couple of years I'd probably believe it.

As for GP's questions, I can't say that there's an album which has particularly influenced my politics, but going back and revisiting albums is very definitely something I do, a lot 😄

 

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Wax Tailor

What you reckon then?
Enjoyed a couple of tracks but not really something I would choose to listen to - 2/5

Favourite Track?
Just A Candle

Feel like you would listen again?
I'm afraid it's not for me

Might you go off and explore more (or send you on your own wormhole)?
Nope

Would watch at a festival?
Wouldn't choose to but don't think I'd walk away from it

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Wax Tailor

Was it horrific?
No

Did it sound as I expected?
Not really, less rappy if that makes sense.

Overall thoughts
I started off nonplussed then every now and then something would grab my attention, by the time I got to Everybody I thought this could be something I could really get into. But it didn't really go anywhere from there, On The Air was just Everybody but without all the good bits. Standards pretty much dropped after that and I got bored of it. Shame, showed promise

Would I watch them at a festival?
Yes.

Would I listen to it again?
Not now that I've given it a few more listens.

Will I investigate them further?
No.

Score out of 5
2

Tracy Chapman
Was it horrific?
No

Did it sound as I expected?
Exactly

Overall thoughts
Although I obviously have heard the big songs, I've never felt the need to listen to the rest of the album. There was a reason for that and now I have listened to it, I guess my thinking was right. I just find her a little dull. Not bad by any stretch but it just doesn't grab me in any way.

Would I watch her at a festival?
No.

Would I listen to it again?
No

Will I investigate further?
No.

Score out of 5
2

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Wax tailor was completely new to me and am always open to something outside my realm of knowledge.  But although it was interesting in parts it didn't massively grab me . Will give it a listen again but couldn't imagine I'd go and watch at a festival although may drop in briefly.

Tracy Chapman I haven't listened to for many years . I have album on cassette somewhere but had forgotten what a phenomenal album it is .

When it first appeared it was my album of the year ..1988 I think . Still sounds fresh and relevant and yes I'd be there in a heartbeat if I ever had chance to see Tracy live 

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Got around to giving Tracy Chapman a good listen yesterday. Great Album. Brings back many memories listening to it. It use to be on heavy rotation a a girls house we used to go to and smoke far too much squidgy black. As others have said certainly stands up over time, albeit with an 80's feel to some of the production. Sadly still relevant today.

As for the politics angle. I am not sure really that records do inform my politics. I think I probably gravitate towards certain records because of my politics maybe. Certainly listened Crass, Reggae , Levelers up to recent people like Grandson. I think when younger I hung out with people who were also into that type of music and from there the debates were had and opinions formed. Go hand in hand I guess.

Do I go back and listen to old records - Oh indeedy I do.

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Tracy Chapman
Was it horrific?
No

Did it sound as I expected?
Yes

Overall thoughts
Familiar with the big hits but never sat down and gone through the album, some really great tracks on there

Would I watch her at a festival?
Yes

Would I listen to it again?
Yes

Will I investigate further?
No.

Score out of 5
3

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Enjoyed Wax Taylor, hadn’t heard of the them before. It did get a bit samey but all the tracks were strong. Can imagine it would be very nice on a sunny afternoon at a festival  

Tracy Chapman reminds me of a very specific time in my life and it was really nice to be taken back to it. I hadn’t listened to the album in a long time. I remember seeing her at a jazz festival in the Netherlands in about 2005. She was amazing. 

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Album 1

4/5

Some very good highlights on this for me and something I will revisit in the future. I think the Avalanches comparisons are pretty much spot on.

 

Album 2

4/5

Took me a while to get into this one. There's obviously some well known brilliant tracks but I had to get familiar with her voice as I didn't quite take to it to begin with. However it grew massively and I think the 2nd half in particular is amazing.

 

2 very good picks!

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