ok, these work real well.

new order-"power, corruption, and lies" -simple
neil young-"zuma"-crusty
bedhead-"what fun life is"-sweet
lungfish-"artificial horizon"-don't know
ten grand-"this is the way to rule"-friendly
fugazi-"13 songs"-real
slint-"spiderland"-cause

later

Can anybody recommend, or even give me a title or titles of, albums where Django plays electric gtr?

The conventional history-of-jazz wisdom always has it that when he took up electric gtr late in his life, it was a failure, he didn't sound good, etc. A while ago I heard a song on a compilation CD where he was on electric, and I thought it was fucking great. I've had no success finding entire records of him playing electric.

Can anybody recommend, or even give me a title or titles of, albums where Django plays electric gtr?

The conventional history-of-jazz wisdom always has it that when he took up electric gtr late in his life, it was a failure, he didn't sound good, etc. A while ago I heard a song on a compilation CD where he was on electric, and I thought it was fucking great. I've had no success finding entire records of him playing electric.

Pretty much everything he played starting around 1946/47 was electrified.

At first it was on his Selmer/Maccaferri acoustic with an early pickup attached. Later (I think it was around 1951 or so) he started playing a true electric (I'm not sure of the make - possibly Gibson).

I don't think the criticism of his sound should have as much to do with his technique or style as much as the limitations of playing jazz on an acoustic with a pickup mounted in the soundhole. It did not sound very good - as would be expected up such a setup at that time. If you can get past the iffy sonics his playing is as strong and imaginative as ever.

By far my favorite work is the last session he did for Blue Star records only months prior to his death. It can be found on the two-disc set "Peche a la Mouche" on the Verve label. Hopefully it is still in print. On this disc he is fully electric, playing in a quartet with excellent backing, and shows signs of influence from bop and progressive styles. Had he lived another ten years he may have written another significant chapter in European jazz. Another bonus is that this date was recorded on 1/4" tape. This is the only truely Hi-Fi Django I've yet to find. A must have!

Another good set is "The Indespensible 1949-50". On this set he is playing the electrified acoustic, which is a little more low-fi. Hubert Rostang plays clarinet on most of the tunes, and I tend to prefer his style to Grapelli.

Best guitar sound has got to be Malcolm Youngs in Let There Be Rock. Listen to the thing on headphones!

Plus the obvious - ZZ Top, first 2 Pj Harvey records, Josh Homme, Black Sabbath "Master Of Reality", first track off Insignificance by Jim O Rourke (the Sweet Home Alabama one)

and "Black Woman" Sonny Sharrock

pretty much any early Hendrix

John Fahey - all the Takoma stuff

Mule

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

and to TheNullSet of Sydney, Australia. I am chris of Leonay, Australia. at least for another week.

Are you kidding me? I didn't know it was up for debate.

The answer is ANY Dick Dale record. My choice happens to be "Uknown Territory"

another good choice - Pegboy "Three Chord Montel"

Soldier Talk by The Red Crayola is a revelation. It is one of the most ignored albums of all time and it is just unbelievable as a guitar record. It has this incredibly strange and treble drenched attack. It inspired the Minutemen, features most of late 70's/early 80's Pere Ubu and has Lora Logic adding Sax blasts over it. If you can find it, you will love it. I promise. Drag City and or Mayo Thompson couldn't wrestle the rights away from Warner Brothers or something awful like that so this is vinyl only.

for some albums, it's easy.

Voivod - (a toss-up) either Killing Technology, or Dimension Hatross
Slayer - Reign In Blood
Slint - Spiderland
Descendents - Liveage


but then for some it's too hard to pick specific albums. bands/guitarists are easier.

like for Polvo, is it Exploded Drawing, or Celebrate the New Dark Age, or Today's Active Lifestyles, or what? i'd probably go with CTNDA if i had to pick just one.

Unwound i think i'd pick Leaves Turn Inside You, but again, not an easy decision.

what about Come? Near Life Experience? hrm...

John Reis? probably Jehu, but which one?

honestly, i have to throw out Soundgarden here as well. it's easy to shit on their production choices, whatnot, but the guitar playing (and drumming for that matter) is pretty brilliant on all their albums, at least up to and probably including Superunknown.

and then what about Yngwie? no, no, now i'm just keeding.

also, the Clydesdales, the Oxes, Haymarket Riot and Shake Ray Turbine all = guitar work.

Jeff Deff wrote:The Monks "Black Monk Time" will make anyone's jaw drop on first listen, even 35 years later. Very simple and completely unique.

The Monks have jaw-dropping spunk indeed. My friend gave me a copy of 'Black Monk Time' for Christmas and it's mesmerisingly brilliant. Great to finally hear the originals of some Fall covers too.

PS. www.the-monks.com seems a good place to visit for more Monk time action.