Premier Rock Forum

Talk Talk - Spirit Of Eden
A record that I totally ignored whwn it came out, and only listened to it about a year ago when somebody I highly trust raved on and on about it. This lp is pure magic. The recording depth, the songs, the instrumentation, the vision. Wow!!! After you hear it you will see why it sold like about 8 copies, further comfirming your knowldge that most people just don't know.

Univers Zero - 1313
This might be one of the darkest instrumental art rock explorations ever. Jaw droppingly original. Whatever they were smoking in belgium in 1977 must have been a real complex downer. Seek it out!!!!

Squarepusher - go plastic, others...
I usually hate this kind of music (electronic/techno) but this is some really cool, original stuff.

Franz Kogleman - any of his cd's on hat art
Some of the most interesting takes on modern jazz/classical out there. This stuff takes "cool" jazz to a place where it might just be concluded. He sure has one hell of a vision.

Jimmy Giuffre - 1961
Probably the greatest and most influential jazz albums (Thesis & Fusion) that you have never heard. He was going further out than Trane and Ayler, but in the exact opposite direction - quiet.

Hans Reichel - any of the late 70's stuff on FMP
You have never, ever heard guitar playing like this. Far more interesting than Derek Bailey, but along those lines.

Henry Cow - legend, in praise of learning, revolution
These albums from the 70's are just extraordinary. This is what prog/art rock could have been if the the yes's and keith emersons pushed the envelope and avoided the self indulgent solos.

Hatfield & the North - the 1'st one
When I first heard stereolab and tortiose, I thought, what is this, Hatfield & the North reinvented? Really quirky, weird, and intersting pop music.

JJ Cale - any of his early albums
Hear what Clapton, captain beefheart, dire straits, norah jones, skynyrd, etc.... all robbed, borrowed, and covered. His early records are absolutely amazing and pretty much forgotten.

ZZ Tops 1st
Hate on them all you want, but this record will all about outboogie gutbucket everything else that has ever been plugged in and rocked out.

Beethoven - Late String Quartets
If you don't get it now, you will at sometime. This is by far the greatest musical vision any human being ever had. You can laugh and say whatever you want, but at one point in your life these will make sense to you and everything else will just seem like a wasted attempt at trying to say something important. Just accept it.

capnreverb wrote:Univers Zero - 1313
This might be one of the darkest instrumental art rock explorations ever. Jaw droppingly original. Whatever they were smoking in belgium in 1977 must have been a real complex downer. Seek it out!!!!

You've certainly some (ahem) sophisticated tastes. A assume you're familliar with Magma. How does this compare? I have a limited grasp of the Zeuhl genre and am not even certain that they fit into that description or niche.

As far as Magma goes - I really like their self titled first, the double Live is fantastic, and MDK is a classic.

I've got Henry Cow's "Legend", but I still find that difficult to get into most times. I have not heard the other two.

I'm not familliar with the late Beethoven quartets. Is there a particular recording, or ensemble you prefer to recommend? Please let me know. If I enjoy them half as much as the complete Bartok quartets by the Julliard group it will still be money well spent.

[quote="geiginni]I've got Henry Cow's "Legend", but I still find that difficult to get into most times. I have not heard the other two.[/quote]
Try out Western Culture - it's pretty phenomenal. However, it may take a few listens.

capnreverb wrote:Univers Zero - 1313
This might be one of the darkest instrumental art rock explorations ever.

Ever listen to Present? "Triskaidekaphobie/Le Poison Qui Rend Fou" is really good.

geiginni wrote:

capnreverb wrote:Univers Zero - 1313
This might be one of the darkest instrumental art rock explorations ever. Jaw droppingly original. Whatever they were smoking in belgium in 1977 must have been a real complex downer. Seek it out!!!!

You've certainly some (ahem) sophisticated tastes. A assume you're familliar with Magma. How does this compare? I have a limited grasp of the Zeuhl genre and am not even certain that they fit into that description or niche.

As far as Magma goes - I really like their self titled first, the double Live is fantastic, and MDK is a classic.


I've got Henry Cow's "Legend", but I still find that difficult to get into most times. I have not heard the other two.

I'm not familliar with the late Beethoven quartets. Is there a particular recording, or ensemble you prefer to recommend? Please let me know. If I enjoy them half as much as the complete Bartok quartets by the Julliard group it will still be money well spent.

The Bartok quartets are one of the few along with the Shostakovitch ones that are mentioned in all most the same breath. Granted, they were written 100 years before those, so they lack the 20th century atonal tendencies, but they share the extreme emotional depth and forthright conviction. Its funny how many times I read discourses about music of all kinds, and the Late Beethoven String Quartets always seem to be brought in as the litmus test for perfection. They are that good. The Guarnari Quartet has probably the most famous and respected versions, but I really like the Alban Berg Quartet renditions a bit more. The Julliard also has a recording of them that is highly liked, but I prefer the other two I mentioned more.

In terms of Magma, they are nowhere in the ballpark. Imagine Steve Reich of Terry Riley listening to the most depressing chamber music ever written and deciding to form a rock band with basson, cellos, guitars, drums etc. There is nothing like it at all. They are not as disjointed and abstract as Henry Cow. They flow a lot more logically. Godspeed might come close if they where to shorten the songs, make them more complicated, and forgo the never ending crecendos. If there ever was a "chamber" rock band, Univers Zero is it.

After "Spirit of Eden" Talk Talk made their last album "Laughing Stock," and then leader Mark Hollis released a solo album a few years after that. I would put these latter two records over "Eden," good as "Eden" is.

And I think "Unrest" is the Henry Cow album to start with.

"1313" is my favorite Univers Zero record. I also love their second album "Heresie." The picture of UZ on the cover of "Heresie" is worth the price of admission.

Capnreverb,

I picked up a 2-disc set of the Beethoven quartets Op. 127, 135, 130, & 133 last night, and I can't thank you enough for the recommendation. The copy I picked was the Phillips reissue of the Quartetto Italiano (based on the Penguin guide and what was available at the store).

I found Op. 127 to be the most immediately accessible (on first listening). Especially with the opening 4-note motive that is essentially the same as the central motive from the 3rd movement of his 9th Symphony (but resolves itself much differently). The "Grosse Fuge" is some pretty powerful stuff too (upon first listening). I will be picking up the 2nd volume at my earliest convenience.

Bartok is "my man" as far as 20th century composers go; Shostakovitch much less so. To me, Bartok's works are the perfect blend of derivative and original compositional forms and techniques. His appeal is hightened by the Magyar/Rom-Gypsie/Macedonian influences (I love Hungarian/Romanian traditional forms). That I have just scratched the surface of his body of work should keep me busy for many years.

For those unfamilliar - "Miraculous Mandarin, complete" (Boulez, NY Philharmonic, Sony Classical) would be my top recommendation for those who seek a thourough musical ass-kicking (literally).